ARC review
Publication date 19 August 2025.

"Jeweler to the Blessed" by Jillian Witt is the first book in the "Champions of Chaos" serie.

I received an e-ARC from the author (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

What you can expect:
- romantic fantasy
- unique magic system
- bodyguard romance
- slow burn
- forced proximity
- he cannot touch her
- hidden identity

In this world you can have magic with the help of some gems that also give the ability to drain emotions for power (through touch).
Emberline is a jeweler that is imune to the magic and she wants to leave the kingdom.
But after her uncle (the Jeweler to the Blessed) goes missing, she needs to take his place.
Hart is a guard assigned to her protection.

I liked the book from the start. The world and magic are unique and the characters are well developed.

Even if there is a slow burn, Ember and Hart have such a great chemistry and tension.
I enjoyed each and every interaction they have.
Ember is such a complex character, with an inner conflic that has some morraly gray choices to make.
Hart is an enigma for most of the book and I knew he was hiding something. He is so protective and also flirty.
I have so many paragraphs highlighted of him being swoon-worthy.

The story is written well and has a good pace.
I was invested in the action and the romance.

There are some twists that I did not expect and the ending made want to the next book immediatly.

“I had one rule: Never let the Blessed touch my skin”

I really liked this fantasy book. Since getting back into my fantasy reading grind, I needed something to stroke my curiosity and give me back that feeling of discovering a world for the first time once again to meet new characters. This book was quite unique and unlike most of what I had read before. Power came from the gods and from gems. Emberline can recognise that power and yield it to create jewels like her uncle taught her to. Unfortunately there is something particular about her that not even her uncle had. And when he disappears and she is called to cover for him for the King … things start getting complicated. Especially when a grumpy but frustrating guard is assigned to her protection. Her Guard … what a marvel that man is. This book was in equal part fantasy action and characters’ development. It was fast paced and intriguing and it did have quite a bit of plot twists well distributed along the journey Ember has to take to find out the truth behind her uncle’s disappearance. And it did have a bit of romance between the main characters that made me enjoy the journey even more. And the last chapter … I think I was expecting that to happen but not with THAT dynamic. Perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash is you ask me!!

“You are a single ember, lightning the darkest night, a beacon calling me across kingdoms. I’d find you anywhere, Chaos”

I was absolutely fascinated by the premise of this one, and it absolutely delivered. In fact, it exceeded my expectations, and I'm eagerly anticipating book two!

Emberline Arkova has spent years learning from her uncle Alaric about jewelry making and, more specifically, how to distinguish quartz from adamas, a similar gemstone but with properties capable of taking, storing, and releasing emotions as magic. Alaric has been creating adamas jewelry for the Blessed, those chosen by the power-hungry king, for ages, as he is the only one who can source the material. For many, adamas is power, salvation, or torture. For Ember, it's more akin to a death sentence. Her entire life, she's been immune to the power others wield through it. With one touch from a Blessed, she could be found out, and she and her family could be in grave danger. When her uncle suddenly goes missing, Ember is coerced by the prince to take over his role, forcing her into the most dangerous position she could possibly be in. With an assigned royal guard and a quick realization that things are absolutely not as they seem, will Ember be able to find her uncle and get out of the kingdom unscathed?

I love the ways Jillian Witt created this world. The worldbuilding through action and in-universe history laid out the framework for a fascinating story, even if we're only given a glimpse of the world at large in this book. The characters have to constantly navigate how to be true to themselves while also maintaining their own safety, which is understandably difficult when it comes to the magic system.

The magic system is one of my favorite things in this book. I love the intricacies of it; emotions effectively are the source of magic. Fear begets nightmares, sadness begets calm, envy begets persuasion, joy begets eternal beauty, lust begets healing, anger begets strength. (Sorry to have used the word "beget" more times than anyone in the modern era should, I was going for rhythm there). The interweaving of these emotions with their respective effects is brilliant, especially as the book looks at the ways corrupt government and those of great privilege can continue to subject those they deem "lesser" through touch and feeling alone. Ember, with the possibility of being killed upon discovery that she isn't affected by the magic of others, has to exist without the luxury of expressing emotion as well as living in constant risk simply touching another person. Such basic things are so fundamental to our lives as humans, and having those be the primary barriers for our FMC makes the magic system that much richer and complex. Especially in a romantasy.

