The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy

ABOUT THE BOOK

A PRISONER OF FATE

As Queen of the island kingdom of Calanthe, Euthalia will do anything to keep her people

free—and her secrets safe—from the mad tyrant who rules the mainland. Guided by a magic ring of her father’s, Lia plays the political game with the cronies the emperor sends to her island. In her heart, she knows that it’s up to her to save herself from her fate as the emperor’s bride. But in her dreams, she sees a man, one with the power to build a better world—a man whose spirit is as strong, and whose passion is as fierce as her own…

A PRINCE AMONG MEN

Conrí, former Crown Prince of Oriel, has built an army to overthrow the emperor. But he needs the fabled Abiding Ring to succeed. The ring that Euthalia holds so dear to her heart. When the two banished rulers meet face to face, neither can deny the flames of rebellion that flicker in their eyes—nor the fires of desire that draw them together. But in this broken world of shattered kingdoms, can they ever really trust each other? Can their fiery alliance defeat the shadows of evil that threaten to engulf their hearts and souls?

REVIEW

What I enjoyed: The Orchid Throne has an intriguing mythos. Their world's "pleasure island" is the last free territory amidst a realm taken over by a terrible tyrant. Calanthe's Queen Euthalia is clever. I enjoyed theorizing about Lia's powers and her intent throughout the novel. Conri is what you would expect based on his place in the story, which is neither good nor bad. He will complement Lia well in future novels. They both have great cunning necessary for the approaching conflict in their land.

Urban fantasy and paranormal romance are fairly synonymous for me. I have a hard time seeing where one story type turns into the other. A romance between Lia and Conri is not what drives the plot in Orchid Throne, but it does complement it. There is an appropriate amount of chemistry between the characters. I experienced no issues accepting their attraction to one another.

What I didn't like: I had some disconnect at the beginning of the novel and couldn't completely engage with the characters. I suspect part of it was the royal court at Calanthe. I am not fond of historical romance, and this had a similar feel, but that is personal preference. I found my groove at about 30% and was able to breeze right through it. Warning though, this story ends on a cliffhanger, and it sneaks up on you. 

Overall this early copy of The Orchid Throne was an enjoyable read, recommended for lovers of urban fantasy/ paranormal romance.  I will be keeping an eye out for the next in the series.