It can't only be about revenge. Conri knows that he needs Queen of the Flowers Lia's help but his feelings seem to be getting in the way of his plans. He knows that she has shown him how strong & proud she is and that she is a good Queen. But can he show her that he does care about her and that it isn't always about sex? He knows that he will get his revenge on Anure but he knows that he will need to use Lia as bait but can he trust that everything will work out? Lia knows that she shouldn't care about Con as he only married her to save himself but she finds that she misses him when he is away. But can she trust that he will keep her safe and that Anure won't get away from them? They both want him dead but this is the right way to trap him?
Is Con still alive and will he be able to find Lia before the enemy kills her as they both know that Anure will stop at nothing to get the orchid ring even if it means cutting off her hand? Will it be too late for Lia?
A great read made me cry near the end. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

Having read the one before this of course had to continue so not to miss a thing. This author has the ability to transport you into the world between the pages with the characters coming to life. Conri and Lia have us right there with them with the ups and downs and sideway romps. It also still has you interest in the chemistry of the two and which way it is going. We encounter magic and drama with also trust issues going down. There is a good reason for that too. It has elements that combine to be a fabulous read.

The Fiery Crown by Jeffe Kennedy is just not a series for me.

I had a hard time getting through The Orchid Throne, which is the first book in the Forgotten Empire series. However, I felt that with characters and the world established in the first book, that The Fiery Crown would be packed full of action. It was so slow and a lot of dialogue for about 70-75% of the book. I would have preferred more epic adventure throughout this fantasy book.

I struggled to connect with the characters in the first story. I was hoping for more character development. I did not feel the characters changed at all. They just staid their same unlikeable selves. They hated each other, but only cared for sex. I felt a royal affair would be more interesting then two main characters who hate each other but still have sex. This felt like more of a twisted romance novel than a fantasy story. The story is also told from two different points of view. One the hero and the other the heroine. I often struggled to know who was narrating at times. This led to confusion until I sussed it out.

Overall, I have come to the conclusion that this series is not for me. While Kennedy had very descriptive writing, it was not enough to turn the book around for me. Many of the issues I had with this book are what others look for in a story. I would tell them to give it a try. I think people who like series like Game of Thrones or similar books would like this.

I received an advanced reader copy of The Fiery Crown. All opinions are 100% my own.

What did I like about it
I read book 1 in the series – The Orchid Throne – last year and really enjoyed it. However, Jeffe Kennedy is still a relatively new-to-me author. I’m impressed with her writing style and find myself captivated with her beautiful and descriptive use of language. The prose she uses is intelligent, eloquent, and very reminiscent of a historical novel. The words chosen and the sentence formation set the scene beautifully in one’s mind.

My existing followers will know that I connect to a story more when the female protagonist displays certain personality traits. I crave intelligence, resilience, self-reliance, and gumption: I wasn’t disappointed here. Although Lia is a queen and lives under a plethora of restrictions, she has plenty of gumption. She also has a sharp political mind and a wonderful sense of humour that we glimpse during her inner dialogue.

There are so many aspects of The Fiery Crown that captivated me. The court espionage and rebellion kept me guessing, the battles and fighting kept me on the edge of my seat and the prejudice, injustice and brutality of the times tore me apart. I’ve got to confess, tears did trickle down my cheeks – quite a bit! However fear not, dear reader, there was enough gentle humour and banter to balance the tears, the relationship between Euthalia and Conrí both warmed my old romantic heart and set the fires a-blazing too. *oh my*

So ummm was there anything I disliked about it
I really liked this book but I just wanted to tell you why my rating was 4 stars rather than 5.

I think that I have already mentioned that historical fiction isn’t my preferred genre, this is mainly due to the constraining etiquette the characters are forced to live by and, as such, it took me a while to shake off my frustrations and read this story without my modern sensibilities screaming. While this is a fantasy, the world feels “historical”.

It’s important to remember that The Fiery Crown is a middle book in a trilogy. Although there’s no perilous life-or-death cliffhanger at the end of this one, Jeffe has left lots of teasers and story threads to continue in the final book.

So basically what I'm saying is
Although The Fiery Crown is not my usual genre, I really enjoyed the story. This book had everything that I look for in an engaging read. There was mystery and intrigue, fighting and action, a beautiful romance, and a nice balance of gentle humour.

