“Book Review: Heir of Arcadia”

Reviewed by Steph Huddleston

A magnetic romance set amongst the stars

Sure, this novel carries an air of intergalactic investigation to it, but the romance between billionaire CEO Julian Collins and special agent Quinn Lehi takes center stage. This bickering pair shares a deep attraction and irritation for one another, making it apparent from the very beginning that we’re going to have more hurdles to hop over than just an intense space investigation.

When Collins asks Quinn to look into the special division of his company, the pair must work through their emotions for the benefit of the mission. Added to that the strange visions Collins has been having from a video game bleeding into his real life—and you know things are about to get interesting.

Heir of Arcadia is an undoubtedly well-written sci-fi romance, peppered throughout with action aplenty. The pair gives off a palpable chemistry, often relayed by romantic tropes like miscommunication and enemies to lovers. And that’s not even mentioning the vibrant science fiction world they inhabit. Collins and Quinn’s romantic storyline might be the emphasis of the novel, but it’s this intergalactic plot as backdrop that raises our hopes for what could become a truly spectacular YA splash.

The book’s exploration of Arcadia holds high potential. Descriptions of the planet and its technology are at first intriguing, but the execution leaves depth to be desired. A lack of clarity establishing the boundaries of the world can become disorienting for readers, seeming to miss the mark just slightly.

Similarly, the worldbuilding leaves a few questions unresolved, or they are presented as already-assumed knowledge of the world—thus leaving us on the outside of complete immersion. While the main characters do satisfy my readerly interests, especially with their romantic back and forth, the abundance of secondary characters occasionally takes away from what I came here for. This is particularly noticeable in the first half of the book, where some characters seem important initially only to fall out shortly after.

Still, Heir of Arcadia toes a delicate balance between intense science fiction and passionate romance. This is a difficult line to walk, but the novel achieves a satisfying level of engagement for both genres.

Those who enjoy an impassioned, opposites-attract romance will have a lot to enjoy with this one, especially if they want to add some intergalactic imagery to the mix. Despite its worldbuilding pitfalls, Heir of Arcadia is an altogether enjoyable story that brings lightheartedness and adventurousness to the forefront of readers’ minds.

ISBN: 978-1732507197

Paperback: 336 pages

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