📖 Traitor Son by Melissa J Cave
✨ Arranged marriage
✨ Secret princess
✨ War-scarred knight
✨ Political fantasy + romance
This book??? SO good 😍
The tension between Remin and Ophele had me hooked from the start—no instant love, just trust slowly building through secrets and betrayal.
If you love The Witcher vibes with emotional depth and slow-burn romance… you need this 👀
⭐️ 4.5–5 stars

First off, thank you Netgalley for allowing mee to rad this ARC.

We have a warrior, a general in the military, that lost it all, his family, his home, his honor when he was only eight years old. The Ruler/Emperor and his "bastard" child - and the mother of the child -and his parents - their fates are entwined.

So now he is coming for vengeance - he gets his title back, lands back, and also the "bastard" daughter as his bride - so that any and all children that they have will be safe forevermore.

In this book, we have a romance (but at times I really wanted to kick his butt- although I see why he did what he did), weird monsters that are always trying to kill them, loyal friends, honestly he had a great woman - that loves him, court intrigue, etc.

I can't wait to see where book two goes :)

It's a sign of a well-told story when you care enough about the characters to want to smack some of them upside the head.....
And I did want to.

Also, the character in charge of the cookhouse is a delight and I literally was laughing out loud.

5 star read loved the story lived the emotional depths if the ml and fl there story was full of longing and pain and growth loved the first book looking forward to reading the rest

This was such a great read.
The pacing was so well done.
The MCs are complex with their own vulnerabilities that needed time to build trust.
The world building was so well developed, I was quickly absorbed into the story.
Glad I'm reading this later on so I don't have to wait for the next books!

What a gem of a historical fantasy romance. I adore historical romance and fantasies, but I especially love reading about political intrigue, which this book has in abundance. What this book also boasts an abundance of is Yearning, with a capital ’Y’. This is the perfect balance of slow-burn romance and fantasy elements. I think lovers of the Outlander books will definitely enjoy this, as it boasts a similar focus on the romance alongside the worldbuilding and political intrigue.

In addition to the political intrigue, there’s also significant attention paid to (vaguely medieval) city and economic planning. Most times in a medieval-inspired fantasy world like this, we’re dealing with ancient lands and cities founded many thousands of years ago, so the setting is often kingdoms with rich histories and infrastructure that is well-established. This book takes a unique approach by setting the scene is a town that’s actively being planned and constructed, so we get a look into what goes in to crafting the settlement in a way rarely ever explored in other similar historical fantasies. As someone who finds modern city planning fascinating, this aspect was really interesting.

I’m excited to read further installments of this series. The romance is a true slow burn, with a lot of trepidation and mistrust between the two that wanes overtime only through very intentional effort. Both characters are well-rounded, with traumas and flaws that shape how they move through the world and perceive both themselves and others. I found myself so engrossed in not just their relationship with each other, but also their individual personal growth, as well.

This was a delightful read that I inhaled in less than 24 hours because every aspect is so wonderfully crafted. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for my thoughts. 4.5 stars, rounded up!

I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, but I’ve never connected to a female main character the way I did in Traitor Son. Her strengths and flaws felt incredibly real—and at times, a little too relatable.

Blending historical fiction, fantasy, and romance, this story creates an immersive world that’s easy to get lost in. The omniscient writing style adds depth, allowing you to fully experience both the characters and the atmosphere of the time period.

This was a beautifully written, character-driven read that stayed with me even after I finished. I’ll be recommending Traitor Son to anyone who loves emotional, immersive stories with complex characters.

Melissa Cave—very well done.