The Fiery Crown is the second book in this series by Jeffe Kennedy. It truly is a sweeping epic fantasy full of drama. The scenes are colorful and intense. The romance between Con and the queen is full of steam and confusion both personal and political.
The world Kennedy created is beyond magical and beautiful and full of intrigue. The problem is so much time is spent world building we lose the characters from time to time and the story stalls. But this is a conundrum because the land is it's own character. It is as much a part of the story as the humans. Just maybe focus on the humans a little more so there isn't as much distance between the characters when they interact. Or is that purposeful? Still a wonderfully written book full of adult wonder.

The Fiery Crown by Jeffe Kenneedy
Forgotten Empires #2

Fantasy at its best. Jefe Kennedy has created a universe that is flawed but has the potential to survive, evolve and become what it once was or perhaps more than it ever was. The characters presented in book one made me stand up and think and then wonder…what happens next? I was drawn into this series then and felt an affinity to many of the characters throughout the story and that closeness to the characters continued in this book. I wanted to sweep up the ones I liked and keep them safe while knowing I could not and perhaps I also knew that some of them would suffer. I hoped that the evil ones would be meted justice by the fates and the God/desses of the world I found myself within but worried they would not meet the doom they deserved.

The writing was beautifully wrought with slow pacing, excellent description and drawing on emotions aplenty. The two main characters were slow to realize that their marriage, though not a love match, could benefit both. Even at times it seemed there might be the possibility for true love as they moved forward. This book contains a prophecy and some of the phrases of the prophecy are quoted. Some of the prophecies are realized but perhaps there is more to this story?

I hope there IS a future for the Forgotten Empires and that as the two main characters finally realize how much they mean to one another – they will find a HEA. But…what about the OTHER parts of the empire…are there many? What happened to them and how will they impact on the future in this world that is being created? And, will there be progeny from Conri and Lia? Hmmmm…

Will there be more? Perhaps. If not, It was an entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

When we last left Con and Lia, these two had gone from rivals to spouses, and this dynamic continuous throughout this sequel to The Orchid Throne.

Anure is still a big problem, but most of the political tensions in this fantasy stem from Con and Lia’s fundamental mistrust of each other. They are, after all, in a marriage of opportunity, rather than convenience. This especially comes to a head when they both learn that those in their inner circles also can’t be trusted. At least these reluctant spouses can trust in their own political selfishness and it works so well.

I also really like the growth journey Lia went through. She’s not only a badass in that way where she’s a stern, but just leader. The entire last quarter of the book has her going through some shit. She shifts from defensive to offensive, especially when it’s shown just how monstrous the false emperor can be.

In addition, I absolutely cannot wait to see how the truth about Calanthe, the tropical paradise island, comes to fruition.

While I loved this book and can't wait to get the next one it follows a pattern it seems in the writing of Jeffe Kennedy in that we get a lot of verbiage along the way in the telling of a incredible story. The continuing story of Con and Lia is full of distrust and insecurities but it all works out and this is no shiny fairy tale, this is a brutal story of betrayal and redemption which leaves you panting for more. I was so disappointed when I was REALLY getting into the story and the the next page said 'THE END" .... DAMN! So perhaps she just gives us a better mental picture than most authors and I admit at times I am a very impatient reader (especially when I know sooner or later there will be revenge!!)

The story did surprise me a bit in places and the ending, so that is always a good thing .

Bottom line: As expected this book improved on book 1 a bit and without leaving you with a cliff hanger it still leaves you breathless for whatever comes next and I want it NOW! 4 Stars in what I feel will be a 5 Star trilogy but we rate books 1 at a time :)

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2020/05/26/the-fiery-crown-by-jeffe-kennedy/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

As I continue in the  <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/254326-forgotten-empires" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Forgotten Empires</strong></em></a> series, I appreciate the unique magics and the depth of the world-building.  Lia and Conri are very new to each other, so there is a lot of their interaction and getting to know each other, all with the background threat of Anure.  I struggled a little with all the rich detail of the world and the depth of character development with wanting the action I knew was to follow. The slow burn of their time together does help form knowledge and trust they both need.

I really felt for Lia because she knew her horrid nightmares were visions of the terror ahead.  She beautifully remained calm, reassuring her people, and working with Conri as much as she could.  They both learn more about their past and their blind spots from each other and because of their different knowledge and perspectives. Their personal styles balance each other.

I loved the strategy, with the action so exciting and suspenseful.  Their battle plans have some success and some stupendous failures. I had really hoped that Lia, Conri and Ambrose would all learn to better use and control their magic but that was not this story at all.  <strong>The Fiery Crown</strong> was more a focus on learning truths, facing realities, and grasping true priorities.

I am definitely looking forward to reading more in 2021.  With our team of rebels working better together, it should be interesting to see what they can manage.

