The Betrayed

⭐ ⭐ ☆ ☆ ☆

The Betrayed (The Betrothed, Book 2) by Kiera Cass

Ugh 😩 I knew this was going to happen. (See my review of The Betrothed. I totally called it.)

At the end of the first book, Hollis went through a traumatic, character-defining event. By the time we reach this book, it is as if it never happened. There are no lasting effects and no consequences. If it does not matter to the story, why should it matter to the reader? 🤷‍♂️

The pacing is a mess. I had hoped Kiera Cass had moved past the YA “instant romance” trope, but she has not. Relationship development amounts to:
“You like the color red?”
“So do I!”
“We must be soulmates.”

Beyond the weak storytelling, the biggest problem is that it is boring. Things do happen, but it rarely feels like there is any real progress. It is like watching a politician answer a debate question. They are talking, but they are not actually saying anything.

Without a third book it is hard to say for sure, but this feels like a filler entry that could easily be skipped. I am not sure if another installment is even planned, but the series would benefit from one to make this volume feel worthwhile.

And then there is the worst line in the entire book, right at the end:

“It is surprisingly easy to teach people not to hate.”

Um… have you met people? 🤦‍♂️