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MORNINGSTAR: Morningstar Trilogy, #1
BOOK 1 in the Morningstar series.
“What if the devil fell from grace, not for power, but for love?”
Morningstar is a loose retelling of the Morning Star's descent.
Kathryn Dawnbrought is the seventh and final heir born from the God of Creation’s own soul. Marked by a tragedy she cannot undo, Kathryn has been locked away from the world she longs to be part of.
Christian Morningstar is a faithful warrior and leader of the King's Celestial army.
He is renowned for his unwillingness to be defeated and has avoided death so often that one might think him a patron of Fate herself.
His path to glory and divinity was laid out for him the day he was abandoned as an infant at the King's doorstep, raised to become the Left Hand of God.
But Fate did not account for her.
The King’s arcane heir was a temptation he was never meant to touch. Yet, with every moment in her presence, Christian finds himself straying further from the decrees that once ruled him.
And when the threads of Kathryn’s yearning for freedom tangle with Christian’s pursuit of glory, duty fades, revealing something neither of them expected.
DISCLAIMER: Mature themes, language, violence, grief, blood and sexual content.
Some readers may consider specific parts dark.
“What if the devil fell from grace, not for power, but for love?”
Morningstar is a loose retelling of the Morning Star's descent.
Kathryn Dawnbrought is the seventh and final heir born from the God of Creation’s own soul. Marked by a tragedy she cannot undo, Kathryn has been locked away from the world she longs to be part of.
Christian Morningstar is a faithful warrior and leader of the King's Celestial army.
He is renowned for his unwillingness to be defeated and has avoided death so often that one might think him a patron of Fate herself.
His path to glory and divinity was laid out for him the day he was abandoned as an infant at the King's doorstep, raised to become the Left Hand of God.
But Fate did not account for her.
The King’s arcane heir was a temptation he was never meant to touch. Yet, with every moment in her presence, Christian finds himself straying further from the decrees that once ruled him.
And when the threads of Kathryn’s yearning for freedom tangle with Christian’s pursuit of glory, duty fades, revealing something neither of them expected.
DISCLAIMER: Mature themes, language, violence, grief, blood and sexual content.
Some readers may consider specific parts dark.
401 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 28, 2026
Morningstar hooked me from the beginning. Both MCs are delightful and the side characters deliver too.
I am very much looking forward to how this series unfolds.
Kathryn is a formidable FMC and we have only been given a small morsel of what she is capable of. She has the makings of a fierce FMC.
Christian’s inner turmoil, darkness and yearning for Kathryn was delicious.
My favourite two quotes from the book were gifted to us in the final chapter :
Yours, yours, only yours,
C
“I had vowed to stay away… Still, vows lose all meaning when set against you,” he whispered below the shell of her ear. “Believe I would break all of them again if it meant remaking them in your name.”
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I am very much looking forward to how this series unfolds.
Kathryn is a formidable FMC and we have only been given a small morsel of what she is capable of. She has the makings of a fierce FMC.
Christian’s inner turmoil, darkness and yearning for Kathryn was delicious.
My favourite two quotes from the book were gifted to us in the final chapter :
Yours, yours, only yours,
C
“I had vowed to stay away… Still, vows lose all meaning when set against you,” he whispered below the shell of her ear. “Believe I would break all of them again if it meant remaking them in your name.”
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2026
I’m not sure if I was ready for the chokehold this book would have on me by the end of it. I can easily say I loved pretty much everything about this story. The writing was a breath of fresh air that I greedily welcomed. It was a perfect balance of elevated and easily flowing.
I really loved the vivid and beautiful descriptions of the setting/world, it made the imagery so dreamy and exciting. The characters were very likable, and I found myself actually wanting to know more of their backstories.. especially the Elite Guard!! 🥰
I was on a rotation of giggling, kicking my feet, sweating, crying, and wanting the throw up. It was all worth it. I’ll gladly wait whatever amount of time necessary to get another dose of these characters.
Well done, J.R. Rowden. Excellent debut!
I really loved the vivid and beautiful descriptions of the setting/world, it made the imagery so dreamy and exciting. The characters were very likable, and I found myself actually wanting to know more of their backstories.. especially the Elite Guard!! 🥰
I was on a rotation of giggling, kicking my feet, sweating, crying, and wanting the throw up. It was all worth it. I’ll gladly wait whatever amount of time necessary to get another dose of these characters.
Well done, J.R. Rowden. Excellent debut!
April 16, 2025
I am blown away by this book. It was so beautifully written. The world building details, the characters, the plot, and the magic were all spectacular. I fell in love with every main character. I cried, I laughed, and my jaw was on the floor. I cannot wait for the next book!!
April 10, 2026
The atmosphere of this book is unparalleled. I was completely drawn in from the very first chapters —the writing is detailed, captivating and flows beautifully, which makes it even more impressive considering it's her debut novel.
Even the playlist sets the mood, and I think it was such a thoughtful addition; it just shows how dedicated and passionate the author is about her work.
We can also feel it by how every characters are interesting, whether you like them or not because they are so multi faceted and we get to see different side of their stories through the chapters. I liked how the story wasn't focused only on the main characters Kathryn and Christian (even though each of their interactions was priceless and messed up with my heart so much!!) but we got to see what everyone is about and honestly they are all endearing in some way, with their good parts but also their flaws. This book transports you to another world, with exceptional world-building, whilst tackling very real issues.
To me, it didn't felt like a light romance fantasy —it felt like so much more,
I probably have never been awaiting a book two more than this, I 100% would recommend!!
Even the playlist sets the mood, and I think it was such a thoughtful addition; it just shows how dedicated and passionate the author is about her work.
We can also feel it by how every characters are interesting, whether you like them or not because they are so multi faceted and we get to see different side of their stories through the chapters. I liked how the story wasn't focused only on the main characters Kathryn and Christian (even though each of their interactions was priceless and messed up with my heart so much!!) but we got to see what everyone is about and honestly they are all endearing in some way, with their good parts but also their flaws. This book transports you to another world, with exceptional world-building, whilst tackling very real issues.
To me, it didn't felt like a light romance fantasy —it felt like so much more,
I probably have never been awaiting a book two more than this, I 100% would recommend!!
March 27, 2025
A beautiful story of forbidden love intertwined with responsibility and exploration of inner self.
As a child, I was an avid reader of many different stories and books. I loved diving into fantasy worlds with my wild imagination. However, somewhere along the way since then I lost my love for reading.
Getting to be an early reader of this book brought back my lost love for reading. The fantastical world building was healing for my inner child.
This book quite literally had me screaming and crying! The story is written so well that it makes you feel the highs and lows that the characters experience.
I typically do not read fantasy books, but Morningstar has reignited the spark that was my childhood love for fantasy, and I can’t wait to read more.
As a child, I was an avid reader of many different stories and books. I loved diving into fantasy worlds with my wild imagination. However, somewhere along the way since then I lost my love for reading.
Getting to be an early reader of this book brought back my lost love for reading. The fantastical world building was healing for my inner child.
This book quite literally had me screaming and crying! The story is written so well that it makes you feel the highs and lows that the characters experience.
I typically do not read fantasy books, but Morningstar has reignited the spark that was my childhood love for fantasy, and I can’t wait to read more.
April 6, 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed Morningstar, wouldn’t have assumed it was the author’s first work. It’s well-written, pacing is good. The characters all have their own personalities, lives, and ambitions. I’m ready for the next one!
March 8, 2026
Captivating story and characters you will love and hate
I can’t wait for the next book!
I can’t wait for the next book!
August 31, 2026
Beautifully written, with fantastic world-building set mainly in a whimsical city of islands floating amongst the clouds.
But my favourite part was the yearning. The yearning. Also the slow burn was SLOW burning and I was absolutely here for every delicious, agonising second of it.
I also loved the trials. They were exciting, chaotic and genuinely so much fun to read, whilst somehow sandwiching in some cosy bro time in between. I loved the action, romance & emotionally bonding lads with loads of banter making me feel part of the gang.
Great character development and the multiple POVs made it easy to get invested in everyone and their individual stories. There are also some badass female characters who I am already demanding we see more of in the next books.
Overall, an addictive, magical read with plenty of yearning, tension and characters who have firmly taken up residence in my head. Needless to say, I’m very ready for the next one.
But my favourite part was the yearning. The yearning. Also the slow burn was SLOW burning and I was absolutely here for every delicious, agonising second of it.
I also loved the trials. They were exciting, chaotic and genuinely so much fun to read, whilst somehow sandwiching in some cosy bro time in between. I loved the action, romance & emotionally bonding lads with loads of banter making me feel part of the gang.
Great character development and the multiple POVs made it easy to get invested in everyone and their individual stories. There are also some badass female characters who I am already demanding we see more of in the next books.
Overall, an addictive, magical read with plenty of yearning, tension and characters who have firmly taken up residence in my head. Needless to say, I’m very ready for the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2026
Solid introduction to a series, very interesting characters that are fleshed out considerably. Thought and planning has gone into their interactions with each other and the world around them, and I'm excited to see the future of this story and the stories of the characters within.
July 31, 2026
A book that handles the harsh reality of love vs duty. It will give you good laughs and good times and rip your soul when things don't go as planned. Characters you will want to get to know better, and characters you want to see their despair for what they have done. The characters have their flaws and it makes you excited to see how the story will unfold. I look forward to the next book
May 12, 2026
Beautifully written and devastatingly romantic!
May 29, 2026
Forbidden love, slow burn, longing with yearns, trials and combat, losing ones self to grief and the schemes of The Celestials. Kinda reminds me of Percy Jackson and The Olympians but for Adults.
April 16, 2025
4.5✨
I was kindly gifted an early review copy of this by the author 🫶🏻
this book was such a pleasant surprise! I had no idea what to expect going in but I had an amazing time reading it. while this book has familiar tropes of the fantasy and romantasy genre, it still felt really unique and fresh, and I am absolutely dying for book 2!
I was kindly gifted an early review copy of this by the author 🫶🏻
this book was such a pleasant surprise! I had no idea what to expect going in but I had an amazing time reading it. while this book has familiar tropes of the fantasy and romantasy genre, it still felt really unique and fresh, and I am absolutely dying for book 2!
June 4, 2026
(spoiler free) The character growth in this book is phenomenal. J.R. Rowden did such a beautiful job creating a atmosphere that is both intense and alluring. The characters depth and intricate personalities are so well written and the plot flows fantastically. Honestly totally floored that She was able to write such a fantastic book on her first go, really look forward to the next installment and very disappointed in myself that it took me so long to read this one (health and life). But I am grateful that I was able to get my hands on it early and it is now a beautiful piece to my bookshelf.
March 18, 2025
Was able to get an early copy and these are my thoughts
The author was really good about describing what was to come. The foreshadowing and the writing style were just up my alley when it comes to entertaining my curiosity and my enjoyment of reading books.
MorningStar was a refreshing reminder of what it’s like to really read something that the author clearly loves and is extremely passionate about
The world building, as well as the creativity of the dialogue, kept me at the edge of my seat, wanting more
Although I normally don’t read many books in this genre, books like this have peaked my interest into continuingly, wanting more
I’m excited to read more and to find out what happens next in the series, I had moments of wanting to curse out the author but also wanting to applaud their boldness and creativity.
Keep an eye out for those that fight with you and don’t let go who you cherish the most is a pretty good take away of Morningstar in my opinion
Will recommend if you are a fan of fantasy, mythology and exciting world building
Highly recommend.
The author was really good about describing what was to come. The foreshadowing and the writing style were just up my alley when it comes to entertaining my curiosity and my enjoyment of reading books.
MorningStar was a refreshing reminder of what it’s like to really read something that the author clearly loves and is extremely passionate about
The world building, as well as the creativity of the dialogue, kept me at the edge of my seat, wanting more
Although I normally don’t read many books in this genre, books like this have peaked my interest into continuingly, wanting more
I’m excited to read more and to find out what happens next in the series, I had moments of wanting to curse out the author but also wanting to applaud their boldness and creativity.
Keep an eye out for those that fight with you and don’t let go who you cherish the most is a pretty good take away of Morningstar in my opinion
Will recommend if you are a fan of fantasy, mythology and exciting world building
Highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Author
That was quite the ride, very rarely do I read this type of writing anymore but I quite enjoyed it.
I went through it with the characters, it was a roller coaster of emotions and some which I didn't expect to change.
I really enjoyed the World Building it makes me very reminiscent of Throne of Glass keeping me interested in the World from Start -> End.
Can't wait to see these characters and this world once again in the future!
I went through it with the characters, it was a roller coaster of emotions and some which I didn't expect to change.
I really enjoyed the World Building it makes me very reminiscent of Throne of Glass keeping me interested in the World from Start -> End.
Can't wait to see these characters and this world once again in the future!
May 5, 2025
The most well thought out romantasy novels I've read. Can't wait for this to be a physical book.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews