Crown of War and Shadow by J.R. Ward: My Book Review

Check out my book review of Crown of War and Shadow by J.R. Ward to see what I think of the first book in her new romantasy series that you don’t want to miss!

*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Crown of War and Shadow: Summary

In the deep, dark, dead of night, passions rise, empires fall…and a queen must awaken. Welcome to Kingdoms of the Compass.

The Fulcrum is failing, and demons are slipping into the mortal world. No one is safe. Especially not Sorrel. An orphan and an outcast within the walls of her small village because of her mystical abilities. She wants to survive…and find somewhere she can call her true home. But Fate has other plans.

Sorrel has been chosen. Cursed. She must cross the Badlands to return the Queen’s crown and convince the fearsome female to save their world from destruction.

Well aware she’s no brave hero, Sorrel makes a dangerous deal with Merc, a brooding, commanding mercenary known only by his unscrupulous profession.

The deal? A night in his bed that she will never forget, in exchange for her safe passage. But Merc has secrets of his own, and even though desire runs hot between them, adventure, danger, and betrayal lurk around every corner.

Crown of War and Shadow: My Review

Consider me hooked! J.R. Ward has created a new romantasy series that has everything I love about this category of romance – great world building, a strong heroine, a hero to fall for, trials that have you on the edge of your seat and amazing writing that pulls it all together. This was one of my most anticipated new romantasy books of 2026 and it totally delivered!

I know that J.R. Ward is well-known for her Black Dagger Brotherhood series and spin-offs but this is my first read of her work and now I’m kicking myself that I haven’t dived into her books sooner.

I mistakenly thought I’d just check out a few chapters one night, but I became instantly hooked by the heroine, the unlikely hero and the story that began to unfold and could not put it down.

But perhaps what I love most about this book is its perfect pacing that it read like a complete story despite leaving you hooked for book two. Sometimes starting a new romantasy series can be daunting because you know you’ll get a lot of world-building in book one with an introduction to characters who may or may not even start their romance but that’s not the case in Crown of War and Shadow.

I loved how I instantly fell into this new world and felt the chemistry between Merc and Sorrel the moment they met. From that first meet cute the story progressed at a wonderful pace that kept me hooked, wondering what would unfold next in their journey and when they would succumb to the chemistry that kept building. Plus, each heart-pounding interaction and trial they faced moved the story forward without delaying its culmination which again made this feel like a complete story from beginning to end rather than just a precursor for what’s still to come.

As someone who’s read a lot of romantasy, I was even surprised by what transpired at the end which was really satisfying.

Sorrel is a wonderful heroine to root for. She is an orphan who is alone in her world and yet someone who carries amazing gifts that she keeps hidden.  I loved how her bravery kept building throughout the story in an authentic way.

Merc is truly an enigma and yet a man whom you love immediately. He kind of reminded me of Val Kimer’s character, Madmartigan in the movie Willow (yet less silly and not a drunkard) in that he was a fearless warrior who truly wanted to help and protect Sorrel while also wanting to get in her pants.

If you love reading romantasy with a strong, unsuspecting heroine but are looking for a fresh story with amazing writing then I highly recommend Crown of War and Shadow. It ranks up there with Fourth Wing, From Blood and Ash, Shield of Sparrows, and A Promise of Fire. J.R. Ward is a bestselling author for many reasons and her talent shines yet again in the start of this new series.

**Check out my podcast interview with J.R. Ward as we talk about Crown of War and Shadow.

*I received an advanced copy from Bramble. All opinions are my own.

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