(Originally posted to GoodReads on June 22, 2016)
I loved this book. Start to finish, in one sitting.
Kiera did an amazing job of capturing the emotions of blossoming love and translating them through the text. More than once, I was taken back to the time I was dating my now husband and how it felt to fall in love with him.
Each of the characters was different from one another, had their own voice and style. Even the settings were realistic and vibrant. I felt like I was in the garden and that cellar.
America was believable as a main character. She was totally unaware of her beauty and merits, but not in an insulting or annoying way. I feel like we got to see her through the prince's eyes even though it was not written from his POV. Neither she nor the prince were perfect and I loved that. Their relationship was honest and their tension was real. The banter between them was one of my favorite things about the book. Even America's family was very authentic.
I'm a hopeless romantic who believes in fairy tales and happy endings. I can see why some reviewers have compared this book to The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor, but I personally saw and felt a whole lot of Queen Esther in this book. I can't wait to read The Elite!
