Iron, the first book in a new trilogy from Lisette Marshall is now live!

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Blurb

The Queen

Two years ago she poisoned her violent husband. Now Tamar, Queen of Redwood, rules her kingdom on her own, with an iron fist and a closely guarded heart. Surrounded by scheming nobles, she can never afford to lose control of her court – or of herself. But when an infuriatingly handsome assassin breaks into her room one night, her careful web of authority shatters at once.

The Assassin

Raised in the treacherous Taavi Empire, Runo knows every rule of survival. Don’t love, don’t get attached. Kill, and live. His newest target may wear a crown, but thanks to a traitor offering him an easy way into her rooms, even the Iron Queen of Redwood will have to make peace with her mortality soon. Except that Tamar turns out to be everything but the easy prey Runo assumed…

A Dangerous Alliance

But as they play their deadly game of survival, a far greater danger looms. With a nameless traitor now out for both their lives, the queen and the assassin have no choice but to close an uncertain alliance. And as shadows of the past draw them deeper and deeper into a tangle of deceit, sizzling hate turns into something much more dangerous…

 

 

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Review

4.5 stars!

Back to the Five Kingdoms for the start of a new trilogy from Lisette Marshall, this book is a steamy and intriguing enemies-to-lovers romance with fantastic characters, epic banter and sizzling chemistry. I loved it!

Set in the same world as The Princess & The Spy series, this is a spin-off from novella, Damask. The events of that book introduced us to Queen Tamar, and after those dramatic events, I love getting more of her story.

Tamar is the Queen of Redwood, and she rules her kingdom alone following the death of her husband (she’s actually the one who killed him, after suffering years of abuse at his hands, though she obviously keeps that to herself). She keeps up a façade of being cold and ruthless, constantly on guard from those who wish to challenge her, and while she proudly rules her people, privately, she lives a very lonely life, longing for more.

When a rival kingdom sends an assassin to kill her, she is stunned that he makes it as far as getting into her bedroom. Not only that, but rather than getting down to the business of killing, he actually banters with her. It’s a bizarre situation, and his good looks and her instant attraction to him only confuse her even more, but using her wit and charm she manages to survive the encounter.

“I’ve never been assassinated before. How do these things come about? Am I allowed any last wishes, or do you just slit my throat and disappear into the night again?”
Amusement flickered in his eyes. “Depending on what the last wish is, I may allow you one. Not really according to protocol, I will admit, but I tend to be relatively accommodating with these things.”

Runo, the assassin, is from the Taavi Empire and has been sent to kill the Queen by his Empress – with help from an anonymous palace insider. But from his first glimpse of Tamar, he is thrown off his game. She isn’t anything like what he expected, and when their first encounter ends with her outsmarting him, he is stunned but amused, even though it lands him in her prison cells.

When an attempt is made on Runo’s life, it’s clear that both of them are in danger from an unknown source, and with little other choice, they agree to work together to find out who is behind both assassination attempts.

It’s a great set up, made all the more awesome because these two together are fantastic! Their banter is so entertaining, they have brilliant chemistry, and the sexual tension sizzles every time they are in the same room as each other.

“What – you think I’d willingly take off my clothes for you?”
For a moment he didn’t move, answering her glare with an amicable, undisturbed smile. Then he said, “Yes, actually.”

Tamar is a great heroine, and I loved getting to know the real her as Runo strips down her (metaphorical) layers to see the woman behind the ruthless queen. The dynamic between them is really well developed, and I loved seeing them find their way to each other.

She wanted him. She wanted this. She wanted to lose herself for once, wanted to forget the world for once…
He had seen the weakest of her anyway. There was nothing left to lose.

Runo is all supreme cocky arrogance, and damn, he does it well. He is smart, funny and flirtatious, but he’s also absolutely filthy. He has this slick confidence that makes him so irresistible, and he more than backs up his flirting when he and Tamar act on their mad lust, and it’s so hot!

Nothing in the world could ever compare to this, a powerful woman trusting him enough to be powerless in his arms…
Trusting him.

Their ‘relationship’ develops as the search for the mysterious killer continues, and all of the different elements of the story are wound together really well to create a captivating and exciting read that I struggled to put down. But as their search brings them close to finding the person who wants them both dead, secrets are revealed, and everything is about to change.

How could she care about his past if this was the future he promised her?

I loved this book. It’s beautifully written, and I loved losing myself in this world and Marshall’s wonderful characters. The book ends in a great place, but the story is far from over, and I can’t wait to see where Tamar and Runo’s journey takes them as the series continues.

4.5 stars!

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

The Queen & The Assassin

 

The Princess & The Spy