Absolutely love it. Our pace is snappy like a Dresden File's work, or close to it. Pacing of developments feels very good. Our protagonist is in a good situation personality wise... the guy feeling somewhat humorous, but not a clown... while being somewhat serious without being dull.

The premise of marrying the dukes daughter isn't seemingly being held over our heads like a carrot... and the machinations of our rivals are getting seeded without being too openly foiled. The speed of the developments still means that our wedding events will have... more>> time to land... and yet the illusion feels well there, that it's right around the corner without it being extortionist in the promise to wait for it.

I rather like the writing. The dull protagonist trope to the love interest angle, feels earned as he's never actually been someone else's love interest. This feels like it will be a long running B or C plot that we'll see manipulated in fun ways.

Sure he's a dull protagonist, but he's not a DULL protagonist. We'll see if they reach DULL levels real soon. Right now they're using it as a sort of fun quip of the cliche, we'll see if it over stays the welcome.

I find it a well packaged deal. I think northern duke stories are a niche, of romance and fantasy that this one is showing doesn't have to be emotionally dull/chilly or overly melodramatic.

I think the stakes feel solid, but not world shattering, while some realm disrupting things are hinted at.... the whole of the north, and his family don't feel like they'll absolutely collapse now that he's turning things around.

After all he's kind of the brat that ruined it after all. So the premise feels somewhat grounded in a reasonable goal that doesn't feel like it's over burdening the story for an amount of gravitas that isn't earned.

Our OP protagonist reincarnator shifts the plot immediately, but doesn't toil under the burden of foreknowledge over every decision point...a lame piece of writing formula I welcome erasing. The subtle but bold undercurrent feeling like it helps enforce his limited political maneuverings, without the whinging of a reincarnatior's melodramatic self importance.

He feels grounded in a cast of side characters that he loves, and yet cannot fully protect, so that we get a reasonable sense of stakes even if he's an excellent combatant. Much of the problems he faces are political, and yet he's an idiot grunt restarting... and isn't an expert where it counts (politics). So our progression will remain relatively interesting... if they can land the ship we'll have a good story here.

Most of these muddle things thoroughly around chapter 80 or through the hundreds, so we'll see if this solid start is an illusion carried by a well honed formula being well played... or if our writer, will break when the story opens up and their strengths are challenged.

The opening romance between a dullard and a wretched beauty, feel like they are nice spices that add to the fun of the premise, but aren't necessarily focused on too heavily. We'll see if they use these as valuable character development fodder or squander them. Time will tell.

Both of them having loving caring families, feels like a refreshing position of novelty... where we can see a really wholesome element come through. We'll see how that element is played with. I quite like that the families themselves are somewhat of the goal, and not quite the realm and kingdom itself at this point in the story.

Our goals are just where I feel they should be considering our character's strengths, and potential.

It feels like everything is executed well, which lends me faith in our author. We'll see if they betray it later.

I quite like it and give it my highest rating even though I should likely wait till chapter 50. <<less