This is straight-up romantasy which I must’ve missed in the synopsis that intrigued me.  Romantasy is not usually my go-to genre.  But this was a very fun one with some solid soft porn included.  Each chapter changes the POV between Eira, Hugo and Rhona.

Eira is a potions witch, managing a darling little boutique potions store when handsome, hunky Hugo walks in.  Being a potions witch is the only kind of magic still allowed by the new Iron Empire that replaced the previous aristocratic rule.  Hugo appears to believe Eira is someone else that he previously knew while she knows she never saw him before. Not that she thinks that seeing him again…and again, would be a bad thing.  But before he’s able to tell her why he’s there and what he wants from her, they both find themselves fleeing for their lives from the Empire’s soldiers sent to hunt down Hugo.  Finding a witch would just be an extra benefit for them.

When Hugo is finally able to comprehend that the Eira he knew is no more, replaced by a new Eira who has no memory of any life before three years prior; he struggles to believe her lack of memory which he had counted on to complete his mission.  His mission is to find the missing Princess Evangeline who is the rightful heir to the throne.  Hugo is desperate to find a way to stop the Iron Empire and its corrupt practices.  Eira was the Princess’ childhood friend and confidante; and both women disappeared on the same night that the Iron Empire came to kill them both.  Hugo was certain Eira would know where to find the Princess and the realization that Eira has no more idea than him was devastating.

Eira, who had successfully blocked herself from even wondering what her past was, struggled with the idea that she was aristocratic and might be the key to restoring the Throne.  But once she accepted the idea, she was determined to find something to jog her memory and help them both find the Princess.  While this was somewhat comforting to Hugo, her impetuousness and stubbornness frustrated him trying to protect her when she displayed no fear for her own person.  In addition to his critical mission, this played hell with his feelings for Eira; feelings he had never confessed to her and could not now.  The two travel back to her shop and home, hoping to find a clue there and not draw the attention of the Iron Empire.  They are successful at one and terribly unsuccessful at the other.

The other POV is Rhona, a Knight in the service of the Iron Empire.  Rhona is a big woman, raised on a farm and quite strong and successful as a Knight.  But being a Knight and a woman had never been allowed under the King’s rule; so, when the Iron Empire saw her worth and allowed her the privilege, her loyalty to the Empire was unshakeable.  It was unshakeable until she started seeing corruption. It was unshakeable until she found herself attracted to a lovely court lady who turned out to be an illegal witch; the very type of witch that Rhona was expected to kill out of hand.  And it was still pretty unshakeable until she found the Empire willing to do an unspeakably evil thing to remain in power. And then it wasn’t.

Rhona and her lady love, Maeve, who is able to see possible futures, try investigating what Maeve’s visions tell her.  But the investigation is liable to get them both killed for what they know.  Rhona can’t decide what is worse: loving and protecting an illegal witch, or discovering her revered commander is responsible for heinous acts.  And if she acts on what she learns, she’ll lose the only life she’s ever had where she was valued.

These two story lines run parallel for the entirety of this book.  Although the story has five main characters: Eira, Hugo, Evangeline, Rhona and Maeve, it only gives us three POVs.  As a romantasy, the balance works well; if I were looking for a darker fantasy, I would’ve wanted a POV from the main bad guy.

One of my main complaints of romantasy is the absence of a strong plotline in most stories.  They seem to rely on a steamy, almost pornographic, relationship which becomes the focal point of the story; the plot is almost always subordinate.  To give this new author credit, it has a very strong plotline which the characters adhere to without letting libidos rule.  That’s why I read to the very end; and was glad to do it.  But if you look forward to those steamy, almost pornographic, sex scenes, never fear; that’s here, too, and they are doozys. 

Another thing that turns me off on romantasy is purple prose.  It’s obvious that Walsh benefited from an editor; there were barely a handful of what I consider to be hyperbole or flowery adjectives or adverbs.  Kudos to both the author and her editor for making the story rock.

This first book had a goal for the plot: get Eira’s memories back.  Both she and Hugo expected everything would fall into place once that happened.  They would know what happened to Princess Evangeline, and Eira would finally remember just what kind of relationship she and Hugo had before the war separated them.  Not everything resolved itself as they had hoped; but there was resolution.  Rhona’s story will finally connect (probably) with Eira in the next book but it seems obvious to this reader that the story can’t resolve the Empire’s heinous crimes until the third book; which leave this reader wondering just what the second book will entail.  This is risky ground for a novice writer; the middle book of a trilogy can often be disappointing. 

As I said before, the plot was good and interesting.  I liked all the characters although I did think that Maeve deserved a bit more fleshing-out.  The world-building was pretty standard fare for a fantasy; relying on the reader’s experience to furnish the world.  The dialogue stood out for me; it was very well-done.  Here’s hoping the author enjoys a successful career with this trilogy.  ~~  Catherine Book