Summary
After the events of Realm of Knights, Reid is sent to Axian for an arranged marriage to Prince Henrick’s son, Prince Dexter. They have a rocky history, and he seems as excited about the match as she is – that is to say, not at all.
Reid and Dexter are both aware of the king’s true lineage. And neither of them trust him. But a marriage will align their counties and put them in a stronger position if King Eldon ever decides to cause trouble.
But Reid also has an obligation to the Knights of the Realm, at least until she is married. They want to know where Dexter sneaks off to. And they are keeping an eye on Eldon and some suspicious activity around the kingdom.
When assassins come for Dexter and Reid, it’s obvious that Eldon has escalated his plans. Whatever Eldon’s true goal, the attempt helps Reid and Dexter break through the frosty barriers between them. And together, they could be a formidable force against the illegitimate king.
Review
I would have liked a little more information at the beginning of the book to refresh my memory from book one, but once I was back in the flow of the story, I couldn’t put this down.
The development of Reid’s character in this is terrific. I feel like the match with Dexter is FAR better than the weird romantic dynamic in book one. Dexter – and his family – seem to bring out the best in Reid. And for the first time she gets to be as much herself as she can be with the Axian customs and her role as the prince’s fiancée.
There’s a major twist at the end of this that I totally saw coming, but loved anyway. And this left me breathlessly waiting for book 3 so it could all be explained. There are some nice, big developments at the end of this that add to the suspense for book 3 – Hidden Knights – and I was caught up in all of them. I was thrilled when my local library ordered book 3. They have been great about helping me stay connected to this whole series. (I wrote this review months ago and by now I have read – and enjoyed – book 3. I won’t be posting a full review of it due to my review backlog.)
This series is fantastic! The royal intrigue and the girl-power moments are right up my alley. There are some laugh-out-loud moments to balance out the suspense and seriousness of assassination, conspiracy, and war. Don’t miss this great series!