I started this book a long time ago, because I heard a lot of glowing recommendations. This is the debut book by the author and I enjoyed it a lot. 

The main protagonist is Riona who was orphaned by the King of Revon, Padrig when he invaded her kingdom of Makaria and killed her parents who were the rulers of Makaria. As their only daughter and heir, Riona is now the queen of Makaria. The only problem is Makaria no longer exists and is now part of Revon. Riona has been raised on a diet of revenge and anger by her Aunt, Orla whose sole mission is to kill the royal family of Revon and retake Makaria’s throne. They know that there was a mage who helped Padrig in defeating the armies of Makaria and they want to take him out too. As part of the mission, Riona infiltrates the royal palace as a maid. Her mission is to gather intelligence and to kill Prince Tristan, Padrig’s son and heir. But the mission doesn’t go as expected as she discovers Tristan to be intelligent, wise, compassionate and caring. Not to speak extremely handsome. 

The story is set in a larger world called Kasmia and the magic system is rather unique. I loved the overall plot and development, but it lacked tension for me. At no point did I feel the urgency or anxiety for the characters. Riona’s character development needed more space in my view, and the romance while it took time to develop, didn’t feel wholly convincing 

The world building is subtle, which I liked a lot. It’s done very well and is immersive, but it doesn’t spend passages expounding on the world or the magic. Descriptions are vivid without interrupting the plot, and the characters are believable, likeable and relatable. 

Warnings for blood and gore, attempted sexual harassment, nightmares, trauma and PTSD. 

That said, this is an immensely enjoyable and entertaining read. If you like high fantasy, romantic fantasy, elves, well developed magic systems and world building that’s not in your face, but done well, you may enjoy this book.