
Author: Laura R. Samotin
Series: The Cursed Crown #2
Published by: Random House Canada on Jun. 3, 2025
Genres: Fantasy, LGBTQIA, Paranormal Romance
Pages: 448
Format: ARC, Paperback
Source: Random House Canada
Book Rating: 8/10
In the heart-wrenching sequel to The Sins on Their Bones, The Lure of Their Graves forces Dimitri and Vasily to confront old ghosts and a new threat: political enemies-turned-suitors, all coveting Dimitri’s throne.
Dimitri Abramovich may have won back the throne of Novo-Svitsevo, but even after defeating his former husband, the usurper Alexey Balakin, he seems no closer to securing lasting peace for his people. Enemies are closing in on all sides, and pressure is mounting for Dimitri to play the one card he has left in a bid for stability—offering his hand in marriage for a second time.
But Dimitri is still healing from the tragedies of the war, his return to the throne, and Alexey’s years of torment. Vasily Sokolov is the only person with whom he feels safe, and giving up the comfort of their budding relationship feels unfathomable, even if it’s the only way to sever the alliances being formed among the countries surrounding Novo-Svitsevo. So as Dimitri and Vasily reckon with political treachery, the lasting consequences of Dimitri’s resurrection, and the sinister legacy of Alexey’s use of the Holy Science, they must also work to understand what it means to love each other even as they prepare to let each other go—which might prove the most difficult of all.
Review:
Intense, imaginative, and thrilling!
The Lure of Their Graves is an angsty, gripping tale that takes us back to Novo-Svitsevo and into the life of Dimitri Abramovich who, after believing his vicious ex-husband is finally dead, struggles to come to grips with the loss of a man he loved but also despised, the expectations of his country versus the desires of his heart, and the resurrection of a man driven by evil and consumed with power and control.
The prose is brisk and tight. The characters are multilayered, fearless, and dependable. And the plot is a sinister, passionate tale full of twists, turns, anxiety, loyalty, duty, heartbreak, grief, guilt, danger, family, trauma, demonic violence, and enduring love.
Overall, The Lure of Their Graves is a suspenseful, heart-wrenching, satisfying conclusion to The Cursed Crown duology by Samotin that gave the characters I couldn’t help but root for the heartwarming, happy-ever-after ending I really hoped they get.
This novel is available now.
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Thank you to Random House Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.