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The Heir and the Spare
9 hours and 27 minutes
An evil princess, a ruthless persecutor, a wretched match.
Tormented at home and bullied during her studies abroad, second-born Iona of Wessett hides in the quiet corners of her father’s castle. Her art and music provide refuge, but her cruel sister Lisenn ever lurks like a monster stalking its prey.
Such has been her life for twenty years.
However, a promise of reprieve and retribution arrives when the neighboring kingdom of Capria proposes an alliance between their new crown prince and Wessett’s heir to the throne. The treaty will rid Iona of the toxic Lisenn, and the potential groom is none other than her erstwhile bully, Jaoven of Deraval. The marriage could not be more poetic: each deserves the misery the other might inflict.
Except that Jaoven, humbled by the war that elevated his rank, appears to have reformed, and the fate of both kingdoms now hinges on the disastrous union he’s about to make.
An evil princess, a ruthless persecutor, a wretched match.
Tormented at home and bullied during her studies abroad, second-born Iona of Wessett hides in the quiet corners of her father’s castle. Her art and music provide refuge, but her cruel sister Lisenn ever lurks like a monster stalking its prey.
Such has been her life for twenty years.
However, a promise of reprieve and retribution arrives when the neighboring kingdom of Capria proposes an alliance between their new crown prince and Wessett’s heir to the throne. The treaty will rid Iona of the toxic Lisenn, and the potential groom is none other than her erstwhile bully, Jaoven of Deraval. The marriage could not be more poetic: each deserves the misery the other might inflict.
Except that Jaoven, humbled by the war that elevated his rank, appears to have reformed, and the fate of both kingdoms now hinges on the disastrous union he’s about to make.
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First published February 19, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 657 reviews
May 13, 2021
Yup. This was another favorite. Another book that, upon finishing, I immediately had to buy a copy and send it to my best friend. She binged it all in a single night as well. You know I LOVE a book when that's my reaction to it!
But then, I always enjoy Kate Stradling's work. She's a true mistress of her craft.
But then, I always enjoy Kate Stradling's work. She's a true mistress of her craft.
September 9, 2025
3.5 stars ⭐️ Fantasy (non-magical + with psychological thriller elements in a way)
TW: our main character has a very cruel and sadistic sister who delights in torturing her and others which is seen on-page and mentioned often throughout the book
Ha. Okay. So. Where do I begin? The beginning, I suppose.
Let it be known that I finished this book in basically one sitting and didn’t make any notes on it while I read it. Which is something I 99.7% do when reading. This book? My note app was blank. I was too sucked into the plot to pause my reading to jot anything down.
Going into this book, I was concerned because I had heard it was on the darker side—which I personally didn’t think it was until the ending reveals, then it was yikers 😳 —and I was concerned about the sister relationship as those can be hard for me to read about. But I honestly loved Iona and her strength. This author is a genius at how she writes her main characters and all their nuances. Iona’s cousin was the bestest as well.
Now, the romance is another story. I’m not an enemies-to-more fan, that’s no secret at all. But the fact he was her tormentor wasn’t endearing himself to me, but when Iona has dealt with so much worse through her sister’s abuse, it makes Jove look just like an annoyance. Which I don’t love that because, again, he was her tormentor. !! Usually I would be protesting even the thought of the FMC ending up with her bully. Chain myself to a tree with a sign level of protest 🌳🪧 but in this book, he doesn’t seem that bad because he is ultimately compared to Lisenn, the she-devil. All that aside, I didn’t really feel the romance between Iona and Jove. At all. Perhaps that’s my INFJ tendency to hold grudges, but I was questioning Iona’s sanity. But, really, I think there’s this bottom-line thought that she’s faced worse through her sister, so what the others did to her was just spoiled kids’ actions. It was kind of trading one kind of abuse for another, in a way.
I don’t really buy Jove’s change either which didn’t help his standing in my eyes. I feel like we were told more about his change than actually seeing it, especially when his first meeting is all grabby and yelly. 🤷🏻♀️
I see other reviewers mention about these concerns and dislike for the torture Iona has faced and just her cruel sister in general, and I totally understand. For some reason (look away, psychiatrists), I can’t say I was bothered too much, but I can see why ratings where dropped because of that major element of this book. I would almost call this a physiological-thriller-meets-a-fantasy kind of book, if there was such a thing.
I think that my major complaint of the book would be the ending: I needed more of it. It ended too soon and somewhat abruptly. I wanted to know what would happen next.
My second complaint is the romance and how I really don’t buy it, but I already discussed that above.
One thing I enjoyed about this book was what I’ve enjoyed with the other two books I’ve read by this author: her writing style. There’s something about it that just grips me and I’m able to visualize the scenes like it’s a movie in my head. It’s not because it’s super descriptive or anything like that, but it just clicks in my brain just right and makes me want to read all of her books. I will say that this book isn’t getting the 4.5 star ⭐️ rating I’ve given the other two books, but I am torn about the rating for it. Part of me says 4 stars because of how much I was invested into the plot, but the other part says 3 stars because I’m not satisfied with the ending or love interest. I think I’ll go with 3.5 stars, rounded down on Goodreads.
Main Content-
Luke 17:3 is shared at the beginning of the book.
Iona’s sister is called a “demon sister”; Later, Iona wonders if her sister “exorcised that particular demon” when she destroyed something of Iona’s; Iona’s maid says about praying for Iona’s sister to die in childbirth (saying that “plenty of good and wholesome women succumb to that fate. She has the same chance as anyone else” but Iona is shocked about her praying about it and the maid responds that she prays for justice); Iona’s cousin tells Jaoven he can “go to the devil” for all he cares.
Mentions of a superstition about a waterfall cleansing a person’s misfortune; Mentions of luck; A mention of thanking the heavens; A mention of fae.
Language: a ‘bastards’ & a ‘damn’ (the latter is used in the context of damning a soul with information); Someone else exclaims ‘holy stars’; Mentions of characters cursing (but not written out); A couple mentions of eating “toad”/“toad-eating”; Some eye rolling & sarcasm.
A major part of the book is Iona being concerned and feeling major fear about being around her sister, her sister harming and seriously hurting her (always on purpose), and her sister possibly trying to kill her; Her sister (Lisenn) is very cruel and slaps, hits, kicks, grabs, shoves, yanks Iona’s hair, verbally abuses Iona, and also ruins her stuff; Lisenn threatens to remove Iona’s teeth again (which she did when they were children), pull out her toenails and force her to eat them, and break her fingers; Iona feels chills when around her sister and her threats; Lisenn also killed Iona’s pet canary when they were children; Iona notes about her sister being good at inflicting pain on others; *Spoilers* *End of Spoilers*.
Iona also faces punishments from her father which usually involve acting like she doesn’t exist in his eyes and thus her sister is able to do anything she wants to Iona; Their father never believes Iona about what her sister has done to her and disapproves of her tattling.
Rather than control their oldest daughter, Iona’s parents would send Iona off so her sister wouldn’t hurt her (the injustice of it burns against Iona once, but she doesn’t say anything or it would become worse); *Major Spoilers* *End of Major Spoilers*.
Iona is grabbed and shoved by others including her sister & has painful memories to the abuse she faced at the school (up to a few sentences).
Iona was bullied and mistreated in the other country because of her low place in the pecking order (this includes a time she was yanked and pulled around where she broken her arm/wrist).
See above comments on all the pain Iona’s sister inflicts on her; Being held at knife-point, almost drowning, a broken bone, major pain, injuries, & passing out (up to a few sentences); Grief & sobbing (up to a few sentences); Seeing someone stabbed (and most likely killed), punching others, & fighting (up to a few sentences).
Many mentions of wars, assassinations (including of entire royal families with small children), deaths, grief, injuries, fighting, weapons, battles, and attacks (up to a few sentences); Many mentions of Iona’s sister seriously harming others (up to a couple sentences); Mentions of deaths, killing, & the thought of killing subordinates (including through torture and poison); Mentions of possible suicide; Mentions of crimes; Mentions of the major bullying in the other country’s school & yearly Hunt the students would do when the teachers were gone (where the students that had a higher pecking order where the hunters and the low students had to survive in the wilderness for a week; Once all the lower students were found, they were tied-up and humiliated; Other scenes of the lower students being bossed and ordered around); Mentions of injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences); Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of executions.
1 cheek kiss,
2 kisses lasting a sentence,
2 kisses lasting a couple sentences,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences.
Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Butterflies, Nearness, & Blushes (up to a few sentences); Noticing & Staring (up to a couple sentences).
When she is soaking wet, Iona orders Jaoven to look away and he blushes after looking at her neckline; Iona also notices his “well-formed muscles” through his wet shirt and forcibly averts her gaze; Iona’s cousin threats Jaoven about cutting off his hands if he touched Iona in anyway.
Jaoven gets jealousy about Iona’s relationship with her cousin (while knowing they are cousins and thinking they might be more), but Iona says that’s not done in her country (Jaoven replies that his country do not typically marry first cousins either, but it’s not unheard of which Iona says is “gross”).
Mentions of a couple embracing and snuggling (up to a few sentences); Mentions of reputations, chaperones, & couples of opposite genders not being alone together (one girl comments that is used to be that way in her country, but “when you’re fighting for your life [during the war], you forget about trivialities like the sex of the person fighting next to you”); Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of men staring at Iona with “nothing brotherly in their expressions”; A few mentions of dalliances/trysts; A few mentions of flirting; A mention of a woman mooning over her lover.
TW: our main character has a very cruel and sadistic sister who delights in torturing her and others which is seen on-page and mentioned often throughout the book
Ha. Okay. So. Where do I begin? The beginning, I suppose.
Let it be known that I finished this book in basically one sitting and didn’t make any notes on it while I read it. Which is something I 99.7% do when reading. This book? My note app was blank. I was too sucked into the plot to pause my reading to jot anything down.
Going into this book, I was concerned because I had heard it was on the darker side—which I personally didn’t think it was until the ending reveals, then it was yikers 😳 —and I was concerned about the sister relationship as those can be hard for me to read about. But I honestly loved Iona and her strength. This author is a genius at how she writes her main characters and all their nuances. Iona’s cousin was the bestest as well.
Now, the romance is another story. I’m not an enemies-to-more fan, that’s no secret at all. But the fact he was her tormentor wasn’t endearing himself to me, but when Iona has dealt with so much worse through her sister’s abuse, it makes Jove look just like an annoyance. Which I don’t love that because, again, he was her tormentor. !! Usually I would be protesting even the thought of the FMC ending up with her bully. Chain myself to a tree with a sign level of protest 🌳🪧 but in this book, he doesn’t seem that bad because he is ultimately compared to Lisenn, the she-devil. All that aside, I didn’t really feel the romance between Iona and Jove. At all. Perhaps that’s my INFJ tendency to hold grudges, but I was questioning Iona’s sanity. But, really, I think there’s this bottom-line thought that she’s faced worse through her sister, so what the others did to her was just spoiled kids’ actions. It was kind of trading one kind of abuse for another, in a way.
I don’t really buy Jove’s change either which didn’t help his standing in my eyes. I feel like we were told more about his change than actually seeing it, especially when his first meeting is all grabby and yelly. 🤷🏻♀️
I see other reviewers mention about these concerns and dislike for the torture Iona has faced and just her cruel sister in general, and I totally understand. For some reason (look away, psychiatrists), I can’t say I was bothered too much, but I can see why ratings where dropped because of that major element of this book. I would almost call this a physiological-thriller-meets-a-fantasy kind of book, if there was such a thing.
I think that my major complaint of the book would be the ending: I needed more of it. It ended too soon and somewhat abruptly. I wanted to know what would happen next.
My second complaint is the romance and how I really don’t buy it, but I already discussed that above.
One thing I enjoyed about this book was what I’ve enjoyed with the other two books I’ve read by this author: her writing style. There’s something about it that just grips me and I’m able to visualize the scenes like it’s a movie in my head. It’s not because it’s super descriptive or anything like that, but it just clicks in my brain just right and makes me want to read all of her books. I will say that this book isn’t getting the 4.5 star ⭐️ rating I’ve given the other two books, but I am torn about the rating for it. Part of me says 4 stars because of how much I was invested into the plot, but the other part says 3 stars because I’m not satisfied with the ending or love interest. I think I’ll go with 3.5 stars, rounded down on Goodreads.
Main Content-
Luke 17:3 is shared at the beginning of the book.
Iona’s sister is called a “demon sister”; Later, Iona wonders if her sister “exorcised that particular demon” when she destroyed something of Iona’s; Iona’s maid says about praying for Iona’s sister to die in childbirth (saying that “plenty of good and wholesome women succumb to that fate. She has the same chance as anyone else” but Iona is shocked about her praying about it and the maid responds that she prays for justice); Iona’s cousin tells Jaoven he can “go to the devil” for all he cares.
Mentions of a superstition about a waterfall cleansing a person’s misfortune; Mentions of luck; A mention of thanking the heavens; A mention of fae.
Language: a ‘bastards’ & a ‘damn’ (the latter is used in the context of damning a soul with information); Someone else exclaims ‘holy stars’; Mentions of characters cursing (but not written out); A couple mentions of eating “toad”/“toad-eating”; Some eye rolling & sarcasm.
A major part of the book is Iona being concerned and feeling major fear about being around her sister, her sister harming and seriously hurting her (always on purpose), and her sister possibly trying to kill her; Her sister (Lisenn) is very cruel and slaps, hits, kicks, grabs, shoves, yanks Iona’s hair, verbally abuses Iona, and also ruins her stuff; Lisenn threatens to remove Iona’s teeth again (which she did when they were children), pull out her toenails and force her to eat them, and break her fingers; Iona feels chills when around her sister and her threats; Lisenn also killed Iona’s pet canary when they were children; Iona notes about her sister being good at inflicting pain on others; *Spoilers* *End of Spoilers*.
Iona also faces punishments from her father which usually involve acting like she doesn’t exist in his eyes and thus her sister is able to do anything she wants to Iona; Their father never believes Iona about what her sister has done to her and disapproves of her tattling.
Rather than control their oldest daughter, Iona’s parents would send Iona off so her sister wouldn’t hurt her (the injustice of it burns against Iona once, but she doesn’t say anything or it would become worse); *Major Spoilers* *End of Major Spoilers*.
Iona is grabbed and shoved by others including her sister & has painful memories to the abuse she faced at the school (up to a few sentences).
Iona was bullied and mistreated in the other country because of her low place in the pecking order (this includes a time she was yanked and pulled around where she broken her arm/wrist).
See above comments on all the pain Iona’s sister inflicts on her; Being held at knife-point, almost drowning, a broken bone, major pain, injuries, & passing out (up to a few sentences); Grief & sobbing (up to a few sentences); Seeing someone stabbed (and most likely killed), punching others, & fighting (up to a few sentences).
Many mentions of wars, assassinations (including of entire royal families with small children), deaths, grief, injuries, fighting, weapons, battles, and attacks (up to a few sentences); Many mentions of Iona’s sister seriously harming others (up to a couple sentences); Mentions of deaths, killing, & the thought of killing subordinates (including through torture and poison); Mentions of possible suicide; Mentions of crimes; Mentions of the major bullying in the other country’s school & yearly Hunt the students would do when the teachers were gone (where the students that had a higher pecking order where the hunters and the low students had to survive in the wilderness for a week; Once all the lower students were found, they were tied-up and humiliated; Other scenes of the lower students being bossed and ordered around); Mentions of injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences); Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of executions.
1 cheek kiss,
2 kisses lasting a sentence,
2 kisses lasting a couple sentences,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences.
Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Butterflies, Nearness, & Blushes (up to a few sentences); Noticing & Staring (up to a couple sentences).
When she is soaking wet, Iona orders Jaoven to look away and he blushes after looking at her neckline; Iona also notices his “well-formed muscles” through his wet shirt and forcibly averts her gaze; Iona’s cousin threats Jaoven about cutting off his hands if he touched Iona in anyway.
Jaoven gets jealousy about Iona’s relationship with her cousin (while knowing they are cousins and thinking they might be more), but Iona says that’s not done in her country (Jaoven replies that his country do not typically marry first cousins either, but it’s not unheard of which Iona says is “gross”).
Mentions of a couple embracing and snuggling (up to a few sentences); Mentions of reputations, chaperones, & couples of opposite genders not being alone together (one girl comments that is used to be that way in her country, but “when you’re fighting for your life [during the war], you forget about trivialities like the sex of the person fighting next to you”); Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of men staring at Iona with “nothing brotherly in their expressions”; A few mentions of dalliances/trysts; A few mentions of flirting; A mention of a woman mooning over her lover.
June 15, 2022
I was thoroughly delighted by this book - it's truly rare to stumble across a romance, fantasy or otherwise, so deft, so understated, yet so heartfelt. It's a restrained, slowburn delight (I rated it PG-13 only for violence/abuse from the villain, not because of the romance) with a constant dark undercurrent of suspense, and I was utterly swept away by it.
Some things I loved:
- the vulnerable protagonist! Iona might not be everybody's cup of tea: she is the Fanny Price style of heroine, whose heroism lies in silent endurance rather than in stomping out and fixing everything, and in an age that links heroism inextricably with individual achievement rather than silent endurance, she might seem frustrating. Personally, I adore such characters. Iona isn't at all passive: she has a plan and she does what she can to execute it, even though that plan is simple survival. Sometimes it takes all the running you can do to stay in one place, all the paddling to keep your head above water, and I have a particularly soft spot for such vulnerable characters: what I love is watching how they manage to exercise agency, even when they have horribly limited choices. This is one of my favourite sorts of heroine in my favourite sorts of stories, and Iona embodied the trope perfectly.
- the twist at the end! You think you know who the villain is (and don't get me wrong, they really are villainous) but then BAM someone else ALSO turns out to be a villain and it's horrifying but kind of obvious and changes so much about how you perceive the book!
- the love interest! This was a really fascinating execution of the villain/bully romance, where we meet the love interest only after he and his cohorts from the horrible Rich People Boarding School have all been through a horrible, humbling war and are actively working to dismantle the bad old systems. I was pulling for Jaoven from the moment he went down on his knees. We love a romantic hero whose opening move is a grovel.
- and have I even mentioned the lovely understated slowburn suspense of it all? PERFECTION.
One reservation:
A supporting character, who we're supposed to see as an ally to Iona, lowkey negs her and repeatedly tells her to stand up to her abuser. This concerned me a little and might be triggering to some readers. I would be concerned that this character might come across as blaming victims for not standing up to an abuser of this type when (as I understand it) doing so is more likely to endanger your life rather than improve it: leaving entirely is the only safe course in such situations. Now, the story itself is extremely nuanced with this. When Iona does try to resist her abuser, at attempt on her life immediately follows, and when at another pivotal moment she chooses to follow her friend's advice, it puts her in danger all over again: I thought the results of the bad take were realistically negative. However, I would also have liked to have seen some recognition that it was a bad take happen in-story.
I mention this not because I didn't enjoy the book anyway, because I did - I LOVED it, and because I've never been in an abusive situation the above was not a big deal to me; I mention it only in case it would be a big deal for someone else. THE HEIR AND THE SPARE was the most delightful romance I've read since LADY ELIZABETH'S COMET and I've already been raving about it to my friends. I cannot wait to read more of Kate Stradling's work!
Some things I loved:
- the vulnerable protagonist! Iona might not be everybody's cup of tea: she is the Fanny Price style of heroine, whose heroism lies in silent endurance rather than in stomping out and fixing everything, and in an age that links heroism inextricably with individual achievement rather than silent endurance, she might seem frustrating. Personally, I adore such characters. Iona isn't at all passive: she has a plan and she does what she can to execute it, even though that plan is simple survival. Sometimes it takes all the running you can do to stay in one place, all the paddling to keep your head above water, and I have a particularly soft spot for such vulnerable characters: what I love is watching how they manage to exercise agency, even when they have horribly limited choices. This is one of my favourite sorts of heroine in my favourite sorts of stories, and Iona embodied the trope perfectly.
- the twist at the end! You think you know who the villain is (and don't get me wrong, they really are villainous) but then BAM someone else ALSO turns out to be a villain and it's horrifying but kind of obvious and changes so much about how you perceive the book!
- the love interest! This was a really fascinating execution of the villain/bully romance, where we meet the love interest only after he and his cohorts from the horrible Rich People Boarding School have all been through a horrible, humbling war and are actively working to dismantle the bad old systems. I was pulling for Jaoven from the moment he went down on his knees. We love a romantic hero whose opening move is a grovel.
- and have I even mentioned the lovely understated slowburn suspense of it all? PERFECTION.
One reservation:
A supporting character, who we're supposed to see as an ally to Iona, lowkey negs her and repeatedly tells her to stand up to her abuser. This concerned me a little and might be triggering to some readers. I would be concerned that this character might come across as blaming victims for not standing up to an abuser of this type when (as I understand it) doing so is more likely to endanger your life rather than improve it: leaving entirely is the only safe course in such situations. Now, the story itself is extremely nuanced with this. When Iona does try to resist her abuser, at attempt on her life immediately follows, and when at another pivotal moment she chooses to follow her friend's advice, it puts her in danger all over again: I thought the results of the bad take were realistically negative. However, I would also have liked to have seen some recognition that it was a bad take happen in-story.
I mention this not because I didn't enjoy the book anyway, because I did - I LOVED it, and because I've never been in an abusive situation the above was not a big deal to me; I mention it only in case it would be a big deal for someone else. THE HEIR AND THE SPARE was the most delightful romance I've read since LADY ELIZABETH'S COMET and I've already been raving about it to my friends. I cannot wait to read more of Kate Stradling's work!
February 28, 2021
I was just checking the first paragraphs and somehow ended up reading the whole thing practically in a sitting, so take this for a recommendation if blurb seems interesting
It is a very powerful trope, at least for me: the formerly seriously bullied student is now in a position of power back over her former schoolmates - but they are not even her most traumatic bullies, her older sister the crown princess is far more psychopathic. And her sister is due to marry the head bully now. And the plot moves along quite convincingly for the most part.
I am awfully erratic at numerical ratings, but this specifically gets one extra star because I really liked plot developments towards the ending. YES. YES. Thank you.
It is a very powerful trope, at least for me: the formerly seriously bullied student is now in a position of power back over her former schoolmates - but they are not even her most traumatic bullies, her older sister the crown princess is far more psychopathic. And her sister is due to marry the head bully now. And the plot moves along quite convincingly for the most part.
I am awfully erratic at numerical ratings, but this specifically gets one extra star because I really liked plot developments towards the ending. YES. YES. Thank you.
April 29, 2024
2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of chemistry.
The Bad: The lack of emotional connections. The abrupt ending.
Overall: This had the potential of being a fun fantasy story but I struggled to connect to the characters and I don't think it was all that romantic. Yes, they form feelings for each other. But I didn't feel any emotional connection to those feelings. I didn't feel anything past entertained by the fantasy aspect/different world/kingdom politics of it. It might be because of the lack of steamy scenes, but I don't think so. Even the kissing scenes were very meh. Since the scenes are towards the end and the whole book had mostly been told by that point, I would expect some tension or feelings of something with those kisses! Nope, just meh, they kissed 🤷🏻♀️ The ending was so abrupt that right before I got there I was wondering if there was another book, because I knew I wasn't going to get the closure I wanted. Oh well! Lots of people loved this, so it very well could be a me being over picky thing...
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Iona and Jaoven's story. Iona is the second daughter of a king that is tormented by her older sister. When she finds out that there might be finally some relief from that torment in the form of an arranged marriage, she is hopeful for the first time. Only she knows the potential betrothed as her biggest bully when she was sent away to school. While she feels like her sister and Jaoven are perfect for each other, she starts to believe that Jaoven has changed and sees him in a different light. There is some kingdom politics, some psycho family drama, and a few sweet moments and side characters...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Iona and Jaoven in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. The ending was abrupt, but I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove: No, more like hate-to-love
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Jaoven. I liked him but I wanted him to recognize his feelings sooner.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Iona. I liked her, but I wanted her to be a little smarter at times.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull:Yes
Heat level: N/a. They kiss (towards the end), but even that was very low to no chemistry or tension.
Descriptive sex: No
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not IMO
Separation: I don't consider them together for it to be a separation
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in an alright place but I was very frustrated that it didn't have an epilogue or another book like I was thinking it would because it didn't have nearly enough closure for me. I would call this a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of chemistry.
The Bad: The lack of emotional connections. The abrupt ending.
Overall: This had the potential of being a fun fantasy story but I struggled to connect to the characters and I don't think it was all that romantic. Yes, they form feelings for each other. But I didn't feel any emotional connection to those feelings. I didn't feel anything past entertained by the fantasy aspect/different world/kingdom politics of it. It might be because of the lack of steamy scenes, but I don't think so. Even the kissing scenes were very meh. Since the scenes are towards the end and the whole book had mostly been told by that point, I would expect some tension or feelings of something with those kisses! Nope, just meh, they kissed 🤷🏻♀️ The ending was so abrupt that right before I got there I was wondering if there was another book, because I knew I wasn't going to get the closure I wanted. Oh well! Lots of people loved this, so it very well could be a me being over picky thing...
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Iona and Jaoven's story. Iona is the second daughter of a king that is tormented by her older sister. When she finds out that there might be finally some relief from that torment in the form of an arranged marriage, she is hopeful for the first time. Only she knows the potential betrothed as her biggest bully when she was sent away to school. While she feels like her sister and Jaoven are perfect for each other, she starts to believe that Jaoven has changed and sees him in a different light. There is some kingdom politics, some psycho family drama, and a few sweet moments and side characters...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Iona and Jaoven in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. The ending was abrupt, but I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove: No, more like hate-to-love
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Jaoven. I liked him but I wanted him to recognize his feelings sooner.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Iona. I liked her, but I wanted her to be a little smarter at times.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull:Yes
Heat level: N/a. They kiss (towards the end), but even that was very low to no chemistry or tension.
Descriptive sex: No
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not IMO
Separation: I don't consider them together for it to be a separation
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in an alright place but I was very frustrated that it didn't have an epilogue or another book like I was thinking it would because it didn't have nearly enough closure for me. I would call this a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
February 24, 2023
I'm sorry but I couldn't take the villains of this book seriously. They were practically twirling their mustaches as they talked. Also half of the stuff happening here and character progressions made absolutely no sense 😭 A lot felt rushed, the book should have been longer. It also had one of my pet peeves when it comes to royal main characters.
Edit: The more I think about this, the more pissed off I get. Down it goes
Edit: The more I think about this, the more pissed off I get. Down it goes
July 16, 2023
SECOND READ 10/10/22 - 4 stars
FIRST READ 02/05/2021 - 4.25 stars
TW: abusive relationships, both mentally/emotionally and physically.
I just wanted more after I finished this. My heart hurt for Iona pretty much the entire book, and I absolutely loved it.
I will say that the villains felt comically evil and weren't super developed, but eh, considering what this book is trying to do, this isn't a super big detractor. The actual romance part of Iona and Jaoven's relationship could have been more developed and had more time, but weirdly even still it didn't feel rushed.
FIRST READ 02/05/2021 - 4.25 stars
TW: abusive relationships, both mentally/emotionally and physically.
I just wanted more after I finished this. My heart hurt for Iona pretty much the entire book, and I absolutely loved it.
I will say that the villains felt comically evil and weren't super developed, but eh, considering what this book is trying to do, this isn't a super big detractor. The actual romance part of Iona and Jaoven's relationship could have been more developed and had more time, but weirdly even still it didn't feel rushed.
February 23, 2023
I stopped reading at 60% during a particularly poisonous family interaction in this book. After chatting with someone who had felt the same way but finished the book, I went back and finished. This is what I had originally said: The abuse from the sister is over the top and makes no sense. And, the parents must have believed the heroine enough as a child to send her away but somehow don’t believe her when she’s grown up? Makes no sense. And the heroine is too good. This story is a little too black and white in its villain/hero.
Now, that I’ve finished this book? I’m rolling my eyes and doubling down. Next time I won’t bother finishing a book that I can see going nowhere good.
The family dynamic is bizarre. Even knowing it’s part of the broader story doesn’t make it more sensical. Instead, I’m more contemptuous of the entire plot and the heroine. How can a country know something and the heroine not!?
Also, the hero is a prick. All the way through. He never listens. And I didn’t enjoy their stupid love story. Nope. Not for me.
So... next time trust myself and not continue to waste my time.
Now, that I’ve finished this book? I’m rolling my eyes and doubling down. Next time I won’t bother finishing a book that I can see going nowhere good.
The family dynamic is bizarre. Even knowing it’s part of the broader story doesn’t make it more sensical. Instead, I’m more contemptuous of the entire plot and the heroine. How can a country know something and the heroine not!?
Also, the hero is a prick. All the way through. He never listens. And I didn’t enjoy their stupid love story. Nope. Not for me.
So... next time trust myself and not continue to waste my time.
July 12, 2021
Books > Full night of sleep
I’m really surprised this book is not getting more hype. It has everything that makes up a YA fantasy book.
