A Dagger of Lightning

by Meredith R. Lyons, Suzanne Elise Freeman (Reader)

She didn’t seek her future, it came and took her.

Forty-five-year-old, wayward-spirit Imogen feels pressure to settle down with her long-time friend-turned-fiancé. Her comfortable—slightly boring—future is turned inside out when an alien prince in disguise kidnaps Imogen, sweeping her off to a new planet where he is heir to the throne.

Unable to return to Earth and now a sidhe herself, Imogen navigates a new body, an alien country on the brink of war, and the irritating advances of the sidhe prince who wants her to himself for more reasons than romance.

With the help of the prince’s kinder brother, Imogen must master her growing powers, decide for herself what she wants, and come to grips with the truth about her own bloodline or lose herself in a world where those in control have already decided what she’s going to be.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Romantasy, Adult Fiction, Magic, Adult

1 pages, Audio CD

Published July 1, 2025

About the author

Meredith grew up in New Orleans, collecting two degrees from Louisiana State University before running away to Chicago to be an actor. In between plays, she got her black belt and made martial arts and yoga her full-time day job. She fought in the Chicago Golden Gloves, ran the Chicago Marathon, and competed for team U.S.A. in the savate world championships in Paris. In spite of doing each of these things twice, she couldn’t stay warm and relocated to Nashville. She owns several swords, but lives a non-violent life, saving all swashbuckling for the page, knitting scarves, gardening, visiting coffee shops, and cuddling with her husband and two panther-sized cats. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters In Crime. Her first novel Ghost Tamer is an Amazon Editor's Pick, an IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award gold winner for Best SciFantasy, and an IPPY Award gold winner for Best First Book. A Dagger of Lighting releases April 1, 2025, both with CamCat Books.

Reviews

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @meredithrlyons for the gifted copy

TITLE: A DAGGER OF LIGHTNING
AUTHOR: Meredith Lyons
PUB DATE: 04.01.2025 preorder now

For readers who enjoy From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Faebound by Saara El-Arifi, and the Crescent City series by Sarah J. Maas.

I absolutely loved reading about no nonsense Imogen - she is 45, smart, independent, and you may be an alien prince with powers, and it's going to take more than that to sweep this babe off her feet. I have read Meredith Lyons previous book, and have loved it so I kind of knew what to expect, but was still very surprised on how well this book was written.

Easy fun and sexy read.

QOTD: What books are you recommending lately?

#adaggeroflightning #MeredithRLyons

[Nikkiya Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/5 ⭐️Viral-Worthy!

UPDATE: I have preordered this book and April can not get here fast enough.

The title and book cover reeled me in, then the story took over from there. I have never been so disappointed that I will have to wait so long for the next book. A Dagger of Lightning is scheduled to be released April 1st of 2025. So when will the next book be published… no clue!

Our fierce FMC finds herself kidnapped and in outer space with aliens that have supernatural gifts. This was a fast passed setup to an unbelievable adventure. Imogen may be 45 in human years, but she has a lot to learn. The banter was amazing. The references to pop culture from the 1980's-to 2020's was great! I laughed out loud and cried. The pacing was perfect, just when it felt like there was a lull in the action something else happens. There are multiple characters to love and hate that are well developed.

I will be waiting with baited breath for this book to be released so I can buy it and be ready to reread it when the second book comes out. I would really love to be apart of the review team for the next one.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lena Hooker · Rating 5 out of 5]

am i biased bc i know the author?? maybe?? but also this book is just so freaking good!?! like it had no business being SO comedic and witty. our FMC, imogen, is such a badass, and i looooved watching her put ppl in their place. pop off, queen!! also the world building was incredible - so vivid and thorough. V (capital V VERY) impressed!!

[Destiny Imperati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Tour Review✨️

♡Imogen♡

I so wish I could give books more than a five-star rating because this fantasy novel deserves them all!🙌🙌 The FMC Imogen was such a treat! I loved how, instead of just playing along, she demanded answers. Imogen wasn't afraid to back down, and she was such a strong character. She's definitely my favorite 😍 💓

The story starts off strong and just kept getting better. I honestly couldn't believe how well the writing and the plot fit so perfectly together. Imogen is kidnapped by an alien prince who thinks he can just have whatever he wants. He wasn't prepared for how Imogen would refuse to be a pawn in his game.
This author is new to me, but after reading this, I'm definitely checking out her other book, Ghost Tamer! 🙌✨️

