Thank you so much Isabelle Olmo for this ARC!
Synopsis:
How does one conquer a kingdom without spilling blood? You offer your hand in marriage to the king who killed your husband.
Almira was raised by a calculating father who forged her in political cunning. She’s prepared for this moment since childhood. Like pieces on a board, she lays out the players one by one.
One. King Alton, the brother-killer. The spare heir who killed his brother for lust of throne.
Two. The perfect seamstress. The people must admire a queen and welcome her with open arms. Even with a deadly armada behind her.
Three. The Queen’s Red Guard. The group of warrior women who have one purpose; to protect the queen at all costs. Even from her husband. Even from herself.
Queen & Conqueror is the first book in an epic feminist fantasy series told from the perspective of the women who rule and shape the future.
“Men will never be ready for women like us and it is not our job to ready them.”
Review & thoughts:
Queen and Conqueror is the first book in The Queen’s Red Guard series by Isabelle Olmo. I still can’t believe it is the author’s debut book, it is such a well written and captivating read!
After death of her husband Almira, now a High Lady, decides to end the war by marrying Alton, the enemy king who killed her husband. She forms a group of warrior women who are supposed to protect her at all costs and goes to meet and negotiate with her soon to be husband. But Alton is nothing like she expected: he likes fighting, has no intention of marrying for peace and takes nothing seriously. When their negotiations end in a reluctant marriage agreement, will they be able to find a common ground or will they fight with each other as well as with the enemies surrounding them from every side?
It is no secret I adore enemies to lovers stories and this one was extremely well written, it was more of an enemies to reluctant allies to friends to lovers and I loved every moment spent reading Almira’s and Alton’s story (and it has the hero falls first trope!). While Almira was raised to be rational and cunning, always concealing her emotions, Alton seems to be a bit childish when we first meet him, laughing at everything and constantly trying to goad Almira. But after a while he opens up to her and I loved how they found comfort in each other and how they together learnt to be great rulers and partners to each other.
I also liked all the side characters, Sanaa, Hira, all the Red Guard, Almira’s father, lord Thebo, Hester all stole my heart, all characters in this book were so complex, we could really get to know and understand them, I can’t wait to read more about them in next books in this series!
Queen and Conqueror is a really great book and incredible debut, can’t wait to read what Isabelle Olmo writes next!
No comments:
Post a Comment