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REVIEW: Betrothed To The Emperor by Kai Butler
Emperor’s Assassin: Betrothed To The Emperor – Kai Butler
I was born to kill the emperor, but first, I must marry him.
I trained as an assassin while my twin sister trained to be the empress. My life will be forfeit once I murder the most powerful man on the continent, but I have no choice. If I fail, the Imperium will consume our nation and anyone who rises against them.
Too soon, we walk into the glittering imperial court, each step taking us closer to the dangerous man on the black throne, my sister’s future husband, the newly crowned Emperor of the Southern Imperium. Emperor Tallu has more spies than fish in the sea. He poisoned his own father to secure the golden crown.
When his sharp eyes skim over us, they don’t catch on my sister. They land on me, his killer.
“I choose you, Prince Airón of the Northern Kingdom. You will be my consort.” Tallu’s smile is mirthless. “Or I will reduce your entire nation to ashes.”
Betrothed to the Emperor ends with more story to tell, but the characters end on a HFN.
Betrothed To The Emperor opens Kai Butler’s epic Emperor’s Assassin series with a riveting blend of court intrigue, assassination plots, and enemies-to-lovers romance
Prince Airon and his twin sister arrive at the Southern Imperium intending for the princess to wed Emperor Tallu. Instead, Tallu shocks them by choosing Airon. Trained from birth as an assassin, Airon suddenly finds himself betrothed to his target. Yet Tallu proves far more complex than expected, revealing secrets that upend Airon’s mission.
I dove in blind—simply because Michael Ferraiuolo was narrating—and devoured the entire audiobook in one sitting. I was so engrossed I even listened while working (don’t tell my boss).
Fantasy is a tough read for my lazy reader brain because I have to deal with clunky descriptions. Here, the world-building seamlessly set the customs, culture, dress, and court of the Southern Imperium in the narrative with minimal info-dump.
The Southern Imperium is vaguely Chinese-inspired, the court brimming with ritual gestures of respect. Magic is present, and mages from the imperium, including the emperor, are able to generate lightning, which they use for combat. Other lands that the imperium has conquered have air mages and other types of magic exist.
Airon is from the Northern Kingdom, a snow-covered land reminiscent of Siberia. The Northerners fought hard for their independence, and their fighting style is designed to counter the electromages of the South.
The story is in Airon POV and seeing the court through his perspective heightens the intrigue. There is a constant feeling of anticipation and a sense of mystery. His conflicted attraction to Tallu fueled the tension, while court politics and the emperor’s hidden motives kept me guessing.
I love seemingly cold characters showing subtle hints of feelings that run deep. Tallu himself is an enigma—aloof yet quietly tender to Airon, his rare gestures carrying squee-tastic Mariana Trench–level depth. I loved the emperor so much! He absolutely made the book for me!
One of my favorites is during the wedding preparation, where Airon’s maids were arranging his hair. It’s a Southern Imperium custom for the groom to give his intended jewels for their hair, the number of pieces reflecting the feelings. Tallu giving Airon an entire jewelry box full of gems for his hair hit me straight in the kokoro!
“Because what you are is valuable. You are a treasure… and I am Emperor of the Southern Imperium. I know how to treat treasure.”
Though attraction sparks instantly, the romance simmers, teasing us with a delicious will-they-or-won’t-they dance. The slow burn perfectly amplifies the chemistry, making each revelation more impactful. They might be born enemies but I loved how they are at their best when they are together, an alliance that will change the fate of the world.
The book ends with a cliffhanger. Kai Butler did a spectacular job introducing Tallu and Airon and giving us exciting threads to follow for the next installments. Grabbing Book 2 now!
Overall, Betrothed To The Emperor is a story of known enemies and unlikely allies. The gripping plot, the captivating, hella swoony romance, the characters I rooted hard for, and the fact that I couldn’t put the book down made this a solid 5 imperial stars!
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Risk
Artist: Deftones
Album: Diamond Eyes
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REVIEW: End It All by Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow
Vitale Brothers: End It All by Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow
What do you do when your only way out is to join a family you never knew existed?
I’m not well behaved, that’s a given. But meeting the Vitale’s puts my life into perspective. They’re everything I’ve longed for; rich, adventurous, fearless, and close. Really close.
