The way I consumed this as if my very life depended on it 😩💖 I absolutely adored it. F.T. Lukens continues to be an icon in the YA fantasy romance section. They have never let me down in any of the 3 books I’ve read by them. 

First of all, the romance between Tal and Athlen had me swooning and grinning ear to ear. They were so adorable! I loved the dynamic of Tal being a little love sick while Athlen is charming, and a little too familiar, but also a little too aloof. It was lovely! They both saw each other as wonderful, magical creatures, and they truly learned to be there for each other 💖🥺💖

The side characters in this were also great. Shay in particular stands out because heck yes. Give me a woman with a sword 🤩 I’m on my knees immediately. I totally get her love interest being all 🥰 for her because I would be the same. 

I also liked that some of the side characters really challenged Tal, and his view of the world because of his sheltered upbringing. Ultimately, this brought out the best in him as he had good intentions to start with. It also made him better embrace the darker side of himself that he also needed to accept ✨

To be honest, the only reason this lost half a star was because the resolution was so cheesy 😂 I absolutely adored it, but it was dramatic and silly. It felt a little bit off compared to some of the other parts of the story. Still, I love me some cheese, so I ate up the drama and theatrics. 

All in all? This was a great time. I can’t wait to buddy read the newest novel by F.T. Lukens with my friend 💖