Spotlight & Giveaway: Wings of Life by Meghan Le Fay

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Meghan Le Fay to HJ!

Hi Meghan and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Wings of Life!

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

At its heart, Wings of Life is a story of self-discovery. We follow Serae of Cavendaffe who has been sent off to the enemy lands to the north, Rihtlond, to marry the heir. But her father, the Margrave, agreed to the betrothal with ulterior motives. A dark threat lurks to the south, and Inra (where Serae is from) is losing entire squadrons to mysterious demonic creatures—including Serae’s brother who is missing in action. Rihtlond is able to fight back the dark forces while Inra grows more desperate. So the margrave sends his smartest daughter to uncover their secret strength and discover if Inra can somehow steal or leverage that power for themselves. While there, Serae begins to fall in love with this land and its people, particularly one brooding weaponmaster. Then, unexpectedly, she uncovers the secret: hidden within Rihtlond is a living, breathing dragon who claims Serae as its own. Throughout the rest of her journey, Serae must decide where her loyalties lie, what to do with her newfound knowledge and power, and, ultimately, where to give her heart.
 

Please share your favorite line(s) or quote from this book:

“Neither of us broke the silence. After all, endings rarely needed more words.”
“You have no idea how that sits in your stomach and turns your insides to rot, having no purpose besides breeding and the posturing of men.”
“My lungs only want to breathe your air. My tongue craves only your taste. My heart only beats when you’re in the room, and every waking moment of my life is spent in search of you.”
Snarky Dragon Tidbits:
“Let them come…When my body wakes, I will eat them all.”
“When the head and the heart are at war, you should listen to your gullet.”
“Humans don’t have gullets.”
“Pity.”
“You’re not wearing your glasses anymore.”
Dragons’ balls, he noticed.
“What do you know of dragon balls? You seem rather preoccupied with this one’s—”
“Finish that sentence, and I’ll make all my dreams the kind you detest.”
“Is that punishment for me or you?” My mind shook with her laughter.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• Inspiration Fun Fact: The first baby idea of this story came from a post I saw on social media where someone was mocking a 13th century chronicler for claiming that they were losing all their “good English wives” to the Danish (Vikings) for doing horrors like washing regularly and wearing clean clothes. That’s obviously not the whole picture for what was going on at the time, but I found that hilarious to imagine a young English noblewoman drawn to a gruff Viking warrior because of his personal hygiene and sense of bodily health.
• Food Fun Fact: I’ve gotten a lot of comments about the food in this book, and I’m delighted to have left early readers salivating. In the Riht, Serae encounters babi, which are fluffy buns with a sweet and savory filling. These are inspired by two very different and real buns I’ve had the joy to eat, and my mind married the two when offering them as creations of the Riht. If I ever manage to make them on my own, I promise to share the recipe!
• Color Emotions Fun Fact: As you get into Wings of Life, you’ll learn about a wide variety of colors attached to different emotions. When writing, I created a massive color wheel of emotions to keep track of them all! In selecting colors, I did a lot of research to settle on each hue. Ultimately, they’re all fabrications from my brain, but I now find myself attributing colors to emotions regardless of what I’m writing.

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

This is as simple as it is complex: in a world where red hair is extremely uncommon, both Serae and Wep have red hair. Neither has ever met another redhead in their entire lives and never expected to. More than the physical attraction, Wep is drawn to Serae’s inner strength and independence. Serae is drawn to all the little ways Wep shows his softness by letting down his guard and inviting her in. While their initial attraction is physical, it quickly transitions to something deeper, where they revel in each other’s playfulness, challenge each other, and both show their true care and affection—most of the time without knowing that’s what they’re doing.

Did any scene have you blushing, crying or laughing while writing it? And Why?

While our hero and heroine are trying to come together, stealing a few clandestine moments here and there, they find themselves interrupted in the most untimely and inconvenient of ways. Writing these scenes had me absolutely cackling!
Other scenes had me furious. Serae faces a few adversaries that treat her in the worst ways. One antagonist has a particular fondness for trying to crack Serae’s ribs, while another delights in being the source of her suffering. I lived her indignation while writing and found myself more than once scowling at my computer screen.

