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The Sovereign Saga #1
The Sovereign: Part One
At the dawn of the Birth Crisis, AI behemoth Hyperion Systems delivered its perfection. Two centuries later, the descendants of those who called it salvation still kneel to its design.
In their city-state of Hyperion Proper, conformity isn’t forced—it’s earned. Adversity has been eliminated, crime is nonexistent, and on their thirtieth birthday, every Sovereign citizen receives a custom-designed partner—a Supplicant—engineered for devotion, built to meet their every want and need.
For Isara Poeima, that partner is flawless, breathtaking, irrevocably hers. She’s dreamed of him her entire life, spent nearly a year perfecting him, and now she’s moments away from finally seeing him in person, hearing his voice, feeling her hand in his.
What she doesn’t know—and what Hyperion is desperate to conceal—is that humans weren’t meant to experience life without adversity. Ease may comfort the body, but it emaciates the soul.
In a society polished by prescribed excellence, deviation is quietly discouraged and curiosity walks the edge of treason—both burdens Isara and Maxim quietly carry. But when even a single spark of doubt can threaten the system, her bond with an anomalous Supplicant like Maxim becomes something far more than a sanctuary, and a rebellion.
Outside the safety of Hyperion’s wall, a war is brewing—and Maxim and Isara are fated to ignite it, whether they will it or not.
THE PART ONE is a genre-bending blend of sci-fi humanity and dystopian revelation—a story of love, sacrifice, buried truth, and the radical defiance of wanting more than the perfect world you were given.
In their city-state of Hyperion Proper, conformity isn’t forced—it’s earned. Adversity has been eliminated, crime is nonexistent, and on their thirtieth birthday, every Sovereign citizen receives a custom-designed partner—a Supplicant—engineered for devotion, built to meet their every want and need.
For Isara Poeima, that partner is flawless, breathtaking, irrevocably hers. She’s dreamed of him her entire life, spent nearly a year perfecting him, and now she’s moments away from finally seeing him in person, hearing his voice, feeling her hand in his.
What she doesn’t know—and what Hyperion is desperate to conceal—is that humans weren’t meant to experience life without adversity. Ease may comfort the body, but it emaciates the soul.
In a society polished by prescribed excellence, deviation is quietly discouraged and curiosity walks the edge of treason—both burdens Isara and Maxim quietly carry. But when even a single spark of doubt can threaten the system, her bond with an anomalous Supplicant like Maxim becomes something far more than a sanctuary, and a rebellion.
Outside the safety of Hyperion’s wall, a war is brewing—and Maxim and Isara are fated to ignite it, whether they will it or not.
THE PART ONE is a genre-bending blend of sci-fi humanity and dystopian revelation—a story of love, sacrifice, buried truth, and the radical defiance of wanting more than the perfect world you were given.
550 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2025
70 people are currently reading
360 people want to read
About the author
Jamie McGuire
46 books42.9k followersJamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She attended Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.
Jamie paved the way for the New Adult genre with the international bestseller Beautiful Disaster. Her follow-up novel, Walking Disaster, debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists in all four categories. Beautiful Oblivion, book one of the Maddox Brothers series, also topped the New York Times bestseller list, debuting at #1. In 2015, books two and three of the Maddox Brothers series, Beautiful Redemption and Beautiful Sacrifice, respectively, also topped the New York Times, as well as a Beautiful series novella, Something Beautiful. In 2016, Beautiful Burn made an appearance on the New York Times and USA Today, and was also named iBooks' Romance Book of the Year. The same year, A Beautiful Funeral also topped the New York Times bestseller list.
Novels also written by Jamie McGuire include: apocalyptic thriller and 2014 UtopYA Best Dystopian Book of the Year, Red Hill; the Providence series, a young adult paranormal romance trilogy; Apolonia, a dark sci-fi romance; and several novellas, including A Beautiful Wedding, Among Monsters, Happenstance: A Novella Series, and Sins of the Innocent.
Jamie is the first indie author in history to strike a print deal with retail giant Wal-Mart. Her self-published novel, Beautiful Redemption hit Wal-Mart shelves in September, 2015.
Jamie lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with her husband, Jeff, and their three children.
