Disappointing and dull. There’s no plot, tension, or action. Doesn’t feel like a fairy tale. Way too much hackneyed language. No chemistry between the romantic leads. Their intimate and romantic scenes feel hollow and boring. I rolled my eyes every ten minutes or so.
All of the so-called conflict is contrived and irrelevant. ALL of it is simply Cass or Merrick making a decision in their minds to stay away from each other for the other’s benefit and then regretting that decision. None of it matters because they backtrack in the following chapter.
The author’s choice to make homophobia a staple of this alternative reality is strange. It’s unpleasant to create a modern alternative universe that operates in such an oppressive way (with LGBTQ+ identities stigmatized more than in modern times), particularly for a supposed gay fairy tale. But even that aside, if I accept this world’s parameters, it’s STILL a strange choice since it doesn’t matter to the book!!! There is absolutely no one who takes issue with Cass and Merrick being together (which I am glad about but do not believe based on the book’s own worldbuilding). So why on earth include it? The threat of exposure and disapproval are used to create tension, but it doesn’t work because there’s no real threat! This is just another example of how there’s NO meaningful conflict or tension in the book at any time.
So is that because the book leans heavily into being a light fairy tale instead? No, not really. There’s plenty of hackneyed language that tries hard to sound like flowery deep fairy tale poetry, but it just sounds awkward and cringey. Lots of “you are my life, my very breath!” type speech that feels ill-suited to the rest of the modern setting. It makes it hard to take the characters’ affections seriously. But at no point did this feel like a playful fairy tale. It just feels like a very weak romance.
The worldbuilding (or lack thereof) is distracting at times. It’s a mix between modern times and “fairy tale” historical settings, which sounds like it could be fun–but isn’t. It’s too vague and nonexistant to be interesting. It would have been fine if this had simply been modern. Instead, the story is confused about what it is.
Cass struggles financially to the point that if he doesn’t keep his job, his sister and mother will suffer and die, yet he supports the monarchy who live off the people’s wealth?! No issue with someone simply being “born to rule”?! As if! It makes no sense, and it’s difficult to suspend my disbelief on this front with characters living in a modern setting.