Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Luck of The Draw
AUTHOR: Addison Albright
PUBLISHER: JMS Books LLC
LENGTH: 94 Pages
RELEASE DATE: July 22, 2023
BLURB:
Drawing the short straw is bad luck … isn’t it?
A treaty between three warring realms calls for a mass wedding ceremony amongst their eligible princes and princesses to solidify the peace. But since the number of males and females differ, one of the marriages must be between two of the princes.
Prince Obren of Canna draws the short straw, sealing his fate, and Prince Dukan of Butari volunteers to be the other half of the nontraditional marriage. The two princes fought nobly in the years-long war and are willing to do whatever it takes to finalize the treaty, ending the conflict that took the lives of their loved ones … Obren’s brother and Dukan’s lover.
Each harbors a dark secret, and King Rogan of Canna has long nurtured a deep hatred of Obren, blaming him for bringing home the deadly virus responsible for the untimely death of his much-adored wife. Obren and Dukan can’t deny their chemistry, but can they overcome the ugly truths complicating their path to a friendly, respectful, and — dare they hope — loving relationship? Will King Rogan stop at nothing to dash Obren’s chance at happiness, or does that short straw represent good luck, after all?
REVIEW:
A complicated set of circumstances meant that Obren – Prince of Canna, must have an arranged marriage to Prince Dukan of Butari. The situation suggested that the budding relationship would not begin on an amicable footing. Can confessions save the day, and are secrets the only obstacle to happiness?
For a short story, this one was a goodie. Luck of The Draw was a diplomatically amicable story with some dramatic scenes that made up for the smoother ones.
The story is told in the third person, as though the author is the narrator. As such, there was some head-hopping. Worldbuilding is mainly around the palace, which has the feel of castles from the Tudor period of history. As marriages between the conflicting realms are to keep the peace instead of war, there are reflections on the cost and responsibilities of war. Some of these brought me to tears.
Prince Obren is one of a large family. As the blurb says, the King blames Obren for the death of his beloved Queen, and through the story, various acts suggest the man is becoming unhinged. Obren is a soul that has come to terms with his father’s hate and his place in life. I felt sad for him. At least he had some good friends that provided some levity to his situation. His fellow brothers and sisters were a mixed bag, but none of them was blind to his plight, especially as they were expected to wed as well, which for once, encouraged some camaraderie.
Like Obren, Prince Dukan has his war secrets, which, if confessed, could ruin any possible marriage. But, if things were kept secret and then discovered, they would make future life unbearable. Dukan’s family is closer than Obren’s, but despite the family having smaller roles, they are memorable.
Neither prince is daft, and they realize that no matter how uncomfortable, the air needs to be cleared for them to have any chance of a future. These talks were written beautifully and sensitively, with heads and hearts doing a dance that belonged to the masked undercurrents of a palace ball.
Luck of The Draw was a compact short story that focused on the success or failure of contractual marriage yet gave enough backstory for depth. It contained dancing, revenge, family relations, attempted murder, reflections on war and its aftermath – all amid a slowly unhinging monarch. The war and its aftermath proved that the pen is often mightier than the sword.
RATING: 
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