The Traitor’s Kiss follows Sage Fowler as she becomes the assistant to one of the matchmakers of the land. They travel with all their eligible, noble ladies, accompanied by a group of soldiers to the capital for the matching, and intrigue ensues. Personally, I thought the story was okay, but the narrative structure led to a lot of confusion as to what was happening. The initial chapters had way too many characters thrown at the reader without much explanation, and why things were the way they were politically was glossed over.

Another thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the first appearance of one of the “bad” guys, a “darker” skinned man with tattoos. The main male protagonist was described as having dark skin, which was vague, but a little better than the usual white skinned protagonists that generally fill novels. Unfortunately, any half-success the author had with Quinn’s vague race was definitely aggravated by her heavy handed dealing with the Kimisara. Since the only person that really interacted with those characters wasn’t a good person himself, I could have forgive it a little if Beaty showed another side to their nation of people, but as is, it left a sour taste in my mouth.

Overall, any good things about this book were overshadowed by the confusing narrative structure and icky undertones of girl hate (Why all this focus on Jacqueline without even giving her a redeeming quality?). This book could have been really good, but fell short.

The Traitor's Kiss was not quite what I was expecting. While an emphasis on details in the fantasy genre work for some, they certainly don't impress me unless its balanced with richly developed characters. In all honestly I struggled to keep up with the political world that was created here and quite frankly I found it tiresome after awhile. I was much more interested in the characters and I just didn't feel that the author dived deep enough into their characters.

I also wasn't a fan of the way that the author tried to hide the true identity of the "hero". This went on far too long and the resolution too quickly. For me, the ambiguous nature of who Sage's romantic interest is was not particularly compelling. It's pretty clear to readers who this hero is and Sage is left in the dark for the majority of the book. The continued dropping of hints to the reader just didn't work for me; it was so frustrating and made the plot unnecessarily complex. I was left wondering what the point of the whole mystery was. I'm not a fan of the whole "secret identity" thing in general, so having the plot element continue on for so long was not something that appealed to me.

The story did have a lot of potential; the plot devices used just aren't something that are ever going to appeal to me as a reader. So, I will be picking up the book, as long as we don't have another secret identity situation on our hands!

Oh man! I devoured this book today! I started it a few days ago and got busy with school but today I finished it all and I loved it!!! I need more now!! It was fantastic! Highly highly recommend! Such a fun adventure with amazing characters and fun twists and turns! Can't wait to read it again!

Sage is a strong willed young woman in a time of compliant maidens. She prefers breeches to skirts, and climbing trees to needlepoint. When forced to meet the matchmaker, she reveals her aversion to being matched. The matchmaker decides to take Sage under her wing as her apprentice, where Sage demonstrates her keen observational skills and sharp intellect. The royal guard also admires these skills, and she is recruited to gather information for the crown as they sense an uprising brewing.

I would like to state, that I am a hard-core contemporary reader. However, I do delight in a fantasy novel from time to time, and especially like when the story lean towards high fantasy. I love taking that trip back to an undefined time, to another world, that is entrenched in its own history, geography, and politics. Ahhh, a true escape from the day to day grind.

I was very pleased with the escape provided by The Traitor's Kiss. I know there are some things that will disappoint the hard core fantasy lovers out there. As far as I know, there is no map, and I know it is somewhat crucial to understand the lay of the land. Perhaps, there will be a map in the finished copy (?). And, although Beaty did a wonderful job with the history and politics of the realm, the world building was still a little lacking. Alas, this is slated to be a trilogy, and Beaty can get that done in the next book. But, like I said, I am a contemporary reader, so this did not bother me. This book was all about the characters for me.

I think at this point, we expect strong heroines, and Sage was just that. She had her own thoughts and opinions. She wanted to make her own decisions, and to make her own way in the world. She valued intellect and learning over preening and being matched. She was essentially an anachronism in this undefined medieval-like time. I loved her spirit, her sass, her can-do attitude. I liked that she was not afraid to get her hands dirty. There were so many sides and layers to her. Her past broke my heart, but what a future I sense for her.
"I could never be happy pretending to be something I'm not. I just wish being myself didn't cause so much trouble."
I thought the matchmaker was well crafted, as well. Mistress Rodelle had this air of superiority, that came along with the power to arrange political unions, but she also had this nurturing side, which was apparent in her dealings with Sage. Some of her plotting elicited grins from me, as I knew I would love the result. She was crafty, and I liked it.

The captain and his men wormed their way into my heart as well. They were swoonworthy, but also so loyal and dedicated to the crown and each other. Their bonds of brotherhood were quite apparent, and their interactions were often amusing. But what I really liked, was the way they respected Sage. Once she was pulled into their circle, they listened to her, and treated her as an equal. They considered her suggestions, and when they worked, they gave her credit. They appreciated her, and didn't underestimate her abilities. That scored them points in my book.

Some reviews I have read did not like when the book took a romantic turn. Um, I love romance, and this one was totally ship-worthy. I smiled and swooned and all that good stuff. It was a slow burn, but once it got there, it was a wildfire.
"Kissing her had been like tasting sunshine."
This is also the type of trilogy I like - no cliffy! I am a fan of series, which have an overarching story, but also a story arc that is completed in each book. This BIG plot is not resolved, but the smaller plot is. We know enough at the end of this book to expect more, but also be sated, and that always pleases me.

Overall: a promising beginning to a new series replete with great characters, battles, duplicitous plots, espionage, and romance.

I loved this.. It's classic fantasy and all the characters were well developed and relatable.

Sage, an orphan of marriage age, rebels against the planned future her Lord uncle seeks for her. A somewhat acceptable alternative is to be apprenticed to the matchmaker who told her uncle is was unmatchable. Sage soon finds herself involved in a dangerous adventure to save her land from invaders and discovers a future that is perfect for her. A delightful romp.

The pacing of The Traitor's Kiss was slow in the first third of the book. It started to pick up and was great at the end of the book, unfortunately it was the end of the book. The writing was nothing special.. I really wished the arc had a map because I was confused on the places mentioned in comparison to other places.
None of the characters had any qualities that made them stand out. Sage got on my nerves a few times because of her stupid decisions and realizations.

"Most of all, she was done being Quinn's pawn

So she wasn't the one volunteering to do all that stuff then.. Okay...

The thing that really saved this book for me was the romance aspect. I appreciated it so much, it was adorable. How The Traitor's Kiss ended was touching yet annoying. I want to know more! The little surprise in the middle was a great touch; I thought it was a nice twist. I sorta guessed it :)

I found the pacing too slow, but more than that, I could not get invested in the characters, and I found the portrayal of the "bad guys" to be super problematic.

Published: April 20th,2017
https://bookishdiana.wordpress.com/

Published: May 9th

Genres: Young Adult

Reading from: ebook/hardcover

Publisher:Imprint

Pages:352 pages

Series or Standalone: Trilogy

Rating: ---

Summary from Goodreads: An obstinate girl who will not be married.
A soldier desperate to prove himself.
A kingdom on the brink of war.

With a sharp tongue and an unruly temper, Sage Fowler is not what they’d call a lady―which is perfectly fine with her. Deemed unfit for marriage, Sage is apprenticed to a matchmaker and tasked with wrangling other young ladies to be married off for political alliances. She spies on the girls―and on the soldiers escorting them.

As the girls' military escort senses a political uprising, Sage is recruited by a handsome soldier to infiltrate the enemy ranks. The more she discovers as a spy, the less certain she becomes about whom to trust―and Sage becomes caught in a dangerous balancing act that will determine the fate of her kingdom.



OKAY................ I don't feel exactly comfortable for supporting this book after reading about how this book was offensive. I actually really loved this book but I want to say i'm blinded by my enjoyment by not being able to pickup up on the issues of this book. So this is why i'm leaving my rating as blank, because i;m not even sure how I feel about it.

So the main character, Sage Farrow is an orphan living with her Uncle's family. And lets just say they don't have the best relationship out there.

We get to know she intelligent, calculating and just pretty much good at everything.

there's really no extremely strong friendship between Sage and any other girls in the beginning, not really good thing a book. However she does become friends with a girl in the book, and it seemed really sweet .
There also was a lack of description in everything in a way, I also had nothing really to imagine, the author just kept repeating darker, or dark, It was very difficult and could be interpreted in several different ways. And can be harmful and offensive.



The pacing was slow but i absolutely loved it, it was really written well in my opinion. And the romance was slow burning and not instalove(which is a major plus), They developed a nice friendship, and it was extremely well written.



This book also slightly reminded me of The Kiss of Deception, with the whole characters POVs.

Sage Fowler has no interest in getting married; in fact, she hopes it never happens. When she is hired by the local matchmaker, Sage can't believe that this job will be anything more than mindless prattle and boring tasks. Boy was she wrong; pretty soon Sage is wrapped up being a spy to help the king figure out where loyalties lie and Sage herself my just start to re-think her thoughts on marriage.
A fun, fast paced debut novel that I read in one sitting and has me interested in the next in this series!

Holy cannoli I LOVED THIS BOOK!

I just really enjoyed the characters and I love the breadcrumbs dropped along the way that made you question what was coming and i'm proud to say I guessed right.

This is definitely a book that you'll want in physical form because my god the amount of page flipping back and forth that I did to compare and contrast characters and scenes would have been so much better with a physical copy.

Sage Fowler is a well rounded character that I found to be utterly believable. She was a like-able main character without being an unbelievable heroine. She seemed very self aware and I think that was what I liked most about her and her relationships with others.

I don't even know how to write about the other characters without spoilers so I just won't do it! But I loved the boys. I loved their comaraderie and I loved the relationships they built with the brides in this book.

So well crafted and really just delightful. A fantastic read and what looks to be the start of an amazing trilogy! Pick it up asap!

