A Promise of Fire
Enter an addictive world of romantic fantasy
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4.4 • 45 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Get ready to enter a world on the brink of battle, filled with gods, magicians, dragons, giants - and experience an epic love story . . .
'This is fantasy romance at its best!'
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review
'Laugh-out-loud funny, edge-of-your-seat exciting, characters you will fall in love with'
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review
'Loved the fantasy mix with Greek mythology'
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review
'Utterly breathtaking' DARYNDA JONES
'Absolutely fabulous' C. L. WILSON
'So much love for this book! Buuuuuuy it!' NALINI SINGH
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Kingmaker. Soothsayer. Warrior. Mage. Kingdoms would rise and fall for her . . . if she is ever found.
In the icy North, where magic is might, an all-powerful elite ruthlessly guided by a glacial Queen have grown to dominate the world. Now rebellion is stirring in the rough, magic-poor South, where for the first time in memory a warlord has succeeded in uniting the tribal nations.
Stuck in the middle is Cat - circus performer and soothsayer - safely hidden behind heavy make-up, bright colours and the harmless illusion of the circus. Until someone suspects she's more than she seems . . .
Captured by the Southern warlord Griffin, Cat's careful camouflage is wearing thin. For how long can - or should - she conceal the true extent of her power? Faced with dragons, homicidal mages, rival Gods and the traitorous longings of her own heart, she must decide: is it time to claim her destiny and fight?
An award-winning fantasy debut with an unforgettable heroine, set against a luminous world on the brink of battle, perfect for fans of Ilona Andrews, Laini Taylor or Victoria Aveyard.
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Discover why readers everywhere are enchanted by Amanda Bouchet . . .
'A Promise of Fire made me laugh out loud more than once' Thea Harrison
'Absolutely fabulous. I didn't want to put it down. Amanda Bouchet is now on my auto-buy list! I highly recommend her books to my readers and to anyone looking for a great blend of fantasy and romance' C.L. Wilson
'Give this to your Game of Thrones fans' Booklist STARRED Review for A Promise of Fire
'A sexy, emotional romance' The Washington Post
'I want more of these characters and I want more of this world. I cannot remember the last time I wanted to both savour and devour a book . . . Bouchet's writing is so engaging and magical' SmartBitchesTrashyBooks
Read the rest of The Kingmaker Chronicles!
A Promise of Fire (Book 1)
Breath of Fire (Book 2)
Heart on Fire (Book 3)
A Curse of Queens (Book 4)
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Romance, fantasy and the paranormal collide in this romping start to the Kingmaker Chronicles trilogy. Just 23 years old, gutsy circus soothsayer Cat is thrust into the widening conflict between those with and without magic. Inspired by her Greek heritage, first-time author Amanda Bouchet grounds her vividly imaginative tale in classic Greek mythology and ramps up the world-building bustle in the first few scenes. A colour-saturated tale of gods, dragons, wizards and warlords, A Promise of Fire is every bit as sexy and funny as it is immersive and suspenseful.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Debut author Bouchet makes a very strong start to her Kingmaker Chronicles, combining a richly developed political landscape defined by the influence of powerful ruling families, meddling gods, and destiny with a broad exploration of the relationship between might and magic in a social context. In a fantasy world where access to magical power is tied to geography and bloodline, Warlord Griffin, second in command of kingdom Sinta, is guided by a oracular dream from Poseidon to soothsayer Catalia Fisa, who's hiding in a traveling circus from her family history and her magical role as Kingmaker. Griffin hopes to use Cat as a tool in his challenge of the status quo, in which the minority Magoi rule the hoi polloi. Their smoldering erotic burn hits charged love/hate buttons without falling too far into glorifying Griffin's abduction of Cat, and by the end of the novel, they become a powerful team well situated for the fights ahead. Bouchet writes believable camaraderie, dramatic fight scenes, and moving personal angst, but worldbuilding purists will hate the insertion of the Greek gods into this secondary-world fantasy context.
Customer Reviews
I loved it
I loved this book. I finished the series and now want to read them all over again. I think that the relationship in this is just what it is for those characters and do not feel any moral judgements towards it as it seems a lot of reviews do. I am such a beta team fan.
Mmmm…
Even at halfway there was no actual plot progress and the “enemies to lovers” romance felt like it was implemented as a way to drive the story. It may have worked if the characters had any romantic tension, but instead it was all, “gah my stupid heart, fluttering for this handsome warlord who has kidnapped me. How I hate him! Just kidding, I love him - but not really. Oh gosh now we’re kissing”.
It would’ve also been more enjoyable if the main character’s “skills” and magic were explored more throughout the book. It felt like her abilities just miraculously popped up two pages before she needed them.
On the up side, the banter and sarcasm was some of the most entertaining I’ve read in a while.
Trigger warning
I definitely wouldn’t read this book if you are bothered by the lines of consent being crossed. While you can read the MC’s monologue, how she acts and what she says towards the love interest would show she is incredibly against him. But he persists, pressuring her, and at times getting physically abusive to her. Which made reading this quite difficult, because I love an enemies to lovers as much as the next person, but this guy is worse than Tamlin from ACOTAR, and no one recognizes it and is in fact romanticizing it.
Above this, there are no clear difference in personality and dialogue between any of the other characters.