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Now this is how you write a five star book and I absolutely loved everything about it. I admit as much as I enjoyed meeting the characters in the preceding book The Orchid Throne it didn't leave such an impression as this book did. Conri is still very much bent on revenge against the false Emperor but all Lia wants is to protect her land and her people. Yes they share the same ultimate objective but sadly their methods and ideas really don't quite gel so well. Everything is set for a showdown with the Emperor and his forces but who will emerge the victor ?
Fascinating characters, magic, action, betrayal and truly vile deeds not to mention snark and passion all go to make this a fabulous second instalment to what I'm guessing might be a trilogy. I'm so happy that the author managed to turn this marriage of convenience into something that had depths and can only say I look forward so much to continuing this journey with Con and Lia but it's also very interesting getting to know supporting characters who in this book added so much.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

In The Fiery Crown, the second book of Jeffe Kennedy’s Forgotten Empires series, we rejoin our marriage-of-convenienced monarchs Con and Euthalia as they await the evil emperor Anure’s reaction to their marriage (since, you know, Lia was technically Anure’s fiancee). The first book was one of my top ten reads of 2019, and while this one isn’t quite as good, it’s still great. So rather than mess up that first book by reading the spoilers in this review, go read The Orchid Throne, then come back. You won’t be sorry!

Con, heir to a destroyed kingdom and now known as the Slave King, escaped Anure’s mines chasing a prophecy that told him to marry Lia: “Claim the hand that wears the ring and the empire falls.” Cornered by Anure pushing for the marriage she’s been delaying and by Con’s arrival on her island, Lia agreed to the marriage. This means that Lia, Queen of Calanthe, now has a king, and a vengeful ex-fiancé and his navy en route. With her hand claimed, is it time for the empire to fall?

I continue to enjoy the world-building here, and how it interacts with characters. Con is the product of a bleak childhood in a grim, dusty mine, followed by life on campaign. He is naturally irritated by and dismissive of the rituals of Lia’s court and the luxury of life on Calanthe. However, Lia rightfully points out how limited her options have been, due to both Anure’s power and the nature of the magic which ties her to Calanthe. Her choice to offer sanctuary to artists, scholars, and magicians fleeing Anure pays dividends when she calls them into a council of war. While she and Con grow closer on a personal level, they disagree massively on how best to react to Anure’s approach. I enjoyed watching them find their way as a couple, and I also understood why they would each have their preferences for how to react.

However, there are some plot shortcomings here in the last fourth or fifth of the book. To avoid spoilers, I’ll just say that in order to save the day, Con has to do something that has been built up as borderline impossible, and it goes so easily that you wonder why the heck this wasn’t plan A. Also, Con and Lia argue over whether or not a secondary character is a traitor, and the character so obviously is that it’s bizarre how Lia defends them, and that the author chooses to focus on this.

Many fantasy trilogies sell their second books by setting up an entirely new couple, but that’s not the case here and the author is very successful at continuing and deepening Con and Lia’s relationship instead. I have no quibbles with the relationship, just with the plot they’re pursuing. I still enjoyed this ride and look forward to the finale of this series.

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Love the unique ideas in this series, and the writing flows better in this book than the first book. Definitely read the first book before this one because the story continues right where the first one left off. Conrí and Lia are married, but they keep having trouble communicating. Both misunderstand each other a lot and both are being too sensitive about it. They are still learning how to be together, which is hard since both are supposed to put their kingdoms before each other. Plus, the bad guy is still on the loose and wants Lia to suffer for marrying Conrí. Conrí and Lia’s ruling style differ greatly, so that causes strife in their union; add in both being stubborn and not saying how they really feel, and they have a hard go of it. They do have a passionate connection though! Definitely don’t have problems in the sex department. I appreciate that both want to make it work between them, and they both make sacrifices to achieve cohesion. I’m still not a fan of Calanthe’s ideals, but I do like that Lia tries to think beyond what is the status quo. I’m glad Conrí and Lia don’t fall into Calanthe’s ideals on relationships. She’s a tough lady and stands up for herself, but she’s also learning to depend on others. It’s sad how everyone just wants to use Lia as bait and such, but she remains strong throughout all the danger. Lia being an elemental is an interesting and unique idea. The whole premise of this series feels like something I haven’t read before. Enjoyed the whole thing! Really looking forward to the next book!

The question of motive underlies the struggles between a dynastic marriage. Lia and Conri have only been together for a short while so trust is a big of a stretch. But hope may be the only bond that will tie them together in the event of an invasion. This is book 2 in the series (I have not read book 1) and so I did feel a little bit behind in a lot of the background/world building. However, it quickly becomes apparent the troubles that Calanthe is not only expecting but currently experiencing. Will one's mission be held in the same regard as one's need for vengeance? Will blood be spilt defending an ideal?

