Romantic Fantasy published by St. Martins Paperbacks 26 May 20
From the time I stumbled upon the Twelve Kingdoms series, I’ve been a fan of Ms. Kennedy’s brand of romantic fantasy. This series, though rich and almost fairy-tale-like in the fantasy and compelling in its own way, does not carry the same emotional punch as the other series. Lia, Conri, and their entourage seem to go through a very ritualistic elaborate dance with little or no emotion, except for the almost furtive passion between the two protagonists. The last few chapters are very promising, however, leaving me with hope for a much richer and rewarding emotional experience in the next book in the series.
Euthalia has fiercely guarded her virginity and her island kingdom against all predators, including the emperor Anure, a world-class tyrant. Calanthe, Lia’s island kingdom, is the sole holdout in Anure’s crown, thanks primarily to Lia’s father’s strategy of engagement and appeasement. Conri, the slave king, sets the cat amongst the pigeons when he arrives on Calanthe and steals Lia’s hand right from under Anure’s spies.
Conri’s wizard has prophesied that Conri needs to gain the hand that wears the abiding ring in order to win against Anure. Now that Conri has accomplished that by marrying Lia and passion rages hot between the two, he’s chafing at the bit to get the rest of his plan underway. Lia, however, has different thoughts. She’s protected her kingdom at all costs and she’s not going to let a brash usurper just throw it all away. Umpired by the Wizard and cheered by each of their entourages, sit back and watch the games begin.
The author has created strong pageantry around Lia’s court and bathing and dressing rituals with her morning glories (reminds me of the beautifully colored bell-shared flowers associated with my childhood), which adds layers of richness to this fantasy world. Add in the hot and erotic teasing and messages that Lia sends Conri through the language of her dress, makeup, flowers, and jewels and watch the heat rise. Conri lives for war and gaining his vengeance against Anure, Anure wants to capture Calanthe and Euthalia, so war is inevitable. Who are the winners and losers? The answers are, of course, in the reading of the book, but you might actually find it surprising.
While I just got through saying that I did not find this series or this story as compelling as the ones in the previous series, I do have to say that my appetite is whetted and I absolutely can’t wait to see how the conflict shapes up next and if the winners and losers remain the same.
Grade: B
Summary:
WILL THEIR LOVE STAND THE TEST OF TIME
Queen Euthalia has reigned over her island kingdom of Calanthe with determination, grace, and her magical, undying orchid ring. After she defied an empire to wed Conrí, the former Crown Prince of Oriel—a man of disgraced origins with vengeance in his heart—Lia expected the wizard’s prophecy to come true: Claim the hand that wears the ring and the empire falls. But Lia’s dangerous bid to save her realm doesn’t lead to immediate victory. Instead, destiny hurls her and Conrí towards a future neither could predict…
OR TEAR THEIR WHOLE WORLD APART?
Con has never healed after the death of his family and destruction of his kingdom—he’s been carefully plotting his revenge against his greatest enemy, Emperor Anure, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. When Lia’s spies gather intelligence suggesting that Anure is planning an attack against Calanthe, Con faces an agonizing choice: Can he sacrifice Lia and all she holds dear to destroy the empire? Or does his true loyalty exist in the arms of his beguiling, passionate wife—’til death do they part?
No excerpt available.
Other books in this series:
