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 new dystopian romantasy duology fromNew York TimesandUSA Todaybestselling author J. Elle.

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 dayand smuggling the rulers 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 TimesandUSA Todaybestselling author J. Elle delivers a breathless series opener that is bold, bone-chilling, and wholly original. For fans of the cutthroat competition ofThe Hunger Games,Love Island, andPowerless, this dystopian romantasy explores what happens when the heart becomes the empires sharpest blade.

J. Elleis theNew York Timesand internationally bestsellingauthor of dark fantasy fiction examining love as a powerful phenomenoncapable of building and destroying worlds.

• Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
• Publish Date: September 01, 2026
• Pages: 400
• Language: English
• Type: Hardcover
• EAN/UPC: 9798217238224
• Dimensions: 9.0 X 6.0 X 0.0 inches | 1.31 pounds
• BISAC Categories: Teens & YA