A Dark Romantasy with a Killer Premise

The Poison Daughter builds its appeal around Harlow Carrenwell, a heroine whose kiss can kill and whose secret vigilante life targets men she believes deserve punishment.

That setup gives the novel an immediate dark-romance hook, while an arranged engagement to Henry Havenwood creates the central complication when he unexpectedly survives her touch.

Sheila Masterson blends fantasy, romance and darker themes into a story driven heavily by attraction, distrust and shifting loyalties. The novel leans into morally complicated characters, explicit romance and a dramatic supernatural premise, making it a natural fit for readers drawn to darker, higher-spice romantasy.

From Independent Success to Bestseller Relaunch

The Poison Daughter first appeared in 2025 before receiving a major second release through Slowburn in August 2026. The new edition brought broader retail distribution, upgraded packaging and bonus material, helping introduce the novel to a much larger mainstream audience. That relaunch quickly pushed the book onto major bestseller lists, including a #1 debut on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction list.

For Sheila Masterson, the release marks a significant expansion of a career already built through fantasy-romance titles including The Lost God series, A Legacy of Stars and Song of the Dark Wood.

The success of the new edition shows how strongly her dark, romance-forward storytelling has connected with the rapidly growing romantasy audience.