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I think a fun time can be had with this book in which a prince suddenly turns into a horse on his wedding night, but only if you're really along for the ride (ha!) and turn your brain off a little while reading. Otherwise this will be a frustrating read, and I'm speaking from experience. I know it's a weird thing to say about a fantasy book that shouldn't be taken too seriously, but there is no logic to be found here. Bianca is married off to the neighboring kingdom so war may be avoided. Her parents kinda hate her, but she is an ever-dutiful daughter who wants to protect her country and quickly accepts her fate. Even though her betrothed is rumored to be a murderer. Their first meeting is cold, and their wedding night would have been too, if Prince Aric hadn't suddenly turned into a horse during an assassination attempt. They gallop away into the night and the rest of the book is about them trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Me too, because there is so much I didn't understand:

- Bianca heard the rumors about her future husband and knew this wouldn't be a union of love, but she still is so very offended by literally everything he does. Like, he asks her to join him for breakfast via letter, and she simply cannot believe he wouldn't come and ask her that in person. Girl, he is the ruler of this kingdom?
- Bianca brings a dagger to her first meeting with Aric when there's literally a war at stake?
- And is it really enough to only send one woman and her staff to a foreign kingdom to ensure an alliance?
- Aric thinks that Bianca sent the assassin although she was in danger too. Honestly, they belong together if they misunderstand each other on purpose every time.
- The way they were trying to figure out who actually sent the assassin when there was a great total of like 3 characters introduced by name, and only one who would benefit from Aric's death.
- The world building doesn't go beyond: There's this country where magic is strictly regulated and that country where magic roams freely, and they better don't make war.
- Speaking of the magic: Everyone with magic potential has to be trained for NINE years, so that they are not a danger to the public. But Bianca's sister can do what she wants, just because, I guess?
- Said sister gave Bianca a spell that she might use when she's in danger. It's a spell that turns an attacker into a horse. It turns an attacker into a horse while they still have full conscience, giving them a super heavy body with which they may kick or trample Bianca to death even better. Wouldn't it be smarter to turn them into a guinea pig or something?

The list goes on, but I think that these are enough examples to illustrate my frustration with this book. The romance gave nothing either. Let me tell you how their relationship developed:

Step 1: Miscommunication
Step 2: Banter
Step 3: Love

Mind you, it's been like 5 days. And don't forget the never-ending traveling during step 2 where every inn along the way had of course only one bed. You know, the bed where the spice can happen. The entire book reads like YA, but of course it's actually not, we have to check off the popular tropes.

Take my review with a grain of salt, this book was clearly not for me. There were some things I liked, like the chronic illness representation or the way how gender didn't matter in this world, but that's really not enough to sing praises for this book.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Hodderscape for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.