A Fate Inked In Blood meets The Foxglove King in this high-spice, Celtic-inspired adult romantasy.

GODBLOODED (Book #1)
by Emma Theriault
Hodder & Stoughton, 2026
(via Laura Dail Literary)

Dunscane is a land surrounded by darkness, protected by the gods who holdback the ruin lurking in the Waste. When Anthea Damra is chosen by the goddess Morven to be her priestess her comfortable, aristocratic existence is traded for a life of degrading rituals, brutal sacrifices, and the goddess hearing her every thought. She knows she can’t trust anyone in the stronghold; not her brooding, handsome warden, Eamon, and certainly not Morven, ruthless and maternal by turns. Anthea is haunted by whispers about Ione, the priestess before her who failed in her duties.

To avoid the same fate, Anthea delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding Morven and her fellow deities. As their relationship grows, Anthea empathizes with the goddess more and more. Then Morven reveals the truth: the gods are not protectors, but prisoners, bound by an ancient pact that enslaves them to the whims of unknown powers. Horrified the goddess is also a captive, Anthea doesn’t hesitate when Morven asks her to take off the collar that binds her to the temple, allowing her to escape.

Forced to flee and brave the Waste alongside the notorious (and surprisingly charming) heretic Severin Cosgrave, he reveals to Anthea that all she knows is a lie. As Severin and Anthea become allies, and more, the secrets they unveil put targets on their backs. Darkness is creeping in, and Anthea discovers that her being chosen as Morven’s priestess was not as random as she once believed…and she may be the only one that can save Dunscane from ruin.

Emma Theriault ‘s YA fantasy debut, Rebel Rose, was a Canadian Children’s Book Centre starred selection for Best Books for Kids and Teens Fall 2021. Her debut adult historical romance, A Lady Would Know Better, came out in January 2025 from Entangled with two sequels to follow.