First off this is an adult fantasy so make sure you keep that in mind going into this novel. We have a land that has been forbidden the use of magic. One ruler who has a strangle hold on the empire and one piece of it that is steeped in magic and mystery. The ruler of Calanthe Euthalia and holder of the orchid ring staves off the power hungry Anura who she is promised to marry.

Euthalia wears make up everyday, wigs, and upholds many traditions that keep her people grounded in the belief that they will be safe from the evils of Anure. I would of like to have found out the reasoning behind the elaborate makeup sooner then we did but i see why the author did not share it tell the very end.

Their are lots of secrets to be found in the pages of this story, the land of Calanthe has been forgotten in what it holds in power and it may just very well be the downfall of the power hungry Anure.

I think the author did a wonderful job of sharing the relationship between Euthalia and Conri in the end it was a sweet passionate and a pleasure to read. Their are adult themes in the book but they were tastefully done. I not much one for having a lot of romance in a story but sometimes if it done right it works. I am enticed to see what comes next in the Forgotten Empire series.

4.5 Stars
After reading a bunch of reviews I was a bit worried before I began The Orchid Throne. I was afraid it would be slow, with too much world building (is that really a thing?), and not enough story. I am so,glad that the I gave this book a chance because it was wonderful! The world, the characters, the story, the romance and especially the writing were fabulous. I love that both Euthalia and Comri were such strong characters, both so committed to the survival of thier world. And while the outcome is predictable, getting there is a rich and lush journey. This was a great start to a new series, and I'm anxiously awaiting the next book!

It’s the classic trope for a young adult novel. There’s Queen Euthalia who holds a family heirloom that guides her while doing what she feels is right for the people of Calanthe. Then, we have Conrí, a former prince that wants to overthrow the emperor while needing that same family heirloom to do so. What could possibly happen when these two come face to face?

It’s one of my favorite tropes among many. Kind of like an enemies to not-so-much-enemies type of thing. Naturally, it’s one of the reasons I wanted to read this book. Also, that cover is stunning.

Euthalia was a wonderful character. There aren’t many young adult books out there where the main character is already a queen. Normally, readers watch her grow into a queen. So, I liked that aspect of the book. Euthalia has a strong heart and will for her people, even if she does keep some secrets. However, she’s a smart girl and not like some other fantasy characters that still hang around in literature and act dumb or like a damsel in distress. That trope needs to just die. Jeffe did all of us a solid with Euthalia’s character.

Conrí is the other main character. This guy has been through a lot. His kingdom was destroyed and he was sent to the mines to mine the one thing that killed his family. That’s pretty brutal. Naturally, Conrí and the others have had it, so they plan to take over and right the wrongs their own way. He is definitely a character to watch in this series. I don’t think I liked him as much as I liked Euthalia, but there is something there that I want to hold on to. His background is tough and I think Jeffe did a good job of building that.

Speaking of building, Jeffe did great with world building. It’s so tricky to get it right because it’s the basis for a reader to get sucked into. Jeffe has a center called the Abiding Ring, which is the orchid part that we see in the title. It’s obviously connecting Euthalia and Conrí, but I’m sure we have more to learn as the series progresses.

What really got me is the ending. I’m not going to spoil it, but it’s that kind of ending where you sort of expect it to happen but you still can’t believe it happened and it just ends up making you want more.

Honestly, I didn’t expect to love the book as much as I did. There were moments that were kind of slow, but Jeffe knows how to tell a story that still keeps a reader on their toes. I can promise you that I’ll be eagerly awaiting book two to find out what happens next.

It had been a while since having read this author so it was refreshing to me to get into one of her novels. This one took me away right away into a world where the discovery of these Empires was just one of the things that pull you in. This was a fantasy of high caliber that wove its magic in front of you. Lia and Con will sizzle leaking over into you as you read their tale. The emotions that are buried in this come alive as your eyes light onto them. OH the passion that vibrates the pages giving the fuel to keep on turning. Oh and the darkness and evil will make you shudder. Fortunately for me I began this at the beginning so I won't miss a one.

I'm not a frequent reader of fantasy novels, but this story unexpectedly drew me in even if the storyline is fairly predictable. The characters do have hidden depths and there are enough intrigue and reveals of unexpected to keep you entertained. The romance aspect also comes in at latter part of the story so those who are hoping for steam will be satisfied as well. There are hints of future adventures, but the story is not a cliffhanger and ends happily. Voluntary and honest review after receiving ARC (advanced reader copy).

