The plot in this was actually so much fun. I will be using the word "fun" many times throughout this review. There was a lot going on, but it never really felt like there was high-stakes, despite the fact that Wren was in some very difficult situations. It just felt really lighthearted and cozy which is exactly what I wanted.

With Wren, I really did enjoy her story-line, navigating everything and all that, so I guess there's that. But nothing really intriguing was happening there, except for all the lies and deception that she was doing (which I love her for) And then there's also her romance, but we'll talk about that later.

Customer reviews

I like that Rose and Wren both realized that there was more to the other than they previously thought. Rose realized that witches were not all evil and do not deserve to be hunted and killed, and Wren realized that her sister’s life is not all fancy parties and lavish life. There is politics involved, and Rose is more than just a spoiled princess. Besides that though, I can’t really say that I know the characters, or that I appreciate them. They were both childish at times, stupid at others, and both made me roll my eyes SO MANY TIMES. Not only that, witch culture (realistically enough) is incredibly toxic. Their goal is to take over the kingdom for the benefit of themselves, and they talk loudly and often about how the rivers will run red with the blood of anyone who stands in their way. They are one step away from a Master Race theory of why they deserve to rule and no one else matters, and that step consists entirely of vocabulary. Ideologically and emotionally, they’re already there. Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility—and she won’t let a small matter like waking up in the desert with an extremely impertinent (and very handsome) kidnapper get in the way of her duty. But life outside the palace is wilder and more beautiful than she ever imagined, and the witches she has long feared might turn out to be the family she never had. The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own. More information

Of course I wanted to meet you," said Wren, and when her own tears fell, she scrubbed them away, wishing she could erase the unpleasant feelings that came with them. Guilt and loss, and this new yearning for the life they might have had together if things had been different. If only things had been different. "I thought about you every day of my life.”This book was disappointing. Both main characters felt very juvenile, and the plot was very simple, convenient, and predictable. Both romances were predictable, the politics and the villains’ scheming were predictable, and honestly, I felt that not much happened for the first 60% of the story, and then everything was rushed and the ending was just messy and over-the-top cheesy at the same time. The book mostly focuses on romance instead of the plot, and even if there are two romances developing, they both felt overly simple and predictable. The world-building was also simple and your usual YA fantasy book, nothing memorable or original. Bestselling authors, Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber, joined forces on an utterly compelling YA romantic fantasy bursting with high-stakes adventure and crossover appeal about twin princesses separated at birth.