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I was at a restaurant hanging out with the bestie when my long awaited advance reader’s copy of King showed up in my phone’s Kindle app. In that moment, I could have died of sheer happiness and I was literally dancing in my seat. Although I completely embarrassed myself in public, I didn’t care because I had a copy of King before its official release. After impatiently waiting for this novel for over a year, I was in bookworm heaven and I wasted no time driving home to dive into what I can honestly say was an adventure of epic proportions.

So before we get started, you need to understand a few things about King. It is not a romance novel for those with delicate sensibilities expecting sweet, but misguided characters finding their way to love and happily ever after. Instead, King is a contemporary (dare I say urban) romance novel where the lines between good and evil, lust and love, savior and sinner are as enigmatic as the novel’s dark, twisty, and seemingly unredeemable characters. Moreover, reading King may make you entirely redefine “happily ever after” because, in this romance novel, love and happiness are far too fragile and fleeting. In King, there are no winners in this game of love–just losers.

If I had to summarize Doe and King’s relationship, I would encapsulate it in the lyrics of Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-factor.”

It could all be so simple
But you’d rather make it hard
Loving you is like a battle
And we both end up with scars

So here’s the skinny!!!

The Good:

Despite the year long wait, Kin g didn’t disappoint. I simply couldn’t put it down. This might be the first time in my life where I can’t wait for summer to be over so that I can read the sequel. (Tyrant is due for release August 17, 2015).
I’m not sure if it was the visit to Grace’s or the carnival date with Doe, but I absolutely fell head over heels in love with King’s gentler side. A few ounces of light in a heart so dark, made this glimpse of him all the more precious.
While it was initially harder to see, Preppy was such a lovable guy. He made me laugh and somehow I always thought he was more dangerous than King. Moreover, it has to be said that the violence between Preppy and his stepfather (especially at the end of the novel) devastated and broke my heart.
I loved Doe’s unrelenting honesty; it made me laugh especially how it showed up at Grace’s.
The sexual tension between Doe and King was off the charts hot; it was a roller coaster ride I didn’t want to get off. I swear one minute King wants to kill her and the other minute he can’t keep his hands off of her. Doe and King’s chemistry was burning up the pages of my Kindle and I couldn’t get enough.

The Bad: (Yep!!! Blame it on the English Teacher in me!)

A few pacing problems. There were times, especially at the very beginning and very end of the novel, where the pace could have used a little adjusting. At the beginning of the novel, I was dying for Doe and King to finally meet and interact and it seemed like it took forever to get there. I think the background on King and Preppy’s friendship could have been moved to a later time. Then at the end of the novel, I felt like the story was flying a little too fast. I wanted the novel to slow down a tad so I could savor it a bit more.
There is a major life altering incident with Doe that is majorly glossed over and it robs the novel of some of its realism. Without spoiling the novel for those of you who haven’t read or finished King, I didn’t believe Doe when she said she was over the incident. There are some things you do not get over so easily and her response (or lack thereof) to the situation does not match how she had been characterized thoughout the novel.
Preppy’s friendships with Doe and King, at times, almost eclipses the relationship between Doe and King. Doe and King’s moments, though explosive, left me wanting more. What can I say? I couldn’t get enough of them. Though he was a very like able character, it made me jealous that Preppy took up so much prominent space in the novel.
Bear: I really liked him, but he was a very thinly veiled catalyst character. Basically, he shows up to keep the plot moving between Doe and King, but it’s really clear that this is his only purpose in King. I wish Bear had been given a bigger role because his character had the potential to be so much more. Would it be too much to hope that he might get his own story in a later novel (hint, hint)?

The Ugly:

Romance novels rarely surprise me, but the cliffhanger at the end King caught me completely off guard in the best possible way! Not only was it bittersweet, but I was absolutely astonished by the sudden revelations we learn about Doe and King by the last chapter. All I can say is be prepared for a heart attack when you read the last page. Trust me, Fraizer saved the best for last. Unfortunately, this also my major beef with the novel. Although, I was aware that there would be a sequel with the release of Tyrant, I had no idea how mind-blowing the cliffhanger in King was going to be. Having to wait until August to find out what happens next is absolutely cruel. OMG!!! How am I going to survive the 56 days, 13 hours, 13 minutes, and 4 seconds until Tyrant is released?

Favorite Passage:

I loved sleeping with his big body next to me. I loved the way he made me feel so small. I loved the way his nostrils flared when he was about to kiss me, and then when he did, I loved that he kissed me like he was mad at me. Like it was my fault I was so desirable that he just had to put his lips to mine, his hands on me.

Final Thoughts: (Score: 4.5 of 5)

Although I received King for review, it’s a novel that I would unquestionably spend my money on. Receiving an advance copy, however, made my reading experience all the sweeter. I enthusiastically recommend this novel and have already recommended it to anyone who will stand still long enough to listen. So, if you’re tired of sappy, Harlequinesque romance novels, give King a try. You won’t be sorry. It’ll be the best $3.99 you ever spent.

Blurb:

Doe has no memories of who she is or where she comes from.

King, a notorious career criminal just released from prison, is someone you don’t want to cross unless you’re prepared to pay him back in blood, sweat, sex or a combination of all three.

King’s future hangs in the balance. Doe’s is written in her past. When they come crashing together, they will have to learn that sometimes in order to hold on, you have to first let go.

“I’ve been in a maximum security prison. I’ve been around the worst of the worst. I’ve had to sleep with one eye open thinking that any second I could be drawing my last breath.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because. I want you to know that none of those motherfuckers ever scared me as much as you do.”

Published on June 15, 2015, King is the first book in a two part series available in Kindle, iBooks, and Nook formats for $2.99 (for a limited time and then it returns to regular price at $3.99). Tyrant, the second book in this series, is available for pre-order now for $2.99 and is due for release August 17, 2015.

If you missed my previous excerpt reveals from King, I’ve linked them below for your reading pleasure.

Warning: King contains graphic adult subject matter, so please keep this novel excerpt out of little hands.

T.M. Frazier-King Excerpt #1

T.M. Frazier-King Excerpt #2

T.M. Frazier-King Excerpt #3

If you’re interested in winning a signed paperback of King & Swag Pack check out the link below. The giveaway end June 28, 2015.

Enter T.M. Fraizer Rafflecopter Giveaway

***Please note that this giveaway is being sponsored by T.M. Frazier not AllThingsTashia.***

About the Author:

T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier resides in sunny Southwest Florida with her husband and three feisty fur kids. She attended Florida Gulf Coast University where she specialized in public speaking. After years working in real estate and new home construction, she decided it was finally time to stop pushing her dreams to the back burner and pursue writing seriously.