THE RIVER SHE BECAME
on sale JUNE 30 2026
I’m going across the river. And I’m going to save us all.
preorder now
“The River She Became is a thrilling exploration of what it takes to fight for freedom, replete with a swoon-worthy love story and a protagonist who refuses to give up.” – Vaishnavi Patel, NYT bestselling author of Ten Incarnations of Rebellion
“A brilliantly plotted adventure full of twists and turns, breathtaking magic, and a sizzling romance, The River She Became will sweep readers off their feet.” – Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestseller of Divine Rivals
“This book is so new and different from anything I’ve ever read, Emily Varga has taken this genre and made it her own.” – Lauren Roberts, #1 NYT bestselling author of Powerless
“Romantic, adventurous, magical, and twisty. No one writes page turning stories and strong heroines like Emily Varga.” – Kristin Dwyer, author of In Time With You
“With fast-paced writing and a unique, complex world The River She Became will keep you in its thrall up until its explosive ending.” -Kristen Ciccarelli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Heartless Hunter
“Relentlessly thrilling and achingly hopeful. I was utterly enthralled by Varga’s storytelling.” -Amanda Helander, author of the Divine Mortals duology
Synopsis
A high stakes, action-packed romantasy from bestselling author Emily Varga where a relic-hunter searches for an ancient fae object to restore the magic to her world, but must learn to trust her own powers―and her heart.
Yaseema is a brilliant scholar and loyal servant of the Empire―or so they think. By day, she catalogs the fae relics of her conquered kingdom. But by night, she reclaims the artefacts in secret to restore magic to her dying land.
Until she finds the long lost key to cross the River into the fae world and save her people. But a ruthless realm awaits her there, ruled by monsters wearing beautiful skin―especially the cold-eyed captain who sees through her lies. But even he isn’t what he seems―under the guise of upholding a cruel regime, he works to overthrow it from the inside. To succeed, he needs the same lost relic Yaseema seeks: the crown of an ancient Fae Queen.
With magic that is a mystery even to her, Yaseema can help him find the crown and save his family from a fate worse than death. Unless she steals it first to help her own.
To survive, they must work together to outwit ancient curses, battle creatures born of nightmares, and find a power that could resurrect their worlds. But as secrets unravel and loyalties blur, they face the greatest danger of all: losing their heart to each other.