Lioness is a coming of age story of Morgan, Princess of Brigtania. She finds herself caught between her past and the brutal Roman empire. Each decision can flip the tables for her and those she cares for. There are battles, betrayal, a little bit of sweet romance, spying, and intrigue.

Thank you to the publisher, The Book Guild, and NetGalley for the early review copy! All ratings and opinions are my own. I would rate the book 3.75 stars for all the potential it has; however, there are a few things I think took away from the story.

At the beginning of the book, I was really struggling with the info dumping that occurred. Many of the phrasings felt too long winded with run on thoughts, but as I look back, I think that may have been on purpose to really sell that Morgan is younger, age 9, when her journey in this story begins. As I kept diving deeper into the story though, it became so hard to but the book down. The information shared, especially the historically accurate tidbits about the Roman empire, helped me to piece together better Ryan’s descriptions. I would say that the book definitely gives historical documentary vibes with a fantasy twist and a mini romance subplot.

This book was just not my cup of tea; it was really fast-paced and kind of left me reeling and confused. Not something I would actually read or enjoy if I wasn't bored, I didn't really get the plot; it kind of just seemed like the main character was just doing random things. The book starts with her at 9 years old, and her experiences just seem a little unrealistic, even for a fiction piece. There were some really awkward age moments when it came to romance, but if you are into historical pieces, you would probably really enjoy it. The book had some really accurate elements to it in that regard. This is also a book that you could read and finish in 1 or 2 sittings, so if you just want something quick to read, this is a good option. I think the synopsis and tags of this book made me think it was going to be something other than what it actually was, unfortunately.

Sometimes you want to watch historical intrigue and costume drama on TV, this book seemed to offer just the right mini TV series. I liked the little Lioness who schemed under the power struggles of Rome and grew up to be the wise and brave queen of the province of Britannia.

The book had perhaps packed a little too much information into it for its brevity, but when I decided to approach it as a bit of a historical documentary drama, it seemed to fit the plot of the book well. The book surprised me positively 3.5 stars.

Thank you for the publisher The Book Guild and NetGalley for the early review copy!