This was drama from beginning to end. I liked seeing historical fiction from Katharine McGee; I like her American Royals series more. I thought the settings were great, and the alternating points of view were done well. I thought the characters were interesting because I didn't really know a ton about that time in history. However, they were also super one-note. Everything felt petty and manipulative, with some romance at the center of every conversation. I felt like I couldn't root for any of them because it was juvenile. That's what took me out of the book. It was a quick enough read, and I am curious about how book two will unravel, but it definitely wasn't my favorite of McGee's.