Books Like A Vow in Vengeance
by Jaclyn Rodriguez
A Vow in Vengeance opens on a driven heroine playing a deadly long game: Rune Ryker rigs her own entry into the Immortal Realms to find family and dismantle the people who hurt them. The novel is built around three concrete engines — a cutthroat magical school called the Forge that trains tarot practitioners, a rare binding power that forces intimate connection between Rune and Prince Draven, and an escalating political war that makes every lesson and secret have immediate, lethal consequence.
Readers will come for different things: the burn of forced proximity and enemies-to-allies heat; the scheming and survival required inside a gladiatorial academy; or the larger, war-forged stakes that promise sweeping political fallout. Each recommended title below was chosen because it echoes one (or more) of those specific elements — sensual tension, academy pressure, dangerous princely antagonists, or a heroine who must use violence and cunning to survive — and the pick notes tell you which element each book mirrors most closely.
Recommended for fans of A Vow in Vengeance
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas
High-stakes romantasy with a dangerous fae lord, sexy tension, and brewing war-level stakes.
Pick this if you want intense, dangerous enemies‑to‑lover chemistry paired with war-level stakes and a powerful, morally compromised love interest.
From Blood and Ash
Jennifer L. Armentrout
Sensual, action-driven fantasy heroine bound by duty and a powerful, brooding love interest.
Pick this if you want a visceral, action-driven heroine whose duty and sensual bond with a brooding protector drive the plot.
Serpent & Dove
Shelby Mahurin
Enemies-to-lovers witch romance set against violent magical politics and explosive chemistry.
Pick this if you’re curious about a nonfictional or meta take on vows and daring feats — note: this is a looser fit in tone and is not romantasy, but it mirrors the idea of extreme wagers and daring choices.
The Cruel Prince
Holly Black
Ruthless fae court, political intrigue and dangerous, seductive relationships with a ruthless prince.
Pick this if you loved the witch-versus-society friction and explosive chemistry that complicate alliances under political pressure.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Laini Taylor
Otherworldly romantasy with rare powers, star-crossed love, and high-stakes supernatural conflict.
Pick this if you want lyrical, otherworldly romantasy where a heroine’s rare nature propels star-crossed love and high supernatural stakes.
Graceling
Kristin Cashore
Skilled heroine with a rare ability thrust into political danger and a tense romantic arc.
Pick this if you liked a competent, combative heroine thrown into political danger with a tense romantic arc — expect a tighter political plot and clear, skill-based action.
Kingdom of the Wicked
Kerri Maniscalco
Dark, sensual fantasy with a dangerous, brooding love interest and murderous supernatural stakes.
Pick this if you want a darker, more murderous tone with a brooding love interest and morally fraught supernatural crimes.
Red Queen
Victoria Aveyard
Power disparities, rebellion brewing, and a heroine caught between dangerous, powerful men.
Pick this if you’re drawn to imbalanced power dynamics, brewing rebellion, and a heroine caught between powerful men; this is more political-rebellion than magical-bond specific.
Kushiel's Dart
Jacqueline Carey
Lush, erotic political fantasy with a scarred heroine, court intrigue, and complex loyalties.
Pick this if you prefer richly textured erotic political fantasy focused on court intrigue and complex loyalties; it’s a looser match on the academy element but strong on eroticized politics.
At a glance
Matches were chosen on four concrete dimensions: forced/bound romantic tension, academy/mentorship pressure, a proactive heroine using violence and cunning, and looming war-level political stakes. Each recommendation shares one or more of those elements rather than general genre labels.
| Book | First published | Pages | Closest match on | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A Court of Thorns and Roses Sarah J. Maas | 2013 | 451 | Dangerous fae lord | 94% |
From Blood and Ash Jennifer L. Armentrout | 2020 | 493 | Sensual action heroine | 91% |
Serpent & Dove Shelby Mahurin | 2019 | 524 | Forced public race (loose) | 88% |
The Cruel Prince Holly Black | 2018 | 370 | Enemies-to-lovers tension | 86% |
Daughter of Smoke and Bone Laini Taylor | 2001 | 448 | Otherworldly rare powers | 85% |
Graceling Kristin Cashore | 2008 | 417 | Skilled heroine in danger | 83% |
Kingdom of the Wicked Kerri Maniscalco | 2020 | 448 | Dark, sensual fantasy | 80% |
Red Queen Victoria Aveyard | 2015 | 428 | Power disparity & rebellion | 78% |
Kushiel's Dart Jacqueline Carey | 2001 | 703 | Lush erotic politics | 75% |
About A Vow in Vengeance
A Vow in Vengeance is the first book in Jaclyn Rodriguez’s Immortal Desires series. It centers on Rune Ryker, who engineers her own selection into the Immortal Realms, endures the Forge — a brutal school for tarot magic — and becomes magically bound to Prince Draven amid an approaching war.
Frequently asked questions
Which book most closely matches the forced-bond romance in A Vow in Vengeance?+
A Court of Thorns and Roses is the closest match here for dangerous, sexually charged connection with a powerful, antagonistic lord and war-level stakes.
I loved the brutal school setting — what should I read?+
If the Forge’s cutthroat training and daily survival appealed to you, pick books that emphasize academy pressure and female agency; several picks here (notably Serpent & Dove and Graceling) replicate the tense instruction-and-politics dynamic.
Do any of these books lean more toward sensual romance than political plotting?+
Yes. From Blood and Ash and Kingdom of the Wicked emphasize sensual, emotionally intense relationships alongside action; they skew heavier on the romance-and-heat axis while still offering dark stakes.
Is there a pick that focuses on a heroine using rare power to navigate political danger?+
Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Graceling share that focus: rare abilities that make the protagonist a pivotal figure in larger supernatural or political conflicts.
Are any of these a looser tonal match rather than a plot match?+
Red Queen and Kushiel's Dart share thematic elements like power disparity and erotic political intrigue, but they are looser fits on specifics such as forced magical binding or a tarot academy.
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