The Dearly Beloathed Series in Order

About the Dearly Beloathed series

Series Premise

In an alternate historical Britain/Ireland (the Tīendoms), magic users are divided into opposing Orders with strict codes and sworn enmity. Aurienne Fairhrim, a brilliant, principled healer from the Haelen Order (dedicated to saving lives), is forced into a reluctant alliance with Osric Mordaunt, a gentleman assassin from the rival Fyren Order (hired killers). Osric is dying from a fatal magical illness (seith rot) with no cure—except possibly Aurienne’s expertise. He bribes her desperate Order with funding to research a child-killing plague, compelling her to help him despite their mutual disgust and ideological opposition. As they collaborate to heal Osric and investigate the plague’s mysterious return, their fierce animosity slowly fuels an irresistible, slow-burn attraction. Loyalties are tested, secrets unravel, and they must decide whether to kill each other—or risk falling in love.

Main Characters

> Aurienne Fairhrim — Brilliant, principled healer and scientist from the Haelen Order. Moral, intelligent, and dedicated to saving lives; detests assassins but is coerced into helping Osric.
> Osric Mordaunt — Gentleman assassin from the Fyren Order. Charming, lethal, and dying from seith rot; pragmatic, witty, and unexpectedly drawn to Aurienne despite their enmity.
> Supporting: Members of the Haelen and Fyren Orders, plague victims, scholars, and figures tied to the mysterious disease outbreak.

Setting

An alternate historical Britain/Ireland (the TÄ«endoms), blending Regency/Victorian aesthetics with magic:
> Opulent cities, scholarly institutions, plague-ridden villages, and shadowy assassin guilds.
> The Haelen Order’s healing halls and the Fyren Order’s hidden enclaves.
> A world divided by magical Orders with strict codes, ancient rivalries, and a deadly disease outbreak.
The atmosphere is elegant yet perilous — candlelit halls, foggy streets, moral tension, and the clash between light (healing) and shadow (assassination).

Tone & Themes

Witty, sharp, and steamy — slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy with clever banter, intellectual tension, sizzling chemistry, and a touch of grim comedy. The tone is passionate and addictive, blending snarky disdain, ethical quandaries, forced proximity, and escalating desire with moments of vulnerability and tenderness. It’s darkly romantic and morally complex, with heavy triggers (assassination themes, illness/death, ideological hatred, explicit romance).

The series is praised for its witty enemies-to-lovers dynamic, sizzling slow-burn tension, intellectual banter, and fresh take on assassin/healer rivalry — ideal for fans of dark, banter-heavy romantasy like The Cruel Prince or The Bridge Kingdom. It has mature content (explicit romance, violence, illness/death themes).