M. B. Aznoe’s Elvensty starts with sluggish and unpolished early chapters. But the story ignites when an empath academy’s only student Believers—a tall half-Northerner and a Southern lord’s daughter—meet for the first time in a deserted chapel, and an assassin strikes. This betrayed couple must flee that same night, with a hastily arranged marriage to ensure their reputation. Adventure begins! Fastidious worldbuilding, diverse cultures, and detailed geography give the tale distinctive flair. Even better, this novel is written by a husband-and-wife author duo, which helps the layered details. Thoughtful tenderness and high action, respectful romance, loyal friendships, nerve-jangling danger, and surprises aplenty keep you on the edge of your seat and leave readers craving a sequel.

Best for: Fans of marrying-a-stranger romances, harshly realistic terrain, detailed fights, and imaginative twists on culture—including church culture in another world.

Discern: Some thematic elements, including threats to the leading lady, mild and mostly fade-to-black romance between the main couple, and several possibly unsettling deaths.