Although the concept was intriguing, Kiss of the Royal wasn’t for me. I found the storyline to be quite cheesy. Princesses go into battle with princes and bestow great strength and endurance upon them through a magical Kiss. And they’re fighting the forces of the Evil Queen. It was just too difficult for me to take the story seriously due to the capitalizations.

World-building is so important to me and I just had too many questions to ever be able to sink into the world and enjoy the story. The history of the world was poorly explained. So were the social structure, the political system, and the history of the current evil they were fighting.

While I think others may enjoy Kiss of the Royal, this book wasn’t for me.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

One of my favorite parts about this book was the fact that it had so many elements that I love in fantasy from curses to dragons to magic to all of the world building that came into this story.

And with all of this, there was still romance that fit nicely while not overpowering the storyline. We get to read a story with a stronger female lead battling what appears to be a mysterious, magical element. Emotion plays a large part in the story and brings a more humane element to this otherwise battle-filled book.

I felt like there was enough mystery to the plot to where it left you wanting more (even though this is a standalone). I gave this book a 4 out of 5 star review. I was engaged the entire book, and, as this is the only book written in this world, I felt it wrapped up rather satisfactorily. I also loved how we got to see a later view of how the world turned out after the initial conclusion of the story.

Overall, this was a solid fantasy story full of many elements that I love reading. I am a HUGE sucker for dragons!

I thought this was a really different, intriguing concept to a fantasy book. There’s princes, princesses, witches, magic, dragons and all kinds of fun things. I mean a Kiss that can heal and defeat anythig?! How cool is that?

It was a cute story. The first half of the book was hard for me to get into. It was rather slow and not too many exciting things happen. After this point, I really got into the story and was excited to know what happened next. I will say, I did see the twist coming from a mile away.

I did enjoy some of the characters but the main character, Ivy, rather got on my nerves at times. I also couldn’t handle how many times I had to read the word “Kiss.” It was just too much. Yes, it’s one of the main points about the book but it was overused, for sure. I did like the supporting characters. They were a lot more interesting and I connected to them a little more.

I found a lot of this book way too predictable, the romance, the character choices and the “twist.” I thought that the end with the dragon was way too easy. I did like how the epilogue wrapped everything up all nice and sweet.

Overall, it was an okay read but it fell short. I was excited about the premise but it just fell really flat for me. I am giving it 3/5 stars because I still mostly enjoyed the last half of the book.

Thank you to: Netgalley, Entangled Publishing and YA Bound Book Tours for an e-ARC of this book, to review. #KissOfTheRoyal #NetGalley

Kiss of the Royal was a unique take on young adult fantasy. The idea that kisses held the magical power to heal, break curses and assist in battle sounded absolutely fantastic. I adore the cover art, which was what first drew my attention to this book and also the awesome sounding synopsis. Overall this was a quick and enjoyable read, with a few flaws. At first I had trouble getting into the storyline, but I quickly became interested with the characters, magic and the developing romance. It was quick and easy to read, and the plot was actually very interesting and different. This was not a type of YA fantasy I have read before.

I love all types of magical fantasy, and while the plot developed well and the romance drew me in, there were a few things that seemed slightly off. The ending was a bit too quick for my taste and in the beginning of the book, I felt like things were not explained fully. We receive the supporting information about the world, other characters and plot (etc) in the middle of the book, so after struggling through the first few chapters I could actually understand what was going on around a quarter of the way through. I could not connect to the characters as much as I would have liked, but the adorable friendship between Ivy and Brom, and the romance between Ivy and Zach kept me reading. Zach was definitely my favourite character.

I loved learning about the different creatures and curses of this magical world, and really enjoyed the battle scenes. Without giving too much away, there were certain scenes with the gold that I didn't fully understand, and I'm not sure that a fantasy such as this one should leave readers confused.

