I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Revenge isn’t always sweet. In fact, it usually leads you down some dark roads and blows up in your face. The Fiery Crown by Jeffe Kennedy picks up just a week after Con and Lia’s hasty wedding. Exploring their new relationship, the threat of the Emperor, and to what lengths either will go to protect Calanthe, Kennedy delivers a fast-paced, thrilling fantasy with a romance to last the ages.

Queen Euthalia, Lia for short, is at a crossroads. She always knew that her kingdom depends on her living, but at the same time, she’s always planned for the inevitable…her death at the emperor’s hands. Lia has never shied away from this. In fact, while being the Virgin Queen, she’s played up the role as she secretly planned a way to kill her betrothed. Then Con shows up and ruins her plans. Yet her prophetic dreams haven’t changed. The wolf will tear her limb from limb before delivering her to the emperor. So she still plans and waits out the inevitable.

Con is a mystery to Lia, and without his POV chapters, would be to the reader as well. But my goodness do I love him! His new marriage to Lia is changing things about him, things he didn’t expect. He is allowing himself to remember his time before the mines, the goodtimes, and despite the fact that their marriage was unconventional, Con wants to emulate his parents. He wants whatever they share to develop into a loving marriage. For him, this is a one-time deal, something he will remain faithful too. The only obstacle is his need for revenge and Lia’s unwillingness to put Calanthe in harm’s way.

I love the character development in this book. The first book focused more on world-building, and while we still get the lush fantasy and expanding of the empire, this one focuses more on Con and Lia. Con struggles with reconciling his past with his present. He’s done everything in his power to forget who he is and what he stands for in his need for revenge. Lia puts herself behind her people. She will do what is necessary to protect them, no matter the cost. And the cost is high.

Overall I loved The Fiery Crown. The development of the characters and the new information we receive about the empire left my mind reeling. I love Lia and Con and how their relationship evolves from one of necessity to one of want. The lust was there last book, but in this one love develops and it is oh-so-sweet. If you enjoy high fantasy, adventure, and romance, you are in for a treat!