There’s something rather thrilling about picking up a fantasy novel and recognising the streets where the characters walk. That delicious feeling of familiarity mixed with the otherworldly has become a hallmark of my experience with Melanie Harding-Shaw’s writing. As a lifelong devotee of mysteries and clever plots, I was initially hesitant to venture into paranormal romance territory. But when a friend insisted I try Harding-Shaw’s work because it was “set right here in Wellington,” curiosity got the better of me.
What I discovered was far more than just familiar geography with supernatural elements tacked on. Harding-Shaw has created what she calls the “Melded Earths” world—a fascinating premise where our Earth of humans and technology has merged with another Earth populated by winged elementals and magic. The result is a richly textured setting that transforms our familiar New Zealand landscapes into something both recognisable and enchantingly foreign.
Her Soul Court Ascension trilogy, which begins with “City of Souls,” introduces readers to this world through a compelling enemies-to-lovers romance featuring a bounty hunter desperate to pass as human and a winged necromancer. The trilogy continues with “Shards of Stasis” and concludes with “Shrine of Stars,” creating an arc that builds in both emotional depth and worldbuilding sophistication.
What struck me most about these books was Harding-Shaw’s ability to balance the romantic elements with genuinely interesting fantasy concepts. The necromancy isn’t simply window dressing for the romance; it’s integral to the plot and woven throughout the narrative with consistency and thought.
The characters populating Harding-Shaw’s Wellington have depth and complexity that develop across her works. Her protagonists often struggle with identity and belonging—themes that resonate particularly well in our bicultural nation. In “City of Souls,” the protagonist’s desperation to pass as human speaks to broader questions of assimilation and authenticity.
What do we sacrifice when we hide parts of ourselves to fit in? These questions aren’t hammered home with heavy-handed messaging but emerge organically through the character’s journey.
Beyond her trilogy, Harding-Shaw has expanded her Melded Earths world with “Echoes of Earthshine,” a standalone MM romance that recently won Best Novel in the 2025 Sir Julius Vogel Awards. This recognition from New Zealand’s premier speculative fiction awards speaks volumes about the quality of her worldbuilding and storytelling. The fact that she can explore different types of relationships within the same world shows a flexibility and inclusivity that feels thoroughly contemporary.
What particularly appeals to me about Harding-Shaw’s writing is her attention to setting. Wellington comes alive in her books—the hills, the harbour, the changeable weather—all serving as more than just a backdrop. The city becomes almost another character, shaped by the melding of worlds but still recognisably our capital. As someone who has walked these streets for decades, I appreciate the care taken to get the details right while reimagining them through a fantastical lens.
Her writing style balances accessibility with craft. The prose flows easily, making for quick, engaging reading, but doesn’t shy away from evocative language when the moment calls for it. There’s an underlying intelligence to her work that assumes readers are coming along for both the romantic journey and the worldbuilding. For those of us who enjoy puzzling out the rules of fictional worlds, there’s plenty to satisfy without becoming bogged down in excessive exposition.
Beyond her Melded Earths series, Harding-Shaw has demonstrated range with works like “Against the Grain,” a contemporary witchy fiction novella featuring a coeliac mountain biking witch with a demon familiar. This blend of the magical with the mundane (and medical) creates a distinctive niche that I haven’t encountered elsewhere. Her short story collection “Alt-ernate” showcases her versatility further, spanning science fiction, fantasy, and horror across 37 stories.
For readers intrigued by near-future scenarios, her “Censored City” series of novelettes offers a change of pace, exploring a world teetering on the edge of dystopia. This ability to shift between subgenres while maintaining quality demonstrates a writer still exploring her capabilities rather than settling into a comfortable formula.
What I find most refreshing about Harding-Shaw’s work is that it’s unabashedly New Zealand in its setting and sensibilities. Too often, our speculative fiction either mimics overseas models or leans so heavily into local mythology that it becomes inaccessible to casual readers. Harding-Shaw strikes a balance, creating urban fantasy that could only exist here but doesn’t require a cultural studies degree to appreciate.
For readers new to Harding-Shaw, I’d recommend starting with “City of Souls” if paranormal romance appeals, or dipping into her short fiction collection if you prefer to sample her style in smaller bites. Her work will especially appeal to those who enjoy urban fantasy with strong romantic elements, distinctive worldbuilding, and a setting beyond the usual American or British cities that dominate the genre.
While I might always return to my beloved mystery novels as comfort reading, Harding-Shaw has carved out a place on my shelves for something different—stories that transform the familiar streets of Wellington into places where magic and the mundane coexist, where winged beings might soar above the Beehive, and where love stories unfold against a backdrop that feels both foreign and like home.
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