I loved this story. As usual this author captivated me. Matias and Ramona:s families have an inherited hate. Betrayal and a theft and brings them together. What a great read!

I love Ilona Andrews’ world building skills! This book is set in a world I wish I could visit. The characters are sharp and flawed and real. The fight scenes are so detailed and the plot surprised me more than once. I would absolutely recommend this book to a friend and I would reread it myself. I really enjoyed it!

4.5 STARS

The genetically enhanced reigning families of the planet beautiful Rada have been adversaries at odds, often times deadly ones, for generations. Two of the top groups, Baena and Adler constantly battle for power and dominance. They are enemies in every sense of the word until something so unthinkable happens, the two opposing family leaders must work together in order to avoid a catastrophe that would ruin them all.

Ramona Adler and Matias Baena have more in common that than realized: they are both workaholics, have political marriages that are less than satisfactory, and will do anything to save their respective companies and keep them in power. Their improbable alliance balances on a knife edge since each one has an enormous amount to lose; however, trust between the two rivals is a very difficult thing. Ramona and Matias each have skills that make them deadly opponents and an exponentially powerful force when they work together, if they can overcome many years of hate and mistrust.

Although Ramona and Matias are both married, their respective spouses have done something so very unthinkable from which there is no coming back. As Ramona and Matias find their footing together and learn each other’s’ history, they begin to discover that something more than just a working alliance is growing between them. Not surprisingly, politics has a big role to play in the planet’s problems and not only stemming from the families with superpowers.

Enemies abound and not just ones on the planet. This story is essentially about a war being fought by two people against very high odds. If they lose, it will mean a disastrous change for their home planet. With a high body count, special abilities, and mayhem abounding, fans of Ilona Andrews will be pleased with this new addition of number three in the Sci Fi Kinsmen universe. FATED BLADES can be read as a standalone though it will be made more enjoyable by reading the prior novellas.

This latest entry in the Kinsman series is a fun, quick read with great main characters and includes a strong, competent female lead. I look forward to each of the authors’ books and this one didn’t disappoint.

After literally a decade of being a complete and ardent fan of the writing duo Ilona Andrews, it shouldn't shock me at this point that they continue to write some of the best books in the genre. I can now safely add Fated Blades to the 5 star list of all the other books that I've written. It was absolutely 1 of the best books I've read in a while and I know I'll be doing a couple more re-reads when it officially comes out again. The action, humor, plot, etc were exactly what I was expecting and completely on point for a memorable and bonkers story! Thank you absolutely for writing this as it was as awesome as expected!!

Fated Blades has everything I love about this author. Witty dialogues, great character building, strong females, charismatic heroes, imaginative world building – I could go on. And it has a favorite trope of mine – enemies to lovers.

The couple started out as enemies, actually mortal enemies, but necessity makes for a great bed partner. It was very entertaining to see them realise that there is more to each other than a hated last name.

Ramona was my kind of heroine. Strong, accomplished, ruthless, and smart. She had a hard shell, and a careful nature, but her opening up to Matias felt right. Matias was the silent type. A workaholic, always in control, and easily mistaken as cold and emotionless. But in the end he was just waiting for the right partner to bring his passion to the surface.

I’m a sucker for a strong couple. When a heroine and hero complement each other – everything makes so much more sense.

So, if you love to get swept away in a magical world. If you need a book for an afternoon, a short novel for between bigger books, you need to pick up FATED BLADES. The novella is a great introduction to all things Ilona Andrews.

Most of all the length of the novella was incredibly satisfying.

It was ,much longer than expected, with 222 pages it’s almost as long as a regular book, or at least 2/3 of a book. The world building and character development was well done for the page length. Of course it is still a novella, so some instances would have been even more detailed in a full length novel, but I’m not going to complain – lol.

I loved it. This whole series is a love story to tropey, fun romance novels, and there's nothing better than reading a book written by people who understand and appreciate the genre while remaining true to their voice and style. Just wonderful. I read it in one night and immediately regretted not making it last longer. I hope they write more of these, because this series only has three novellas and yet the world feels so lived in! I recommend reading the first two novellas first just because they're great, but this one stands alone well, IMO. For my fellow Hidden Legacy stans, this is the other IA series I would recommend.

Review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley

Content notes: lots of violence and some gore.

This is my second ever book from this author duo.

I was really intrigued by the synopsis and I have to say this book does not feel like a novella at all. I picked this up and was sucked into this magical world within minutes. The two rival houses/ families on this planet both have strong leaders/ heads of the family, and they are forced to join together for the greater good / to save their families.

The team of Ramona and Matias from enemies to an amazing team was perfect. I personally feel there was zero missteps in this book, the story was outstanding and I would love to have much more from this world. The world building and character development was on point for the whole story, there was never a part the felt slow/ dragged on.

This is the perfect book to take on a vacation, read on a rainy/ snowy day, or when you just want a book you know is going to be outstanding. Please write more for this universe, I need to know about the rest of the families.

A well-written, edgy space opera version of Romeo and Juliet, set in the authors' Kinsman universe. As the leaders of their respective corporate clans on the planet Rada, Matias Baena and Ramona Addler are in a fierce competition to recreate the cutting-edge technology of the nano-enhancements that turned their ancestors--and them--into deadly killers. That is, until Ramona discovers that their respective spouses are cheating on them ... with each other. And worse , the spouses have stolen both companies' research and fled. Breaking all tradition against consorting with the enemy clan,, Ramona goes to Matias with the bad news. They have no choice but to join forces to recover their research. What ensues is much derring-do and gory mayhem. And, of course, romance.
(I recieved a free copy of this book from NetGalley.)

I am jumping for joy because I managed to snag a copy of this on Netgalley. Obviously I am not giving spoilers but will say I loved it enough to give it a five even though its a shorter read from this amazing couple.
This pair of authors have managed to develop a sci fi series completely unlike any other that I've read with abilities and situations unlike no other. I've read really short stories set in this world that were definitely quirky and humorous but this story simply upped the ante. The couple in this story are dynamic, loyal to a fault and definitely deserve to come out on top ! The action when it happens is fast, furious and yes bloodthirsty . Yet for this reader it was the mutual respect and trust gained between them that really had me eagerly turning the pages. If you are not a sci fi reader normally fear not because what you get here is quite simply a darn good story. Impossible to put down and who needs sleep ? Not this reader obviously and I would actually give more than five stars if I could because this was truly a page turner !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Even though this isn’t the first story set in in this universe, you can pick it up and start right in and know that you will not be lost. Ramona and Matias are both heads of their houses, descendants of genetically modified soldiers, and enemies. But when each other’s spouses have run off together with technology they both have been working on the reverse engineer the secret to the weapons they both are able to wield thanks to their tinkered DNA they join forces to hunt them down. The group that they runaway couple are selling the tech to belong to a group that Matias has crossed paths with before and they are deadly. If they get the tech then there is no telling how far they will go to take over other planets. Ramona and Matias work well together and develop a respect for one another.

The story is tightly plotted and the sparks do fly between them. The setting is great, and I really hope this does well enough to see them play more with this this setting.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley

I received a ARC from NetGalley to review( but I’m happily keeping my preorder as Ilona Andrew’s deserve every dollar for their amazing writing)

It’s fair to say I’m an Ilona Andrew’s fan! I’ve read every one of their books, including the short stories. But I was very late to the party when it came to the Kinsmen universe, and Fated Blades was the book the got me buying all the other books available. One snippet posted on the blog, and I was a goner! I am really hoping that Kinsmen get more full length books. I’d happily read books from this world m!!

Fated Blades is written beautifully, and includes a great storyline, fantastic world building, awesome fight scenes, and just the right amount of angst and romance!
Ramona and Matias are a perfect match for each other, and I couldn’t read the pages fast enough to see their story unfold.

4 ☆
Fated Blades is a galactic riff on the Romeo and Juliet theme. In New Delphi on the planet Rada, two warrior clans, known as secare, have been mortal enemies for hundreds of years. Kinsmen excel in the art of individual combat. But the secare is a breed apart as those among them with the genetic predisposition are bioengineered so that their arms can instantaneously project force fields either in the forms of shields or bladed weapons. To avert a bloody feud, the Baena and Addler secare clans pretend that neither exists.

"Matias [Baena] fixed [Ramona Addler] with his stare. 'To what do I owe the horror?'

'I came to ask two questions...
Do you know where your wife is?'

A wave of ice splashed Matias and evaporated into intense furious heat. His left hand clenched into a fist under the table."

