I am a new Kennedy Ryan fan. I was brought into her world with Queen Move (one of my favorites of 2020) and have gone back, and I am reading all her "older" books. This one (whose characters we see in Queen Move also) was freaking fantastic.
Kennedy Ryan gives you a love story and also gives us a POV from an indigenous woman in America and what life is like for American Indians and their ongoing fight. One of the things I love about Kennedy Ryan's books is that she does her homework - she teaches me another POV and teaches me about a community that I might not otherwise know about.
Fantastic Book - on to book 2!

This is the first book of @kennedyryan1 we’ve read. I picked this up after watching a recommendations video from Jess over at @peacelovebooks. I’ve enjoyed most of the recommendations I’ve found on her YouTube channel and oh my this was no different. ⁣
⁣
If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. ⁣
⁣
The story is about Lennix and Maxim. The pair meet at a protest where Maxim leaps to Lennix’s defence, putting himself in harms way. They have an instant connection and while separated again almost straight away the story follows their individual and joint stories as they grow into everything they want to be an come back to each other. ⁣
⁣
I didn’t want the story to end and took my time with it to eek it out over another day or two than I needed. The characters and story were addictive to read. The chemistry between them and just the way Kennedy writes each of their perspective. They’re so mature, they’re ambitious and respectful of tradition and belief and doing the right thing. The story explores climate change, politics, racism and doesn’t shy away from the gritty dark sides of all of these aspects. Of course the heat between the two characters was off the charts but again going back to the way it’s written everything about this was just.. more. ⁣
⁣
“A found-ness, a seen-ness I didn’t even know to look for. So this is contentment”⁣
⁣
I knew there was a second book but was entertaining the notion that it might be about a secondary character. I didn’t expect the ending to be a cliffhanger. I’ll definitely be reaching for the next book after this. ⁣
I loved the writing style, I love finding a new author where you find yourself wanting to read their full back list. This has happened a few times to me this year namely with @taliahibbert and @tessabaileyisanauthor.

Chills. No one makes me feel so much that I am physically overwhelmed with emotion the way that Kennedy Ryan does. The writing is extraordinary, the characters are complex and well-developed, and the love story is one so deep, mature, and enduring it gripped me from the beginning and hasn’t let go.

Maxim Cade and Lennix Hunter are such powerful, fiery, passionate characters as individuals and an extraordinary force as partners. The Kingmaker tells a story of ambition, heritage, hope, loss, and grief set against the backdrop of a breathtaking romance that spans more than a decade.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloom, and Kennedy Ryan for the gifted digital review copy!

The Kingmaker by Kennedy Ryan is an enthralling and captivating novel that is the first in the All the King's Men duology. The story follows Maxim Cade, a man determined to make his own way in the world and leave behind the legacy of his family's oil empire. He meets Lennix Hunter at a protest for the oil pipeline that is set to destroy her ancestral land, and they are drawn to each other despite their opposing views.

The novel is well-written, and Ryan's prose is engaging, drawing readers into the story and immersing them in the world she has created. The characters are well-developed, and their emotions are raw and real. Maxim and Lennix's chemistry is palpable, and the tension between them is intense.

The novel is not just a love story, but also explores themes of power, family, and social justice. Ryan deftly weaves these themes into the narrative, making for a complex and thought-provoking story.

Overall, The Kingmaker is a must-read for fans of romance and contemporary fiction. The novel is beautifully crafted, with well-rounded characters and a compelling story that will keep readers engaged until the very end. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the next installment in the trilogy.

This book sucked me in in the absolute best way. The chemistry between Lennix and Maxim is electrifying and the story moved so quickly that once I started it, I could not put the book down. I immediately downloaded The Rebel King and read the two books back to back (I don’t think you could do it any other way!)

LOVE THE CONCEPT!! Riveting, heartfelt, and powerful! New author for me and was happily surprised with how much I liked this genre! Would recommend!

Maxim comes from a rich oil family although he is against everything it does to the environment. Lennix fights for the conservation of the native lands.... They met and Maxim fell in love instantly... Due to circumstances, they didn't meet until later and fell in love with other each again. Would they be overcome their family history and tragedy?

Love Maxim and Lennix. Maxim especially is my favorite. He is independent, smart and loves fiercely.... Love his intensity. Lennix is terrific too. Smart and sassy. The book ends on such a dramatic ending. The second is out and I read it already. It's even better...

Thanks to the publisher for the free book.

This book is absolutely phenomenal! Kennedy Ryan never disappoints and I am so happy for more people to read The Kingmaker. Lennix and Maxim are everything, absolute soulmates, who aren’t always in the right place at the right time so their romance and relationship is stretched out over years!

I love the angst and tension between these two very strong, amazing characters. But seeing them together they’re absolutely a powerhouse.

The representation of Native American culture and obvious research done by the author was amazingly well done, but I couldn’t really feel any natural chemistry between the two characters. Their relationship felt very forced and the male love interest had me looking at my phone like 😑 for all 355 pages.

