Book Review: Steelborn by Taylor J. LaRue
ARC Review: I received an advance copy of this book from Booktrovert. As always, all thoughts here are my own.
Published: August 4, 2026
Series: The Steelborn Saga #1
Genres: Adult // Fantasy, Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door)
Quick Thoughts: Mixed feelings about this one! While there were some standout parts in Steelborn, like our FMC Reya and all the interesting side quests throughout, but in the end, I thought this was fun but nothing groundbreaking.
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What is Steelbornabout?
Never run. Never bow. Never die.
Reya Connery became the Crimson Dagger, the most notorious thief in Rhiterra, by following a strict set of rules. There is no honor among thieves. A good blade is key to any negotiation. Only the dead keep secrets. And Reya has a secret that must be kept at all costs. But when a heist goes wrong on the eve of paying off her debt to a ruthless crime lord, Reya may need a new set of rules. And a lot of coin. Fast.
Enter Caelan Halcyon, an immortal warrior whose magic makes him a valuable target – if the curse inching closer to his heart doesn’t kill him first. There’s just one person who might be desperate enough to try and get their hands on the fabled cure in time to save his life, someone whose legend claims they can steal the Crimson Dagger. A male of honor, Caelan loathes everything the beautiful, cocky thief represents, yet knows that Reya is his last hope for survival.
Their search takes them to the edge of the known world, where Reya discovers that there is far more at stake than her and Caelan’s own lives. Now, Reya must confront deadly foes, her growing attraction to the immortal who is as lethal as his jawline is perfect, and the rage she’s spent a lifetime trying to bury. This time, her daggers aren’t going to cut it, and the fate of all magic-born hangs in the balance.
Introducing an epic, slow burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy novel about a heroine forged in steel and rage, and the cursed immortal who might turn out to be as much her salvation as she is his, perfect for fans of Danielle L. Jensen and Callie Hart.
Steelborn Review
Mixed feelings about this one! After reading the synopsis on the back of the book, I picked up Steelborn expecting a standard "chosen one" romantasy. In some ways, I was right, especially on the romance and overall plot front. There were some standout parts, like our FMC Reya and all the interesting side quests throughout, but in the end, I thought Steelborn was fun but nothing groundbreaking.
Characters
Reya is everything I've been wanting in an FMC: competent, witty, and strong. My favorite part of the book is her growth arc. She's spent her life being used for other people's ambitions, and we get to watch her decide what to do with her skills and power. Reya had more depth than the typical romantasy heroine, and it's clear the author put a lot of thought into her character.
Everything else after that is a step down. Caelan was a compelling character at the start. His introduction was unique, and the way he maneuvered Reya into crossing paths with him was clever. After that though, he flattens into the standard centuries-old MMC I've seen a dozen times. The wider plot and the rest of the cast similarly settle into a familiar shape, which is where this started to feel interchangeable with the rest of the genre.
Romance
The romance did not work for me. I've never loved the trope where the FMC is barely an adult paired with a centuries-old love interest. The female character rarely has the life experience to meet the love interest as an equal, so the power imbalance is huge and it just doesn’t feel like a romance. I know that's a personal preference, so YMMV. The romance is also pretty insta-lusty, and they're reluctant allies to lovers at most. I was fine with that, and their banter is fun, but it’s not the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers it’s marketed as.
Pacing
Lastly, the pacing is super slow in the middle. It feels like the characters are just circling to fill up pages until we get to the end, which is part of why it took me so long to finish. The ending was good once we got there though, so I’m still likely going to read the next one.
So, should you read Steelborn?
If you want a competent, well-developed FMC, I still think this is worth reading. If you're specifically after slow-burn enemies-to-lovers or a never before seen plot, this probably isn't the one for you.
Check out this review on Goodreads or Storygraph.
Happy reading!
Kim
Steelborn FAQs
Some of the answers may be spoilers if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution!
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Potential spoilers ahead ⚠️
According to the author, these are the trigger warnings for Steelborn:
Alcohol use and intoxication, animal death, blood and graphic violence, claustrophobia, death of a parent (shown explicitly on page), torture (off page), emotional and physical abuse at the hands of a mentor figure, explicit sexual content, grief and loss, kidnapping and forced confinement, and trauma.
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Potential spoilers ahead ⚠️
Slow-burn romance
Enemies-to-lovers
Deadly curses
Tortured immortal hero
Secret identity
Forced proximity
Found family
Only one saddle
Quest
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No, Steelborn is the first book in a series. As of the writing of this post, the total number of books in the series has not been announced yet.
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As of the writing of this post, Steelborn book 2 has not been announced yet.
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Steelborn is a 4🌶️ out of 5 or explicit open door. That means spice scenes are described on-page and in explicit detail.
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Chapter 40 is the only spicy chapter in Steelborn.