I just happened to come across this book, which is he first in a series by Katherine Quinn, and I am so glad I did!

The world that Quinn has developed was interesting and I immediately found myself loving Margrete, the main character. She has definitely lived a tough life...mainly because of her father and when she finds herself being forced by him to marry a man for his own benefit, she isn't truly on board but she sees it as an opportunity to give herself and her little sister the chance to get away from their father and live a better life.

On the day of her wedding, Margrete's nuptials are interrupted by invaders who are looking to use her as leverage against her father. Ultimately, she is kidnapped and as she quickly finds out, it is by the king of Azantian. His reasons are focused on the fact that Margrete's father has stolen something they desperately need back and despite all her arguments that her father doesn't truly care about her, the king still chooses to try to trade her.

The King of Azantian is Bash and I really liked him as a character. He's smart and willing to put his people needs ahead of everything. As he and Margrete get to know each other, it only creates more complexity in their relationship and they ultimately have to decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the people they love.

If you're looking for a new YA Fantasy series, I definitely recommend picking this one up. The world building was great, the characters were engaging, and I loved the story. I'll for sure be grabbing book two when it's available!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.