I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was super excited when I got approved for this sequel. And I was not disappointed. That said, I was thinking that this was a duology when I went into this and I will warn that it is not! It's a trilogy! So don't expect resolution in this book. That was my mistake. This book was impossible to put down and I enjoyed the world building and character development that went on here. I flew through this book and I ship the two main characters so hard. I need them to be in love forever and live happily ever after in book three please! This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I'm eagerly anticipating the next book.

Queen Euthalia married Conrí, who still hopes to destroy Emperor Anure. They're at odds in how to defeat him, even though a prophecy states that it can be done. Lia's spies gather information, stating that Anure is coming to Calanthe to claim her and the Abiding Ring she wears. All Conrí knows is vengeance and misery, and Lia knows how to endure. Between the two of them, they have to come to an understanding in order to survive.

The Fiery Crown is the sequel to The Orchid Throne and takes place soon after the close of that novel. If you missed that one, there are fragments of their past woven into the story so that you can catch up. There is a lot more nuance if you did read it, and it's such a beautifully written story that it's worth reading first. In this one, Lia and Con are trying to manage their marriage of convenience, which is complicated by the way they are sexually compatible. Emotionally they value different things; Lia has to put the people of Calanthe ahead of herself, and Con is determined to bring a final end to Anure's conquest of all the kingdoms. Of course, there are feelings involved, more than they planned or wanted, and time brings a greater understanding of each other.

For their sakes, I wish I could say this was the end of their story and there is a happily ever after. But as much as I would love to say that, it isn't meant to be. Authors can only write when there's a story to tell, after all, and it's one complicated by the emotional pain of past betrayals, fighting the growing closeness, and laying a trap for Anure. The final third of the novel has a lot more danger to it, and there are so many questions left that I'm sure a third novel is planned to answer them. I'm chomping at the bit for them because I want that happily ever after for this world, and they all deserve it.

I have mixed feelings about this one. I really enjoyed the first book of the series, but this one just wasn’t quite as good for me. The writing and world and characters are great. But it was slow. There wasn’t much action until 70% and then it felt rushed. Despite that I am invested and can’t wait for the next book.

Lia, queen of Calanthe, has reigned over her island kingdom of Calanthe; She has ruled with a flowered iron hand and, her people love her. Then she m\chooses to marry Conri, the former Crown Prince of Oriel. Lia and Con hae quite a confusing marriage. They both love the togetherness and intinacy but, both also fight daily about how to take down the infamous Anure, the pathological serial killer who has made himself king of the world!!
Con has little but vengeance in his heart, as does Lia. Problem is that they both want Anure gone but, they want to go about it differently!
When it comes time to fight for their and the country's' survival, Lia knows that her kingdom must survive but, Con is more worried now about whether Lia survives, not whether he will destroy Anure and, his kingdom!
Can this all consuming love bring these two together forever or, tear them apart?

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words for this ARC. Ok, so I read the first part of this series and although I am not a fan of supernatural, I was caught in the vines that surrounded me. This is the follow on to that story and takes us further into the complete tale (i believe there will be a third coming). Just mesmerising! Even for those of us who are skeptics, this story grabs on and won't let go. Great writing and characters.

“The Fiery Crown” was a decent followup installment of the “The Orchid Throne” in the Forgotten Empire series. I wish I could say it wow me yet I am sad to report that this novel definitely lacked that spark that drew me originally to this series. If you haven’t read the blurb, “The Fiery Crown” follows Lia and Conri’s marriage of convenience and their uneasy alliance. I enjoyed the tense and the fierce banter between the two as they struggle to rule the Kingdom while seeking vengeance but less than a week has passed and the I love yous are thrown around. It kind of ruined the fierce image I had for this couple and wish they had more of a slow-burn kind of romance. Nevertheless, it wasn’t terrible and I look forward to the conclusion of their story.

Rated 4.5 Stars

The Fiery Crown was a wild ride. There was action, twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat with my heart in my throat anxious to see what would happen next while dreading it at the same time. This book definitely had my emotions all over the place. I cannot wait to get my overly eager hands on the next book in the series. I define recommend this series.

