Behind The Book Dominion With Jean Kwok 

New York Times Bestselling Author Jean Kwok is back for another edition of Behind The Book. We are going to discuss her very first romantasy novel Dominion. Dominion will be out on July 14^th! I was so lucky to read an early copy! If you enjoy romantasy, I suggest getting a copy asap! 

Q: Welcome back to Book Notions Jean! For those who haven’t read the book, would you please give a brief description of Dominion? 

A: Dominion is an Asian mythology-inspired romantasy that follows Rubi, a ribbon dancer with no memory and little magic who is forced into a deadly tyger-bonding trial by a ruthless warrior, and winds up on his elite team to stop a demon invasion. 

Along the way she finds a found family, discovers extraordinary powers, and falls for the one man she probably shouldn’t. But as ancient prophecies awaken and the fate of the Dominions hangs in the balance, she’ll have to decide whether to follow destiny or her heart.

Q: You began writing Dominion during a dark time in your life in 2023. Would an important lesson you hope readers learn is that while things seem dark right now, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel? 

A: Absolutely. I started writing Dominion after my divorce, when my entire life had fallen apart. At the time I couldn’t imagine that one day I’d look back and realize that losing the life I’d planned was actually the beginning of something even better. That was when I sought hope in romantic fantasy, as I always had, and realized that I should write one myself. 

Today I’m happier than I’ve ever been, both personally and professionally. I hope readers who are going through their own difficult season remember that we can’t always see what’s waiting for us on the other side. Sometimes the hardest chapters become the beginning of the happiest ones.

Q: Which scenes and characters did you enjoy writing the most? Its hard for me to choose, but I definitely enjoyed that in this world you created, tigers and humans bond instead of dragons. I love Flame and Rubi’s bond and close friendship & how they communicate. I also love the magic, The Diviner character. That ending an epilogue? Brilliant! 

A: That’s such a hard question because I genuinely love this cast, but I think I’d have to say Rubi and Blake. Their relationship was so much fun to write because it starts as enemies to lovers. Blake is this fierce, intimidating warrior who literally throws Rubi into a deadly tyger-bonding trial, yet underneath he’s incredibly loyal and protective. Watching the two of them slowly fall in love while constantly challenging each other made those scenes some of my favorites. I also loved writing the romance because it’s passionate, full of tension, and yes, definitely a little steamy!

And then there are the tygers, especially Flame. I’ve been obsessed with cats my entire life, so creating giant battle tygers instead of dragons was a dream come true. My little cat Couscous is actually in the book too! She is my real-life cat, right down to her sweet but slightly anxious personality, so writing her always made me smile, especially her relationship with magnificent and lethal Flame.

Between the romance, the battle tygers, and all the feline personalities, I had an absolute blast writing Dominion.

Q: Right now Dominion is the first book in a trilogy. Have you finished writing book 2 and are you currently writing book 3? Would you considering expanding beyond the trilogy and writing more than 3 books or perhaps doing a spin-off series of Dominion? 

A: Book Two is actually finished and is already in the publishing pipeline for 2027! It was such a joy to write because readers get to spend much more time in the Red Phoenix Dominion, which is a powerful matriarchal kingdom filled with fire sirens and a winged queen. We also get to explore the fallout from all the twists at the end of Dominion, along with the next very dramatic chapter of Rubi and Blake’s passionate love story.

As for what’s beyond the trilogy… I definitely have ideas! The world of the Dominions is so rich, and there are many beloved members of our found family whose stories I can’t wait to tell. I’d love to follow them as they find their own happily ever afters, while, of course, battling demons, monsters, and whatever other chaos I can throw at them first! 

Q: What was the transition like writing literary fiction and family suspense novels to romantasy? What other genres do you see yourself experimenting with in the future?

A: Honestly, it felt surprisingly natural. At their heart, all my novels are about identity, family, love, and impossible choices. Romantasy simply gave me a much bigger canvas. Instead of exploring emotional conflict through realism, I could do it with magic, mythical creatures, and epic battles. It was incredibly freeing and so much fun. I still have a literary suspense novel that I hope readers will see one day, but right now I’m completely immersed in romantasy. I have so many stories I want to tell in this world.

Q: How does it feel knowing that Dominion is being compared to Fourth Wing & The Hunger Games series? I believe Dominion is much better than The Hunger Games!  

A: That’s incredibly kind of you to say! Fourth Wing and The Hunger Games have both inspired millions of readers, so it’s an honor to have Dominion mentioned alongside books that have had such an enormous impact. At the same time, I hope readers discover that Dominion has its own identity. 

Dominion offers a fresh adventure while delivering everything that makes the genre so irresistible: an epic, swoony romance with plenty of spice, deadly trials, found family, unforgettable animal companions, and a richly layered magical world. Instead of elves and fae, my world is inspired by Chinese mythology and populated by firens, who are fire sirens, shapeshifters, necromancers, battle tygers, and four very different magical Dominions, each with its own unique powers and culture. 

My hope is that readers fall in love with Rubi and Blake’s romance, become completely immersed in this world, and finish the last page already counting the days until they can return to the Dominions in Book 2.