The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King Audiobook – Crowns of Nyaxia, Book 2

I listened to “The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King” curled up on my living room floor during one of those stormy Portland afternoons, rain tapping against the windows like distant applause. There’s a certain kind of electricity in the air when you embark on an audiobook you know will leave a mark—one that isn’t just about escaping into another world but also returning changed.

Carissa Broadbent doesn’t waste time with pleasantries; she throws us right into Oraya’s grief, making every heartbeat count as we navigate the kingdom’s dangerous halls alongside her. I found myself completely swept up by Oraya’s emotional turmoil—the crushing betrayal, her desperate hope, and that stubborn ember of resilience smoldering beneath everything. Maybe it was because I’ve had moments where trusting again felt impossible, or because I know what it means to lose something dear—but Oraya’s journey resonated in places I didn’t expect.

What truly stands out is how deftly Broadbent blends raw vulnerability with high-stakes political intrigue. As Oraya weighs whether Raihn deserves a place beside her (or even in her heart), their chemistry sparks off every page—or in this case, every whispered syllable from Amanda Leigh Cobb and Aiden Snow. Cobb voices Oraya with breathtaking nuance; there are subtle cracks of pain and flickers of hope woven through each line. Aiden Snow brings gravitas and unexpected warmth to Raihn—his performance made me care for him even as his choices left me reeling.

The romance here isn’t soft-focus fantasy; it is bruised, tense, laced with longing and regret—a relationship forged in fire rather than fairy dust. Their dynamic reminded me so much of real love: sometimes ugly and difficult but all the more believable for it. The intensity between them mirrored times in my life where love was both shield and weapon—a theme Broadbent explores unflinchingly.

I especially appreciated how vividly Nyaxia comes alive under Broadbent’s pen: opulent courts humming with secrets; shadowy corridors echoing with footsteps that could mean friend or foe. Every alliance feels fragile, every betrayal sharp enough to draw blood—I found myself pausing occasionally just to absorb the complexity of this world before plunging back into its chaos.

There were moments when I longed for a bit more breathing space between action sequences—a quieter interlude here or there might have let some revelations sink deeper—but these are minor quibbles given how propulsive the story is overall. It never lets you go until its final act delivers both heartbreak and catharsis.

In sum: if you crave fantasy romance that respects your intelligence (and your feelings) while serving up dazzling intrigue—and if you adore audiobooks where narrators don’t just read but truly inhabit their characters—this is absolutely not one to miss. By the end, all I wanted was another rainy afternoon so I could listen again from the start.