I loved everything about the book, right from the plot to the tropes. It was perfectly executed with the right amount of action and revelations. One of my favourite tropes is hidden identity/ agenda, and while the main characters knew about who Juniper was and planned the ruse, it was fun seeing her pretend to be someone else to complete her mission.
Juniper was bold and headstrong; it was a requirement since she was a thief and an assassin, and although she was shown to mellow down a bit eventually, she never lost her fierce attitude. Often I have come across books where the FMC is said to be brave and feared, but the minute she meets the hot MMC, she starts acting like a fool. I'm glad that wasn't the case here. Reid was prejudiced towards mages due to his traumatic experience as a child and also his upbringing believing a certain order of things. His character was more complex, and just when I felt he would make a better choice, he disappointed me. Still, I see some good potential in terms of character development because he does have many redeeming qualities.
In terms of supporting characters, I really liked Adrian. While others were quick to judge Juniper and see everything as black and white, he actually made an effort to get to know her.
The author did an excellent job in maintaining the air of mystery throughout the book. The secrets unravelled perfectly at the right time, ensuring that story had my attention till the last page.
The world building was great with details about the dynamics between the royalty, knights and mages. The contrast between the Kingdom and Undercity was also done well highlighting the politics and powerplay. The book also gave some insight about the magical system but the full extent of the abilities is yet to be known.
I enjoyed the slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance. From wanting to kill each other to the tentative friendship and gradually developing feelings, it was perfect!
The fight scenes were the best! Both Juniper and Reid were given equal importance and the opportunity to show their strength. It wasn't just in the physical sense but their intellectual capacity was also highlighted as they discovered the truth about things.
With the way things ended, I'm eager to know Juniper's fate and what path she would choose. I highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers who enjoy mystery and secrets with a good amount of action. For those who want to see strong MCs in an enemies-to-lovers romance, you need to pick this gem.