It's safe to say that with the plot twists (one being relatively predictable, another being something I definitely did not expect to happen), there's a lot more of us to delve into in the next book. And like I said before, I cannot wait!

Many thanks to Jillian Witt, NetGalley, and Victory Editing for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

🌶️

Final rating: 4.5 stars

Review posted to StoryGraph: August 6, 2025 (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/8389a839-17f3-4f1f-992d-20c9372fcdb6?redirect=true)
Review posted to Instagram: PENDING

An interesting start to the series. Emberline knows she's always been different. The blessed can use their magic to take emotions from people. These emotions are used to fuel their magic, giving them benefits depending on the emotion they collect. But Ember is immune both to touch and to the resulting magic. Everyone in her family agrees that she needs to leave because she can't be discovered. However, just as she's getting ready to leave, she gets swept up by the palace guards looking for her uncle, the only person who can cut the stones to allow magic powers. Since she has no idea what happened to her uncle, she winds up taking his place and making jewelry for the newly blessed. But she and her guard Hart must find out what happened to her uncle. As they slowly start trusting each other, they come together to try and help the people of their kingdom.

★★★☆☆ (3 stars!)
𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 by Jillian Witt
⤷ ARC Review
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
"𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗱𝗼𝗺𝘀. 𝗜'𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀."

In this story, we follow Emberline, who must navigate life in a kingdom where touch drains emotions in exchange for power and abilities. However, there's something different about Emberline: touch does not affect her, meaning the Blessed cannot manipulate her. Eager to discover why she is immune to their magic, Emberline's plans are abruptly changed by her uncle’s sudden disappearance.

Suddenly thrust into his role as a Jeweler, she finds herself at the centre of the Blessed's world instead of avoiding them. As she becomes key to their magic, she is assigned a guard for her protection: meet the brooding, broad-shouldered Hart. His motives are questionable, but he isn't as loyal to the king as a Blessed typically should be, making him her best chance to escape without being discovered.

Although Hart is one of the Blessed, his presence stirs long-suppressed feelings within Emberline. She knows she cannot fall for a Blessed, as his touch would expose her secret. As she delves deeper into the mysteries of magic and politics in her isolated and restless kingdom, Emberline faces a choice: flee from her fate and hide her feelings, or embrace her emotions and unleash them.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ This is my second book by Jillian Witt I've read. It's very different from Bargains with Benefits, heavier on the fantasy aspect. And I liked both books. Jillian's writing style is very easy to read, yet immersive, intriguing, and dreamy somehow. There were many things that I liked about this book. The book offers a unique writing system that I've never read about before. Blesseds that can steal emotions, which they store in gems, and each emotion stolen has a different colour gem and benefit. There is political intrigue, power dynamics, gods, and kings to be found as well, all of which captivated me. The concept of the magic system and the concept of the story itself intrigued me a lot. I liked the characters, side-characters as well, and I especially liked Emberline, who's our headstrong and fierce fmc, and of course Hart, who's Emberline's guard who keeps calling her 'Chaos'. I liked the idea of the romance between Hart and Emberline; the whole idea of him being her guard and all was swoon-worthy, but the actual romance and chemistry between the two felt kind of underdeveloped to me. The characters itself were well developed, but I felt like the romance was missing something. I didn't feel that spark between them, and some moments felt a bit forced and out of nowhere to me, without a reason for it to be happening or for certain quotes/more romantic lines to be said. To me, it felt more like words on paper than that there was actually meaning behind them. It's a slow-burn, so of course feelings need time to develop. And I think if there had been more chemistry between the two and if their characters and feelings were being explored a bit more, their romance could have been a bit more believable, and the connection between them truly felt. I personally also didn't like the idea of lust being a part of the magic system so much, and it giving healing... It felt just a bit off and forced to me, especially because I feel like the author focuses a lot, especially on that emotion/ability, while there are so many other interesting emotions linked to abilities, as well as other emotions than the lust one. The worldbuilding interested me a lot, tho and was a nice escape into a new fantasy world which I definitely want to return to.

