Review: Forest Princess

I received an ARC of Forest Princess, the first book in the Forests of Anvrea series by Lucy Winton. This book is the first in a romantasy trilogy about a kingdom where magic is banned. While I appreciate that the book is a quick and easy read for people who are pressed for time, a certain something was missing that prevented me from being compelled to read the next chapter and root for the characters. It's a simple and sweet story without many twists or turns that wraps up too quickly and easily.

Princess Kerenza is forced to hide her magic from the world due to her father's kingdom-wide ban. She is determined to change the laws when she becomes queen, but there is little she can do about it until then. After she is captured by a group of rebels who know about her magic, she escapes with a group of traveling smugglers. As she gets to know them, she grows feelings for a young man named Edmund, but represses them due to their class difference. During her time traveling with the troupe, she learns more about her own magic and how to wield it to defend herself from future dangers.

This book follows a basic "road trip" formula in which a group of unlikely travelers get to know each other while exploring the surrounding lands. This formula doesn't usually sit well with me because I find it tedious. Although the story is fine for what it is, there's very little action or excitement, even though the main character is supposed to be on the run. Still, I noted several plot similarities to the first book in my own trilogy, with a rebel princess protagonist who wants to restore magic to her kingdom, so I have to give the author props for being on the same wavelength.

Kerenza and Edmund spend a lot of time traveling together, and class differences usually add a lot of romantic tension. However, I felt like I missed most of the chemistry between them. Kerenza needed to outright state in the narration that she had feelings for him for me to realize it as a reader. Even then, I had a hard time seeing it in the story. Although a subtle romantic subplot is not always a bad thing, there wasn't enough of anything else to make up for it. The magic system existed, but was limited to throwing orbs of light. I would have liked to see more variety of powers for something that was considered so rare and dangerous.

While Forest Princess by Lucy Winton is a sweet and straightforward romantasy read, it ultimately fell short for me due to its predictable plot, lack of compelling character development, and underwhelming romance. Despite its engaging premise and relatable protagonist, the story's slow pace and reliance on familiar tropes made it difficult to become fully invested. However, Winton's world-building and magical concepts show promise, and fans of gentle, character-driven fantasies may find something to appreciate here. With some further development and refinement, this series could still reach its full potential within the next two installments.