Synopsis:
Over forty years ago, a foreign ruler conquered a fractured kingdom and forged it into one Empire. Then, he purged the gods from history.
Elaine Lyanthian was only twelve when she joined the Imperial Army to escape poverty and starvation. Twelve years later, she’s one of the few women who have survived its brutal ranks. But despite enduring everything the army threw at her, greatness is not in her plans. After a messy affair with her general, she’s stopped believing her luck will ever change.
But there are forces, both ancient and new, that would bend her fate to their will.
When the Emperor himself Gifts her into the prestigious Legion of Barrymore, her world tilts on its axis. The Legion is led by the cold and feared Alexander Courtenay, and so Elaine finds herself not just a soldier among millions, but one of the elite Thirty Barrymore Legionnaires.
Determined and stubborn, Elaine rises to meet her new path. But Barrymore isn’t the end of her road—it’s only the beginning.
There, she will forge the family she never had, experience a forbidden and all-consuming love, and discover the strength to transform from the hollow, hopeless girl she once was.
As Elaine learns the true cost of loyalty, love, sacrifice, and friendship, a strange power begins to stir in her veins. And as the Empire trembles on the edge of rebellion, she’ll come to realize her role in its salvation may be far greater—and far more dangerous—than she ever dared to imagine.
A rebellion rises.
A Legionnaire is challenged.
A family is forged.
Review:
This book is a bit longer, so it took me a while to finally pick it up. Looking back, I wish I had started it much sooner. After only a few pages, I knew I had found something special. I didn’t expect to feel so deeply, especially with this being the author’s first book. She truly did an amazing job.
This story made me cry, laugh, shout, and sit there in disbelief. My feelings kept shifting every few pages, and the book never stopped pulling me in.
At its core, this is a story about abandonment, the struggles women face, learning who you are, standing up for yourself, trusting again, and allowing love back into your life. I can’t remember the last time I read about a main character who went through so much. It made her feel real, layered, and unforgettable.
The world in the book isn’t very complicated, but everything is explained clearly. It helped me understand why the characters behave the way they do. They are products of their experiences, which makes them feel honest and believable.
The love story broke my heart in the best way. It had me holding my breath. It’s a slow burn, but it kept me guessing and rooting for them the whole time. Their connection grows carefully and doesn’t avoid the hard choices.
It’s rare for a book to give me everything I want. This one did; and even more. I already know it will be one of my top reads of the year.
🌙 Recension: Gifted (Gifted #1) by Mavi Parolin
📚 Genre: New Adult, Romance, Fantasy
📅 Release Date: August 29, 2025
📗 included in Kindle Unlimited
📱 Read as: Kindle
💸 I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 688
⭐️ 5/5
Interested in more?
- Review: Then You Happened by J.S. Wood
- Review: I Was Never Broken by Hazel Anthony
- Review: Posthumously Yours by Charles D. Braun
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