**Features:**

- A “why choose?” M/M/F Romantasy
- Political intrigue where every character has their own secrets and agenda
- Told through multiple POVs
- Slow burn with a lot of tension

**Synopsis:**

The last thing Jory wants is to get married to King Maddox Kyronan. But her father is dying and, along with him, the magic that protects the kingdom of Astranza from the enemies threatening its borders. Ky’s ruthless reputation might make less than an ideal husband, but it is the only thing that can save Astranza when the inevitable happens. Meanwhile, Ky has his own reasons for marrying the Astranza princess. Unaware that their magic is dying, Ky is hopeful that an alliance will give him access to the king’s power; the only thing that might be able to stop the blaze consuming his kingdom. As he and Jory begin to forge a shaky alliance, nobleman-turned-assassin Asher is given a contract to kill them both. Asher must decide whether to kill the woman he loves or put himself at risk to protect her and her new husband as they figure out who wants them dead.

**Thoughts:**

4.5 rounded up

I wasn’t quite certain what I was walking into when I picked up this book with a beautiful cover and silly name, but boy was it a steamy ride! The early parts of the story lead you to expect your average love triangle, but it turns into a “why choose?” poly relationship between the three main characters. That being said, this is more of a slow burn with a lot of tension but very little true spice until the end. Because there is such a good balance between the ‘romance’, world building, and plot, these relationships feel like they evolved more naturally and the payoff at the end was satisfying as a result.

The story begins through Jory’s perspective (the princess) as she prepares to meet her husband-to-be. To be honest, my initial reaction was that she was acting far too immature for her age and experience even when considering her more sheltered life. However, she quickly proves to be a character willing to adapt and discover the inner strength she has not had to access until now. Ky and Asher are also introduced in a way that feels very typical for these character types. However, there are intriguing aspects to both that are quickly built upon as the broader plot and world come into focus. Once together, these characters have amazing chemistry that helps them stand out both individually and as a trio. I’m excited to see where their journey leads in the sequel!

This book would be good for romantasy readers who might be looking to transition to more true fantasy books or vice versa. Though the characters are the focus and the romance elements are there, I thought the world building and plot were also very well done and created a unique fantasy experience. This leads me to why I did not give it a perfect 5 stars. Despite its strengths, this very much feels like a set up for the rest of the series. Where that’s perfectly fine and even expected in the first book of a series, I find it hard to give it a perfect score when the real plot begins at the very end of the book.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

LOVE THIS just wow!! *chef's kiss* this is fantastic. I can't wait to see where this goes with the main characters!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Okay so this was my first actual read of Brigid Kemmerer's books and it was a great start!

This was romantasy at its finest.

I went in blind, not knowing that the title Warrior Princess Assassin referred to three different characters, or that this was definitely not the average love triangle romance but instead they all wanted each other.

This has the sloooowest of slow burns, with epic banter and the heaviest tension. There's political intrigue, multi POV that kills, and lovable characters that make you want to root for them!

This was easy to binge and so hard to put down!!

The relationship between our MCs just felt right. There's so much balance and some wonderful spice leading to a wildly successful story!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC!

I began reading this book based on the title alone, which mistakenly led me to believe this book was about one character who was a warrior, princess, and assassin. Then, I thought I was reading a story about a princess forced by her devious brother to marry a strange king in order to save her kingdom while secretly longing for her childhood love.. What I got instead was a story about a slow buildup to a threesome I was not prepared for. Add in the fact that most of the story feels like one endless journey, and you have a book that offers less than what I expected. There was certainly danger and suspense at times; but overall, I was disappointed with the way the story progressed and have no interest in any sequels.

This book was such a fun time! I loved all three points of view that the story was told from, and I thought it was a great set up for the rest of the series (trilogy? I'm unsure). I was a bit disappointed when I thought this was a love triangle, but I was pleasantly surprised by the throuple instead (need more of that in trad-pub fantasy romance, in my opinion). I thought Brigid Kemmerer's first foray into adult fantasy romance was very well done, and she brought her wonderful YA fantasy worldbuilding and storytelling successfully over to the adult genre. The main characters were all quite different and well developed, and while I thought that there could be a bit more differentiation in the writing style between Ky and Asher, I overall wholeheartedly enjoyed this book, and had such a fun time with it! I can't wait for the next book, and definitely recommend this :)

✨𝑅𝑒𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝒟𝒶𝓎 & 𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: Warrior Princess Assassin (Braided Fate Book 1)

A princess is suddenly betrothed to a notorious warrior king. But she’s in love with her childhood best friend— the very assassin assigned to dispatch her and her betrothed. Between the secrets and lies, their fates and hearts become intertwined in ways they never imagined.

