Fierce Heart – Tara Grayce

This was a fun book – Essie is a princess, on her way with her brother, the king, to a meeting with the neighboring Elven kingdom. They desperately want peace, because there are worse enemies out there. Essie’s the one that comes up with the idea of offering herself in marriage to one of the Elven princes, figuring it’ll be a good starting point that’ll immediately be rejected, but at least show they’re serious.

So, of course, the Elves accept, and she finds herself married off to the Elven king’s younger brother in the course of a week. The prince happens to be their most formidable warrior.

What I liked about the story is that Essie immediately decides to make the best of it, which she hopes will include managing to have a good marriage, but she doesn’t immediately try to go that way- she’s practical enough to recognize that at least striking up a good friendship is the best way to start. Of course that means there will be a romance, but it at least isn’t forced. And I also liked the secrets of the other royal family that Essie finds – kind of refreshingly normal. I feel like I’m damning the book with faint praise, but I just liked that it had a solid story and wasn’t over the top.