His Hidden Jewel

by Sarah Da Silva

He has a deadly dark curse and is trying to annihilate her people.
She has the power of life and is the secret queen of the land he is trying to kill.
Bound together by marriage and war.

His Hidden Jewel is an adult fade-to-black romantasy, the first book in the "Our Secret Values" duology. This is an Esther & Beauty and the beast inspired novel.

Kindle Edition

Published November 27, 2025

Reviews

[Ryleigh JS King · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for the storyline and characters of "His Hidden Jewel." It does not take into account the grammatical, formatting, and repetition issues found throughout as I read the ARC/Unedited version.

That being said, this book was great. I had a difficult time getting into it at first, but once I was in, I sped through it.

The characters are written well. They follow the sunshine/grumpy trope to a T, in a good way. I loved their dynamic and wished I had more. The MCs both had great character arcs, and I cannot wait to see how they grow in the next book.

The plot twists were clever, although I guessed them with the hints given throughout. Then again, sometimes I like being able to guess what's going to happen.

Although I did not see that ending coming. Oh, my word! I really wasn't expecting it to take that turn (IYKYK). I need the next book ASAP.

I loved the messages this book portrayed. We need more books that teach such valuable lessons/messages. It portrayed love in a way that I do not see in many modern books. And I want more of it.


I would like to thank the amazing author, Sarah Da Silva, for allowing me to be an ARC reader for her debut. I know the struggles of editing. Don't worry about it. You wrote an amazing story that shone through, even with the problems you're looking to fix.
Although I don't know if I can forgive that ending.

[Jo|Ruth Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are honestly NO words for this book. The moment it hit my inbox, curiosity took over and once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I just had to know how it would all end!

It’s a Queen Esther retelling with a magical, darker twist, and it even gives a touch of Beauty and the Beast vibes. The story has so much depth, and the enemies to lovers tension between Soraya and Ephraim is everything.

She’s a queen trying to save her people. He’s the man sent to destroy her. To try to stop him, she marries him, hoping to change his heart. But he’s cursed, haunted by darkness, and running out of time. The twist? He’s destined to kill the queen he’s (unknowingly) already married.

Enemies to Lovers. A cursed King. A Magical Queen. She gives life, he's bound by death. Secrets, betrayal, an unknown future for all...

Their relationship feels impossible and yet completely meant to be.

I’m so ready for book two because this story has left me obsessed and desperate to know what happens next!

Content notes: innuendo, fade to black romance, darker themes, magic, and death.

*I rated this 5 stars based on the story alone, since my version was the earc/unedited version.

I recieved a complimentary copy. This review reflects my honest opinion.

[Natalia (Talia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5⭐️

Genre: FtB Fantasy Retelling

Tropes:
🥀 Beauty and the Beast Retelling
💎 Ester Retelling
🥀 Marrige of Convenience
💎 Slow Burn
🥀 Touch Her and ☠️ (Morally Grey)
💎 Enemies to Lovers
🥀 Darkness x Light
💎 Christian Themes


Review:

I NEED book 2 ASAP!!!! I stayed up late to finish this only to be hit with that cliffhanger! 😫

Beauty and the Beat x Ester retelling is the absolute perfect combination for this story! I loved seeing Ephraim and Soraya’s relationship turn from enemies to husband and wife. The gentle way Soraya broke down her husband’s walls and even when he was beastly, she honored and cared for him with gentleness, something that he had not had in a very long time.

Their change started slowly and just kept growing and growing and it was absolutely beautiful. The way they slowly got to know one another and did so with love (or the feeling of it) in their hearts was such a 180. Ephraim was gentle and kind to his wife. Soraya was kind and compassionate to her husband. They started to build a foundation for a true marriage and it was absolutely beautiful 🥹

Please PLEASE give this book a chance!! You have been warned that this is a duology ahead of time so there’s no surprises at 1am 😂 but the author has confirmed a HEA so our hearts can hold on to that 😅





***I have received this book as an arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinion are my own***

[Ella Noellee · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️6
~ARC review~
OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH
I don’t even know where to start! I loved this book so so much! But the cliffhanger!
I NEED THE SECOND BOOK NOW
I fell in love with the characters immediately.
Ephraim was so so gentle with Soraya even though he is a dark king. He made me swoon so many times. Soraya is so good for him and they’re just amazing together 🥲
The enemies to lovers in this book was really good as well. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns of this book.
But I just canNOT get over the ending😭
I’m just gonna go and stare at the wall now.
But six stars ofc, yall should read it

Thank you Sarah for the ARC copy of this book!

tropes:
🤎light x darkness
🗝️ touch her and d*e
🤎sloooow burn
🗝️enemies to lovers
🤎powers
🗝️morally grey, cursed king
🤎secrets
🗝️duology
🤎first person
🗝️dual pov
🤎cliffhanger ending


TW: mention of abuse, alcohol addiction, dark powers, murder (not gory), violence, war

CONTENT:
- kisses only (fade to black and innuendo)
- no language

[Giada's bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I wanted to thank Sarah for sending me an ARC of her book🫶🏻
(as I read an early-still in the editing process arc, this review won’t take into account the grammatical/formatting/repetitions aspects of the book).

“His Hidden Jewel” is a romantasy inspired by “The Beauty and the Beast” and “Esther”.
It follows the story of Soraya, a queen with the powers of life, who marries Ephraim, a king cursed with the power of death, in order to protect her people.

In fact, the king wants to annihilate her kingdom but, when choosing to take her as his bride, he’s not aware Soraya is that same queen he hates.

I liked how elements from The beauty and the beast were incorporated into the story. I thought it was simple yet nicely done. Even the romance reminded me of the dynamic between Belle and the beast.
Soraya is very sweet and kind, and she sees the positive even in Ephraim, who is feared by everyone in the kingdom.
I enjoyed how the king slowly changes and becomes a better man because of her.
The romance was sweet and romantic, although I felt like he fell for her maybe a bit too soon for my liking. Aside from that, the two have some really lovely scenes together.

This story is more character-driven, there are two pov’s and you get to read a lot of the characters’ inner thoughts.
What I really appreciated was the way Sarah talked about the values of love and family throughout the book, especially through Soraya’s character.

The writing-style has potential and I’m sure that, with the right adjustments Sarah is making, it’s gonna feel smoother.

Definitely a pleasant read. I’m curious to know what happens next!!

3.5⭐️

[Summer Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have words for how amazing this book is!
I loved this book so much and I hope to see it as a bestseller one day
Rating: 6/5⭐️ (you know it's good because this is only
the second 6 star book for me this year)
Spice: none
Language: none
TW: abusive parent (briefly mentioned and very vague)

My review:
Ephraim and Soraya
I love them! Oh my word they are perfect. I absolutely loved seeing them fall in love. Ephraim has become one of my favorite book boyfriends.🤭 Seeing how much he cares for Soraya was so sweet and swoony! I loved the Esther/ Beauty and the Beast retelling so much! Esther is one of my favorite Bible stories and Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite movies!

I loved this is story and cannot wait for book two!

[Sarah Da Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Might be biased since I am the author, but I love this book so much.
Everything I ever wanted in a romantasy.
Esther meets Beauty and the Beast, what is better?!

- enemies to lovers
- fade to black
- Morally grey cursed king
- Book 1 in a duology
- touch her and d*3
- She's mine
- Royalty with powers
- Shadow daddy

[Sarah Da Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Might be biased since I am the author, but I love this book so much.
Everything I ever wanted in a romantasy.
Esther meets Beauty and the Beast, what is better?!

- enemies to lovers
- fade to black
- Morally grey cursed king
- Book 1 in a duology
- touch her and d*3
- She's mine
- Royalty with powers
- Shadow daddy

[Betsy And The Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

💎🥀Favorite Quotes🥀💎
Then, I finally looked into his dark eyes. Just by a glance, there wasn’t an ounce of love or care in those pools of darkness. The hatred and death swirled in those dangerous eyes.

