Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Secrets of the Starcrossed in exchange for an honest review.

First off, the world here was so interesting I just wish it wasn't framed as a backdrop for a couple that I hated. Cassandra is your standard "good girl finds out world isn't as good as she thought" so we're not going to talk about her a lot but one of her two main love interests Devyn made me want to scream.

At first I was just going to give this a slightly below average rating because a lot of the things I hated about Devyn were things I know other people are into. He calls Cassandra "little girl" and "Papa's little princess" (in reference to her father. He's not calling himself papa and later shortens it to princess) which just... I get Baby is normalized but little girl has always read as not only incredibly condescending but also super creepy. Devyn and Cassandra are also a 4 year age gap couple which is fine I guess since they're in their twenties (although highkey I'm so sure they were originally teenagers that got aged up because of said age gap because the book treats them like teens) but it turns out when they first meant Cassandra was 12 and Devyn was a 16 year old pretending to be 12 to get closer to her and just... every time he used condescending language my brain forced me to remember that and it was not a good time. Anyways like I said, I get that kind of guy is genuinely people's type so here's your warning that the next paragraph where I reveal what made me big time want to slap Devyn has spoilers.

Drugs! That's the spoiler. Cassandra and Devyn have their first kiss in the right headspace then he's all "no we can't be together" but then when they get a lot more physically intimate for the first time it's established that Cassandra is trying to seduce him while on drugs that are meant to make her hypersexual. Cassandra acknowledges it, Devyn acknowledges it, and I was all ready to be annoyed that this book was going to have a "no, I might be an asshole but I won't take advantage of you" scene to try and redeem all of Devyn's earlier crappiness but then I got even more furious because he very quickly is like "hmmm... if you insist."

I'm so frustrated. I loved the world and themes being set up here. I wanted to explore them. But everything in this book is so tightly wrapped up in Devyn's character and he was just so awful that he tainted everything for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy of this book!!!

The description of this book had me very interested to see where it would go. This is a world where the Roman Empire has never fallen and everyone must follow a code of high morality and are punished if they do not. Our heroine Cassandra has lived a privileged life until a one day she notices a boy in her class is carrying some ‘illegal tech’ and everything begins to change in her life.

I didn’t enjoy the first person POV of this story and Cassandra felt a little underdeveloped as a heroine. I was more curious about both Devyn and Marcus and hope that we hear more about things from their POV in future books. This is an interesting story and I look forward to reading the other novels that follow.

Thanks again for the advanced copy!!

It was a little hard to follow as I am not into history, but I do like the celtic integrations. An interesting and fun quick read, which is a great start to a trilogy

First of all, I want to say I absolutely love the cover of this book, it is about a world where the roman empire never fell and the protagonist are; Cassandra, who is the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and Devyn who is searching for a girl with magic in her blood, I loved this book especially because I fell in love with the characters and the story itself, once I started reading it I couldn't stop, I would recommend this for people who like a love story in a difficult situation, it was incredible.

Set in an alternate timeline where the Roman Empire never fell, the premise for this book is absolutely fascinating. However, in between the references to various historical figures and dynasties and the relationship between magic and technology in this fictional universe, it was sometimes difficult to follow the storyline. Perhaps more background information will be given in upcoming volumes.

This is how you kick off a trilogy!! Great world building and an exciting story mean that I'm definitely hyped to read the rest of the story! If you're looking for an engaging story for the colder nights this is It!

The description of this book caught me first. What if the Romans won and the brittons were cast out. The romans live by a high moral code, surrounded by tech that constantly monitors them to suggest their next purchase. The Britons And celts live outside the main walled city’s and use magic which Is forbidden in the city’s. the main character becomes involved with a mysterious boy who is looking for a lost person and all starts to unravel for our mc. Whilst I found myself guessing things the mc overlooked I still found this an entertaining read. The descriptions and the mc’s thought process were sometimes too drawn out, but the plot still progressed. I did on occasion have to re-read between chapters as they did not seem to flow at time’s, making me feel
I had missed something. Over all I will be looking for the next book as I’d like to see where this goes!!

Overall 2⭐

I wanted to love this book. Desperately. It's premise is an interesting one, a world where the Roman Empire never fell.

Instead it's grown within tight walls that have forced it to expand up while keeping non-citizens out with digital and physical walls.

It's such a good premise but what lies behind the cover is not enjoyable. The writing is clunky. The main character is flat and uninteresting.
It's got a poorly done love triangle and the plot feels like it's not really there.

Things seem to happen just to push the character along, not like it's actually happening because of her.

The worldbuilding is also dumped on the reader. The long chapters sort of spill a lot of detail in unnecessary ways.

