Warrior Princess Assassin

Bestselling YA author Kemmerer (the Elemental series) launches the Braided Fate trilogy with this wickedly perceptive and highly charged triad fantasy romance. The warrior of the title, fire magic wielding King Maddox Kyronan (“Ky”) of Incendar, is fearsome in battle but has a tender and compassionate nature. He needs a marriage alliance with Princess Marjoriana (“Jory”) of Astranza, whose family’s magic is known to manipulate the weather, to protect Incendar from drought and hostile Draegonis incursions. Asher, once a young nobleman and Jory’s only friend in a palace dominated by her sinister brother, Prince Dane, is now an assassin with the Hunter’s Guild after a traumatic period away from the palace during which time he was sold into a brothel. Asher’s guildmaster gives him two horrifying assignments: kill Ky, then kill Jory. He can’t do it, so all three escape on a protracted journey to Ky’s castle. Along the way, each gets their turn as narrator, helping to build the slow-burning erotic tension among the trio before a truly spicy finale. Romantasy fans will be clamoring for more. (Aug.)