September Readathon
Yet another series title (really, sequel), but I knew going in because I've started looking them up before cracking the spine lol.
I didn't know about the hero going in (he's featured in the preceding two books), and I didn't care about the other sisters' trials and triumphs, so it was difficult to fully care about this book.
-- The hero says he got through his imprisonment by continually picturing the heroine, but he was also sent out to find all three lost princesses and stated repeatedly whichever he found first who would marry him would be fine, because the marriage was a means to an end only.
-- The heroine is supposed to be closely guarded and in grave danger as she travels from the convent where the book opens to her home country, so then they simply use her given and very unique name and stick to the roads?
-- There's actually almost no danger on the road, so maybe it didn't matter. Though she does meet a brothel full of hookers with a heart of gold, charms a tavern, rides a pony, and does all sorts of almost-romp things that are neither totally naive as it's worried she'll be to be or totally growing into a queen as she'll need to be.
-- All the ribald talk with commoners borders on ridiculous.
-- She went from "I have no courage" to the romp-lol girl, to coquettish in keen pursuit of sex. And I wasn't sure why nor did I really buy into her moods or transformations.
-- Although I didn't cheer the hero using sex-as-love, I also didn't forgive the heroine for going full on "GASP, The Betrayal!" when she learns of his true identity and, in a way [old school way], caused his approach. The hidden-identity-revealed is a trope that can be done well, and is almost always done so the reveal wedges more contrived conflict between the couple, and in this case I got her shock but didn't buy her unending anger over it.
-- ...until he's endangered and then they both are just welp ILU, ILU! and that's that.
-- There's very little intrigue or machinations. One very long ride, talks with feelings at the court, and THEN the major confrontation and climax.
The ending is a Big Happy Finish, and again, because I didn't know the other sisters from their stories, it wasn't meaningful for me.
My editor critique while reading was I thought it'd be far more interesting, and compelling, for the hero's initial motivation to be revenge and solely revenge. That he didn't particularly remember / cherish the memory of the heroine, and to absolutely want/need the heroine in service of revenge and reclaiming his throne. But over the course of their flight from the convent to her castle, he falls in love, and has to rethink his motivations and desires and where those will lead. Then still decide to risk it all to regain his own kingdom.
And then realize through that she's who saved him from death in the dungeon in their across the veil moment of connection. Which would create further catalyst for him, instead of just something he holds close but doesn't bother to share with her for nearly the whole book.
Also it would bring about new conflict for them rather than repeating the 'oh no betrayal' argument: her understanding he has to follow through with duty and reclaiming his honor and birthright, but hating that he'll be endangered and possibly die.
I didn't mind that they had a moment of touching one another across the veil. Doing that would still work. For me it'd just be more meaningful for him to realize she has saved him, twice, as he heals from trauma and revenge into love. And he needs some healing so, that'd have been nice to see.