The Kingmaker is a story about two very strong-willed individuals who need years to figure out how to be together. Lennix is a woman from one of the Native reservations. Her beliefs and actions are driven by the injustices she experienced on the reservation and growing up with a father who was not from the reservation. She has spent her life straddling the line between those two worlds. Maxim grew up rich and privileged. He wants to change the world, but he doesn't intend to use his family connections to do it. When their worlds collide, they find a spark of attraction, but the timing is wrong. When they meet again the spark remains, but the timing is wrong again. Will they ever have the correct timing? Will lies keep them apart? Will politics, money, and power keep them apart?

Fair warning, this is book 1 and that means there's a cliffhanger. It's a doozy. Lennix was a bit too self-righteous for my personal taste, but the author does a good job showing why Lennix has her beliefs and why she acts on them the way she does. I thought that Lennix going from teen activist to political power player was well done and made perfect sense with her overall character. Her development from loving Maxim to hating Maxim to realizing that he is the one for her was a really good journey. Seriously, she was very thoughtful and adult about the whole thing once she got past her own barriers. Maxim starts the story as an adult with a long-term plan. I feared that he wouldn't get any growth except getting rich which isn't growth in my opinion. Maxim surprised me because he ended up being pretty complex. His love for his family was a constant struggle. His drive to succeed made him both ruthless and caring. The moments in the story where Maxim talks to his family members really added to his development. In the end, I felt like they were a good fit because they had found their places in the world in a way they never could have if they had been together when they were younger.

I really hate this sort of cliffhanger. As I was reading, I kept thinking the pacing was odd, so I wasn't surprised that there was a huge cliffhanger at the end. The pacing became a major issue for me. There was always something happening, so it wasn't that those scenes weren't integral to the story but that some of those scenes read very slowly as compared to the rest of the book. It made my experience as a reader less e enjoyable because it pulled me out of the flow of the story. I also expected that the 10+ years it took for them to get together would blunt some of their edges but only Maxim seemed to have that happen. I don't know if the next story will show additional sides to Lennix but I hope so.

This is a story that takes place over many years and in various locations. There is great wealth and power on display and a large dose of talking about marginalized groups. I don't think the book description really does it justice. I will read the next book because I want to know what happens next. I will read more from this author in the future.

Thank you Kennedy Ryan and Bloom Books for the advanced reader copy of The Kingmaker.

Wow wow wow. I am literally in awe of Kennedy Ryan's ability to, not only create a beautiful and challenging love story, but to create a story that teaches us and informs us on culture, climate change and the ins and outs of political turmoil.

I have never read a Kennedy Ryan novel, but her storytelling in this novel kept me engaged from beginning to end. I was captured from the Native American ritual and rite of passage our FMC Lennix goes through at 15 to the dominating force she becomes in the political campaigning space. She is someone every woman can look up to and strive towards. She is a confident, strong and powerful main character. I have never experienced a FMC like her.

With our MMC, while he can be seen as any other "dominating" love interest, Maxim has depth, heart and so much strength to his character. We fall in love with him almost immediately as he stands up for what is right and goes for what he wants. He has faults, which makes his character that much more real and human.

This story follows a span of time and we follow our main characters as they develop their careers and grow into their own strengths. We jump periods of time seamlessly while still gaining story development and understanding of the gaps. Kennedy Ryan gave us a true heart wrenching, challenging and real love story that will leave you wanting more.

I devoured this book and am left with my jaw hanging open at the end. I cannot wait to read the next in the series.

Rating: 5 ★

From the very beginning, the two main characters catch your attention with their distinct backgrounds and values. Lennix, a courageous seventeen-year-old Native American woman, fearlessly fights against a pipeline that threatens sacred ground. Maxim is a graduate student who is passionate about the environment and global warming. Their lives intersect unexpectedly when Maxim's father, the owner of the oil company, brings them together in an unlikely circumstance that lands them both behind bars. Despite an undeniable connection, circumstances prevent their relationship from blossoming.

