See full review for The Jewel at: https://toomanybooksnotenoughshelves.... 
 On an island called The Lone City that is threatened on all sides by rising water, the royal families cannot bare children because of deformities in their bloodlines. However, since the royal lines need to continue the lower class girls are tested when they start having their monthly courses to see if they have special genes that will allow them to carry the royal's babies. Those girls who test positive are taken from their families and put into holding facilities where they learn everything that they need to in order to become a surrogate for the royals. Violet Lasting is one of those girls and has been since she was twelve. Now, today is her last day of freedom before she is sent to the Auction where she will be purchased by one of the royal families. After today she will not have contact with her friends or family ever again. 
 Violet has heard a lot of things about the Auction and the life of a surrogate. But she wasn't expecting being slapped on the first day by the Duchess of the Lake. Nor was she expecting being told that she had to deliver a girl child in three months, or else things would end badly for her. She also wasn't expecting to be towed around on a leash like she was a common animal. But the last thing she was expecting was to fall in love with a companion, a traitorous crime that is punishable by death. 
 Compared to the last book I read, The Jewel was a breath of fresh air. The characters jumped off the page. The world was an intriguing one to read about. It sort of reminded me of The Handmaid's Tale only with a little bit more regency intrigue.