Thank you to NetGalley and Justinian Huang for providing me with an egalley of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts on it. I loved the premise of this novel, and a timeline bending fantasy that followed souls through the ages really drew me in initially. That being said, there were some parts I wasn't crazy about.

There is definitely a market for this book, but I am definitely not it. I'm not an overly big fan of the rising trend of "spicy" fantasy novels, and this book honestly just seemed to me to be a vehicle for spice. I usually read when I'm on the train and had to stop for this novel as there was genuinely a spicy scene every 3-4 pages. I will say, I missed the note that this was a "spicy romantasy" which is entirely on me, so I'm not including this particular grievance in my rating of the novel. In the future, however, it may be wise to be a bit more overt in the marketing of this novel, as for how much of this "plot" was made up of sex scenes, it shouldn't be taking a prospective viewer by surprise.

My issue moreso lies in the characterization. I couldn't find anything online that would definitively suggest that the author was an only child, but I would have to assume so just based off of the interactions between River and Garden. I found the way they spoke to each other bizarre, but more so than that, I found Garden's character, or lack thereof, to be frustrating. She seemed to exist exclusively to be a wall for River to bounce his bad ideas off of and be completely ignored, and was given no other personality traits other than "abandonment issues" and "has one leg." It at times felt like her disability was just used as a litmus to prove that other characters were good people for not treating her differently. Maybe it is just because a lot of the scenes took place at night, but why did a high school aged girl have nothing better to do than sit around at home spam calling her brother? Given that she was one of only two women with any sort of role to play in this story, with the other being, by all accounts a villain, I found her one-dimensionality odd.

I have similar thoughts about Calvin's character, where it was implied that it was sweet that he was chasing after a guy he went to a single party with because he reminded him of his dead fiancé. I'm not certain why we were supposed to see it as kind that he would follow River to Thailand (in an obvious attempt to draw him into a relationship that he had already turned down once) rather than borderline obsessive. I don't understand how he expected to be perceived as the rational and good choice while condemning Joey when he also claimed to love River after knowing him for at most a couple days.

I also found the pacing odd at the end of the story. This went from a somewhat realist fantasy novel to there suddenly being a magical cult where it was implied that gay men were lured into orgies so they could be turned to statues of River using the power of the seal? Where did the initial statues come from before they had the seal? What did this have to do with the curse? Sure, all of the incarnations of Winston are implied to have the same level of control over Joey's incarnations, so then why is Joey treated like some terrible person for that? Is the takeaway that Joey finally got access to the seal and then just decided that he wouldn't break the curse because of Winston's powers? This just felt like way too much information to be jammed into the end of the novel. I get that none of these points could be resolved because everyone is doomed to repeat the same cycles, but for a story that purports to be about soulmates the author fails to make a compelling case about how these two characters could ever be soulmates if their relationship is so consistently toxic. In fact, I really have a hard time believing they were in love at any point, as you never see the two of them having a meaningful conversation that isn't interrupted by a sex scene at any point. Lust, maybe. Love? No.

I appreciate the lengths that this author went to to research the backdrop for this novel, but I think there is a bit more work to be done to the foreground.

First, note that there are explicit scenes in this book. I didn't realize that was coming until I saw a different review and helped me to go into this book with accurate expectations. I found this story to effortlessly and perfectly weave together various timelines in this gay fantasy story! It was a really enjoyable and spicy read!

This queer Asian story is very sex forward and is told between 3 stories of different lifetimes. At first I thought the contemporary character of River also shared the same past lives of the other narrators depicting the past, but I was pleasantly wrong. I wasn't particularly attached or rooting for any of the couples depicted and I'm not sure if it was because the timelines were sharing so much with each other or if it was because there wasn't enough built up between the characters to be fully invested. The fantasy element of the curse and the weird cult situation at the end of the book also felt irrelevant while the characters didn't get together in the end either. I did like that I was able to recognize Thai imagery and Thai culture in the end of the book but with the situation at the end I had really mixed feelings about it taking place in Thailand, especially since I'm from a Thai background.

