The Cruel Dawn

The Cruel Dawn – Rachel Howzell Hall
Vallendor, Book #2
Genre: Romantic Fantasy / Epic Fantasy / Dark Fantasy
 
Tropes:
Fallen hero reclaiming power
Forbidden or dangerous romance
Divine conflict and high-stakes world-saving quest
 
Summary
Kaivara Megidrail, once the Grand Defender of Vallendor, was betrayed, punished, and exiled, leaving her Diminished and estranged from the realm she once protected. Now, Vallendor teeters on the edge of destruction: monsters roam unchecked, gods whisper in shadows, and a rising traitorous god threatens total ruin.
Haunted by past betrayals and armed with only fractured memories, Kaivara must confront the truth about Jadon Wake—a prince, blacksmith, and liar—whose role in the realm’s salvation may be as pivotal as it is dangerous. With her love and wrath alike threatening everything, Kaivara faces impossible choices: reclaim her power, confront her past, and stand between salvation and annihilation. In this explosive conclusion to the Vallendor duology, the realm discovers the true measure of what she was made for.