Review: Very Enjoyable M/M Fantasy Read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 24, 2013
This was a very enjoyable m/m fantasy read about a prince who is shuffled off into a marriage to a Lord, under his jerky father's orders to act as a spy. But poor Ingram soon realizes that everything is not as it seems--his new husband is more than a dragon-slaying brute, his father's demands are rooted in baseless paranoia, and he even finds within himself aspects and depths and courage that he never realized he had.I liked Ingram and Mallory very much; they have a slow, but sweet developing romance. It's the kind when weighted looks mean so much, even if the person being looked at doesn't realize it yet. (But the reader does.)This is a very fun, light read--it has some angst as Ingram deals with his low self-confidence and the verbal abuse from his father, but overall, it's not dark, and the mood is like a mix of fairy tales and a Jane Austen-level of romance (where things are a slow build, often based on dialogue and growing trust as opposed to heaving, smutty sexy times.)For sexy times, it's romantic, but very "clean"--at the level of kisses, hand-holding, and maybe something fade-to-black. Don't go in wanting in-depth sexy times. Go in for a sweet, developing romance in a fantasy setting. (In a way, this could also be enjoyed by someone looking for a m/m YA fantasy as well--it's that level of clean.)As for the ending, it ends on a HFN with more story to come. I read some reviews that mentioned a cliffhanger ending, and from my view, it doesn't read that cliffy. There's still looming Danger and unresolved questions, but the MCs are solid, and I left off both satisfied with this story, and excited to read more whenever the next one comes out.Recommended for those who especially like light fantasy with their m/m, and are fine with a more sweet romance. Overall, a very fun read. This was my first book I've read by Carter, and I'll definitely check out more. (I hope the next book comes soon...)