A Promise of Fire (The Kingmaker Chronicles, 1)

"Is this man my enemy?"FINAL DECISION: Fabulous first book in a series about Cat Fisa, the Kingmaker, and Griffith, the man who captures her and then captures her heart. This book is successful at concentrating on the romance while building a fascinating and complex world along with a plot intricate and filled with adventure.THE STORY: Catalia "Cat" Fisa travels as a soothsayer in a circus, but she is actually the Kingmaker -- with the legendary talent of being able to tell truth from lies. Unfortunately, Cat catches the attention of Griffith, a warlord whose family has taken control of Sinta. Griffith wants Cat to use her as a weapon for the newly acquired realm. Cat, however, has no intention of allowing herself to be used again.OPINION: This is a fantastic beginning for a series. My only reservation on the book is that this story is not complete in and of itself and thus if the subsequent books are bad, this one will too. (I might revisit my rating up or down after the other books in the series are published).The best part of this book is that the worldbuilding is intricately intertwined with the romance. No pages of descriptions or explanations. Things are explained as needed through the story in a natural fashion. It makes the story go faster and keeps interest throughout.Cat is a heroine that centered this book and made me want to read more. This is her journey. More than a romance, it is the story of a woman coming into her own destiny. Like many great heroes, Cat is hiding from her fate as the story begins. In danger because of her past and running from her future, Cat has made a place for herself in the circus. When Griffith comes to upset her hideaway, Cat at first hates him and wants to escape, but he also begins to make her part of a team, a family, a place worth defending.Cat has tremendous power. Her weaknesses become strengths, her powers become more enhanced and she is funny and flawed and a powerhouse. Her cynicism is matched with a innocent heart that she denies but which leads her to care and love those around her.Griffith is an interesting hero. Great ambition matched with intelligence and a recognition of the necessity of limiting power. He is like water on stone with Cat. Determined, quietly himself. He is determined and incredibly honest and loyal. He comes from a loving family -- which is a mystery to Cat -- which grounds him. He does what he has to do, but tries to be his best self.The mixture of magic, dragons, help by the Greek Gods gives this book a rich basis for its mythology. The story feels grounded and recognizable without being entirely derivative. This book leaves readers with many questions which I hope will be teased out in the other books in the series.This book shows such promise and I want to see that promise flower into something amazing.WORTH MENTIONING: This is only the beginning of the series. The story is not complete and readers should be aware that wanting to know the end of the story necessitates committing to more books.CONNECTED BOOKS: A PROMISE OF FIRE is the first book in the Kingmaker Chronicles.STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

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!

If you like found family this book is for you. The main character is fun and we get a great story full of hotties and greek mythology. This book was good and worth reading, I feel like it was definitely the best one of the series. The series is still one going with side characters getting their own spin offs, so potential to spend a lot of time in this world.

I was completely swept away by "A Promise of Fire," the first installment in The Kingmaker Chronicles. Amanda Bouchet weaves a mesmerizing tale of romance, magic, and adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.The protagonist, Cat, is a force to be reckoned with – a strong and independent character who adds a refreshing twist to the fantasy genre. The world-building is impeccable, seamlessly blending mythical elements with a gripping plot that unfolds at a perfect pace.Bouchet's writing style is both enchanting and engaging, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The chemistry between Cat and the mysterious Griffin is electrifying, adding a delightful layer of romance to the narrative.What sets "A Promise of Fire" apart is its ability to balance action, magic, and romance seamlessly. The story is rich in detail, and the author's creativity shines through every page. By the end, I was left eager for more, eagerly anticipating the next chapter in this captivating series.If you're a fan of romantic fantasy that keeps you hooked from the first page, "A Promise of Fire" is an absolute must-read. I can't recommend it enough – a solid 5 stars!

It is a well-written adventure with smart dialogues, and a decent plot. It was hard to put down until I finished it, and I immediately bought the next book of this series.

Rating : 3 ⭐.Review : Well, well, well... It sounded promising at first and the beginning puts you directly into the world. The setting is interesting, mythology is always cool to read, and pretty easy to understand. The FMC, Cat, can be funny but also quite unnerving to be honest, she got abducted by Griffin, aka Beta Sinta, to help his kingdom ?? I don't even know? Like honestly I started loosing interest at 50% : there is something wrong with the romance here. Is it supposed to be an ennemies-to-lovers (right?) and it usually goes with slow-burn romance (right?) BUT it's not! The romance started so quickly for me IT DOESN'T work that way. I'm having mixed feelings here, this is so weird. Also the action/world setting is really cool, but throughout the book it's starting to become a mess ?? I got a bit lost...Anyway I'm disappointed I didn't like that book as much as I wanted to.🚫 I won't continue the serie 🚫

Mein erstes Buch von Amanda und es war einfach so großartig.Ich liebe ja Geschichten mit griechischen Göttern, Mythologie, Fantasy. Und mit der Kingmaker Trilogy hat Amanda hier eine tolle Kombination aus allem geschaffen und einen fantastischen Auftakt.Cat ist mir von Anfang an sympathisch und eine tolle Prota. Sie ist eine Heldin, auch wenn sie es selbst nicht sieht, hat so viel miterlebt und durchstehen müssen und ist dadurch zu einer starken Person geworden, aber auch damit hat sie Probleme, dass sie sich selbst so sieht, wie andere sie sehen. Doch dann plötzlich kommt Griffin, und verändert alles. Er bietet ihr Kontra, fordert sie heraus und nimmt sie einfach gefangen: mit seinem Wesen, mit seiner Art und auch mit seinem Körper, denn er bindet sie an ein magisches Seil und nimmt Cat mit zu sich nach Hause.Nach und nach verliert Cat das Misstrauen und beginnt, sich und ihren Gefühlen zu vertrauen. Und sie lernt dank Griffin endlich, was es bedeutet, eine Familie zu sein und zu haben, zu lieben, Freunde zu haben für die es sich lohnt. Zu kämpfen.Die Dynamik zwischen den beiden war von Anfang an herrlich. Zum einen, da Griffin und Cat sich anfangs einfach nichts schenken und sich immer wieder zoffen mit herrlich lustigen Dialogen, zum anderen war einfach von Anfang an da diese Chemie zwischen den beiden. Und doch benötigte es Zeit, dem ganzen die nötige Reife zu geben.Das Ende war spannend und hat mich einfach sprachlos zurückgelassen, dass ich sofort weiter zu Band 2 wechselte.Perfekt für alle Fans der griechischen Mythologie, mit einer guten Portion Romantik und Erotik, aber genügend Spannung und Fantasy.