The Kiss of Deception is a 2014 young adult fantasy novel written by Mary E. Pearson.[1] The story is about princess Lia, who seeks a life outside that of royalty.[2] This is the first novel of The Remnant Chronicles.
In a traditional society, Princess Lia's life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight - but she doesn't - and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom - to a prince she has never met.
On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two strangers arrive. She is unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her.
Publishers Weekly gave the book a positive review, describing it as "an extraordinary start" to the series, and praising the depiction of its heroine.[3] Kirkus Reviews also gave it a positive review, describing it as "rich and exciting" with a bold ending, despite being "slightly uneven".[4]