In some fun news for romantasy lovers, Kiera Azar, an actress on Netflix's Shadow and Bone, has written her debut novel, and it will be hitting bookshelves this fall. Titled Thorn Season, it's being described as a "sharp, sexy, twisty YA romantasy that is Shadow and Bone meets The Selection." Romantasy is big business these days, but with so many authors trying their hand at the genre, it's becoming increasingly hard for new writers to break through and make a splash.

That's why, when a new author's debut arrives with lots of promise and potential attached, it makes it all the more exciting. Right now, it's romantasy book series are ending in 2025, a few are beginning that could be great. If that sounds intriguing, read on for the synopsis of the book below:

"In the Kingdom of Daradon, a persecuted few are Wielders, in possession of a magical Spectre–a shimmering thread that can extend beyond their visible body to give a loving caress, pick a lock . . . even kill. Feared for this ability, Wielders have always been Hunted.

Alissa Paine, heiress and daughter of a Hunter family . . . is also a Wielder. At eighteen, Alissa knows she’s escaped execution thus far only due to painful self-control and the efforts of her beloved father.

Summoned to the harsh and glittering royal court for the debutante season, Alissa finds herself caught in a web of intrigue and betrayal—and caught between two equally dangerous men: one a brutal ruler with the handsome face of a fairy-tale prince, who would destroy her if he knew the truth—and the other a beguiling foreign ambassador with secret agendas of his own.

With the threat of discovery lurking around every corner—and romance becoming an increasingly dangerous temptation—Alissa will find that she has more to lose than her secrets. It’s Rose Season at the palace, but to survive she’ll need to become the most vicious of thorns. . . ."

Thorn Season Could Be The Next Big BookTok Romantasy Hit

Shadow And Bone Meets The Selection

To be honest, "Shadow and Bone meets The Selection" is already good enough, but Thorn Season could be the next big romantasy book when it debuts on September 2, 2025. Both Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone and Kiera Cass' The Selection were enormous hits when they came out, both of them hitting #1 on the NYT bestseller list in their years of publication. While it's not clear if Thorn Season will live up to the writing of both of those series, the fact that it's being compared to them certainly bodes well, and from the synopsis, it seems like that's an apt description.

Of course, romantasy is a genre full of specific tropes, and the description confirms that Thorn Season will be full of them. Still, genre tropes exist for a reason, and the ones that linger and last, last because readers have embraced them. The supernatural or magical protagonist hiding their powers. An invitation to court and the protagonist rubbing elbows with royalty. Royal intrigue and magical politics. A love triangle with two handsome men. It's all there in Thorn Season, setting it up to be an exciting new read but also one that's comforting and familiar for those of us who love romantasy and all its familiar beats. If that translates, it could be a huge hit.

Actress Kiera Azar Got Inspired To Write Romantasy While Working On Shadow & Bone

The Worldbuilding Fascinated Her

We're still salty that Netflix canceled Shadow and Bone, but at least we have the comfort of a book written by one of the actors on the show. Kiera Azar, who played one of the healers on the series, got inspired by Bardugo's rich, immersive world of fantasy and romance while she was on the set of the series in Hungary. The worldbuilding was fascinating to her, and the action mixed with romance, all wrapped up in the boy of extraordinary magic, was something she fell in love with.

For one of the Big Five publishing houses to do it for a book from a debut author says a lot about the hopes it holds for the trilogy.

That much is clear from the detailed maps at the beginning of the book, a must for any romantasy story these days, it seems. There's also a deluxe edition from HarperCollins that's also available for preorder, which is something big publishers normally only do for established authors or bestselling book series. For one of the Big Five publishing houses to do it for a book from a debut author says a lot about the hopes it holds for the trilogy. Hopefully, Thorn Season will live up to the promise of The Selection and Shadow and Bone before it and give us our next favorite read when fall hits.

Thorn Season is currently available for pre-order from all major retailers. It will be available September 2, 2025.