The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom Book 2) Kindle Edition

“But in his heart, he knew that even if he never saw her again for the rest of his life, it would never be over.She would always be his queen.”✨✨The Traitor Queen is the second book in The Bridge Kingdom series. Lara is a queen in exile following her father’s takeover of Ithicana. Not only that, her father has captured Aren as bait to draw her out. Knowing she can’t leave Aren in her father’s clutches, Lara hatched a plan to not only get Aren back but to liberate Ithicana as well.✨✨Jensen is great at creating action packed romantasy books. Lara is by far one of my favorite heroines from her feisty attitude, ability to kick butt, and despite being the traitor queen, loyalty to those she loves. I love the banter between her and Aren. Even when they’re not on good terms, they’re just drawn to each other. It was heartbreaking at times to see them come to the realization that loving each other may not be enough. It’s worth mentioning that Jensen also does a great job at weaving humor though the story to break up the action and despair. A particular scene of note occurred after Lara was caught trying to steal from the Oasis town. I also really enjoyed getting to see different locations: Maridrina, more of the desert where Lara grew up, and Valcotta. With this being a reread for me, it was interesting to see how these locations played into the next book in the series. It was also interesting to see how Jensen wove the importance and involvement of sharks in the Ithicanian culture and brought it back full circle with Lara. This book is definitely worth reading.

Wow! This is quite possibly the best duet I have ever read! Chapter 64 brought some tears to my eyes! I felt that!This is a story of redemption and revenge! Even though she did not mean to betray her new home and husband, Lara is banished and suffering from the desolation of her new marriage, but she is a survivor! This story is all about her journey of atonement for her sin, and hope. Hope to save Aren, their people, and their relationship. It does end in a HEA, but I was tremulous til the very end! Highly Recommend!

"There is only one Queen of Ithicana. Just as there is only one King. And if any of our enemies dare come for our kingdom, we will bring them to their knees."You know those books that keep you up late at night because it has you so emotionally invested? Yeah, well, this is that book. I devoured The Traitor Queen in one evening, and even as I'm writing this the next morning, I can't stop thinking about it!I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK, except for one thing (which I'll get to later). But right now, let me give you reasons to read The Traitor Queen.*Book 1 spoilers ahead*Here's what I liked:• From the beginning to the end, there is non-stop action. Not the kind where there are so many details it bores you to tears. No, it was quick-paced, heart-pounding, and sometimes stressful. I gaped at the page more than once because of the action unfolding. We finally get to see Lara use her deadly training from the compound and realize just how badass she really is!• Lara and Aren's character development and struggles. By changing pov's, we can see how anguished both are at their past choices and how they try to live with themselves and the outcome. I really felt for these two as they sunk deep into desperation, hopelessness, regret, and self-loathing, and wanted nothing more than for them to forgive either themselves or each other.• Lara and Aren's romantic storyline. Lara completely betrayed Aren's trust yet in The Bridge Kingdom, yet no matter the past, Aren can't help but love her - this woman who destroyed his kingdom. Lara spends the entirety of the book trying to make up for her mistake, knowing that even if Aren could forgive her treachery, Ithicana would never accept a traitorous queen back on the throne. It broke my heart to see Lara fighting for a future she can never have.Just FYI, the romance was slow-burn due to the previous betrayal, and there aren't many romantic scenes (only one true sex scene). The focus is more on Lara and Aren rebuilding their relationship and their emotional struggles, which I found to be more realistic and endearing. Even with everything that happened, they can't help but protect each other• Meeting Lara's sisters! This group of badass women was a great addition to the storyline and added more background and understanding to Lara's character.• The world development. While in The Bridge Kingdom, we only saw Ithicana and Vencia, in this book we are taken on a journey through most of Maridrina (including the Red Desert and Kresteck Mountains) and Valcotta. I loved the different landscapes and learning more about this fictional world.• The last 100 pages. Seriously, I can't remember the last time I felt so anxious while reading a book. So much happens - some of it will make you smile, some of it will break your heart. It's these last few pages that got me extremely emotional and wishing I could live this book. So damn good!Here's what I didn't like :• The ending wrecked me (in the best way possible), but I needed more! The characters go through such an ordeal, and then it just sort of ends. No epilogue either. It felt rushed when what I wanted and needed was a few more chapters about the aftermath. I thought this would maybe come in the third book, but I've learned it follows the path of two secondary characters from The Traitor Queen. However, I'm hopeful Danielle L. Jensen will figure something out and won't leave us readers emotionally hanging.Overall, this series has easily become one of my favorites! Danielle L Jensen created such a wonderful world with loveable characters, and storylines.

The first book in the series didn't really grab me. However the action, the angst, and the political subterfuge really kept me engaged throughout this book. I really enjoyed seeing Lara's quest for redemption after what went down in Bridge Kingdom. It was exciting to meet the rest of her messed up family, and get a deeper insight into her character. I enjoyed seeing the development and evolution of her relationship with Aren. Keris was also an intriguing addition to the tale. I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens with him in the next book. This sequel definitely saved the series for me.

