Betrothed to the Emperor

Emperor's Assassin, Book 1

De: Kai Butler

Narrado por: Michael Ferraiuolo

I was born to kill the emperor, but first, I must marry him.

I trained as an assassin while my twin sister trained to be the empress. My life will be forfeit once I murder the most powerful man on the continent, but I have no choice. If I fail, the Imperium will consume our nation and anyone who rises against them.

Too soon, we walk into the glittering imperial court, each step taking us closer to the dangerous man on the black throne, my sister’s future husband, the newly crowned Emperor of the Southern Imperium. Emperor Tallu has more spies than fish in the sea. He poisoned his own father to secure the golden crown.

When his sharp eyes skim over us, they don’t catch on my sister. They land on me, his killer.

“I choose you, Prince Airón of the Northern Kingdom. You will be my consort.” Tallu’s smile is mirthless. “Or I will reduce your entire nation to ashes.”

Betrothed to the Emperor ends with more story to tell, but the characters end on a HFN.

©2025 Kai Butler (P)2025 Kai Butler

so much talent

This is an extremely complex world that looks to be an epic fantastical series. Butler has set up a harsh world where distrust, revenge and self serving goals seem to rule. Told only from Airon's perspective, he may believe everything he says but you have to wonder what is he not seeing in this twisted world. Emperor Tallu throws all his plans upside down when he picks Airon to be his consort instead of his sister. Can he continue his family's revenge plan as he sees more of this world?
Michael Ferraiuolo has an amazing voice and talent.

Ooh me like

Vikingish assassin (bottom) forcibly betrothed to (insert Asian dynasty here vibe) emperor (top). Distrust, mutual rescue, etc. loved it! Need more!

Great start to a new series!

Five stars! Five stars!! This was an amazing start to a new series! The narration was fantastic as always.

I NEED MORE!

This story had me hooked from the beginning. As soon as the emperor claimed Airón, I knew this would be page turner. Tallu and Airón will have to find a way to put their differences aside and work together. This book ends in a cliffhanger so beware. I cant wait for book two!

fantastic start to this series…

can’t wait until the next book. The world and intrigue are exciting and real in ways I didn’t expect.

Romantasy Meets Suspenseful Thriller

Can a relationship be built by lies, mistrust and ancient wisdom? Well Emperor Tallu and Prince Airón need to do exactly that if either one of them is going to survive. Prince Airón has lived his whole life with one mission and Emperor Tallu is the target. Emperor Tallu is surrounded by lore, rumor and assumptions of his character, heart and his very existence on the throne but why you are shown is certainly not what you get. Kai Butler puts us in a world of the Imperium and the Northern Kingdom who are frenemies but decades old promises need fulfillment and while an enemy within is revealed it will take two made of similar hearts even if they do not realize it to ensure their safety and safety of all peoples. We are left hanging onto the last words and waiting to see what decision will be made.

Narration can do ones of two things, it can enhance or diminish. The narration for this story truly takes it to another level. I definitely enjoyed reading this story but at times I felt it lagged or it wasn't as interesting but the narration keeps you engaged from start to finish. The narration of Michael Ferraiuolo transports you directly this world and brings all character for side and main to life. Giving a voice to Prince Airón and Emperor Tallu allows you to feel what they feel and allows you into their essence. This is my first story with Michael Ferraiuolo and it will certainly not be my last. He very clear and has great tonality throughout. I cannot wait for the next installment and I am even more excited to hear how the story progresses.

Excellent story with an excellent narration!

This book cements Kai Butler as one of my favourite authors! Set in a bloody empire paused on the brink of further bloodshed, the story is filled with uncertainty, intrigue, and betrayal. I was kept on the edge of my seat wondering how Airón would adapt to his new situation. I loved the glimpses we got of Tallu’s character - all is not as it seems. Action, danger, attraction, and loyalties tested added to my enthralment.

The excellent narration absolutely increased my enjoyment!

This is the first book of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger; there is definitely far more to this story and I can’t wait to find out what happens.

Exciting start to a new series!

I was blessed to receive an ARC of Betrothed to the Emperor.

Kai Butler really blew my expectations out of the water. Betrothed to the Emperor is the beginning of the story of two men resigned to their fates yet startlingly attracted to one another and who desperately need the other.

Prince Airón of the Northern Kingdom is taken by surprise when Emperor Tallu chooses him to be his consort over his sister who had been trained for the position since birth. Airón knows his duty, that he must gain the trust of the Emperor, seduce him, and then kill him. It's the only way to protect the Northern Kingdom from the hostility of the Southern Imperium. Left alone after his sister's return to the North, Airón must use all his cunning and wits to not only win over Tallu but to discover where the real threats to the Imperium lie. And the more he learns about Tallu and the vipers' nest of the court, the more he finds himself charmed by Tallu's affection, the more Airón begins to questions his mission. When Airón is forced to accelerate part of his plan, everything goes off course until Airón must decide whether killing Tallu or keeping him alive is the better option. And if it's keeping him alive, well, then all they can rely on is each other.

I am still overcome by the end of this book. I don't think there was a single thing I disliked about it except that it wasn't longer! It's driving me crazy that I can't figure out which characters to trust, but it's slowly becoming clearer! The world building and plot were incredible, as always.

Overall I really, really loved this book. Kai is an auto-buy author from me, and never disappoints. The characters are well developed and unique, the writing is stunning, and the banter is incredible. There isn't a single thing I disliked, and I'm excited to see this full fantasy play out, and I can't wait to read more! 5/5.🌟

Edit 3/15/25 - The audio is narrated by Michael Ferraiuolo. The audio was good, but I didn't think the voices matched the characters as well as other books I've listened to. I also felt that there was a kind of sing-sing quality to a lot of the book. The different accents were very well done, though. 4/5 🌟