I will be honest for most of this book it was circling around 3.5/3.75 for me. I was enjoying the plot and Elijah as a main character but some of the other characters were just really hard to enjoy. But it was nice to read about Elijah and see how he has changed from book 1 especially since he is now the king. He is obviously trying to do what is best for the kingdom especially for a kingdom who is scarred by the actions of his father and the weight of the crown is heavy on his head. At times he seems lost as a person, but he is committed to doing the right thing for his kingdom even if at times it makes him the bad guy.

The main being the FMC Janelle. I can agree she is a strong FMC who doesn't take sh!t from anyone who is also an assassin that was sent to assassin@te Elijah and that opening scene where they first encounter one another, and she tries to unalive him was so good to read. But as the book progressed, I just sometimes found a bit annoying to read. The thing is no matter how many times she was confronted with the fact that Elijah is not his father and while he might not be a good guy he isn't as bad as his father (definitely a grey character) and she would even contemplate the issue being like huh maybe he isn't that bad and I have it wrong but then the next turn of the page she was putting the sins of the father on the son. Like she was using the fact that he was holding her captive in his dungeon and yes, he t0rtured her to get answers as to why she was sent but it was like for 5 seconds and minor. But she acts like she isn't the one who unprovided broke into his castle, unalived 3-4 of his men and tried to kill him and then holds it against him that he defended himself and is holding her in his dungeon. She uses that to go oh he is exactly like his father. There is even a time when as she is on the journey to rescue and stop her brother who is trying to help her because another evil villain wants to basically turn her into a baby making machine against her will but one night as she is thinking of the situation she thinks of how she loves her brother but hasn't seen him in 6 years I think and how people can change and maybe he isn't the noble brother she once knew and he must have changed for the worse because of his association to Elijah. Again, this is while on the road to rescue her brother who might d!e trying to save her from a fate worse than He!!.

Now there are reasons written in to explain why she is the way she is but at times it was just frustrating to read. But this is an enemy to lovers and that was definitely portrayed in this book. I will also say her brother was also annoying to read as he was getting frustrated that Elijah was holding his sister as a prisoner in his jail after what she had done. He basically wanted her to have a free pass and escape back to their kingdom.

But it was the ending with the twists and final battle scene that gave this a final push to being a 4 and this book does leave on a cliff hanger that makes me excited to read the next book.

what is this book about:
It has been a few years since King Elijah has taken the throne after the de@th of his father with the help of his brother. He is working hard to integrate those who were forced from the kingdom and make it a safe place for everyone fae, elf, human and magical beings. But it is a kingdom who has been scarred and is also filled with mistrust and hate due to the past especially towards their new king. Elijah feels the weight of the crown and the mistrust of his kingdom as he does his best to help it heal but there are those who would still take his crown because the sins of his father. One night one such person breaks into the castle to do just that. However, SHE is captured, and it is from her capture a plot is discovered that eventually leads him on a journey. A journey that actually takes him back to the place of his birth where the evil of his father started to right more than a few wrongs. All while fighting this draw he feels towards the woman who tried to unalive him.