Readers should read this book….

…because it appeals to the humanity in all of us. Serae is not an instant success through her journey. She works hard and still fails. She makes bad assumptions and gets things wrong. Still, she’s a character I think you just can’t help but root for, even if sometimes you might want to smack her in the face.
In Wings of Life, you will find yourself coming for the magic and dragons, then staying for the characters and relationships. More than just a fantasy or a romance, this story appeals to the underrepresented and marginalized, those who feel like they have never quite fit in, and those who have always dreamed of having a snarky non-human sidekick (or two). The worldbuilding is vast and immersive without feeling overwhelming. The magic system is unique and expands over the series. The friendships Serae builds touch a special place in the heart. And the romance? Steamy and leaving you begging for more.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have in the works?

The third installment of the Dragonbound Chronicles is currently in editing. I’m beyond thrilled to be bringing the trilogy to a dramatic close. More info on the title and release date are to come!
Wings of Life is available on May 26th, and Scales of Flame (Dragonbound Chronicles #2) releases on November 17th. Both are available for preorder now, and you can find links at my website (meghanlefay.com) and details on preorder specials on my Instagram (@meghanlefay).
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: 1 Print copy of WINGS OF LIFE by Meghan Le Fay to any US winner.

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: If you could have your own magical blessing from a dragon, what would you want it to be?

Excerpt from Wings of Life:

Chapter 1
I woke from a sleep that might have been death if not for the fact that my heart still beat. I looked at the sky and laughed. My vision was a swirl of colors and nonsense. My mind, for the first time, was no longer my own.
—Entry from the private diary of Jerris, Dragonbound

