I received this book via the author, Siobhan Davis. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
The Secret Heir by Siobhan Davis Series: Alinthia #2
Published by Self Publish on 2018-03-31
Length: 265 pages
Reviewing eARC Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2018 New Release Challenge
Is it her destiny to save them … or destroy them?
Now that Tori finally understands who she is and what’s expected of her, she’s in full-on freak-out mode. How will she save the galaxy from General Arantu’s clutches when she can’t even control her powers?
Add that to the lack of retaliation by enemy alien forces, and everyone is on edge. Especially when they uncover evidence of a strange alien symbol with possible links to humans, and the mystery deepens, along with their frustration.
But that’s not the only thing keeping Tori awake at night.
Confused over the horrific vision she experienced the night of the Herassan attack, Tori is terrified of revealing details of her protectors’ supposed fate, so she says nothing. Keeping stuff hidden never ends well, and as evil forces conspire against Tori and her four protectors, secrets and lies threaten to destroy everything they hope to achieve. While Tori grows closer to Coop, Maddox, and Beck, Dane remains distant, creating more tension and jeopardizing their bond.
Then an unexpected newcomer arrives, casting suspicion over everything they believe they know.
When Tori finally figures out what’s going on, will she have time to warn the guys? Or is their fate already sealed?
The second book in the captivating Alinthia series is intended for readers aged seventeen and older. This is upper YA/NA crossover reverse harem paranormal romance which gets steamier as the series develops. This book ends with a cliffhanger and cannot be read as a standalone. 92,000-word full-length novel.
Another whirlwind read from Siobhan Davis! The Secret Heir is the second book in her Alinthia series and picks up a few weeks after the end of The Lost Savior. If you haven’t read that book yet, read ahead with caution as there may be spoilers from the first book in this review (though I’ll try my best to not have any). Book one ended on a pretty awful cliffhanger, not as bad as some of Davis’s previous books but still bad. I was left reeling and SO happy there was only a couple of months wait between the two. I don’t think I would’ve been able to handle more of a wait!
Tori has come so far from the girl she was at the beginning of the series. She now knows who she is, where she comes from, and what she is destined to do. She’s embraced it all with grace and little hesitation. The problem is she is now harboring a big secret from the guys who she just agreed to move in with. The thing with secrets is they fester like a war wound, and the longer you wait to share it, the harsher the outcome. I was seriously yelling at her (you know, in my mind) to come clean. Aside from this, Tori really proves herself to the guys following Dane’s training schedule and pouring all of her energy into learning how to harness her powers and the prophecy. Like the previous book, this one is told mainly from her POV, and I was fully engaged, experiencing things with her.
The guys *swoon* So I’ll admit when I first heard that Siobhan Davis was writing a reverse harem series that I was hesitant and a little skeptical. I’m a firm believer in monogamy so the idea of multiple love interests was a red flag for me. However Davis pulls this off beautifully without it feeling dirty or cheap (does that make sense?). Each of the guys in this story are fully fleshed out, with their own unique personalities and character flaws, yet they work together as one unit. I found myself attracted to each of the guys in different ways and could see how Tori would love them each equally. Maddox is still my favorite though. He’s the tough guy, the muscle of the group, but seems to understand Tori the best. He knows when to push her, when to back off, and intuitively understands what she needs when she needs it whether that be a run in the woods or a simply hug.
The plot of this book moves quickly. A new character appears and wreaks havoc in Tori’s life, causes doubt between her and the guys, and calls into question the validity of the prophecy. This in addition to the secret Tori is keeping really weighs on her and causes tension between her and Dane (who has the ability to sense the course of action and when someone isn’t being truthful). All of this builds throughout the story until in the end as the reader you don’t know who to trust anymore. There are several plot twists and questions that arise as the story progresses that culminate in the big reveal at the end of the book.
Overall I loved The Secret Heir! It’s the perfect compliment to the first book and doesn’t suffer from second-book syndrome like many do. If anything, I enjoyed this one more than the first. The author takes us off world for a little bit, and we get to meet more aliens. So I’d call that a win in the scifi category. The romance aspect is really starting to rev its engines (so to speak) with some very hot, steamy make out scenes 😉 If you enjoyed the first book, you will want to grab a copy of this one ASAP. If you haven’t read the first book yet, I strongly suggest you do, otherwise you will be lost in reading this one. I highly recommend this series for anyone that enjoys science fiction, paranormal romance, and reverse harems.
About Siobhan Davis
USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense young adult and new adult fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She is the author of the international bestselling True Calling, Saven, and Kennedy Boys series.
Siobhan’s family will tell you she’s a little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. She can rarely be found without her trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or her laptop somewhere close at hand.
Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.
She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.
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