“Two predators now circle me in this den of enemies. One I came to hunt, and one I never saw coming.” “FOURTH WING MEETS HOGWARTS with an addicting twist... If Voldemort had a 23-year-old daughter, you’d get Esme Salem. Dark, sexy and unique!” – Best In Dark Fantasy Romance Reads ★★★★★ Dark mages don’t deal in warnings — only executions. So when assassin-in-training Esme Salem is tasked with infiltrating a magical defense academy and eliminating Kieran Mazrov — a deadly mage with powers that could erase her kind from existence — it should be treacherous but simple. A poisonous jab to his throat. A garrote bracelet slit across his neck. No hesitation. What she doesn’t expect is Professor Dayn. Calculating. Controlled. Lethal in every line of his body — which emits literal heat when he enters a room. He’s supposed to be an academic, but nothing about him screams scholarly. And the more she tries to pursue her mission, the more dangerous he becomes... She came to kill. She might just end up undone — unless she can undo both predators first. Prepared to enter the game? If you like your magic dark, your men dangerous, and your heroines delightfully unhinged — this one's for you. Note: This story is a slow-burn enemies to (hopefully) lovers. It contains a cast of predatory beings, including dragons, mages, vampires, dark fae, werewolves, and incubi. Enter at your own risk. And be warned: If you’re a fan of Fourth Wing , Harry Potter or Zodiac Academy , sleep might become your sacrifice. Welcome to Darkbirch. Your next obsession begins now. ★★★★★ "THIS IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT BIG THING!!! This book blew me away from start to finish. It's action-packed from the very first page with absolutely no dull moments. The story is brilliantly crafted and clearly well-researched." - Jasmin Daniel-Finnigan ★★★★★ "Darkbirch Academy has me SCREAMING for a movie deal. Witches, dragons, dark academia, plot twists — this is my TOP read of 2025 so far!! Fantasy romance fans, RUN to read this. [...] It's right up there with my ACOTAR books." - Bookbound and Blushed (on BookTok) ★★★★★ "In my top five books of all time [...] Fourth Wing vibes, and I'm here for it!" - Edie Reads (on Booktok) ★★★★★ "If you're a romantasy genre lover you need to read this." - London Reads Books ★★★★★ "an amazing fantasy read full of gothic world building, mystery, witch covens and dragons. I am a big fan of fantasy and this book did not disappoint! I was gripped from the very first chapter and on the edge of my seat until the end." - Amanda, Goodreads reviewer ★★★★★ "This was an incredible read! The language, the first person, present tense action, the twists and the depth of the characters has left me wanting more. I'm so excited for the next book. I really struggled to put this one down [...] the writing was flawless, I was intrigued, angry, hopeful. Some of the scenes had me holding my breath until I was able to finish them. I'd read this all over again, I really enjoyed it. This author, and this series is definitely going places." - Libby, Goodreads reviewer