bailey_alex 's review for:

Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer

5.0

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Big thanks to NetGalley, Brigid Kemmerer, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy!

Five Stars on Fire!

Every book I’ve read by Brigid Kemmerer has somehow left me both speechless and unable to stop talking about it for weeks, and Warrior Princess Assassin is no exception!

Princess Marjoriana (Jory) of Astranza is preparing to meet her betrothed, King Maddox Kyronan (Ky) of Incendar, when Asher, her childhood best friend turned assassin, appears with orders from the Hunter’s Guild to kill them both. Knowing someone will be sent in his stead, Asher attempts to get Jory to safety, but a tangle of mistrust and uncoordinated efforts lands all three of them back at the palace where tensions flare between the kingdoms. With trust shattered, Ky proposes a one-month stay in Incendar to determine if the alliance is still viable.

Joined by Asher and a contingent of Ky’s soldiers, the trio journey across Astranza and Incendar, where the threat of the Guild and a rivaling nation loom large. Jory, Ky, and Asher begin to form an uneasy bond. Trust deepens. Loyalties shift. And an unexpected romance sparks between them. Just as they settle into peace, betrayal strikes, and they find the greatest threat may be closer than they ever imagined.

Be still my angsty heart! I love a tortured soul, and Ky and Asher deliver this in spades. Their personalities clash and complement each other in all the right ways. Protective characters make my heart melt, and there’s a moment where Ky is relieved to know Jory and Asher are safe in their carriages, and ugh, all the feels! Ky draws a wolf metaphor for Asher in his POV, and while I often find wolf tropes tired, this one was executed beautifully. Asher is a deep character with a painful past, and I thoroughly enjoyed his stubbornness and clunky ways of navigating a world that’s been so cruel to him.

Jory is a sheltered princess with little real-world experience. I kept waiting for this to make me cringe, but her innocence was handled with nuance. Ky and Asher treated her with a care that felt natural and respectful rather than patronizing.

This novel gives a rich array of side characters! The antics of Ky’s soldiers made the journey, and I appreciated their evolving attitude toward Asher and even Jory. The lead-up and pay-off to meeting Ky’s sister was so heart-warming and satisfying.

The disability representation found in Brigid Kemmerer’s books is always a welcome treat as they are written with such care and complexity. Their disability is never their entire identity, but a facet of who they are. That kind of representation is rare and deeply appreciated.

The worldbuilding is immaculate! I find myself so immersed in Brigid Kemmerer’s worlds, and Ky’s palace has officially made the top ten list of fictional places I’d love to visit! The betrayal hit hard, and now I cannot wait for the next book to see how it all plays out.

The part of me that indulges in the occasional ot3 fanfiction absolutely adored the romance in this. There was a moment early on where Asher and Jory teetered on the edge of insta-love, but their shared history quickly added the depth I needed. Asher’s efforts to preserve her childhood image of him were so precious, and he completely won me over!

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to romantasy readers. It hits all the marks: lush worldbuilding, sharp emotional beats, and a satisfying slow-burn. I think fans of Forging Silver into Stars will love this! Think Tycho, Jax, and Callyn, iykyk.