Broken Fae by Caroline Peckham Summary

Broken Fae is the fourth book in the Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac series, following Elise Callisto as she navigates the aftermath of her mate bond with Leon while maintaining her love for her other three kings—Ryder, Dante, and Gabriel. The dark fantasy romance explores their fractured relationships during summer break as they face escalating threats from Felix Oscura and the mysterious Black Card cult, all while unraveling the truth behind Elise's brother Gareth's murder.

Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti are sister co-authors who wrote Broken Fae together. The duo specializes in dark romance across multiple genres including fantasy, paranormal, and reverse harem. Caroline Peckham was born in 1990 in the United Kingdom and was influenced by fantasy classics like The Hobbit and Harry Potter in her early years. Susanne Valenti lives in southeast England and began her writing journey with Caroline in 2015.

Broken Fae is worth reading for fans of reverse harem romance and the Zodiac Academy universe who crave character-driven drama and complex relationship dynamics. The fourth installment excels in developing the relationships between the four male leads—Leon, Ryder, Dante, and Gabriel—offering compelling interactions and emotional depth. However, some readers find the ongoing mystery of Gareth's death frustratingly slow to resolve after over 2,000 pages, and the plot can feel secondary to relationship drama.

Broken Fae is best suited for readers 18+ who enjoy dark fantasy romance, reverse harem dynamics, and the interconnected Zodiac Academy universe. Fans of morally complex characters, enemies-to-lovers tension, and magical academy settings will appreciate Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti's signature style. Readers should start with Dark Fae (book one) rather than jumping into Broken Fae, as this fourth installment builds heavily on previous plot developments and contains unavoidable spoilers.

In Broken Fae, Elise and Leon's Elsium mate bond causes the other three kings—Ryder, Dante, and Gabriel—to believe they've permanently lost her, creating devastating emotional distance. Despite the stars choosing Leon, Elise still loves all four kings equally, but struggles to communicate this without making Leon feel unworthy. Leon, who has always supported sharing Elise, orchestrates an elaborate kidnapping scheme to force all the kings together and convince them to form their own unconventional pride.

Felix Oscura escalates his bloodthirsty attacks on both Dante and the Lunar Brotherhood throughout Broken Fae, driven by his desire to steal power from the Oscura clan he was never destined to rule. His alliance with the mysterious Black Card cult makes him increasingly dangerous, forcing traditional enemies like Dante and Ryder to consider working together. The threat reaches a climax when Felix uses Black Card powers to breach Gabriel's off-campus apartment—previously considered safe neutral ground—forcing Ryder to choose between helping Dante or letting his rival die.

The reverse harem in Broken Fae centers on Elise Callisto's romantic relationships with four men—Leon, Ryder, Dante, and Gabriel—who she refuses to choose between despite the stars' decree. Unlike traditional love triangles, the "why choose" format means Elise never has to pick just one partner. Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti develop this dynamic beyond typical reverse harem tropes by exploring how the four kings must learn to coexist, build friendships with each other, and form their own "pride" structure.

Broken Fae is part of the Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac prequel series set five years before the events of Zodiac Academy in the same Solaria universe. The books share the same Orders and familiar fae magic system that Zodiac Academy fans recognize, including concepts like mate bonds and elemental powers. Reading the Ruthless Boys series provides valuable backstory and world-building context for the Zodiac Academy timeline, though each series can be enjoyed independently with its own cast of characters.

Gareth Callisto's murder remains the driving mystery throughout Broken Fae, with Elise desperately seeking answers about what happened to her brother on that fateful night. The investigation reveals increasingly clear connections between Gareth's death and the Black Card cult's activities, though Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti continue withholding the full truth even after 2,000+ pages across four books. Gabriel joins the Black Card hoping to solve the mystery while staying emotionally close to Elise from a distance.

Broken Fae contains trigger warnings for explicit content including mentions of death, torture, and drug abuse. The 18+ age recommendation reflects the book's dark themes, graphic violence, and explicit sexual content typical of Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti's writing style. Readers should expect intense emotional angst, morally gray characters engaging in criminal gang activities, and the psychological trauma associated with forced mate bonds and relationship breakups.

The group dynamic shifts significantly in Broken Fae as Ryder, Gabriel, Dante, and Leon develop their own bonds separate from their relationships with Elise. Gabriel and Ryder form an unexpected friendship while bonding over their shared loss of Elise, with Ryder encouraging Gabriel to use his awakened sight to find Mariella. Dante and Ryder also clear up misconceptions stemming from their fathers' deaths, moving toward reconciliation. These male friendships become the most praised aspect of Broken Fae, with readers wanting more interactions between the four kings.

Readers criticize Broken Fae for dragging out the central mystery of Gareth's death without sufficient resolution despite being the fourth book in the series. Some find Elise's character frustrating, noting she seems more focused on sexual relationships than actively pursuing answers about her brother's murder and seeking revenge. The plot can feel secondary to relationship drama and angst, though this is somewhat balanced by strong character development between the four male leads that many readers celebrate.