He wrapped his strong arms around me, gripping my waist tightly, pulling my chest against his.
His lips brushed against my ears, leaving me unsettled as he sneered, “ I hope you know what you have signed yourself up for.”
With that, he pressed a hard kiss against my cheek.

This wasn’t a celebration. Far from it, war had begun. I bound myself to a man that might be the very end of me.

And with each passing second, Ephraim’s fingers dug deeper into my exposed waist. I wanted to yelp from the pain but bit it back. Both of us needed to keep up appearances.
“Let me go,” I hissed, slowly pushing myself out of his embrace.
Out of spite, he gripped me tighter. Then, for the first time, he looked deeply into my eyes. His eyes haunted; they seeped into my soul.

Love isn’t money, fame, or multiple women. Love is when you live in young love even after 20 years of marriage. Love is when you do everything and anything for the person despite what you feel. Love is when you wake up to them and the thought of leaving them appalled you.

Love was the greatest weapon that one could heave, that one could hold. The only problem was that you weren’t given love. No, you had to search and find it and then fight for it for the rest of time.

My lungs trembled as I drew in a breath. Against my better judgement, I looked up into his eyes and placed my shaking hands back on his chest.
I shouldn’t be doing this.
Using my powers outside of my kingdom was forbidden, but I knew those rules needed to be broken for Ephraim. Desperately, I needed to see him whole again, even if it meant breaking myself to make it happen.

Something inside me ached because part of me knew I couldn’t live without her. She was consuming me body, mind, and soul in ways I couldn’t comprehend.

Her eyes slowly opened, allowing me to see her beautiful brown eyes. She batted her eyelashes several times before looking at me. And this wasn’t like the first time she was with me. The first time she scurried away from my embrace, this time she stayed and looked at me. I don’t know what she thought when she looked at me but I knew what I saw.
I saw a priceless jewel.
My jewel.
My wife.

“What are you looking at?” Her cheeks flushed bright pink.
I grinned, brushing a stray hair from her face, “Nothing.” I whispered, looking at what might be my saving grace.
I was looking at my everything.

“You confuse me,” he admitted in a husky voice. “I don’t want you but the selfish part of me desires you.” He took a step closer, our bodies almost touching one another.
“Every fiber of my being needs you.”
He shut his eyes and leaned his forehead against mine. Our warm breaths mingled together as our hands brushed slightly against one another.

I walked closer to him, his eyes closed and his head hung low. My small frame was petite compared to him, the top of my head barely hit his chest. I slowly lifted my trembling hands and placed them onto his chest. His breathing was empty and desperate, his body in a still state.
“If you mean what you said-“
He interrupted me and whispered, “I mean it with all my broken pieces.”
I smiled sadly at him, “Then I won’t leave your side. Heaven or earth, rain or shine, nothing will separate me from helping you find yourself again.”

Even if you had to run after it or fight for it, darkness will never be more powerful than the light.

Ephraim was beginning to have my heart. He was changing me in ways he didn’t know either. And it’s not because of who he is but who he will become.

Soraya had something inside her that drove me mad. It made me selfish and greedy. I wanted to lock her away and keep her to myself.

💎🥀My thoughts 🥀💎
🥀First of all I want to point out that I read this as an arc and my review is going to reflect that.

💎This is a debut fantasy, romantasy novel that is inspired by the story of Esther and Beauty and the Beast and I could definitely see that in the story but not so much that it felt copy and paste. She did a great job of taking that inspiration and making it her own. I loved Soraya and Ephraim and the love they come to have for each other. I do think that they started softening up to each other a little too quick for my liking. I love a slow burn and would have liked to see them not like each other for just a little bit longer.

🥀I also think there was some more editing that could be done not just grammatical but for the flow of the story, sometimes it felt a bit choppy to me.

💎Overall though I did love the story and the characters. I love the powers they had his being darkness and shadow powers and her being light and being able to make things grow. I wasn’t as shocked by the twist as I was figuring the clues out along the way. The ending got me though and I absolutely need book two! I feel like this is leading up to hopefully more action in book two. I look forward to seeing what happens next and how the authors writing improves as she writes more books.