*I was provided an arc by NetGalley in exchange for a review*

What initially drew me to this book was definitely the cover. It’s gorgeous. And I was really excited to start. But full disclosure, it’s a slow start. Slow enough that I struggled to push through at one point, but glad I did.

This fantasy romance follows Queen Lia and Conri, the Slave King. What I enjoyed is their interactions. They’re both well thought out characters and were fun to read.

I look forward to the next part of their journey.

The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy is a fantasy romance and Book 1 of The Forgotten Empires. This series is off to a good start with an interesting storyline and world that the author has created. I was very captivated by the characters and their nuances. Although slow at times, this is usual for a first book in the series so I didn’t mind all the details. A story full of political tension, magic, action and romance. I’m looking forward to the next in this series.

This is the first book I have read by Jeffe Kennedy. The Orchid Throne was almost the first book I ever DNF because it is very slow moving. I really enjoyed the writing because it’s so descriptive and the author does an amazing job with building suspense and anticipation. I am a fan of YA books and I read wide variety of all genres and I felt this had no romantic element to it except really briefly. I have to say it’s beautifully written though and even though it’s not my cup of tea, I’m sure this book is going to have fans of all ages. The writing in itself is just so good and the character development is as well. Beautiful cover art. I just would have liked better flow in the book and more action and more love- but that’s just my little opinion- I’m sure you will receive lots of love.

After the death of her father, Queen Euthalia continued to do her duties for the throne. She didn't agree with the way things were and when a dream leads her to believe that change is coming she readies herself.

Conri is fighting for a new world, to right the wrongs. He needs Lia's ring to overtake the man who is set on ruling for himself not everyone. Will he be able to do right by the people or is he doomed from the start?

This was intriguing. A bit slow int he beginning but i thought written in a way that you could visualize. I wasn't sure how Conri and Lia would get on together as they are polar opposites. I would be curious to see what happens in the next book. Good start to the series.

This book took a while for me to get into because the beginning was a bit slow. However, I found it a normal pace for a fantasy book. Not everything makes sense at the beginning and that is ok. I really enjoyed the romance aspect of the book as well. Fantasy romance is a small genre and I truly wish there were more of books like this. The book really picked up towards the end as everything finally came together and I can't wait for the next book in the series. It's worth a read if you are ok with a slow beginning and are ok with world building being slowly built up instead of massive info dumps. It's worth the payoff at the end. Also, the descriptions of things are beautiful. The lush descriptions match the beautiful cover. This is not a book to pick up if you want a fast read.

3.5 rating

I was excited to read The Orchid Throne. When I read the blurb, I thought to myself: “I am going to like this book.” I mean, it had the two genres I love the most: Fantasy and Romance. Now that I have read The Orchid Throne, I was a bit disappointed. It fell short of my expectations.

The Orchid Throne starts slowly. It creeps along. There were several times where I wanted to swipe to the end of a chapter because it was that slow. I understand that the author was world-building but still. Once Conri and Euthalia met, the plotline got going. By the end of the book, it was moving along quite nicely. But, the slowness of the first half of the book did put me off.

I wished that I could have connected with Euthalia more. But it was hard to. A big part of me not being able to connect with her was the usage of the royal Us, Me, We (etc.) as part of her dialogue. It drove me nuts reading that. I did like the glimpses of the woman underneath the facade, though. The woman that peeked through was a tough cookie. But that was overshadowed by the games she was forced to play.

I did like Conri. I felt that he was more fleshed out than Euthalia. He was upfront and honest with his end game. He wanted to kill the Emperor. He didn’t play games or deal with court intrigue. He wanted to get there and get it done. And in no way did he want anything to do with the prophecy.

I wish that more information was given on Ambrose, Sondra, and Tertulyn. I was fascinated with Ambrose, but so little information was provided about him. He was shrewd, and everything he did was part of a grand plan. Plus, he had a crow as a familiar, which I loved. Sondra was Conri’s right hand. She was a strong woman who had been through a lot in her life. It showed both mentally and physically. I liked how she brought Conri down a peg or two during the book. Tertulyn intrigued me. I have a couple of suspicions about her, but nothing was confirmed in this book. I can’t wait to see what the next book will bring with her!!

I will say that I have never had a favorite villain before. But the Emperor Robho might be one. He doesn’t make a physical appearance in the book, but his presence was always there. He was feared and hated by Conri and Euthalia. Euthalia feared his letters. Which makes me wonder, what will he be like in person? If his letters were enough to strike dread in Euthalia, the real deal must be terrifying. And I can’t wait to read it!!!

