Laura Thalassa writes fantasy romance with an unusual restraint around invented vocabulary, and one review of this audiobook, from Danielle, makes a point of noting the absence of the weird words or pronunciations that trip up other fantasy series. That's a real craft choice worth naming before diving into A Strange Hymn, the second book in the Bargainer series and, per this same listing, a genuinely accessible entry point into dark fantasy romance despite the fae politics running underneath it.
Siren Callypso Lillis survived captivity under the mad king Karnon and has reunited with her soulmate Desmond Flynn, the King of Night, though the physical reminders of that captivity haven't fully faded. The Thief of Souls, responsible for a string of disappearances among fae warriors, is still out there, and an invitation to a Solstice celebration takes Callie and Des to the Kingdom of Flora to keep investigating. Soldiers begin going missing from the gathering itself, and suspicion starts to fall on Des, with the synopsis putting it bluntly: no one is who they appear to be, not even her soulmate.
Fairies play dangerous games too, per the synopsis: some want love, some vengeance, some flesh, and some horrors too unspeakable to name, language that signals the fae politics running through the Land of All that Grows carry real teeth rather than serving as pure backdrop to the central romance.
Book two in Thalassa's Bargainer series picks up right where Rhapsodic left off, and Tracey Magruder's review confirms it, continuing the mystery of the sleeping female soldiers and their children introduced in book one. Chelsea Stephens narrates this Blackstone Publishing edition, released in March 2023 and running 11 hours and 28 minutes.
Twenty-one listeners have weighed in with an average of 4.3 stars, a solid showing for a mid-series entry that, by design, can't offer the same clean payoff a standalone title might. Series romance readers tend to grade middle books on a slightly different curve than openers or finales, and this one appears to be holding up reasonably well by that standard.
Why Listen to A Strange Hymn
BlaironFire's review is unreserved, praising the pace and calling Desmond a new favorite among fantasy romance leads, while flagging that Callie's internal monologues occasionally tested patience before ultimately redeeming the character. That review still calls the ending strong enough to want to start the next book immediately after finishing this one.
Showie's review goes further, describing a book hangover and confirming the third book in the series was slated for release this winter, useful context for anyone wondering whether to binge straight through or pace themselves and wait for the conclusion.
Danielle's review highlights the accessibility angle again, reading the series consecutively specifically because the plot between Des and Callie stays easy to follow without extra tangled subplots, a real point in its favor for listeners newer to fantasy romance as a genre rather than deep into it already.
Showie's review also describes being on the edge of the seat for the entire runtime, barely able to put the story down, language that suggests the pacing holds up across all eleven and a half hours rather than sagging in the middle the way some series entries tend to.
What to Watch For in A Strange Hymn
Tracey Magruder's review is the most useful expectation-setter: this is, by that account, a genuinely solid book that still carries all the markings of a typical middle installment, cliffhanger included, meant to keep readers moving toward book three rather than closing the story on its own terms. That same review specifically praises the friendship between Callie and a character named Temper as one of the book's quieter strengths, worth watching for alongside the louder central romance and the fae political intrigue running underneath both.
Dan's three-star review adds a structural caution: this sequel gives very little recap of book one, so reading or listening to Rhapsodic in close conjunction is recommended, and that same review notes the back half improves considerably on a first half that seems to drag, with some twists left underdeveloped by the end.
BlaironFire's review flags one more thing worth knowing: the internal monologue-heavy stretches that tested that reviewer's patience center largely on Callie working through communication issues with Desmond, a slower emotional beat some listeners may find drags compared to the fae-political plot running alongside it.
Who Should Listen to A Strange Hymn
Readers already following Callie and Desmond from Rhapsodic, and fantasy romance listeners specifically drawn to accessible worldbuilding without invented terminology to memorize along the way, will find plenty to like here.
Listeners who prioritize a strong central relationship over airtight plotting will likely come away closer to BlaironFire's five-star reaction than to Dan's more measured three stars, since the mystery elements are genuinely secondary to the Callie and Desmond dynamic throughout.
Readers already invested in the Bargainer series specifically, rather than fantasy romance more broadly, are the audience this book is built for; the synopsis itself assumes familiarity with Callie's captivity under Karnon and her bond with Desmond rather than re-introducing either one from scratch for new listeners. That's a reasonable bet for a second entry, but it does raise the bar for anyone tempted to start here instead of at the beginning.
Skip it, for now, if you haven't read the first Bargainer book, since Dan's review makes clear this one assumes you remember it. Go in expecting a strong middle chapter rather than a self-contained story, and know that book three was reportedly on the way not long after this one released.
A Few Questions About A Strange Hymn
Do I need to read Rhapsodic before starting this A Strange Hymn audiobook?
Yes. Reviewers agree this sequel offers very little recap of the first Bargainer book, so listening to Rhapsodic first is recommended to avoid feeling lost in the ongoing mystery around the sleeping female soldiers and their missing children throughout this second entry.
Who narrates the A Strange Hymn audiobook?
Chelsea Stephens narrates this Blackstone Publishing edition, which runs 11 hours and 28 minutes as the second entry in Laura Thalassa's Bargainer series, released in March 2023 with a 4.3 average rating from twenty-one listeners recorded on the listing so far.
Does the A Strange Hymn audiobook end on a cliffhanger?
Yes, per multiple reviews, this middle installment closes with a cliffhanger specifically built to carry listeners into the third Bargainer book, which one reviewer notes was expected this winter, not long after this particular book's own release date in March.
Is A Strange Hymn easy to follow for listeners newer to fantasy romance?
Reviewers say yes, one specifically praising the absence of invented vocabulary or confusing pronunciations that can make other fantasy series hard to enter, and noting the plot itself stays uncomplicated compared to genre norms found elsewhere in the category overall.
