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Shattered Throne
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October 9, 2026
At this point I'm convinced rich people have completely different solutions to problems than the rest of us. If my grandmother gets annoyed with me, I get a disappointed look and maybe a comment about my life choices. Eleanor gets annoyed and immediately starts threatening inheritances like she's negotiating a hostage release.
Xavier: "Grandma..."
Eleanor: "Wife."
Xavier: "That's not really..."
Eleanor: "Wife."
Xavier: "Can we discuss—"
Eleanor: "Tick tock, sweetheart."
Honestly, I was on her side immediately.
The thing that had me cackling through half this book was Xavier treating the trust fund like it was the biggest crisis in his life when it wasn't even the biggest crisis in the room.
Mate. The trust fund is the warning light flashing on the dashboard. Meanwhile the entire bloody engine is on fire. And the engine's name is Kim.
Because while Xavier is busy stressing about deadlines, ultimatums and grandmother-induced financial terrorism, Kim is over here doing normal people things.
Working.
Paying bills.
Raising Zoe.
Trying to make it through the week without life throwing another brick at her head. A relatable goal, honestly.
Then billionaire nonsense arrives at her workplace and immediately starts making itself comfortable.
Rude.
Very rude.
And watching Xavier try to convince himself he wasn't interested became one of my favourite parts of the book. The man was basically conducting a full-scale investigation into his feelings while standing in the middle of the crime scene.
"I'm only helping because it's the right thing to do."
Sure, sweetheart.
And I only buy books I absolutely need.
The excuses got weaker every chapter.
Meanwhile the evidence was stacking up like dishes after Christmas lunch. At one point I felt like I needed a clipboard and one of those giant evidence boards.
Xavier: "I'm being professional."
Me, pointing aggressively at the evidence wall:
"THEN EXPLAIN THIS."
The poor fool never had a chance. And then Zoe properly enters the picture.
Oh. OH NO.
Not a tiny human.
I've read enough books to know where this goes.
The man is finished. Cooked. Stick a fork in him.
Because there is something deeply entertaining about watching a bloke who can handle boardrooms, business deals and Important Billionaire Meetings get absolutely flattened by a six-year-old.
The boardroom scene nearly took me out.
Imagine spending years building a business empire only to discover the most productive person in the company is a child making funny faces during a video call.
Executive:
"Let's discuss quarterly projections."
Zoe: 😜
Executive: 😜
Twenty-million-dollar deal:
"Approved."
Honestly, give the child a company car. She's clearly carrying the team.
And this is where the book really got me. Not with the trust fund. Not with the ultimatum. Not even with the romance at first.
It was watching Xavier slowly realise that somewhere along the way Kim and Zoe stopped being part of a problem and became his people.
The absolute idiot.
The man is wandering around acting like he's solving an inheritance issue while emotionally adopting a family in broad daylight.
Everybody can see it.
Me.
Kim.
Probably the receptionist.
Possibly random people walking past the building.
Everybody.
Except Xavier.
Darling.
The investigation is over.
The results are in.
The jury has reached a verdict.
You're cooked.
My only real complaint is that I wanted more time with them. Every time I settled into a scene and got comfy, the book was already putting its shoes on. Come back. I wasn't finished. My feelings are still unloading the groceries.
There were several moments where I thought, OHHHH HERE WE GO, only for the book to sprint off to the next thing before I'd fully rolled around in the feelings.
Rude.
Very rude.
Four stars.
Eleanor thought she was teaching Xavier responsibility.
Kim thought she was starting a new job.
Xavier thought he was fighting to save his inheritance.
Meanwhile, Zoe wandered into a boardroom, accidentally became employee of the month, helped close a twenty-million-dollar deal, l and quietly carried out a hostile takeover of a billionaire's entire personality. Honestly, that's the sort of hostile takeover they should teach in business school.
The funniest part?
Xavier spent the whole book treating the trust fund like the emergency.
Sweetheart. The trust fund was never the emergency.
The emergency was a single mother, a six-year-old, and the absolutely catastrophic mistake of getting attached.
By the time he realised what was happening, the battle was already over.
The trust fund survived.
Xavier didn't.
Someone check his pulse. OH, oh ME! Me! I've watched enough medical dramas to be qualified. Right? Right!
Ummm, certification to be verified at a later date, Xavier needs me.........
Xavier: "Grandma..."
Eleanor: "Wife."
Xavier: "That's not really..."
Eleanor: "Wife."
Xavier: "Can we discuss—"
Eleanor: "Tick tock, sweetheart."
Honestly, I was on her side immediately.
The thing that had me cackling through half this book was Xavier treating the trust fund like it was the biggest crisis in his life when it wasn't even the biggest crisis in the room.
Mate. The trust fund is the warning light flashing on the dashboard. Meanwhile the entire bloody engine is on fire. And the engine's name is Kim.
Because while Xavier is busy stressing about deadlines, ultimatums and grandmother-induced financial terrorism, Kim is over here doing normal people things.
Working.
Paying bills.
Raising Zoe.
Trying to make it through the week without life throwing another brick at her head. A relatable goal, honestly.
Then billionaire nonsense arrives at her workplace and immediately starts making itself comfortable.
Rude.
Very rude.
And watching Xavier try to convince himself he wasn't interested became one of my favourite parts of the book. The man was basically conducting a full-scale investigation into his feelings while standing in the middle of the crime scene.
"I'm only helping because it's the right thing to do."
Sure, sweetheart.
And I only buy books I absolutely need.
The excuses got weaker every chapter.
Meanwhile the evidence was stacking up like dishes after Christmas lunch. At one point I felt like I needed a clipboard and one of those giant evidence boards.
Xavier: "I'm being professional."
Me, pointing aggressively at the evidence wall:
"THEN EXPLAIN THIS."
The poor fool never had a chance. And then Zoe properly enters the picture.
Oh. OH NO.
Not a tiny human.
I've read enough books to know where this goes.
The man is finished. Cooked. Stick a fork in him.
Because there is something deeply entertaining about watching a bloke who can handle boardrooms, business deals and Important Billionaire Meetings get absolutely flattened by a six-year-old.
The boardroom scene nearly took me out.
Imagine spending years building a business empire only to discover the most productive person in the company is a child making funny faces during a video call.
Executive:
"Let's discuss quarterly projections."
Zoe: 😜
Executive: 😜
Twenty-million-dollar deal:
"Approved."
Honestly, give the child a company car. She's clearly carrying the team.
And this is where the book really got me. Not with the trust fund. Not with the ultimatum. Not even with the romance at first.
It was watching Xavier slowly realise that somewhere along the way Kim and Zoe stopped being part of a problem and became his people.
The absolute idiot.
The man is wandering around acting like he's solving an inheritance issue while emotionally adopting a family in broad daylight.
Everybody can see it.
Me.
Kim.
Probably the receptionist.
Possibly random people walking past the building.
Everybody.
Except Xavier.
Darling.
The investigation is over.
The results are in.
The jury has reached a verdict.
You're cooked.
My only real complaint is that I wanted more time with them. Every time I settled into a scene and got comfy, the book was already putting its shoes on. Come back. I wasn't finished. My feelings are still unloading the groceries.
There were several moments where I thought, OHHHH HERE WE GO, only for the book to sprint off to the next thing before I'd fully rolled around in the feelings.
Rude.
Very rude.
Four stars.
Eleanor thought she was teaching Xavier responsibility.
Kim thought she was starting a new job.
Xavier thought he was fighting to save his inheritance.
Meanwhile, Zoe wandered into a boardroom, accidentally became employee of the month, helped close a twenty-million-dollar deal, l and quietly carried out a hostile takeover of a billionaire's entire personality. Honestly, that's the sort of hostile takeover they should teach in business school.
The funniest part?
Xavier spent the whole book treating the trust fund like the emergency.
Sweetheart. The trust fund was never the emergency.
The emergency was a single mother, a six-year-old, and the absolutely catastrophic mistake of getting attached.
By the time he realised what was happening, the battle was already over.
The trust fund survived.
Xavier didn't.
Someone check his pulse. OH, oh ME! Me! I've watched enough medical dramas to be qualified. Right? Right!
Ummm, certification to be verified at a later date, Xavier needs me.........
July 2, 2026
lackluster
This author can’t remember her own story, it’s extremely distracting, to have ridiculous contradictions, very sloppy editing.
Literally on pg 143 says talked about being a mom, next chapter pg 153 why didn’t you
tell me you have a daughter.
NY to Hawaii flight is not 7 hrs, it’s a minimum 12.
Two sentences apart someone mentioned a child, to when I saw her.
Zoe is the most redeeming character
This author can’t remember her own story, it’s extremely distracting, to have ridiculous contradictions, very sloppy editing.
Literally on pg 143 says talked about being a mom, next chapter pg 153 why didn’t you
tell me you have a daughter.
NY to Hawaii flight is not 7 hrs, it’s a minimum 12.
Two sentences apart someone mentioned a child, to when I saw her.
Zoe is the most redeeming character
September 27, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shattered Throne is my second book by Eden Lux. The first book I read by this author was Based on You, which I enjoyed, so I was interested to see how I would feel about this one.
