I love Alanna being open to love at any opportunity, and not being ashamed of it. Although the age gaps are a little hard to read at times, you do have to take it in the context of the setting of medieval fantasy.

This is also a book where she is learning to balance being a knight along with being a woman. The fact that she is learning it is okay with liking pretty things along with being strong. That they don't have to negate each other. Her also wanting to learn other ways of fighting with Liam and not letting him take no for an answer in learning.

I also loved her and Jonathan growing and learning to let go and understanding where their love needs to be and how it can evolve. Although you may not be with someone in a relationship with someone doesn't mean that the love can't change and evolve. Nor does that mean you don't want the other person to be happy or them to get what they need in a relationship.

The travel and adventure of this book along with the plot twists, being so long since I've read it last it was interesting to see them again almost new eyes.

I want to keep reading throughout Tortall and rereading and leaving reviews on things younger me may not have.