WARRIOR. King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation on the battlefield, but now his land is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighbouring nation of Astranza, and hope that their royal family’s power to manipulate the weather will help his kingdom flourish once more. He just needs to ensure no one finds out how this blaze began.
PRINCESS. With enemies advancing on Astranza, Princess Jory’s home needs the protection of the fearsome warrior king, but she is hiding a dangerous secret: her family’s magic is fading. Tempting as it is to reject her duties and run away with her childhood friend, Asher, Jory knows that she is the kingdom’s last hope. When she meets her intended, Jory is surprised to discover that beneath Ky’s daunting exterior is a compassionate and sharp-witted man who sets her heart aflame. But what will he do when he realises she’s deceiving him?
ASSASSIN. Asher’s done what he must to survive, even if that means getting his hands dirty. Once a young nobleman in Astranza’s palace, where he and Jory caused mischief together, now he’s part of the Hunter’s Guild, employing much darker skills. When a lucrative job comes his way, Asher can’t say no—until he discovers the targets. Someone wants Ky and Jory dead. With the Guild watching, Asher must decide what he’s willing to do to protect the woman he loves.
A tale of three complex characters torn between chasing, betraying, and craving each other, Warrior Princess Assassin marks the beginning of a thrilling new fantasy trilogy filled with enchantment, adventure, and passionate romance.
I was seeing Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer everywhere, and despite having never read the summary or the book blurb, I already had my ideas on what it would be about…was I right? HAHA, not at all!
From the moment I turned that first page, I found myself caught in a world where magic, politics, and hearts are all tied together. The story begins in the kingdom of Astranza, ruled by a king with the power to control the weather, though there is something going on behind the scenes that could be seen as a massive spoiler. Jory, the princess in the title, and the king’s young daughter, is seen as a bargaining chip, and though she is reluctant, her older brother, Dane, has arranged her marriage to the King of a neighbouring kingdom, Maddox Kyronan.
Maddox, known fondly as Ky to his few loyal friends, is loathed by the people of Incendar (appropriately named kingdom BTW), who see his ability to produce fire as having ruined their homes, destroyed their crops and ensured they are well on the way to starving.
Throw in Asher, a boy Jory once trusted, now an assassin sworn to keep his distance, and soon enough, the three of them are fleeing together, their fates intertwined and the road behind them cloaked in danger.
My initial thought when I learned the title was, “One assassin princess to lead them all”. But discovering this isn’t just about one person, it’s about three, each burdened by their duty and an incredible number of sometimes horrible secrets, was a delightful surprise and definitely put a new spin on the whole ‘who will be her love interest’ question, as I knew it was being marketed strongly as a romantasy.
The more negative reviews I’ve read since finishing the book offer forth the criticism that Jory feels naive, and often the dialogue comes across as somewhat juvenile, and I get that. Jory can feel naive at times. Some readers might roll their eyes at her incredibly oblivious outlook on the world and everything happening in it. But that naivety rang true to me; she’s been somewhat protected from the horrors occurring outside the palace walls by advisors, maids, and her own family (though perhaps protected isn’t the right word…maybe it should be kept from?). It’s only when the people she cares about are put in danger that her strength and stubbornness start to come to the fore.
Asher’s my favourite. Though he does his utmost to avoid maintaining or creating an emotional bond with the other characters, protecting them from what he sees as his own emotional and physical corruption, his story is heart-wrenching. There are so many ways he shows the agony he has been put through since he was exiled by the King and Prince Dane.
Ky is the most mysterious of the three. He’s not the savage that his reputation suggests (and most of that originates from stories told in the Astranzan Palace – no doubt from Dane’s own corrupt lips), but he’s not exactly a saint either. There is heat behind his eyes and a lot of untold stories about his prowess on the battlefield and in the bed chamber. His humour, the way he stands up to Dane for Jory, there’s depth there, and I have to be honest, I want to know more!
If you’re coming for fast-paced heroics, there is so much to recommend this book (despite the fact that it is shorter than your average romantasy). You’ll find ambassadors betrayed, blades at your throat, and kingdoms on the brink. If you’re looking for emotional tension, there’s a slow burn romance with forced proximity and chemistry simmering under every page. The “why choose?” setup is refreshing; this is no typical love triangle, but a messy, consensual bond between three people trying to protect each other.
That said, I won’t pretend it’s perfect. Miscommunication is so constant that it almost becomes a fourth character. If you’re craving clarity and honesty from protagonists, it’s possible you may find this element to be frustrating. Some emotional shifts happen so fast it’s like they’re playing ping-pong. But I’d argue that tension – sexual, emotional, political – is the point of it all. And on that front, Warrior Princess Assassin delivers.
Overall, it’s a book that wears its tropes with pride. It’s messy, dramatic, and far from flawless, but that’s also its charm. If you enjoy character-driven romantasy where relationships are as dangerous as steel, and you don’t mind leaning into emotional frenzy, this one might sweep you off your feet. It’s not for fans of dense world-building or quiet fantasy, the book is all about giving the reader throbbing tension, conflicted hearts, and the kind of dangerous journey that leaves you breathless, hence romantasy rather than straight up high fantasy. And after finishing it, I absolutely want to pick up book two, not only to see what happens next in this polyamorous relationship, but also because I know there is more controversy, combat and anguish to come.
Pros
- Jory’s transformation from powerless pawn to resilient young woman is deeply satisfying, albeit slower than expected.
- Asher’s emotional restraint and inner pain are hauntingly real.
- Ky continues to reveal new layers, building intrigue on top of already high stakes.
- The slow burn romance, danger on the road, and political intrigue mix beautifully.
Cons
- Jory’s naivety can be a little bit frustrating at times. I know that she is just coming out of a rather domineering and dangerous situation, but it would have been nice to see her show more strength from the start, especially given her rebellious nature.
- Miscommunication happens constantly, sometimes to a grating degree.
- Emotional leaps sometimes feel too fast, as if characters skipped a beat.
