Why Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer Had Me Hooked from Start to Finish

Three characters, deadly secrets, and a love story that defies tropes—Brigid Kemmerer’s adult debut is pure fire.

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer makes her adult debut with this irresistible and steamy fantasy about three characters whose paths will collide in surprising ways – two royals pushed into a political engagement, and the assassin tasked with hunting them down.

WARRIOR. King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation on the battlefield, but now his kingdom is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighboring nation of Astranza, and hope that the royal family’s power to manipulate the weather will help his land flourish once more. He just needs to ensure no one finds out how the blaze began.

PRINCESS. With war looming on the horizon, 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 realizes 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 falling in love with each other, Warrior Princess Assassin marks the beginning of a thrilling new fantasy trilogy filled with enchantment, adventure, and passionate romance.

Review

Three characters, deadly secrets, and a love story that defies tropes—Brigid Kemmerer’s adult debut is pure fire.

5 very hot stars!

Holy moly, it’s been months since a romantasy—an adult romantasy—had me so completely engrossed and, as the hype formula goes, “in a chokehold.” (I hate that saying, but honestly, it’s spot-on for this book, so I had to use it!)

Now that my initial squealing is out of the way, you can tell: I absolutely loved this book.

According to the synopsis, this is Brigid Kemmerer’s first adult novel—and she rose to the challenge flawlessly.

But what’s it about?
At its heart, the story follows three characters, each carrying secrets, bound by a common goal: protect their people and protect the ones they love.

• King Kyland Maddox of Incendar must marry Princess Jory of Astranza to gain her father’s weather magic and feed his people.
• Princess Jory must marry the King to safeguard her people from Draegonis, relying on his undefeated army.
• Asher, the assassin, must shadow Jory and protect her, as a bounty has been placed on her life.

But things quickly get more complicated. Kidnappings, assassination attempts, and a perilous journey fuel a slow, smoldering connection between these three. Secrets unravel, loyalties shift, and feelings grow hotter—and deeper—by the page.

Where Brigid Kemmerer truly shines is in making her characters so real, so layered, and so human that I couldn’t help rooting for all of them. And here’s the shocking part: I usually hate love triangles and polyamorous tropes. Yet somehow, there was no jealousy, no contrived rivalry—just organic, natural attraction. It felt right. To the point that if Kemmerer had given me anything else, I would have been furious! Color me surprised.

Also… it’s been a long time since I read every word of a sex scene instead of skimming. That was some seriously hot writing!

The Characters:

• Princess Marjoriana (Jory): Sheltered, innocent, and isolated, with Asher as her only real friend. But when her eyes are opened to the harsher truths of her kingdom, she faces it head-on. Brave, loyal, and fierce when needed—she will defend her people and loved ones at any cost.
• Asher: Gorgeous, broken, and scarred by horrors. He doesn’t tolerate being touched, is aloof, and has survived by keeping everyone at arm’s length. But his devotion to Jory is absolute. Seeing Ky slowly break down his walls? Fascinating—and hot.
• Ky (King Maddox): A commanding presence, like a King Arthur type—noble, courageous, battle-hardened, fair, and utterly devoted to his people. Living on battlefields since he was twelve, he’s never known peace. He never expected to be attracted to Jory… and yet, here we are.

Together, their dynamic is a complex, riveting dance—balancing politics, survival, and desire while forging a path that’s larger than just a marriage alliance.

This story has everything: action, angst, deadly secrets, tension, raw feelings, and steamy romance. It gripped me from start to finish, and I devoured it in record time.

Give me the sequel already!

Thanks for reading.

Sophie