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The Wolf of Oberhame #1
When We Were Kings
ON THE FIRST DAY SHE MET HER MATCH. THEN SHE KILLED 16 MEN.
Tossed into the gladiator arena, the delicate girl in the fancy pink dress should have been the first to die. Leyli had other plans. Surviving was at the top of her list. Revenge was a close second.
Having grown up behind the sheltered walls of the Oberhame Palace, she knew what the crowd wanted. Norihame had built their culture from the scraps of their neighbors. Gladiators were just one part. Evidently, political coups were another, and she'd just become a pawn in the games of men. But why was she still alive? They'd killed her brother, the heir to the throne. Had they gotten to her father? Was the king dead?
In the cell beside her, the Lion of Lenlochlien was impressed. The first day, they all cried. Men, women, it didn't matter. But this one was different. Her tears didn't slow her down, they just made her stronger, and when he looked in her eyes, he saw it. Her desperation was feral. It meant she wouldn't hesitate to do what she had to. She might be cornered, but that bitch was the kind that would bite.
When he offered advice, she took it. When he told her how to be better, she tried. When she kept coming back after each round, he dared to hope that she'd survive. He had no idea that he was about to become her best weapon. Leyli didn't just want to live through the games, she wanted to protect her father's throne, but to do that, she had to become someone else. She couldn't be the Princess of Norihame. The Lion had to make her a Wolf.
Chained side by side, he'll show her how to be a killer. She'll give him a reason to keep fighting. Together, they'll learn that it takes a friend to survive.
** When We Were Kings is a complete novel without a cliffhanger ending. **
Tossed into the gladiator arena, the delicate girl in the fancy pink dress should have been the first to die. Leyli had other plans. Surviving was at the top of her list. Revenge was a close second.
Having grown up behind the sheltered walls of the Oberhame Palace, she knew what the crowd wanted. Norihame had built their culture from the scraps of their neighbors. Gladiators were just one part. Evidently, political coups were another, and she'd just become a pawn in the games of men. But why was she still alive? They'd killed her brother, the heir to the throne. Had they gotten to her father? Was the king dead?
In the cell beside her, the Lion of Lenlochlien was impressed. The first day, they all cried. Men, women, it didn't matter. But this one was different. Her tears didn't slow her down, they just made her stronger, and when he looked in her eyes, he saw it. Her desperation was feral. It meant she wouldn't hesitate to do what she had to. She might be cornered, but that bitch was the kind that would bite.
When he offered advice, she took it. When he told her how to be better, she tried. When she kept coming back after each round, he dared to hope that she'd survive. He had no idea that he was about to become her best weapon. Leyli didn't just want to live through the games, she wanted to protect her father's throne, but to do that, she had to become someone else. She couldn't be the Princess of Norihame. The Lion had to make her a Wolf.
Chained side by side, he'll show her how to be a killer. She'll give him a reason to keep fighting. Together, they'll learn that it takes a friend to survive.
** When We Were Kings is a complete novel without a cliffhanger ending. **
314 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
December 8, 2018
This fantasy/romance was a difficult book to rate. Mostly because it was a strange mix of good, average, and bad all rolled into the one story!
The plot was fun sounding in theory. Leyli, a pampered princess, is kidnapped and thrown into the gladiatorial arenas after being sold as a slave and forced to fight for her life. She is soon taken under then wing of legendary Gladiator, and fellow slave, the Lion of Lenlochlien. The pair bond as he teaches her to survive and she gives him a reason to want to continue to survive. Throw in the fact that Leyli had to hide her identity and that the person who ordered her abduction still wanted her dead and it made for a potentially fun tale.
It was a fantasy romance tale with a bit of action to spice things up but that is actually where the problems began. The good first. The characters were both very likeable and I feel like the romance was a good one. There was an instant attraction but the romance developed at a slow pace which I enjoyed. I was also a fan of the way the duo treated each other as equals. The bad was the fact that the action scenes were actually pretty dull and some of the stuff was a little too ridiculous and simplistic. You guys know I'm pretty tolerant of a lack of realism, especially if a tale is aiming to be light and fun, but even I was rolling my eyes that a pampered princess could kill 14 men on her first day as a gladiator with zero training and not a superpower to her name!!!
My lasting impression was that this was an OK read that had some real positives (the romance) and some dull moments (the action) but it is not going to be something that sticks out as particularly memorable for me. It was very readable though and I did enjoy it.
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: Justine Eyre was fantastic as always. Such a pretty voice. She is the perfect narrator for romance audios and just one of my favourite narrators in general!
The plot was fun sounding in theory. Leyli, a pampered princess, is kidnapped and thrown into the gladiatorial arenas after being sold as a slave and forced to fight for her life. She is soon taken under then wing of legendary Gladiator, and fellow slave, the Lion of Lenlochlien. The pair bond as he teaches her to survive and she gives him a reason to want to continue to survive. Throw in the fact that Leyli had to hide her identity and that the person who ordered her abduction still wanted her dead and it made for a potentially fun tale.
It was a fantasy romance tale with a bit of action to spice things up but that is actually where the problems began. The good first. The characters were both very likeable and I feel like the romance was a good one. There was an instant attraction but the romance developed at a slow pace which I enjoyed. I was also a fan of the way the duo treated each other as equals. The bad was the fact that the action scenes were actually pretty dull and some of the stuff was a little too ridiculous and simplistic. You guys know I'm pretty tolerant of a lack of realism, especially if a tale is aiming to be light and fun, but even I was rolling my eyes that a pampered princess could kill 14 men on her first day as a gladiator with zero training and not a superpower to her name!!!
My lasting impression was that this was an OK read that had some real positives (the romance) and some dull moments (the action) but it is not going to be something that sticks out as particularly memorable for me. It was very readable though and I did enjoy it.
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: Justine Eyre was fantastic as always. Such a pretty voice. She is the perfect narrator for romance audios and just one of my favourite narrators in general!
September 14, 2017
This is a fantasy with a heavy thread of romance through it and I had a very hard time putting it down. There are some elements you kind of have to get through, but I was only barely aware of them as I breezed past on my way to complete engagement and became aware of them mostly in after-analysis. This has two of my very favorite weaknesses all in one place—the strong woman determined to do what needs to be done and the competent, strong man who cares deeply and does his best to protect the people he cares about. I fell for both near immediately and the rest was just a long enjoyment of seeing them work their partnership out.
Okay, in fairness to those who may not share my tastes, here are the things you have to get past. The biggest is the setup. The economics of the gladiatorial arena don't really work. I mean, there are a lot of people dying in that thing and the population it'd take to feed that machine would be pretty extreme in a pre-industrial society without magic. Leyli's first day is also something of a stretch. She's a princess who hasn't had to do anything strenuous in her life and that first day would have taxed an athlete. Don't get me wrong because Hadley has a real talent with the fight choreography. That's incredibly hard to write because too many details and the pacing bogs hard but too few and the reader feels blind and deaf. Not only that, but the things she has Leyli do would work for a motivated amateur and they make sense in context. So the fighting is both well-written and realistically-choreographed. There's just too many of them on that first day and there's no way she'd have the physical reserves.
The only other part I had to get past was the ending where I wish Hadley had engineered that better. I have no idea how. So I'm giving this one a pass, too.
So that's some heavy passes I'm handing out on this one. And I'm not even bothering to rewrite those in my head (as is my superpower). I'm just giving this thing five stars because their relationship? Yeah, that just works and is full of passion and loyalty and sacrifice and faith and all of the things I love in romance. Which is funny because .
A note about sex and stuff: There's no explicit sex in this book. But Leyli is functionally a slave and it's clear that the only way she avoids being sold for sexual favors is that a pregnant gladiator is unlikely to survive long enough to be profitable. That said, she's in very close proximity to Tristan through much of the novel and there are some scenes of unclothed physical proximity. And some of those become intimate in the sense that they care for and about each other and some of that is expressed in mutual body-care. And note, I do not mean anything sexual in that. At all. Still, it's enough that I can't really tag this as either steamy or chaste. I kind of love the constraints here, as you see the two of them develop such a strong and intimate relationship even though there's no sex even remotely possible because pregnancy pretty much means Leyli dies.
Okay, in fairness to those who may not share my tastes, here are the things you have to get past. The biggest is the setup. The economics of the gladiatorial arena don't really work. I mean, there are a lot of people dying in that thing and the population it'd take to feed that machine would be pretty extreme in a pre-industrial society without magic. Leyli's first day is also something of a stretch. She's a princess who hasn't had to do anything strenuous in her life and that first day would have taxed an athlete. Don't get me wrong because Hadley has a real talent with the fight choreography. That's incredibly hard to write because too many details and the pacing bogs hard but too few and the reader feels blind and deaf. Not only that, but the things she has Leyli do would work for a motivated amateur and they make sense in context. So the fighting is both well-written and realistically-choreographed. There's just too many of them on that first day and there's no way she'd have the physical reserves.
The only other part I had to get past was the ending where I wish Hadley had engineered that better. I have no idea how. So I'm giving this one a pass, too.
So that's some heavy passes I'm handing out on this one. And I'm not even bothering to rewrite those in my head (as is my superpower). I'm just giving this thing five stars because their relationship? Yeah, that just works and is full of passion and loyalty and sacrifice and faith and all of the things I love in romance. Which is funny because .
A note about sex and stuff: There's no explicit sex in this book. But Leyli is functionally a slave and it's clear that the only way she avoids being sold for sexual favors is that a pregnant gladiator is unlikely to survive long enough to be profitable. That said, she's in very close proximity to Tristan through much of the novel and there are some scenes of unclothed physical proximity. And some of those become intimate in the sense that they care for and about each other and some of that is expressed in mutual body-care. And note, I do not mean anything sexual in that. At all. Still, it's enough that I can't really tag this as either steamy or chaste. I kind of love the constraints here, as you see the two of them develop such a strong and intimate relationship even though there's no sex even remotely possible because pregnancy pretty much means Leyli dies.
October 15, 2019
Y'all will definitely have to get past these horrid covers to give this book a chance cause it's bitchin' xD
Lol okay, No really it's so easy to get into and both MCs you just can't help but root for.
Yes the beginning was kinda farfetched but I'm okay with that and yes the ending was oh so very convinient but guess what? I'm okay with that too :p
What didn't work for me, that is, the only thing holding me back from jumping into the next book is my lack of imagination cause I can't predict appropriate scenarios where the princess marries the commonor and retains the crown...
Safety warning: This wasn't again a problem for me, I thought it was very maturely dealt with but to each his own.
Lol okay, No really it's so easy to get into and both MCs you just can't help but root for.
Yes the beginning was kinda farfetched but I'm okay with that and yes the ending was oh so very convinient but guess what? I'm okay with that too :p
What didn't work for me, that is, the only thing holding me back from jumping into the next book is my lack of imagination cause I can't predict appropriate scenarios where the princess marries the commonor and retains the crown...
Safety warning: This wasn't again a problem for me, I thought it was very maturely dealt with but to each his own.
August 21, 2017
4 very solid *
This book was a total surprise in a best possible way. While I would have loved to see more of the world-building (I found the background a bit sketchy - the action takes place in medieval type society and setting but it is more like a hazy watercolour instead of a well-defined drawing), the characters are well developed and extremely appealing, the story is exiting and moves at a good pace – brisk but not hasty, and the writing style is very “readable”. Is there a romance? Yes, but not in a conventional way. Is this book romantic? Absolutely. Will I be reading further? Hell, YES.
This book was a total surprise in a best possible way. While I would have loved to see more of the world-building (I found the background a bit sketchy - the action takes place in medieval type society and setting but it is more like a hazy watercolour instead of a well-defined drawing), the characters are well developed and extremely appealing, the story is exiting and moves at a good pace – brisk but not hasty, and the writing style is very “readable”. Is there a romance? Yes, but not in a conventional way. Is this book romantic? Absolutely. Will I be reading further? Hell, YES.
