The Forbidden Heir (Four Arts, #2)

by M.J. Scott

She ran to save her life. Now what . . .

Lady Sophia Mackenzie has left almost everything behind. Her country. Her family. Her trust in the queen she suspects tried to kill her. All she has left is her own fledgling magic and her new husband, Cameron. But having fled Anglion to stay alive, she now has to learn how to face the dangers and temptations of Illvya, a land where the magic they practice is everything she’s been raised to fear.

To those who rule Illvya—the mages with their demon familiars and the parliament—having an unbound royal witch like Sophie in their midst is to some an unparalleled opportunity and to others an unbearable threat. As factions form around them, Sophia and Cameron struggle to navigate the intrigues and repercussions of their flight from Anglion. Illvya seeks to control them and Anglion may well still be trying to kill them. As their choices close in around them and Sophia begins to discover the potential of her powers, their bond—both magical and emotional—is pushed to the limit. In the end, in order to survive, Sophia will have to decide between loyalty and destiny and hope the price of her choice is one she can bear to pay . . .

A historical fantasy romance trilogy from M.J. Scott, RITA® Award nominated author of the Half-Light City series, the TechWitch series and the Wild Side Series.

• ISBN10: 0992461529
• ISBN13: 9780992461522
• Publish Date: 3 October 2017
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: AU
• Imprint: Emscott Enterprises
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 340
• Language: English

Reviews

[Ashley]

I'm disappointed I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book. I liked the beginning with the academy setting, but after a while it really started to feel like nothing was happening. Sophia and Cameron also spent a lot of time apart, largely because they had different types of training. That was a bummer because one of the things I liked most about the first book was those two together.

I'm feeling a lot more hesitant about picking up the final book…

[lizarodz]

Quite the Novel Idea http://quitethenovelidea.com http://quitethenovelidea.com/liza-reviews-forbidden-heir-m-j-scott/

I received this book for free from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Well, it was about time!  I read The Shattered Court in 2015 and I loved it and then I waited a while for the sequel.  I'm happy to report that it did not dissapoint at all.

The Forbidden Heir started where the previous book ended, with Sophia and Cameron entering the Academe in Illvya.  Not only did they had to flee from Anglion, but they did so in the middle of the night and they were not prepared for what's to come.  The transition is hard.  The magic is practiced different here, there is a school were students are free to study whatever they want, Sophia doesn't understand the language well and there are scary demons too.

Our royal couple gains asylum in the Academe were they enroll as students until they figure out who to trust and what is going on.  Sophia learns quite a bit about magic, some in class, some by accident.  In the meantime, Anglion sends an envoy to request that Sophie returns to her country as soon as possible.

Just like its predecessor, The Forbidden Heir has a lot of political machinations and plot twists.  Also, since it takes place in a new setting which involves new world building.  I really liked all of this, although I still don't understand how the magic works and exactly what's going on back in Anglion.

Sophie and Cameron haven't been married for long, but they grow a lot as a couple, they truly love each other, and they got each other's back.  Sophie knows a lot about how court politics work and she's very smart and a fast learner, but she took some impulsive decisions too. Cameron is fiercely protective of his wife, but has the hope that they can somehow return to Anglion and the life they had before.  They make a really great couple.

The ending was a bit abrupt and unexpected and I'm not sure where the story is going next. Now, to wait for the next book and I hope it won't be such a long wait :)This review was originally posted on Quite the Novel Idea