To summarise it was an adorable, magical fantasy with somewhat predictable scenes/romance, but easy to read. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but if you are looking for something to fill in some time and enjoy magical fantasy this book is for you.

While it did take me a couple days to read through this one (*shakes fist at adulting in general*), I was constantly wondering about it even when I wasn’t able to be reading it. I don’t remember any specific TW/CWs so we’ll just dive right in. If you’ve read Kiss of the Royal and noted TW/CWs please let me know in the comments and I’ll update this post. 🙂

The characters were all pretty interesting and unique. I did find myself really disliking Ivy for the first half of the book, but I’m going out on a limb and saying it was probably meant to be that way. Her entire world is practically flipped onto its head so clinging to the core beliefs she’s grown up with is to be expected. I did like Zach right from the beginning, though. He’s sincere and sweet and so sarcastic and I need for him to be protected.

The world took a little getting used to. The locations were described well enough to be visualized, though I did have some trouble fully immersing myself. I could, at least, see the characters in their surroundings. The thing that took the most getting used to was the belief and hierarchy system. At the beginning, it seemed almost like I was expected to already understand the way things work hierarchy-wise. There is a bit of explanation of this a few chapters in, but until then I was a bit confused. After that explanation, though, everything comes a bit more smoothly in terms of world building.

As I said before, the premise of the story is what made me really want to read it. It felt a bit forced in the beginning, but once the flow of the story started going (around chapter 2 or 3) it really flowed well. There were a couple of twists and turns in the story, though I think they were mostly the type of plot twists that are meant for the characters and not the reader. I did have some trouble putting this down in places, leading to one too many “one more chapter” nights with work the next day. Also, some of my favourite words to be able to say together in a review: slow burn romance.

I do feel a bit confused by one very specific aspect of the ending, though it could possibly just be Lindsey Duga leading a possible sequel? I’ll keep an eye out for anyone else with similar questions, but I can’t specify anything here without ruining like 80% of the book. I did really enjoy this novel and I look forward to seeing what Lindsey Duga comes out with next!

Do you believe in True Love's Kiss?



Princess Ivy is a Royal, a direct descendent of Myriana and Raed. Her bloodline is the most coveted because of its power to vanquish the Forces of Darkness. She's a mighty warrior on the battlefield and, unlike other princesses, Ivy is unafraid to use her power for her people. There isn't anyone who wouldn't want a magic Kiss from Ivy.



Expect Prince Zach.



Born as a half Royal and half Romantic, Zach believes in True Love's Kiss as the ultimate weapon against the Forces. Because of that, he's never been Kissed by anyone on the battlefield and instead relies on his unrivaled swordsman skills.



But as ominous signs reign down on the lands, Ivy and Zach are sent on a quest where the battles only get fiercer, the enemies stronger, and their love.....well that's a different battlefield.



Become a believer in the power of a Kiss in Lindsey Duga's debut fantasy YA!



A Princess Protagonist



I must say, I really enjoyed journeying through Lindsey Duga's world. She wrote a very compelling first person narrative through Princess Ivy, a strong individual who wanted nothing more than to save her people the only way she knew how: through her Kiss. While the Kiss can be bestowed on anyone, a partnership between two individuals brings out the full scope of their combined powers. Duga cleverly played off the power of a kiss in a way that appeals to the romantics at heart. The fantasy genre is often saturated with masculine roles that sometimes downplay females, so I liked the concept that only Princesses have the capability to harness a greater power and had the ability to enhance the magical abilities of others.



Ivy is a far cry from being the average princess. She fights alongside her soldiers, and treats them with familiarity on a first name basis, and is wholeheartedly committed to doing whatever it takes to defeat the Forces of Darkness. Altogether, Duga made Ivy a very relatable character with her passion and her character development.



The Romantic and the Realist



Zach was a fun foil to Ivy and they complemented each other so well. Their bantering definitely had its laugh out loud moments! No characters were made more for each other than Ivy and Zach, which is why readers will flash through the pages to find out if love really does conquer all. Even Ivy’s Royalist heart.





The Twists and Turns





Kiss of the Royal is a very action-adventure based book where the plot twists just keep on coming. When you think there is a safe moment BAM! griffins and evil dwarfs galore, and our dear characters are once again engaged in a battle. I also found myself questioning the established Royal History that Ivy was taught as a young age, and sure enough, Duga did not disappoint!

Let me start this review by saying that, Kiss of the Royal reminded me so much of the fairy tales I used to read obsessively - and still do - when I was a child! The setting was just so magical and the descriptions so vivid that, it was like everything was starting to unravel inside my head and what I was reading quickly transformed into moving pictures with shapes and colors I couldn't get enough of. I always try to imagine what I'm reading in my head because my imagination has no limits that I'm aware of but, this time, it was like the experience of reading Kiss of the Royal greatly exceeded previous ones! The world building was also wonderful and even though the story started out a bit slow, it picked up after a while and I got so immersed in it that I actually lost sight of reality for a bit.

I'm not going to go into great detail about the plot itself, I'm just going to tell you that, I've never read anything like it before and neither have you! This novel is the definition of originality and I'm so glad the synopsis made me pick it up because, I don't think I would've chosen to read it otherwise! It did sound a bit weird at the beginning but, weird has always been my favorite thing to explore so, I couldn't wait to get into it and discover its secrets! It was impressively unique and I was left in a state of awe after I got into the plot and actually realized how well though out it was! I was angry at one moment and laughing the next, which just shows that the story managed to actually make me feel things and experience what the characters were feeling right alongside them. I got frustrated at times because of how ridiculous some rules were and just about screamed when I realized that women were basically used by men in all aspects of their lives, to benefit a Kingdom that offered them nothing in exchange. It was such a stark reflection of the reality we live in but, with a Fantasy setting and it proved that you can incorporate problematic aspects of the world we live in to any Genre you choose but, you have to do it right. I definitely feel like Lindsey Duga nailed this aspect of the story because, she wanted it to be problematic and her plot underlined this unacceptable version of humanity none of us would've wanted to live in, even though our reality is close enough to its aspects of fiction. For me, that made the story even more relatable and I really enjoyed that fact that it was neither problematic nor offensive. Everything had a logical explanation and the author did a great job at giving a believable background and leaving no plot holes or question marks behind.

The characters themselves were extremely likable and even though I sometimes got frustrated with Ivy's complete devotion to a Kingdom that only saw her as a commodity, I could definitely understand where she came from! She was loyal and wanted to do what was best for her people, even if it meant putting her life at risk to save those she loved. As the Princess with the most powerful Kiss - the world is written with a capital K throughout the novel by the way, which I think is really interesting and highlights its importance - her duty is to serve in battle and share her magic with the partner chosen for him, because of his compatibility to her own power. When her last Prince is cursed and nothing can be done to save him, severing the bond is the only choice. Now, she has to find a new partner to find alongside with in battle and the chosen one is an outstanding swordsman with an undesirable legacy, that is completely opposed to accepting Ivy's proposition and conforming to the rules it inevitably comes with. Ivy's determination to convince him that together they're going to be invincible proves to be fruitless, since he's more than capable of handling himself without the magic a Kiss from her would provide.

Zach was such an interesting character as well! I loved his rebellious spirit and the fact that he went against the norms of a society that barely accepted him, without caring whether it would have an impact on his status or affect his quality of life. He's strong willed and determined to prove people wrong. As a Romantic, he see the world in a completely different way and Kissing for him is something sacred, not to be taken for granted. I was basically swooning by the end of the novel, because his behavior was so different from what I'm used to in Fantasy novels. The trope of brutal and powerful male characters has become so common nowadays that, straying from it is basically unheard of! I'm very glad Zach made it his mission to redeem that in a way!