The Fiery Crown is a good fantasy read. I will openly admit that when I requested the ARC of this book, I did not realize that it was the second in the series. That being said, I gave the first book The Orchid Throne a heavy skim read, and caught myself up well enough before diving in. With that in mind, and not in flushing my review at all this was an enjoyable read for me.

It’s essentially two unlike characters in a marriage of convenience attempting to put their differences aside (mostly) to defeat a common enemy. Conri is a warrior through and through and wants to act to defeat their enemy. Lia is trying to keep her kingdom safe. What these two don’t have in strategic compatibility, they make up for in sexual tension. These two are trying to get along while getting it on, and it’s just a great read. Seeing two people with such chemistry slowly fall in love. I can only imagine it through the eyes of the other characters in this story. It’s peak marriage of convenience yumminess, with a bit of an intense throne game plot.

I can’t wait for the next book in their story!

Queen Euthalia has sacrificed much to protect her island of Calanthe even marrying a brute of a “wolf” whose only goal in life is to destroy the man who imprisoned him as well as wiping out Con’s family. Lia will do anything to save her people employing all of her magic, seen and unseen, to ward off what seems inevitable destruction. The evil Emperor Anure desires Lia’s magic being obsessed with the Orchid Ring that seems to hold the queen’s power. Lia and Con both seem determined to follow their own agendas; however, they are coming to realize this political marriage is more for than just for the expediency of victory. Con has only vengeance in his heart although as he spends more time with Lia, he begins to believe that life with her holds out great promise of something more. Lia has been a solitary ruler for a long time even though being surrounded by her court and advisors proving “heavy is the head that wears the crown.”

Lia has spent her whole life guarding the secrets of her power and connections to Calanthe on a physical and spiritual plane. She does not give them us easily especially to a man who has no clue as to what Lia has been through or needs to do as queen. Lia’s armor may be elaborate dresses and over the top makeup, but it is no less important than Con’s brutal weapons. Con’s eyes are opened as he watches this fierce and beautiful woman put forth her all to save everyone from the emperor’s grasp. Con is so focused on his goals that he has trouble believing that all his might is not right; his stubbornness is blinding at times to Con’s eventual detriment.

Lia and Con’s complicated dance to determine who is in control of their looming battle, learning to trust each other with their secrets, and a fiery passionate attraction certainly gives this second book in the Forgotten Kingdom Empire series quite a forceful ride. With two intensely stubborn people, it is not surprising that sparks fly and iron wills are tested. Ms. Kennedy’s writing is always intense, frequently compelling, and this case, journeys into some harsh and brutal situations for her characters. Magic, mayhem, and deep emotions abound in this story.

This was a DNF for me. Obviously, it did not intrigue me to finish it. Underwhelmed by the first book, I wanted to see if I could connect with the second. I did not. The premise was good, the characters were lackluster to me. Perhaps I needed more action and less angst from the beginning. Glad to see others loved it. I voluntarily read an ARC from Netgalley.

Book 1, THE ORCHID THRONE: 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3
Book 2, THE FIERY CROWN: 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3

Despite not loving the first book, I ended up enjoying it to an extent and thought I would give the sequel a chance. It seems that Kennedy's writing and I just don't jive. First and foremost to understand is that this series is very dialogue-driven. More than half the book is dialogue, and people talking to "figure things out." The characters go to one place, talk, and then go to another place, and talk. Not much happens beyond that until 70% into the book, where something actually happens. Finally!

The story switches between Con and Lia's first person POV's. Both are trying to defeat the evil king Anure, but with different paths. Lia is risk-averse and doesn't want bloodshed on the land of Calanthe, which she is a part of as an Elemental. Con, on the other hand, is militant and more than happy to use explosives and make sacrifices to get at Anure. This creates some tension as both characters don't back down in their ideologies and won't reveal all the facts to the other. Despite being married, both characters hoard secrets like dragons and reluctantly share them throughout the book. You would think more happens, given we're in a fantasical world, but those were the exciting bits.

