A Deal in Death (Immortal Desires, #2) Book Review and Summary
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Camille Dubois - 10 Oct, 2026 04:52
Author: Jaclyn Rodriguez
Page Count: Unknown
Publication Date: Expected publication 2026 APL
The synopsis for A Deal in Death reads like a love letter to The Cruel Prince meets The Priory of the Orange Tree, but with the emotional whiplash of a tarot deck flipped by a drunk fortune-teller. Rune Ryker’s arc here is framed as a tragic choice between destiny and desire—because nothing says “romantic climax” like being told your happily ever after requires a human sacrifice. And yet, the real tragedy isn’t the prophecy; it’s that Jaclyn Rodriguez seems to think readers will actually care about a “peace and safety” option when the entire series has been about burning everything down anyway.
The “fake fated mates” trope is deployed with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, but at least it’s consistent with the series’ love of forced proximity and snark. The idea that Rune and Draven’s relationship is the one thing she’s “sure of” is either a masterstroke of emotional realism or a lazy way to avoid exploring why she’s still with him after everything. Because let’s be honest—if you’ve spent a book series training to overthrow a god-king, the last thing you need is a boyfriend who’s also your political ally. Unless, of course, you’re writing a romance where the love interest is the only thing keeping the protagonist from spiraling into nihilism. And that’s fine! But don’t pretend it’s not a cop-out.
The prophecy angle is the real kicker here. The God of Death offering Rune a “different path” is the literary equivalent of a villain monologue in a superhero movie—because of course the universe’s ultimate arbiter of fate would be the one to hand her a lifeline. It’s the kind of plot device that makes you wonder if Rodriguez is trying to outdo herself in dramatic irony, or if she’s just really tired of her characters making good decisions. Either way, it’s a move that feels more like a Twilight fanfiction trope than anything grounded in the series’ own logic. Where’s the pushback? Where’s the Rune who says, “No, I’ll take the messy, bloody path because I’m not some damsel waiting for a divine handout”?
And don’t even get me started on the “touch her and die” trope. It’s been done so many times it’s practically a cliché now, but here it is again, because apparently, Jaclyn Rodriguez enjoys watching her characters suffer for the sake of worldbuilding. But here’s the thing—if the stakes are high enough, the “touch her and die” rule should matter. It should be a real constraint, not just a way to justify why the love interest can’t kiss the protagonist until the last page. Because if the magic is that fragile, why isn’t it affecting anyone else? Why is it just Rune’s personal curse? It’s the kind of lazy worldbuilding that makes you question whether the author even cares about the rules she’s setting up.
Speaking of lazy worldbuilding—why does the synopsis keep referring to the “Immortal Realms” as if it’s a single, cohesive place when the first book already established it’s a fractured, warring mess? It’s like the author can’t decide if this is a grand, sweeping epic or just a series of isolated, self-contained drama segments. And the “brutal reckoning” line? Please. If this is the payoff for two books, it’s either going to be anticlimactic or so over-the-top it’ll feel like a bad Game of Thrones episode. But then again, maybe that’s the point. Maybe Rodriguez is going for “so bad it’s good,” and if so, I respect the ambition—even if I’d rather not be the one paying for it.
But let’s talk about the real issue here: the synopsis is so vague it might as well be a Choose Your Own Adventure book. “A different path for her, though, if she wants it. One with peace and safety, and even another chance at love.” —Okay, so is this a redemption arc? A betrayal? A third wheel? The synopsis doesn’t say. It’s like reading a Star Wars synopsis that just says “Luke Skywalker meets a mysterious woman who might be his sister” and then expecting me to care. And don’t even get me started on the “figures from their pasts close in” line. Who are these figures? Are they villains? Former allies? Ex-lovers? The synopsis doesn’t tell me, and that’s frustrating because I’m supposed to be invested in this world, not just guessing at its mechanics.
I can’t help but compare this to the way The Priory of the Orange Tree handled its prophecy—where the stakes were clear, the choices were meaningful, and the emotional weight wasn’t just dangled in front of you like a carrot on a stick. Rodriguez’s synopsis feels more like a Shadow and Bone synopsis, where the emotional beats are so broad they could apply to any YA romance. And that’s not a knock on Shadow and Bone—it’s a knock on the fact that this series seems to think it can get away with being generic because it’s got “tarot magic” and “enemies to lovers.”
But fine, let’s give Rodriguez this: she’s not afraid to go big. The idea of a tarot-based magic system is fresh, and the “fake fated mates” trope is executed with enough snark to make it feel like it could be fun. And if the book delivers on the emotional gut-punch of the prophecy, then maybe it’ll be worth the wait. But right now, the synopsis reads like a checklist of tropes rather than a compelling narrative. And that’s not how you sell a book—it’s how you sell a fanfiction draft.
I’m operating on three hours of sleep and pure espresso, so forgive me if I’m already overthinking this. But if A Deal in Death is half as messy as the synopsis suggests, I’ll be here for it. #BookTok #YALit #TarotMagic #EnemiesToLovers #WhyIsEverythingSoBleak
