Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss

Nora Carmody | Author-Reader Match: DAUGHTER OF THE WIND

April 16, 2026

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Nora Carmody!

WRITES:
Romantic fantasy set in a war-torn land with elemental magic, enemies-to-lovers tension, and deep emotional bonds between riders and their animals.

DAUGHTER OF THE WIND is a horse girl romantasy at heart, featuring a heroine psychically bonded to her horse and trapped in a political marriage to the enemy. But as a slow-burn, forbidden romance ignites with his commander, an ancient evil begins to rise that could destroy them all.

ABOUT:
South Carolina-based romantasy author who writes sweeping fantasies featuring soul-bonded horses and eagles, elemental magic, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lover romance. I’m a lifelong horse girl who grew up riding and competing on my Arabian mare. I may not be in the saddle anymore, but that part of me never went away.

When I’m not writing, I’m usually wrangling kids or tending to an ever-growing collection of animals, including two dogs, four cats, eleven chickens, and a bearded dragon. If you’ve ever believed the bond between a girl and her horse is something sacred, you’ll feel right at home in my stories.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR IN MY IDEAL READER MATCH:
• You were (or still are) a horse girl
• You love stories where the bond between human and animal feels real and emotional
• You want enemies-to-lovers with slow-burn tension
• You enjoy forced proximity, reluctant alliances, and slow-burn attraction
• You like your fantasy with high emotional stakes and high romantic payoff
• You’re here for elemental magic
• You love stories set in war-torn lands
• You absolutely loved all the horse and giant eagle scenes in LOTR
• You enjoy a protective, capable hero who falls first (even if he won’t admit it)

WHAT TO EXPECT IF WE’RE COMPATIBLE:
• A fierce heroine with a powerful (and sometimes dangerous) magic
• A deeply emotional, psychic bond between rider and horse that raises the stakes of everything
• Giant eagles vs. horseback warriors in a war-torn world
• A marriage-of-convenience that turns into something much more complicated
• Slow-burn romance with longing, tension, and stolen moments
• A hero who is torn between duty and love—and suffers for it
• Big cinematic moments mixed with quiet, emotional ones
• A shadowy, ancient evil lurking behind the war
• That “just one more chapter” feeling late into the night

DAUGHTER OF THE WIND by Nora Carmody

Narrator: Christian LeathermanChelsea Stephens

Darkness lurks in the shadows as a betrothed princess wrestles with a dangerous new magic that threatens her bond with her beloved horse—and a forbidden love for the enemy sworn to protect her.

Zara has never felt worthy of her title as First Daughter. Though next in line to lead her people, she hasn’t inherited what matters most—her mother’s sacred earth magic. While her people are tied to the land and their soul-bound horses, Zara has always felt a pull toward the wind.

As war rages against the enemy empire’s deadly Eagle Riders, her people edge closer to defeat. When a rider attacks Zara herself, she unleashes a wind magic strong enough to tear giant eagles from the sky. This power could turn the tide of the war—but at a terrible price: the slow unraveling of her psychic bond with her horse.

So when a marriage treaty is offered in exchange for peace, Zara agrees, sacrificing herself to protect her people. But the emperor’s palace is more treacherous than any battlefield. Hidden behind its gilded walls is a monstrous being long buried—and her power-hungry betrothed is determined to set it free.

Sworn to protect the future empress, Commander Talon soon realizes Zara is more than a political pawn—she’s the key to stopping the emperor’s dark ambitions. As their forbidden desire grows, they must face an ancient evil stirring beneath the throne. Even if it costs them everything.

Fantasy Romance [ Ace, On Sale: April 14, 2026, Trade Paperback / e-Book / audiobook, ISBN: 9780593955369 / eISBN: 9780593955376 ]

Buy DAUGHTER OF THE WINDAmazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Books-A-Million | Indie BookShops | Ripped Bodice | Libro.fm | Audible | Walmart.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR

About Nora Carmody

Nora Carmody

Nora Carmody lives in South Carolina with her husband and six kids. Before she became an author, Nora worked as a psychotherapist. An avid horsewoman, she grew up riding and competing on her Arabian mare. Her horse riding days may be over, but she’s still a horse girl at heart! When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, Nora takes care of a constantly growing menagerie of pets, including (but not limited to) 2 dogs, 4 cats, 11 chickens, and a bearded dragon.

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

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