Review: Savage Kings by L.M. Harrison

Savage Kings by L.M. Harrison

Series: Savages of Kingsworth #1

Publication date: August 8th, 2022

Pages: 406

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

Three beautiful, cruel boys rule Kingsworth Prep. And I'm the girl who almost ruined them...

It all started with that video I posted of them--you know, the one that went viral. But that was before I knew who they were.

Ezra Covington, Bellamy Thorn, and Dashiell Laurier.

Three untouchable royals who were just... well, royally touched.

Three gorgeous, ruthless kings used to getting exactly what they want.

Now they want me.

They want my screams against their mouths. My ruin beneath their fingers. My demons exposed to the world.

Little do they know, my demons bite back.

And that makes me just as savage as any king.

WARNING: Savage Kings is a bully romance that contains graphic content and situations that might make some readers uncomfortable. It is a reverse harem novel, meaning the heroine has more than one love interest. It is book 1 in the Savages of Kingsworth series and ends in a cliffhanger.

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Review:

Grace wishes she could take back the moment when she decided to video a couple of devastatingly sexy rich assholes who chose to insult and harass her and her sister one night. Once the video went viral the wheels were set in motion and there was nothing Grace could do to stop them. She was to attend the prestigious Kingsworth Prep alongside the boys from the video at the decree of one of their fathers and she would get the education she so badly needed. Otherwise her, her sister, and her nephew would be out on the streets with no hopes of finding a place to live again. Grace has no choice. She must enter the bowels of hell and hope she can make it through without irreparable damage. However, as soon as she shows up she knows she is unwelcome. The three boys she videoed are the kings of the school and they are decreed that she is to be hated by all. She is untouchable and nobody is to have anything to do with Grace as long as she remains in the school. The torture of her peers isn't so bad, but the tempting draw of the Kings of Kingsworth is another pit of vipers within itself. Can Grace make it out in one piece or will she succumb to their will and their devilishly good looks?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found the main female protagonist to be sassy and strong in all the ways I wish I were. If I were bullied even half as much as she was I would have crumbled and sobbed my way back home where I would be telling my sister we have to start looking for a new home. But she seemed to shrug off most of it and stood up for herself when she had to. She had some of the bullies absolutely astounded by the fact that she would actually stand up for herself. I loved that. It gave me a healthy dose of serotonin as someone who was bullied in school myself. The only bullying that I hated was when the guys would engage in it. Seeing them tell her they hate her and she is unattractive and unappealing was just disgusting. All the while they were fighting their attraction for her. Make it make sense, boys! 

I was incredibly disheartened to find out that this was not a complete series and only the first book was released. The cliffhanger made me gasp and I was hurriedly rushing to Amazon to see if the next was on KU. At least I only have to wait until September for the next installment because this story was truly a great read. The only drawback that I found was how many moving parts the story had going. Grace's secrets, Bellamy's secrets, the mystery of the person who shoved her in the cellar, waiting to see what sweet hell Mila will unleash, how Sebastian factors into all this, whether Brandis and Grace were going to be okay, etc. It is a lot to hold out for answers in the next book. However, I will most definitely be picking up the next one. If you like bully reverse harems with a dash of kink mixed in, you'll love this book.

Book Blitz with Excerpt + Giveaway: The Roots Beneath Us by Joey Jones @JoeyJonesWriter @XpressoTours

The Roots Beneath Us by Joey Jones

Publication date: August 17th, 2024

Synopsis:

Fate brought them together. Their pasts tried to tear them apart.

Leaving behind a career filled with danger and secrets, Piper Luck arrives in Duck, North Carolina, on her fortieth birthday, determined to build a new life. Starting with the Roots Beneath Us, a local course her friend and father figure swore would transform her, she embarks on a new journey. However, on the first day of class, only one other person shows up--a shy, guarded man.

Like Piper, Boone Winters just moved to the Outer Banks at the suggestion of his now decreased mentor and boss, who promised Boone a job when he arrived if he worked up the courage to leave an abusive relationship. The job: Build a luxurious oceanfront home. However, there are contingencies. He must attend The Roots Beneath Us program, have an accountability partner, and live alone.

With no other course participants, Piper becomes Boone's accountability partner. Together, they work through the course by facing their fears, setting goals, overcoming obstacles... and forging an unlikely friendship that evolves into something deeper. Nonetheless, when their previous lives resurface and threaten the tentative roots they've planted, they must each courageously confront their past demons once and for all in order to claim their future.

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Excerpt

It surprised Piper when Boone's skin touched hers. She wondered if he meant to be so close. Part of her liked it. Lying there with him felt comfortable even though she hadn't been romantically attracted. Something about Boone seemed different than any other man she met. She felt safe in his presence.

For a moment, Boone froze. He knew he should probably move his arm before it became awkward, but all he could do was stare through the trees at the stars even though he wanted to turn and look at Piper.