Fast forward four years, and fate reunites Lennix and Maxim in Amsterdam. The bond they share transcends geographical boundaries and time. Their chemistry is palpable. As they navigate their respective paths of activism and careers, their unwavering dedication to making the world a better place becomes a driving force in their lives. You will root for them to overcome hurdles and seize their chance at love

Kennedy Ryan's writing is exquisite, immersing you in the lives of Lennix and Maxim. The research and careful attention to detail shine through in the depiction of heavy topics, including politics and social issues. Beyond being a love story, this book will make you take a deeper look at the world we live in.Prepare yourself for a cliffhanger ending. I definitely recommend this book! Kennedy Ryan is an amazing storyteller and I cannot wait to start the next book in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom books for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Kennedy Ryan has done it again. Just love this book! Didn’t think I could love other characters other than Yasmen & Josiah.

A big thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and Kennedy Ryan for a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Maxim is his own person. Not his father. He doesn't wish to follow in his father's multi-million oil empire but to go against it and his wished by studying about the Earth's climate and what we as humanity can do to save ourselves from the doom which we created for ourselves. Lennix has one goal. Get justice for all her ancestors who were striped of their land by the Americans and to get justice for her mother. When Maxim sees Lennix protesting at one of his father's oil pipelines, he immediately feels a connection but with his future goal to go independent, there is no way that he has time for love. Neither does Lennix. But when they meet once again years later in a totally different country, they still feel that connection.

I was expecting so much more of this book. Kennedy Ryan has a spotless reputation in the romance books community and I was expecting it all but this was below my standards. I didn't feel attached to any of the characters in this book. I didn't have a big problem with Lennix other than not connecting with her, but Maxim. Maxim was so sweet in the beginning of this book (when he was younger) but, in the final chapters of this book, I resented him so much. His personality switched completely and I was supposed to find that attractive... I did not.

I don't know about other people's opinion on this but I believe that there were too many year gaps. I kept getting lost on what age the characters were and that really took out the enjoyment of reading the book. The chapters weren't that long which I liked. I did not like that ending whatsoever. It was really unnecessary and simply not needed.

Safe to say that I didn't enjoy this book enough to read the second book.

The Cover is quite simple and clean but it is not clear how the flowers are related to the plot. Maybe it will make more sense once the second part will be released, since the book is the first part of the duology "All the King's Men".

The story is written from the views of Lennix and Maxim. Lennix is a member of an American Indian tribe and tries to make changes for her people. Maxim's father owns an oil empire - while he is more interested in climate-friendly energy sources.

We accompany these two for a long time, as the book has multiple time jumps - the longest spanning 10 years. Therefore we see how the characters grow and develope over the years.

As I don't want to spoil too much, I will not tell you much about the plot. There were two things, that I did not like too much:

Firstly, their love story takes up a lot of space in the first half of the book. They only have a few days together at this point. Those days are written in such detail, that it felt too much compared to the rest of the book. I also was not really fond of the sex scences, which did not help this part.

Secondly, the development during their 10 year time jump feels a little too utopian for me. It almost feels like out of a dream. You can have as much passion and energy in real life. But you'll probably not end up with as much success as they both do in the book.

Despite these negative points the book was interesting to read and the variation of the two views kept me going.

At the end there is a big cliffhanger which nearly forces the reader to also read the second book, once it comes out.

My conclusion:

Some annoying parts, but still fun to read - 3.5 stars.

Thank you to @netgalley and @kennedyryan1 for the ARC of this one! 🫶🏼

This book was different than most books I read in that it features two ambitious, passionate, intelligent, driven characters whose personal beliefs comprise just about their entire personality (understandably so)!

It’s clear that Kennedy Ryan did her HOMEWORK to make sure she was properly representing Native American customs, culture and beliefs as well as the very real fears.

This book also touches on political matters and environmental issues that are relevant and clearly, also well researched.

Lennix and Maxim started off strong (although it was Insta’ish) but responsibilities and distance make them spend most of this book apart; longing and pining for one another.