The Fiery Crown is the second book in the Forgotten Empires by Jeffe Kennedy. A fantasy romance that sweeps you away to another world. While this is part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone novel. The characters are well written and develop at a steady pace which helps the story develop. Fascinating characters, magic, action, and betrayal making this a real page-turner. I can't wait to read the next book in the Forgotten Empires series.

I just absolutely loved this book.

I have to say that this is book 2 in Forgotten Empires series and yes you do need to read the first book before you dive into this one.

I couldn't put it down and I really didn't want to stop because I loved this book so much.

I do highly recommend

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jeffe Kennedy continues to surprise me with the second book in the Forgotten Empires series. The story of The Fiery Crown picks up where the first book left off, with Con and Lia married and preparing to face the forthcoming wrath of Anure. Despite the prophecy, they're still facing a ton of uncertainty and an extremely precarious situation.

I think the biggest strength of this book was the development of the characters and relationships. Con and Lia have a lot of obstacles to face to their relationship, not least their own pasts and the issues that spring from them. However, I felt like Jeffe Kennedy did an amazing job of working with that. She makes sure that both of them have moments to shine and moments to grow, and it makes for a very compelling read. It's also wonderful for the romance, as I love when a couple is able to compensate for each other's weaknesses and grow together. The side characters also get some very wonderful moments to shine, which I very much appreciated, especially for Sondra.

This book also gets deeper into the magic and how that affects the world, which was very interesting. I loved learning more about Lia's nature and how that plays into everything, as well as getting more information on her past. I really enjoy this kind of gradual world-building, and Jeffe Kennedy handles it very well.

I also have to praise how drawn in this story made me feel. I read it in relatively few sittings, and I definitely stayed up late to finish it because I had to know what was going to happen, which isn't something that I do very often these days. I definitely found this installment very compelling.

If I have a complaint, it's that I felt that one element, which was very hyped, ended up being not a big deal. I do have hopes that it will come back up in the third book, but for this book, I did think that it messed up the tension of the book a bit. Still, plenty of the other events kept the tension rolling, so I can't complain too much. In all, I found this a very satisfying and enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

The Fiery Crown by Jeffe Kennedy is the second book in her exciting Forgotten Empires fantasy romance trilogy. Middle books are a little trickier to review – there are necessarily some spoilers that will arise because you can't talk about book two without references to some of the plot of book one. And because it's a trilogy, the story arc in the second book has some interesting peaks and valleys with no conclusion – yet. Readers who pick this one up on its own will get a good introduction to what's happened so far, but I definitely recommend starting the trilogy from the beginning.

The Orchid Throne introduced readers to Conri, a former prince of Oriel who was enslaved by the evil Emperor Anure but managed to escape from his prison mines, building an army of followers who call him the Slave King. Conri's one goal in life is to get his revenge on Anure. To do this, he is following a prophesy shared with him by a wizard, Ambrose. It says that he needs to 'claim the hand that wears the abiding ring'. It turns out the 'abiding ring' is also known as the orchid ring that Lia, Queen of Calanthe wears. To fulfill the prophesy, he enters into a marriage of convenience with Lia who is also trying to stave off Anure, the man she is technically (and reluctantly) betrothed to. Marrying another man is a sure way to break that promise and both she and Conri know that Anure will not take this insult lightly.

The Fiery Crown starts with Conri and Lia married and preparing for Anure's retaliation. Their marriage has plenty of passion when the two of them are alone together, but outside of the bedroom they are in constant conflict over the impending attack. Lia's duty is to Calanthe, the people, and the island. She worries about the possible bloodshed on its soil that could awaken a sleeping monster underneath the waters. Conri on the other hand is spoiling for battle. Anure stripped him of his family and his lands, something he has done to many other empires. He wants revenge for them, and for anyone who has suffered at Anure's hands. He's not above sacrificing parts of Calanthe for the greater good. But he's also torn by his growing feelings for Lia and how they conflict with his plans. When Anure arrives, will Conri make the choices that spell victory or invite disaster?

