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martamae77's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Misogyny
Moderate: Colonisation
the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The book was cute, but I didn't love that so much of the plot was revealed in the synopsis. The last quarter of the book was very confusing and didn't outline Njaza's history clearly for me. In fact, the persistent mystery of what happened to the queens felt very low stakes and not engaging.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Cursing
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Colonisation
bisexualwentworth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I hate it when fiction glorifies monarchies, especially in modern contexts, but this book, with its focus on decolonization and progress, really pulled it off.
This is a romance book, and the romance was fine. I wasn’t totally invested in their love or whatever, but I was VERY invested in their partnership and their growth, and I did like them together.
I found the rest of the plot more compelling than the romance, but luckily for me, there was a great mix of both. Shanti, with her laser-sharp focus on her goal of becoming a queen, and Sanyu, with his insecurities and anxieties about being king, were both interesting and compelling.
I thought the handling of abuse and power and patriarchy in this book was pretty good, though the nature of it being a romance means that things got resolved a little too neatly.
The Njazan politics were super interesting and maybe my favorite part of the book, though some of the religious stuff got wrapped up too quickly as well.
I would absolutely read another book set in Njaza. I’d love to see the traditional triad marriage play out in a polyamorous romance novel if the author ever decides to write something like that!
I probably should have started with the Reluctant Royals series since this book has a lot of references to those ones, but I’m planning to read the second Runaway Royals one next because that one is sapphic. Alyssa Cole has done a really impressive job of creating a whole network of fictional countries with fictional monarchies. I think it’s the most worldbuilding I’ve ever seen in a romance series, and I’m definitely here for it!
This is a romance book, and the romance was fine. I wasn’t totally invested in their love or whatever, but I was VERY invested in their partnership and their growth, and I did like them together.
I found the rest of the plot more compelling than the romance, but luckily for me, there was a great mix of both. Shanti, with her laser-sharp focus on her goal of becoming a queen, and Sanyu, with his insecurities and anxieties about being king, were both interesting and compelling.
I thought the handling of abuse and power and patriarchy in this book was pretty good, though the nature of it being a romance means that things got resolved a little too neatly.
The Njazan politics were super interesting and maybe my favorite part of the book, though some of the religious stuff got wrapped up too quickly as well.
I would absolutely read another book set in Njaza. I’d love to see the traditional triad marriage play out in a polyamorous romance novel if the author ever decides to write something like that!
I probably should have started with the Reluctant Royals series since this book has a lot of references to those ones, but I’m planning to read the second Runaway Royals one next because that one is sapphic. Alyssa Cole has done a really impressive job of creating a whole network of fictional countries with fictional monarchies. I think it’s the most worldbuilding I’ve ever seen in a romance series, and I’m definitely here for it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Misogyny
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Colonisation
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