LISTEN….. if you’re a dramione fan, you’ll love this. It is the same yearning vibes of dramione fanfic (obvi), and I was sat for it all 

I really enjoyed the magical elements added to this like how there is heart and mind magic as well as familiars. I’m really excited to learn more about the magic system in the next few books as well. I also really like the different areas/people and how they go to war/interact with one another. I felt like the world building wasn’t too complex but was complex enough to feel like a complete world. 

I’m sure no one is surprised, but I LOVED Briony and Toven. I love their banter, I love the yearning, I love the touch her and die. I love it all. But again, we’re not surprised, because I love dramione. 

Okay, dramione aside, I do think this book still stands on its own. I admit there are parts of it in the middle that may be more fan service than not, but I do still think that this book, with its dramione origins aside, is still a great first installment to a romantasy series about a princess who gets essentially kidnapped and given to the enemy. 

The ending, in my opinion, was excellent. I found myself truly caring about all the characters in the book and not wanting anything bad to happen to them. The ending was exciting/leaving me wanting more without being too cliffhanger-y. Needless to say, I am very excited about the second book. 

Now, I did listen to this instead of reading it physically, and I have to say I really enjoyed the narrator. I don’t think I could read the book now without imagining Briony sounding like Ella Lynch. Her ability to put emotion into her storytelling immersed me into the story, and I found myself not wanting to stop (evident as I listened to it in 2 days!). 

All in all, I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy dramione fan fiction but also still recommend it for those that are just looking for a fun new romantasy series. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!