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The Golden Prisoner:

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This series can be read in multiple orders depending on you preferences and mood. Before venturing into the story, please consult the reading styles available at

This book is spicy, dark, contemporary romantasy with shifters, a messy love triangle, and stalker themes.



I’m a slave to destiny, starving for a drop of happiness, of hope, of love.

My heart is torn between keeping the people I love safe from the monsters that don’t deserve to be called ‘family’, and indulging in a fantasy of my own doing.

My dream has come true. They allowed me to pretend I’m a normal girl, sent to study at the Royal Academy where I can be with the man whom I believe is my fated.

But I’m still tied to the my life is still being drained out of me to keep my sister alive, my time is spent serving my brother who enrolled alongside me.

I’m getting tangled in my web of lies, unable to truly open my heart to anyone.



I am tied to duty.

My heart is torn between my role as a Prince, and indulging in a fantasy where my fated mate plays a central role in.

I was sent to the Royal Academy to mingle with nobles who don’t even know who I am, my identity as a Prince hidden to the public. Hidden from her, too–the woman of my dreams.



I’m trying not to become the villain in her story.

My heart is torn between ensuring that my fated mate is safe and happy, and my own selfish desire to be by her side.

I wished to escape my country, ruled by the monster that doesn’t deserve to be called ‘mother’.

My dream has come true, I’m enrolled in the Northern Kingdom Academy.

But now I wish I never escaped; now I wish I met her first, before my brother did.

At least I can be her guardian angel.

I just hope I won’t fall from grace.

392 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2026

6 people are currently reading
27 people want to read

About the author

A. Lya Sunshine

2 books11 followers

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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Profile Image for neurotic.bookdragon.
86 reviews53 followers
February 11, 2026
3.75 ⭐️ rounded up

Thank you so much to A. Lya Sunshine for making me one of your ARC readers ❤️‍🔥 that ending hurt so much, I felt it in my soul...

Honestly despite how dark the majority of the story is, this was actually such an easy book to read, and I binged it a lot faster than I expected to!

Medy's pain & suffering was unending (honestly the level of rage I felt was sickening) 😡
Percy really turned out to be the opposite of what I was expecting (dare I say almost more disappointing than the resident Tampon?) 😩
Apollo surprised me a lot more than I thought was possible & is quite delicious 🤭

*Full review to come*
Profile Image for Tiffany Motton.
103 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Author
January 18, 2026
* Small & Silly Description *

If you're looking for a book from the POV of 3 deeply troubled people, then please, look no further.

* Plot & Pacing *
This book is a sort of prologue to fantasy series that'll talk about dragons, so needless to say, this book is a shifter romance. You follow from three different perspectives and they're all intertwined, keeping you on your toes. A lot happens in this book, and yet at the same time, nothing really happens. There are no big events, you just follow along with three people coming of age, going off to college, meeting new people, making friends, finding love.
For plot & pacing, that means not a lot happens.

*Characters & dialogue*
The book does come with a warning that it's character-driven, not plot-driven, so it comes to no surprise that what the story lacks in events, it far makes up in character development.
You're sort of thrown into the depths of these kids' minds and I really hope you don't read to make yourself feel better about the world, because this won't help.
Medy, Apollo and Perseus are so starved for love, they jump at the first signs, only to slowly realize it might not exactly be what they thought it would be.
The story makes a few weird jumps, so that sometimes characters make a reference to something you didn't see as a reader (logical since you follow 3 people), but the choices for what you witness and what not sometimes feel odd.

*World Building*
I didn't really like my college years so it's difficult for me to be thrown into it again, and honestly, it's for all the reasons you see here in the main characters. People can be really selfish during that time in their life, just wanting to experiment, to find themselves, and sometimes they're more in love with the idea of love than with actually finding someone you're compatible with and then working on it to make it work.
The way Lya shows this discomfort is cleverly done, it gives you just the right amount of detail to get you an impression and leaves you to fill in the rest.

