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Daughter of Sun Duology #1
Lightguard
Not yet published
Expected 24 Mar 26Stay the course. Be the Light.
After fifteen years of hard training, 25-year-old Corinne Anastos is ready to become a Lightguard and receive her assignment as a Sword of Helaera. Corinne is the most powerful light mage they’ve seen at the monastery in decades, and she’s fought harder than anyone in her training class to retain that reputation—and to prevent the others from discovering her closest-kept secret.
When the day of her Anointing arrives, Corinne’s hopes for a life of honor are dashed. Instead of a placement protecting the sacred Boundary, she’s to be the personal guard for Aryel Serra, Prince of Ashera and heir to the throne. Powerful dark mages have threatened the prince’s life, and it’s now Corinne’s sworn duty to keep him safe, even if he is the most insufferable man she’s ever met.
A Lightguard must not stray from their path, and Corinne must do whatever it takes to live up to those expectations. Because if that voice in her head speaks true, if she fails to protect the prince and guard her own heart, the life she’s fought for will crumble around her.
After fifteen years of hard training, 25-year-old Corinne Anastos is ready to become a Lightguard and receive her assignment as a Sword of Helaera. Corinne is the most powerful light mage they’ve seen at the monastery in decades, and she’s fought harder than anyone in her training class to retain that reputation—and to prevent the others from discovering her closest-kept secret.
When the day of her Anointing arrives, Corinne’s hopes for a life of honor are dashed. Instead of a placement protecting the sacred Boundary, she’s to be the personal guard for Aryel Serra, Prince of Ashera and heir to the throne. Powerful dark mages have threatened the prince’s life, and it’s now Corinne’s sworn duty to keep him safe, even if he is the most insufferable man she’s ever met.
A Lightguard must not stray from their path, and Corinne must do whatever it takes to live up to those expectations. Because if that voice in her head speaks true, if she fails to protect the prince and guard her own heart, the life she’s fought for will crumble around her.
372 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 24, 2026
22 people are currently reading
486 people want to read
About the author
Hayley Turner
3 books59 followersHayley Turner is a writer and composer from North Carolina. Her favorite stories blend fantasy, magic, romance, and epic adventures for an overall “fairytale for adults” feel, and that’s exactly what she seeks to capture in her own books. When she isn’t writing books or music, she can be found playing videogames, eating good food with even better friends, or cuddling with her dog, Leia, or her void goblin cat, Nyx.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
*This is an ARC review*
*Potential spoilers in second paragraph*
if you wish to dive into a world of magic, hidden secrets, lots of yearning 👀 , banter, and fighting for what is right in a realm of twisted beliefs - I absolutely recommend Lightguard. I devoured this book in a day (less than 24 hours!) The Ballroom scene and after the dinner were my favorite parts of the book. The MMC is SO considerate and caring, and the way he makes her feel SEEN in ways she has never experienced absolutely warmed my heart to the core. I cannot wait for book 2!
5/5 ⭐️
3/5🌶
FMC 10/10 ⭐️
MMC 10/10⭐️
*This book has representations of OCD and inclusivity MATTERS*
Corinne, orphan turned Lightguard after a childhood tragedy, is raised in the Monastery and the top of her class. Her first assignment is unexpected, and will put her patience and devotion to the test. As the assigned guard to Aryel, heir to the crown, whom has had threats to his own life as well as attempted assassinations, she learns the reality about herself and the world she was raised in and led to believe as truth. Be the Light. Stay the course. The secrets will be uncovered and the truth revealed, and not in the way you would expect 👀
*Potential spoilers in second paragraph*
if you wish to dive into a world of magic, hidden secrets, lots of yearning 👀 , banter, and fighting for what is right in a realm of twisted beliefs - I absolutely recommend Lightguard. I devoured this book in a day (less than 24 hours!) The Ballroom scene and after the dinner were my favorite parts of the book. The MMC is SO considerate and caring, and the way he makes her feel SEEN in ways she has never experienced absolutely warmed my heart to the core. I cannot wait for book 2!
5/5 ⭐️
3/5🌶
FMC 10/10 ⭐️
MMC 10/10⭐️
*This book has representations of OCD and inclusivity MATTERS*
Corinne, orphan turned Lightguard after a childhood tragedy, is raised in the Monastery and the top of her class. Her first assignment is unexpected, and will put her patience and devotion to the test. As the assigned guard to Aryel, heir to the crown, whom has had threats to his own life as well as attempted assassinations, she learns the reality about herself and the world she was raised in and led to believe as truth. Be the Light. Stay the course. The secrets will be uncovered and the truth revealed, and not in the way you would expect 👀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2025
This is a very honest book. It doesn’t pretend to be anything that it isn’t, it doesn’t take the reader for a fool, it just asks to be enjoyed and I knew I would when I saw that the main character was a Bisexual Muscle Mommy©; and I was not wrong!
For the sake of being a perfectly honest ARC reader I have to say that the book is not without its faults, but it aligns perfectly with my taste, which is why I’m giving it four stars.
I’ll start with the book’s weak points just to get them out of the way: it’s very low on plot and it falls into some clumsy writing at times.
The plot is very simple but also very spaced out through the book so that it feels like not much happens (plotwise) until the last few chapters. It is also very predictable but the book was so enjoyable that I didn’t mind it at all. Also!! predictability can be useful tool if well used, and I’d say this is the case, because that ending puts ideas into your mind….anyway. As for the clumsy writing...this book fell into the rookie mistake of describing new characters in full (hair, eye colour, clothes etc.) as soon as they’re introduced instead of gradually describing them in a less info-dump manner.
With that being said...I freaking loved this. I loved the writing, I loved the characters, I loved the world-building. It’s just a really fun book, with bisexual main characters, a queer and diverse cast, OCD representation…a full package I’d say.
I had never read a book by this author before and I was pleasantly surprised by the writing. It’s clear she knows what she’s doing because I could fully immerse myself in the story without even noticing I was reading, which is, to me, one of the best indicators of a writer’s skill. And what I really loved about the writing is that it’s cinematic; it paints scenes in a way that feels dynamic even if there’s no movement whatsoever, it goes in and out of the main character’s mind so seamlessly that the transition is unnoticeable. Last but not least, there’s a perfect balance between the said and the unsaid, which really made me understand that the writer doesn’t underestimate readers’ intellect, and I appreciate that.
As I’ve said a million times before, I’m a sucker for well written characters, and this book does not disappoint. I would say it’s very character focused, especially on the main character’s growth. Corinne definitely found a place in my heart. Like any self-respecting fantasy main character at the start of their journey, she’s a mixture of traumatized, a little bit fanatical, extremely hot, a little dumb, and in desperate need of affection. She’s perfectly fleshed out, so that her actions and reactions feel natural – even if not logical or smart – and her growth extremely satisfying to witness, even if sad and anger inducing for...reasons, I don’t want to spoil. She’s honest, she’s sweet, she’s resilient, she’s kind, and she grows to be a better version of herself not just because the events change her, but because she chooses to, she wants to be better, she wants to do the right thing...all this while also battling conflicting emotions about her upbringing and her past, her faith and her own mind. She’s also a sword wielding muscular bisexual with short hair and OCD, so. Bonus points. Her developing relationships with the people she meets at the castle had me tearing up and kicking my feet honestly, both friendly and romantic. Speaking of other characters, I really liked the rest of the cast but I wish to see a little more in the second book, same goes for Aryel, because they were good, I loved Aryel’s sass (who has a Sardinian surname, which made me laugh because I’m sure it wasn’t intentional) and Illiana’s anger issues but I’m greedy and I want more.
The world-building is another strong point of the book for multiple reasons: it’s simple, the author took her time introducing it so that it felt natural, and there’s the perfect amount of mystery that leaves you curious for what’s to come without being confusing (with the exception of: how did she not find herself naked in chapter 37??? Scientists are still trying to find an answer!).
I honestly can’t wait to see what happens in the next book because that ending was juicy.
I received an eARC of the book from the author and this represents my honest opinion.
For the sake of being a perfectly honest ARC reader I have to say that the book is not without its faults, but it aligns perfectly with my taste, which is why I’m giving it four stars.
I’ll start with the book’s weak points just to get them out of the way: it’s very low on plot and it falls into some clumsy writing at times.
The plot is very simple but also very spaced out through the book so that it feels like not much happens (plotwise) until the last few chapters. It is also very predictable but the book was so enjoyable that I didn’t mind it at all. Also!! predictability can be useful tool if well used, and I’d say this is the case, because that ending puts ideas into your mind….anyway. As for the clumsy writing...this book fell into the rookie mistake of describing new characters in full (hair, eye colour, clothes etc.) as soon as they’re introduced instead of gradually describing them in a less info-dump manner.
With that being said...I freaking loved this. I loved the writing, I loved the characters, I loved the world-building. It’s just a really fun book, with bisexual main characters, a queer and diverse cast, OCD representation…a full package I’d say.
I had never read a book by this author before and I was pleasantly surprised by the writing. It’s clear she knows what she’s doing because I could fully immerse myself in the story without even noticing I was reading, which is, to me, one of the best indicators of a writer’s skill. And what I really loved about the writing is that it’s cinematic; it paints scenes in a way that feels dynamic even if there’s no movement whatsoever, it goes in and out of the main character’s mind so seamlessly that the transition is unnoticeable. Last but not least, there’s a perfect balance between the said and the unsaid, which really made me understand that the writer doesn’t underestimate readers’ intellect, and I appreciate that.
As I’ve said a million times before, I’m a sucker for well written characters, and this book does not disappoint. I would say it’s very character focused, especially on the main character’s growth. Corinne definitely found a place in my heart. Like any self-respecting fantasy main character at the start of their journey, she’s a mixture of traumatized, a little bit fanatical, extremely hot, a little dumb, and in desperate need of affection. She’s perfectly fleshed out, so that her actions and reactions feel natural – even if not logical or smart – and her growth extremely satisfying to witness, even if sad and anger inducing for...reasons, I don’t want to spoil. She’s honest, she’s sweet, she’s resilient, she’s kind, and she grows to be a better version of herself not just because the events change her, but because she chooses to, she wants to be better, she wants to do the right thing...all this while also battling conflicting emotions about her upbringing and her past, her faith and her own mind. She’s also a sword wielding muscular bisexual with short hair and OCD, so. Bonus points. Her developing relationships with the people she meets at the castle had me tearing up and kicking my feet honestly, both friendly and romantic. Speaking of other characters, I really liked the rest of the cast but I wish to see a little more in the second book, same goes for Aryel, because they were good, I loved Aryel’s sass (who has a Sardinian surname, which made me laugh because I’m sure it wasn’t intentional) and Illiana’s anger issues but I’m greedy and I want more.
The world-building is another strong point of the book for multiple reasons: it’s simple, the author took her time introducing it so that it felt natural, and there’s the perfect amount of mystery that leaves you curious for what’s to come without being confusing (with the exception of: how did she not find herself naked in chapter 37??? Scientists are still trying to find an answer!).
I honestly can’t wait to see what happens in the next book because that ending was juicy.
I received an eARC of the book from the author and this represents my honest opinion.