A huge thank you to the author and Henry Roi PR for the ARC!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book and the heroine! It’s been a minute since I have cared about the characters like I did in this book. I felt just as uncomfortable as they did as they were being trapped and their rights taken away (to be honest I had to take a few days break as I was experiencing their frustrations). I really enjoyed the world building and the interesting story of a people whose culture and history come from earth. I truly hope this becomes a series because this story deserves to continue to be told

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[CHenry Roi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now, let me tell you, I have read my fair share of books with young, starry-eyed heroines swooning over men who don’t deserve them. This? This was a treat. Imogen is a grown woman, tired of nonsense, and I respected every bit of her attitude. She’s thrown into an absolutely ridiculous situation, and instead of simpering about it, she rolls up her sleeves and starts making demands. That alien prince thought he could just sweep her off her feet? Hah! I loved watching her prove everyone wrong. It’s witty, it’s sharp, and I already know I’ll be making my entire book club read it next.

[Roy Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright, I’ll admit it—I picked this up thinking it was gonna be all fluff, but damn if I wasn’t sucked in by page five. The world-building was tight, the politics were actually interesting, and the way the author blended fae mythology with futuristic alien culture? That takes skill. Imogen felt like a real person, not some fantasy cutout, and I actually found myself rooting for her to outsmart these alien royals instead of just surviving. This isn’t just a guilty pleasure read—it’s legit good sci-fi.

[Beth Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imogen was relatable, funny and strong with an honest vulnerability. I adored Wells from the start. He was so easy to love and genuinely wanted to do right by Imogen. The slow-burn romance was delightful with a dash of tasteful spice.

Al was a real piece of work—but I appreciated the complexity he had by the end.

The unique world-building was delivered at a good pace and the pop culture references were well-timed and entertaining.

After the cliffhanger ending, I am desperate for the next book!

ARC provided by Black Phoenix Book Tours. Opinions are my own.

[Elizabeth]

DNF at 24%. This has elements which should be interesting to me (heroine is 45, for one) but I'm bored. I see all the great reviews and don't know why.

This beginning is slow. And I really hate when people are made "perfect". She's 45 but in a 20-year old body. So, yes, she has some life experience (tho no boundaries) but she can now fight like the biggest badass ever?

And it's so so so obvious that she's going to get a romance with the brother.

There's nothing capturing my attention. At all.

[TBRBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dagger of Lightning

Meredith R. Lyons

Imogen is kidnapped from Earth and changed against her will into a sidhe after Al says he can take her to her grandma. She discovers she has incredible abilities as a sidhe and is determined to not let the rulers use her as a mindless weapon. Al continues to try to get Imogen’s affections and she refuses and instead decides she will live with Al’s brother Wells but the King and Al may try anything to keep her from Wells.

Imogen is a bad*ss main character! I loved her instantly. She refuses to allow anyone to use her and she won’t accept less than she feels that she’s worth. I was instantly pulled into this book. The world building was absolutely incredible! I can’t wait to read the next book. I want to thank Meredith R. Lyons for the physical ARC copy of A Dagger of Lightning! It is definitely a favorite book of mine! I’m excited to see what will happen next!

If you enjoy a bad*ss middle aged main character that can hold her own in a fight then this book is for you!

[Reva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could read this again ♥️ The story building and character development blew me away. I was so engaged and did not want to put it down!

[David Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really liked the author's first book, Ghost Tamer, so I had high expectations with this one and I'm happy to say she hit it out of the park!
There's no sophomore slump, that's for sure.
I found this one to be so well written and so easily read that the pages practically turned themselves. It's perfectly crafted with a plot that kept me wanting more. Imogen is a dream of a character. She's smart, resourceful and kicks ass. The whole cast of characters are so fully fleshed out with natural and believable dialog that you feel like you've known them all your life. Even the Sci-Fi aspects had me believing in them.
Even if you're not a big fan of the fantasy genre I really believe you'll get invested in this story from the start if given the chance. The only downside to this story, if there is one, is that there's a cliffhanger and we now have to wait for the next book to be published. *Sigh*

Thank you to the author, CamCat Books and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour.

[A5hley Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re ever planning on abducting a woman to become your wife you better make sure it’s not Imogen!

This book was a thrilling read I loved all the nostalgia and it gave me dungeon crawler Carl vibes mixed with a badass like Rhiannon from the sweet pea series I really enjoyed the humour and the world building in this novel and it’s the first time I can honestly say why is the sequel going to be so far away?!