Xavier is considered the lost cause of his family. He has a reputation as a playboy, and his grandmother tells him that he needs to get married if he wants to keep his fortune. Kim becomes his new secretary after his previous assistant apparently leaves because of him.
That part confused me a little because Xavier is honestly a cinnamon roll. He is sweet, caring, underestimated by his family, and probably the most likable character in the book. I kept waiting to see this terrible side of him everyone seemed to expect, but I never really did.
Kim is a former foster child and single mother to her daughter, Zoe. I completely understood where Kim’s fear came from. She experienced abandonment growing up, and then Zoe’s father abandoned them as well. There is obviously a lot of trauma there, and I understood why trusting someone would be difficult for her.
Unfortunately, understanding her trauma did not make me like the way she treated Xavier.
Xavier is not her ex.
He repeatedly shows her kindness and gives her reasons to trust him, yet almost everything he does is questioned, analyzed, or treated like some kind of game. After a while, I became frustrated watching him constantly have to prove himself to someone who seemed determined not to believe him.
That was probably my biggest problem with the romance.
I never really felt it.
The fake relationship premise should have worked for me, but instead of feeling romantic, much of the book felt like I was reading a business proposal. Everything felt calculated. Everything became a negotiation, a strategy, a game, or another reason for Kim to question Xavier’s intentions.
There simply were not enough lighthearted moments to balance the seriousness.
And I do not mean that every romance has to be a romantic comedy. I love emotional books. I love serious themes. I love characters with trauma and complicated histories. But even serious romance needs moments where the reader can breathe and enjoy watching two people fall in love.
I wanted conversations that felt playful or intimate. I wanted tenderness. I wanted those little moments that make you smile because you can see the connection developing.
Instead, the writing remained so serious that the romance felt emotionally flat to me.
Even when romantic things were technically happening, I did not feel romantic while reading them.
That distinction matters.
The strongest relationship in the book for me was actually Xavier’s relationship with Zoe. Zoe is adorable, and watching Xavier grow closer to her showed exactly how sweet he could be.
There were also a few inconsistencies that stood out. Xavier is referred to as being 28 at one point and 30 at another, and there were a couple of other details that made me stop while reading.
I also did not like Xavier’s older brother. At all. He was a prick.
Overall, I do think Eden Lux is a good writer. I finished this book in less than 18 hours, so obviously there was enough here to keep me reading. This is not a badly written book.
It was simply too serious for me as a romance reader.
I wanted less calculation and more connection. Less business negotiation and more romance. Less questioning whether everything Xavier did was a game and more opportunity for these characters to simply enjoy being together.
Because by the end, I understood that they loved each other.
I just wish I had felt it.
Shattered Throne is my second book by Eden Lux. The first book I read by this author was Based on You, which I enjoyed, so I was interested to see how I would feel about this one.
Xavier is considered the lost cause of his family. He has a reputation as a playboy, and his grandmother tells him that he needs to get married if he wants to keep his fortune. Kim becomes his new secretary after his previous assistant apparently leaves because of him.
That part confused me a little because Xavier is honestly a cinnamon roll. He is sweet, caring, underestimated by his family, and probably the most likable character in the book. I kept waiting to see this terrible side of him everyone seemed to expect, but I never really did.
Kim is a former foster child and single mother to her daughter, Zoe. I completely understood where Kim’s fear came from. She experienced abandonment growing up, and then Zoe’s father abandoned them as well. There is obviously a lot of trauma there, and I understood why trusting someone would be difficult for her.
Unfortunately, understanding her trauma did not make me like the way she treated Xavier.
Xavier is not her ex.
He repeatedly shows her kindness and gives her reasons to trust him, yet almost everything he does is questioned, analyzed, or treated like some kind of game. After a while, I became frustrated watching him constantly have to prove himself to someone who seemed determined not to believe him.
That was probably my biggest problem with the romance.
I never really felt it.
The fake relationship premise should have worked for me, but instead of feeling romantic, much of the book felt like I was reading a business proposal. Everything felt calculated. Everything became a negotiation, a strategy, a game, or another reason for Kim to question Xavier’s intentions.
There simply were not enough lighthearted moments to balance the seriousness.
And I do not mean that every romance has to be a romantic comedy. I love emotional books. I love serious themes. I love characters with trauma and complicated histories. But even serious romance needs moments where the reader can breathe and enjoy watching two people fall in love.
I wanted conversations that felt playful or intimate. I wanted tenderness. I wanted those little moments that make you smile because you can see the connection developing.
Instead, the writing remained so serious that the romance felt emotionally flat to me.
Even when romantic things were technically happening, I did not feel romantic while reading them.
