Book Review: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson (Book 1 of The Remnant Chronicles)

by The Book Pup on [Current Date]

Blurb for the book (on Goodreads):

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

My Summary:

Princess Lia runs away on her wedding day, refusing to marry a prince she's never met for the sake of political alliance. She escapes to a small village where she hopes to live a simple, free life.

But freedom is short-lived when two mysterious strangers arrive in town—both drawn to Lia, both hiding dangerous secrets. One is the prince she left at the altar. The other is an assassin sent to kill her. The problem? Lia doesn't know.

My Review

I went into The Kiss of Deception with really high expectations based on all the buzz, but unfortunately, this one didn't quite deliver for me. 😕📚

Let me start with what worked: the premise is intriguing! A runaway princess, two mysterious strangers (one a jilted prince, one an assassin), and Lia doesn't know anything about them? That's a great setup that should have been thrilling and kept me guessing. The mystery element of not knowing who's who had potential to be really engaging. 🎭

The world-building has some interesting elements with the remnants of ancient civilization and hints at a larger magical system. When Pearson focuses on the history and mythology of this world, it's actually pretty compelling. There are glimpses of something bigger and more complex beneath the surface. 🌍

However, the execution fell flat for me in several ways.

The biggest issue: this book was BORING at times. Like, really boring. 😴 There are long stretches where not much happens—Lia works at the tavern, interacts with the two guys, has mundane conversations, and... that's it. For a book about a runaway princess being hunted by an assassin, it feels surprisingly low-stakes for much of the story. The pacing drags significantly, especially in the middle sections.

The love triangle is EXTREMELY exaggerated. It dominates the entire book to an exhausting degree. Lia spends SO MUCH time thinking about both guys, comparing them, being torn between them. If you're not a fan of love triangles, this will drive you absolutely crazy because it's the main focus for a huge portion of the book.

Here's something important to note: if you're looking for action, this isn't really the book for you. ⚔️ Despite the premise involving an assassin and political intrigue, there's surprisingly little action throughout most of the story. It's much more focused on romance, relationships, and Lia's internal journey than on action sequences or adventure.

That said, there IS violence when it does occur. ⚠️ There are moments of violence and darkness. If you don't mind violence but also don't need constant action, this might work for you. But if you're expecting a fast-paced adventure, you'll be disappointed.

The mystery of which stranger is which (prince vs. assassin) is supposed to be the book's hook, but honestly, it didn't keep me as engaged as it should have. 🤔 By the time the reveal happens, I was more relieved to finally know than shocked or excited about it.

Lia as a protagonist has her moments—she's determined and willing to forge her own path, which I appreciated. But she also spends a LOT of time focused on romance rather than on the bigger picture of what's happening in her kingdom or the danger she's supposedly in. Her priorities felt off given the circumstances. 👑

The writing itself is fine, the author can craft a scene and build atmosphere. But the pacing and focus choices really held this back from being the compelling story it could have been. With a premise this strong, I expected more tension, more action, and less time spent on the love triangle. ⏰

I wanted to love this book, but it just didn't work for me. The boring stretches, the overwhelming love triangle, and the lack of action despite the exciting premise all added up to a disappointing reading experience. If you're someone who loves slow-burn romance and doesn't mind minimal action, you might enjoy this more than I did. But if you came for adventure and intrigue, you might want to look elsewhere. 💫

3/5 pawprints 🐾🐾🐾

You can find the book on Goodreads here!

Who I think this book is for: Readers who LOVE love triangles and don't mind them dominating the story, fans of slow-burn romance over action, people who enjoy runaway princess stories with minimal adventure, and anyone who doesn't mind violence but doesn't need constant action.

Not recommended for: Readers who dislike love triangles, anyone looking for fast-paced action and adventure, or people who get bored with slow pacing.

Series note: This is book 1 of a trilogy, so be prepared for unresolved plot threads if you decide to continue.

Cheers, and happy reading!

The Book Pup

P.S. My expectations were high, and the reality was... a lot of tavern scenes and love triangle angst. Adjust your expectations accordingly! 😅📖

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