Fearless (The Powerless Trilogy)

Powerless, Reckless, and Fearless swept me into a whirlwind of emotions I hadn’t experienced with any other book. At the start, everything seemed to point toward a good ending, but the more I read, the more I began to doubt where it was heading. That uncertainty lingered right up to the end. Even though the finale felt right for all the characters, it still hit hard—because they all suffered, in different ways, and it wasn’t easy watching them go through it. "Fearless" is a wild ride from start to finish. We follow Paedyn—this brilliant, brave girl who’s been faking powers in a society where power means everything. After all the twists and betrayals in the first two books, things really hit a boiling point in this one. Paedyn and Kai cross paths again, but it’s anything but simple. With secrets swirling and political tensions running high, they’re constantly walking a tightrope, trying to figure out who they can trust and how to survive the next big threat. What I absolutely loved about this story is how Paedyn proves that you don’t need magic to be powerful. Her strength comes from her smarts, her heart, and that unshakable will to do what’s right—even when the odds are stacked against her. And then there’s her relationship with Kai… whew. So many highs and lows, and every interaction between them kept me completely hooked. The book also weaves in powerful themes—loyalty, inner strength, and the courage it takes to stand your ground. It’s packed with emotion, jaw-dropping moments, and action that doesn’t let up. If you’re looking for a story that keeps you guessing and makes you feel every step of the way, Fearless won’t disappoint. In Fearless, Paedyn Gray emerges not just as a survivor, but as a symbol of integrity in a fractured world. Introduced in Powerless as a girl hiding her truth in a society that fears difference, Paedyn could have easily become hardened or bitter. Instead, she clings to compassion, loyalty, and a quiet fire that refuses to die out. Her bond with Adena reminds us of the strength in female friendship, while her connection to Kai adds a tangle of desire, doubt, and duty. Paedyn’s strength lies not in perfection, but in perseverance—she is a character shaped by pain, yet still full of hope. Kai’s character is defined by quiet conflict—a prince shaped by privilege, yet increasingly aware of its costs. His composed, rational nature conceals a deeper emotional complexity. Unlike many in his world, Kai recognizes the fractures beneath the surface of his society. His connection with Paedyn doesn’t just challenge his beliefs; it redefines them. Her strength draws something out of him: respect, introspection, and eventually, a spark of vulnerability. He approaches each choice with caution, rarely ruled by impulse, which gives his arc a sense of gravity and anticipation. In Fearless, Kai stands at a crossroads between duty and self-discovery, and that uncertainty makes him magnetic to watch. Fearless is the kind of finale that leaves you both breathless and content. The story kept me on edge all the way to the last page, and the emotional payoff was well worth the wait. Watching Paedyn and Kai face their final trials, and seeing the future of Ilya unfold, felt like a proper, earned conclusion. Lauren Roberts managed to wrap up every thread in a way that felt natural and satisfying. The tension, the action, the emotional beats—everything hit just right. And although the epilogue is from Kitt’s perspective, it still felt like the perfect goodbye. This is one of those endings that makes you reflect on the entire series with a full heart. The romance between Paedyn and Kai is one of the most captivating parts of Fearless. Their connection starts off shaky—distrust and differences keeping them apart. Paedyn seems defenseless in a world where power means everything, and Kai, full of strength, doesn’t know what to make of her. But slowly, their walls come down. Through trials and shared experiences, they begin to understand one another. Their journey from tension to tenderness adds such emotional depth to the story. Lauren Roberts’ writing style pulls you in from the get-go. It flows so naturally and paints such vivid pictures that it’s easy to get lost in the world she’s built. One thing she really nails is building tension—there were so many scenes where I couldn’t flip the page fast enough! She’s got a knack for capturing emotions, too, making you feel totally in sync with Paedyn and Kai. The action scenes are packed with energy, and the dialogues? So well done—they flesh out the characters and their bonds beautifully. Overall, her writing in Fearless hooks you and doesn’t let go. Quotes🫶 ⭐She looks at me, eyes as bright as the sea itself. I stare into them, memorizing the multitude of hues they hold in the flickering lantern light. My favorite color is a shade of her, a sliver of the vibrance she exudes. And I will gladly drown, gladly burn, gladly fall into those blue eyes until the day she looks at me for the last time. ⭐You think I would not beg to run away with you? My duty may be to the king, but my heart, Pae, is wherever you are. It is in the palm of your hands, the pad of your thumb. So if you leave, I will follow. If you stay, I will bow. Because there has never been a moment when you did not own the only piece of me that mattered—loving you made me matter. And I ache to be full again. ⭐“Paedyn, I love you. Like nothing else before, I love you. And I’ve been waiting to tell you since I realized your eyes are my favorite color and your freckles the only constellation worth looking at. I could lie—say that you’ve stolen my every thought and heartbeat like the thief you are, but all of me was already yours. Pae, you are my inevitable.” ⭐“You really are becoming quite the gentleman.” “Only for you, darling.” ⭐Paedyn rivaled me, the stars, the very sea with her gaze. She had me in the palm of her hand the moment she grabbed mine in that alley. And for the first time since I was a boy, fear gripped my heart. Right then and there, I knew she would be my undoing. ⭐She is my dream. She is my piece of paradise. She is my inevitable.

