The Starlight Heir: A Scorching Indian Fantasy Romance of Forbidden Love and Enemies to Lovers (Starkeeper, 1)

"MY NEWEST OBSESSION." –REBECCA YARROS, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fourth Wing

"SUMPTUOUS WORLD BUILDING, WITTY CHARACTERS, SPICY ROMANCE...AMALIE HOWARD AT HER FINEST." –DANIELLE L. JENSEN, New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood

A bladesmith blessed by the stars. A prince with a dangerous secret. A god bound in shadows. From USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard comes a scorching new high-stakes epic fantasy romance that will leave you spellbound.

“His Imperial Majesty King Zarek requests your presence as his esteemed guest.”

When the gold-dusted court invitation arrives at Suraya Saab’s forge, she believes it’s a joke. Nobles might seek her skills as a bladesmith, but she has no qualifications as a potential bride for the crown prince. Still, the invitation is the chance at adventure, and the means to finally visit the capital city her late mother loved.

But what awaits her in Kaldari is nothing she could have imagined—and fraught with danger. It’s not the crown prince, but his impossibly handsome, illegitimate half-brother, Roshan, who captures her interest…and her ire in an enemies-to-lovers dynamic she can’t ignore. The invitation isn’t a quest to find a suitable bride, but a veiled hunt for the Starkeeper—a legendary chosen one rumored to hold the magic of the stars in her blood. And across the city, political intrigue and unrest are brewing between the noble houses and the rebel militia.

When the rebels attack, Suraya and Roshan find themselves on the run. Thrown together by danger and forced into proximity, they try to deny their simmering attraction and the knowledge that Suraya herself might be the Starkeeper. But Roshan is guarding secrets of his own. And with no control over the power stirring within her, Suraya has drawn the attention of a dark god, an immortal whose interest might be the biggest threat of all.

“Consumes all your attention and leaves you longing for more!” —Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Stunning .” —Brigid Kemmerer, New York Times bestselling author

“Pure addictive delight.” —Thea Guanzon, New York Times bestselling author

“Glitters with magic, every page brimming with romance and adventure.” –Nisha J. Tuli internationally bestselling author

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Published Jan 7, 2025

368 pages

Average rating: 5.94

31 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

CurvyAndNerdy
Jul 20, 2025
8/10 stars
Audiobook review. Starlight Heir manifested into a strong start for a new romantasy series. Suraya faced challenge after challenge and discovered more about herself in the process. Roshan was charming and I enjoyed their blossoming relationship. The plot was layered and featured a rich and complex history. Many of the characters, both primary and secondary, acted on their own motivations and kept the story flowing. There were some areas that could use some more development. I was left with more questions than answers particularly centered around the God. I expect that I will get a better understanding of the connection in future books but the introduction wasn’t as easy to follow as I had hoped. The very first scene that contained intimacy was a bit abrupt and caught me off guard but I believe I understand now why the author chose to do it that way. It was hard to sense how much spice there would be because of the push and pull and examples of extremes but I was happy with the outcome. It certainly was spicy but that wasn’t the focus of the plot, which is what I prefer. The narrators, Anais Inara Chase and Ramiz Monsef, did a great job in bringing the story to life. Their tone, pitch, pace, and fluctuations made for a great listening experience. I’m definitely interested in seeing where this story goes next. Complementary copy received and voluntarily reviewed.
April B.InkAudioDragon
Mar 18, 2026
8/10 stars
This was a true fantasy book!! I loved it so much! It had me grinning and giggling with the banter of the characters as they faced such tragedy and adventures. I look forward to the next book. ☺️
Ally Sager
May 20, 2025
8/10 stars
Overall, I did enjoy this book. It was a solid romantasy and included likable characters. I laughed at a lot of what Laleh said and was very interested in where the book would take me next. The plot was interesting and the world building was solid. However, the insta-love threw me off a bit and their romance scene felt like it came a bit out of left field... I felt like I was missing a lot of the information and history in order to really understand this book, but that could be information that will come in a sequel?
I did enjoy the book and would most likely read a sequel if there was one!
*Thank you NetGalley for the gifted copy!*
Suz L
Apr 13, 2025
7/10 stars
A fun, adventure-filled read! Loved the different elements that made up this magical world. I did feel there were some familiar themes/details I’ve read in other fantasy works, but overall enjoyed the story immensely.
Breezy
Mar 27, 2025
8/10 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the arc!

This is a book that I think will stay with me for a long time. The story is absolutely amazing. At the beginning, I thought it was going one way but it took an entirely different turn! I struggled at the beginning with the world building since it went over my head but that was on me since I did not read the glossary. While it took me a while to invest in this book, it was so worth it and I am glad I took my time reading it.

The reason it did not give 5 stars is I would have loved for there to have been more time and development of the side characters to make us get even more attached, as well as more time to sit in the twists since they felt like they came out of nowhere. With an extra 100 pages of building this, I definitely would give 5 stars. Absolutely beautiful and worth the read though!!

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