Book Review: Under The Trees

Author: Ashley Maker

Publisher: Self Published

Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Romance

Pages: 232

Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:

“Desperate to prevent an abusive arranged marriage, Princess Araya flees to a neighboring kingdom, only to land at the mercy of the impulsive Crown Prince Thoredmund, who provides refuge in a secluded forest and teaches her survival skills. Her surprise at the unexpected hold the prince has on her heart mirrors his shock at falling for the one girl he can’t have.

As the young couple’s feelings for each other grow, the fragile alliance between the two kingdoms threatens to break apart. With a vengeful duke and an enraged king fast on their trail, Thor and Araya must decide how much they’re willing to risk for love.

Even if staying together means starting a war.”

This book was so much fun to read! It was beautifully written and very captivating. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect from it going in, since it’s such a small book, but I was very surprised by how amazing Under The Trees was. The writing was beautiful and the way this book is developed is extremely captivating. I loved this story and wish I could read more about the characters and world!

One of my favorite things about the story were the two main characters: Araya and Thor. I loved how strong Araya was and her bravery in her attempts to escape her arranged marriage. She was unique, fun to read about, and read like she was a real human with faults and imperfections. Thor was ahead of his time, brave, and I thought he was very respectable for all of the tough calls he made during a time where his actions weren’t really… popular. Together these characters were super cute!! I loved their chemistry. Somehow this romance developed in a lovely slow burn despite the ever pressing page number and I loved it!! They were designed perfectly together and brought out the best in each other, which makes my heart happy.

The political drama in this book was one of the main aspects of this story that had me reading until way past my bed time. I loved the variety of ties and all the tension that poured from these pages. Ashley Maker’s ability to shape words that drive the point in deeper was remarkable.

I had a great time reading this book, and a very exhausting one since I could hardly put it down. It’s a fun quick read full of chemistry, political intrigue, and unlikable characters that made me scowl. The way the story was built made every moment more enjoyable and the writing itself is beautiful! I feel like this is the perfect book to curl up and read in December, especially if you’re trying to hit your reading goal last minute. It’s just too good to put down and so much fun to read.