The Kingmaker: A Slow Burn Forbidden Romance with Ambition and Activism (All The King's Men, 1)

4.5 “Girl Who Chases Stars” “Doc” “wolf” “Amsterdam” KissesI had a reeeeeeally good feeling about The Kingmaker. I can’t really put my finger on exactly what it was…but I mean it had a lot of good things working in its favor. I mean…the blurb…all the teasers I read…that cover!!!! Just wow…seriously, that cover might be one of my favorites ever – but I digress…the icing on top of the cake was the fact that it’s written by Kennedy Ryan. The writing was ah-maze-inggggg…I loved her words so much and seeing what she did with Lennix and Maxim was perfection on the page. It was an angsty romance, it was empowering, it was suspenseful, it was so many things that I was never expecting and I loved how much Kennedy surprised me with this book. I couldn’t get enough of The Kingmaker…truly never wanted it to end…this story is truly unique and Nix and Maxim are completely unforgettable.Lennix Moon Hunter…a gorgeous name to match an equally gorgeous woman, inside and out. I loved going on the journey of meeting and getting to know Lennix…she is so unique…an old soul, trapped in a time that isn’t ready for her and honestly doesn’t deserve her. I could tell from the first moment I read her thoughts that she was going to be a fierce, impactful character…and I was beyond correct. I loved her passion and her drive…you could feel it with every action she took, with every word she spoke – she fights for everything she believes in with her whole heart and soul and that is an inspiring thing to read. I wish I had half the conviction she has in her pinky…she doesn’t care who she is up against because they have never faced someone like her. She is beyond intelligent…witty…kind…generous…loving…a thoughtful daughter, a caring friend…she is a warrior, an activist, a fighter…she is so many things and I feel like I am barely scratching the surface of how truly amazing she is. Clearly I kind of have a bit of a crush on Ms. Hunter…but luckily I’m in good company ;-)‘Humor crinkles the edges of those beautiful eyes, and I’m suddenly sad I’ll probably never see this man again. I know it’s crazy. We’ve only shared a few words in not much more than an hour, but I’m the kid so often trapped between worlds, split in two and finding my place. On rare occasion, you come across someone who just gets you, and you don’t have to figure out your place. Wherever you are is okay.I think he could be a “wherever you are” person.’Maxim Kingsman Cade…good Lord have mercy, I need to send Kennedy Ryan and personal thank you card for creating this man because he’s just too amazing for words. Unlike with Lennix, who I could clearly start a fan club for, it’s really hard for me to try and put my thoughts and feelings about Maxim into coherent thoughts. He is so unexpected…and in a world where he could make easy choices to do the wrong thing and be what is expected of him…he chooses to fight for what he believes is right. He is nothing like you would expect him to be and that was one of the things I loved most about him. I loved how brilliant he was…I loved how much he wanted to fight for the planet and yet also make money too (can’t really blame him for that…he is a Cade)…I loved how charming he was…I just adored him. His determination…his drive…if he wants something, he never gives up and I loved that. I still feel like I’ve not said enough about how amazing Maxim is…not done his character enough justice…he’s absolutely one of a kind – I mean clearly, Lennix Moon wouldn’t have fallen for a guy who was anything less than.“Ask me how many times I’ve thought about you since that protest.” My voice scratches gruffly against the cool silk of the quiet night.She stares up at me, and at first I think she’ll wave off my question, pretend this is normal, what’s happening between us. But she doesn’t do that. She doesn’t pretend or wave it off. She meets it head-on and answers with unflinching honesty.“Maybe as many times as I’ve thought of you.”Lennix and Maxim are…chemistry and passion personified. They are so different and yet so much alike…they make come from different backgrounds but they have that same burning desire to do more, be more, and change the world. And they’re doing it. They have an instant connection…obviously some of that is attraction and lust based, but it has roots that are far deeper. They make a mark on each other from the very beginning and it never fades. Lennix and Maxim have staying power…it doesn’t matter what they come up against, there is no denying the power of what they have, it’s as strong as the passion that they have for their separate causes. I loved that this wasn’t a ‘typical’ romance where one person puts his or her own dreams and aspirations to the side so that they can be together – there is absolutely nothing at all wrong with that – but it would not have felt right or authentic with these two. They are more realistic…pragmatic…and it felt so much more genuine – it was a sucker punch to the heart but completely worth it to see them achieve their own goals. Plus…absence makes the heart grow fonder. I loved their connection…their banter…how they each supported each other in what they were passionate about. There is so much right and perfect and wonderful about the bond that Maxim and Nix have.‘“I’ve been drawn to you since I first I saw you on that hill with stars and stripes on your face. You cried, and there was such conviction in every word you spoke. I didn’t know you were seventeen, but I knew you were young. And I wondered, what made her this way? What shaped her into this remarkable person already? Now I know. That girl, the girl who drew me in that day, I would never expect things to be simple or typical with her.”For a moment, I’m stunned by his vision of me—of how he saw me so clearly. There are few things more affirming than someone seeing you exactly as you aspire to be—for them to say I see that in you.’Clearly I knew Kennedy Ryan was a talented author…I mean, you don’t win a RITA for nothing…but I feel like The Kingmaker is just a whole other level of brilliance. Granted…I haven’t read all of Kennedy’s books (yet!!! Don’t stone me! I’m working on it!!!) but everything I have has blown me away…and The Kingmaker COMPLETELY blew me away! I loved the way she crafted the story and the characters and it just felt fearless - the way she tackled not only their love story but also the causes that Nix and Maxim were passionate about. With Maxim’s focus on climate change and Nix’s focus on Native American rights, you’ve got two huge, important topics that both mean a great deal to people…it can be very polarizing and (unfortunately) political. It’s impossible not to internalize how Maxim and Nix feel about their own causes…I loved feeling their passion, but there were times when it started to edge toward a bit much for me, mainly because it got a bit repetitive and I felt like I had read the same thing over and over which is a pet peeve of mine. I truly applaud Kennedy for taking the stand and writing about truly important topics – there are things that she mentions in this book that I had no idea about, so it was kind of awesome that I got to read a brilliantly wonderful book and also learn a few things at the same time.‘What do I want from Lennix? To know if my memory tricked me, and she wasn’t as fantastic as I remember? Do I need that reassurance to move forward? I can’t call this love, the near-obsessive burn in my gut when I think of her, when I saw her last night. She was a candle lit and extinguished too quickly, but the smoke of what we had has endured, lingering in the air all these years.I wouldn’t call it love, but it’s something I’ve never found elsewhere, and I need to know if I could have it again. If I could have her again.’I didn’t see the last 20% of the book coming at all…I mean, let’s be honest I didn’t see any part of the book happening the way it did. Maxim and Nix took over and I just held on for the right but it was a pretty amazing ride so I’m not complaining in the least. I did however know to expect a cliffhanger – this is the All the King’s Men DUET for a reason…there’s a book two and Kennedy is going to make sure we want to read book two! And she definitely achieved that goal for me. I am the strange reader who loooooves cliffhanger’s – but they have to be GOOD cliffhanger’s and Kennedy definitely gave me a goodie. Totally unpredictable…unique…made sense with the events that was happening and it is not drama for the sake of drama. I absolutely cannot wait to see what she is going to do with The Rebel King…cause I seriously have no idea – I mean if I thought I couldn’t have guessed The Kingmaker, I’m even more clueless as to what she is going to do with my poor Maxim and Lennix…but I’m sure her amazing, creative brain will blow me away again.