- enemies to lovers ✅
- political intrigue ✅
- betrayal ✅
- mystery ✅
- mysterious and sexy male character ✅
- loyal best friend✅
I devoured this book in one sitting and I don’t even regret all the sleep I missed out on!
I’m really surprised this book is not getting more hype. It has everything that makes up a YA fantasy book.
- enemies to lovers ✅
- political intrigue ✅
- betrayal ✅
- mystery ✅
- mysterious and sexy male character ✅
- loyal best friend✅
I devoured this book in one sitting and I don’t even regret all the sleep I missed out on!
January 28, 2024
4.5
I love Kate's storytelling so much.
I usually get bored when political intrigue is at the centre of a story, but let's be honest, this felt like a high society Big Brother edition and I was charmed
I love Kate's storytelling so much.
I usually get bored when political intrigue is at the centre of a story, but let's be honest, this felt like a high society Big Brother edition and I was charmed
September 11, 2022
The Heir and the Spare was such a good book. Seriously, devoured it one sitting and now I'm just hoping that they are living their best lives. Happily, of course. Mostly because Iona deserves every ounce of it. Besides meeting her, you also get to know Jaoven. Sure, they were enemies in the past but the tension brewing between them easily forced them into potential lovers. The only thing in the way: her older sister.
Honestly, I wasn't getting the vibe that he really liked that monster. I also wasn't a huge fan of her, or the King, because of how they treated Iona. Who was the sweetest little thing who just wanted peace. Oh, and for her sister to leave - forever.
It doesn't take long for certain people's colors to show. I wasn't really surprised with the reveals towards the end because honestly, any person with eyes would have figure it all out. Still, I devoured this book and absolutely loved everything.
In the end, I'm just hoping that these two get married and live a happily ever after. Heck, even her mother deserves a second chance at love.
Honestly, I wasn't getting the vibe that he really liked that monster. I also wasn't a huge fan of her, or the King, because of how they treated Iona. Who was the sweetest little thing who just wanted peace. Oh, and for her sister to leave - forever.
It doesn't take long for certain people's colors to show. I wasn't really surprised with the reveals towards the end because honestly, any person with eyes would have figure it all out. Still, I devoured this book and absolutely loved everything.
In the end, I'm just hoping that these two get married and live a happily ever after. Heck, even her mother deserves a second chance at love.
February 21, 2021
Iona deserves better
It’s more like 3.5 stars, but I’ve loved every other book by Kate Stradling so I’m willing to round up.
The good:
It feels a lot more in line with Namesake than some of her other lighter works (Kingdom, Inge).
I really liked that Stradling didn’t shy away from Iona’s sister being psychotic, and that everyone but the Caprians knows that she’s nuts. I also think that Iona’s character is believable, and that the majority of her responses to events highlight her struggles and her core goodness. Her cousin is also best character and I will not be convinced otherwise. Villains are appropriately villain-y.
What I didn’t like:
I think a key point of forgiveness is that it has to come from the victim, on their own time. An apology—even a heartfelt one—is only the first step to atonement. (The process can’t be rushed!)
And I think my big sticking point with the story is how the ML and the Caprians are handled. Stradling mentions in the afterword the quick turnaround to publishing for this story, and I think here’s where it could’ve benefitted another month or two in her hands. We’re told, more than shown, that Jove and his cronies feel bad about how they were like as teens. Except they don’t seem to have changed all that much. (More later). There’s very little to indicate the war has changed any of them for the better, and Iona could do way better. So I actually spend much of the novel hoping that Jove does end up with the nut job sister, and that Iona becomes free and fiercely independent and the HBIC she should be.
Also, minor complaint—we see during a card game, and it’s referenced in their past at the boarding school, that Iona is basically the smartest person in the room. But it feels like wasted potential because she doesn’t use it for anything in the last chunk of the book. I wanted to see her dominate. Or at least absolutely destroy Jove at a chess match.
~~spoilers~~
The boarding school is Bad (emphasis on the capital B). Basically the only reason it’s not the worst experience Iona has had is because her sister is possibly a demon inhabiting a human body. But the gist of the system is that the school is divided into two broad tiers—the Hunters (top level nobility) and the Prey (bottom level nobility). And while this leads to general year-round harassment, it culminates in a week where students are unsupervised and begin a twisted game of hide and seek. Prey are forced to hide in the wilderness until Hunters capture them, tie them up in a barn, and use them as personal slaves. (Lackeys, I assume, though realistically I’m sure much worse could happen).
(I actually would’ve appreciated flashback chapters to their time at the boarding school to get a better sense of their interactions there. It would’ve fleshed out their relationship.)
(Iona’s broken arm was somehow a turning point, but that’s never explained).
(The civil war was due to sibling politics, but the hierarchy system formed at the boarding school seems to have played a huge role in its development. Do I feel bad that a bunch of teenagers got caught in the crossfire of a system they helped perpetuate? Not especially. And that either says something about me or about how unsympathetic the Caprians were).
Jove and cronies (they’re all pretty bland except his one spy) don’t seem to feel true regret for how they treated Iona and the other Prey. They’re upset that this shared past potentially throws the treaty into jeopardy, but they don’t feel bad for treating Iona like dirt because they treated her like dirt. Because bad stuff happened to them, they should automatically be absolved of past wrongdoing. Jove talks about how he was the prey for 4 years, with much higher stakes, but I certainly wouldn’t trust a bunch of rich kids treating me like an animal to be especially worried about my survival. Basically every interaction with Iona is calculated to either cajole her into forgiving them, or finding a way to blackmail her into silence. It’s unclear to me why Iona would ever like Jove, impending marriage to her sister notwithstanding. At his core he doesn’t seem much different than he would’ve been. He just happens to need something from her now, and hey she’s a princess too! (Like, did he have a crush before? Toxic masculinity I dislike, but can at least accept as plausible). The Caprians go back and forth between trying to play friends with Iona and poking at her trauma. I mean, I really wanted Iona to just lock basically everyone in the palace and set fire to it.
So I think the book (with characters as written) would have been better without the final romance. If it had to happen, more should’ve been done for the Caprians to actually acknowledge how they were awful, and atone because it was the right thing to do, not because they found their former victim in a position of power over them. As it is now, their supposed change of heart rings false, and the romance is just meh. And rushed.
(Iona could do better!)
It’s more like 3.5 stars, but I’ve loved every other book by Kate Stradling so I’m willing to round up.
The good:
It feels a lot more in line with Namesake than some of her other lighter works (Kingdom, Inge).
I really liked that Stradling didn’t shy away from Iona’s sister being psychotic, and that everyone but the Caprians knows that she’s nuts. I also think that Iona’s character is believable, and that the majority of her responses to events highlight her struggles and her core goodness. Her cousin is also best character and I will not be convinced otherwise. Villains are appropriately villain-y.
What I didn’t like:
I think a key point of forgiveness is that it has to come from the victim, on their own time. An apology—even a heartfelt one—is only the first step to atonement. (The process can’t be rushed!)
And I think my big sticking point with the story is how the ML and the Caprians are handled. Stradling mentions in the afterword the quick turnaround to publishing for this story, and I think here’s where it could’ve benefitted another month or two in her hands. We’re told, more than shown, that Jove and his cronies feel bad about how they were like as teens. Except they don’t seem to have changed all that much. (More later). There’s very little to indicate the war has changed any of them for the better, and Iona could do way better. So I actually spend much of the novel hoping that Jove does end up with the nut job sister, and that Iona becomes free and fiercely independent and the HBIC she should be.
Also, minor complaint—we see during a card game, and it’s referenced in their past at the boarding school, that Iona is basically the smartest person in the room. But it feels like wasted potential because she doesn’t use it for anything in the last chunk of the book. I wanted to see her dominate. Or at least absolutely destroy Jove at a chess match.
~~spoilers~~
The boarding school is Bad (emphasis on the capital B). Basically the only reason it’s not the worst experience Iona has had is because her sister is possibly a demon inhabiting a human body. But the gist of the system is that the school is divided into two broad tiers—the Hunters (top level nobility) and the Prey (bottom level nobility). And while this leads to general year-round harassment, it culminates in a week where students are unsupervised and begin a twisted game of hide and seek. Prey are forced to hide in the wilderness until Hunters capture them, tie them up in a barn, and use them as personal slaves. (Lackeys, I assume, though realistically I’m sure much worse could happen).
(I actually would’ve appreciated flashback chapters to their time at the boarding school to get a better sense of their interactions there. It would’ve fleshed out their relationship.)
(Iona’s broken arm was somehow a turning point, but that’s never explained).
(The civil war was due to sibling politics, but the hierarchy system formed at the boarding school seems to have played a huge role in its development. Do I feel bad that a bunch of teenagers got caught in the crossfire of a system they helped perpetuate? Not especially. And that either says something about me or about how unsympathetic the Caprians were).
Jove and cronies (they’re all pretty bland except his one spy) don’t seem to feel true regret for how they treated Iona and the other Prey. They’re upset that this shared past potentially throws the treaty into jeopardy, but they don’t feel bad for treating Iona like dirt because they treated her like dirt. Because bad stuff happened to them, they should automatically be absolved of past wrongdoing. Jove talks about how he was the prey for 4 years, with much higher stakes, but I certainly wouldn’t trust a bunch of rich kids treating me like an animal to be especially worried about my survival. Basically every interaction with Iona is calculated to either cajole her into forgiving them, or finding a way to blackmail her into silence. It’s unclear to me why Iona would ever like Jove, impending marriage to her sister notwithstanding. At his core he doesn’t seem much different than he would’ve been. He just happens to need something from her now, and hey she’s a princess too! (Like, did he have a crush before? Toxic masculinity I dislike, but can at least accept as plausible). The Caprians go back and forth between trying to play friends with Iona and poking at her trauma. I mean, I really wanted Iona to just lock basically everyone in the palace and set fire to it.
So I think the book (with characters as written) would have been better without the final romance. If it had to happen, more should’ve been done for the Caprians to actually acknowledge how they were awful, and atone because it was the right thing to do, not because they found their former victim in a position of power over them. As it is now, their supposed change of heart rings false, and the romance is just meh. And rushed.
(Iona could do better!)
April 12, 2022
The story obviously revolves around the political drama of the heir and the spare, as the title suggests. Iona was the second-born princess of Wassett. She was tormented by her cruel sister Lisenn. Also, she was also bullied when she was sent to boarding school in neighboring country, Capria. Then comes a request of alliance. Prince Jaoven, who was one of the bullies of Iona, and her sister Princess Lisenn. Finally a chance for Iona to be rid of her sister. But when Prince Jaoven comes to Wassett, he is not the who he was earlier. Humbled by the civil war in Capria, he now proclaims to be changed.
What is more undoing than a man accepting his mistakes, taking responsibility for them and even making up for them?
Hain na? Though it didn't exactly went as above, but a little bit close. It was delightful to see Jaoven as caring, humble and kind as opposed to Iona's cruel version of him. Now, should Iona warm him about his cruel sister? Also why all the nobles and the kingdom seems in favor of this alliance?
Now. One of the theme of this plot was you having power over your once-bully. Even in that circumstance, Iona never misused that power. Iona and Jaoven were refreshing as characters, independently. However, I wanted more of those two together. One day, Iona was hating him and was being skeptical about him and the next day there were in love with each other. Their development, together as couple, and chemistry was zilch. Also, the villains in the story were extra evil. On the other side, we got apology from Jaoven, but from his entourage? Also, I would have liked some groveling from our prince, tbh.
Being said all that, the royal drama was fun enough to read.
“I agree with you,” he whispered, as though haunted.
A tremulous breath escaped her, almost a laugh but far too cynical. “Forgive my skepticism. You were always the ringleader, even among students older than yourself.”
He pinned her with a steely gaze. “And I was wrong. Is no one allowed to change in your world, or am I simply beyond redemption?”
What is more undoing than a man accepting his mistakes, taking responsibility for them and even making up for them?
Hain na? Though it didn't exactly went as above, but a little bit close. It was delightful to see Jaoven as caring, humble and kind as opposed to Iona's cruel version of him. Now, should Iona warm him about his cruel sister? Also why all the nobles and the kingdom seems in favor of this alliance?
Now. One of the theme of this plot was you having power over your once-bully. Even in that circumstance, Iona never misused that power. Iona and Jaoven were refreshing as characters, independently. However, I wanted more of those two together. One day, Iona was hating him and was being skeptical about him and the next day there were in love with each other. Their development, together as couple, and chemistry was zilch. Also, the villains in the story were extra evil. On the other side, we got apology from Jaoven, but from his entourage? Also, I would have liked some groveling from our prince, tbh.
Being said all that, the royal drama was fun enough to read.
January 1, 2023
3.75
This was a fun enemies to lovers/ royal rivals storyline!
We have our mains (Iona & Jaoven) having a pretty tumultuous school past that comes to light when Jaoven arrives years later in Iona's Empire of Wessett asking for a political marriage....with her sister Lisenn.
Not only does he belatedly realize that the girl he use to torture in the past is actually a Princess-he also realize just how easily she could mess things up for him considering his country is in dire straights after a civil war, and he needs this marriage.
But Iona is more than happy to let the nuptials continue because she knows something the Prince and Caprian delegation don't...that her sister is a monster with a hair trigger, and well, wouldn't the two banes of her existence just suit nicely?
Most importantly, she's even willing to play nice with her past bullies if that means the marriage would be taking her cruel sister from Wessett shores for the foreseeable future.
However, it seems after the war the vicious Prince has changed his ways and apparently so have his entourage.
But forgiveness isn't easy, nor is keeping her mouth shut about the horrors her sister has perpetrated when Iona starts to feel uneasy about letting Lisenn become a crushed Capria's problem.
What will these two past enemies do when secrets unravel in their time together, unfortunate events push them closer, and the fate of Empires are at stake?
This was a fun enemies to lovers/ royal rivals storyline!
We have our mains (Iona & Jaoven) having a pretty tumultuous school past that comes to light when Jaoven arrives years later in Iona's Empire of Wessett asking for a political marriage....with her sister Lisenn.
Not only does he belatedly realize that the girl he use to torture in the past is actually a Princess-he also realize just how easily she could mess things up for him considering his country is in dire straights after a civil war, and he needs this marriage.
But Iona is more than happy to let the nuptials continue because she knows something the Prince and Caprian delegation don't...that her sister is a monster with a hair trigger, and well, wouldn't the two banes of her existence just suit nicely?
Most importantly, she's even willing to play nice with her past bullies if that means the marriage would be taking her cruel sister from Wessett shores for the foreseeable future.
However, it seems after the war the vicious Prince has changed his ways and apparently so have his entourage.
But forgiveness isn't easy, nor is keeping her mouth shut about the horrors her sister has perpetrated when Iona starts to feel uneasy about letting Lisenn become a crushed Capria's problem.
