literary gluttony

Testing the First Chapter of “A Dawn of Onyx” by Kate Golden

Welcome to Tempting or Trash?—the weekly ritual where I crack open the first chapter of a book and decide if it’s worth devouring or deserves to be quietly returned to the shelf like an awkward Tinder date. Today’s offering? A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden. AKA: the romantasy title that keeps popping up on BookTok feeds with mysterious masked princes and “I’ve been kidnapped but make it romantic” energy.

The premise?
A healer named Arwen (yes, really) is taken by the enemy king and forced to use her magic to help his people… while obviously falling for her captor. Kidnapping, morally gray royals, and forbidden magic? Look, I was intrigued—and slightly worried I was about to read A Court of Thorns and Red Flags.

So… I gave the first chapter a spin.

Initial Bite:

We’re dropped into a fantasy kingdom mid-conflict, with Arwen tending to wounded soldiers in a war her own brother is fighting. The vibes are immediately dark and tense—war, fear, magic, and just a whisper of political intrigue. The writing? Surprisingly smooth. Golden doesn’t overload us with worldbuilding jargon right away, and the prose flows well. It’s not overly flowery, but it is trying to establish a moody, romantic tone from the jump.

Our girl Arwen is clearly The Good One™ in a harsh world. She’s kind, clever, and (so far) not too naïve, which is always a win. We get hints of trauma, loyalty, and a looming “someone’s going to betray someone” energy. The chapter ends with a twist that, okay—I didn’t see coming, and I kinda loved that. It gave me just enough mystery to go, “Okay… I see you, Kate Golden.”

Tempting or Trash Verdict?

🗡️ Tempting.
I went in expecting cliché central, but the vibes are giving classic romantasy comfort with just enough edge. Is it breaking new ground? Not yet. But it’s polished, intriguing, and just dark enough to keep me turning pages. I’m not in love—but I’m definitely texting back.

Will I keep reading? Yes. Am I hoping the morally gray love interest delivers? Absolutely. Do I already want to yell at a sibling character? Also yes.

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Have you read A Dawn of Onyx? Was it worth the hype—or did it leave you thirsting for better fantasy men? Drop your thoughts below. Bonus points if you bring snacks.