I would say closer to a 4 star, but I rounded down because I think for now, I just like it. 
 Well, I do like it. I think the set up is nice - gives me a Gone with the Wind feel (that I've sorely missed) and I like Kestrel (it's nice to have a character that has an obvious short coming - her fighting skills, and I love that she's a strategist!). And Arin is OK too - I liked him more towards the end than I did in the beginning. My issue is that everything feels clipped and a little bit rushed. I do think that maybe this is what the author was going for and sometimes it worked - it worked as a way to end her chapters, very indie-esque. But for the book overall - it was well, clipped and quick. I feel like we don't really get the process, we just see the result. For one, I think the romance is rushed, although I did end up liking it towards the end; started to feel epic with all the angst and the desperation. But the way it got there didn't feel natural and genuine. 
 I do have high hopes for the next book because I liked the ending of this one. Now that I'm finally invested in Arin, I may even love it.