February 14, 2026
This is an arc review, all thoughts below are my own. Lightguard releases this March on the 24th!!
"If my entire life had to fall apart," he said, voice even lower, "I'm glad you're here to help me carry the pieces."
Okay, let me just say, this Lightguard is SUCH a five ⭐️ read! I was absolutely shocked at that ending!! I NEVER could’ve guessed that ending. It was a complete curveball. And you’re telling me I have to WAIT for the second book to find out what happens next when the first book isn’t even released yet?! I have to have the PATIENCE for that?! But I wanna know now! How am I supposed to wait?!
I love that in Lightguard, SHE is the guard (with magic!) and HE is the prince!! That is definitely what sold me to sign up for this arc. The role reversal was so refreshing and I so thoroughly enjoyed it.
The romance was there, the tension was there, even without the romance being a huge focus of the book! There were comfort scenes, training scenes, a dash of spice, nicknames, banter, A BALLROOM SCENE (!!) and everything else you love to see between the MC’s, all without it overpowering the book/plot! It’s a slow burn at its finest! And as for the spice, I’d rate it a 1.5! It was so short and you can easily skip it if you prefer not to read spice!
I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book. You will be absolutely hooked, turning those pages like there’s no tomorrow! (I may have read over 250 pages of it in one day) I promise you, if you love fantasy/romantasy AT ALL, you won’t regret picking Lightguard up!!
"I'm going to kiss you again before I leave Helaera's earth, Corinne Anastos.”
"If my entire life had to fall apart," he said, voice even lower, "I'm glad you're here to help me carry the pieces."
Okay, let me just say, this Lightguard is SUCH a five ⭐️ read! I was absolutely shocked at that ending!! I NEVER could’ve guessed that ending. It was a complete curveball. And you’re telling me I have to WAIT for the second book to find out what happens next when the first book isn’t even released yet?! I have to have the PATIENCE for that?! But I wanna know now! How am I supposed to wait?!
I love that in Lightguard, SHE is the guard (with magic!) and HE is the prince!! That is definitely what sold me to sign up for this arc. The role reversal was so refreshing and I so thoroughly enjoyed it.
The romance was there, the tension was there, even without the romance being a huge focus of the book! There were comfort scenes, training scenes, a dash of spice, nicknames, banter, A BALLROOM SCENE (!!) and everything else you love to see between the MC’s, all without it overpowering the book/plot! It’s a slow burn at its finest! And as for the spice, I’d rate it a 1.5! It was so short and you can easily skip it if you prefer not to read spice!
I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book. You will be absolutely hooked, turning those pages like there’s no tomorrow! (I may have read over 250 pages of it in one day) I promise you, if you love fantasy/romantasy AT ALL, you won’t regret picking Lightguard up!!
"I'm going to kiss you again before I leave Helaera's earth, Corinne Anastos.”
January 26, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ Slower start, but I ended up loving and rooting for the found family (shocker, I’m always obsessed with that trope). I’m looking forward to the next one!
December 17, 2025
Honestly, 4.5 stars.
I want to first talk about how this book pulled me out of a terrible reading slump. A month of 3 star books, a week of not reading more than 4 pages a day and then never picking that book back up, and then I opened this book and suddenly I desired to read again. And not only did I desire to read, but I thought about this book when I wasn’t reading.
Did I figure out a plot twist like 250 pages before it was revealed? Yes. But the way we got there was a wild ride that made me completely forget my theory until the reveal, so technically I didn’t figure it out.
Corinne is a very refreshing fmc. As someone who struggles with anxiety and OCD, I really liked Corinne. Her thoughts and actions felt very relatable and realistic to me. I’m definitely going to say one of her mantras when times get tough, because it really resonates with me. I also love how she’s this super powerful and tough warrior and still has struggles like the rest of us.
Ari my man, I really didn’t like you at the beginning of the book. I was like oh man I have to deal with this giant man baby as our love interest? And then I absolutely adored him by the end of the book. It was so nice to see him get his spark back and start really loving again after meeting Corinne. He transformed as he got to know her.
The plot of this book is also super unique, and I’m not just talking about how for once she’s the guard and he’s the one who needs protecting. I’m talking about Corinne trying to figure out what’s right, the idea of the light guards, the romance, and the incredible going family. This book had one of the best examples of found family I’ve ever seen. I loved the whole gang and how Ari just kind of was absorbed into them.
Okay, after that ending, I’m going to go eagerly await the next book.
Thank you so much to Hayley Turner for a gifted arc of this book.
I want to first talk about how this book pulled me out of a terrible reading slump. A month of 3 star books, a week of not reading more than 4 pages a day and then never picking that book back up, and then I opened this book and suddenly I desired to read again. And not only did I desire to read, but I thought about this book when I wasn’t reading.
Did I figure out a plot twist like 250 pages before it was revealed? Yes. But the way we got there was a wild ride that made me completely forget my theory until the reveal, so technically I didn’t figure it out.
Corinne is a very refreshing fmc. As someone who struggles with anxiety and OCD, I really liked Corinne. Her thoughts and actions felt very relatable and realistic to me. I’m definitely going to say one of her mantras when times get tough, because it really resonates with me. I also love how she’s this super powerful and tough warrior and still has struggles like the rest of us.
Ari my man, I really didn’t like you at the beginning of the book. I was like oh man I have to deal with this giant man baby as our love interest? And then I absolutely adored him by the end of the book. It was so nice to see him get his spark back and start really loving again after meeting Corinne. He transformed as he got to know her.
The plot of this book is also super unique, and I’m not just talking about how for once she’s the guard and he’s the one who needs protecting. I’m talking about Corinne trying to figure out what’s right, the idea of the light guards, the romance, and the incredible going family. This book had one of the best examples of found family I’ve ever seen. I loved the whole gang and how Ari just kind of was absorbed into them.
Okay, after that ending, I’m going to go eagerly await the next book.
Thank you so much to Hayley Turner for a gifted arc of this book.
December 26, 2025
3.75 Stars
I had a hard time with this one, and I’m still attempting to work out why. I will say that any dislike is entirely due to me not being able to connect with the fmc.
The good: The magic was so interesting and different. I liked how it was turned into a very religious thing, as that added to how the fmc dealt with her thoughts. I got a lot of Tamora Pierce vibes, which I absolutely loved. The writing was lovely, and the story flowed well. I started to get a suspicion about how the book would end part way through, and I liked how it was done.
For me, however, I had a really hard time on texting with the fmc. This is more of a personal thing, I think due to my personality. The author notes that the fmc experiences “silent OCD”, which I had never heard could be a way that OCD manifests (very interesting to read about separately). Where I had an issue was that I am a very decisive person who has never suffered from this before, so it was very hard to put myself in her place. I found myself wanting to skip over the self-doubt and thoughts because in her situation I would not have had them, and I wanted to get to the meat of the problem.
I think this is a beautiful story for anyone who does experience the issues of OCD, as well as self-doubt or depression. Many people will be able to resonant with Corinne and her inner thoughts and struggles. It is unfortunate that I was unable to put myself in her place, but I still urge others to try this one out!
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
I had a hard time with this one, and I’m still attempting to work out why. I will say that any dislike is entirely due to me not being able to connect with the fmc.
The good: The magic was so interesting and different. I liked how it was turned into a very religious thing, as that added to how the fmc dealt with her thoughts. I got a lot of Tamora Pierce vibes, which I absolutely loved. The writing was lovely, and the story flowed well. I started to get a suspicion about how the book would end part way through, and I liked how it was done.
For me, however, I had a really hard time on texting with the fmc. This is more of a personal thing, I think due to my personality. The author notes that the fmc experiences “silent OCD”, which I had never heard could be a way that OCD manifests (very interesting to read about separately). Where I had an issue was that I am a very decisive person who has never suffered from this before, so it was very hard to put myself in her place. I found myself wanting to skip over the self-doubt and thoughts because in her situation I would not have had them, and I wanted to get to the meat of the problem.
I think this is a beautiful story for anyone who does experience the issues of OCD, as well as self-doubt or depression. Many people will be able to resonant with Corinne and her inner thoughts and struggles. It is unfortunate that I was unable to put myself in her place, but I still urge others to try this one out!
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2026
Huge thank you to Hayley Turner for providing an eARC of Lightguard for me to read and review. I wasn’t paid to review this book, and any opinions expressed are my own.
Rating: 5 stars.
What a brilliant book to start the year off with, this was such an insightful and well written book that covers religious trauma in such a profound way. The romance was sweet and well done, it wasn’t rushed at all. The characters and world building were fantastic, I was so immersed in this world. I don’t know what Hayley puts in her books but I was struggling to put it down. The OCD rep is fantastically done, and doesn't feel like it was added in last minute.
We follow our main character, Corinne, and we’re thrown straight into her Lightguard ceremonial trial. Lightguards are protectors of the realm under the Goddess, Helaera, and they use sun magic to protect the people. The love interest, Prince Aryel, is a deeply flawed man, and doesn’t try to be anything else. I loved the developing relationship between these two, and that Corinne brings out the best in Ari, but Ari brings out the worst in her in a way that’s endearing and sweet.
If you’re planning to, definitely add this author to your to-read list. She’s got a way with words. This book releases on March 24 if you’re interested in reading it!
Rating: 5 stars.
What a brilliant book to start the year off with, this was such an insightful and well written book that covers religious trauma in such a profound way. The romance was sweet and well done, it wasn’t rushed at all. The characters and world building were fantastic, I was so immersed in this world. I don’t know what Hayley puts in her books but I was struggling to put it down. The OCD rep is fantastically done, and doesn't feel like it was added in last minute.
We follow our main character, Corinne, and we’re thrown straight into her Lightguard ceremonial trial. Lightguards are protectors of the realm under the Goddess, Helaera, and they use sun magic to protect the people. The love interest, Prince Aryel, is a deeply flawed man, and doesn’t try to be anything else. I loved the developing relationship between these two, and that Corinne brings out the best in Ari, but Ari brings out the worst in her in a way that’s endearing and sweet.
If you’re planning to, definitely add this author to your to-read list. She’s got a way with words. This book releases on March 24 if you’re interested in reading it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Lightguard was such a solid way to kick off my 2026 reading. It’s a medium‑paced fantasy with plenty of deception and betrayal, but what really pulled me in was Corrine figuring out who she actually is — not who she was trained to be. Her inner thoughts feel so real and relatable, and I loved being in her head.
The worldbuilding is amazing. You’re just in it without even trying, and the whole light‑vs‑dark setup is exactly the kind of thing that always grabs me.
And the tropes? A female bodyguard and a he‑falls‑first dynamic? I didn’t stand a chance. Add in the found‑family vibes and I was fully invested.
Overall, it gave me everything I wanted: great world, great characters, and a story that has me excited to see where it goes next.
The worldbuilding is amazing. You’re just in it without even trying, and the whole light‑vs‑dark setup is exactly the kind of thing that always grabs me.
And the tropes? A female bodyguard and a he‑falls‑first dynamic? I didn’t stand a chance. Add in the found‑family vibes and I was fully invested.
Overall, it gave me everything I wanted: great world, great characters, and a story that has me excited to see where it goes next.
