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Elizabeth Hunter
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First Light: A Romantic Portal Fantasy (Shadowlands Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Elizabeth Hunter (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,210 ratings

In the Shadowlands, strangers wear familiar faces, myths are reality, and lies hide behind the most beautiful stories.

Lachlan Murray disappeared without a trace. As his girlfriend, twenty-nine-year-old Carys Morgan refuses to accept the police’s explanation—that he simply left her. She travels to Scotland to seek help from Lachlan’s twin brother Duncan, and learns she was right—Lachlan didn’t leave her, he left her world to return to his own.

The Shadowlands are a mirror of the world Carys knows. Every human in her world also exists in this one with one key difference—magic.

Humans aren’t supposed to be able to wield the magic of the Shadowlands, but when Carys learns she can talk to dragons, she’s drawn deeper into a complicated world that would as soon kill her as keep her. And if magic and murder weren’t enough to overcome, she must navigate complicated feelings for two identical men from vastly different worlds.

USA Today Bestselling Author Elizabeth Hunter weaves an enchanting adventure, full of mythology and romance, in the first installment of a brand new romantic portal fantasy!

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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Shadowlands
  2. Print length
    432 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    October 29, 2024
  5. File size
    5.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Banner for First Light, an enchanting adventure, full of mythology and romance!

review for First Light: This book took my breath away

Review for First Light: A Brilliant Story

Review for First Light: World building and epic romance!

Editorial Reviews

Review

First Light was my most anticipated release of 2024 and it did NOT disappoint! What an exciting new series this is! First Light took all of my favorite things and melded them together in a unique new way. Magic, mythology and dragons oh my! I have read so many books that have some the elements that First Light has, but never have I read them so uniquely and beautifully combined into one brilliant story. 
—This Literary Life
 
The story had me from the first pages. I am desperate for the second book! World building and epic storytelling is a talent for this author. I LOVED this book!
—Nicole R., Goodreads Reviewer
 
Cleverly woven storylines with descriptions so vivid you can hear the strange noises in the fairy murder forest. All wrapped up in my favorite way for her to end a book. An epic battle and the promise of more of the story to come.
—Shelly K., Goodreads Reviewer
 
The thing I LOVE about Elizabeth Hunter's writing is the world-building. She did fantastic jobs in the Irin Chronicles and Elemental worlds, and this new series is no exception.
—Kate, Goodreads Reviewer
 
This story is so intense, and so well written that you just get caught up in this world, and you feel like you're a part of it. I know that you will love this book every bit as much as I did, and I cannot wait for the next one in this series. This will definitely be one for my bookshelves.
—Dee S., Goodreads Reviewer
 
Once I picked this book up I never wanted it to end, and when it did end my jaw may have dropped and had me searching for the date of the second in the series. Add First Light to your list of reads and then ask yourself this... Do you believe in fairy tales?
—Jaime, Goodreads Reviewer
 
This book took my breath away, made me laugh and cry, it was wonderful! An epic adventure with so many fairy tale characters come to life. The story is magical and takes you right in.
—Linnette P., Goodreads Reviewer

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DHB68449
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Recurve Press, LLC (October 29, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 29, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.2 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ B0DKFYBWBW
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,210 ratings

About the author

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Elizabeth Hunter

Elizabeth Hunter

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ELIZABETH HUNTER is an eleven-time USA Today bestselling author of romance, fantasy, and paranormal mystery. Based in Central California and Addis Ababa, she travels extensively to write fantasy fiction exploring world mythologies, history, and the universal bonds of love, friendship, and family.

She has published over fifty works of fiction and sold over two million books world-wide. She is the author of the Elemental Mysteries, the Glimmer Lake series, the Irin Chronicles, and other works of fiction. She writes contemporary romance under the pen name, Lizzy Hunter.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
1,210 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story captivating and enjoyable. They appreciate the magical worlds and real-world mythology that the author draws upon. The characters are interesting, strong, and comfortable to read about. Readers praise the book as a promising introduction to a new series. They praise the intricate world-building, well-planned plot, and writing style. The romance is also mentioned as enjoyable.

