She stepped to him, pressed her breasts up against him. His thighs were hard against the front of hers, the hilts of his weapons bumped against her hips and belly, and dark, dangerous desire burned in his eyes. She wanted all of it. All of him. “Show me.” She slid her arms around his neck. “For I have been dying to be wanted the way you do.”

 

The first in the Renegade Lords series and an expanded version of a previously published novella, King's Warrior came in heavy with the steamy sex scenes and finished up with a historical fiction twist. Beginning with an introduction to a group of criminal boys, this story focuses on Tadhg, the one who decides to strike out on his own.

 

This worried her, that she would experience chills of excitement because a stranger had promised he’d return after he dragged the bodies of rogue soldiers to a whorehouse and dumped them for her.

She turned inside to stuff rags in the other men’s mouths.

 

As usual with Kennedy's couples, they sparked, sizzled, and steamed up the pages. Tadhg (author provides a link to a Youtube video to hear how the name is pronounced) and Magdalena pretty much have an instant chemistry and lust. While the sex scenes were always inspiring, they popped up too frequently in the first half for me; I'm more of a fan of gradual building growth to the bedroom or up against the wall, as was the case at times here. 

 

The King handed him the dagger. “Take it, Irish, take it and run hard.”

 

The second half is where we get to the meat of the adventure and the explanation as to why Tadhg is on the run. In this fictional version of history, King Richard just may have paid for a group of assassins to kill the King of Jerusalem. The King of France, Prince John, and Geoffrey d'Argent the Baron of Sherwood are chasing Tadhg trying to get the dagger he carries that will implicate Richard in the assassination. (The author provides this fascinating look at how she took real history, weaved it in and out to create this story) It was fun and exciting to see real historical figures like Richard the Lionheart, William Marshal, Earl of Huntington, Prince John, and Sherwood flitter in and out of the scenes.

 

He knew now that even if he never saw Ireland again, he’d still somehow found his way home.

 

With the sex scenes appearing a bit too soon and taking over the first half, the story felt somewhat uneven with the more plot heavy second half. The sex scenes and plot were done well, they just didn't mesh. Magdalena was the stronger character of the two with Tadhg's past resting to much in the shade to give him a flush character feel. However, Tadhg and Magdalena never lacked for passion and I'm wildly anticipating Tadhg's circle of friends' stories.

 

“It is too good,” she whispered.

“I know,” he rasped, and sucked her bottom lip into his mouth.

 

“Aye?” His voice was thick.

Her cheeks flamed. “Oh, aye. I thought…I thought you were going to…take me,” she finished in a rush, flushing.

One dark brow arched in silent reply, then he nodded toward her body, in front of which he still knelt, her gown still bunched against her belly, one of her knees still hooked over his shoulder. “I consider you taken,” he said, his voice roughened like a knot in silk.

 

The author gave a link to a youtube video of someone pronouncing the hero's name, Tadhg, and now I'm spiraling down an Irish people talking video hole. Not going to ask for help from this one, they're a little more lyrical than my mid-western accent, lol.

 

The link if you want to hear how Tadhg is pronounced (or at least how this person thinks it should be) - Youtube

Sigh. 

 

I am a sucker for a book of political intrigue and the like-not just in romance but I am finding it especially fun in romance. 

 

This book was set in the 1580s and it was so lovely and frankly exciting. This was one of those best types of couples, well-matched, lovely, funny, and let's not forget, lusty.  The secondary characters in this were equally compelling and lively. One of the things I really enjoy in characters is an element of loyalty and it was lovely to see how it played out here in a somewhat complicated, yet wonderful way.

 

I guess I don't have much to say other than I really enjoyed this and look forward to rereading.  

Kris Kennedy is very good at writing complicated characters. Her stories are like stepping through a field of land mines and red herrings. Hidden in plain sight are the clues to unlocking the mystery, you just have to figure out where to look. The thrill of solving the puzzle is the attraction of her brand of storytelling. As I get better acquainted with this author I find there is no way of knowing where she will lead you on the quest for the truth and I have always been a sucker for puzzles that are hard to figure out. I received an ARC of Defiant in exchange for an honest review. On the surface there are set sides, the good and the bad but as you delve deeper there proves to be hidden agendas on both sides. Things are not as they seem. At the forefront are characters that are hard to read and a romance that seems out of place, yet I could not fault anything about this story except it ended too soon. 3.5 stars