This is supposed to be my family too.
So why do I feel like an outsider?
I have no choice except to fit in because I can’t go back home. Not when I’m on the run…
Amidst the chaos of a cooling war, a family struggle, and the law nipping at my heels, I meet Quincy. Bold, crazy, and hot as a five alarm fire.This man is the grand red flag of all red flags, but then again so am I.
And I’ve always loved to play with fire.
The fifth book in the Vitale Brothers series. Each book can be read as a standalone but is best read in order. HEA guaranteed. Make sure to check out the TWs.
End It All is the fifth book in the gritty, addictive Vitale Brothers mafia romance series by Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow. The Vitale clan may be a chaotic mix of half-brothers, but under Benito’s leadership, they remain fiercely loyal and endlessly entertaining.
The 5th Vitale brother is Blake Moreno, who only recently discovered he’s a Vitale after a botched bank heist turned him into a fugitive. Sent to New York to his father Cesare for protection, Blake meets his brothers for the first time, who were just as surprised to learn about his identity.
Not yet trusting Blake but still willing to protect his youngest brother, Benito (Say I Do) assigns Quincy Adachi, Harlow’s best friend and former bodyguard, to keep Blake in line. Blake and Quincy immediately got off on the wrong foot.
Blake kept trying to run away, and Quincy unerringly tracks his ass wherever he goes. Forced proximity did its magic because they might hate each other, but it didn’t stop them from jumping each other’s bones.
Blake is a semi-wild spitfire, not yet full-on Vitale like Gin, Enzo, or even Paolo. He’s street-smart but really naive. He has a stupid tendency to run away from the person protecting him when he’s supposed to be in New York for his protection.
Quincy is a dominant, alpha-as-hell power bottom who matches Blake’s arson-loving ferocity with his own daredevil antics. Quincy is Harlow’s best friend after all, and only someone as bloodthirsty as him could keep up with a psycho like Harlow.
Together, Blake and Quincy’s chemistry is equal parts volatile and magnetic. Blake’s rebellious streak and Quincy’s relentless dominance make for a fiery clash. Their dynamic was entertaining, with lots of sharp banter, flirty provocations, and cute nicknames. Quincy calling Blake “baby girl” tickled me pink every time because Blake is so precious and bratty, even if he tops.
The best part of the book is the Vitale family themselves, their outrageous antics, dark humor, and twisted brand of love. From Gin’s absurd schemes and his possessive devotion to Ash to Benito and Harlow’s stab-happy foreplay, the brothers never fail to entertain. Paolo and York got parenthood down to a science, and Enzo and Tex are joined at the hips. Loved seeing the Vitale “wives” joining forces and welcoming Quincy to the fold.
I thought the series would end with Paolo and York’s book, Never Say Never. Half of me thinks Blake and Quincy’s story was unnecessary, the plot not really bringing anything new to the table, and the romance is less intense as the previous books. While still dark and humorous enough for a Vitale, this is the weakest installment of the series.
It did give us a lead-up to Cesare’s book, which I also have mixed feelings about. Cesare welcomes Blake with open arms, but the brothers frequently warn Blake that the old man cannot be trusted. Blake agrees, runs away, then foolishly returns to Cesare.
Daddy Vitale’s motives are suspect throughout the entire series, so redeeming him in the 6th book might be a stretch. I’m not sure if I could root for Cesare, given how villainous he was. Also, it’s going to be an age gap romance. We have enough of that already. Give us old men yaoi instead!
End It All is a story of family ties and baby criminals. While not hitting the same highs as the rest of the series, overall, it sets the stage for biggest battle ahead. In the Vitale world, loyalty is blood-deep, betrayal is inevitable—and sometimes, ending it all is the only way to begin again.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Alive In New Light
Artist: IAMX
Album: Alive In New LightP.S.
Vitale Brothers can be read as standalone but each brother is a force of nature.
Take Me Apart is the raw intensity of Enzo.
Paid In Full is the wild insatiability of Gin
Say I Do is the nuclear explosion of Benito.
Never Say Never is the chaotic mayhem of Paolo.
