Traitor Son by Melissa J Cave: Slow Burn, Found Family, and a Miscommunication Trope I Actually Forgave

An undefeated warrior, a shy princess, and a marriage built on suspicion. The slow burn was worth every page.

Synopsis

A battle-scarred knight who dreams of peace. A secret princess who knows the Empire’s darkest truths. And a marriage written in blood and betrayal.

After seven years of war, Remin of Andelin returns as the Empire’s most infamous hero…and the son of its greatest traitors. His reward is a ravaged duchy on the edge of the Empire, a noble title that only brings more enemies, and the hand of a princess no one’s ever heard of.

Princess Ophele Agnephus was raised in exile, the illegitimate daughter of the Divine Emperor and a disgrace to the sacred stars. Bound by her father’s bloody legacy and distrusted by her husband, she faces an even deadlier choice: to protect a secret that could shatter the Empire, or tell the truth about the cataclysm that destroyed Remin’s world.

Remin can’t afford to trust her. Even as he labors to build his new city by day and protects it from devils by night, he knows that Ophele could be everything: his love and his bride, the foundation of his new House…or the Emperor’s weapon, placed at his side to destroy everything he has left.

Epic in scope and intimate in heart, Traitor Son is a sweeping romantic fantasy about love in the ruins of a century of war, and the impossible dream of peace. Perfect for fans of monster-hunting in The Witcher, the lush world and Machiavellian politics of Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Legacy series, and the sweeping history and unforgettable romance of Outlander.

Begin an epic journey with Traitor Son, and discover a love that could redeem an Empire.

Review

4 stars

Fair warning: this review will be on the shorter side. It’s the third I’ve written in a row and I am a little burned out!

The first thing I want to say is that this book reminded me strongly of Under the Oak Tree, the webcomic I adore. No plagiarism involved, just a similar DNA: an arranged marriage between an undefeated and legendary warrior, Remin, and a shy, abused princess, Ophele, that immediately made me think of Riftan and Maxi. Add the fact that Remin has won lands plagued by monsters, and the resemblance only deepens.

There is also miscommunication, which I usually cannot stand. But unlike Riftan, who was smitten with Maxi from the start, Remin was decidedly not impressed by Ophele in the beginning. Having survived assassination attempts ordered by the emperor since the age of seven, he is deeply distrustful of everyone, including his new wife, whom he fully expects to try to kill him at the first opportunity. And Ophele, tormented by her foster family and accustomed to being a recluse, doesn’t dare speak up or voice her opinions to this intimidating warrior. Hence the miscommunication.

But here’s the thing: it was so cleverly handled and so entirely understandable given both their histories that it didn’t bother me at all. High praise from someone with a strict no-miscommunication policy.

I loved the slow burn and the push and pull between them. I loved the knights and their distinct personalities, especially Miche, who quickly became a favorite. Together they form exactly the found family Ophele deserved.

What I found particularly fascinating, just as Ophele did, was everything involved in building a town and transforming war-ravaged lands into something hospitable and profitable. Roads, walls, livestock, infrastructure from scratch. That practical, grounded aspect of the story was genuinely interesting and set it apart from similar reads. The pace was steady and perfect to let the characters shine and grow with some very sexy times here and there. This was a refreshing story even with tropes used many times and it entertained me enough that I truly want to read the sequel.

Thanks for reading.

Sophie