"An intelligent, capable heroine who isn’t Special and would really rather be left alone, and a narrative that isn’t easy on her. The romance is interesting and well developed, but background to Mel’s growth and journey."

Well if you don't mind a heroine that is a bit more passive than Mel, with good reason, but still has lots of adventures and manages to get abducted three times without becoming a complete victim (I thought), you might want to get Sherwood Smith's "The Trouble with Kings" out form Samhain in trade paperback, and of course as an ebook, right now.

Some reviews likened it a lot to Crown Duel, and others found the heroine too passive.