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END IT ALL: Amazon UK | Audiobook
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SERIES TOUR & NEW RELEASE: The Saltwater Trilogy by A.G. Meiers (Excerpt)
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REVIEW: The Unlikely Pair by Jax Calder
Unlikely Dilemmas: The Unlikely Pair – Jax Calder
What happens when you find yourself stranded in the wilderness with your political enemy?
Getting stranded in the freezing wilderness with my archenemy wasn’t on today’s to-do list. But somehow, that’s where I’ve ended up.
Harry Matheson, my political rival, has always been smarmy, arrogant, and entitled. It figures that even this plane crash has barely ruffled his well-coiffed hair.
It’s all fine, though, because our pilot has gone to call for help and rescue should be imminent.
Fast forward a few frigid hours…
Umm…maybe it’s not so fine, because it appears our pilot is part of an international terrorist group intent on kidnapping us.
Now Harry and I have to flee through the wilderness—together.
Unfortunately, being adept at political debates and parliamentary procedures doesn’t exactly prepare you for the basics of finding food, keeping warm, and evading the local wildlife while playing high-stakes hide-and-seek with armed terrorists.
The only way Harry and I have any hope of surviving is to stick together.
The problem is, the line separating hate and love has begun to blur, and the last thing I need is to fall for my enemy.
The Unlikely Pair is an enemies-to-lovers romance featuring a romp through the political wilderness where hearts, quite literally, go off the beaten path.
The Unlikely Pair is a fantastic follow‑up to Jax Calder’s contemporary romance series Unlikely Dilemmas. It stars bitter political rivals Toby Webley of the Labour Party and Harry Matheson of the Conservative Party.
Toby, best friend to former Prime Minister–turned–Prince Consort Oliver Hartwell (The Unlikely Heir), ends up on a flight to Norway with Harry for a climate convention. When the plane crashes, the two find themselves stranded in the Finnish wilderness.
Forced to rely on each other to survive brutal temperatures and dense forest, they take shelter in an isolated cabin and learn everything from fishing to chopping wood to setting snares. With only one bed, sharing body heat becomes a necessity then a pleasure— even if their political views remain irreconcilable.
I love my enemies‑to‑lovers romances intense, and this one is chef’s kiss! The tension sizzles, the snark is razor‑sharp, and the banter is hilarious. The cherry on top of this delightful treat is the decade-long secret pining simmering beneath all that mutual loathing.
The forced proximity is a fabulous, shifting from survival cuddles to casual cuddles as they go from barely civil to domestic. I’m not a fan of wilderness‑survival scenes, so those parts dragged a bit for me, but Toby and Harry’s chemistry kept things exciting. They were a joy to read!
Making a politician — especially a Tory — a likable romantic lead is no small feat, but Jax Calder pulls it off. Harry shines here in ways that contrast beautifully with his portrayal in the first book, revealing layers Toby, and me, can’t help but find appealing.
Their evolution from enemies to lovers is handled with such natural, deft progression that I was completely sold. The author pulled out all the stops in the climactic Parliament scene, and my heart just burst with happiness! The epilogue is ridiculously cute!
One niggle, though, the part of the group responsible for the plane crash was basically handwaved away. Maybe it’s a set up to Book 3, but I thought they would have been more concerned about it.
The Unlikely Pair is a feel-good story of politics, survival, and slow-burn romance where opposing views and mutual attraction make for compelling bedfellows. Overall, most likely to win your vote!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Strange Bedfellows
Artist: Michael Sarcona
Album: VerityP.S.
Unlikely Dilemmas books can be read as standalones but the Prince of Wales is inviting you to tea.
Witness Callum charm the prime minister and the rest of Britain in The Unlikely Heir.
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THE UNLIKELY PAIR: Amazon UK | Audiobook
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COVER REVEAL: The Ultimate Save by Felice Stevens
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PROMO BLITZ: Guardian by Beth Christopher
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RELEASE BLITZ: PAH! by E.M. Lindsey & Cora Rose
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RELEASE BLITZ: Burning Enemies by Mina Elwood
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PROMO BLITZ: Crimson Codex by Ava Mari Salinger
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RELEASE BLITZ: Evan by Lark Taylor
