I had to stop torturing myself. At the very beginning I really though it would be good, the prologue set up an interesting dynamic and Livia's character seemed relatable and interesting, but l'm having a lot of trouble connecting with the characters which also makes it hard to care about their romance and the rest of the plot. 

While I liked Livia at the beginning, as soon as she was captured it all went down hill... she says one thing and does another, really confusing and hard to gather what her desires are. Her magic is the most interesting, but her character is lacking in solid motivations and desires or even the desire to FIND her own wants. Things very much just happen to her, she's not an active participant in her own story. 

The romance is... not my flavor. Saying one thing and meaning another doesn't work for me. And Eric's character doesn't help this, since l'm not a fan of his at all. His brutality and what guilds it is interesting, but his sort of play boy act gets tiresome. He also doesn't do anything to improve the kingdom he is in charge of... he just shrugs and says "that's the way things are in the Ever" and kills people who betray him. I can't root for him at all. 

Based on reviews that l've read, reading the first series is important to the enjoyment of this one. It's unfortunate that the author doesn't say that, quite the opposite actually, as I wonder if I would have cared more about what was happening had I read the first series.