In a world where love is forbidden, one girl must fight for her heart and freedom through deadly trials in the first book of a dystopian romantasy duology from New York Times bestselling author J. Elle.

'Love Island meets The Hunger Games . . . a satisfying reality dating competition unfolds within a dystopian fantasy.' —Kirkus Reviews

Welcome to The Heart Trials. The prize is love. The cost is everything.

In Ethyria the highborn may love; the lowborn may only feel what the Benevolent allows.

Saltblood lowborn Axira Merreri survives the decaying districts by keeping her heart locked tight, couriering goods by day—and smuggling the ruler’s euphoric Heartfillers to the highborn by night. Until a drop goes wrong and her execution looms.

When she strikes a dangerous bargain to steal something from the Tournament of Hearts, a ruthless dating competition to gain highborn citizenship, she enters. Not for love. For freedom. But as the twisted allure of the competition turns deadly, an unexpected connection cracks her defenses, forcing her to confront a truth she fears: In a regime built on engineered happiness, the most dangerous weapon she has is her heart.

New York Times bestselling author J. Elle delivers a breathless series opener that is bold, bone-chilling, and wholly original as it explores what happens when the heart becomes the empire’s sharpest blade.