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Desolation #2

The Promised Prince

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He's promised to another. She's promised to forget him.
Eighteen-year-old Renna Degray is hopeful about love and her future after a chance encounter with a handsome stranger. Until she discovers who the mysterious man is—the Prince of Albion, betrothed to Renna’s stepsister. Now Renna must try to keep her feelings for the prince in check. But he's not making it easy. The prince is charming, funny, and impossible not to fall for.

Trev has no room for mistakes. He must marry the princess of New Hope and secure the marriage alliance along with his future as king. The safety of his kingdom depends on it. Duty and honor never bothered Trev before, but love has a way of changing everything.

In this post-Desolation world, the Council of Essentials controls everything, including the prince. Is love more than a negotiation?

Is love essential?

410 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 12, 2021

361 people are currently reading
3291 people want to read

About the author

Kortney Keisel

21 books1,439 followers
Kortney graduated from the University of Utah with an English degree and spent a few years before motherhood teaching 7th and 8th graders how to write a book report, among other things. But after a reading slump, where no plots seemed to satisfy, Kortney pulled out her laptop and started writing the "perfect" love story...or at least she tried. Writing love stories is her job...just kidding. Her real job is taking care of her five awesome kids and spending time with her husband.

Kortney loves a good romance movie or book, warm chocolate chip cookies, and traveling the world.

Connect with Kortney at www.kortneykeisel.com

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
Profile Image for jessica.
2,686 reviews48k followers
March 10, 2021
this is such a good book if you are needing to turn your brain off, not overthink things, and just want to enjoy a simple story.

for being such a wholesome and light story, i was actually surprised by some of the events that happen towards the end. i wouldnt really consider this a deep story, but i do think there are attempts to make this not seem as shallow as it is, which i can appreciate.

but overall, this is a sweet story with excellent banter, root-worthy characters and easy to read writing.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Kathy * Bookworm Nation.
2,162 reviews704 followers
January 25, 2021
There was a lot I loved about this one and I am so excited to have discovered a new author to follow! When my good friend Deb told me to drop everything and read this book, I obeyed! For those who have read the book, you'll understand why I decided to do my review a bit differently this time...

1. When I first saw this book, it totally sounded like something I would enjoy.

2. I kept seeing it pop up here and there and friends started reading and loving it so I knew I really had to give it a try. And I loved the cover!

3. I was quickly sucked into the story and connected with Renna right from the start. She's a likable heroine.

4. Trev was great! Their first meeting(s) were spot-on, great way to get the story going, knowing what they didn't know added to the fun.

5. Their relationship has a lot of ups and downs, the whole forbidden-love element added great tension. The scenes with them together were my favorite! Their chemistry jumped off the pages.

6. Good world-building, personally would have preferred if it were a straight High Fantasy instead of a Dystopian future (set about 250+ years into our future).

7. This would have been a five star read, one I would read again and again, if it weren't for one thing. Now....maybe I'll read it again, but do some small skipping.

8. I am still mad about a certain event that did NOT need to happen. It for me, ruined the flow of the book and put a damper on the rest of the book. It was not at all necessary IMO.

9. This was a great debut, seriously I was impressed. I really enjoyed the overall story and will happily be looking forward to reading more from Ms. Keisel.

I would definitely recommend this to dystopian or high fantasy fans. Or just if you're looking for a swoony well-written romance.

Content PG
Romance: Clean, kissing
Language: None
Violence: Mild, nothing overly graphic

Similar Reads You May Enjoy...
The Promised Prince by Kortney Keisel The Selection (The Selection, #1) by Kiera Cass Matched (Matched, #1) by Ally Condie Royal Decoy (Fate of Eyrinthia, #1) by Heather Frost
Profile Image for Katie Marie.
491 reviews
July 4, 2021
Oh my gossshhh!!! This book!! When I read The Rejected King last year I fell in love with this author, her writing style, her stories and characters, the romance, just everything! I automatically knew I would love The Promised Prince and The Stolen Princess, and I was right! The Promised Prince was everything I hoped for and more. It was engaging, funny, intriguing, beautiful, SWOONWORTHY, suspenseful, and just adorable!! And I mean THAT COVER!! Like WOW!

