What do you think?
Rate this book
Treaties of Moial #2
Heir's Dilemma
A princess and spy, both determined to do their duty.
If they give in to their attraction, they court disaster. But some temptations are too strong to resist.
***
Princess Merine Velor has never resisted her role as a political pawn. She knows she will end up in a marriage of state, where the best she can hope for is to respect her husband and perhaps find a measure of contentment. Then her father announces that she will marry a man more than twice her age. Merine begins to look for other options, but her father is not going to accept anyone less than a prince.
Andros is no one, and he likes it that way. He can mingle with craftsmen, laborers, and servants and learn exactly what he wants to know. He doesn’t mix with the rich and powerful—except when he reports to his mentor, Baron Orlant. When his job places him in the path of Princess Merine, however, he ends up falling for the foreign princess. Merine just might be the answer his kingdom needs, but can he really step back and let her marry the crown prince?
With the succession on the line, Merine and Andros must decide how to balance their feelings against an entire kingdom.
If they give in to their attraction, they court disaster. But some temptations are too strong to resist.
***
Princess Merine Velor has never resisted her role as a political pawn. She knows she will end up in a marriage of state, where the best she can hope for is to respect her husband and perhaps find a measure of contentment. Then her father announces that she will marry a man more than twice her age. Merine begins to look for other options, but her father is not going to accept anyone less than a prince.
Andros is no one, and he likes it that way. He can mingle with craftsmen, laborers, and servants and learn exactly what he wants to know. He doesn’t mix with the rich and powerful—except when he reports to his mentor, Baron Orlant. When his job places him in the path of Princess Merine, however, he ends up falling for the foreign princess. Merine just might be the answer his kingdom needs, but can he really step back and let her marry the crown prince?
With the succession on the line, Merine and Andros must decide how to balance their feelings against an entire kingdom.
325 pages, Paperback
Published October 26, 2021
14 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Jen Lynning
22 books87 followersJen Lynning never outgrew her love of fairy tales. (She may have studied German just so she could read the Brothers Grimm in the original.) When she wasn’t reading about life in a magical world, she was imagining it. Eventually she decided to start writing her own stories where magic and romance meet.
Jen lives in Northern Virginia with her two cats, who make their own contributions to her writing by walking across the keyboard, and her bird, who offers commentary on the whole process.
Jen lives in Northern Virginia with her two cats, who make their own contributions to her writing by walking across the keyboard, and her bird, who offers commentary on the whole process.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 21, 2021
I love this couple! Merine and Andros are both so tender and sweet (but secretly badass) (and a little steamy). The story had as many – more? – twists and turns and political drama as the first book in the series. I enjoyed the banter and definitely laughed out loud at a few points (the poem!!), and enjoyed the cast of supporting characters. Are Suzi and Lira going to get their own book(s)? I hope Reyn will at least!
June 27, 2022
Merine is the kind of person I would love to have as a friend. Cunning enough to plan moves and counter moves when it comes to political issues. I mean she has to be able to undermine her father while still being able to represent the interests of her kingdom as princess. But unfortunately her father is a toad and just wants to marry her off to whoever he thinks he can gain the most benefits from. In this case a crown prince as old as he is. Just eww. Merine and Reyn formulating plans, navigating the social circles and proving over and over again just how well they know how to use their intellect. I’m always a fan of a badass and these ladies are top notch. Celedra ugh I mean I can’t even put words together to describe how much I detested her. It’s been said that you really know what kind of person someone is by the way they treat those inferior to them and the way she treats servants as well as courtiers puts a bad taste in my mouth and makes me itch to hit something. King Der and Baron Orlant make me so happy and I COMPLETELY SHIP IT. Last but not least Andros the sly fox who infiltrated and spied for the kingdom while he was a nobody and being able to prove that he is the GOAT. Take that princess diaries it can happen to a man too. I just really enjoyed this adventure. Definitely recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2022
This book wasn't terrible and I will say that i enjoyed the story overall--but it took me a while to get through it because I was kind of bored and not really surprised or invested in the plot at a certain point.
Liked the characters though and it was a soft kind of romance. No real tension just a light historical fantasy.
Liked the characters though and it was a soft kind of romance. No real tension just a light historical fantasy.
November 7, 2021
The first book in the series was amazing! Both characters were compelling and the story they had together was so good. The relationship built naturally and each was so interesting in their own right that I just loved hearing about them and I felt like everything was natural.