December 28, 2025
This one started out a bit slow for me. I felt like up until the 50% mark it felt like very little happened, but when it ramped up I flew through the book.
The OCD representation was great to see, and I did enjoy the diversity in all the main characters. It’s refreshing to read! The magic system was cool, but I do wish there was more background on where it came from, how it’s trained etc.
All in all it’s a fun fresh fantasy read. I did see the twist coming earlier on but still enjoyed how it turned out!
The OCD representation was great to see, and I did enjoy the diversity in all the main characters. It’s refreshing to read! The magic system was cool, but I do wish there was more background on where it came from, how it’s trained etc.
All in all it’s a fun fresh fantasy read. I did see the twist coming earlier on but still enjoyed how it turned out!
February 19, 2026
6 STARS because what do you mean?!
I read this book so fast and I already want to go back and reread it because I miss the world and characters so much.
Our girl, Corinne, is given the assignment of guarding the Crown Prince. After staying the course the majority of her life and proving herself to her colleagues, suddenly she’s thrown into a whole new world where everything she’s known is tested. The fact that I love and hate so many characters at the same time. I found myself screaming for both reasons.. Also, the way Turner represents OCD in this book is done so well.
If you love forbidden love, slow burn, who did this to you, found family, magic and religious trauma- this book is for you!!
I read this book so fast and I already want to go back and reread it because I miss the world and characters so much.
Our girl, Corinne, is given the assignment of guarding the Crown Prince. After staying the course the majority of her life and proving herself to her colleagues, suddenly she’s thrown into a whole new world where everything she’s known is tested. The fact that I love and hate so many characters at the same time. I found myself screaming for both reasons.. Also, the way Turner represents OCD in this book is done so well.
If you love forbidden love, slow burn, who did this to you, found family, magic and religious trauma- this book is for you!!
February 13, 2026
Thank you Hayley Turner for the e-ARC in exchange for this honest review!
I give this start to a duology 3.5, 3.75 stars. I have been going back and forth in my head for a while, now, on what to say exactly in this review, because I did enjoy this novel! I got through it really fast as I was both interested and intrigued by the plot and kept wanting to know what would happen next.
I think overall, I felt like I wanted more depth and time for our characters and feelings to develop. Corinne has such a layered background and deserves more exploration. She is not a normal Lightguard candidate, coming later in life as an orphan, and being the daughter of a certain powerful mage (trying to avoid spoilers here!). Since coming to the Monestary, she has been surrounded by certain rules, beliefs, culture, and a way of thinking that is now being challenged as she steps away for the first time. This tension is explored, but I think not given enough space for us to fully feel the impact. Corinne slips in her Lightguard ways almost immediately, which is pointed out by her colleagues, but it feels a bit disingenuous to me for her to behave this way after trying to hard for years to become a Lightguard.
The biggest pull for me reading this book was the guard/prince dynamic, but we truly only get one instance, maybe two if you are being generous, where Corinne really acts like the guard that she is. Besides that, we spend time training, eating lunch, or standing outside the prince's door.
Lightguard has really good foundations, and is a great discussion on religious stifling and trauma, but it needs just a bit more substance for it to become what it deserves to be.
I give this start to a duology 3.5, 3.75 stars. I have been going back and forth in my head for a while, now, on what to say exactly in this review, because I did enjoy this novel! I got through it really fast as I was both interested and intrigued by the plot and kept wanting to know what would happen next.
I think overall, I felt like I wanted more depth and time for our characters and feelings to develop. Corinne has such a layered background and deserves more exploration. She is not a normal Lightguard candidate, coming later in life as an orphan, and being the daughter of a certain powerful mage (trying to avoid spoilers here!). Since coming to the Monestary, she has been surrounded by certain rules, beliefs, culture, and a way of thinking that is now being challenged as she steps away for the first time. This tension is explored, but I think not given enough space for us to fully feel the impact. Corinne slips in her Lightguard ways almost immediately, which is pointed out by her colleagues, but it feels a bit disingenuous to me for her to behave this way after trying to hard for years to become a Lightguard.
The biggest pull for me reading this book was the guard/prince dynamic, but we truly only get one instance, maybe two if you are being generous, where Corinne really acts like the guard that she is. Besides that, we spend time training, eating lunch, or standing outside the prince's door.
Lightguard has really good foundations, and is a great discussion on religious stifling and trauma, but it needs just a bit more substance for it to become what it deserves to be.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for allowing me to advance read this book.
This at first appears to be romantic fantasy, but it is fantasy romance because the romance is central to the plot. You can’t remove the romance and still have the plot completely. Almost, but not quite.
The book is good. But it’s not really my cup of tea. It gets a four star just for structure, a tall FMC, and being absolutely advanced read ready. It’s not perfectly plotted, but it’s close. More about that later.
This review does have plot and content spoilers, so read any further at your own risk.
What works:
It was absolutely advanced ready. I didn’t see any typos or errors. I may have missed something, but it was fairly free of problems. I do not recall seeing any continuity issues.
The protagonist is a woman, and she is a warrior. With magic. She is the knight in shining armor.
She is tall, she is buff. Did I mention bonus points for the tall FMC?
Found family and friends group. The friend group sought her out and made her a friend. This required her to practice her social skills ha ha. I like that the MMC saw how they were good to her. There was little of the typical bullying mean girls stuff than normal in these type of books. Yes, there was a typical mean girl rival sort of, but she took up little time.
The parents of the friend groups and that most of the court people were decent people. It wasn’t all awful people.
It almost feels like a coming of age story.
What doesn’t work:
This is advertised as a somewhat enemies to lovers. It’s not.
The characters are extremely immature for their age. While the characters are in their mid to late 20s, this book reads very much like a book for teenagers. Other than the one scene where there is foreplay spice. These characters would fit better to be teenagers not mid to late 20s.
This FMC character has absolutely no actual fieldwork/battle experience, yet she kills easily.
The entire plot development requires a reticent, naïve main character.
Pacing. The first half of the book is plodding. It’s a little boring. I’m not sure why I’m supposed to care about the FMC. Yes it sets up the rest of the book, yes it seems necessary. But I can tell you I almost DNF many times. If this was not an advanced copy, I would have dropped it in the first few chapters simply because it did not catch my interest. The second half of the book moves at a better pace and I actually enjoyed some of the action scenes. In other words, it’s actually plotted well as it’s a fantasy and it’s setting up at least one more book. I don’t know how long this series is going to be.
More personal opinion:
It’s obvious how the plot is going to go for betrayal and treason because the newly minted graduate of religious warrior school is sent to be the personal guard of the prince. She has no actual battle training. She’s naïve, having grown up in the monastery with no real life experience. And is ill prepared to face court politics. She had been drinking the Kool-Aid at the monastery since she was eight years old and is now in her mid 20s. This is a positive if the reader like a plot that's comfortable. It's a negative if someone's looking for any shocking revelations.
I knew from the start who the big bad going to be. It was pretty obvious what was being done to the FMC also, there were no surprises at all in the book. But sometimes it’s comforting to know how the plot is going to work out. And I’m not talking about the romance.
The male character is supposed to be the bad boy charmer. He’s rather boring and submissive. Yes he’s the bad boy sleep around drinking too much guy, often cranky, but he’s extremely naïve and we learn why he’s kind of passive. It’s difficult to balance when you want to do this kind of main character in a romance reversal. She’s the knight in shining armor, but she’s also naïve and submissive in many ways. He’s the spoiled brat, prince and she trains him to learn how to fight better but he’s also submissive. It’s a really fine line to walk. I admire what the author did because I know how difficult that is. I'm not sure it quite works, it's a little awkward. But big props for trying to make it happen. You do see that they develop a bond.
The author did a very good job of balancing the FMC trying to be both a kick butt warrior and sometimes soft. For the MMC, the Author really did try to balance him, but it did not quite even out.
Something that altered my enjoyment of the book and is not a critique of the book itself. But rather giving my own review a take it as a grain of salt poke. I saw the character art of the two characters online and that visually pretty much put me off the male character. I tried to ignore that, but I couldn’t unsee it. I really tried to get by it and I was successful in doing so in that I completed the book.
The author explains in the end of the book the type of OCD that the FMC has, but it’s not evident in the book. I was pretty much thinking she was going to be possessed or under the influence of drugs that made her basically schizophrenic. But because I didn’t understand it doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it just means that unless you understand that type of OCD and intrusive thoughts, you’re not going to understand what’s going on with the character. At all.
Yes, I complained quite a bit here and all of this seems a bit negative. However, ultimately, I gave it four stars and I don’t give out higher than three stars often. Again this is because it's structured well, the author has her own vision, it has a tall FMC, and it sticks to the fantasy genre. There's no real quest, but I considered roaming around all the halls over and over following the MMC around on his daily schedule land the descriptions of the labyrinth like streets in the city, good enough to consider it the requisite fantasy quest ha ha. I mean, I don't know if I would've made it through if there was a real quest and the daily routine thing.
If you like fantasy romance, character and plot driven books that is rather more teenage like rather than adult, this book might be for you. Frankly, I didn’t particularly enjoy this book but I didn't hate it either. I think it’s a good book structurally and for mild fantasy readers that enjoy teenage fantasy because I think it fits better there.
This at first appears to be romantic fantasy, but it is fantasy romance because the romance is central to the plot. You can’t remove the romance and still have the plot completely. Almost, but not quite.
The book is good. But it’s not really my cup of tea. It gets a four star just for structure, a tall FMC, and being absolutely advanced read ready. It’s not perfectly plotted, but it’s close. More about that later.
This review does have plot and content spoilers, so read any further at your own risk.
What works:
It was absolutely advanced ready. I didn’t see any typos or errors. I may have missed something, but it was fairly free of problems. I do not recall seeing any continuity issues.
The protagonist is a woman, and she is a warrior. With magic. She is the knight in shining armor.
She is tall, she is buff. Did I mention bonus points for the tall FMC?
Found family and friends group. The friend group sought her out and made her a friend. This required her to practice her social skills ha ha. I like that the MMC saw how they were good to her. There was little of the typical bullying mean girls stuff than normal in these type of books. Yes, there was a typical mean girl rival sort of, but she took up little time.
The parents of the friend groups and that most of the court people were decent people. It wasn’t all awful people.
It almost feels like a coming of age story.
What doesn’t work:
This is advertised as a somewhat enemies to lovers. It’s not.
The characters are extremely immature for their age. While the characters are in their mid to late 20s, this book reads very much like a book for teenagers. Other than the one scene where there is foreplay spice. These characters would fit better to be teenagers not mid to late 20s.
This FMC character has absolutely no actual fieldwork/battle experience, yet she kills easily.
The entire plot development requires a reticent, naïve main character.
Pacing. The first half of the book is plodding. It’s a little boring. I’m not sure why I’m supposed to care about the FMC. Yes it sets up the rest of the book, yes it seems necessary. But I can tell you I almost DNF many times. If this was not an advanced copy, I would have dropped it in the first few chapters simply because it did not catch my interest. The second half of the book moves at a better pace and I actually enjoyed some of the action scenes. In other words, it’s actually plotted well as it’s a fantasy and it’s setting up at least one more book. I don’t know how long this series is going to be.
More personal opinion:
It’s obvious how the plot is going to go for betrayal and treason because the newly minted graduate of religious warrior school is sent to be the personal guard of the prince. She has no actual battle training. She’s naïve, having grown up in the monastery with no real life experience. And is ill prepared to face court politics. She had been drinking the Kool-Aid at the monastery since she was eight years old and is now in her mid 20s. This is a positive if the reader like a plot that's comfortable. It's a negative if someone's looking for any shocking revelations.
I knew from the start who the big bad going to be. It was pretty obvious what was being done to the FMC also, there were no surprises at all in the book. But sometimes it’s comforting to know how the plot is going to work out. And I’m not talking about the romance.
The male character is supposed to be the bad boy charmer. He’s rather boring and submissive. Yes he’s the bad boy sleep around drinking too much guy, often cranky, but he’s extremely naïve and we learn why he’s kind of passive. It’s difficult to balance when you want to do this kind of main character in a romance reversal. She’s the knight in shining armor, but she’s also naïve and submissive in many ways. He’s the spoiled brat, prince and she trains him to learn how to fight better but he’s also submissive. It’s a really fine line to walk. I admire what the author did because I know how difficult that is. I'm not sure it quite works, it's a little awkward. But big props for trying to make it happen. You do see that they develop a bond.
The author did a very good job of balancing the FMC trying to be both a kick butt warrior and sometimes soft. For the MMC, the Author really did try to balance him, but it did not quite even out.
Something that altered my enjoyment of the book and is not a critique of the book itself. But rather giving my own review a take it as a grain of salt poke. I saw the character art of the two characters online and that visually pretty much put me off the male character. I tried to ignore that, but I couldn’t unsee it. I really tried to get by it and I was successful in doing so in that I completed the book.
The author explains in the end of the book the type of OCD that the FMC has, but it’s not evident in the book. I was pretty much thinking she was going to be possessed or under the influence of drugs that made her basically schizophrenic. But because I didn’t understand it doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it just means that unless you understand that type of OCD and intrusive thoughts, you’re not going to understand what’s going on with the character. At all.
Yes, I complained quite a bit here and all of this seems a bit negative. However, ultimately, I gave it four stars and I don’t give out higher than three stars often. Again this is because it's structured well, the author has her own vision, it has a tall FMC, and it sticks to the fantasy genre. There's no real quest, but I considered roaming around all the halls over and over following the MMC around on his daily schedule land the descriptions of the labyrinth like streets in the city, good enough to consider it the requisite fantasy quest ha ha. I mean, I don't know if I would've made it through if there was a real quest and the daily routine thing.
If you like fantasy romance, character and plot driven books that is rather more teenage like rather than adult, this book might be for you. Frankly, I didn’t particularly enjoy this book but I didn't hate it either. I think it’s a good book structurally and for mild fantasy readers that enjoy teenage fantasy because I think it fits better there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
In Hayley Turner's novel Lightguard, join the devoted and blessed with magic as they live their lives in honor of the one true Goddess Helaera and protect others in the realm. Remember, stay the course, be the light. You wouldn't want to stray too far away so that you end up in the darkness. Who knows what will happen if you do.
Corrine Anastos has lived most of her life at the monastery training and praying to one day become a Lightguard. Once she passes all of these rigorous tests, she will finally be anointed and will receive her assignment. She does everything she's supposed to do, even rising to the top of her class. Everything was going according to plan, until she got assigned to guard the crown Prince Aryel Serra of Ashera. Now, she must leave everything behind and head to a place that will test her resolve and mental fortitude while protecting the very people that live the exact opposite of what she believes and was raised to believe in.
While I was able to predict a majority of what was going to happen in the story, it was still an enjoyable read for me. At first, it started slow, but when you're world building, and setting up all the characters and plot, it makes sense. Towards the end, everything picks up. Her relationship with Aryel is cute. At first, they are complete opposites, and can barely stand each other, but slowly, they start to understand one another when no one else gets them. Even her friendships with the others at the castle are cute. At first she's standoffish, but they slowly grow on her.
What intrigued me as I was reading was Corrine's OCD. For many, one would assume a person with OCD likes to have things in a particular order; however, Corrine's was more about her intrusive thoughts, and if she didn't do it as she normally does, she must start over again, and make sure everything is right before proceeding on with her day. What also intrigued me as I was reading this story was how religion and cults are crucial to the story. Corrine has lived a majority of her life in an extremist religious sect away from society. Everything she does is in honor of the Goddess and her Lightguard creed. When she steps outside of her comfort zone, at first she is disgusted by the hedonistic ways everyone in the city and castle live. How is she to obey the Goddess and live in virtue when everyone around her is doing the opposite. At first, she may seem like everyone is testing her, but everyone is living their life as they always have. As her tenure guarding the princes continues, she starts questioning everything she's been taught, and slowly learns that everything doesn't exactly align with her new convictions.
With this being the first book in a duology, I can't wait to see how our characters come together and save their home. I'm sure there is to be a lot of eye opening reveals and truths learned. Can't wait to see what comes up next.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from Hayley Turner for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My intentions are to write feedback that reflects my genuine thoughts and is written with the book’s genre and target audience in mind. I aim to review fairly and respectfully, focusing on the story’s purpose.
Corrine Anastos has lived most of her life at the monastery training and praying to one day become a Lightguard. Once she passes all of these rigorous tests, she will finally be anointed and will receive her assignment. She does everything she's supposed to do, even rising to the top of her class. Everything was going according to plan, until she got assigned to guard the crown Prince Aryel Serra of Ashera. Now, she must leave everything behind and head to a place that will test her resolve and mental fortitude while protecting the very people that live the exact opposite of what she believes and was raised to believe in.
While I was able to predict a majority of what was going to happen in the story, it was still an enjoyable read for me. At first, it started slow, but when you're world building, and setting up all the characters and plot, it makes sense. Towards the end, everything picks up. Her relationship with Aryel is cute. At first, they are complete opposites, and can barely stand each other, but slowly, they start to understand one another when no one else gets them. Even her friendships with the others at the castle are cute. At first she's standoffish, but they slowly grow on her.
What intrigued me as I was reading was Corrine's OCD. For many, one would assume a person with OCD likes to have things in a particular order; however, Corrine's was more about her intrusive thoughts, and if she didn't do it as she normally does, she must start over again, and make sure everything is right before proceeding on with her day. What also intrigued me as I was reading this story was how religion and cults are crucial to the story. Corrine has lived a majority of her life in an extremist religious sect away from society. Everything she does is in honor of the Goddess and her Lightguard creed. When she steps outside of her comfort zone, at first she is disgusted by the hedonistic ways everyone in the city and castle live. How is she to obey the Goddess and live in virtue when everyone around her is doing the opposite. At first, she may seem like everyone is testing her, but everyone is living their life as they always have. As her tenure guarding the princes continues, she starts questioning everything she's been taught, and slowly learns that everything doesn't exactly align with her new convictions.
With this being the first book in a duology, I can't wait to see how our characters come together and save their home. I'm sure there is to be a lot of eye opening reveals and truths learned. Can't wait to see what comes up next.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from Hayley Turner for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My intentions are to write feedback that reflects my genuine thoughts and is written with the book’s genre and target audience in mind. I aim to review fairly and respectfully, focusing on the story’s purpose.
January 22, 2026
Review of advanced copy from the author. Thank you for sharing your book with me!
No spoilers until the last few lines. Read at your own discretion. If you are sensitive to religious trauma, this may be a difficult book for you.
Spice Level: 🌶️ (one or two open door scenes)
TWs: Religious corruption, suppression, and punishment; kissing, one explicitly sexual scene, OCD, panic attacks, and descriptions of battle.
Ending: I don't know if you'd call it a cliffhanger, but you are left off in a moment you and the characters know nothing about.
This is a story of religious deconstruction - of finding the truths behind people in power and faith, and what they are truly willing to do to stay there. Corinne lives it firsthand, and just at the brink of the end, discovers she isn't who she believed she was...she is better.
Review below:
At first, I wasn't sure about the FMC. She seemed...whiny. Very entitled and prideful, and I actually put the book down for a few days because she rubbed me the wrong way. After about a week, I picked it back up and finished it within a day. I found myself speed-reading through the descriptions because I was so impatient about the plot, lol.
Corinne Anastos is a Lightguard - an orphan girl who grew up in the monastery, faithfully following the religion of their goddess Haelara. Lightguards are Mages and healers - protectors of the realm, doing the goddess's work within the world. She is the brightest of her class, the overachiever, and the one with a dark past that she had absolutely no control over. Upon graduation (anointing), she receives her assignment - protect Prince Aryel. The snobby, entitled piece-of-work MMC. She is NOT happy about this. She expected to protect the magical boundary surrounding Ashera from the Nightrenders (the shadow goddess's realm). Since, after all, she is the strongest Mage they've ever had.
The first few chapters of her in the palace portray her as a prideful guard; however, she begins to loosen up and eventually makes friends. With both other guards - and the Prince.
The monastery is NOT happy about her 'straying from the path', and Corinne pays the price of their disappointment, bearing the mark of punishment.
From that point on, she is an emotional mess, trying to understand her emotions and feelings. Aryel is not who he seems, and she is surprised to find her friends are actually her friends.
And just when she chooses herself for once, everything starts to fall apart.
I loved how the MMC turns out to be a sweet man who truly cares for Corinne... and plays the piano forte. It was so refreshing to read a man who reacted normally to what was going on around him, had normal motivations, and was able to express his feelings, desires, and goals.
The end of the book is a whirlwind, and it was awesome how Corinne stopped GAF about anything except him. He gave her, "Who did this to you?" - she gave him, "I'll burn the world down for hurting you."
No spoilers until the last few lines. Read at your own discretion. If you are sensitive to religious trauma, this may be a difficult book for you.
Spice Level: 🌶️ (one or two open door scenes)
TWs: Religious corruption, suppression, and punishment; kissing, one explicitly sexual scene, OCD, panic attacks, and descriptions of battle.
Ending: I don't know if you'd call it a cliffhanger, but you are left off in a moment you and the characters know nothing about.
This is a story of religious deconstruction - of finding the truths behind people in power and faith, and what they are truly willing to do to stay there. Corinne lives it firsthand, and just at the brink of the end, discovers she isn't who she believed she was...she is better.
Review below:
At first, I wasn't sure about the FMC. She seemed...whiny. Very entitled and prideful, and I actually put the book down for a few days because she rubbed me the wrong way. After about a week, I picked it back up and finished it within a day. I found myself speed-reading through the descriptions because I was so impatient about the plot, lol.
Corinne Anastos is a Lightguard - an orphan girl who grew up in the monastery, faithfully following the religion of their goddess Haelara. Lightguards are Mages and healers - protectors of the realm, doing the goddess's work within the world. She is the brightest of her class, the overachiever, and the one with a dark past that she had absolutely no control over. Upon graduation (anointing), she receives her assignment - protect Prince Aryel. The snobby, entitled piece-of-work MMC. She is NOT happy about this. She expected to protect the magical boundary surrounding Ashera from the Nightrenders (the shadow goddess's realm). Since, after all, she is the strongest Mage they've ever had.