The characters were probably my favorite part!! Kortney makes lovable characters who are all different from each other, with their own quirks and flaws. Trev was just so funny and adorable. He never failed to make me grin and I loved him from page one. XD Renna was a great MC and I loved her! Seran was such a sweet character and my heart aches for her. Even though she is technically against Renna, seeing as she is engaged to the guy Renna falls in love with, you can't help but love her sweet and caring ways, and how she and Renna are such great friends. I really liked how the villains were wrote. And Drake. He's a secondary character in this book but a main in the third one, and I love him already. He's such a good friend to Trev. I can tell I am going to LOVE The Stolen Princess and am so excited to start it!!

The romance!! Ahh I love everything about it!! A friend of mine described these books as "steamy clean" and I think it fits it perfectly. You get the heat of the romance without it being inappropriate. It's clean and oh so wonderful!

Even though this is essentially (haha get it??) a romance book, the plot is still really good and intriguing. There's a war going on, with betrayals, assassinations, and kidnapping, which is why the kingdoms Albion and New Hope wanted to align themselves through marriage, so that way they're strong together and can fight against the evil Tolsten.

While this book doesn't go into the world building a whole lot, I think there's a perfect amount! You know the author has built it well and I love all of the glimpses into pre-desolation (aka nowatimes). I think it's really cool how there's a Council of Essentials (where they decide what's actually essential or not) and how after desolation they went back to simpler times, mixing medieval and modern times in this dystopian romance series.

As you can tell, I love this book so incredibly much and I HIGHLY recommend you read it!!!! The Rejected King technically comes first, but it doesn't really connect with The Promised Prince, though TPP does really tie in with The Stolen Princess, so be sure to read this one before the third book!
Profile Image for Katie (hiding in the pages).
3,515 reviews329 followers
January 20, 2021
LOVED it!

Labeled as a YA Dystopian, there were glimpses of a dystopian life--it's set in a future time, there are some throwbacks to the society in the manner of clothing and ways of life, and an obvious desolation has occurred, but if you're looking for something like The Hunger Games, you won't find it here. That said, I absolutely loved it! I'm a huge fan of royalty and loved the role the crown played in this intriguing, adventurous, romantic, humorous tale.

Trev and Renna had the cutest meet-cute and the wit and banter only escalated from there. Trev is one of the most dashing, charming, and likable protagonists ever, especially as he strives to fulfill duty and making sacrifices to do what's best for his country. Renna is not only sweet and amiable, but she's somewhat of an enigma for her times, daring to test boundaries and rules. I. Loved. Them!

I loved the conspiracy element and the danger helped propel the plot at a thrilling pace, but be still my racing heart! It was the romance that clutched me and caught my full attention. I devoured these pages and couldn't believe this was a debut novel. The supporting cast of characters were superb as well, which always makes for a great story. Please tell me there's more to this world because I just couldn't get enough of this world and the characters inhabiting it!

Content: mild+ violence; mild+ romance
Profile Image for Aimee .
3,072 reviews298 followers
January 15, 2021
First, I have to say that this book is not really Dystopian. It's a royal love story with some perimeter dystopian elements that have no bearing on the story or the storyline really. This story could easily be set at any time period with very few adjustments to the story. If you read any dystopian books, this will not feel dystopian to you. It's a YA love story- royal style. Yeah, I was a little disappointed, thinking this was dystopian. I spent the first third of the book thinking the author was just setting things up with the characters and the real dystopian parts would soon be coming into play. I eventually gave up on that and just read the book.