There were some moments throughout the book that didn't excite me as much. It isn't that I didn't like the book, because I was very much invested and curious, but the book just couldn't hold my full attention, and I felt myself zoning out a lot. The middle part of the story moves very slowly and is dragging out a lot, and I usually don't mind that, but I was eager for something interesting to happen that didn't happen until near the end. I didn't want to DNF, because I was still curious and wanted to give this book a chance. At some point, I felt myself rushing to reach the end of the book instead of enjoying the story. Nearing the end, however, there was a reveal, and suddenly tension and action started picking up, and I became a bit more invested again. The plot twist I didn't see coming, and I'm very curious to see what will happen to the characters and how the story will progress, so I definitely will be reading the next book! I think the story has a lot of potential, and even though there were some things I liked a bit less, I still recommend reading this one!

I think you'd enjoy this one if you like:
⟢ Enemies to lovers / He's her guard
⟢ Slow burn
⟢ Unique magic system based on emotions, gems/jewels & touch
⟢ Political intrigue and power dynamics
⟢ Interesting new fantasy world to explore
⟢ Forced proximity

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Victory Editing, NetGalley, and Jillian Witt for providing me an e-ARC of Jeweler to the Blessed!


Starting off, the premise and magic system of this world was really original and unique. I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like it before. I enjoyed learning about the different emotions that fueled different things the Blessed could do through the gemstones.
I loved the dynamic between our two main characters, but I especially enjoyed Hart’s character and the guard trope. He was sassy and mysterious and even though I did guess the plot twist that involved him, I still enjoyed how it was revealed and I wasn’t 100% certain I had guessed it right up until that point.

The plot, unfortunately, did have me pretty confused at times. The premise of the champions and the cursed king left me really confused and I fear if someone asked me about it, I couldn’t explain it to them. Especially the ending at the Blessed ceremony, I felt like so much was happening that I couldn’t exactly keep it all straight.
I also felt that I didn’t feel fully engaged with the book until about the 50% mark and found the first half hard to get through. The writing felt repetitive to me, especially in the first half and I think that’s partly why it took me out of the book so much.

I am interested to see how the story unfolds and will still read the next book. I am curious what traveling to a different kingdom will be like for our main characters and how this will change them.

Oh. My. God. This book wrecked me.... in the best way possible. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so emotionally drained and yet so alive after finishing a story. Jeweler to the Blessed isn’t just a fantasy novel, it’s a haunting, beautiful unraveling of identity, control, and the desperate, dangerous price of feeling.

From the moment I met Ember, I felt her. Her fear, her cold resolve, her loneliness. She’s not your typical heroine, she doesn’t wield swords or cast spells but her strength lies in silence, in restraint. In a world where emotions are currency, literally fed on by The Blessed. She hides hers with the kind of self-discipline that speaks of deep pain.

The way she conceals who she truly is just to survive tore at my heart. It’s gut wrenching to watch someone live so small in order to stay safe.

But secrets never stay buried, especially when there are kings and princes involved. When Ember is dragged into the world of The Blessed, everything shifts. The court is a glittering nightmare, beautiful and sharp like a poisoned gem. She’s a tool, a pawn, a threat but they need her, and that gives her a sliver of power. Still, navigating a world where everyone feeds on emotion while trying to stay numb? It’s like walking through fire barefoot.

Jillian Witt does not pull punches with the tension.

And then there’s Hart.

