Always ignored and shushed, Lia has never really enjoyed being a princess or a First Daughter, especially when that means she should have the gift of sight, but she doesn't. When her arranged marriage to a man she hasn't met before draws closer, she runs away with her friend Pauline and starts work as a barmaid. There, she meets two men, Rafe and Kaden, who are full of mysterious allure and unknowing to her, one is an assassin out to kill her and one is the prince she jilted at the altar. Lia will have to see that though she has run away from court, her past will never let her go.

THE KISS OF DECEPTION by Mary E. Pearson is an intense, romantic, and nail-biting young adult fantasy. From a princess on the run to vengeful fathers, it grips you in all its mystery and intrigue and is packed full of delicious twists and turns. Deception, as the title suggests, is such a strong theme, specifically in what deceptions can be forgiven.

At the front of incredible world-building are amazing characters that spring to life from the pages. Lia is so tough and a true fighter. It's so much fun seeing how she tackles her problems and the fierce loyalty she shows to her friends. Even though she wants to run away from royalty, the princess is clear in her. Rafe and Kaden are both nicely swoony, and it's agonizing trying to figure out which one is the prince and which is the assassin, but the end result makes so much sense. I also adore some of the secondary characters like Pauline and how the friendships at Lia's newfound workplace develop so realistically.

If you have any love for fantasy with royalty, betrayal, romance, and action, THE KISS OF DECEPTION is the perfect book to pick up. Mary E. Pearson writes absolutely fantastically, and I love this first installment in her series.