Christina Gardner

Thank you for the ER win from LibraryThing!
The book starts with Princess Katheryn agreeing to marry Graham, the Prince of Calor, to save her kingdom. The problem is she's only doing this to stop the two countries from going to war, not for love. And when she can't stop from being herself, things really start to change.
I really liked the flow of this story and the world building. I like how some modern things are mixed into this story once she's in Calor. And the ending - even though a cliffhanger- really hooks you in for wanting the next installment. But I did find that the plot sort of dipped a little. In the beginning, someone tries to kill Katheryn and she wants to find out who. And then she doesn't worry about it again until near the end? I would have liked more story on that. The relationships are okay, but I didn't feel like they were quite developed enough for me. Although, I feel Gareth will be well liked by many. He definitely would deserve the love! I like the potential of where this could go, so I would continue reading this series.… (mehr)

Princess Katheryn agrees to marry Graham, the Prince of Calor, to save her kingdom. When she has trouble adjusting to her new life, she befriends Gareth who is Graham's brother. Soon rumors of an affair surface and Katheryn is pressured to consummate the marriage. When she is reluctant to follow through she is cruelly punished and Gareth is imprisoned.
This fantasy is well written and the world building is interesting and thorough. The mix of old royal conventions and new technology is a fresh twist and the powers that the characters have are varied and fun. The book is long, but the story moves quickly. I would have appreciated a little downtime in between the action, it would have allowed for a little more in depth character development. I enjoyed the surprise ending and look forward to reading the next installment, all in all an entertaining read. I received a free copy of this book through the early reviewers program.… (mehr)