Piper considered scooting over an inch to create space, but then as the moonlight filtered and the stars twinkled through the silhouette of hundreds of tree branches, she decided she was okay with Boone's arm being pressed against hers. A couple of his fingers settled on hers delicately like a fallen leaf on the summer grass.

"Boone, this is lovely," she admitted.

Boone began to breathe again although he didn't know what to say. "It is," he finally uttered.

"You were right about this view. I think I could lie here all night."

Neither of them spoke a word for the longest time. They simply basked in the ambiance surrounding their lives at the present moment.

Eventually Piper broke the silence. "Sometimes I try to count the stars."

Boone smiled in the dark. "That sounds fun."

"You're fun, Boone," Piper stated, wrapping her pinky around one of his fingers. She turned and looked at him. "You deserve this freedom."

Boone didn't know precisely what freedom she meant, but he felt as free as the owls in the trees. The way her pinky wrapped around his finger made him more alive than he ever remembered. "Thanks," he responded, slowly turning his head to meet Piper's gaze. The clarity of her charming brown eyes surprised him, and once again he experienced that previous connection.

Piper studied Boone's green eyes. "No matter what happens, you never ever have to go back to her."

"I know," Boone replied, trying his hardest to believe it. Suddenly he wanted to kiss Piper's lips but couldn't. He could write that on his journey list a thousand times but doubted he ever would, and right now he couldn't muster up the courage. Baby steps, he heard someone on his shoulder say.

Piper considered rolling onto Boone and kissing him gently. She doubted he would make the first move. Almost any other guy would have already jumped on top of her but not Boone Winters. He was scared and scarred but also a gentleman. This man had been taken advantage of so many times he understood the danger in crossing boundaries. She understood his delicacy and wanted to treat him with the respect he deserved, realizing most of the women he encountered probably jumped on top of him.

Piper and Boone didn't say much more the rest of the waking night. They just let things be. Mostly they stared at the stars. Their bodies didn't move, not even their fingers, slightly intertwined like many of the branches above.

It shocked Piper when Boone dozed off to sleep, but it made her glad to know he felt comfortable. She knew she needed to leave but hated to wake him, so she kept gazing at the stars and listening to the ocean, imagining he would wake up soon.

As Piper listened to the steady rhythm of the rise and fall of Boone's breath, the owls hooted, the sky glowed, and before she realized it, her eyelids collapsed, and sleep captured her body.

The moon moved across the North Carolina sky. The branches slowly danced to the breeze blowing off the Atlantic Ocean. The critters went on about their night. Everything seemed completely peaceful, and then something unexpected happened.

The writing style of JOEY JONES has been described as a mixture of Nicholas Sparks, Richard Paul Evans, and James Patterson. USA Today Bestselling Author Jeff Gunhus compared Jones' work to Debbie Macomber, Nicholas Evans, and Sparks. National Bestselling Author Kristy Woodson Harvey described Joey Jones' writing as "lyrical" and proclaims "he effortlessly pulls readers into the souls of his characters."

The ratings and reviews of Jones' novels A BRIDGE APART (2015), LOSING LONDON (2016), A FIELD OF FIREFLIES (2018), and THE DATE NIGHT JAR (2019) reflect the comparison to the aforementioned New York Times bestselling authors.

Joey Jones fell in love with creative writing at a young age and decided in his early twenties that he wanted to write a book. His debut novel A BRIDGE APART is a suspenseful love story that was years in the making as he tinkered with the story off and on while working full-time int he marketing field. In February 2016, Jones became a full-time novelist and published his second novel LOSING LONDON later that year. Three of Jones' novels have earned 4.8 out of 5.0 Amazon stars.

In his spare time, Joey enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports, working out, reading, and writing inspirational quotes. His favorite meal is a New York Style Pizza with sweet tea. He won the 8th-grade spelling bee at his school, but if you ask him how many students participated, he might say, "Such minor details are not important!" He currently lives in North Carolina with his family.

Joey Jones earned a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Maryland University College where he graduated with honors (2006). He was the owner of a full-service advertising agency and taught business and marketing courses as an adjunct college instructor.

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Book Blitz with Teaser + Giveaway: Daddy, Take Me Away Anthology @XpressoTours

Daddy, Take My Away Anthology

Series: Dirty Daddies 2024 Anthology Series #2

Publication date: August 16th, 2024

Synopsis:

Bags are packed, flights are booked. Time to grab your passport, and Daddy's hand!

The only thing Daddies love more than punishing naughty little girls... is rewarding good girls. And for these Daddies, that means a nice relaxing vacation.

But being on the go won't save these babygirls if they decide to test their Daddy's patience. And if they thought a sunburn was bad, it's nothing compared to the burn Daddy's hand will leave on their bottoms.

Available at:

https://mydirtydaddies.com/giveaway/

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Book Blitz with Excerpt + Teasers + Giveaway: The Unlikely Pair by Jax Calder @XpressoTours

The Unlikely Pair by Jax Calder

Series: Unlikely Dilemmas #2

Publication date: August 7th, 2024

Synopsis:

What happens when you find yourself stranded in the wilderness with your political enemy?