Only betrayals that could destroy both families' businesses and futures could forge a temporary alliance. Each is head of their respective clans and they'll give it their all to safeguard them.

"[Ramona] had always thought [Matias] was cold, a closed-off distant man, with a stern glower. ... Who knew that there was fire underneath all that volcanic glass?

A stray thought flicked through her mind. It must be so nice having someone like him watching your back. Someone competent. Decisive. Someone who has his sh*t together. Too bad he's an enemy."

Fated Blades is the third in the Kinsmen series. As I haven't read the preceding installments, this can be read as a standalone. The first third of Fated Blades has story tension but the beginning still feels like a massive world-building info dump. Given that this is an alternate galaxy, some details that are reminiscent of earth, such as the same calendar days and metric measuring system, took me by surprise.

Ramona and Matias are appealing main protagonists. Empathy is quickly generated for them because of their plight as victims of gross betrayal. However, they don't seem to have any faults, which make them a little less than fully realized.

At about the 35 percent mark, Fated Blades became an absolute page-turner. This coincides with the first battle scenes and the secare skills are displayed in all their bloody glory. This is a great fun, romantic story, as can be expected from the IA duo. But I am also left a tiny bit unsatisfied by its brevity because all that world-building merits more. With only about 220 pages, this clocks in more as a novella than as a novel. If it weren't for my hopes of sequels in IA's other series, I'd clamor for more in the Kinsmen series.

Thank you to the authors, Montlake, and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotations in this review are from an uncorrected proof (ISBN 9781542037044) and may differ from the final version. Publication date is November 23, 2021.

Very excited to read this book as from the short stories I have enjoyed the Kinsman world. Yet again my anticipation was not disappointed.
One of the hallmarks of the writing duo that is Ilona Andrews is the skillful character development and growth. As a reader I enjoy when the story just flows from the words. The world building and characters are just a natural part of the story instead of having an add on paragraph to describe things or being force feed what the character is feeling.
I'm left wanting to know more of the Kinsman world and people in it. While reading the previous short stories would give you some insight this can definitely be read with no previous knowledge of the world.

I received an advance copy of this book on Netgalley. I am always amazed when authors have the capability of both displaying great action scenes that can be easily pictured as described but keep me engaged me in the overall story. The story is lovely with deep feelings about responsibilities and marriage and the action scenes are well thought out and engaging. I would highly recommend this book especially to anyone who has read the other Kingsmen books from this author as it’s paced in a very similar way.

I am a long time reader of Ilona Andrews - and this latest, long awaited story from the Kinsmen Universe has everything I could want.

Beautiful world building for a "distant future" setting. Sci Fi without having to explain every nuance. You get a beautiful world with just enough technology description to not get "bogged down" into details. You won't be hitting up a search engine to see what something is or might be.

Action? Oh yes - there's action. There's intrigue. Believable character interactions. Humor and of course, a touch of romance.

If you're looking to step away from the real world for a few hours of fun, this is an EXCELLENT. jaunt into another world.

This is a fantastic sci-fi romance tale with brilliant character interactions and unique character change perspectives, a refreshingly dual point of view. The world is created wonderfully with enough details to see it clearly in a reader's mind without dragging on dull descriptions. The character interactions are real, believable, and build well for the tale, and the fight scenes are beautifully done with dance-like descriptions to keep a reader enthralled.
The novella is a brilliant stand-alone tale, but it also leaves enough details left untouched that allows the author to create additional books in this world. The story captures a reader within the first few lines and maintains a delightful intrigue through the conclusion.

Fun, fast paced and full of action this was a quick and enjoyable read. I had not read the previous titles set in the Kinsmen world but that did not dim my enjoyment of the story. Loved that is was a classic love story with a ton of science/magic detail to transport me to join the characters in their world while I read. Must now hunt down the other titles!

A welcome return to the Kinsmen series…

Author duo Ilona Andrews have returned to their Kinsmen universe after a decade or so, and it’s a shame they stayed away so long. Fated Blades is a long novella - or is it a short book? You pick! But either way, it’s a fast-paced and fun tale for both IA fans and those new to IA’s books.

