A Reading Desk reader picked up A Crossfire of Hearts, book three in Aminat Sanni-Kamal's Kingdom of Idia series, and came back with a lot to say.
A Crossfire of Hearts
by Aminat Sanni-Kamal
Hamza, the once esteemed and almost-Crown Prince of Bachama has been marked by disgrace. With…
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his reputation tarnished, he is forced into exile with the weight of his kingdom’s failures on his shoulders and a burning desire of vengeance against those who betrayed him – if he could figure out who they were first. With resentment in his heart, Hamza now lives as an Underground Boss with a network of clubs that launders funds from his other “businesses”. With every information at his disposal except the one he desperately seeks, Hamza uncovers a plot to kidnap the Heiress of Idia by the pro-democracy rebels of Idia. Though the last thing he wants is to put himself on the radar of Idian Royal Security, he rescues Leah Essien, the shrewd crown princess of the Kingdom of Idia.
Show lessHamza has spent years carrying the blame for his family's death and the weight of his own father's rejection. All he wants is the chance to clear his name and finally go home. Along the way, he meets Leah, and what starts as friction slowly grows into something deeper.
The romance is the highlight, but it isn't the only thing carrying the story. Family, faith, grief, expectation, and forgiveness shape it just as much as the relationship does, and the pacing is character-driven enough to let the emotional beats actually land.
Leah is easy to root for. She knows what she wants, but she's also trying to do right by the people she loves. Hamza, though, is the one our reader fell for: kind, patient, and caring for Leah in a way that feels genuine, mistakes and doubts included, which only makes him feel more human.
His friendship with Kai and Azeeza is its own quiet highlight, standing by him when he has no one else, a reminder that family isn't always the people you're born into.
Leah was so easy to root for. She knew what she wanted, but she was also trying her best to do right by the people she loved. And Hamza? I fell so hard for his character. He was kind, patient, and cared for Leah in a way that felt genuine. He made mistakes, had doubts, and felt wonderfully human because of it.
If there's one gripe, it's that a few moments could have been resolved with a simple conversation. Both leads got a mental "just talk to each other already," but that frustration only exists because the reader was fully invested in seeing them work it out.
Short verdict: A warm, heartfelt romance about healing, forgiveness, and finding home in the people who choose you.
This review came through Sọna's Reading Desk programme, where readers can get a book in exchange for honest reviews. Thank you, Mayowa (@maybanksratesit on Instagram), for this one.