4.5 Stars 
 Wow. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this series, as reviews were mixed, but I was looking for something to feed my Sarah J. Maas and Colleen Houck addiction, and Mary E. Pearson definitely delivered on that! I was a little aggravated at myself that I mixed up my male protagonists the first half of the book. I thought for sure he was the assassin! Bottom line though, The Kiss of Deception blew me away and I am looking forward to binge reading the entire chronicles since the final book is now out! A must read for fantasy romance fans who don't mind a young adult ambiance.