4.5 stars 
 Brute. This is how I would describe this novel. It's not pretty, it's not beautiful, IT'S BRUTE. 
 I am apologizing now because I think I'm bound to use the term "brutal" so many times in this review. 
 This story is like no other I've ever read. The start brought back a memory of just one book... the running... I remember Kresley Cole's A hunger like no other. I remember how Lachlain claimed his Emmaline. It was raw... and here in The Golden Dynasty, it was raw tenfold. 
 It started with a really brutal scene and I believe that some would find it extreme. However, like the line that was so used up in this book, IT IS THEIR WAY. So I moved on from that and I tried hard to understand it. 
 Circe is definitely an extraordinary woman. She was suddenly transported to some other world, bound and released only to be caught again by a brutal looking man, and before that, fighting as hard as she can so as not to be caught. It's amazing how her spirit was not broken after that initial meeting. She held her head up high and she adapted. She was an awesome queen and I'm glad that she seemed to like being queen. She also maneuvered her way around the heart of her brutal warrior and she did so with her charm, straightforwardness and open mind. It was endearing, how their language barrier was breached almost right away. Circe was headstrong. Even when she was faced with unusual things, bad things even scary things, she accepted it. 
 "I gave up my world for you." --No truer words have been uttered. This is a major thing to give up which just goes to show how big Circe's love is for her Lahn. 
 They had so many differences that I feared I wouldn't like their pairing. But then, I was wrong. There was no need to be skeptic about these two. Especially with how Lahn is. He's just.... Sooooo .... Big and strong and very very commanding. If I were Circe in the same exact position, I wouldn't have feared anything with Lahn by my side. He was just larger than life. I can't imagine a better hero. Even with all his faults... I still liked him because underneath all the brute force, he's still very very sweet to Circe. He cared for her a lot and he accepted that there are just some things that Circe cannot do or take. know that there were moments wherein he was just downright rude and so damn bossy... But I looked at that in a positive manner. I mean, that's just how he is. 
 Their conflicts were hard to read, but their reconciliations were so much fun. ;) 
 This book was written in a very impressive manner that you'd totally feel as if it's you who was transported in their world. I like the way it ended even though it was sort of abrupt. 
 I really hope that the next book will surpass my awe for this one 
 P.S. If you're planning on reading this, you must prepare your self to accept outlandishly brutal things first. Abandon the thought that this will be a clean, hearts and flowers romance. There were hearts and flowers, there were also sweet nothings, but there were also nitty gritty sexual acts, vile language and knives and kids who fight. It's different, it's brutal, it's shocking... And yet I liked it.