I fell completely in love with the world Adrienne Young brought to life in her Fable series, which is unsurprising since I’ve always been partial to stories about sea adventures. When it was announced that she’d be returning to this world one more time (as of right now, anyway) in The Last Legacy, I immediately added this standalone novel to my TBR. Unlike the duology, this book is set solely on Bastian and centers around the Roth family. Eighteen-year-old Bryn Roth receives a letter from her uncle summoning her back to the island to finally take her place with the Roths. But it doesn’t take long for her to realize that she’ll need to fight for her place among the rest of her family, and that it might cost her more than she’s willing to give.

The Last Legacy offers a fresh view on the world brought to life in the Fable series, specifically zeroing in on the Roth family with the use of one of its members as the narrative perspective. It was really fascinating to read about Bryn's opinions and experiences of life as a Roth on the island of Bastian, especially as the novel itself feels a touch darker in tone than the original duology. Bryn herself is a character who immediately piqued my interest; she's clever, courageous and determined to figure out how to make her own fate and future. I'm generally a sucker for female heroines who want more for their lives, especially if they're willing to do whatever it takes... which Bryn certainly is. She's not the only interesting player on the page, however, as it was also cool to learn more about the rest of the Roth family and their allies and enemies.

As has always been my experience with her work, Young's writing is incredibly readable. She really knows how to tell a tale, and when she nails a great moment, she really nails it. (And there were certainly some excellent moments in this one!) Unfortunately, there were aspects of the story that didn't quite work for me personally. The romance, while I did want it to blossom, felt underdeveloped. There were also events that felt too contrived, and the pacing was a touch choppy too. And the ending also felt more abrupt and less earned than I would have liked it to feel (which was likely due to the wrap-up chapters feeling a bit rushed).

Still, I overall enjoyed reading The Last Legacy. It builds on the world that Young brought to life in her most recent duology, while also being an entirely separate story that has a very different vibe to it. Anyone who enjoyed the Fable series will likely enjoy checking out this addition to the world as well, especially if they were already previously curious about the Roth family.

3.5

Thank you for providing me an early eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I definitely enjoyed this read but not as much as Fable. Speaking of Fable, I highly recommend reading that do Ology before reading this one it helps you understand this world better.

This book follows Bryan Roth who has grown up away from the Roth family until now. She is eager to prove herself to her uncle Hendrick and the rest of her family. She quickly learns that her family deals with a lot of underground business. They deal with secrets and perform lots of illegal acts to have the power that they have in Bastian. She wants to prove that she is valuable to the family, but at what cost? Especially when she starts to fall for Ezra, a man who works for her uncle.

I read this book in three days and clearly enjoyed it enough to continue reading. This author is writing style is definitely one of my favourite it is very easy to get sucked into the story and the way she ends her chapters makes you want to keep on reading.

Sadly, the story as a whole was just not completely captivating. Although there is some character growth the characters are interesting and the relationships are complicated and enjoyable it just wasn’t enough. I feel like this book tried to do too much for how short it is. The romance was not as exciting as other books by this author. Considering it’s classified as a forbidden romance it didn’t really feel like it for bidden romance to me. And when the characters began exploring their feelings I felt it was very rushed and I wasn’t completely invested in their relationship which made the romance at the end not super enjoyable.

I really like the politics in the story and the trading of power and schemes I thought that was really interesting I just wish there was more. I almost feel like this book either needed to be longer or it needed to be a duology. It try to do too much which left a lot of the book lacking for me. I still really enjoyed the story and I cannot wait to read more from this author because her writing style is consuming.

I liked this book. At first I was excited to go back to the world from Fable, but as I started reading, I realized it wasn't going to be the pirate type of book I was expecting.

"The Last Legacy" was intriguing, fun and overall a good read. One thing that came to mind when I finished it, was that it wasn't as "exciting" as the Fable duology. Don't get me wrong, it's still interesting and there's some mystery elements included that keeps you guessing or making assumptions about certain characters, but those life and death situations that you would read in Fable, were missing here.

All in all, the pacing was okay (a bit on the slow side), and the book is suitable for Grade 9+ audience, as sex is implied but not descriptive.

If you liked the Fable duology, you should definitely read this book.

As always, thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Last night I sat down and finished my first Adrienne Young novel, “The Last Legacy,” and I was blown away.

I watched as "Fable" and "Namesake" dominated bookstagram throughout the summer months, and finally gave in to my own curiosity.

And while the setting was definitely less mystical than I was expecting, the intricate worldbuilding certainly did not disappoint.

The constant sense of danger in the underground copper race kept me constantly on my toes.

And it gave Bryn Roth a chance to grow into a competent and conniving female protagonist, more than capable of taking care of herself.

