Thanks! I definitely plan to read the next title in the series. I wonder if it was just too much plot development and world building that I was distracted from the main couple?

Could be. I just read a book where I had the same problem, in my case the couple was too lovey-dovey for two people who were closed off to a relationship. I'm not a fan of insta-love but lately I've been getting a lot of it in books!