🍷🍷🍷🍷 of #Review of The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy

Title: The Orchid Throne

Series: Forgotten Empires #1

Author: Jeffe Kennedy

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 362 pages

Publication: September 24th, 2019 by St. Martin's Press

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Source: Netgalley and reader's personal library

Reviewer: Lexi

Rating: 4 out of 5 Wines

Welcome to the world of Forgotten Empires from award winning author Jeffe Kennedy that begins with The Orchid Throne. 

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?

Lexi's Thoughts:

THE ORCHID THRONE is a rich and beautiful tale filled with dangerous enemies, it’s a great start to the Forgotten Empires series!

The beginning of this book takes a different pace, it eases you into Lia’s story and slowly unfolds the beauty of the country around her. She’s a young queen in a precarious position. She holds the magic orchid-ring, a symbol of incredible power, power that she keeps hidden and doesn’t even seem to know the extent of herself. But, she’s also engaged to the emperor who rules with an iron fist. 

The emperor is pure evil and it’s so much fun to hate him. He stamps out magic wherever it shows up, which is why Lia both fears and hates him. What’s even more amazing is how Kennedy brings us to hate the emperor without ever bringing him on page! I expect we’ll meet him face to face in book two because his head is about to explode.

Why you say? Because Lia took a chance on Conrí, Con, my favorite character. That axe wielding warrior who’s hardened exterior extends around those he pulls into his inner circle. He’s so much more than he lets himself believe and he’s actually a prince that was sold into slavery at a young age. But he still cares deeply for his people and he’s got a vision of a future that Lia has been dreaming of…freedom from the emperor. 

I loved how Jeffe took us from submit or die to there’s a trick to walking in elaborate gowns because that is exactly Lia and Con. These two characters are so different, and yet they fit together. THE ORCHID THRONE is an incredibly start for them and I can’t wait to see what happens in THE FIERY CROWN!