Thank you to the publisher for providing me a digital review ARC of this book via NetGalley!

I truly was not a fan of the first book in this duology (The Betrothed). I felt like this book, The Betrothed, was a subtle improvement on the first, if only for the entertainment value alone. This book is cheesy and sappy, and oftentimes did not make any sense at all. There were a lot of really convenient plot points in this book. I never felt any investment in any of the problems or emotions of the characters. Their problems disappeared instantly and conveniently. Emotions seemed shallow, not well-focused or expressed, and I didn't feel any true lasting effects from the characters feeling these emotions.

This book was almost ridiculous with the amount of clichéd plot points that happened, but it was an entertaining read in general. Sometimes that's just what we need. I DID enjoy the relationships between Hollis and her in-law family, especially with her sister, Scarlet. Those seemed genuinely heartfelt (although I would have liked to see them developed even more).

Disclaimer: I got this ARC in exchange for an honest review.


*contains spoilers?*

I have to admit, I was team Silas!! Although it's predictable, it's still a pretty enjoyable book. I'm not a huge fan of Hollis, but I really enjoyed Silas's character. Etan was a jerk and Hollis shouldn't have to deal with him.