Shadows on the Riviera: The Devereaux Dynasty Series, Book 1 - Cleo Kensington

One dynasty, one heiress, and a hotel that could make or break their empire.

Ava Devereaux is handed the renovation of the Riviera’s crown jewel, Hôtel Lumière, an audacious, €100-million test that will decide her place in the Devereaux Dynasty. But as rumors swirl of a secret sale, rival developers circle Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and boardroom allies turn into saboteurs, Ava must balance heritage and innovation, and choose whom to trust: the charming insider who always appears at the right moment, or the principled Lake Como architect who challenges her at every turn.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Monaco boardrooms. Cap-Ferrat terraces. A dynasty built on elegance, discipline, and secrets. When Ava is tasked with delivering a full overhaul of Hôtel Lumière in time for festival season, she finds more than faded grandeur; she uncovers neglect, code risks, and a staff terrified the hotel will be flipped into condominiums. Her clear pledge—“The Lumière is not for sale”—calms the lobby, but not the storm ahead.

At the Yacht Club de Monaco, Ava faces a gauntlet: investors Philippe Moreau and Daniel Erikson, her merciless father Victor, and whispers that Artemis Luxury Collection is scouting land a kilometer away. Selling would be “prudent.” Ava’s plan is bolder—secure heritage approvals, expand keys, modernize the unseen systems, and lead with sustainability and community.

Then Juliette—the dynasty’s matriarch—opens a leather-bound album and the hotel’s soul: during the war, the Lumière hid artists and dissidents behind the wine cellar. Heritage isn’t just façades; it’s memory. Ava must rebuild without erasing what made the hotel a sanctuary.

Enter Leonardo Rossi, Lake Como architect with a spine of steel and a studio that refuses “flash over substance.” Their first meeting sparks friction; their second, grudging respect; their third, a partnership that starts to look like something more. Together they navigate staff morale, a breaking PR story, and a board that doubts Ava, until she goes all-in with her inheritance to force the vote.

As the reopening draws near, storms gather offshore and on a private yacht, where plans are laid to ensure Ava fails. But under fireworks and Riviera twilight, the Lumière begins to shine again, and so does the woman determined to lead it.

EARLY READER PRAISE

“Glamour with teeth, boardroom chess, Riviera sparkle, and a heroine you can’t help but root for.”

“A sweeping, sexy family saga that nails luxury hospitality and the cost of legacy.”

“Enemies-to-allies romance with real bite—Ava and Leonardo crackle on the page.”

FEATURED LOCATIONS

Monaco — Devereaux Boardroom & Harbor: Power moves with yachts glittering below.

Yacht Club de Monaco: Investors, rivals, and a pivotal lunch.

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat — Juliette’s Villa: The photo album that reveals the Lumière’s wartime sanctuary.

Hôtel Lumière — Riviera Flagship: Belle Époque beauty, hidden decay, and a daring reinvention.

Lake Como — Rossi Design Studio: Principles over flash…until the right project.

Paris — Ava’s Corner Office: Crisis management with the city racing below.