“I’m not scared of you.”He meets my gaze. “You should be.”All of England knows his name.Saxon Priest.Savage. Ruthless.A man bent on all-out destruction.His target? The royal family.I’m not looking for a knight in shining armor when I approach him for a job—but I never anticipated how my heart might quicken when faced with London’s most notorious killer.His eyes are cold.His mouth scarred and … notorious killer.
His eyes are cold.
His mouth scarred and sneering when he dismisses me as fragile, weak.
He couldn’t be more wrong.
I have blood on my hands and hate in my heart—just like him.
But with England on the brink of war, Saxon is my last hope. And when he risks everything to save me, I succumb to the ice in his veins and the blistering heat that tethers us together.
He may be the devil in disguise but I’m Isla Quinn, and I killed the king.
Road To Fire is the first book in the Broken Crown series. Intrigue. Grit. Soul-wrenching love. This is not your average royal romance. Enter if you dare.
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This is not Maria Luis ordinary romance. It’s dark and a bit gritty. I have been her fan from the get go and let me tell you she never disappoints. This romance has intrigue, murder, mistery, royalty and oh so much chemistry! The Priest brothers are one of a kind. Saxon is hard around the edges, tough and scarred both literally and figuratively. Isla is also a tough cookie, a girl empowered by vengeance but with a great heart. These two are fire and ice!!! Awesome read, truly awesome.
Gripping, intense reading from beginning to end! Road to Fire has so many twists and turns, you really won’t be able to put it down until you’re finished. Saxon and Isla’s love surpasses all odds – with scorching chemistry and a fierce loyalty that leads to a series of events that changes both their lives forever. Although Road to Fire can be read as a standalone with a HEA, there is an overarching storyline of the British Crown throughout the trilogy…as a result, Road to Fire ends in a shocking cliffhanger that will leave you waiting with bated breath for the next book in the series.
Road to Fire, I loved every book of Maria Luis’s that I have read. But this one, WOW!! I love the fact that it is very detailed and that the characters were very different. There are twists and turns that keep you glued to you seat. I just couldn’t put it down. Saxon and Isla are such complex individuals that you just can’t help but immediately become invested in them.
Maria is amazingly talented and knows how to tell a great story. I feel like this is her best work yet. She just nailed it . Can’t wait to read more from her.
Hands down the best book of 2020, and it’s only April.
“I breathe, you inhale, and we both go up in flames”
What did I just read? How do I process my feelings for this? My heart was in my throat for this entire book. My feelings are all over the place! This was GUT-WRENCHING in the best way possible.
Saxon is so cold and tortured and every anti-hero word I can think of. I wanted to hug him then slap him. Isla was so unexpected, so real and everything I want in my heroine.
There was just so much packed into this book; family, loyalty, murder, betrayal, SO MUCH STEAM. Every time I thought I knew what was coming, I was pulled the other way. I literally couldn’t put it down! This is the first book of the Broken Crown Trilogy and I’m already dying to get my hands on the next.
Maria teased us by saying that this was the royal romance no one asked for but she wrote it anyway. We didn’t ask for it because we had no idea what to even ask. She wrote above and beyond any expectation I could have had!
I’ve read every book Maria has written, most more than once. I’m a die hard Blood Duet fan and this is by far the best thing she has ever written. “Long live the queen.”
I loved this book. It grabs you from the start and keeps you on the edge of your seat till the end, even further with the cliffhanger. The characters and scenes are all very vivid. You can picture this all happening like you’re a fly on the wall. I really enjoy the look into the darker side of life and human nature. Saxon and Isla make a fantastic couple both a little broken and lost. They compliment each other and heal each other’s rough side. The heat between them is palpable. I don’t want to give anything away but the Priest brother, what a family. If you read the Blood Duet and liked that you have to read this. I hate to say this but I like this series better so far. Damien’s story is next and then Guy’s, I can’t for to find out what happens and who they are fated for. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
Ohhh Saxon and Isla! What an abnormal couple that made me fall in love with them and their trials and journey. Gah, what a read!
This story was not one for the faint of heart. It’s not one with the typical “girl meets boy and falls in love, but is afraid to tell him and stuff happens to force them together” typeof story.
