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Synopsis

Since the beginning of time, tales have been told about Eden. But all the stories are wrong.

She is Jazmine Evenstar, the last heir to the sovereign Evenstar Dynasty.

Thrust into the world of wealth and privilege in which the impossibly beautiful and equally cruel Dynasty heirs reside, Jazmine is forced to manoeuvre the tangled web that holds the Dynasties together. Against the backdrop of breathtaking star filled nights, sweeping coastlines, grand marble halls and decadent palaces, Jazmine tries to find her place in this beautiful new world whilst fighting not to lose herself in the process.

But the fairy tale quickly unravels.

Half human and the illegitimate daughter of the late suicide King of Eden, the other Dynasty heirs make it clear that Jazmine does not belong in their world.

Raphael St. Tristan, heir to the rival sovereign St. Tristan Dynasty and next in line to the throne of Eden, the guy with the face of an angel but who is as wicked as the devil himself, promises to break her

Jazmine quickly learns that the beauty of Eden is nothing but a deception as she uncovers the secrets festering at the heart of it. But can she disentangle herself from the web of deception and intrigue that the Dynasty heirs have spun? Can she stop herself from falling into Raphael St. Tristan’s trap before he can fulfil his promise to shatter her completely? Or are those stories about Eden true after all and will she be foolish enough to taste the forbidden fruit that is Eden itself?

SECRET HEIR is the first book in the all new DYNASTY trilogy. A loose adaption of Romeo and Juliet but with a fantastical twist, this saga of feuding Dynasties, forbidden love, betrayal, royal scandals and power struggles for the crown promises to ensnare, captivate and shatter then leave readers clawing for more.

Welcome to Eden…

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Review

3.5 angsty, intriguing stars!

I really enjoyed this book. An angsty teen romance with hints of the supernatural, but definitely more of a mature-YA romantic drama than a paranormal story. It’s the first in the Dynasty trilogy, and a great introduction to a new world with well-developed, enjoyable characters, sexy, emotional and angsty romance, captivating high school drama, and a hint of political intrigue. It has a bit of a feel of the Royals series by Erin Watt, and I thought it was a great read.

Jazmine is a 17 year old girl who has been bounced around different foster homes for the last ten years following the death of her mother. With nobody who cares for her and nothing to call her own, she feels lost and alone, and dreams of something more.

Maybe it’s something else, something that I can’t quite put my finger on that makes me feel like I just don’t belong anywhere – not here in this shit hole of a town, not in any of the other towns that I’ve lived in nowhere, and something inside me knows that I could travel the entire earth and still never find somewhere to belong.

And then along comes Magnus. He tells her that he is her grandfather, and that she is so much more than she ever imagined. And just like that, she is whisked away to Eden, a realm on another planet that is home to the Seraph, a race of gods who have control of the seasons and the elements both in their world and on earth. Jazmine is a member of the Evenstar family – one of the seven ruling Dynasties of Eden, and not only that, following the recent death of the father she never knew, she is the last remaining heir.

Shortly after that life-changing reveal though, Jazmine is shipped off to boarding school which, though being on an entirely different realm of existence, is set up like every other US high school I’ve ever read about – right down to calculus exams, parties, sports and cliques – and it’s the Dynasty Heirs that rule the school, except for Jazmine who is immediately labelled as an outsider and is a target for torment because of it. All thanks to heir to the throne and king of the school, Raphael St. Tristan.

Raph is an asshole to Jazmine, and the other heirs and most of the rest of the school follow suit. A war between them very quickly follows, which does tend to the extreme side of things…

“I guess we’re even now,” I say finally, my voice a ragged whisper.
Raph seems to calm down then and it makes him all the more dangerous. He flashes me a smile which is as beautiful as it is disturbing.
“Oh, no, baby, we’re far from even.” The promise echoes through my ears long after he stalks off out of the cafeteria.

But though there seems to be a whole lot of hatred going on, there are glimpses of attraction, and as Jaz sticks up for herself and gives back and good as she gets, and she and Raph share some surprisingly vulnerable momoents, things slowly begin to shift.

“You’re so different – different from anyone I’ve ever met. In a world that’s all about appearances and status, you’re so real. Everything about you is real.”

I’m always a fan of the cocky, arrogant guys, and though Raph is a manwhoring ass at the beginning of the story, he grew on me! His arrogance is charming, and I loved his sarcastic humour and his possessiveness over Jaz – even while he was being a dick to her. There’s a bit of back and forth and it’s all very angsty, but the feelings are there, and the sexual tension is fantastic as it all builds to the inevitable, and I reveled in every moment of the sweet anticipation and eventual love story.

“What am I to you, Raph?” I ask simply.
…“You’re mine, Jaz.”

But Raph’s life is complicated. His place in their world has ruled his life, and there are big plans in place for him – plans that don’t include Jazmine. It’s part of the reason for the angst between them, and it creates a great sense of the forbidden and love-against-the-odds.

“You weren’t a part of the plan, Jaz. For the first time in my life, I have no idea what the hell is going to happen. But I’ve never felt so alive. Being with you, wanting you, has made me come alive. You make me come alive.
“I can’t even pretend that this isn’t a mess. But it’s a fucking beautiful mess.”

But as the full extent of their situations become clear, it’s a massive game changer, forever altering Jazmine’s reality once again.

I admit it took me a little bit to get fully invested in this story, but once I started to feel it, I was completely hooked and couldn’t put it down, desperate to see what was going to happen. It’s different from what I was expecting. I was thinking this was going to be more of a paranormal/fantasy story, but apart from the occasional throwing of a fireball and a practice duel or two, there’s not a whole lot going on. I guess the fantasy aspect comes more from the political side of things – the way the world is set up and the implications of their actions which have far-reaching consequences, and I like the potential that is there with that.

I enjoyed the characters. Jazmine is strong, sensible and relatable, and a love a strong heroine! Raph is the misunderstood asshole that I can’t wait to get to know better. Jazmine’s friend, Dani, is lots of fun and there’s some great potential there for her story. There’s the villain who I can’t wait to see get what’s coming to them, and the rest of the Dynasty heirs bring a lot to the story, and I loved the dynamics between them. I have a particular soft spot for Baron, and I’m hoping my theories about him play out.

“God, as much as I’m enjoying standing here choking on all this sexual tension, I think I’ll go upstairs and drill holes into my teeth – because that’ll be more bearable.”

This is a great read. It’s YA, but mature-YA, with some strong language and sexual content. It’s well written and intriguing, and after some big reveals at the end, I was left desperate for more.

“People underestimate just how destructive the truth can be if revealed at the wrong time.”

3.5 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Dynasty series

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About the Author

MJ Prince is the author of SECRET HEIR – the first book in the all new DYNASTY trilogy. A loose adaption of Romeo and Juliet but with a fantastical twist, this saga of feuding Dynasties, forbidden love, betrayal, royal scandals and power struggles for the crown promises to ensnare, captivate and shatter, then leave readers clawing for more.