Tropes:
👀Multi POV
🩶Morally grey MCs
💞Why Choose Romantasy
🫂Forced proximity
💍Arranged marriage
🧑‍❤️‍💋‍🧑Friends to lovers
💔Secrets and betrayal
🐎One horse
❤️‍🩹Tortured heroes
🔥Slow burn

Princess Jory has lived an isolated and sheltered life. She’s innocent and empathetic yet bold and formidable when it comes to her convictions.

Maddox Kyronan is a fire-wielding King who shoulders the burden of a desperate kingdom. The marriage alliance is essential and time is running out.

Asher was exiled from court at a young age and forced to survive no matter the cost. Now, he must decide what he’s willing to risk for the princess he loves and a king that untethers all his emotions.

Navigating courtly facades, first impressions, and expectations, this story had me in a vice grip from the very beginning and never let go. The author explores each character’s invisible scars, intangible fears, and epic yearning. Every touch, heated stare, and quip was masterfully delivered. Love triangle? I don’t know her and luckily, I don’t have to choose.

Thrumming with intrigue, heartache, and forbidden desires, Warrior Princess Assassin is an unputdownable and obsession-worthy why choose Romantasy. I need the next book like I need air!

So grateful to the author, Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Blown. Away.
I absolutely DEVOURED this book. We turning from the concept, to the characters, to the setting, and beyond is just *chef's kiss.*
The three main characters, Asher, Jory, and Ky are so wonderfully painted. Sometimes you don't know who to root for, sometimes, you're cheering all off them on, and sometimes you just want go smack someone. The secondary characters are just a vivid and draw you deeper into the story. I have never wanted a book 2 in my hands as badly as I want the next in this series.

Warrior Princess Assassin is the starting book of this series and it feels like it. I feel even like this seems to me even like half of book one. While the premise is pretty much an instant hook, most of the book ends up centering the character dynamics and their relationships with each other. Can they really trust each other? It's devoted to giving us a foundation of these characters. Did I love it? Yes. Did it make the entire book feel like the part one of book one? Also yes. If you're in this for the characters, that's great news. But I did want to start the review with that caveat. It's the typical, last chapter "oh this is a book one right? Let's bring back the plot with THE ending" feel. That can be very frustrating for readers. I was reading an e-ARC of this, so I was also pretty taken aback with the pacing and wondering when the shoe would drop. All that aside though, I really liked the character work in Warrior Princess Assassin for the characters to get to know each other more.

Brigid Kemmerer did not disappoint with her debut adult novel!!!

I could not put this book down. Between the 3 POVs and the action and tension between the 3 I was mesmerized by the story. For those who are into "vanilla" romances this book is probably not for you. I don't want to give to much away but this is very different romance wise from her other books. I will say it's top notch for arranged engagement to marriage and slow burn. Tension, angst, wanting has amazing build.
Now to the story line, has great world building you learn about the countries at war and partial reasoning behind it. The magic seems to be elemental and I love the use of using sigils. There is so much happening between political intrigued, figuring out who's trying to murder them, and secrets and betrayals. It's amazing. Along with having the multiple POV between the princess, assassin and the warrior.

Rating: 4.75/5

This book had me in a complete chokehold from the very first page. The writing was sharp, immersive, and completely gripping and I genuinely could not put it down. I loved the story and found the overall concept compelling on its own, but the use of a three-way POV took it to another level. It gave such a full picture of what was happening and added real depth to each character’s motivations.

The tension between Ky, Jory, and Asher was intense in all the best ways. I started reading this book not realizing it was a “why choose” romance, but once it clicked what was happening between the three of them, I was so excited because it meant that I too didn’t have to choose between Ky or Asher. Every interaction had me hanging on the edge of my seat dying to know what was going to happen next.

Do I wish there was a bit more spice? Absolutely, but only because the chemistry between all three characters was palpable. This book was a slow slow slow burn, but the scenes we got at the end were seriously hot. I can’t wait to see how the relationship continues to develop as the series progresses. This one completely delivered, and I’m ready for more!!!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Brigid Kemmerer has definitely made a successful transition into adult romantasy! I've really enjoyed her YA series and was looking forward to Warrior Princess Assassin as soon as it was announced. Jory, Ky, and Asher are an interesting trio and I'm already eagerly anticipating book two. I wanted more immediately!

Warrior Princess Assassin has been one of my most anticipated reads this year. I love Brigid Kemmerer, especially Defy the Night, and was very excited for her adult debut. This book did not disappoint.

The basic premise: The princess is betrothed to the king of a neighboring kingdom as their lands are threatened by war. Her childhood best friend, who just so happens to be an assassin, is given an assignment to kill them both.

