Betrothed to the Blade by C.M. Willows

Tracy’s Rating: 2 of 5 stars

Series: The Betrothed Saga #1

Release Date: June 15, 2026

Princess Cordetta’s father has decided that it is time for her to marry and has chosen Fitzbarton Humphreys-Humphries as her groom. Cordetta has a talent for inventing and knows that marriage to Fitzbarton will crush her, so after a lifetime of rules and expectations, she is taking matters into her own hands and will follow her own path. She decides to steal her sister’s flying ship to make her escape, but finds the ship already occupied. Heath is a pirate with his own secrets and is driven by revenge. He has a plan, but traveling with an entitled princess wasn’t part of it. They set off and pulled into the threat of the Seep, a magical corruption that twists the land and creates dangerous creatures.

I was so excited for this book, but sadly this story just didn’t work for me. The writing felt wordy, and the slow pace made it hard for me to stay interested in the book and I found myself skimming just to finish. I also think the world building could have been better, there were interesting aspects to the story, but unfortunately, it never felt fully developed, additionally, the magic system and the “Seep” really needed more explanation, and the romance was lacking. Overall, the story had promise, but in the end, it just didn’t deliver the story I was hoping for. This is the first book in a series, but it is not a book I would read again or a series I am interested in continuing.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *