Sir Ezra is an Elysian Bell; he has a frightening potential that he keeps hidden deep beneath tight layers of steel armor. He secretly loves a dark Queen whose touch would mean his death.

Banished for brutally slaughtering the Prince of Erle and husband to the Queen, Sir Ezra can only dream of seeing her again. Every night, his soul travels to distant lands, remembering the Queen, her deep convictions, brilliant mind, unending work, hidden loneliness, and a single night of horrific bloodshed.

Recalled to the Queendom after eleven years, Ezra hopes to catch at least a fleeting glimpse of the woman he was sacrificed for. Instead, he finds a nation in rebellion and the Queen to be an elusive phantom. His only friend, Sir Marigold, challenges his presence and tells him that he is not needed in the capitol. Looking for both the truth and the absent Queen, Ezra finds only more secrets and enemies.

Ezra’s armor is dented, scarred, and ruined by friend and enemy alike; his secret potential is about to become unbound.

a standalone novel in its own, separate world. in paperback, ebook and audiobook

Bed of Rose and Thorns

⚡️"This spectacular standalone fantasy from the prolific Hunt (author of the Dynamicist Trilogy among others) bursts with epic battles and avid romance. Sir Ezra's life has come to be defined by a single moment from eleven years in the past. After defending his Queen and murdering her would-be assassins, including her powerful husband, he is banished in a ploy to assuage the Queen's enemies who would otherwise seek retribution. The sacrifice costs him dearly. He must leave behind the Queen, whom he secretly, desperately loves. But that's not his only secret: He's an Elysian Bell, which means he possesses a special ability that causes him to vibrate and ring when he experiences profound love or raging anger. Now, to his shock, Ezra's banishment has been overturned, and he returns to the capital where he must fight to protect his Queen from those who seek her death.

Ezra is an honorable and courageous hero who leads the charge as the plot unravels thrilling twists and dynamic action sequences, but many supporting characters also shine in the spotlight. Hunt proves adept at developing character through symbols, as Ezra's physical and emotional armor protect the fallen knight against his feelings. His passion for the Queen shines not only in his heroic zeal to keep her safe, but through his emotions as an Elysium Bell. The Queen, who harbors her own secret, also proves to be engagingly complex, as is Sir Marigold, a valiant female knight and friend of Ezra.

Hunt weaves in bloody battles alongside the lyrical declarations of love in order to create a balanced, appealing adventure. As Ezra struggles to unravel the inner mysteries of his beloved Queen, he also must come to understand his own desires. Fantasy fans looking for epic battles and a dose of romance will enjoy meeting Ezra and his Queen." - Booklife Reviews Editor's Pick

“A beautifully crafted setting with complex character dynamics and layers of political intrigue… A showstopper. Hunt’s ambitious standalone latest has everything—a well-imagined fantasy world, great characters, incredible tension, and fierce love. The real genius here is the mixture of extraordinarily deep worldbuilding with relevant and complex themes, which include identity, intolerance, love, passion, friendship, integrity, honor and more.” - Prairies Book Review

“An intriguing storyline, scenarios grounded in the real world, and a breathless pace make Hunt’s latest standalone fantasy a must-read.” - BookView Reviews Recommended Read

"I gladly rate Bed of Rose and Thorns 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to lovers of romance novels with a mix of science fiction." - OnlineBookClub.org

“An engaging medieval fantasy that’s also, at times, a refreshingly candid tale of desire. Hunt combines fairy-tale romance with appealingly ribald scenes in this unique medieval adventure. Balancing these moments are threats to Ezra’s life and dream sequences with ethereal passages: “He dived down...to see how deep the clean, crystalline structure went and was amazed at the endless, vertiginous expanse of ice below him.”” - Kirkus Reviews