NOVL Nation Pink Ribbon Winner: Steelborn
The NOVL Nation has spoken! Fans are loving Steelborn for its incredible world-building, its romantic yearning, and its breakneck plot! The twists will leave you begging for book two, and fans are saying Steelborn is perfect for fans of Throne of Glass! But don’t just listen to us, hear it from readers themselves!
“Steelborn felt like it was written specifically for me. It’s an epic fantasy romance set in a world on the brink of revolution where magic is outlawed and no one can be trusted. It’s got a guild of thieves and assassins, conniving fae, a tyrant human king, a heroine filled with rage and fueled by revenge, a cursed immortal warrior in need of an impossible cure, and the most torturous slow burn, enemies to lovers romance I’ve ever encountered. Read it immediately.”
–Shani, @shanisshelves
“This one has it all! Enemies to lovers, curses, magic, revolution…what more could you want? The FMC was a badass and the worldbuilding was so good! I loved the magic system and the romance, which felt like a very natural slow burn… There are also tons of creatures like fae, krakens, and sirens, so if you like a touch of otherworldly with your fantasy too, this is for you!”
–Briana, Briana’s Book Nook
“This story was non-stop adventure, yearning, battles and betrayals. I mean some really deep betrayals. Not to mention all of the plot twists and reveals. You will be addicted to this high stakes romantasy, with a very fierce FMC, from the very first page… I cannot wait for book 2.”
–Toscha, @poe.girl.reads
“This book has everything: Fae, elementals, krakens, pirates, sirens, sword fights, betrayals, plot twists, magic, yearning and enough high-stakes chaos to make my blood pressure a personal subplot. 😂 The pacing is relentless, the world building is immersive without dumping the entire encyclopedia on your head and the magic system? Very cool.”
–Jennifer, @williams_readalong
“I inhaled this book in 24 hrs… Fae, magic-born, and human? Pirates and kraken and sirens? I have no idea how, but this WORKED for me. I love the FMC and MMC, their dynamic, and the growth. The pacing – perfection.”
– Catherine, Goodreads
“Where are my Throne of Glass fans? You are going to LOVE THIS. The detailed world building, the foreshadowing, the secrets, the well developed main and secondary characters, all if it will have you hooked… You get thievery, assassinations, pirates, a kraken, sirens, a visit to a prison, and more! The character development is so layered and the story is beautiful.”
–Kaycee, @readbykaycee
“Steelborn is the kind of debut that makes you wonder where Taylor J. LaRue has been all this time because WOW. 🤩 She delivered an incredibly polished fantasy packed with addictive banter, flawless pacing, and a plot that ties every thread together from the very first page to the last.”
–Mary, @bookmarkedbymc
“Enemies to lovers has to be one of my favorite trope and this book did such an amazing job with it!”
–Bryanna, @bryannasbookstagram2.0
“Steelborn is an entertaining fantasy romance debut with engrossing prose and a valiant heroine – an epic, ambitious novel and a guaranteed hit!”
–Sarah, @acaffeinated_bookworm
“Taylor J. LaRue’s Steelborn, the first novel in the Steelborn saga, combines the ferocity of Fourth Wing with the epic world building and emotional complexity of Throne of Glass, all while managing to carve out its own unique, compelling space within the romantasy genre… I think you’ll enjoy this story if you love headstrong FMCs with a vulnerable side, dark and broody MMCs with a slightly skewed moral compass, and fast-paced, breathless adventures that remain grounded in emotional stakes. I loved this novel so much and I can’t wait to see where the next part of the story goes. I’ll be eagerly awaiting book 2!”
–Molly, Goodreads
“An immortal warrior, a notorious thief, a deadly curse, and enough romantasy tension to set Rhiterra on fire… If you want a fantasy romance packed with magic, danger, and heavy romantasy vibes, add Steelborn to your TBR!”
–Ashley, @thepageladies
Introducing an epic, slow burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy novel about a heroine forged in steel and rage, and the cursed immortal who might turn out to be as much her salvation as she is his, perfect for fans of Danielle L. Jensen and Callie Hart.
This DELUXE LIMITED EDITION is available while supplies last and features:
- Gilded silver edges
- Illustrated endpapers
- A foil-stamped case cover
- Special effects on the jacket
Never run. Never bow. Never die. Reya Connery became the Crimson Dagger, the most notorious thief in Rhiterra, by following a strict set of rules. One: There is no honor among thieves. Two: A good blade is key to any negotiation. Three: Only the dead keep secrets. And Reya has a secret that must be kept at all costs. But when a heist goes wrong on the eve of paying off her debt to a ruthless crime lord, Reya may need a new set of rules. And lots of coin. Fast.
Enter Caelan Halcyon, an immortal warrior whose magic makes him a valuable target—if the curse inching closer to his heart doesn’t kill him first. There’s just one person who might be desperate enough to try and get their hands on the fabled cure in time to save his life, someone whose legend claims they can steal anything: the Crimson Dagger. A male of honor, Caelan loathes everything the beautiful, cocky thief represents, yet knows that Reya is his last hope for survival.
Their search takes them to the edge of the known world, where Reya discovers that there is far more at stake than her and Caelan’s own lives. Now, Reya must confront deadly foes, her growing attraction to the immortal who is as lethal as his jawline is perfect, and the rage she’s spent a lifetime trying to bury. This time, her daggers aren’t going to cut it, and the fate of all magic-born hangs in the balance.
Enter a world ruled by tyrants and thieves, where magic is outlawed, revolution brews, desire is dangerous, and an impossible cure may prove deadlier than the curse.
Fan-favorite tropes include:
- Slow-burn romance
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Deadly curses
- Tortured immortal hero
- Secret identity
- Forced proximity
- Found family
- Only one saddle