If you want to read the story for the steamy parts and not expect the couple to be together by the end, it's a very nice fun light read.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**


Justinian Huang presents The Emperor and the Endless Palace, a Chinese history inspired fantasy romance that follows two men through three reincarnated lifetimes. Readers spend time with Joey and River in modern day, with He Shican and Huang Jiulang in the 1740s, and with Dong Xian and Liu Xin in 4 BCE Han Dynasty China. Dong Xian and Liu Xin are true historical figures. He Shican and Huang Jiulang are characters reimagined from the folktale written by Pu Songling.

Huang handled each of the shifting time periods admirably and it was interesting to see which perspective was chosen for each time period as well as which characters would recur across time. Conceptually, the idea of soul mates across lifetimes is one that isn't all that uncommon, but Huang gave a magical and sensual flair to the stories of these two men that had finesse and was evocative of folklore across the timelines.

I was also grateful that the time spent in each timeline was pretty even with a little more time afforded to modern day as a way of tying together the story. Unlike many stories that use multiple timelines, I actually didn't have a clear favorite and enjoyed all of them which speaks to Huang's skill. Each timeline procided a snippet of the characters' lives where they encounter one another again, and though I didn't feel strongly about the ending, I felt settled and secure in it as it felt inevitable based on the premise of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with The Emperor and the Endless Palace and look forward to future works by Justinian Huang.

What a thrilling journey this book took me on! Going into it blind, I was initially shocked by the story(all the spice) but soon found myself unable to put it down. The characters were incredibly well-developed and I couldn't help but become attached to them. Each storyline kept me on the edge of my seat, excited to uncover the answers to all of my questions.

The book was filled with secrets, complex family dynamics, angst, and love. I was fully immersed in the story, feeling every emotion alongside the characters. The love declarations were so beautifully written!!!!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a captivating romance with a hint of intrigue and spice. Even as someone who doesn't typically seek out spice in their readings, I wouldn't change a single thing about this book.

I give it a rating of 4.5 stars
and I must admit that Calvin was my favorite character throughout the story haha!

I think the book has the potential to be good I did enjoy the writing style and the premise is interesting but unfortunately I had to dnf it…it just wasn’t something I found myself gravitating towards. I’d say this is more erotica than romance 😂 and the pink plum used to describe …something… threw me out ..I might pick this up another time but :/

Wow, this book was an experience. Beautifully written and incredibly complicated, Huang shifts back and forth between the three timelines in a way that maintains narrative tension while not causing confusion. The characterizations are great, the storylines are great, and the book itself is compulsively readable. That said, it feels like any more concrete descriptions or commentary would be spoilers, because part of the joy of reading this was having no idea what was going on - the reader discovers it along with the characters.

I will note that everyone in this book is extremely (and realistically) emotionally messy, and the interpersonal relationships involve a lot of transactional and sometimes dubiously-consensual sex. I would describe it as a book about love rather than a romance novel, or even a book about romance.

Thank you so much, Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA and NetGalley, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

In the year 4 BCE a courtier is called upon to seduce a young emperor, but they are both ruled by blood and desire. In 1740 a innkeeper helps a mysterious visitor procure a medicine and he's involved into a otherwordly terror menace and now, in the moder Los Angeles, a college student meets a beautiful stranger and he's sure they've met before.
This story spans three, seemingly, unrelated timelines woven together in a complex story where two men are reborn together, meeting across time, again and again, tested by the surrounding world, but drawn to each other all the time.

I absolutely loved The emperor and the endless palace, this spicy and romantic debut, that have everything I could hope for in a book. It's romantic and funny and so queer I could die. I loved this book and representation and the idea of two lovers who find each other in different times, again and again, facing dangers, problems and time issues. It's a story filled with twists and morally gray characters, filled with erotica and love, passion and dangers, messy and swoony and I loved every single moment of this story. It left me wanting more and more.

The non-linear plot and multiple timelines made this a fast-paced read for me. I was hooked from the very first chapter. I really enjoyed all the "Ah ha!" moments along the way as the connections of these cursed lovers' lifetimes became more clear.

