The Veiled Heir (The Heir of Atlantis series) by S.T. Fernandez

Second Place Winner – BookFest Awards A slow-burn fantasy romance with a fierce heroine, a unique magic system, and a love that rises from the depths of grief. She was raised far from Atlantis, but born to claim the throne. Now she must save two worlds or lose everything she loves. Marine biologist Asherah Delmar believed her future was certain until her mother’s brutal murder shattered her life. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Asherah uncovers her mother’s hidden past… and her own fate as the lost heir to the Queendom of Atlantis. Forced to flee assassins and plunged into a world she believed was myth, Asherah finds herself among the Water Fae—dangerous, powerful beings who don’t all want her on the throne. With war brewing, a rebel faction rising, and a council eager to see her fall, she must master her newfound abilities before it's too late. The one person who keeps her grounded is Draevyn Eliron, the mesmerizing Commander of the Guardians. But their attraction defies logic, steeped in a magic she barely understands. The fate of the human world and the realm beneath the waves rests in her hands. Read more