[I received an electronic review copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
Princess Charlotte of Besmium is horrified that her parents have arranged her marriage already. She’s only 16. But the armies of Drethen have been pressing in. A marriage alliance with Vires, with their vast armies, would help strengthen Besmium.
When Prince Young and his older brother Prince Minseo arrive, Charlotte catches the eye of a prince. Unfortunately it isn’t Young, her betrothed, but Minseo. Young knows it might take some time for warm feelings to grow between them, but he is committed to this match. Before they have a chance to see how things might go between them, though, the armies of Drethen are sending cannonballs at the castle walls.
Before long, Charlotte and Young are on the run, there are rumors that Charlotte’s father the king has been killed, and Minseo is missing.
Review
Wow! This was a twisty one! I didn’t go looking for this book; it was offered to me. And my luck with such books has been mixed, so I always approach them with some trepidation. It didn’t take long for me to leave that skepticism behind, though, on this one, and I was pulled into the story.
This book runs on two levels. First there’s the romantic level. Charlotte and Minseo have sparks, but Young is the intended groom. When Minseo goes missing, Charlotte and Young get to spend more time together. But they are still strangers. They don’t know how to “read” one another very well. And in the world of princes and princesses, there are always new alliances that can be made between various kingdoms, and this adds some extra twists to this level of the story.
The second layer, which is strongly connected to the first, is the political. Besmium is a kingdom at war before the story even begins. Alliances are made and broken. Spies sneak and lie. Assassins and would-be assassins lurk. The cycle of security and danger, then security and more danger, runs right to the last page. I was captivated by the whole thing.
I enjoyed the political maneuvering more so than the romantic twists. Charlotte and Young’s “other options” never appealed to me in a way that would make a love triangle truly angsty for me as the reader. I had my clear preferences from the start, and in some ways I resented how the other characters tried to mess with my preferences!
I loved watching Charlotte and Young grow as individuals through the course of the story. They were young, but they represented their kingdoms and families well when it mattered. Clever reveals in the end made this a satisfying read. Don’t miss this one!