This book was a slog. It just wasn’t as good as the first one. It’s just a very different story with very different characters and wasn’t as appealing. Frankly, I sped through just to see if there’s anything I missed and there’s a marriage and a sex scene pretty close to the end that’s not appealing at all. It just doesn’t feel like a great book worthy of my time unfortunately. I really love the first book so much and it’s definitely in my top top books. It’s disappointing that the second is just not the same.
Also, it isn’t until 97% into the book that they finally declare their love for each other! What, why?
This book was a slog. It just wasn’t as good as the first one. It’s just a very different story with very different characters and wasn’t as appealing. Frankly, I sped through just to see if there’s anything I missed and there’s a marriage and a sex scene pretty close to the end that’s not appealing at all. It just doesn’t feel like a great book worthy of my time unfortunately. I really love the first book so much and it’s definitely in my top top books. It’s disappointing that the second is just not the same.
Also, it isn’t until 97% into the book that they finally declare their love for each other! What, why?
January 16, 2022
4.5 rounding up.
This didn't have quite as unique a premise as book 1 in the series, but still so very enjoyable.
It's several years since the events of Empath's Lure. Lisca and Khiran are happy in Lhanaperi, and smiling, cunning Sebin has apparently sickened of being the strings behind the Moial throne and fled overseas - leaving Princess Merine (now a seasoned courtier rather than the debutante we last saw her as) as her father's next political pawn, as part of a marriage treaty/alliance with another kingdom, Djali. The King of Djali has his own worries though, and places a spy within his own court.
Things I loved:
- The political machinations here are still layered and nuanced and a lot of fun
- Merine is a great character - resigned to her duty as a younger princess to marry for the good of her kingdom, but trying hard to make that inevitability work for her. Whenever she sees a chance to secure a slightly better outcome for herself she leaps on it. Despite being a pawn of her father she gives herself agency.
- Jen Lynning's insertion of little tropey romantic sub-plots into the narrative with secondary characters. In Empath's Lure it was 'Prince falls in love with maid', here there's a very sweet 'In love with younger sister's best friend' moment
- The Djali secondary characters in general. Orlant and Der in particular.
- The side-stepping that Merine and Andros go through, neither comfortable revealing their hand to the other until almost the end. Some may say it dragged on for to long, but I enjoyed the realism of their muddled feelings and the handling of it in a way that meant their romance was an essential part of, but didn't overwhelm, the overall story.
- That the story doesn't just end when the central problem is resolved - you get to see the main characters working through its implications and some of the aftermath.
Docking half a star because:
- I figured out what would happen with Andros's plotline literally within about four paragraphs of meeting him. Lynning was obviously dropping at least some hints on purpose, but they could have been more veiled early on. That being said, it didn't make the journey any less enjoyable.
- Count Bendeil returns as Moial's treaty negotiator, but seems to have completely changed character from book 1? There he was a competent foil in comparison to the King, here he's just a misogynistic waste of space.
I'm all in on this series though. Bring on Sebin's book!
This didn't have quite as unique a premise as book 1 in the series, but still so very enjoyable.
It's several years since the events of Empath's Lure. Lisca and Khiran are happy in Lhanaperi, and smiling, cunning Sebin has apparently sickened of being the strings behind the Moial throne and fled overseas - leaving Princess Merine (now a seasoned courtier rather than the debutante we last saw her as) as her father's next political pawn, as part of a marriage treaty/alliance with another kingdom, Djali. The King of Djali has his own worries though, and places a spy within his own court.
Things I loved:
- The political machinations here are still layered and nuanced and a lot of fun
- Merine is a great character - resigned to her duty as a younger princess to marry for the good of her kingdom, but trying hard to make that inevitability work for her. Whenever she sees a chance to secure a slightly better outcome for herself she leaps on it. Despite being a pawn of her father she gives herself agency.
- Jen Lynning's insertion of little tropey romantic sub-plots into the narrative with secondary characters. In Empath's Lure it was 'Prince falls in love with maid', here there's a very sweet 'In love with younger sister's best friend' moment
- The Djali secondary characters in general. Orlant and Der in particular.
- The side-stepping that Merine and Andros go through, neither comfortable revealing their hand to the other until almost the end. Some may say it dragged on for to long, but I enjoyed the realism of their muddled feelings and the handling of it in a way that meant their romance was an essential part of, but didn't overwhelm, the overall story.