⚠️ SPOLIERS AHEAD ⚠️ lauren robert’s. you’ve done it again. i can’t believe i cried more during this than i did for powerless! maks death was so sad, i couldn’t help crying. there were so many plot twists that kept my heart beating and aching for more. it did feel slow at times, but it was still good! i really wish that this was a longer series so i could keep enjoying these masterpieces of books!! above all, i am beyond happy that Kai and Paedyn got their happy ending, and the fact that they named their child Kit in honor of Kitt was so touching! i feel like what happened to Blair was too much, though. there wasn’t much she did to make me hate her besides killing Adena, which definitely made me hate her, but at the same time she was just competing in the trials. she didn’t deserved to have half of her face scorched and then become a poor stranger, scavenging around Tando. also, the epilogue was so cute with Adena and Mak keeping Kurt company 🥹pushing the flaws aside, this is my favorite series of books and i hope to see more from lauren robert’s in the future!! 🫶🏼

**spoiler alert** I do not care if giving this five stars is a hot take because this book had me in a full body emotional chokehold. I was sobbing through the entire final one hundred pages, staring at the wall after, needing time to recover and reflect, because this ending absolutely RUINED me!!! In great ways and terrible ways!!! The prologue being Mak and Kitt was already so good, but it hits even harder knowing what was really being set in motion, and then the book just kept escalating with revelation after revelation. Calum being Paedyn’s father is insane on its own, but the fact that he actually despises Ordinaries made it feel even more cruel, and then on top of that Paedyn having an actual claim to the throne had me fully gagged. I was also losing my mind over Kitt, because watching him unravel mentally was heartbreaking, and somehow it made it worse that the love he had for Kai still existed all the way to the end. I will never be over those letters either, because every page felt like a punch to the chest, like I was reading something private that I was not emotionally equipped to handle. Also, I am still not okay about finding out Edric is not Kai’s dad, and I will never forget the whiplash of thinking for a moment that Edric might be Paedyn’s dad too, just for it to be Calum instead. Literally every Edric chapter delivered the most jarring, jaw dropping information like it was nothing, and I swear I was reading with my mouth hanging open half the time. People can say the ending felt rushed if they want, but to me it felt like a purposeful free fall, like the story was supposed to hit fast and hard in the final stretch, and it did. I was already emotional that Kai and Paedyn actually got their happy ending, and then the book reveals their little girl is named Kit and it was absolute, immediate waterworks. And the epilogue, I cannot even talk about it without feeling my throat tighten, because Adena AND Mak coming so Kitt doesn’t have to be alone. BRO. I have loved this series so much, I loved the slow burn, the enemies to lovers tension, the forbidden love, the forced proximity, the way every twist kept raising the stakes, and I already know I will be talking about this forever. Six out of five stars, and I mean it WITH MY ENTIRE CHEST.

I enjoyed the first two books and couldn’t wait to read the last one. I absolutely love Kai and Pae’s relationship, though I was not fond of the lying once she was betrothed to Kitt. It wasn’t a marriage built on love, but cheating is never the answer. Speaking of Kitt, this boy seemed extremely inconsistent and I felt bad for how it ended up. I wasn’t surprised about Pae’s genealogy, though I didn’t know how it would occur. The use of trials again seemed like the easy way out and the plot seemed to have twists for the sake of it, with the majority happening close to the end. Overall, it was a decent story, but not my favorite. As with the other books, it is not clean though easy to skip scenes.

Hands down the best book out of the series. From the first book, I have loved these characters so much and getting to see the ending to their story was beautiful but bittersweet because I will miss them and this world. My heart physically ached for not only Kai and Paedyn but so many of the other characters as well as so much of their truth was unraveled and so much heartache was endured. I loved getting to see the adventures to the different parts of the world we hadn't been to yet and it was such a treat seeing Paedyn find herself in a whole new light through it all. This entire book had me on the edge of my seat from the start and was such a rollercoaster of a ride. I cannot believe how much happened in these almost 600 pages! It was so worth the tears, holding my breath and even a lot of laughter (Kai is so damn funny it hurts) to see how it all wrapped up in the end. I was tearing up most of the ending but the last chapter and the epilogue were so emotional for me and I think will be for everyone who loves this series. Lauren has such a beautiful way with words and think she ended this perfectly. If you haven't started the series, please do so. It's such a beautiful, fun, heartwarming but also raw and emotional adventure that you won't want to miss.

This book was honestly really good. I did read it out of order (shocker at this point, right? 😂), but it still made perfect sense. If anything, it actually gave me a better feel for fantasy and pulled me in more than I expected. Solid 4⭐ read.

I’ve read many fantasy books and trilogies, but this series truly stands out. The dialogue is smart, sharp, and beautifully written—full of wit and emotional depth. At its heart are Pae and Kai, two characters who come from opposite worlds yet find themselves drawn together against all odds. Their journey is one of love, intensity, and impossible choices. Alongside their story is a destructive brotherly rivalry, a battle for love, one against loneliness and a fathers expectations and the burden of political duty. Pae’s marriage to Kitt, born out of obligation and secrecy, unravels as hidden truths emerge—brief, yet pivotal. The narrative weaves passion, deception, and a war that spans both realms and minds. It’s hauntingly beautiful, emotionally gripping, and endlessly compelling. What captivated me most was the banter—it’s clever, raw, and magnetic. This series had me hooked from start to finish. One of the best I’ve ever read. Some of my favorite parts of the book: Pae- he tastes like a secret I wish to scream, a word on the tip of my tongue that will never been mine to utter. So I say his name instead, as if I could claim him so easily. As I do not think of three simple words when I say it. Kai- in breathless at the sight of her, doomed by the hope of having her. It’s a beautiful ruin, a devastating devotion. This girl holds my heart in her hands. Could crush it between her fingers and still have me thanking her for the touch. But it’s him I focus on, it’s him I cling to long after our dance and long into the next life. Pae about Kai I find tranquility in the violence. As I’ve found the eye in the storm, within him and he in me. Pae about Kai You are forever my distraction darling. Kai to Pae Kai- Paedyn, I love you like nothing else before. And I’ve been waiting to tell you since I realized your eyes are my favorite color & your freckles the only constellation worth looking at. I could lie- say that you’ve stolen my every thought and heart beat like the thief you are, but all of me was already yours. Pae you are my inevitable. Kai- there is an electrifying tether between us tugging at my heart with every second I’m beheld by her. Read this trilogy! You won’t regret it!

How do I even start? I was on the edge of my seat waiting for this book. Fearless was one of my most anticipated reads of the year—I devoured Powerless and Reckless in a day or two, so having to wait two whole months for this one felt like absolute torture. That being said… Fearless ended up being my least favorite of the three. Don’t get me wrong—I liked it. I really did. It was still a solid four-star read for me. But something about it felt rushed. Some plot points felt unnecessary, others were repetitive, and I wanted so much more from characters like Kitt, Mak, and Zailah, who didn’t get the attention or development they deserved. Let’s go back to that jaw-dropping ending in Reckless. Paedyn and Kitt are getting married? Excuse me?! That cliffhanger was immaculate—an absolutely stunning way to end the second book. But then Fearless begins… and I didn’t love where it went. I adore Kitt. I really do. But I was so disappointed with how his character was handled here. I wanted more scenes, more emotion, more of him. Instead, he felt like a shadow of the character I loved. But then there’s Kai. And Paedyn. Their romance? Indescribable. It had me giggling, kicking my feet, blushing—literally yearning. And I’m married to someone who already treats me like a queen, so I don’t even know why I was swooning the way I was. But the way Kai loves Paedyn is everything. <i>“Because there has never been a moment when you did not own the only piece of me that mattered—loving you made me matter. And I ache to be full again.”</i> Their connection felt so raw and intimate, like two people who saw each other completely—flaws, fears, and all—and still chose love in the midst of chaos. It added so much emotional weight to the story and made the quieter moments between them just as impactful as the action-packed ones. <i>“So bow at my feet with a sneer, if you must. I won’t see it with your face to the ground.”</i> One thing I loved was watching Paedyn step fully into her power. This was her boss bitch era, and I was here for every second of it. Every time the Elites tried to cut her down or make her feel less than, she squared her shoulders and reminded them exactly who she was: Paedyn Gray, the Silver Savior, the future Queen of Ilya. As for the plot, there were definitely repetitive elements—the trials, the grief, the emotional gut-punches. The pacing was my biggest issue. The first 100–150 pages? Gripping. I couldn’t put it down. But the middle dragged, and I found myself constantly distracted. Instagram. TikTok. Literally anything else. Then the final 150 pages hit, and I flew. I devoured them. It was chaos, it was fast-paced, it was everything I wanted from the rest of the book. Despite all the issues I had with the book, the twists and surprises had me shaking and quaking in my tunic. Discovering things about some characters’ beginnings to getting a glimpse through the eyes of the worst (Edric, I’m talking about you), I couldn’t have asked for much more—except, of course, all the things I already complained about! So yes, I had issues. I wanted more from certain characters. I struggled with the pacing. But I still loved this book. I’d still recommend it. And the ending was satisfying—bittersweet, emotional, and true to the world Lauren Roberts built. Still, I’ll say this: <b>Lauren Roberts, I demand reparations for the emotional trauma you put me through with Kitt Azer.</b> <i>“Good. Bad.” I shrug a shoulder. “We are all just shadows of what we believe to be true.”</i>