I loved this book so much! I managed to read it in one sitting which is something I don’t usually do!

Allison Saft does it again! Everything about this book was so charming and I was hooked from the beginning. Allison does such a good job with writing words that leap off the page and transport you into the world of the book. There were definitely many moments that caused me extreme anxiety, but I loved how everything wrapped up. If Bridgerton and Studio Ghibli had a baby it would be this book.

I'd like to thank the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for allowing me a chance at reading this book!

I am blessed to have read all of Allison Saft's books as ARCs. She is one of those authors who not only writes really well for YA, but also gives a lot of inner monologue and character development to her writing. AND I AM A SUCKER FOR THAT, 100%. So, with that cover and description, it ticked off so many boxes for me. I had to have it, and I had to read it NOW.

Thankfully, this book is another 4 star read for me. Kit is a very layered hero, and he has an equally matched love interest, Nimah. Nimah is a girl with a mission and she never strays from it.

Now, the reason that I rank it one star less is for a couple of things, which all seemed a bit wrapped up together. Nimah is taking this job to save her family. We also find out the magic is killing her. We also find out there is a hatred between the two clans (Kit's and hers) due to war years ago. We also find out a lot of things that are stemming from Jack's current handling of the kingdom that is causing unrest. I mean, if this is included in the blurb then it's important to the plot, right?

Well, some of it gets wrapped up too fast or never mentioned again and when I finished it, I was like - 'wait, what about this and that' or 'is this still happening'. It made me want to give it three stars because I felt unfulfilled. However, I settled with a 4. Maybe with fanfiction people can embellish these bits and expand upon them. Or maybe there is a future sequel in store?

So, overall: fitting for the YA genre, gorgeous descriptions, lovely romance, but so-so on the political strife / world-building.

Hey. You. Come here. Come closer.

You know how Anthony and Kate in Bridgerton did that thing where they have a prickly beginning but fall in love any way despite their best efforts not to, and everyone but them knows, and then one of them is actively going forward with an unwanted wedding to another person because of 'duty' and what will make the other person happy but they're actually both just idiots?

Yes, that. But with magic. And it's PERFECTION.

Allison Saft has my whole heart and wallet at this point.

I would like to start this review by saying that I had no idea what I was going into when I started this book. I saw pretty cover and I was in for a ride. It was amazing. I loved the build up of the relationship between Niamh and Kit the complexity of their relationships that really got to me. I highly recommend this!

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.