Review: Forbidden King by Laura Pavlov (Magnolia Springs #3)
Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.
There's something about a romance that's considered forbidden that elicits a certain thrill, and nothing is as popular as the falling for a sibling's best friend trope, alternatively, falling for a best friend's sibling. Laura Pavlov delivers just that in the third novel in her Magnolia Springs series, which features a close-knit group of friends who are more like brothers that find love, making their found family expand with each new book. Forbidden King is about Kingston Pierce, twenty-five, co-owner of RoD (Ride or Die) Construction, and younger brother of River Pierce (Wild River, book two in the Magnolia Falls series), and Saylor Woodson, twenty-three, owner of the Love Ever After bookstore, and younger sister of Hayes Woodson (Finding Hayes, book five in the Magnolia Falls series, due for release in October). She's his Dandelion, the girl who's been his friend since they were teenagers and someone he would do anything for. Except maybe give in to the all-consuming feelings he has for her. But how long can King resist Say?
It took someone like Saylor to make a guy like King fall heart first, and boy, was it a joy to witness. King's the one among the Ride or Die fivesome who's always given off a happy-go-lucky vibe. He jokes around a lot and teases his brother and best friends mercilessly, but he's also got such a huge heart and Saylor is the only girl to glimpse that side of him. I loved the fact that they had their own special friendship, one that was just theirs, separate from King's with his brother and best friends. Compared to the first two books in the series, this had a bit of a lighter feel to it. That being said, there was still a fair amount of angst, especially given the fact that the two were keeping their blossoming romance under wraps, particularly when it came to her brother, Hayes. There was also the drama courtesy of Saylor's estranged father, but even that had an entertaining hint of levity to it. My own quibble would have to be the repeated use of the phrase "forbidden King". That aside, I enjoyed Forbidden King and award it 4.5 stars.
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Read my reviews for the Magnolia Falls series:
Loving Romeo (book one) - five stars - My Review
Wild River (book two) - 4.5 stars - My Review
Forbidden King (book three) - 4.5 stars - My Review (posted above)
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Release Date: 06 June 2024
Date Read: 01 June 2024
Learn more about Laura Pavlov.
Purchase Forbidden King on Amazon.
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