3.5 stars 
 Life changed by love 
 You know, I almost feel bad marking this as fantasy romance, because the romance is so very subtle. But classifying it as fantasy doesn't feel quite right either. 
 This is a story about a strange set of individuals with very different pasts who come together on a mission for their king - and it details their journey along the way. It is about friendships and loyalty, and it was beautifully written. 
 There is great detail about the twelve houses and the political workings and conspiracies going on which was very interesting. 
 I really loved this group of friends and how they all felt about one another, a very pleasant read!