🥀Thank you Sarah Da Silva for sending me an e-arc to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

💎🥀Content🥀💎
Closed door, fade to black, no language, there is heavy drinking depicted.

[~ • { Elizabeth } • ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

💎🌹🔥 ARC Review: His Hidden Jewel by Sarah Da Silva
⭐ 5/5 Stars for this luminous, haunting, and redemptive romantasy
His Hidden Jewel shimmers like moonlight over a battlefield — delicate, devastating, and divine. Sarah Da Silva spins an Esther-meets–Beauty and the Beast retelling that feels both ancient and alive, threaded with faith, sacrifice, and forbidden tenderness. It’s a story of light meeting shadow, of a queen who carries the power of life and a king cursed by death — bound by duty, undone by love.
👑 Soraya has always been perfect — every braid, every jeweled pin a crown of expectations. Her marriage to the dark king, Ephraim, was never meant for love but survival. Yet, in a palace of gold and grief, she discovers that beauty can live even in the heart of ruin.
🖤 Ephraim, cursed and feared, has long ruled with an iron hand and a hollow soul. But his new queen refuses to bow. Her compassion disarms him. Her defiance confuses him. And when he calls her my jewel, it sounds less like possession and more like prayer.
From the scent of frankincense and myrrh to the sound of birds singing through open palace windows, Da Silva paints a world both lavish and lonely — where the smallest mercy can feel like a miracle.
✨ If you love:
🌹 Beauty and the Beast retellings with emotional depth
👑 Esther-inspired heroines who lead with grace and quiet fire
💎 Grumpy x radiant queen dynamics
🔥 Possessive kings with repentant hearts
🌙 Marriage-of-convenience turned redemption arc
💐 Aesthetic Vibe:
golden halls and whispering gardens, a rose that guides but never answers, a queen’s hair that smells of the ocean, cinnamon-scented air heavy with prayer, and a king learning to braid love into light.
⚠️ Content Notes:
* Fade-to-black romance (no explicit content at all )
* Themes of faith, sacrifice, and redemption
* Mentions of war, loss, and moral corruption
* Emotional and spiritual healing
* MMC is an alcoholic
* No language
💫 Final Thoughts:
Sarah Da Silva’s writing glows with reverence and ache. His Hidden Jewel isn’t just a romantasy — it’s a meditation on mercy, power, and the kind of love that transforms darkness itself. Every page gleams with devotion, danger, and divine grace. A breathtaking start to the Our Secret Values duology — radiant, redemptive, and unforgettable.
- Elizabeth

[Emilee Forrester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as an arc in 2025. I want to thank the author for letting me arc read this for her!
First off, I wasn't too sure about this book at first because it was inspired by Esther (a book of the Bible) and Beauty and the Beast. I am always wary of reading retellings or inspired works based on the Bible; HOWEVER, this book exceeded my expectations.

I absolutely love Disney retellings, and this, being a Beauty and the Beast one, topped the cake! Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney Princess movie ever. A little backstory behind His Hidden Jewel: We have a young queen, Sorya, and a king, Ephraim. This young queen has come to a territory not her own to save her people. This king wants nothing more than to find out about this young queen.

I love how the elements of Esther were woven into this story, especially one particular verse. "Such a time as this." I love a book that has faith elements because it brings to life the different experiences people go through, and it takes you on a journey through someone else's walk of faith. I also love how the romance in His Hidden Jewel is portrayed, especially for a marriage that wasn't necessarily wanted in the first place. I love how the romance was built upon and not just instantly there. Most of the time, romance takes time cultivate, and this book did it so well!

I was in love with His Hidden Jewel every second, every minute, and every hour I read it! I love that we can get Sorya and Ephraim's points of view. When you get one side of the story, you don't get all the thoughts and feelings from the other people. I really appreciated how this was done in this book.

His Hidden Jewel is definitely a book I will read again and again. I can't wait for the second book!
This book was one of my favorites in 2025! Well done!

