THE FALSE VOW

Lovett may have prevailed in the bridal competition, but the path to marrying the prince is far from smooth.

In this duology closer, silkwitch Lovett Tamerlane continues to masquerade as the “country debutante,” Cecilia Lovett, the winner of the Vainglory and therefore the official fiancée of Noé, son of the notorious Weaver King, Bastian Alaire. Despite her triumph in the contest of his own design, the king isn’t pleased that his son is engaged to Lovett, nor is he at ease with the fact that competitor Sybil Dabos died during the Vainglory—not in an accident, as was reported at the time, but by homicide. Bastian challenges Lovett: Find the murderer before the wedding and he’ll overlook her lack of a dower, or bridal gift. If she fails, he’ll send her to the cloisters. Bastian invites five of the silkwitches from the Vainglory to be Lovett’s bridesmaids, but all is not as it at first appears. Gregovic threads themes of class and patriarchy throughout and continues to engage with fast-moving prose that pulls readers in. Lovett’s survival instincts and powerful Wit (an ability to open locked doors) contribute to this enjoyable read that centers on a white-presenting main cast. Returning fans will enjoy more time with characters from the first book who make appearances, but Gregovic seamlessly orients readers new to this world, making this work accessible as a stand-alone.

Abounding in twists, betrayal, and duplicitous characters that surprise.