This had a bit of a slow start for me—there was a lot going on, but the pacing took a little time to settle. That said, once it found its rhythm, I really got into it. Brigid Kemmerer’s move into adult fantasy has a lot of potential. Some emotional moments felt a bit too on-the-nose early on, but the core trio completely won me over. Their dynamic was a highlight, and I loved that the story actually leaned into the trio and their relationship, it was refreshing and well done.

The political tension and world-building were another strong point—I’m a sucker for messy royal dynamics, and this delivered. I’m really curious to see how the series develops from here!

So fun getting to read Brigid's first adult book, I've loved everything else I've read by her. The name of the book and how it relates to the three main characters was really cool and intrigued me. At first I thought this would be more of a love triangle dynamic but it pretty quickly evolved into something more. I thought the way that she handled the soft moments between them all was really great, it's not just passion/desire/lust it was actually mostly focused around being seen even in their brokenness. I would've liked a bit more depth in the world and magic and just history of it all bc it seemed like the plot was predominately relationship driven and not story driven. I figure that more of that will come in the second book now that the foundation for the three of them is more solidified. I loved the depth that Asher and Ky had but felt like Jory was missing a bit and just fell a bit flat compared to them.

Absolutely fantastic adult romantasy debut from Brigid Kemmerer! Lived up to everything I love about her fantasy books: strong, emotionally compelling characters from the first page; excellent character relationships and tension; crisp and interesting world building; and great plot pacing.

Heat Index: 7/10

—arranged marriage goes wrong (or completely right?)

—assassins (both sexy and dangerous)

—royal conspiracies

—SO. MUCH. SEXUAL. TENSION. GOOD. GOD.

The Basics:

Princess Marjoriana ("Jory") must marry the fire-wielding warlord king Ky to keep her kingdom safe—but her heart lies with Asher, the boy she grew up with and adored before he was bonded into indentured servitude and shaped into an assassin. Just after Jory meets—and surprisingly hits it off with—Ky, however, Asher is back, claiming he's been assigned to kill both of them. He's totally fine with killing Ky and running away with Jory. But she has another idea, and as the three find themselves in an reluctant alliance, they realize the danger may be coming from every side.

The Review:

When I read the summary for this novel, I went "This sounds like it could be MMF. But it's probably NOT MMF. Because it's traditionally published."

And it's not that poly romances don't exist in traditional publishing, but even those romances often begin in an indie space before migrating. Even then, you're more likely to see them in contemporary. But fantasy romance is kind of the perfect place for something like this, because fantasy romance is Love Triangle Land. And I thought that's what we were getting here. While I'm not against love triangles inherently—I'm so glad I was wrong, because this was a VERY, very good triad romance.

It's a slow burn, to be clear. Though the sex is excellent, it doesn't happen until pretty late in the game, because our leads don't really acknowledge to themselves what's happening until the end. Which makes sense for so many reasons. Often, I feel slow burns happen because authors are buying time due to a lack of story. Here, it's totally organic. Asher and Jory are in love but unable to act on their feelings for both reasons practical and emotional; Ky and Jory have chemistry but are new to each other and have plenty of reasons to distrust one another; and Ky and Asher have a genuine, true enemies to lovers dynamic (rare!). Never mind that the three of them don't immediately think there can be a three.

What this results in is delicious tension. So much longing, so much pining, so much desire. There are so many tiny moments in this novel where people almost let themselves acknowledge what they want, but they just can't! Until they can.

I would say that while the political intrigue plot is good, this is very much the first in a series and plays out that way, holding back on reveals until the end. While I imagine the next book will be heavier on that element, this one gets to focus more on character and relationship development, which is a great move. An issue that often crops up in MMF romances especially is that you either have the heroes super in love with the heroine as an accessory for the female reader to project upon, or there's this air of "well, the guys are together too, but it's really all about HER", which devalues the heroes' queerness. Kemmerer avoids both of these pitfalls, giving us rich individual dynamics and a fabulous triad.