That distinction matters.
The strongest relationship in the book for me was actually Xavier’s relationship with Zoe. Zoe is adorable, and watching Xavier grow closer to her showed exactly how sweet he could be.
There were also a few inconsistencies that stood out. Xavier is referred to as being 28 at one point and 30 at another, and there were a couple of other details that made me stop while reading.
I also did not like Xavier’s older brother. At all. He was a prick.
Overall, I do think Eden Lux is a good writer. I finished this book in less than 18 hours, so obviously there was enough here to keep me reading. This is not a badly written book.
It was simply too serious for me as a romance reader.
I wanted less calculation and more connection. Less business negotiation and more romance. Less questioning whether everything Xavier did was a game and more opportunity for these characters to simply enjoy being together.
Because by the end, I understood that they loved each other.
I just wish I had felt it.
May 11, 2026
Needs revision
I love a good book with good bones. But, sadly, this one just didn’t hit the mark. He was too drunk to remember who she was at the bar but he got in his car and drove away. He didn’t remember her when she became his secretary. Kim got upset about the bedroom situation at the hotel but thought about it when Xavier looked at her for an answer when Sebastian invited her. The ex, Cole, was walking on the beach in Hawaii at Sebastian’s new hotel and even spoke with Kim and Xavier; but once Kim got back to her apartment, he was in the hallway and asked how Hawaii was, she asked him how he knew she was in Hawaii. Zoe was sick and instead of bringing her home, she went to work with Kim. What mother would take their child to work when that child was sick at school. A five year old is inquisitive but they don’t speak say some of the things Zoe said. It just felt pieced together and not read through by anyone.
I love a good book with good bones. But, sadly, this one just didn’t hit the mark. He was too drunk to remember who she was at the bar but he got in his car and drove away. He didn’t remember her when she became his secretary. Kim got upset about the bedroom situation at the hotel but thought about it when Xavier looked at her for an answer when Sebastian invited her. The ex, Cole, was walking on the beach in Hawaii at Sebastian’s new hotel and even spoke with Kim and Xavier; but once Kim got back to her apartment, he was in the hallway and asked how Hawaii was, she asked him how he knew she was in Hawaii. Zoe was sick and instead of bringing her home, she went to work with Kim. What mother would take their child to work when that child was sick at school. A five year old is inquisitive but they don’t speak say some of the things Zoe said. It just felt pieced together and not read through by anyone.
June 2, 2026
This is the story of Xavier DuBois, whose grandmother gave him an ultimatum to find a wife or lose his trust fund. Eleanor DuBois, the family’s formidable matriarch, gave Xavier—Sebastian’s younger half-brother—six months to settle down. He meets Kim Young unexpectedly when she’s assigned to his office after closures elsewhere, as no one else could handle working for him. Kim, a devoted single mother to six-year-old Zoe, had a tough start in life, abandoned at birth on a firehouse doorstep and raised in foster care until she aged out at 18 with just a bag of clothes and a few hundred dollars. With no family to turn to, she worked her way through college, where she met Cole, Zoe’s father, while working at a hotel. Life changes when someone truly cares for you, and Xavier comes to realize how deeply he cares for Kim and Zoe. A very enjoyable read, *Shattered Throne* is the second book in the *Shattered Crown* series.
May 10, 2026
Another well written book by this author. Xavier who has always been the party animal in the family who nobody took seriously, including himself has finally found himself. Kim who is a single mother working to pay bills week by week was just promoted as his secretary. She has a beautiful, vibrant little girl named Zoe. Two people who would never be in each other’s lives if it wasn’t for work, find something in each other but since they come from different backgrounds, will they be able to make it work?? You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens. I can tell you that the characters within are good and the storyline is good so why not take a chance and take a look at this series. Enjoy.
August 16, 2026
Great story but…
Unfortunately I have to agree with some review I’ve seen before reading the book that said it was confusing (specifically around the kids existence to the grandmother), skipped parts and there were some others that didn’t make sense (like when Xavier pretends nothing happened after his grandmother learned about the kit, then suddenly he’s got a room full of flowers and asks forgiveness. And Kim doesn’t agree nor likes anything he’s doing but, why not?! Sorry… doesn’t make sense.).
Wish it was just more thorough cause the idea is a great one but loses a lot in development.
Unfortunately I have to agree with some review I’ve seen before reading the book that said it was confusing (specifically around the kids existence to the grandmother), skipped parts and there were some others that didn’t make sense (like when Xavier pretends nothing happened after his grandmother learned about the kit, then suddenly he’s got a room full of flowers and asks forgiveness. And Kim doesn’t agree nor likes anything he’s doing but, why not?! Sorry… doesn’t make sense.).