~ * ~
Serae, Early Summer, Valmon 1036
“Faster,” I gasped. Any faster and my heart might burst. Not to mention the bruising to my rear. But I needed to finish first. “Faster!” I urged again, louder this time.
“I’m coming for you,” Tam shouted from behind. He was definitely gaining. “You don’t stand a chance!”
“Nearly there, girl.” I leaned in low over my mare’s neck and urged her on.
Merria shouted something in the distance—I ignored it.
“Just a bit more.”
Tam was right on my tail, his cropped brown curls flopping with each bound. If he wanted, he could reach out and slap my mare’s rump. I had a bad feeling he might try to do just that, considering our last race, when he spooked her to steal the lead. I urged Copper on, leaning farther into the saddle. My rusty red mass of waves streamed behind me in the wind. In a last spurt of effort, we pulled ahead of Tam and his stallion, leaping across the makeshift finish line. I whooped and turned in my seat to flash him a victorious grin.
“All right, you may have beaten me this time, Cavendaffe, but don’t think I’ll let you off that easy. You’re lucky I happen to like the view from second place.” He pulled down the sleeves of his blue doublet, which he’d bunched to the elbow while riding. His mother would definitely have words to say about the wrinkles it left.
“You’re the absolute worst, you know that?” I straightened my copper-wire glasses and ignored the heat in my cheeks.
“What? I was talking about Copper.” He pulled up close and patted her flank.
I led Copper to the shade at the forest’s edge, where trees lined the path like a natural barrier. Merria galloped by on Silvertail, the old family gelding. She brought him around and laughed merrily, her pale skin flushed with exertion. “Well done, Serae! I would never dream of riding that fast, especially not sidesaddle.”
I heard the jab in it. I always rode astride, skirts bunched up in the middle, much to our mother’s chagrin. It was one of Merria’s many baiting points, but that was how our brother taught me to ride. Plus, it was the only way I had a chance at beating the likes of self-righteous, always-on-top Tam.
“Let’s go, you lot, or they’ll start luncheon without us. Serae’s certainly had enough sun.” Merria flipped her honey-blond ringlet curls over her shoulder and kicked Silvertail into a slow trot. She rode down the forest’s edge, spine straight and curls bouncing.
Tam kept his eyes on Merria until she was out of earshot, then he turned back to me. “Her loss, never getting a proper ride in.”
“You’re rotten.” I scowled down at my tan hands and forearms. Fair skin was the mark of a lady, who should spend her days indoors being demure and respectable—and bored to tears.
Together, we guided our horses down our makeshift racing track, this time at a calm, steady gait.
“Then again, it would take a lot of convincing to get any man between her thighs. I’d certainly never try it. I prefer more willing partners. Someone equal to the chase.”
“Do you, now? You’ve always struck me as an easy catch.”
“Oh, ho! You wound me. My eyes, like my heart, do not so easily wander.”
“And here I was thinking we were talking about thighs.”
Tam’s voice dropped an octave. “I’d much rather be talking from between yours. When can I see you again?”
The heat in his warm brown eyes was more stifling than the afternoon sun. I almost had to turn away. “Have I left you begging?”
“And desperate, too.”
I chuckled. Tam was certainly an attentive lover. Our betrothal had yet to become actualized by our parents, but I would still happily enjoy the benefits of Tam between my thighs. “Whenever you’re next clever enough to find us time alone together, I suppose.”
He winked. “Tonight, it is then.”
“Tonight?” I pulled up short, and Copper whinnied. “How?”
Tam cocked his head. “Do you not know?”
I shook my head as we steered around the bend. The large white canopy housing our luncheon tables came into view.
“My family is to stay at the manor this evening. The margrave invited us and the Ingletons. He didn’t tell you?”
“No, not a word.”
“Hmm. Maybe he’s caught onto us after all.”
I laughed and tugged at my sage-green skirts, still bunched beneath me. “All of his grand designs are for Merria. I doubt I’ve even crossed his mind in the past month.” That thought made me pause. Copper took the chance to nip some berries by the path. “Do you think he means to formalize things tonight?” A chill swept over me that had nothing to do with the afternoon breeze.
Tam was silent for a while, looking as if he were carefully considering each word before speaking. “Would that be so bad?”
I froze for a heartbeat. “Do you trust him?”
“Your father?”
“No, Naton.”
“What does he have to do with us?”
My head whipped to Tam, who gave me that look—the one that suggested more than I wanted to hear. “Oh! I was thinking of Merria.”
“A habit too many have. She would be well matched with that pompous twit. That would certainly serve them both.”
“She is my sister.” The clinking of silverware against china permeated the air. Luncheon had indeed started without us—but not without Merria, of course. “Bale won’t be happy,” I said as we reached the stables.
“Then he’ll have to settle for one sister well matched.” Tam smiled, holding my gaze as he dismounted. He handed his reins off to the stable lad and moved to my side.
I rolled my eyes but indulged him, kicking my feet out of the stirrups and swinging my leg over. He grabbed my waist and eased me down. As soon as my boots hit the ground, he pulled me flush against him.
“Serae.” His voice was a ghost against the shell of my ear. “Would you not like to be Lady Fethersen?” He turned me at the waist, lips finding mine in an insistent kiss. “Would it not please you to run my home?” He trailed kisses down my neck. “Would I not please you in every possible way, again and again?”
Tam would—that was never the issue. How could I explain the way the boxed-in life of a woman grated at me? Marriage to my dearest friend was more than I could hope for, but marriage itself? I settled for saying, “I do look good in blue.”
“To match your eyes.”
I chuckled. “Are they not more green than blue?”