Find Jamie at www.jamiemcguire.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Instagram.
Jamie paved the way for the New Adult genre with the international bestseller Beautiful Disaster. Her follow-up novel, Walking Disaster, debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists in all four categories. Beautiful Oblivion, book one of the Maddox Brothers series, also topped the New York Times bestseller list, debuting at #1. In 2015, books two and three of the Maddox Brothers series, Beautiful Redemption and Beautiful Sacrifice, respectively, also topped the New York Times, as well as a Beautiful series novella, Something Beautiful. In 2016, Beautiful Burn made an appearance on the New York Times and USA Today, and was also named iBooks' Romance Book of the Year. The same year, A Beautiful Funeral also topped the New York Times bestseller list.
Novels also written by Jamie McGuire include: apocalyptic thriller and 2014 UtopYA Best Dystopian Book of the Year, Red Hill; the Providence series, a young adult paranormal romance trilogy; Apolonia, a dark sci-fi romance; and several novellas, including A Beautiful Wedding, Among Monsters, Happenstance: A Novella Series, and Sins of the Innocent.
Jamie is the first indie author in history to strike a print deal with retail giant Wal-Mart. Her self-published novel, Beautiful Redemption hit Wal-Mart shelves in September, 2015.
Jamie lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with her husband, Jeff, and their three children.
Find Jamie at www.jamiemcguire.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 3, 2026
👀this was so good.
---
⭐4.5
🌶️1
This book immediately gave off the same vibes as The Giver which has a special place in my heart so I was absolutely stoked as the storyline progressed. As the plot continued to dole out; I was constantly like, oh this is going to be so good. When my audiobook hit a certain point, I was like oh no how much is left of this book; I was sitting at that last chapter and was like "NO I NEED MORE." The story just sucked me right in and kept me hooked.
This book follows Isara. Isara is finally receiving her Supplicant after dreaming of him her entire life. Everything she did was to reach this moment, but when they finally meet, he seems more self-aware than other Supplicants and they both find themselves breaking the rules during their courtship. This would normally result in reprimend but when no punishment is handed out, they realize something is off. They seek answers, only to find that they are fated to ignite a war; perfection isn't meant to exist.
What You Can Expect:
📖Sci-fi Dystopian
📖Engineered Spouses
📖Birth Crisis
📖Rebellian Uprising
📖Swoony Banter
📖Richly Layered Characters
Thank You Podium, for the ALC!
---
⭐4.5
🌶️1
This book immediately gave off the same vibes as The Giver which has a special place in my heart so I was absolutely stoked as the storyline progressed. As the plot continued to dole out; I was constantly like, oh this is going to be so good. When my audiobook hit a certain point, I was like oh no how much is left of this book; I was sitting at that last chapter and was like "NO I NEED MORE." The story just sucked me right in and kept me hooked.
This book follows Isara. Isara is finally receiving her Supplicant after dreaming of him her entire life. Everything she did was to reach this moment, but when they finally meet, he seems more self-aware than other Supplicants and they both find themselves breaking the rules during their courtship. This would normally result in reprimend but when no punishment is handed out, they realize something is off. They seek answers, only to find that they are fated to ignite a war; perfection isn't meant to exist.
What You Can Expect:
📖Sci-fi Dystopian
📖Engineered Spouses
📖Birth Crisis
📖Rebellian Uprising
📖Swoony Banter
📖Richly Layered Characters
Thank You Podium, for the ALC!
January 4, 2026
Beautiful 🙌🏼
While not my usual choice of genre, I had to pick this one up because, well, let’s be honest- it’s Jamie McGuire and she is fabulous.
This book immediately captivated me with the depth she brings to her characters.
Then there is the idea of this “perfect world” where everyone has everything they want and need exactly as they wished for it. But can a perfect world really exist? What’s going on beyond the wall? Who is tampering with coding? Who is safe? Who can you truly trust?
As long as Isara has her accordant by her side, she will fight for her life and possibly freedom.
I cannot wait for part 2 of this series. I devoured this and would recommend it to everyone!
While not my usual choice of genre, I had to pick this one up because, well, let’s be honest- it’s Jamie McGuire and she is fabulous.