There is some ambiguously-written magic, plot development, and unraveling romance. It's just... so slow. All the characters do is talk and talk and talk, with repetitive thoughts coming from both sides about the other. I guess if you're into politics, you would have the patience for this kind of writing. The romance kind of popped up throughout snarky dialogue and lustful interactions (as the book says, the only stable ground Con and Lia have is in the bedroom). And as for the plot... I wonder if the author sat down and said, "Okay, in this book we're going to have one MAJOR event happen. And now I have to plan the dialogue that leads up this event..." and then that dialogue becomes the majority of the book? Because it certaintly seemed so.

"Without the world, the sun would continue to shine, but there would be nothing to receive its rays. Only the cold, vast darkness. Somehow, somewhere along the way, I'd lost the thread of vengeance. My focus had slipped and Lia had become the center."

Well, there are also moments of vulnerability between Con and Lia that helps with the romance. It was nice, but nothing too special that got me excited.

I think this series is a light read in that it's not too deep with its world-building and characters, but has some special moments that keep readers' attentions (like the climax). The characters are a bit slow on the uptake and at some points it kinda felt like, "Blah blah blah" (an inundation of dialogue), but some readers are more patient than me. As a reader who's more action-orientated though, this series isn't really doing it.

Trigger/Content Warnings: graphic torture and violence

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the review copy!

Once again, it took me a while to really get into this book. It was the same way with the first installment and I thought it was a case of first book-itis but the same thing happened here.

To be fair, we did not have to wait for Conri and Lia to come together as they’re already married when the book begins, but they are worlds apart emotionally, and in some ways it’s like starting from scratch. These two got married at the end of The Orchid Throne after very little time together, and while they connect in the bedroom right away, finding any other common ground is a challenge.

Conri is a man bent on vengeance. All he wants to do is kill Emperor Anure. Meanwhile, all Lia wants to do is protect Calanthe. In many ways, these two goals are diametrically opposed. Yet somehow, they eventually, unknowingly, get to a point where their marriage holds the centerpiece of their hearts.

That’s when the book really takes off.

Just as much as I wanted to skim a little bit in the beginning, I was totally invested in the second half. Lia is so prickly and closed off and believes entirely that she can never let anyone in and I just loved watching her slowly take down her walls for her husband. And Conri? He thinks himself incapable of love. He thinks he’s just a shell, dead inside. How wrong he is.

The progression of the romance was really good and so, too, was the world building and even the secondary characters. I particularly liked the prickly Sondra and the enigmatic Ambrose. And the big reveal here? I didn’t see it coming and it opens up a whole new can of worms for our hero. I am excited for the conclusion of this trilogy to see how it all plays out. Hopefully the romance will blossom in that one from beginning to end.

Book 2 of the Forgotten Empires series, The Fiery Crown comes back with a punch! It is packed with so much amazingness and I love the character developments that have taken place since the first book. I enjoyed Conri and Lia’s perspectives in their chapters and how they’re dealing with their union. Overall it was as much a pleasure to read as the first and I’m already looking forward to the third!

Book: The Fiery Crown
Author: Jeffe Kennedy
Rating: 1 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with an ARC.

I really do think that this is a series that’s not for me. As much as I wanted to really enjoy these books, I just couldn’t. I’ve struggled to make a connection with the characters and the plot. I don’t know what about these books that make it so difficult for me to get into.

The plot is too slow for my liking. I was looking for an epic fantasy read and I didn’t get that. Instead, I got a slow moving plot with a ton of focus on romance. To me, this felt like a romance book with fantasy elements thrown in. Normally, I don’t mind romance at all in my fantasy books, but the heavy focus on it here just turned me away. I found myself skimming the pages and hoping for some action. I just wish that we had a little bit of the fantasy and less on the romance. Yes, I know that it takes a while for fantasy to build up, but this is the second book. If it hasn’t came by now, it’s probably not going to happen.

I also really didn’t care about the characters. I felt like there was no character growth between the first and second books. They just didn’t really fit with the world and I just couldn’t connect with them. I would have liked to see them take some action as well. However, all they do is seem to talk and talk some more. They really don’t act on anything that they do. They just talk about and think about it.

