I received a copy of Once Upon An Assassin by Konstanz Silverbow in exchange for an honest review.
Note: this review contains spoilers!
Gavin was orphaned when his parents were killed when he was eight. That night he became Derrick, killer apprentice to the killer of his parents. Because he didn't want to die, he became very good at what he does. His current job is to go to Tivor, infiltrate the castle, and find out anything he can about the king's plans. Then he is to report back to Cordae, go back to the castle, and kill the royal family. Sounds simple.
Only Derrick didn't count on falling in love, making friends, and remembering too much of Gavin. Princess Lily is taken by Gavin (he didn't want to use his assassin's name) since she first sees him. After causing the princess to fall into a river and then rescuing her, Gavin is viewed as a hero by all but Hera the kingdom’s fairy godmother. Increasingly torn between his duty to Cordae, his growing affection to Princess Lily, and his memories of Gavin, our hero is pulled closer and closer to doing good. The author is so good at letting the reader feel what the character does. Using a first person narrative is an excellent way to know all we can about Gavin.
I enjoy all of Konstanz's books because she has such a unique perspective and unique characters. This book is no exception.