The Traitor Queen picks up straight from where The Bridge Kingdom left off, with Aren taken prisoner by the King of Maridrina, and Lara despised by the Ithicanians as a traitor, but vowing to save her husband and exact revenge on her father.I absolutely loved The Bridge Kingdom and have been highly anticipating this sequel. Overall, I found The Traitor Queen a decent follow up by sequel standards (which can sometimes fall short in my personal experience), and I enjoyed being once more immersed in Jensen's world and reunited with the characters from the first book.Whilst The Bridge Kingdom was a slower build, with action sequences interspersed throughout, The Traitor Queen, was more full blown action I thought. The chapters mostly alternate from both Lara and Aren's perspectives, which worked well in my opinion.There were a few new characters introduced, of which Keris, Lara's brother was perhaps the most intriguing, and it seems it is his story that Jensen plans to follow in the third book of the series. I liked that Lara's sisters made a return in this book, though they were perhaps not around for as long as I had envisaged.There remains a lot of political intrigue, and whilst I did feel better acquainted with the different kingdoms and their alliances, this could still be a little confusing at times.I thought Jensen explored the fall out from Lara's betrayal in the last book well for the most part. Certainly from Lara's point of view we can see a lot of guilt and a desperation almost to make amends, no matter the cost. Likewise from Aren's point of view, we can see his hurt and also his own guilt at the fact that he blames himself for his Kingdom's fall and people's suffering due to trusting Lara, and yet despite everything she is never far from his mind.Whilst I certainly enjoyed this book and overall found it satisfying enough a sequel, it did not quite live up to The Bridge Kingdom for me personally. Perhaps that is because I generally prefer character development over action, and I did think that the latter in this book was slightly at the cost of the former, certainly in comparison to The Bridge Kingdom. The banter and interactions between characters, which was so engaging in the first book didn't have quite the same sparkle here. Furthermore, the build up of the romance between Lara and Aren, and her slowly falling in love with Ithicana itself, and all the implications that had on her task, were done really well in The Bridge Kingdom, and in comparison the story here felt weaker. Still if you are the sort of reader who likes action heavy plot, you may end up preferring this second book.Overall 3.5 stars.

🔥With everything she loves in jeopardy, Lara must decide who – and what – she is fighting for: her kingdom, her husband, or herself🔥I adored TBK even if that cliffhanger was cruel (even if we knew it was gunna happen) it was made crueller by the wait for this second book! 😭 but let me tell you... IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!You can really see Lara's growth in this book & she completely owns her mistakes which is refreshing. It made me love her even more, especially with how hard she fights to make things right! Too hard at times! It really frustrated me how she was treated.Plus I loved being introduced to her sisters, I'd been waiting for this since the first book! All the badass female love in this book! It's definitely everything we needed and more. I hope we get to see more of them in future books! I loved their interactions and how protective they were of each other.It had everything I loved from the first book & more. If it's not already obvious I definitely recommend this series, it's such a fun, fast paced read!Plus both books have the most amazing cover art!

"Wild things better off untamed. More beautiful because of it..."*The Queen of Ithicana is in exile as a traitor watching from the sidelines as her father conquers her husband's Kingdom. But when she learns that Aren has been captured she knows her father is setting a trap to get rid of her once and for all. But she can't resist Aren and, trap or not, she'll do everything she can to return him to Ithicana safely. To right the wrongs she's made, she enlists help from the weapons that her father created - her sisters. Together, with Aren, they work to restore Ithicana's crown. But Aren finds it hard to trust Lara after her brutal betrayal but Lara is willing to sacrafice it all to prove that her love and loyalty lies with him.*"Awake or asleep, all I see is your face. All I hear is your voice. All I feel is you in my arms. All I want is you..."*Picking up right after The Bridge Kingdom left off, we see Lara in exile as a traitor to the Crown. This book was definitely more action packed than book one but I loved the alone time Lara and Aren had whilst making their way back to Ithicana and I laughed so much - especially when she finds herself in town square shackles! The tension between them two is palpable and the only thing holding Aren back is the bitter taste of betrayal. This book also left me crying so hard - I was totally gripped throughout! What a conclusion to an amazing duology - I can't wait to read more in book 3 which is based on two characters we seen introduced in The Traitor Queen!*"Because there is only one Queen of Ithicana. Just as there is only one King. And if any of our enemies dare come for our kingdom, we will bring them to their knees..."

Accused of treason and banished from Ithicana, Lara could only watch from the outside as the Bridge Kingdom fell under her father’s control. She could not remain indifferent. When her husband and the king of Ithicana, Aren, was imprisoned, she devised a plan to set him free. A project that required her to make her way back to Eranahl, where she was not welcomed anymore. The next step might be even more dangerous as she reached out to the only people who knew her father and his strategies as well as herself— her sisters.The second instalment was, in my opinion, more exciting and surprising than the first book in this series. I found Lara’s attempt to regain the trust of the Ithicanians fascinating. I also loved the fact that we learn more about her sisters, even if the knowledge seemed fragmentary and their development was abandoned somewhere throughout the novel. Despite their differences, the sisters love, trust and help each other. In this book, Danielle L. Jensen also continued the theme of the complex political and economic relations between the countries, which adds gravity to the otherwise light read.To sum up, I honestly enjoyed reading about Lara and Aren and plan to reach for the third part of the trilogy soon. I would recommend this book to all fans of fantasy with a bit of romance mixed in

This book, just wow! I binged them back to back and SOOO much happens I don't know how @danielleljensen managed to weave it all with perfection.I honestly wasn't sure what to expect in book two because sometimes you find the second book doesn't live up to the first in a series, but The Traitor Queen blew my mind, it was amazing. The angst is tenfold and my emotions where all over the place in a good way. It was intense with non-stop action. I couldn't turn the pages quick enough to find out what was going to happen next. We got everything I loved in book one and more!I loved that this one is 99% wrapped in terms of the main characters and that we will explore the world more in the next book through other characters I'm keen to know more about. Now the wait begins. In the meantime I'm looking forward to reading Dark Shores.Danielle has cemented her place as one of my favourite authors.