Even though I know there is something you continue to hide, I am fighting against this constant aching pull I feel toward you … fighting and losing.” Romeria is a modern day New York thief who finds herself swept up in a world she knows nothing about but is very much a part of. Zander is the king of Islor and also happens to be her betrothed in this new world. Unfortunately for her, the body she has assumed has done despicable things before she arrives and Zander, along with the rest of Islor, despises her. Their slow burn romance is true enemies to lovers and is full of so much sexual tension and hateful lust. This book is very exciting to read, with a great storyline and world building. The plot is very well thought out and I absolutely loved the MCs. The dynamics between them is very interesting and I love their slow burning relationship; and let me tell you, the unexpected twist in the storyline was a… “Wow! I did not expect that!” …moment. I loved the way we find out about the world alongside Romy as she is thrust into Islor. It was such a unique mechanic to take her from our world and thrust her into a fantasy world she has no clue about.

To fulfill her quest, Romy must steal a sacred stone while maintaining the truth of her identity. And so, Romy takes on the role of Princess Romeira and play Islor's smitten Queen-to-be which brings her closer to the King who despises her with every fiber of his being. And, yes, you'll be very frustrated when, at the end, instead of answers you'll end up having more questions than when you started.We are introduced to new characters, tentative allies, and new POVs, all of which help add even more depth to this series. There is also a new romance to look forward to! 👀 This book made me feel a whirlwind of emotions. And that ending!! That cliffhanger ending was ILLEGAL!! I need the next book. I only wish the magic was displayed more rather than explained, but also consider this book more of a build-up for the series. This is my currently favorite fantasy romance series and I feel like it is criminally under loved and hyped. I mean, a quality that was uniquely Romy and uniquely Zander to associate them with. For example . . . oh, Romy was exceptionally stealthy and a fine seductress; or, Zander was the benevolent king with a villainous streak. Idk! Something that was a dominant in their characterisation. I feel like the supporting characters had more of a defining characteristic, namely Corrin the ill-tempered lady maid and Dagnar the vivacious, loose tongued tailor. She would know the world of vengeful gods and monsters, and the lengths one would go for love. And nothing would ever be the same for her again.

To learn that this is the author’s debut into fantasy is also mind boggling- the world she created was so well thought out and described in enough detail that I very rarely felt lost in the world building. I read most books in 1-2 days, maybe 3 days max if I’m busy. This took me a whole week because I struggled to get into it so much. Also pleasantly for me in this book I did not hate nor roll my eyes at the MCs and their decision-making. Sure they sometimes do things I wish they wouldn't, but so much of what they do do (lolz, I'm an absolute child!) makes so much sense for the scenarios they find themselves in that it just keeps me all the more invested! The story was told mostly from Romy’s POV. It was confusing at the beginning because we were learning everything as she was, but they all started to come into place in the second half. I think my biggest issue was with Romy’s secret identity and operation. Her taking on Evil Romeria’s identity, pretending to have amnesia, and never told Zander about her being from another world created this sense of foreboding in me that wasn’t so nice to carry throughout the book until it was all revealed.You are the worthiest of causes I have ever met, that I ever will meet, and I will follow you into the rift if you ask it of me. But do not ever ask me to leave your side.” He finds it hard to believe Romy is not Romeria, the princess who betrayed him. He hates her for what she did and it won't be easy to get over that hatred.

Seeing as this is the 3rd book in the series, by now, we've got a pretty good understanding of the world but there were new elements introduced this book that kept things interesting. There were some plot points I did NOT see coming and had my jaw on the floor. We got the perfect amount of romance sprinkled throughout the overarching plot, so for a fantasy romance I think it was really well balanced.

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This was one of my most anticipated releases of the entire year. I've been anxiously awaiting this new book since finishing book 2. And wow did this not disappoint. Gracen is such a fantastic and beautiful character! She has been through so much, yet remains gentle and passionate about her family and her simple morals. She is grateful for what she has, even if it is not much and thankful to be alive. It was so beautiful to see someone who is now the King listen, and actually listen, to a simple baker and heed her counsel.

THE CONCEPT WAS REALLY interesting and not something I've read before! I love how we were thrown into this completely ridiculous situation but it was definitely entertaining to see Romeria have to figure everything out thieves and chaos’ is absolutely right on the money, because this one stole my heart and sent me spiraling into theory-chaos after finishing it.There’s so much going on in this book, and the story twists and turns, bringing triumph, heartache, and surprise after surprise. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, not knowing what was going to happen, and I loved the ride!