The Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom, #1)

by Danielle L. Jensen

[stacey_is_sassy]

I’m glad I found this new author to me…

The first chapter of The Bridge Kingdom had me grinning. I knew deep down it was a little sick that I was grinning because there were murder and mayhem all around. But, I saw (heard) beyond what I was supposed to see (hear). With my fingers crossed, and my heart pounding, I hoped that this evil creature could be a chameleon.

Happy dances…I found an epic tale!!!

Our heroine is portrayed as an intense, greedy and self-serving woman whose ambition leads her on a path of destruction. Now, most people would look at Lara and be horrified, me, I was rubbing my hands in glee. I’m all for a hero who jumps in to save his woman from the clutches of evil, but I also love a woman who can hold her own. Lara is strong, intelligent, sneaky and manipulative. As time goes on and we get to know Lara better, we see that she’s also a fierce protector of the underdog. I loved that Lara was tough but she also had vulnerabilities. Thank goodness she wasn’t perfect.

Now Aren, I found him harder to connect with. Ok, I’ll give him credit for having all the attributes of a good hero. Good looking, strong, bossy and arrogant, with a lot of sexy to get the heart pumping. He’s not a bad person, it’s just that I’m not sure he’s the right man for the job of King. Sure, I get Aren wants peace to save his people, but I found him a little weak and easily manipulated. It seemed like Lara’s pretty face was what he came to love, not Lara as a person. I think we haven’t seen Aren in the best light YET. There’s a good chance by the time we meet again, he will be a completely different man.

I’m not going to go too much more into the storyline because I think the blurb does a decent job to give you an idea of what the story is about. I really enjoyed how this story made me feel. It was intense in a way that made me slow the speed down and make sure that all the information was absorbed. The narrators are easy to listen to and the emotions came through making it even more exciting. Each chapter starts with the sounds of a storm, and I LOVED the intensity and excitement of the thunder and howling winds. It was a well-edited, directed and produced performance and it definitely made my *Top 10 Audios* list.

I found it hard to press pause or stop and I’m pretty sure I was scowling each time someone interrupted my listening time. To be honest, I even started to draw out the experience. I could see the end coming and I didn’t want it to arrive. Who knows how long it will be until #2 comes out but I will be waiting patiently…NOT!! Seriously, that ending…BLEW MY MIND!

This is an Audible Exclusive and Danielle L. Jensen hints that the ebook will be released in 2019. If you’re an audio fan who enjoys narrators that bring the story to life, I highly recommend The Bridge Kingdom.