About the Book:

Title: Between the Veil

Author: Zoe Zeman

Publisher: Book Bridge Publishing Company

Release Date: September 9, 2025

Pages: 365

Genre: Fantasy, Romantasy

Synopsis:

One ancient prophecy. Two wicked kingdoms. Three lives woven together by fate.

Night after night, Auden is tormented by creatures that haunt her nightmares and leave physical scars in the waking world. Day after day, she trains with determination, driven to avenge the loss of her parents to these malevolent beings.

When the kingdom is besieged by an ancient evil, Auden loses the only solace she has ever known. Grief ignites an unknown power within her, a force that teeters between good and evil. In this moment of anguish, truths long concealed are laid bare–the immortal rulers have sinister intentions to exploit Auden’s abilities and expand their realm.

Caught in the maelstrom of the immortals’ schemes and the emergence of her own uncontrollable powers, Auden must confront the realization that she may be the greatest threat of all.

Will she accept the destiny laid out for her, risking everything to fulfill a prophecy, or will she defy the spirits’ will and choose a life of freedom at the cost of unimaginable chaos? As darkness stirs and evil prevails, Auden decides the path that will shape the very fabric of fate.

Review:

*I received an e-arc from the author for review. Thank you for the opportunity! All thoughts are my own*

Solid fantasy debut for Zoe Zeman! I was hooked from the beginning of this spellbinding story, which compelled me to keep turning the page and wanting to know more. The world and characters are vividly imagined, and there are lot of twists and turns along the way. If you like immortals, the chosen one, ancient prophesies, court intrigue, battle scenes, love triangles, forced proximity, and a good slow burn, I think you will enjoy this one!

Every night, Auden is tormented by creatures in her nightmares that leave physical scars on her when she wakes. She spends her days training hard to someday avenge her parents who were killed by these horrible creatures.

When her kingdom is besieged by an ancient evil, Auden loses the only solace she has ever known. Grief ignites an unknown power within her, that is a fine balance between good and evil. In this moment of anguish, truths come to light that have been kept hidden. The immortal rulers of the kingdom plan to use Auden and her powers to expand their realm and influence.

Auden finds herself trapped between the immortals plans for her and her own uncontrollable powers. She must come to terms with the fact that she herself may be the greatest threat of them all.

Will Auden accept the path laid out before her, risking all to fulfil an ancient prophecy? Or will Auden defy the will of the spirits and choose a life of freedom which could cause complete chaos? As darkness stirs and evil triumphs, Auden chooses the path that could shape the very fabric of fate.

I really enjoyed the main character, Auden and I felt as though I could feel all the feelings she had. She is a character that has gone through unimaginable grief and loss, all while dealing with anxiety and depression. I really appreciated how the author touched on those subjects in the story and made her and other characters so relatable. As someone that has anxiety, I always appreciate positive representation in books. Auden is so much braver than she gives herself credit for, and she grows so much throughout the story. She also has a good sense of humor which brought some lighthearted feeling to the story. I also enjoyed reading from the POVs of the two MMC, Everett and Azrael. I love the banter between them all! There’s a love triangle and I feel as though it could go either way at this point, and I’m really interested to see what happens in the next book. I know who my favorite is, I tend to go for the morally grey bad boys. 😉

I definitely recommend and I look forward to book two!

About the Author:

Zoe Zeman is a devoted wife, loving mother, and child of God with an insatiable love for reading, writing, and the world of imagination. When she’s not lost amidst the pages of a gripping fantasy novel, you’ll likely find her weaving together the next chapter of her own story.

While her heart lies in the world of words, Zoe also wears the hats of a nurse and educator. With a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in nursing education, she works part-time teaching clinical for her alma mater, nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals.

An overachiever and an ambitious dreamer, Zoe fills her days with a mix of creative pursuits and hands-on family life. Whether she’s chasing after her little one, cuddling up with her husband and their dog, or balancing her professional responsibilities, Zoe finds joy in every moment, all while creating stories that transport readers to new worlds.

For Zoe, there’s never a dull moment, and that’s just the way she likes it.