“Confidence and Conviction”
The Kingmaker has two of the most admirable and inspiring main characters I’ve read about in a long time.
Lennix and Maxim’s connection spans nearly two decades. We get to know them as individuals during three main stages of their lives. That’s the beautiful part about this book: the character development. It’s not rushed. It flows well and it feels natural.
Lennix is a member of the YavapaiApache Nation fighting to prevent a pipeline from being built on her reservation. Her pride of self and her people comes from her mother who was a staunch fighter for tribal people. Tragedy strikes and Lennix immerses herself in the fight, which is how she met Maxim. He’s a moneyed tree-hugger whose ideas about climate and environment don’t mesh with that of his father, the king of oil.
The build-up to Lennox and Maxim’s relationship, in all of its stages, is full of angst, tenderness, and intention. I love these two together; watching their struggle to reconcile their feelings for one another and maintaining their convictions for change was incredible to witness.
The plot is well-thought-out and the narration is beautifully descriptive. And that cliffhanger?! Did not see that coming! I cant wait to see what happens next.

ok... I liked the first and second parts. Lost me in the third part, the time jump was unnecessary.
It was a good read, but the characters fell flat.

Wow — this spicy romance… I did not see this coming. 🤣 it was categorized as new adult, but hey, it’s good a surprise. Mixed with betrayal, danger and smart, bold characters, this novel does a great job of weaving environmental concerns, social justice issues, murdered and missing indigenous women atrocities with politics, familial discord and passionate soul twining romance. Love the dual POV, and I didn’t stop reading, absolutely consumed these pages until — boom! The book was over, and that ending has me reeling for the next one.

Can Kennedy Ryan write a bad book? I've yet to see it happen. Lennix is such a strong and amazing FMC. She has great values, she knows who she is and what she wants, and she goes for it. I loved reading her journey and seeing how she changes the world around her. Then you add in Maxim. Also very goal driven. I really enjoyed reading their relationship develop. There's a time jump in this story (which I normally dislike), but I feel like it was necessary to their story. Maxim and Lennix needed to discover themselves as individuals before they could truly be happy together.

I also loved the underlying story of indigenous people, their beliefs, and how they are treated. It's an important conversation to have in the real world, and Kennedy Ryan did a great job shedding light on so many issues that should be talked about more, liking missing indigenous women and how important and sacred land is taken from them.

There is a plot twist at the end, so make sure you're ready to jump into book 2 immediately!

Where do I even start with this absolutely perfect book? Let me preface by saying I only read one Kennedy Ryan book before and she is the only author I have ever read who can writes deeply mature characters perfectly, with their flaws and their strengths without anything feeling childish or out of proportion at any point.

- Nix is an indigenous woman with a traumatic experience from the US and yet I, a white woman from Europe with a rather peaceful past, deeply related to her. Her passion for helping marginalised communities including her own, her path to politics to create change, her devotion to her found family and the communities she helped felt so real and close. Yet, she is far from perfect, she is stubborn to a fault and so hurt by the past that she does not want to open her heart more to give it another opportunity to bleed and I think anyone who felt grief can relate. She is probably one of the best and most complex characters I have ever read.

- Maxim is a privileged and arrogant man who always gets what he wants but is also a pure agent of change, through capitalism. His capacity to envision a better future but also a way to monetize it make him an annoyingly hard to hate character even with all the mistakes he makes with Nix. Far from taking her for granted, he wants her so much that he would move the Earth to get to her and actually does !

Kennedy Ryan manages to not only deliver a romance here but also portray characters that feel real and talk about missing and murdered indigenous women, political corruption and climate change.

- Secondary characters : Again, I recognize a pattern in Kenndy Ryan's writing of her characters in the fact that her secondary characters Owen, Kimba, Wallace, Viv and even Grim, are full-fledged. They have a back story, their own opinion and don't seem to only be there to advance the story of the two main characters but their own as well. This is very enjoyable and gives more depth to the story.

- Settings : I live in Amsterdam so the fact that 40% of the story happened there was a huge plus, especially because everything is absolutely accurate. I hate it in a book when American authors talk about a European city I have lived in only to romanticize it. Kennedy Ryan does her research on her settings as well and it shows.

The fact that this book is even better than the show Scandal and is so well reserached makes it very enjoyable and rekindles a passion for social justice I thought was buried in my heart after years of not seeing any advances.

