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Helen Scheuerer
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Blood & Steel: An epic romantic fantasy (The Legends of Thezmarr Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Helen Scheuerer (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
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** BOOK #1 IN A NOW COMPLETE EPIC FANTASY ROMANCE SERIES **

Perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash and The Witcher, BLOOD & STEEL is an epic romantic fantasy with enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn spice, found family, and a sprawling world of magic and monsters.

With her death foretold, Althea Zoltaire only has three years to become what she’s always dreamed of being: a warrior legend.

Women are forbidden to wield blades, so she has trained in secret her entire life. Now racing against the clock, she fights to secure her place in the elite guild charged with the protection of the five kingdoms.

The sparring and hazing of the new trainees border on deadly, but even more dangerous is her growing attraction to Wilder Hawthorne, her unwilling warrior chaperone.

All around them, schemes are afoot and darkness looms.

Will Althea pass the perilous initiation test and take her place as a champion of Thezmarr – or will the invading evil snatch away her dream before it starts?

If you like fierce sword-wielding heroines and brooding, tortured heroes, you will devour this sexy, addictive fantasy adventure.

Blood & Steel is the gripping first book in the heart-pounding, epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr.
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  1. Book 1 of 4
    The Legends of Thezmarr
  2. Print length
    550 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    February 16, 2023
  6. File size
    3341 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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  10. See all details
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Total Price: $19.96
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  1. ‘A true man won’t cut you down as you fight your battles, nor will he fight them for you. A true man will help sharpen your sword, guard your back and fight at your side, in the face of whatever darkness comes.’
    Highlighted by 2,228 Kindle readers
  2. ‘You’re beautiful as you are. And I’d wager even more so with steel in your hand and the blood of your enemies splattered across your face.’
    Highlighted by 1,704 Kindle readers
  3. ‘There is nothing more attractive than a woman who knows what she wants.’
    Highlighted by 1,499 Kindle readers
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From the Publisher

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Blood & Steel is an emotional masterpiece. Wilder and Thea will steal your breath, tear your heart into pieces, and leave you wanting more. Romantasy fans will love this enthralling tale of a plucky young woman desperate to prove herself, make her mark, and leave her legacy in a world stacked against her. The enemies to lovers romance woven throughout is a symphony of skillful ripostes as these two lovers come so inexorably together—and you, the reader, fall and burn with them. Helen Scheuerer delivers another signature exquisite fantasy with a rich world, compelling plot, and real characters that nestle into your heart. I need the next book — and so will you." — Meg Cowley, USA Today Bestselling Author

"Blood and Steel is the kind of book that grabs you by the heart and pulls you in for a glorious all nighter. A sumptuously rich fantasy world steeped in a romance that will have you begging for more. If you like enemies to lovers, found family, training sequences and stories packed full of steam you're going to devour this just like I did." — Sacha Black, Bestselling Author

"It left me both breathless and on tenterhooks for what's to come. If you've loved Helen's previous books, but wished for a story with a touch more spice? This one is going to be your new favourite read... this beautiful tale lives and breathes with every beat of my heart. And it begs the question, if we were told we'd die by twenty-seven, would we be as courageous as Althea? Could we face the world like she does? Thea joins Bleak and Rohesia in my bookish soul as the heroines I most aspire to be like... And I'm grateful that once again, Helen gives us a troubled heroine with a bold spirit and big dreams." — Immersed in Books

About the Author

Helen Scheuerer is the fantasy author of the bestselling trilogy, The Oremere Chronicles, and the Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet. Often likened to the popular series Throne of Glass and Game of Thrones, her work has been highly praised for its strong, flawed female characters and its action-packed plots.Helen's love of writing and books led her to pursue a creative writing degree and a Masters of Publishing. Now a full-time author, Helen lives amidst the mountains in New Zealand and is constantly dreaming up new stories. You can find out more via her website: www.helenscheuerer.com

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BNSYR7P8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Alchemy (February 16, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 16, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3341 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 550 pages
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Helen Scheuerer

Helen Scheuerer

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Helen Scheuerer is the fantasy author of the bestselling series, The Oremere Chronicles, the Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet and The Legends of Thezmarr. Her work has been highly praised for its strong, flawed female characters and its action-packed plots.

Helen’s love of writing and books led her to pursue a creative writing degree and a Masters of Publishing. She has been a full-time author since 2018 and now lives amidst the mountains in New Zealand where she is constantly dreaming up new stories.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
6,911 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the writing style amazing, flawed, and complex. They also describe the MCs as captivating and lovable. Readers describe the book as well-written, with witty banter and a sprawling world. They appreciate the great character development and the fleshed-out plot.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
PlotWriting styleCharacterizationWriting qualityPacingCharactersSpicinessFmc
110 customers mention "Plot"108 positive2 negative

Customers find the plot of the book quite an adventure, with intense action. They also say the characters are flawed and complex. Readers describe the build up as amazing and whirling. They mention the world building is amazing and the book is a great start to a series.

