Cities of Smoke and Starlight: A Science Fantasy Romance Series (Gate Chronicles Book 1)

Name: Cities of Smoke and Starlight: A Science Fantasy Romance Series (Gate Chronicles Book 1)
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.1 (1382 reviews)
Author: Alli Earnest

by Alli Earnest

Romantasy Science Fiction Fantasy

4.1 (1,382)

4.1 stars from 1,382 reviews. Top 86% of Romantasy books we track.

Published by Dragon Page EntertainmentPublished 2022-01-01

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Last checked: Jun 6, 2026

Price history: Free – $4.99

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Perfect for you if...

You love slow-burn romance where the banter cuts like knives and the emotional payoff feels earned rather than rushed.
You want adventure with real stakes: a world teetering toward war, not just a personal conflict dressed up as high stakes.
You appreciate found family dynamics and characters whose damage shapes their choices, not just their personality quirks.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer plot-driven narratives where worldbuilding exposition doesn't occasionally interrupt the pacing.
You want instant chemistry and quick romantic escalation rather than a deliberately prolonged push-pull dynamic.
You're looking for grimdark or morally grey characters without redemption arcs; both Kase and Hallie are broken people trying to heal.

About this book

Kase Shackley is a hover pilot burdened by his sister's death. When a pilot nearly dies under his watch, he faces serious charges. To clear his name, he leads a ragtag crew to a lost and dangerous land. His mission is complicated by Hallie Walker, a University scholar he clashes with immediately. Hallie fled her painful mountain past to the city, only to find the glittering society she dreamed of joining unfulfilling. When she loses her bookshop job and school tuition prospects, she accepts a top-secret government mission for the promised payment. The mission pairs her with Kase, the ungrateful pilot she can't stand. In a world of hoverships and crumbling First Earth artifacts, Hallie and Kase must secure an alliance with an elusive, mystical race to defend against a kingdom wielding dangerous technology and ancient magic. Failure means war is lost before it begins. The novel features a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance set in a Victorian fantasy world with science fiction elements.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

Free – $4.99

Currently free. Price has dropped 6 times over the last 4 years. Goes on sale roughly every 179 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #43K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.1★ from 1,382 reviews

Gaining approximately 36 new reviews per month. Steady word of mouth growth. Rating has dipped slightly from 4.4 to 4.1.

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