Welcome Wayward Women, Heretics and Feral Readers.
A Lie So Pretty and Poisonous
Pre-orders coming in June!
She is a dark stain on her lineage.
He is a dark stain on his kingdom.
Together, they are cracks in the foundation
of the systems they threaten.
The past is persistent, and Rory’s has come to claim her once more. Unwilling to condemn her child to a fate of oppression, Rory Alwine, and her ten-year-old daughter, desperately flee the life determined to keep them in a gilded cage. But fate is fickle, and as they try to escape from one danger, they end up at the mercy of another—stranded among the demigods on the forbidden side of the continent. A kingdom where defiance is paid in blood, and being a woman makes Rory powerless and disregarded.
To protect her daughter from a world of magic and sacrificial religion, Rory harnesses her defiant nature and forms an uneasy alliance with Darragh, a demigod with a condemned lineage and a formidable reputation. As complicated feelings between them bloom, blurring the line between enemy and ally, Rory and Darragh discover evidence of an atrocity so horrifying the gods have been abandoned to keep it buried.
Poisoned promises, pretty lies, and tarnished truths are met at each dangerous revelation, and Rory must decide who to trust and who could condemn her to a fate worse than death.
Pre-Order Now!
She is a dark stain on her lineage.
He is a dark stain on his kingdom.
Together, they are cracks in the foundation
of the systems they threaten.
The past is persistent, and Rory’s has come to claim her once more. Unwilling to condemn her child to a fate of oppression, Rory Alwine, and her ten-year-old daughter, desperately flee the life determined to keep them in a gilded cage. But fate is fickle, and as they try to escape from one danger, they end up at the mercy of another—stranded among the demigods on the forbidden side of the continent. A kingdom where defiance is paid in blood, and being a woman makes Rory powerless and disregarded.
To protect her daughter from a world of magic and sacrificial religion, Rory harnesses her defiant nature and forms an uneasy alliance with Darragh, a demigod with a condemned lineage and a formidable reputation. As complicated feelings between them bloom, blurring the line between enemy and ally, Rory and Darragh discover evidence of an atrocity so horrifying the gods have been abandoned to keep it buried.
Poisoned promises, pretty lies, and tarnished truths are met at each dangerous revelation, and Rory must decide who to trust and who could condemn her to a fate worse than death.
THIS TITLE IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER AND WILL RELEASE ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2026
She is a dark stain on her lineage.
He is a dark stain on his kingdom.
Together, they are cracks in the foundation
of the systems they threaten.
The past is persistent, and Rory’s has come to claim her once more. Unwilling to condemn her child to a fate of oppression, Rory Alwine, and her ten-year-old daughter, desperately flee the life determined to keep them in a gilded cage. But fate is fickle, and as they try to escape from one danger, they end up at the mercy of another—stranded among the demigods on the forbidden side of the continent. A kingdom where defiance is paid in blood, and being a woman makes Rory powerless and disregarded.
To protect her daughter from a world of magic and sacrificial religion, Rory harnesses her defiant nature and forms an uneasy alliance with Darragh, a demigod with a condemned lineage and a formidable reputation. As complicated feelings between them bloom, blurring the line between enemy and ally, Rory and Darragh discover evidence of an atrocity so horrifying the gods have been abandoned to keep it buried.
Poisoned promises, pretty lies, and tarnished truths are met at each dangerous revelation, and Rory must decide who to trust and who could condemn her to a fate worse than death.
THIS TITLE IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER AND WILL RELEASE ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2026
She is a dark stain on her lineage.
He is a dark stain on his kingdom.
Together, they are cracks in the foundation
of the systems they threaten.
The past is persistent, and Rory’s has come to claim her once more. Unwilling to condemn her child to a fate of oppression, Rory Alwine, and her ten-year-old daughter, desperately flee the life determined to keep them in a gilded cage. But fate is fickle, and as they try to escape from one danger, they end up at the mercy of another—stranded among the demigods on the forbidden side of the continent. A kingdom where defiance is paid in blood, and being a woman makes Rory powerless and disregarded.
To protect her daughter from a world of magic and sacrificial religion, Rory harnesses her defiant nature and forms an uneasy alliance with Darragh, a demigod with a condemned lineage and a formidable reputation. As complicated feelings between them bloom, blurring the line between enemy and ally, Rory and Darragh discover evidence of an atrocity so horrifying the gods have been abandoned to keep it buried.
