Kestrel, as the daughter of the general, lives a sequestered life in a newly conquered territory. On a whim, she purchases a slave at the market and instantly feels "the winner's curse," which is when you win something at auction but wonder if you paid more than it was worth. I picked up the book because of the ballgown cover, but it's not really a ballgown book. I would call this a book about strategy: in the military, life, and love. I'm interested enough to read the second, but I wouldn't call it one of my favorites yet.