I have mixed feelings about this book. I had really hoped to like it more considering the blurb sounded so interesting. I loved the strong, resilient and clever main character. The world building was just okay, and most of the characters felt one-sided or flat. The writing was mediocre, and the core premise of the story has been used many times. There could have been many more twists and turns, and action. My biggest gripe was the pacing; there were many chunks of time where it felt like nothing was happening or time was too slow and this very much affected the progression of the plot. The romance was shallow and lusty, and I had a hard time sensing the emotion of the story but it had a lot of potential. The conclusion felt incomplete, the why or how wasn't answered. The cover is magnificent, however. Unfortunately, I don't think this is a book I will remember. This writer has talent though, and room and time to grow. Thank you to Bookish First for offering this book in their catalogue. The opinions stated here are 100% my own.