That aside, this was a fun story. I enjoyed the characters very much. Trev and Renna have a great first encounter that really sets the stage for the whole book. Trev has an arranged marriage with a neighboring princess that he's never met with the intent to unite countries as allies and gain military support. He meets Renna and then everything sort of blows up. There is political intrigue, lies and turmoil in Trev's kingdom and surrounding areas. It helps add to the story and gave it some substance. There are a lot of secondary characters but the author did a good job of introducing them in a natural way so I never felt overwhelmed. I could easily visualize the scenes taking place which was awesome. Books that feel like movies in my head are the best.

This author is new to me and I will be watching for more books by her. I picked this book up on Kindle Unlimited.
Profile Image for Melissa.
2,544 reviews270 followers
Read
May 30, 2021
REad half and just felt it was too juvenile for me. I would have loved this 15 years ago. I would recommend it to teens or Young adults readers.
Profile Image for Emma.
494 reviews2 followers
February 28, 2022
I love it! 😍 This was amazing! I started this book with a huge smile on my face and ended it with one. And in between? *takes a deep breath* It was a rollercoaster.
Gonna be honest. The hype for this book I’ve seen on bookstagram lately had me a little intimidated how I was gonna feel about it. It 100% lived up to the hype.

*turns on fangirl mode*
The chemistry between Trev and Renna... it was incredible! Oh my goodness. From the very beginning, they had me rolling. Their sense of humor, their funness (is that a word?), their chemistry, everything. Ahh, I just loved them.

I loved, LOVED these characters! Renna was awesome. I loved her so much. She’s fun, sweet, fiery, vivacious, funny, honest. She speaks her mind but not annoyingly so. She doesn’t take herself so seriously.
Trev was also incredibly lovable. Good grief, he was fun. He had me laughing right off.
The two of them together was just perfection. I just adored their relationship. I love how they were honest with each other and they kept things fun. They were completely themselves with each other. They’re just real with each other. Dumb jokes and pranks and weird conversations and their pretend stories... everything. I LOVED IT. *fangirl squealssss*

I really grew to like Seran and I was really torn for her. I didn’t think I was going to really care about her but I did. I think her side to the story is a very sad but compelling one.
I found the Queen’s story interesting too. I really didn’t like her at first but eventually, I seemed to like her better.
The king was a pain. Same with Jonnis.
Oh, and I really, really liked Drake. I almost thought there was gonna be a love triangle there. And funny thing is, I saw on the author’s Instagram where she said she almost did do a love triangle. That would’ve been interesting no doubt. But my anxiety would’ve been up for sure. 😂

The dystopian aspect of the story is very low-key. It’s not super dystopian like others like The Hunger Games. And I really liked that! I just liked focusing on the characters and their conflict.

This was a rollercoaster. The conflict was on point. I could just feel the tension and the emotions so, so well. I could feel Trev and Renna’s pain and conflict, especially Renna’s. I was hurting for her. And Trev.

There’s just a lotta little things I loved about this story. A lot of memorable moments.
The first meeting at the pond, the mistaken identities, the reveal, the wrestling match, the gun competition, the dance in the red dress... I could think of more.
When they were talking about what their life might’ve looked like, I almost cried. And the list Trev makes. Oh and the ending? Yeah, I loved that. It was so cute, my cheeks hurt from smiling. (Which could be said about this entire book)

I laughed out loud, smiled till my cheeks hurt, teared up, made weird noises... I loved it. I’m so excited to see what other books this author has for the future.❤️

~QUOTES~
“Sometimes, life comes from behind and scares you so badly that it takes your breath away.” He patted her hand, leaving his on top. “But don’t worry. You will breathe again.” -Mangum

“He was part of her story now, but he wouldn’t be the only chapter. She knew, sitting there, that she couldn’t let this experience cripple her. She was a survivor.”- Renna

“A soft breeze blew through her hair, cool enough to remind her summer was over. The warmth would soon fade, allowing room for something new. She would miss Trev like she missed summertime when in the depths of the winter, but winter ice eventually thawed into a beautiful spring, a new beginning. She just needed to figure out what her new beginning would be.”-Renna

“‘Thank you.’
She shrugged her shoulders. ‘For what?’
‘For teaching me what it feels like to have a broken heart.’”- Trev

“I’ll take anything I can get from you, even if it’s only a broken heart.” -Trev

“Every fiber of her being swore she was meant to look at him for the rest of her life and beyond, but somehow this was goodbye.
She loved him enough to let him go.
She turned to leave, letting their story end one last time.”- Renna
Profile Image for spring ~♡.
596 reviews819 followers
July 1, 2021
I can't believe this is the author's debut novel. It was so well done!

It was definitely better than The Rejected King.
Even though it felt too long and kinda predictable at some point. There was some insta-love-ish plot but it wasn’t bad. Somehow it made the plot and characters more likable. This is not something I'd reread or think about deeply but it was good for killing some time I guess.
I'd probably rate it higher if the book was 100 pages shorter.
Profile Image for Ariel Wakem.
133 reviews5 followers
March 27, 2024
Wow it really took me 26 days to read this, my reading game has seriously slowed 🙂 this book was so cute! I’m a sucker for YA romance!! 26 days later, and that’s all I have in me to write about this book, I’m ready to move on 😂
Profile Image for Marilee .
1,454 reviews237 followers
December 15, 2020
This was such a great read! The beginning felt vaguely similar to its companion novella, but the story soon diverged into its own plot. My favorite part of the book was the two main characters - their fun loving personalities and witty conversations were adorable. There is a love triangle that starts to drag just a little in the middle of the book but just when I was about to despair, the plot picked up steam with some unexpected twists and turns. I especially adored the last few chapters of the book. 4.5 stars for this debut novel and I will definitely be picking up any future books by this author!

I received a complimentary copy from the author but was not required to leave a review and all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Madi & Meg.
290 reviews14 followers
May 17, 2021
Synopsis:
In the town of Vassel on the border of New Hope, Renna escapes the ever annoying changes to her life by escaping to the countryside of her departed fathers estate. Low and behold, a random stranger saves her from a fake drowning.... which starts the downward spiral of love, betrayal, heartbreak, defiance, friendship, and so much more.

Book Review:
After reading the prequel to this book, “The Rejected King”, I didn’t think I could love another book as much....... oh man was I wrong. It’s like loving your children, you love each differently!! This book was truly so amazing! It had suspense, drama, death, conspiracies, betrayal, informants, war, kidnapping, romance...... y’all name it and it had it. And it had it in the best possible way! I sat on the edge of my seat reading it, and was so intrigued by every turn it took. I will most definitely be encouraging everyone I know to read this book and/or any book by Kortney Keisel.

Just read it! You will not regret it!!!

Happy Reading..... cause you know I know you won’t sleep til you have finished this book;) yes the hype is real..... yes it meets the hype..... so just read it;) And if it wasn’t clear by the review..... I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!
Profile Image for Alyssa Crockett.
48 reviews10 followers
August 2, 2022
Trev and Renna 🥹 Did I find my favorite fictional couple? Yes.

This is the second book in Kortney Keisel’s desolation series, and another masterpiece. I loved it so much. I probably won’t be able to think about much else for a good couple of days. The story had Kortney’s signature does of real, relatable vulnerability that always breaks my heart but also touches my soul. She’s so brilliant at weaving real life moments of tenderness and love into these characters painful, gut wrenching, emotional storylines and I will eat up anything she ever puts out.

It’s an absolute 5/5 ⭐️

If you like:

- forbidden love
- a bit of a love triangle? But not in a way that makes you hate it haha
- vulnerable, relatable characters
- witty banter
- tender but fiery romance

You need this book. That’s all I really need to say. You need it. You’re welcome.


