The banter in this book is like nothing else. It's incredible to see such a wholesome romance spawned out of friendship in an "unlikely lovers" story. The relationship and dynamic between Ildiko and Brishen helped smooth over some plot bumps and other issues I had with the story (pacing weirdness, lacking character depth, etc.) to make this a truly enjoyable read I'll have to revisit again the future. 

I especially think certain romance elements hindered the exploration of the world, the cultural differences between the couple, and the magic system, but I hope those will be fleshed out more in the sequels.