When Empires Fall by Katie Jennings

Description:
Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall…

In America, kings are not born, they are made. Men with ambition build their own empires and it is their heirs who carry the torch of tradition, generation by generation.

The Vasser Hotel Empire rose out of the ashes of an Industrial era, cementing itself in the very heart of America’s greatest city, New York. Through the drive and courage of one man, a legacy was born that would last more than a hundred years.

That is, until word got out that one of their own was murdered.

Sixty years of lies will come crashing down in flames of treachery and blood, and the truth will send shockwaves through an entire nation. Now the newest generation of Vasser heirs will have to deal with the consequences, or else allow their legacy to burn to the ground.

But dark secrets are buried deep within the family itself, and everyone has an agenda. Love of family and forbidden passion will set off sparks in a powder keg ready to annihilate the empire, but it may also be the only thing keeping them whole.

When reputation is everything, it will take all they’ve got to save themselves from their own undoing.

Review:

When Empires Fall by Katie Jennings, is her first book in her new Vasser Legacy series.  When Empires Fall is a family saga story, about an elite Hotel chain, and the family that runs it. 

When the story begins, we are in the year 1957, and a terrible murder is about to happen, and the ensuing cover up, which then brings us to the present, approximately 60 years later.  We are then introduced to the main family that runs the hotel in New York, who are the children of their ancestors back in 1957.  As far as the Vasser family is concerned, the man who died that day committed suicide over a young woman.  His son Cyrus took over running the Hotel chain very successfully.  Now that he is old, and in a home, his son Marshall is the one in charge.  It is Marshall, who has no children, so he chooses his brothers’ children to run the hotel.  This story concentrates on the three oldest children, their dedicated to the family, the hotel, and to their love lives.  It is a complex, and detailed story, as we learn about each sibling.

We meet Grant, who is the general manager; Linc, who handles the marketing/advertising; Madison, who runs all the restaurants in the chain; and the youngest sister Kennedy, who is still in school.  They are all rich, powerful and successful, but each of them are not totally happy. 

Unbeknownst to them, live is about to change, that will bring their hotel chain and their lives to their knees.  What happen over 60 years ago is about to be exposed, that will create a scandal of lies, deceit, and murder.  If that isn’t enough, each of the three older siblings become involved in a romance, at least two do, with the other trying to avoid breaking her heart again. 

The police reopen the case of their Uncle’s suicide many years ago, and at first the family does not take this seriously, until their estranged father, who is a drunkard, reveals he saw the murder take place.  Then all hell breaks loose, and the family is torn apart by the betrayals, and lies, which threaten to destroy their legacy, as the true murderer now lies dead.

With all this going on, the romance stories are done very well, which releases the stress that is building up in the story.  Quinn, who becomes Grant’s secretary at the start of the story, was my favorite character.  I loved her sweet, vivacious personality, which was perfect for the moody Grant.  Linc, is the playboy of the Vassers, and he meets his match in Lynette, a dancer, but also the daughter of a powerful senator.  Madison, is smart and hardnosed, the toughest of the family, especially since years before she had her heart broken years ago by Wyatt, who conveniently comes back to town and to see her. 

As the truths are revealed, with some surprises and twists, and the friends they thought they had, begin to back away from them, the Vassers must find a way to rise above the scandal and rebuild.  Will they succeed? Will their new loves help them survive?  Will Madison enact her revenge against Wyatt?  As the title says..When Empires Fall, so we will have to wait for the next book to find out if the Vasser’s will succeed in rebuilding their fragile lives.  Katie Jennings has created a masterful tale, filled with romance, drama, deceit and betrayal, and she has created some wonderful characters. The only thing I would say that could improve was the somewhat slow start, which since we now know the characters well, this will be better in the next book; as well as a bit too much details.  Otherwise a great first book in this new series. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by author