Member Review

Clía was raised to be the pretty princess who marries the neighboring kingdom's prince, Domhnall. Yet when the time comes to make the engagement official, Domhnall declares that he won't marry her and will instead go to train as a warrior at the military academy of Caisleán Cósta. Clía convinces herself that following him into training will show that she's not the weak princess he thinks she is and win him back. But training is a lot harder than she was prepared for, and the only reason she's getting any better is the steadfast support of Ronan, Domhnall's captain of the guard and best friend. Ronan knows that there's no future for him with Clía, but he finds himself intrigued by her determination to prove herself. A war is coming, and it's going to put everything they've learned and their hearts to the test.

It took me a bit to like Clía because she truly is a slightly useless royal. She is made that way by her parents and the court, who want her to be nothing more than a pretty princess to look pretty in the corner and marry the neighboring kingdom's prince. But she gives her all once she arrives at Caisleán Cósta, even when it seems like she won't have a chance to win her prince back. Her grit and determination won me over and had me rooting for her to show everyone who doubted her just how powerful she can be. Also, her friendship and eventual relationship with Ronan are a big part of the story, yet they're not the defining element of her growth, and I loved that. Ronan is a very different character from Clía, and his growth isn't as noticeable as hers, but his story is the heart of the story. I appreciated the fact that Jacobs gives us such different personalities and expectations in characters so that the story feels more well-rounded.

There is a lot of action and intrigue to keep things moving in between the training and romance, although all the big reveals are really easy to guess long before they happen. But I felt so connected to the characters that I feel like that became a minor detail.

Very happy thanks to Harper Voyager for the great read!