‘Steelborn’ by Taylor J. LaRue Book Review
The romantasy genre has often eluded me. It has shot up in popularity over the years, but I haven’t managed to be hooked by the premise of any much so far. But this all changed when someone told me about Steelborn by Taylor J. LaRue. It’s filled with magic, thieves, pirates, and a giant squid, so of course, by the premise alone, I was hooked. It’s a whirlwind of a book from start to finish, with, of course, some fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance that had me on tenterhooks throughout.
[Note: Whilst my thoughts in this review are independent and my own, a copy of Steelborn was provided to me to review by Wayward & Penguin Random House]
The plot of Steelborn
This first book in the Steelborn saga brings us deep into the world of Ianess. It follows Reya Connery, aka the Crimson Dagger, a master thief based in the city of Rhiterra. She is fierce and deadly. After being found on the streets at a young age by her keeper, Lennox, leader of the Blue Hood gang, she was molded into the Crimson Dagger, the greatest thief and assassin the Rhiterran Empire has ever known.
Everything changes for Reya when, on her last job to pay off her years of service to Lennox, she ends up freeing the captive she was tasked to steal and deliver. The captive turns out to be a sage, part of a mystical race of magic wielders who have all but been outlawed on Ianess along with magic. Any remaining on the continent have been hunted down to be thrown in prison, or worse.
Reya frees the sage, who we learn is believed to have the God Power, a magic so strong it can be used to stop the Empire and help lead the sages to freedom and victory. Rescuing the sage turns out to be a mistake, and after being beaten within an inch of her life by Lennox, Reya is given an ultimatum: 60 days to earn 100,000 golds or spend another 10 years working for Lennox, and her brothers will inherit the debt.
In comes Caelan Halycon, the male protagonist of this romantasy (at the moment, he is the male antagonist). He’s huge, muscular, with long hair, very handsome, and a typical romantasy protagonist, but that’s no issue.
Reya, down on her luck, sneaks her way into his room after overhearing a conversation he was having, aiming to steal from him; she quickly realizes her mistake as Caelan is a powerful sage himself. The pair end up coming to an agreement: Reya will help Caelan in exchange for her money and freedom; the catch is they need kraken blood to fix a curse that is slowly killing him.
Kraken blood is the stuff of myth, difficult to find and even harder to get, with many not believing it is real. This sets Reya and Calean begrudgingly off on their journey after being given pointers to someone who may have the blood. So begins their enemies-to-lovers arc.
Along the way, we find out Reya has magic within her too, being a half-breed sage who has locked away her powers behind kellstone, an ore that can nullify powers. Caelan offers to train her powers on the journey, as she may have very powerful magic herself. This gives the pair plenty of time to get close and to work out their frustrations with each other; you can feel the heat between the pair (physically and emotionally, as Caelan’s powers are fire-related).
These two also end up meeting another pair of sages, Thance and Omira, who have known Caelan for centuries. The four of them make for a great team in Steelborn; there are a lot of fun dynamics between them, and the side characters are a great help and hindrance to Reya’s character and what she is fighting for throughout.
LaRue’s first book is a wonderful beginning
LaRue is an amazing writer, as proven by her first book, Steelborn. I really like how she trickles lore and information out when it is needed. She is a very descriptive writer, which works wonders for the fantasy elements of the book as well as when things get a little heated between the pair, making it exhilarating to read.
There are many parts in the book where one little piece of information becomes very relevant later on, making reading and picking up on those points feel very rewarding. There is so much in the way of lore for things like the sages and their history, as well as plenty of teases into Reya and Caelan’s pasts and journeys to this point in the book. I would love it to be explored a lot more if the saga continues.
The fantasy elements in Steelborn are a highlight; not relying on dragons or magical schools, LaRue brings us a rich world filled with history and tales of gods and the other magical creatures that inhabit the world. The human aspect is great too, showing things like pirates and thieves as well as dealing with the threats of kings and a war that is brewing, which all adds to the action and adventure.
As one of my first forays into the romantasy genre, I really enjoyed Steelborn and its slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc of the story. It’s a staple trope for books like these, but it works so well within this world and between Reya and Caelan.
One aspect that adds to this is that sages can smell the aura of other sages. Their smells change scent when aroused, flushed, or angry. It really adds another dimension to the pair, as we can see their inner thoughts through these smells when LaRue chooses not to tell us their inner dialogue. A wonderful writing stroke.
There are heated moments, angry moments, and plenty of getting-to-know-each-other moments; seeing Reya and Calean open up slowly was remarkable. The pair share their scars both physically and mentally as they swap stories about how they got them and their past.
Steelborn does seem to slow down in the middle a little too much when it comes to this, as they stop a lot before the plot can really take off. However, I feel this adds to them getting to know each other, and the character work LaRue puts in in the middle chapters helps pay off for the end.
This helps with the pacing, as you can feel the tension and time ticking on throughout, with Reya struggling to train her powerful magic as Caelan’s curse slowly consumes his body. The latter quarter of the book takes a turn, which I think people will thoroughly enjoy. There are plenty of twists throughout, and the last one works very well in the grand scheme. It definitely had my jaw dropping.
Final thoughts on Taylor J. Larue’s Steelborn
I think Steelborn is a phenomenal new addition to the ever-growing list of romantasy books. I thoroughly enjoyed all the fantasy elements as a fantasy fan, yes, but the romance part was some excellent reading. Seeing how Reya and Caelan grow as both characters and sages, as well as seeing their feelings for each other develop, is wonderful writing. LaRue really knows how to set the scene with sexual tension, plenty of wanting, and dangerous encounters.
I hope there is more from this saga; Steelborn has so much potential; there are plenty of teases for later payoffs that are set up in this first book, and I hope we get to see them.
I have become a romantasy fan from this book alone, and that is a high compliment. I would recommend this book for fans new and old, as Steelborn could prove to be an engrossing new saga I can’t wait to read more of.
Also check out: Eyes Like Stars by Ashley Poston Book Review (A ‘Star Wars’ Romance Novel)