I’m hoping to see more of them in book 2; more of them together and more emotionally connected (not just sexually although that was welcome lol 🥹🥵😜).

And that ending?! 🤯

The Kingmaker is book one of All The Kings Men series. I read the series out of order so circling back to this book was a bit harder for me to get into. I thought the book started slower than I expected but it did pick up around the halfway mark. I really liked Lennox’s character, loved her values and her take-charge personality. Maxim was smart; he wanted to distance himself from his father and the things his family was known for. The chemistry between the two was really sweet but there was a lot of dialogue that moved the plot very slow, to me.

I received an arc copy from netgalley and the publisher of the traditional release of this story.

Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Steam: 🔥🔥/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Overall: 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed the Kingmaker. I loved the themes of activism and how Kennedy Ryan incorporated so much Indigenous culture and history to her story. I’m white, so I can’t comment on its accuracy, but it was clear that she made a significant effort in being respectful towards the cultures she represented.

The romance in this book is to die for. Maxim and Lennix have is a friends to lovers to (believable) enemies to…? They both have such strong personalities, which is what makes them such a compelling couple.

I can’t wait to read the next book, though I’ll probably wait for the re-release. Kennedy Ryan is one of my favorite romance authors ever, and I’m so glad I finally read another of her books.

The Kingmaker is out now from Bloom Books!

Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Steam: 🔥🔥/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Overall: 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed the Kingmaker. I loved the themes of activism and how Kennedy Ryan incorporated so much Indigenous culture and history to her story. I’m white, so I can’t comment on its accuracy, but it was clear that she made a significant effort in being respectful towards the cultures she represented.

The romance in this book is to die for. Maxim and Lennix have is a friends to lovers to (believable) enemies to…? They both have such strong personalities, which is what makes them such a compelling couple.

I can’t wait to read the next book, though I’ll probably wait for the re-release. Kennedy Ryan is one of my favorite romance authors ever, and I’m so glad I finally read another of her books.

The Kingmaker is out now from Bloom Books!

*Lennix and Maxim*

✨ Indigenous activist FMC
✨ Climate activist MMC
✨ Age Gap
✨ Multiple timelines
✨ Dual Pov
✨ Second chance romance
✨ Virgin
✨ Olivia Pope in Scandal vibes
✨ Cliffhanger

What a beautifully told story. Kennedy Ryan's writing is so well done you feel like you are watching everything unfold right in front of you. Lennix is a strong.... Woman who stands up for what she believes in and fights for it as well. Maxim is similar but he's hiding something from her that's a *big deal*. You could feel the emotion and the magnet pull between these two and I can't wait to dive into book 2.


Thank you Netgalley for this Arc of this rerelease. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was so much more than I was expecting. I would classify it as contemporary romance, but most other contemporary romance novels don’t hold a candle to this book. I like to call this “smart smut”. We get the spicy scenes so many of us love, but they are woven in to an intricate important plot.

This is part one (holy cliffhanger!) of a duology focused on Lennix Moon Hunter, a Yavapai-Apache activist, who runs political campaigns, and Maxim Cade, an environmental scientist/businessman and son of a wealthy oil and gas CEO. This novel spans decades and continents.

Highly recommend! 🖤

Thank you @netgalley and @read_bloom for the review ARC!

#bookstagram #kennedyryan #netgalley #bloombooks #thekingmaker #contemporaryromance

Rating: 5

Happy Pub Day to this amazing story!

And, man, what a story.

There were so many elements to this story that I loved:
Nix - a bad ass FMC - She’s smart, she’s courageous, she’s strong
Maxim - just one of those guys, you should probably hate, but just LOVE.
Indigenous representation - I need to read more books like this. It’s eye opening
Spice but with a plot :)
Traveling - exploring a whole new city
An undeniable connection between two people

What I was not expecting:
Cliffhangers - I mainly read romance where everything is tied up with a pretty bow. So when I got to the end of this book, I immediately picked up The Rebel King (thankfully I have an arc) and stayed up way too late reading because I just had to know what was going to happen. So my recommendation is when you pick up this book TODAY, set a reminder to pick up The Rebel King on 6/27. Both books are being re-released by Bloom, and the COVERS? love it

This was my first Kennedy Ryan novel, and clearly I need to read more!