Oh, Hart. He’s danger wrapped in mystery, and yet, there’s something more. He is beautiful in the way a storm is beautiful: powerful, quiet, and impossible to ignore. I didn’t trust him at first. Honestly, I wasn’t sure Ember should either. But the slow reveal of who he is, what he’s endured, and the way he sees Ember and not as something to consume, but someone to protect, absolutely destroyed me.

By the time the truth about him came out, I was gasping, stunned, and completely undone. That twist? Did not see it coming.


Their connection isn’t sweet. It’s raw, aching, and born from two people who’ve been broken and used. But in the chaos, there’s loyalty. And in that loyalty, there’s hope.

Jillian Witt didn’t just create a fantasy world. She built a system of feeling. The entire concept of The Blessed being emotional vampires is so chillingly brilliant, so deeply metaphorical, that I had to stop and reread entire passages just to sit with the weight of them. It’s more than magic and monarchy, it’s about how survival can mean sacrificing parts of yourself, and how reclaiming them is the bravest act of all.

When I turned the last page, I was hollow in the best way. Like I’d given every emotion I had to this book. It reached inside me, pulled me apart, and left me aching and awestruck.
If you want a fantasy that hits hard, makes you feel every sharp edge, and leaves you breathless....

Jeweler to the Blessed is the book you’ve been waiting for.

First and foremost, huge thank you to Jillian Witt for once again serving us a whole meal. Our guard is everything you could want in a book boyfriend—sarcastic, flirty, protective, devoted, and completely and utterly captivated by Ember.

I thought this book was engaging and had a really cool magic system! Ember was determined but hardly flawless, and her journey to uncover the secrets around her was fascinating. I do want to see from Hart’s POV in the next book.

I think Jillian is doing something very interesting with this book. Already, intense themes concerning the illusions of choice (and further, the illusion of free will) are making themselves apparent in a very interesting way—even if everyone else’s choices were intended to preserve your own, they can still back you against a wall. Which also brings in the idea of good intentions not being sufficient when the results are devastating. I think there’s a lot of room to engage with this latter idea more as Ember processes the events of Jeweler to the Blessed.

There were some fits and starts with the beginning, as is common when you’re establishing a whole new fantasy world. And between the uncertainties that are left for the rest of the series to fill in and some of the gaps I’m trying to fill in terms of relationship establishment, I’m giving this 4 stars with full anticipation for the next book. Having read Jillian’s other books, I know she can deliver on what I’m concerned about, so I’m so ready to see more of this universe!

Spoilers ahead:
One thing that made itself apparent pretty early on is that Ember is somehow related to the Champions. Once Hart tells the story of the Champion of Chaos, it was game over in terms of identifying him and Ember. Considering how late in the book that happens, I don’t think it’s necessarily a shortcoming but I wish there had been more of a red herring so that Ember didn’t realize she was Chaos’s Champion until she had to make her choice… which again brings me back to the illusion of choice—Hart was dying, did Ember really have a choice about accepting her power? As I mentioned, between everything that happens to Emberline and all the secrets kept and then how the king wipes away the will of Kavios’s residents… yeah I think there’s a lot that can be unpacked here.

Something that had me scratching my head a little was adamas sourcing. By the end of the book, it’s clear that we know where it comes from and where it forms. What made Alaric (and later Ember) so special that they could “source” it? Differentiating from quartz, I’ll give you as a unique and seemingly necessary skill, but I’m wondering (1) how did they differentiate before Alaric and (2) how is sourcing uncertain to need sorting in the first place?

Re: wanting Hart’s POV in book 2, I think it’ll be really important to develop their attraction and affection for each other outside of whatever draw the curse has on Hart that made him seek Ember in the first place. I trust Jillian 100% with character development so I’m excited to see where they go from here.

Tjank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy for my honest review.

It felt so cozy and mysterious. The plot twist toward the end i think I saw coming.. I was like oh... of course. I love the unique magic system. The characters were very enjoyable. And im so excited for book 2... I need to know what happens

Thank you to Jillian Witt and Victory Editing for the ARC!

