Sword of Hadrian: Book 1

by Chloelia Salome

In a kingdom where magic is forbidden, Sashki lived an ordinary life—until the day she begins having visions of a destiny she never imagined was her own. The visions reveal a shocking she possesses a rare, powerful magic, and her twin brother, whom she never knew existed, wields a dark and dangerous magic of his own. As the kingdom of Carserae teeters on the brink of destruction, Sashki is faced with an agonizing choice—use her magic to save the kingdom, even if it means destroying her brother.

But magic comes with its own dangers. To protect herself and her newfound powers, Sashki must keep everything secret, including her growing feelings for the prince of Carserae. Though magic is banned in Carserae, Sashki persuades the prince to assist her in fulfilling her destiny, all while keeping her abilities a closely guarded secret. As they embark on a journey to confront the kingdom’s fate, Sashki finds herself torn between her heart and her responsibility.

In a world where love and duty collide, Sashki must confront the truth of her identity, her powerful connection to the prince, and the heartbreaking sacrifice required to save her people. Will she destroy the brother she never knew, or can she find a way to save both him and the kingdom without losing herself in the process?

Sword of Hadrian is a captivating fantasy romance novel that explores the complexities of love, magic, and destiny, where every choice comes with a price.

796 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 19, 2012

About the author

Chloelia started writing in high school and has since authored thirteen books. Outside of writing and practicing law, she enjoys running ultramarathons around the world, challenging both her physical and mental limits. In fact, most of her characters and storylines have come to life while running on the trails.

Reviews

[Tisha Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not even kidding when I say I could not stop thinking about it while reading. Yes, it’s a longer book and the beginning takes a little time to build everything up, but once it does? WOW. The world feels massive, magical, and so incredibly detailed that I felt fully pulled into it.

And Prince Emmery… the tension between them had me STRESSED in the best possible way 🫠 The slow burn is definitely slow burning, but every little moment between them felt important and had me kicking my feet.

This book gives you magic, danger, secrets, betrayals, adventure, romance, and characters you get way too emotionally attached to. The ending completely wrecked me and left my brain spinning with questions.

If you love romantasy with deep world building, amazing character growth, emotional moments, and chemistry that slowly builds until it hurts… you seriously need to read this!

[Divine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden romance, magic, tension… the best combination in this book honestly had me invested from the start. I really liked the world building and how the story slowly unfolded while still keeping things extremely exciting. The characters had such great chemistry and the mix of fantasy, drama, and adventure made it hard to put down. Kept wanting to read to find out what happens next. Definitely a fun romantasy read and I’m looking forward to continuing the series. Book 2 here I come ! 😊

[Cookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

#cookiereads Sword of Hadrian by Chloelia Salome 🗡️
Sashki grew up in a life of privilege with her best friends but as friends tend to grow up and go. Sashki is still here instead she is a servant to her childhood friend Lady Celia. One day Sashki finds out she has magic forbidden in these lands. Later she learn that she has a twin and her brother is evil. So she must go on a quest to destroy her brother. She feels that Prince Emmery is the perfect one to help her on her quest. But first she must transform herself. With Celia’s help can she get the princes attention? 🗡️

Furiends honestly this book was not what I thought it was. I thought they would go on a quest. But that takes place towards the end of the book. But it was fun to see Sashki kick ass and take names. And unpopular opinion: I did not like Prince Emmery. He was a player and wicked jealous. The man is a walking red flag in my opinion. And what is the deal with Claude he is in one brief part of the book and then gone…I guess I will have to find out in book 2….

Three out of four paws (4 stars). #romantasybooks #indieauthorsofinstagram #indieauthorsupport #tuxedocatsofinstagram

[Sarah Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic romantasy you do not want to miss!!

This book, even though over 700 pages and slow to start, is one of the best I have read recently.

I absolutely loved the world and character building and OMG! What a badass Sashki is! She is a fantastic FMC. She’s brave, not afraid to show her emotion and will do ANYTHING for the people she loves.

If, like me, you love the world of magic, fantasy and romance, then you will devour this. It brings everything together in a mix of adventure and tense action with secrets and lies. It’s very slow burn but the tension between Sashki and the MMC, Prince Emmery is sizzling hot and they do have their moments 😉🥵 The end of the book will leave you with your jaw on the floor and your mind buzzing with questions but it’s an exciting ending which is good!

I feel that there is so much more to come from this world and cannot wait to read The Soul Tetherer which is next on my list.
This is a book that I feel definitely deserves 5 stars. Fantastic read!

[Mandy Lehti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sword of Hadrian by Chloelia Salome is a sweeping, magic charged fantasy romance that strikes with both emotional depth and high stakes urgency. It’s the kind of story that pulls you into a kingdom on the brink and refuses to let go rich with forbidden power, tangled loyalties, and the painful beauty of destiny’s demands.

Sashki is an immediately compelling heroine ordinary on the surface until visions shatter everything she thought she knew about herself. Her realization that she carries rare, potent magic is gripping enough, but the discovery of a twin brother bound to darker forces raises the emotional stakes to a razor’s edge. Their mirrored destinies one light, one shadow give the story its fierce moral heartbeat.

What makes this novel shine is the tension between love and duty. Sashki’s relationship with the prince of Carserae deepens with a tenderness that contrasts beautifully against the harsh reality of a kingdom that criminalizes her very existence. Their alliance is fragile, dangerous, and emotionally intoxicating the perfect anchor for a narrative built on secrecy, sacrifice, and the weight of impossible choices.

As the kingdom spirals toward catastrophe, Sashki’s journey becomes a battle not just for Carserae’s survival, but for her own identity. Can she save her people without destroying her brother… and without losing herself in the process? Salome balances prophecy, romance, political tension, and magical peril with effortless grace, creating a world readers will fall into and ache to return to.

Readers who love forbidden magic, slow burn romantic tension, prophecy driven conflict, and heroines torn between heart and destiny will find Sword of Hadrian irresistible.

[Kinsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for forbidden romance and love me some good fantasy romance and this book hit all the marks for me. It was a fun ride with lots of drama and adventure, and a medieval/magical setting. I loved the world building and how the story unfolded, and the characters are interesting and likeable. It was an intriguing start to a series and I hope to see the story continued in the future!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to get the background before reading her new book The Soul Tetherer. I loved seeing the growth of Sashki throughout the book. She might start out as a servant, but she really grows into a Lady who is very talented and capable of so many things. I’m glad at the end of the everyone can see who she really is.

[Mrs Holm Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this enchanting fantasy novel, we follow the intertwining paths of Shashki, Celia, and Prince Emmery. Shashki, orphaned at a young age, was taken in by Celia’s family, and their bond has flourished since childhood. As they grew older, Shashki became a maid for her beloved friend.

When magic unexpectedly awakens within Shashki, Celia stands steadfastly by her side, supporting her as she embarks on a perilous quest to confront a powerful prophecy . Along the way, Shashki must form an alliance with Prince Emmery, whose charm and bravery could prove invaluable in her fight against the dark forces at play.

As Shashki and Emmery grow closer, the prince finds himself captivated not only by her beauty but also by her intelligence and resilience. However, Shashki harbors secrets that leave her hesitant to reveal her true self to Emmery, fearing that he might reject her if he learns of her past and the magic she struggles to control.

Throughout her journey, Shashki struggles with her burgeoning powers and the right moment to confide in the prince about her history and the magic that ties her to her home. And the loss they both endure loosing someone dearly to them. This tale beautifully explores themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery as Shashki navigates the complexities of her destiny and sense of belonging amongst upper class. And the ending my god was I devastated.

[Alice Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW! I absolutely loved how the character development was written in this book. I loved how Sashki started out as a lowly maid, discovering she had magic in a kingdom where it was forbidden. I loved how Chloe described the friendships of her childhood. The twists and turns in the book had me on my toes! I found myself wishing I didn’t have to work or take care of responsibilities just so I could read more! I laughed at the antics of Celia and Sashki, I cried when Celia was killed. My mind screamed, noooooooo! I loved the slow burn between prince Emmery and Sashki. I give it 4 ⭐️⭐️ only because I felt the ending was so abrupt. However, now I need to dive immediately into The Soul Tetherer so I can continue the story! I definitely recommend!

[Maerainlily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a story about an orphaned lady, Sashki, who learns she has magic that has been dormant. She has many dreams and nightmares, and finds the courage to look into her magic, a prophecy and her past. With the help of her friend and the Prince, she begins to control her magic and learn about her past, alongside what the future may hold for her and the kingdom.

I love Sashki's humor and her strength. I look forward to seeing more of the magic and how the story unfolds. I am excited to read the next books in the series!

[Maerainlily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a story about an orphaned lady, Sashki, who learns she has magic that has been dormant. She has many dreams and nightmares, and finds the courage to look into her magic, a prophecy and her past. With the help of her friend and the Prince, she begins to control her magic and learn about her past, alongside what the future may hold for her and the kingdom.

I love Sashki's humor and her strength. I look forward to seeing more of the magic and how the story unfolds. I am excited to read the next books in the series!

[Sarah.thebooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

A maid with a past she doesn't remember and a prince who is enamored with her .

This book is a touch of a cinderella meets magic , and a past ...the Maid turned lady of the ball is hiding from the kingdom . There is a prophecy and long time battles of good and evil that repeats over time and a legend of a magical sword and a quest built on secrets . Loved going on the journey with all it's complications and half truths . One truth was the real love between A prince and Lady with many secrets that could damn them both . Can't wait to continue this series .

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was 3.5 stars for me!

Great world building and overall plot. Continuing this to find out WTF is happening.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ohhhh yeah this was a ride 😌
READY for book 2

[Lauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only reason I gave this 3.75 stars is because it's a pretty big book, and it honestly didn't feel like anything major happened until the last 20%. I kept waiting for them to finally go on the journey to confront her brother, and by the time it actually happened, I was starting to wonder if it ever would.
That said, once it got there, it definitely delivered. Even though the pacing felt slow at times, I was never bored. It still kept me hooked and wanting to know what was going to happen next. I'm way too invested in Sashki, her journey, and her magic now, so I'll definitely be reading the next book.

[Sana Siddiqui-Yousufzai · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book because the premise sounded so compelling: a maid discovers she has magical powers and learns she’s destined to save the kingdom from an evil force—who turns out to be her long-lost twin. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t connect with the story.
First, the FMC felt incredibly weak. She was constantly crying and rarely showed any real backbone, which made it difficult to root for her or believe in her role as the kingdom’s savior.
Second, the romance between her and the MMC leaned heavily on insta-love without much substance. Their relationship was filled with unexplained hot-and-cold behavior, which made their dynamic feel more frustrating than engaging.
Third, the characters overall came across as one-dimensional. I never felt like I truly got to know them beyond surface-level traits, which made it hard to become emotionally invested.
Finally, the plot felt overly convenient. The FMC quickly learns about her magic, is taken to a librarian who conveniently explains nearly everything about the prophecy, and—despite no real training—is suddenly able to wield both a sword and her powers effectively. These shortcuts made the story feel less believable and lowered the stakes.
I genuinely wanted to enjoy this book, especially since the concept had so much potential and it’s clear the author cares deeply about their work. Unfortunately, it just didn’t come together for me

[Myrsini A · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ✨and I have so many thoughts that, to be honest, are more confused than anything else. The Sword of Hadrian attempted to reach for the classic king/prince-sorcery fantasy but, to me, fell short in its execution. Enjoy this very confused review:

The early pages set the tone for how confused I would be overall. We’re jumping into Shaski’s world, and the prologue itself feels so frustratingly confusing. Ignoring all the confusion at the start, we see Shaski being her friend Celia’s personal helper, even though she was once a lady of the court. In an attempt to move the plot forward while also trying to explain the background, there are some flashbacks and plot details, but they fell short for me. These elements were never properly incorporated into the story, making the whole thing feel disjointed, jumping from chapter to chapter with no clear connection whatsoever.

Then there were the characters. I wanted to care about Shaski and Celia, but I couldn’t.
All of our characters, and I don’t take this lightly, were lacking depth, which made it incredibly difficult for me to connect with them. They felt incredibly shallow, and I had trouble connecting with them. The biggest red flag for me was how Shaski and Celia interacted with the prince. Shaski waits until the penultimate moment to (somewhat) reveal what’s really going on, and I just couldn’t understand why. The entire time, I was left wondering why such an obvious point was hidden for so long, if the prince was so taken with her that he would do anything for her as we claim every 4 paragraphs, and it only made me feel more disconnected from the characters.

This lack of depth in the characters made the whole story feel flat, especially when it came to the relationship between Shaski and Celia. They pretend to be the closest of friends while clearly harboring jealousy toward each other. This sort of miscommunication trope is something I dislike! It felt like the book tried to include multiple tropes without ensuring they were cohesive, and that made it incredibly hard to read.

Another thing I want to highlight, certain chapters that were WAY TOO HEAVY, with important deaths just thrown our way like no big deal and with no time to process them.

And then the end??? No explanations needed? All is well, even though we spent the entirety of the book with the characters hiding secrets, everything just magically resolves itself with no real explanation. Suddenly, everything is perfect, and the tension that had been building up is just gone. There’s no real confrontation for the characters' actions, and no acknowledgment of the lies or the things left unsaid. It felt rushed and unsatisfying, like the author just wanted to wrap things up.

In general, everything mentioned above detracted from what I initially thought would have been a very interesting plot! Not gonna lie, this entire book threw me off, and it was not my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review.

[Heather Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starting from the prologue, I think the author was trying too hard to describe the scenery and feelings of the characters. In doing that, there were too many redundancys. This made it very hard as a reader to immerse myself into the book.

Example 1...First 2 sentences of the book.
"The ground was barren. The air was brisk, cinching the arid land."

Example 2: 2nd paragraph
".....he had greyed and he was in a grey world."

Unfortunately, this was not just an early in the book redundancy issue... I found myself skipping paragraphs and even skimming pages...in order to get to the essence of the story.

I know this is an ARC edition. So bearing that in mind. I did try to give this book a bit more grace knowing it had not received its full editing.

The plot was very interesting
Sashki discovered she had a twin brother, dangerous magic, and she even found she had feelings for a prince. There was a good amount of slowburn. But I feel like there was not enough character development, I was too confused on the world building..and there were alot of unresolved issues/plotholes..the ending was just a full stop. Like the author wanted to wrap it up, the Author knew the endgame of book 1 and the reader was faithfully following the trail, then all of the sudden was jolted to the end..without realizing how they got there. But also....I found it hard to read because there were too many instances where I was reading a passage...and the scene changed, but it did so without letting me know.....and I had to reread that passage to understand that....oh ok...scene changed.

I really wanted to love this book. But I think it definitely needs a revamp. I do believe the story is there...and it is a good story to tell...I was super interested in reading it. But the book just did not serve.

That being said. I want to thank the author for the pdf of this book. So I could read it before reading book 2 "Soul Tetherer ARC." Did I rate this ⭐️⭐️ yes. Will I read book 2. Yes. Because of this main reason. The Author is so NICE! I was talking to her on Instagram..and I could tell how passionate she is about her book series...and so naturally I root for her!! And I will continue to read her books! But also .....I have a feeling...like most series..especially any book delving into fantasy....a lot of the initial kinks get worked out of book 1. And I have faith that the seqeul will flow better and I will love it. Like I said above...I do see the story underneath, and its good. It just needed a revamp.

[Abigail L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sword of Hadrian pulled me in from the start with its vivid world and high stakes. Sashki is the kind of heroine you root for: powerful yet vulnerable, torn between loyalty and love, all while hiding a dangerous secret that could change everything. The slow-burn romance with the prince added just the right amount of tension, but what really hooked me was the emotional weight of her choices—nothing felt easy, and that made it all the more real. I finished this one in two days because I had to know how it would all play out.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic? Forbidden. Romance? Forbidden. Me, reading this past midnight? NOT forbidden. 💅

This book is dramaaaa with a capital D. Sashki’s got secret powers, a mysterious twin, a swoony prince, AND a kingdom to save? Girl’s plate is full. I was flipping pages like my life depended on it—plot twists, magic sparks, secret makeout vibes, moral dilemmas… it’s got it all. If you're into fierce girls with big feelings and even bigger destinies, Sword of Hadrian is your next obsession. ⚡💔👑

[Erin Masura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sashki’s journey of discovering her magic while facing some harsh truths made this story hard to put down. Watching her grow stronger throughout the story added so much depth to her character. The world building starts off slow, but gradually unfolds into something immersive and captivating that it pulls you deeper into the story. If you enjoy forbidden romance, magic, and a fmc finding her strength, this is definitely a book worth picking up.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

We meet Sashki and a close group of friends. Over the years, this group becomes smaller and smaller, and after the death of her parents and the prospect of an inheritance, she ends up continuing her life as a servant to one of her former friends. While she enjoys more freedom and luxury than other servants, it is still a constant reminder that her former life is long gone, and with it everything that came with being wealthy and secure.
While her friend Celia does look out for her, there are also moments when she reminds Sashki of her status. These were the points where I immediately realized that I didn’t like Celia very much.

When Sashki develops powers - at a time when magic is forbidden and can lead to immediate death - she begins having visions. This leads Celia to decide to fake Sashki’s status and seek help from a childhood friend at the kingdom, hoping to protect it from an evil that threatens to rise again, as it has in the past.

The overall premise of the story sounded very promising to me. The execution, however, felt a bit lacking. The writing style and characters did not fully connect with me. Who I did like was Sashki - her story arc, going from having everything to having nothing, and then learning that she is special and has an important role to play, was something I appreciated and felt was done well. Everything happening in between often felt a bit rushed and disconnected to me.
Still, it kept me entertained enough to continue the series and to want to know what happens next.

[Paige Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Power runs in the family... so does trouble.

Sword of Hadrian swept me off my feet faster than a prince on a dragon—full of forbidden magic, royal drama, and a heroine with enough fire to torch an entire kingdom (and maybe her twin... oops). 🐉💥💔

[Nikita Ritz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What a great world to step into. This book pulled me in from the very beginning. While there were a few moments where the pacing felt a little slow, the payoff was completely worth it in the end. I loved the rich world-building and the character growth woven throughout the story.

This book delivers plenty of tension, a delicious slow burn, and an FMC who loves her friends fiercely and would do anything for them. And, of course, there’s magic!

If you love slow-burn romantasy filled with compelling characters, magic, and a world you can easily get lost in, this one might be for you!

[Peter Baran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd been hankering after a bit of old-school sword and sorcery fantasy for a while when I picked this up. Because I am reading on a e-reader, I don't really pay attention to the covers, so I was intrigued as to quite how old-school it seemed, and by old-school in this case I mean straight. Fantasy is a pretty queer genre at the moment, which has been a lot of fun to read, and so this wasn't just heteronormative, but also quitestrictly regressive in its social codes (we're in a world where a woman cutting her hair shocks the locals). It was odd though, as I was reading I wondered if this was all a bit of a fake out, and as we got into the thick of our heroine being the chosen one, and her discovering her magic, I noticed that the seeming heteronormativity had shifted slightly. The prince, who seemed to be the object of affection, seemed to be a bit of a shit; and our heroine Shaski's friend and patron Celia seemed a much more attentive match. The game of unpacking queer subtext was on, and was as enjoyable as the actual text. Was this a knowing throwback to interrogate if we really want is openly queer fantasy all the time?

Sadly, the book finally breaks that tension in another very old-school way, at which point I was three-quarters of my way through the book, so I had to finish it. Though at that point, Shaski had not encountered the villain and had barely embarked on her quest, so I was also worried that this was another shy trilogy that hadn't let on being book one. I'm pleased to say that, with the exception of a very throwaway last line, it does conclude - even if its ending does seem rather rushed. An easy and solid reminder why fantasy is a little more diverse and grubby these days, it also reminded me that subtext is a great thing to tease too, even if you are doing it accidentally.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read this after The Soul Tetherer, and I'm glad I did! I loved The Soul Tetherer and it was pretty cool to 'go back in time' to learn about Sashki and what led to the storyline in book 2. This book, although highly descriptive and a bit slow, really dug into character building for the FMC. It also developed the Prince's character, which was lacking in The Soul Tetherer. In fact, I actually liked the prince in this book and could understand better why Sashki was at such a crossroads in book 2. Now having read book 1 and book 2, I'm amped up for the third book!