Book Review: Heir of Illusion by Madeline Taylor
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Heir of Illusion by Madeline Taylor
ARC Review: Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for the early copy of this book!
Release Date: February 10, 2026
Series: The Verran Isles #1
Genres: Adult // Romance, Fantasy
Rating: ⭐️⭐️.75
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Open Door)
Quick Thoughts: While I don’t think Heir of Illusions lived up to its potential, I can see a lot of people loving this book. With minimal worldbuilding, a fast moving plot, and classic romantasy tropes people love, this book is great for those new to the genre or those looking for a brain-off read.
Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
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These are the content/trigger warnings listed on the author’s website for Heir of Illusion:
Violence
PTSD
Mentions of self harm
Grooming
Suicidal ideation
Suffocation
Drowning
Emotional and physical abuse
Murder
Attempted sexual assault
Unwanted touching
Abuse of power
Depictions of grief
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Hate to Love
Reluctant Allies to Lovers
Shadow wielding MMC
Female assassin
“Who did this to you?”
He falls first
Banter
“Touch her and die”
Morally gray MMC
What is Heir of Illusion about?
She is not the pet they tamed.
Blessed with the power of illusion, Iverson Pomeroy has many tricks up her sleeve. However, none of them are a match for the enchanted collar at her throat that keeps her bound as assassin and mistress to a ruthless king. Forced to play the role of his obedient pet, she plots in secret to destroy him and claim the freedom she has always been denied.
She is the beast they let inside.
When a mysterious reaper, Thorne, arrives in the city with his sights set on the same weapon Ivy needs—the only artifact that can remove her collar—she must decide how far she’s willing to go.
And she will show no mercy.
With a tenuous alliance tying them together, Ivy learns there is more to her reluctant companion than meets the eye... He sparks her curiosity and ignites dangerous desires within her. But will the secrets they harbor destroy each other? And does it even matter, when anyone who so much as touches Thorne dies?
Heir of Illusion Review
I had a weird experience reading Heir of Illusion. I was interested enough to keep reading but I never actually felt excited about anything happening other than the first and last chapter. It was fine for what it was, but I don't think this book lived up to its potential.
If I had to make a comparison to other books, the reading experience was just like reading Quicksilver or Brimstone by Callie Hart. Books like these are fun popcorn reads, but not for those looking for a richly build world with a complex magic system and a plot that makes sense.
Worldbuilding & Plot
The worldbuilding is minimal, but the tiny snippets we do get about the magic system and politics is interesting. The problem is the execution of the plot itself. On the surface, it's a lot of fun and fast moving, but the more I think about it, the less sense it makes. The entire book is like a collection of events stitched together with random time jumps that got us to the next plot twist. It just didn’t feel like there was any flow to the story and there are so many scenes that I think back to and wonder what the point of those events were.
From what I’ve seen, a lot of the positive reviews of this book have to do with the shocking, cliffhanger ending. Admittedly, the ending was interesting and made me want to read the second book when it releases, but it did open up a few worldbuilding holes that need to be explained in future books. Based on the little knowledge we have of the magic system, specifically how power is inherited, the ending doesn’t make much sense.
Romance
The romance was weird and the progression from strangers to "touch her and die" in like a week felt absurd. There was no setup, and both Ivy and Thorne lack distinct personality traits, so their relationship felt empty despite going from strangers to "touch her and die" within a week.
What really bothered me the most about their interactions was how tone-deaf Thorne’s “protective” behavior was towards Ivy at times. The main story is about King Baylor’s control over Ivy and this collar that guarantees total obedience from her. Yet Thorne would either shame her for not standing up to the king or he’d even provoke Baylor without considering that Ivy would face the consequences. It gave me the ick, and I was side-eyeing him the whole book.
Thoughts on the FMC
My biggest pet peeve is that Ivy's character traits fluctuate to serve the plot. She's quick-witted and clever when the story needs banter and snark, but doesn't ask obvious questions when the author wants to withhold information from us and build intrigue. For example, when someone mentions that she looks and acts like her real father (who she doesn't know btw), she doesn't even ask who he is. The author definitely wanted to save that reveal for later, but it was one moment of many that felt unnatural and like a missed opportunity for Ivy's character.
So, should you read Heir of Illusion?
I can see two groups of people who would really enjoy this: readers who want to turn their brain off and enjoy the ride, or those new to fantasy/romantasy. If I were in either category, I probably would have enjoyed it more.
Check out this review on Goodreads or Storygraph.
Happy reading!
Kim
Heir of Illusion FAQs
Some of the answers may be spoilers if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution!
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As of the publication of this post, Heir of Illusions by Madeline Taylor is a projected trilogy. The series name is The Verran Isles.
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As of the publication of this post, Heir of Illusion by Madeline Taylor book 2 has not been announced yet.
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As of the publication of this post, Heir of Illusion is not available on Kindle Unlimited.
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The spice level of Heir of Illusion by Madeline Taylor is 🌶️🌶️🌶️ or open door.
Open door means readers are “in the room” for spice scenes but they are not told in explicit detail. The author may also use euphemistic language to describe the scene as well.
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There is one brief spice scene in Heir of Illusion by Madeline Taylor in Chapter 30.