Review: Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Duga

Kiss of the Royal

Lindsey Duga

Publication Date: July 3, 2018

Paperback, 400 pages, Entangled Teen

Genres: YA, Fantasy

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In the war against the Forces of Darkness, the Royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end this centuries-long conflict once and for all, so her new battle partner must succeed where the others failed. Prince Zach’s unparalleled skill with a sword, enhanced by Ivy’s magic Kiss, should make them an unstoppable pair—but try convincing Zach of that.

Prince Zach has spent his life preparing for battle, but he would rather be branded a heretic than use his lips as nothing more than a way to transfer magic. A kiss is a symbol of love, and love is the most powerful weapon they have—but try convincing Ivy of that.

With the fate of their world on the line, the battlefield has become a testing ground, and only one of them can be right. Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan—but try convincing their hearts of that.

My Review

A fantasy book about magical kisses? Sounds like a cliché Sleeping Beauty, right? WRONG. Okay, yes, there is some cheese to this book, but boy was it good cheese.

I went into this one expecting a light, quick-paced YA fantasy read, and that’s 100% what I got. Ivy is a Royal, which means she has a magical kiss. Okay, so at first I was very put off by the kissing aspect. I think I forgot between reading the synopsis and requesting this book for review on NetGalley that power smooching was a thing. However, after I got used to the idea, I picked the ebook back up, and I was hooked.

Ivy meets Zach, an unconventional Royal and wants to partner with him so they can be the most powerful couple in the world. Mwahaha. No, I’m kidding. Ivy just wants to save her people from the Evil Queen and her evil creatures. Honestly, Ivy and Zach’s dynamic was so entertaining. I loved it. Zach is kind of a dreamy goofball/bad boy combined. It was sad, though, that some of their romantic tension fizzled out a little towards the end of the book. But that’s how most YA romances go as they progress.

As for the plot of the story, it was fun. Various dwarves, griffins, and mythical creatures that typically aren’t depicted as evil and menacing was a cool concept. The only I problem I saw with the plot was how a certain character’s introduction and mysterious secrets were rather predictable, but even then, I couldn’t guess the major details.

All in all, if you’re looking for a book to give you a rest between all those giant fantasy sequels like Reaper at the Gates, War Storm, etc., Kiss of the Royal is probably perfect for you. It’s easy-to-swallow fantasy that has a swoon-worthy love interest and a unique, if awkward, magic system.

*Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review via NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion/review.