I think there is something for everyone with this book a bit of nostalgia some dark humour enough action and pacing to keep you going so be warned don’t read at bedtime as you may miss out on a couple of hours of sleep (But it will be worth it)

I received an ARC of this book and write this review voluntarily

[Lisa Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This romantasy pulled me in right from the beginning with a very intriguing alien world and intricate magic system. Imogen is a fascinating feisty character that I adore, and I really enjoyed learning about her new life right along with her. The secondary characters are well-developed and I enjoyed the relationships that existed or were formed among them as well. Imogen and her bonded mate have great chemistry and I'm very much looking forward to reading more about them. This book ends on a cliffhanger so hopefully there will be a second book out soon.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this fantasy. It did not take long to get into the world and I liked learning about it along with Imogene herself. The magic system and the way they travel was really interesting. Imogen did take any crap from anyone, strong and determined to learn fast. I was so into it I was going to get frustrated if it didn’t go the way I wanted. I loved the friendships made and the romance was great. It pulled me in and was a great ride. I can not wait for this series to continue.

Thank you @meredithrlyons @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

[Christy Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t read much fantasy but this book made me rethink that! Imogen was an incredible character and it would be impossible to not love and respect her. Without sharing any spoilers, she found herself in an impossible situation. I was heartbroken and furious for her but also cheering her on big time as she settled into her new reality. I could clearly picture her new surroundings and thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Tyler Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this book was ACTUALLY so good. Like I thought it wuld be boring bcuz the main girl is old (no ofense) but she’s actully hilarious and kinda a badass. The whole alien prince thing? Wild. Also the brother? Way cooler. The fights were epic and I did NOT see half the twists coming. If they don’t make a sequel I’m gonna riot fr.

[Charles McGonigal · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was fun. Interesting if vague worldbuilding. I almost put it down at the beginning, annoyed that abduction and (non-sexual) assault would be forgiven in the interests of romance, but I just misread the characters and soon appreciated where the relationships as well as the story went. Now I want the sequel as the story is in no way wrapped up here.

[Jackie Johnson]

Forty-five-year-old Imogen has finally accepted it’s time to settle down. She accepts a marriage proposal from her sweet boyfriend, but at the same time, she feels like something’s missing in her life, which is largely in part to the disappearance of her grandmother and the mysterious messages she left behind. Enter: Al. The villain you will want to punch in the face more than any villain in the history of villains. He approaches Imogen with promises of answers to her past, but instead kidnaps her, stows her on his spaceship, and drags her lightyears away from Earth. Al, the arrogant, entitled prince of a planet far, far away, believes Imogen is the answer to an ancient prophecy that could save his planet from an ongoing war. Too bad for Al, Imogen is far more badass than he bargained for, and as she steps into her powerful abilities, she defies being used as a pawn. This book is so fun and unlike any romantasy out there. It’s a blast to watch this fish-out-of-water, middle-aged, snarky protagonist who uses humor as a coping mechanism come in and save the day time and time again with her wits, her tenacity, and her Earth pop-culture references that, much to her chagrin, are lost on most of the aliens around her. And then there’s Al’s hot brother, whose patience and soft touch make Imogen wonder if the rug being pulled out from under her life isn’t so bad after all. Sci-fi, fantasy, fae-inspired; forced proximity, chosen one, space magic, fated mates—this book has it all!! An absolutely wild ride from start to finish, with a cliff-hanger that will have you desperate for more.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really want to like this book, but everything related to Al makes me so angry and uncomfortable. Unfortunately there is a LOT of Al. I kept hoping he would just become a background character but he never does.

Everyone is angry at Al's actions and thinks it's 'unfair', but frankly I don't think they are taken seriously enough. He literally compels her so that she is paralyzed while he touches her, and drugs her. Those scenes were difficult to read, and she was entirely vulnerable. He could have done whatever he wanted. His whole demeanor and language is gross. He faces zero consequences for his actions. Absolutely nothing even though everyone knows what happened.

This should have had a huge trigger warning, been taken far more seriously, and frankly just not been included at all. This book suffers due to the presence of Al, and makes it much harder to be an enjoyable read.

And then I'm supposed to feel sad for him????? Hell no. I really hate the choice of making Imogen feel sad for him. It makes no sense!

I did like the other characters, and the maid practice, but there just wasn't enough development and time to see the world. The magic system itself doesn't really seem fully developed. Just some vague ideas, but not a lot of concrete rules or reasons.

What is with the constant weird hand holding?

EDIT:

Well now that I am reaching the end Al makes a lot more sense. I still hate him, but turns out there are other people to hate more.

I really like the ending. We finally get to see Imogen be independent and shine on her own!

