Fair warning, I'm still a little conflicted on this book.
The central character Brielle's story of rediscovering her heritage, deciding her future and falling in love was a great romantic read and I enjoyed it. Honestly, there were a lot of positives in the way Shiloh wrote the dynamics for Bri with those closest to her. Iris was a great best friend with her combination of wise centering faith and partner in crime. The scenes between Bri and her mom showed the nuances of relationship between parent and adult child. It was fun to read solid women of faith supporting one another.
I also enjoyed the romantic aspects of the story (although a rushed timeline is a pet peeve). I love how central and natural Bri's faith felt in her seeking a husband (actually in all she did). I loved how she knew her own mind and worth while looking for a spouse and I loved the way Shiloh crafted such a perfect match for Bri all along.
Considering Shiloh mentioned being unable to travel (for obvious reasons) while writing the book, I also felt like she did a wonderful job in presenting a setting that felt grounded and with depth behind it.
That said, I also felt a little disheartened by other elements of the story.
While Bri's storyline was satisfactorily resolved and Iris was set up to possibly feature in her own novel other plotlines felt rushed at best or even unfinished. Mori's conflict and identity within his family of origin seemed to be leading to so much story potential given his role in the story only for the plot to feel rushed into a resolution at the engagement party and pushed aside. Bri's struggles to find her footing and acceptance within the family (aside from her grandfather who was a wonderful character) also felt rushed with a single person present for a hasty apology.
Even the reveal of the story's antagonist felt incomplete as there is no exploration of the truth behind their identity and what was the royal family's response to their aggression and trauma. To be honest, I'm still not sure if the villian reveal was a well written surprise or just not well anchored into the story as I had to reread earlier chapters to remember who their named family members were.
If you're looking for a fun, easy to read romance, this may fit your to read pile but there are some definite unfinished threads that may trip up your enjoyment.
3 out of 5 stars
Book was provided courtesy of Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. and Baker Publishing Group.
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