A Promise of Fire (The Kingmaker Chronicles, 1) Mass Market Paperback – August 2, 2016

I've read hundreds of romance books. Most are pretty average quality. This one is not. The series is one of the best in the genre. I don't usually write reviews, but seeing the undeserved criticisms of this excellent story spurred me to create one. This book, and the rest in the series, are not only well-written, but exceptional in the quality, depth, and complexity of the characters and relationships. The vividness and immediacy with which the characters are rendered really stand out in the genre. The world-building is beautifully done, and emerges organically as it is woven naturally into the plot instead of through lengthy treatises on history and description. Many of the criticisms in the reviews here are not only off-base, but also extremely misleading, and it is obvious that some of these people did not read very far into the story.The plot begins with an abduction scenario, which is common in romance. But this part of the plot has nothing whatsoever to do with some "implicit idea" that women's autonomy should be taken away. The underlying circumstances of the abduction become clear and understandable as you read. No heroine in romance is stronger or more powerful than Cat. Some come close, but none exceed her in terms of personal agency, power, and resourcefulness. Nor is the hero, Griffin, motivated by personal power over her, as becomes crystal clear in the story. That criticism is so misleading that it gives you the exact opposite impression of the story's actual trajectory. If anything, this story could be criticized for the overwhelming importance it gives to Cat's power and agency compared to literally every other character. Not that I would make that criticism - it is wonderfully refreshing and satisfying to vicariously experience Cat's utter conviction and resolve, and her ability to back those up with decisive action and power.For a writer, It is extremely difficult to pull off a believable relationship between a character as strong as Cat is and a true Alpha male like Griffin. That's a rare feat in this genre. This story does it beautifully. Neither loses anything to the other. They enhance and heal one another. They fall in love by talking, arguing, and negotiating. The dialogue is some of the best in all of romance, with plenty of laughter sprinkled in. Griffin never becomes less Alpha, while at the same time he supports her constantly increasing influence and importance with everything in him. There is no limit to his promotion of her growth and empowerment, as becomes incontrovertibly clear in the second book. Yet he remains as Alpha as it gets. Power sharing has never been done better in romantic fiction.Cat is not the typical sweet, "plucky", sassy romance heroine seen in so many romance novels. One reviewer described her as adolescent and used the term "YA" about the book. There is NOTHING YA about this story. Not one molecule. And Cat does NOT exhibit adolescent snark. She starts as deeply emotionally damaged due to horrific past trauma. It would not be believable for her to be depicted (as is so often the case in romance novels) as essentially unaffected by her past. The hostility she displays is fully warranted by the story's events, right on target, and there's nothing "spoiled Kardashian" about it. The only surprising thing about Cat in the beginning is that she's not more hostile and untrusting than she is. There is an apt balance struck by the writer between the conflicting forces that shaped Cat's character. She's a complex mixture of all of it, and totally relatable for any readers who have experienced childhood trauma of their own. Cat's damaged and vulnerable and hurting, but also strong, resilient, powerful, and extremely smart. Griffin, too, is a complicated, fascinating mixture of traits, and is doing his best to navigate the conflicting ethical demands of a very knotty situation that urgently needs to be resolved. The complex, vivid humanity of both characters shines from the pages.The side characters are also rendered so vibrantly that the reader comes to love many of them as much as the main characters. This writer is outstanding at creating multiple distinct, sympathetic, magnetic characters, such that the reader feels drawn into the midst of a group of actual people. Rarely have I felt so eager to hear more about the supporting characters in a romance. I'll be buying everything that gets written about these characters.One reviewer threw shade at the world-building. No, there's no map, but those don't show up well on Kindle anyway - it's almost impossible to really use them. There may not be long, drawn-out descriptions as some other fantasy books have, but there is more than enough description to make the reader feel like they are right there with the characters. The dry, dusty plains, white marble cities, lush green north, unforgiving mountains, busy markets, and lovely terraced palaces are all described beautifully and draw the reader in. The history and cosmology of the world are rich, complex and coherent, but emerge bit by bit throughout the story rather than being recited to the reader like a history lesson. I found the world-building to be exactly right for this series, and definitely felt fully drawn in to a believable alternate reality.There is plenty of action, an engaging, adventurous plot, humor and humanity, and an exceptionally rich romantic relationship developing over the course of this book and its two sequels. It's really all one story, about characters who seem like real people, all of whom the reader comes to care deeply about. This is romantic fantasy at its finest. I couldn't recommend it more highly.

This was a fantastic read!! It pulled me in from beginning to end and had me engaged the entire time. I thoroughly enjoyed watching and getting to know the cast of characters (Griffin, Cat, and Beta team) in this story and watching things develop. This story is really well written and flows really well. I was attached and engaged with the story and characters very quickly once the story started. It’s full of intrigue and adventure as we get to know this world and these characters as they try and figure out the best way to move forward and make change for the better. This story does leave things incomplete but not on a drastic cliffhanger. I am starting the next immediately though because I have to know what’s happening next and how things will play out. This story felt like Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings so for anyone who enjoyed those, you’ll enjoy this one! This was a fantastic story and one the best I’ve read, probably in the last couple of years! Can’t wait wait for more in this series and by this author.