And they need each other. Asher and Jory know each other so well, but he feels the need to be strong for her and is so deeply traumatized (heads up: Asher was essentially sold into sex slavery as a teenager, and suffers from what is implied to be PTSD) that he holds back. Ky not only pushes back against his defenses, but knows when to stop, offering a place where Asher can be vulnerable and Jory can explore. In a way, he definitely feels like a missing puzzle piece for them—which could be a trap, writing-wise. Except Kemmerer again avoids that by building Ky's own inner world. He's the warrior here, feared and charismatic, yet protecting his own secrets and very much misunderstood.

The three of them together are basically magic, and I loved it.

Kemmerer does a good job of presenting neither Ky nor Jory's world as perfect. Ky's reign is known for its violence, and there's a lot more going on than what it seems—but there's also a very real reason why people fear him. Jory is sheltered and frankly ignorant, with Asher hiding the truth of "indentured servitude" from her... until she has to see it. And part of why she has to see it is that Ky doesn't coddle her the way Asher does. He expects her to grow and rise to the occasion.

Again, a lot of this book really hinges on these three continuously challenging each other. Emotionally, physically, intellectually—it's all there!

And it's really good.

The Sex:

Like I said, the sex takes a long time to happen in this novel. But when it does happen—I mean, it definitely leaves me super hyped about what we'll have in the next book! It's so good, and it's a unique approach that felt authentic.

Everyone has their own vibe in bed, too, which I like. Asher is touch-averse but (sadly) very knowledgeable about physicality, but it takes him a long time to be open to his own true desires. Ky is super charismatic and, well, definitely open! And Jory is a virgin who can't drive but is SUPER eager to learn. Love it.

The Conclusion:

I had a really good time with this book. It's definitely setting up an ongoing series, and consider me along for the ride. I can't wait to see what these three do next!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my first Brigid Kemmerer novel (I know, I know) but I absolutely loved this. The voice/writing style is definitely for me.

HELLO I LOVED THIS!! Brigid is one of my favorite authors and i love her writing. This book had me hooked from the beginning and I couldn't put it down. I loved the main characters so much and my heart was HURTING for Asher omg i wanted to cry. I loved the dynamics of their relationship and I just did not want this book to end

Brigid Kemmerer writes great fantasy series. So far she has written young adult series but this is her first time venturing in adult romantasy and she did such a great job! And it’s just the beginning of what I think is going to be a great series. Her writing and world building are fantastic as per usual. And her characters are complex and intriguing, you can’t pick a favorite. The story follows Jory, Ky, and Asher. Jory and Asher have been friends since they were children. But when they are teenagers, tragedy occurs and Jory loses Asher to a fate perhaps worse than death. Asher has done whatever he could to survive and eventually finds his way to the Hunter’s Guild aka a group of assassins. Through the years, Asher sneaks in to visit Jory when he can but knows nothing can happen between him and Jory. And with everything Asher has been through, it is clear to why he believes that. Princess Jory has been sheltered all her life and her one friend is Asher. Now with her father sick, her brother seeks to marry her off to the king of Incendar to form an alliance between them against the kingdom of Draegonis. But all she knows is the cruel stories about their king. And for King Ky, he is desperate to help his people and know this alliance is the only way. He’ll do what he must. But things get complicated very quickly. When Asher opens his next assignment, he finds Jory’s and Ky’s names on them. Someone out there is threatening this alliance and there is more going than it appears.

What a whirlwind of twists and turns to this story! These poor characters want to trust one another but things just make it more difficult for them. It takes them a bit to get where they need to be. And the romance? So good! No love triangle (thank god). But we do have a poly relationship with these three. It’s clear from the beginning that Jory and Asher love one another but have never ever acted on it. And when they both encounter Ky sparks fly even more. And it’s surprises them all how much they all want one another. It’s a slow build of trust between the three of them considering what they are facing at every turn, but I loved the way they got to truly know one another. There is just such a great balance to them as well. The world building was super interesting and the magic that appears in this world. This is just the beginning of their story and I can’t wait to see where it goes!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, it’s kind of impressive to write so many words and still say absolutely nothing. This book started off with so much potential. It actually hurt to finish it and end up feeling so empty. I won’t even get into the details because I know it’ll spiral into a full-on rant, and I’m not trying to drain my energy like that.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the Defy the Night series, but I don’t think this one was properly marketed. From the description it looks like there will be a love triangle of sorts, and the throuple aspect was really deterring. Wasn’t what I expected and I did not finish the book.

I really enjoyed this book! I have read all this authors previous works and I am impressed how she continues to come up with incredible worlds. I was immediately hooked once I started reading. I loved how there was multiple povs moving the story along while also bringing it together. the last couple of chapters were crazy and I need the sequel now!!!!!!!!!!

The way I went into this so blind thinking the title meant it was all one person ! Turned out it is three POVs on the same timeline. The beginning started off with excitement . Family drama and marriage of convenience. But even learning about the characters and their past connections, I still had a hard time understanding them personally on a deeper level. Not everyone cares for that though and that is why Id recommend this to someone looking for a lighter fun read to binge, and its so pretty! I think a lot of people are going to enjoy this not being a typical romantasy. I did overall like all the original elements it had through out.

This book was wonderful! Brigid kemmerer is one of my all time favorite authors. I was so excited to read this book and it did not disappoint! The story was fast paced and full of plot twists.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the gifted eARC. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

I have been a fan of Brigid Kemmerer's YA books for a while now so I was eager to read her newest adult fantasy. Warrior Princess Assassin is one of the best fantasy books I've read recently!

People, this book was stressful! We jump right into the story with Princess Jory preparing to meet her betrothed, King Maddox Kyronan. She knows very little about him other than his reputation for brutality and fire magic. King Maddox Kyronan is coming to secure an alliance that he desperately needs to help his people. Meanwhile, Jory's childhood best friend, Asher, gets a new assignment to assassinate two targets, Jory and Maddox. This is a plot ripe for tension, conflicting loyalties, intrigue, and adventure. And it does deliver!

Warrior Princess Assassin has court politics, intrigue, magic, romance, betrayal. The fantasy elements, the plot, and the romance were so well balanced. Not to mention that this book has the fantasy romance love triangle of my dreams! Seriously, I need more of this.

The worst part about getting to read this early is that now I have to wait even longer for the next book. I'm definitely planning to snag a physical copy as soon as it comes out!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

3.75 stars rounded up. This is in no way a perfect book but it was somehow incredibly addicting anyways, and I devoured this in 2 days. This book is mostly character-driven rather than plot-driven, and what little plot there was was very predictable and the politics were not very complex. However, the relationships made up for it. I've been looking for better developed polyamory in SFF and I think this hits the mark; it feels slightly rushed when you consider the actual timeline (about a week or so in-universe), but in practice, it was a great slow-burn (if a little bit insta-trusty and too ready to info-dump in the beginning), and you can easily see the individual bonds between the three of them grow and how they uplift and balance each other out perfectly, especially in the latter half of the book. I particularly enjoyed Asher and Ky's relationship and thought it had the most depth (really appreciated their scenes alone together), while I think the weakest character was Jory given she's a sheltered princess and she doesn't necessarily live up to the praise her love interests heap on her, but I'm hoping she gets more growth in the sequel. All in all, despite its flaws, a very enjoyable read and I'm excited for the next one.

Brigid did it again! Warrior Princess Assassin kept me hooked from beginning to end. The three POVs were all so interesting and added depth to the story in unique ways. Each character brought something different to the table, and I loved seeing how their paths intertwined.

One small flaw was that some of the timelines felt like they overlapped a bit, but that’s to be expected when juggling three POVs at once. Another thing to note is that it’s not common knowledge going in that this book is why-choose. Personally, this didn’t bother me at all—but I know it might not be for everyone.

I’m so grateful to have received an ARC—this book was such a thrilling ride. I absolutely cannot wait to read the rest of the series and see where not only the plot goes, but where the characters end up!

I've been excited to read Kemmerer's adult debut fantasy, but honestly? This kind of felt like I was reading any of her other YA books with added "adult" themes. Take them out, and you pretty much have any generic YA fantasy that's been released over the last five years. Actually, keep in the adult themes and it's basically the same.

WARRIOR PRINCESS ASSASSIN is exactly what it says on the cover. A romantasy that follows three people caught up in a political game of cat and mouse who must all decide whether to trust each other and find out who is behind wanting to kill the King (Warrior) and Princess. Could it be the Assassin who loves the sheltered princess but is broken by the kingdom he calls home? WPA doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel, nor does it need to, but I was still hoping for something more. The three main characters seemed like such stereotypes of the genre that had absolutely no personalities whatsoever. In the opening chapters of the Warrior's POV, we have him blushing - blushing! This supposedly fearsome man whose own kingdom loathes him.

