Melissa K. Roehrich is an American author of dark fantasy romance. She is best known for creating interconnected fantasy worlds within her Chaosverse, including the Darkness series and the Legacy series. Her most recent work, Lady of Darkness (2025), begins a five-book epic that blends revenge, magic, and romance.
Melissa Roehrich describes herself as a mother, wife, homeschool teacher, dyslexia tutor, and “dragon lover.” Life on the farm involves gardening and caring for a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, and chickens. She jokes that her next challenge is to convince her husband that goats and ducks belong there, too.
Her writing career developed around the idea of a shared universe. As she explains, “I write in one universe but in different worlds.” The Darkness series and the Legacy series each tell their own stories, but readers often find connections between them. She has emphasised that her books can be read in any order. Some readers enter through the Legacy series, while others begin with Darkness, but each path works independently.
Lady of Darkness (2025) introduces Scarlett Monrhoe, a woman raised with her sisters under the control of a ruthless Assassin Lord. Trained to kill and feared across the continent, Scarlett is forced into the household of a noble family after a tragic night changes her path. Her chance at freedom comes with a dangerous offer: carry out a mission in exchange for the revenge she has sought for a decade against the Fae Fire Prince who murdered her mother.
The novel sets up Scarlett’s conflict between vengeance and morality. When children vanish from her home, her mission is delayed, and she must decide whether to pursue justice or rescue the innocent. With allies both familiar and new—including a former lover and a stranger tied to ancient Fae magic—Scarlett uncovers secrets that suggest the threat of darkness reaches far beyond her kingdom.
Lady of Darkness is the first instalment in a planned five-book series. It is positioned as an adult epic fantasy romance for readers drawn to the works of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Raven Kennedy.
Melissa K. Roehrich lives with her husband and three sons on a small farmstead in North Dakota.
Photo credit: www.melissakroehrich.com