This book immediately captivated me with the depth she brings to her characters.
Then there is the idea of this “perfect world” where everyone has everything they want and need exactly as they wished for it. But can a perfect world really exist? What’s going on beyond the wall? Who is tampering with coding? Who is safe? Who can you truly trust?
As long as Isara has her accordant by her side, she will fight for her life and possibly freedom.
I cannot wait for part 2 of this series. I devoured this and would recommend it to everyone!
March 5, 2026
Fascinating & Amazing→Story, Narration & Audio Listen🎧
The Sovereign
The Sovereign Chronicles
By: Jamie McGuire
Narrated by: Persephone Lee
Wow, what a fascinating novel and amazing start to the “Sovereign Saga”, a futuristic dystopian science fiction with a side of romance. It is great to see another side of Jamie McGuire’s brilliant and creative mind, and as always, her writing, plot, and world-building are incredible, as are the complexity of the characters, their development and growth too. Isara Poeima is living the ideal life in Hyperion Proper, playing by the rules and advancing in society as expected. She is at the age to unite with her Supplicant, an AI partner for life, one she designed as everything she wants in a partner, an AI man of her dreams, whom she named Maxim. We also meet some of Isara’s friends: Bellam, Lourdes, Roan, and Joss, her ex-boyfriend, and not who she thought he was, all of whom I am sure will play an important role as the saga goes on. I found the world intriguing, and it was great to learn about its workings, how it came about, but it also leaves you with questions and wanting to know more, especially with the reveals near the end. Isara and Maxim are a power-couple and I am hoping he is not too good to be true, just a thought from my non-trusting self. I loved the layers of this story and how it all played out, with a perfect balance of drama, angst, twists and turns, some mystery, thrilling and suspenseful moments, heartfelt emotions,. and a unique romance. I am looking forward to learn more about Vale and seeing what happens next for the fabulous characters. Jamie McGuire, thank you for this amazing story and wild ride.
🎧📚🎧Persephone Lee did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life, giving each their own distinct voice, making it easy to follow along and tell who was who. I loved how she took each role and made it her own, delivering a convincing performance while covering the roles of both the female and male characters. She nailed it as the lead character, showcasing every aspect of her personality, and was just as amazing voicing and humanizing Maxim. Setting the ideal tone for the story, her expressive performance conveys all the characters’ emotions, and has you feeling each one. Persephone Lee is a versatile voice artist and an entertaining storyteller, and her captivating performance keeps you glued to the story.
The Sovereign
The Sovereign Chronicles
By: Jamie McGuire
Narrated by: Persephone Lee
Wow, what a fascinating novel and amazing start to the “Sovereign Saga”, a futuristic dystopian science fiction with a side of romance. It is great to see another side of Jamie McGuire’s brilliant and creative mind, and as always, her writing, plot, and world-building are incredible, as are the complexity of the characters, their development and growth too. Isara Poeima is living the ideal life in Hyperion Proper, playing by the rules and advancing in society as expected. She is at the age to unite with her Supplicant, an AI partner for life, one she designed as everything she wants in a partner, an AI man of her dreams, whom she named Maxim. We also meet some of Isara’s friends: Bellam, Lourdes, Roan, and Joss, her ex-boyfriend, and not who she thought he was, all of whom I am sure will play an important role as the saga goes on. I found the world intriguing, and it was great to learn about its workings, how it came about, but it also leaves you with questions and wanting to know more, especially with the reveals near the end. Isara and Maxim are a power-couple and I am hoping he is not too good to be true, just a thought from my non-trusting self. I loved the layers of this story and how it all played out, with a perfect balance of drama, angst, twists and turns, some mystery, thrilling and suspenseful moments, heartfelt emotions,. and a unique romance. I am looking forward to learn more about Vale and seeing what happens next for the fabulous characters. Jamie McGuire, thank you for this amazing story and wild ride.
🎧📚🎧Persephone Lee did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life, giving each their own distinct voice, making it easy to follow along and tell who was who. I loved how she took each role and made it her own, delivering a convincing performance while covering the roles of both the female and male characters. She nailed it as the lead character, showcasing every aspect of her personality, and was just as amazing voicing and humanizing Maxim. Setting the ideal tone for the story, her expressive performance conveys all the characters’ emotions, and has you feeling each one. Persephone Lee is a versatile voice artist and an entertaining storyteller, and her captivating performance keeps you glued to the story.