I stuck around mainly to see how the "love triangle" would play out, and I have to admit I'm curious as to how it goes since we only get the bare threads of almost nothing but hints of a potential throuple in book one. Judging by the way people reacted to the Fire & Ash books, I'm interested to see how this plays out in a traditionally published book, especially by an author who is mostly well known for her solid YA fantasies (as opposed to say, JLA, who writes more crossover fantasy). It seems like another Avon romantasy is heading in this direction (Fire in the Sky, Sophie Jordan), so will we see more mainstream polyamory in adult romantasies coming? I'm totally down for this, but I think readers will want to have this communicated straight up what the intention is.

All in all, an okay start but feels like it will get lost in the dearth of all the other generic romantasies out there. Hoping Book 2 proves me wrong.

4.75 on StoryGraph

This book is a love letter to the fantasy romance genre, and an absolutely delightful read for people who love character driven stories.

I heard Brigid speak at a conference earlier this year and thought she was so funny and passionate, that I added her upcoming adult novel to my list of books to read without knowing anything about it. I dove in without looking at any of the background and I didn’t know what to expect, but my expectations were surpassed!

This book is a character driven story about our trio, a princess, a warrior, and an assassin, who are forced to work together for the good of their kingdoms and themselves. Now there is a plot of what is going on with each of the kingdoms, but the point of the book here is the characters, the relationships they have with each other and how they view themselves. The story is how these characters interact with each other and determine how to react to the plot rather than the story beats themselves.

If you like stories like that, you’re going to love this book. Personally, I LOVED it. I’m a huge fan of character tension and this book delivers it in spades. This book is MMF, all our characters are interested in each other and this set up brings some fantastic and fun dynamics. Because each of the characters related to each other in such different ways, the POV changes never felt confusing or choppy because it was easy enough to pick up on who was speaking. I also was eager to keep reading to see what everyone was thinking!

I’m eager to see where things go in the next book as there are still a few secrets that have been hinted at and I cannot wait to see how they play out.

Super fun, fast read, and one that I’ll most likely pick up a special edition of for my own library.

I had no idea what i was in for with this one but it turned out to be a pretty fun ride. I was hooked from the beginning and read it pretty quick. There were somethings that were a little predictable but i still really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to the next one.

Warrior Princess Assassin was an unexpected delight! As a fan of Kemmerer's books, I was eager to dig into this one. I simply couldn't put it down.

The Warrior, King Maddox Kyronan must marry to save his kingdom, Princess Jory's hand has been promised as part of the alliance and she knows she must marry for the good of her people, and the Assassin Asher is trying his hardest to survive and never let Jory see just how tragic his life has become since the carefree days of their childhood. Together these three could be a formidible team but there is little trust and a lot of baggage that they all carry. Can they get past all the hurt and miscommunication to save both Ky's and Jory's kingdoms with the forces that want to destroy them (there's a lot!)?

As this is book 1 of a series, we have a solid foundation for the next installment and I cannot wait to dig back into this story.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for sharing the ARC, it was a pleasure to read. All opinions are my own.

2 stars — I survived…but barely.

This book? A masterclass in absolutely nothing happening. Like, I kept waiting for the plot to show up and it was like, “Sorry babe, stuck in traffic. Maybe next chapter.” Spoiler alert: it never arrived.

We’ve got a fire king, a storm princess, and a sad assassin with a tragic backstory and big betrayal vibes—and yet somehow I was more emotionally invested in my grocery list than any of them. The drama potential was there, don’t get me wrong. But it was buried under 400 pages of slow burn that forgot to ever catch fire.

I came for spice and stabbing and secrets—got a snoozefest with a side of indecisive yearning and weird pacing. You ever read something and feel like the author is just lovingly describing curtains while the plot quietly dies in the corner? Yeah. That.

I wanted to love this. I brought snacks. I had hopes. But now I just want my time refunded and my eyeballs iced. Please.

Next!