The first few chapters of her in the palace portray her as a prideful guard; however, she begins to loosen up and eventually makes friends. With both other guards - and the Prince.
The monastery is NOT happy about her 'straying from the path', and Corinne pays the price of their disappointment, bearing the mark of punishment.
From that point on, she is an emotional mess, trying to understand her emotions and feelings. Aryel is not who he seems, and she is surprised to find her friends are actually her friends.
And just when she chooses herself for once, everything starts to fall apart.
I loved how the MMC turns out to be a sweet man who truly cares for Corinne... and plays the piano forte. It was so refreshing to read a man who reacted normally to what was going on around him, had normal motivations, and was able to express his feelings, desires, and goals.
The end of the book is a whirlwind, and it was awesome how Corinne stopped GAF about anything except him. He gave her, "Who did this to you?" - she gave him, "I'll burn the world down for hurting you."
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NerdFam and the author for the e-copy of this book. All thoughts here are my own.
This is a very, naive Maria leaves the abbey, to be Brianne of Tarth with light powers and protect Captain Von Trapp with a Prince Naveen attitude. Now steep those characters in a toxic tea of religious abuse and that’s the story. I had a hard time connecting with the FMC.
I did not enjoy this book at all and wanted to DNF but powered through to give this ARC a full read. Part of that is on me, because I underestimated the content warnings and expected that the plot would focus on the action/ adventure. This story is primarily about religious abuse and sexual repression and shame. The fantasy elements take a big back seat. Please check the trigger warnings I’m glad I did finish the book because I really appreciated all the bread crumbs the author had left throughout the story that help wrap up the plot. But gosh, was it a slog.
The pacing was so slow. By 10% she just met Prince Ari, her love interest. By 50% they were just starting to turn the corner on the relationship and by 70% we finally get acknowledged mutual interest. To me, this didn’t read like a slow burn, it read like we weren’t getting enough story.
To that end, I wanted everything about the book ramped up 20%. More action/adventure, higher stakes, more romance, more prince on the page, more world building, the magic. Instead, the story plodded along with seemingly inconsequential vignettes of her day - she trains with her friends, then grabs lunch, then meets with the king/queen, then goes to dinner. I felt like I kept waiting for the story to get going and for the stakes to ramp up.
But they never did. There was also never any concern Corinne wouldn’t prevail against an attack. the stakes felt flimsy.
The FMC experiences religious trauma/ active spiritual abuse coupled with OCD (to the point of panic attacks). While I can’t speak to the OCD representation, I deeply resonated with the representation of religious trauma and the shame spiraling on page. Personally, I would have liked to see this character acknowledge the harm much sooner and work against the powers that be for a larger part of the story.
Idk this book just didn’t work for me as a fantasy book. As a critique on religious abuse? I get it. Deeply. But i wouldn’t have picked it up if I understood where this was going.
This is a very, naive Maria leaves the abbey, to be Brianne of Tarth with light powers and protect Captain Von Trapp with a Prince Naveen attitude. Now steep those characters in a toxic tea of religious abuse and that’s the story. I had a hard time connecting with the FMC.
I did not enjoy this book at all and wanted to DNF but powered through to give this ARC a full read. Part of that is on me, because I underestimated the content warnings and expected that the plot would focus on the action/ adventure. This story is primarily about religious abuse and sexual repression and shame. The fantasy elements take a big back seat. Please check the trigger warnings I’m glad I did finish the book because I really appreciated all the bread crumbs the author had left throughout the story that help wrap up the plot. But gosh, was it a slog.
The pacing was so slow. By 10% she just met Prince Ari, her love interest. By 50% they were just starting to turn the corner on the relationship and by 70% we finally get acknowledged mutual interest. To me, this didn’t read like a slow burn, it read like we weren’t getting enough story.
To that end, I wanted everything about the book ramped up 20%. More action/adventure, higher stakes, more romance, more prince on the page, more world building, the magic. Instead, the story plodded along with seemingly inconsequential vignettes of her day - she trains with her friends, then grabs lunch, then meets with the king/queen, then goes to dinner. I felt like I kept waiting for the story to get going and for the stakes to ramp up.
But they never did. There was also never any concern Corinne wouldn’t prevail against an attack. the stakes felt flimsy.
The FMC experiences religious trauma/ active spiritual abuse coupled with OCD (to the point of panic attacks). While I can’t speak to the OCD representation, I deeply resonated with the representation of religious trauma and the shame spiraling on page. Personally, I would have liked to see this character acknowledge the harm much sooner and work against the powers that be for a larger part of the story.
Idk this book just didn’t work for me as a fantasy book. As a critique on religious abuse? I get it. Deeply. But i wouldn’t have picked it up if I understood where this was going.
January 2, 2026
I positively consumed the all-new, romantasy publication by Hayley Turner. I was lucky enough to be selected to read an advance copy of her title, Lightguard, and it did not disappoint.
Stay the Course. Be the Light.
This book was very well written. The writing style was smooth and nearly every plot hole was filled and wrapped up by the end. I supposed book 2 of the duology will answer any leftover wonders from its former.
The world building was refreshing, it was just enough to get the full picture without bore and so the reading was much faster paced. I appreciated the no extra bs approach with this medium length text.
The plot itself was only semi predictable by the end, and you really questioned every character and their motives all throughout the book. It was giving not “who dun’it” but “who’s gonna do it” vibes.
Corinne, our FMC, is an orphaned light-wielder raised in a monastery. She’s tough and honorable, but also has major past traumas, intrusive thoughts and the mental health representation is loud and proud. She fights the attraction to Ari due to her religious brainwashing and shame, but it slowly turns into a touch-him-and-die scenario!
Ari introduced as a spoiled, pompous prince with a rebel streak. His character growth is powerful and he transforms into a sweet and caring, respectable guy who would do anything to keep Corinne safe. Hayley also did a wonderful job at making consent sexy.
This is definitely a slow burn, and plot forward book. It’s extremely low spice but there is a fair amount of tension and the romance is still just as sweet. She saves his life, he saves her heart!
Many of the roles in this book were reversed or atypical of stereotypes. It was stimulating to say the least. There is a lot of inclusivity including feminine strength roles and positions of power, LGBTQ+ characters and OCD representation, as well as a non-cookie cutter picture of relationships. There are elements of found family, and amazing supporting characters. Blackmail, betrayal and secrets threaten to stir everything up!
Worthy mention: Judging a book by its cover, while it may be nearsighted- I could have been captured at first sight based on that beautiful cover alone! So, well done to whoever created the art for your book, it’s gorgeous and something I would love to see on my bookshelf.
In conclusion, I very much enjoyed Lightguard and would recommend to anyone who enjoys slow burn romance and fantasy, even YA category. I look forward to finishing this duology when book 2 is released! Thank you Hayley for allowing me the privilege of being an ARC reader!
Stay the Course. Be the Light.
This book was very well written. The writing style was smooth and nearly every plot hole was filled and wrapped up by the end. I supposed book 2 of the duology will answer any leftover wonders from its former.
The world building was refreshing, it was just enough to get the full picture without bore and so the reading was much faster paced. I appreciated the no extra bs approach with this medium length text.
The plot itself was only semi predictable by the end, and you really questioned every character and their motives all throughout the book. It was giving not “who dun’it” but “who’s gonna do it” vibes.
Corinne, our FMC, is an orphaned light-wielder raised in a monastery. She’s tough and honorable, but also has major past traumas, intrusive thoughts and the mental health representation is loud and proud. She fights the attraction to Ari due to her religious brainwashing and shame, but it slowly turns into a touch-him-and-die scenario!
Ari introduced as a spoiled, pompous prince with a rebel streak. His character growth is powerful and he transforms into a sweet and caring, respectable guy who would do anything to keep Corinne safe. Hayley also did a wonderful job at making consent sexy.
This is definitely a slow burn, and plot forward book. It’s extremely low spice but there is a fair amount of tension and the romance is still just as sweet. She saves his life, he saves her heart!
Many of the roles in this book were reversed or atypical of stereotypes. It was stimulating to say the least. There is a lot of inclusivity including feminine strength roles and positions of power, LGBTQ+ characters and OCD representation, as well as a non-cookie cutter picture of relationships. There are elements of found family, and amazing supporting characters. Blackmail, betrayal and secrets threaten to stir everything up!
Worthy mention: Judging a book by its cover, while it may be nearsighted- I could have been captured at first sight based on that beautiful cover alone! So, well done to whoever created the art for your book, it’s gorgeous and something I would love to see on my bookshelf.
In conclusion, I very much enjoyed Lightguard and would recommend to anyone who enjoys slow burn romance and fantasy, even YA category. I look forward to finishing this duology when book 2 is released! Thank you Hayley for allowing me the privilege of being an ARC reader!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to the publisher for giving me an eARC! **I’ll try and keep this mostly spoiler free.
*Single POV, third person
*OCD, LGBTQ+ representation
“Stay the course. Be the Light.”
This book is advertised as “she’s the guard, he’s the prince” and while that’s true, this book is so much more. The representation of OCD in this book was really well done and gave readers very personal insight into Corinne’s innermost thoughts, doubts, and insecurities. Corinne is top of her class in a monastery of Lightguards with sunlight powers who are committed to their goddess. When Corinne is sent on an assignment to the castle to be the prince’s bodyguard, she ends up making friends along the way and comes to challenge everything she once knew.
The dynamic between Corinne and the Lightguards was probably the most intriguing aspect for me. The change in Corinne after she visited the monastery mid-book was really interesting, especially with how Corinne eventually leaned on her new friends to undo the years of shame engrained in her. There were a few things I saw coming, particularly regarding a certain scene involving flames with the Lightguards and a ritual with misleading purposes iykyk.
**Romance**
MMC Prince Aryel very quickly changes from being a drunk party boy to being in love with Corinne. Believe me, I love romance in a book, but even though it could be considered a slow burn by the time romance kicked in, his character change felt a bit abrupt. I do love how he calls her “Sunshine” and how words of affirmation is clearly his love language, which helps soothe her intrusive thoughts.
**Side characters**
My biggest gripe is probably the development (or lack thereof) of the other characters: Danai (they/them), Iliana (she/her), and Nik (he/him). I think having friends was important to Corinne’s character, but her friends seemed to lack any personal identity. It felt like they were just ~there~ at times, and when it came down to it at the end, I found myself not really caring if any of them died or were left behind. I liked the writing in this book for the most part, but the dialogue with these characters usually felt pretty bland to me.
**Overall**
There were a couple things that didn’t make sense to me other than being plot-convenient. That being said, I liked the main plot and the action-packed, betrayal-filled climax at the end. I’m intrigued to see what happens in the second book of the duology based on where this one left off.
*Single POV, third person
*OCD, LGBTQ+ representation
“Stay the course. Be the Light.”
This book is advertised as “she’s the guard, he’s the prince” and while that’s true, this book is so much more. The representation of OCD in this book was really well done and gave readers very personal insight into Corinne’s innermost thoughts, doubts, and insecurities. Corinne is top of her class in a monastery of Lightguards with sunlight powers who are committed to their goddess. When Corinne is sent on an assignment to the castle to be the prince’s bodyguard, she ends up making friends along the way and comes to challenge everything she once knew.
The dynamic between Corinne and the Lightguards was probably the most intriguing aspect for me. The change in Corinne after she visited the monastery mid-book was really interesting, especially with how Corinne eventually leaned on her new friends to undo the years of shame engrained in her. There were a few things I saw coming, particularly regarding a certain scene involving flames with the Lightguards and a ritual with misleading purposes iykyk.
**Romance**
MMC Prince Aryel very quickly changes from being a drunk party boy to being in love with Corinne. Believe me, I love romance in a book, but even though it could be considered a slow burn by the time romance kicked in, his character change felt a bit abrupt. I do love how he calls her “Sunshine” and how words of affirmation is clearly his love language, which helps soothe her intrusive thoughts.
**Side characters**
My biggest gripe is probably the development (or lack thereof) of the other characters: Danai (they/them), Iliana (she/her), and Nik (he/him). I think having friends was important to Corinne’s character, but her friends seemed to lack any personal identity. It felt like they were just ~there~ at times, and when it came down to it at the end, I found myself not really caring if any of them died or were left behind. I liked the writing in this book for the most part, but the dialogue with these characters usually felt pretty bland to me.
**Overall**
There were a couple things that didn’t make sense to me other than being plot-convenient. That being said, I liked the main plot and the action-packed, betrayal-filled climax at the end. I’m intrigued to see what happens in the second book of the duology based on where this one left off.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The story follows Corinne, a Lightguard - a person with light magic (very cool) and also part of a religious-style collective that definitely leans heavily towards the cult-like sense.
This added an interesting flavour to the FMC as she is very cloistered and forced into a strict set of rules. So, when she finally takes a task protecting the Crown Prince, she is immersed in a world that is very different from what she's grown up with.
I think the author did an excellent job of showing her naivety and her struggle with being around people who didn't have the same rigid upbringing.
The MMC was a little less fleshed out for me. He was the bratty prince who disliked being guarded, but he seemed a little one-dimensional at the start. This could have been because the story was a little slower to build. I'm okay with that, as I like slow-burning stories. But he seemed a little underdeveloped.
The world-building was good; I love the magical system, the Lightguard concept, and even the creepiness of those who run the Lightguards.
The plot was simple enough, though the threat around the prince seemed unclear. There wasn't much explanation why he was the target over the king and queen.
Pacing and action kick up around the last quarter of the book, though I would have liked a little more in the middle.
The middle slowed a lot for me as it seemed to repeat the routine (which can help to show the monotony of Corrine's life in this role), but at some points, it did feel like I'd read parts before.
I did like it when Corinne was connecting and developing friendships with side characters. I would have liked these characters to have been a bit more fleshed out, too - though I suspect this will happen more in book 2 - but overall, their style and personalities had enough to make me like them.
The ending is strong enough to make me interested in seeing where this is going, and I will be looking out for book 2 of this duology.
Overall, I did like this book, and it did keep me reading.
Thank you to Hayley Turner for the copy of this story.
All thoughts are my own.
This added an interesting flavour to the FMC as she is very cloistered and forced into a strict set of rules. So, when she finally takes a task protecting the Crown Prince, she is immersed in a world that is very different from what she's grown up with.
I think the author did an excellent job of showing her naivety and her struggle with being around people who didn't have the same rigid upbringing.
The MMC was a little less fleshed out for me. He was the bratty prince who disliked being guarded, but he seemed a little one-dimensional at the start. This could have been because the story was a little slower to build. I'm okay with that, as I like slow-burning stories. But he seemed a little underdeveloped.
The world-building was good; I love the magical system, the Lightguard concept, and even the creepiness of those who run the Lightguards.
The plot was simple enough, though the threat around the prince seemed unclear. There wasn't much explanation why he was the target over the king and queen.
Pacing and action kick up around the last quarter of the book, though I would have liked a little more in the middle.
The middle slowed a lot for me as it seemed to repeat the routine (which can help to show the monotony of Corrine's life in this role), but at some points, it did feel like I'd read parts before.
I did like it when Corinne was connecting and developing friendships with side characters. I would have liked these characters to have been a bit more fleshed out, too - though I suspect this will happen more in book 2 - but overall, their style and personalities had enough to make me like them.
The ending is strong enough to make me interested in seeing where this is going, and I will be looking out for book 2 of this duology.
Overall, I did like this book, and it did keep me reading.
Thank you to Hayley Turner for the copy of this story.
All thoughts are my own.
December 30, 2025
5⭐️
I don’t know what to say other than I’m in love with this book. The characters are amazing, the plot is fun and engaging and at times devastating, and I am already looking forward to the sequel. It’s somehow a perfect balance between classic romantasy fun and a deeply moving exploration of religious guilt and how to learn to trust those around you when you’ve been taught all your life not to.
I love all of the main/major characters, but I absolutely adore the FMC. Watching her struggle with both her mental health (the author is very upfront about how her own OCD inspired the FMC’s) and religious guilt as she tries to come to terms with the fact that she’s not perfect in the eyes of her Order is so moving. I was cheering for her the entire way through as she slowly started to regain her agency as she learned more about the world outside of her religion with the help of her friends.
The romance between the FMC and MMC was lovely, and felt very believable. No insta-love here, which is always a win imo! The author really took the time to allow both characters to get to know one another and to have genuine reasons to start to fall for one another.
I’m also a sucker for found family stories, and the FMC’s new friendships felt just as important as her romantic feelings - if not more so. All of her friends feel well fleshed-out and like they’re full people on their own outside of their relationship to the story/FMC.
TLDR: Absolute masterpiece of a story that hit every mark I look for in a romantasy and then some. Characters I will be thinking about forever, and a plot that left me breathless by the end. Can’t wait for book two!!!
Disclaimer: I received an eARC copy of this book, but was not required to leave a review in order to receive my copy. I’m leaving this review because I want to share how much I loved it, and all thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.
I don’t know what to say other than I’m in love with this book. The characters are amazing, the plot is fun and engaging and at times devastating, and I am already looking forward to the sequel. It’s somehow a perfect balance between classic romantasy fun and a deeply moving exploration of religious guilt and how to learn to trust those around you when you’ve been taught all your life not to.
I love all of the main/major characters, but I absolutely adore the FMC. Watching her struggle with both her mental health (the author is very upfront about how her own OCD inspired the FMC’s) and religious guilt as she tries to come to terms with the fact that she’s not perfect in the eyes of her Order is so moving. I was cheering for her the entire way through as she slowly started to regain her agency as she learned more about the world outside of her religion with the help of her friends.
The romance between the FMC and MMC was lovely, and felt very believable. No insta-love here, which is always a win imo! The author really took the time to allow both characters to get to know one another and to have genuine reasons to start to fall for one another.
I’m also a sucker for found family stories, and the FMC’s new friendships felt just as important as her romantic feelings - if not more so. All of her friends feel well fleshed-out and like they’re full people on their own outside of their relationship to the story/FMC.
TLDR: Absolute masterpiece of a story that hit every mark I look for in a romantasy and then some. Characters I will be thinking about forever, and a plot that left me breathless by the end. Can’t wait for book two!!!
Disclaimer: I received an eARC copy of this book, but was not required to leave a review in order to receive my copy. I’m leaving this review because I want to share how much I loved it, and all thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was given an arc of this book in exchanged for an honest review.
I have to say this book was so much more that what I was expecting. I was so hooked that I almost read thin in one sitting. The writing is great and flows well, it's not fast paced but the slow parts go well with the more character focus chapters.
This novel is about Corinne who has been training to be a lightguard all her life. She's the most powerful light mage they've seen in the monastery. At the start of the novel she is ready for her first assignment, but she wasn't expecting it to be protecting the crown prince, Aryel.
The magic system in this book is very interesting and unique. The plot keeps you hooked from the start. I must admit I figured out the twist early on, but that didn't take away from the entertaining or excitement. The way there, was a very epic, action packed ride. I absolutely loved it.
One of the things I loved the most is how refreshing it all felt, characters that are mature, roles that aren't usually portrayed in fantasy by female characters. Found family, unique magic system, slow burn romance...
Corinne who is an amazing woman, dealing with OCD and trauma, with intrusive thoughts. She felt very relatable, and seeing her questioning everything and founding the truth was very satisfying. I also adored how understanding and supportive Aryel was. I didn't love him in the beginning but he grew on me.
Other amazing thing about the novel are the banter, the love story, the found family which is one of the best I've ever read and the reveals at the end.
What an ending, I really need book two ASAP.
Thank you so much to the author for this copy of Lightguard and for writing such unique novel.
Read this if you like:
- Romantasy
- Yearning
- Good Banter
- Unique Magic Systems
- Soft enemies to lovers
- Representation that matters
- Found family
- Reversed roles
I have to say this book was so much more that what I was expecting. I was so hooked that I almost read thin in one sitting. The writing is great and flows well, it's not fast paced but the slow parts go well with the more character focus chapters.
This novel is about Corinne who has been training to be a lightguard all her life. She's the most powerful light mage they've seen in the monastery. At the start of the novel she is ready for her first assignment, but she wasn't expecting it to be protecting the crown prince, Aryel.
The magic system in this book is very interesting and unique. The plot keeps you hooked from the start. I must admit I figured out the twist early on, but that didn't take away from the entertaining or excitement. The way there, was a very epic, action packed ride. I absolutely loved it.
One of the things I loved the most is how refreshing it all felt, characters that are mature, roles that aren't usually portrayed in fantasy by female characters. Found family, unique magic system, slow burn romance...
Corinne who is an amazing woman, dealing with OCD and trauma, with intrusive thoughts. She felt very relatable, and seeing her questioning everything and founding the truth was very satisfying. I also adored how understanding and supportive Aryel was. I didn't love him in the beginning but he grew on me.
Other amazing thing about the novel are the banter, the love story, the found family which is one of the best I've ever read and the reveals at the end.
What an ending, I really need book two ASAP.
Thank you so much to the author for this copy of Lightguard and for writing such unique novel.
Read this if you like:
- Romantasy
- Yearning
- Good Banter
- Unique Magic Systems
- Soft enemies to lovers
- Representation that matters
- Found family
- Reversed roles
December 22, 2025
Typically, I fly through books and have to reread just to grasp the full story and scope. This book made me slow down and really settle in, really pay attention and I was at the edge of my seat with everything new I learned about the characters, worldbuilding, and magic system. I am a huge sucker for cool worldbuilding and a good magic system.
Not only did the plot have me on the edge of my seat, carrying my kindle around so I could read during any downtime I could manage during a busy holiday season - the character growth of both of the main characters, Corinne and Aryel, was gripping in itself, especially as I started off (just like Corinne), really disliking Aryel as just another obnoxious man with a big ego (trust me, he’s way more than that). While am pretty adept at picking out what a twist or surprise will be in a plot, the author still managed to have details that I didn’t pick up on until they were revealed, and anything I did predict felt more like the classic of knowing something before a character does - which lends suspense as you wait for the other shoe to drop.
With wonderful banter, a great love story full of trust and understanding, and the found family built throughout the story, this is absolutely a story I will read again and again, and I absolutely cannot wait for the second book in the duology.
