King (Alliance #2) by S.J. Tilly

"Did I just help kidnap myself?"

• Title: King
• Author: S.J. Tilly
• Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC
• Publication Date: 5/25/2023
• 394 Pages
• Standalone (Book 2)

• Plot: ★★★★☆
• Spice: ★★★★★
• Tropes: Obsessed Hero, Mafia/Organized Crime, Forced Proximity, Insta Love, Age Gap, Arranged Marriage, Imaginary Love Triangle, Enemies to Lovers. 

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Trigger Warning: Graphic, sometimes gory, violent death. Kidnapping, blackmail, arson, home invasion, and forced imprisonment and marriage. Instances of dubious consent and discussions of human trafficking.

Let's all call it like it is: literally the worst date ever! While I do believe this was the funniest "meet-cute" I have read, I would also be absolutely mortified to be in Savannah's shoes. What are the chances of running into your date's secret wife and clearly dangerous brother that you knew nothing about? Then when you are trying to get your keys back, you end up kidnapped?! Between laughing at the sheer silliness of it all I did feel bad for her. But Savannah did get her king in the end so go girl!

This book follows Savannah and King while they navigate their unexpected marriage and growing feelings for each other. As book 2, this story takes place following the conclusion of the last book, after Payton and Nero's honeymoon. King's book doesn't contain an interconnected plot but key aspects continue throughout the book to connect the series. Also, we got more of Payton and Nero, without taking focus away from King and Savannah's story, which I enjoyed. Plus we got to meet the characters for the next book, which I'm very excited to read.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Within the story, there was a lot of comedic relief, character depth, and details. King is more kinky than the previous book so please be mindful when reading. In short, this book is for those who thought their date couldn't go any worse. Also, for those like me who appreciate a nice dark comedic romance.  

 

“So, basically, I’m f*cked. Because I’m starting to like my husband.”

While it's clear I wasn't a huge fan of the FMC in book 1, I loved Savannah! She had consistent and reasonable reactions as situations arose. Also, she stood her ground and rarely, if ever, shrunk herself. She maintained the courage and strength that I love reading about, along with her fun sense of humor. S.J. Tilly created such a relatable and passionate character, wonderful job! 

I also really enjoyed reading King love Savannah so out loud. From their first meeting, King accepted Savannah as she was and made it very known (to her and others) how attractive he found her, inside and out. Considering this book focuses on curvy/plus-sized women, I appreciated King constantly and publicly claiming Savannah and all her curves. This led to one of my favorite written scenes to date (spice 10/10... trust me here). 

“You should’ve asked. Or not jumped to conclusions like a giant… dumb*ss.”

In this book, there's not a lot that wasn't enjoyable. If I had to be picky, I'd say King can make assumptions and assume them as fact. Once his mind is made up it's surprisingly hard to get him to listen to reality. I wish we dove deeper into why that is. He does this with almost everyone in his life and I wonder if there's a reason for that. Especially considering he's over 40, I would assume he'd be more mature. However, it is made known in the beginning, that King just goes with his gut feelings and prefers to focus on the fun. Therefore, maybe I was asking for too much with maturity. Considering issues tended to arise due to this, I would have liked it to be explained more. 

Also, I did not like how fast everything was happening. Even in the book King and Savannah are surprised with how little time went by for the majority of their story. I'd say about 85% of the book took place over about a week. I love a good "he falls first" but the pacing was a bit odd. 

“I won’t ever lie to you. You’re my wife. My f*cking Queen. And I love you with my entire disgusting heart.”

I am not sure how many different ways I can say I enjoyed this book. Out of the two books I have read from this series, King is my favorite book so far. I definitely recommend this book. Especially to those looking to enter the dark romance genre. King had a simple plot that made it quick and easy to read. Again, this book is very spicy so prepare yourself for the ride!

Both King and Savannah were great for each other. They both had no shame in showing their love or appreciation for the other. Obviously, the kidnapping was a hindrance to their relationship at first though that does change, surprising both MCs as well. Ultimately, I really enjoyed meeting King and his Queen.