Book Review: A Reign of Rose by Kate Golden

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Adult
Pages: 496
Format: Ebook
Rating:

Goodreads summary: They must save the world—but can they also save each other?

Kane Ravenwood, King of Onyx Kingdom, would go to the ends of the continent for Arwen Valondale, but what if she’s beyond even that? Broken in ways he never imagined he could be, Kane must find a way to fulfill the prophecy and kill his father, Fae King Lazarus. And after what he’s endured, he’s willing to save Evendell by whatever means necessary—even if that spells his own death.

Little does Kane know, he’s not the only one fighting for revenge. Arwen is no longer afraid to fight—no sacrifice is too great, no enemy too daunting. Now, nothing will stop her from destroying Lazarus and his allies, because she knows if she fails, both realms will be doomed forever.

Note: This is the last book in the Sacred Stones Trilogy. I started the series late in 2024, before starting this blog, so you won’t find reviews of A Dawn of Onyx (3/5 deer-stars) or A Promise of Peridot (4/5 deer-stars) on here.

Spoilers ahead

The final installment in the Sacred Stones Trilogy had all the right pieces—an epic showdown, long-awaited character moments, and a solid conclusion—but something about it just felt… flat. While it wasn’t inherently bad, it didn’t quite deliver the same engagement as A Promise of Peridot, leaving me to just think this book was just okay for me.

Plot & Pacing

I went into A Reign of Rose excited to see how everything would wrap up—especially how Kane and Arwen would reunite, how Lazarus would finally meet his end, and whether Mari would come into her own. The stakes were high, considering that Lazarus could only be killed by a true full blooded fae wielding the Blade of the Sun, and Arwen was the last one left. Killing him would mean sacrificing herself, so the group was working on a way around that, including Kane attempting to become a true full blooded fae himself. Given that I didn’t expect the main characters to die, I was curious to see how the book would navigate this.

Unfortunately, while the setup had potential, the execution felt stagnant. A Promise of Peridot had a gripping pace that kept me invested, but A Reign of Rose felt like it was moving in a straight line with minimal highs and lows. There were some cool twists—Kane’s unexpected mortality threw a wrench into things (briefly), and Arwen’s reveal as a phoenix was a great moment that tied back to her long-standing desire to fly, but that didn’t happen until the end. There were other story threads that were frustratingly unresolved.

For example, before dying, Briar tells Mari to seek out someone named Adelaide, and it’s brought up again in the epilogue, but then… nothing. This is the last book in the trilogy, maybe there will be a spin-off but if not, why introduce this and not wrap it up? There’s, also the subplot involving a deal between the Scarlet Queen and Aleksander regarding Kane and Arwen’s potential child. The Queen is adamant that they cannot have a child, and Aleksander claims that if they do, he wants to raise the baby among his people—but the why is never explained. That was a huge missed opportunity for some last-minute tension or future setup.

Characters & Romance

Kane and Arwen’s romance was solid, but nothing new. We already knew they were devoted to each other, and this book just reaffirmed that. I was actually more interested in Mari and Griffin’s slow-burn romance, which has been building up for so long. I get that this isn’t their book, but again, if there’s not another one planned, why not give them a proper conclusion? By the end, they still weren’t together, which was disappointing.

Mari’s confidence in her magic has been an ongoing struggle, and I was hoping to see her fully come into her power. While she did grow, it didn’t feel as impactful as it could have.

Something I wasn’t expecting, was Dagan’s death. And on her wedding day too?! That one really hurt. With Arwen’s father passing early in her life, and her stepfather abusive, Dagan was the father she never had but deserved. They really had such a nice relationship and I can’t believe he was killed off. I thought it was a nice touch ending the book with the letter he wrote to her on her wedding day.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, A Reign of Rose did what it needed to do—Lazarus was defeated, Kane and Arwen got their happy ending, and Arwen finally got her wings. But the journey there felt more like coasting than an exhilarating ride. The unresolved plot points, inconsistencies (like Arwen not knowing how long she was in Lumera, then immediately saying it was two months), and lack of urgency dulled what could have been a strong finale.

Would I recommend it? Yes, if you’ve read the rest of the series and want closure. But would I reread it? Probably not.

And if another book comes out? I’d most likely read it… but begrudgingly.