Romance Spotlight: "The Bone King and the Starling" by Elizabeth Stephens

Give this scorching viking historical romance a try—if you can stomach it!

Apr 01, 2025

Convincing you to read The Bone King and the Starling by Elizabeth Stephens with three annotated quotes from the book. This new indie romance left us clutching our pearls!

They call him the bone king.

A massive, beast of a male who worships the gods and is all too willing to provide them their sacrifices. Human sacrifices. He and his warriors have come to visit Winterbren, a poor little village on the outskirts of Wrath and my home.

I’ve never been more grateful to be a thrall, for my low status will ensure that I remain outside of his notice. But when he requests — nay, requires — a willing female to warm his furs for the duration of his stay, his selection falls to me. All I can do is pray to the gods that I survive the night…

And beg the bone king for mercy.

The Basics

Subgenre: Viking historical romance
Published: March 19, 2025 (currently trending on Kindle).
Page Count: 198 (a quick read!)
Heat: Scorching
Tropes: tortured heroine, black FMC, insta-love, virgin MMC, age gap, class divide, warlord/royal MMC, “touch-her-and-die”, interracial.
WARNING: This book contains content that may not be appropriate for all, including but not limited to, graphic depictions of abuse, torture, and dubious consent.