But the blossoming romance between Byrne and Ezra at the centre of the novel was my favourite part by far.

This is an intelligent tale of starcrossed lovers refusing to let destiny take away their right to choose.

The narrative did drag at points, but all in all the writing is elegant and readable. And what could be better than that?

I was SO excited to return back to the lands of Fable, because I honestly believe I could read books about that world forever! (I secretly hope she never stops writing stories about that world!) However, this story just seemed to fall a bit flat for me. It had a TON of potential, but in the end it just seemed a bit disconnected. I enjoyed the characters, the premise, and even though it is refreshing to have a stand alone for once, I think it could have developed into something better if it had more (maybe a duology). With that being said- give it a try! You might love it as much as some others have!

In The Last Legacy we’re whisked back to the imaginative and fantastical world of Fable and Namesake!

Readers don’t need to have read the Fable duology in order to enjoy this book. Yes, some characters cross over, but Young has done a wonderful job of making this book stand on its own. The worldbuilding is far from skeletal, and if I hadn’t immediately recognized the names of cities and some of the peripheral characters from Fable, I wouldn’t have realized that this book was written after that duology.

The Last Legacy has an intriguing plot that’s not at all predictable. I jumped into this book without reading the description, since Young has quickly become a “read without questioning anything” author for me. As usual, Young has made good use of her lyrical writing style, immediately capturing my attention. That said, the plot isn’t quite as gripping as the plot in her other books, and it took me a little while to get into the swing of what was going on. The atmosphere is foreboding and mysterious, and for the first forty percent of the story, I wasn’t sure where the story was going, or even what type of story it was going to be.

Young has created characters that are incredibly compelling. I love the protagonist, Bryn. She’s a strong–albeit quite ordinary–young woman. I absolutely love books set in magical settings where the protagonist is seemingly ordinary, and she has to use her wits and other strengths to persevere against whatever life or the book’s antagonist throws in her direction. Bryn seems to be the picture of etiquette and what a proper young lady should be–which she should, since she was brought up to be that way. But it quickly becomes obvious that there’s much more to Bryn than meets the eye. Other characters are just as interesting, especially her family members and the mysterious Ezra.

I recommend this book to those who love a mystical young adult mystery set in a dynamic fantasy world.

Since the death of her parents many years ago Bryn Roth has lived with her sophisticated Aunt Sariah, away from her other relatives. After receiving a letter from her Uncle Henrik on her 18th birthday, Bryn is finally being summoned to join her long-lost family in Bastian. Looking to make her claim in the family business, Bryn embarks on a journey to re-open her late mother's tea house. But as she spends more time learning the family trade, she discovers that they are tangled up in several shady secrets, lies, and deception. Throw in a forbidden romance, and Bryn may have bitten off more than she can chew.

I really enjoyed this story, set in the same world as Fable, also by this author. I loved how you could never tell who was trustworthy in the Roth family, and who was lying and being deceitful to keep the upper hand. I really liked Bryn as a character. She never loses who she is in her battle to claim a spot in the family. She doesn't back down and continuously fights for what she believes in, whether that be not having a loveless marriage, or being able to wear pants instead of the frilly dresses her uncle expects of her. Ezra was an intriguing character, and I definitely wanted to know more about him and what he was hiding as I continued to read. Although the romance was enjoyable, it seemed almost too rushed. It did take a while for it to actually develop into a romance, as for the majority of the book Bryn wasn't the biggest fan of Ezra and vice versa, but then very quickly they fell into bed together claiming to love one another. Just seemed a it off on the pacing. I listened to this on audio, and I really enjoyed the narrator's voice. I think my biggest complaint was the ending, it seemed a bit abrupt and far to convenient. It is understandable as it is a standalone... but I just wanted more from it.

Overall, I did enjoy this story, but in order to understand the context behind the why the merchant ring is up for grabs and why they are important I recommend reading Namesake (which I didn't do so I was definitely confused at times - oops).

This book was a great adventure back to the Narrows! Everything that we loved about Fable- the adventure, the family, the Narrows- was back and better!

The mysterious Roth family was explored and I fell in love with the drama and turmoil. Bryn, the main character, is such a great heroine, because she never expected to be at the center of this journey, but fully embraces it all the same.

What a wild adventure!

Having enjoyed Youngs previous novels I couldn’t wait to read this one. The story of “Bryn” and her hardened “mafia” style family does not disappoint. This book truly has something for everyone. There is murder, mayhem, mystery, and a slow burning, forbidden romance. The world within the pages dangerous, complex, and beautifully enticing. The only thing I can critique is the ending. The finale is written well, but it left me wanting more and felt partially rushed. All in, this is a richly, entertaining novel and should be on everyone’s TBR.

Thank you NetGalley! I was so excited to read this book. I had just reread Fable and Namesake, not knowing what this book would be about. I just know that I’ve liked anything written by Adrienne Young. What an awesome surprise to go back to Bastian and learn more about mysterious Ezra and Bryn.

There's a million dollar question answered in this review, and that question starts with "I" and ends with "-s it better than Fable?"

Bryn has lived with her aunt since her parents died, away from the port city of Bastian and her Roth relatives. When a letter arrives from her uncle calling her back to take her place in the Roth family, she goes without question. But Bryn quickly learns that her "place" in this ruthless family comes at a great cost. She must contribute to their less than savoury enterprises in order for Henrik to obtain the newly available gem guild seat. Raised as a proper lady, her contribution involves her teaching her family how to act as higher members of society, all with the threat of a loveless match waiting on her horizon. But she's not backing down, and Bryn does her best to find her own place in this family without sacrificing who she is at heart.

While I did receive an e-ARC of this, I also received an early audio copy from the publisher and read that instead. It made for a quick read, and Suzy Jackson did a phenomenal job in bringing these characters to life.

As you've no doubt heard, this is a standalone set in the world of Fable, in the bustling port city of Bastian. However, where Fable set sail back and forth across the Narrows, Legacy takes place exclusively on land. Bryn arrives in Bastian shortly after the events that happened in Namesake, thus why a gem guild ring is available for the taking. A few of the characters we already know because we met them in that fabulous duology, namely Henrik Roth and his formidable silversmith, Ezra.

Bryn is a great new character. Immediately it's clear that she does not fit in with this cutthroat family. For instance, she is suitably outraged that her younger cousins are slapped by the older ones for mistakes made on ledgers, but is quieted when she realizes that if the older ones don't do it, the younger ones will get it worse from Uncle Henrik. Sad state of affairs, really. Bryn quickly learns to have both eyes open when around her family, and it's obvious she doesn't know who to trust. She wants more from life than being matched to a respectable boy, but carving out a place of her own within the Roth family does not come easy. She has to tread carefully, choose her allies well, and figure out how to be wanted by her uncle for what she can bring to the table. And it has to be more than knowing how to dress pretty and eat with the right fork. She's got a lot to prove and not a lot of time to do it.

The romance here didn't quite do it for me. Personally, I think it moved too fast. Or at least, too fast with too little left in the book. I shipped it, don't get me wrong, but we went from I despise him for half of the book, then very quickly to I like him, I love him, I kiss you once, we have sex now. I really wanted it to be a more structured slow-burn that would have had me begging for them to kiss by page 100 after a single glance. This relationship felt more half-hearted than I would have wanted, and that kind of sucked.

Okay, I promised the answer to a million dollar question, so here it is. No, this wasn't as good as Fable. I still really enjoyed it, but I think it being a standalone made the story suffer because there wasn't enough time to really carve out enough of a story for Bryn. Especially where the ending is concerned. The ending alone lost a star for me because it felt rather rushed and neat. Far too easy, and I've come to expect much more from Adrienne Young

It pains me to rate this as three stars, especially since Adrienne Young is one of my absolute favourite authors and the Fable duology was such an incredible masterpiece. This standalone was a nice addition, but it didn't actually add anything for me. It was published in a rush and that showed in how under-developed and somewhat mediocre this felt in comparison to her previous works. That said, I know her new books will blow me away as the others have.

[thank you to the tagged publisher for the free book] •

I loved Fable and had high expectations for The Last Legacy - they were completely met! I don’t read a lot of fantasy but Adrienne Young creates a world that is easy to follow (no made up creatures or scenarios that are hard to imagine) and strong female characters that you can’t help but root for. The romance she creates is like the hand touching scene in Pride and Prejudice. I love it (of course I would have welcomed even more romance). If you want to give fantasy a chance but aren’t sure about it, give this book a try.

😍loved || 💗low steam
🤟breaking tradition, forbidden romance, strong characters
📚ACOTAR fans
🎶Shade of Yellow by Griff

So this is actually my first Adrienne Young book (*gasp* I know.. blasphemy right lol?) and I just want to say how excited I am to read everything else she has written because this was great! This was not what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but I absolutely loved the unique plotline and fantastic character depth.

From what I understand, this book world was introduced in Fable and Namesake and this is basically a deeper look into the Roth family (I believe they were part of this duology and now we get a closer look at their lifestyle). As I haven't read Fable and Namesake I can't comment (yet) on how this book compares to the two, but as a standalone novel I definitely enjoyed it.