So this is my last series to read in Kennedy's backlog of books. I am sad that this will be the last complete series I have from her. She's hands down my favorite author. I love that her romance novels are just about the romance or just about the plot. She marries the two together effortlessly. I gasp, I am agape, I exclaim, I talk to the characters like they can hear me. I do not know how she always writes the best novels but she does. Every single character in her novels is always well represented and the found family aspect in all of her novels will FOREVER have me coming back for literally anything she writes. Her earlier books are free on KU but I will always pay money to have my physical copies because she deserves that much and more.This book was good but not my favorite. Politics took a very large front seat which put me off for a bit. (Hence the 4 stars instead of the 5.) I had to put the book down for a little. But I told myself "you love her writing keep going". I'm so glad I did. And hello cliffhanger! Good thing I already bought the whole series and can jump right into the next book. I am loving the dynamic between Lennix and Maxim. He's intense! I hated them both for a second for what they were doing to each other but you cannot deny their chemistry and how good they are together. I liked this book a lot. I'll be diving into the next one literally tomorrow.

I had the chance to meet Kennedy Ryan recently at a book release event, and when she talked about The Kingmaker—its themes of activism, politics, and love—I was instantly intrigued. I don’t usually veer away from romantasy, but I loved her Skyland series so I gave this one a shot.What I found was a powerful, beautifully written love story deeply rooted in real-world issues. Kennedy’s research shines, especially in her representation of people of color, Indigenous communities, and driven women in STEM and activism. The emotional depth had me hooked from page one.Even at a time when I wanted to avoid anything political, this book helped me view our world through a new lens—compassionate, empowering, and hopeful.A standout story with unforgettable characters. I cannot wait to pick up the sequel.