Whle I was distracted piecing together the parallels between the three timelines, I almost overlooked the fact that the oldest timeline, in 4 BCE, was based on actual Chinese history. Of course, some creative liberties were taken with names and such, but the Endless Palace and the Han Dynasty were very much real.

This novel is a perfect blend of history, destiny, and fantasy. I loved the ending, it was unexpected, but brilliant.

Recommended for: fantasy and historical fiction readers

Content warning: explicit sex scenes; forced sex; drug & alcohol use

Thank you @netgalley and Justinian Huang for this ARC! It was unlike anything I’ve ever read before and I loved it! Obviously, being a heterosexual woman and liking men, I’ve not sought out many LGBTQ+ romance books. BUT this one was so damn magical and the romance was literally timeless. I loved the modern humor and whit mixed with the historical fiction aspect of this Romantasy. Like this line:

“𝙉𝙤, 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙, 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙝, 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝, 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙤 𝙏𝙖𝙪𝙧𝙪𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚!”

Starting off, the smut was like right in your face and I personally thought it was a bit much, but then I kept reading. I think it was mostly for character development. The storyline is at once magical and modern. I really enjoyed reading from different periods of time! The imagery was absolutely beautiful!! Definitely give this one a read!!

“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙪𝙨𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙗𝙤𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙛*𝙘𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜.”
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ʏᴏᴜʟʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
•fantasy world building
•star crossed lovers
•smut
•LGBTQ+
•Chinese culture

This was a great debut novel by Justinian Huang! It had everything that I look for typically in a romantasy book. Strong characters, a compelling story, SPICY scenes, and an ending that just leaves you wanting more from this story. I really hope thats an option because 3 timelines is simply not enough!

Thank you for the digital ARC!

EMPEROR AND THE ENDLESS PALACE is a gorgeous masterclass of interwoven timelines, beautiful romance, twisty intrigue, and clever prose. Huang is an author to watch.

Big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for hooking me up with an early copy in exchange for my honest take.So, this book had all the makings of a deep dive into love, sex, and obsession. I was ready for a real exploration of how sexuality can be used as a weapon, a tool for gaining and wielding power.But instead? Ugh. We got stuck with some seriously cringy erotica (seriously, can we retire "pink plum" forever?), dialogue that had me questioning if anyone talks like that in real life, and way too many instances of iffy consent that caught me totally off guard. And don't even get me started on the lack of explanation for the curse or the whole deal with the third person (I'll avoid spoilers) and their supposed magical powers.I'm not sure if I'm just not the target audience for this or if there's some deeper meaning I missed, but unfortunately, this book goes on my DNF list.

I love the atmosphere and world that Huang has created here. Beautifully written, it instantly drew me in. I’m looking forward to seeing more from this author!

Justinian Huang's debut novel is a masterful tapestry of love's endurance through the ages. The narrative takes us on a journey across different timelines, from ancient China to modern-day Los Angeles, weaving a complex story of romance, betrayal, and destiny.

In 4 BCE China, we meet a low-ranking clerk whose life takes a dramatic turn when he is chosen to capture the young emperor's attention. This marks the beginning of an epic saga that traverses centuries, highlighting the immutable force of love. Huang's portrayal of this era is rich with historical detail, immersing readers in a world where duty and desire collide. A favorite trope, I must admit.

The story then shifts to 1740 China, where an innkeeper's mundane existence is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious young man and his grandmother. The ensuing events draw the innkeeper into a web of intrigue, requiring the aid of a past lover. A tribute to Pu Songling, of course. Huang skillfully uses this narrative strand to explore themes of isolation and the human yearning for connection.

In present-day Los Angeles, a college student's life is forever changed when he encounters a mysterious artist who seems to have captured his likeness across time. This strand of the story delves into the complexities of identity and the search for belonging in a world that often feels alienating.

Huang's ability to toggle between these periods with ease is a testament to his storytelling prowess. The characters' struggles and triumphs resonate deeply, as they are reborn and rediscovered in each other's arms, lifetime after lifetime. Every interaction is like a mirage, at once familiar, and yet, unique. The novel is a celebration of queer love, transcending the boundaries of time and space.