November 17, 2025
5/5 ⭐️ (Thai & English reviews)
Thai review
ขอแปะรีวิวภาษาไทย เผื่อมีเพื่อนนักอ่านคนไทยมาเจอ อยากให้ได้ลองจริง ๆ
เรื่องนี้เซตติ้งจะอยู่ใน ancient rome นางเอกเป็นเจ้าหญิงที่อยู่ ๆ ลูกพี่ลูกน้องทรยศ ฆ่ารัชทายาทที่เป็นพี่ชายของนางเอกและจับนางเอกไป นางเอกได้กลายเป็น gladiator ทั้ง ๆ ที่ชีวิตนี้ไม่เคยจับดาบมาก่อน แต่เพราะไม่มีทางเลือก ด้วยความอยากมีชีวิตไปแก้แค้น นางเอกจึงกัดฟันสู้สุดใจและได้เจอกับ the lion หนึ่งใน gladiator ที่เอาชนะเกมมาเยอะที่สุดที่โดนขังอยู่ในห้องข้าง ๆ
เป็นเล่มที่ครบรสชาติมาก ทั้งในแง่ของคาแรคเตอร์ที่อ่านแล้วคือเชียร์นางเอกสุดใจ เป็นหนึ่งในตัวละครที่เราชอบมาก ๆ การเมืองและพลอตเข้มข้น พาร์ทโรแมนซ์ก็ดี
คือเป็น hidden gem มาก อยากเชียร์ให้ทุกคนได้ลองอ่าน
————————————
English review
Omg! sooooo freaking good. I don’t understand why I’d never seen this book recommended before.
Set in an ancient rome, princess Aravatti was attacked in her bedchamber one night. She was then sent to an arena to be a gladiator where she had no choice but to fight and stay alive. But being raised as a princess, she never once held a sword. The only person who kept she alive is her cellmate, the Lion, a gladiator who had won the most.
It was so good. The politics and the plot kept me intrigued. Couldn’t stop reading.
Thai review
ขอแปะรีวิวภาษาไทย เผื่อมีเพื่อนนักอ่านคนไทยมาเจอ อยากให้ได้ลองจริง ๆ
เรื่องนี้เซตติ้งจะอยู่ใน ancient rome นางเอกเป็นเจ้าหญิงที่อยู่ ๆ ลูกพี่ลูกน้องทรยศ ฆ่ารัชทายาทที่เป็นพี่ชายของนางเอกและจับนางเอกไป นางเอกได้กลายเป็น gladiator ทั้ง ๆ ที่ชีวิตนี้ไม่เคยจับดาบมาก่อน แต่เพราะไม่มีทางเลือก ด้วยความอยากมีชีวิตไปแก้แค้น นางเอกจึงกัดฟันสู้สุดใจและได้เจอกับ the lion หนึ่งใน gladiator ที่เอาชนะเกมมาเยอะที่สุดที่โดนขังอยู่ในห้องข้าง ๆ
เป็นเล่มที่ครบรสชาติมาก ทั้งในแง่ของคาแรคเตอร์ที่อ่านแล้วคือเชียร์นางเอกสุดใจ เป็นหนึ่งในตัวละครที่เราชอบมาก ๆ การเมืองและพลอตเข้มข้น พาร์ทโรแมนซ์ก็ดี
คือเป็น hidden gem มาก อยากเชียร์ให้ทุกคนได้ลองอ่าน
————————————
English review
Omg! sooooo freaking good. I don’t understand why I’d never seen this book recommended before.
Set in an ancient rome, princess Aravatti was attacked in her bedchamber one night. She was then sent to an arena to be a gladiator where she had no choice but to fight and stay alive. But being raised as a princess, she never once held a sword. The only person who kept she alive is her cellmate, the Lion, a gladiator who had won the most.
It was so good. The politics and the plot kept me intrigued. Couldn’t stop reading.
December 5, 2025
3.75
สนุกนะว่าไป๊
นางเอกเป็นเจ้าหญิงที่โดนลักพาตัวกลางดึก ตื่นมาอีกทีก็ค้นพบว่าตัวเองถูกขายให้วงการ gladiator โดนจับลง arena ไม่สู้ก็ตาย แล้วชีจะทำไรได้ แผนพาตัวเองกลับวังแผนแก้แค้นก้ต้องคิด แต่ก้ต้องฝึกต่อสู้เพื่อให้ตัวเองรอดชีวิตด้วย ส่วนพระเอกคือนักสู้ตัวท้อป เป็นคนฝึกสกิลให้นางเอกนี่เองจ้า
คะแนนอาจจะกลางๆ เพราะเราว่าเราไม่อินกะแนว slavery หรือแนวแข่งขันที่พลาดก็ถึงตายอะไรแบบนี้เท่าไหร่ แต่ก็สนุกเลยล่ะ ขอชมว่าพาร์ทการเมือง/ธุรกิจ/fighting strategy อะไรในเรื่องดูฉลาดดี แม้ตัวเอกจะโชคช่วยบ๊อยบ่อย และตัวร้ายดูไม่ค่อยสมน้ำสมเนื้อ ค่อนข้างจะอ่อนด๋อยไปหน่อยก็เทอะ
อ่อแล้วก้มีสไตล์การเขียนที่ปุบปับ บางทีตามไม่ทันต้องอ่านซ้ำ
และเป็นเซตติ้งยุคโบราณที่บทพูดโมเดิ้นมาก บางทีก็ขัดๆ
แล้วมันก็มีสามเล่มจบว่ะเพิ่งรู้ นึกว่าเปนสามเล่มแบบอ่านแยกได้55555 ถึงว่าโรแม้นซ์เล่มนี้ดูกั๊กๆ และตอนท้ายทุกอย่างดูเร่งรีบไปหมดเกินนน อ่อมันมีเล่มต่อไปอยู่555555
เล่มหน้าดำเนินเรื่องในวัง ดูทรงละพระนางไม่น่าจะได้บู๊ แต่ได้รับบท angsty forbidden love ใส่กันฉ่าาามมมแทน
สนุกนะว่าไป๊
นางเอกเป็นเจ้าหญิงที่โดนลักพาตัวกลางดึก ตื่นมาอีกทีก็ค้นพบว่าตัวเองถูกขายให้วงการ gladiator โดนจับลง arena ไม่สู้ก็ตาย แล้วชีจะทำไรได้ แผนพาตัวเองกลับวังแผนแก้แค้นก้ต้องคิด แต่ก้ต้องฝึกต่อสู้เพื่อให้ตัวเองรอดชีวิตด้วย ส่วนพระเอกคือนักสู้ตัวท้อป เป็นคนฝึกสกิลให้นางเอกนี่เองจ้า
คะแนนอาจจะกลางๆ เพราะเราว่าเราไม่อินกะแนว slavery หรือแนวแข่งขันที่พลาดก็ถึงตายอะไรแบบนี้เท่าไหร่ แต่ก็สนุกเลยล่ะ ขอชมว่าพาร์ทการเมือง/ธุรกิจ/fighting strategy อะไรในเรื่องดูฉลาดดี แม้ตัวเอกจะโชคช่วยบ๊อยบ่อย และตัวร้ายดูไม่ค่อยสมน้ำสมเนื้อ ค่อนข้างจะอ่อนด๋อยไปหน่อยก็เทอะ
อ่อแล้วก้มีสไตล์การเขียนที่ปุบปับ บางทีตามไม่ทันต้องอ่านซ้ำ
และเป็นเซตติ้งยุคโบราณที่บทพูดโมเดิ้นมาก บางทีก็ขัดๆ
แล้วมันก็มีสามเล่มจบว่ะเพิ่งรู้ นึกว่าเปนสามเล่มแบบอ่านแยกได้55555 ถึงว่าโรแม้นซ์เล่มนี้ดูกั๊กๆ และตอนท้ายทุกอย่างดูเร่งรีบไปหมดเกินนน อ่อมันมีเล่มต่อไปอยู่555555
เล่มหน้าดำเนินเรื่องในวัง ดูทรงละพระนางไม่น่าจะได้บู๊ แต่ได้รับบท angsty forbidden love ใส่กันฉ่าาามมมแทน
December 4, 2018
I freaking loved this book. It was so good! I have had this book for awhile but I HATE the cover.. so I just haven't picked it up. Also I have a physical copy of it so every time I got it out to start it, my husband would give me a look.. So yeah.
I actually listened to the audiobook and I am in love with everything about it. I wish the rest were in audio because I loved listening to it. But its not and I don't know if the next one will be put into audio and I don't think I can wait to find out what happens.. so it looks like I am going to have to get over the cover situation. Even though the second book cover is not as bad as this one.