It’s raw, dark, and gritty. And if we’re being honest, it’s real. Not in the sense of this is how everyone falls in love or lives, but in the sense of life is not always butterflies. Sometimes life gives us a hard hand from birth, sometimes it comes later in life. Sometimes we’re just doing the best that we can to get by in life. But even with that, don’t we all deserve a happily ever after?
Maria Luis gives us that story with Road to Fire. It’s something that’s real. It’s something that pulls at your heart strings for the life some are given and fight through. Saxon especially makes you feel for his life and the things he’s went through, I won’t spoil it for you, but man what a choice he was given from birth.
Anyway, this is a ramble-y review, but it’s truthful. I look forward to the next book in this series, if it’s half as good as the first it it will be fantastic read!
Saxon and Ilsa set the pages on fire in this dark historical romantic story. They both have dark pasts and goals they want to accomplish. Who will be left standing when the smoke clears? A must read full of dark deliciousness!
Which is better to be numb and feel nothing at all or to feel all the fire? Saxon has closed himself off from everyone except his brothers. Isla is fire and burns to right the wrongs as she sees them. Saxon and Isla are similar in many ways, but their responses to the circumstances they are facing are completely different. They both appear to have the same motives in life, but what happens when one betrays the other? When one goes so far as to imprison the other? Can Saxon and Isla overcome their obstacles and find a road to love?
Road to Fire has so many secrets and twists! As you read you aren’t sure who is on which team, but you’ll soon discover that Saxon and Isla have very strong feelings. While the secrets and twists end in a cliffhanger, Saxon and Isla do get a HEA by the end of this story!
Ms. Luis is a wizard with words and if you haven’t read her…please consider checking her out!
Road to Fire is book 1 in the brand new Broken Crown series by Maria Luis.
As soon as a read the blurb for this I knew that I needed it. It was filled with mystery and suspense that had me hooked. I will admit that it took me a few chapters to really get into it but I don’t know if that’s because of me and my concentration or because of the actual book and the amount of world building and information that the reader needed to know to get into the story.
I grew to love Saxon and Isla’s characters as the story went on and from about half way in I was hooked and needed to know what the hell was going to happen. I also found myself getting quite emotional at some points during the story which I didn’t expect.
If you love enemies to lovers, Royal romances with an edge of dark mystery and suspense then pick up Road To Fire, you won’t regret it.
This book has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year! I could not contain my excitement when it landed on my kindle and I had to dive in right away. I was hooked from prologue. I couldn’t put it down! I absolutely loved it!
Saxon and Isla’s journey is one of a kind! These two characters and their story made me feel Everything! I was glued to my kindle, waiting to see which direction this story was going to go in next.
With Road To Fire, Ms.Luis has created a breath of fresh air read! I have the best kind of book hangover! I am so stinking excited for Sound of Madness to be released!
*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Wildfire Marketing Solutions / the author*
this book is amazing!
I was blown away! Maria can go from sweet and sexy to dark and gritty with ease. Road To Fire was a riveting and seductive masterpiece with edge of your seat twists at every turn. Defiant. Fearless. Gripping.
Saxon was not who he seemed. He was the master at living two lives. His calculated moves were made to protect the queen. But when Isla came into his life he somehow found himself protecting her.
When Isla’s secret came out, she was a lamb being brought to slaughter. Would Saxton be able to honor his oath or would his heart betray him?
It did take me a minute to get into but once I was there, I was a goner. I kept telling myself, one more chapter until there were no chapters left! By then, it was the middle of the night and I was completely stunned and needing more! Be prepared to be left speechless and your thoughts turned upside down!
While I’ve known Maria Luis for some time now, this was the first book written by her I’ve had the opportunity to read.
OMG, when I say that she is one of the best authors I’ve read. The description and detail in which she tells her story is amazing. I loved every moment of it.
This story is full of steam, suspense and angst all wrapped in a gorgeous cover and you will want more and more.
Highly recommend and I can’t wait for the next books in the trilogy!
Holy wow!! This book is a ride like no other! Seems our plucky penner of romantic comedies has a dark side, and it is well and truly delicious! Combined with her historian roots, she delivers a tale that is haunting, heartbreaking, shocking and unparalled.
Let’s start with the backdrop for this hypnotizing read. England is a country torn apart, with two distinct groups. Those who are loyal to the throne and those who would sooner see the queen six feet under. Lies, deceit, conspiracies and secrets abound.