"...There’s action, a great cast of characters, banter, tension, & really good spice! What stood out the most to me though is the romance...." Read more

"...Overall, the story was epic, but also felt familiar. It has all of the fantasy elements we know and love...." Read more

"...me away ....this book had a great action packed story line and hottttt romance. Slow burn but it does get there later on 😉loved all the characters...." Read more

"Great world building, loved the characters, interesting plot and easy read. Stayed up too late to finish! Diving right into the 2nd book." Read more

81 customers mention "Writing style"81 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style amazing, solid, and well rounded. They also appreciate the great world building, characters, and plot.

"...What stood out the most to me though is the romance. It’s SO good & gave me all the feels. The MMC is totally obsess worthy!..." Read more

"...She is stubborn and independent, but finds some really amazing friends (Cal and Kipp😊) along the way who she learns to lean on...." Read more

"...This is part of a finished series now so its binge worthy ...." Read more

"Great world building, loved the characters, interesting plot and easy read. Stayed up too late to finish! Diving right into the 2nd book." Read more

68 customers mention "Characterization"68 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters well-developed and detailed.

"...There’s action, a great cast of characters, banter, tension, & really good spice! What stood out the most to me though is the romance...." Read more

"...Thea is such a strong character, and I’m convinced this is the year of epic FMCs...." Read more

"...Slow burn but it does get there later on 😉loved all the characters. This is part of a finished series now so its binge worthy ...." Read more

"Great world building, loved the characters, interesting plot and easy read. Stayed up too late to finish! Diving right into the 2nd book." Read more

29 customers mention "Writing quality"29 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book well written, bold, and enjoyable. They also say the voices are pleasing and easy to listen to. Customers also mention that the characters are well fleshed out and the plot twists are well done.

"...It has everything I crave in a great Romantasy series. It’s well written, has good pacing, a story that grabs your attention right away & keeps you..." Read more

"Great world building, loved the characters, interesting plot and easy read. Stayed up too late to finish! Diving right into the 2nd book." Read more

"Well written, great editing, nice world building, love a map, characters are interesting, the only con is the tired overused villain trope with Seb,..." Read more

"...Both of their voices were pleasing and easy to listen to...." Read more

19 customers mention "Pacing"15 positive4 negative

Customers like the pacing of the book. They say it's spot on and takes its time to build.

"...It’s well written, has good pacing, a story that grabs your attention right away & keeps you engaged throughout...." Read more

"...✨Right from the start we kick things off with a bang, it’s fast paced, the world building is intricate but not heavy handed...." Read more

"...The world building were slow and very easy to understand, but towards the second half of the book it felt a little rushed...." Read more

"I loved this book! The plot, the pacing, the enemies to lovers trope, one horse, AND “who did this to you?”….chefs kiss 🤌🏼 I loved Thea’s unwavering..." Read more

13 customers mention "Characters"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters lovable, phenomenal, and quirky. They also say the book has magic, spice, and a found family.

"...A bad-A FMC and a MMC that rivals all others. The found family is also phenomenal—I am in love with and so attached to all of the characters...." Read more

"...Kipp and Cal are the ultimate definition of true friends. The world building is amazing and I just know there’s even better things to come." Read more

"...I loved the training, the world building, and the beautiful friendships. I eagerly anticipated every touch and look of the slow burn tension...." Read more

"...There’s magic, spice, and lovable friends. I think this series should be as big as Fourth Wing and ACOTAR." Read more

12 customers mention "Spiciness"12 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's spiciness, saying it has banter galore.

"...There’s action, a great cast of characters, banter, tension, & really good spice! What stood out the most to me though is the romance...." Read more

"...and plot along with burns and desires, and just the right amount of spice and longing...." Read more

"...development is great, it’s packed with adventure, and has a little spicy thrown in that keeps you wanting more...." Read more

"...There’s magic, spice, and lovable friends. I think this series should be as big as Fourth Wing and ACOTAR." Read more

11 customers mention "Fmc"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the fmc amazing, great for SJM lovers, and captivating.

"...It’s SO good & gave me all the feels. The MMC is totally obsess worthy!..." Read more

"This fantasy romance read quickly, Thea is an amazing FMC, strong and with such conviction of her goals that it convinces you to support her till..." Read more

"...Great MC, character development and chemistry and build up w wilder. I shouldn’t start the next book now but maybe just one chapter tonight…." Read more

"...Thea was a great FMC, she’s driven and spontaneous. Her character growth is fantastic and I can’t wait to continue to watch her come into her own...." Read more

🌲⚔️Life Changing Series⚔️🌲
5 out of 5 stars
🌲⚔️Life Changing Series⚔️🌲
Well hello to my new favorite world! A bad-A FMC and a MMC that rivals all others. The found family is also phenomenal—I am in love with and so attached to all of the characters. The 1st installment of the Legends of Thezmarr promises an epic story ahead, it leaves you ravenous for the next book. I am always so impressed when an author can do the fantasy part AND the romance part so well. Do yourself a favor and start this journey, Thea and Wilder and the entire gang is so worth it…they will own a piece of your heart!
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Top reviews from the United States

Carina
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read series!!!
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2024
Verified Purchase
I just finished book 2 (Vows & Ruins) & am loving this series so much!! It has everything I crave in a great Romantasy series. It’s well written, has good pacing, a story that grabs your attention right away & keeps you engaged throughout. There’s action, a great cast of characters, banter, tension, & really good spice! What stood out the most to me though is the romance. It’s SO good & gave me all the feels. The MMC is totally obsess worthy! He has a Henry Cavil Witcher vibe to him while still being is own unique character. He’s growly, broody, & has moments that will make you swoon. If you’re looking for top tier romance & your next book boyfriend then this series is an absolute must read!
4 people found this helpful
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Ashley G
4.0 out of 5 stars Epic slow burn fantasy
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2023
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

Blood & Steel follows Althea (Thea) on her journey as a shieldbearer, something no woman can take part in ever since the doomed prophecy from years ago forbade every woman from even carrying a weapon, let alone training to become a warrior. Thea is such a strong character, and I’m convinced this is the year of epic FMCs. She is stubborn and independent, but finds some really amazing friends (Cal and Kipp😊) along the way who she learns to lean on. She is relentless in her training and takes criticism from absolutely no one. She’ll be the first one to put someone in their place, and she definitely doesn’t back down from a fight. It was so easy to root for her as she took on a feat no woman has been able to do for a long time.

And then we have Wilder Hawthorne🫠 I feel like we did not get enough of him, but I still fell in love instantly. Although most of the book is in Thea’s POV, Wilder gets a few chapters here and there. Every Wilder chapter was filled with angst and a sense of duty. He is so enthralled by Thea, but fights so hard against it. His chapters literally do nothing to further the plot and only show his thoughts about Thea, but I was obsessed with it!! Simping hard from page 1.

If you love a good slow burn, Thea and Wilder are it! Their bickering and banter throughout the book had me BEGGING for more. If they’re not endgame, I’ll have some choice words for you, Helen!!

Overall, the story was epic, but also felt familiar. It has all of the fantasy elements we know and love. Some might say the reveals and ending were predictable, but I’ll still eat that up every time!

Tropes/What to Expect:
Found family
Enemies to lovers
Romantic fantasy
Dual POV
Slow burn
Banter
5 people found this helpful
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Felicia
5.0 out of 5 stars Wowww
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2024
Verified Purchase
Wow ..wayyy better than I anticipated. First time reading this author and she blew me away ....this book had a great action packed story line and hottttt romance. Slow burn but it does get there later on 😉loved all the characters. This is part of a finished series now so its binge worthy .
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stephanie blue
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyed
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2024
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Great world building, loved the characters, interesting plot and easy read. Stayed up too late to finish! Diving right into the 2nd book.
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Kara
4.0 out of 5 stars Good plot
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2024
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I liked the overall plot of the book, but the romance is not well developed and feels so clunky. I thought Thea had good character depth, but I didn’t feel the same about Wilder.
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Dominique Bello
5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic first book in a series! I can't wait for more.
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
*I keep this review as spoiler free and vague as possible.

✨Excuse me! Who gave this book permission to be this damn good? I am so mad at myself for binging this because I never wanted it to end. It’s a really good thing book two is right around the corner because holy jeeze bananas. I need it so bad. This is joining my list of new bookish obsessions. EVERYONE GO READ IT.

✨Right from the start we kick things off with a bang, it’s fast paced, the world building is intricate but not heavy handed. The author paints a really vivid world that I felt I was walking through while reading. I love a book where the MMC and FMC have to travel together. We all know it leads to delicious scenes, and this one does not disappoint.

✨Speaking of MCs, Wilder couldn’t possibly be any more of a grump and I am SO here for it. Even when he’s in the throes of his own attraction, he’s a grump. I absolutely loved it. Thea, on the other hand, was so kickass. I loved her dedication and loyalty to her friends and city. Despite all her flaws and set backs, she grows beautifully as a character.

✨The secondary characters were such a delight, I just want to invite Malik, Kipp, and Callahan over for dinner and listen to them bicker 😂. I love a found family, and I love when the secondary characters melt my heart.