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Story qualityFantasyCharacter developmentSeries developmentWorld buildingWriting styleRomance
51 customers mention "Story quality"48 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the captivating story with a great plot. They find it enjoyable and well-paced, mentioning it's a departure from Elizabeth Hunter's usual storylines. The book is described as an entertaining new author, with drama, dragons, and romance.

"Elizabeth Hunter's newest portal romantic fantasy book is such a gem...." Read more

"...Elizabeth skillfully weaves together political intrigue, complex relationships, and rich world-building." Read more

"...The slow evolution of Carys’ relationships was really fun to read - can it even officially be called a love triangle?..." Read more

"...I was thoroughly immersed in the story, and the characters, and the whole alternate world...." Read more

25 customers mention "Fantasy"25 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the fantasy in the book. They find the worlds magical and real, with complex characters. The author draws on real-world mythology and creates a rich, alternate world beyond their imagination. Readers love the idea of shadow worlds and the variety of mythological beings.

"...Well, most of them! The bad guys? They're still so rich and real that your emotions are definitely invested. Also, there's dragons...." Read more

"...Even as I found the magical world fascinating, I was also repulsed by some of the implications that went along with it, particularly the..." Read more

"...I’m a huge fan of books that draw on real-world mythology, especially when we get in to the Irish/Welsh/Scottish fairies, with all their not-so-nice..." Read more

"...This new alternate world in this series is awesome, and as always, you can totally jump into the pages and feel you're there...." Read more

23 customers mention "Character development"23 positive0 negative

Customers like the character development. They say the characters are interesting, strong, and comfortable.

"...She writes real, open, and honest characters. Even in a fantasy genre, you feel connected and comfortable with her characters. Well, most of them!..." Read more

"...Her masterful character development and world-building shine in First Light...." Read more

"...The characters are very well created with depth and personalities you can get behind. Cadell, well, what can you say, attentive but can be petty...." Read more

"I loved this book. It was an easy to read story with a lot of character and world building. I can't wait for the next book." Read more

21 customers mention "Series development"21 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the series development. They find it a promising introduction to a new series, a fun and exciting world, and a great start for a long-lasting series.

"I was very excited to get my hands on the first book of an all new series by one of my favorite authors...." Read more

"...Who can you trust? Will you make it out alive? A great start to a new series by Ms. Hunter...." Read more

"...While the book doesn’t have a cliff hanger, it does introduce a large world with many mysteries that are only hinted at in this book...." Read more

"Elizabeth Hunter has created another magical new universe that has a full cast of wonderful and engaging new characters...." Read more

12 customers mention "World building"12 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the intricate world-building in the book. They find it well-planned and creative, with characters they love to spend time with. The concept and structure of the parallel world are also appreciated.

"...Her world building is second to none, and this book is nothing short of gorgeous!..." Read more

"...The Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay, this book is almost there in world-building. The characters?..." Read more

"...weaves together political intrigue, complex relationships, and rich world-building." Read more

"...I really enjoy the concept and structure of the parallel world in First Light, especially with all the ensuing complications – what it means for the..." Read more

11 customers mention "Writing style"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style. They find it well-written, readable, and fun. The books are well-edited and proofread.

"...She writes real, open, and honest characters. Even in a fantasy genre, you feel connected and comfortable with her characters. Well, most of them!..." Read more

"A masterfully written book. That keeps you reading and guessing! Loved this book. The twists and suspension are real. This was a fun read." Read more

"I have and will continue to to read every word this brilliant woman writes...." Read more

"This is going to be a super series. The book is so readable & fun. I have tried several times to tackle Joesph Campbell’s works. Not much luck...." Read more

4 customers mention "Romance"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book. They mention dragons, fae, wolves, political machinations, and a hot Scotsman.

