My favorite books about enemies who can’t stand the heat (between them)

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been fascinated with high fantasy since the moment my grandmother first presented me with Eragon by Christopher Paolini. Then, add in a Nora Roberts book when I turned sixteen, and voila, my love for all things fantasy romance was born. I crave tension, romance, sizzle, and some epic fight-to-love scenes that make my blood run hot. When I started writing, I knew the exact genre I wanted to focus on–romance. All. Things. Romance. Fantasy, paranormal, contemporary–I enjoy writing them all but in every single one of my stories there lies a thread of fight–of sizzle–because what’s a happily ever after if you don’t have to work for it?


I wrote...

The Last Ward: A Dark Fantasy Romance (Cambrexian Realm)

By Jessica Wayne,

Book cover of The Last Ward: A Dark Fantasy Romance (Cambrexian Realm)

What is my book about?

His legacy is drenched in her blood. Daxon Ward has never wanted anything to do with the legacy of his bloodline. But when his brother follows in their father's footsteps and joins the realm's greatest protectors, Daxon swallows his hatred, and returns to the one place he swore he'd never set foot in again. The academy comes under attack, and Daxon crosses paths with the realms' most notorious assassin.

She's out for blood. Hell-bent on destroying the same man who turned her into a monster, Sienna uses a Guardian ceremony to sneak inside the otherwise impenetrable walls of the academy. Only, it's already under siege. She may be the only one with the power to save them all, but only if the man she's hunting doesn't find her first.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Heart on Fire

Jessica Wayne Why did I love this book?

This book was one of the first romantic fantasy books I picked up and it completely captivated me from the very first page. You are immediately thrown into an incredible world, right at the same time the two main characters meet. It’s fast-paced, steamy, and perfect for anyone who loves that enemies-to-lovers vibe (me, I’m anyone). Kat and Griffin are amazing together and it’s so much fun to watch them figure that out.

By Amanda Bouchet,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Heart on Fire as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WITH THE POWER OF THE GODS AT HER FINGERTIPS

Cat Fisa's destiny has finally caught up with her. But fully accepting her fate means taking a final, terrifying step―reuniting all three realms and embracing her place as Queen with warlord-turned-king Griffin at her side. But forging their kingdom can only mean going to war with Fisa and its violent Alpha―Cat's own mother, Andromeda.

Although Cat used to be Andromeda's sole weakness, that's no longer true. And while Andromeda seems to know every trick and spell, Cat's own magic refuses to work like it should. When tragedy strikes, Cat unleashes the…


Book cover of Blade & Rose

Jessica Wayne Why did I love this book?

I binge-read the first three books in this series in a matter of days. It is seriously incredibly to watch these two characters be thrown together. Both with dark pasts of their own, seeing them fight together toward a common goal is absolutely heartwarming even as it gets frustrating at times.

By Miranda Honfleur,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Blade & Rose as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Heart-pounding romance and thrilling action meet deep world-building in Blade & Rose, a sexy and addictive romantic epic fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass and Danielle L. Jensen’s The Bridge Kingdom. She’s bound to a monster. He’s bound to his oaths. Their bonds will break. And so will they…

An elemental mage who just wants her freedom, twenty-two-year-old Rielle is driven by one inevitability: she will destroy the impending arranged marriage to her cruel werewolf fiancé. Then she can happily spend her life independently, working as a mage on missions.

If she can keep her…


Book cover of Hollen the Soulless

Jessica Wayne Why did I love this book?

I cannot even begin to recommend this book enough! This entire series is the whole package. Epic heroes who live on mountain tops, a civilization that protects the rest of the world, and a man willing to do anything for the woman to whom he has given his heart. *Swoon*

By Denali Day,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hollen the Soulless as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

He'll mark her flesh. She'll claim his heart.


Always the dutiful daughter, Lady Joselyn is weeks away from marrying a rival lord in order to save her house. However, she suddenly finds herself in the clutches of an ancient beast she’s only ever heard of in legends. More terrifying than that is the beast’s master, a wild man who insists Joselyn is his bride by right, and plans to seal his claim in blood.

Dragon-rider, Hollen, has finally captured the woman of his dreams, though he quickly learns waiting for her was less than half the battle. His new bride…


Book cover of Blood Oath

Jessica Wayne Why did I love this book?

This was the first book I read from these authors and it completely captivated me. Drae, a seemingly normal woman plunged into an utterly abnormal–and dangerous situation–it was a completely binge-worthy series and one I re-read. The tension between the two main characters as they fight to deny what is between them is delicious

By Kelly St. Clare, Raye Wagner,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Blood Oath as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Everything I know is a lie.

I’m an ordinary mortal girl. Lord Irrik is a depraved dragon shifter. King Irdelron is an immortal tyrant.

In the disease ridden land of Verald, life is mapped out much like the established rings of our kingdom. Everyone has a role…
Me? I’ll be uselessly serving potato stew for the rest of my life because I can’t make anything grow.

But starvation brews rebellion.

When the king strikes, I’m captured by Lord Irrik. Instantly, I’m embroiled in a deadly game. One where I’m desperate to understand the rules.

Because nothing makes sense anymore.

Now,…


Book cover of Little Fire

Jessica Wayne Why did I love this book?

Steamy slow-burn with tension you can feel rolling off the page? This one is for you! This new-to-me author was an epic find and I cannot get enough. The world-building is beyond exceptional, the characters and their struggles–both physical and mental–are realistic even as it’s a fantasy! I one-clicked the rest of the series even before I finished the first book! 

By Hollee Mands,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Little Fire as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

She’s broken from a past she can’t remember. He’s scarred from a past he can’t forget.

Declan can kill with a blink of his eye. Jaded and cold, he rules his kingdom the same way he does his heart—with ruthless pragmatism. So why does he risk all to protect a little mortal during a slave-trade uprising? Now stranded in the demon realm, the loss of his powers is the least of his troubles. The woman may have a frustratingly tender heart, but she has enough fire in her soul to thaw the ice in his veins.

He could take her…


You might also like...

The Last Ranger: Ranger of the Titan Wilds

By J.D.L. Rosell,

Book cover of The Last Ranger: Ranger of the Titan Wilds

J.D.L. Rosell Author Of The Last Ranger: Ranger of the Titan Wilds

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Hiker Reader Gamer Cat dad

J.D.L.'s 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Betrayed. Hunted. Left for dead. 

But not even death itself can keep the last ranger from vengeance...

Embark on a new epic fantasy tale full of magic, revenge, and rampaging titans in the latest series written by bestselling author J.D.L. Rosell.

The Last Ranger: Ranger of the Titan Wilds

By J.D.L. Rosell,

What is this book about?

Betrayed. Hunted. Left for dead. But not even death itself can keep the last ranger from vengeance.

Leiyn "Firebrand" is no stranger to a fight. A brash ranger of the Titan Wilds, she takes up her bow to ward against the colossal spirit creatures known as titans, ever a threat to the colonies she has sworn to protect.

But no amount of skill can guard against treachery.

When tragedy strikes the rangers' lodge, Leiyn vows to avenge the fallen. But if she is to succeed, she must embrace a power within her she has long denied.

Power to move mountains…


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