The Kiss of Deception (2014) is a young adult fantasy romance novel written by award-winning author Mary E. Pearson. Pearson is the author of The Remnant Chronicles series, and The Kiss of Deception is the first book in its own trilogy within that series. The story takes place in the distant future of what was once the United States but places itself in a medieval setting. It focuses on protagonist Lia, formerly Princess Arabella, who leaves her kingdom on her wedding day for the small town of Terravin. She rejects tradition in favor of creating her own destiny, but learns the importance of Being Part of an Eternal Story. Lia also craves connection and embraces The Search for Genuine Love. In the end, she chooses Faith and Love Over Certainty, which she initially struggled to do.

The Kiss of Deception is the recipient of the 2016 Indiana Eliot Rosewater High School Book Award and was long-listed and short-listed for several other awards.

This guide is based on the 2014 Square Fish edition of the novel.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide feature depictions of sexual violence, death, graphic violence, gender discrimination, and pregnancy loss.

Plot Summary

Lia is 17 and preparing for her wedding to a prince from the neighboring kingdom of Dalbreck. Lia grew up in the kingdom of Morrighan alongside her older brothers. She is tattooed with the crest of Dalbreck and given a ceremonial wedding cloak by her parents, but she has no desire to uphold tradition. The idea of marrying an older man she has never met and does not love both terrifies and enrages Lia, and along with her servant and close friend, Pauline, she escapes into the woods on horseback. Lia is aware that she is leaving her old life behind forever.

Lia and Pauline travel for 10 days, often making false trails to deter trackers and stopping at various towns to rest or trade. Lia wonders what her future holds and what she really wants out of life; she is certain that she wants someone to love. Eventually, Lia and Pauline arrive in the village of Terravin, where Pauline was born. The village is colorful and lively, and the girls are welcomed by Pauline’s unofficial aunt, Berdi, who owns the local inn. Berdi lets the girls stay in the barn. As they earn their keep, they are given a cottage and full-time work. They discuss rumors of “barbarians” in the woods (the Venda people) and Lia wonders if someone is coming to look for her.

The prince Lia is supposed to marry, Rafe, is pretending to be a farmhand, though this not revealed to Lia (or the reader) until near the end of the book. The prince readies himself to leave in search of her. He claims not to want to speak to her, but just to observe the woman who dared leave him and both kingdoms behind.

At the same time, an assassin, Kaden, is tasked with hunting Lia down and killing her, to help his people (the Venda) gain control of the land. Once again, the assassin’s identity is not revealed until near the end of the book.

Eventually, both men track Lia to the village inn, arriving at the tavern together for drinks. Neither knows who the other is. Lia doesn’t know who they are either, but they both sense who she is right away. After meeting briefly at the tavern, Kaden intercepts Lia on her way home and claims to want to accompany her safely. Moments later, Rafe appears and tells Kaden that he needs to go attend to his horse. Kaden leaves, and Rafe and Lia share a brief but tantalizing moment together. A sense of curiosity and attraction begins to grow between them.

Lia goes with Pauline and a woman named Gwyneth to pick blackberries, taking her precious dagger along with her. They pass by a graveyard and Lia gets a horrible feeling about Mikael, Pauline’s lover. Pauline gets sick along the way due to a pregnancy that she has yet to announce, and Lia goes on with Gwyneth alone. Gwyneth admits that she knows Lia’s true identity and tries to encourage Lia to accept her responsibilities as a princess. When Lia is left alone, Rafe appears, and the two pick berries while bonding. Neither admits their true origins.

Soon after, Lia receives an anonymous note and meets her brother, Walther, at the ruins. He warns her that she will eventually be discovered and that her time in Terravin is not unlimited. He also tells her of possible Vendan raids and reveals that the kingdom’s Scholar and Chancellor are looking for her, claiming that she stole something. Lia admits that she stole two ancient texts, one of which is in Vendan, but says that she cannot translate them. Before leaving, Walther tells Lia that Mikael is promiscuous and uses women, and Lia reacts with shock. Both Kaden and Rafe witness her meeting and assume that Walther is her lover. Lia decides to lie to Pauline by telling her that Mikael is dead. When Pauline collapses in grief, Rafe helps carry her inside.

