(The Bridge Kingdom #1)
by Danielle L. Jensen
August 13, 2019
354 pages
Goodreads Summary:
What if you fell in love with the one person you'd sworn to destroy?
Lara has only one thought for her husband on their wedding day: I will bring your kingdom to its knees. A princess trained from childhood to be a lethal spy, Lara knows that the Bridge Kingdom represents both legendary evil - and legendary promise. The only route through a storm-ravaged world, the Bridge Kingdom controls all trade and travel between lands, allowing its ruler to enrich himself and deprive his enemies, including Lara's homeland. So when she is sent as a bride under the guise of fulfilling a treaty of peace, Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to fracture the defenses of the impenetrable Bridge Kingdom.
But as she infiltrates her new home - a lush paradise surrounded by tempest seas - and comes to know her new husband, Aren, Lara begins to question where the true evil resides. Around her, she sees a kingdom fighting for survival, and in Aren, a man fiercely protective of his people. As her mission drives her to deeper understanding of the fight to possess the bridge, Lara finds the simmering attraction between her and Aren impossible to ignore.
Her goal nearly within reach, Lara will have to decide her own fate: Will she be the destroyer of a king or the savior of her people?
What if you fell in love with the one person you'd sworn to destroy?
Lara has only one thought for her husband on their wedding day: I will bring your kingdom to its knees. A princess trained from childhood to be a lethal spy, Lara knows that the Bridge Kingdom represents both legendary evil - and legendary promise. The only route through a storm-ravaged world, the Bridge Kingdom controls all trade and travel between lands, allowing its ruler to enrich himself and deprive his enemies, including Lara's homeland. So when she is sent as a bride under the guise of fulfilling a treaty of peace, Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to fracture the defenses of the impenetrable Bridge Kingdom.
But as she infiltrates her new home - a lush paradise surrounded by tempest seas - and comes to know her new husband, Aren, Lara begins to question where the true evil resides. Around her, she sees a kingdom fighting for survival, and in Aren, a man fiercely protective of his people. As her mission drives her to deeper understanding of the fight to possess the bridge, Lara finds the simmering attraction between her and Aren impossible to ignore.
Her goal nearly within reach, Lara will have to decide her own fate: Will she be the destroyer of a king or the savior of her people?
Review
I was in a bit of a fantasy slump before I picked up The Bridge Kingdom and this book saved me. I practically inhaled it in one sitting. It was everything! I loved it so much! Only also not so much since I'm now dying for the next book...
If I had to pick an author whose writing style is 100% my taste it would be Danielle L. Jensen. Her world-building, story pacing and character dynamics are absolute perfection. The Bridge Kingdom kept me on my toes as the plot thickened and the characters evolved. Learning the political dance and having to wait to see how it would unfold was torturous but fulfilling. My nerves were all over the place (in a good way).
The ever-present romantic intrigue turned sexual tension between Lara and Aren stole my heart. Danielle really knows how to make you feel all the feels. I simultaneously wanted to scream and savour the slow-burn between these two. Lara and Aren's relationship was uncertain and very rocky to begin with but that didn't stop them from falling in love as they interacted more. They were bound by duty and destined to be on opposite sides yet their longing for each other was plain as daylight. I really liked watching their relationship develop. It made complete sense when they finally got it on~ They are a passionate and scorching hot pair!
The last few chapters of the book were super turbulent! Big things happen. Some quite unexpected (like Marylyn making an appearance then going away forever, hah!). And in true Danielle L. Jensen fashion, there's a killer cliffhanger. As odd as this might sound, I felt a measure of satisfaction and elation with this particular cliffhanger because it hints at what's to come (which is Lara doing some major ass-kicking in book two). The ending also features my favourite quote from The Bridge Kingdom but I won't share it since it's spoilery. Find out for yourself by reading this book ;)
There are not enough words to properly express how much I loved The Bridge Kingdom. As a fantasy romance novel, it checked every box for me. Do yourselves a favour and go grab a copy (or two!) asap. I dare you not to get hooked!
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.
OOoh nice review!! I finally bought this one to add to my TBR pile since it wasn't big enough! Lol. It sounds like my kind of read and I'm glad you thought so highly of it!
ReplyDelete