Absolutely amazing! Love the new characters and getting to explore this world. Would love to see more of it in future.

I could not care about anything 40% in to the book. I struggled with this authors works before but I read the other entries in this series and liked them, so I decided to give this one a shot. It's the exact same problem that I had with the Kate Daniels series - the info dumps just pull me out of the story so much.
I loved the Hidden legacy series, but that one is not secondary world fantasy which seems to be the disconnect with me and their books. If I read it at another time other then behind an incredible 5 star science fiction book maybe I could have pushed through enjoyed it more.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this review copy. Once again another brilliant piece of writing from Ilona Andrews.

This was such a fun ride. I haven't read the other books set in this universe and I'm happy to report that you don't have to in able to follow along with this one. The world building was just enough to set the scene. The action was non-stop, the romance was perfectly integrated, and the political intrigue was so well done that it was hard to see what was coming before it happened. Hopeful for more romances set in this world.

Kinsmen is one my favorite novella series. I've reread the first two quite a few times, so I was so excited to find out that there's a new one set in this world. And it did not disappoint!
Picture Romeo and Juliette in a sci-fi world, but make them into deadly warriors who are rulers of their families. The Adlers and the Baenas have been at war with each other for generations, in the beginning it was about actual killings but nowadays it is more about business and silent hatred. So when Ramona Adler shows up at Matias Baena's office one day saying he is shocked does not cover it. He is more shocked at what she has to say and the fact that he agrees to team up with her in secret from their families to try and solve a crisis. I'm not gonna say what that crisis is cause it was actually hilarious to read and I don't want to spoil it for you.
I read it in one sitting and it doesn't matter that it was only just over 200 pages, I would have read it just the same way if it was longer. The characters are fantastic. Both of them have so much responsibility on their shoulders, but at the end of the day they are only humans and humans need someone to rely one, someone strong. It was so satisfying to see them find it in each other. The battle scenes are great, the humor is there, the plot was good. Seriously, the only thing I didn't like and it's not even a criticism, it's just me whining, is that it does not overlap with the previous novellas and we don't get to see how those characters are doing. But it would make it easier to read for people who are not familiar with this series.
P.s. that epilogue was hilarious and sweet.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel includes all the pacing and rich world development that I've come to expect from Ilona Andrews. While this book isn't as long as their novels typically are, I hope that it is setting up the beginning of a new series. The world they've created for the Kinsmen is rich and full of potential stories of the families.

* Received eARC from NetGalley*
Another delightful adventure romance by team Ilona Andrews.

This short novel is part of the loosely connected stories of the Kinsmen universe. As such, the world building is rather less defined than in other established series by Ilona Andrews, but each new book reveals new aspects of the Kinsmen universe.

The main characters themselves, Ramona Adler and Matias Baena, are likable: strong, honorable, and principled. In my opinion, the romance between them is more realistic than in many romances, as it builds upon their admiration for each others' character rather than simply on physical attraction.

[There is some aspect of "special connection", but that appears later in the story. (hide spoiler)]

Nitpicking, I was at first unconvinced of the setup of the story [[ first, how such strong, principled individuals could both enter into marriages with individuals with such weak character, and, secondly, how the feud between the two families started (hide spoiler)]], but my doubts were set to rest as information was revealed as the story progressed.

It was a joy to join Ramona and Matias on their adventures together. The feud between the two families did not put too great a shadow on the growing relationship between the two protagonists...which is plausible as the last active conflict between the families was around two generations ago. It was interesting to see Ramona and Matias learn about each other through seeing their interactions with their families and others. While both protagonists are superior fighters, they did not solve all their problems through physical violence. It was particularly interesting seeing how the two dealt with allies and enemies. [ For example, Matias negotiated deals with people he did not trust, and ran espionage operations on those people as insurance, making it easier to neutralize them the future if necessary. Ramona, on the other hand, preferred to do favors for people, usually connecting them with people who could provide them with what they needed, even if they didn't realize they needed it. (hide spoiler)]

All in all, a satisfying Sci-Fi/Fantasy romance. I look forward to seeing more from Ilona Andrews and the Kinsmen universe.

