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  • Defying Fate
  • Where Dreams Fall

Where Dreams Fall

Defying Fate #1 / 3
by R.L. Caulder
Where Dreams Fall (Defying Fate #1) by R.L. Caulder
⧗ 8.00 / 1
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In a world in which dreams are guarded and nightmares are unsanctioned, one woman’s unraveling mind may hold the key to everything the empire fears.

Elysia has spent her life thus far beneath the white clouds of the Dromin elves, protected from nightmares and the Nithrin elves that feed on them―until now. Her dreams have begun to twist into haunting scenes of ancient creatures, death . . . and a mysterious figure cloaked in light and shadow. Elysia suspects he’s a Dromin elf breaking multiple laws to appear to her, and his whispered words and lingering touch ignite a spark between them that the gods themselves will soon fear.

When the queen dies and a brutal selection process to replace her begins, Elysia quickly realizes the waking world is fracturing alongside her sleeping one. Women across the empire are offered to the elven high priestess, put forward as potential heads for a crown drenched in blood and lies. Elysia finds herself at the center of the trials, and if she’s to survive them, she’ll have to decide what she’s willing to fight for―and if she can live with the choices she’s forced to make. Because only one will be chosen as queen, but all will be broken in the process.

Elysia eventually ascends into the elven world to find the one who stirred her heart is waiting there, but his true identity is far more dangerous than she ever imagined. Choosing each other will mean forsaking the world they’re trying to save . . .

Sweeping, perilous, and aching with forbidden passion, Where Dreams Fall is the first book of a dark romantasy series in which love is the most dangerous rebellion of all.

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FantasyRomantasy
Release date: March 31, 2026

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R.L. Caulder

R.L. Caulder

In the shifting shadows of fantasy and paranormal romance, R.L. Caulder has made a quiet kind of noise—one that echoes through darkened corridors, forgotten realms, and the haunted corners of the heart. Her stories aren't just read—they’re experienced, like stepping into a dream where the monsters are beautiful, and the heroes are broken in all the right ways.

Caulder began her journey not with a publishing deal or a polished plan, but with a question: What if the villain wasn’t the villain at all? From that seed grew a library of richly imagined series like Blood Oath, The Monsters We Crave, and The Wicked Monsters—books that blur the line between danger and desire. Her characters wrestle with power, pain, and passion, often in worlds teetering on the edge of ruin. But for all their fangs and fury, it’s the emotional undercurrents—the betrayals, the longing, the bonds forged in fire—that leave a lasting mark.

Read more ...

Originally from Florida, Caulder writes surrounded by chaos and coffee, with two cats who treat her keyboard as their throne and a husband who understands that dinner might have to wait when a new plot twist strikes. She’s a self-proclaimed introvert with a loud imagination, often crafting stories late into the night when the rest of the world is asleep and the monsters are loudest.

Collaboration is another hallmark of her work—frequent co-writes with M. Sinclair have expanded her worlds while deepening their emotional resonance. Together, they’ve created layered universes where mythology meets modern fantasy, and primal instincts collide with tender vulnerability.

Despite flying just under the mainstream radar, Caulder has cultivated a fiercely loyal following. Her books have racked up tens of thousands of ratings and reviews, and her reader community, affectionately dubbed The Cauldron, continues to grow, drawn in by her fearless approach to storytelling and her devotion to the craft.

Whether it’s a vampire bound by blood or a creature craving something more than survival, Caulder writes with a deep understanding of what makes readers ache, swoon, and come back for more. For fans of dark romance, morally gray love interests, and heroines who don’t flinch when faced with monsters—R.L. Caulder is a name worth knowing.

Defying Fate

Trilogy.

Defying Fate consists of one book and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of two more books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

Where Dreams Fall (Defying Fate #1)
⧗ 8.00 / 1
Where Illusions Lie: A Romantasy (Defying Fate #2)
⧗ 8.00 / 1
Defying Fate Book 3 (Defying Fate #3)
⧗ 8.00 / 1


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