Book Review: Heir of Light

Welcome to the review tour for Jill Williamson and Niki Florica’s Medieval Fantasy novel, Heir of Light, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours.

About the Book:

Title: Heir of Light
Series: Blood of Kings: Legends #4
Author: Jill Williamson and Niki Florica
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: September 16, 2025
Genre: Medieval Fantasy

Some hearts are worth stealing twice.

Sir Rigil Barak came to Land’s End expecting a routine mission: investigate some rumors, spy on some nobles, and above all, play the perfect knight. Instead, he is reunited with his less-than-shining past–the same past that has kept him on the road for years, fleeing his noble father’s scorn and grieving the woman he thought dead.

Until now.

Because in Land’s End, he sees a face he never thought he’d see again . . . at least, not outside his dreams. And if she’s alive, he’ll do anything for a second chance to save her.

Years of captivity to a madman left Sethe with a face full of scars and one rule: never be trapped again. Except, to keep that rule, she’ll have to ask for help from Rigil, the thief who broke her heart and abandoned her long ago. Now, years later, he shows up to rescue her from Land’s End like a knight in shining armor? Who does he think he is?

And even if the boy from her past has become a real knight with real honor, can she fall for a man who lied to her?

Maybe that doesn’t matter now, because Sethe’s old captor is hot on her heels with a new invention that could turn her into something worse than a prisoner. He could turn her into a weapon.

Fortunately, Rigil and Sethe always did know how to pull off a heist–and if they can steal the enemy’s deadly new weapon, they can save the kingdom. For Sethe, this means trusting Rigil without letting him anywhere near her heart. For Rigil, it means a second chance with the woman whose heart he once broke.

And this time, failure could cost them everything.

Dive into this swashbuckling story of second chances, forbidden love, espionage and epic adventure in this fourth book in the Blood of Kings: Legends series.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Buy From the Publisher

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My Review:

Rigil Barak has a lot of regrets, and Sethe is one of them. When they are unintentionally separated as young teenagers, Rigil believes she’s dead and he failed her. Sethe, on the other hand, believes he betrayed her and left her to die at the mercy of her captor, who delights in experimenting on her in order to control her special ability. When both stumble upon each other while attempting to escape the same castle and captor, the two are forced once more to put aside their past grievances and dreams. They must work together if they wish to survive–and to save the kingdom from Sethe’s captor, who is intent on conquering it through using Sethe and her power–an ability known as blood-voicing, through which one can read others thoughts and even control them.

Discovering a new medieval fantasy novel is always a bonus for me, especially when it’s Christian! Thus I was super excited to start reading this one, and it did not disappoint! We’re instantly thrown into the story and world, meeting both main characters, the villain, and an ally right off the bat. Add into that an escape attempt makes up most of the first portion of the story and the excitement and intrigue is there.

The characters were all very well done. The villain was certainly someone you rooted against, but not a scary or solely evil goon–he had his intelligent charm about him, and it made him more dangerous.

Both main characters had their own unique backstories, their own flaws and traits which made them stand apart from other romantic heroes and heroines. I especially liked that Sethe wasn’t your stereotypical beautiful heroine, but that, despite her scars and wounds (and being called “ugly” by prejudiced characters) she was still loved by Rigil and her character shone through as more important than looks. The romance between the two was sweet, with each embracing the other for who they were (Sethe with all her scars, and Rigil with his past). I also enjoyed how each were willing to sacrifice their desires for the other–Rigil was willing to let Sethe go and live her own life if she chose to avoid him, and Sethe was willing to accept the life of a noblewoman which she despised because she loved him.

The ally, Rigil’s squire Mezaedo, was probably my favorite character. I loved how sweet, gullible, and innocent, yet intelligent he was, and how strongly he held his faith in Rigil and God (known as Arman in the story). I also really liked Rigil’s brother, Eagan, for the bit of time he was in the story, as he seemed a wise and steady voice of reason. I would have enjoyed seeing more of him alongside the main duo.

The dialogue in the story was done well, and I never found myself removed from the story because of it. Each character had a distinct voice and turns of phrases, and I liked how the phrases matched those said by the country of which they hailed and their personalities.

The worldbuilding was excellent in the story, with each nation seeming unique, and the fantasy elements described naturally and clearly without info-dumping. For being the fourth book in the series, I was able to read it without reading the others just fine, though now, of course I want to read some of the others.

The pace was also quite good, although a couple times I caught myself skimming to see what happened next (especially to Mez, because I was fully ready to protest if they killed him off). But the climax was great, especially how it showed relying on God was the source to defeating the enemy, not their own power. I really enjoyed the end, though, since it wasn’t a typical end focusing on lovers uniting or getting married and the like, but on family and acceptance and putting the past behind oneself. Which I felt, was impactful and meaningful and wrapped up the story perfectly.

Honestly, I’ve got to give this five out of five stars because I honestly really enjoyed Heir of Light. I highly recommend this adventurous second-chance Christian medieval fantasy for readers of older YA and adult fantasy who enjoy clean romance, fantasy worlds, and wonderful messages that leave you feeling uplifted and encouraged.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book and a positive review was not required. All views expressed are my honest opinions.

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