Overall, Kiss of the Royal was such an interesting novel and I couldn't get enough of it! I loved the ending and I feel like I got the closure I was looking for! It defied the usual tropes I'm so tired of seeing in Fantasy novels and I couldn't have been happier for deciding to give it a chance! So, I obviously cannot recommend it enough! Make sure that you have an open mind going into it because the premise is definitely peculiar but, it's more than worth reading because of it! It's original, beautiful written and with great plot and character development throughout!

I really love this cover. The longer I look at it, the more I see. The heart represents love, there is a sword for the battles that must be fought, and even a dragon in the shadows. The contrast of black, silver, and pink work well with one another.

This novel was one that had a very unique twist on a typical fantasy. Lust is accepted as normal, not frowned upon. Rather, love is seen as illogical and not spoken of. A kiss is not seen as holding passion and deeper feelings, but the power to give additional strength or speed for battle, even the power to heal wounds. I have to admit I loved this premise of the power of a kiss. It was an aspect of a story I have never seen manipulated, other than in sleeping beauty. Yes, I know it sounds incredibly cheesy. I am one who loves the mushy romance though. Seeing the real power in true love is what I am all about, maybe that is because I have been one to experience it.

The characters were some of my favorite that I have come across in a while. Zach in particular. He was not the typically rude, snobbish, jerks that I have read about in many other novels. He was funny, modest, and kind from the start. Princess Ivy is incredibly strong and fierce. Though she has lost five battle partners, she is driven to continue helping her people. I was a little disappointed in the development of some of the other secondary characters. I felt some of them lacked sufficient background and depth.

The book moved at a comfortable pace, I did find that it moved much quicker near the middle or end. Once Princess Ivy and Zach set out on their quest, it seemed to push the story along quicker, filling scenes with more action. I was hoping for more of an intense battle scene at the end but was disappointed. It was not completely anti-climatic but I was hoping for something more than what was given. I think I always get my hopes up for these crazy intense final battle scenes.

The plot of this story was good overall, but some parts were predictable. There was one major plot twist that I did not see coming. I did enjoy the worldbuilding and setup for the novel. The two factions of people were described accurately. I loved how they each have their own belief of what love or lust are and what they mean.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and the lighthearted writing style. It was a perfect summer weekend read. If you are looking for an intense, action-packed romance this book is not for you. However…if you are looking for an easy read filled with romance and a little action on the side, this is a great pick. I do want to mention that there may be a trigger for those who have dealt with miscarriages. There are a few mentions to that in this book.

Not only do I have a review for you all today. I am also sharing with you some of my favorite quotes I came across while reading.

“Gifted though you may be, Ivy, your power isn’t unlimited”

“Romantica also practiced primitive traditions like marriage and courting. They even claimed the sex was more than just a release or a way to continue the bloodline.”

“Lust was a physical human reaction, a real, tangible thing that could not be denied. Romantica simply mistook Lust for Love. The truth was this: Love was nothing more than an illusion.”

“I do not care what you believe, or what you think I believe, but I refuse to use a kiss as a weapon.”

“Perish emotions and vanquish doubts. Lead by example.”

Royals use their Kisses to boost the power of soldiers, break curses, heal others, and for many other useful things. Ivy is determined to save her kingdom from the Darkness, hopefully making her mother proud. When her sixth partner dies, she is determined to find another one quickly. Prince Zach is an unusual prospect, but she decides to take him anyways. When he refuses to kiss her, she is livid. He thinks that a kiss is a sign of love and not a weapon, and Ivy believes that they will not be able to defeat the egg and break the curse without it. Ivy, Zach, and Ivy’s childhood friend must go on a journey together to try and break this curse, and slowly Ivy learns the truth about her history and about Kisses and Love.

The romance in this story was pretty clear from the start, but it didn’t feel forced. I felt able to learn more about Ivy and Zach without seeing them all over each other in every scene. Also, I was happy to see that there was no love triangle between Zach and Ivy’s childhood friend with Ivy at all. It just felt natural, which definitely fit the theme of “finding out what love is” quite well.

