Posted by Cass, Kiera. The Betrothed. HarperTeen, 2020. 320p. ISBN: 9780062291639. $19.99.
Kiera Cass, author of the mega-popular Selection series, is back with a new duology. The Betrothed is about Hollis Brite, a Lady-in-waiting who has just been chosen by the young king to be his bride. Initially Hollis is overwhelmed with happiness and excitement for the honor of marrying the king but it quickly starts to lose its shine. Hollis meets a handsome commoner just as she starts to question her future with the king and she discovers that true love may be in an unlikely place. The pacing of this story starts out slow but picks up halfway through the book with several twists and turns.
The Betrothed is a sticky sweet romance with a flair for the dramatic. This love-triangle romance includes chaste flirting, hand-holding, and a few kisses. There is an off-page miscarriage for a side character and some light violence and descriptions of death. Fans of Kiera Cass’s series, The Selection, will find a familiar writing style in this novel. This book is a great pick for younger teens and those who are new to YA as the voice of the narrator seems a little more juvenile than upper YA. This book has a pretty unbelievable plot but it will hook readers who are interested in soap opera style dynamics.
-Hallie Fields, Alameda Free Library
Bay Area Young Adult Librarians 