by Brigid Kemmerer
First sentence: “The bells stopped tolling hours ago, so it must be near midnight.”
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Content: The author’s trigger warnings include mature language, violent imagery, and explicit romance. There are also situations involving trauma and abuse. It’s in the Romance section of the bookstore.

Astranza and Incendar are both failing countries. Astranza, because of the king’s failing health. Incendar, because of drought, fire, and constant attacks by the larger Draegonis. So they have made a treaty to band together. By marrying the King of Incendar, Ky, to the Princess of Astranza, Jory. All fine and good, except Jori’s first love and best friend, Asher – who is an assassin – gets orders to kill both Jory and Ky. They all end up on the run because, of course, Asher can’t kill them. It’s a riddle as they try to figure out who is behind the assassins, and as they all come to trust each other more.

Okay, so I started out thinking this was a love triangle. Um. It’s not. It’s very much not. My first foray into the why choose trope was interesting, to say the least. That said, I’ve read Kemmerer’s YA books before, and she knows how to build a fantasy world. This is the type of romantasy I like. One where the magic systems and world-building actually make sense. Where characters are developed and have motivations, and everything is not in the service of the romance. Which, to be honest, is there.

I don’t think I loved this one, but I did enjoy it. And yes, I will be reading the sequel.