Also, the characters are still really underdeveloped for my liking. They are all the same and it makes it really difficult to keep everyone straight. I would have liked to see a bit more depth to them. Again, with this being the second book, we should have the foundations to all of our main characters. Instead, it feels like they were just there for the sake of being there. I said this about the first book and I’ll say it again: You have to develop your characters if you want your readers to care about them. Plus, we don’t know enough about them and there’s not enough about them, I believe, to carry the rest of the series.

Anyway, I just think that I’m the wrong person for this series and I don’t think I will be reading the next book.

This book comes out on May 26, 2020.

This was an incredible tale of unbelievable events and astounding decisions. I read it in one sitting, not wanting to leave its world even to eat.

Queen Euthalia has married Prince Conri to unite their kingdoms and fulfill the prophecy. Prince Conri faces a great burden of whether to go to war against his great enemies and this could put his new bride Queen Euthalia’s life on the line. It would also mean betraying her and her love just for revenge. Or he could be humble and ask for her assistance in this war and follow her advice and rule together. I did enjoy this book much more than first one. I liked how the characters were written and seemed to be more defined in this book and they seemed to be more interesting. I also loved how the scenes were well written and had a lot descriptive writing as though you could picture everything in great detail in your mind.

The Firey Crown is book two in the Forgotten Empire books by Jeffe Kennedy and if you are looking for a fantasy with some romance included, you might consider checking this series out. As a book two, I’ll do my best not to include any spoilers for this installment, but I can’t promise anything for book one.

This book picks up shortly after book one wraps up. Conri and Lia are trying to figure out how to navigate their new marriage right along with figuring out who the other is…and it’s not very easy when despite their shared enemy, they have slightly different ideas of how to get to their shared goal.

The story makes a lot of progress in this installment as both Conri and Lia face off with Anure and come to realize what is really most important to them. I thought Kennedy did a great job of not only showing the conflict Conri and Lia had with Anure but also between themselves. They continue to battle each other as Conri wants his revenge and Lia is determined to protect Calanthe and neither can see yet how to do both.

As Lia and Conri begin to open up, they start to learn more about each other, and it was nice to get more background on both. Lia’s background and connection to Calanthe becomes a bit more clear and I found it to be a piece of the story that makes this fantasy unique.

The secondary characters continue to help drive the story forward. Ambrose is still a bit of a mystery but I’m hoping the next book gives us a bit more. In addition to this, there was plenty of action and enough of the sexy times to make me call out the romance aspect. It is very clear that Lia and Conri do not have a problem connecting in that arena.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and will pick up the next book when it comes. If you’re looking for an adult fantasy, consider checking this series out. It’s a fairly quick read, has an interesting story, and solid characters whose stories will keep you turning the pages.

I thought this book was much better than the first. We got to know the characters much better, especially Lia, who is very guarded and secretive. I adored the romance. In the first book, I felt it was too sexual, but this book had very sweet and romantic moments between Lia and Con. The plot got a little boring at times. The villain, Anure, is absent from most of the book. We don’t see him until the end. Since we don’t see him, we only hear about him, it made his threats feel a little watered-down. I feel like it would have been better to see him in action a little bit. Overall, it was pretty enjoyable. Not my favorite read but again, it was much better than the first.

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. Wow what can I say about this title it was just an awesome read. This book was just something so wonderfully different I’ve never quite read anything like this. You should read to find out you won’t be disappointed. I’m definitely going to read more by this author.

The Fiery Crown continues The Forgotten Empires Series started in The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy. The marriage of convenience between Rebel Leader Conrí and Queen Euthalia are not without problems. It seems politically these two are still opposites. The first book ends with a cliffhanger so it is a must read to understand this second book.

There is still revenge on the mind of Conri and saving her people on the mind of Lia. At times it seems that their marriage is hopelessly doomed but still they have so much passion and heat. Unless they are successful in their alliance the marriage may not matter. The complexity of the situation, the people involved, and the relationships between them are developed into depth in this second book. The rising conflict involving the overarching theme continues to build in this book without giving a final resolution.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.