What will these two past enemies do when secrets unravel in their time together, unfortunate events push them closer, and the fate of Empires are at stake?
May 14, 2021
DNF 40%
This is kind of awful. I mean the writing is fine. But everything else, the characters, the plot, all of it is not enjoyable at all. I've read some dark books and this one is in its own way dark because of the severe severe bullying and torment Iona goes through with her older sister and the Caprians.
Thr Caprians have just been through a war, yet their behavior and treatment of Iona, their mindset, seems very little changed.
I quit at 40% because nothing was changing or evolving. It was just a merry go round of false assumptions, unbalanced power struggles, Iona being tortured or manipulated by one person or another. She doesn't fight back. She hasn't changed at all. There's no evolution of characters.
Not for me.
I give it 2 stars because the writing is good, just not anything else.
This is kind of awful. I mean the writing is fine. But everything else, the characters, the plot, all of it is not enjoyable at all. I've read some dark books and this one is in its own way dark because of the severe severe bullying and torment Iona goes through with her older sister and the Caprians.
Thr Caprians have just been through a war, yet their behavior and treatment of Iona, their mindset, seems very little changed.
I quit at 40% because nothing was changing or evolving. It was just a merry go round of false assumptions, unbalanced power struggles, Iona being tortured or manipulated by one person or another. She doesn't fight back. She hasn't changed at all. There's no evolution of characters.
Not for me.
I give it 2 stars because the writing is good, just not anything else.
April 1, 2021
2 1/2 really, enjoyable, exciting but ... i am getting old and don't like sweet disney movies as much, or like them and enjoy them but then think i have to be super snarky about them afterwards!
July 6, 2021
I knew this book was going to be good from the moment I saw it had released, and I was not disappointed! This author always manages to write such cool and twisty stories!
This latest adventure is a kingdom adventure (no magic, no magical creatures, nothing that can't exist in our world, yet the book takes place in a clearly fantasy world with no tie whatsoever to our real world). It also is somewhat of a romantic fantasy. But also a court intrigue book where more of the plot focuses on the formation of a single treaty and what it will mean for two kingdoms.
Yet, this book is also about abuse, the two-faced life of abusers, and what victims do to survive. It is about the cost of war on a kingdom. It is about changing hearts and redemption for those who want to change and make true amends...and justice on those who aren't willing to change and instead revel in their evil.
I snapped up the audiobook version as soon as it released. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like the narrator. But, her voice soon won me over, and I got so wrapped up both in the book and the audio version of it that I experienced severe book hangover afterwards.
This book is so seriously good! I highly recommend it, though I would add a trigger warning that it might be triggering to those who have suffered abuse.
This latest adventure is a kingdom adventure (no magic, no magical creatures, nothing that can't exist in our world, yet the book takes place in a clearly fantasy world with no tie whatsoever to our real world). It also is somewhat of a romantic fantasy. But also a court intrigue book where more of the plot focuses on the formation of a single treaty and what it will mean for two kingdoms.
Yet, this book is also about abuse, the two-faced life of abusers, and what victims do to survive. It is about the cost of war on a kingdom. It is about changing hearts and redemption for those who want to change and make true amends...and justice on those who aren't willing to change and instead revel in their evil.
I snapped up the audiobook version as soon as it released. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like the narrator. But, her voice soon won me over, and I got so wrapped up both in the book and the audio version of it that I experienced severe book hangover afterwards.
This book is so seriously good! I highly recommend it, though I would add a trigger warning that it might be triggering to those who have suffered abuse.
June 20, 2025
I was pulled into this story and the author's writing style, and it kept me guessing and wanting to know what would happen next. But this book was a lot darker than I expected... the sister is not just mean or a villain, she's abusive. There were a few scenes that I was cringing a little bit, and I wasn't a fan of the scene where Iona was forced to re-account her previous trauma. The book also ends rather abruptly; I wish it had been longer. I did like the author's writing style and would try reading a different book by her in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2021
Gripping! This story sucked me in right from the start and I could not put it down. The writing and storytelling just flowed and I was able to get lost in the story. And its quite a story!
Princess Iona is the spare, she is the second daughter to the King of Wessett. Her sister, Princess Lisenn is the heir and quite evil. She has spent her life devoted to tormenting poor Iona. Iona escapes into painting and music and is quite accomplished. You can't help but like Iona, she is smart and kind despite the harsh treatment she has received all her life. She sees a light at the end of the tunnel when a marriage treaty is announced between Lisenn and the neighboring kingdom's prince from Capria. Iona is even more excited for the match when she learns that the new prince is one of her former tormentors from school.
I just loved the opening chapter when Iona comes face-to-face with her bullies from school and I was so glad we got the perspective of Prince Jaoven, and were able to see how he, and his friends, had changed from his time at school with Iona. It also gave an interesting view into Iona’s world. I actually came to like them all.
This was a pretty hard read at times, the abuse Iona suffers is obviously sad and seeing her whole life has been spent in survival mode, whether at school or at home, is heartbreaking. But the author does a good job of not letting things get too heavy and there are some lighter moments. I love the natural progression of Iona's relationship with Jaovan, I as a romantic, wouldnt have minded a bit more romance, but the slow-burn development truly did match the setting and made it more believable based on their past and current situation.
Definitely recommend to fans of High Fantasy romance, just be warned it does deal with some heavy subject matter.
Content Rated PG13 for violence
Romance: Kissing
Language: Very mild
Violence: Moderate - Liseen is quite physically and emotionally abusive to Iona. While most happens off page and is more eluded to there is
Princess Iona is the spare, she is the second daughter to the King of Wessett. Her sister, Princess Lisenn is the heir and quite evil. She has spent her life devoted to tormenting poor Iona. Iona escapes into painting and music and is quite accomplished. You can't help but like Iona, she is smart and kind despite the harsh treatment she has received all her life. She sees a light at the end of the tunnel when a marriage treaty is announced between Lisenn and the neighboring kingdom's prince from Capria. Iona is even more excited for the match when she learns that the new prince is one of her former tormentors from school.
I just loved the opening chapter when Iona comes face-to-face with her bullies from school and I was so glad we got the perspective of Prince Jaoven, and were able to see how he, and his friends, had changed from his time at school with Iona. It also gave an interesting view into Iona’s world. I actually came to like them all.
This was a pretty hard read at times, the abuse Iona suffers is obviously sad and seeing her whole life has been spent in survival mode, whether at school or at home, is heartbreaking. But the author does a good job of not letting things get too heavy and there are some lighter moments. I love the natural progression of Iona's relationship with Jaovan, I as a romantic, wouldnt have minded a bit more romance, but the slow-burn development truly did match the setting and made it more believable based on their past and current situation.
Definitely recommend to fans of High Fantasy romance, just be warned it does deal with some heavy subject matter.
Content Rated PG13 for violence
Romance: Kissing
Language: Very mild
Violence: Moderate - Liseen is quite physically and emotionally abusive to Iona. While most happens off page and is more eluded to there is
July 20, 2021
First of all - trigger warning, there are many descriptions of physical abuse, incl. a full descriptive chapter scene. I don't know whether there is such a warning already, so I am putting it here.
At 90% in this book I thought "Thats it!?"
Where is the believable love story? There was nothing there, no chemistry at all.
How can the whole nation of Wesset collude and approve the marriage of Lisenn to Jaoven? In practice, this would never work. Any servant can flip to the king, for a promise of higher salary and this is a dominating strategy in this game. This means that there is no way to maintain such collusion. So, suspend the belief there.
How come Iona didn't once think to pick up knowledge of a weapon, e. g. a dagger and show it to Lisenn at first chance? Why wasn't there any growth? She remained a doormat right until the end. I realize that this is the socialized behavior of someone victimized since youth, but until age 18 she didn't once strike back? I struggle to believe that, given how smart and accomplished she is supposed to be.
The only good thing about this book is the writing. It was written very well, despite the eyerolling plot elements. The overall idea was cool. Ergo, 2 stars.
At 90% in this book I thought "Thats it!?"
Where is the believable love story? There was nothing there, no chemistry at all.
How can the whole nation of Wesset collude and approve the marriage of Lisenn to Jaoven? In practice, this would never work. Any servant can flip to the king, for a promise of higher salary and this is a dominating strategy in this game. This means that there is no way to maintain such collusion. So, suspend the belief there.
How come Iona didn't once think to pick up knowledge of a weapon, e. g. a dagger and show it to Lisenn at first chance? Why wasn't there any growth? She remained a doormat right until the end. I realize that this is the socialized behavior of someone victimized since youth, but until age 18 she didn't once strike back? I struggle to believe that, given how smart and accomplished she is supposed to be.
The only good thing about this book is the writing. It was written very well, despite the eyerolling plot elements. The overall idea was cool. Ergo, 2 stars.
November 28, 2021
Another beautiful story.
And may I say just like her other books, this one is still a gorgeous tale with a tight plot, beautiful characters (and *nasty* ones), and an intriguing world to backdrop it all? I did so love the themes running through this book, which made it slightly heavier than her other reads but nevertheless still enjoyable and sweet.
My personal rant is that I thought the romance went too fast...not for the heroine's sake but...just that I didn't think the hero got to know the real her enough to actually fall. And that I thought their penitence wasn't enough. But I'm just vindictive towards fictional characters. But they don't hold a candle to my hatred for that absolute villain (though I'll be honest, that psycho needed therapy and a different upbringing! And maybe some face bashing but that's just me being violent).... but anyway, I LOVED the book...and I especially loved a certain cousin (ruthless + cunning + SWEET = instant adoration)
All in all, wonderful addition to Stradling's collection of books
Content: as I said, the touching themes make the book a bit heavier...violence wise and psycholgical/mental torture wise. Kissing and that's all
And may I say just like her other books, this one is still a gorgeous tale with a tight plot, beautiful characters (and *nasty* ones), and an intriguing world to backdrop it all? I did so love the themes running through this book, which made it slightly heavier than her other reads but nevertheless still enjoyable and sweet.
My personal rant is that I thought the romance went too fast...not for the heroine's sake but...just that I didn't think the hero got to know the real her enough to actually fall. And that I thought their penitence wasn't enough. But I'm just vindictive towards fictional characters. But they don't hold a candle to my hatred for that absolute villain (though I'll be honest, that psycho needed therapy and a different upbringing! And maybe some face bashing but that's just me being violent).... but anyway, I LOVED the book...and I especially loved a certain cousin (ruthless + cunning + SWEET = instant adoration)
All in all, wonderful addition to Stradling's collection of books
Content: as I said, the touching themes make the book a bit heavier...violence wise and psycholgical/mental torture wise. Kissing and that's all
March 12, 2021
Enemies to lovers is usually always brilliant. Iona and Prince Jaoven despised each other only to grow closer throughout this story. I couldn’t help but love Iona and suffer along with her as she endures her sisters torture. Lisenn made my skin crawl and honestly I didn’t expect that level of abuse going into this. With the help of her cousin and Jaoven, she manages to escape barely.
This was a really good and interesting read. It was heart wrenching but well worth it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a really good and interesting read. It was heart wrenching but well worth it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2022
Dear god, I am so glad I'm done with this. This story is so boring and repetitive, I could barely handle it. Also, there is literally no chemistry between Iona and Jaoven. Their interactions were so uninteresting..
February 25, 2021
This was such an amazingly good book. Enemies to lovers, political alliances, and high stakes. I couldn't put it down, even walking between airport terminals (sorry random person I bumped into!).
October 2, 2023
I may write a full review sometime, but I really enjoyed this book. The main character, Iona, was fantastic, and I really liked her relationship with her cousin Aedan.
October 11, 2022
This book is absolutely fabulous. This was my introduction to the author and I am impressed. This is a clean romance, which didn’t detract from the story one iota.
This book has many tropes I enjoy including angsty bully romance. It had groveling too! The plot has some great twists and turns. I loved the MC’s and secondary characters. Such depth. Great world building and intrigue. Read it!
This book has many tropes I enjoy including angsty bully romance. It had groveling too! The plot has some great twists and turns. I loved the MC’s and secondary characters. Such depth. Great world building and intrigue. Read it!
January 7, 2024
Superb palace drama/thriller/romance
If you like slowburn romance, quiet and resourceful heroines, psychological thrillers, or palace intrigue this book absolutely knocks it out of the park. Oh, and the dry humour is top notch!
I wasn’t expecting it to get *quite* so intense, I confess. You may lose sleep rushing to finish this novel, be warned.
EDIT: I’ve noticed a few people talking about trigger warnings and debating if this is suitable for YA or not. In a world where something like THE HUNGER GAMES is routine reading for 13 year olds, many people wouldn’t bat an eyelid, but personally I took this as a book for adults. There’s nothing of a sexual nature, but it does have a character who takes delight in cruelty, and the threat of cruelty runs through the novel, which may be upsetting to some. I felt that the scenes of friendship, redemption, and hope balanced out the nasty character, but it’s still an intense read.
If you like slowburn romance, quiet and resourceful heroines, psychological thrillers, or palace intrigue this book absolutely knocks it out of the park. Oh, and the dry humour is top notch!
I wasn’t expecting it to get *quite* so intense, I confess. You may lose sleep rushing to finish this novel, be warned.
EDIT: I’ve noticed a few people talking about trigger warnings and debating if this is suitable for YA or not. In a world where something like THE HUNGER GAMES is routine reading for 13 year olds, many people wouldn’t bat an eyelid, but personally I took this as a book for adults. There’s nothing of a sexual nature, but it does have a character who takes delight in cruelty, and the threat of cruelty runs through the novel, which may be upsetting to some. I felt that the scenes of friendship, redemption, and hope balanced out the nasty character, but it’s still an intense read.
July 26, 2022
Best balanced fantasy romance I read this year
February 20, 2021
I love Kate Stradling's writing. I couldn't put the book down with all the many story twists and surprises. Be warned that this story deals with chronic physical abuse.
February 25, 2021
2.5
I was warned. I was 100% warned that this is a darker book and that there are some disturbing parts. I just don’t do that combo. Even though it wasn’t over the top or anything, it’s just not for me. I know this, but I thought I’d give it a shot. It’s like Olives, some people love olives and I know I absolutely don’t!
I did think this author has a great writing style and I will totally read more from her(the lighter books!).
I was warned. I was 100% warned that this is a darker book and that there are some disturbing parts. I just don’t do that combo. Even though it wasn’t over the top or anything, it’s just not for me. I know this, but I thought I’d give it a shot. It’s like Olives, some people love olives and I know I absolutely don’t!
I did think this author has a great writing style and I will totally read more from her(the lighter books!).
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