I actually listened to the audiobook and I am in love with everything about it. I wish the rest were in audio because I loved listening to it. But its not and I don't know if the next one will be put into audio and I don't think I can wait to find out what happens.. so it looks like I am going to have to get over the cover situation. Even though the second book cover is not as bad as this one.
January 18, 2024
Don’t judge this book by its cover!
I randomly turned on this audio so I could put a different book down and get some stuff done. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was pulled into this tale. I’ll be immediately reading book 2 to find out what’s next for the lion and the wolf.
I randomly turned on this audio so I could put a different book down and get some stuff done. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was pulled into this tale. I’ll be immediately reading book 2 to find out what’s next for the lion and the wolf.
January 3, 2020
ON THE FIRST DAY SHE MET HER MATCH. THEN SHE KILLED 16 MEN.
Tossed into the gladiator arena, the delicate girl in the fancy pink dress should have been the first to die. Leyli had other plans. Surviving was at the top of her list. Revenge was a close second.
Having grown up behind the sheltered walls of the Oberhame Palace, she knew what the crowd wanted. Norihame had built their culture from the scraps of their neighbors. Gladiators were just one part. Evidently, political coups were another, and she'd just become a pawn in the games of men. But why was she still alive? They'd killed her brother, the heir to the throne. Had they gotten to her father? Was the king dead?
In the cell beside her, the Lion of Lenlochlien was impressed. The first day, they all cried. Men, women, it didn't matter. But this one was different. Her tears didn't slow her down, they just made her stronger, and when he looked in her eyes, he saw it. Her desperation was feral. It meant she wouldn't hesitate to do what she had to. She might be cornered, but that bitch was the kind that would bite.
When he offered advice, she took it. When he told her how to be better, she tried. When she kept coming back after each round, he dared to hope that she'd survive. He had no idea that he was about to become her best weapon. Leyli didn't just want to live through the games, she wanted to protect her father's throne, but to do that, she had to become someone else. She couldn't be the Princess of Norihame. The Lion had to make her a Wolf.
Chained side by side, he'll show her how to be a killer. She'll give him a reason to keep fighting. Together, they'll learn that it takes a friend to survive.
Heather's Notes
I really liked this book. It was so good. I liked the Leyli was strong and learned what she needed to learn without breaking. I also like that Tristin was still a good man - regardless of his situation. Why not 5 stars - small little things that are mostly personal preferences. I didn't like that Tristin had to sleep with other woman - and I do mean had to not wanted to. I didn't like that at the end they still couldn't be together - after all it is a trilogy, something needs to be resolved in the next book. So why I understand the reasons, I still didn't like them and for that this book does not get 5 stars. Still it is a great book and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
Tossed into the gladiator arena, the delicate girl in the fancy pink dress should have been the first to die. Leyli had other plans. Surviving was at the top of her list. Revenge was a close second.
Having grown up behind the sheltered walls of the Oberhame Palace, she knew what the crowd wanted. Norihame had built their culture from the scraps of their neighbors. Gladiators were just one part. Evidently, political coups were another, and she'd just become a pawn in the games of men. But why was she still alive? They'd killed her brother, the heir to the throne. Had they gotten to her father? Was the king dead?
In the cell beside her, the Lion of Lenlochlien was impressed. The first day, they all cried. Men, women, it didn't matter. But this one was different. Her tears didn't slow her down, they just made her stronger, and when he looked in her eyes, he saw it. Her desperation was feral. It meant she wouldn't hesitate to do what she had to. She might be cornered, but that bitch was the kind that would bite.
When he offered advice, she took it. When he told her how to be better, she tried. When she kept coming back after each round, he dared to hope that she'd survive. He had no idea that he was about to become her best weapon. Leyli didn't just want to live through the games, she wanted to protect her father's throne, but to do that, she had to become someone else. She couldn't be the Princess of Norihame. The Lion had to make her a Wolf.