The premise of the Kinsmen series is simple. Borrowing loosely from the intro to one of the earlier books: humans needed to be “enhanced” to facilitate spreading across the galaxy - able to survive harsh conditions, or be fierce hunters or warriors, or make brilliant scientific advances. And some of these enhancements were biological, and could be passed down through the generations. Since, however, humans were still basically human, the folks who had these genetic advantages soon wanted to keep them to themselves, and thus the Kinsmen families were born.

Fated Blades features two such families, both with the ability to generate deadly swords or impenetrable shields from their bodies on a moment’s notice. The “secare” originally were soldiers created to fight in a vicious war, but have dispersed in the decades since. The Baenas and the Addlers settled on the same planet though, and in true Montague-Capulet fashion, they are sworn enemies. So when the wife of the head of one family and the husband of the other not only have an affair, but more importantly, steal precious business secrets, heads are going to roll. Quite literally.

As the leaders of their respective clans, Ramona Addler and Matias Baena have to clean up the mess, quickly and quietly, or their families will be destroyed. So they uneasily agree to pursue the culprits together. What follows is a classic space opera (even if not actually set in space), as they race across Rada and back, fighting battles, sharing a few moments of downtime, and learning more about each other as they go. And of course, as with all epic adventures, there’s a show-stopper of an ending – or actually two show-stoppers if you count the epilogue….

Some of Ilona Andrews’ longer books deal with serious themes from time to time, even if these are sort of hidden amongst the action. But their novellas mostly seem to be written for fun, and Fated Blades is one of the best. Long-time fans will treasure the occasional sneaky references to earlier Kinsmen stories: silver shark serpents, the Escana family, passion cones. But none of these are central to the story, and everyone will enjoy the wicked action, the slowly developing relationship between Mathias and Ramona, and finding out how things turn out in the end! (Finally, on a personal level, I also particularly enjoyed one of the minor characters, Haider Davenport, and hope someday maybe he and his husband get their own story, even if it’s just a short prequel or web-snippet.)

Fated Blades is coming on Nov 23, 2021, and it’s an Amazon exclusive. Pre-purchase links are provided below. Also please note that I received an advance review copy from the authors, via their publishers, Montlake Romance, and from NetGalley, and my thanks go to all.

i’m losing my goddamn mind, review to come when i’m more coherent.

~the review, seven days later~

Sorry. Not going to be coherent. I love the previous Kinsman novellas so much (to the point where I own a special edition from Subterranean Press with gorgeous illustrations). My brain was a series of exclamation points after learning about the existence of FATED BLADES. A third Kinsman novella, releasing nearly a decade after SILVER SHARK?! The serotonin levels were dangerously high that day. Many thanks to the Montlake publicist for offering me an advanced reading copy and making my entire year.

The Kinsmen world, in my opinion, is IA's most underrated series. I will now explain to you why they are my favorite novellas ever. Picture this: deliciously soapy Harlequin Presents-style adventures involving magical space warriors. This is a compliment, because I fucking love Harlequin Presents. The tropes are god-tier when executed well. A woman wants revenge against the man who broke their arranged childhood engagement, BUT WAIT, she's an assassin who seduces him for a hit job? SILENT BLADE is one click away on your preferred e-retailer. An admin assistant pines for her boss in a hopeless case of unrequited love, BUT WAIT, she's hiding her true identity because she can kill people with her psychic powers? Let me introduce to the marvel of SILVER SHARK.

FATED BLADES follows in the iconic footsteps of its predecessors. In a faraway planet of Rada, Ramona and Mateo are forced to team up together despite a generation family feud, hunt down their cheating spouses, and reclaim stolen data that will ruin their fortunes if unrecovered.

Y'all. The angst in this is sublime. Forbidden love at its finest: "Oh no, we can't be together because our families would love to murder each other if given the chance... We're still married to other people. It would be unethical to hook up, even if our exes are cheating bastards that we're going to divorce ASAP." This is basically the whole book, plus intergalactic political conspiracy and badass action scenes involving magical weapons. The temple scene... angels wept.

Last but certainly not least: Ramona and Matias have this unsettling magical fighting connection that makes their terrifying blades work extra well when paired together. The book doesn't call it fated mates, but it's fated mates, LOL. Look at the title! They're soulmates, if being soulmates made you really good at killing terrible people for the sake for a bloody sci-fi narrative (I'm not joking, the body count is rather high). As I said: sublime.

Everyone read this book and report back to me!!! I don't make the rules! You are now bound by my covenant for reaching the end of this review.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.