Indie Author Spotlight: Ruth Cantu and Eleutheria
Here at Mom Needs a Chapter, one of my favorite things is spotlighting indie authors who are boldly creating the kinds of books we can’t get enough of—whether that’s epic fantasy romance worlds, banter-filled enemies-to-lovers tension, or stories that leave us sleep-deprived in the best way.
This month, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Ruth Cantu, whose debut romantasy novel, Eleutheria, is swooping into the world on November 18th. If you love fierce witches, broody princes, and a Pride-and-Prejudice-coded romance with plenty of banter and slow-burn attraction—you’re going to want to add this one to your TBR immediately.
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Meet Ruth Cantu: From Fanfiction to Fantasy Romance
Like many of us, Ruth fell in love with reading at a young age. She remembers the exact moment reading clicked in second grade—when she suddenly realized books weren’t just assignments but portals. That sense of wonder carried her into fanfiction (hello, Twilight era) and eventually toward building her own original worlds.
But her author “ah-ha” moment came years later. Ruth said,
“I think for me the ah-ha moment came a few years ago when I was fooling around with a timeline for my novel. I could see all the pieces coming together and for the first time, I thought I could turn my writing into more than a side hobby.”
Fast forward, and now she’s holding her debut fantasy romance novel in her hands.
What She Writes: Fantasy Romance with Banter and Heart
Ruth writes in the romantasy lane of fiction—stories with immersive magic, epic battles, and at the heart of it all, a romance that makes the pages burn.
She admits fantasy is her “comfort genre,” the one she always turns to when she needs escape, joy, or inspiration. But she also loves rom-coms, and she dreams of one day writing something fluffy, swoony, and grin-inducing.
For now, though, she’s leaning into her first love: fantasy romance. Her debut, Eleutheria, is full of the hallmarks readers adore:
A witch with a mysterious past who’s fiercely independent
A brooding prince with layers (and secrets)
An enemies-to-lovers romance brimming with banter and emotional tension
A world of magic, history, and high stakes
Basically—catnip for anyone who loves romantasy books.
The Book: Eleutheria
So what’s this debut about? Let’s break it down.
The Pitch: A flying witch crashes behind enemy lines, only to be captured by the prince destined to change her fate.
Here’s the official blurb:
Alys Sathos has no interest in liberating the enemy witches of the Night Realm. They can keep their compulsion-wielding queen, and not even fate or a broody prince will change her mind.
A witch hardened by the streets as a magicless orphan, Alys spent adulthood clawing her way up the Day Realm’s army ranks to secure a captaincy. When a routine aerial operation goes wrong, Alys discovers she’s fated to end the Night Queen’s tyrannical reign. Refusing to risk her life for her enemies, she runs—right into the prince of the Night Realm.
Prince Maddox is everything Alys expected of Night witches: unfeeling, cruel, and calculating. Convinced she’s up to something, he drags her before the Night Queen she’s meant to destroy. When the queen compels Alys and twists her loyalties, Alys begins searching for a way out from beneath the queen’s malice and discovers she’s not the only one. Alys and Maddox must risk moving behind the queen’s back to discover compulsion’s loopholes and step onto their fated paths.
But trusting someone whose mind isn’t his own might prove deadlier than their growing attraction.
If you love enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance, banter that makes you smirk, and slow-burn tension with high emotional stakes, this one belongs on your list.
And because I know you’re wondering: Ruth rates this book at two peppers 🌶🌶 on the spice scale. There’s one open-door scene with graphic detail—but she teases that the next books in the trilogy will crank the spice up several notches.
My ARC Reading Experience so Far
Ruth was kind enough to send me an advanced reader copy of Eleutheria, and I’m already well over halfway through it. Trust me when I say—you’re going to want to read this one!
The banter is sharp, the worldbuilding is rich, and the angsty tension between Alys and Maddox is everything you want in an enemies-to-lovers romantasy. It’s one of those books you think about even when you’re not reading.
I’ll be sharing a full ARC review in a future post, so stay tuned for all my thoughts once I hit that last page (and probably scream into a pillow about the ending).
Behind the Pages: Ruth’s Writing Process
Ruth embraces the messy-meets-meticulous side of writing. She admits she’s both a “plotter” and a “pantser.”
Her outlines? Sometimes 70+ pages.
Her actual drafting? A “throw half of it out the window” situation.
She also described her writing space as organized chaos: dual monitors, multiple docs open at once, storyboards pinned with plot beats, and at least one drink (coffee, tea, or water) within arm’s reach.
And when writer’s block hits? She reads.
“Something about seeing a story through a reader’s lens instead of an author’s jumpstarts something in my head.”
Same, Ruth. Same.
Themes, Tropes, and the “Secret Sauce”
Every author has their signature, and Ruth’s writing is infused with:
Banter. She loves witty exchanges that peel back character layers. I can tell you first hand, this is something Ruth does extremely well in Eleutheria.
Enemies to lovers (or rivals to lovers). If you adore tension-filled romances, she’s got you covered.
Pride and Prejudice-coded dynamics. Maddox has his pride; Alys has her prejudices. Watching them unravel each other is half the fun.
Hidden Easter eggs. Ruth calls herself the “queen of Easter eggs.” Her tip? Pay attention to history. World history, personal history, even throwaway character history—it all matters.
She also hopes readers walk away with deeper themes:
The power of reclaiming your voice and your choices
The reminder that you are more than your circumstances
A Fun Twist: Ruth’s Characters on Reality TV
I had to ask Ruth what would happen if her characters were thrown into a reality show. Her answer?
“I would die to see them on a show like Love is Blind. The way they would rip each other apart... the banter would be top notch. But if I'm honest, they would both crush a show like Survivor or Naked and Afraid.”
I could totally see that. Now I kind of need a bonus novella with that exact premise.
Alys and Maddox character art
Dream Casting
For those of us who like to fan-cast while reading:
Alys → Anya Chalotra (The Witcher)
Maddox → Matthew Daddario (Shadowhunters) …though Ruth admits the “perfect Maddox” is probably an as-yet-unknown actor.
Ruth’s Bookish Roots
Another interesting fact? Ruth grew up in an ultra-conservative household where books like Harry Potter were off-limits. Spice was, too. But… she had a secret stash of Johanna Lindsey romance novels hidden away. Now, Ruth’s writing her own fantasy romance novels with witches, magic, and spice of her own. Talk about a full-circle moment.
Where to Find Eleutheria
Release Date: November 18th, 2025
Available On: RuthCantu.com, Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, and Barnes & Noble online
Follow Ruth Online: Instagram, Threads, and TikTok
Final Thoughts
Indie authors like Ruth Cantu are the heartbeat of the fantasy romance community, and Eleutheria is one of those debut romantasy novels you’ll want to grab early so you can say, “I read her first book before everyone else.”
If you’re craving spicy witchy vibes, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension, and a high-stakes magical world—Eleutheria is about to give you everything you want and more.
Will you be picking up Eleutheria this November? Drop your thoughts below—I’d love to chat about this upcoming romantasy debut!
If you missed last month’s Indie Author Spotlight, you can check it out here:
Indie Author Spotlight: Jules Ackwood