Cover design by Neil Lang, illustration © Steve Stone
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June 16, 2026
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Narrated by Lauren Fortgang as Tillie Hooper
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Narrated by the amazingly talented Lauren Fortgang as Tillie Hooper — an Audie Award winner and multiple-Earphones Award winner — known for her work on the super popular Deliciously Dark Fairytales series by K.F. Breene, the Fantasyland series by Kristen Ashley, and others by Shannon Mayer. As Lauren Fortgang, she’s narrated the super popular Bridge Kingdom series, the Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo and others by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
King of the Unblessed
By Michelle M. Pillow
Realm Immortal Series Book #1
Immortality has a way of rewriting fate.
Merrick, the dark elfin King of Valdis, was once heir to all that is good, a prince of happiness and pleasure. Now, cursed as the ruler of mischief and king of necessary evil, he stands trapped between the Blessed kingdom of his estranged brother and the ruthless King Lucien of the Damned, who is determined to lure Merrick’s soul into oblivion.
Damnation is winning.
Before he is lost forever, Merrick craves one final taste of the happiness he once owned. When a mortal woman awakens an obsession he cannot control, he realizes he doesn’t just want her. He needs to claim her.
But the line between fear and desire begins to blur…
Lady Juliana of Bellemare always dreamed of adventure, but she never expected the shadows to answer. When her fiancé is murdered and the village children vanish, she is thrust into a world of lethal seduction and ancient magic.
The choice is simple: surrender to him or die.
Desperate to save the missing, she crosses into the immortal realm — a land of beautiful nightmares ruled by a king who offers her a single, soul-shattering bargain.
Will Juliana yield to the fire between them or burn Merrick’s kingdom to ash?
King of the Unblessed is Labyrinth meets A Court of Thorns and Roses—an epic, dark fantasy romance brimming with brooding antiheroes, seductive intrigue, and enemies-to-lovers heat. Perfect for readers who crave morally gray love stories, wickedly seductive kings, and fierce heroines who refuse to be tamed. If you love Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Laura Thalassa, this book will be your next obsession.
Warning: This book contains love, violence, trickster goblins, overly helpful sprights, a king of necessary evil who lives to get his way, and the woman who would dare to deny him.
Genre, Tropes & Themes
Genre
High Fantasy Romance • Romantasy • Paranormal Romance • Sci-Fi Romance • Fantasy Romance • Historical Medieval Romance
Tropes
Enemies-to-Lovers • Beauty and the Beast Dynamic • Fated Mates • Forbidden Love • Morally Gray Hero • Dark Prince/Anti-Hero King • Kidnapped by the King • Gothic Romance • Possessive Desire • Hero Falls First
Themes
Love as Redemption • Light vs. Darkness • Fate vs. Free Will • Power and Vulnerability • Desire vs. Duty • Beauty Concealing Darkness • Identity and Transformation • Darkness as Protection • Betrayal and Loyalty • Redemption through Love
Book Details
Book Info
Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings meets the movie Labyrinth, with romance.
From a New York Times bestselling author: Lady Juliana yearns for a last adventure before her marriage to a family friend. But when dark elven king Merrick deceives her into venturing into the strange and frightening Otherworld, she realizes she’s in for more than she bargained for — especially as she wonders if Merrick’s seduction is real or just another trick… (Chirp, 2024)
| Print Pages | Hours to Read | Total Words |
| 472 | 8 – 9 Hours | 86K |
| Narrator | Audiobook Length |
| Lauren Fortgang as Tillie Hooper | 9 hours 34 minutes |
FAQs
Is this book a standalone or part of a series?
Book 1 of the Realm Immortal trilogy, now published by Pan Macmillan Tor Bramble. Each book delivers a complete romance arc, but the immortal realm continues across all three: King of the Unblessed, Faery Queen, and Stone Queen. The series re-launches with Bramble in 2026 with new audiobook editions and special hardcover printings.
Does this book end on a cliffhanger?
No. King of the Unblessed delivers a complete happily-ever-after for Merrick and Lady Juliana. The immortal realm continues across the trilogy, but every book stands as its own romance.
What’s the heat level?
Spicy Scorching. Expect explicit, sensual scenes between the morally gray dark elven king Merrick and the mortal Lady Juliana, fae seduction, possessive desire, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc.
Who is this book for?
Readers who love adult Romantasy with morally gray fae kings, mortal heroines pulled into the immortal realm, and dark enemies-to-lovers tension. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses and Holly Black’s Folk of the Air series.
What’s the Realm Immortal series about?
High fantasy romance with morally gray kings, faery queens, and mortal lovers caught in their courts. Think Labyrinth meets A Court of Thorns and Roses. The trilogy weaves interconnected romances across the immortal realm: dark elven king Merrick and the mortal Lady Juliana (King of the Unblessed, Stone Queen) and the faery Queen Tania with mortal Earl Hugh of Bellemare (Faery Queen).
When was King of the Unblessed first published?
Originally published by Samhain Publishing on January 17, 2006. The Raven Books LLC released a new edition on July 22, 2013 (King of the Unblessed: Realm Immortal Special Editions). In 2026, Pan Macmillan Tor Bramble re-launches the series with a brand-new audiobook narrated by Lauren Fortgang as Tillie Hooper (May 14, 2026) and a special hardcover edition (June 16, 2026).
Tell me about the Narrator?
