Queen Bee (The Diamonds #1)

New
71wFE9pnGlL
Author(s)
Age Range
16+
Release Date
April 04, 2023
ISBN
978-0593483503
Buy This Book
     
Revenge is her opening move. Love might be the endgame.

Lady Ela Dalvi knows the exact moment her life was forever changed—when her best friend, Poppy, betrayed her without qualm over a boy, Lord Keston Osborn, heir to the Duke of Harbridge. She was sent away in disgrace, her reputation ruined.

Nearly three years later, eighteen-year-old Ela is consumed with bitterness and a desire for . . . revenge. Her enemy is quickly joining the crème de la crème of high society while she withers away in the English countryside.

With an audacious plan to get even, Ela disguises herself as a mysterious heiress and infiltrates London’s elite. But when Ela lays eyes on Keston once again, she begins to question whether vengeance is still her greatest desire.

In this complicated game of real-life chess, Ela must choose her next move: Finally bring down the queen or capture the king’s heart?

Editor review

1 review
Spoliers ahead- Revenge and Love
(Updated: May 31, 2026)
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Queen Bee is a fun YA regency romance focused on love and revenge. Lady Elya Dalvi grew up best friends with Poppy until Marquess Keston moved in next door. Elya was too young and naïve to match how far Poppy was willing to go to earn a title, and it ruins her life…for a time. She reemerges into the high society ton as Ms. Lyra Whitley, and her sights are on revenge for how Poppy and Keston treated her.
Told in alternating timelines between Elya and Lyra, we slowly see why she wants revenge and how she gathered the knowledge and financial means to accomplish her goals. As a reader, you may have questions that feel like plot holes at first until the story unfolds and you find out how Elya/Lyra carried out her plan. This back-and-forth format makes the book one you can’t put down, as you want to uncover the mystery at the same time you enjoy seeing her make Poppy squirm.
I enjoyed how Lyra bantered with Keston. He was head over heels, and while she felt the same way, she made him work hard for her to acknowledge her feelings. I enjoyed the pranks and deceptions that led to Poppy’s fall from grace. Honestly, who doesn’t love a good comeuppance story?
Does Keston forgive a little too easily, yes. Is the story plausible? Not really. Is it so much fun to read? Absolutely! I used an audiobook for this story and found the narrator to be engaging. I definitely finished more chores around the house to give me a reason to keep listening, and I definitely stayed up till 2 AM to find out the ending, so those are both indicators I use to judge this book as a highly engaging romance and revenge regency book. I’m excited that there are two more books set in this world already out!
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