Okay. So. Devney Perry’s new romantasy vibes like Game of Thrones and a Hallmark movie had a baby, but that baby couldn’t decide if it wanted to slay monsters or swoon dramatically. I dove into this 528-page beast with high hopes. Perry’s a romance queen, and the promise of Sarah J. Maas-level stakes with enemies-to-lovers spice had me ready to binge read and annoy my Buddy Reader who took on this with me. 

Let’s start with the good stuff, because Perry does know how to spin a world. The land of Calandra, with its five kingdoms and god-sent monsters, is vivid enough to make you check under your bed for spiked-tail bears. The world-building is all misty forests, treehouse cities, and a magic system that feels like it could’ve been scribbled in a medieval monk’s fever dream. I was hooked early on, picturing myself trudging through cursed realms with a sword and a bad attitude. Odessa, our princess protagonist, starts off as a gray-dress-wearing (why?!!!! I never understood this! Making her drab with only one dress cover, ever?) wallflower in Quentis, overshadowed by her spotlight hogging half-sister, Mae. When a monster hunting prince named Zavier Wolfe picks Odessa instead of her younger, badass sister for an arranged marriage to seal a treaty, it’s like Cinderella getting yanked from the ashes into a Lord of the Rings cosplay gone wrong. The setup? Chef’s kiss. I was ready for Odessa to ditch her crown and go full warrior-princess.

But here’s where the wheels start wobbling. The pacing in this book is like trying to jog through molasses. The first half is all setup of Odessa asking questions, getting zero answers, and navel-gazing about her powerless life. I get it, she’s a repressed royal, but girl, freaking do something. It’s like Perry wanted to slow-burn the plot as much as the romance, and my patience was burning faster than a dragon’s hiccup. There’s a scene where Odessa’s stuck on a ship with the Guardian—a beefy, silver-eyed (or green eyed or hazel or every color under the sun because Perry loves to mention this five thousand times how much his eyes change color) warrior who’s basically Jason Momoa with a grudge—and I swear, they just STARE at each other for several pages. It felt like that one video of Joe Goldberg of You where they took out the inner monologue and it was just awkward silence. 

ANYWAY. Moving on.

The slow burn is so slow that a turtle seems like a speed demon. When they finally lock lips (no spoilers, but it’s late), I cheered… then groaned, because the payoff felt like a firecracker when I’d been promised a supernova. The chemistry is there, but it’s diluted by Odessa’s endless internal monologues. At one point, I imagined her journaling, “Dear Diary, he’s hot but rude. Also, monsters. Also, I’m sad.” I wanted more spark, more bite. 

The plot picks up in the second half, thank the gods. Monsters, secrets, and a disease called Lyssa ramp up the stakes. Odessa finally grows a backbone. But the ending? A hot mess. It’s like Perry threw every plot twist she could think of into a blender and hit puree. I was left with more questions than a toddler at a science fair, and not in a “can’t wait for book two” way, but in a “what just happened and why do I care?” way. The cliffhanger isn’t a cliffhanger; it’s an avalanche.

Odessa herself is a mixed bag. I rooted for her to break free from her father’s shadow and become a badass, and she does... kinda. Her growth is there, but it’s sluggish, and her constant questioning (without answers) made me want to hand her a Google search bar. The Guardian, meanwhile, is swoony but underdeveloped, like a hot guy at a bar who says three words all night. Side characters, like Mae and a mysterious little girl, add intrigue, but they’re more plot devices than people. I wanted more depth. 

It's not bad. It's just not the masterpiece I’d hoped for. The world-building and premise are nice, and Perry’s prose is as smooth as a sunny day. But the sluggish pacing, underwhelming romance payoff, and chaotic ending left me lukewarm. It’s like ordering a gourmet burger and getting a decent slider... tasty, but not what I signed up for. If you love romantasy and don’t mind a slow slog for a killer world, you’ll probably vibe with this. Me? I’m cautiously curious for book two, but I’m bringing a snack and lower expectations.

TL/DR: A fantastical romp that’s half epic adventure, half frustrating tease. Read it for the monsters and vibes, but don’t expect to fall head-over-heels.