She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

In the kingdom of Ilya, the empowered Elites, gifted their powers by surviving the Plague, hold all the privilege, while those born Ordinary are exiled. Lacking any power is considered a crime, making survival in the slums nearly impossible for people like Paedyn Gray. Posing as a Psychic to blend in with the Elites, Paedyn hides her Ordinary status to stay alive. Her life takes a dangerous turn when she inadvertently saves one of Ilya’s princes and is thrust into the Purging Trials—an intense competition designed to showcase the Elites’ powers, which she lacks. Surrounded by lethal competitors and hiding her secret, Paedyn’s survival depends on deception. But with her growing feelings for the prince, she risks everything if her true nature as an Ordinary is discovered.

Lauren Roberts’ Powerless is the kind of book that, once you start, you really can’t put down. I picked it up thinking it’d be another romantasy with the usual tropes and it turned out to be a super fun and engaging read. If you love a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers vibe like I do, this one’s definitely for you.

Romance First

So let’s talk about the romance first—because, let’s be real, that’s what we’re all here for, right? The slow-burn enemies-to-lovers dynamic is chef’s kiss in this book. It takes its sweet time, which I personally love because when the romantic tension finally comes to a head, it feels well-earned. The push and pull between the characters keeps you hooked, and even though it’s a bit of a familiar setup, it’s just executed so well. It’s one of those reads where you’re sitting there screaming, “Just kiss already!” but also savoring every little moment of tension.

What didn’t surprise me

That being said, while I did find the romance addictive, Powerless does lean heavily into some well-worn tropes. If you’ve read other books in the romantasy genre (A Court of Thorns and Roses, Fourth Wing, etc.), you’ll recognize a lot of the beats here. But you know what? That didn’t really bother me. Sure, it’s not reinventing the wheel, but Roberts clearly knows what makes these stories work and she leans into that strength. I flew through the book because, despite the predictability, it was just fun. Sometimes, you don’t need something that’s totally unique, but something that’s comforting and exciting all the same.

One of the things I really appreciated was the main character’s strength and confidence. In Powerless, the female protagonist isn’t your typical “weak-girl-becomes-strong” story arc. She’s strong from the get-go, and while that does mean we miss out on a more typical power transformation arc, it also allows us to dive right into the heart of her struggles. It’s not about discovering power—it’s about navigating the world when you aren’t powerful in the ways that everyone thinks matters. That shift in focus felt refreshing to me, and it helped keep the character dynamic interesting.

The plot and the setting

Now, I’ll be honest—the plot itself is on the more predictable side. There are some twists, but if you’ve read a lot of books in this genre, you’ll probably see them coming. For me, though, the predictability wasn’t a dealbreaker. It was kind of like watching a favorite movie you’ve seen a million times—you know what’s going to happen, but it’s still super satisfying to see it unfold. Plus, Roberts has this great way of building emotional tension that kept me invested, even when I knew where the story was going. It’s the kind of book that just flows, and that’s why I couldn’t put it down.

Let’s talk world-building for a sec. If you’re looking for a super detailed, intricate world like you might find in Throne of Glass, this isn’t like that quite yet. As it is just the first book there’s still much more untouched potential but the world in Powerless serves its purpose—it gives enough detail to ground the story, but it’s definitely more focused on the characters than the environment. And honestly? I was fine with that. I’m all about character-driven stories, and I felt like the world-building took just the right amount of a backseat to let the character dynamics shine.

One of the other aspects I enjoyed was the light bit of a love triangle. It’s there, but it’s definitely not the overwhelming focus. While I love a romance-heavy plot, the balance here was just right. It kept me invested in the characters’ personal lives, but it didn’t overshadow the larger story at hand. It felt like a nice little sprinkle of romance rather than the main course.

If you’re in the mood for a romantasy that will give you exactly what you’re looking for—a solid romance, engaging characters, and a fast-paced story—you should definitely give Powerless a go. It’s one of those books where, despite knowing the tropes and twists, you still get wrapped up in the story, flipping pages long into the night.