Good story fun scenes great characters and building interests. Can't wait to start the next one. Awesome read and fun adventure

There was no 6 in this book. It went from 0 to 20 to 50 very quickly. Because it is built on Greek mythology, extensive world-building wasn't needed.I like the selflessness of the characters. Everyone's trying to do the right thing as they see it. The romance is an ordained slow-burn that is sweet when it finally peaks. I'm looking forward to continuing with these characters & their stories.I recommend this book. It's a great escape.

4-4.5 starsI received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not shape or change my opinion of the book. Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for the review copy!I thoroughly enjoyed this! What an impressive debut from Amanda Bouchet!The strong characters stood out in this first installment for sure. I LOVED Cat. She is fierce, witty, full of snark, and just all around bad assery. It took me a little bit to get into her narration and her inner monologue…but it completely grew on me. Cat’s narration is like that bestie you have where you know each other so well that you finish other’s thoughts and sentences and snort at corny inside jokes.“I don’t know everything you’ve been through, but I know enough to understand that your past filled you with hostility and hate. But you still laugh. You still love, and you protect the people you care about. You’re not who you think you are. You’re better. You’re more.“ ← THIS is Cat’s journey.Cat is a powerful clairvoyant called the Kingmaker, a status that she goes through extraordinary lengths to conceal. While being the Kingmaker may make her powerful, it also makes her highly sought after and a target. She has finally found some semblance of “home” and “family” traveling with a circus. No one knows who or what she is, and this allows her a sense of safety and comfort.Until Griffin. Griffin is a powerful warlord on the hunt for Magoi to help bring stability to his newly conquered realm Sinta. Griffin is immediately drawn to Cat, and has suspicions that she is more than what she seems and EXACTLY what he needs. I loved Griffin for obvious reasons: he is smoking hot, confident, predatory, deadly with a weapon, super protective….just delicious…(despite kidnapping) he’s honorable. He has a vision of a better world for the people of Sinta and he’s going to do what it takes to get that better world.“His eyes reminded me of Poseidon’s wrath- stormy, gray, intense- the kind of eyes that draw you in, hold you there, and might not let you go.” UM, YES PLEASE!!Cat and Griffin really made this book for me, they were just so well written. Their banter, the stubbornness, the tension had me turning the pages. The hate to love thing; if it’s done right it gets me every time. However, what I also loved, and this really is a testament to a talented writer, was how well done the secondary characters were (and there were A LOT of secondary characters). Despite that, they felt fully fleshed out, multi dimensional and had depth. The Beta team, Beta Sinta’s family, Cat’s circus family….I loved all of them.I am a huge fan of Greek Mythology. The incorporation of Greek mythology felt a little random to me at first or stunted maybe? But as I continued and got to know the characters and the world better, the weaving in of Greek mythology became more seamless and natural. To the author’s credit, she didn’t info dump. It was a gradual assimilation. I also appreciated the Greek words sprinkled in here and there…”kardia mou,” oikogeneia,” “agape mou” (I already knew agape mou, but I didn’t know the other ones, so I appreciated learning new words!) I think that this gave a richness to Bouchet’s storytelling.I would really love to get a better; more in depth sense of Thalyria and its history and culture (in the political and social structure sense and how those systems came to be the way they are). It’s divided into three territories in which the northern territories are leaden with magic wielders, and magic equals power. Sinta in the south has little to no magic and values muscle, strength, and cunning. How did this division happen? A map of this world would be amazing! (pretty please?) Those without magic, the Hoi Polloi (the common people), are seen as “less than” and discriminated against by those with magic. How and why did this difference in status take root? I think that (especially in fantasy) a well written, intricate world can almost be a secondary character in and of itself. Where we come from; our history and environment shape us, our biases, and our decision making just as much as people do. So I’m really hoping we get a closer look at this world and its history in future installments.I would also love to learn more about Andromeda—cold, icy, completely ruthless queen from the north. I’d like to know more about her bloodline, and what made her the way she is. I think there’s definitely potential here for a villain of epic proportions. The good news is there is more to come in this series and the potential is endless! A bad ass, feisty heroine, a smoldering, broody-yet protective and affectionate warlord, squad goals, ruthless villains, magic, dragons, mythology, steamy romance, adventure—“A Promise of Fire” has it all, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

An engaging story sadly let down by a few key factors:Yet another book that glorifies jealous, overbearing, violent, angry men as being ideal partners and portrays women as being ruled entirely by their attraction for men. To make this worse the woman in this case falls in love with someone who kidnaps her and threatens her friends in a clear case of Stockholm syndrome.If these unhealthy and destructive relationships continue to be glorified in fiction then the message that they are actually to be avoided for the sake of physical safety and mental wellbeing will be much harder to drive home. Young people who read about these kinds of relationships portrayed in a positive light will end up thinking this is how relationships are when people are madly in love.Very disappointing that we haven't moved on from this - and doubly so that it is a female writer glorifying domestic abuse, and sexual assault.