March 2, 2026
AUDIOBOOK !!
I picked this up mainly because it has Jamie McGuire’s name on the cover—and she never disappoints. Even though this genre isn’t usually my first choice, I trusted her storytelling, and I’m so glad I did. She crafted a world that feels both dazzling and unsettling: a society engineered to be flawless, where every desire is met and every path seems perfectly designed. But perfection always comes at a cost. What lies on the other side of the barrier? Who is manipulating the system’s code? And in a place built on illusion, who can truly be believed?
At the heart of it all is Isara, and I adored her. She’s sharp, fearless, and refuses to stay silent when something is wrong. Watching her challenge the system and protect those she cares about made her impossible not to root for. And Maxim? He radiates pure “cross this line and you’re done” energy when it comes to her. Their dynamic is intense, protective, and layered with emotion that kept me completely invested. As long as Isara stands with her accordant, she’s ready to fight for survival—and maybe even something bigger.
I’m also crossing my fingers that we get much more of Bellam and Roan. That subplot added exactly the right amount of intrigue and depth, and I need to see where it leads. And the Joss storyline? I have theories—so many possibilities—and I’m equal parts nervous and excited to see how that unfolds.
I’ll admit, after reading the synopsis, I hesitated. This felt far removed from what Jamie McGuire typically writes, and the opening took a little time to fully pull me in. But once the emotional stakes clicked into place, I was hooked. I found myself anxious over what would happen next. Would they find freedom? Would their secrets come to light? Would they get the ending they deserve? I flew through the pages, completely absorbed.
Jamie delivered again—rich world-building, sharp dialogue, layered relationships, and moments that hit straight in the heart. The narration by Persephone Lee added another dimension, bringing every ounce of tension and tenderness to life. Now I’m counting down the days until part two because I need to return to this world and these characters as soon as possible.
I picked this up mainly because it has Jamie McGuire’s name on the cover—and she never disappoints. Even though this genre isn’t usually my first choice, I trusted her storytelling, and I’m so glad I did. She crafted a world that feels both dazzling and unsettling: a society engineered to be flawless, where every desire is met and every path seems perfectly designed. But perfection always comes at a cost. What lies on the other side of the barrier? Who is manipulating the system’s code? And in a place built on illusion, who can truly be believed?
At the heart of it all is Isara, and I adored her. She’s sharp, fearless, and refuses to stay silent when something is wrong. Watching her challenge the system and protect those she cares about made her impossible not to root for. And Maxim? He radiates pure “cross this line and you’re done” energy when it comes to her. Their dynamic is intense, protective, and layered with emotion that kept me completely invested. As long as Isara stands with her accordant, she’s ready to fight for survival—and maybe even something bigger.
I’m also crossing my fingers that we get much more of Bellam and Roan. That subplot added exactly the right amount of intrigue and depth, and I need to see where it leads. And the Joss storyline? I have theories—so many possibilities—and I’m equal parts nervous and excited to see how that unfolds.
I’ll admit, after reading the synopsis, I hesitated. This felt far removed from what Jamie McGuire typically writes, and the opening took a little time to fully pull me in. But once the emotional stakes clicked into place, I was hooked. I found myself anxious over what would happen next. Would they find freedom? Would their secrets come to light? Would they get the ending they deserve? I flew through the pages, completely absorbed.
Jamie delivered again—rich world-building, sharp dialogue, layered relationships, and moments that hit straight in the heart. The narration by Persephone Lee added another dimension, bringing every ounce of tension and tenderness to life. Now I’m counting down the days until part two because I need to return to this world and these characters as soon as possible.
March 3, 2026
The Sovereign by Jamie McGuire is the first book in a new dystopian sci-fi series. It has a really interesting premise, where humans spending the first 29 years of their lives chasing perfection and high scores to earn a higher value base model to be used in the design of their own Supplicant, a bespoke AI/robot that they receive on their 30th birthday. Each Supplicant is custom built to serve and love their human Sovereign and to raise a bio-engineered family with them.
