REVIEW: A Curse of Queens by Amanda Bouchet

In A Curse of Queens by Amanda Bouchet, Jocasta is still getting settled into her new life as a supposed royal now that her older brother Griffin is king, leaving behind her simple(ish) life as a healer in a small town. But she finds herself frustrated that even though she can still help heal locals within the castle walls, she has no way to end the curse on her brother’s wife, Queen Catalia. Caught in a stasis that even the gods on Mount Olympus can’t break, Cat needs to find a solution before their enemies use the opportunity to shatter the newly created truce. And that’s where Jo steps in. Looking through ancient scrolls, she believes she’s found a way to help Cat. Now if she can talk a few of her brother’s guards–including Flynn, the man she thought she’d build a life with–into following her on a dangerous trek.

‘As they looked at each other, her pulse beating hard, Jocasta decided that the life she’d dreamed of wouldn’t dance just out of reach anymore. She wouldn’t let it.’

As head of Griffin’s army and newly appointed Alpha Team, Flynn has been on plenty of quests over the past few years. But nothing could have prepared him to have to travel day in and day out with Jocasta, worrying about her safety every moment. Flynn knows the talented healer can take care of herself. However, she has no idea what hazards they might face on the road. Let alone the danger to their hearts. Because Jo is the only woman Flynn has ever loved–and he will until he takes his last breath. As they fight their way to Circe’s island for a magic potion to cure Cat, he’ll have to also come to terms with his tragic past and decide if he can take a chance on an uncertain future with Jo.

“If I kiss you, I’ll be lost.” One crack was all it would take. One opening led to everything else.
Jo’s small hand slipped from his. She touched his cheek, her fingers featherlight. “Maybe you’ll be found.”

A Curse of Queens should be the roadmap for all fantasy romance. With its epic quest and the danger met along the way, a complicated romance that was years in the making, and a teaser of an ending that will leave you wanting more, Amanda Bouchet pulled out all the stops this time.

‘It was finally her turn to go on a quest. What were her chances of success? Of survival? Her heart hammered in her chest.’

I feel like I use the word Epic a lot when I talk about Amanda Bouchet’s novels but in the case of A Curse of Queens it’s true. I should start by saying it would be best to read all of the Kingmaker Chronicles in order as each book picks up where the previous one left off. And *so* much happens in each one. It’s a saga that does get explained in every new installment, but there’s a big cast with many intricate threads woven in. In this particular story, it was Jocasta and Flynn’s turn to shine. And boy didn’t they light up the pages!

The first thing (of many) that I loved about our hero and heroine was that they were very relatable. Even though this is a fantasy novel, Flynn and Jocasta were down to earth, fallible, and just felt so incredibly real to me. Their relationship was complex. And I’m not kidding when I say their romance was *years* in the making. They knew growing up together that they had a special connection but with Flynn being about ten years Jocasta’s senior, he didn’t want to overstep boundaries. His sad family history also made it difficult for him to even think about a future–let alone a happy one with Jocasta.

So six years of Flynn and Jocasta basically ignoring each other after an attempt at togetherness turned into a shaky try at becoming friends again present day, to something way more than they expected. It was sweet and tender. It made Flynn anxious and Jocasta yearn for a life together. But along with all the intense battles they fought on their trek for a way to cure Cat, they fell even more in love and created a deep bond that I couldn’t help but adore. I think readers will enjoy Jocasta and Flynn’s HFN ending–I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of them in upcoming novels–and will be wholly intrigued with some big twists as well as new information gleaned about certain characters.

QOTD: This series is based around Greek Mythology, which has become popular again in fantasy novels over recent years. Are you a fan of this theme?

Book Info:

Publication: October 4th 2022 | Sourcebooks Casablanca | Kingmaker Chronicles #4

Discover an all-new adventure in USA Today Bestselling author Amanda Bouchet’s thrilling, white-hot fantasy series, The Kingmaker Chronicles!

The queen has been cursed, and no one knows who’s behind the plot to threaten the realm’s fragile peace. Desperate to help, Jocasta hatches a plan to find Circe’s Garden, a fabled island where she hopes to discover an antidote. But she can’t do it alone. She needs the strong arm and unflinching bravery of the warrior she’s loved since childhood—her brother’s right-hand-man and captain of the guard, Flynn of Sinta.

Together they can do the impossible. Yet with treachery brewing on Mount Olympus, one thing is clear: Thalyria and its new royals are still pawns in an epic game of power—one that might end in a War of Gods.