The Legacies
Michelle Larks
ISBN: 9781601629678
Urban Christian
Reviewed By Tara Hopkins

Official Apex Reviews Rating: 


Morgan Daniels-Foster comes from money – and not just any old kind of money either: the money she comes from has money of its own to burn. Such is the life that's been provided to her by the inimitable Jernell Foster, matriarch of the Foster family empire, whose interests seemingly span the globe, commanding equal amounts of respect and fear. With stunning looks to match her high-powered family connections, Morgan is more than ready to strike out on her own as she begins a new life as a freshman at nearby Bradley University. Despite all the privileges that her affluent upbringing have afforded her, though, Morgan still longs for two very important things she's never been able to obtain: a strong sense of self, and, of course, true love.

Noah Stephens has been fitted for the cloth for as long as he can remember. The son of an influential minister, his path toward joining the family ministry appears set. Growing up without the typical advantages of a family with considerable material success, Noah's empathetic heart remains fixed on doing the best he can to serve the Lord by being a blessing to those in need…of course, his heart also longs to find his own way of going about fulfilling his divine destiny in life – as well as learning precisely what that destiny is. Going into his freshman year at Bradley University, Noah seeks the answers to these questions, at the same time discovering more about the nature of his true self – and his family's real past.

When their widely divergent paths serendipitously cross, neither Morgan nor Noah are prepared for the onslaught of emotion, pain, and drama soon to follow. Unable to fight the powerful attraction between them, the two star-crossed lovers remain bound to one another as they each face unimaginable strife, shock, and ultimate loss in the wake of the unearthing of long-held family secrets. Only time will tell if their bond is strong enough to survive the coming trials that will test their very souls.

The follow up effort to her highly successful debut, Keeping Misery Company, The Legacies promises to be just as much of a hit with Michelle Larks' ever-growing legion of readers. Masterful storyteller that she is, in Legacies Larks has re-fashioned the ages-old Romeo & Juliet tale with a modern-day, urban twist. Brought together by forces greater than themselves, Noah and Morgan both contend with seemingly unending family drama and despair, and the two youths, in turn, rely on a strength that exceeds their own in order to cope with the incessant cycles of tribulation. With each new startling revelation, the reader will begin to wonder just how the young lovers are able to remain the picture of relative calm during the storm while everyone else around them loses their minds – and nearly everything else – as times grow increasingly tough.

Also, enough cannot be said about Larks' incomparable ability to weave an intricate, multi-layered tale, perfectly preserving suspense while tantalizing readers with just enough heat to keep them turning page after page, eagerly anticipating what's to come next. In addition, she's able to humanize a salacious tale of greed, power, and sex by relating the real effects of their consequences on the hearts and minds of those caught up in their mix. Such ability is truly a gift, and not one that many authors both possess and wield so skillfully.

The Legacies, rightly so, will go down as yet another instant classic from a proven author whose time has truly come. No matter how many fans Michelle Larks has won over with her writing efforts thus far, those numbers will quickly dwarf in comparison to the soon-to-be-converted as her literary legend continues to grow.