Great spin off

Action packed, sexy and great characters. please tell me there's another with both couples reuniting.

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4.5 stars

This book overlaps with The Bridge Kingdom and The Traitor Queen. It starts at the end of The Bridge Kingdom, when Keris travels through the bridge to go study philosophy (and we learn later that it was a ruse to gain access to the bridge), and ends a little after Ithicana manages to defeat Maridrina's fleet at the end of The Traitor Queen. Keris is the leader of Maridrina's forces in the city of Nerastis, while Zarrah is the leader of the Valcottans. Each side controls one half of the city, and all they have been doing for years is pushing each other, trying to attack and take back a few miles of land, only to lose them a few weeks later. Keris is fed up with death and the war, and while Zarrah is full of hatred toward Maridrina, she also wants what's best for her country and her people, and the war is only killing more and more people, without any true gain for Valcotta or Maridrina.

Keris’ ideals are far from his father's. He is tired of living in a nation at war, and tired of the useless deaths of his people and Valcotta's people, all because Silas and the Empress are both too stubborn to try to make peace with each other. Keris is brilliant, and secretly quite good with a weapon, even though he pretends that he is not a warrior. Despite seeking peace and being kind and empathetic, he has a ruthless side that comes out when someone he loves is threatened. He would not hesitate to start a war and burn a whole city to save those he loves, and I found that this trait made him a little morally grey at times, which I adored. He's sexy, cunning, fiercely protective, and also sweet at times. I really love him.

I liked being able to see more of Silas and Keris' tense relationship, and also see how Serin is the real puppeteer in the capital. He is a sadistic prick, but I have to admit that he is quite cunning and he seems to always have a contingency plan, and a way to get the upper hand. He is also good at manipulating others into doing his dirty work. Silas sadly was not very interesting, and what we saw of him was pretty much the same as what we saw in the first two books. He is selfish and obsessed with the bridge, and while I was a little surprised to see that he might not completely hate Keris, I was not very impressed by the rest of him.

Zarrah, like most female characters in this series, is strong, and brave, and she's a kickass warrior. Her goal in life has always been to kill as many Maridrinians as possible so she can get revenge for her mother's death, but she slowly comes to realize that killing everyone will not change her mother's tragic death, and most of all, killing everyone means killing innocent civilians, and soldiers that are fighting a war they want no part in. Both sides are full of hate, but no one really knows who started the war, and how it could ever end. They are just determined to fight forever if that's what it takes because abandoning the fight would make them look weak and would be a slight against their honor.

The romance between Keris and Zarrah starts off really well. I like how they kept on meeting, without knowing each other's true identities. I have to say though that things got pretty intense in the last part, and I think I would have enjoyed a little more of a slow burn. The smut was spicy and hot, and it was perfect, but they went from being attracted to each other, to still being attracted, but also being repulsed/shocked by each other's identity, to proclaiming their undying love and neverending devotion to each other quickly... Actually, it was not that quick, but as I said in my review of The Traitor's Queen, the time spent in the harem looks like a few weeks instead of a few months, so maybe it seemed faster than it really was. I still love their intense and forbidden love, but the intensity of their love declarations took me by surprise.

There is a lot of politics in this book, and the fact that the second part mostly happens at the same time as Aren's imprisonment in The Traitor Queen was very interesting, but it was also a downside for me. I loved seeing all the politics and scheming involved in Aren's rescue from Keris's point of view, but at the same time, some parts felt longer because I knew already what would happen to Zarrah and Aren. I have to say though that the ending was a little unexpected, and I am very eager to see what will happen next. I am hoping for some bonding time between Keris and Lara, and I hope that we will get to see them work together.

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KERIS VELIANT I LOVE YOU

If you thought The Traitor Queen was good just you WAIT until you get to meet the Inadequate Heir! 🥵

I am absolutely obsessed with this instalment of the Bridge Kingdom series! The converging timelines, the new perspectives & the ROMANCE in this book are to die for!

This story is both beautiful & heartbreaking! I was at the end of my seat the whole time!
Ahhh I can’t wait for book 4! I am just going to die not knowing what’s next BUT I know it will be so so worth the wait once it’s here! 😍

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Fav of the series so far

I didn’t expect to like Karis’ pov so much. Really added to the overall story and answered some unknowns.

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Awesome

I have Just finished the third book and am now starting the fourth. I’m addicted !

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Awesome

Absolutely adored the characters, the world building and the anticipation of these stories, although I was told it was a finished trinity I was misinformed and wait impatiently for the next in the series!!

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Great all the way around

Really enjoy Danielle Jensen's books!
great narrators and engaging! listened to it almost in one day 🤣

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Awesome book bad narrative

The man who was narrating sounded like a male version of Siri. Horrible to listen to but the story was good

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incredible

this book was the best one so far. the first 2 are amazing aswell

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Spectacular Plot, Complex And Steamy Characters

Just when I thought I couldn't love this series more, the third book comes around. Now I'm asking: "Lara and Aren who?" Because while yes, I do still love those two, Keris and Zarrah have swooped in to steal the spotlight, and do a fantastic job of it.

Keris and Zarrah are new, exciting, and incredibly well written characters. They are alike, yet different in their beliefs and actions. Both begin as enemies striving for peace and justice, only to realize reality is hardly so simple.

I adore Zarrah. She is brave and honorable and has tremendous growth throughout the book. She is a hero I kept cheering for and was inspired by. Keris is morally grey and clever, though his heart is far larger than what he shows to the world. The two of them together create a passionate and challenging romance with so many hurdles, it's a wonder they kiss at all.

But they do kiss, because yes: This book is WAY spicier than the previous two. But rather than just write intense, sexy moments, Jensen still manages to weave in plot as well as a breathtaking romance.

And speaking of the plot, this one is top-notch. Everything is so intricately connected and tense that, despite knowing how some events take place because of THE TRAITOR QUEEN, it still feels fresh. This book focuses more on the political element, which is critical to its two leads, but it never felt dull.

Jensen combines everything from action to drama to twists and betrayal in this masterpiece. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and thanks to that shocking ending, I'm counting the days until I can see what Zarrah and Keris get up to next. A must have for all fans of enemies-to-lovers, fantasy romance, and The Bridge Kingdom!

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