Never the Roses
Never the Roses by Jennifer K. Lambert, published by Tor Publishing Group on July 8, 2025, is a fantasy romance that explores the intricate dynamics between powerful sorceresses and their rivals. This edition features 368 pages and includes deluxe elements such as stenciled edges, stylish endpapers, a foil casestamp, and a detailed map. The story follows Oneira, the Dread Sorceress, who seeks peace in a remote forest after years of conflict. Her curiosity leads her to steal a book from her greatest rival, Stearanos, igniting a forbidden correspondence that complicates her desire for solitude.
Readers will find a narrative rich in themes of rivalry, romance, and the complexities of desire. As Oneira grapples with her feelings for Stearanos, who is bound to a vile king and called to war, the tension between their mutual attraction and the dangers of their circumstances unfolds. The book delves into the challenges of pursuing a relationship fraught with peril, while also exploring the allure of unexpected connections. Never the Roses presents a captivating blend of romance and fantasy, appealing to those interested in epic tales of love and conflict.
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AN USA TODAY BESTSELLER!
DELUXE EDITION―featuring beautiful stenciled edges, stylish endpapers, a foil casestamp and a detailed map.
The most powerful sorceress in all the world comes face to face with her greatest rival in this enchanting and seductive fantasy romance debut from Jennifer K. Lambert.
The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s fought and won endless wars for her ambitious queen and has finally exiled herself, seeking peace in a remote forest where the mountains meet the beach. There, in the peculiar company of a wolf, a kestrel, and a cat, she comes to accept that her death would be the beginning of a better world.
But she has one last curiosity to satisfy.
Oneira makes a reckless trip from her hidden fortress to the most extensive library in existence: the collection of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.
Perhaps at the behest of fate, a book on rare roses catches her eye. With little to lose, she steals it and returns to her self-imposed exile. As the subject takes root, she initiates a forbidden correspondence with her once-enemy. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found―nor could ever find―in any other.
But Oneira soon learns that Stearanos, bound to a vile king, is called to war against the queen she once served.
A relationship with him is far too dangerous to pursue despite their mutual desire―and yet, Oneira can’t seem to stay away. A bond with the only person who’s ever really understood her is too tempting to ignore.
But not all dreams were meant to come true and not all budding romance blooms.
Exquisitely crafted and bewitchingly lyrical, Never the Roses is like Circe by Madeline Miller meets The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent.
“[A] fresh take on enemies to lovers that will have readers swooning. A must-add for any romantasy shelf.” —Booklist, starred review
Expect:
– Rivals to lovers
– Forbidden love
– Slow burn
– Starcrossed lovers
– Tragic romance
– Dark past
– Redemption
– Unexpected ending
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