I wish more time had been spent explaining what the Abiding Ring did and why it was so crucial that Conri gets it. There was a primary blanket reason, but I believe that Ambrose is hiding something. I did find the ring fascinating. The way it responded to Ambrose was telling. As was the way it responded to Conri.

The romance angle of the book was “meh” for me. Conri and Euthalia did have some insane chemistry. But that didn’t translate to hot sex scenes. Unfortunately, the first sex scene was awkward and uncomfortable. That set the tone for me. The rest of the sexual encounters seemed the same way for me.

I liked the fantasy angle of the book. But a lot of what was going on with Euthalia was released too late. But to keep it until the end of the book? I didn’t like that.

The end of The Orchid Throne was exciting. None of the storylines were ended. I am interested in what will go in book 2.

This is my fair and honest review in return for this ARC. I am not a magic/wizard kinda woman but this sounded interesting so I gave it a go. Now I can't wait for part 2!!! Wow, really loved the writing and story and characters and...well, EVERYTHING.

It was a bit of a battle to get through, it was really dragging for most of the book until the very end. That's where we learn a bit more about Lia and that's when thing got super interesting especially about who she really is.

It honestly felt like not a whole lot was going on. I did like Kennedy's writing style, but dragged at slow pace for most of the book. The book is littered with so much detail about their world and the different empires, but it didn't necessarily help with the plot development. I would have love to see more of magical and fantasy side of the story. I, personally, didn't mind the romance aspect, but there honestly was much of one either. Just at the tail end of the story.

It's a HFN for Lia and Con since everything is very new between them. I wanted to love this book so much, but it wasn't for me.

The Orchid Throne is the first book in a new series by Ms. Jeffe
Kennedy, fantasy author extraordinaire. And for a first book, it
definitely delivers in the worldbuilding, overarching theme and of
course characters that readers can get on board with. The Orchid
Throne, being a first book, usually carries a heavy burden of making
sure that the reader will be back for the next books in the series.
Be not afraid because you will be looking for that next one as soon as
you get a whiff of its availability!

Readers are first introduced to the person sitting on The Orchid
Throne, the queen of Calanthe, Euthalia. Oh and she also happens to
have been affianced to the Imperial Emperor, the destroyer of all
kingdoms, Anure. It wasn't her idea, she was a child then but her
father had to to keep their own kingdom safe from said evil emperor.
The next chapter introduces us to the next protagonist, who was
currently destroying another kingdom annexed by Anure and is now being
"liberated" from him by none other than Conir. Known as The King of
Slaves, Conir along with his band of not so merry men, have escaped
from slavery and has vowed to destroy the emperor at all cost. They
had nothing to lose for everything they were and everything they had,
especially family, was taken away from them. They mined the precious
mineral that made Anure invincible but now it was theirs and Conir
intends to destroy evil emperor with the same thing he used on them.
But first, he needed to wed the Queen of Calanthe.

The pacing seems slow but you can acknowledge the brilliance of how
every plot device and set up was done to give you a thrilling story
line which you can't really predict where it was headed. Both Con and
Lia are pawns of fate but now they're given a chance to actually buck
that and steer their own course but it had to be as a power couple.
There is no romance, there is definitely attraction of the physical
kind but you can appreciate that there was no insta anything between
these two. They were the leaders of their respective people and for
them they did the right thing. Still there were a lot of tidbits
thrown in, to keep readers invested and interested to find out what
happens next and I am definitely looking forward to finding out the
next chapter in Con and Lia's story.

I was initially drawn to The Orchid Throne because of the stunning cover and then the blurb sucked me right in. It is the first book in a new fantasy series. I tend to find the first books in new series to move a little slower because they have to focus on world building, setting up character descriptions, and so forth. That carried through with this book as well. I felt like the first portion of the book moved slowly and at times I couldn't tell if it was Lia or Con narrating the chapter because it wasn't indicated in the ARC.

However, about midway through, I hit my stride and figured out the setup and flow of the story. From that point forward, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It took me a bit to warm up to the heroine, Lia because initially she seemed quite pretentious. However, as the story progressed, I began to better understand why she had to do the things she did. I actually ended up really liking her character by the end of the book. She's admirable and a worthy leader of her people. I also really liked Con's character. He is the most unlikely barbaric Slave King with a sensitive heart. There's so much to him that I feel we will continue to unravel into the next book. In addition, Ms. Kennedy created a fabulous group of secondary supporting characters and lent a sense of humor to the story at various points.