Another brilliant novel by the husband and wife team of Ilona Andrews. They once again combine creative world building, wonderful characters and beautiful story telling. You get submerged in their fantasy and won't want to come out. You just want more.

The Kinsmen Universe is a brilliantly colorful, passionate, and violent one that is familiar and beloved to all IA fans. They've done an incredible job of the warring families trope and given us two strong, stoic badass protagonists who've needed each other all along. This will be going on the Reread shelf like all other IA books.

This was a short but fantastic read. The world was rich and the characters strong and endearing. As anything by this writing couple, it was worth the read and I cannot wait to see and hope there is more!

Fantastic short story in unmistakable Ilona Andrews style. Two smart adversaries, Ramona Adler and Matias Baena, who become partners "in crime" are dangerous for eachother. But chemistry is working miracles🙂
I liked fighting scenes a lot, author make them really great.
I didn' read first book in series, it is still sitting on my busy to do shelf. I hope I will find time, soon.
Thanks for copy Netgalley

The dynamic husband and wife writing duo that is Ilona Andrews returns to their alternative universe world for the third installment in Fated Blades. Ramona and Matias are interesting because they are both leaders of seriously competing, basically warring factions. The development of their romance is so engrossing precisely because of their families rivalry and the high stakes aspect of the plot. So much rests on their shoulders, and it’s lovely when they realize they can really rely on each other, and then things really heat up both personally and professionally.

An outstanding addition to the Kinsman universe. It both stands alone as its own story and builds upon the Kinsman series.

I was able to get copy from NetGalley, I never get anything, I felt so happy.

Anyway, I adored the book, I really think it can be read as a stand-alone, but if the previous ones in the series are read first, the reader could get a more complete and immersed experience.

I loved the dynamic between Matias and Ramona, to the point I just want to know more about them and their families.

I really recommend the book, hoping you have as much fun reading it as I did.

Absolutely INCREDIBLE! Fated Blades pulls you in and holds you tight! A fast paced book with characters who kick ASS and take names and keep you cheering for them from the very beginning! A new favorite series to be sure!

I love the works of Andrews, and the Kinsmen is my favorite series. This new addition is a must read

I love Ilona Andrews' books and this is an excellent addition. Gripping, fast paced, and entertaining.
Excellent storytelling and character development.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I generally will read anything by Ilona Andrews. I even read the original Kinsman books and was excited for the new one. However, this one just fell flat for me. The focus is Matias Baena and Ramona Adler, whose families are enemies, but must help each other when their spouses run off with critical company secrets. The expected romance ensues. I found the romance fell flat and too much of the book was spend describing fight scenes. It was also missing a lot of the humor that I always love, mind the toaster. The toaster was great. The ending “twist” also made no sense to me, and the epilogue felt a little tacked on. I tend to like how they write established relationships so that may be my issue so your milage may vary.

Ilona Andrews has been a favorite author duo of mine for some time, but I had never read the Kinsmen series. This new release was the perfect push to do so! They are each quick reads, novellas or novelettes, and Fated Blades is the longest of the three. The length could be a contributing factor, but of all the stories, Ramona and Matias have been taking up the most space in my head.

Enemy families, cheating spouses, business competition, and at least a sprinkling of fated mates all combined to make this a completely captivating story. I was glued to my ereader, super curious to see how it would all play out. These authors never let me down - the climax of the story does not disappoint!

There is definitely some violence but the cover suits my visual interpretation of the core story. I could see this being a comfort reread for me.

I would say this can be read as a stand-alone if the summary appeals to you.

I received an ARC in exchange for writing an honest review.

This is an excellent addition to the Kinsman Universe, adding richness to the series but could be thoroughly enjoyed without having read the others. The story is rich in detail and set in a world filled with color and depth. The main characters are multidimensional and full. The fast paced race through the plot leads to a satisfying completion. I really enjoyed this book.