Thanks to my friends at Avon Books for a free ARC of this book! All thoughts are my own!!

I really enjoyed this book, and I’m very excited to read the next one! I actually didn’t realize this was going to be series, especially because I feel like this book ended in a way that I wouldn’t necessarily expect one. It wasn’t super open ended, but I’m excited that there will be more to this story.

Suraya is an interesting main character. I feel like she didn’t have a ton of characterization outside having her powers and knowing how to make weapons. We see her with her family and best friend for a very limited amount of time at the beginning, leaving me not super invested in those relationships. When Lelah dies near the end, I couldn’t really be sad about it. We barely saw her in this book. The same goes for her family, who we saw a bit more of. I knew that Suraya loved and cared for them, as evident in her motivations for the choices she makes, but as a reader there wasn’t much to endear me to her family. I actually thought for a while that her father was going to end up being one of the bad guys. His willingness to leave Amma behind was strange to me, seeing as we were told that they were in love with each other.

Suraya goes on quite the journey in this book. I really enjoyed watching her learn about the other groups of people and how they weren’t what she thought. I liked how she had to confront what she was raised to believe. Every time I wanted Suraya to make a smart choice, she did not. I was extremely frustrated and thoroughly entertained by her decisions. I know that for the plot it needed to be that way. She really comes into her own during this book, especially towards the end. Her relationship with Roshan was sweet, and I love how he was never afraid of her power. I’m a little worried we’re going to end up with a second love interest and a love triangle later on, as there was so much emphasis on “soul-fated” and how he wasn’t hers. With all the comparisons to a certain other fantasy series, I worry that it’s going to follow the same format. I really hope that isn’t the case because I feel like they have a really good dynamic and bond with each other. I’d be really disappointed if something is manufactured to push her towards the “shadow daddy” type character that we meet periodically throughout this book, especially when Roshan has been a great character in this book. I hope my predictions about his character are true, but I will be waiting to see what Amalie does with that.

Can’t wait to see what these characters get into in the next book!

This was promising start of a new romantasy series. A little predictable at times, but with some very interesting characters and mythology to support the story.

This was an amazing book! I have not previously read anything by Amalie Howard, but I will definitely have to check out her other work for sure. The story was a bit slow to build, but it took off and kept on going! The slow-burn was so good, the tension was perfect. I was very drawn in to the world building and the politics. I definitely had some Divergent feels (minus the dystopia) with the houses and such. Thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC!

I've been into romantasy lately, so I was excited to pick up The Starlight Heir because I enjoyed Amalie Howard's books in the past. And I was drawn to the beautiful cover. I found the premise, inspired by South Asian mythology, intriguing, and I liked the worldbuilding. But I thought the pacing was a little slow, and the romance was just ok. Although The Starligh Heir was an enjoyable read for the most part, it didn't stand out in the sea of other fantasy books to me. In my opinion, Howard's historical romances are better written than her first foray into romantasy.

This book hit me like a hurricane.

“𝘽𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧, 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪,”

It’s a complex, fast paced, action packed, unexpected, and immersive roller coaster of emotions wrapped into a book, that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. 😮‍💨

⭐️ 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞
⭐️ 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐲
⭐️ 𝟐𝟓 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐅𝐌𝐂
⭐️ 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐌𝐂
⭐️ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐲
⭐️ 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞
⭐️ 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬
⭐️ 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞
⭐️ 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

Spicy 🌶️
The spice is an A +++ 🥵

“𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜.”

The banter was top notch. Not only between the FMC and the MMC, but with other characters as well. The relationship between the FMC and her best friend was so special. I loved seeing female friendship represented in such a real way. Their teasing conversations, and interactions brought so much life to the story, and really sucked me in. That was probably one of my favorite parts.

“𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤 𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡, 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧.”

The verbal sparring between the FMC and MMC was spectacular. The FMC is quick, and witty, with a foul mouth. She’s not afraid to say what’s on her mind. My favorite kind of character. 😏 And the MMC can be just as filthy. Perfection. 🙌🏼 The tension builds nicely. Although there is instant attraction, and that can put a reader off, in this case, it’s done in a way that isn’t a turn off. The relationship develops over time as they are thrown into a forced proximity situation, and it feels natural.

Amalie truly has a way with words. Her descriptions of food had me ready to take a bite out of my kindle. 🤤😅 The prose was beautiful. She turns regular sentences into something breathtaking. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her words.

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧, 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙚𝙣𝙙.”

