Sophie Lark's writing makes me feel like Goldilocks.  That author's writing is a little too this, that author's writing is a little too that, Sophie Lark's writing is juuuuuust right.

I hesitated to read the Kingmakers series because I didn't believe all the "Hogwarts but make it mafia" claims.  Surely, those two worlds just don't make any sense.  How can all these rival family members be in the same school and NOT destroy each other?  Don't they all now know each other's secrets, their tells, their weaknesses?  Well, I was wrong.  Somehow, Sophie makes it believable.  And not just believable, but addictive.  I can't wait to get into the next book immediately.  T

The trials found in this story were fantastic.  I loved that there was a balance of conflict within the relationship but also outside of it.  Sometimes yes, I do want to read a book that purely focuses on the relationship.  But sometimes I want to read a book with competitions, alliances and rivals, secrets and lies, debauchery and shenanigans.

If you were dragging your feet on starting this series after the Brutal Birthright series, quit that.  Learn from my mistakes.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for a digital advanced reader copy.  All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.