I… am very conflicted about this book. On one hand, it has a lot of potential. I’m a sucker for reincarnation stories so I love the ancient-past-present timeline, how their story intertwined and who’s who. I think it’s very unique, intriguing, and the short chapters keep me engaged. However, I also wish it was deeper. I totally miss the erotica tag (which I don't think it was even tagged?) and I wish the story actually had more substance because it placed so many puzzle pieces that *could* work, but it seemed like the author had no intention of completing the story.

A captivating debut that weaves romance, fantasy, and historical fiction. The story explores the metaphysical concept of love as a form of soul recognition. It is a beautifully written tale.
Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A story spanning multiple timelines woven together by fate. The power of love transcends time and threatens to destroy them all.

A beautiful, sexy story filled with mystery, magic, and love.

Going to DNF this for now. Really enjoyed the writing style and the synopsis but I just haven't been able to get into the book to finish.

OMFG…..🙀

You are NOT ready for this one 👀😈 I highly suggest you listen to the audiobook! The narrator was awesome!

For fans of:
- A Song to Drown Rivers

"The Emperor and the Endless Palace" follows three storylines across centuries. The first timeline is in 18th century China and follows a reclusive innkeeper as he encounters a beguiling young man who begs the innkeeper for help. The second story line is in 1st century China and lets us see through the eyes of an opportunistic man, looking for ways to raise his status in the Endless Palace. Finally, we have a young man in LA as he leaves the closet and begins to explore his identity as a gay man. Each of these protagonists are flawed, however, you cant help but root for them on their journeys to find love.

this book includes:
- LGBT LA party culture
- LGBT love
- Chinese folklore
- an ancient curse
- a nine-tailed fox you may recognize as a gumiho, huli jing, or kitsune
- an exploration of Chinese dynasties and political machinations
- TW. Drug Use & Coercion

This book creates such a lush world. Each of the three independent storylines has its own complex settings and dynamic characters, and it is exciting to watch all three stories progress. It's an unapologetically gay page-turner. This book is NOT a romantasy. I see it being advertised as a romantasy, however, I feel this is a misrepresentation. It is a bit of historical fiction, a bit of folklore, and a bit of literary fiction. Other than the nine-tailed fox, there are no fantastical or paranormal elements. I wouldn't even call this a romance. It is a story about love and how it exists across time and space, but not a romance per se. If you are looking for a fully romance, this is not it.

HOWEVER, it is still a great book. Beyond the failed advertising, I really enjoyed this book. It really drew me in and I was eager to read it. I liked the way that readers are given 3 completely independent storylines and forced to ponder the meaning of each story and how the 3 may intertwine. It has a unique writing style, using italics any time the characters speak in Mandarin, and is well written. The book's central theme is about unfinished business, so the ending was sooo frustrating, but I like that the author stuck to the theme.

I received this eBook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Justinian Huang, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to review this book. This review is also available on my GoodReads - check out my profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863

This book is beautiful steeped in Chinese mythology. The romance is lovely. I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did.

Thank you to Harlequin for the arc. It did not affect my opinion at all.

This was really cool! I know very little about Chinese mythology and history and this was such an interesting way to learn about it.

There were several things that I liked about this book, but ultimately this was not the book for me.

I enjoyed the overlapping story crossing 3 lifetimes, though it took me a few chapters to get into the rhythm. Each story added more layers to the history of the lovers, from the initial story in 4 BCE to present day.

The present day story with River and Joey was my favorite. I really enjoyed River’s vibe, and I liked Calvin as well.

There are a lot of mystical elements, especially in the middle story in 1740, as well as a lot of intrigue and deception. I was never sure who was who, or who to trust.

This book is classified as romantasy, which is a newer classification and I’m not sure of the parameters, but I definitely would not call this a romance, mainly due to the very open ending without an HEA.