At 452 pages (or 16 hours 49 minutes for the audiobook), it's quite a chunky book, and the author properly takes her time to explain the world and to introduce readers to Isara and her friends before Isara and Maxim meet. She spends time properly showing the development of the bond between Isara and Maxim, and delving into whether their bond is an artificial one due to Maxim's programming or whether their relationship is one that he's constantly choosing with his own free will. There's also time devoted to Isara's friends' lives and none of it feels like filler. I get the feeling that their stories will continue to play out in future books and will end up impacting the wider plot.
The Sovereign feels like the 00s YA dystopian fiction that I grew up loving, but in a fresh and mature way. It has a bit of spice in there but I mainly enjoy the fact that the main cast of characters are all late 20s or early 30s. The human Sovereigns have their own careers and they've dated previously, so they properly feel like adults who know who they are and what they want.
Audiobook narrator Persephone Lee was great, and even at my higher listening speed (x2.6), her narration was really clear.
This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I hope the wait for book 2 isn't too long! It was my first book by the author and I'll definitely be picking up the rest of the series!
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Listener Copy from Podium Entertainment but this is my voluntary and honest review.
At 452 pages (or 16 hours 49 minutes for the audiobook), it's quite a chunky book, and the author properly takes her time to explain the world and to introduce readers to Isara and her friends before Isara and Maxim meet. She spends time properly showing the development of the bond between Isara and Maxim, and delving into whether their bond is an artificial one due to Maxim's programming or whether their relationship is one that he's constantly choosing with his own free will. There's also time devoted to Isara's friends' lives and none of it feels like filler. I get the feeling that their stories will continue to play out in future books and will end up impacting the wider plot.
The Sovereign feels like the 00s YA dystopian fiction that I grew up loving, but in a fresh and mature way. It has a bit of spice in there but I mainly enjoy the fact that the main cast of characters are all late 20s or early 30s. The human Sovereigns have their own careers and they've dated previously, so they properly feel like adults who know who they are and what they want.
Audiobook narrator Persephone Lee was great, and even at my higher listening speed (x2.6), her narration was really clear.
This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I hope the wait for book 2 isn't too long! It was my first book by the author and I'll definitely be picking up the rest of the series!
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Listener Copy from Podium Entertainment but this is my voluntary and honest review.
March 9, 2026
This book gave me full dystopian sci‑fi romance, I-Robot meets Divergent—and honestly, I wasn’t expecting to fall for it the way I did. The worldbuilding comes in heavy, and I was confused enough times that I almost DNF’d… but I’m so glad I pushed through because once it clicks? It clicks.
The characters are the heartbeat of this story. Isara and Max? I’m obsessed. Their dynamic carries so much tension, curiosity, and quiet intensity that I kept leaning in. And her bestie? You can feel there’s a whole journey brewing for her that we haven’t even scratched yet.
The plot twist is wild—yes, I saw it coming, but the storytelling still made it land. It felt intentional, not predictable, and it added a layer that made the whole world feel bigger.
And I have to shout out the narrator because Persephone Lee ATE. I was listening at 2x speed and she still delivered every emotion, every shift, every moment with clarity and vibe.
The ending gave me full-on whiplash. We hit this massive peak, the tension is sky-high, everything is finally snapping into place… and then THE END. I genuinely thought I skipped a chapter because WTF do you mean? I had to sit there blinking at my Ipad like it betrayed me.
The characters are the heartbeat of this story. Isara and Max? I’m obsessed. Their dynamic carries so much tension, curiosity, and quiet intensity that I kept leaning in. And her bestie? You can feel there’s a whole journey brewing for her that we haven’t even scratched yet.
The plot twist is wild—yes, I saw it coming, but the storytelling still made it land. It felt intentional, not predictable, and it added a layer that made the whole world feel bigger.
And I have to shout out the narrator because Persephone Lee ATE. I was listening at 2x speed and she still delivered every emotion, every shift, every moment with clarity and vibe.
The ending gave me full-on whiplash. We hit this massive peak, the tension is sky-high, everything is finally snapping into place… and then THE END. I genuinely thought I skipped a chapter because WTF do you mean? I had to sit there blinking at my Ipad like it betrayed me.
