Kirkus
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A young woman destined to be queen agrees to marry a man who suspects she had a hand in the murder of his parents. Maddek is a fierce warrior, known for his fighting prowess throughout the western realms. When he learns that his parents, the Parsathean king and queen, were murdered by Zhalen, the ruler of an allied nation, the alliance council prohibits him from retaliating. If Maddek were to directly attack Zhalen, it would upset the delicate power structure of the alliance. Undeterred, Maddek orchestrates the kidnapping of Yvenne, Zhalen’s only daughter. Yvenne convinces Maddek her thirst for vengeance against her father is equal to his, and she suggests they marry and align against him. Once she marries, Yvenne can take the throne as the rightful heir in her matrilineal kingdom. Maddek agrees on the condition that she must never again speak of his parents. Their long journey to Maddek’s home is full of terrifying beasts, magically fueled creatures, and other dangerous adventures. They make a pact: Yvenne will teach Maddek how to think strategically like a king, and he will help her become a warrior queen. Although Maddek is attracted to her strength and admires her fortitude, he refuses to trust her. Yvenne is equally drawn to Maddek, but she cannot love anyone who will not listen to her. This stalemate between vengeance and love permeates their every interaction, which Vane fearlessly explores through masterful plotting and characterization. Imaginative worldbuilding and compelling political intrigue add depth and complexity to their passionate and wildly romantic love affair. A showstopper. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Publishers Weekly
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Combining the scope of an epic fantasy with the scorching sex scenes of erotic romance, Meljean Brook (the Iron Sea Series), writing as Vane, makes a splash with this enemies-to-lovers romance that kicks off her A Gathering of Dragons series. All that barbarian Maddek knows about Princess Yvenne when he captures her is that she’s the daughter of his greatest enemy and thus will be the means of his vengeance. He doesn’t expect the weak but courageous woman to offer an alliance, agreeing to aid him in bringing down her family as she’s burning with her own hatred against her controlling, power-hungry father. Their perilous journey back to Maddek’s homeland to enact their revenge is studded with pain and hardship, but also with sexual tension that develops into an erotic relationship. Warrior Maddek proves himself to be honorable and honest, and Yvenne, though no match for him in strength, demands his respect from the very beginning with her wit and fortitude. Though their trek, which takes up the bulk of the novel, occasionally drags, it offers plenty of tantalizing glimpses into Vane’s richly imagined dark fantasy world. Fans of Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel trilogy will be hooked. Agent: Nephele Tempest, the Knight Agency. (Feb.)

Library Journal
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Maddek and Yvenne are strangers who decide to marry in order to defeat their common enemies. Maddek, a warrior and commander of an allied force comprised of many nations, is forced to put his people's needs ahead of his own interests when his parents are murdered by purported allies. Worse yet, the very alliance he is expected to join as a leader prevents him from straightforwardly exacting revenge upon the guilty. Yvenne, a princess who has been secluded and harmed by power-hungry relatives throughout her life, uses her considerable wits to secure an alliance with him. Unused to much more than maternal kindness and companionship, she must acclimate to the company of Maddek and his company of soldiers. Although falling in love is not necessary for the realization of their shared goal, they are drawn to each other from their fraught first meeting. Nicole Poole deftly changes her voice's pitch and cadence to differentiate the novel's large cast of characters. VERDICT Recommended for all collections where romance and fantasy are popular.—Nicole Williams, Englewood, NJ