Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Promised Queen by Jeffe Kennedy Series: Forgotten Empires #3
Published by St. Martin's Press on May 25, 2021
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Pages: 416
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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In The Promised Queen, the thrilling finale to Jeffe Kennedy's Forgotten Empires trilogy, the fate of the world hangs in the balance as Con, Lia, and their allies sacrifice everything in a final bid to destroy the corrupt empire.
Claim the hand that wears the ring, and the empire falls.
Conrí, former Crown Prince of Oriel, claimed the hand that wears the Abiding Ring, but the prophecy remains unfulfilled. Queen Euthalia of Calanthe returned to her island kingdom, but broken in mind and body. With the blood of war unleashing ancient terrors, Calanthe isn’t the haven it once was.
Lia must use her magical bond with Calanthe to save their people while Con fights to hold off the vengeful Emperor Anure and his wizards. Con and Lia will have to trust in each other—and in love—to fend off ultimate disaster.
In the final book of the Forgotten Empires series, I began with the feeling of desolation. Things had gone poorly when Anure attacked. I had really hoped Lia, Conri and Ambrose would all learn to better use and control their magic but that was not the Fiery Crown. The couple did get to know each other and form a connection but it didn’t help them defeat Anure.
So I am not sure how they will manage to survive in the Promised Queen. One result of their losses, was the reassessment of their goals and priorities. Now they want to rescue the other captives, other royals connected to the land, enslaved by Anure. So while Lia puts her own land back together and builds strength and skill, they plan with a new focus.
Their small team of less than 10 go to rescue the captives, and it is a harrowing task with timing being critical. The action happens in a blur with dire moments had me holding my breath. I loved this story with its lush details of magic and connections to the land. I would read the books in order to follow the progression in their relationship and the military battles over all the kingdoms.
About Jeffe Kennedy
Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include novels, non-fiction, poetry, and short fiction. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award.
Her award-winning fantasy romance trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms hit the shelves starting in May 2014. Book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review and was nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose received a Top Pick Gold and was nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2014. The third book, The Talon of the Hawk, won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2015. Two more books followed in this world, beginning the spin-off series The Uncharted Realms. Book one in that series, The Pages of the Mind, has also been nominated for the RT Reviewer’s Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2016 and won RWA’s 2017 RITA® Award. The second book, The Edge of the Blade, released December 27, 2016, and is a PRISM finalist, along with The Pages of the Mind. The next in the series, The Shift of the Tide, will be out in August, 2017. A high fantasy trilogy taking place in The Twelve Kingdoms world is forthcoming from Rebel Base books in 2018.
She also introduced a new fantasy romance series, Sorcerous Moons, which includes Lonen’s War, Oria’s Gambit, The Tides of Bàra, and The Forests of Dru. She’s begun releasing a new contemporary erotic romance series, Missed Connections, which started with Last Dance and continues in With a Prince.
In 2019, St. Martins Press will release the first book, The Orchid Throne, in a new fantasy romance series, The Forgotten Empires.
Her other works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion; an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera; and the erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, which includes Going Under, Under His Touch and Under Contract.
She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine. She is represented by Sarah Younger of Nancy Yost Literary Agency.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- C21-Spring
Excellent review, Anne? Glad the series ended with you being in a good place about it.
It was excellent. I could see her writing a new trilogy about the rebuilding of this world but this story arc is completed well.
Sounds intense and like something that’d keep you on the edge of your seat! Glad to hear you enjoying the ending of the series.
It’s a very good trilogy with world building, characters, political and the magic systems all being detailed without being overly heavy to read. The story keeps your attention.
I had a great time with this series. The one thing with trilogies, I don’t get as much time with the characters. But I also think it helps the plot and story arc of the series. I’m glad you enjoyed this series too.
It’s a wonderful series. I enjoyed it a lot.
I never finished this one, maybe some day. Sounds like an incredible, exciting finish!
I thought it was an exciting finish because it wasn’t certain it would work and they would live. But I always enjoy when a diverse group that are sort of unexpected allies form a strong team with compassion and make things right.
Oh I’m glad you had a good time with this novel as well! It was a fun trilogy
It really is a fun trilogy and I’m glad I got to stay with it and read them all.
I really need to read this author. This series sounds fantastic!
I think it is great – a fantasy romance. It’s more accessible as a trilogy than some of her longer series.
This is such a beautiful cover, and the series sounds terrific.
All the books in this series have gorgeous covers with Calanthe being a land of orchids and flowers, an island paradise. But it also is a fantasy romance which gives us some dreamy covers too.