"...Dragons, fae, wolves, political machinations and hot Scotsman? What more do you need? I already preordered Book 2." Read more

"Absolutely love Carys and I can so believe there’s a shadowkin out there for all of us…I so want a dragon of my own!..." Read more

"...the main thing it has in common with her other work is that it is completely addictive from the first sentence. I can't wait to read the next one." Read more

"I loved practically everything about it. Scottish accents, dragons, Fae, & fantasy, sign me up immediately!..." Read more

Loved the mirror world and its creatures
4 out of 5 stars
Loved the mirror world and its creatures
Before I tell you more about this book: I LOVE that Carys, our FMC, isn’t the next fragile looking girl who’s ridiculously skilled with a sword.Don’t get me wrong: I do love those girls too. But I feel like that’s all I’ve been reading lately. So it feels rather refreshing to have a completely normal, human girl taking the spotlight. (Is she that normal tho? 👀)“𝒟𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝒾𝑒𝓋𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝒻𝒶𝒾𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒶𝓁𝑒𝓈?”First Light is a portal fantasy. Not just to a completely different world, well… yeah kinda! But to a mirror world of our own. The Shadowlands. I’m sorry, I just freakin’ love this. What I love even more? Dragons and Unicorns can shift between beast and human form. (I wish I could add a gif in here to explain my thoughts about that).“𝒲𝒽𝑜 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒸𝒽𝑜𝑜𝓈𝑒 𝓈𝓊𝓃𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸?”When Carys’ boyfriend, Lachlan, disappears, she’s certain he didn’t just leave her. So she’s going after him. Everything leads her to Scotland. But it’s not Lachlan but his twin brother, Duncan, she finds. Luckily for her, he knows where Lachlan is. But it’s not that easy to get to him… I couldn’t help but imagine Duncan as Gerard Butler. In a younger version with slightly reddish-brown hair?“𝐻𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓂𝑒 𝒿𝑒𝒶𝓁𝑜𝓊𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒾𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓀𝑒𝒹.”It was a very fast and enjoyable read and I am truly happy that the next book is coming in April 2025 because I really want to know what happens next!4 ✨Spice rate: 🌶🌶Read if you like:🚪portal fantasy🦄magical creatures❤️he falls first🥷🏻hidden identity💞love triangle😒grumpy hero👑court politics🐉dragons⛰️Celtic and Scottish cultureThank you ValentinePR and the author for the gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Sam Hamilton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dragons!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Elizabeth Hunter's newest portal romantic fantasy book is such a gem. Her world building is second to none, and this book is nothing short of gorgeous!

    With the chance to explore a whole new series from my absolute favorite author, I jumped at the chance to read this book.

    Carys is looking for her missing boyfriend. Did he run away, home to Scotland? She's bound a determined to prove that Lachlan wouldn't just leave her. When she finds his family, she's in for more than just a surprise. Her whole world is turned upside down.

    In this new series, Elizabeth Hunter does what she's been doing for years. She writes real, open, and honest characters. Even in a fantasy genre, you feel connected and comfortable with her characters. Well, most of them! The bad guys? They're still so rich and real that your emotions are definitely invested.

    Also, there's dragons. Seriously.

    That's all I'm going to say. Read this book, and you'll see. Even the dragons are so realistic.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Noramid Pena
    5.0 out of 5 stars New world, new characters, same magical world building!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    When Ms. Hunter announced the series, I was a little apprehensive about it. I have been a long fan of Ms. Hunter's work since A Hidden Fire (The Elemental Mysteries Series). Then, I fell in love with the Irin Chronicles, The Cambio Springs novels... anything Ms. Hunter has written, I have loved.

    This one? It took me a little to warm up to it.

    You will love this book if you have been a long-time fan of Tolkien. For those of us who not only love Tolkien but also read fantasy books like Dungeons and Dragons, The Dragonriders of Pern, anything Arthurian, and a personal favorite of mine, The Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay, this book is almost there in world-building. The characters? It took me a little while to warm up to them. Carys, our female lead, made certain decisions in the story that sometimes had me screaming "Common sense is not a flower that grows in every garden!" However, as the book progressed, it made sense why she acted as she did.

    And yes, I am Team Duncan. I wish the kelpie could have taken Lachlan.

    The end of the first book raised more questions than answers. I look forward to the second installment (April cannot come soon enough). In the meantime, get yourself a cup of coffee (or tea), a pastry, and your favorite blanket. First Light certainly does not disappoint.
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  • monadh
    4.0 out of 5 stars An uneven beginning, but has potential
    Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I was very excited to get my hands on the first book of an all new series by one of my favorite authors.