He ignored me and continued his trail of kisses. “Have I not demonstrated my devotion?”
“Why, Lord Fethersen.” I flashed him a coy smile. “Do you mean to take advantage of me?”
“Of you, never.” His grin turned feral. “Of every second alone with you, absolutely.” He leaned in to claim my mouth again, but there was no time for this.
I pushed him to arm’s length. “Later. Hold that thought for tonight. For now, it’s luncheon, and I’m certain within moments we’ll be missed.”
No sooner had I spoken the words than Brig, Tam’s youngest brother, popped out from behind the stable doors. Every bit of him, from his mop of light brown hair down to his yellow tights, was covered with leaves. Stick in hand, he whacked each piece of wooden railing he passed.
“Mam says you’re supposed to be at the table.”
“We’re coming, you little menace. Where are your brothers?” I asked. Between Brig and Tam were two twin boys who were usually within a wooden sword’s reach of each other.
“Mam won’t let them up until they’ve eaten their full pie.”
“And you finished yours?”
“‘Course. Hiyah!”
Brig’s stick cracked against the back of Tam’s knees, eliciting a great yelp and leaving a dusty line across his navy trousers. I grinned as I turned toward the lunch table and the boredom it promised—or worse, considering Merria and her wagging tongue were there. I pushed my glasses up my nose, did my best to wrangle my hair, and set off down the pebbled path with Tam limping at my side.
The afternoon played out exactly as expected.
Merria’s tinkling laugh rang out as she declared, “I wouldn’t know what to do at an archery line. It’s Serae who used to dress in trousers and play at shooting targets.” There, she was wrong. The one time I’d tried to dress in trousers as a child, I was forced back into the house by Mother until I came out properly dressed in a skirt and bonnet.
Lady Fethersen smiled at me in apology with the same kind brown eyes she gave to her son. Her dress today was bright blue, veering away from the traditional navy of her house, and silver ribbons threaded the brown curls piled atop her head. “Lady Cavendaffe,” she prompted, “do tell me about these gorgeous flowers in your hair.”
Beside her, my mother beamed. Her bliaut was an elegant yellow trimmed with black that screamed Cavendaffe. As an extra adornment, black jewels dotted the yellow flowers pinned around the gold cercle atop her head. “I shall send Kiral to give your ladies a lesson. Even Lord Cavendaffe agrees her skills are unparalleled across the kingdom. Isn’t that right, Tychon?”
“Absolutely, Constance, my dear.” My father absently patted her thigh and returned his attention to Lord Ingleton at his other side. They spoke in low voices throughout the meal, both of their faces alight with eagerness. As a duke, Lord Ingleton outranked my father only slightly, but he liked to show it in every way. Unlike my father, who kept his hair short, he wore his in a silver tail at the base of his neck. Also, unlike my father, he dressed entirely in black from his collar to his short boots, gold embroidery highlighting his long velvet doublet. My father’s doublets were all short, and he preferred puffed sleeves with no adornments, like the yellow and black one he wore today.
Across the table, Lord Fethersen was forced to lean in to hear. His serious face mirrored none of the excitement of his companions. Minus the mustache and girth of a middle-aged man, Tam was his spitting image. As an earl whose earldom separated Cavendaffe and Ingleton, he was the lowest ranking at the table and, likewise, stood the most to gain from an alliance with my father. His eyes drifted toward me, offering me a tight smile before returning his attention to the other two lords.
Later, Merria made a show of dabbing a dot of cream off the tip of my nose. “My sweet sister, you do so love your desserts.” The entire table chuckled. The only thing that came on faster than my blush was my scowl. Tam, at least, had the decency to look away.
At one point, our mother felt the need to recount the differences between her daughters for Lady Ingleton in a raised voice. After hearing that Merria was the slender one, the patient one, and the one devoted to constant improvement—a bald-faced lie—I’d had more than enough. I made no apologies as I rose from the table and left. If my footfalls sounded too heavy, or if my clenched fists were unbecoming of a lady, I didn’t care one bit. My mind was full of petty rage. At twenty-one, I should have grown used to this treatment—from Merria and our mother. There was no reason for me to be off-kilter about it now. No reason at all. Yet here we were.
“Excuse me, miss.”
I jumped. A stranger blocked my path. He shone bright with the colors of Inra—crimson and gold—not our province of Cavendaffe. A braided gold cord hung across his body, marking him as an officer of the king.
“I beg your pardon. I need the margrave as a matter of urgency.” His eyes flicked down the path behind me as he shifted between his feet.
I took in his uniform again, from his red dragon tabard down to the mud-covered riding boots, and spotted the crossed arrows pinned at his shoulder. A messenger.
“This way.” I hurried back down the path, barely in the lead at a near jog.
When we reached the canopies, the messenger found his mark and outpaced me with ease. With a few short words, he passed my father a note, then a footman led him away to rest.
Father cracked the seal and read. Then he sat. He passed the note wordlessly to Mother, who cried out and slumped in her chair.
In an instant, a flurry of motion engulfed them. Merria jumped up to fuss over Mother. Lady Fethersen called for smelling salts and a cool rag. Brig emerged from a bush shouting he was a Rihtlondish savage here to steal our jewels, then began lapping the table with Caper and Caddy, the Fethersen twins, in close chase. Lord Fethersen called for his wife to sit, while Lord Naton leapt to Merria’s aid, all the while taking care not to upset his sleek black hair.
In all this, the letter lay forgotten on the grass. The world moved in slow motion as I stooped, gathered it up, and read:

Margrave Cavendaffe:
War Report—Fifth Regiment, under command of the late Captain Henedew

With utmost urgency, you are informed that Lord Bale of Cavendaffe is reported missing in action. Last seen crossing the Inraen-Volaachi channel. Last report received two weeks prior. Presumed dead along with the rest of his squadron. Our deepest sympathies extended on behalf of the Crown. Creator keep his soul.

Sent on the order of Crown Prince Hammon of Inra—

The letter crumpled in my fist. Missing. Presumed dead. Only one enemy killed so ruthlessly and completely. My eyes flicked to Brig, happily playing at the very thing that had likely killed my brother—Rihtlonders. I only hoped his death was swift, considering their tendencies toward torture. Gravel crunched under my feet. I was halfway back to the manor before I realized what I was doing. My vision blurred, and my cheeks and neck were wet with tears. The next thing I knew, I was sinking into a mattress face-first, glasses thrown aside, screaming into the down. Soft hands pulled at my side, rolling me onto my back. I slapped them away. Then, I screamed and cried until everything hurt, not just my heart.
Eventually, my mind shut off, and I slipped into blissful sleep.

Excerpted from WINGS OF LIFE © 2026 by Meghan Le Fay. Reprinted with permission from Page & Vine. All rights reserved.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Fans of enemies-to-lovers romance and epic dragon-filled fantasy will be swept into Le Fay’s Wings of Life, where duty, danger, and forbidden desire collide.

They cast me off to Rihtlond as a bride.

They don’t care if I come back alive.

Too sharp-tongued and too curious, I am my mother’s greatest lament and my father’s constant frustration. Unwilling to bow to their will, I’ve become expendable, worth sending on a mission doomed to fail.

Armed with nothing but a coded journal, a quill, and my wits, I’m thrust into the kingdom of our oldest enemy—a land of storms and warriors—to wed their high dane’s son. Trapped on their ruthless continent, I am no blushing bride. I’m a spy sent to unlock Rihtlond’s weaknesses… a cuckoo in the robin’s nest.

But my heart still bleeds red when the weaponmaster of these strange people steals it away. Through him, I learn to unlock their secrets. What I uncover is more dangerous than I ever imagined: magic thrumming in the roots of Rihtlond, a dragon hidden in plain sight, and a love I was never meant to feel. Holding this knowledge, I am meant to return home and bind myself to a future I was given long ago.

Now, as war rises and alliances crumble, I must choose between duty and desire, between the family who cast me aside and the bond that awakens who I truly am. To protect what I’ve found—and who I become—I must risk everything. Even if it brands me a traitor. Even if it costs me my life.
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Meet the Author:

Meghan Le Fay hails from present-day Earth, despite her lifelong dream of being born as an elf in Middle-earth. A constant and consummate fan of fantasy, she lives, breathes, and dreams in the spidery language of the magic. Her works are inspired by her obsessions with mythology, medieval history, and all things magical and mystical—especially dragons. When not writing or daydreaming of other realms, Meghan can be found avoiding the Arizona desert heat through reading, crafting, music, or dance. Or having wild adventures (both real and imaginary) with her family. Her debut romantasy Wings of Life (Page & Vine) is available wherever books are sold. To learn more, please visit her website at: www.meghanlefay.com
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