Overall, I found this novel to be an enjoyable read and I look forward to the next in the series which is due out in 2020.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars

The Orchid Throne started off weak which had me wary at first, but I came to really care about the characters and their differing motivations. Conri was an escaped slave, leading his people to overthrow the murderous emperor. While he was filled with murderous rage, there was also an innocence and timidness to him. Euthalia was the queen of a kingdom that had bowed to the emperor early on and seemed to live a charmed life while other realms suffered, but she had a hidden side that was always planning and fought to put her people's needs above her own. The first third of the book was a ton of info-dump as Kennedy set up the world and how the emperor came to power. I was fairly overwhelmed for all of this information, but got more comfortable with the story once we settled into Conri and Euthalia's perspectives. The pacing was the weakest aspect to The Orchid Throne, but it did all seem to come together in the end. Despite the roller coaster pacing, I am curious about this series and truly fell in love with Conri and Euthalia towards the end. I can't wait to see how their story continues in the sequel.

I think that Lia is one of the best female fantasy character I read in a long time. She's witty, sharp and strong without being the classic kick ass heroine.
Lia it's one of the reasons I loved this book.
It's engrossing and entertaining, a romantic fantasy according to my heart with a great cast of characters and plot that seems to the prologue to an excellent fantasy series.
The plot is told by the POV of Lia and Cori, the King of Slaves, and it develops slowly but at the same time it always keeps you hooked to the page.
I loved how the writer was able to create to different voices and to help us to understand what was going on in their mind.
The world building is good even if we're just starting to discover it. We know that magic still exists even if the villain of the story, the evil emperor, tried to erase it.
The romance was good, there's a lot of chemistry between the two characters, and I rooted for Lia and Cori.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series.
It was an excellent read, highly recommended!
Many thanks to St. Martin's Paperbacks for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The Orchid Throne is a painfully slow novel with a creative and unique world-building. The narrative is heavily focused on romance despite the impending threat of the emperor and there is never a true sense of danger to the story. The characters are interesting, but the different POVs are rather similar to each other and make it difficult to distinguish one character from the other.

Jeffe Kennedy’s writing is nice, but the slow pace drags the story along. There is almost no plot development aside from the romance. There are bits and pieces of intriguing information spread out throughout the novel, from what looms beyond Calanthe and how magic works in this world, yet that’s sadly not really explored all that much in this installment. Personally, this is a disappointing read.

I feel like about 15% of this book is descriptions of clothes, makeup, and women getting dressed. The pace is so incredibly slow that when things to progress a little bit, they get buried between pages and pages of nothing. And what does happen is pretty much all romance focused. The only thing fantasy about this novel is the magic and some of the world-building, but everything else gets sidelined in favor of the relationship between Lia and Con.

The characters don’t really help matters. The novel is told from the POVs of Lia and Con and the similarities between their inner monologues, which there is a lot of, makes it difficult to distinguish who’s who. Especially when there are no indications in the eARC copy of who’s the POV character for each chapter. There are some intriguing side characters, although I wish had been more fleshed out like Ambrose and Sondra.

The one big plot point of the novel is the marriage between Lia and Con and that takes such a long time to happen. When it does, the sex comes along with it in the form of some pretty… unsexy steamy scenes. And that’s supposed to be the climax of the story, no pun intended. So it’s really not impressive. Nothing happens, so there really isn’t a satisfying end to the story.

Overall, The Orchid Throne just doesn’t work for me at all. The world-building is really cool, but it’s not enough to hold the novel up. The slow pace and heavy focus on romance make this a chore to get through and the main POV characters sound too alike. I personally found this really boring and it’s not the book for me at all. Readers who enjoy fantasy romance novels with a super heavy focus on romance and a plot where nothing dangerous happens to the couple will probably love this, though.

I’m rating this 2 stars because I was so confused the first half of the book. This is more Fantasy/Romance which I wasn’t entirely expecting. The POV’s are so confusing and I couldn’t tell who was talking for a few chapters. I really struggled to get through this one!

Okay...so this is why I’m rating it 2 Stars.

The first few chapters, slow paced, getting nowhere in the story.
No indication of who’s POV it is in the ARC. Is it Lia or Con talking? Both are too similar to each other. In the ways they think and feel.
Too much rambling.
The world-building is nice, but couldn’t hold my interest for long.
Just not my cup of tea.

I received this ebook copy from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.