When Characters Refuse to Stay Silent: How Emerin Hijacked A Reflection of Shadow and Light (And I'm Not Even Mad About It)

Hey, fantasy romance lovers!

So here I am, deep into drafting my 12th book (seriously, how is this my life?), and I thought I had everything figured out.

Book 4 of my Reflection of Silver and Crimson series, "A Reflection of Shadow and Light," was going to follow the same POVs as the previous book: Annora with her fierce determination, Jasce with his protective intensity, and Aleksander with his deliciously dangerous schemes.

But then Emerin started whispering.

And by whispering, I mean she basically grabbed me by the collar, shook me like a maraca, and screamed, "EXCUSE ME, BUT I HAVE THINGS TO SAY."

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At first, it was just little nudges…a scene here, a moment there where I could feel her wanting to speak. You know how it is when a secondary character starts tapping you on the shoulder like an overly persistent toddler? I figured I'd give her a chapter or two and she'd settle down like a good little side character.

HAHAHA.

That's like expecting a cat to politely ask before knocking things off your desk. Emerin basically moved into my brain, set up a tent, and started demanding equal POV time with the confidence of someone who owns the place.

I was so, so wrong about everything. Including my ability to control my own characters. (Spoiler alert: I have zero control. They do whatever they want, and I just type really fast trying to keep up.)

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The more Emerin spoke, the more I realized just how vital her story is to this book. This isn't just about the enemies to lovers tension crackling between her and Reeve (though trust me, that slow burn could power a small village). It's about a healer discovering she might be capable of destruction, about family bonds tested when everything you thought you knew gets yeeted out the window like yesterday's leftovers.

Emerin basically looked at me and said, "You know what this series needs? Someone who talks to plants, makes up adorable curse words like 'bleeding wisteria,' and has absolutely zero idea how attractive she is. Also, I'm going to sleepwalk into the most inconvenient situations possible."

And honestly? She wasn't wrong.

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Meanwhile, Annora is facing her greatest challenge yet… and no, it's not dealing with ancient prophecies or political intrigue (though those are definitely on the menu). It's realizing that being the responsible sister means sometimes you have to make choices that feel like choosing between your soul and your sanity.

Watching her struggle between her protective instincts and the harsh realities of leadership has been like watching someone try to hug a porcupine. Technically possible, but everyone's going to get hurt and you're going to question your life choices.

Poor Annora. She thought marrying Jasce was the hard part.

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And Jasce? Oh, this man is walking a razor's edge between his duties as chieftain and his devotion to Annora, and let me tell you, his internal monologue is basically one long string of "How do I keep everyone alive while also making sure my wife doesn't murder me for being overprotective?"

The political intrigue surrounding them intensifies like a soap opera written by someone who thought regular drama was "too subtle." Enemies are closing in from all sides, and Jasce is forced to make impossible choices while maintaining his reputation as the levelheaded leader.

Spoiler: He's about as levelheaded as the Hulk when it comes to Annora's safety.

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But let's talk about Aleksander for a moment… because this manipulative, charming bastard has somehow managed to out-bastard himself, which I didn't think was mathematically possible.

Picture this: Take the most arrogant man alive, give him commitment issues and a face that could make angels weep, then drop him in the middle of enemy territory with a mysterious masked woman who can literally freeze his favorite body parts. What could go wrong?

EVERYTHING. Everything could go wrong. And it's absolutely hilarious.

Aleksander's basically playing 4D chess while everyone else is playing checkers, except he keeps getting distracted by his opponent's... assets. His chemistry with a certain silver magic wielding woman is like watching two very attractive people try to murder each other with sexual tension. It's enemies to lovers at its most unhinged.

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He's smooth, he's calculating, he's absolutely convinced he's in control... and then she walks into the room and his brain just goes "PRETTY WOMAN WITH SHARP THINGS" and all his plans go out the window.

His journey in this book explores what happens when someone who's always served his own interests finds something… or someone… worth sacrificing for. And by "explores," I mean "watch him have a complete existential crisis while making terrible decisions and somehow still looking devastatingly handsome.

The man could probably charm his way out of his own execution, but put him in a room with one masked woman and he turns into a disaster with excellent bone structure.

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Emerin's journey weaves through all of these storylines like that friend who somehow ends up in the middle of everyone's drama without trying. She's caught between worlds… the fantasy realm of political intrigue and ancient prophecies, and the intimate romance of discovering that she has approximately zero chill when it comes to a certain brooding warrior.

The romantasy elements intensify as she navigates sleepwalking episodes that lead to the most inconvenient situations imaginable. Because apparently, her subconscious has terrible timing and even worse judgment about appropriate places to wander.

And speaking of Reeve... fans self with whatever's handy ...this man has been bottling up his feelings so hard I'm surprised he hasn't imploded. When these two finally stop pretending they're not completely gone for each other? Let's just say the spice rating went from "mild salsa" to "why is my mouth on fire and why do I want more?"

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I have to mention… this is going to be the longest book in the series so far, which means you're getting maximum chaos for your money! With four POV characters instead of three, and storylines that span from palace intrigue to desert camps to "wait, did that prophecy just threaten to resurrect the dead?", this book is basically a buffet of emotional devastation.

Emerin's story demanded space to breathe, mostly because she kept adding more complications. Every time I thought I had her figured out, she'd do something like sleepwalk into someone's bedroom.

It's like she looked at the plot outline and said, "This seems too simple. What if we add more angst? And maybe some identity crises? Ooh, and definitely more sexual tension that makes everyone uncomfortable!"

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Without spoiling too much, I will say this: if you thought you knew who Emerin was, this book will make you think again.

Also, there may be a scene involving a chicken named Duchess. Don't ask me how we got there. I honestly don't know anymore.

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"A Reflection of Shadow and Light" is shaping up to be my most emotionally intense book yet, which is saying something because I've put these characters through approximately seventeen different types of hell already. Between Annora and Jasce's deepening bond being tested by circumstances that would break lesser couples, Aleksander's enemies to lovers dynamic with a woman who keeps holding a dagger to his throat, and Emerin's slow burn discovery of passion, there's something for every romantasy lover.

Fair warning: you might need to keep tissues handy. And possibly a cold shower. And definitely snacks, because this book is LONG and you're going to need sustenance for the emotional roller coaster.

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What do you think… are you Team Emerin and Reeve (aka Team "Just Kiss Already, You Disasters")? Team Aleksander and his mysterious masked woman (aka Team "Stop Trying to Murder Each Other With Your Eyes")? Or are you just here for more of Annora and Jasce's epic love story (aka Team "Functional Adults Who Somehow Make This Look Easy")?

Drop a comment and let me know what you're most excited to see in this book! Bonus points if you can guess which character is going to make the most spectacularly bad decision.

(Hint: it's all of them. They're all disasters and I love them for it.)

XOXO, LiAnne

P.S. … That enemies to lovers dynamic I mentioned with Aleksander? It's the kind that makes you want to throw the book across the room, immediately pick it up, throw it again, then hug it to your chest while making incomprehensible squealing noises. You've been warned! 😉

P.P.S. … I'm pretty sure my characters are plotting against me at this point. If you don't hear from me for a while, assume they've taken over and are writing their own stories. Knowing them, they'd probably do a better job than I do.