The character development was immense. Zach and Ivy were polar opposites who were both quite stuck in their ways. They had to learn about each other’s likes, dislikes, lives, and personal beliefs before getting close to each other. It was interesting to learn about both the Romantica and Royal versions of historical stories in this way.

The world-building was also unique. I wanted to learn more about the darkness and the new creatures that appeared at every turn in this story. The world seemed to be so big even though the story in itself didn’t seem that long. The inner workings of the world were described in detail, but I would like another novel in this saga to explore it even more.

The action scenes were all intense, and Ivy was definitely no damsel in distress. I was on the edge of my seat for almost all of these fun scenes! The plot was generally smooth, with no severe slow-downs or random scenes. I read it mostly in one day, but it was long enough for me to not be able to read it in one sitting.

I didn’t notice any grammar editing errors in my advance copy of this novel, and I didn’t see any formatting errors either.

I would recommend this book to lovers of YA fantasy-romance novels.

I received an advance copy of this novel and this is my voluntary review.

I had high hopes for this book based on the blurb (and the cover, to be honest). At first, I started to think that maybe my hopes were a bit too high, as while I liked the material being covered in the first few chapters, it felt a bit dry and info-dumpy. Plus, I was struggling to connect with Ivy and the other Royals.

But that slowly started to change when Zach showed up. Possibly my favourite thing about this book, he was not at all what I expected him to be. I suppose I was expecting a cocky type who had few words and did a lot of smirking and brooding. And, to be fair, he did that some of the time, but there was a lightness to him that the stoic and logical Royals (aka fantasy Vulcans) lacked. He could laugh and tease and not take everything too seriously. And even more than that, he could be vulnerable and scared and just feel everything. He was quietly confident and sure of his beliefs, not bending to the will of others while not disrespecting them either. People can learn from that attitude in the real world!

Under Zach's influence, Ivy started to open up to new feelings, as much as it absolutely terrified her, and this was a girl who could run into battle even when princesses were supposed to hang back in a protective shield and fight with long-range weapons. You see, emotions were Not Okay in Royal society, and she'd been taught that logic ruled above all, with emotions either being a weakness... or completely non-existent in the case of Love. But poor Ivy had been brainwashed and needed to hear other people's stories and beliefs to slowly start seeing that the world was not what she'd been taught.

And this world was pretty interesting. It was a little difficult to buy into it at first, but that's because what is initially presented was the Royals' set view of how magic works. Simply put, female Royals can recite spells in their minds while Kissing male Royals (it's in the blood?), and those spells can either simply work on the two people involved, or they can break curses placed on others. Battle Kisses can make princes stronger and faster, able to destroy monsters born of evil itself, courtesy of the Evil Queen. (And yes, there's a whole back story to this queen...or rather, there are multiple...) As the story progressed, Ivy learned more about not just the Romantica's version of events, but also what really happened, showing how truth and beliefs can be distorted over time.

As sappy as it was sometimes, I really liked the magic systems. There were two types, with some people possessing elemental powers, while Royals (descendants of two sisters) possessed a magic that worked through Kissing. This whole Kissing business was different from just kissing, though. Because Royal society didn't believe in emotions, Kisses were simply transfers of power. They didn't believe Love existed either, though they acknowledged Lust as simply something to be tended to when it arose; scratching an itch, if you will. There was no marriage, no courtship; councils dictated which princesses slept with which princes to breed strong Royals to fight the monsters. Yeah... It was supposed to be a rational way to procreate and benefit society, but it all sounds almost dystopian, doesn't it?

And when you find out the source of this system? Wow. It was pretty hard for me to read because it did bring up a lot of memories, scary feelings, and insecurities. Effectively, if you can love, then you can suffer, so why love in the first place? Wouldn't you want to spare yourself? So in some ways, I could see where the plot was going, but I was also surprised by how deep it went on this emotional front. I even cried at one point while on a plane!

