Love Lethal, Death Divine by Jelena Dunato

I would like to thank Dark Matter Ink for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

Publisher - Dark Matter Ink

Published - Out Now

Price - £4.99 ebook £13.99 paperback

When Liana learns that her beloved husband, Prince Amron, was killed, she uses her half-divine blood to strike a bargain: the gods will send her back into the past and give her three days to make Amron fall in love with her. If she succeeds, she gets him back. If she fails, she loses him, and her divine powers, forever.

Seventeen years earlier, Melia is forced by her controlling father to marry Amron on the brink of the biggest peace treaty in history. But Melia has her own plans: to destroy the treaty and carve a new future with her rebellious lover, Ferisa. As Melia’s betrayal sparks a bloody conflict, Liana realizes the gods have deceived her: she must help Amron earn Melia’s trust, even if it means losing him, or the future won’t exist. And Melia must decide whether to reveal the truth, knowing it could cost her everything—or let the kingdom burn to ashes. A dark fantasy story of love and revenge.

One of the dangers of a story is that we rarely deep down don’t know the outcome. This is the hero and that is the villain let me guess who will win. Even if the story is Grimdark you can eventually work out the outcome. It’s so refreshing to have stories where you’re not too sure who you should be rooting for, what is the best outcome and how will this be resolved. Authors such as Lois McMaster Bujold, Kate Elliott and Adrian Tchaikovsky often do this in their fantasy work. It’s pleasure to report that Jelena Dunato’s fantasy novel Love Lethal, Death Divine does just that offering a very unusual story with deeply rich and complicated characters creating a fantastic read.

In the kingdom of Albia Liana is devastated to learn that her much loved partner Prince Amrom has been killed in the line of doing the King’s work. As a commoner she has only ever been tolerated and is soon thrown out of her chambers with his the clothes on her back. Liana though is not fully human and pleads with her mother Lela for help and the forest goddess leads her to the God of War. A bargain is struck she will be sent back in time for three days to find Amron and if she can make him fall in love with her then he will be restored to her forever. What she does not expect is to find herself in Albia seventeen years ago long before Amron and her ever met.

In the border kingdom of Elmar Melia is the young daughter of its ruler Roderi. Elmar is hard, constant fighting with the nearby Seragian Empire and Melia’s family has lost many members to the conflict. Now the King’s eldest son is to marry one of the Emperor’s daughters and Melia has now been betrothed to the King’s younger son Amron. She is disquieted as she has fallen instead for her friend and herbalist Ferisa but duty calls her to the capital. However games are being played by men and gods and two young women are soon finding themselves on opposite sides.

So this book kept surprising me in so many ways. I’m used to Gods being used for bargains but time travel? You really quickly pull for Liana and think she is clearly our hero and yet Melia is a character you feel immense sympathy for as well. Just when you think this is just about a lost love we realise the event Liana is back to is actually the catalyst for a huge war with consequences for the whole world. Dunato has created an amazingly complex story that is a triumph of storytelling and character work.

At the heart are the characters and Liana is impressive for her determination. Handily helped by her lack of aging that’s the only advantage Dunato gives her as she arrives in Albia, unknown, with no powers - and her resourcefulness and fighting skills. How does a lowly commoner get close to the royal circle. In her chapters we see the focus she has but also in flashbacks how she really did have with Ambron a relationship of equals there is a reason they were in love for so long.

With Melia we have a much younger character here although royalty she is ultimately a tool for power. A young woman with really little choice in her life. She is for political ties and power to bear children. That she is in love with another woman is not going to help her. If Liana is about getting close to power to save Amron then Amelia is about learning the limits and strengths of her power. Impressively both of these characters are sympathetic not best friends forever and yet not sidewind to hate each other either.

To make matters even more complicated Amron is a very decent human being. He’s never met Liana so for him marrying Melia is just carrying out duty. He is though incredibly respectful of Melia and doesn’t see her as just his trophy. There is a fine contrast with him and his older brother who very much is Amron’s opposite. So we have three decent people all cast into a very difficult situation and so it’s creates a deliciously unusual set of characters to get to know and understand how they’ll bond.

Now while the aim of the story is finding a lost love the core story is one of intrigue and fates of nations. As Liana and Melia get to know this version of Albia we see its rulers are not ideal. Ambron and Melia’s fathers are both incredibly flawed and have their own agendas going on. Powerful people with the power of life and death over their families and subjects create a lot of tension and conflict which soon has the huge threat of war if anything goes wrong arrives. Impressively it’s also clear that the timeline is not fixed and so all bets are off as to what can happen next. If Liana was to take Amron away that breaks up an alliance, if Liana loses she is condemned to the spirit world of Gods and if Melia loses she could find her father very unforgiving.

A host of action sequences, intrigue and desperate measures all carry the story along to a finale which cleverly finds a way forward but has so many consequences for everyone. Love Lethal, Death Divine is incredibly smart fantasy that is filled with emotion and a rich fascinating world of empires and warring characters that the stakes will keep you invested all to the final page. It is strongly recommended!