The “betrayal” trope is notoriously hard to write because once trust is broken, it feels unrepairable. Broadbent solves this by denying the reader a quick fix. Raihn does not grovel with words; he grovels with actions. He offers Oraya the chance to kill him. Multiple times.
Searching for more articles like this? Check out our deep-dives into the best fantasy romance books of the year. The Ashes And The Star Cursed King
The first book introduced us to Oraya, the adopted human daughter of a powerful vampire king, fighting for survival in a gladiatorial tournament called the Kej. It ended with a heart-stopping cliffhanger: betrayal, the death of a mentor, and Oraya’s forced marriage to Raihn, the vampire who usurped her father’s throne. The “betrayal” trope is notoriously hard to write