Drawing from Chinese history and mythology, Huang creates a central couple that embodies the power and beauty of love. The novel's scope is ambitious, yet Huang manages to deliver a narrative that is lyrical, intimate, and grand. I was enthralled.

When I read the description and synopsis for this book I was incredibly intrigued. The line that specifically drew me in was “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?”

Weaving through 3 separate timelines, one in 4 BC, one in 1740, and the other in current day, we’re told a tale of two men being reborn and finding each other in each life, recognizing the other as a true connection.

This book is promoted as a “genre-bending historical romantasy”, which is mostly true. The history is told in a way that is vivid and alive. You really feel like you’re standing in 4BC and 1740s China. The fantasy element is definitely there through spirits and dark magic. The way in which each timeline is told and how it’s woven together is really unique and captivating. It draws you in and keeps you invested. And there are some twists you absolutely do not expect that suddenly throw you for a loop, which makes you want to get to the end to know how it all unfolds.

All-in-all, really beautifully done.

The one part that I felt misleading was the romance. I may just be used to HEA endings, but this felt more tragedy than romance to me. There is a romance plot, so to speak, but it’s not what you think it’s going to be from how it’s promoted, and I think that part left me wanting in the end. The spice was definitely there, though! 🍑

However, this book is really beautifully told, and I definitely recommend it. I probably would have enjoyed it even more if it had been marketed a bit differently! But overall, a beautiful debut novel for Justinian Huang. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Books for the ARC!

Giving this book a 4 out of 5. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

TW non-consensual sexual acts

It was refreshing to see the re-incarnation trope in a Western style fiction book (as an avid Danmei reader!). I absolutely adored following the main characters through the different timelines. They each reflected different aspects of Asian culture throughout history and you could tell the distinct differences in the language used and the environments presented. The twists presenting kept me on my toes and I was guessing how things were going to resolve right up to the last chapter. The erotica caught me off guard at first, but after learning more about the characters I was better able to understand its relevance to the plot.

This book is difficult to put a category on outside of fantasy. I agree with several other reviewers that I would market this not as a romance, because at the end of the day this is a story about breaking the cycle of said romance. Especially in the modern timeline, it is about a young gay Asian man learning about himself and how he fits into the world. It is especially about how he takes agency in his own life and doesn't let others or fate decide things for him.

Overall I really enjoyed this read and want to get a physical copy for my collection!

Reincarnation, living thousands of lives in love with the same person, and messing it up every time. Fantastic. It's a different kind of angst, it's inevitable that it will all go wrong but for thousands of year they still keep trying. Elaborating any further on the specific romantic situations will be extremely spoilery, so I'll just say I loved the dynamics between characters, romantic and otherwise, it really worked for me.

The brief scene with the origin of the term 'cutsleeve'!

I spent much of this book confused and most readers probably will until the very end but I enjoyed the heck out of it. The confusion and trying to keep track of all the moving pieces was actually fun and kept me invested.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang is an erotic contemporary and historical fantasy with three timelines. Following the POVs of Dong Xian in 4 BCE, He Shican in 1740, and River in the present day, the love story of two souls across time is explored. Dong Xian was a lower level scholar commissioned to seduce the Emperor by the Dowager Empress, He Shican’s story is intertwined with a fox spirit and a doctor, and River is a young man who gets the attention of an artist that is already attached to another man.

The weaving in of real historical figures and exploring their relationships with each other was one of my favorite parts. There was a richness added to the prose by poetry particularly in Shican's POV.

My favorite POV chapters were Dong Xian’s because of how the Dowager Empress’ villainy manifested. The political moves and how she presented information to Dong Xian is everything I love about villains who know that they are the villain in someone's story.

The charm of River’s chapters really lay in his interactions with others, especially with his sister, Garden, and his friend, Calvin.

I would recommend this to fans of multi-timeline fantasy, readers looking for love stories focusing on Queer Asian men in a historical setting that is not genre Romance, and those looking for books featuring fox spirits from East Asian folklore.

While there was stilted language at times, which I trust has been fixed in the final version of this book, it was so beautifully written. It keeps the reader engaged as they read each storyline, a feat that is not easy when switching between stories.
The characters were serious little sluts, and I love them for it.