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Blurb
The gods sent monsters to the five kingdoms to remind mortals they must kneel.
I’ve spent my life kneeling—to their will and to my father’s. As a princess, my only duty is to wear the crown and obey the king.
I was never meant to rule. Never meant to fight. And I was never supposed to be the daughter who sealed an ancient treaty with her own blood.
But that changed the fateful day I stepped into my father’s throne room. The day a legendary monster hunter sailed to our shores. The day a prince ruined my life.
Now I’m crossing treacherous lands beside a warrior who despises me as much as I despise him—bound to a future I didn’t choose and a husband I barely know.
Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice.
But what if I refused the role chosen for me? What if I made my own rules? What if there’s power in being underestimated?
And what if—for the first time—I reached for it?
Review
5 stars!
Devney Perry’s romantasy debut, and I am in love with this world, these characters and this story. It’s a somewhat slower pace than I was expecting, but Perry has created a well-developed world with magic and monsters, a young woman on a wild adventure embracing her new reality and finding her strength, great side characters, political intrigue, a magical mystery, and a slow burning enemies-to-lovers romance that is chock-full of chemistry. It’s a fun read that made me laugh and made me cry, and I loved it!
Odessa is a princess who has lived a mostly sheltered life, overlooked and ignored by her family. But when she is traded as a bride to another kingdom as part of an ancient treaty, she finds herself out on her own for the first time in her life. Now a spy in a new land, married to a man who seems to want nothing to do with her, she experiences wild adventure that she never could have dreamed of – undertaking a perilous journey, meeting new people, encountering dangerous monsters, constantly questioning and learning things that shake her understanding of everything she thought she knew. And she bravely and boldly embraces it all.
“Did you ever stop to think that maybe the door to your cage has always been unlocked, Sparrow? And all you had to do was push it open?”
By her side through it all is our grumpy, mean, and all round badass hero. But of course, behind his gruff exterior, the reader can see what Odessa can’t – there is so much more to him than what she thinks – and oh my Lord, I love this man! The enemies-to-lovers vibes are fun, their banter and bickering are so entertaining, and the chemistry is insane as we watch them grow closer and slowly fall for each other, and every moment between them is so freaking good.
Our mouths were too close. All it would take was a shift and we’d collide. We’d crash into each other, and the shock waves would destroy us both. I needed him to say something mean. To strike a nerve. To bruise my heart. I needed him to hurt me so thoroughly, I’d never forgive him. “I hate you.” It should have broken the moment. It should have pissed him off. But he stared at me like I was something to behold. Something to cherish. Something to protect.
“Yes, you do,” he said.
“Don’t forget.”
“Never.”
We get to learn the world alongside Odessa, and the full reveal of the magic, the political shenanigans, the alliances, dramas and secrets all take a while to unravel. I did find parts of this book slow through the middle, but the anticipation of the romance pulled me through those slower moments, and it was absolutely worth it. I love these two together so much, they have the potential to be an epic romantic powerhouse couple, and I am so ready to watch it happen for them!
“Not all monsters are born from the gods, my queen. Some of us were made.”
After a slow middle, things really pick up towards the end of the book. The romance builds, the intensity builds, and those final chapters had my heart absolutely pounding! I was holding my breath, I was shocked, I screamed, I cried, I felt everything! I was left with the biggest emotional hangover after finishing, and I need more! So be warned that this is not a standalone. Some aspects of the story get some form of resolution (or at least we know what we’re dealing with) but we’re still left on a nasty cliffhanger, and with big twists and hints dropped at the end of the book, I can’t wait to continue on with the series and find out what happens next.
Despite the slow parts, I really loved this book. I love the world, I love the intrigue, I’m so invested in so many of these characters, and I loved the humour, excitement and heartfelt emotion that I felt while reading it.
Such an entertaining read – 5 stars.
I listened to this as an audiobook narrated by Samantha Brentmoor, and she does such a good job! Jason Clarke is also credited as a narrator, but he only narrates the final chapter from the hero POV, the rest of the book is all Odessa. It’s a great book to listen to.
About the Author
Devney is the USA Today bestselling author of the Jamison Valley series. She lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own stories. Devney loves hearing from readers! Connect with her on social media.
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