Ice Lord’s Bride by Ava Ross

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I must marry one of the fae, but the forbidden ice lord wants me.

To secure a human-fae truce, I’m one of five women traveling to their magical kingdom, where we’ll be courted by fae aristocracy. We have one month to choose a husband from among them.

Only Elion, the arrogant, beastly ice lord, is forbidden. His torturous scars make the other women gasp. His icy words rip them to shreds. His touch is colder than frost. He lurks in the shadows, never coming out into the light.

One stolen moment with Elion, and I’m intrigued. A kiss, and I’ll do anything to call this brutishly handsome lord mine.

Then one of the women is found dead. When you’re next appears on my bedroom wall, written in blood, it’s clear there’s more going on here than solidifying the human-fae truce.

If I’m not careful, I won’t become a bride of the fae. I’ll wind up dead.

Ice Lord’s Bride

Scarred Hearts & Shifting Loyalties

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💜💙❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋🙂☺️😍
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

🦸🏼‍♀️ Heroine Spotlight: Raven

Raven’s life was upended when her mother fell ill, forcing her to leave college and return to her small hometown. Now juggling grief, guardianship of her eight-year-old sister, and a job at the local diner, Raven is the kind of heroine who doesn’t just survive—she shoulders the world with quiet strength. Her emotional resilience and fierce loyalty make her a compelling anchor in a story that blends fantasy with real-world stakes.

🐺 Hero in the Shadows: Elion

Elion, once a proud Ice Lord and fifth in line for the Fae throne, is now a pariah. Cursed by a witch and transformed into a wolf shifter—a form reviled by his own kind—he bears physical scars and emotional wounds that isolate him from the glittering court. His quiet suffering and self-imposed exile add a tragic depth to his character, especially as he’s drawn to Raven despite knowing he’s forbidden from love.

🔥 Plot & Emotional Undercurrents

The Fae have crossed the veil and struck a controversial treaty with the human government: six unmarried women will travel to the Fae realm in hopes of finding a mate among the nobility. If they fail, they return home with a million dollars—a tempting offer for Raven, who sees it as a lifeline for her sister’s future.

Elion’s first glimpse of Raven at her restaurant sparks a fascination he can’t shake. Though he’s ordered to remain hidden, his quiet stalking leads to a violent demon attack that exposes him—and reunites him with Raven, now one of the chosen six.

As tensions rise, so do the stakes:

• 💀 A murder mystery unfolds as human women begin dying under suspicious circumstances.
• 💘 Raven’s immediate acceptance of Elion’s scars defies the Fae’s toxic beauty standards.
• 🧨 Political sabotage brews among the Fae elite, many of whom resent the treaty and the human brides.

🤨 Where the Ice Cracks

One narrative gap stood out: Elion’s exclusion from the bride selection process is vaguely explained. His cryptic warning that “things could get nasty” if he pursued Raven hints at deeper cultural taboos, but the story never fully unpacks the Fae’s rigid beauty politics or the consequences of defying them. A bit more world-building here would’ve added clarity and tension.

🎧 Narration Notes

Told in dual POVs with dual narration, this audiobook benefits from strong performances:

• Jillian Macie brings expressive nuance to Raven’s voice, capturing both vulnerability and grit. Her work in paranormal and alien romance continues to shine.
• Ryan West delivers a grounded, emotionally resonant Elion. His narration feels lived-in, never performative, and adds weight to Elion’s internal struggle.

💬 Favorite Quotes

“She was the sun peeking above the horizon in the morning, plus the vast, churning sea full of intrigue and danger. Loving her was like stepping off a cliff and hoping I could fly. Or that she’d catch me.”

“Sometimes, late at night, I ached to be with someone who’d see past the scars to the person I was inside.”

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