Having not read anything by this author before and based on the description, I was not expecting a romance at all when I began reading The Kingmaker. What attracted me was the indigenous experience and climate impact topics. I found the book to be a unique mix of romance, political intrigue, and matters of social justice and had a tough time putting it down. Lennix is a strong, independent female and Maxim, much the product of his upbringing, is still seeking to make as much of an independent life as he can.

This is my all time favorite Kennedy Ryan book. If I could give it more than five stars, I would. I love how fierce and independent Lennix is and how hard Maxim pined for her, no matter how much time had passed.

I have read this three times already and will preparing for a fourth round here soon! UGH my favorite story ever!

The way this book ended first of all should be illegal!!
It's impossible not to love Lennix, she is just the perfect character and I'm rooting for her so hard.
Kennedy Ryan is one of those authors whose shopping list I know I would love.

Of course I’m speechless. What else is new?
Leave it to Kennedy to make you sob while reading the very last page, the very last line of the book. Seriously, the amount of times I cried reading a Kennedy Ryan book had me looking for a support group. Is there a community out there for us? A compensation we can claim somewhere?

I’m truly in awe of how carefully and beautifully culture and tradition was explored in this book. Each page reeks of knowledge, you know? From the tribes and ceremonies, to the countries and languages briefly mentioned, It’s evident how much time, energy, and resources Kennedy spent on this book. And that’s one of the many reasons I found this book beyond beautiful. It was entertaining and educational.

I really want to appreciate Kennedy Ryan’s writing. Her writing style is just perfect. I love the pacing of her books and she really knows how to blend words like recipes. She knows how to make them palatable and emotional and striking. Every book I’ve read of hers is beautifully jotted. Effortlessly well written. Poetry. So enticing that you forget you are reading sometimes.

Lennix and Maxim’s story is one of a kind. It’s very intense, yet so seamless. Emotional. Very emotional. Also inspiring. Lennix is a definition of a strong, devoted woman. I love strong women. Maxim is a man in love, but he is also a man with passion. A determined man with big dreams. I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciated the depth of the book. How much I loved the roads taken by both characters.

I’m so eager to get my hands on the rest of the series!!

this was a great start to the All the King's Men duology series, the plot has what I was looking for and it did everything that I was hoping for from the description. The characters worked well and I enjyoed getting to know them. The world was intersting and I'm glad I got to read this, I can't wait for more in the series and author.

"He’s right. Even just an hour ago, our path was clear, but now tessellations of ice have interlocked around the ship, a tundra jigsaw puzzle that, if not navigated skillfully, could strand or even sink our ship. Beyond skill, we’ll need a lot of luck. That night, I fall into a dead slumber after all the work we’ve done over the past few days. It’s not a loud boom or crash that jolts me out of my sleep. It’s another sound that sends a shiver down my spine."

The Kingmaker is an absolutely incredible novel that left me spellbound from the very first page. Kennedy Ryan's talent shines through in this powerful and heartfelt story of Maxim and Lennix, two characters whose fiery intensity is matched only by their unwavering dedication to their passions and convictions.

I fell in love with Maxim and Lennix at first sight and was swept away by their love and connection, which felt like a once in a lifetime kind of love that came right off the pages. Ryan's writing is so emotional and riveting that I felt every word straight down to my core. The way she captures every look and touch between the characters is breathtaking and made me hold my breath when all seemed lost.

Without giving away any spoilers, I can say that The Kingmaker is a gamechanger to be reckoned with. Ryan's compassionate heart comes through in her writing, and her characters are so well-crafted that I couldn't help but be in awe of their story. I loved every word of this novel and can't wait to read The Rebel King.

In short, The Kingmaker is a magnificent novel that showcases Ryan's immeasurable talent as a writer. Her characters are powerful forces to be reckoned with, and their story is one that will stay with me long after I've turned the last page.

This book felt like a romance book and a political TV drama series (in the second half) all in one. Super unexpected but really well executed! The story is set over a long time frame which can sometimes be clunky but the wonderful writing style made this story really interesting and enjoyable.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

I was not expecting this book, in any way shape or form. Kennedy Ryan opened the NetGalley ARC of this book up for 500 people before it went back to request only, which is amazing accessibility wise for people who may not have been able to read it otherwise. I was super excited to get my hands on it, thinking it wasn't out yet, and then by the end realized it was already out, along with the rest of the series which is great because now I don't have to wait to read the next ones!

