Are you ready for a new romantasy to add to your list? Steelborn is Taylor J. LaRue’s debut, and it’s a novel perfect for fans of Danielle L. Jensen and Callie Hart. If you’re not too sure, then you’ll want to check out the exclusive excerpt, which is a wonderful introduction to Reya, also known as the Crimson Dagger.
The novel has only just been released today, Aug. 4, 2026, and it comes with beautiful sprayed edges and bookends. It’s set to be one of the big romantasies of the summer, and it’s packed with all your favorite tropes.
Steelborn is an enemies-to-lovers novel, and it’s a true enemies-to-lovers. None of this setting of two people who happen to be rivals in a sport. This is two people from different parts of the world who are forced to work together if they both want to survive.
Reya is known as the Crimson Dagger, the most notorious thief in the whole of Rhiterra. This is a place where magic isn’t allowed, and anyone in hiding is snuffed out as quickly as possible. Reya has learned how to survive by following three strict rules, but one of them is about to be broken.
When her own secret is revealed and a heist goes wrong, she finds herself stuck paying off a debt to a ruthless crimelord. There is only one way out, and that’s to take on a task for a man she loathes.
That man? Caelan Halcyon, an immortal warrior who harnesses magic, and that makes him a valuable target. However, he’s suffering from a curse that inches close to his heart. Any closer, and he’s going to die. He doesn’t want to work with Reya — in fact, he absolutely despises her and everything he thinks she stands for — but she is his only hope for survival.
What if their own survivals were small scale when it comes to the plot, though? What if there’s more at stake? The two realize that with deadly foes and conspiracies, working together could be the only way to safe all of magic-born. And it turns out that maybe Reya does want to save them.
Courtesy of Little, Brown and CompanyThe excerpt from Steelborn gives us a look at just how Reya has become the Crimson Dagger. She pays attention to everything that is going on around her. However, there may be times when those conversations could end up being what gets her into trouble.
Take a look at your first look at Steelborn:
“The usual,” Reya said, sliding three copper coins across the glossy bar top with her good hand. Moments later, an overflowing glass coasted across the wood, sloshing spiced mead over the sides.
Reya lifted the glass to her lips, eyed the berry color, and sniffed once before tasting, then spit the liquid back into the glass. “What the hell is this, P?”
“Blame his majesty,” Pia said defensively, tucking the coins into her corset. “Our usual supplier imports his spices from Delthia, and ships are struggling to get through right now, so we’ve had to buy elsewhere.”
Two weeks ago, the Rhiterran navy had sunk another Delthian ship in the Boreal Sea, claiming that it was being used to smuggle out magic-born refugees. Only this one had a relative of the Delthian royal family aboard—a cousin. It was all over the papers. Rhiterra had been courting war with its closest neighbor for years in its mission to wipe out the magic-born. Now, the city was waiting with bated breath to see whether Delthia would finally respond— and if the magic-born taking refuge there would join them. Reya thought of Stellene and wondered if whatever ship she’d chosen had made the crossing.
War was coming. Reya could feel it. But the lush mountains and cloud forests across the Heart Sea belonged to as mighty an empire as the one she currently called home. Delthia would be no easy conquest for Rothmire. With any luck, she would be long gone when war broke out, forging for the Delthian military and cheering them on as they gave Rhiterra a taste of its own medicine.
“Whiskey it is,” Reya said, setting the drink down like it had insulted her and sliding two more coppers across the bar. “Domestic.”
“Coming right up,” Pia said with a smirk. After servicing the next few patrons, Pia passed her a smaller glass of amber liquid. Reya took a sip, already keyed into the conversations happening around her, separating each voice like threads in a tapestry. Nothing incredibly interesting. There were a few distinct moans coming from booths and shadowed corners. She was pleased to hear several mercenaries talking about her over a game of dice.
This was how she worked. By listening. All day she’d walked the streets, the markets, the docks; she’d outmaneuvered the Silver Guardsmen stationed around every street corner, halting people at random to check their bags, papers, and faces. No doubt looking for their missing Sage. Reya had listened to butlers and housekeepers, merchants and traders, locals and foreigners, rich and poor. She’d heard news of shipments, endowments, countryside manors being built and furnished, everyday gossip. Everything was a lead— and even information could sell. Sadly, nothing she’d gathered so far was worth even close to one hundred thousand golds.
Lennox was sitting in his regular corner booth across from a man she didn’t recognize, though she certainly wished she did. Reya could only see the lines of his strong, stubbled jaw beneath the low- slung hood of his black cloak, but she knew a fighter when she saw one. Despite the casual posture, he looked like he was ready for war. Elaborate black leather armor and a wicked-looking sword came into view as he shifted—just the sort of steel and man she would love to get her hands on.
He eclipsed Lennox in height and breadth, which was probably helping him in whatever negotiation was taking place across the table.
She angled her head in their direction from her carefully chosen spot at the bar, close enough that she could overhear their conversation, but far enough to look like she wasn’t trying.
“You were quite insistent on a meeting,” Lennox said. “Show me what you’ve brought.”
A rustle of fabric, and then he said, “With this, no blade could find your heart.” The man’s husky baritone held a dangerous edge, each word both a challenge and a promise.
Lennox was silent for a full minute before replying. “There hasn’t been an Earth Star on the black market for seven years. I’ll need assurances of its authenticity.”
Reya’s brows rose. Earth Stars presented like diamonds but were priceless by comparison. Diamonds had no magical properties, while Earth Stars kept their bearers from deadly harm, even poison. Or so the legends claimed. Like fallen stars, they could land anywhere. One could wash up on the coast or turn up in a sapphire mine. In all her years of thieving, she had never seen one.
His reply was low and dry. “If you’d like a demonstration, I’d be happy to run you through.”
Reya choked on her whiskey. She liked this man. Lennox only feigned amusement. “That won’t be necessary. Though, I’ll need to have an antiquary take a look at it before we can proceed with the sale. I can set up a meeting as early as tomorrow morning.”
“I’m here to trade, not to sell.”
“Trade for what, exactly?”
She lost the next few words over a nearby explosion of laughter. The next thing she heard was Lennox’s familiar chuckle. Her mentor leaned back, head cocked in that cool, calculating way of his. “What, may I ask, makes you think such a thing exists?”
The man in black ignored the question. He merely said, “Can you get me what I want or not?”
“I’m afraid I don’t trade in Faerie tales.”
Steelborn is now available to purchase in hardback, audio, and eBook formats.
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