✨This book, while deliciously swoony at times, was not without its pain and heartbreak. Helen did a fantastic job of pulling me into terrifying and heartbreaking scenarios and really making me feel what the characters were going through. The action was intense, I held my breath multiple times, and I can’t wait to see where things are going to go in Vows and Ruins.

✨Bravo to the author for an amazing first book in a series. You’ve made a huge fan out of me, and now I’m going to read everything you’ve ever written.

✨Read if you love:
- Insta-lust with slow burn love
- Reluctant mates
- Witcher and FBAA vibes
- Intense action scenes
- One Horse
- Hidden power
- Kickass FMC and super Grumpy MMC
- Found family
- Spice

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.75
7 people found this helpful
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RC
3.0 out of 5 stars 1 🌶️
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2024
Verified Purchase
Well written, great editing, nice world building, love a map, characters are interesting, the only con is the tired overused villain trope with Seb, which really adds nothing to the story except eye rolls and we all know he won’t get his comeuppance until he causes more problems. Just annoying plot line.
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Librosentrelazos
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing start of a series!
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2024
Verified Purchase
This fantasy romance read quickly, Thea is an amazing FMC, strong and with such conviction of her goals that it convinces you to support her till the very end.

The world building were slow and very easy to understand, but towards the second half of the book it felt a little rushed. The romance and spice were the right touch, and I absolutely loved Wilder.

I’ll start the second book right now!
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Top reviews from other countries

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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Blood & Steel
Reviewed in Brazil on April 25, 2024
Verified Purchase
oh boy oh boy! i Almost didn't read this book because personally i prefer books in the first person...But! i gave it a chance and gotta tell ya it was so good! the story is compelling and entertaing, the bullies are truly evil you really want revenge ,the romance is just so nicely balanced ,the brooding "bad boy" is just delicious and the heroine is just brave and determined you just want her to succeed because she frickin deserves it
of course it ended in a cliffhanger and i'm typing this review as fast as i can to go the the sequel, i couldn't put it down i read it in a day and half
Happy Reading
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Vanessa
5.0 out of 5 stars Alchemist
Reviewed in Canada on March 30, 2024
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Ok.. ok, so.. You love romantasy books?! You love a strong FMC and a grumpy MMC?! The whole one horse trope?! You need to read this. The storytelling is captivating, the characters you just love and want to know more of including side characters. And the antagonist makes you want to reach through the page and just throat p* nch them.. yeah.. this is that book. With giddiness and just kiss her already! Can’t wait to dive in to book two.
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KateBarton
5.0 out of 5 stars Immediately hooked
Reviewed in Germany on June 29, 2024
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This book was a great introduction to a fantastic world. The characters were likable from the start, so itvwas easy to get into it all.
Thea wants to become a warrior and the first female Warsword. However there is a prophecy that forbids women to wield wapons. This doesn't stop FMC in fantasy books as we know.
The behinning of Theas journey in this book was extremly to my liking. It's been a while, that a story got me hooked this quickly.
The world building was easy enough to get into (I read the prequel story "Slaying the Shadow Prince" first though) and the pace was just right.
What I really loved was, that not just the MC were well written but a lot of the side characters had such great personalities that you really felt connected to them. This is a really important part for me when starting new books.
I couldn't put this book down in the end.
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Javi
5.0 out of 5 stars Review
Reviewed in Spain on May 19, 2024
Verified Purchase
Se trata de una tetralogía Disponible en Kindle Unlimited

Con su destino predicho en una piedra que lleva al pecho, Althea solo tiene 3 años para convertirse en lo que siempre ha soñado: una guerrera 🥷 En un mundo cambiado por una profecía, las mujeres tienen prohibido empuñar un arma. Thea que ha entrenado toda su vida en secreto, tiene ahora que luchar contra reloj para conseguir un puesto en la elite de guerrero que luchan para defender el reino.

Es un libro perfecto para fans de la saga De Sangre y Cenizas, o fans de los libros, videojuguegos y serie de la saga The Witcher.

Blood & Steel es un libro Romantasy que lo tiene todo: personajes diferentes entre si que se van desarrollando durante la historia; escenas de acción que te dejan con los pelos de punta; un relación de amorodio super Slowburn con un guerrero (Wilder)🌶️🌶️; y finales de capitulos con plot twist que hace que lo de “solo un capítulo más” se quede extremadamente corto. Literalmente lo he devorado!

Para mi es un 5/5⭐️ y tengo unas ganas increíbles de leerme los dos siguentes.
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Smita
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing and intensely gripping
Reviewed in India on September 29, 2023
Verified Purchase
Superb plot, characters and depiction. Each scene is more vivid than the previous and it's tough to not turn the page to know what happens next.
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