The main characters got me interested in the beginning, and they kept me hooked. I loved following their story.

I love the world too. The worldbuilding felt so natural, and the world felt so real and intriguing.

I only wish the stakes had been higher near the ending.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fantasy read with slow burn romance.

Includes:
Complicated feelings
Arranged marriage
Slow burn
Friendship
Found family

I received this as an e-arc on #netgalley to review.

If you loved Under the Oak Tree, you'd probably really like this.

I am going to start off by saying that at the end of it, I enjoyed this book. I originally wanted to read it because of the cover and because I thought it would be action packed. Most of the action happens in the beginning and then you're thrown into a world of Remin (MMC) going to claim his wife, Ophelle (FMC) that he basically gained to marry due to winning a big war that the emperor never thought he would win. Most of "action" takes place in the beginning and there's not much fighting or battles after that, just demon and ghoul sightings that never harmed the main characters really. It was more of a romance story in which 2 characters have to learn to overcome their trauma and learn to trust and love each other. Its a simple story, however, I just really enjoyed the writing. It was a little different. Thankfully there was no "throat bobbing" (SJM I'm looking at you), and although there was spice, I felt it was really well written and I could really imagine it (LOL). I loved all the side characters, Miche being my favorite. A man who knows how to communicate always gets me. The character development of Remin & Ophelle was good, and realistic. You aren't just angry with someone or hate them for one second and the magically love them and never get angry with them again. It doesn't work that way and I liked that Remin was LEARNING to love Ophelle and made mistakes throughout but eventually learned from them and still made mistakes even after that in the way he treated her but always realized and made himself work hard to be better. I really enjoyed that part of the character development and hopefully we'll see more action in the future books.

I liked the love story, but I expected more plot. The love story, though pretty nice, was very predictable and none of the questions got answered in terms of the conspiracy and the devils. I understand that for the first book in the series, this is supposed to set up the world and introduce to the main characters but even the world-building wasn't really there. The plot almost wholly takes place in Tresingale and surrounding area and there's just details of building a town that could someday grow into a city, the greatest there ever was.
I liked the writing style but was not a fan of the narrative. I just needed something more to happen in the book beyond Remin and Ophele's married life. I enjoyed reading about the Knights of Brede. The knights were actually more interesting that the very one dimensional protagonists. I do see the character development but if it is absolutely predictable, is it really development? I really liked Remin's confession to Ophele with his will and the way they are setting up their corner of the world. But the dual POV being them and they only thinking about the town and each other, it got a little tedious. I would have liked to read more about politics and I believe another POV from someone in court would have added that missing component to this book. Maybe everything that was happening in Tresingale getting reported to the emperor and him discussing it or just reacting to it, that would have put up a really great contrast and created some much-needed tension in the plot.
There was a snippet of book 2 at the end of this and I wanted to pick it up right away because of the contrast it provided being from the emperor's POV. I would actually be interested in reading the sequel but this one was disappointing for me.

2.5/5 ⭐️

Before I get to the negative bits, I want to make it clear that most of my negative feelings toward this book have very little to do with the writing itself. I think that Cave could have a strong career ahead as a writer. That said the middle portion of this book is one of the single biggest drags I’ve ever experienced as a reader. When the romance takes center stage at the beginning and the end the story is engaging and tantalizing to consume. Outside the romance it’s hard to find a lot of positives; the world is bland, it’s fantasy with almost zero fantasy elements outside exterior menace from creatures you never meet. What it boils down to for about 50% of its pages is a building sim that has little do with actual development outside water carrying. I hate writing reviews like this but growth is hard without negative feedback. As I eluded to the issue has much less to do with the writing as with the crafting of the world and even more so the story.

e-ARC from NetGalley.

This is basically my perfect book and I've already recommended it to all applicable parties! 🥰

Almost as soon as I started, I drew parallels to one of my favorite webtoons, Under the Oak Tree. At one point, I legitimately checked my copy to make sure they weren't the same book. They are not. Don't worry.

This novel follows two protagonists. Ophele, the abused and neglected bastard daughter of the Emperor, and Remin, the son of "traitors," who has only survived the Emperor's numerous assassination attempts thus far by good fortune and sheer force of will.

Seven years prior to the start of our story, Remin was assigned an impossible duty by the Emperor: To retake a valley the Empire had been warring over for centuries. In exchange, Remin would be granted the valley, reappointed as a noble, and given more gold than he knew what to do with. But Remin added a last condition to the terms: If he won back the valley, he was to be given the Emperor's daughter for his wife. The Emperor had no intention for Remin to even survive and is willing to do anything he can - assassination, poison, espionage, betrayal - to make sure he doesn't.

And yet, Remin succeeds.