Getting stranded in the freezing wilderness with my archenemy wasn't on today's to-do list. But somehow, that's where I've ended up.

Harry Matheson, my political rival, has always been smarmy, arrogant, and entitled. It figures that even this plane crash has barely ruffled his well-coiffed hair.

It's all fine, though, because our pilot has gone to call for help and rescue should be imminent.

Fast forward a few frigid hours...

Umm... maybe it's not so fine, because it appears our pilot is part of an international terrorist group intent on kidnapping us.

Now Harry and I have to flee through the wilderness--together.

Unfortunately, being adept at political debates and parliamentary procedures doesn't exactly prepare you for the basics of finding food, keeping warm, and evading the local wildlife while playing high-stakes hide-and-seek with armed terrorists.

The only way Harry and I have any hope of surviving is to stick together.

The problem is, the line separating hate and love has begun to blur, and the last thing I need is to fall for my enemy.

The Unlikely Pair is an enemies-to-lovers romance featuring a romp through the political wilderness where hearts, quite literally, go off the beaten path.

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Excerpt

It's impossible sleep. Having so much of my body against the ground makes me even colder. It's a cold I've never felt before, penetrating through to my bones. Every muscle in my body aches with a combination of overuse and cold, and my chest chimes in with the added complaint about bruising from the seatbelt.

I'm so cold that I'm pretty sure my blood has turned into a slushie. If a vampire tried to take a sip right now, they'd get brain freeze.

I shuffle and squirm, pulling my body into the tightest ball possible.

"Are you cold?" Harry asks.

There is absolutely no point in lying. "Yes. I'm freezing."

"I think we need to consider other strategies of heat retention," Harry says.

My teeth are almost chattering. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, consolidating our heat by being in closer proximity." It's not his actual words but the distaste in his voice that clues me in to what he's suggesting.

Closer proximity... he can't mean...

Is Harry actually suggesting we snuggle?

But even as part of my mind immediately rebels against the idea, the other, practical, freezing-my-arse-off part sees the advantage of his suggestion.

Conserving heat is what is most important.

And I'm so cold right now that I'd cuddle up to a porcupine with anger management issues if it meant I'd get slightly warmer.

"I guess we could maximize the efficiency of the survival blankets that way," I say.

There's a flash of light from where Harry is. The glow from his watch lights his face as he walks in my direction. He looks like he's on the way to an execution.

My mouth is weirdly dry as I pull myself into a half-sitting position.

"Um... so how do you want to do this?" I ask as Harry settles awkwardly next to me on my bed of pine needles.

"If you lie back down, I'll lie behind you," he says coolly.

"What? I'm not going to be the little spoon."

His watch is still glowing, and the dim light is enough to see his scowl.

"Well, neither am I. I am decidedly a big spoon," Harry says firmly.

"Well then, I'm an ice cream scoop."

"You're a what?"

"An ice cream scoop. Big enough to envelop all spoons of any size."

"I'm an inch taller than you, Toby."

"Ah, but my ice cream scoop persona is more about my personality than my size."

"Fine, if you're an ice cream scoop, I'm a soup ladle."

"Actually, I think you're more of a salad fork."

"Exactly how am I a salad fork?"

"Formal, rarely needed, and incredibly pretentious," I offer.

Harry pinches the bridge of his nose for a few beats before he responds. "As incredibly productive as all this speculating about how our personality traits align with utensils, how about we agree to take turns? I'll be the big spoon to start because it will keep you warmer, so hopefully, you'll be able to sleep. When it's my turn to sleep, you can spoon me. And tomorrow night, we'll change the order of who gets to sleep first."

"Hopefully, by tomorrow night, we'll be rescued, and having to snuggle close to you will just be a memory I'll need extensive counseling to forget," I say as I lie back down.

"We can only hope," Harry replies crisply.

I arrange one of the survival blankets underneath myself to provide some insulation from the cold ground. Then Harry lies down behind me, pulling the other one over us. The only sound is the rustling of the blanket as he tries to arrange it around us, his movements careful and deliberate.

I try to adjust to the reality of having Harry Matheson's body pressed against me, his heat seeping through the layers of our clothing, his soft breath tickling the fine hairs on my neck.

We're both lying so stiffly a pair of cryogenically frozen lab rats could sub in for us.

But it turns out there is one thing about Harry Matheson that I do like.

His warmth. It envelops me, chasing away the chill that had settled deep in my bones. It's like being spooned by a giant, sentient hot water bottle, except this one has a posh accent and a superiority complex.

Harry's arm settles across my waist tentatively, with the hesitancy of a man reaching into a lion's cage, half expecting to pull back a stump instead of a hand.

JAX CALDER's stories are all about light-hearted conversations and deeply-felt connections. She loves exploring exactly why two characters are the only ones who'll make the other truly happy, and the journey they take to reach their happily-ever-after.

Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with her readers. Join her Facebook group Jax's Crew for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.

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