I really enjoyed this book! I was expecting more of a mystery and fantasy book but it was very much a historical romance which I surprisingly really liked. This book as well written and was fast paced enough to keep me engaged but not to fast I felt disconnected from the story.

what is delightful story. Even with the best planning, things may not go as smoothly as One would hope. But if it’s meant to be, it will be and that’s how I like the story.

This is a promising start to a new series, featuring a governess and a former pirate. The fact that he spent about 30 years not aging adds to the magical quality of the story. I will say that the beginning scenes when Mae meets the mysterious man in the forbidden woods was very well done. That's the time they are tip toeing around each other, trying to figure out each other's lies and truths.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Thank you, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not a big historical romance reader, but this one promised a bit of fantasy and a half-Filipino lead, so I was hooked by the premise.

Mae is a governess formerly from high society England. A chance encounter leads her to meet Ethan Locke, a pirate with a connection to her past. Together, they embark on a journey to find her family’s old fortune. Among this treasure is a magical sapphire that a secret society has its eyes on. Their adventure is filled with mysteries, intrigue, and plenty of yearning.

I enjoyed the beginning, but the middle faltered a bit while the ending picked up the stakes again. There were a couple of plot points that seemed unnecessarily dragged out, but it shines when it finds its footing again. I really like how the author weaved in some diversity into the story and it was a breath of fresh air to read. I’m intrigued enough in the world that’s been built to read more about it in future installments.

The romance is so sweet but a little bland at times. It’s a closed-door romance, so I wasn’t expecting anything spicy, but I would have enjoyed a bit more sweetness in the middle of the book where the plot kind of faltered for a bit. I loved reading Mae’s POVs, and she was a great lead in this novel. Locke was a bit underwhelming, but I think I just wanted a bit more of an adventurous spirit from a pirate. Since he’s a self-described retired pirate, he comes off a little boring.

3.5 ⭐️ rounding up!

This was a strong start to the Silver Order series, it had that historical fiction element that I was looking for and enjoyed about this type of book. The characters had that overall concept that I wanted and enjoyed getting into this world. I was hooked from the first page and was glad everything worked together to tell the story. I'm excited for more in this series and from Ella Leon.

3.5 rounding up! I went into this thinking it was going to be heavy on fantasy, but it's more historical romance with mystery and fantasy elements. I was pleasantly surprised!

Mae was left on her own after her brother died (their parents passed away previously) and her family's shipbuilding business fails (she trusted a business manager, as she didn't have the knowledge to run the business herself. When she sells the family property, she remains as the governess of the two daughters, one of whom is old enough to enter society.

One evening, Mae's meets a mysterious man in the woods and in intrigued by him. This man, Locke, is a retired pirate who had been wearing a magic gem that kept him from aging and a possessed an elixir that healed him when injured. It turns out that Locke was a contemporary of Mae's father and he's 58 years old, though hasn't aged since he was 30. He's seeking a treasure Mae's father may have hidden at the house.

Two other men are part of the cast. One is definitely a villain, but the other's allegiance is vague. He knows Locke and seems to work with him, but Locke also doesn't seem to want to work with him. Yes, it's a little confusing, but you will root for Mae from start to finish. Her life went from sheltered and happy to complicated very quickly, but she roles with the punches. She has all this knowledge that keeps the three male characters in check at times and that’s pretty satisfying!

I believe the setting is the Victorian era, as there are horses and carriages, but also a train. I think I wish the setting was a little more defined, but that's my inner history nerd. In addition, aside from the mention of Bristol and other countries that Mae's parents and Locke visited, I didn't get a firm idea of where Mae's and Locke's homes were. There's a point when they are at a third home, but Mae doesn’t know how she got there. They take a train back to Mae's home from there, so things come full-circle.

This was an interesting story, but I think it's one that might be even better upon a second read, which I'll be doing when the second book in the series comes out.

As soon as I saw the Deal for this book in publishers marketplace I knew I had to read it right away. I love high stakes historic romance and I love magic within historical romance, and this book did not disappoint. You can tell the author lovingly integrated historical details, and the writing was gorgeously, lushly atmospheric and fast paced. Also, surprisingly, hauntingly gothic in a way I definitely didn't expect but appreciated. The mystery of the sapphire kept me hooked and turning the pages long past when I should have gone to sleep.

More historical romance novels should put names on their chapters!

I would classify this one as sweet, not spicy.

Tropes
- Governess FMC
- Pirate MMC
- Excellent banter
- Secret society
- Treasure hunters
- Meet in a storm
- Caught wandering the house at night
- Magic healing
- Secret messages
- Revenge quest

Loved reading the mesmerizing and entertaining romance story. Ethan Locke, a pirate, needs to find the sapphire that was stolen from him and return it to Pierce, a member of the Silver Order, but Locke makes a deal with a ruthless man, Ellsworth, for the governess, Mae, to aide them in retrieving Mae's hidden family fortune. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting love story.

I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I went into this book thinking high seas and treasure. That was not accurate. Don’t get me wrong the story was good but I was very incorrect in the assumption that pirates meant sailing. It doesn’t. The whole story takes place after the pirates retire, so it’s all on land.

The beginning was okay, the middle dragged really badly but the ending made up for it. Was there some odd story lines sure, was the love a little fast yes. The love scene is closed door which surprised me (again my fault for assuming but with the cover I assumed it was a bodice ripper romance.)

Locke is a retired pirate. He’s 60 something years old in a 30 year old body. He stole a gem and it made him stop aging. The person he stole it from is after him so he needs to find the gem, which was stolen by his rival several years ago. The rival is dead so the key to finding the Sapphire is her. So onward they go on a merry chase from evil doers to try and find the treasure.

The ending was great with lots of action. I do think we need a little more in the middle but all in all a decent, easy read.

Thank you NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the ARC.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Sapphire Heiress by Ella Leon is a third person dual-POV historical fantasy romance set in Victorian England. Mae is half-Filipino and a disgraced former member of society who has taken a job as a governess for the family living in her old home. While there, she meets Ethan Locke, a former pirate and the fiancee of the daughter of Mae’s new employer.

The fantasy elements here are on the lighter side. Ethan Locke is a lot older than he appears, having worked alongside several generations of Mae’s family, and he aged about seven years when the sapphire keeping him young was stolen from him. We don't get a ton of information on how the sapphire became a sort of fountain of eternal youth nor how the serums work so well, but the rules do seem fairly firm. For the most part, this is more of a suspensful historical romance rather than an epic fantasy romance.

What I really liked was how Mae is both kind and understanding while also having a strong sense of self-preservation. She broke her engagement to a man who she knew was bad news despite knowing it would make her fall from grace in society. As a biracial woman in Victorian England, it put her in an extremely difficult spot, but her desire to be physically safe outweighed any need for security in a limited society and she figured out a way to secure her future once again.

Mae and Ethan’s relationship gets off on the wrong foot and it stays on the wrong foot for a little bit, mostly due to Ethan's actions and his inability to see past what he wants. He's fine hurting other people as long as he gets the sapphire back untill he sees just how his actions are impacting the people around him

Content warning for mentions of domestic abuse

I would recommend this to fans of historical romance looking for a light speculative element, readers of pirate romances who want a biracial lead, and those looking for a Victorian romance with intrigue focused on a governess