The ending. 😳 I have so many questions. I’m broken. I’m healed. I’m scared. I’m confused. I’m intrigued. It’s really not fair Amalie... I’ll be waiting with bated breath for book 2. 😤
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫. 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞.

❗️Modern language in a fantasy setting might turn some purist readers off, it didn’t bother me in the slightest.

Thank you to Netgalley, and the publisher, for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars. Solid romantic fantasy with a girl with godlike powers she has to learn to control vs an evil queen and her son, assisted by the good prince who has a secret. I'll gladly read the next in the series, but was a bit distracted by some of the contemporary language.

I really appreciated the inspiration from Persian and Indian mythologies, as well as the lady blacksmith aspect of the story (though I wish she'd had the chance to do more of it!). We have Suraya, the magical girl; Roshan, the half prince; Zarek, the evil prince; and a mysterious shadow lover. Though I assume we'll get more of the mysterious shadow lover in the next book, it was all too much hinting without answering in this one.

But I had a fun time reading this - adventure, fantasy, and a little romance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoy romantasy when it is done right, and Howard was sooo close with this novel. There is a lot to like here if you are a seasoned pro in the world of romantasy, and I could see this being a great introduction to the genre. However, there were a few things I did not like. The first being usage of modern language that takes shape as colloquialism and slang. I found it off putting and it took me out of the fantasy world being built around me. It was jarring in some instances, Could you imagine enjoying Romeo and Juliet and suddenly being hit with a modern turn of phrase?

Great novel if you need something quick and fast as a palette cleanser before you dig into other more engaging romantasy novels.

I was very excited to receive an ARC of The Starlight Heir, as fantasy romance and romantasy are my favorite genres - however, being an avid romantasy reader may be the reason this read wasn’t a hit for me.

The Starlight Heir follows Sura as she’s invited to the capital to compete for the crown prince’s affections, which comes as a surprise as she is but a blacksmith from a normal family in a normal village.

It quickly becomes apparent that the crown prince isn’t looking for a love match; he is bloodthirsty and searching for a partner prophesied to have special powers.

For anyone well-versed in the genre, it’ll come as no surprise that our girl Sura miiiight have special powers awakening and that her parents were hiding a secret about her lineage…but again, perhaps being well-versed in romantasy is the reason this felt like a miss. I could see this being a very good entry into romantasy, or even fantasy in general, as it’s very fast-paced and reads easily! I believe it’s a standalone, which also makes this a good starting point for newer romantasy readers - my only caveat is that if the goal is to read a little bit of spice, this won’t scratch the itch.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for review!

The Bachelor meets The Hunger Games (at least for the first third of the book).

Suraya Saab does not want to marry a prince. She just wants to work at her forge. When she is one of the few girls in her town to receive an invitation to meet the prince, she couldn't say no. Suraya ends up going through a Hunger Games-esc set of trials, and finds that she could be the prophesy-fated Starkeeper. To survive she must trust the bastard prince, Roshan, and go on the run.

It is obvious that this book is written by a romance author. There is a medium amount of spice, but many of the fantasy elements felt lacking. It was easy to follow, but the god is name Saru and the main character's nickname is Sura. There is no way her parents were actually trying to hide her if they gave her a name that close to the god she embodied. While the story was relatively basic and predictable, it was an easy read and I did enjoy it. There is a clean ending, but it is left open for the Queen of the Night Sky (book 2).

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the Advanced Reader Copy.

IG and Tiktok Reviews to come

I am a HUGE fan of Amalie's books and was so excited when she announced a romantasy this year. However, while marketed as an adult, this feels extremely YA with the characters' mannerisms, actions, and thoughts. I loved that this was inspired by Indian mythology, and the world was interesting. But the mood seems serious, and then you throw in words like "prince-splain." it just takes me out of the story. I think modern speech works better for me if the story is part comedy. but this didn't feel like it was trying to be a comedy. I wanted to LOVE this, but I just didn't. The story is still fast paced and you are discovering things with the FMC along the way, but you may also find yourself screaming at her to see what's right in front of her face A LOT.

ARC copy kindly provided by Netgalley but all my humble thoughts are my own.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I was really excited at the opportunity to read this book since I have read a few historical romance books by Amalie Howard and really enjoyed this one.

I enjoyed this book as well, but it still had some flaws for me. It is important to know this was Amalie Howard’s first fantasy novel and I think the author did a really good job. I think it is a really good book if you want to try fantasy especially high fantasy but feel overwhelmed by some of the more popular recommendations. I also think if you are wanting a fantasy novel that is inspired by something other than western fairy tales or Greek/roman mythology give this one a try.

