Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer is a YA fantasy novel that has a lot of political intrigue with a side of romance. Tessa is a young woman who is appalled by the sickness spreading throughout her kingdom and works with her friend Wes to help distribute a healing elixir. Wes, however, has a secret identity that would make it so Tessa would never want to see him again. Coincidentally, the King’s Justice is a strict rule enforcer that Tessa and Wes always seem to avoid on their runs, and they work together rather closely. One night, when Tessa sneaks into the palace for part of her mission, there is a strange turn of events that makes Wes, and her relationship change forever.
I give this book four stars because I thought it was very well written, and I am also a sucker for a good hidden identity plotline. I love how justice isn’t black and white in this book, and how both main protagonists explore their own morality. I would recommend this book to anyone who prefers a less magic-heavy world and earnest characters.