[Elizabeth Mock · Rating 4 out of 5]

It might take my heart and mind a little bit to recover from the emotional roller coaster of this book, but man, this was a great story! The plot of this book was so interesting and had me hooked on every page. I felt like I couldn't stop reading until I knew what would happen at various points in the story. Both main characters are so raw and real and complex, and you can't help but root for both of them. Both characters are attempting to heal and break free from the bondage of pain and hurt in their past, and it's beautiful to read how their increasing love and care for one another is the only thing that gives them hope for that healing and longed-for peace. Their romance is pure and deep and fragile, yet strong and so powerful at the same time. The author made their undeniable attraction for each other so steamy and swoony, but still kept all the romantic content clean and closed-door. I loved the underlying theme in this book that light and goodness will prevail over even the most intense darkness and over what seems to be the darkest evil. I must prepare you, though, that several parts of this book - and most especially the ending - are heart wrenching. The ending is a doozy of a cliffhanger and leaves the reader desperate for book #2! But despite my heart being tugged relentlessly throughout this book, I love this story and I can't wait to see how Ephraim and Soraya's love story continues in the next book!

(I was given an Advanced Reader copy of this book, but all reviews and opinions are mine and are 100% honest.)

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
FMC-Soraya, secret queen
MMC-Ephraim morally gray king held under a dark family curse
Closed door/ fade to black between married couple
No swearing

📖Review:
For me, there were too many holes in the story that ruined it for me unfortunately. I wish the author had someone poke holes in her plot line to flesh out some of the parts that don’t make sense. For instance, Soraya goes to the castle to marry the king (in an Esther style way) but then has no plan to help her kingdom…. Like why would you leave your kingdom to marry your enemy with no plan on how it would save your country? She seemed shocked when they told her to make the king fall in love with her. Also, she was going back and forth to her country undetected (huh?). I didn’t understand how she has multiple guards and whatnot but is able to slip away to another country the king is at war with. Okay last one, the moment she falls in love with him and gets all swoony is literally right after he called all the peasants of his country, “filth”. I didn’t really grasp what made it become “a moment”. On a more positive note, the author does a great job with character development and makes you have strong feelings towards various main and side characters.

[ChriseBee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very excited when I heard about this no spice, adult romantasy inspired by Esther and Beauty and the Beast. I've loved the Biblical heroine and fairytale since I was young, and His Hidden Jewel amazed me. Sarah Da Silva wrote a great debut novel, which is part of the Our Secret Values duology.

The storytelling is captivating. There's a dark curse, intrigue, war, and secrets. His Hidden Jewel is a poignant tale of pain, brokenness, hope, and unlikely love between enemies. Soraya and Ephraim are opposites in what they represent: light and darkness, life and death, hope and despair. Can a politically arranged marriage succeed when their fate is predetermined by conflict?

I felt a deep connection with these characters because of how descriptively the author expressed their thoughts and emotions. My heart raced, I teared up, groaned in frustration and sympathy, and at other times, I was outright flabbergasted. Consumed by a curse, Ephraim rules with violence. I didn't justify his actions, but my heart ached for the boy forced into manhood, the man who was denied love. My heart ached for Soraya, the girl whose childhood ended unceremoniously, now a woman burdened with saving her people.

The slow burn, no spice romance was beautifully executed with fade-to-black scenes. The focus stayed on the emotional intimacy between the couple, free of explicit content and full of swoonworthy moments. I was moved by the way Ephraim yearned for peace and latched onto Soraya to escape the grip of his curse. His possessive protectiveness of his wife was evident before he even realized. Soraya admirably expressed trust and compassion while risking her life.

Thanks to Sarah Da Silva for including me on your ARC team. I'll eventually forgive you for wrenching my heart out. I (im)patiently await book 2. Until then, I'll revisit His Hidden Jewel whenever I miss Soraya and Ephraim.

[Jessica Stuard · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storyline is there but it has a lot of gaps that need reworking. I’m not entirely sure the book has been edited due to grammatical, structural and grammatical errors. Could be a great book one day with some work. Love the spin on a classic.