CW: clean, YA dystopian with kisses and mild innuendo, I think there’s like, one mild swear in there
Profile Image for Brittany.
1,299 reviews199 followers
June 13, 2024
Rollercoaster Romance

3.5 Stars ✨

The Promised Prince takes place in sort of a post apocalyptic setting. There was a “Desolation” - (year 2055) an end of the world type situation, where lots of wars and devastation took place. Totally turning the world upside down. The book starts 200 years after the desolation, when the world has been semi rebuilt- but not the same as it once was.

He's promised to another. She's promised to forget him.


Book 2 was another great addition to this fun swoony series. Like the last book, the writing was captivating and stole my attention from the very start. I will say, this one was a bit more angsty than the first book, but I enjoyed the banter and push and pull from the characters. Trev was adorable and Renna was fun, her personality was refreshing. They both made some dumb decisions that I didn’t care too much for and it drove me a little crazy. The dress?!? Renna what were you thinking? But, their chemistry was so quirky and cute- it was hard to stay mad at them. Besides kissing, I would say this was a clean read for older YA readers. I liked how there was a little more action in this one and a little mystery. Overall, not my favorite of the series so far, but still an addicting, enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Jessica.
1,193 reviews94 followers
January 26, 2021
This debut novel by Kortney Keisel is so well written and will keep you guessing from the very beginning. There were a handful of plot twists that surprised me and I always love it when an author can pull that off. This is a dystopian romance, but it’s different from any other dystopian I’ve read before. I liked that there wasn’t as much corrupt government and terrible life circumstances as in other some other dystopian books I’ve read. Because it was written a little differently I didn’t feel like I was reading a repeat of some of the other popular dystopian titles and I really liked that. I also liked that it wasn’t typical teen/YA romance, not as much drama and teen hormones. Renna and Trev actually have to fight for their relationship—but they also can’t, which makes things so intriguing. I was left guessing until nearly the end how things would work out.

I will say that the first half was a little slower to me. Almost exactly halfway through, a crucial conversation takes place, which sucked me into the story fully and kept me there through the rest of the book. I felt like that’s when things really got moving and I was completely hooked. At that point I absolutely could not put it down until I had finished it. The first half was a three star read to me but the second half is easily five stars.

Renna is a character you can’t help but like, though there are also things she did that drove me crazy (this is typical of YA protagonists for me). Sometimes she seemed mature for her age (18) and other times her age was showing like a stamp on her forehead, maybe even a little worse. However, she’s also had kind a rough go of the past four years of her life and her mother is really hard to like, so I gave her a pass. Ultimately, I liked her.

I liked Trev from the very beginning. He is in an impossible situation and I think he really did the best that could have been expected of him. I liked his personality and I loved how much he sincerely desired to be the kind of king his people would actually need, rather than a king seeking to serve himself. I can’t think of a single thing that made me not like him.

Seran is really pretty amazing and I liked her a lot. King Carver is a jerk. Queen Mariele is SO hard to like. I just couldn’t relate to her at all—until that crucial conversation in the middle of the book, like I mentioned earlier. Then her story starts to make more sense. I do wish she had been more involved in Renna’s life, more her mother. But she is definitely a complicated character.

Mangum is the coolest and gets better as the book progresses. Drake kind of falls into this same category for me. Jenica is annoying and I felt badly for Lizanne. I loved Nellie and Preetis and I feel the same as Trev about Cypress: she scares me a little. Haha! And King Bryant might be the best character of them all. I respected him so much.

If you like:
* YA books
* Books that keep you guessing
* Really good romance, with swoony kissing scenes and quotable lines
* A dystopian book that isn’t focused on overthrowing corrupt government
* The Selection series
* Books that are well written, have fantastic characters and good character development, and a plot that hooks you
You should definitely read this book.

Quotes I loved (that have potential to contain spoilers so read at your own risk):
She laughed “Have you ever tried swimming in a dress? It doesn’t work very well.”
“This may surprise you, but I’ve never gone swimming in a dress,” he said, his tone serious. (pg 15)

“I really love food. Like really love it. I would lick my plate clean at every meal if it was acceptable.” (pg 46)

And his looks. They couldn’t be ignored. The combination of his athletic build, dark curls, severe blue eyes, and that boyish smile were proof enough that God was feeling generous the day he had created him. (ppg 53-54)

“You don’t have to keep me company,” Renna tried to release him. “You can go talk to somebody else.”
“And leave you alone?” Trev smiles. “I’m too much of a gentleman to do that.” (pg 130)

“That was not flirting. That was friendliness. Don’t confuse friendliness for flirting, or my kindness will all go straight to your head.” (pg 160)

Renna had woken up feeling depressed like there was nothing to look forward to in her life, but she refused to let that feeling take over her day. She needed to forget about herself and all her stupid boy problems... (pg 193)

Renna looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. “At first, the pain was suffocating, but I guess after so many years, I’ve just gotten used to it. Grief sticks with you—it changes and shifts as you grow, but it never leaves you.” (pg 226)

She loved him enough to let him go.
She turned to leave, letting their story end one last time. (pg 322)

Can you believe it has been 166 days since you pretended to drown, and I pulled you out of the water? It has also been 132 days since I last saw you, but who’s counting? Definitely not me. (pg 374)

“Ezra, it’s within your power to love your country and to love Renna. A good king doesn’t need to choose. He can do both.” King Bryant stood, walking over to where he sat. He extended his hand to Trev. “Let everything else go.” (pg 378)

“We spend so much time thinking about and deciding what it essential. The last two months, that’s all I’ve done. I’ve spent all my time worrying about what is essential for everyone else. You...” He took a step closer, his hand reaching out to touch her face. Her skin was warm and smooth, and just like he knew it would, a surge of energy flew through his body.
“You are essential to me,” he said softly. (pg 386)
Profile Image for Allison C.
275 reviews63 followers
January 10, 2021
I haven’t read a dystopian novel in years. That in itself is a crime against humanity, nature and myself! Thank you Kortney Keisel for giving me the opportunity to read and review your work.
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If you are in the mood for a classic YA romp featuring travel, arranged marriages, love triangle, forbidden romance, etc. I would recommend A Promised Prince! It’s a quick read and you would also be supporting an indie author!!
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Profile Image for Karen Thornell.
Author 10 books325 followers
December 18, 2020
It has been ages since I read a YA or a dystopian, but I was intrigued by this book so I signed up for the ARC team... and I’m so glad I did! 😍

Renna is accompanying her step-sister, the Princess of New Hope, to meet her mysterious betrothed. But on the trip she meets her own “mysterious dream man” and starts to fall for him.

The problem is, HE is her stepsister’s betrothed and HE thinks she’s the princess. 😬😭

This book has a hilarious, mysterious plotline where Renna & Trev navigate repressing their feelings, discovering their futures and the futures of their kingdoms, and figure out the politics of this dystopian world. They were both relatable characters and I found all the side characters and side plots to be very interesting as well! The second half of the book was my absolute favorite. After a little revealing conversation with Renna's mother, the pace really picked up and I couldn't put it down!

It was laugh out loud funny, unique, sweet, and such a fun read. Now I'm off to read "The Rejected King" and I can't wait to see what else Kortney has in store for us!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own.
Profile Image for Ashton Reed.
166 reviews23 followers
January 16, 2021
Omggg how can I adore a book so much when it is full of PAAIIINNNN?!?!
Oh wait, yes, that’s right - it was the good kind of pain *insert evil laugh* You’ll see what I mean. Get ready for alllll the fangirling.

My Moodboard

Goodreads summary:

He's promised to another. She's promised to forget him.
Eighteen-year-old Renna Degray is hopeful about love and her future after a chance encounter with a handsome stranger. Until she discovers who the mysterious man is—the Prince of Albion, betrothed to Renna’s stepsister. Now Renna must try to keep her feelings for the prince in check. But he's not making it easy. The prince is charming, funny, and impossible not to fall for.

Trev has no room for mistakes. He must marry the princess of New Hope and secure the marriage alliance along with his future as king. The safety of his kingdom depends on it. Duty and honor never bothered Trev before, but love has a way of changing everything.

In this post-Desolation world, the Council of Essentials controls everything, including the prince. Is love more than a negotiation?

Is love essential?

*Once again, I thought this synopsis does a great job of encapsulating the book!*

EEEKK ohhh do I love this book. OH do I love it. This book filled my heart with so much emotion that it honestly made me extra emotional in real life. I don’t understand it, it just happened.

But in all seriousness, that good pain I joked about? The Promised Prince is full of tension and forbidden romance and clandestine meetings and longing stares (special thanks to T-Swift for the ever-applicable song lyrics) and I am here for it. I’m all about forbidden romance, and Keisel does not disappoint! Our two main characters, Renna and Trev, try so so hard to follow the paths laid out for them by their society and their families, and that means staying well behind the friendzone line when they discover he is the Prince of Albion and betrothed to her step-sister, the future queen of New Hope. But they just can’t help it - their feelings only grow stronger as their personalities intertwine and what first was attraction becomes a deep love. I adore their relationship, for even through the pain and the resignation and the arguments born from both, its like their souls locked when they first met and there is no key. It’s so so good, y’all.

Though this book is primarily romance-driven, very similarly to The Selection, their dystopian world is interestingly woven into the plot with some fantasy-esque elements that make the story feel so fresh. It feels like a fantasy, with its royalty and castles and a ballroom scene (I know right? *swoons*), but it also tackles themes of conforming by society’s rules and asks when the people should take charge of the problems they see in the world. They have guns and electricity and old magazines that make the world feel modern as well, since the book takes place two hundred years after the apocalypse… 😶 Anyways, all of the elements of The Promised Prince come together to form a beautiful, funny, romantic, and unique story that literally filled me to the brim with all the feels. I have soooo much love for these characters, and I want this book to blow up big time. Therefore, READ IT. Please and thank you.

*THANK YOU, Kortney Keisel, for the e-arc in exchange for the honest review!! All opinions are my own! This book released on January 12th, so go forth and read!!!*

PS Jesus is in the acknowledgements :)))) (I always look ahaha)




If you enjoyed this review, you can friend me here on Goodreads and follow my Bookstagram and Pinterest @ashton_reads. Thanks for reading!
Profile Image for Dana Claire.
Author 14 books554 followers
January 3, 2021
The Promised Prince, I promise will not disappoint. This was such a great read and so exciting as a debut author wrote it. She drove right into her writing career with an A+ start. Not only is it a wonderful store line, it’s a really fun and humorous romance. The story is set in a dystopian background, but the romance is the focal point. Two people from different upbringing meet unexpectantly and immediately there is chemistry. Not to give too much away but mistaken identity happened and thus results in the romantic angst we see throughout the rest of the novel. Everything you’d want from the YA romance novel was in The Promised Prince. I promise you will enjoy it. Keep a watch out on this author. She’s got a great career ahead. I can’t wait to read what’s next!
Profile Image for Deborah.
676 reviews52 followers
January 13, 2021
When your mood and perfect book meet = ignoring all household chores, children, husband, food, phone calls and messages.

I was engrossed into this world from the very start. Loved Renna and Trev! How they first met... yes! There second meet... swoon! My heart about broke for both of them when they realized who the other person was. I loved Seran, and I wished her story would of turned out different. King Carver was a tool.