While I enjoy spicy books and have no issue with explicit sex scenes, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of indiscriminate sex in this book, especially in the 4 BCE storyline. I felt like there was so much build up and sex with other people, that the relationship between the two main characters was completely skipped. In almost every lifetime, the relationship between the couple who are supposed to be destined to be together seems to take second place to the intrigue.

Even though this wasn’t the perfect book for me, it may be just right for someone else. So if you like intrigue, fantasy, and MM erotica set against an ancient Chinese background, this book might be for you.

Disclaimer: I received a DRC through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! Thank you for the early copy. I thought this author had beautiful prose, I would definitely read more from them.

Ok this was awesome, such well developed characters and an interesting plot! I was engaged from start to finish with the story.

The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang had well-developed characters and a plot that was engaging. This book was a great read. I highly recommend!

**Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-ARC. All opinions expressed are voluntary and my own.**

This book was not for me. I have been trying to like romance but I quickly learning that it isn't the genre for me. but this was interesting enough that I finished the book. Not for me but would recommend

The Emperor and the Endless Palace captivates with its exploration of queer friendships and wild sexual behavior, sparking both curiosity and concern.

This novel tells the story of reincarnated lovers—one who remembers and the other who must be reminded. The integration of the fox spirit and its dual characteristics is fascinating, maintaining the reader’s interest. Huang effectively uses time as a backdrop for the lovers' interactions, enhancing the narrative’s depth.

The book intricately explores queer masculinity, eroticism, and the eternal nature of desire through the lives of two souls destined to find and lose each other across lifetimes. Huang’s vivid and cinematic storytelling, influenced by his screenwriting background, creates lush, evocative settings and grand setpieces. Transitions between timelines are seamless, maintaining narrative coherence and engagement. Clever use of perspective adds depth and complexity, enriching the intertwined fates of the protagonists.

Huang's candid and celebratory portrayal of queer eroticism challenges societal stigmas and offers a refreshing perspective on male desire. His depiction of love is unapologetically physical, immersing readers in the intense relationships of the central characters. Overall, The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a noteworthy debut, offering a unique addition to contemporary speculative fiction.

“What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”

In the year 4 BCE, an ambitious courtier is called upon to seduce the young emperor—but quickly discovers they are both ruled by blood, sex and intrigue.

How queer this book was, with friendships and wild sexual behaviour that made me curious and concerned.

A story of reincarnated lovers, one who remembers and the other who must be reminded. The incorporation of the fox spirit and both sides of its characteristics was interesting and held my attention. Using time as a setting for how the lovers came together and interacted was done well.

This novel intricately explores themes of queer masculinity, eroticism, and the eternal nature of desire through the lives of two souls destined to find and lose each other across lifetimes. Huang’s storytelling is vivid and cinematic, drawing from his screenwriting background to create lush, evocative settings and grand setpieces. The transitions between timelines are seamless, maintaining narrative coherence and engagement. The use of perspective is particularly clever, adding depth and complexity to the story as it explores the intertwined fates of the protagonists. The exploration of queer eroticism is candid and celebratory, challenging societal stigmas and providing a refreshing perspective on desire between men. Huang's depiction of love is unapologetically physical, immersing readers in the intense relationships of the central characters. Overall, The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a noteworthy debut, offering a unique addition to contemporary speculative fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a copy of this book.

It was "a nice to read book" but nothing exceptional. I had hoped more of the plot. A bit confusing how the story unraveled. The different timelines I liked. But did I need to find out that all characters had to be the very same persons at the end? Others might disagree.

I unfortunately had to DNF this book about 20% in. I was so, so excited for the premise but it ended up not grabbing me. I hope that this is a personal issue and that one day I will be able to come back to it and enjoy it, because I think this is an incredible concept and seemed like it would've been really good if I could get into it, but it wasn't doing it for me. I will try again one day.

This mulit-period saga is written in language that flows and ebbs like a river. The passion of all 3 main characters and their counterparts are amplified and underscore by this beautiful language, as we experience them all coming into their own, and navigating the life changing occurrences that they each encounter. It also highlights the hidden dangers of a soulmate, and features a few spicy scenes.