While I'd been looking forward to reading this book and had been waiting for it to be available at the library, I have to admit I started reading this book in a rather skeptical mindset. I had just finished a rather serious and grandiose book and felt this would feel fluffy and shallow. In addition, I listened to the audiobook and the narrator for Arthur was not my favorite accent for this particular character, and his emphasis on particular words in sentences tended to throw me off. I quickly disregarded Gwen as a typical woe is me princess who thinks she is helping but really does nothing and over the story grows into herself and her position blah blah blah... and honestly? Kind of true. HOWEVER, it was Gabriel who truly won my heart and convinced me to keep reading. Scholarly nerd who just wants to learn about history but has leadership thrust upon his shoulders and suppressed gay feelings? Swoon. The bonds between "enemies", best friends, siblings, and crushes were so well established and there were so many scenes that I didn't want to end - give me more domestic bliss, whether between lovers, siblings, or friends! I flew through this book, not because of plot twists and shocks, but because even if I KNEW what was coming, somehow I had come to care about all these characters so much that I had to see them through to the end, happy or not.