Where the Ashes Sleep

Paranormal Romance — slow burn romance, happily ever after, swoony romance reads.

A fated-mate secret baby shifter romance with a grumpy-sunshine twist and a heart-stopping sacrifice. Fire-mage noblewoman Lyra Ashford must steal the sacred flame from her sworn enemy, the Gold Court heir, to save her cursed brother from a wasting death. But the flame demands a sacrifice she never expected to offer: his life, or her own. When Lyra breaks into the Gold Court’s vault, she doesn’t anticipate the heir, Kaelen Gold, catching her in the act—or the searing bond that snaps between them. Kaelen, a grumpy, scarred dragon shifter haunted by his past, has spent years guarding the flame that sustains his kingdom. He’s not about to let a fire-mage thief escape, especially one who stirs a primal, possessive instinct he can’t control. Yet Lyra is sunshine to his storm: fierce, hopeful, and desperate enough to gamble everything. As they clash, the flame reveals its true price: one of them must die for the other to claim its power. Lyra faces an impossible choice—sacrifice the man she’s beginning to love, or let her brother wither into ash. But Kaelen harbors a secret that could shatter her world: Lyra’s brother isn’t cursed by magic, but by a lie that binds their families in a centuries-old war. And when a child from Lyra’s past emerges—a secret she’s kept hidden—the truth threatens to consume them all. Forced to ally against a shadowy enemy who wants the flame for themselves, Lyra and Kaelen must navigate treacherous court politics, scorching passion, and the devastating revelation that love cannot hide the sins of their bloodlines. In a game of fire and gold, only one can survive—unless they learn that some flames are worth burning for together.

Perfect for readers who love **Harley Laroux** and **Liv Zander**.