All in all,
I've read this book first as a beta reader and now as an ARC reader for Lya, who I've met via Bookstagram and is amazingly talented. It's amazing how this ARC version is already so much better than the first one, and I'm sure the final result will be great.
Even though the Plated Prisoner series is still on my tbr , I'm assuming it's similar in that the first book is something that will totally break your heart, for the next ones to put you back together again!
Profile Image for CJ Meade.
28 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
February 11, 2026
When the book first starts, it feels like your pretty typical PNR/shifter romance with fated mates, but it progressively expands into a far more complex world with complicated emotions and a heart-wrenching love triangle. The three main characters have a lot of baggage and trauma, particularly Medy and Apollo (see the trigger warnings before reading). These elements complicate the relationships between the characters. In other words, be prepared for emotional damage and some heartbreaking moments.

It is not all doom and gloom, though. Despite the hardships the characters have faced and are facing, they are still loving, funny, snarky characters. Heavy on the snark and sass. I personally thought the verbal sparing was a lot of fun.

Something to note, which is also explained by the author in a note at the beginning of the book: this book, and the series as a whole, is highly character-driven, so don't expect a rapid plot. The stakes are high, but the story focuses heavily on the characters' interactions with each other, not on a fast-moving plot. I personally love character-driven stories, but if you are looking for something very plot-heavy, this might not be the right fit for you.

On the other hand, if you love character-driven stories, lots of teasing between characters, shifters, college settings, and emotional damage, this book is the perfect fit for you.
92 reviews4 followers
January 5, 2026
ARC review!

I read The Golden Prisoner during the Holidays. I think it's a good debut book and I want to know what happens next.

Summary:
Medusa (Medy) is treated very poorly by her family who doesn't even publicly acknowledge her existence. She is used as a blood and marrow bank for her sister. She ends up getting accepted at university. One night, while working at the diner with Dorothy, she meets Perseus and they both feel instant attraction towards each other. He too will attend the same school. Hidden in another kingdom, his brother Apollo keeps an eye on him. When he sees Medy, he feels and instant pull towards her. He decides to protect her and he becomes her guardian angel, always in the shadows.


Thoughts:

I struggled to get into the story at first. The poor treatment of the FMC just seemed like an overkill. Thankfully, it tones down when she goes to university and the focus shifts to her relationships with Perseus and Apollo.
Percy is rich and handsome. He only has eyes for her and I love him for it. He is kind and caring...until he gets jealous and loses his shit.
Apollo becomes obsessed with Medy. He is Percy's brother, but their mom has been mean to him and he has left the kingdom. He is present mostly online. He inserts himself into their lives and try to make Medy's life as easy as possible.
I thought the stalker romance was well done and, while I liked Perseus for the better part of the book, I was rooting for Apollo.

The book was very easy to read once she got to unversity.

The only two other things that I liked less was that the vocabulary seemed a bit repetitive and the ending was not so clear.

I was hoping the shifter part would take more place.

Overall, I enjoyed it and will read more!
Profile Image for Readwithsamijo .
63 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Author
January 19, 2026
I read a bit backwards and read starry nights first and then this one. I was told this was fine.

Yes it was a little confusing as there are similarities in the characters and their story but as you progress in the book you catch up and nothing is as it seems.

The author warns you that this book covers tough subjects and trust me there is a reason for that. Pay attention to triggers.

Medy is a young girl who has been abused and broken (literally) her whole life and has few people in her corner. She gets into university and you secretly hope it gets better for her and for a while it does. Unfortunately she has been starved for love and doesnt know what she has.

Percy, gave me tamlin vibes but nicer. You want to back him but you know he isnt going to get there. At least not yet.

Starry nights definitely left me more broken than this but the story's together are 'chefs kiss '

Looking forward to seeing what the plot twists are for all the characters and if they finally get their peace but most importantly how the heck these story's tie together to come to a conclusion.

Profile Image for Jo Leonard.
155 reviews1 follower
October 3, 2025
3.5 ⭐️

The Golden Prisoner was a pretty quick and easy read, and I loved the yearning in it. There is a man in this book that yearrrrnnnnns. My goodness. I cried at a few points in the book and was pissed off at a certain character for a few chapters. And the ending!!! Oh my gosh that ending was crazy!! Just make sure you check the trigger warnings for the book before you read it because it does deal with some heavier topics.

This book is a fast-paced, character driven stalker/shifter romance. The characters are at an academy but that isn’t a focal point in the story, it’s more of a passing note. It also talks of tragedy and family ~issues~. There’s a golden retriever MMC.. until he’s not, and a slightly unhinged MMC who has his nose in everyone’s business. I think that this book did a really good job of portraying characters that have relatable thoughts and feelings (except for a character’s thoughts about chocolate and steak haha). So if you like yearning, slightly awkward characters, beautiful imagery, and cats then you’ll like this book!
Profile Image for Ashley (andtheniwasbookish).
411 reviews22 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 21, 2025
This book. Woah. I could not put it down, and it had me hooked immediately.

I love an unreliable narrator, and as the story progressed something I really loved was how chaotic the story became. This story is told from very realistic POVs. we are not going to have 18 year olds speaking eloquently, there will be slang, and there will be a LOT of confusing emotions.

The characters were experiencing real turmoil in their minds and daily actions, and as a result, their POVs became chaotic, chunks of time missing, frantic. The style of the writing in this story was unique and directly mirrored what the characters were going through (this is important to remember).

My heart absolutely breaks for Medusa, our FMC, and Apollo (jury is out on Perseus), both MMCs. We are earned going into this story that we will not feel it resolved until the end, and A. Lya delivers on that promise!

On top of the actual story, A. Lya has come up with a very intricate reading order for this story, advertising it can be read in almost any order. I am intrigued!

overall: recommend
spice: open door
Profile Image for Rose.
136 reviews10 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
February 10, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This was a fun time! The characters are extremely flawed and messy, but it was interesting and entertaining to read about, and it was actually one of my favorite parts of the book because it kept me hooked and interested the whole time. The setup for this world and the creatures in it was interesting but a little underexplained in my opinion, which, with the way it was written and how I think the story is going, I could see being intentional and meant to be clarified in a later book but it did confuse me at times. This book does lean more romance than fantasy, though, so the story still works with the confusion just fine! Overall, I was definitely interested in the messy interpersonal/ romantic storylines going on, the ending was unlike anything I expected and definitely interesting, and it was very nostalgic to some of the things I loved when I was younger!

(I received an advance reader copy for free, and these are my honest thoughts)
Profile Image for Charlee Lock.
36 reviews1 follower
November 7, 2025
Oh Lordy!

This is the first book of a series and I’m so glad it wasn’t a standalone with everything that goes down in this one book.

I’ll be honest I was slightly confused at the start feeling like these were already established characters that I was playing catch up with but by the third chapter I felt more at ease and was able to settle into the style of story telling.

Chapter 26 has my whole heart. It was my most favourite chapter and I absolutely love this tormented guardian angel!

The last 8 or so chapters had my heart in my throat, I read through them so fast I think I forgot to breathe at one point!!

I am so sooo soooooooo glad book two carries on from this one because IT CAN NOT END LIKE THAT!!

A really good read and I am on tender hooks waiting for book 2
1 review
November 4, 2025
The golden prisoner, When i finished it it took me time to believe that it's finished but more than making me sad it made me excited because there's more to come. All the three main characters were amazing and interesting, their pov chapters made me judge all of them. It was hard for me to decide which side I am actually on :'). I love perseus, I like the contrast in the nicknames like medy-medusa, percy- perseus.

If you like dark romance with spice and complex themes( also with unhinged characters) definitely go for it!, every character has their own individuality which makes them stand out. Overall, It's a enjoyable read! Have your tissues ready though.
🫣
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Emilia.
147 reviews6 followers
February 4, 2026
I consumed this book so slowly because I wanted to savour every second of it.

This is such a good debut novel and I have fallen in love with the characters and the plot and the series. I love how the series can be read in any order and it will still make sense.

This book ripped out my heart, tore it apart, put it back together, then ripped it out again. Medy, I just want to give you a hug. Goldie… 😏 I love you.

This was gifted to me as an e-ARC by the author and I am also part of the street team. This review is given entirely by choice and I am so excited to get into the next books
Profile Image for Sabrina Gould.
33 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 31, 2025
✨Arc Review✨
IM FLABBERGASTED, this story captivated me with the writing and the plot. It is a different style of writing so it might now be for everyone but definitely think everyone should read it.
My brain is so jumbled with all my feelings and theories that I don’t know how to articulate how much I want to read the next book.
Goldie you magnificent but tortured man…I love you
Princy you are not the one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Heather Miller.
1 review
February 5, 2026
The Golden Prisoner ARC
3.5 ⭐️
I really like this book. The story is intriguing, the will they or won’t they had me turning page after page needing to know what would happen next.
The writing is beautiful, A. Lya definitely has her own voice, I really like her style of writing.
I want—I need to know more. What will happen with the FMC and her family, her love interests. What will happen between the two MMCs.
To say the least I’m addicted and can’t wait to read the next book.
Profile Image for Angeliena.
57 reviews2 followers
February 12, 2026
Oh my gosh, this was so good. It took me awhile to start reading, unfortunately, but I'm so glad I'm finished it. The writing was amazing and it reminded me of Webtoon stories. Yeahhhh, that's why I was familiar with the art style.

The book flowed alongside me and I was lost in the plot, it was easy to read, and it had so much banter—where I found myself laughing.

(Thank you for the ARC)
Profile Image for Rose Wood.
30 reviews2 followers
November 12, 2025
I loved this book so much I somehow convinced myself it was a why choose. Spoiler, it’s not. The ending caught me off guard so much I had to stand up and walk around my room while I read. Book two better not leave me in tears please. I did like the interactions between the mc and her love interest. Be warned when this book is labeled dark fantasy romance the author means it.
Profile Image for Nicole (redreadsfantasy).
99 reviews
February 12, 2026
A Fantastic Debut

I couldn't stop reading!! The mythology/fairy tale includes ages brilliantly done, and I loved Medy so so much. And the protective obsessive MMCs!? Amazing.
Profile Image for Kyra Lenith.
3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
January 25, 2026
Absolutely mind-wracking. Had me swooning in a minute, then broke my heart in the next two seconds.
Beautiful characters, relatable pain and very good writing.
Profile Image for Alexandra.
255 reviews11 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
January 31, 2026
This book is dark with shifters, trauma, stalkers and heartbreak. Medy, the FMC, is a super unreliable narrator because of events that happen throughout the story. This poor girl really goes through it. Her "family" is awful and honestly most of the people in her life are equally as awful. While most of the book is told through her POV, we do get other POVs mixed in which helps explain what's happening. I went through all of the emotions from this story, especially the last quarter of the book. I am still in shock and disbelief at the ending. Honestly, this book was chaos and I kind of loved it for that.

PS-please check the triggers!!!
Profile Image for ANDREA.
112 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
February 9, 2026
4.25⭐️

Okay I’m a HUGE mood reader and started this while not really in the mood for a romantasy. First half took me a while to get through because of that but 2nd half? AMAZING. This really was SO GOOD it didn’t even matter that I wasn’t in the correct mood. The writing was great, the storyline was really original imo. The pacing in the beginning was good, then it slowed down a bit in the middle but was again good at the end. This book is more character driven and less plot driven but I did like this as I really like Apollo and Medy. I hate hate hate perseus or however his name is spelled. Walking red flag 🚩. Apollo tho? Gimme some of that ASAP😮‍💨

The CLIFFHANGER??? That whole ending was criminal! I swear indie authors make the best cliffhangers!

Overall great book, I’m super excited to continue the series but I’ll wait until I’m in the correct ✨romantasy mood✨ to give it the justice it deserves
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews

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