Title: The Book of Ivy (audiobook)

Author: Amy Engel
Narrator: Taylor Meskimen
Publisher: 2014 Listening Library (Audio)
Genre: YA, Romance

A young daughter raised to be driven by murderous hatred is forced to marry the son of mortal enemies in order to keep a historic peace.

In a divided society walled off from the devastated world outside, most families have embraced the ritual of the arranged marriages between the two sides. The animosity between the Westfalls and the Lattimers is kept alive to the day Ivy Westfall stands next to her enemy, President Lattimer’s son, Bishop, to be married. Ivy Westfall expects abuse, but when Bishop turns out to be completely normal she finds her new mate difficult to hate. Love may not be enough to turn aside the tragic events already set in motion by betrayal in both families.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Romance is not my favorite genre, and YA romances rate even lower on my reading list. This title was recommended to me, and I would recommend it to others who enjoy the genre. The author is quite skilled indeed, and the writing style is mature and professional. The story is engaging, and the characters are, if not memorable, fairly well developed and likable. It is easy to stay immersed in Ivy’s world, despite what should be a shaky premise.

Overall, an enjoyable book.