While reading it I found it very easy to get lost in the story with the world building and main plot. However there were somethings that stood out to me that made got caught up on.

Occasionally there were a few phrases and language used that seemed a little out of places for the genre. It wasn’t through out only occasionally. If this is something you are picky about I think you might not enjoy it as much but I think it is still worth trying. There were also a few times were the MC actions seemed a disjointed from who I had been reading about. Things seemed a bit out of character for them and it got me a few times while reading.

I really enjoyed the world building of the novel. It was well balanced with the novel. It was enough I could easily keep up with what was taking place and not so overwhelming I was left trying to understand its significance to the current story.

I know some will suggest this as a romantasy, but for me I am not entirely sure I would consider it as one. It is fantasy and it does have some romance in it but I don’t feel like it is as well developed as the fantasy portion is. For me I enjoy a much more developed connection between the characters. I didn’t feel as satisfied with that. Yes the characters do have a connection but it was missing something more.

The book does end with the set up for book two but I wouldn’t say it ends on a cliffhanger.

Rating 4 out of 5 stars Spice Level: ODD open door descriptive language and imagery.

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.

This is a good story, with a rich setting and mythology, that is dampened by lackluster dialogue. The descriptions are excellent, and there were so many moments where I felt enraptured by the story. However, these moments were interrupted by characters saying immersion-breaking things. For instance, during the first couple chapters, characters are talking about book boyfriends and using “for the win” and “goals” in dialogue. The moments where the author tried to have witty banter were filled with phrases like this that felt too modern and completely out of place in this setting. It turned moments, like where Suraya and Roshan first meet, from a deeper, more complex story into something that felt more juvenile.

I almost dnf’ed this multiple times because of the dialogue, and really struggled to engage with the first 25% of the book. It did improve a lot as the story progressed, and I’m really impressed with the quality of the rest of the book. I just wish the dialogue between the characters was stronger.

<B>DNF @ 15%</b>

the writing is just... not for me. i only read a few chapters and i already saw way too many lines that made me physically cringe. it's the modern dialogue that sounds straight from social media and i genuinely cannot stand that in a fantasy that takes place in a past-like setting. i skimmed a bit through to the end to see if there would be anything to change my mind and it looked like the romance would not be for me either (insta-love is a no-go for me😭). it also just read more like YA than adult?? but yeah overall, i just think this isn't for me unfortunately!


<I>Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Thank you Avon Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

Starlight Heir has the whole chosen one trope and while one might consider that trope played out, Amalie Howard does it so beautifully. I loved the lore that was written into this story. It was pretty fast paced and the author did a great job at the world building in this romantasy book. The main characters were likeable and their banter was spot on. While this book is considered adult, it did at times read more like YA. Which isn’t a bad thing, but if you’re looking for the spicy… this isn’t it. It had two intimate scenes done tastefully, but like 1.5 on the spicy meter.


While I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it, I do have to say the almost third act breakup almost lost me. It felt too forced and in the greater scheme of things, was so small and insignificant that the MC just seemed to fixate on it as a means to get to the whole “falling for the lie that takes you to the dark side” plot line. I get it, but it just wasn’t believable for me. All in all, I’m hoping this book becomes a series and isn’t just a stand alone because I have so many questions and need all of the answers!

2.5 stars
I was incredibly bored throughout this whole book, unable to connect to the characters or the story. I think this authors writing style just isn’t for me because no event that happened made me care about what was going on. I’d love to see more “show, don’t tell” from this author because I believe that’s where the disconnect happened for me, being told every detail like a list. All of the characters felt very surface level and I didn’t actually learn anything about them. If it weren’t an arc I probably would have dnf’ed this book unfortunately.
I will not be sharing my review on goodreads out of respect for the author but I did round up to a 3 star rating for that platform.

I've read and enjoyed several of Amalie Howard's historical romances, and I was so eager to read her first romantasy and see how she transitioned into the genre. The Starlight Heir was entertaining! It pulls you in with its lush world-building, memorable characters, incredible banter, and fabulous romance.

Suraya Saab, a talented bladesmith with magical gifts, is summoned to the palace, as the prince is looking for a bride. Though Suraya is reluctant to go, she doesn't really have a choice, and when there she's pulled into a dangerous web of rebellion, dark magic, and hidden power. Suraya’s journey is intriguing, and she shows so much strength and determination and growth over the course of the story. She's fierce and gifted, and I am so curious to see how her journey continues.

Of course, my favorite part of most stories is the romance, and that's definitely the case here. There's so much simmering tension between Suraya and Roshan, the illegitimate prince whose charm is matched by his secrets. I love them together! They have so much chemistry, and there's a forbidden feeling to the relationship that's fabulous.

Howard skillfully weaves Persian-inspired mythology into the plot and world. It's a fascinating world where the stars themselves influence destiny, and ancient magic shapes the fates of its characters. I liked the secondary characters too - from Suraya's loyal and funny friend to some of the more mysterious and dangerous characters, they are all intriguing and well-developed.

Overall, The Starlight Heir is an engrossing read. The political unrest, the hunt for the Starkeeper, and the brewing rebellion make for a high-stakes story that keeps you hooked until the last page. I'm definitely curious to see where this series goes next! Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc! 🫶

Things that made this a solid four star read:
- Great pacing and world building: The pace is quick without losing details
- Solid MFC and MMC: The relationship building between the two is fairly obvious but there's a couple plot twists that actually did catch me off guard.

Why not five stars?
- The romance felt rushed. I was surprised to see that there was another book coming after at the rate that the romance was developed. As much as I am not a fan of a slow burn, this felt like an inferno and I'm curious how this will develop in the next book. (Edit: I realized afterwards this is a standalone!)

Overall, highly recommend this for fans of romantasy with themes of deception, court politics, and really cool magic system.

Oh man this book is what I want with romantasy. There is a lot about this book I like and I'm excited to see where the series goes. I liked Sura as a main character and thought her magic was really interesting. Ro was a fun, and pretty male lead. This was a great first read of 2025.

3/5 stars
2/5 spice

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an eARC of The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard in exchange for an honest review.

No book is truly unique. It is not possible for a novel to not use similar ideas, plots, etc as other works. But nowadays, we seem to be most focused on “tropes”. Many people complain that books are too “Trope-y” or that books are too similar because they utilize the same tropes. I do not personally subscribe to this. I believe that there is essentially a trope for everything, and books are bound to have similar or common tropes used. I do, however, believe that there are of course better uses of tropes and worse use of tropes. When books do not find unique ways to use tropes, or put in effort to be smart with there trope, then books can feel rather lazy. I do not say this to be unkind, but unfortunately, I found that Starlight Heir did not feel as though it was putting effort into the tropes it was using. The tropes seemed to be placed in front of me with no seasoning, no sauce, and it just seemed boring. I needed more from it.

I also felt like the pacing was confusing. The first 40% easily could have been made into its own book if we had taken more time to world-build and flesh some things out. It felt overly rushed and seemed like it had a climax that could’ve been used for the ending. Then the next 60% could have been used for a second book. Though it did get kind of slow around 50%.

It was also frustrating that the MMC kept secrets for seemingly no reason beyond to drive the plot forward. The secrets wouldn’t be a big deal and he didn’t have reasons why he was keeping them a secret, they just were to add convenience and shock value to the plot (which they didn’t really, sorry).

The first half felt very YA to me, with some lust and tension and hints of teenage horniness. But then suddenly they were having graphic sex and it completely felt out of place.

I feel bad because all of these things make it sound like I hated the book, and I really didn’t. It was a solid 3 star read throughout. Not a bad book but also not my favorite. I think it could have done with extra workshopping and fleshing out of the world and the story. And tonally could have been aged up a bit, or cut the spice to make it match. Overall, I think that people will enjoy this book because it hits a lot of the beats that are popular right now, but it may struggle to find its footing in the romantasy crowd.

If you're a fan of Amalie Howard's historical romances, brace yourself for a thrilling departure into the realm of romantasy with "The Starlight Heir." This novel introduces us to Suraya Saab, a gifted bladesmith imbued with star magic, who is reluctantly drawn into the perilous world of palace intrigue. Summoned under the guise of a bride selection for the crown prince, Suraya quickly discovers that the royal court is full of danger, deception, and magic beyond her understanding. Alongside Roshan, the enigmatic and brooding half-brother of the prince, Suraya finds herself entangled in a deadly hunt for the Starkeeper—a mythical figure who may hold the key to the realm’s salvation or destruction.

This world is a vibrant tapestry inspired by Indian and Middle Eastern mythology, with evocative descriptions of magic and culture. I also enjoyed how Suraya is tough yet vulnerable. Her journey to becoming a key player in a brewing rebellion is both gripping and inspiring. And of course Amalie Howard always writes amazing moments of romantic banter and sensual attraction.

If you’re ready to dive into a world of star magic, forbidden love, and dangerous secrets, "The Starlight Heir" is a journey worth embarking on.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.