Anyway, in this surprisingly good book, you will find a dystopian tale about a society that has shunned emotions under the disguise of a fantasy. But y'all already know this... Love Wins .

So this was a new fantasy concept for me. Kisses are not something that is shared for pleasure between two people but used between royals during battle.

"Royal Magic exists in every Royal, but it lies dormant. A Kiss is what unlocks the magic in the Royal and allows one or the other to use that power."

While the concept took a while to get used to, it works! I just had to get used to so many kisses going on lol.

I liked Ivy quite a bit! She just wanted to what was right for her people and defeat the wicked queen. She was willing to self-sacrifice herself for what she believed and that really honorable. Zach was probably my favorite character of them all! He was sarcastic and funny while also being really heroic. Even while his beliefs were different from Ivy, he never conformed or doubted them.

There was quite a bit of action here and I loved seeing women fighting against men on the battlefield. Some things I couldn’t predict while some things I could. Some downsides of this book were that it could have been a little shorter. I did get a little annoyed with Ivy going back and forth with herself.

So while it’s not a favorite of mine, I can appreciate the concept and it was a good read!

Quick Summary:

Kiss of the Royal follows Princess Ivy whose kiss is the most powerful in the kingdom. After losing yet another Prince to the Wicked Queens dark creatures Ivy is paired up with a foreign Prince known for his legendary skills on the battle field. Problem is he doesnt believe kisses should be used as a weapon and he's determined to prove they can fight the darkness without it. Ivy on the other hand is determined to change his mind before they are faced with a danger they cant defeat on their own. With a dark force brewing in the mountains Princess Ivy and Prince Zach will have to find a way to work together before this great force of darkness is unleashed on their world

My Thoughts:

I came to really like Princess Ivy. She's self sacrificing and wants to do whats right. She has this adorable sibling bond with her Page and a great relationship with her mentor. She also makes a wonderful spunky female friend along her journey. As for Prince Zach, I thought the way he stood by his beliefs was commendable. Both characters gets some good back story that helped me connect to them. I liked seeing the contrast between both characters beliefs and upbringing. I also thought the romance was interesting with Princess Ivy not believing in love. It was slower to develop and I really enjoyed that. Their constant butting heads made for some good entertainment.

I thought the fairytale gone wrong plot and play on true loves kiss was fascinating. At first I didnt like the idea of being assigned breeding partners and training little girls to use their kiss as a weapon, but it was obvious to me these notions would be challenged later on. Despite predicting the outcome I still loved how it was handled. Sometimes I get bored when theres a lot of traveling in a book, but it wasnt the case with this one. There was always something going on that kept the pace engaging. Im not one to pay much attention to the writing, but for the most part I thought it flowed well.

I would have liked a bit more world building because theres still some elements Im unsure about, like if being a pure blood royal meant that their ancestors were brother and sister because thats just weird. Im also not sure why they didnt send more mages to fight and how long does the kisses power last. I did like the different dark creatures and the Wicked Queens history. Im not sure if this is a series, but this book can stand on its own. I liked how things wrapped up and Id definitely consider picking up the next book if it is a series. Overall this was a quick and enjoyable read. If the premise sounds like something you would enjoy Id recommend giving it a shot.

Kiss of the Royal was a truly unique and enjoyable read! The concept of using kisses as a form of magic was something that really intrigued me and made this book such a memorable one! The plot was interesting from the first page, which is really impressive for a debut novel. I do wish there would have a been a little more world building and deeper plot development, but hopefully there will be a book two for that!

The characters were all easy to care for and to root for! The author did a wonderful job at creating characters that felt very realistic, even if they were living in a fantasy world. The characters grew a lot throughout the story, and I really enjoyed watching them grow into quite dynamic characters. There were a few times when they did some things or said some things that annoyed me, BUT no one is perfect so those instances didn't make me dislike the characters!

The romance in this book was quite cute and it had a lot of moments that put a HUGE smile on my face! Was it predictable? Yes, but I still enjoyed it!

Overall, this was a quick and entertaining read! If you are looking for a fun fantasy novel to read in one sitting, I would recommend checking this book out!

3 /5 Fangs

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *

This was the perfect read for today :) It was light while still dealing with deep topics such as love/ hate, logic/ duty, etc. I really liked the MC Princess Ivy- she comes across as a tough teen but as you get to know her, you get to see she has flaws which make her more likeable, and she grows throughout the book. She comes across several shocking revelations that go against teachings that were ingrained in her since she was little, making her have to choose through tough choices. The main male MC, Zack, is lovable and loyal to those he cares about. I really enjoyed Ivy and Zack’s interactions. And I loved Brom! I loved how the author was able to convey Ivy and Brom’s strong friendship to the reader, almost making me jealous of their deep friendship :)

Thank you to Entangled Teen for providing me with a free copy of this book for honest review. I was drawn in by the cover and premise. Magic Kisses, Dragon Hunting, and Magical Journeys are definitely my thing.
One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the premise. I love how it's set in an actual fairytale world. So many books now are inspired by fairytales, but Kissing the Royal made up its own fairytale world with the Forces of Darkness, a Dark Queen, and Magic Kisses. I thought that was really fun and creative. It was very fun with the battles, with the goblins, dwarves, and griffins. I love fairytales and this one really did feel like one. I could imagine someone reading a version of this tale in a true fairytale book.
I thought the overall story was fun. I kind of guessed at things that were going to happen and was right a couple of times, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment. The ending was very exciting and it just brought the whole story together. I also love that it is a stand alone. Those kind of books are a rare breed in the YA world.
I did think the story kind of dragged in the middle. The journey could have been shortened just a little. I'm also not sure how I really felt about the romance. I liked both Zach and Ivy, I liked them together, but I don't know if I felt their chemistry. I also wasn't sure why Bromley came along. He was kind of a background character and not a lot was done with him.
I would have really enjoyed for this to be a two perspective novel. Have both Ivy and Zach have chapters, so I could hear Zach's side of things as well as Ivy's. I think it would have worked really well.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed this. It was fun. I really enjoyed the premise and getting a kind of original fairytale tale. Thank you to Entangled Teen for providing me with a copy of Kiss of the Royal for honest review. I tend to find that Entangled Teen publishes really fun and addictive reads and this was no exception. Congrats to Lindsey Duga on her new book. I'd recommend it if Fairytales and Magic are your thing, also romance.
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5
Shhh... we're hunting dragons + magic kisses

I was provided with an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.
This was a fantastic read with such a unique magic system! I loved the characters; Ivy is a force of nature, Brom is adorbs, and Zach is a total cinnamon roll! Sometimes it read a little...young?... but this didn’t really detract from the overall story. I was sucked in from start to finish and loved the twists and turns! I’d love to see more from this world, which makes the fact that it’s a clear standalone novel a little sad. I will certainly be checking out more from Lindsey Duga!

3.5 Stars
For me this book didn't start well. It was repetitive, the h was whiney, and it was slow. However about a third of the way through it really picked up for me. I'm glad I stuck with it, because I ended up really enjoying it. The world was interesting, but beyond that the story was fantastic. But for the beginning this was a solid 4 star read for me.

Princess Ivy has pure, undiluted royal bloodlines which makes her the most powerful female in the Legion's war against the Forces of Darkness. With her partners, she's taken down many dangerous goblins, trolls, wraiths, witches, and griffins. All with the unmatched strength of her Kiss and a protection spell before battle. You heard me right. In this fantasy societal construct, belief in love is outlawed, and kisses are used as weapons on the battlefield. I must admit, in the beginning of the book, I wan't entirely sold on the concept.

