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A review by narcobunbun
Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
When King Maddox’s kingdom is slowly burning and his fire magic can’t save it, he desperately needs a marriage alliance with Princess Jory of Astranza, whose family controls weather magic that might help his land flourish again. Plot twist: both kingdoms are hiding major secrets. Only Jory’s father can wield their family’s weather magic and he’s dying, while Ky needs to keep quiet about how the fires really started. Meanwhile, Jory’s childhood friend Asher has gone from palace troublemaker to professional assassin, and guess who just got a contract to kill the king and princess? Cue the moral crisis, because apparently even assassins have feelings when it comes to their first love. It’s political intrigue meets magical disasters with a hefty side of complicated romance.
Okay, but can we appreciate how Kemmerer managed to make me care about all three of these complex characters? Ky trying to navigate his kingdom’s crisis while being genuinely thoughtful with Jory had me invested in their developing relationship, even knowing Asher was lurking in the background with his conflicted loyalties. The character development was absolutely on point. Watching Jory grow from dutiful princess to someone who actually owns her power was *so* satisfying. And the way their relationships evolved throughout the book? The romantic tension was perfectly balanced with actual plot development, which is harder to pull off than it sounds.
This book hit that sweet spot where I was genuinely invested in everyone’s journey, even when they were all keeping secrets from each other. The pacing kept me glued to the pages, and honestly, the complex web of loyalty, duty, and feelings between these three was fascinating to watch unfold. My only complaint is that now I’m sitting here desperately waiting for book two because I need to know how this emotional situation resolves itself. If you’re in the mood for fantasy romance with actual stakes and characters who feel like real people making difficult choices, definitely grab this one.
When King Maddox’s kingdom is slowly burning and his fire magic can’t save it, he desperately needs a marriage alliance with Princess Jory of Astranza, whose family controls weather magic that might help his land flourish again. Plot twist: both kingdoms are hiding major secrets. Only Jory’s father can wield their family’s weather magic and he’s dying, while Ky needs to keep quiet about how the fires really started. Meanwhile, Jory’s childhood friend Asher has gone from palace troublemaker to professional assassin, and guess who just got a contract to kill the king and princess? Cue the moral crisis, because apparently even assassins have feelings when it comes to their first love. It’s political intrigue meets magical disasters with a hefty side of complicated romance.
Okay, but can we appreciate how Kemmerer managed to make me care about all three of these complex characters? Ky trying to navigate his kingdom’s crisis while being genuinely thoughtful with Jory had me invested in their developing relationship, even knowing Asher was lurking in the background with his conflicted loyalties. The character development was absolutely on point. Watching Jory grow from dutiful princess to someone who actually owns her power was *so* satisfying. And the way their relationships evolved throughout the book? The romantic tension was perfectly balanced with actual plot development, which is harder to pull off than it sounds.
This book hit that sweet spot where I was genuinely invested in everyone’s journey, even when they were all keeping secrets from each other. The pacing kept me glued to the pages, and honestly, the complex web of loyalty, duty, and feelings between these three was fascinating to watch unfold. My only complaint is that now I’m sitting here desperately waiting for book two because I need to know how this emotional situation resolves itself. If you’re in the mood for fantasy romance with actual stakes and characters who feel like real people making difficult choices, definitely grab this one.