Review: Defend the Dawn by Brigid Kemmerer

New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer continues her electrifying series with more intrigue, romance and heart-stopping adventure 

To save their kingdom, they must embark on a dangerous journey…

The kingdom of Kandala narrowly avoided catastrophe, but the embers of revolution still simmer. While King Harristan seeks a new way to lead, Tessa and Prince Corrick attempt to foster unity between rebels and royals.

But the consuls who control the Moonflower will not back down, and Corrick realizes he must find a new source for the lifesaving Elixir.

When an emissary from the neighboring kingdom of Ostriary arrives with an intriguing offer, Tessa and Corrick set out on an uncertain journey as they attempt to mend their own fractured relationship.

This could be their only chance to keep the peace and bring relief to the people of Kandala, but danger strikes during the journey to Ostriary, and no one is who they seemed to be. . .

I should’ve read Defend the Dawn when it first released in the fall of 2022 but as per usual I procrastinated the hell out of it and didn’t get around to actually reading it until recently. The theme of this book definitely was ‘expect the unexpected’. There were quite a few twists that really surprised me, which shouldn’t have surprised me since we’re talking about a Brigid Kemmerer book but still she got me yet again. Did I like it as much as the first book, Defy the Night? Not quite but Defy the Night was an exceptional book for me and my favorite by this author. Even so I did highly enjoy Defend the Dawn. I’ve hardly been able to put the book down so it was one of those page-turners where you just have to keep reading to find out what will happen next.

King Harristan, Tessa and Prince Corrick are still seeking a new source to make more Elixir while also trying to keep war from breaking out in the kingdom of Kandala, which is not easy between balancing the rebels and the king’s court of consuls. Until Captain Rian Blakemore, an emissary from the kingdom of Ostriary across the ocean arrives telling them that they have a source for the Elixir. And so Tessa, Corrick and some guards board Captain Blakemore’s ship headed for Ostiary to see for themselves.

I was very intrigued by the new character of Captain Rian Blakemore. I really liked him even though I wasn’t sure that he could be trusted. Tessa liked him right away too, hoping that he might be the key to more Elixir for all the people in Kandala and not just the rich and powerful. Naturally, prince Corrick was suspicious of him from the first moment they met. It didn’t help that the relationship between Corrick and Tessa felt like an uphill battle with all the manipulations all around them. There was definitely jealously that Corrick felt whenever Tessa and Rian interacted but it didn’t feel like a love triangle because eventually Corrick and Tessa got their shit about each other together and told they loved each other.

I really liked that a big part of the book was set on the ship which means that tensions were quickly heating up because everyone was around each other all the time and there were many trust issues between Corrick’s people and Rian’s people. And because of that there was never a boring moment. A fight could break out at any time basically, while on a ship in the middle of the ocean. You can imagine how tense it could get.

Meanwhile back in Kandala we got some chapters in King Harriston’s point of view. I really feel like his character took a big leap of growth. Maybe this was because his brother Corrick wasn’t there to fight his fights. I think the distance might’ve actually been good for them both as hard it is to say. I especially loved the ending of his final chapter in this book. I practically cheered for him because at last he is doing something!

The book ended in a pretty big cliffhanger, making me go noooooo. Brigid Kemmerer has always been good at cliffhangers I feel and making sure the readers are left wanting for more. Of course I’m not extra excited for the final book of the trilogy, Destroy the Day which will be coming out in January 2024. Feels like such a long wait but I’m sure it’ll be worth it. And hopefully I’ll actually read it right away when I get my hands on the book. Fingers crossed!