First came love, then came war, and when the dust settles, how it began is how it ends …
Uilleam Runehart doesn’t just want vengeance—he craves it—and when the object of that obsession is the mother of the woman he loves, extracting the pound of flesh he’s due comes with a price.
And no one knows the heavy cost of the Kingmaker’s wrath better than Karina Ashworth.
But as furious as she might be with her mother, Karina has always thought there’s a better way than blind retribution—but that belief is tested when the world around her begins to burn.
And when it does, she has to finally choose—the life created for her, or the one that’s still unknown …
From Romantic Suspense Author, London Miller, comes the electrifying conclusion to the Kingmaker Saga where risks are taken, lives are lost, and everything is put on the line one final time.
With a degree in Creative Writing, London Miller has turned pen to paper, creating riveting fictional worlds where the bad guys are sometimes the good guys. Her debut novel, In the Beginning, is the first in the Volkov Bratva Series.
She currently resides in southern Georgia where she drinks far too much coffee, and spends her nights writing.
To learn more about London Miller and her novels, please visit her through her social media:
"This isn’t a fight you’re going to win,” she warned, believing every word. “They’re formidable apart, but together—“
Together, Karina and the Kingmaker would be unmatched.
“The Kingmaker will come for you,” Kava continued, “and when he does, Karina won’t stop him—not this time."
3.75 stars
Favorite parts
➼ Kill Bill vibes (Karina & Luna moment)
This will make sense to those who have read the book. It takes a minute in the story, but finally, Karina's protective mothering instincts come into play, and she makes a decision based on pure intuition (& also being able to pick up on subtle clues) at a critical time. What makes this series great, and ties into the title, is the combination of Uilleam's Machiavellian brawn and Karina's quiet, but strong as steel will to do what is needed. Both of them are Alphas, but I appreciate how the author allowed Karina to show her strength in feminine ways.
With that said, there was a characterization issue. At the end of Dark Horse the author describes Karina's wrath towards her mother as biblical, but at the beginning of Alpha Omega Karina does not demonstrate that wrath whatsoever. While I understand her being focused on her family, and putting aside work. . .her mother remains a serious threat. I think the author could've used this as an opportunity. Uilleam and Karina maybe plotting in different ways to go up against Katherine which could've created conflict with each other Mr. and Mrs. Smith style (Uilleam & Karina do often have different methods). However, when Karina does wake up and becomes revengeful once again? It was everything.
➼ Characterization
The camaraderie, conflict, tension, all the interpersonal dynamics between the characters make this entire series feel very alive. What makes this series unique is unlike most action thrillers, this is character-driven as well.
➼ Resolution
So many authors are unable to finish the series they complete, and I'm grateful this author pushed through what must've been an incredibly difficult manuscript to finish and deliver to her readers. While the editing is imperfect, I feel forgiving because I recognize how complicated this series became. I have never seen an indie romance author take on this many characters and connecting subplots (& not just in this series, it connects to multiple other series) before. This takes skill. I've heard authors complain about having to take apart a manuscript and reorder it (I have a feeling this is what London Miller may have done) and having to restructure a manuscript with this many plotlines can literally take years for authors to straighten out in some cases. On a side-note, I'd be interested in asking the author about her writing process.
If you're a new reader to this series, the author does provide resolution, an HEA for the couple :) This is also 100% safe. No ow or om drama at all.
For those wanting to read this book & have already read the series I've included a quick recap of characters and connecting plotlines.
***Spoilers for White Rabbit through Dark Horse***
*The below spoiler has serious plot spoilers for the entire series, except Alpha Omega. This is for people who have already read the series and want a refresher. If you're brand new to the series skip this and start with book 1 :) If anyone notices I have some details incorrect let me know :))
“I’m going to make this right,” he said. “I promise I will.”
This final entry concludes the saga of criminal masterminds Uilleam and Karina, whose epic love -- and often more epic hate -- finally comes full circle after ten long years. Reunited with the daughter they thought they had lost, the two stop fighting each other long enough to take on a common enemy: mega-Mommy Dearest, Katherine Ashworth.
I've liked the whole series and recommend it highly, with some caveats. Because there are six books and crossovers with other series, it's often difficult to invest in so many side characters -- much less keep all their names straight (a glossary would have helped). In addition, the editing is often very poor (missing words, changing names, abrupt shifts in time and space, etc), but it was a bit better here.
So, what did I like? Many things, but I'll discuss four. First, the books are filled with conflicts that are serious and organic rather than silly and manufactured. What do you do when you find out that a much-loved parent has betrayed you in the worse possible way? For Karina, there is no easy option. How do you react when the woman you love most in the world almost destroys your empire? Though she and Uilleam rekindle their relationship (this book is very much a second-chance romance), they can't always put the past behind them. Second, the narrative is the literary version of the video Easter egg; characters, references, and images from the past re-appear and I'm in awe of an author who can keep them all straight. Third, Uilleam's dejection when he realizes that his daughter isn't comfortable with him was truly touching to see. And, finally, the book ends with one of Ms. Miller's signature traits: a twist that you don't see coming, but actually makes perfect sense.
I do have some quibbles. Throughout, Karina and Uilleam rarely work together; I would have liked to have seen them join forces more than we do. I got irritated with his insistence that she be honest with him when he keeps very big secrets from her. It would have been nice to have a scene with the entire . And I'm not sure how I feel about the big climax: should Iz ? Certainly, I wish it weren't so rushed. Finally, I wasn't satisfied with Katherine's characterization: I never really understood her endgame and, by the end of the book, she might as well have been twirling her mustache or tying young women to train tracks.
4 stars. Some secondary characters will get their own books (which is a relief since one significant character just disappears here). I hope that one of them is Iz. Note: I appreciate the author's making the series free on KU.
The entire Saga was fantastic and I wished I could’ve given every installment 5 stars if they were properly edited. I don’t mind a few typos or the occasional grammatical error - well, since I’m not an English native speaker, I probably didn’t find all of them anyway and I’m sure, my review also contains some errors. But as a reader I want to lose myself in the story, I want to see what the characters see, feel what they feel and be there with them their whole journey through. But in the last two books there are not only lots of annoying typos and the use of wrong names that stopped my reading flow, but also massive plot holes, missing context and repetition of character actions. For example, a character turned around and left, and two paragraphs later she abruptly stood up, turned around and left the room. Especially in the first half of the final book there were at least a handful of those repetition errors. Like the author finished a scene and forgot to erase the alternatively written sentence. It made me realize every time that I was just reading a story someone wrote, instead of being in the middle of it and feeling everything that happened.
It made me sad because London Miller is an auto buy author for me, I have read everything she’s written and I only waited with the Kingmaker Saga for the final book to read it completely in one go. I do hope the author will properly edit the books someday, because then it’ll be a masterpiece. The story itself, the world building, the characters and their development over the span of the whole Saga is absolutely incredible, with this Saga London has outdone herself. This is definitely movie material and I would love to see it be made into a series or a film trilogy. Despite the lack of editing I really enjoyed the Saga and I’m so looking forward to reading Sebastian and Kava’s book someday and I’m curious about what the author has in store for Bishop. I hope she doesn’t let us wait too long for them :-)
So, the long-awaited conclusion to the Kingmaker Saga has finally arrived. First let me start by saying I did enjoy the book. There were some parts that were a bit dragged on, however the overall story I appreciated. I am also happy that everyone got the ending they deserved in a way. As a whole this story has made me more curious about Elsie out of everyone. I wouldn't mind if she got her own book. I'm also interested to see how the Sebastian and Kava love story plays out. I wouldn't mind more Kit and Luna either, however they are the best couple she's written in my opinion.
I do have to say, I am glad I didn't actually read Red Herring or Dark Horse until this book came out. I felt so lost since I haven't read anything since Black Swan. I can't imagine starting from book 6 I would have been even more out of my mind trying to remember what happened. Although I understand things happen and writer's block is real, the wait time for this was honestly ridiculous. In fact, had the date not been posted and then pushed so many times I don't think I would be so annoyed. With that being said I wish the author would have done a synopsis at the beginning of the story to refresh readers on where things left off.
No matter, I still think she should be congratulated on the world that she created. Wait times and all her writing style, characters, and storylines have intrigued me since I first started reading her work a few years ago. I do hope that we see more stories from London Miller in the future. Congratulations on the conclusion of this epic saga. I hope this is not the last I hear from you as an author or these characters.
Yea this is BARELY getting a 3*** This started off really promising and was really good. Even though it needed a better transition from book 5 to see how they actually navigated their relationships w/ the daughter. I forgive that.
Then around 60% + it's just super rushed and mostly about winter... Now please believe Winter and Syn is the best couple this author has EVER done, but that's not what this book was about!!!
Come on, waiting 3+ years with no word from the author and that is the end of the book? It seems like this was written and done 3 years ago but not put out for some reason, if it wasn't why not put more into the story of Karina and Ulleam?
"...I love you! I always have! Everything I did was because I love you and you hurt me!"
An absolute treasure of a read, such a poignant execution that tied all the loose ends together but this book kept me reeling! Well worth the wait.
"It was an accident!"he shouted at her. "An accident I deeply regretted since before I'd known it was you, but I assure you, you've returned that pain tenfold because every single thing you've done has been to me. I mourned you as you attacked and slaughtered everything I'd built!"
It’s almost poetic reading Alpha Omega. Knowing that this very book is the end of Uilleam and Karina’s epic love story. The utter turmoil these two have went through to get to where they are now almost brings me to tears. And to think after the angst in Dark Horse, Alpha Omega is just as much if not more.
The Kingmaker Saga will forever be burned into my heart. I loved this series from the very first page and mourned when I reached the end. London Miller has created yet another well crafted novel that truly spoke volumes on the lengths you would go to protect your family.
Everything is at a standstill, Uilleam wants to extract revenge on everyone and anyone who has wronged him and his family. He craves bloodshed and he can only hope that his Karina will fight at his side as their world crumbles and burns.
Also don’t get me started on Sebastian and Kava, I already knew he was getting his own story ages ago but my heart literally pitter patters every time he makes an appearance. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for these two.
"You're not a bad person, Sebastian," she whispered, wishing he could believe that the she did. He was so close now, she could see the green flecks in his eyes and even the small scar that bisected his left eyebrow. More than anything, she wished she could invoke a smile in him.
I highly recommend this series for anyone who loves a dark, action packed series with a tragic love story. Prepare yourselves this book will put you through the wringer! The Kingmaker Saga is one of those series I will never forget, Uilleam & Karina both experienced trauma in unimaginable ways and I love the fact how London made their healing process so real and powerful and raw.
This author and this series had me hooked from the first pages of each book. I am sad to see the series end, but I guess it is time to start at the beginning and read them again. Since I have so many I want to read at this point this is a rare thing for me to say and do.
I think of all of LM’s sagas, I disliked this the most. There were too many books. Fluff and fillers. But this book , all these characters were ridiculous. When are mercenaries who are paid act out like this? Like he paid you ! You agreed to the payment like a job and all of a sudden you were questioning loyalty and honor? Lame ! As much as Uilleum was this big, bad , untouchable guy , he couldn’t go against Mother? Where in the story did she become so powerful? And in the end, all the blame from every angle fell on him and what of her ? She was beyond stupid! She was a pawn and she was the catapult to all these wrongdoings and yet she being this supposedly badass “ BellaDonna” along with the Kingmaker is getting beaten at every turn by this Mother? All this badassery in the other books snd this one she was nothing but sitting around waiting for someone to keep her damn ass safe ? I was hoping he would make her understand the consequences of her action, but no … I didn’t bother to read the ending. They got too pathetic and trying to shift the story over to these deplorable mercenaries along with all these inconsistencies and unrealistic storylines killed the story .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
the amount of months i’ve been waiting for this book and to have finally read it? i’m literally over the moon. i absolutely loved the ending!! (also did poppy holding a stuffed white rabbit have anything to do with the first book?), im just so happy omg.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
What a book! This is the last novel I read in 2022 and I couldn’t have asked for a better read 🙌🏽 Without spoilers, here we go… London Miller’s Kingmaker saga started in 2018 and I had been hooked ever since. The story is well-built, the universe she has created is extensive, and each characterisation distinct. I’m happy to report that pay off for waiting for this series end was well worth it. More often than not, the chemistry between lead couple is hard to stretch in the span of six books. But Miller sets the journey of Uilleam & Karina’s relationship so beautifully that it doesn’t feel stretched. You are invested in their push and pull. By the end of Dark Horse, Karina & Uilleam are out for revenge against Katherine and this book starts right after it. Miller spins the conclusion perfectly, weaving in the different characters from her universe so brilliantly that it doesn’t feel forced or pandering to fan demands. The different plot lines merge in seamlessly with the larger storyline. It wouldn’t be remiss to state that this is, by far, the author’s best work. I did wonder why Karina took a backseat in the first half of the novel but once she came into action, I had no complaints. Her ‘interaction’ with a kidnapped mercenary was my favourite part of the novel. Hands down, I recommend this book, and series, to everyone! Specially all who like their protagonist clever, hot and nuanced 😍 Thank you to the author for the ARC review. 😊
3.5 but rounding up to 4 because of how amazing the whole series is, and if I'd managed to re-read the previous 5 books before jumping into this I'm pretty sure I would have rated it even higher than that.
This book was definitely worth the wait and if you haven't started reading this romantic suspense series yet, just what are you waiting for? The author has so many plates spinning in this storyline it left me dizzy! I can only stand in awe at how she keeps the vast array of characters and subplots in order.
The writing quickly draws you into this twisted tale of love, power and retribution. The stakes are high, very high, where one wrong move could lead to fatal results. The story is spellbinding and had me on the edge of my seat, desperate to know who, what, where, when and how.
My only complaint is that the series had to end and end it did in the jaw-dropping style I've come to expect from the author. I now feel the need to treat myself to a re-read of the Den series, followed by this series.
When I think about the different phases of this book, I cannot deny that London Miller gave us a blockbuster worthy closing.
I am sure someone will believe there is something she could have done better. And in the moment, I might have thought the same.
Honestly, I would have even liked the Poppy and Uilleam storyline to be fleshed out a bit more. But I will respect that she tied this all up with a good bow.
Katherine is as formidable as expected and I love that all her motives were selfish. There was no need to add more emotional weight after the decade-long fight between Karina and Uilleam that took us across so many books.
And even though the storyline is still scattered with many strings to pull; and she shied away from killing any character that would weigh heavy on the readers, London Miller gave us an end. We might want more but we can’t say Uilleam and Karina’s story didn’t make a full circle.
This saga has been such a fun ride, with this story ends a beautiful and yet very complex love story. Uilleam and Karina along with our beloved mercenaries from The Den and Wild Bunch come together for one last chess match against Kathrine, who has proved to be a very formidable adversary,
I loved how complex and detailed this story was, references from the prior books brought a huge smile to me. The detail for the over all book was on par along with sub plots that were either tide up or thank goodness gives us a new couple and new story lines. Hint Jackal and Kava and Isla & Zorian.
Watching Uilleam come to understand what true self sacrifice is and learning that being humble can be the strongest weapon was awesome. Alpha Omega brings out loss, heartache, and understand of what true love really is.
“I’ll never let you go,” he said, meeting her gaze. A promise, she thought. And a threat.
This entire series has been such a thrilling ride. Uilleam & Karina's story has definitely left it's mark on me. I grew fond of all the side characters especially Winter, Kit, Luna, Bishop, Ilsa, Zoran, Sebastian & Kava. The plot was intense and some moments were unpredictable. There were still some conflicts but Uilleam & Karina emerged out stronger. I truly loved their relationship but I just wish there were more scenes with them and Poppy. The ending was sudden and I just wanted to see more of them bonding as a family tbh. But overall, I enjoyed reading the entire series and I will definitely continue to read books written by this author in the future!
oh my god i loved the finale of the book. All the scenes with poppy were soo adorable and after those chapter i can't wait for Sebastian's book. The only thing i wanted more of was kit and luna and maybe luna playing a bigger role in getting den together but that is just because they are my favorite couple. and maybe if there was more ass-kicking from Uilleam and Karina's side cause Katherine whooped their asses most of the book, her torture should have been epic. But that is what makes London's writing so good that makes me care for these characters and the pain they have been through that i really wanted Katherine to suffer more.
Let me begin with that you must read the prior books in this series before reading Alpha Omega. Then, hold on for a ride of your life. I couldn't put the book down; I was afraid of what was going to happen every time I turned the page. London Miller made us wait for this book and it was so worth it. A MASTERPIECE!!! Absolutely mind-blowing. How she wove all this together is a miracle that only a phenomenal author can do. It was so worth the wait. I have read every book she has written, and she is an extraordinary author. Cannot wait for her next book.
Absolutely loved the way this book wrapped up the series - well worth the wait!
I ended up reading Dark Horse again to get my head back in the overarching plot. I enjoyed reading it so much I am tempted to read the series again when I need a pick me up next year.
The suspense was next level to the extent my heart was racing so fast that at times I had to put my Kindle down, put a load of washing on to calm my nerves.
My thoughts -My wrath for Katherine is off the charts. -Winter warms my heart. -Revenge is an unpredictable dish to serve up. -the ramifications of mastering a magic trick had me nervous -impressed with how sisterly love and power were portrayed
Waited a long time for this book. I reread the first 5 to refresh myself. That’s when I noticed that the whole series skims over details. And, yes, I have read all Miller’s books so I know some details are in other books, but it was plot details that are missing. With this final book the first half was just fluff and then all of a sudden it’s all over. Not impressed and yet kind of keeps track with all the other books. Meh. But my biggest complaint is consistency with Grimm, or is it Grim? It changes constantly. That’s bad editing.
The series was amazing . This last installment for me was just ok. Sorry. Ms Miller is auto buy for me and that won’t change. Just didn’t like this one. To disjointed for me. To many fillers and the story was scattered all over the place.Hell I had to dig deep to remember some of the other stories. The secret info coming out especially about Iz. ( That one …😮). Karina softened to much. Her need to be all things to everyone was a bit much and took the grit out of why we waited for the end of this story.
2 years after reading for the 1st time The Kingmaker Saga, the last installment in Uillmean & Karina's story is finally here. And what ending it was... The final battle between Kingmaker & Belladonna vs Mother. All cards on the table. Finally realising hurtful truths. Admitting mistakes, vulnerability, finding solace after all the pain suffered. From start to finish, captivating saga conclusion.
It took years. I had to read again all the série because I didn’t remember anything anymore. Sometimes I got lost in the timeline, specially with the Luna pregnancy. Seemed to me her pregnancy took years. Sometimes it was hard to understand the location. One paragraph they were in England, the other in LA and other in NY. Besides all of this the série was interesting, this last book it was exhaustive, maybe because I read all 6 in a week and I think it could be better if was 5 books.
I wish Uilleam and Karina worked together more than they did. I also wish they had more scenes in the book. The POV of other characters was in the story. Lots of actions and twists. There is a surprise at the end. I thought Katherine didn't really get what she deserved. The world of the Kingmaker is well done. I want to see if any of the side characters get their own storiez.
6 books felt excessive for this saga but at the same time it wasn’t. She did a really good job of keeping pace, weaving in characters who had their own books and wrapping up their stories, and doing the right amount of twists. This was a 5 star ending for the series. I want to see Sebastian’s story but I can’t find any updates from the author since 2023? Is she…ok??
Words can’t even describe all the feelings this book has brought out while reading it. London said to get ready for this roller coaster ride and what a ride it was! I enjoyed this book so much and I can’t wait to get to see what else is next!
A great way to end this series or at least this couples story. I loved this couple from the start. Their story was quite the roller coaster and this book was no different. I cannot wait to see what London Miller has in store for us!
I love London Miller books Alfa Omega is the end of the serie .In the first chapter there is a mistake about the names I think that’s not oke the editors must doe it beter London Miller I emailed to her she did end resopens gr ellen berg
The ending for the Kingmaker series was all that I wanted and more! I've been with Uilleam and Karina since White Rabbit . I will miss them and all the mercenaries, Winter too! Thank you London, for this thrilling adventure!
What a wild ride this series has been! I loved (and sometimes hated) every moment of it! If you love mind fu#ks you’ll love this! Can’t recommend enough!