The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen: FAQ

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The Bridge Kingdom is the first book in a new fantasy series by USA Today bestselling author Danielle L. Jensen. The novel was first published in 2018.

In this article, you will find some frequently asked questions about this book. I have tried to answer them as best and honestly as possible.

I hope you enjoy reading these, and I hope this post answers some of the questions you may have about this book!

Since I will be answering questions about the book and it’s story, this article will contain spoilers.

What is The Bridge Kingdom about?

Lara and her twelve half-sisters trained in isolation to become assassins. Their father, the king of Maridrania, wants to turn them into warriors. And only the best will marry the king of Ithicana.

Lara forces herself into the position to marry king Aren and is sent to Ithicana. Her whole life she has thought that the people from Ithicana are monsters who steal food and money. And they do this to make sure the citizens of Maridrania suffer.

But when Lara gets to know Aren and his people better, she finds out the truth. She now knows her father lied to her. And there is much more to the story than she was told.

Aren’s feelings for Lara can no longer be denied. And also Lara’s feelings for Aren grow as well as her love for the Ithicanian people. And instead of wanting to bring king Aren to his knees, she in fact wants to take revenge on her father.

But it looks like she might not find out the whole truth in time. While she is making sense of her feelings for her husband, her father is closing in.

Danielle L. Jensen

The Bridge Kingdom is written by Danielle L. Jensen. In addition to having written many series so far, she is also a USA Today bestselling author.

Jensen lives in Calgary, Alberta. She is very active on social media and has her own website.

Is The Bridge Kingdom YA?

The book has a few elements that we find in typical Young Adult novels. But there are also elements that don’t fit the mark.

There is quite a lot of adult content in the book. Not only the spicy parts between lovers. But also there are bloody details describing the fights.

All this combined make that the Bridge Kingdom isn’t a YA book, but more a NA book.

Is The Bridge Kingdom steamy or spicy

Yes, there are definitely some spicy moments in the story. It isn’t a steamy or spicy novel per se. But it does have some spicy scenes among the romance scenes between Aren and Lara. Altogether, there are some details not meant for young adult readers.

Is The Bridge Kingdom a fantasy novel?

The Bridge Kingdom is a fantasy novel. The world it is set in is fictional. And only marginal relates to our own world.

There aren’t real magical elements like you see in a lot of fantasy novels. But still, the book gives a true fantasy feeling.

Enemies to lovers

This book has some true enemies-to-lovers action in it. Aren and Lara do not marry out of love. He has made a deal with a king. And Lara is a trained assassin.

But during the story, they both find out that the other person isn’t what they expected. Especially Lara, who finds out that Aren is an amazing king and man.

The shift between enemies and lovers is gradual and has a lovely build-up.

Does The Bridge Kingdom have LGBTQ romance or relationships?

There are a few relationships mentioned between females. But they are fleetingly described and only for minor side characters.

Is The Bridge Kingdom a series? And if so, how many books are in it?

The books first started off as a duology containing The Bridge Kingdom and The Traitor Queen. The main characters in both of these books are Aren and Lara.

The story from Aren’s and Lara’s point of view ends after the Traitor Queen. But the series still continues.

Book 3 in the series is called the Inadequate Heir. Danielle L. Jensen revealed that both book 3 and book 4 will revolve around Zarrah and Prince Kerris.

Is the series complete?

The series is not yet complete. Book 1, the Bridge Kingdom, is first published in 2018. The Traitor Queen was first published in 2020. The third book only was released in the last part of 2021.

Danielle L. Jensen revealed that there will be at least one more book in 2022.

Ithicana

This is the true name of the Bridge Kingdom. Ithicana is an island connected to the mainland by a large bridge. The Ithicanians control the bridge and therefore all traffic and trade between the countries.

Aren and Lara

Aren and Lara from The Bridge Kingdom

Aren is the king of Ithicana. His father made a deal with the Maridranian king many years ago. To keep the peace, Aren now has to marry one of the king’s daughters. As he has many wives in his harem with dozens of children, Aren does not know which daughter he will marry.

Also, all the daughters grow up separately from the other children. Therefore, the people outside Maridrania do not know anything about the princesses.

Lara forces her father’s hand and as a result, she gets to become the queen of Ithicana. She goes to Aren, intent on taking over his kingdom and bringing him to his knees.

Aren isn’t thrilled to marry a daughter of a king he can’t stand. But he feels the need to follow through on his father’s promise.

Because of the arranged marriage, there is no love between the two when they meet. But they start liking each other more and more. It is a real enemies-to-lovers story, but with a very slow burn. It takes quite some time for Lara to figure out her feelings for Aren.

Zarrah

General Zarrah Anaphora is captured by one of the half-brothers of Lara. This only happens at the end of the book. Thus, she is not a big part of this book. She does however play a bigger part in the second book.

How old is Lara?

At the start of the story, Lara is 17 years old. Lara is taken from her mother when she is only 5 years old. She then lives and trains with her sisters for 12 years. This makes her at least 17 years when she marries Aren.

The Bridge Kingdom map

In the original books of the Bridge Kingdom, there is no map. Danielle L. Jensen did make a map for the second book. You can also find the map on the author’s website.

Who dies in The Bridge Kingdom?

Because there is a war raging at the end of the book, there are many who die.

One of the casualties of this war seems to be Aren’s cousin. And Lara feels extremely guilty about that. Also, Lara kills her sister Marylyn. She finds a way inside the home of Aren and Lara. Marylyn is angry at Lara for taking her place, but even more for not doing her job. While she threatens to kill Aren, Lara takes action. And when Lara gets the chance, she breaks her neck.

Does The Bridge Kingdom have a happy ending?

No, it definitely is not a happy ending. Lara betrays Aren. Also, Ithicana is invaded by Maridrania. When Aren finds out what Lara has done, he sends her away. Lara is heartbroken and drinks away her sorrow. And the story ends with a major cliffhanger.

How does The Bridge Kingdom end?

Aren finds out that Lara betrayed him. She told the secrets about the bridge to her father. Her father has now taken over the bridge and therefore also Ithicana.

Lara is no longer welcome in Ithicana. And while she is heartbroken, she leaves as she has been asked.

Aren however tries to fight against the Maridranian army but isn’t careful. He is captured and taken to the Maridranian palace.

What to read after the Bridge Kingdom

  • The Traitor Queen by Danielle L. Jensen – Of course, if you loved this first book you should check out the second book as soon as you can! Because of the enormous cliffhanger in book one, you will want to know what happens next!
  • From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout – This is an amazing fantasy story about people who aren’t what they seem. It has lot’s of mystery, romance, and warfare.
  • Gild by Raven Kennedy – This one is a whole new twist on the King Midas story with a lot of steamy scenes in an action packed, fast-paced story.
  • These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan – This book features love triangles, enemies to lovers, and fae princes. It really has everything in it that you would want to read in a fantasy story.

Conclusion

The Bridge Kingdom is a true fast-paced fantasy book. The characters are relatable, and the book is very well written. It will leave you wanting more.

I hope I have answered some of the questions you may have had about this book! And if you have more questions that I didn’t answer, feel free to let me know of them below!

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