I really loved this book and couldn't stop reading it after about 80 pages. I was up until 2 am just reading on a Monday night. This book was adorable and I really enjoy reading about a kingdom with arranged marriages. Not that I enjoy arranged marriages but I like reading about how different main characters will react to the proposal. At least in this world, you can be matched by someone who tries to put you with someone who is "good" for you.

This book was not only fast paced but it was held my attention the entire way through. Once I had sat down and actually had time to start reading the book, I just couldn't stop reading. This is one of those books that once you're hooked, you just can't stop.

Sometimes, okay no, all the time, I like to read about people falling in love. Not the shitty, insta love, but like actual genuine love. I'm not a mushy person just reading about people being happy makes me so happy and I'm all about that. But that's off topic, I only wanted to start off by saying that I love love but hate insta love so this story was just perfect. The main character, Sage, doesn't just fall in love with the first man she sees. If anything, she thinks that no one will ever love her and doesn't want to get married. She's a character that I could really relate too and I didn't find anything that I really disliked about her. Sage is a strong and independent woman and I really liked how she was willing to risk so much for the land and people that she loved.

My only complaint is that this is going to be a trilogy and I don't really think it needs to be. It finished like a contemporary would and I think it ended perfectly. I'm not particularly interested in the politics of the kingdom and because of that, I did give the book 4.5 stars instead of a full 5. I think that if I had something that interested me besides the love story then I would probably read the next 2 books. That being said, I might read them, I just don't know.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fiction books and doesn't mind romance in their books. This is definitely a book for those who love reading about strong female characters. This book comes out May 9th, and I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends if they are looking for a book with romance but also an interesting story.

Boy oh Boy boy this book was so GOOD! I wasnt too sure what I was expecting when I first requested this title, but I am glad to find this little gem. Right off the bat, this book has you hooked, it kept me reading for hours on end. Erin Beaty weaves a story of love and misconceptions, spies and war with wit and poise. Fans of The winners Curse and Kiss of Deception will love this title. The story is compelling the the romance is swoon worthy. I highly recommend this read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of “The Traitor's Kiss by Erin Beaty. This is such a fun debut. The characters are colorful and full of personality. I love the matchmaking aspect. The romance in this story is swoon worthy. Perfect for fans of fantasy with some steamy romance. I will definitely be recommending it for the library where I work. Also, the cover is gorgeous!

Don't let the Jane Austen comparison scare you away quickly; I enjoyed this book though I dislike that style. However, this book relied quite heavily on romance and there definitely could have been more to the plot.

My biggest issue with this was world building and characterization of general populations. I felt like this book benefitted from previous fantasy books I'd read; I could see it happening in the general realm that all fantasy books tend to take place in. There were a few races that really weren't given personalities other than being bad, and I wished that they had had more interest and humanity to them so that I could better understand their motivations.

The romance definitely drove this book. While Sage seems at surface level to be another exciting heroine, she's not really the most sociable character and I was kind of disappointed by how her relationship with her mentor didn't really progress. Sage is smart, but she looks down on basically everyone else, and I wanted to see some humanity in her--some jealousy or some desire or something. Instead, she falls for her own boy, and that drives the latter half of the book.

Nonetheless, this sucked me in and was an easy read. I felt like the romance between them, while it escalated far too quickly, was believable. I got pretty confused about all the characters and their switching, but I could see how each character's motivations affected them.

This is a pretty solid fantasy and I think that a lot of people would enjoy it. Though I was ultimately disappointed at how it fell for a lot of the gimmicks that prior fantasy novels have set up, I recommend it for those who enjoy the genre.

This was a fantastic debut! The main character, Sage, was smart and resourceful, feisty and strong, and I really grew to like her! The development was amazing! Also, the budding romance, while a small part, was so well-done and swoony! I eagerly look forward to future books by Beaty!

If you love any girl who doesn't see the world like the rest, a girl who doesn't need a man to complete her, sage fowler is the heroine you're looking for. This book had so many twists, so many turns I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read the rest of this awesome trilogy. Seeing as the first one completely ruined (and slightly) put my heart back together again.

Thank you, Netgalley, for a copy of this book. My opinions are entirely my own.

Oh man, this book was SO GOOD!

When I first jumped into The Traitor's Kiss, I wasn't expecting this beauty. Such a welcome surprise, and it left me reading for hours on end. I honestly couldn't put it down.If you are a fan of Kiss of Deception, you are sure to love this book. Twisty, smart, engaging and thankfully bereft of Purple Prose, debut Erin Beaty weaves a story of love and misconceptions, spies and war with wit and poise.

Our heroine, Sage Fowler glows and blossoms, and Beaty gives her just the right amount of character development to leave us enamored. Sage isn't perfect, and just the right amount of admirable and witty for her character to be engaging and adored. Beaty's supporting cast is each given their time to shine and grow as well.

The twists will keep you reading, the romance will keep you dreaming. If you love Kiss of Deception or The Winner's Curse, you must read this book!