The Serpent and the Wolf

By: Rebecca Robinson

Narrated by: Jesse Vilinsky

A “must-read” (C.J. Redwine, New York Times bestselling author) romantasy debut that combines high-stakes political intrigue and a steamy, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance. Perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy and Thea Guanzon!

All her life, Vaasa Kozár has been sharpened into a blade.

After losing her mother—her only remaining parent—to a mysterious dark magic that has since awakened within her, Vaasa is certain death looms. So is her merciless brother, who aims to eliminate Vaasa as a threat to his crown. In one last political scheme, he marries her off to Reid of Mireh, a ruthless foreign ruler, in hopes that he can use her death as a rallying cry to finally invade Reid’s nation. All Vaasa has to do is die.

But she is desperate to live. Vaasa enters her new marriage with every intent to escape it, wielding the hard-won political prowess and combat abilities her late father instilled in her. But to her surprise, Reid offers her a deal: help him win the votes to rise in power, and she can walk free. In exchange, she will share his knowledge about the dark magic running through her veins—and help keep it at bay.

This proposal may be too good to refuse, yet Vaasa and Reid’s undeniable attraction threatens to break the rules of their arrangement. As her brother’s lethal machinations take form, everything is at stake: Vaasa must learn to trust her new husband, but how can she especially when their perfect political marriage begins to feel like the real thing? In The Serpent and the Wolf, Vaasa and Reid must confront deadly betrayals, unravel the enigma of her dark magic, and decide whether their growing bond is their greatest strength—or the ultimate risk—in a world where love and power are the most dangerous games of all.

Critic reviews

"Vilinsky’s passionate performance vividly shows Vaasa’s vulnerabilities and her strength in her new role as a wife and consort. Performing in the third person, Vilinsky smoothly portrays a variety of characters, producing distinct, authentic voices for each."

I love stories with new magics

Book club pick for 1/2026

Did not disappoint until I realized it was a trilogy and didn’t have the other books out yet.

Really impressed!!

For a new author, Rebecca did a fantastic job weaving the intricate details of this story. I appreciate the effort she put into creating this magical world. The story itself is well-written, and the narration is excellent!! There is smut, but it isn’t used as a space filler. There is magic, love, betrayal, plot twists, and one hell of a cliffhanger. I am impatiently awaiting book 2!!

Great blind buy

Great plot. Nice mix of romance with a small bit of spice. Nice focus on the magic system and suspense.

The magic system and complex relationships. Also the political landscape..

I liked the relationships explored, the political intrigue and the slow burn romance between the main characters.

The pain of the FMC

If I could give six stars to this book, I would. The political aspect, the betrayals the love story that found family. It was amazing. I can’t wait for book 2.