Review: Captive Traitor King by Brigid Kemmerer

Captive Traitor King

Brigid Kemmerer

(Braided Fates #2)

Publication Date: November 3, 2026

Hardcover, 400 pages, Avon

Genres: Adult, Romantasy, LGBTQ+/Poly

Goodreads

Brigid Kemmerer returns with the sizzling, high-stakes sequel to the No.1 international bestseller Warrior Princess Assassin—where the betrayals are deeper, the magic burns brighter, and love might be the most dangerous weapon of all.

 

CAPTIVE. Asher has always sworn loyalty to Jory, the princess he’s loved from afar—but now the King of Incendar has claimed a place in his heart too. Someone wants them both dead, and only Asher’s blade can keep them safe. Yet his past won’t let him go, and he must decide if he can break free—or remain prisoner to his old scars. 

 

TRAITOR. Princess Jory of Astranza agreed to marry the King of Incendar to secure peace, but betrayal runs closer than she ever imagined. With her own brother unmasked as her enemy, two kingdoms teeter on the edge. To protect her people, she must take the throne. But there are still dark secrets to unravel that will force Jory to confront where her true allegiance lies.

 

KING. Maddox Kyronan has discovered trust—and something more—with his reluctant bride and her deadly protector, but the fragile alliance between their nations still threatens to unravel. His people are starving. His enemies are circling in. Torn between the crown and his heart, Ky risks losing it all.

 

 As buried truths surface and tensions reach a breaking point, Jory, Asher, and Ky must confront the desires that could save their kingdoms—or shatter them forever.

My Review

Brigid Kemmerer has done it again. Over the past year, I've devoured five of her books, and Captive Traitor King wasn't any different. In fact, I read the entire thing in 24 hours. Her books are like magical, glittery candy and once you start eating it, you can't stop until the box is empty.

The three main characters of Warrior Princess Assassin are back for the second book in the Braided Fates series, and I honestly didn't realize how much I missed them until I started reading. All three are messy in different ways. We have Jory, the princess of a kingdom her evil brother rules, and then there's Asher, the assassin who has a terrible and traumatic past, and finally, there's Maddox, the king of a rival land who also happens to have fire powers. All three characters are navigating their growing feelings for each other while also trying to figure out their own powers, duties to their people, and who is behind the recent attacks on both them and Maddox's soldiers. 

I think my favorite part of the story is whenever the three are together in one scene, whether they're arguing, trying to figure things out, or doing other, more explicit things. They're just so cute and sweet together. And sexy too. Despite knowing this was an adult romantasy with spicy times, I was somehow still surprised with Brigid Kemmerer going there. Maybe that's because I read one of her YA books recently and was still in that mindset. Now, I can't say the trio didn't frustrate me. Jory was impulsive, Maddox was too focused on what his soldiers think of him, and Asher... Well, Asher can do no wrong. He's innocent and my favorite. He deserves a comfy blanket, sweet treats, and a pile of kittens to cuddle with. Stat!

As for the plot of the story, I did find this one a bit more relaxed compared to book one. It took place in one city, mostly in just one castle setting, so there wasn't as much to explore compared to Warrior Princess Assassin when the characters traveled between countries. There were only two major action scenes that happened in this installment. The rest of the story mostly focused around the romantic relationship, which I'm totally fine with, and discussions between characters. There also weren't enough answers, in my opinion, but we'll likely get those in the next book, I just have to be patient. Sigh.

All in all, I really loved this book. Brigid Kemmerer's fantasy stories are so easy to read. They're perfect for getting me out of a slump. For anyone who's putting off reading this series, don't! You won't regret picking it up if you love typical romantasy tropes. I also think fans of books like Jennifer L. Armentrout's From Blood and Ash, Danielle L. Jensen's The Bridge Kingdom, or Melissa K. Roehrich's Rain of Shadows and Endings will enjoy the Braided Fates world.

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion/review.