Narrated by the amazingly talented Lauren Fortgang as Tillie Hooper, an Audie Award winner and multiple-Earphones Award winner, known for her work on the super popular Deliciously Dark Fairytales series by K.F. Breene, the Fantasyland series by Kristen Ashley, and others by Shannon Mayer. As Lauren Fortgang, she’s narrated the super popular Bridge Kingdom series, the Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo and others by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
Reading Order
Content Warnings
CW: Michelle M. Pillow’s books contain adult subject matter, graphic violence, and are not suitable for all audiences.
Book Heat Levels: Spicy Scorching
More Tropes & Themes
General Tropes
- Fated Mates, Alpha Hero, Morally Gray Hero
- Different Worlds, Other Realm, Epic Journey
- Nobility & Royalty
- Goblin King, elves, fairies, sprites, trolls, demons, fantasy creatures
- Woman in Peril, Damsel in Distress
Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings meets the movie Labyrinth, with romance.
Major Tropes
- Enemies-to-Lovers
- Dark Prince/Anti-Hero King
- Beauty and the Beast Dynamic
- Forbidden Love
- Seductive Villain
- Morally Gray Hero
- Tragic Backstory
- Dark Is Not Evil
- Fated Mates
- Gothic Romance
- Love as Redemption
- Kidnapped by the King
- Damaged Hero
- Trickster King
- Wicked Temptation
- Love Triangle (Hinted)
- Ruthless Protector
- Dark Magical Realm
- Willing Captive
- Love Doesn’t Make You Weak
- Possessive Desire
- Yearning Stares
- Pining in Secret
- Dark Protector
- Love Weakens the Monster
- Challenging His Darkness
- Verbal Sparring
- Touch as Possession
- Tenderness Behind Closed Doors
- Hero Falls First
Fantasy/World-Building
- Realm of Eternal Night
- Magical Bargain
- Shadowy Throne
- Glamour Disguise
- Supernatural Seduction
- Cursed Leadership
- The Light That Blinds
- Forbidden Touch
- Reluctant Ruler
- Realm Bound by Fate
Character Dynamics
- The Beast Awakens
- Defiant Beauty
- Gentle Touch, Rough Hands
- Kingly Arrogance
- The Call of Darkness
- Torn Between Duty and Desire
- Silent Protectiveness
- Eyes That See the Truth
- Sins of the Past
- The King’s Prize
Themes
- Love as Redemption
- Light vs. Darkness
- Power and Vulnerability
- Fate vs. Free Will
- Morality and Sacrifice
- Balance of Good and Evil
- Desire vs. Duty
- Identity and Transformation
- Loss and Longing
- Strength in Vulnerability
- Beauty Concealing Darkness
- Redemption through Love
- The Cost of Immortality
- Betrayal and Loyalty
- The Power of Choice
- Darkness as Protection
- The Burden of Leadership
- Self-Discovery through Love
- Passion vs. Control
- Reclaiming One’s Humanity
What Readers Are Saying
Road to Romance
Recommended Read
“This reviewer has re-read The King of the Unblessed several times since it first arrived on her desk, and each time, has discovered new layers and nuance to Ms. Pillow’s tale of dark love, passion, and ultimately redemption.”
“…an intriguing tale of love, lust, and what happens when you’re not careful what you wish for.”
★★★★★
5 STARS! “This was an intricately plotted fantasy that would be at home on the bookshelf next to any classic story of that genre.”
Realm Immortal Series
High Fantasy Paranormal Romance
About the Realm Immortal Book Series
Immortality has a way of changing fate in the Realm Immortal Series!
A scintillating romance series: When the elfin king Merrick tricks Lady Juliana into entering his realm, he plans on seducing her and claiming her as his own. Can she resist his temptations or will she give in to his immortal will?
Epic High Fantasy, Paranormal Romance series NYT & USAT Bestseller Michelle M. Pillow
Realm Immortal Reading Order
- King of the Unblessed
- Faery Queen
- Stone Queen
Recognition and Reviews
★★★★☆ 4.3 · Amazon (809 ratings)
Road to Romance, Recommended Read “This reviewer has re-read The King of the Unblessed several times since it first arrived on her desk, and each time, has discovered new layers and nuance to Ms. Pillow’s tale of dark love, passion, and ultimately redemption.” Niniri Theriault, The Road to Romance
“…an intriguing tale of love, lust, and what happens when you’re not careful what you wish for.” Marissa, Novelspot
5 STARS! “This was an intricately plotted fantasy that would be at home on the bookshelf next to any classic story of that genre.” Kirra Pierce, JERR
“Ever watch a video or concert and feel the singer is singing to you? The same phenomenon happens, very rarely, when reading fiction.It is not often a writer possesses the ability to give the narrator such voice, such presence, that the words float off the page and whisper through the reader’s mind, as if the narrator is speaking directly to the reader. … Michelle M. Pillow’s vivid storytelling, unique characters, and action-packed adventures make Realm Immortal: King of the Unblessed a must-read for all readers of fantasy! Ms. Pillow’s fantasies will definitely be on my auto-buy list after this steamy romance.” Joyfully Reviewed
5 Wands! “This is a gripping tale of fantasy, romance, intrigue and humour, boasting a fabulous, unforgettable cast of characters both human and fairy. Magical creatures, wizards, possessions, divinations – it’s all here.” Autiotalo, Enchanted Ramblings
5 HEARTS! “Ms Pillow has penned such a rich world with multi-dimensional characters that leap off the pages…her fans will love it for sure.” Valerie, Love Romances