Once again the author has put her imagination to work and created a thoroughly entertaining story with magic, action, love and desire having equal sway over the plot. There are lots of twists and turns, and some 'Oh!' moments that I didn't see coming, making for an exciting and page turning read. The worldbuilding is stellar, with interesting magic systems, especially in how Lia communes with her island and it with her. There are plenty of interesting secondary characters, including the wizard Ambrose, Conri's right hand men and women who served with him in the mines and since their escape, and Lia's entourage of royal lords and ladies. The love scenes between Lia and Conri are very passionate and intense, and help to cement their growing emotional bond. There are some violent scenes (not surprising given Anure's reputation) and the story ends without a cliffhanger but with things definitely unresolved. All in all it's a very satisfying second book in the Forgotten Empires trilogy and after reading this one, I can't wait to get my hands on the concluding story!

This review will be posted at Harlequin Junkie and feedback updated with the link.

I enjoyed the premise and characters of The Orchid Throne but thought that not enough had happened. I was looking forward to Kennedy moving the story along through action in The Fiery Crown, but all I got was more of the same. The Fiery Crown introduced some situations that forced Con and Lia's hand, but all of the action happened in the last 20 percent of the book which I found surprising for the second book. When the action did get going, it was thrilling, but it took too long. One strong aspect of this series is the characters. Con and Lia both had vulnerabilities to explore and Kennedy wrote their budding relationship well. I'll read the third book because I want to know how it ends; I just hope that the stakes feel higher.

Conri driven by revenge against the man who took everything from him. Lia the Queen of Calanthe who wants to save her people. They become unlikely alias and together hope to bring an end to the Emperor Anure. Will Conri's desire for revenge lead to the death of Calanthe and it's Queen?

I had no idea this was the 2nd book in the series but I had no issue reading as a stand alone. Full of action and magic. I enjoyed reading this book and the one comment is that in some areas the story was slow. Overall a fun fantasy book to read.

The Fiery Crown carries on the legacy of The Orchid Throne, in the second installment of the Forgotten Empires series.


A desperate alliance. A struggle for survival. And a marriage of convenience with an epic twist of fate come together in Jeffe Kennedy’s The Fiery Crown.

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?

The best part about this novel is that it keeps Queen Euthalia’s relationship with Conrí realistic. Their relationship is the most important dynamic of this novel because together they decide the fate of Calanthe and her people. What the author does well is create a budding romantic relationship while also keeping the tension between them due to their opposing views. The banter between the characters is frustrating but realistic, here is an example,

Con visibly dragged his snapping temper back and tried for a more rational tone of voice. “We’re in this fight together—and we can’t win if you won’t trust us with the knowledge we need to plan strategy. You agreed to this plan. Help me to help you.”

“Oh, are we trusting each other again? I lost track when you were accusing Me of lying and lecturing Me on the defense of Calanthe.”

At every turn they are bickering but they both have their own plans and loyalties. Their relationship is the perfect illustration of a conflicted romance. With everything at stake they are still willing to tear each other apart.

This book also takes a darker turn with much darker magic at play. We see Queen Euthalia endure hardships that I would’ve never imagined in the first installment. I liked this turn because it shows the depth and horror of war, a tyrant will do anything to secure victory. Aside from the brutality of her treatment this shows Euthalia’s ability to take pain and keep her loyalties. Showing her strength amended doubts that I felt towards her. I thought of her as mentally strong and a decent, though frightened, Queen, but her character has come full circle and shown her physical strength. The character development and was done very well.

The history of Calanthe and her people also becomes a more fully formed picture. Everything we have learned to this point has wrapped together, Conrí’s past and Euthalia’s past connect and we see how the past will play into the future. This has me particularly excited for the next installment. The way it’s woven together bodes well for the future of this series.

My only gripe is with the frustrating nature of the people of Calanthe. They seem to understand that their in danger but they don’t act afraid. Here is the quote that sparked that complaint,

They claimed they understood the dangers of the world beyond, admitted that their previous defenses no longer worked, and yet they wandered around their isolated paradise as if nothing could ever arrive to give them trouble.
This pulled me out of the novel a little bit because you’d think that a nation under the watchful eye of a tyrant, a tyrant they’ve just disobeyed, would be more fearful, and act fearful. Yet, they don’t. I don’t know if this is supposed to be because of the nature of life on Calanthe, but it bothered me.

I’d like to also add that in my review of the first novel I was curious as to where Jeffe Kennedy came up with the name Calanthe, I had just read one of The Witcher novels where there’s a Queen named Calanthe, and wondered if that’s where the author drew inspiration. Well, the author reached out to me and the name is actually Greek, and I thought that was really cool.

The Fiery Crown definitely keeps up the momentum from the first novel and has left me, yet again, excited for more. It earns a 4/5 stars.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Thank you to Jeffe Kennedy for allowing me access to this wonderful novel. I can’t wait to see what happens next.