We live in a world where romantasy books have essentially taken over bookstore shelves. There are so many to read that sometimes, it’s hard to find something that feels different and unique, like it isn’t just a copy of every other romantasy book out there.
That’s where something like The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson comes in: a novel first published independently that later became so popular that traditional publisher Slowburn, an imprint of Zando, picked it up. With a traditional publication date of August 18, it’s taken me some time to fully dive into the world of Lunameade and life of its protagonist, Harlow Carrenwell — but the time it took to read didn’t reflect how much I loved this book.
Harlow has a poison kiss — and isn’t afraid to use it
The Poison Daughter is a standalone story that follows Harlow Carrenwell, the youngest daughter of a large family that is considered the most important of Lunameade. Their powers are ancient and unique, and they've been used to eliminate any other competition. But years of repressed anger have turned Harlow bitter, and instead of just unthinkingly listening to her parents, she uses her powers to take down abusive men.
What’s her power? A poison kiss. Anyone she kisses will die a painful death from the poison, and using this, she can take down every evil man that desperate women sends her way. She is, essentially, a serial killer. But one night, when she kisses a man she is sent to take out, he doesn’t die. In fact, he kisses her back vigorously.
Before it can go any further, she vanishes, wondering why it didn’t work and if her power was fading. The next day, when her parents introduce her to the next man she is meant to marry (after her previous one died by her hand), she finds out the man she had kissed the night before isn’t just some random person to kill — he is to be her new husband.
His name is Henry Havenwood, a man with his own powers and a quest for vengeance centered on her and her family. Harlow must enter this political marriage to save those she loves most while trying to figure out what his family is planning. But things don’t always go as planned, and now she has to convince him to fall for her, even though he knows what she is: a killer.
From that premise alone, you’re already sucked in. It almost feels like a twisted version of Snow White, where the kiss isn’t meant to bring you back to life. But as the story continues, it digs deeper into why Harlow does what she does and what it means to truly fight for what you believe in.
Harlow and Henry complement each other perfectly
Some couples in fantasy novels feel almost forced for the plotline. Harlow and Henry are not that at all.
If you think of slow burn, this is a slowwwwww burn — the lowest wick, barely alive at first, struggling to ignite. Yes, there are clearly sparks and tension between them, but when it comes to real feelings, Masterson writes in a way that makes you wonder, at certain points, whether they'll ever trust each other.
They play the other in creative ways but never lose sight of what they want. As things happen, they draw closer and start to reveal parts of themselves they never have before. They are perfect mirrors of each other, and both have done horrendous things to survive and save the people they care about. Harlow essentially became a monster willing to kill for every woman who was abused in her life. Henry slowly becomes the monster for her.
It’s agonizing how long readers must wait for this couple to come to fruition, but in the best way possible, it's like saving the best piece of meat for the last bite. When you reach the juicy center, it’s euphoric and makes this couple work that much better.
Henry also never changes for Harlow. When he learns what she goes through, he doesn’t change how he acts, stop teasing her, or pity her. He comforts her but moves on. He helps her in the ways she wants to be helped. He never forces anything. That’s the kind of man you want to see in a story like this, who doesn't belittle or treat her any less than she deserves to be treated.
A masterclass in empowerment and inclusion
While I do love some romantasy books that test the boundaries of what is okay to write, The Poison Daughter examines that with a heavy hand. Harlow shows no remorse for the evil men she kills, but the symbolism behind it matters. She fights for women too afraid to do so, standing up to men who should have been held accountable years ago but were let free because of society.
She does so in how she dresses, how she acts, and who she interacts with. Even at the end, one of her last worries is who will protect these women. One character she interacts with is Bea, a former romantic partner who helps her with these abusers. It’s clear that, because of what Harlow did, she inspires other women to stand up for what they believe in, no matter who they are, where they come from, or what they formerly believed.
Obviously, people shouldn’t read the book and take away the fact that every horrible man should be poisoned. The bigger part is that women should never be afraid to stand up for those who can’t, or for themselves. Harlow never backed down despite her family’s watchful eye, her stance, or anyone else's. That is empowerment written perfectly, with a dash of murder on the side.
Harlow isn’t just her code name, The Poison Vixen, though. She is a young woman with her own set of problems: episodes that give her intense headaches and cause her to vomit and grow weak (essentially a horrible migraine) that she cannot get rid of no matter how often she sees a healer. She refuses to be seen for her weakness. She continues to do what is right, but even just setting that representation in a romantasy book and watching a female protagonist fight through that pain is inspiring and the kind of writing we all need in today’s world.
We could go further into this world
The Poison Daughter is set in a relatively small world. It takes place in Lunameade, a big city surrounded by walls and separated from the Drained Woods, where vampire-like creatures roam. After they get engaged, Harlow stays at Mountain Haven with Henry, a fort divided into levels and protected by walls.
We only really see three places within this book — Lunameade, the Drained Woods, and Mountain Haven. My only serious critique is that I wish we'd seen more outside these three areas. It felt like there was a lot of magic and lore to explore.
That could happen with the announced Hulu adaptation, but in the books, we don’t get much else. Still, it’s incredibly interesting, with fascinating customs drawn from old folktales and other cultures, mixed with a sprinkle of absolutely delightful magic.
The verdict
The Poison Daughter may be a thicker book, clocking in at about 628 pages, and for a slow reader like me, that can take a while. But if you want a genuinely good enemies-to-lovers story with a slow burn, where they constantly try to manipulate each other in a world with interesting magic? This is the one for you.
It has just enough action to keep you satiated, plenty of spice for those who want it, and a relationship that is absolutely toe-curling and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I cannot recommend Sheila Masterson’s first traditionally published novel enough, and I hope this isn't the last we see from her — maybe even a spinoff, if we get so lucky.
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