I think this series is a great story that requires a depth of writing the author doesn’t have yet. 

It’s contrived, trite, and there’s an overall feeling of incompleteness. The details that flesh out a story connecting the bigger parts are lacking. And the few details that are dropped feel random and not anchored to anything to give them the weight they were possibly intended to have. There’s nothing to connect them to the moment. 

There’s a shocking quantity of similes. Much glaring. Much shivering. It’s repetitive. The MCs have the same 2 or 3 conversations, repeatedly, for the entire book. The FMC has the same inner monologue throughout. 

This book is centered around them both being reckless. No one thinks to give her a fake name? While they’re literally hiding under the enemy’s nose? Both of them losing their tempers when they should be discreet?

All of their argumentative interactions feel forced. There’s always some detail left out so they can have a spat over it. I know she’s not to trust the son of her enemy but her way with him comes off petulant most of the time. 

The series story is fun, the descriptions of the world beautiful, but overall the writing reads very amateur. I wanted to love it but I just don’t.