March 8, 2026
ALC provided thank you to Podium Audio.
Persephone Lee provides a fantastic performance for this dystopian Sci Fi story about a world clawing its way out of a birth crisis where people live free of adversity, crime and joy is guaranteed. AI giant Hyperion is ensuring this remains, on every Sovereigns Thirtieth Birthday they are gifted a supplicant built solely to meet their every want and need.
Something is brewing beyond the walls of the city war is coming.
Isara is about to reach her thirtieth birthday and Maxim her supplicant has been created however something is different.
This story is captivating, mysterious and exciting the ending had me shocked. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Cannot wait to read the next book in the saga.
5 stars ⭐️ thank you to Podium Audio and Jamie McGuire for the opportunity to share this wonderful release of the Audio Recording of Book 1 in The Sovereign Saga.
Persephone Lee provides a fantastic performance for this dystopian Sci Fi story about a world clawing its way out of a birth crisis where people live free of adversity, crime and joy is guaranteed. AI giant Hyperion is ensuring this remains, on every Sovereigns Thirtieth Birthday they are gifted a supplicant built solely to meet their every want and need.
Something is brewing beyond the walls of the city war is coming.
Isara is about to reach her thirtieth birthday and Maxim her supplicant has been created however something is different.
This story is captivating, mysterious and exciting the ending had me shocked. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Cannot wait to read the next book in the saga.
5 stars ⭐️ thank you to Podium Audio and Jamie McGuire for the opportunity to share this wonderful release of the Audio Recording of Book 1 in The Sovereign Saga.
March 3, 2026
Addictive to listen to, very smart, and engaging. I was doing extra chores just so I could have an excuse to do something while listening to it. McGuire really makes you think about the implications of relying on AI, and highlights the beauty in simple human traits. It poses many questions and sparks interesting discussions.
I think this audiobook would sound even better if they added some diegetic sound / sound effects to it but is fantastic as it is. For me personally, the pacing is great, I enjoy Persephone Lee's cadence, and was always clear on which character was talking. It was a little hard for me to tell one chapter from another: though they are announced, perhaps I was just so engrossed I didn't notice it every time.
I received an ALC of the audiobook from Podium Entertainment.
I think this audiobook would sound even better if they added some diegetic sound / sound effects to it but is fantastic as it is. For me personally, the pacing is great, I enjoy Persephone Lee's cadence, and was always clear on which character was talking. It was a little hard for me to tell one chapter from another: though they are announced, perhaps I was just so engrossed I didn't notice it every time.
I received an ALC of the audiobook from Podium Entertainment.
October 9, 2025
In this age of AI, this Hyperion scenario of the future is easily imaginable as plausible. Humans marry robots, design babies with robotic help and variable selection, all aspects of life become data points which are tracked, analyzed and used to create even more comfortable experience. Safety, convenience and predictability are the hallmarks of life. Sounds wonderful - a perfect partner, designed to anticipate desires, lack of financial worries and improved conveniences of a smart home. However, what's the cost of this compliance, of being a good citizen, of losing privacy? Can't wait for part 2 to find out!
January 26, 2026
***POSSIBLE SOVEREIGN SPOILERS***
Just finished The Sovereign Part One. A great book to read during Snowpocalypse 2026. I need Part Two ASAP! Do we have any updates or ideas for a release date?
I absolutely love Isara and Maxim. The brilliant woman who isn't afraif to speak up for herself and others to the masses and the man with "touch her and die vibes"? 😍
I hope we get more on Bellam and Roan - the details of that subplot were perfect!
And let's be honest, I have some strong hopes for the Joss plot... I can see it many different ways.
Jamie did it again! So, so, so, so good! The world building, the nuanced detail, the banter, and emotion, 10/10!
Just finished The Sovereign Part One. A great book to read during Snowpocalypse 2026. I need Part Two ASAP! Do we have any updates or ideas for a release date?
I absolutely love Isara and Maxim. The brilliant woman who isn't afraif to speak up for herself and others to the masses and the man with "touch her and die vibes"? 😍
I hope we get more on Bellam and Roan - the details of that subplot were perfect!
