So glad you're here!

If you’re a hopeless romantic and a fantasy lover, you’re in the right place, because so am I!But even if you’re neither of those things, you’re welcome to stay as we gush over swoony banter, enemies turned lovers, and happily ever afters.Yes, I’m a fantasy romance author who relishes in taking the familiar and beloved stories & tropes and giving them my own twist.Behind the books, I’m an Army wife and mom of four, living my best life here on the Wyoming prairie with a gin and tonic in hand and New Girl on repeat.

Until the Stars Fall (#1)

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The last time a fae king took a human bride it started a war.
This time it could prevent one.I have been a loyal servant to the fae crown my whole life–an arrangement that has kept me safe from the violence between our two races…until I kill a fae noble.Sentenced to death I beg the king for mercy and am shocked when it comes from the eldest prince who hates me.But there’s a catch…Now thrust into the role of my growly protector’s bride-to-be, I have to choose between playing along with this fake engagement or following my own heart to protect my people.Until the Stars Fall is the first in a new fantasy romance collection of interconnected stand-alones set in a magical war-torn world, where love is weakness and danger lurks around every corner. Loosely inspired by the classic movie, Sabrina, this slow-burn fated mates tale with a fake engagement brings you a growly, yet noble fae prince and the sunshine human who just might be the death of him…if he doesn’t fall for her first.

Author Note

This series is recommended for older teens and adults, as it contains violence, language, and steamy content. Spicy scenes are written on page when it makes sense for the story.

More Info

A new adult fantasy romance collection of interconnected standalones, perfect for readers who love:
- retellings
- fated mates
- one bed/one horse
- fake engagement
- mistaken identities
- enemies to lovers
- fae, vampires, shifters, and all manner of creatures, immortal and otherwise
- spice that doesn't take over the plot

Series plans

This collection is slated to have five books total:Until the Stars Fall (February 2024)
Once the Skies Fade (Spring 2025)
Untitled 3 (August 2026)
Untitled 4 (TBD)
Untitled 5 (TBD)The first three books have been acquired by Dreamscape Media for audiobook production!

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On These Black Sands (#1)

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In a world of lies and betrayal, trust can be dangerous and alliances can turn deadly.One of three heirs, Aoife has prepared her whole life to step into her mother’s seat on the Council and to help maintain the peace. Soon she will be matched to a pirate lord and begin her life of service in a loveless union–a fate she reluctantly accepts.But when her awkward tongue gets her in trouble–and her sister exiled–she learns the truth about the Council and the legacy she’s to inherit.Guilt-ridden over her mistake and convinced her people are better without her, she runs, seeking passage on one of the pirate ships.
A pirate with a ruthless reputation, Declan has avoided his island home for years, refusing to pay the price the Council requires of his kind. When a bit of bad luck forces him to return, he discovers his chance to be free of the Council and his past for good–a legendary dagger with the power to grant victory to any who wield it. With thirty days to deliver the weapon to the rebels, he can’t afford any delays–or distractions.So when an obnoxious heir demands passage off the island, the answer is an easy no. But he soon learns he can’t control her any more than he can control the seas, and she stows away on his ship. Against his better judgment and the demands of his crew, Declan allows her to stay, but just until the next port.Unfortunately for him, she could be the key to retrieving the dagger.Now this desperate pirate and stubborn heir must set aside their hatred to find the freedom they both desire… but they might just lose their hearts in the process, discovering a love neither wanted.Will love save them in the end or will it prove more dangerous than anything else on these seas?On These Black Sands is the first book in a new adult fantasy romance trilogy, pulling you into a unique world of heart-rending betrayal, deadly legends, and swoon-worthy love.

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From These Dark Depths (#2)

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Being eaten by a siren queen is at least an interesting way to die.
And Declan has little hope of avoiding it while locked in this brig.His captor is ruthless. His guilt is relentless.Everyone he needs is back on his ship, hopefully chasing after him…without tempting death themselves.But if they don’t make it in time, he’ll have to face the queen.And his demons.An heir stole his heart. Now that heart–and the remorse it harbors–may get him killed.Or worse.Black Sails meets Throne of Glass in book 2 of the Aisling Sea series. The stakes are higher with new dangers and more swoon-worthy romance sure to create fans of insta love. This is a forbidden love story with a bit of steam and a cliffhanger ending.

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With These Last Breaths (#3)

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Every journey must end... one way or another.And in Declan's experience, that usually means death.Death of his enemies. Death of his friends.Their one hope of surviving is in the hands of a man he wants to see suffer... even if it means letting the darkness within take over.But even if he retrieves the dagger, he could still lose everything.He could still lose her.He may not be good enough—he may not deserve her—but he's not about to let her go.Not without a fight.This is the final book in the Aisling Sea series. Darker, grittier, spicier, this book contains anxiety representation, torture, violence, family drama, and on-page intimate scenes.

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More Info

A new adult fantasy romance series for readers who love:
- slow-burn romance with all the tension
- a bit of steam that builds with each book
- the one bed trope
- morally gray heroes
- relatable heroines
- found family & a feisty supporting cast
- fae royalty, man-eating sirens, & other magical creatures
- snarky banter

Series Plans

This series will have three books total:On These Black Sands (August 2021)
From These Dark Depths (August 16, 2022)
With These Last Breaths (August 15, 2023)Note: Books 1 and 2 end with cliffhangers

Author Note

This series is recommended for older teens and adults, as it contains some violence, strong language, and steamy content. Spicy scenes progress gradually through the books with several scenes written on page in book three, but these are not overly explicit.

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More about Vanessa

Vanessa Rasanen writes new adult fantasy romance filled with sassy attitudes, relatable characters, and slow-burn. She loves a good cliffhanger, judges books by their covers, and wishes she could write faster. Her books include a smidge of salty language, a bit of blood, and a serving of swoon-worthy romance perfect for readers who don't mind spice, but don't need it on every page.She lives southeast Wyoming with her pilot husband and four kids. When she's not writing you can find her mixing up a gin & tonic, rewatching New Girl, running a small business, and wasting spending time on Instagram.

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