Jeweler to the Blessed is an atmospheric fantasy that mixes ancient magic and political intrigue. Emberline is reserved, talented, and quietly rebellious. She’s pushed into the spotlight after her uncle’s disappearance, significantly endangering her life. Hart is a broody guard assigned to protect her, but there is more to his motives than just a sense of duty. While Ember is hesitant to trust Hart, he is the only person she can rely on as tensions rise in their kingdom. I enjoyed their banter quite a bit, it was interesting to see how they tried to keep their secrets while growing closer to each other. I am curious to see their dynamic going forward after the events in this book.

I really liked the chapter headers, they were intriguing bits of information without spoiling the plot. I did have a little trouble following the Champions of Kavios storyline. I think the way the lore was sprinkled here and there made it a bit challenging for me to keep track of the information. The pacing felt somewhat uneven, starting slow and then accelerating at the end. But overall I enjoyed this story and I’m looking forward to see what happens next!

Totally worth it! The plot was super interesting, and I loved the magic system. I'm a sucker for a slow burn, and the author has me hooked! I honestly thought I had it all figured out, and the author threw me for a loop.

I must have a thing with Romantsy with
✨ Low Spice ✨! I love a book thats plot driven with a little bit of spice to keep things interesting!

In a Kingdom where touch grants power through emotions, Emblerline hides a secret that could unravel the whole kingdom. She’s immune to their magic, which is dangerous for her and everyone around her. When her Jewler Uncle disappears, shes thrusted into a position she never wanted putting a target on her back!

I loved Emberline!! Shes was complex, fierce, curious and always trying to do right by her family! After years of being taught to burying her feelings, she has to learn to trust her gut instinct to guide her! She thinks every decision through no matter the consequences and trys to do the right thing. While reading i was jusr as shocked as she was as ALL the secrets started to unfold around her.

Hart is the bodyguard assigned to Emberline to protect her. Hes broody, overprotective, sharp tongued &
✨ HOT ✨. Hes an embodiment of touch her & 💀, LITERALLY! Him calling her Chaos? I ATE IT UP🔥 His “my guard” comments had me cracking up!

Their tention was thick enough to cut with a knife and the banter had me giggling and kicking my feet. Their slow burn had me waiting on the edge of my seat for the moment they gave in! When they did? I was jumping up and down!!!

This was a unique read that had depth! I loved the magic system, its intricate but not to complex to were it’s confusing! I absolutely loved learing about it! My theories were theroring the entire time trying to piece ot together! Once plot twist hit the first time, i was screaming “ I KNEW IT”. Others? Came out of left field and left me dumbfounded 😅 . The secrets, the betrayals and mysteries sucked me in and refused to let go!

5 STARS! <3

Honestly, this was both unique and had all the right ingredients that I look for in a romantasy and I loved every second. I had previously read Jillian's Bargain with Benefits which was more a cozy fantasy and this was drastically different.

First, loved loved loved the unique magic system that tied to emotions and how the ethics of stealing them for power. There was a lot to unpack there and I thought it was so cleverly done. It kept me hooked on the story as you unravel the mysteries of that magic alongside the FMC. The plotting was done really well and the pacing I thought was great.

As for the FMC and MMC, absolutely loved them both. Banter was doing it for me, the teasing, the flirting, the tension, and I love a good nickname from the MMC. A cringy nickname will completely take me out of the romance, but this was fantastic. I like that there was a battle of trust back and forth that was present throughout the story as well. The side characters had some good moments as well, and hoping we get more out of them in the upcoming book(s).

The twists towards the end were also unexpected if you are not looking closely at the foreshadowing. Honestly, this was all around a great read, highly recommend!

Bookish Tropes I Loved:
- Bodyguard romance / Broody MMC
- Touch-based magic
- “Touch her and XX”
- Political maneuvering
- Class and power tension

Thank you to NetGalley and Victoria Editing for the eARC copy and the opportunity to provide my honest feedback!

This was so fun! The best part was the unique mythology and magic system. Order vs. Chaos, choice vs. None, all super interesting. I took a little bit to warm up to Emberline, but I think that was the point as she kept all her emotions on lock. Not 5 stars as I predicted some of the big reveals quite early on in the book, but still had a great time. Much gratitude to NetGalley, Myth & Magic Book Club, and Jillian Witt for the ARC!

✨Jeweler to the Blessed✨

Author: Jillian Witt
Release: August 19

What a joy it is to be back in a world of Jillian’s making and a new one at that! In Jillian’s upcoming release, we get to explore an entirely new world where humans can be Blessed and given a jewel called ‘adamas’ that allows them to siphon emotions from others. It is here we begin our journey, following our FMC, Emberline, as she navigates a manipulated kingdom where emotions and touch are dangerous and yet she is immune, which is the most dangerous of all.

When Ember’s uncle goes missing, she is suddenly thrust into his role of royal jeweler, required to create the pieces of work that steal emotions from the populace. It is against everything she believes in and Ember must navigate not only her choices but moral and suppressed emotions as she and her bodyguard unravel secrets of meddling gods, prophecies, her uncle, and each other. Nothing is as it seems in Ember’s world and we see that sometimes the fight for choice can be an illusion.

We have ourselves here a mega slow burn and I loved it. The magic is unique. The plot twists and hidden identities were so fun for me to decipher. I really enjoyed the romance as it slowly developed over trust and how forthcoming our MMC was with his feelings. All to be hit with that ending! I found myself very much drawn to our MCs. They felt relatable and soft yet strong. Those are my favorite.

Tropes you may find in JOB are bodyguard, hidden identities, slow burn to low spice, meddling goddesses, unique magics, chosen champion, forced proximity, “I’ll follow you anywhere”, touch her and 💀, he can’t touch her and a soft cliffhanger.

A huge thank you to Jillian, NetGalley, and Nerdfam for once again allowing me to be an arc reader. It’s always a joy!

Jeweler to the Blessed is a beautifully written, slow-burn story that weaves together historical fiction, subtle magic, and an aching sense of resilience. Set in 19th-century Poland, it follows a young Jewish girl with a rare gift for jewelry-making—an art that becomes both her rebellion and her refuge.

The prose is rich and atmospheric, grounded in tradition and laced with quiet magic. It’s the kind of book that feels like you’re stepping into a dream—soft, intentional, and layered with meaning. But what completely surprised me? The slow-burn bodyguard romance that snuck up on me and refused to let go.

Their dynamic is everything: quiet protection, unspoken tension, and one of the most unexpected yet earned nicknames—“Chaos.” That single word holds so much weight by the end, I had to sit with it for a minute. I honestly didn’t expect a book this meditative to have me blushing and swooning over subtle glances and shared silences, but here we are.

This isn’t a flashy fantasy; the magic is in the emotion, the faith, the craftsmanship. But if you love:
– Folklore-laced historical settings
– Soft, emotional magic systems
– Protective love interests who say little but do everything
– Slow burns that deliver
– And heroines who carry whole worlds in their silence

…then this is absolutely one to read.

The pacing dragged slightly in the middle, but the payoff in both plot and romance made it more than worth it. Jeweler to the Blessed is a quiet triumph.

It's fun and I will read the following book when it comes out, but I think I much prefer Jillian writing cozy fantasy, because the vibes in this were all over the place.

First of all, how wild is it that I got to read two books in a row with a main character nicknamed ‘Chaos’ by the MMC? Incredible lol.

The magic system is very interesting, and we get a bit of history behind it and the setting, which is cool, though at the same time means that in the first half of the book, things are mostly explained, so nothing much happens (it's a first book in a series, so yeah, it's totally understandable). I'm not a fantasy girlie, as much as I try, but I think a fantasy girlie would appreciate the descriptions.

The action picks up in the second half. It's not very unpredictable, but that's not necessarily something bad, I like to be able to guess what happens, it gives me purpose if I'm trying to stay focused. Unfortunately, there were a couple of things that were problematic for me, whether because they didn't fit the vibe, felt rushed, or like an excuse. Most of them come down to - I think Jillian does better with cozy, and the more serious things don't sound serious enough when they happen. I don't want to go into details to spoil anything.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me the ARC!

✦ Romantasy Rec & Review ✦

Jeweler to the Blessed
by Jillian Witt

Book 1 ✦ Champions of Chaos series
432 pages

Pub Date: Aug 19 2025
ARC: @negalley

𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴
𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮
𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘳/𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥
𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨
𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘦

Welcome to Kavios—where the Blessed use touch to steal emotions and turn them into power.

I couldn’t put this gem down. From the very first page, the mystery kept unfolding in ways that had me constantly guessing. The plot is full of intrigue: the sudden disappearance of Emberline’s uncle, the question of why she’s immune to the Blessed’s magic, and the looming identity of the Cursed King and how the prophecy will unravel.

With her uncle gone, Emberline is suddenly thrust into his role as a jeweler—one responsible for identifying the gems that fuel magic. Enter Hart, the fiercely protective guardian assigned to keep her safe. He radiates “touch her and ☠️” energy that I absolutely devoured. The slow-burn tension between them, especially with the whole no touching element, was swoon-worthy and addicting. I loved every moment he called her chaos.

“𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟, 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡, 𝑎 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑑𝑜𝑚𝑠. 𝐼’𝑑 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒, 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑜𝑠.”

Another element I adored? Each chapter begins with a cryptic line from a letter written by the uncle to someone named Isabelle. Those breadcrumbs had me flipping pages like mad, trying to piece it all together.

The magic system is incredibly unique—emotion-based, with the Blessed siphoning feelings into rings to gain power. While some parts of the world-building were initially a bit confusing, it never pulled me out of the story. I was determined to figure it out.

After that ending? I need Book 2. Immediately. I lost sleep over this one—and it was worth every second. I highly recommend this book to romantasy lovers!

✦ Thank you so much Jillian Witt and NetGalley for an early e-copy!
Rating: 4.5/5

I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book since I've recently become a huge fan of this author! So, I was unsurprised to find another one of her worlds filled with a unique magic system and lovable characters. The concept of magic being drawn from emotions and placed into gems was so fun and made it easy to visualize. The main character becoming the royal jeweler made for such an interesting plot and had me on the edge of my seat given the secrets she was keeping.

I did get a little frustrated with Emberline at times. She spent most of the book being so indecisive, and while I understood her fears, I definitely think she could have been a little quicker to make some of the choices she did. I really enjoyed Hart as the MMC and Emberline's guard. He was the perfect level of grouchy and overprotective for a guard and I loved the touch her and 💀 energy. I do wish we had gotten a little more backstory for him throughout the book or that he would have opened up to Emberline more. I think this would have made me fall more in love with his character and strengthened the romance element of the book.

After the big reveals toward the end, I am very excited to see where the next book goes and how this world further develops!

I was lucky enough to get an eARC through NetGalley.

A unique magic system ✨️ with gothic one dark window vibes. I absolutely flew through this book!

I loved that the FMC consistently stuck with what she thought was right, continued to think for herself (with the information she had...) and was not majorly swayed by the romantic interest. My only criticism is that I guessed the big plot 'twist' at about 25% into the book... I still enjoyed seeing how the story would unfold but a little more subtlety wouldn't have been a bad thing. This also undermined the FMCs overall intellect as the book is from her perspective and the truth was so glaringly obvious. I think some descriptive sections between characters speech/conversation could also have been shortened as I found myself flicking back sometimes to remind myself what was said 😅

Overall, I enjoyed the book and am interested to see where the MCs journey goes next. I'm intrigued to see more of their world and hope more depth is built into their relationship in the next book.