Review: Frat Wars: King of Thieves by Saxon James (Frat Wars #1)

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author via Foreword PR & Marketing.

Can Saxon James do no wrong?! Well, I certainly hope not because I fell head over hockey sticks with her CU Hockey series co-written with another favorite go-to author of mine, Eden Finley, and I could never get enough of James' own Never Just Friends series. Reading her books has become one of my guilty pleasures, but can I really call it that when I feel no guilt whatsoever while indulging in every single pleasurable read? Her newest series, Frat Wars, is looking like it could give the two other aforementioned James-penned series a run for their money because I'm a smitten kitten and a happy puppy all rolled into one with the series starter! In short, I'm giddy and ecstatic with joy.

Frat Wars: King of Thieves is the first in the Frat Wars series, and it introduces readers to two fraternities--Rho Kappa Tau and Sigma Beta Psi--and the never-ending rivalry between them. The Kappas are more team leaders while the Sigmas are more team captains. Think of them as the former lean more towards becoming future leaders of industry and possible pillars of commuintiy, and the latter trained to be in the running as most valuable players and hall of famers. Not necessarily a matter of brain versus brawn, since that's rather stereotypical, and from what I've seen of the cast of characters so far, Saxon James has created young men who stand out because they are NOT stereotypical.

Chad Doomsen and Bailey Prince are college seniors and from rival fraternities. Chad is the vice president of the Sigma Beta Psi and on a partial football scholarship; Bailey is a transfer student and a legacy, thanks to his father. Thanks to being adventurous in college, Chad identifies as bisexual, although it's not something he's gone out of his way to tell other people about. On the other hand, Bailey is, in fact, openly gay, but being the new guy on campus and in his frat house, he hasn't exactly shouted his sexuality from the rooftops. With the annual King of Thieves competition in play, Chad is determined to keep Sigma's winning streak intact. Then along comes Bailey, who may not just steal the competition but Chad's heart as well. If only they didn't have that darn, pesky frat rivalry.

I absolutely adored every single thing about this series starter. I liked that readers are able to see what the dynamic is like for both frat houses, and I loved that Saxon James gave the characters--principal and peripheral alike--enough original quirks and tweaks to make them extraordinary. Chad wasn't a total cinnamon roll, but the guy was super sweet and he was devoted to Bailey, who was a sweetheart as well. The story has a bit of a slow-burn feel to it, which I appreciated because I've lost count of how many books I've read where everything started with a one-night stand. I enjoyed anything and everything this book had to offer, and James continues to impress me with her storytelling and creation of compelling stories and endearing characters. Five stars for Frat Wars: King of Thieves.

Release Date: 08 November 2021

Date Read: 07 November 2021

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