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The Stone of Essence

The Kingdoms of Talia, Book 1

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Book 1 of The Kingdoms of Talia

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Pub Date Jun 09 2026 | Archive Date Jun 07 2026


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Description

A princess who swore she’d never fall in love. A bodyguard bound to protect her with his life. And a set of anonymous love letters that could ruin them both.

Princess Chhaya has been told it is time for her to marry. To make matters worse, her father has assigned a bodyguard to protect her from the Blood Magicians that have been leaving destruction across the Kingdom.

Chhaya proposes a deal to her father—she will host eligible suitors at the palace and give each one a fair chance to win her hand. But her decision will be final.

As Chhaya welcomes the bachelors and enjoys the lavish picnics, intimate promenades and beautiful balls, she finds her patience tested by the constant presence of her bodyguard, Favian, who seems to take his job far too seriously.

In an effort to escape his watchful eye, Chhaya begins writing anonymous love letters to Favian, pretending to be a secret admirer.

But as the letters become more intense and the Blood Magicians draw closer to the kingdom, Chhaya finds herself caught in a dangerous love triangle between her duty as a princess and her growing feelings for Favian.

With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Chhaya must make a decision that could determine her happily ever after.

The Stone of Essence is a spice-free, but tension-filled romantic fantasy filled with slow-burn yearning.

A princess who swore she’d never fall in love. A bodyguard bound to protect her with his life. And a set of anonymous love letters that could ruin them both.

Princess Chhaya has been told it is time...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781739703424
PRICE £3.99 (GBP)
PAGES 437

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Average rating from 20 members


Featured Reviews

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The Stone of Essence by Maya Unadkat was such a fun and refreshing read. Inspired by the Bollywood movie Bodyguard, this story brought something different to the fantasy romance space, and I honestly haven’t read anything quite like it before.

The characters were definitely the highlight for me — I loved watching their relationships and personal growth develop throughout the story. The writing style made it really easy to get immersed in the world, and I flew through the book quickly. There were also a few twists that genuinely surprised me and kept things interesting.

Overall, this was a solid 4-star read for me, and I’m excited to see where the series goes next!

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Maya Unadkat and SilverDust Press📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

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