All that being said, there were a few things that I wish were different to make it the perfect book overall. But, you can’t really go wrong with a book that keeps you from eating, can you? 😉
Profile Image for Melynne (mels_booknook).
644 reviews24 followers
September 18, 2021
This book was so amazing. It’s such a roller coaster of emotions but so good. I loved Trev and Renna and everything else that was in the story. Kortney Keisel has such a way of writing I can’t put it down and think about the characters anytime I’m not reading. Can’t wait to keep reading the series.
Profile Image for Stacy.
92 reviews8 followers
May 9, 2022
Very cute book! I enjoyed Trev and Renna’s story a lot, especially Trev’a side of the story.

Even though the romance was a lot of fun and I’m a sucker for a good romance I found the politics an even more interesting read then the romance.

All in all, a fun, light read! I would recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy and romance and just wants something light to read.
Profile Image for E.S. Christison.
Author 2 books48 followers
September 30, 2021
I learned about this book through an Instagram indie competition, and I'm so glad I did! The whole series was a great find!! The characters feel real, the dialogue flows, there's humor, clean romance, and plot twists gallore. A fun read!
Profile Image for Vippi.
626 reviews31 followers
April 10, 2021
*recensione in italiano a seguire*

You know what? I was going to give this book 4 stars.
After all, it is not perfect. It's not the story of the century nor the most original (I mean, entire libraries have been written about forbidden, impossible love...). It is not even dystopian (so if you are looking for a new Hunger Games or go nuts for complex and articulated worldbuilding, go further).

NONETHELESS... I just loved The Promised Prince because this is, without a doubt, the cutest love story I've ever read.
Renna and Trev are great! I surprised myself several times smiling like an idiot reading their banter and their storytelling games; I loved the sincere way they both tried to be just friends, to stay away from each other, to do the right thing; I struggled as the marriage with Seran approached and

So, to hell with the 4 stars. This oh-so-sweet story deserves the full score.
*stupid smile at full power*



**********************

Sapete cosa? Stavo per dare 4 stelle a questo libro.
In fondo non è perfetto, non è la storia del secolo nè la più originale (insomma, di amori proibiti, impossibili sono state scritte intere biblioteche...). Non è nemmeno distopico (quindi, se cercate un novello Hunger Games o andate pazzi per worldbuilding complessi e articolati, andate oltre), ma piuttosto una storia d'amore ambientata in un ipotetico futuro post-apocalittico.

EPPURE... ho semplicemente adorato The Promised Prince perchè questa è, senza dubbio, la più tenera storia d'amore che abbia mai letto.
Renna e Trev sono fantastici! Mi sono sorpresa più volte a sorridere come un'ebete leggendo il loro modo schietto di prendersi in giro e di sognare insieme a occhi aperti; ho adorato il modo sincero in cui entrambi hanno cercato di essere solo amici, di stare lontano dall'altro, di fare la cosa giusta; ho penato man mano che il matrimonio con Seran si avvicinava e

Quindi, al diavolo le 4 stelle. Per me è punteggio pieno!
*sorriso ebete alla massima potenza*
Profile Image for Leanna.
87 reviews
February 27, 2023
One of my favorite books.
It made me laugh out loud, gasp , and cry ! It broke my heart & somehow mended it perfectly ! This author is amazing. ❤️

I love her style of writing, I love how relatable the characters were, especially their feelings for one another. Sometimes when I read romantic fiction it’s hard to relate because it’s well… fiction? The banter, the sweet romance, and the yearning for one another…. Gosh chefs kiss. I adored every minute of this story

Forever a favorite, will definitely be a book I re read !
Profile Image for Jackie Johnson.
76 reviews1 follower
January 27, 2021
I absolutely adored this book! Miss Keisel nailed it, I love her new world setting the fun flirty side of Trev and Renna and their serious and loyal sides it just worked. Her descriptions of clothing, transportation, classes, everything was great. I've definitely found a new author and I can't wait for her next book. The only bad thing I can say is I had a problem putting it down to sleep at night, but that's a good thing right? 😉🤣
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