I was wary starting The Jewel because of what I've read about it but I'm happy to say that I quite enjoyed myself, aside from a romance that really didn't need to be in the book. 
 To start off on a good note, I really liked the politics that are prevalent in the Jewel. It's not something I would ever want to be a part of but I love to read about court drama and alliances and backstabbing. Terrible but fun to read about and it had me flying through the pages. Also, the final scene of the book have me quite intrigued for the sequel with the big twist that was thrown in. 
 The major problems that kept me from truly loving the book were the romance and the way that Violet acted because of it. My opinion is that I don't think this story needed romance. It was doing great up until she met Ash and they suddenly fell in love. If my life was in danger, romance would be the last thing on my mind. Especially when you know that any type of relations could get you both executed. Sure, he's a great looking guy and you connected quickly but it's not worth the cost of everything. And to say you loved each other after just meeting? Nope, I didn't buy it. Ash didn't appeal to me as such an epic love interest. Violet started out as a tough character by resisting the Duchess as much as possible and committing herself to finding an escape from captivity. But once Ash came onto the scene she put him on a pedestal and turned into a lovesick puppy. I predicted part of the final scene of the book and could only think "WELL WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?!" It was quite frustrating. The story was strong but was ultimately weakened by an unnecessary romance. 
 I'd still recommend The Jewel if you can look past the romance because it was a fun book to read. The dark political intrigue pulled me in from the beginning and has me eager to read the next book.