The Desert Heiress by Shoshana Rain
The Desert Heiress
SYNOPSIS:
Nothing will stop Lis from regaining her family's power—not even the
three tempting men standing in her way.
In the desert port of Cenefra, the Sun Rose is
life blood. A magic plant with the ability to grant people greater abilities.
Sale of the plant is strictly forbidden, its growth restricted only to farms
owned by the Empire's shipping company.
Liseya Moroeste has only ever wanted one to run
the syndicate smuggling it. But her family has been cut off for over a century,
forced to advise but never lead. When the government cracks down on all illegal
export, Lis is ready to seize her chance.
To do so, she must best her three rivals. Filip,
Deo and Adrian each want to court her, control her, cajole her into doing what
they want.
Liseya finds herself drawn into their complicated
web, but to survive, she must learn if she can trust them, or if she must cut
them down before they can do the same to her.
The Desert Heiress is the first book in The Seven
Star Empire Series. It is a slow burn, MMMF why choose second world fantasy
with steamy scenes and a guaranteed HEA at the end of the series. It contains
both MM and FF scenes and involves the FMC in a relationship before getting
involved with her main love interests.
MY REVIEW:
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I started this book last night and couldn’t put it down—I read the whole
thing within 24 hours. It definitely hooked me from the start. While it's
marketed as a fantasy romance, I’d say it leans more toward dystopian romance.
The setting gave off serious wasteland vibes: scorching heat, dwindling
resources, and a society clearly suffering the effects of global warming. The
concept of a magical drug called Sun Rose, which enhances abilities and
focus, was intriguing but not deeply explored—something I hope gets more
attention in the sequel.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was its world-building. The idea
of a drying, resource-scarce planet made the alliances between communities feel
urgent and believable. I loved the premise of a woman inheriting a drug
smuggling empire and controlling three powerful families—it was a bold and
compelling setup.
The three male leads (MMCs) were all distinct and brought different
dynamics to the story:
- Filip had brute strength and the
classic grumpy demeanor. He left me wanting more of his backstory—he’s
mysterious, dangerous, and totally swoon-worthy.
- Adrian was the spoiled rich bad boy
with charm and looks to spare. Underneath his swagger, there’s a lot of
depth and sincerity. He knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after
it, which made him a standout for me.
- Deo was my least favorite, but
mostly because of his complicated history with the female main character,
Lis. Once destined to marry her, their relationship fell apart due to
religious differences. His anger often felt misdirected, likely stemming
from unresolved feelings he struggles to express.
As for Lis, our FMC—her journey started strong. She was bold,
unapologetic, and unwilling to be controlled. But as the story progressed, her
refusal to listen and accept help began to hurt her. She wasn’t ready for the
role she was trying to play, and that ultimately made the story falter for me.
That said, I’m really hopeful for her redemption arc in book two. I’d love to
see her grow into the powerful woman she was at the beginning.
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