These Vicious Games

The Broken Kingdoms #4.5

by L.J. Andrews

Junius is merely trying to survive in the dregs of Skitkast until she makes the mistake of unintentionally interfering in the heist planned and led by the most vicious smuggler in the region.

Niklas Tjuv has was forced into the position of guild lead for the Falkyn smugglers. All he has left is his hate and vengeance. Until he stumbles across a beautiful little thief taking his haul for herself.

Once their paths cross, their kingdom's fate will never be the same.
Welcome to Nik and Junie's love story from The Broken Kingdoms. Events in this novella will take place before and alongside the main series of books.

Genres: Romantasy, Fantasy, Fae

203 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 18, 2025

About the author

Writing is a beautiful thing.

I consider myself blessed I'm able to do this for a living. I live for fantasy books as a reader and author. I adore books like An Ember in the Ashes, The Night Angel Trilogy, Harry Potter, The Great Library series...I could go on.

Before I write I have four young humans I keep alive and love them to the stars and back again. I live in Utah with my sexy husband, the kiddos, two paranoid dogs, and a sinister cat. Between finishing a second degree, running a business, and eating too much chocolate, I love writing early in the morning when no one is awake. If you can't tell, I basically function on caffeine.

Reviews

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niklas & Junius story is such a fun vibe and so glad we got a novella of them

[Ali Alley EscapeThroughABook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always wondered about Junius and Niklas’s past. They were always such interesting characters to me. This book was cool. Not exactly what I expected, but definitely cool. I do wish I could’ve read these back when I was reading the series. It would’ve been cool to learn more about them as I was learning about the world. But that’s not how it worked out 😅. I became addicted to this series from the very beginning lol. So do I suggest reading these books as you’re reading the series? Yes! I think it definitely will make the world so much better. It will more add depth and feeling to it.

This fantasy romance is book 4.5 in The Broken Kingdoms series. There are darker themes and scenes in this book. The romance in this book is enemies to lovers. There is some open door spice in this book. Junius’s life has been hard, and she knows not to trust the Falkyn Smugglers. Until she is proved wrong by Nik, and he changes her life forever.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
📱Ebook

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I would never go another damn day without earning a smile from this woman, I would never go a day, a single toll, without ensuring she bleeding knew she was my whole heart and soul."

Niklas & Junie - the smuggler and the lie taster - one of the most captivating and brilliant couples to grace the broken kingdom series. I'm so, so glad we were given their story finally and I love knowing how their story was interwoven with the main series before it had really even began.

I can't possibly choose a favourite character between the two of them as there isn't one without the other for me, they come as a package deal.

I devoured this book, from learning how the pair of them met, the suffering they endured across the turns and then to see them finally, finally reunited with Nik on his knees infront of his wife? I cried. It was beautiful.

10/10 - no notes please continue to write these masterpieces.

"Tils vi ses igen."

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

LJ Andrews has done it again!!

I absolutely adore Nik and Junie. ever since we met Junie in book 2 of the Broken Kingdoms, I've found her character and snippets of story with Nik amazing. The pair have been in all the books since book 2 and I have been so excited waiting to read their story!

This novella did not disappoint. it was amazing, giving us their beginning, middle and end. It's definitely a story I'll re-read in the future!

LJ just doesn't write anything bad! Not one story have I read by there that I’ve not loved.

I can't wait tinsee what she releases next!

100% recommend her books (yes, all of them!) but definitely read the first few books on the Broken Kingdoms Series before these novellas, there's some spoilers otherwise!

[Rachel Abercrombie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and easy read, still full of information that helps you understand the background of the characters more. I enjoyed learning more about Junior and Nik, I feel like I can see why there is such a deep bond between them. I also enjoyed seeing how the Kyrv were formed and in their younger years. I really want to know what happened to Söt? It also makes me even more angry about a betrayal in the main series.

[Giulia B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. Wonderful. I’m not usually one to enjoy novellas or bonus scenes, but I just can’t stop reading these amazing books!!! Also, thank you so much for not killing off little Sot… since he didn’t appear in the main story, I thought he’d died in some smuggling gone wrong. I’m so glad to find out that’s not the case lol.
I shed a tear when J&N met again 💔
Off we go to Tor and Sol!!!

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Your honor, I love them.

A novella that focuses on Nik and Junie (side characters that steal the show for me in The Broken Kingdom series)? Say less. This novella just made me love them more. There was a little bit of pacing issues for me, but novellas are hard and I still fell for this couple even harder so it still worked for me.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Nik and Junie. Adorable from the beginning. My only issue with the book was the pacing was a little off for me, and there were sooo many spelling/grammar errors. Having to re-read sections a couple times throws off the vibe.

[Dominoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

King of Tricks

This was great. Nik and Junie have such a deep and long lasting bond. It was so easy to see it throughout the series. It was really fun to get a deep dive into the back-story. I also loved seeing some of the events from another angle.

[Yasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready to dive into Junius and Niklas’s story on how they met, how they fell in love, and how fate brought them back together. You should read this this companion novella to The Broken Kingdoms after you read the main series.

I just can’t get enough of Junius and Niklas! I loved reading about how they first met and the challenges they faced before finally admitting there was something more between them. Junius had a difficult life, and this novella helped me understand her so much better. We also learn how she was captured and how she ended up in the Northern Kingdom. Reading her backstory broke my heart and made everything she endured so much more real. I also loved reading about Niklas, and we get some more details on how they met everyone's favorite: Kase.

This is yet another amazing novella that adds so many more details to the characters from The Broken Kingdoms series. And I just love the entire series, including all of the novellas.

[Skyler Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real Rating: 5 ⭐️

Finally getting around to add this to my reading goal from the temporary that I was before. Love anything LJ Andrews writes.

[Niki Gage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in 2 sittings and I wish I could reread this whole series for the first time again. I loved everything about it.