HOMECOMING KING (Three Kings 1) by Penny Reid-Review & Excerpt tour
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 14, 2021.
Rex “TW” McMurtry’s perpetual single-hood wouldn’t bother him so much if all his ex-girlfriends didn’t keep marrying the very next person they dated, especially when so many of those grooms are his closest friends. He may be a pro-football defensive end for the Chicago Squalls, but the press only wants to talk about how he’s always a groomsman and never a groom. Rex is sick of being the guy before the husband, and he’s most definitely sick of being the best man at all their weddings.
Bartender Abigail McNerny is the gal-pal, the wing-woman, the she-BFF. She’s dated. Once. And once was more than enough. Privy to all the sad stories of her customers, ‘contentment over commitment’ is her motto, and Abby is convinced no one on earth could ever entice her into a romantic relationship . . . except that one guy she’s loved since preschool.
The guy who just walked into her bar.
The guy who doesn’t recognize her.
The guy who is drunk and needs a ride home.
The guy who has a proposition she should definitely refuse.
•••••
REVIEW:HOMECOMING KING is the first instalment in Penny Reid’s contemporary, adult THREE KINGS erotic, romance series. This is professional football player Rex ‘TW” McMurtry, and twenty-eight year old, bartender Abigail “Abby” McNerny’s story line.
Told from first person perspective (Abigail) HOMECOMING KING follows the fake relationship/marriage between professional football player Rex ‘TW” McMurtry, and twenty-eight year old, bartender Abigail McNerny. Defensive end for the Chicago Squalls , Rex McMurtry, rolled into Abigail McNerny’s bar, and unknowingly found himself, the next morning, hungover and recovering from a night he could not remember but Abigail remembered our story line hero, having lusted after Rex for most of her life including preschool, grade school, high school and so on. Rex’s return to his hometown came with an offer, an offer of marriage for our story line heroine. What ensues is the building romance but fake marriage between Rex and Abigail, and the potential fall-out as Abigail tries desperately to remember that her marriage isn’t real, but the heart wants something too good to be true.
Rex TW McMurtry is one of the few single men on his team, having dated then setting up everyone of his married friends with the woman he saw. Struggling with the lack of his own happily ever after, Rex had wandered home, in an effort to forget about what he thought he would never have. Abigail McNerny’s past is haunted by betrayal, and in this, she battles between head and heart believing a fake relationship with Rex could only end in disaster. Still struggling with her own demons, Abigail’s relationship with Rex has placed a target on our story line heroine.
The relationships between Rex and Abigail is a fake marriage between childhood schoolmates that quickly turns into something more. Abigail has had a crush on Rex McMurtry all of her life but she never thought Rex would take an interest in someone from back home. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are introduced to several of Rex’s teammates; his Aunt Sal and Uncle Terry; his best friend and actor Cyrus Malcolm; Abigail’s boss/father figure Walker; her best friend Kaylee, as well as her ex Declan.
HOMECOMING KING is a fast paced and fun yet emotional story. The premise is wonderfully engaging; the romance is seductive; the characters are charismatic and energetic-the back and forth between Abby and Rex is humorous and entertaining.My only issue would be for a dual first person point of view, as we have no idea as to what is happening with our story line hero.
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
A jolt of nerves—spikey, tingly electricity—rushed in a pulsing wave from the base of my neck outward, to every limb and appendage. I inhaled a deep, silent breath, steadying myself, willing my heart to cease its deafening drumbeat between my ears. I pasted a small smile on my face, shoving away the clutter of self-consciousness. Rotating the stool 180 degrees, I faced him.
“Oh. Hey, Rex. Long time no see. What are you doing here?” I could do this. I’d spent a full hour in my apartment with him yesterday, having conversations, not being a staring, stalkery, simpering weirdo. Heck, I’d even relaxed, forgotten who he was, settled into the conversation. I’d enjoyed his company and myself.
I’d even brushed his teeth for hootenanny’s sake! That was me. Another short conversation should be a cake-walk. I. Can. Do. This.
Rex McMurtry, hovering several stools away emanating serious BSE (Big Sweater Energy), looked at me like he knew me, like we were friends maybe, and he felt completely at ease in my presence. “Are you on the clock? Do you have a minute?”
I thought about lying, telling him I had no time for the foreseeable future. It’s not that I was unhappy to see Rex, far from it. A small but loud part of myself squealed with rebellious glee, because he was here to see meeeee!
And yet, the much larger, quieter, reserved part couldn’t help but feel wary of his presence and the additional disruption to my life it might cause, even it was just a mental disruption.
Glancing at my watch, I forced lightness. “I have a minute. What’s going on? Did you leave something at my place?” That’s probably why he’s here.
“No,” he responded easily, bursting my theory bubble and sauntering forward to the stool next to mine. “I wanted to see you.”
“Oh?” My heart fluttered pitifully, and my stomach swirled with heat. For the record, I did not believe he was here to make all my fantasies come true, but the stupid thought entered my brain anyway.
“Yeah.” His hand braced on the back of the stool, but he didn’t sit. “I’m in town for a few more days, until Sunday, and I wanted to see if you had any time off.”
I stared at him, saying nothing, trying to keep my thoughts ordered and my breathing under control, because WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING?!
Was he . . .
Is he . . .?
Fantasies?!
Naaaaah.
No, Abigail, Rex McMurtry is not here to read quietly next to you on a couch, kiss your face off, and have sex on every surface of your apartment. This is not a high school musical porno and you can’t sing for shit.
Penny Reid is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.
Please feel free to drop her a line. She’d be happy to hijack your thoughts! You can find her on her blog or email her: pennreid at gmail dot com
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Wonderful review, Sandy. Looks like a emotional and great read. Thanks.
Terrific review, Sandy. Looks like the start of a good series.
Thanks for another wonderful review and excerpt
Looks great Sandy, thanks for the excerpt.
Very nice review and excerpt.
Fantastic review. Thanks for the great excerpt.
great review, sandy. sounds very good. thanks.
Thanks for the great review and excerpt
Another great review, Sandy. Sounds very good. Thanks.
Terrific review and excerpt, thanks.
Another great review, Sandy. Love the sound of this.