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A Steep and Savage Path
- Author
- JJA Harwood
- Narrator
- Rosalind Lailey
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 8 May 2025
- Run Time
- 13 hours 42 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
From the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of THE THORNS REMAIN comes an enemies-to-lovers journey to the underworld unlike any other, for fans of THE CRIMSON MOTH and THE CRUEL PRINCE
An immortal vampire. A mortal bride. A vow that even death can’t break.
Irina is about to be married to a dead man. She is the willing village sacrifice for the Wedding of the Dead: a desperate ritual designed to lay the hungry vampire that has been terrorising her Transylvanian village to rest. Irina’s beloved sister’s soul is trapped in the land of the dead. If Irina can retrieve it, she could bring her back – but Irina would need a guide, one who can walk between the living and the dead.
Irina strikes up a deal with her new husband – if he agrees to get her safely there and back again, then he can drink her blood as much as he wants.
They begin a perilous journey through the afterlife together, in which Irina realises Stefan isn’t the cruel and terrifying monster that she thought. In a land of three-headed beasts, winged creatures and walking corpses, the last thing Irina would have expected was to fall in love.
Only, Irina learns that by bringing Stefan to the land of the dead she has put him in grave danger, and will be faced with an impossible choice. Will they be able to make it out, undead or alive?
Critics Review
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PRAISE FOR JJA HARWOOD
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‘An un-put-downable historical fantasy drawn from border ballads and myths of the fae… The author has a knack for building tension, keeping the pages flying throughout. This is not to be missed.’
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PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review
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‘Deliciously dark’
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WOMAN MAGAZINE
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‘A gothic twist on Cinderella that is truly exquisite. Chilling and beautiful – I devoured it in one sitting’
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Katie Lowe, bestselling author of THE FURIES
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‘A thought-provoking take on a classic’
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SFX
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‘An impresive debut’
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DUNDEE COURIER
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- JJA Harwood
- Narrator
- Rosalind Lailey
- Duration
- 13 hours 42 minutes
- Release Date
- 8 May 2025
- ISBN
- 9780008517991
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Fantasy romance / Romantic fantasy, Historical fantasy, Dark fantasy, Fairy and Folk tales / Fairy tale retellings, Narrative theme: death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: coming of age, Narrative theme: love / relationships
Synopsis
From the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of THE THORNS REMAIN comes an enemies-to-lovers journey to the underworld unlike any other, for fans of THE CRIMSON MOTH and THE CRUEL PRINCE An immortal vampire. A mortal bride. A vow that even death can’t break. Irina is about to be married to a dead man. She is the willing village sacrifice for the Wedding of the Dead: a desperate ritual designed to lay the hungry vampire that has been terrorising her Transylvanian village to rest. Irina’s beloved sister’s soul is trapped in the land of the dead. If Irina can retrieve it, she could bring her back – but Irina would need a guide, one who can walk between the living and the dead. Irina strikes up a deal with her new husband – if he agrees to get her safely there and back again, then he can drink her blood as much as he wants. They begin a perilous journey through the afterlife together, in which Irina realises Stefan isn’t the cruel and terrifying monster that she thought. In a land of three-headed beasts, winged creatures and walking corpses, the last thing Irina would have expected was to fall in love. Only, Irina learns that by bringing Stefan to the land of the dead she has put him in grave danger, and will be faced with an impossible choice. Will they be able to make it out, undead or alive?
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