Chained side by side, he'll show her how to be a killer. She'll give him a reason to keep fighting. Together, they'll learn that it takes a friend to survive.
Heather's Notes
I really liked this book. It was so good. I liked the Leyli was strong and learned what she needed to learn without breaking. I also like that Tristin was still a good man - regardless of his situation. Why not 5 stars - small little things that are mostly personal preferences. I didn't like that Tristin had to sleep with other woman - and I do mean had to not wanted to. I didn't like that at the end they still couldn't be together - after all it is a trilogy, something needs to be resolved in the next book. So why I understand the reasons, I still didn't like them and for that this book does not get 5 stars. Still it is a great book and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2022
When We Were Kings
I admit that I was a little bit skeptical going in at first, because fights and gladiators aren't usually something I would pick up myself, but since I'm on an Auryn Hadley kick lately and have heard quite a bit of people recommending this, I thought I'd give it a try.
Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly, because it's Auryn Hadley) I was invested in Leyli and the Lion from the start. Leyli had so much strength and the way she worked as a character in tandem with Tristan. And Tristan... Damn, he was such a stand up, amazing kinda guy. He allowed Leyli to grow as a person and a fighter. While he showed protectiveness towards her, he used this to encourage her to be a stronger fighter, he helped her hone her skills.
The fighting scenes didn't bother me as much as I initially thought they would. They were to the point and added to the relationship building between the Wolf and the Lion.
As always we also get some secondary characters I fell for and want to know more about and I can not wait to dive into the next book!
I admit that I was a little bit skeptical going in at first, because fights and gladiators aren't usually something I would pick up myself, but since I'm on an Auryn Hadley kick lately and have heard quite a bit of people recommending this, I thought I'd give it a try.
Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly, because it's Auryn Hadley) I was invested in Leyli and the Lion from the start. Leyli had so much strength and the way she worked as a character in tandem with Tristan. And Tristan... Damn, he was such a stand up, amazing kinda guy. He allowed Leyli to grow as a person and a fighter. While he showed protectiveness towards her, he used this to encourage her to be a stronger fighter, he helped her hone her skills.
The fighting scenes didn't bother me as much as I initially thought they would. They were to the point and added to the relationship building between the Wolf and the Lion.
As always we also get some secondary characters I fell for and want to know more about and I can not wait to dive into the next book!
June 21, 2017
Another Amazing Book by Auryn Hadley
This is my seventh book by Hadley, but my first book outside of the Salrick Lux series. I wasn't sure at first if this one could hold up against how amazing the Ilieri series is but this book is every bit as good. These characters are so alive and you end up rooting for them throughout the story. This is one of the best partnerships/romance between two characters that I've read in a while and I exclusively read romance so that's saying something. I highly recommend this book.
This is my seventh book by Hadley, but my first book outside of the Salrick Lux series. I wasn't sure at first if this one could hold up against how amazing the Ilieri series is but this book is every bit as good. These characters are so alive and you end up rooting for them throughout the story. This is one of the best partnerships/romance between two characters that I've read in a while and I exclusively read romance so that's saying something. I highly recommend this book.
July 12, 2018
This book was absolutely amazing!
I could not put it down, the Wolf and the Lion were everything! The world building was believable and full of amazing characters.
I could not put it down, the Wolf and the Lion were everything! The world building was believable and full of amazing characters.
dnf
April 19, 2022dnf @ Chapter 1
This had a lot of potential, the bare bones were there, but it was a bit of a mess and I didn't enjoy the writing style.
This had a lot of potential, the bare bones were there, but it was a bit of a mess and I didn't enjoy the writing style.
February 28, 2021
3-1/2 *'s for this one.
August 21, 2018
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed this one, I had to take away half a star because there are some glaring issues where nearly impossible things happen that you just need to accept move past to enjoy the story.
Leyli is a princess, kidnapped from her bed and tossed into the Gladiator arena where she is expected to die. BUT, she doesn't, she lives through her first day and taken under the wing of The Lion (Tristan), a veteran gladiator who teaches her to fight and becomes her tandem partner in the arena.
This book throws you right into the action with Leyli in the arena which hooked me right away. She survives her first fight though a lot of luck, which is actually written in a way to be somewhat believable. Unfortunately, right after this is where one of those issues I mentioned above crops up, when she is then thrown into a number of additional battles in the same day, with no training and no stamina and manages to continue to survive under conditions that would probably make a trained athlete crumble. However, if you can get past that, the action scenes are well written and fast paced, with Leyli's determination to survive really coming across the page.
There has a heavy thread of romance weaved through the story, and the development of their relationship is enjoyable to read even though they remain "platonic" throughout. But beyond the romance, the book is filled with fighting, blood, gore, and death and can be brutal at times. I really enjoyed the whole world of the gladiator and watching Leyli's character grow from a pampered princess whose only purpose in life was to be married into a warrior. She is vicious at times, but never loses her humanity.
The other glaring issue happens near the end but honestly, by that point, I was so invested in the story that I didn't really care.
I will definitely be starting book 2 right away
I really enjoyed this one, I had to take away half a star because there are some glaring issues where nearly impossible things happen that you just need to accept move past to enjoy the story.
Leyli is a princess, kidnapped from her bed and tossed into the Gladiator arena where she is expected to die. BUT, she doesn't, she lives through her first day and taken under the wing of The Lion (Tristan), a veteran gladiator who teaches her to fight and becomes her tandem partner in the arena.
This book throws you right into the action with Leyli in the arena which hooked me right away. She survives her first fight though a lot of luck, which is actually written in a way to be somewhat believable. Unfortunately, right after this is where one of those issues I mentioned above crops up, when she is then thrown into a number of additional battles in the same day, with no training and no stamina and manages to continue to survive under conditions that would probably make a trained athlete crumble. However, if you can get past that, the action scenes are well written and fast paced, with Leyli's determination to survive really coming across the page.
There has a heavy thread of romance weaved through the story, and the development of their relationship is enjoyable to read even though they remain "platonic" throughout. But beyond the romance, the book is filled with fighting, blood, gore, and death and can be brutal at times. I really enjoyed the whole world of the gladiator and watching Leyli's character grow from a pampered princess whose only purpose in life was to be married into a warrior. She is vicious at times, but never loses her humanity.
The other glaring issue happens near the end but honestly, by that point, I was so invested in the story that I didn't really care.
I will definitely be starting book 2 right away
July 15, 2018
5 stars
I read a lot of indie work. It’s rare that I’m moved enough to write a review.
In this case, I was not only moved enough to write a review, but to buy the rest of the series, and snag the first book of a different series by the same author on KU.
When We Were Kings is the sort of fantasy that I usually roll my eyes at: young woman sold to become a gladiator, taken under the wing of older, very successful gladiator, learns to become gladiator herself. A Mary Sue story, right?
...except no. Not right.
Young woman throttles back shock, capitalizes on rage, uses her mind. Successful gladiator is impressed enough to offer a kindness and then befriend her out of self-benefit. Young woman ruthlessly works to get better.
And better.
And to win.
Did I mention that young woman is a princess, kidnapped and sold into slavery? Or that there are very real communication restrictions that are part of the culture, so she doesn’t know if her father the King is even still alive?
This is the story of how combat can turn two people into comrades-in-arms, and then more. This is the story of a woman using her brain and her will to survive. This is the story of a woman who would be a King.
Read it.
You won’t be sorry.
I read a lot of indie work. It’s rare that I’m moved enough to write a review.
In this case, I was not only moved enough to write a review, but to buy the rest of the series, and snag the first book of a different series by the same author on KU.
When We Were Kings is the sort of fantasy that I usually roll my eyes at: young woman sold to become a gladiator, taken under the wing of older, very successful gladiator, learns to become gladiator herself. A Mary Sue story, right?
...except no. Not right.
Young woman throttles back shock, capitalizes on rage, uses her mind. Successful gladiator is impressed enough to offer a kindness and then befriend her out of self-benefit. Young woman ruthlessly works to get better.
And better.
And to win.
Did I mention that young woman is a princess, kidnapped and sold into slavery? Or that there are very real communication restrictions that are part of the culture, so she doesn’t know if her father the King is even still alive?
This is the story of how combat can turn two people into comrades-in-arms, and then more. This is the story of a woman using her brain and her will to survive. This is the story of a woman who would be a King.
Read it.
You won’t be sorry.
April 14, 2018
Excellent
I loved this. Leyli and Tristan are great. Their teamwork and feelings for each melt my heart. I hope they get to be what they want to be together. There's a new arena to fight in now. I hope Palino gets what he deserves. I hope we get to see some of the other gladiators again, too.
I loved this. Leyli and Tristan are great. Their teamwork and feelings for each melt my heart. I hope they get to be what they want to be together. There's a new arena to fight in now. I hope Palino gets what he deserves. I hope we get to see some of the other gladiators again, too.
August 21, 2017
A weak beginning marred it a bit, but otherwise an interesting fantasy with a romantic thread.
I simply could not really believe in the opening scene, had it been luck or such, maybe. Still, good, going on book 2.
I simply could not really believe in the opening scene, had it been luck or such, maybe. Still, good, going on book 2.
July 20, 2018
Who doesn't love a princess who becomes a badass! A forbidden Love. That ending though had me feeling a little hurt. I loved these characters and storyline.
December 17, 2020
I am a sucker for a heroine who dominates a man's world! I absolutely loved Princess Leyli and I can't wait to see what's in store for her and her Lion.
October 19, 2020
Wow. Just wow.
I devoured this. Today was spent in my bed with my Kobo glued to my face.
What's it about?
Princess Leyli sees her brother, the crown prince, cut down in front her when he tries to rescue her from kidnappers. Later, she wakes up in a cell in the gladiator arena.
Here she meets the Lion, a veteran gladiator, who takes her under his wing. Leyli vows that she will not only survive this, but that she will get revenge.
I am in love
I've had this book since april and just kept putting it off. Other books popped up that seemed more interesting. Honestly, when I had to choose my latest read it was only among my top 4 picks. But I decided that I should finally give it a go instead of buying new books.
And thank fuck I did.
So let's go over a few things I found notable about the story.
1) Leyli/The Wolf
One of the reasons I kept pushing this book back a bit was because I knew she was a virgin and a princess. There isn't anything wrong with that, of course, but in my experience those traits often go hand in hand with the "damsel in distress". Not being a big fan of women letting the man do all the rescuing, I was hesitant, despite what the book summary promised.
What a fool I was. What a complete idiot.
Leyli is a bad bitch. She is a wolf with giant teeth.
Leyli is a sheltered princess, but she is also a survivor. Depsite her fear and shame, she uses everything to her advantage.
Using her wits, Leyli is willing to do almost anything to make it in the arena. She knows that she's lacking in strength and battle knowledge, but she doesn't let that stop her. Through the course of the story she is turned into an efficient killer.
She's not a robot, though. She hates the killing.
Leyli is a strong heroine. She's a capable heroine, who still has a lot of empathy and emotions. Honestly, she was damn close to being the perfect heroine for me.
2) Tristan/The Lion
He is best boy. Okay, not a boy. He is the best man I could've imagined a gladiator to be.
Tristan has done a lot of horrible things in the name of survival. He intends to be second person to ever win their freedom. But in Leyli he sees a fire, a drive for survival, and he decides to help her.
He's also respectful of her. The Lion is the most decent man. Leyli is one of the very few female gladiators, or rather female novices to make it through the initial fights. I'm sure you can imagine what interests the other gladiators took in her.
The way he wholly respects and supports Leyli is just so beautiful. I did not expect to find a man who drinks so much Respect Women Juice in this story.
I loved Tristan My heart broke for him every time his owner sold him for women to use.
Here I'm going to disagree with Tristan. It is rape. And I was so angry on his behalf, I wanted to choke Merino for using him like that. This is also why I have given the book a rape tag. There are a few very short glimpses of the rape from Leyli's perspective, but it's nothing too graphic.
Maybe this is also part of why Tristan is so protective of her. But not in the traditional romance "He-Man" way. It's in the "let me teach you how to properly punch the man who felt you up" way.
3) The Lion and the Wolf
The friendship and love between the two of them was just so amazing to read. I want to gush about so many things, but I also don't want to ruin the story by revealing everything.