- That the story doesn't just end when the central problem is resolved - you get to see the main characters working through its implications and some of the aftermath.
Docking half a star because:
- I figured out what would happen with Andros's plotline literally within about four paragraphs of meeting him. Lynning was obviously dropping at least some hints on purpose, but they could have been more veiled early on. That being said, it didn't make the journey any less enjoyable.
- Count Bendeil returns as Moial's treaty negotiator, but seems to have completely changed character from book 1? There he was a competent foil in comparison to the King, here he's just a misogynistic waste of space.
I'm all in on this series though. Bring on Sebin's book!
February 11, 2022
Okay, I loved the first book in this series but I think I liked this one even more? Merine was a delight. I wish there had been a deeper look into Reyn, but I feel like that's maybe another book (please? PLEASE?) in the future?
Andros was an utter delight. I loved everything about him. Everything. His relationship with Orlant and Der was delightful.
I'm not usually one for court intrigue but this book had me riveted the whole way through. I'll admit I saw the twist coming--but as I've said in many of my reviews, I read *a lot* and often see the twists coming. In no way did that detract from how much I enjoyed this book.
If you were ever on the fence about this series, I urge you to give it a try.
Andros was an utter delight. I loved everything about him. Everything. His relationship with Orlant and Der was delightful.
I'm not usually one for court intrigue but this book had me riveted the whole way through. I'll admit I saw the twist coming--but as I've said in many of my reviews, I read *a lot* and often see the twists coming. In no way did that detract from how much I enjoyed this book.
If you were ever on the fence about this series, I urge you to give it a try.
November 6, 2024
I don't know if this was quite as captivating as the first novel, but I will still give credit where credit is due. The characters, the storyline, the romance...all are still good and immensely developed (so much so, I got about as lost as I do after having not read Tolkien in a while), but I am definitely one to get attached to characters easily, so I definitely missed Lisca and Khiran, but Merine and Andros have their own appeal.
Definitely want to see where the rest of this series goes.
Definitely want to see where the rest of this series goes.
November 5, 2025
Delightful plot & world-building, complex characters
This marvelous story weaves complex and superficial characters with familial, social and political challenges, intrigues, and demands. Relationships of many types bring it to life, touching our hearts and making us cringe, laugh, dread, and hope. Realistic and heart-warming. I loved it.
This marvelous story weaves complex and superficial characters with familial, social and political challenges, intrigues, and demands. Relationships of many types bring it to life, touching our hearts and making us cringe, laugh, dread, and hope. Realistic and heart-warming. I loved it.
June 2, 2022
Another great book in this series. Forbidden love readers will adore this. This was a suuuper slow-burn romance with lots of pining, and we got to see life at a new court and uncover even more mysteries.
January 20, 2023
The second book in the Treaties of Moial series is every bit as good as the first, even as it explores a different court and all the political wrangling and power plays in a different system. It was interesting to see how the social capital of different characters worked, and the dynamics of a visiting princess in a foreign court. I really liked how down to earth and practical Princess Merine was, and especially her savy approach to her (likely political) marriage. The romance unfolded in a natural way, with plenty of mutual pining and angst about the wisdom of letting your heart lead in a complex environment. While the books in this series have different couples and stand alone fairly well, I'd recommend reading in order to get the fully experience. I'm really looking forward to diving into the next book and learning even more about this complex world.
November 15, 2025
4+ stars. Standard Lynning skills apply here! If you’re reading a Jen Lynning book for the first time don’t start here! It’s mostly up to snuff but I think the second book in a series that is a spin off isn’t what I’d aim for. You will probably get lost.
December 24, 2021
I genuinely loved this next book in the series. A bit of a predictable storyline but that doesn’t detract from the enjoyment. Fast-paced story; likable characters. Definitely worth a read!
February 4, 2022
Funny, witty, creative and on top corsets, crinolines and gloves! Sadly the cover has the same style as book one. 4.5 ⭐
February 5, 2024
3.5 / 5
June 3, 2025
cute story
Cute sweet story with mixed feelings and a surprise in the middle. Fun with a happy ending, and well written characters
Cute sweet story with mixed feelings and a surprise in the middle. Fun with a happy ending, and well written characters
November 21, 2022
This wasn’t a bad sequel per se, but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book, and I was frustrated by the repetitive use of the same miscommunication trope that I felt was already over-used in the first book.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews