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A review by thisnursereads
The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
4.0
⭐️ 4.0
Fifteen years after a peace treaty was signed between Ithicana and Maridrina, the next step of the treaty must be fulfilled-a marriage between the two. Princess Lara, daughter of King Silas of Maridrina, is betrothed to the now King Aren of Ithicana. Sent over as a symbol of peace, Lara has other plans. At the age of five, her father had her and her sisters taken away, trained, tortured and taught in order to become ruthless spies. Now in a new land, Lara has one goal-infiltrate, learn the secrets of the Bridge Kingdom, and send them back to her father in order to save her people.
Gah. Just finished and already reaching for the second book. It did not give me the burning urge to shut my door and read the entire series in one sitting like ACOTAR but it was a fun read and I enjoyed the characters!
1. FILLED with fierce, intelligent, strong female characters.
They are warriors, they are protectors, they are cunning and witty and they can kill. What's not to love!
“Since the moment I set eyes on you in Southwatch, there's been no one but you. Even if I'm a goddamned fool for it, there will never be anyone but you."
You are a fool, she thought as darkness took her.
And that made two of them.”
2. Slow burn lovers to enemies trope with a very easy to fall for male character named Aren.
He has a love for his people and a respect for women that I wish was present more often within fantasy. He does what it takes to keep his people safe but he is also a lover and a dreamer-Swoon-I saw some reviewers questioned Aren's actions as they didn't think they matched his character at his core but I believe that his actions were a part of his hopeful naivety which was commented on by other characters in the book, and he was blinded by love.
3. Mild fantasy world building as Lara learns of and explores the land of Ithicana which includes a handful of islands that run parallel along a bridge (it connects two northern and southern lands). The use of the sea as an additional character could have been expanded upon but I enjoyed the description and use of it nonetheless. Could it have had even more intricate world building details-yes. Am I hopeful this will be expanded upon further in the next book(s)-yes.
Fifteen years after a peace treaty was signed between Ithicana and Maridrina, the next step of the treaty must be fulfilled-a marriage between the two. Princess Lara, daughter of King Silas of Maridrina, is betrothed to the now King Aren of Ithicana. Sent over as a symbol of peace, Lara has other plans. At the age of five, her father had her and her sisters taken away, trained, tortured and taught in order to become ruthless spies. Now in a new land, Lara has one goal-infiltrate, learn the secrets of the Bridge Kingdom, and send them back to her father in order to save her people.
Gah. Just finished and already reaching for the second book. It did not give me the burning urge to shut my door and read the entire series in one sitting like ACOTAR but it was a fun read and I enjoyed the characters!
1. FILLED with fierce, intelligent, strong female characters.
They are warriors, they are protectors, they are cunning and witty and they can kill. What's not to love!
“Since the moment I set eyes on you in Southwatch, there's been no one but you. Even if I'm a goddamned fool for it, there will never be anyone but you."
You are a fool, she thought as darkness took her.
And that made two of them.”
2. Slow burn lovers to enemies trope with a very easy to fall for male character named Aren.
He has a love for his people and a respect for women that I wish was present more often within fantasy. He does what it takes to keep his people safe but he is also a lover and a dreamer-Swoon-I saw some reviewers questioned Aren's actions as they didn't think they matched his character at his core but I believe that his actions were a part of his hopeful naivety which was commented on by other characters in the book, and he was blinded by love.
3. Mild fantasy world building as Lara learns of and explores the land of Ithicana which includes a handful of islands that run parallel along a bridge (it connects two northern and southern lands). The use of the sea as an additional character could have been expanded upon but I enjoyed the description and use of it nonetheless. Could it have had even more intricate world building details-yes. Am I hopeful this will be expanded upon further in the next book(s)-yes.