I have not been this captivated by a book in a long time. I read it in one day, which is not my norm. I could NOT put it down. The way that Kennedy Ryan wrote this book made these characters so lovable, and so BELIEVABLE that I could feel their connection jumping off the pages and it only pulled me in deeper. Some of the tropes in this can be hit or miss, but Ryan did them so well. Maxim and Lennix were the definition of powerful, on their own and with each other.

This book also discusses incredibly important issues. The Native American representation in this book is so important, especially since there is not enough Native American rep being published. And while the book does have a large political element, it focuses on the important of giving power to the people who are wanting to fight for injustice and change for marginalized people, and that is something that is relevant still four years later, and will be relevant until there is real change in our country.

This is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year so far, and my first Kennedy Ryan book, and I'm so so so excited to read more by her!

* This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
The King Maker started off as a slow burn, with them Nix being 17 years dealing with a heavy loss. Maxim dealing with his crazy father. Now after that things picks up in Amsterdam with a week of passion, things were a little spicy. This book had a lot of politics(which I really enjoy) knowledge on how Indigenous women go missing and none really care. How rich people have the world at their finger tips and still want more control and power. I didn’t expect this book to be spanned over such a long period of time like 14 years.This was too good, i can’t believe i finished this book in two days i was so invested. Of course i don’t expect anything less from Kennedy Ryan. I instantly went to to look for the second book! Yes ma’am i need it asap

Oh gosh this book was absolutely incredible.

I don’t know what Kennedy puts in her books but they have me hooked and invested.

I really liked the premise of this book and how it began, I felt that was really important to lay the foundations of not only this book but the duet. The characters are SO well crafted and I really feel that Kennedy did her research for this one. I especially admire the authors note at the beginning.

When reading this I had the very strong feeling of right person/wrong time & this is what I got. I also got second chance (anyone who knows me knows that this is one of my favourite tropes). I found myself nervous, excited and giddy reading this one - I love a book that has me feeling multiple emotions.

I will say this book does span across multiple years and I just needed to highlight how well done the timeline is. When reading the latter portion of this book I couldn’t help but think of how Lennix was giving me Olivia Pope from Scandal vibes and I just loved it!

There are some themes which I found really intriguing. I liked the oil vs renewable energy and the political swing to this. I found it incredibly interesting about how topics such as Native females going missing - I almost felt like this book educated & informed me. This added “more” to the story. It wasn’t just a romance book, it had depth and so much to it.

Also… that ending 🤯 I need to start the next book asap!!

Kingmaker is very different to other Kennedy Ryan books. It’s a lot more politically charged, reminiscent of a Scandal (TV show). I found it okay but not one of my favourites. If you’re looking for strictly romance you too probably won’t love this one in its entirety but it’s defo worth a read.

The Kingmaker was not at all what I was expecting. I feel like it just fell a little flat for me. There was character development, yet I didn't feel like anyone actually developed for the better. This is only the first in the series, and I do think I will continue on to the second installment to see if the story engages me more moving forward. There were enough redeeming qualities to give book 2 a chance. Hopefully Lenix and Maxim bring everything together moving forward.

As a huge fan of Kennedy Ryan, I jumped at the opportunity to reread The Kingmaker which is part one in a duet series that serves up a great deal of romance suspense! Lennix is a proud Yavapai-Apache woman and Maxim is the son of the man whose company is putting down the pipeline on Indigenous land.

Lennix is an activist who shows readers a powerful example of what it looks like to fight for what you love despite the forces trying to tear you down. Maxim wasn't expecting to fall in love with her and the journey they take towards falling for one another and returning to one another when the timing is right is one every romance reader won't be able to put down!

I love how this book deals with important issues such as sacred land, social injustice, global warming and MMIW (missing and murdered Indigenous women). Kennedy Ryan is such a gifted writer and her ability to write trauma-informed stories is what makes her an auto-buy author for me every time.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the e-arc copy!

⤷‧₊˚ 1.75 ⭑
„some people leave an impression, but lennix left her mark on me. shaped like a star.“

i don’t wanna believe that this is the same author that wrote the hoops series..
i was so excited when i saw this book on netgalley, i was so sure that I’m gonna love this but sadly i was wrong. this was disappointing so far my least favorite kennedy ryan book. i never thought that i‘m gonna hate a mmc written by her but i hate him so so much he was so fucking annoying i was so close to dnf this book because of him.

I wasn't expecting a weird mafia romance story that was boring and generic. I had to DNF. I did like that it was character driven but the storyline was lacking.