Then there's the romance. Yes, i mentioned the love triange but there's also an insta-love.

Cass has gone to school with the same guy since they were young then suddenly falls for him. And it is sudden. To the point she's running her hands through his hair in the middle of a conversation then later trying to make him jealous.

The romance all of a sudden just being there was disorienting. I actually went back a few pages to make sure I hadn't missed something but no it's that fast.

I'm disappointed but hope the rest of the series will do better. I'm not sure I'll read the books though.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and Clara O’Connor for providing me with an ARC of 'Secrets of the Starcrossed: The Once and Future Queen' in exchange for an honest review.

As someone that has never read 'The Hunger Games', my initial interest in this novel stemmed from the fascinating concept of a world where the Roman Empire never fell and where the past and the future collide to create the intriguing world of Londinium and the ancient Celtic kingdom.

The world of Londinium is filled with opposites that exist in a constant state of conflict: Roman versus Celtic; the past versus the future; magic versus science; love versus duty; and the Code versus Chaos. Within this world, Cassandra, the only daughter of a powerful merchant finds herself trapped between the aforementioned conflicts with her desire to remain faithful to the Code becoming slowly undermined by the mysterious Devyn.

Whilst I found this book a bit of a slow burner at first, the world that O’Connor has created is fascinating – through her use of vivid descriptions, the reader is fully immersed in the futuristic world of Londinium. This is definitely an interesting read for those that enjoy New Adult/YA fiction crossovers with fantasy intertwined throughout.

This series certainly has a lot of potential and I was left absolutely hooked by the fantastic cliff-hanger at the end. I cannot wait to find out what fate awaits Cassandra and Devyn and I will certainly read the next in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of the book? All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I originally wanted to read this book because it said it was for fans of the hunger games.... I'm a fan of the hunger games, but not of this book.

It was boring and I had to force myself through it.

I came to this book with no preconceived views about what a YA book should be or what Celtic legend and myth should contain and read it at face value. As a result I thought it was a real triumph of world building with immense detail and so well thought out. I loved the concept of the Roman Empire clinging on to Londinium against a backdrop of the wildlands beyond and noted the satirical nod to how London still dominates our economics and politics. I also loved the hints of Tudor history, the Wars of the Roses mixed in with a touch of Arthurian legend and the mystery of Cassandra's blood line.

I also enjoyed the development of her character from idle, frivolous product of the code to her growing awareness and realisation that every aspect of her life and those of others is controlled by the rulers of the city and her increasing dismay when she realises that everything in her life has been pre-ordained by the powers that be, even the repression of her magic.

I really like that there's still so much to discover about Cassandra and that we haven't learned everything in the first book. I felt that the sense of unrequited love with Devyn and the yearning for him was particularly well done and I also like the growing understanding between her and Marcus.

There were plenty of twists and turns in the plot and I raced through this story desperate to know what happens. In fact I might confess to uttering a little wail of disappointment at the cliff hanger ending. I for one will definitely be waiting for Book 2.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, with an interesting premise and fabulous, detailed world building that completely drew me in. Five stars from me.

This book was a bit confusing for me. I expected it to be Arthurian, but it felt almost futuristic and new age-y.

I couldn't get a good handle on the story and I felt bored most of the time.
I feel if it had more side character development and more details in the world building, then I may have enjoyed it a bit more thoroughly.

Thank you Netgalley/Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love an alternative history and a long time ago, back in the mists of time, I studied classics so a Roman alternate history is an insta read for me. The world building here is superb and fascinating. It's not set in present day alternate history but in the future. Londinium is the last post of the Roman Empire and a walled sky scraper city. The rest of the UK and Ireland is held by Celts and Britons and split into various kingdoms and fiefdoms - Mercia, Alba etc. The Romans are super high tech, the non Roman world more mystical and magical and mutual suspicion and apathy rules between them.

Citizens get around their vertical city by monorail, as they walk avatars with their body and shape model clothes and accessories in a bid to lure them in, but despite the advanaced tech punishment is still dolled out publicly and bloodily. This is Cassandra's world. Promised to the high born son of a senator she loves her life of fashion and frivolity, although she's kept on a tighter leash by her adoptive parents than many of her friends. Near to graduation a year of freedom awaits before she settles down with her handsome, famous intended. All is perfect - until the day she gets to close to a classmate and senses he's hiding something, and feels a connection between them. Suddenly Cassandra finds she is questioning all she's ever known - the Code all citizens abide by, her future marriage and her identity.