Imagining people in the army running around bestowing something as intimate as a kiss while gearing up to evil creatures...it's bizarre. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to immerse myself in this strange world. I'm glad I stuck with it though, because the poignant theme underneath all of it sold me in the end. This story is about the incredible power of love. Yes, it can destroy someone down to their core, but its restorative power is enough to heal kingdoms if you only have faith. The people of Myria have chosen to believe that familial and romantic love are silly fairy tales, the stuff of Romantica legend. Those who believe in such archaic nonsense are looked at as outcasts, and often arrested or punished for their weak emotions and actions.

Their heart was in the right place, or should I say their heads? They don't allow their hearts to rule them. Their goal was to bring down the Evil Queen, and the monsters that she conjured. People were suffering and dying, so they were doing what they felt would save the population in the fastest way possible. But the idea that Love didn't even exist? This was one thing that I found difficult to understand. Ivy's mother, Queen Dahlia had no time for her most days. When she did acknowledge her, it was only to show disappointment and disgust. So it's not hard to see how she could dismiss the concept so easily, and shy away from wanting to feel things. But what of everyone else who is taught to not believe? Surely their feelings of tenderness and affection can't be dismissed as simply a family "bond."

After Ivy loses yet another fighting partner, she's assigned to Prince Zach in the hopes that his unparalleled sword skills will make them an unbeatable pair. Now, more than ever, the Legion needs a way to defeat the enemy. Curses were multiplying, and there were signs that the Queen has created a Sable Dragon, and if hatched, there wasn't much hope of survival. On a desperate journey together to find the egg, it becomes more than just a dangerous mission to save their people. Along the way, their beliefs clash, and their patience snaps with each other. But we slowly see Ivy's eyes open to more than what the Legion has fed to her all of her life. She sees things that contradict her entire belief system. And she begins to reevaluate what she was fighting for, and how she was going to do it.

Zach was a wonderful prince. He was strong, devoted, valiant, and everything you would want in a sweeping fairy tale fantasy like this one. As the true romantic in the story, he was very passionate about the existence and meaning of true love. I enjoyed that HE was the romantic as opposed to the heroine. He really had his work cut out for him. Not only did he have to convince her of his love for her, but in the truth of love, of its entire existence. There was a lot of tension between these two as she fought the new emotions swirling through her. The repressed jealousy and attraction was really palpable and enjoyable. The ending really amped up the action and suspense, and I was actually surprised at how thrilling it was. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

The plot was certainly unique, and the romance was nicely delivered in the end. I didn't think that it was completely believable that the Legion would believe her stories of what she discovered after she came home. It would seem more likely that she would be immediately sent away or punished for even attempting to try to tell them the truth. Though overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the Kiss of the Royal, and would definitely read more by this author in the future.

A solid 4 stars!
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Duga!
In a world where kisses mean power, two royals struggle in keeping their separate beliefs from interfering with the work they need to do together- vanquishing evil. The unique storyline caught my interest and as infuriating as Princess Ivy and Prince Zach could be, they still made me smile. I enjoyed the part with the cursed amulet and the three emotional enchantments; Ivy’s and Zach’s characters shined. Intriguing and suspenseful, Kiss of the Royal earns a solid 4 stars!

I received a copy of this for a fair and honest review. I had no real idea what I was getting myself into with this book. Everywhere I turned people where talking about it and it was not even out yet. SO I decided I had to get my hands on an advanced copy. I did. Who would have thought one could get strength for battle from a kiss. Well that is how Princess Ivy was raised. She just can't seem to pick a partner for this tasks. She needs to safe her kingdom, but when she meets Prince Zach from a neighboring kingdom she believes she has found her partner in battle. But Zach does not believe they should just kiss. He thinks that kisses should me more than just something to be done on the battle field. It was an enchanting tale that I could get behind. I am not offering an spoilers. You will have to grab a copy and get all the juicy details for yourself.