Title: Fallen City
Author: Adrienne Young
Publication date: November 4, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- M/F
- Book 1
- Romantasy
- 1st person duel POV
- Now/Then Timeline POVs
- Forbidden Love
- Political Intrigue
- Slow Burn
- Tragic
First Thoughts
This is very well written. It was also a reasonably quick and easy read. I enjoyed it for the most part. 4 stars because it really didn’t make me feel anything. It should have, considering the plot, but I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. I almost felt more like I was watching a movie than reading a book. The epic romance just wasn’t there. The yearning that should’ve been a no brainer just wasn’t quite there. I’m not mad about it. I just wouldn’t read it again.
The Story
In Fallen City, we as readers follow two separate time periods, NOW and BEFORE. The now timeline is full of questions that we have to gradually find answers for in the before timeline. It’s very unique how we are able to try to connect the dots slowly as the book goes on.
This story is very tragic. The main characters live in a society that is on the brink of collapse and war. And even worse, they are not necessarily on the same side of it. That will be the main source of conflict in their romance.
The Romance
This is unfortunately where Fallen City fell a bit flat for me. Considering the plot, I feel like yearning would have been a no-brainer. But, instead, it almost seemed like the main characters were… I don’t want to say content, but for a lack of a better word, going about their separate (and dreadful, of course) lives.
Frankly, there isn’t much romance in this book. The before timeline has many sweet moments, but nothing to take your breath away. I wanted more.
Final Thoughts
This is an incredibly well-written book. I enjoyed it. I will probably say at this point it is not a book I would reread, and I’ll have to decide later on if I will read book 2. Regardless, it is an impressive story and I wish the author all the success with this book’s launch. Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read and review this ARC!
Read my Goodreads review here.
