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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Heat Index: 7/10
—arranged marriage goes wrong (or completely right?)
—assassins (both sexy and dangerous)
—royal conspiracies
—SO. MUCH. SEXUAL. TENSION. GOOD. GOD.
The Basics:
Princess Marjoriana ("Jory") must marry the fire-wielding warlord king Ky to keep her kingdom safe—but her heart lies with Asher, the boy she grew up with and adored before he was bonded into indentured servitude and shaped into an assassin. Just after Jory meets—and surprisingly hits it off with—Ky, however, Asher is back, claiming he's been assigned to kill both of them. He's totally fine with killing Ky and running away with Jory. But she has another idea, and as the three find themselves in an reluctant alliance, they realize the danger may be coming from every side.
The Review:
When I read the summary for this novel, I went "This sounds like it could be MMF. But it's probably NOT MMF. Because it's traditionally published."
And it's not that poly romances don't exist in traditional publishing, but even those romances often begin in an indie space before migrating. Even then, you're more likely to see them in contemporary. But fantasy romance is kind of the perfect place for something like this, because fantasy romance is Love Triangle Land. And I thought that's what we were getting here. While I'm not against love triangles inherently—I'm so glad I was wrong, because this was a VERY, very good triad romance.
It's a slow burn, to be clear. Though the sex is excellent, it doesn't happen until pretty late in the game, because our leads don't really acknowledge to themselves what's happening until the end. Which makes sense for so many reasons. Often, I feel slow burns happen because authors are buying time due to a lack of story. Here, it's totally organic. Asher and Jory are in love but unable to act on their feelings for both reasons practical and emotional; Ky and Jory have chemistry but are new to each other and have plenty of reasons to distrust one another; and Ky and Asher have a genuine, true enemies to lovers dynamic (rare!). Never mind that the three of them don't immediately think there can be a three.
What this results in is delicious tension. So much longing, so much pining, so much desire. There are so many tiny moments in this novel where people almost let themselves acknowledge what they want, but they just can't! Until they can.
I would say that while the political intrigue plot is good, this is very much the first in a series and plays out that way, holding back on reveals until the end. While I imagine the next book will be heavier on that element, this one gets to focus more on character and relationship development, which is a great move. An issue that often crops up in MMF romances especially is that you either have the heroes super in love with the heroine as an accessory for the female reader to project upon, or there's this air of "well, the guys are together too, but it's really all about HER", which devalues the heroes' queerness. Kemmerer avoids both of these pitfalls, giving us rich individual dynamics and a fabulous triad.
And they need each other. Asher and Jory know each other so well, but he feels the need to be strong for her and is so deeply traumatized (heads up: Asher was essentially sold into sex slavery as a teenager, and suffers from what is implied to be PTSD) that he holds back. Ky not only pushes back against his defenses, but knows when to stop, offering a place where Asher can be vulnerable and Jory can explore. In a way, he definitely feels like a missing puzzle piece for them—which could be a trap, writing-wise. Except Kemmerer again avoids that by building Ky's own inner world. He's the warrior here, feared and charismatic, yet protecting his own secrets and very much misunderstood.
The three of them together are basically magic, and I loved it.
Kemmerer does a good job of presenting neither Ky nor Jory's world as perfect. Ky's reign is known for its violence, and there's a lot more going on than what it seems—but there's also a very real reason why people fear him. Jory is sheltered and frankly ignorant, with Asher hiding the truth of "indentured servitude" from her... until she has to see it. And part of why she has to see it is that Ky doesn't coddle her the way Asher does. He expects her to grow and rise to the occasion.
Again, a lot of this book really hinges on these three continuously challenging each other. Emotionally, physically, intellectually—it's all there!
And it's really good.
The Sex:
Like I said, the sex takes a long time to happen in this novel. But when it does happen—I mean, it definitely leaves me super hyped about what we'll have in the next book! It's so good, and it's a unique approach that felt authentic.
Everyone has their own vibe in bed, too, which I like. Asher is touch-averse but (sadly) very knowledgeable about physicality, but it takes him a long time to be open to his own true desires. Ky is super charismatic and, well, definitely open! And Jory is a virgin who can't drive but is SUPER eager to learn. Love it.
The Conclusion:
I had a really good time with this book. It's definitely setting up an ongoing series, and consider me along for the ride. I can't wait to see what these three do next!
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
—arranged marriage goes wrong (or completely right?)
—assassins (both sexy and dangerous)
—royal conspiracies
—SO. MUCH. SEXUAL. TENSION. GOOD. GOD.
The Basics:
Princess Marjoriana ("Jory") must marry the fire-wielding warlord king Ky to keep her kingdom safe—but her heart lies with Asher, the boy she grew up with and adored before he was bonded into indentured servitude and shaped into an assassin. Just after Jory meets—and surprisingly hits it off with—Ky, however, Asher is back, claiming he's been assigned to kill both of them. He's totally fine with killing Ky and running away with Jory. But she has another idea, and as the three find themselves in an reluctant alliance, they realize the danger may be coming from every side.
The Review:
When I read the summary for this novel, I went "This sounds like it could be MMF. But it's probably NOT MMF. Because it's traditionally published."
And it's not that poly romances don't exist in traditional publishing, but even those romances often begin in an indie space before migrating. Even then, you're more likely to see them in contemporary. But fantasy romance is kind of the perfect place for something like this, because fantasy romance is Love Triangle Land. And I thought that's what we were getting here. While I'm not against love triangles inherently—I'm so glad I was wrong, because this was a VERY, very good triad romance.
It's a slow burn, to be clear. Though the sex is excellent, it doesn't happen until pretty late in the game, because our leads don't really acknowledge to themselves what's happening until the end. Which makes sense for so many reasons. Often, I feel slow burns happen because authors are buying time due to a lack of story. Here, it's totally organic. Asher and Jory are in love but unable to act on their feelings for both reasons practical and emotional; Ky and Jory have chemistry but are new to each other and have plenty of reasons to distrust one another; and Ky and Asher have a genuine, true enemies to lovers dynamic (rare!). Never mind that the three of them don't immediately think there can be a three.
What this results in is delicious tension. So much longing, so much pining, so much desire. There are so many tiny moments in this novel where people almost let themselves acknowledge what they want, but they just can't! Until they can.
I would say that while the political intrigue plot is good, this is very much the first in a series and plays out that way, holding back on reveals until the end. While I imagine the next book will be heavier on that element, this one gets to focus more on character and relationship development, which is a great move. An issue that often crops up in MMF romances especially is that you either have the heroes super in love with the heroine as an accessory for the female reader to project upon, or there's this air of "well, the guys are together too, but it's really all about HER", which devalues the heroes' queerness. Kemmerer avoids both of these pitfalls, giving us rich individual dynamics and a fabulous triad.
And they need each other. Asher and Jory know each other so well, but he feels the need to be strong for her and is so deeply traumatized (heads up: Asher was essentially sold into sex slavery as a teenager, and suffers from what is implied to be PTSD) that he holds back. Ky not only pushes back against his defenses, but knows when to stop, offering a place where Asher can be vulnerable and Jory can explore. In a way, he definitely feels like a missing puzzle piece for them—which could be a trap, writing-wise. Except Kemmerer again avoids that by building Ky's own inner world. He's the warrior here, feared and charismatic, yet protecting his own secrets and very much misunderstood.
The three of them together are basically magic, and I loved it.
Kemmerer does a good job of presenting neither Ky nor Jory's world as perfect. Ky's reign is known for its violence, and there's a lot more going on than what it seems—but there's also a very real reason why people fear him. Jory is sheltered and frankly ignorant, with Asher hiding the truth of "indentured servitude" from her... until she has to see it. And part of why she has to see it is that Ky doesn't coddle her the way Asher does. He expects her to grow and rise to the occasion.
Again, a lot of this book really hinges on these three continuously challenging each other. Emotionally, physically, intellectually—it's all there!
And it's really good.
The Sex:
Like I said, the sex takes a long time to happen in this novel. But when it does happen—I mean, it definitely leaves me super hyped about what we'll have in the next book! It's so good, and it's a unique approach that felt authentic.
Everyone has their own vibe in bed, too, which I like. Asher is touch-averse but (sadly) very knowledgeable about physicality, but it takes him a long time to be open to his own true desires. Ky is super charismatic and, well, definitely open! And Jory is a virgin who can't drive but is SUPER eager to learn. Love it.
The Conclusion:
I had a really good time with this book. It's definitely setting up an ongoing series, and consider me along for the ride. I can't wait to see what these three do next!
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
eARC review! Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley!
Brigid Kemmerer's books are always a hit for me and this was no exception. I usually only read books with one POV and one love interest, but this book with three POVS and an MMF romance had me absolutley hooked! But I shouldn't be surprised because Kemmerer's writing is just that good!!
The story follows a warrior king and a princess from a neighboring kingdom who attempt to strike a marriage alliance for the betterment of their kingdoms. But things get complicated with the princess's best friend, an assassin, is tasked with killing them both.
I really enjoyed each POV and I never felt bored with any of them. I loved seeing them peel back each other's layers. They are all quite different with complex backgrounds, but they work together so well.
I loved the tension! Though the initial physical attraction is apparent pretty early on, there was a gradual buildup to their relationship as they tear down their walls and let the other in. The book laid a great foundation to their dynamic that I'm super excited to explore in future installments of the series!
This is a true romantasy!! I don't want to give away too much, but this has everything to love about the genre!
✓ lots of tension
✓ well-paced
✓ great character development
✓ and some spicyyy scenes
The book deals with some very mature themes so check content warnings before diving in if you may be concerned!
HIGHLY recommend if you're a romantasy lover looking for a new story with unique characters and steamy romance!
Brigid Kemmerer's books are always a hit for me and this was no exception. I usually only read books with one POV and one love interest, but this book with three POVS and an MMF romance had me absolutley hooked! But I shouldn't be surprised because Kemmerer's writing is just that good!!
The story follows a warrior king and a princess from a neighboring kingdom who attempt to strike a marriage alliance for the betterment of their kingdoms. But things get complicated with the princess's best friend, an assassin, is tasked with killing them both.
I really enjoyed each POV and I never felt bored with any of them. I loved seeing them peel back each other's layers. They are all quite different with complex backgrounds, but they work together so well.
I loved the tension! Though the initial physical attraction is apparent pretty early on, there was a gradual buildup to their relationship as they tear down their walls and let the other in. The book laid a great foundation to their dynamic that I'm super excited to explore in future installments of the series!
This is a true romantasy!! I don't want to give away too much, but this has everything to love about the genre!
✓ lots of tension
✓ well-paced
✓ great character development
✓ and some spicyyy scenes
The book deals with some very mature themes so check content warnings before diving in if you may be concerned!
HIGHLY recommend if you're a romantasy lover looking for a new story with unique characters and steamy romance!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is a love letter to the fantasy romance genre, and an absolutely delightful read for people who love character driven stories.
I heard Brigid speak at a conference earlier this year and thought she was so funny and passionate, that I added her upcoming adult novel to my list of books to read without knowing anything about it. I dove in without looking at any of the background and I didn’t know what to expect, but my expectations were surpassed!
This book is a character driven story about our trio, a princess, a warrior, and an assassin, who are forced to work together for the good of their kingdoms and themselves. Now there is a plot of what is going on with each of the kingdoms, but the point of the book here is the characters, the relationships they have with each other and how they view themselves. The story is how these characters interact with each other and determine how to react to the plot rather than the story beats themselves.
If you like stories like that, you’re going to love this book. Personally, I LOVED it. I’m a huge fan of character tension and this book delivers it in spades. This book is MMF, all our characters are interested in each other and this set up brings some fantastic and fun dynamics. Because each of the characters related to each other in such different ways, the POV changes never felt confusing or choppy because it was easy enough to pick up on who was speaking. I also was eager to keep reading to see what everyone was thinking!
I’m eager to see where things go in the next book as there are still a few secrets that have been hinted at and I cannot wait to see how they play out.
Super fun, fast read, and one that I’ll most likely pick up a special edition of for my own library.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Brigid Kemmerer for an eARC in exchange for my review.
I heard Brigid speak at a conference earlier this year and thought she was so funny and passionate, that I added her upcoming adult novel to my list of books to read without knowing anything about it. I dove in without looking at any of the background and I didn’t know what to expect, but my expectations were surpassed!
This book is a character driven story about our trio, a princess, a warrior, and an assassin, who are forced to work together for the good of their kingdoms and themselves. Now there is a plot of what is going on with each of the kingdoms, but the point of the book here is the characters, the relationships they have with each other and how they view themselves. The story is how these characters interact with each other and determine how to react to the plot rather than the story beats themselves.
If you like stories like that, you’re going to love this book. Personally, I LOVED it. I’m a huge fan of character tension and this book delivers it in spades. This book is MMF, all our characters are interested in each other and this set up brings some fantastic and fun dynamics. Because each of the characters related to each other in such different ways, the POV changes never felt confusing or choppy because it was easy enough to pick up on who was speaking. I also was eager to keep reading to see what everyone was thinking!
I’m eager to see where things go in the next book as there are still a few secrets that have been hinted at and I cannot wait to see how they play out.
Super fun, fast read, and one that I’ll most likely pick up a special edition of for my own library.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Brigid Kemmerer for an eARC in exchange for my review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Murder, War
Minor: Sexual violence
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think the author has a great style for writing but the overall connection to the characters and the story fell flat for me. Every moment was driven by the 3 main characters questioning if they were interested in one another and I couldn’t get too invested in any of them.
With that being said, I will still pick up book two to see where the story goes. I binged this is like 24hrs and it did keep my interest. I’m hoping to see more plot development in book 2!
With that being said, I will still pick up book two to see where the story goes. I binged this is like 24hrs and it did keep my interest. I’m hoping to see more plot development in book 2!
With an alliance forming, and hits for royalties lives, a warrior, a princess, and an assassin have to team up to keep themselves- and their kingdoms- safe.
As always, Brigid Kemmerer’s books are the absolute best fantasy in my opinion. There’s no book that she’s written that hasn’t immediately grasped my attention and made me want to read more and more forever. I could read her writing forever, gonna be honest. This book was absolutely no exception. Even though it was her first adult book, and the themes were more elevated than her YA ones, the quality of her writing and her storytelling, and everything in between did not waver.
Thank you so so much to NetGalley and Avon for an eARC of this book!!
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Brigid Kemmerer has made the jump from YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy to Adult Romantasy FLAWLESSLY. Told from the POV from our three titular characters, this story sets us up for what will easily be a favorite for many. Our Warrior, Ky, is a warrior king of a tired nation. Along with a guard of some of his most loyal soldiers, Ky is en route to meet his bride-to-be, Jory. Arranged to be married in order to secure an alliance between their two kingdoms, our Princess, Jory, could not feel more trapped. Her asshole brother has set this marriage up and she has had no say in the matter. And any time she tries to bring her worries to his attention he is, lets say, LESS than receptive. Her only reprieve is her best friend since childhood, Asher. Completely in love with his best friend, our Assassin, Asher, has completely shut his emotions away from the world. Having already convinced himself that someone like him could never have the woman he loves, he simulatiously pushes her away, and yet can't stay away from her.
One of the first things I noticed in this book is how UNIQUE each character feels. Even though we have 3 main POVs, none of them feels sidelined, and they all have their own motivations, their own secrets, and their own hearts. Kemmerer has also pulled off a Why Choose romance in a way that is believable for me. The few Why Choose's that I have read always feel like 1 of the 3 romances is stronger, or like there is a clear weak link. But not here. Jory's and Asher's relationship is already established in a way. And you quickly see Asher flush at the idea of Ky. Ky and Jory also develop their own hot and cold relationship. All 3 are special, and all 3 shine. At first, I fretted that this would be a love triangle, but by 25% in I realized we had the potential for MULTIPLE HEAs, and I was overjoyed. I was pulled in to this world. The side characters that we spend the most time with are Ky's men, and they are all delightful (personally - I'm partial to Garrett). Outside of that we have Jory's main lady in waiting, and her dick of an older brother, Prince Dane.
What is the worst thing that can happen for two kingdoms that are trying to ally against a third foe? When each side seemingly takes out an assassin contract for the other. Forced to flee, Jory, Asher, and an mostly unwilling Ky begin to grow closer as they try to discover who would be trying to kill them, and who they are able to trust.
There is so much more for this book that I could gush over, but I don't want to give too much away. But if you are able to pick this up when it comes out, I would HIGHLY recommend it.
DNF at 25%
I wasn’t really vibing with the book, so I looked up reviews. It felt a little too insta lust to me, but whatever. It’s just not my thing.
I did think it would be a love triangle. NO.
I had NO idea this was a why choose romance. I can confirm. The girl does it with both dudes at the same time. The dudes do it with each other. Everyone is doing it with everyone.
I’m embarrassed to say the least. 🙈
I never leave reviews for DNFs, but I felt it was important in this case.
This was a free copy from NetGalley.
I wasn’t really vibing with the book, so I looked up reviews. It felt a little too insta lust to me, but whatever. It’s just not my thing.
I did think it would be a love triangle. NO.
I had NO idea this was a why choose romance. I can confirm. The girl does it with both dudes at the same time. The dudes do it with each other. Everyone is doing it with everyone.
I’m embarrassed to say the least. 🙈
I never leave reviews for DNFs, but I felt it was important in this case.
This was a free copy from NetGalley.