Wish it was just more thorough cause the idea is a great one but loses a lot in development.
October 5, 2026
needs better editing
Eleanor asks Kim when Zoe was in the office because she was sick why Kim hadn’t told her about Zoe. But Kim told her when they had dinner. Kim says she met Cole six years ago but Zoe is five and Kim says she and Cole were together for two years so she had to meet him eight years ago. I do love the characters though I wonder if this book is written with AI because of these and some other inconsistencies.
Eleanor asks Kim when Zoe was in the office because she was sick why Kim hadn’t told her about Zoe. But Kim told her when they had dinner. Kim says she met Cole six years ago but Zoe is five and Kim says she and Cole were together for two years so she had to meet him eight years ago. I do love the characters though I wonder if this book is written with AI because of these and some other inconsistencies.
May 31, 2026
Good storyline, too many inconsistencies
I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. Unfortunately the inconsistencies were too much for me to overcome. Some didn't alter the story (the age she left foster care or the time she clocked out of her job) but there were a few that just shifted everything, becoming too frustrating and lowered the enjoyment for me.
I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. Unfortunately the inconsistencies were too much for me to overcome. Some didn't alter the story (the age she left foster care or the time she clocked out of her job) but there were a few that just shifted everything, becoming too frustrating and lowered the enjoyment for me.
April 5, 2026
hooked!
I found the first book in this series by complete chance devoured in one day. Started this one and did the same thing. Luckily I have a day off because I am about to start the third one.
I found the first book in this series by complete chance devoured in one day. Started this one and did the same thing. Luckily I have a day off because I am about to start the third one.
April 26, 2026
Great book.
When the reckless grandson learns he needs to find love and settle down after his grandmother's ultimatum. She means business. He needs a fake girlfriend has. He accidentally picks his new secretary. Well you can see how this might go. Great read.
When the reckless grandson learns he needs to find love and settle down after his grandmother's ultimatum. She means business. He needs a fake girlfriend has. He accidentally picks his new secretary. Well you can see how this might go. Great read.
September 21, 2026
I loved the storyline however it was a little mixed up in places for example when Kim was having a meal with the grandmother and talked about having Zoe then in the next chapter the grandmother didn’t know she had a child. But apart from a few little bits of confusion I did love the storyline.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2026
Kindle unlimited book, started it and finished it when I couldn’t sleep, predictable romance, but these are always quick reads and an escape from some of the heavier books I read.
April 20, 2026
I felt sorry for the main male character because he had such low self-esteem. I hope he gets his HEA with wife and child. I'm glad the bad guy got caught.
May 7, 2026
Excellent!
Shattered Throne is my first Eden Lux book and it was terrific. Xavier and Kim’s story is fast moving, hot, and entertaining. Zoe steals the show, though. :)
Shattered Throne is my first Eden Lux book and it was terrific. Xavier and Kim’s story is fast moving, hot, and entertaining. Zoe steals the show, though. :)
May 7, 2026
This was a different book for me. It was sweet and pretty clean. Not sure if I will read the others in this series or add to my read gain list.
May 12, 2026
unexpected
I totally enjoyed the unexpected humor inside this book. I smiled, I giggled at time, and loved the romance. Definitely a good read.
I totally enjoyed the unexpected humor inside this book. I smiled, I giggled at time, and loved the romance. Definitely a good read.
May 20, 2026
okay book
The story line was a good one fast quick read. Just make the FMC a little more stronger with a back bone make the MMC work for forgiveness l, sweat it out a little bit.
The story line was a good one fast quick read. Just make the FMC a little more stronger with a back bone make the MMC work for forgiveness l, sweat it out a little bit.
June 9, 2026
Too many inconsistencies in the plot.
June 14, 2026
Lovely story
I loved this book, vibrant
characters, pacy plot and very easy reading.
Another favourite author to add to my list!
I loved this book, vibrant
characters, pacy plot and very easy reading.
Another favourite author to add to my list!
June 17, 2026
Hooked from page 1 couldn’t put it down
September 19, 2026
3 stars
Wasn’t that great to be honest, didn’t like the MMC at all, writing wasn’t great. The only reason for 3 stars was the FMC
Wasn’t that great to be honest, didn’t like the MMC at all, writing wasn’t great. The only reason for 3 stars was the FMC
September 27, 2026
Another great storyline in this series! I really enjoyed their love story!
July 4, 2026
I would give this book at 2 at best. If you’re looking for an easy quick read this is an option, but if you like books that actually had someone read it over and correct inconsistencies this book is not for you… The “bones” are there, the author just needed to spend more time developing the story.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews