★BOOK REVIEW + GIVEAWAY★ King of Hearts by LH Cosway

MY RATING

I loved it!

If there’s something you need to read this summer, it definitely has to be King of Hearts.

I can’t hide the fact that I’m a huge fan of this author, so maybe my review is going to be on the praising and gushing side, but really, what can I do other than state the fact that LH Cosway excels at bringing fantasy into real life? Or should I say bringing real life into the fantasy realm?

Book infos & Purchase Links

king of heartsWelcome to the City, London’s most prestigious square mile, where finance reigns and Oliver King is a rising prince. 

I used to rule the world.

There might be wolves on Wall Street, but there were crocodiles in Canary Wharf. Some of us craved money. Some of us craved power.

I liked money, and power had its advantages, but what I really wanted was to excel, to surpass the men who came before me. I never cared much for love and romance until I met Alexis.

I could feel it the very moment she walked into the interview, with her outspoken charm and vivacious personality. She cast all the others in shadow, made me laugh when life held no humour. Our friendship should have remained professional, but it wasn’t long before the lines started to blur.

You know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men? Well, I never foresaw where my plans would lead, and only in my darkest hour did I finally see the light…

You can have all the money and prestige in the world and still be the poorest man alive. And love, well, I hate to use a tired old cliché, but love can be the thing that truly sets you free.

Author : L.H. Cosway
Title : King of Hearts
Series : 
Hearts #3
Publisher : –
Pages : 308
Release date : July 16, 2015
Genre : Contemporary Romance.
Tour : Shh Mom’s reading

My Review

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King of Hearts is the much expected story of Oliver King, the lonesome and trouble man we met in Hearts of Fire. His character, painted so tortured and mysterious made me literally obsessed with him. I knew that his story, his past and the future LH Cosway would create for him would be something epic and oh so enthralling.

And it was. And so much more. 

…I fear if I made you my queen, I could no longer be a king.

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The author as the clever and unique way to go where we don’t expect her. I often said that she couldn’t write something boring if she wanted it, as her stories, paradoxically to their down to earth settings are leading you into some whimsical and private reverie. That’s what her stories are to me. A real escape from reality.

It’s a heady feeling to find someone you’re highly attuned to, is it not?

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Well, then Mr King, if I do get chosen for the position, I’ll have to prove to you that my looks pale in comparison to what my brain can achieve.

The first part of this story starts off with how Alexis and King first met through work. Oliver King, leader of a financial corporation needs a new assistant and is interviewing potential applicants.

His eyes came to me for a brief second, looked away, then came back again in what seemed to be a double take. As he made a slow perusal of my body, a mix of amusement and intrigue passed over his features before his attention returned to his phone call.

Over Alexis’ interview, the author managed to hook me right up and yearn for a good potential office love affair. The arrogant Oliver King we meet in the office has nothing in common with the colorful and awkward Alexis, promising some delightful situations… 

He arched a brow and then began unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt sleeves before rolling them up his arms. I didn’t know why he was doing it, since it wasn’t particularly hot in here. And I really wished he wouldn’t because I couldn’t take my eyes off his forearms. They were… yeah, quite pleasant to look at.

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But as much as I wanted the story to change into a passionate office love affair, I must say that I loved the author’s idea so much more. See, their story turned out to be a friends to lovers one! 

My apologies. I sometimes forget you work for me. You’re so easy to get along with that you feel more like a friend.

For fear to ruin her chance to evolve in the company, Alexis is going at great lengths to hide her attraction to Oliver King… But how will she stop her oh so sexy boss to charm the pants out of her? Oh you know… By telling a tiny little fib… How she is into girls and all… lol

He had sex in his eyes, and it was pretty much impossible not to melt at the way he was looking at me. There was something about having a strong, powerful man to look at me with such a need that just melted my bones.

They quickly fall into a friendly routine, albeit an awkward one, King fighting is attraction to his spunky and lush assistant while Alexis is trying to follow through her lies… Not an easy thing to do when your boss is the incarnation of British arrogance and charm…

The problem was, he didn’t look smug. King wore an expression that was all, ‘Here I am, take me or leave me’, which only functioned to make him even more irresistible. Take him, some deep, feminine part of me pleaded.

I loved that part of the book, they both have such a great chemistry as “friends”, I must say I was dying to see them fell into bed! LH Cosway really amped up the sexual tension in this book to a great level. But luckily the author followed through and the result of their “fall” was exquisite! Oliver King most certainly delivered in the bedroom AND office!

We’re in something of a predicament, love.
– We are?
– Yes my darling, because I very much want to fuck you.

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…I had no words. No funny lines or sarcastic comments to defuse the situation. I had nothing, and Oliver King was pushing a boundary I was helpless to defend.

Alexis character is everything I love in my romance book heroines and the author does a great job to create fragile yet confident and empowered ones. I know it sounds like a complete contradiction, but trust me, it does make sense. Alexis was hilarious, really straightforward and a real empath. 

 

Do you ever wish, Alexis, that your heart was just a little bit smaller, so that you didn’t have to care quite so much?

Oliver King is charisma and charm personified. Keeping to himself and valuing his private life to remain private, he had this mysterious vibe around him…

In the office I’d seen him professional, efficient, confident, and i control. But right then he was vulnerable, artistic, and totally absorbed in the music.

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Their attraction and love affair turning out to be sweet and passionate, until some tragic and heartbreaking events leading Oliver to disappear and we’re left 6 years later for the “second part”…

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I won’t say much about the second part, I really don’t want to reveal anything but will tell you what is to expect… 
Alexis is eventually going to find King again, and is going to devastatingly discover that the confident man she once knew is no longer at the top of the world…

This part focuses on King’s downfall and how Alexis is going to save him…

– Am I so awful to you now?
– Never. You’ve always been beautiful to me.

I thought I loved the first part better but I really can’t choose… In the second half of the story there was so much emotions, heartache, secrets and difficulties to get through, my heart was a sobbing mess.

It was a Greek tragedy come to life, and I felt like I’d suddenly stepped out of reality and into a dream.

His face contorted, and so many emotions flickered past I could barely count them. Shame. Pain. Loss. Fear. More shame. So much fucking shame I could barely breathe with it.

The author wrapped it all up in a beautiful epilogue, and it was over all too soon… Sigh.

I just loved this story so much, I highlighted half the book and it was hard not to do a “quotes” only review… Even now I know I’m rambling and wanted to keep this review on the short side, fail, I know! 

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Your faith in me was where my confidence to go it alone came from

King of Hearts was such a beautiful story, I highly recommend any reader of romance to read it.

Sometimes we see someone and they just suit us. They’re beautiful to us in every way/ You are that person to me.

It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone, however, I would recommend to read Six of Hearts and at the very least, Hearts of Fire, where we met King for the first time.

Excerpt

What he said made me curious, so I went on, “What do you do to deal with the stress?”

He gave me a wan smile, and there was something in his expression that struck me as sad somehow. Rubbing at his chin, he answered, “Hmmm, when I’m stressed out…a nice glass of top shelf whiskey usually does the trick.” 

“That makes sense,” I said and walked around his desk before taking a seat in front of him. “You know, I always thought it was poor people who did drugs, to escape the bleakness of their realities. Now I’m thinking maybe the practice is most common at the top and the bottom of the ladder. Perhaps the best place to be is somewhere in the middle.”

“Not necessarily. I’m at the top. Do I look high to you?”

The deadpan way in which he said it made me laugh. I leaned forward and teased, “I’m not sure. Let me have a look at your pupils.” Surprising me, King rose from his seat, walked around his desk and came to kneel in front of me. Before I knew it his face was mere inches from mine.

“Go ahead,” he said, voice low. 

Whoa, Oliver King’s face right up close…I wasn’t sure what to do with that. I guess he didn’t realise the effect he had on this very non-gay lady, because he seemed entirely unselfconscious. His eyes were beautiful, his lashes long and golden, his skin smooth with a hint of stubble around his jaw, and his lips were just…I had no words. Sculpted and masculine was probably the only way I could think to describe them.

I realised I was staring at those lips a little too closely when my eyes flicked back to his. A moment ago he was smiling, but now that smile was transforming into a thoughtful frown.

I cleared my throat. “Your pupils look fine.”

King exhaled a small breath and I watched as his attention went from my eyes to my cheeks, nose, chin, and then finally to my lips. He looked like he was about to say something when suddenly Gillian’s voice filled the room.

“Mr King, Jenson Gellar is on the phone. Shall I put him through?”

Teasers
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Author Bio

authorpic1L.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books.

She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.

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Giveaway

(Giveaway brought to you by yours and only… Alleskelle. I will personally gift a signed paperback of Hearts of Fire  + Swag and the kindle edition of King of Hearts. 3 winners total, as follows : )

  • (1) PRIZE PACK : 1 Signed King of Hearts paperback + Swag.
  • (1) 1 Signed Hearts of Fire Paperback, 1 Hearts of Fire key ring + Hearts of Fire bookmark.
  • (1) King of hearts Kindle edition copy.

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