Empire of Flame and Thorns Marion Blackwood (2026)

This gripping new adult fantasy romance follows Selena Hale, a fae rebel trapped in the Seelie Court by a forest of thorns and living at the mercy of dragon shifters. Her only chance of freedom is entering the Atonement Trials, a deadly competition in which fae magic users compete and only three people can win. Selena intends to be one of them, but Draven Ryat, the ruthless commander of the dragon-shifter army, is determined to make her lose. Draven represents everything Selena hates, and if he discovers that she is also a member of the secret fae rebellion, he will not only destroy her chance of winning but kill her. Yet the more time she spends with him, the more irresistibly drawn to him she becomes. In a lethal trial, nothing is more dangerous than a distracted heart, especially one that beats for the enemy. The story features a strong heroine, a morally grey hero, deadly trials, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers tension, wicked banter and sizzling spice.