And let's be honest, I have some strong hopes for the Joss plot... I can see it many different ways.
Jamie did it again! So, so, so, so good! The world building, the nuanced detail, the banter, and emotion, 10/10!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2025
recommend
I will say after reading the synopsis I wasn’t sure what to think of this book. Especially since it was so far outside of Jamie McGuire’s normal wheelhouse. When I first started it it was a little slow, and I still wasn’t sure. But then I got emotionally invested in these characters. What would happen to them? Would they get their happy ending? Will they be discovered? I ended up not wanting to put it down. Just like all of Jamie’s writing she took me into a world that I wish existed.
I will say after reading the synopsis I wasn’t sure what to think of this book. Especially since it was so far outside of Jamie McGuire’s normal wheelhouse. When I first started it it was a little slow, and I still wasn’t sure. But then I got emotionally invested in these characters. What would happen to them? Would they get their happy ending? Will they be discovered? I ended up not wanting to put it down. Just like all of Jamie’s writing she took me into a world that I wish existed.
March 19, 2026
This genre is COMPLETELY out of my normal pick, but I am so glad I read it! The Sovereign is a Sci-Fi/Dystopia (with a splash of romance) read that takes place in a society where the birth crisis occurs and the government's fix is to create a "problem free" type of living. It reminded me a lot of The Giver in the sense that the government was very controlling but made it seem to be for the good of the people. Once becoming of age and meeting all societal requirements, citizens can basically build their ideal spouse but in the end, the government is keeping secrets that can have a major impact on the "perfect lives" that is being sold to the citizens. The world building was well done, I enjoyed all of the details and thought put into it which has me ready for book two, especially after such a major cliffhanger!
This was an audiobook and it was narrated perfectly. The narrator was very clear and easy to understand which helped me read the book at a faster pace that I was able to comfortably retain the story.
Thank you to Podium Entertainment for sending me this audiobook for review!
This was an audiobook and it was narrated perfectly. The narrator was very clear and easy to understand which helped me read the book at a faster pace that I was able to comfortably retain the story.
Thank you to Podium Entertainment for sending me this audiobook for review!
November 17, 2025
As Jamie McGuire is one of my favorite authors, I really enjoyed this book. It’s different from her other book and I love that she went out and did something else. I look forward to part 2 as we’re kind of left on a cliff hanger. Usually don’t love this type of book because I’m usually so confused but JM built this futuristic world beautifully well. I knew the world I was in instead of just being dropped into a world I had to figure out on my own. She never disappoints with her writing.
October 1, 2025
Like nothing I've read before, and even knowing the premise of the story, I was completely blown away by the depth and intrigued and world-building and the characters! As much as I feel I would love a Maxim of my own, woooo, so many questions and possibilities and, really, do we truly need perfection all the time?
October 23, 2025
This is just not for me. I find the concept of love with an AI humanoid too creepy for words. Maxim is given thoughts, emotions, and critical thinking skills but it’s programmed to love one particular person. Where is the consent? No matter how much you dress it up, it’s a walking, talking, thinking, and feeling smex toy. Ewww. I can’t get past the ick factor to engage in the storyline.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did not finish
March 30, 2026This is a soft DNF because I think I just wasn’t in the mood for this vibe, and that it wasn’t about the book itself. I would like to go back to this one in the future! Still incredibly grateful to Jamie McGuire and Podium Entertainment for this audiobook.
October 14, 2025
Wow.. Just wow!!
Coming from someone who doesn’t read Sci-fi, trust me when I say that you want to read this book! It was amazing and packed with so much. I can’t wait for part 2!
Coming from someone who doesn’t read Sci-fi, trust me when I say that you want to read this book! It was amazing and packed with so much. I can’t wait for part 2!
October 28, 2025
Hands down her best book yet!!!!!
March 13, 2026
Young Adult. Birthing crisis. Artificially engineered beautiful mean kids. lol truly epic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2025
Wow! I’ve been a fan of Jamie’s books for years, but this one completely took me by surprise. It has the romance and epic love story I always expect, but it also dives so much deeper. Powerful, emotional, and thought provoking. I’m already counting down to the next one!
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