STORY | Never in her wild dreams did Lady Hollis Brite believe she would be heralded as if she were a princess. Yet this is the present life Hollis knows. Having captured the eye of King Jameson, Hollis becomes the favorite for his choice of a Queen.
Her entire life soon changes when strangers arrive to court, and Hollis feels an unexpected emotion she’s never before experienced. Now she’ll have to choose a life of comfort and safety or risk everything, and follow her heart…
The Betrothed by Kiera Cass | Book Review
REVIEW | For years now this book has been more of an “idea” than an actual flesh-and-blood object as rumors of a new release by Kiera Cass made the book community rounds. Now, after years (yes, this is accurate) of teasing, this is an actual novel and appropriately, it’s shiny and gorgeous. Inside these pages lies a story of court intrigue and royalty with a splash of romance.
Despite all of the anticipation this novel stirs, The Betrothed isn’t quite the anticipatory conclusion one hopes it to be. The Selection is one of the books I enjoy as a kind of “guilty pleasure” read, so as I open the pages of this, I find it “feels” quite similar to Cass’ best-selling novel, which surprises. Still, in no way does this mean it’s not an enjoyable read.
BOOK REVIEW | ‘The Life & (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly’ In a Sweet YA Novel
Inside this glittery opulence lies a story with some court intrigue and drama of which person will end up with which person. What is missing is a genuine sense of romance. While I appreciate that Hollis isn’t a wishy-washy mess (as The Selection’s America Singer is), I still don’t really feel the love story as it’s presented. It’s more of a “convenient, give-me-a-reason” kind of choice. At least, this is how it reads to me.
Even with some foibles and flaws, I did enjoy this. The end throws us quite a twist (that probably won’t be a “twist” in the follow up), so that we’re more than a little curious to see what’s next. There’s lots of pretty gowns, a sense of romanticism despite the love story, and as the story ends, a sense of danger as these characters walk into the unknown.
Content: There is really no content worth mentioning – everything is pretty on par with The Selection.
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ABOUT THE BOOK
Author: Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: 2020
Source: Bought
Genre: Fiction; YA Fiction, Historical
Find the Book Elsewhere: Goodreads
Find the Review Elsewhere: Goodreads
Rating: ★★★½
I’m glad you enjoyed this one, although I feel like I need to temper my expectations a bit!