While I received this e-ARC for free, I am absolutely pre-ordering a physical copy at the beginning of the year when the special purple-edge copies are available to order!!
CW:
Graphic:
Intrusive thoughts, anxiety, panic attacks,violence, torture, religious abuse/indoctrination (physical and mental), consensual sexual acts.
Moderate:
Nightmares of parental death, sexual repression, shame
Mild:
Sexual harassment/unwanted physical contact, alcohol use, physical abuse (parent to grown child)
Not only did the plot have me on the edge of my seat, carrying my kindle around so I could read during any downtime I could manage during a busy holiday season - the character growth of both of the main characters, Corinne and Aryel, was gripping in itself, especially as I started off (just like Corinne), really disliking Aryel as just another obnoxious man with a big ego (trust me, he’s way more than that). While am pretty adept at picking out what a twist or surprise will be in a plot, the author still managed to have details that I didn’t pick up on until they were revealed, and anything I did predict felt more like the classic of knowing something before a character does - which lends suspense as you wait for the other shoe to drop.
With wonderful banter, a great love story full of trust and understanding, and the found family built throughout the story, this is absolutely a story I will read again and again, and I absolutely cannot wait for the second book in the duology.
While I received this e-ARC for free, I am absolutely pre-ordering a physical copy at the beginning of the year when the special purple-edge copies are available to order!!
CW:
Graphic:
Intrusive thoughts, anxiety, panic attacks,violence, torture, religious abuse/indoctrination (physical and mental), consensual sexual acts.
Moderate:
Nightmares of parental death, sexual repression, shame
Mild:
Sexual harassment/unwanted physical contact, alcohol use, physical abuse (parent to grown child)
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this book as an ARC, and what a pleasure it has been. Thank you to the author for trusting me with a glimpse into this world.
Lightguard is a romantasy set in the land of Ashera, following Corinne, a newly anointed Lightguard sworn to uphold the order’s sacred creed. Becoming a Lightguard has always been her dream: a way to prove her worth to the elders, to her friends, and to herself. When the day finally arrives, her first assignment is not what she expected… she’s placed in service to the Prince.
The Prince—known for being frivolous and unserious. Yet as the heir to the throne faces death threats, the Priestesses assign their best Lightguard to protect him. On the surface, he seems to embody everything Corinne stands against. But as time passes, both are forced to confront their assumptions and realise they may be facing similar struggles after all.
Thrown into a world she’s never known, Corinne begins forming relationships she’s never experienced before — while questioning her beliefs, her upbringing, and what it truly means to be devoted. The author captures these moments of vulnerability beautifully. I cried, I laughed, and I found myself deeply empathising with Corinne, the Prince, and their newly found allies, all of whom add such emotional depth to the story.
I especially loved the portrayal of Corinne’s inner conflict: her self-doubt, her questioning of faith, and the quiet unravelling of what she’s been taught to believe. The religious trauma arc was handled with such care and honesty, and it struck a deeply personal chord for me.
Ending 2025 with this book felt like a gift. I highly recommend Lightguard to anyone looking for a story rich in vulnerability, growth, and the reminder that overcoming personal struggles is never meant to be done alone; we all need someone in our corner. ✨
Lightguard is a romantasy set in the land of Ashera, following Corinne, a newly anointed Lightguard sworn to uphold the order’s sacred creed. Becoming a Lightguard has always been her dream: a way to prove her worth to the elders, to her friends, and to herself. When the day finally arrives, her first assignment is not what she expected… she’s placed in service to the Prince.
The Prince—known for being frivolous and unserious. Yet as the heir to the throne faces death threats, the Priestesses assign their best Lightguard to protect him. On the surface, he seems to embody everything Corinne stands against. But as time passes, both are forced to confront their assumptions and realise they may be facing similar struggles after all.
Thrown into a world she’s never known, Corinne begins forming relationships she’s never experienced before — while questioning her beliefs, her upbringing, and what it truly means to be devoted. The author captures these moments of vulnerability beautifully. I cried, I laughed, and I found myself deeply empathising with Corinne, the Prince, and their newly found allies, all of whom add such emotional depth to the story.
I especially loved the portrayal of Corinne’s inner conflict: her self-doubt, her questioning of faith, and the quiet unravelling of what she’s been taught to believe. The religious trauma arc was handled with such care and honesty, and it struck a deeply personal chord for me.
Ending 2025 with this book felt like a gift. I highly recommend Lightguard to anyone looking for a story rich in vulnerability, growth, and the reminder that overcoming personal struggles is never meant to be done alone; we all need someone in our corner. ✨
Review of advance copy received from Author
You know a book is truly amazing when you're waiting to be done with work and get back to the world, only to realise that you've finished reading it already. The heartbreak that comes after, knowing that it's going to be a while before you meet the characters again, is devastating. It's been 2 days since I finished it, and I'm still dealing with the book hangover.
It's brilliantly written with a perfectly executed plot. The world building was great; the hierarchy, power plays, magical abilities, geographical locations and history were described in detail.
Coming to the best part of the book — the characters. I loved Corinne and Aryel; their chemistry was amazing. Despite coming from different backgrounds, their struggles were similar, which helped them bond. They had their own share of trauma, and I cried reading certain scenes. The book also conveyed that though on the outside some people may come across as privileged, the reality could be very different.
The supporting characters were equally amazing! The found-family trope is my favourite, and it was explored well in the book. The villains were also well written because God knows I wanted to beat the crap out of them everytime they were mentioned.
The romantic scenes had me feeling all tingly and excited. The spice was good, but the sweet conversations and the protectiveness of the MCs towards each other was heartwarming.
The secrets, plotting, betrayal and the aftermath were also written well. Although I had a feeling about certain things early on, the revelations still held an element of surprise.
Overall, this book is a masterpiece that elicited a variety of emotions from me throughout. I'm eager to read the next book in the series. I highly recommend this to all fantasy readers who love broken yet strong MCs, reversed gender roles, sweet and spicy romance, and beautiful friendships.
It's brilliantly written with a perfectly executed plot. The world building was great; the hierarchy, power plays, magical abilities, geographical locations and history were described in detail.
Coming to the best part of the book — the characters. I loved Corinne and Aryel; their chemistry was amazing. Despite coming from different backgrounds, their struggles were similar, which helped them bond. They had their own share of trauma, and I cried reading certain scenes. The book also conveyed that though on the outside some people may come across as privileged, the reality could be very different.
The supporting characters were equally amazing! The found-family trope is my favourite, and it was explored well in the book. The villains were also well written because God knows I wanted to beat the crap out of them everytime they were mentioned.
The romantic scenes had me feeling all tingly and excited. The spice was good, but the sweet conversations and the protectiveness of the MCs towards each other was heartwarming.
The secrets, plotting, betrayal and the aftermath were also written well. Although I had a feeling about certain things early on, the revelations still held an element of surprise.
Overall, this book is a masterpiece that elicited a variety of emotions from me throughout. I'm eager to read the next book in the series. I highly recommend this to all fantasy readers who love broken yet strong MCs, reversed gender roles, sweet and spicy romance, and beautiful friendships.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you for the EARC Hayley and Team ☀️
Lightguard has amazing representation for mental health struggles which is a rare but welcome sight in a genre filled with seemingly perfect all the time main characters!
So I will say, Lightguard started off very slow but steady and quickly ramped up and held me in a chokehold until I finished the book. The world building was long but so worth it as we made it to the most insane and intense parts!
Corinne and Aryel are very naive at times (most of the time) so its sometimes easy to forget they are mid/late twenties which almost made this feel YA. But I do think the naivety plays into the story (it absolutely does tbh) and Im excited to see the evolution of their maturity in book 2!
This was a great change from the typical male guard/female royal, even though at times I couldnt stop imagining Corinne towering over Ayrel.
Again thank you to Hayley for the ARC and Im so excited to get my hands on book 2 🌞🗡️
Now time for my favorite quotes
***** Spoilers *****
“those shadow-wielding heretics.”
“I’m sure you will,” Vera said. “But I was friends with someone who kept her duty in mind first and foremost. You faltered at the first true test of your devotion, and here you are still seeking to do things outside of what you’ve been assigned. Maybe you were right to doubt your place among the Lightguards.” —— what a cunt
“Corinne,” he said slowly. Corinne. Not Sunshine. “Who did this to you?” —— I screamed!!!!!!!
A fire within began to burn alongside the fear, a radical acceptance of her fate. —— alexa play we didnt start the fire. Seeing the radicalization our society is currently going through be portrayed in a way thats easy to read, understand and agree with is chefs kiss. It may go over some heads but I see you hayley and i LOVE IT
Lightguard has amazing representation for mental health struggles which is a rare but welcome sight in a genre filled with seemingly perfect all the time main characters!
So I will say, Lightguard started off very slow but steady and quickly ramped up and held me in a chokehold until I finished the book. The world building was long but so worth it as we made it to the most insane and intense parts!
Corinne and Aryel are very naive at times (most of the time) so its sometimes easy to forget they are mid/late twenties which almost made this feel YA. But I do think the naivety plays into the story (it absolutely does tbh) and Im excited to see the evolution of their maturity in book 2!
This was a great change from the typical male guard/female royal, even though at times I couldnt stop imagining Corinne towering over Ayrel.
Again thank you to Hayley for the ARC and Im so excited to get my hands on book 2 🌞🗡️
Now time for my favorite quotes
***** Spoilers *****
“those shadow-wielding heretics.”
“I’m sure you will,” Vera said. “But I was friends with someone who kept her duty in mind first and foremost. You faltered at the first true test of your devotion, and here you are still seeking to do things outside of what you’ve been assigned. Maybe you were right to doubt your place among the Lightguards.” —— what a cunt
“Corinne,” he said slowly. Corinne. Not Sunshine. “Who did this to you?” —— I screamed!!!!!!!
A fire within began to burn alongside the fear, a radical acceptance of her fate. —— alexa play we didnt start the fire. Seeing the radicalization our society is currently going through be portrayed in a way thats easy to read, understand and agree with is chefs kiss. It may go over some heads but I see you hayley and i LOVE IT
Review of advance copy received from Author
"If my entire life had to fall apart,” he said, voice even lower, “I’m glad you’re here to help me carry the pieces.”
If you're looking for "who did this to you?", he falls first, mutual pining, training scenes, and religious cults and political intrigue to top off your next romantasy read, Lightguard is for you.
We follow Corinne, a fresh graduate from the country's magic academy that trains protectors of the realm, as she awaits her first assignment. As the top of the class, she's expecting something exciting and adventurous, and maybe even a posting where she can visit her best friend regularly. Instead, she gets assigned guard duty in the capital city over the spoiled prince Aryel. As she and Aryel wrestle the reins of responsibility from one another, their connection grows. However, Corinne isn't only battling her burgeoning feelings for the prince... her training academy / magic cult bans attachments, including friendships, and Corinne struggles to stay distant and aloof amidst the castle guards and other residents. We watch Corinne's battle with these feelings and her weighing her cult's teachings with the reality she is now surrounded with, and sparks ensure.
I really enjoyed the interesting take on magic, and a full commitment by Hayley to answering the question "What if the magic users are in a truly insular cult, and their best and brightest begins to question it when she accidentally escapes?". A fun, fast read, and the pining/self-denial of feelings between Corinne and the Prince are excellent romantasy fodder.
Thank you to the author for an early eARC to allow me to read and honestly review!
If you're looking for "who did this to you?", he falls first, mutual pining, training scenes, and religious cults and political intrigue to top off your next romantasy read, Lightguard is for you.
We follow Corinne, a fresh graduate from the country's magic academy that trains protectors of the realm, as she awaits her first assignment. As the top of the class, she's expecting something exciting and adventurous, and maybe even a posting where she can visit her best friend regularly. Instead, she gets assigned guard duty in the capital city over the spoiled prince Aryel. As she and Aryel wrestle the reins of responsibility from one another, their connection grows. However, Corinne isn't only battling her burgeoning feelings for the prince... her training academy / magic cult bans attachments, including friendships, and Corinne struggles to stay distant and aloof amidst the castle guards and other residents. We watch Corinne's battle with these feelings and her weighing her cult's teachings with the reality she is now surrounded with, and sparks ensure.
I really enjoyed the interesting take on magic, and a full commitment by Hayley to answering the question "What if the magic users are in a truly insular cult, and their best and brightest begins to question it when she accidentally escapes?". A fun, fast read, and the pining/self-denial of feelings between Corinne and the Prince are excellent romantasy fodder.
Thank you to the author for an early eARC to allow me to read and honestly review!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I’m not entirely sure what I expected when I picked up Lightguard, but I know it wasn’t this, and I mean that in the best possible way. This is one of those books where the enjoyment sneaks up on you. I can’t quite put my finger on a single reason why I loved it so much; it’s more the way all the pieces come together.
One aspect that really stood out to me was the neurodivergent FMC. As a neurodivergent reader myself, seeing that kind of representation felt meaningful. While Corinne’s experiences aren’t identical to mine, the way she thinks, processes, and navigates the world felt honest and refreshing, and I think that connection played a big role in how deeply I enjoyed this story.
The world-building is thoughtful and well-balanced. Magic exists and matters, but it isn’t overwhelming or overused, which gives the setting a grounded feel. The cast of secondary characters also deserves praise, they’re charming, distinct, and add real depth to the story rather than just filling space.
Plot-wise, Corinne is tasked with protecting Prince Aryel, who is… insufferable. As with any great fantasy, nothing is quite what it seems, and the story unfolds in ways I didn’t expect. I also loved the role reversal here, seeing the FMC rescue the MMC instead of the other way around was a welcome change.
This is the first book in the series, and it left me eager for more. I can’t wait to see where Hayley Turner takes this world and these characters next. Highly recommended.
One aspect that really stood out to me was the neurodivergent FMC. As a neurodivergent reader myself, seeing that kind of representation felt meaningful. While Corinne’s experiences aren’t identical to mine, the way she thinks, processes, and navigates the world felt honest and refreshing, and I think that connection played a big role in how deeply I enjoyed this story.
The world-building is thoughtful and well-balanced. Magic exists and matters, but it isn’t overwhelming or overused, which gives the setting a grounded feel. The cast of secondary characters also deserves praise, they’re charming, distinct, and add real depth to the story rather than just filling space.
Plot-wise, Corinne is tasked with protecting Prince Aryel, who is… insufferable. As with any great fantasy, nothing is quite what it seems, and the story unfolds in ways I didn’t expect. I also loved the role reversal here, seeing the FMC rescue the MMC instead of the other way around was a welcome change.
This is the first book in the series, and it left me eager for more. I can’t wait to see where Hayley Turner takes this world and these characters next. Highly recommended.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Uh, Hayley...I fear you owe me a coffee.
All comfy in bed, I thought, let me just start this ARC and read a few chapters. Tell me why all of a sudden it was 4am, the birds were singing, and the book was finished?
Right from the first chapter, the story dives straight in. Honestly, I don't know what was sprinkled into this book, but I was CAPTIVATED.
You know the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" It perfectly fits the characters in this story. Some you'll love, some you'll despise, and some will completely shock you.
And can we talk about that the story is based on a female guard? Such a refreshing change and the way this was written was amazing.
And the slow burn between Corrine and Aryel? Perfection. Aryel's mischievous yet caring nature I ate it up.
Add in the side characters you're going to absolutely adore and the plot twists? Don't even get me started.
And the ending?
The. Ending.
This is going to be one those book I think about for a long while, and I am already counting down the days until book 2.
This book truly deserves a spot on everyone’s TBR. It’s one of those stories that pulls you in completely and stays with you long after you finish.
It also deserves an incredible release launch. The writing, the characters, the slow burn, the twists everything about it feels special. I really hope it gets all the hype and recognition it deserves.
All comfy in bed, I thought, let me just start this ARC and read a few chapters. Tell me why all of a sudden it was 4am, the birds were singing, and the book was finished?
Right from the first chapter, the story dives straight in. Honestly, I don't know what was sprinkled into this book, but I was CAPTIVATED.
You know the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" It perfectly fits the characters in this story. Some you'll love, some you'll despise, and some will completely shock you.
And can we talk about that the story is based on a female guard? Such a refreshing change and the way this was written was amazing.
And the slow burn between Corrine and Aryel? Perfection. Aryel's mischievous yet caring nature I ate it up.
Add in the side characters you're going to absolutely adore and the plot twists? Don't even get me started.
And the ending?
The. Ending.
This is going to be one those book I think about for a long while, and I am already counting down the days until book 2.
This book truly deserves a spot on everyone’s TBR. It’s one of those stories that pulls you in completely and stays with you long after you finish.
It also deserves an incredible release launch. The writing, the characters, the slow burn, the twists everything about it feels special. I really hope it gets all the hype and recognition it deserves.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Hayley Turner for an ARC of Lightguard. I am voluntarily leaving a review of this book.
I genuinely enjoyed this book! I found it easy to read and as with most fantasy novels, the last half was very exciting. The magic system is intriguing- while I wish it had been elaborated on further, I did enjoy the visuals of the use of magic. I also loved the found family and representation of OCD/anxiety. I was able to connect with the FMC because of those anxious intrusive thoughts.
Lightguard opens with our main character, Corinne, completing her training as a Lightguard. Lightguards are sworn to the goddess Helaera and are expected to be devoted only to her. After completing her final test, Corinne then gets assigned to be the guard for the prince of Ashera, Prince Aryel. We find the prince to be a hedonistic young man, the opposite of Corrine. Through the book, I found myself questioning many of the characters for their trustworthiness but did not fully predict the plot twist.
I did feel that the first half of the book was a bit slow, though I can see the importance toward the character development. It just lacked the depth that I was hoping for.
Overall, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy romantic fantasy novels and I am eagerly awaiting the second book of this duology.
I genuinely enjoyed this book! I found it easy to read and as with most fantasy novels, the last half was very exciting. The magic system is intriguing- while I wish it had been elaborated on further, I did enjoy the visuals of the use of magic. I also loved the found family and representation of OCD/anxiety. I was able to connect with the FMC because of those anxious intrusive thoughts.
Lightguard opens with our main character, Corinne, completing her training as a Lightguard. Lightguards are sworn to the goddess Helaera and are expected to be devoted only to her. After completing her final test, Corinne then gets assigned to be the guard for the prince of Ashera, Prince Aryel. We find the prince to be a hedonistic young man, the opposite of Corrine. Through the book, I found myself questioning many of the characters for their trustworthiness but did not fully predict the plot twist.
I did feel that the first half of the book was a bit slow, though I can see the importance toward the character development. It just lacked the depth that I was hoping for.
Overall, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy romantic fantasy novels and I am eagerly awaiting the second book of this duology.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Lightguard by Hayley Turner is a really enjoyable and original start to the Daughter of Sun duology, and a solid 4‑star read for me. The magic of Light, the sun‑touched world, and the idea of a dedicated order of Lightguards felt fresh and well thought out, and Corinne’s journey from long‑trained soldier to active guardian was compelling from the start.
One of my favourite elements was the role reversal: she is the prince’s bodyguard, not the other way around, and that dynamic gives the romance a fun, subversive twist. Their relationship grows through duty, proximity, and trust, and watching a competent, disciplined heroine protect someone of higher status was incredibly satisfying. The pacing is on the slightly slower side at times, but it suits the more character‑ and politics‑driven nature of the story, and the quieter moments add weight to the world and relationships rather than feeling like filler.
Overall, Lightguard is a really nice romantasy with a strong female lead, soft enemies‑to‑lovers vibes, and a unique magic system that sets up a lot of potential. I’m very much looking forward to the next installment and to seeing where Corinne, the prince, and this sun‑blessed world go from here. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review
One of my favourite elements was the role reversal: she is the prince’s bodyguard, not the other way around, and that dynamic gives the romance a fun, subversive twist. Their relationship grows through duty, proximity, and trust, and watching a competent, disciplined heroine protect someone of higher status was incredibly satisfying. The pacing is on the slightly slower side at times, but it suits the more character‑ and politics‑driven nature of the story, and the quieter moments add weight to the world and relationships rather than feeling like filler.
Overall, Lightguard is a really nice romantasy with a strong female lead, soft enemies‑to‑lovers vibes, and a unique magic system that sets up a lot of potential. I’m very much looking forward to the next installment and to seeing where Corinne, the prince, and this sun‑blessed world go from here. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review
December 20, 2025
Nooooooooo. I do not have it in me to wait for the next book!!!!!!!!
My goodness. This book. We have found family, a bad ass heroin who is fighting her own inner demons and trying to figure out who she is and what she believes in, a magic system and world that are incredibly built and written, and a MMC who will burn the world for our girl. Throw in some bodyguard/prince action with forbidden attraction and ya got me swooning.
The cast of characters are incredible. And the way the author wrote the villain arc was incredible and the foreshadowing was artfully done.
There are just so many things I loved about this book, but I can’t say them because I don’t do spoilers.
We have a nice and slow burn romance and we do get one spicy scene and one toe tingling kiss that will have to hold us over until book 2. But I really loved that the romance was a part of Corinne’s self-discovery and acceptance journey and not necessarily the main focal point. This book definitely thrives with the plot and the romance part just gives it that some extra.
There are a couple instances of physical and emotional abuse.
I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own and represents my own opinions.
My goodness. This book. We have found family, a bad ass heroin who is fighting her own inner demons and trying to figure out who she is and what she believes in, a magic system and world that are incredibly built and written, and a MMC who will burn the world for our girl. Throw in some bodyguard/prince action with forbidden attraction and ya got me swooning.
The cast of characters are incredible. And the way the author wrote the villain arc was incredible and the foreshadowing was artfully done.
There are just so many things I loved about this book, but I can’t say them because I don’t do spoilers.
We have a nice and slow burn romance and we do get one spicy scene and one toe tingling kiss that will have to hold us over until book 2. But I really loved that the romance was a part of Corinne’s self-discovery and acceptance journey and not necessarily the main focal point. This book definitely thrives with the plot and the romance part just gives it that some extra.
There are a couple instances of physical and emotional abuse.
I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own and represents my own opinions.
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