I gave this a 3 because I finished the book. If this had not been a netgalley book I probably would have DNFed it. No shade to anyone who loves this book. If you love it, I am happy for you, but this was not the book for me and remember reading is subjective. 

I was so excited about this book as it sounded like a really interesting concept. I mean I haven't seen many books inspired by tarot elements, so I was excited for something new. I will admit I am not familiar with tarot and tarot cards so maybe there was more elements inspired by it, but I could not identify them at all. I saw three things that made me thing of tarot cards, the name of the two kingdoms and one character was called four so that made me think that was an important element in tarot. In my opinion when you are going with something like tarot that is nuanced and not widely understood when you use the elements, they have to be a little more in your face otherwise for readers like me it just felt like throw away elements put into the book. Also, this a plot where she is supposedly like the chosen one to save this kingdom but as I was reading the book I completely forgot that was the plot and this was a fantasy magic book because there was little magic or fantasy. If this was a time travel book to the past, I could have equally believed that and the fight to save the kingdom felt like an afterthought at the last 25% of the book and it just felt like a book where this girl is trying to get back to her own time.

I will also say I didn't really like any of the characters except for 2. The butler and the best friend but then the best friend did something in the book that I didn't like but she later apologized for but at the time I was upset because I was like great another unlikable character. The FMC at the start everything just seems to have everything growing wrong with her, but her personality makes her a little grating and desperate especially when she goes to this other realm, and it clashes with her modern mentality and behaviors that come annoying and make her stand out when she is supposed to be trying to fit in so as not to be caught. 

Then the MMC Kane his interactions at the start with Hannah just felt so awkward to me with all his come Ons and innuendos. It just reminded me of middle school when middle school boys try to be "clever" and talk about their penises and how horny they are. I just didn't feel the chemistry at all, and their interactions just always felt awkward to me. 

Then you combine that with a husband of a character who every single sentence out of his mouth was always had to include a way to put down women. Every single sentence always turned around to demean women, like he could talk about the weather and turn it into talking down to women. Like I get the point you're trying to make but that was a point made by other elements in the book so he added nothing to the book other than to be a douche and if he wasn't in the book that point would still have been made. Also, then out of nowhere he starts sexually harassing the FMC and when she goes to his wife her best friend who I liked up to this point she then turns it around and blames the FMC! Later she apologizes but the whole marriage dynamic between the couple was weird and then for her to blame the FMC like that just turned me off to her at the moment and I just kept thinking damn I don't like a single character left in this book other than the butler who was sweet and funny. 

Overall, this was not the book for me.

This book is about Hannah who is having a rough go at it. She didn't get the promotion she hoped for, she just found out her BF was cheating on her and she can barely make rent. It can't get any worse right.... that is until she finds a tarot card in the snow, and it transports her to another realm in a kingdom where some of the first people she meets try to kill her! She is able to escape with the help of a warrior named Kane who takes her to his hideout to heal. While he is nice and hot she isn't sure she can trust him, but she needs his help to get back home as the card that brought her to this place was lost in the castle and the only way in is with his help. Which is perfect as he is trying to get back into the castle himself to carry out his own mission to help save the kingdom, he loves but seems to be rotting from within. So, win win right, but how to get in??? Well, a fake marriage and assuming the identities of foreign dignitaries seems to be their best bet, and it works. Now if they can just stay on task and keep their hands off one another while they figure out how to save the kingdom and get Hannah home while keeping up their charade. Should be easy right???

I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.