Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* As Bouchet picks up the Kingmaker Chronicles from where A Promise of Fire (2016) ends, Cat's worst fears are coming true. The secrets she has worked so hard to keep are out, and so is her true identity as second-in-line for the Fisian throne. When Griffin, her rock-steady lover, finds out that she is the missing princess, he does not handle the truth well at all. Luckily for Cat, he loves her despite her family history and understands her continued reluctance to let people get close. The high-fantasy aspects and mythology of Bouchet's tale take center stage for most of the book, and her world-building reaches new heights as Griffin and Cat find themselves in an epic battle to take over and unite the realms with their elite Beta Team. As pieces of Cat's history are revealed, she becomes more than a badass warrior; she becomes real, that is, honest and flawed. Though she is as snarky as ever, and Griffin remains patient and protective, together they are sexy as hell, romantic, and adorable. Readers familiar with the first book will get the most out of this page-turning addition to the series, and fans will be eager for book three of the series.--Lefkowitz, Ilene Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Bouchet ramps up the excitement in her second Kingmaker Chronicles fantasy romance (after A Promise of Fire) with high-intensity passion; adrenaline-fueled battles of wits, magic, and might; a host of magical creatures; and enough politics and world-shaking to keep readers eager for the final volume. Catalia Fisa is the "impetuous," "reckless," and "terrifyingly selfless" Lost Princess, inheritor of the bloodline of the gods. She has become both the lover of Sintan warlord Griffin and a key piece of his strategy to unite the three realms of Thalyria under a single ruler. But her powerful, sadistic mother, Andromeda, stands in their way at every turn. Bouchet treads gently as she develops the larger-than-life aspects of her setting, and godly support and oracular wisdom build dramatic tension around the idea of fate without falling into deus ex machina. Griffin's good intentions make his possessive alpha jealousy feel loving, Cat's sharp tongue and personal insecurities balance her magical powers, and the emotional complexity of the relationships among their fellow fighters supports a feeling of camaraderie that makes the fight scenes really work. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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