RADIANCE

"You find me ugly, don't you?"

"Hideous. A hag of a woman. And you? You don't think me a handsome man?"

"Had you crawled out from under my bed when I was a child, I would have bludgeoned you to death with my father's mace."

This was amazing. A breath of fresh air among its counterparts 😎😎 At its core, it’s your classic arranged marriage between two different races—but it offers so much more than that. Ildiko Gauri, the king’s niece, is arranged to marry a man from the Kai race. The problem? To humans, the Kai are… well, terrifying. They have grayish-black skin, razor-sharp teeth and claws, and eerie, single-colored eyes.

But here’s the twist—humans look just as repulsive to the Kai. Ildiko might look normal to us, but to Brishen Khaskhem, the Kai prince and her future husband, she’s just as hideous. So yeah… attraction is definitely not part of the equation at the start 😅😅

And that’s exactly what made this story so special. Ildiko and Brishen are incredibly mature characters. They communicate, they respect each other, and they’re genuinely thoughtful 😍😍 Since there’s no physical attraction, they start their marriage as friends—and watching that friendship slowly turn into love was everything. Their dynamic is so funny, so soft, and so genuine. Seeing them fall in love with each other’s personalities before their looks? Absolutely precious. I loved every second of it 💘💘

“I’m not human, wife,” he whispered into the darkness. Shock rounded his eyes at Ildiko’s response, slurred with sleep ad nearly incoherent. “But you’re still mine, husband.”

I also really loved the relationship between Ildiko and Brishen’s cousin, Anhuset. Their bond grew naturally, and by the end, they truly felt like friends 🥰🥰 On the other hand, Queen Secmis—Brishen’s mother—was an absolute nightmare. A terrifying, horrible woman, and I can already tell she’s going to cause chaos in the future 🤮🤮 That being said, Ildiko standing her ground against her? ICONIC. Loved her even more for that. The rest of the side characters were decent—nothing too memorable, but they did their job well.

The last 50–60 pages were heartbreaking. My heart broke for Brishen—he didn’t deserve any of that 😭😭 Thank God he has Ildiko by his side. At this point, they’re each other’s rock, and it truly feels like they can face anything as long as they’re together. My only complaint? The cover. I’m sorry, but I found it extremely ugly 😖😖 This book deserved a cover that matches its beauty.

Overall, I finished this in basically two sittings—it was that addictive. I had so much fun reading it, and I’m so excited to continue the series. If you’re tired of arranged marriage stories where the couple hates each other for half the book, and want something softer, healthier, and more mature—this is the book for you. See you in the next one 👋👋