And thus he finds himself bound - as an insult - to the Emperor's bastard daughter, Ophele. Though the estate upon which Remin finds her is hers, it was taken from her by a disgraced noble family after her mother's death, and she has spent the years since as little more than a lowly servant and a magnet for the ladies' cruelty.

Their marriage is abrupt - Ophele not even aware that she's betrothed - and her new husband is closed-off and brooding. As they travel to the newly won valley where Remin is building his dynasty, Ophele shyly manages to build relationships with all but her own husband.

From the moment she was introduced, I loved Ophele. She is so sweet and brave and curious. The friendships she builds are unintentional and grounded entirely upon her own innocent kindness.

For some time, though, I struggled with Remin. He seemed callous and unnecessarily cruel to Ophele. It made me resent him. Even as his realizations about his new wife brought tears to my eyes, I didn't understand his complete unwillingness to let her in. Until I did. And then I cried for him as well.

This is not an action-packed story. Most of it is spent building a perimeter wall and carrying water to laborers. Most violence and battle occurs off the page. Often, we are not privy to the characters' innermost motivations. But that is not a deterrent. Cave's writing and storytelling is better than I could have dreamed and I was not disappointed.

This book was wonderful. It's somehow a beautiful, slowburn romance; a cozy fantasy; and a story with high stakes, all at once. There is so much love and warmth within this found family. There is this sense of anxious guilt over every perceived failure as they build this city and fight off demonic creatures night after night. There's the agony of waiting for the characters to understand each other, to learn to speak and to trust. There's the sinister knowledge that the next attempt on Remin's life could come from anywhere at any time. There's the question of why it hasn't already.

I don't know what else to say about it. This is my perfect book and I cannot wait for the next one.

I want to thank the author and netgalley for this ARC. This book caught my attention and was quite captivating.  The chemistry between the characters was great. I had a great time reading this story

I loved the world building and politics.
I liked the story and the characters. I spent a good time reading it.
The plot is captivating and i loved romance. I really enjoyed this book

There are fewer things better than starting a new book with no expectations and it delivering something great. Melissa J Cave's 'Traitor Son' does exactly that and was a brilliant read.

Thanks to excellent world-building, superb characterisation, and political machinations, I was quickly gripped and thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this new series.

Whilst the romance element of the plot took centre stage (something I'm not normally into), I was engaged throughout and the fantasy and political elements woven around this were very well done, with the potential of what's to come a very exciting prospect!

I'm really looking forward to the next instalment and would give this 4.5 stars if I could. A very nice surprise and a huge thank you to NetGalley and Owl & Bear for an ARC of this novel.

The content of this book wasn't exactly what I was expecting it to be based on the synopsis. But that ended up being fine. This book ended up being more cozy.
Remin and Ophele are two characters who've gone through a lot of trauma. Remin was orphaned over a lie, and Ophele was punished in her own way for that lie. Isolated and abused by the people assigned to care for her she grew up being unsure of herself.

I enjoyed reading about these two characters grow together and learn to trust. Both had been hurt, and they both needed to trust themselves as well trust each other. There are hints of a darker plot for later books, and I look forward to reading them.

This was such a good tale of loyalty, betrayal, and survival. The writer was superb. If you want a book that is rich with political intrigue, forbidden love, and the haunting legacy of war, Traitor Son delivers a powerful and heart-wrenching journey you won’t forget.

I was sent this ARC by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really interesting read. While I enjoyed the story, it took a good bit of time to truly grasp what was going on which was a little harder to stay focused. Overall, I’m glad I read this book & I appreciate the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this debut novel. I do look forward to continuing the story between Remin and Ophele and watching their characters grow. It was a 3.5 star book for me!

Traitor Son by Melissa Cave - first book in the Empire of the Stars series

This is an adventurous story, which deals with inner struggles and outward conflicts.

It is challenging in that the world that both protagonists have been born into, has not been easy. They each deal with these challenges in their own way.

I felt for both of the main characters, who went through emotional trauma, and are trying to find a way through it...living their lives (picking up the pieces). It's not always easy.

There are times of being reflective within the story, how their lives could've been/should've been.

There are a number of times that I truly felt sad the main characters...and what they were going through.

The story is faily well paced. Medium paced story.

This is a character based story. There is world building that is happening, and Fantastical elements, but truly, it is based in these two characters and their lives.

There is a lot of character development within this first book. I'm also curious to see what will transpire in the subsequent sequels...which are coming, soon.

The question can be asked, are the characters loveable? Well that's complicated. I loved them, but I didn't always agree with why they were doing what they were doing. I'd say that Ophele was/is more loveable than Remin, but then again...Remin is a damaged person...who is fighting the demons that have come against him, from early childhood.

The characters are diverse, but we were in a narrow set of people. I think the story will diversify more...in the sequels. They set the stage, and we are now grounded with the main characters...now we can explore...more.

Indeed, the flaws of main characters are a main focus of the story. We are inside their head, and we hear their struggles, and we (as the readers) want them to make better choices.

3.75 Stars

I do not usually read SPICY novels. Not to say that I haven't, but this one was VERY different from those others. I was actually VERY surprised that this WAS a spicy novel, for the setup, the character introductions, and the characters didn't feel like a spicy novel, but a Fantasy novel that had spice...and the spice is VERY spicy. IF this had been a visual story, this would be X-Rated.

Again, this is a Fantasy story. It is character based, and the main characters are Remin and Ophele.

It is an ememies to lovers trope. The reasons why they become involved with each other is fairly well developed...and believable. Again, this is a Fantasy story.

In some ways, it reminded me of Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge series). In that series there is a lot of sexual interactions (mostly abusive), but the story is the main focus.

In this story, the desire for Remin to build a land, and create that which was stolen from his family is so well done.

The Fantastical elements for this story were truly frightning...and fit well with the overgrown landscape and the idea that this land had not been cultivated by humanity (for a long time). Left to grow fallow, and the beasties have retaken the land from the humans.

There were portions of this story that I felt fell short in my opinion. There is a reasoning that Remin has (a trauma), from childhood, that doesn't allow him to trust practically anyone (other than the soilders that have been in battle with him). So this causes him to not trust the person, he really should be able to trust.

The story deals with this issue, but still...it caused me doubt that this could've/would've gotten this far (for the time).

Again, I enjoyed this story, and actually going to buy the book (since this is an eArc through Net Galley), and have even Pre-Ordered the sequel. If the sequel keeps the Fantasy elements and worldbuilding in tact, and doesn't go full cheesy Romance novel, I will continue to read this series.

Another "comp" that can be taken, is a Fantasy world...that Diana Gabaldon would write...when she lets loose on the sex scenes (which is saying something.

I had fun with these characters. Oh, and one last thing...the character of Minche is a favourite. A playboy, but a true friend to Remin (and Ophele). Really enjoyed their interactions.

👉 Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content

I'm really excited to see where this series goes! It's fantasy without the heavy world building, the Empire's most feared warrior and an exiled Princess all wrapped up in a marriage of convivence and some found family sprinkled in.

Remin and Ophele are two complicated characters - they've faced horrific loss and pain yet despite this, they both want to find happiness and a place to call home yet their honour and secrets may just make this impossible for them.

Melissa Cave has managed to write a story that is fairly low stakes but with enough political intrigue an character development to keep you on your toes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Owl & Bear for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Traitor Son is a lot cozier than the synopsis would lead you to believe. It is a sweet romance, centering on what happens after the hero conquers the opposing army. It is very much a “slice of life” book, marketed as a with fantasy.

The beginning was incredible and had me hooked almost immediately, however after that the pace slows as we get perspectives from both main characters.

If you are in the mood for a cozier medieval fantasy romance with a little adventure, I think you will love this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

Traitor Son is beautifully written with an accessible and complex magical world. Often fantasy novels get a little carried away with world building and rules, but the world of Traitor Son is easy to learn and enjoy instead of getting bogged down in the details (which has happened in many a popular fantasy book). The story weaves together two characters who are both learning to understand themselves and each other in the messiness of an arranged marriage, building a city from scratch, and super scary night time horrors. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the sequel!

This book was amazing! The story and the world building was so well done! The main female character was so sweet and it was a nice change from other books I have read. And I loved the romance so much!

*Traitor Son* by Mellissa J. Cave is a gripping tale of loyalty, betrayal, and destiny set against a richly imagined world. Cave’s vivid world-building and complex characters pull readers into a story full of intrigue and emotional stakes. It’s a thrilling, immersive read that keeps you hooked from beginning to end.

This book was not what I was expecting-which can either be good or bad; thankfully this was good!
There was so much angst, the FMC had such a good heart and the MMC (understandably) could not trust it. I really felt for both characters and really hope to untangle more of each of their history and past experiences. A lot is eluded to, which make me incredibly intrigued as to more of the details as well as where the story will go.
The book goes into lots of detail on building an empire literally from the ground up. As well as politics, war, romance, and the occasional devil attack sprinkled throughout.
The only drawback for me personally was the FMC age, although being fantasy I understand it, but for me personally 17 is just too young for a main character. Plus with the MMC being 24…

Excited to read the next installment regardless!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

Book was good, but i would give it 3 stars. I think the storyline was a little bit too slow for me, but overall interesting plot kept me going :)

From the prologue, this book had me in its grip! I thought it was a sweet romance that tackles PTSD, Trauma responses and the feelings of abandonment. It teaches about trust even when the world is out to get you. Despite its premise, it ended up being a pretty cozy read about a woman trying to make up for the sins of her father against a man who wants to forget she exists while trying to build a city in a land that is trying to tear them down.

Despite the book grabbing me from the start, my biggest complaint is how long the chapters are. As someone who tends to not stop reading until she finishes a chapter, each one took 30 minutes to get through at my pace of reading. If you are a slower reader, expect 45 minutes to an hour per chapter. This was extremely frustrating as a reader, especially because there were so many moments the story naturally broke and yet it kept on trucking. I think that the writing was good but the structure of chapters in the Dual POV was a bit of a mess. The chapters flipped back and forth between Ophele and Remin and most of the time there was a break letting you know it switched, but occasionally it happened right in the middle of a paragraph. The timeline/timejumps were also inconsistent and there would be sections where they would tell you what happened over a span of a week and then randomly you would be in a conversation happening in the present, revealing the last bit of story was simply a flashback.

I was expecting more of a darker tone based off the description and there was a tension hovering over me as I read, waiting on the problems to really set in. I do think that the story ended up being exactly what it needed to, but I wish that we had more of a threat outside of the "devils" that laid siege to the city every night. The emperor was laid out to be this massive obstacle and outside of talking about him and referencing what happened in the past, he played no part to the story.

I think that Ophele is one of the better FMCs that I have read in a long time. She is shy and anxious which resonates with me on a soul level but watching her slowly grow out of that shell with people was amazing character development. Remin was your "Misunderstood Brooding MMC" and while he pulled it off well, I wasn't a big fan of him. He judged Ophele based off assumptions and refused to see what was happening at face value even though multiple men in his inner circle were telling him to give her a chance. This aspect of his character made it hard for me to resonate with him as a love interest. Granted, this was the plot point that kept them apart and is what they had to overcome to be together, and it was handled well storytelling wise.

I feel that this book wraps up the story quite nicely, but there is going to be more to come. I am unsure if I will continue with the series as I do feel that the strings are all tied up with no major loose ends. However, I wouldn't be against coming back to this world if the author can truly offer us something to keep the story going that doesn't require backtracking on the romance. It feels like we need to have a series of interconnected stand alones focusing on different couples, instead of everything focusing around Remin and Ophele as their story is complete in my eyes.

I did have a good time with this book and if you want something that is easy to follow with tension, this is the one for you!

"Traitor Son" by Melissa J. Cave is a gripping tale of resilience, romance, and the complexities of rebuilding a legacy tarnished by betrayal. The narrative centers around Remin Grimjaw, the son of a traitor, who strives to restore his family's honor by marrying Ophele, the Emperor's daughter, and building a new city from the ground up. This novel masterfully intertwines themes of political intrigue, personal redemption, and the challenges of forging a new path in a world fraught with danger and deception.

Set in a richly imagined world, "Traitor Son" delves into the post-war realities that Remin faces. His quest to reclaim his family's honor and establish a duchy is marred by constant threats, both political and supernatural. The world-building is meticulous, with a focus on the nitty-gritty aspects of city-building and the socio-political dynamics at play. The introduction of monstrous threats adds an additional layer of suspense, ensuring the reader is constantly engaged.

Remin Grimjaw is a complex protagonist. His initial coldness and emotional barriers towards Ophele create tension, but his gradual growth and the unveiling of his motivations make him a compelling character. Ophele, the Emperor's unwanted daughter, is portrayed with a blend of vulnerability and strength. Her journey from a bookish, naive girl to someone striving to find her place in a harsh world is both relatable and inspiring.

The supporting characters, particularly Remin’s loyal knights and the witty Miche, add depth to the story. Wen's humorous outbursts, especially his rant about pastries, provide much-needed levity amidst the heavier themes.

The romance between Remin and Ophele is a central element of the story. Despite the initial friction, their relationship develops organically, with moments of tenderness and mutual understanding. However, the imbalance in their dynamic, with Remin often unintentionally hurting Ophele, can be frustrating. This tension is a double-edged sword, adding realism but also making Remin occasionally hard to empathize with.

"Traitor Son" explores themes of honor, loyalty, and the rebuilding of a tarnished legacy. The narrative underscores the importance of community and the challenges of leadership in a newly established settlement. The exploration of the supernatural elements, though not fully resolved in this installment, promises an intriguing subplot for future books.

While the book excels in character development and world-building, it occasionally falters in pacing. The romance, though well-crafted, sometimes overshadows the political and magical elements, which could benefit from further exploration in subsequent books. The lack of female perspectives, aside from Ophele, and the predominantly male cast in the settlement, could be addressed in future installments to provide a more balanced view.

"Traitor Son" is a promising start to the Empire of Stars series. Melissa J. Cave has crafted a compelling narrative that balances romance, politics, and the challenges of rebuilding from nothing. The unresolved subplots and the potential for further character growth make this a series worth following. Despite its minor flaws, "Traitor Son" is a captivating read that leaves the reader eagerly anticipating the next chapter in Remin and Ophele's journey.