The Kingmaker was a powerful, beautifully written novel, and while it definitely had its fair share of romance, it was about so much more than that - ie: love/loss/culture/heritage/family dynamics, etc. It kept me enthralled from start to finish. And let's not forget the cliffhanger! I knew there was a cliffhanger coming, but it was so not what I expected, so of course I had to run to NetGalley to request the next book in the series!

I really loved Maxim and Lennix! I loved their characters and their passion not only for each other but for the causes they were fighting for. I really liked how strong, fierce and determined they both were in their beliefs and how neither of them wavered as they aged throughout the book.

I would say my only complain is I wanted MORE of the romance between Lennix and Maxim. If you catch my drift!

Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks Bloom Books for this E-ARC in exhange for my honest review.

This story pulled me in from the beginning! Expertly woven politics and romance with an opposites attract vibe. Maxim and Lennix have explosive chemistry that had me flipping page after page wanting more. I devoured their story and the cliffhanger had me picking up the next book as fast as I could.

The Kingmaker by @kennedyryan1 is a second chance romance that I promise you, you won't want to put down. Ryan is amazing at getting you emotionally invested in each character that she writes about, and this book was no exception. When I tell you I've never felt the intensity and chemistry burn between two characters more than I have between Maxim and Lennix. I loved that it was a dual POV and we had front row seats to not only their romance but each of their professional passions. They were both forces not to be reckoned with. And the fact that Ryan left us on an epic CLIFFHANGER!!!! Brilliant!!! Because I will be coming back for more!

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to have this ARC for an honest review

The Kingmaker
By: Kennedy Ryan

📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

So much more!

In an incredible book from one of my favorite authors we get Lennix and Maxim’s story and it starts with a pipeline and then so much more. Can two people on opposite sides find a common ground and listen? The authors writing flawless and the words are so captivating, the plot had so many twists and turns and none that I was expecting, and many shockingly intimate I have become a huge fan of this author. The author writes with so much intensity and emotion pulled from each book it’s felt page after page. Some are quick witted story lines are so perfect and lets you believe you have a front row seat. So being able to read this love story didn’t disappoint. The authors ability to have two separate individuals struggling in their everyday life and try to navigate someone else’s thoughts, needs and desires was intense and gives all the fills.

Authors Blurb: In a world of haves and have-nots, Maxim Cade's family and their oil empire have it all…and he wants nothing to do with it. At odds with his mogul father, he's determined to build his own empire, even if it means traveling far from home, painted as the black sheep.

Lennix Hunter is the exception to every one of Maxim's rules. At a protest for the oil pipeline that threatens to mar her ancestral land forever, they meet in a flurry of stars and sparks, and that one moment changes everything. But Maxim's family is the one stealing from hers, and his father is the man she hates most. He has to lie in order to have her once, and despite the truth, he'll do anything to keep her.

Even though Lennix tries to hate Maxim, too, their hearts are pointed in the same direction. The inexorable pull between them, across miles and years, will not be denied.

And neither will Maxim.

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV my personal favorite this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know your 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.

Thanks Netgally for letting me read and review.📚💕

I’ve said this after finishing many of Kennedy’s books, but I swear this woman writes magic - and this duet in particular is some of my favorite magic that she’s written. Lennix and Maxim just have this amazing chemistry - it sparks from the very moment they meet and turns into this amazing inferno. I love the structure of this book, being able to see Lennix and Maxim at the different stages of their lives and how their paths manage to intersect so many times. It’s even further proof that these two are soulmates and are absolutely meant to be. And aside from the amazing chemistry between these characters, them as individuals are also just incredible to read about. I love that I always find myself learning about something when I read a book by Kennedy. She makes me stop and think so much while I’m reading, whether it’s about climate issues, or the disparities in marginalized communities, it’s all so thought provoking.

