The Way It Would Become by Amena Jamali

Before the rise of the Quest of Freedom, their mothers and their fathers witnessed the darkening of the skies... Riqeta, Princess of Zahacim, is the most powerful warrior to stalk across eastern and southern Icilia. Both her skill and her honor in war are legendary, and her defection to her new husband’s nation is an upheaval of their world’s political balance. Yet beneath her fierce veneer is a woman unsure of how to love. Naman, Prince of Koroma, is renowned for his compassion and good heart, and his wedding to Riqeta renders him a political force to behold. Yet there is one flaw to his happiness — he cannot be sure whether Riqeta loves him. Not long after their wedding, the king gives Riqeta and Naman a mission of dire importance: resolve the growing insurgency in the south before it poses a true threat to the crown. Riqeta’s martial prowess and Naman’s benevolent voice surely can resolve anything. So they set out, thinking success will not be too difficult to achieve. But the evil festering in the south is unlike anything they could ever imagine… Will they even be able to see it to survive it? Amena Jamali continues on her literary career with a sweet yet haunting new adult fantasy tale of romance, home found through love, strong heroines, and gentle heroes that ponders at what it means to have courage in the face of evil. Fans of The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Eragon will savor this story of staying strong in dark times.

New Adult • Fantasy/Romantic and Erotic • Diversity Representation/Mental Health/Own Voices • Fantasy/Epic and High • Fantasy/Sword and Sorcery • Diversity Representation/BIPOC/Own Voices

Content Warning: Please remember that this book contains multiple references to familial abuse and mental health issues, including self-harm, and to traumatic topics such as sexual violence and harm to a child. Though the prose is never explicit and does not qualify as mature, the references may still be triggering for some readers. Please see amenajamali.com/trigger-warnings for additional details.