Series Name: The Traitor’s Circle # 1
“After several minutes of barely breathing, Sage turned her head to look out into the forest and saw him almost instantly. He stood motionless in an open area on a nearby slope, a dark cloak hanging around him almost to the ground and a hood shadowing his face. One step backward into the foliage, and he would be invisible. His elaborately tattooed arms were crossed as he watched her. Like he was waiting for her to see him.”
The Traitors Kiss by Erin Beaty is a thrilling book full of romance, political intrigue, and espionage.
Sage Fowler is known for her sharp tongue and quick temper and has been deemed unfit for marriage by the highly respected matchmaker. Thus, Sage becomes an apprentice to that very matchmaker and finds herself forming an unlikely friendship with the older lady. Sage is tasked with selecting young ladies who will be married off at a large celebration for political alliances. However, there is a feeling of uneasiness within the kingdom, and soldiers who are tasked with escorting Sage’s group to the celebration sense that a political uprising is coming. During their journey, Sage is recruited by a handsome soldier to spy for the army to help stop the rebellion. But things are never as they appear, and the longer Sage plays the role of a spy, the harder it becomes for her to figure out who she can trust and who she can’t. She knows she must rely on her cleverness and instincts if she wants to survive and save her kingdom.
This book is fabulous; it’s like a Jane Austen novel with a cloak-and-dagger twist. There is hardly a dull moment in this book; it has so many twists and turns that you find yourself trying to guess what will happen next, right up to the very end.
Erin creates enduring heroes that you can’t help loving. Sage is a wonderful heroine who is intelligent, witty, and brave. I love that she sees the value in learning and reading. Her character comes to life when she teaches or helps to hatch a plan to defeat the enemy. Sages’ relationship with the handsome soldier (you will have to read it to find out who he is) was not an instalove story, which I like. I would have struggled with this book if these characters fell in love right away because it would have made it less believable.
Their relationship was something that grew over time and was not without its difficulties. Both characters had a hard time trusting one another (for a good reason). Because this is a YA novel, the romance scenes between Sage and her love interest are tame, but I still found my heart racing during those intimate moments between these two characters.
I can’t wait to read the next installment of the Traitor’s Circle series called The Traitors Ruin.