Then there’s the storyline, which stole both my mind and heart, holding me spellbound in its grasp and never once letting me go. Just when I thought I had something figured out, the road turned the corner to a completely unexpected place, and all I could do was hold on tighter. And the blindsides! I actually found myself saying, “Wait! What the . . .?! She did NOT just do that!!”
As for the main characters, Saxon hails from a long line of secret loyalists dedicated to protecting the crown, and Isla is a dissenter out for vengeance. Both on opposite sides in this war, yet fate somehow draws them together. They’re equally complex and layered and, together with the lies and secrets between them, it’s nearly impossible to know where each stands at any given moment.
Saxon and Isla are both so freaking compelling and memorable I couldn’t help but love them. Saxon, with his cold, steely exterior and granite for a heart that hide his vulnerability and fear, captured my heart effortlessly. Isla is a conundrum. Seemingly timid and summoning false courage, she’ll do anything to keep her brother and sister safe, even if it means going toe to toe with Saxon. Together, they’re electric. Explosive. Incendiary.
History isn’t my jam, but other contemporary romance readers will also enjoy this modern-day, dark romance with it’s historical backdrop. As part of a trilogy, there’s a piece of the story that continues in the next book, but Saxon and Isla find their happily ever after together. If you’re in the mood for something dark, surprising, twisty and intense, you’ll love this consuming, enthralling, extraordinary read!
Maria has been teasing this book as “the dark royal romance that no one asked for.” I have to say, I’m not a huge royal genre reader, but damn, I may be a convert after this. I’ll also be shamelessly begging for the next two in the series. This story is full of twists and turns and builds a world that sucks you in from the first chapter. It’s next to impossible to write a full review without any spoilers, but through it all, I was rooting for Saxon and Isla. Sometimes love really does trump all, and this story shows that beautifully.
“at least we’d be ruined together.”
*ARC provided for an honest review
“ , , .”
Holy wow!
Luis blows me away, with each book I read, but this trilogy is about to be so much more!
Ilsa & Saxon burned up my kindle with their heat, scorching everything around them. But the couple connected in so many ways, even if they didn’t want to.
It was a bit difficult to get into in the beginning, there’s a lot of history, a lot backstory, but it’s all incredibly important. It just felt like it dragged for a bit. But when it picked up, it really picked up, and then I was consumed by plot twists and a story so incredibly thorough.
Definitely recommend.
Intrigue. Mystery. Passion. Love. Hate. These are just a few of many words to describe Road to Fire – Book 1 in the Broken Crown Trilogy.
Isla is brave, fierce, and has a spine of steel. I instantly fell in love with this powerful, intriguing force of woman!
Saxon is dark, mysterious and alpha male. As you read, you can tell he has layers underneath his icy exterior. I love how as the story continues, Saxon continues to grow and you see more of his inner self coming out from behind his wall.
This book takes you on a rollercoaster ride and I couldn’t put it down. It drew me in from the first page and I continued reading until the very last page – I can’t wait for book #2.
There are so many amazing quotes in this book. “I breathe, you inhale, and we both go up in flames” is the perfect one from this book. From the intrigue, sex, mystery, and overall story this book is HOT! You won’t want to put it down.
I love all of Maria’s books and this one is no exception. It is different from all her others books but it is an excellent story. My new favorite of her books. She has an incredible talent of instantly hooking you into the story and the words just fly off the pages. I can’t say enough good things about this book!! I already had high expectations but it blew me away.
“Who are you really, Saxon Priest?” – Get this book and find out!
Let me preface by saying, I usually prefer my romances more on the rom-com side, and ‘Road to Fire’ is about as far from rom-com as you can get. It is dark and gritty. Full of danger, suspense, and intrigue – which, again, are not where my typical interests lie. However, Maria Luis’s latest novel pulled me in, gripped me from the beginning, and left me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire read! It is a page turner you will not want to put down. Every time you think you are about to come upon a good resting spot, a new plot twist will pull you back in, making you feel like you can’t sleep until you know what happens next!