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS ONE. Good lord, it’s so good. If you feel like you’re just reading the same damn romantasy over and over, A Dagger of Lightning will be a breath of fresh air. Theres magic, and a romance, and a stomach-turning villain or two. But there’s also a 45-year-old heroine from 21st century America. There’s pop culture references and humor and danger and friendship and some really damn insightful looks into aging, love, consent, and psychological abuse. And it’s a page-turner. I’ll have the sequel now, please.

[Bookish Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that this has an older FMC! She's brilliant and doesn't put up with BS from anyone! When she's kidnapped, the prince thinks she'll be a simp, and boy, did she prove him wrong. The banter is fantastic, and even the side characters are easy to love! Can't wait to see where the story goes from here!

[Kara A · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible story from beginning to end. The characters have layers and the story is unpredictable in the best way! LOVE this author and am excited for the next one in the series!

[Tori L · Rating 5 out of 5]

My book club read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. There were so many fun discussions!
First of all, I really enjoyed the FMC. She was so different than any other character I’ve read in a fantasy novel. She was witty, smart, and was generally a badass. I feel like sometimes I care less about MC’s and end up falling in love with the side characters; while I did fall in love with the side characters here, I really enjoyed reading from Imogen’s POV. I loved the realism of her being taken when she was older. I truly felt her frustration and pain throughout the book. I just feel like this makes the novel so unique and special.
Secondly, I LOVE LOVE LOVE HER LOVE INTEREST. SERIOUSLY LOVE. He’s so perfect for her and very hot in my head (thank you, Meredith.) Again, I just feel like these characters are so unique to this genre. They’re very “cut the BS” and there’s not really an ounce of miscommunication trope, which I often find here, and I really enjoyed that!
Finally, I cared so much about all the characters (especially Imogen’s grandmother, who is important to the story, but is only ever mentioned in backstory talk or VERY beautiful quotes at the beginning of the chapters.) I wanted spin offs for each character.
Needless to say… Meredith killed it and THE PEOPLE WANT MORE !!!

[Jim Dedmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Club book. Ms. Lyons is a wonderful author. The book was a quick read and she created an amazing world with vivid details.

[Samaira Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fear I need more!!! Like OMG

[veee.q · Rating 5 out of 5]

fuck me i didn't realize this was an incomplete series and the fact this book ends on a cliffhanger is CRIMINAL.

[Kimmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg I need book two! Will there be a book two? Idk, but I loved this book! It's so refreshing to have an older main character. Every book I pick up the main character is 18-25 🥴 (not that it's a bad thing but let's be real the older representation isnt out there). I liked Imogen she knows who she is and what she wants from life. Can I just mention how much I loved Wells 😍.

[zjakkelien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of a series, even if it does not say so. It ends in a cliffhanger.

I would have liked to know that beforehand, but it was very good, so I guess I'll wait for the next book. I really liked the characters, the mutual respect, and the slow romance. I hated the assholes.
Refreshing to have an adult heroine who doesn't take any shit.

[Adperfectamconsilium - Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dagger of Lightning by @meredithrlyons

Thank you @henryroi.pr for the eARC.

This is a fantasy novel with a little added space opera and romance and the start of a new series.

I signed up to read it as I thought the romantasy/space travel adventure would be fun.
It is fun but what I wasn't expecting was how invested I became in the characters and story.

Firstly it was refreshing to have a middle aged female main character and secondly the romance isn't tedious insta-love but a build up of complex emotions over a significant time period which felt real and really drew me into the story.
Imogen is a fantastic character. She's feisty and funny, willing to break rules and confront wrong doing, completely kick-ass and resilient but also vulnerable and emotionally overwhelmed at times. And who wouldn't be overwhelmed at being kidnapped from Earth by an alien prince, turned into a member of the race of sidhe without their consent and taken to a far flung planet with no hope of return?

The sidhe all have various levels of powers and Imogen soon discovers she is developing abilities herself but at a quicker rate than most thanks to a secret in her family history.

So begins an adventure on a world with countries on the precipice of war. A fantasy planet of faerie style magic and potions, of telepathy & teleportation and a whole host of other powers. A world of low tech but incredible space craft. Battles of swordplay and magic. Politics and royalty, friendship, enemies, danger and found love.
A story of heartache and finding your place of belonging.

I loved the banter and use of Earth culture references for Imogen's humour, the concepts & ideas throughout, the sequences of action and danger and the growing love and friendships.

And it's one heck of a cliffhanger ending.

Bring on the lightning ⚡. This is ✨✨✨✨✨ 5 stars.