I really like this author's writing style - it seems to flow so well, and I can really feel the emotion behind the words. I loved our main character, Bryn. She is quietly fierce and determined and has a good head on her shoulders. Ezra was also amazing but I wished there was MORE from him. I wanted to see him more, I wanted to hear him more - I wanted to be able to fall even more in love with him! While I did enjoy the romance between the two, I think it could have been developed more.

Overall, I enjoyed the feel of this book, I liked the concepts behind it, and I'm excited to get started on Young's Fable duology. Looking forward to exploring more of this author's work.

I am in love with Young's writing. This book was just as fantastic as the Fable duology. I love the world that she has created, and will definitely be recommending this one along with her others!

I absolutely adore the world Adrienne Young has created in this book and in Fable and Namesake. In this book we follow Brynn, a Roth, who just returned to Bastian and Ezra, the Roth's silversmith, who we met in Namesake. Fitting back in with the Roth's is tough and Brynn is starting to realize it's not at all what she though it would be. In this family where there's backstabbing, deceit and lies can anyone really come out on top? I really enjoyed how this book played out and just how smart Brynn is. My only complaint is that the book ended so fast I needed at least another chapter with it all playing out.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

I was SO EXCITED to get this ARC, after having read Fable and Legacy! I adore this series and world that Adrienne has built, and it was fantastic to read more, and to see what else was happening in Bastien! Definitely highly recommended - I enjoyed every moment, as well as being able to learn more about Bryn! She was such a headstrong character, and I adored that about her.

A cool addition to the world created in Fable. Unfortunately, Bryn while very clever is not as passionate a heroine as Fable. The story had its charm but lacked the excitement and adventure I was hoping for.

Oh how lovely it was to be back in the world of the Unnamed Sea! Young definitely has a way with atmospheric writing, making it so easy to vividly picture the scenes in my mind.

Rather than the trading life, this book leans into the merchant side of this world and all the power games and scheming that go along with it. Just as with Fable, in this story we have a strong, determined and fierce protagonist in Bryn Roth and I really enjoyed her character! It was so amazing to watch her arrive in a world unknown to her and find her path to making her destiny. And, I loved that she wasn’t afraid to challenge and outwit her uncle Henrik in order to do so. Filled with intrigue, mystery and forbidden love, this one moves quickly and will suck you in until the very last page.

I liked that this was set in the same world as her other books, Fable & Namesake. I liked seeing Ezra's story. This has such depth like her others and i can picture myself there.
A good read!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

I was a Roth, but I was made of breakable things, after all.
The Last Legacy by Adrienne Young is a spin-off series set in the same world as her famous Fable Duology. We return to the Nameless Sea filled with merchants and gem traders to get better acquainted with the Roth family who enamored fans in just a few pages.

Following the death of her parents Brynn was sent away to live with her Great Aunt to learn the ways of high society but has now returned to take her place among the infamous Roths, the most notorious crime family in Bastien. While not unaware of her family’s reputation she initially struggles to find a way to contribute to their intricate underground operations. After holding her own through a few business dealings she is finally given her first official task, she must help the seedy Roths integrate with the Basiten elite, quite a job indeed! As she begins undertaking the societal make-over of her rough and tumble uncles and cousins she learns that she has only seen a small piece of what turns out to be a complex scheme that is bigger and more personal than she could have imagined.

As we get to know them, Brynn’s uncles and cousins each make their case that they are worthy of their own story, and I hope that Ms. Young may bring them to us one day. They’ve all grown up in the underground gem trade and are numb to the lies and violence that come with operating outside of the law. As Brynn inserts herself into their lives she helps them understand that just because it is what they are used to does not necessarily mean that’s how it should be.

I’ve delayed bringing up Ezra because he deserves his own space. He is one of the only members of the crew that is not family, but his talents as a silversmith make him a key player in their operation. When Brynn first arrives, there is no love lost between the two and it is increasingly obvious that he does not want her there and even more, does not want her involved in the family’s dealings. What is it about a broody man who is good with his hands that just makes the pages combust? As Brynn and Ezra get to know each other’s secrets they grow close knowing that they are both trapped with impossible decisions in their future. Their connection goes from tense to inevitable and Brynn must take drastic steps to ensure their future.

What I loved about the Fable duology and now The Last Legacy is that there are no accidents or coincidences. The characters work five steps ahead of the reader and as the truths are revealed you can’t help but marvel at how Adrienne Young is able to place seemingly innocuous plot points that result in revelations that change the course of the story. This is one to be read and then reread to fully appreciate all the details. Adrienne Young has created a world that is easy to lose yourself in and harder to leave. I’m sure I am not alone in hoping that this series has many more to come.

The Last Legacy is proof once again that Adrienne Young has solidified herself as a one-click author. Congrats on another amazing release!