The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Cass, Kierra. The Betrothed. HarperTeen, 2020. Kindle.

The novel begins with the teenage narrator, Hollis Brite, in her room with her best friend, Delia Grace. The two ladies lived at Keresken Castle in the capital city, Tobbar, of the country Coroa. Hollis had recently attracted the attention of King Jameson, but she assumed she was just a passing fancy because Jameson was a bit of a womanizer. Delia disagreed and wanted Hollis to take her chance with the king seriously. Delia’s father had left her mother when she was eight. He had filed for divorce by claiming that Delia was a bastard before running off and eloping with another woman. This brought great shame to the whole family because in Coroa there were very strict laws and standards for marriage. Everyone at court looked down on Delia, but Hollis loved her like a sister. Hollis’s parents wished she had been a boy and were constantly belittling her and attempting to make her act more like a proper lady.

Jameson invited Hollis to take a ride on his boat with a large party of their friends. Hollis noticed that all the other girls of court were jealous of her and giving her mean looks. She threw a berry at one of them, Nora, and started a food fight. She accidentally fell into the river and Jameson pulled her back in, laughing at her silliness. The next day, Jameson sent her flowers and Hollis went to thank him. Everyone in the castle was staring at her. Nora took Hollis aside and explained that Jameson had never allowed anyone to sit next to him in his boat. He appeared to be getting serious about Hollis, which made the lords and ladies of court nervous. Hollis went to see Jameson and he invited her to sit with him at dinner. Her parents forbid her to bring Delia with her, but Hollis appealed to Jameson and he said she should keep her friend if she wanted to, despite Delia’s scandalous past. Delia, who was brilliant and well-studied while Hollis was frivolous and hated to read anything but entertaining novels, made a plan to teach Hollis enough to make proper conversation about politics in order to impress Jameson further.

Jameson invited Hollis to sit with him in his Great Room while he attended to business. A family from their rival country, Isolte, came in and plead for sanctuary from the evil King Quentin. Hollis was immediately attracted to the eldest Eastoffe son, Silas. Jameson asked Hollis what she would do, and she said she would allow them sanctuary. Jameson agreed with her decision, but condescendingly explained that she needed to learn to think quicker. He asked her to walk with him and took her to the royal wing where he showed her the crown’s collection of jewelry. He kissed her for the first time and told her he was going to marry her as soon as he convinced his lords she would be a better choice than the princess from another country, Bannir, whom they wanted him to wed.

Jameson learned that King Quentin was coming to visit for their annual meeting with his wife, Queen Valentina. Jameson feared that Quentin had learned of his intention to marry Hollis and was bringing Valentina to make Hollis look bad. Jameson demanded that Eastoffes teach Hollis Isolten manners so she would not look bad.

Jameson surprised Hollis by gifting her the Queen’s rooms in the castle. He said it was only a matter of time before she was his wife, so she ought to have the rooms. When he left, Hollis felt overwhelmed and unsure of whether she wanted to marry Jameson and be queen. She took a walk through the castle and ran into Silas. She found herself feeling comfortable enough to tell him all her fears and reservations. He listened carefully and attempted to give her advice. When she left, she decided to pull herself together and become queen because it was the right thing to do.

The next day, Hollis welcomed the Isoltens by Jameson’s side. Queen Valentina was rude and closed off. Jameson told Hollis to enjoy her evening by inviting her ladies to her rooms. Hollis had a party in her room and invited the Eastoffes to thank them for their help. She talked to Silas again and felt more drawn to him than ever. The next day, Silas fought in a tournament wearing neither Isolten Blue or Coroan Red as a sign that he was fighting on behalf of both kings, but this angered King Quentin, who already hated the Eastoffes.

Hollis approached Valentina and the two girls concocted a plan to ease tensions. They wore the colors of the other’s country and walked into dinner holding hands, then Valentina gave a speech about the importance of bringing peace to their countries. Jameson said Hollis looked beautiful, but otherwise ignored her. She danced with Silas, and the two went out into the hall and kissed. Hollis told Silas that they could never be together. She became close friends with Valentina, who was depressed and isolated because of her husband. When Jameson told Hollis that he had promised their future children to King Quentin, Hollis was shocked. She became even more depressed when Valentina left court and Silas made plans to move to the country with his family.

Hollis told Delia that she was unsure about marrying Jameson and Delia revealed that she had wanted to win Jameson’s affection. For the first time ever, Delia was respected because she was one of Hollis’s ladies in waiting, and she did not want Hollis to ruin everything by backing out of the engagement and further ruining Delia’s reputation and chance for a good marriage. Hollis agreed to marry Jameson, but on the night that he was set to officially propose, she changed her mind and ran away with Silas after telling Jameson she could not marry him.

Hollis went to Dahere County, where Silas and his family had just bought land, and where her family had their own estate. She wrote to her parents and asked them to meet her at their home. They agreed, but when she met with them they told her she either needed to go back to court and apologize to Jameson or they would disown her. Hollis refused to go to court and instead went to live with the Eastoffes and plan her wedding. Delia wrote to Hollis and told her she had started a relationship with Jameson.

Hollis and Silas married one another in a beautiful ceremony. During the celebration, Lady Eastoffe pulled Hollis aside and they took a walk through a field. A dozen men arrived on horses and slaughtered the wedding attendants, then lit the house on fire. Hollis, Lady Eastoffe, and Scarlet, Silas’s sister, were the only survivors. They walked to Hollis’s family home and tried to decide what to do. Lady Eastoffe and Scarlet planned to go back to Isolte with their cousins. Hollis planned to go back to court to see Delia. At the last minute, Hollis changed her mind and chased after the Eastoffes so she could accompany them to Isolte.