There's a lot to enjoy about this book! The worldbuilding is intricate and feels lived-in, and the primary characters are quite appealing. The plot, however, feels oddly stuck between a fantasy romance and a political fantasy, with the result that the pacing is uneven and bounces somewhat awkwardly between lulls and action. Most of the side characters feel under-developed -- which, again, would suit a fantasy romance just fine but undercuts (and makes pretty predictable) the political plotline. (It doesn't help that several functionary characters have names that are very similar, with just the same consonants arranged in slightly different orders). Overall, I enjoyed the read and the romance, but the book felt a little underbaked.