Name: A Duet with the Siren Duke (Married to Magic #4)
Author: Elise Kova
Publisher: Silver Wings Press
Date published: August 2023
Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, sirens
Pages: 440
Rating: 4/5
This review contains minor spoilers.
She sold her soul to a siren and now he's come to collect.
Victoria risks everything to leave a dangerous marriage and gain a second chance at life. But when her escape goes awry, she finds herself caught in the strong embrace of a mysterious siren, forced to temporary salvation or immediate death.
And so, a cursed deal is struck.
Five years later, Victoria is alive - and the world's finest ship captain. But her debt to the siren looms while her conniving ex has demanded a king's ransom as the final price of her freedom. Victoria refuses to cause her family to suffer any more on her behalf, and is determined to make things right before her time is up. But that time is cut short.
The siren comes for her. Six months early.
Taken to the magical and deadly Eversea, home of the sirens, Victoria discovers she's the sacrifice upon which all sirens pin their hopes. If they want to appease an angry god and save a world on the brink of destruction, then they need her. Which gives her the perfect leverage.
Victoria strikes a new deal - the Siren Duke will help save her family, and she'll fulfill his demands. It's a good bargain until a flicker of passion ignites in the scarred remnants of Victoria's heart, threatening all she's worked for. As the sacrifice for the God of Death, she's meant to give up everything that draws her to the world of the living. But that's impossible when all she can think about is how this handsome siren's song, and his hands, make her feel very much alive.
In a realm of ancient magic, submerged secrets, and forgotten gods, can love find a place among shattered hearts as they race against time and the blossoming of forbidden desires? Or will the delicate songs of their hearts be silenced once and for all?
- From Goodreads.
I enjoyed this more than the previous book in the series. While they both had intriguing world building, I think the development of the characters and the plot was done better in this one. There were still a couple of moments where the characters were a little frustrating, but mostly I was really interested in their journey and hoping they found their happy ending.
This story actually felt quite different to the others in the series, especially towards the end, which was refreshing as I was worried some parts of the stories were getting repetitive in the last book. Although the ending did have a bittersweet touch to it, and overall this might be the saddest story in the series so far, it was definitely unexpected and interesting.
I'm definitely invested in the world and I'm quite curious about what will happen in the next book. It was clever how this book included little references to the other books in the series and weaved them together in the conclusion, but still kept the story functioning as a stand alone with a satisfying conclusion for the characters involved. Personally I think it's best to read the books in the order they were published, but I think you could read them in any order and not be too confused.
I would recommend this book, and series overall, if you like fantasy romance with complex and intriguing world building. I'm very curious to see how things wrap up in the next book and to see what I feel about the new characters and their relationship that will be introduced to us in that one.