    After months of blissful happiness, Cary’s lover Lachlan mysteriously disappears, leaving all his stuff behind. Cary fears that something has happened to him, and even if not, she wants to know why. So, she follows him from California to Scotland, where he has family. There she discovers that not only does he have a brother he never talked about, but that Duncan is actually his twin. Although Duncan claims that Lachlan is ok, he initially refuses to take Cary to see him and tries to get her to leave. But Cary persists and that is when she discovers that there exists a whole world beyond the one she has known all her life, inhabited by a host of magical creatures and that her missing lover is part of it, too…

    *contains some spoilers from here on*

    I am not the biggest fan of portal fantasy, but the premise of this story really intrigued me: the idea that there exists a type of mirror world, peopled with the genetic twins of the mundane world. Even as I found the magical world fascinating, I was also repulsed by some of the implications that went along with it, particularly the complications that arose when you crossed from one world to the other and encountered your own mirror image or the mirror image of people that had died (in the mundane world, or vice versa). And on top of that, it led to a kind of love triangle situation, which I found somewhat icky.
    The mystery storyline was interesting; the resolution came as a surprise to me (and to the heroine as well). After an enticing beginning the story slumped quite a bit in the middle, and I had a difficult time connecting with the FMC, even though she is exactly my type: a thirtyish, nerdy academic. After slogging thru the middle part of the story – which at times felt almost interminable – the pace luckily picked up towards the last quarter of the book and I started to feel for the protagonists (even the villain). The story ended with Cary going back to her world, but determined to learn more about this alternate world of the shadowlands…

    Although I found this first instalment a bit uneven in terms of pacing and didn’t connect that strongly with the main protagonists (I found some of the supporting characters more interesting), I am intrigued enough that I will probably pick up the second book when it comes out. So an optimistic 4 stars from me.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • LMoreland
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dragons, and a hot Scotsman! Yes please!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    When I discovered Elizabeth Hunter was writing about dragons, I was thrilled. As a longtime fan of her Elemental Mysteries World, I couldn't wait to dive in—and it exceeded all expectations.

    Her masterful character development and world-building shine in First Light. The story follows Carys on her journey to Scotland in search of her missing boyfriend. To find him, she must enlist the help of his twin brother Duncan, who grudgingly agrees to guide her to Lachlan.

    Their quest leads them through a portal into a mirror world filled with mystical beings and creatures. There, Carys discovers that everything she once dismissed as myth is real, and she becomes entangled in a web of mystery, intrigue, and betrayal.

    Elizabeth skillfully weaves together political intrigue, complex relationships, and rich world-building.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • MRS C
    5.0 out of 5 stars Late to the party
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 12, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    My first book by this author, no idea how i have missed out for so long. Fluid wonderful world and character building. Romance and a little celtic mystery. Diolch.
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  • BarbarinaS
    5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful start to a new series
    Reviewed in Australia on January 4, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    An absolute delight to read from start to finish is all I can say. Although I did have one problem - the next in the series is too far away. Yes, I liked this book that much.
    The world building is wonderful, both believable and intricate yet so simple to follow and to get lost in the world M/s Hunter has created. As a big fan of her books, I can say this might be one of the best with its use of fae mythology, dragons and a the cross over into the normal world.
    Love Carys and am already a Team Duncan fan. The characters are well developed, interesting, likeable and not, and even the periphery characters have distinct personalities that enrich the story telling.
    Loved it. Can’t wait for the next book.
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  • Sandra B
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic new series!
    Reviewed in Canada on November 24, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    What a fantastic new story from Elizabeth Hunter. I could not put this down, the story and characters are absolutely captivating and I definitely cannot wait for the book!! Happy reading!
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  • Mrs. A. Wells
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic start to a new series
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 6, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Fantastic start t a new series, love how myth and reality blend, love the characters cannot wait for the 2nd book
    Brilliant author
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  • Lynne Lester
    5.0 out of 5 stars WOW
    Reviewed in Australia on November 5, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I am new to Elizabeth Hunter books and First Light - well WOW - it has dragons which for me is the best but Carys is amazing - she handled everything that she was hit with but I believe that it is her "hidden" Shadlowland blood so to speak. Not to mention Duncan and Cadell - Seriously having to wait 6 months until the next one is going to be so hard.
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