This would have been a good story but for the sex...seriously its just to much...i bought all 3 books and feel now that i have to read them all!! The second book is even worse...at least this book had a bit of build up to a relationship between the two protagonists. The story would be good but for the sex...in the second book its even worse...its like every chapter the two people are at it like rabbits..its boring me now...I bought all 3 books and now I feel like i have to read the 3rd book just to get my moneys worth! If i have to read about his lips, her lips, his fingers, and his cock anymore I think I will have to throw my kindle against the wall! I wished I had never bought all 3 books its absolute stereotypical drivel except the women seems to drawn to this violent man who kidnaps her...who she then falls in love with ...do I detect Stockholm syndrome...no no no total and utter crap!

I rarely, rarely give 5 stars because, well i'm British and we struggle to say anything is basically perfect. And although this isn't perfect, because nothing truly truly is, it's not far off. I really enjoyed this book which surprised me, and I have to say, made the experience all the better. From the start I liked the main character, even if i found some of her characteristics and strong traits somewhat frustrating and irritating if i me her in real life! But, overall, the author drew her in and me into her world. The explanation about why she has such strong flaws is something you can relate to because it not only make her unique and a truly individual character, but also the use of the world she lives in allows for this to be expected characteristics which, if missing, would actually make her very unrealistic in this book.The lead male - Griffin - wow. I love him. Like love him. I like the way he was with his leading lady, how he was in life, and he's just plain sexy. I liked that there were depths to their relationship - he didn't just declare his love at first sight - and actually, was very natural with his reactions in such a fictional world. This just made me love them as a potential couple even more and actually root for them. There were great secondary characters, the group were awesome as a whole and true soldiers and characters. I liked the world,I could picture it as they went through each place and where they came from as well as where they were going. I understood what made each person and culture react to each other, the history behind it without going on and on so it became boring ,but enough to be interesting and make me as a reader more involved in the story which is what we all want isn't it?I have already pre-ordered book 2 and wait eagerly to see what happens to the Alpha team. Can't wait and even if you don't like this book as much as me, I would like to think that the majority will enjoy it to at least a 4 star and worth their time.

I pretty much picked this up on a whim and I'm glad that I gave it a shot because honestly, this was pretty much the "early version" of From Blood and Ash and King of Battle and Blood, just a million times better. I don't mean to intentionally shade those books because I did at least enjoy the latter, but this was simply better written, the world-building less confusing, and a lot more entertaining! It has the humour and quirky yet powerful female main character that FBAA tried for and even more of the sizzling hate-to-love chemistry that KoBaB soft-served, and overall, the combination worked so much better for me! I'd recommend it if you kinda-sorta-maybe enjoyed the two aforementioned books but are looking for something that's a lot more (successfully) humorous, witty, and well-written with characters that are intriguing and easy to root for, and who won't irritate you through to the afterlife with their incessant questions in lieu of extremely poor world-building. :)

This was a very interesting and unique outlook on a new world where magic and dragons are the most Powerful and those who are ordinary (Hoi Polloi) are seen as weak. The story revolves around cat a powerful Soothsayer who lives in the circus, hiding from the people who tortured her as a child and this is where she meets Beta Sinta (Griffin) the second most powerful person in Sinta below his sister Alpha Sinta. Griffin was responsible for conquering a country from the hands of Magoi rulers. After watching her for weeks Griffin kidnaps Cat to use her as the kingmaker but with Cat"s past always at the for most of her mind she tries to escape but comes up short with the devilishly handsome Griffin who runs hot and causes Cat to re-evaluate her beliefs of these people. But when those who are hunting her get close and causes cat to almost died several times (she can't catch a break), cat has to use the extraordinary abilities to protect herself and others as she isn't no ordinary Soothsayer. Receiving gifts and protection from the gods and dealing with a Hoi Polloi who wants her and doesn't take no for an answer Cat has to protect herself from devastation and pain but that could be very difficult with her fiery temperament coming to blows with Griffin on more than one occasion.I really enjoyed this I liked the character of Cat who gave as good as she got and didn't back down from an overbearing warlord and his team, she has learnt to survive making her very prickly person but she is top and smart and knows how to work a room. I loved Griffin as he was persistent in his pursuit of cat pushing her to her limits just to see if she would scratch back. Loved the explosive chemistry between the two main character I'm enjoyed the writing style. A great read I will be moving onto the next soon as the book seems to be getting better