Broken Souls and Bones by L.J. Andrews
Stonegate #1
Fantasy Romance
April 29, 2025- Ace

Review by Angela

I discovered L.J. Andrews midway through 2024 and promptly devoured about 12 books in her backlist. I was eagerly anticipating an upcoming release in the Ever series when I heard that Berkley had signed Ms. Andrews to a contract and the book I was looking forward to would be delayed, but that there would also be a new series releasing and soon. So, I set out to acquire the first book in the new series as quickly as possible.

Broken Souls and Bones is the first book in the Stonegate series and introduces Lyra Bien, a young woman hiding out in a small village keeping the truth of her identity masked behind the disguise of an unassuming servant. She has nothing but shadowed memories of her childhood and one fateful, violent night, but she is in fact the lost melder, taken from her home as a small girl, and thought to be dead all these years. Melders are both revered by the crown and feared by the populace because their magic is so powerful and frightening.

Her greatest foe, and the one who travels to retrieve her, is the prince’s silent guard, Roark Ashwood. Himself an enigma, his voice violently taken before he was dumped at the gates of his enemy as a young man, he is now the protector of the prince and the person who takes on dangerous assignments for the king. Tasked with retrieving Lyra he will do whatever he must, even do bloody things to those she loves to force her hand in revealing her identity.

I really enjoyed the new world that this author has built. The magics wielded, political intrigues, and histories that seem to be slowly revealing themselves as the overall plot arc unfolds are fascinating. Admittedly, after the bloody reveal and Lyra being forced back to the royal city, I felt like the pacing slowed down a bit as she learns about her magic’s power and readers were able to get to know her, Roark and so many of the other secondary characters. Who I’ve become obsessed with. This author has a talent for creating characters that I can’t help but care about. Not just main characters, but everyone who surrounds them. Their found family and chosen friends. I find myself on edge of my seat hoping they also have love, and safety, and good things.

She also has a gift for crafting morally gray main characters, who may not seem to fit together at first, but who are drawn together, nonetheless. Lyra and Roark are both messy, with messy feelings, and complicated backstories. I mean, this is fantasy romance, everything is messy in romantasy. Roark doesn’t speak, but he communicates with his hands and Lyra quickly learns his sign language. This is definitely a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance so be prepared for the buildup and tension. There is open door, spicy love scenes which will make romance fans happy. But there is also a cliffhanger of sorts at the end, which will make romance fans grit their teeth. I think readers will be surprised at the ending and then bemoan the fact that they will most certainly have to wait awhile for book two.

All in all, this was a fabulous start to a new series and I’m excited for what’s to come.

Final grade- A

Content notes- violence, gore, torture