I was so excited to get a copy via NetGalley thanks to the publisher and Kennedy Ryan. I’ve really enjoyed her stories and couldn’t wait to dive into this one.
 
This book follows Lennix and Maxim as their story begins when she’s 17 and they meet at a protest of an oil pipeline Maxim’s father is trying to install over Native American land. Their paths reunite four years later- Lennix is trying to figure out what she wants to do after college graduation and Maxim has just finished his PhD in Climate Science and is headed to Antarctica for 8 months. When their paths cross again in Amsterdam, their connection is immediate, but Maxim is hiding something big. His estranged family, specifically his father, is the one responsible for the oil pipeline. The story continues on in part 3, which takes place 10 years later with both established in their respective careers. I do like how this story takes place over a long period of time, but some parts did feel rushed to me.
 
This book does end on a cliffhanger, but thankfully I received book 2 from Netgalley and don’t have to wait for the conclusion to Maxim and Lennix’s story!

Thank you Source Books/Bloom books, NetGalley, and Kennedy Ryan for this ARC copy of The Kingmaker in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Let me start with this, this book was INCREDIBLE! There are so many amazing things that were packed into this story, so bear with me while I do my best to unload it all!

Read if you love:
-Enemies to lovers
-Politically charged main characters
-STRONG main characters
-Insta-Love
-Age Gap
-Star Crossed Lovers
-Native American Education
-Possessive Alpha Males
-Timeline Romances (15 year time span)

The writing: the overall premise is such an intriguing thing in itself. Taking place over the course of 15 years combined - Lennix and Maxim find themselves with intertwined destinies - finding each other again and again when they least expect it.

Lennix is a member of the Apache tribe, and at 17 years old takes part in a protest to prevent a big oil company from laying a pipeline through her ancestral lands - that were promised by the government to be protected. The Cane family owns this company, and through a series of events - Maxim (the son of the CEO of said company) finds himself watching the passionate Lennix speak from her heart. One thing leads to another during this protest, and a group of protestors, and Maxim find themselves in jail. He learns of her age, and they part ways with nothing happening (at this point, and Lennix is none the wiser about who she actually spent time with), but the impression that they leave on each other proves to be unmatched as the years go on.

Fast forward 4 years to Amsterdam - Lennix (who is now of age) and Maxim meet again. A whirlwind of reconnecting over the course of a week changes this pair forever. Still unaware of Maxim's identity at the end of the week they once again are forced to part ways due to personal circumstances on both sides. The pair agreed that things could not be promised past this week - but when a proper goodbye is stolen from them - Maxim is haunted by the idea of never seeing her again, and is determined to see her again.

A dangerous situation arises for one of them, leaving the other to question if they were alive or dead. A public television coverage of the event leads to lies being bought to light, and the deep consequences that result in the deception.

Ten years after this, the pair find themselves both engrained in a political arena with their paths crossing once more. Only this time... there is no running away. They must face their pasts in order to move forward and change the future for both of their agendas.

Both characters are incredible, strong, and undergo such transformations that really engrain into the reader's mind - which in my opinion - only truly great writing can achieve.

I am NOT a real fan of politics... but this book not only is a romance, but a politically charged one that informs readers on Native and Indigenous injustices, along with climate change. Kennedy Ryan did a beautiful job in keeping this reader engaged with those details, and ready to learn more about each topic. I have Native Cherokee in my own blood (distantly so), and it was a lot to take in reading Lennix's journey with her mother's disappearance. I found it so beautiful that she was so passionate and dedicated her life to make a difference for those who have no voice in the political world.

This was book one of a duoalogy - and let me tell you... you will NEED to have that second book ready once you finish this first one. I was ready to throw my kindle at that disrespectful cliffhanger of an ending (haha).

QUOTES:
"You can have her expertise, I want everything else."
"In what world could you possibly think I belong to you?" "In the one we create, together."