There is a lot I enjoyed in this book but there are some flaws frustratingly common to YA books. The first person narrative keeps us firmly in Cassandra's POV and she's just not interesting enough a character to hold my attention for long periods of time. She's nearly twenty one but for a long time I thought she was sixteen - and an immature sixteen year old at that! Secondly there's the whole pre destined part - Cassandra is the heroine because of who she is not what she does and althiugh there are good reasons for her passivity, her lack of knowledge, her blundering it does get frustrating. I like a heroine with more agency, one who sees the problem in the system and sets out to right them, not one who gets pulled into it because the plot dictates it. And thirdly there's an instalove love triangle with shades of Bella/Edward and I think we are all beyond that. I think I'd quite like Devyn and Marcus to develop feelings for each other, there's definitely some simmering tension there!

However Marcus is a great character with real conflict and drive, Devyn needs more developing but likewise has agency and I will give Cass the benefit of the doubt and read the next book because as I say, the world building is intriguing and done well and I am very interested in seeing where Marcus goes next.

Quite frankly, this book was disappointing. I should know by now not to trust what a book is compared to, but this blurb mentioned three of my favorites. I mean, how can a book that's compared to Panem, the Grishaverse, and Marie Lu go wrong? While not necessarily bad, this book answered that question.

First off, the worldbuilding in this was super confusing. It's based on history, but with some events removed, and others added. As someone who's already unfamiliar with European history, this just confused me more. I understood bits and pieces, but I'm still confused as to all of the different kingdoms and why things are the way they are. It felt to me like a lot of different groups were thrown together, and the author just decided to work with it.

I think I also had preconceived notions of what this book would be like, and both of them were wrong. Considering this was called "The Once and Future Queen" I expected familiar characters, or at least an Arthurian feel. Sadly, this book had neither. I feel like there may have been a few nods to the original tale, but I was also looking super hard for them.

I also expected this to really showcase Ireland and its beliefs, which excited me, because I'm always looking to learn more about my heritage. Some Celtic beliefs and icons were thrown in, but they weren't super prominent. Considering the Celtic knot on the cover, I really expected more.

My main problem with this book was the insta-love, and connected love triangle. I really need to stop reading books that have the theme of soulmates or matches, because they always frustrate me. I love slow burn romances, and books with soulmates always seem to use it to establish insta-love. Despite having gone to school together for years, Cass saw Devyn, and was instantly in love. This was just so hard for me to read, because their attraction was super over the top.

I've read a few books with love triangles that were written super well, and this was not one of them. It was pretty tropey, you have the prearranged marriage, and the new love. I was honestly rooting for Marcus, I actually really liked him. I really loved Devyn and Marcus, but the love triangle was just a bit much.

I read this book pretty fast, considering that the plot is fairly nonexistent. This book was mainly used to set up conflicts for the other books in the series, and while I understand that, this book was just a bit too long. I wouldn't say that it was romance driven, but the love triangle definitely got a lot of page time.

The painful part of this was that the book just had so much potential. I loved the characters, and the idea behind this, but I just found that the execution fell a bit short. I'll probably be looking for the next books in the series, if only to see if the potential is fulfilled.

Thanks to Clara O'Connor and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Secrets of the Starcrossed by Clara O'Connor is a futuristic young adult fantasy story that follows a naive, rule-following elite young woman as her life and identity unravel.

It's a trope-y story: love triangle, forbidden love, cold mother, dystopian society, lost heir. But despite the tropes, the magic system and societal structure are unique and intriguing, Arthurian-esque as the blurb describes. I recently read a nonfiction account of ancient Rome and Britannia, so it was super fun to see little Easter eggs of historical facts hidden in this story. It adds a feel of historical fiction that I love and matures the YA mood.

My biggest criticism is the writing itself. I love the story! I adore the characters! But the book is written in 1st person POV only from one character and takes place largely in her head. 1st person POV has a tendency to off very cheesy if the author isn't careful. There's very little dialogue and too much over explaining by the main character to push the story forward, yet not enough world building around the main character to support the claims that she's a societal princess, popular and under scrutiny. There are some missed opportunities, and it reads like it needs another solid edit from an editor.

The characters are in their early 20's and with the inclusion of mild sexually explicit content, this is fully in the "young adult" category, NOT teen fiction. I do criticize that I wish the author had made the characters a little more mature for a New Adult story, or not included the sex and left it for teens. It's a legit and annoying problem that "YA fantasy" rarely seems to know who it's for.

This story has so much potential! It's so creative and fascinating. It's a neat world! Secrets of the Starcrossed would be a 4 star read except that the writing is lacking. I definitely recommend this story and will finish the series! I hope the next books are edited more closely and that we get out of the main character's head more.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review!