Saxon Priest is pure alpha, but Isla Quinn is no timid wallflower. In Saxon, you will find a hero and anti-hero all rolled into one – torn between duty and desire, inside him rages a war between fulfilling his duty no matter what and his yearning for a life he doesn’t feel he deserves. He is loyal to the core – but to whom, and at what cost? Can obligation and love co-exist in one man? He may look like a beast, but he has the heart of a warrior and the soul of a protector. Isla is fierce and loyal, willing to protect those she loves at all costs – but is she blinded by a need for vengeance? Can morality still exist in immoral actions? Saxon and Isla appear to be straddling opposites sides of the ever-escalating conflict, but are they really? Or are they just two people, bound by the scars of their past, trying their best to navigate through the murky waters of trauma to carve out a life for themselves that is more than just despair? A life that allows for hope and love?
Maria Luis has a gifted way with words. Her vivid imagery, layered characters, complex plot, and flowing prose will draw you in and make you feel like you are part of the story. ‘Road to Fire’ will break you down, tear you apart, make you question everything you think you know and where you own loyalties lie, then it will stitch you back together. You may be left feeling as battered as Saxton and Isla, but the journey will be worth every second of the agony. ‘Road to Fire’ is so many things I never thought would be my cup of tea in a romance, but Maria Luis made me love every second of it! Although it does end with a bit of a cliffhanger, because ‘Road to Fire’ is part of a trilogy, it is not a cliffhanger that robs you of being given a full story. The cliffhanger is part of the trilogy plot, but you still get Saxon’s and Isla’s story – you are in no way left hanging until the next book to know what becomes of them. That’s not to say that the subsequent two books won’t throw more wrenches and plot twists into the Priest brothers lives, and who’s to know yet how those will play out, and the ending will leave you desperate to find out what happens next – but in the best way possible. ‘Road to Fire’ will be everything you never knew you wanted to read! Maria Luis
I don’t read royal romance books.
Road to fire was not only one of the best book’s I’ve read in 2020, but I am salivating to see where this series goes. As someone who doesn’t read royal romance, or royal romance related books because they don’t interest me, I can say that I wasn’t able to put this book away, and I KNOW that this book is gonna stick with me through the millions of re-reads I have planned. The plethora of feelings that bombard during the twisting turns and backstabbing grit are too much to explain in a single review. I could talk about this book forever, but I would rather you all go read it for yourselves. IT. IS. THAT. GOOD.
Saxon, I don’t know how you managed to do it, but you quickly climbed the podium of my top favorite hero’s.
Isla, you bada$$ female. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe the depth of my love for you. I want to be you when I grow up.
Lastly, Maria FLUFFING Luis. You have outdone yourself. Completely and utterly outdone yourself and I can’t wait for the next one.
Thank you for your review.
First of all, WOW!! This book was amazing! My first book from Maria Luis was definitely a winner. I went into the book without really knowing what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised.
Saxon Priest is the owner of London’s famous anti-loyalist pub. What he is really is a spy for the Crown. The pub is a front to weed out the traitors and those who want to hurt the Royals. The King was murdered a couple of months ago, so his family’s organization “Holyrood”, is trying to find the killer. Isla Quinn lost everything because of the Crown. Her parents were killed, while visiting her, at a riot. Now she’s full of bitterness but has to continue living for her younger siblings. Wanting to help the anti-loyalists she asks for a job at Saxon’s pub. She doesn’t know that she’s really helping the enemy, and from now on her life will change.
The first thing that sucked me into the story was the realness of the places. I’ve visited London a few times, so I could picture the places that were mentioned. London is a literal warzone. The fight between the people and the Crown is responsible for people dying. The book is definitely a wild ride. The suspense is palpable and kept me at the edge of my seat. I was worried that the story would drag because of the number of pages, however, the author wrote such a compelling story that I couldn’t stop reading!!
“I breathe, you inhale and we both go up in flames.”
Saxon is a tormented character. He’s weighted down by his duty to the Crown. His scars make him look scary and so he remains closed off. Isla is the first one to pierce through his armor. She sees the real him, beneath the scars and the scary attitude. They both have secrets, they are both broken. The attraction between them is explosive. With how their souls speak to each other, their chemistry is undeniable.
“I would take everything that you are and make it mine. Your beauty, your humanity, your fire. I’d fill every broken and misshapen part of me with you until there’s nothing left.”
Their story might have an HFN ending, but the royal battle continues in the second book with Damien Priest’s story! Don’t miss it!!!