Poisoned promises, pretty lies, and tarnished truths are met at each dangerous revelation, and Rory must decide who to trust and who could condemn her to a fate worse than death.
THIS TITLE IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER AND WILL RELEASE ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2026
She is a dark stain on her lineage.
He is a dark stain on his kingdom.
Together, they are cracks in the foundation
of the systems they threaten.
The past is persistent, and Rory’s has come to claim her once more. Unwilling to condemn her child to a fate of oppression, Rory Alwine, and her ten-year-old daughter, desperately flee the life determined to keep them in a gilded cage. But fate is fickle, and as they try to escape from one danger, they end up at the mercy of another—stranded among the demigods on the forbidden side of the continent. A kingdom where defiance is paid in blood, and being a woman makes Rory powerless and disregarded.
To protect her daughter from a world of magic and sacrificial religion, Rory harnesses her defiant nature and forms an uneasy alliance with Darragh, a demigod with a condemned lineage and a formidable reputation. As complicated feelings between them bloom, blurring the line between enemy and ally, Rory and Darragh discover evidence of an atrocity so horrifying the gods have been abandoned to keep it buried.
Poisoned promises, pretty lies, and tarnished truths are met at each dangerous revelation, and Rory must decide who to trust and who could condemn her to a fate worse than death.
THIS TITLE IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER AND WILL RELEASE ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2026
What Readers Are Saying…
“Leah's new novel, A Lie so Pretty & Poisonous, is haunting in the best way. It feels especially fitting to read a story about the nobility class portrayed as they are here, dangerous and vile behind pretty lies they tell. The world building is beautiful, the characters are believable, and I felt completely immersed in the plot Leah created. I was constantly rooting for the characters to figure out what the heck was really going on.
I also thought the way Leah portrayed religious extremism was very on point. It shows how worship can become twisted when taken too far. And I loved seeing a mother at the center of the story. Characters like that are often underrepresented in fantasy.
I cannot wait for book two."
—Samantha Vargas
"I’m so proud of Leah Bronwyn for creating such a powerful and engaging story. A Lie so Pretty & Poisonous is an adult dark romantasy featuring characters in their 30s and 40s—including Rory, a mother protagonist fiercely protective of her child and unflinching in her morals—finally giving us something different from the usual teeny tiny youth assassins.
With slow-burn, yearning romance, forbidden love, dangerous demigods, and intense political intrigue, the story explores deeply human themes like mother wounds, trauma, weaponized religion, classism, corrupt power, female rage, and breaking generational curses. Wrapped in a morally grey world that constantly asks, 'who is the real villain?' It’s fierce, gripping, and unforgettable—the kind of story that stays with you long after the final page."
—Kiki Wallace
“Leah Bronwyn’s A Lie So Pretty and Poisonous is a richly layered fantasy that pulls readers into a world shaped by corruption, rigid power structures, and long-buried secrets. Rory is a compelling and relatable heroine, relentless in her determination to protect her daughter while navigating a society designed to strip women of agency. Rory’s resilience and emotional depth make her impossible to forget.
Romance unfolds with sharp tension and undeniable pull, creating a relationship that feels raw, complicated, and deeply authentic. Bronwyn shines in her portrayal of fractured loyalties, painful truths, and characters forced to confront the cost of survival. This is the kind of fantasy that completely absorbs you—immersive, emotionally resonant, and impossible to put down.”
—Bianca Richardson
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About Leah Bronwyn
I'm just a mom trying to raise a daughter to loudly speak up for those whose voices may not carry at the same volume, and to never lose her spark in a world designed to dim it.
I have always been pulled to creative arts and believe words hold power. My stories feature character-driven fantasy that reflect the current state of reality. Themes of trauma, female rage, and oppression are explored in most of my writing, and trigger warnings are always listed. But, I balance dark topics with the light, and my writing is never without love, resilience, and change.
I currently reside in the northeast with my daughter, husband, dog, and two very judgmental cats. I can often be found exploring forests to search for creatures not of this realm, and to pick out the best spot to build a hut so I can become the local witch of the woods.
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