Tensions rise in Terravin as the festival approaches and Lia’s hidden identity becomes increasingly exposed. Pauline returns from prayer wearing a widow’s scarf and spends weeks in mourning. She distances herself from the others, including Lia, while the inn prepares for celebration. Lia grows closer to both Kaden and Rafe but wonders about their continued presence in town and whether they have secrets. Lia has an important conversation with Rafe in which they discuss the nature of deception and love.

Meanwhile, Lia continues to contend with the reality that part of her wedding tattoo, called a kavah, will not wash away. Gwyneth thinks that it might be a sign of her obligations. Kaden plots to kill Lia but becomes increasingly reluctant to do so as he begins to fall for her. He overhears Lia talking about her hatred for the kingdom of Dalbreck and the prince who was willing to accept a bride he had never met.

Lia is accosted one day in the woods by a strange man who was sent by the Scholar and Chancellor to kill her. She defends herself, and Kaden intervenes and shoots the man. Rafe offers to dispose of the body, which unsettles Lia. They all agree to keep the incident a secret, and Lia turns her attention to helping Pauline prepare for her upcoming child.

During the festival’s opening rituals, Lia realizes that Rafe has no true knowledge of the Morrighan faith, which makes her wonder where exactly he is from. As the festival continues, Kaden’s men arrive early and urge him to kill Lia, but he sends them away and asks for one more week. Kaden is torn between loyalty to Venda and his feelings for Lia.

Gwyneth warns Lia that a Venda assassin may be hunting her and admits that she used to be a spy for the royal guard, which makes Lia question her true loyalties. Lia participates in a knife-throwing competition and hears a voice telling her “he’s watching,” but doesn’t know who “he” is. Later, she sneaks into the Sacrista to find a book that will help her translate her Venda text. The priest finds her and admits he knows who she is. Like Gwyneth, the priest encourages Lia to accept who she really is, including the gift of communication with the gods that she does not use.

At the festival, the prayers and songs move Lia to tears. She dances with both Kaden and Rafe, but her thoughts always return to Rafe. Later, Lia and Rafe slip away and spend a romantic evening together. In the morning, Pauline wakes Lia, who finds her brother distraught: The Venda murdered his wife and future child. Walther leaves in a blind rage, and Lia fears vengeance will only bring more death. She blames herself for refusing the marriage that might have prevented this violence. She reluctantly decides to go back to Civica despite her love for Rafe, Terravin, and all its people.

As Lia leaves Terravin with Pauline, Kaden reappears, revealing himself as a Venda assassin. Kaden spares Pauline and allows her to leave, but Kaden takes Lia captive and says she will be the Komizar’s prize.

Rafe realizes Lia is missing and sets out to find her.

Kaden claims loyalty to Venda. However, he repeatedly protects Lia along the journey to Venda. As the journey continues and Lia gets further from home, Lia knows escape will be nearly impossible. She wonders if Rafe is coming at all.

Rafe draws on skills he learned as a boy to track Kaden’s brigade; he pushes ahead with his men in hopes of reaching Venda first. Meanwhile, Kaden struggles with conflicted feelings toward Lia, whom he plans to present to the Komizar to use for her supposed “gift.” At a vagabond camp, Lia meets an elderly woman named Dihara, who challenges her belief that her gift is rare or tied to royal blood. Through Dihara’s teachings, Lia begins to understand her gift as a universal connection rather than an inherited power. She realizes her mother had trained her to suppress it.

As Lia grows stronger and more self-aware, her relationship with Kaden becomes increasingly complicated. They kiss at one point, but Lia immediately regrets it. When Lia learns that one of Kaden’s men murdered Walther’s wife, she is forced to confront the brutal realities of war and attacks the man responsible.

Lia finally manages to escape during a bison stampede. While she is alone in the wilderness, her gift awakens fully. It allows her to understand an ancient Venda text that foretells a princess named Jezelia, who is destined to confront great challenges. Lia realizes the prophecy refers to her and accepts her full identity as that princess.

Kaden and the others eventually catch up with Lia, who is forced to witness the massacre of her brother and his men. She buries them herself by hand, and the moment profoundly changes her. She decides she will be the one to kill the Komizar. At the gates of the dark city of Venda, Lia is reunited with Rafe, whose determination and love have led him back to her. The novel ends on a cliffhanger.