The Impossible Julian Strande · 2020
Illusions of GrandeurSpice level, tropes & is it dark romance?
Spice 3/5 (Hot) · Darkness 4/5 (Pitch) · 1 trigger warning flagged
Illusions of Grandeur is book 1 of The Impossible Julian Strande by Kathryn Ann Kingsley. It came out in 2020. The lane here is fantasy. Spice is open door (3 of 5) and the darkness is pitch dark (4 of 5). We could not find the author's own warning list yet, so check it before you start. This note is ours. It is not a publisher blurb.
First published: 5 May 2020 (first publication, per Goodreads). Book 1 of The Impossible Julian Strande.
Illusions of Grandeur tropes
On this shelf, Illusions of Grandeur is filed under Dark fantasy romance. Each tag opens more books with that trope.
Illusions of Grandeur spice level
Is Illusions of Grandeur dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Illusions of Grandeur scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch).
Spice and darkness are separate scores. More pitch books. How we rate.
Illusions of Grandeur trigger warnings
Warnings not yet verified. We could not find the author's own content warning list for this book, so the flags here are only what the publisher's description makes clear. Check the author's note before you start.
Graphic (0) — open before you read
Open this before you read. These are the flags most likely to be a hard stop.
None flagged in this band.
Moderate (0)
Harm, control, or obsession that is common in this lane.
None flagged in this band.
Full Illusions of Grandeur trigger warnings
The Impossible Julian Strande reading order
Illusions of Grandeur is book 1 of 1 in Kathryn Ann Kingsley's The Impossible Julian Strande series. Start here.
- Book 1 Illusions of Grandeur (this book) · 2020
Order checked against the Goodreads The Impossible Julian Strande series page on 13 October 2026.
Who it's for
Shelf note written for this site. We do not copy reviews or publisher blurbs. Outbound links are search pages, not quoted ratings. Kindle Unlimited and endings are only flagged when we were willing to mark them. How we rate.
Missing a book? Suggest it.
Books like Illusions of Grandeur
Matched on shared tropes, then the closest spice and darkness scores. Other books in the same series are listed above, not here.
- Her Vicious Beasts: The Beginning
Her Vicious Beasts: The Beginning
E.P. Bali
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Dark fantasy romance
- My Guardian Demon
My Guardian Demon
A.D. Craig
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Dark fantasy romance
- Born Sinner
Born Sinner
S.L. Jennings
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Dark fantasy romance
- Curse of Dracula
Curse of Dracula
Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Dark fantasy romance
- Eldritch
Eldritch
Keri Lake
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Dark fantasy romance
- Killer Crescent
Killer Crescent
Leigh Kelsey
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Dark fantasy romance
- Broken Fae
Broken Fae
Caroline Peckham
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Dark fantasy romance
- Dead Man's Isle
Dead Man's Isle
Caroline Peckham
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Dark fantasy romance
Books like Illusions of Grandeur, with a reason for each
Questions readers actually ask
What is the spice level of Illusions of Grandeur?
Illusions of Grandeur spice level is 3 of 5 (Hot). Open door. The scene stays. Darkness is a separate score: 4 of 5 (Pitch).
What are the Illusions of Grandeur trigger warnings?
Graphic: none flagged. Moderate: none flagged. Minor: Death. Warnings not yet verified against the author's own list. Check it before you start.
Is Illusions of Grandeur dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Illusions of Grandeur scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch). Bleak on purpose. Comfort is not the job.
What tropes are in Illusions of Grandeur?
On this shelf Illusions of Grandeur is filed under Dark fantasy romance.
Who is Illusions of Grandeur for?
For a reader who wants a dark fantasy world. Spice is hot. Darkness is pitch. Warnings are not yet verified, so check the author's note first.
What are some books like Illusions of Grandeur?
Matched on shared tropes and similar spice and darkness: Her Vicious Beasts: The Beginning by E.P. Bali; My Guardian Demon by A.D. Craig; Born Sinner by S.L. Jennings; Curse of Dracula by Kathryn Ann Kingsley; Eldritch by Keri Lake; Killer Crescent by Leigh Kelsey. More read-alikes, each with a reason, are on zademasked.com/like/illusions-of-grandeur.
Is Illusions of Grandeur a standalone?
No. Illusions of Grandeur is book 1 of 1 in the The Impossible Julian Strande series by Kathryn Ann Kingsley.
What order should I read the The Impossible Julian Strande series in?
1. Illusions of Grandeur.
How many books are in the The Impossible Julian Strande series?
The The Impossible Julian Strande series by Kathryn Ann Kingsley has 1 main book.
What is the Illusions of Grandeur age rating?
We'd say 18+. Spice sits at 3/5 (hot) and darkness at 4/5 (pitch). That's our recommendation, not an official rating, so read the trigger warnings as well.
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