This is definitely "low" fantasy (is that a thing?) with a very easy to understand magic system and world, leaving room for the characters and their relationships to really shine. This is told through three different POVs (the warrior, the princess, and the assassin), and honestly, I loved all three of the main characters. Their personalities, their struggles, their depth and development - it all felt very real. One of my favorite things about all of Brigid's books is her ability to build unparalleled tension and I DEVOURED this. The slow burn - PHEW. It was so, so well done. I will provide a disclaimer that this is a "why choose"/MMF romance - I have not read many books that feature poly relationships, so I don't have anything to really compare against, but the way Brigid executed on this contributed to the depth of the story and was, IMO, very intentional, thoughtful and flawless . I cannot recommend this enough and I am already dying for book two!

Thank you to NetGalley & Avon Books for the ARC!

I am an avid Brigid Kemmerer reader. I have truly loved each book of hers and this one is no different. Kemmerer didn’t just move into the adult fantasy genera she’s put down ROOTS with this Why Choose whirlwind.

In my opinion this was a great first book. It sets the braided fates series up well for what’s to come. This book covers the basics. Our characters, their backstories, the politics and the relationship(s) .. it’s plural … but it’s not (IYKYK)

It doesn’t end on a giant cliffhanger so you can read this book now and let the deliverance of the last line pump you up for what’s to come!

I will come back for a more in depth spoiler filled review once this book has released & has had its time to ✨shine✨

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would! I was a little hesitant because I thought this was going to have a love triangle but was pleasantly surprised to find out it doesn’t. The tension between these three is phenomenal. I loved the push and pull between these characters.

This does feel very character driven. Not a lot happens plot wise. It did make the middle part feel a bit longer than it needed to be. I did enjoy each person’s POV. There wasn’t a point where I found myself not wanting to read or skip ahead to someone else.

This does end on a cliffhanger and I am looking forward to the next one!

Brigid’s first foray into adult was nothing short of perfection. I loved our three main characters and their dynamics, this world Brigid created around them. The plot, the spice, everything was incredible.

Man, I really loved Kemmerer's YA stuff and couldn't keep them on the shelf at my library. This one, though...it was SO boring. I did not feel the chemistry between these characters, and the story was bare bones. How did she take 400 pages to tell such little story? It is truly baffling to me. This was a story about a week in the life of some really traumatized dudes and a very sheltered girl. They did some stuff, but mostly they wandered in the snow for a while and shot longing glances each other's way. There was supposedly some chemistry between them, but I couldn't find it. The end.

Warrior Princess Assassin was a highly anticipated release for me and it delivered. I loved Ky from the first moment we met him and he proved it over and over. The emotional journey of these characters went along with the political journey of the world. The ending left we wanting book two immediately.

*Cue the silent scream I held when I read the last line* This was SO good. I was hooked from the very beginning.

We have three POV's, Warrior is King Maddox, Princess is Jory and the Assassin is her best friend growing up Asher. Ky (Maddox) and Jory are to wed due to an alliance for both of their kingdom's. Ky's kingdom is dying, but also Jory's kingdom is being breached by the Draeg's where Ky's army could help her kingdom. However, on the day of their forming alliance, Asher receives orders to KILL both the King and the Princess. If not completed, more hunters will be coming after them.

I absolutely loved the development of Ky, Jory and Asher. The way they both came together in their one common goal of protecting the princess. I cannot wait to see what is next for the trilogy. This was my first by Brigid Kemmerer and it won't be my last.

"You need a Hunter".....yup still silent screaming. ugh full circle moment, can't wait for the next.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I read this in two days. I liked the character development, and the plot and romantic tension held my interest. Ky had very different relationships to Jory and Asher, and that felt a bit at odds for me in terms of his character. I think Ky could have been attracted to and related with Asher for some of the same reasons he was attracted to Rory but that wasn’t really how it played out. Maybe I’m just not a big fan of romantic relationships of power imbalance, but that’s probably a personal preference.

Reading Warrior Princess Assassin felt like being thrown into a fantasy world that refuses to follow the rules. It has that mix of moral grayness, power struggles, and inner conflict that I tend to love especially when a character is forced to confront who they are versus who they have to be. The title might sound over the top, but the story digs into some surprisingly grounded territory about loyalty, choice, and survival. It reminded me a little of the things I liked in Bojack Horseman the layered characters, the aching self-awareness, the occasional punch of truth in the middle of something dramatic.

The main character felt relatable in an unexpected way. She’s been trained to kill, but she questions everything she’s been taught. That pull between duty and doubt? Very purple team energy (cybersecurity reference!). Her world sees everything in black and white, but she keeps trying to find the gray. There’s action, yes, and some pretty intense scenes, but I was more drawn to the emotional moments where you see her wrestling with the cost of survival and what kind of person she wants to be in a broken system.

If you like fantasy with teeth, a heroine who doesn’t have all the answers but fights like hell to make sense of the chaos around her, and the kind of twists that make you pause and think, this one’s worth picking up. It doesn’t try to be a fairytale it’s messy, intense, and strangely hopeful in the way that growth always is.