Rating: 4 out of 5.

I thoroughly enjoyed this romantasy debut about a young queen, Gwen, and the commoner guard, Tyreal, who has sworn to protect her with his life. Gwen and Tyreal have known each other since they were children and though unspoken, have loved each other from the beginning. That love is forbidden, however, because tradition dictates that she must marry a fellow royal.

Gwen’s father dies after suffering a mysterious illness and she becomes Queen far earlier than she expected. Barely given a moment to grieve, Gwen’s throne is threated by betrayal and political scheming. Along with her best friend Anya and Anya’s husband Max, she and Tyreal journey to the Misty Mountains to seek guidance from a secretive sect of women. The group are challenged along the way and the trouble doesn’t stop even after they reach their destination.

Although she’s filled with doubt, Gwen is a total badass and rises to every challenge put before her. I love her relationship with Tyreal. He is 100% on her side and respects her decisions and ability to handle whatever problem she comes across and any person that threatens her country. They are vulnerable with each other, don’t let miscommunication interfere with their relationship, and talk everything out, which is way more mature than you’d think they be at their age. Anya and Max are commendable side characters with a strong bond of their own. Anya, in particular, is a fantastic best friend and comes into her own badassery by the end of the book.

Some storylines are resolved by the end of the book, and yet it still ends on a great cliffhanger. I can’t wait to see what happens next and look forward to reading the next book in the series. I read this book in one day because I couldn’t stop reading. I highly recommend you pick up a copy for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Kate Rock Book Tours. All opinions are my own.