Heady, powerful, unforgettable storytelling

All the words I was mentally storing up for my review flew right out my head by the time I got to the end of this book. Because oh my god what the heck just happened? I always expect to be floored by a Kennedy Ryan book, and I was guessing at a lot of possible outcomes, but not in a million years did I expect that ending. And I need the next book now please.

Going back to the book itself; this book was basically everything I wanted in a gorgeous, sexy package. Kennedy Ryan’s words are the definition of power; her storytelling breathtaking and impactful. Here she delivers an incisive, eloquent commentary on a wide range of topics from indigenous people’s rights to mega corporations and climate change, while telling a story that is intensely compelling and wildly romantic. I always feel a few degrees smarter and just more aware after a Kennedy Ryan book, and this one more than any other is a vivid example of the vital, necessary stories she tells. Words like hair raising and game changer come to mind.

As with all heroines she writes, Lennix is a heroine for the ages, a bold, bright beacon of hope for her cause, an inspiration and a powerhouse. To borrow words from the endlessly wise Lizzo, she’s one hundred percent that b*tch. Maxim is the rebellious, adventurous scion with dreams in his eyes and a big, beautiful brain in that pretty, arrogant head of his. Oh my, that brain. So many of his nerdy, visionary, capitalist musings had my nerdy, progressive, pragmatic heart going into overdrive. He’s the dream man, a classic example of woke in the streets, arrogant alpha in the sheets. The connection between them is instantaneous and electric and steamy, and undimmed over years and continents.

This story is of two people who are confident in themselves and their ability to change the world they have at their fingertips, and they won’t let anything, not even falling in love change those plans, which obviously makes for a long, winding road to happiness, fraught with difficult choices and unforeseen challenges. And I can’t wait to continue to traverse this journey with them.

Lennix, a proud American Indian from Apache Tribe, was speaking in a protest against a pipeline project that will lay on top of a sacred burial ground by an oil company, Cade Energy. When the protest turned sour with the tear gas and a barking dog who tried to bite Lennix, a guy saved her and got his hand bitten by said dog. Their meeting was short but left a deep impact. Lennix didn’t know that the hot guy, Maxim, who saved her was actually the son of Warren Cade. Maxim couldn’t tell Lennix he was the son of an oil company tycoon who had different ideas and goals. Maxim wants to save the planet, while his father only cares about money and power. How could he tell Lennix he is the son of a guy she deeply hates?

Fast forward 4 years later, they had an accidental encounter in Amsterdam and this time, they had a memorable whole week together. Only this time, they still have their unfinished ambition and goal so they decide to go separately.

I like to read a book with important messages and a strong heroine. Lennix and Maxim's love story are fiery and they both understand each other’s goals, ambitions and respect to each other. The book ends on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to get my hand on the next book. Highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley, the Publisher and the author for the eARC, in exchange for my honest review

I had no expectations going into this as it's my first time reading a book by KR. And, after finishing it, I am walking away neither swept off my feet or disappointed. This is a perfectly adequate romance story - nothing special that I haven't read before, but not horrible either.

I liked Lennix and Maxim as characters and I could see how they are suited for each other. It was just all the politics and environmental issues and science talk that made me zone out quite a few times. Honestly, a good 45% of this book is dedicated to those topics. If I wanted to read nonfiction, I wouldn't have picked up a romance book, you know? So that wasn't for me, personally. But when the romance is present, it's good! So there's that.

This also ends on a massive cliff-hanger (literally), so I'm definitely going to need to pick up the next book ASAP!

Wow, this cover is gorgeous.

Characters driven story, very well written.
The author is very good with captivating her audience.

Kennedy Ryan is a powerhouse writer. The Kingmaker is incredible. Ryan has always been able to touch tough subjects and represent them. Every time I read a book by her the romance bar goes miles high. She captivates with the love and chemistry between her character. And her steam? Through the roof🤭

This book is one of my favorite KR books.
Lennix and Maxim are soul mates and this story is about so much more than them.

I cannot recommend this book or series enough!

Kennedy Ryan’s writing never ceases to amaze me! And at only 5 pages in, I knew it was going to be a five star read for me.

This story follows Lennix, an American Indian, and Maxim, son of a wealthy oil businessman. The two meet at a pipeline protest and while their encounter was brief, it left a lasting impression on both of them. Four years later they run into each other in Amsterdam and have a perfect week together however, due their own ambitions and goals, Lennix about to join a political campaign to protect indigenous people and Maxim on a mission to save the climate, their paths don’t cross at the right time.

Lennix and Maxim were two characters filled with such depth and appreciation. They had a mutual respect for the other, which was beautiful see on paper. Besides having an epic romance, I love how this book dived into powerful topics not often represented in romance books, such as environmental advocacy/ climate change and the history of the Apache Nation and the rights of these people. There is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end but don’t let that keep you from reading!! I’m ordering the sequel ASAP!

Read if you like:
-Hefty romances
-Love story across the years
-American Indian rep
-Climate advocacy
-Instant attraction