4) Sexual Assault
Besides Tristan, Leyli also meets another character who has seen the dark sexual side of the gladiators.
I'm happy that this was a part of the story, even as I was hurting for the characters. It added more dark realism to the story. I'm hoping we'll see more of this character in the next books, he was just so sweet.
My only slightly negative remarks
The use of "ok". To me "ok" is text speak, it's SMS speak. Seeing it written like that, especially outside of dialogue, just looks super wrong to me. But I know that's a personal pet peeve.
Then there was...
Also, I've said before and I'll say it again. I am a horny gremlin of a reader. There is no sex between the MC. None. Nada. Hopefully we'll get that in the next book.
Rating
This book was a joy and I can't wait for the next one. It gets 5 big, beautiful stars.
I devoured this. Today was spent in my bed with my Kobo glued to my face.
What's it about?
Princess Leyli sees her brother, the crown prince, cut down in front her when he tries to rescue her from kidnappers. Later, she wakes up in a cell in the gladiator arena.
Here she meets the Lion, a veteran gladiator, who takes her under his wing. Leyli vows that she will not only survive this, but that she will get revenge.
I am in love
I've had this book since april and just kept putting it off. Other books popped up that seemed more interesting. Honestly, when I had to choose my latest read it was only among my top 4 picks. But I decided that I should finally give it a go instead of buying new books.
And thank fuck I did.
So let's go over a few things I found notable about the story.
1) Leyli/The Wolf
One of the reasons I kept pushing this book back a bit was because I knew she was a virgin and a princess. There isn't anything wrong with that, of course, but in my experience those traits often go hand in hand with the "damsel in distress". Not being a big fan of women letting the man do all the rescuing, I was hesitant, despite what the book summary promised.
What a fool I was. What a complete idiot.
Leyli is a bad bitch. She is a wolf with giant teeth.
Leyli is a sheltered princess, but she is also a survivor. Depsite her fear and shame, she uses everything to her advantage.
She blushed. Leyli had been taught to be demure and respectable. She'd never even kissed a man that wasn't her father! The only people who saw her bare legs were her maids, but she wasn't stupid. A dagger in her hand was an advantage she couldn't pass up. Like the lion said, shame wouldn't kill her.
Using her wits, Leyli is willing to do almost anything to make it in the arena. She knows that she's lacking in strength and battle knowledge, but she doesn't let that stop her. Through the course of the story she is turned into an efficient killer.
She's not a robot, though. She hates the killing.
Brown yes, blue ones, or green, they all were scared. They were so scared, and she'd been the monster they feared. (...) She'd killed them all. She'd ruined their families. She'd shattered bones and rent flesh. She'd become everyting she despised in the world.
Leyli is a strong heroine. She's a capable heroine, who still has a lot of empathy and emotions. Honestly, she was damn close to being the perfect heroine for me.
2) Tristan/The Lion
He is best boy. Okay, not a boy. He is the best man I could've imagined a gladiator to be.
Tristan has done a lot of horrible things in the name of survival. He intends to be second person to ever win their freedom. But in Leyli he sees a fire, a drive for survival, and he decides to help her.
He's also respectful of her. The Lion is the most decent man. Leyli is one of the very few female gladiators, or rather female novices to make it through the initial fights. I'm sure you can imagine what interests the other gladiators took in her.
"Merino will give you rooms beside mine. Yes, I will have full access to you at all times. The same is not true in the reverse." He looked down.
"I'm not your whore."
"No," he promised. "You're my partner. I promise you, Leyli, that my first interest is living. I'll fight with you because I think yours is, too."
The way he wholly respects and supports Leyli is just so beautiful. I did not expect to find a man who drinks so much Respect Women Juice in this story.
"But I'm ruined."
"No. You're just learning to be strong. If anyone thinks that what you're doing makes you less of a woman, then they're an idiot, ok? If all they can judge you on is some trumped up ideal of propriety, then it's your job to prove them wrong. It doesn't matter if they like you, Leyli. When they fear you, they won't dare say a thing."
I loved Tristan My heart broke for him every time his owner sold him for women to use.
"Tumbling a woman, that's always nice. Usually, though, a man decides who he wants to fuck. Being told that I will perform, like a trained dog, so someone else can make money? That changes it."
"Like being a whore." She shrugged. "I can see that."
"It's exactly like being a whore, except I didn't make the decision on my own. I can't say it's rape, because tecnically I do agree." He spun his mug in his hands. "Doesn't really feel much different, though."
Here I'm going to disagree with Tristan. It is rape. And I was so angry on his behalf, I wanted to choke Merino for using him like that. This is also why I have given the book a rape tag. There are a few very short glimpses of the rape from Leyli's perspective, but it's nothing too graphic.
Maybe this is also part of why Tristan is so protective of her. But not in the traditional romance "He-Man" way. It's in the "let me teach you how to properly punch the man who felt you up" way.
Just as she lowered herself into the chair, a hand closed on her rump, squeezing. The plate clattered as it hit the wood, and she turned before her mind engaged. Without a word, she lashed out, cracking the man across the jaw with her forearm.
"Stop!" Tristan yelled, his voice halting the man's reaction. "Damn it, Ley. If I've told you once." He set down his plate beside hers. "Then I've told you a thousand times. Use your whole body. Like this. "Then he repated the attack, his arm crashing into the man hard enough to knock his head into the table. Tristan glared at him for a moment, then turned to Leyli. "Whole body. Pivot from the hips. Now try it."
3) The Lion and the Wolf
The friendship and love between the two of them was just so amazing to read. I want to gush about so many things, but I also don't want to ruin the story by revealing everything.
4) Sexual Assault
Besides Tristan, Leyli also meets another character who has seen the dark sexual side of the gladiators.
"Relax," he whispered. "We're on the same side. Those guys think that because I'm half as big, I must be willing to be their bitch. Figure it's not going to be any easier for you, but two is a lot better than one."
Her feet stuttered, but before she could stop and stare at him, [he] was guiding her forward again.
"What?" She hissed. "They think you..."
He finally stopped, then turned to face her. He couldn't meet her eyes. "Make. Not think, make. Force. Whatever you want to call it."
I'm happy that this was a part of the story, even as I was hurting for the characters. It added more dark realism to the story. I'm hoping we'll see more of this character in the next books, he was just so sweet.
My only slightly negative remarks
The use of "ok". To me "ok" is text speak, it's SMS speak. Seeing it written like that, especially outside of dialogue, just looks super wrong to me. But I know that's a personal pet peeve.
Then there was...
Also, I've said before and I'll say it again. I am a horny gremlin of a reader. There is no sex between the MC. None. Nada. Hopefully we'll get that in the next book.
Rating
This book was a joy and I can't wait for the next one. It gets 5 big, beautiful stars.
September 2, 2019
This is amazing. It’s a great story of battling and survival, loyalty and friendship.
Ley comes in as a strong but weak/meek female and comes out a gladiator, a warrior, someone who is strong.
Tristan, The Lion is someone who takes Ley under his wing and teachers her what she needs to be a successful gladiator. My prediction didn’t come to fruition either, which I’m happy for.
I just enjoyed this book. Sure it’s dealing in death, and it isn’t a happy happy story but it’s a fun adventure.
I’m excited for the next book and will be starting as soon as I finish this review!
Ley comes in as a strong but weak/meek female and comes out a gladiator, a warrior, someone who is strong.
Tristan, The Lion is someone who takes Ley under his wing and teachers her what she needs to be a successful gladiator. My prediction didn’t come to fruition either, which I’m happy for.
I just enjoyed this book. Sure it’s dealing in death, and it isn’t a happy happy story but it’s a fun adventure.
I’m excited for the next book and will be starting as soon as I finish this review!
July 31, 2017
AMAZING BOOK!!!
Started with this book not knowing what to expect and full shock because this books is AMAZING!
So i'm starting by saying that i love strong female roles, the type of woman that in face of danger, fight even if they dont know how, they try!
So Leylani is my new favorite female lead character.
The book start's with Princess Leyli being sold to a Gladiator Arena, she is kidnapped from Oberhame Palace. Instead of surrender and accepted death in the sand arena, she remembers all the fighting lesson she saw her brother take and manage to live the first day of combates with some help of the gladiator in the cell next door.
The books is full of action, well described fighting scenes and humor.
The artwork from the cover cud be more update, but cant get it all...
Im jumping already for the 2nd book...
Started with this book not knowing what to expect and full shock because this books is AMAZING!
So i'm starting by saying that i love strong female roles, the type of woman that in face of danger, fight even if they dont know how, they try!
So Leylani is my new favorite female lead character.
The book start's with Princess Leyli being sold to a Gladiator Arena, she is kidnapped from Oberhame Palace. Instead of surrender and accepted death in the sand arena, she remembers all the fighting lesson she saw her brother take and manage to live the first day of combates with some help of the gladiator in the cell next door.
The books is full of action, well described fighting scenes and humor.
The artwork from the cover cud be more update, but cant get it all...
Im jumping already for the 2nd book...
March 8, 2018
I am not one to post many reviews. However this book made me feel like I may have an addiction to reading. I could not put it down and even more rare (pretty sure it’s been like a decade) I found myself reading some of the lines out loud! You know when you are kind of acting out the scene in your head rather than just reading it passively. Anyway I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its sequel! Frankly I am a little relieved the third book is not out yet because I have so many things to do this week that I have neglected in the last four days while devouring these fabulously long books.
March 10, 2018
Satisfying. Really really satisfying. Especially for my fetish for books about gladiators and fantasy like this. Just one thing: What's up with the cover? I know that if I ever write a book it will be one of the last things I care about, but still...
June 18, 2018
#SpoilerWarrior
I recently changed how i review books, and decided that I would only give 5 stars to the books that I could recommend to my husband, who is my opposite in every way. He enjoys a good story, and a challenge, and j know that he’d enjoy this book as much as I did.
I recently changed how i review books, and decided that I would only give 5 stars to the books that I could recommend to my husband, who is my opposite in every way. He enjoys a good story, and a challenge, and j know that he’d enjoy this book as much as I did.
August 20, 2024
Wow...surprisingly could not put this book down. I want more. I loved the Bad ass heroine. Will definitively be reading Book 2!
January 17, 2018
Loved. Really loved. The only thing that need it to me was to cut a few repititive parts. Really slow romance.. even started to read the sequel but too slow for me. Great anyway!
February 15, 2021
4+
No magic use or paranormal elements in this, just a straight forward fantasy level tech world about a Princess who is kidnapped and wakes up as a gladiator struggling to survive.
I liked both of the MCs in this a great deal, enough that I just jumped right into the next one. This is a very slow burn romance that I expect will take all three books to come to fruition. It made me laugh and even cry a little bit (it made me miss my brother). I'm not sure I buy the lack of rape given the circumstances, but I was glad not to have to suffer through reading that. Still, there's a LOT of violence and death in this (did I mention gladiators?)
A very satisfying ending that didn't feel manipulative and still left me wanting more, too. That's the way it's done.
No magic use or paranormal elements in this, just a straight forward fantasy level tech world about a Princess who is kidnapped and wakes up as a gladiator struggling to survive.
I liked both of the MCs in this a great deal, enough that I just jumped right into the next one. This is a very slow burn romance that I expect will take all three books to come to fruition. It made me laugh and even cry a little bit (it made me miss my brother). I'm not sure I buy the lack of rape given the circumstances, but I was glad not to have to suffer through reading that. Still, there's a LOT of violence and death in this (did I mention gladiators?)
A very satisfying ending that didn't feel manipulative and still left me wanting more, too. That's the way it's done.
Read
November 26, 2018I’m not sure how to rate this book. I enjoyed it. Actually, I really enjoyed it. But in order to do so, I had to overlook numerous things that were utterly ridiculous. For instance, a pampered princess (who has never been trained to fight) kills roughly 14 men in a gladiator pit after she’s been kidnapped. She then learns how to fight in only a week or two. And not only how to fight, but how to fight well enough to beat veteran gladiators over and over again. All the while worrying about preserving her virginity.
But anyway, if you can turn a blind eye to all of the ridiculous moments, it’s an enjoyable story.
But anyway, if you can turn a blind eye to all of the ridiculous moments, it’s an enjoyable story.
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