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The Bourbon Kings (The Bourbon Kings, #1)

J.R. Ward

Start date: January 28, 2018

Finish date: February 3, 2018

Discussion: 2018 Tracking for Challenge

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2018 Tracking for Challenge

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May 08, 2015 ☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Coffee Dates with the Bourbon Kings

First date: Our date starts out slow as we slowly get to know Lane and Lizzie. Ward brought the grounds and Easterly estate to life. Our characters are broken, and flashbacks into childhood have me shivering. At this point, I am wondering about a romance since Lane appears to be married. The tale has multiple POV’s and I am pleased with this discovery. Breaks between character POV's are easy to distinguish and necessary to allow us to connect and understand. Coffee Dates with the Bourbon Kings

First date: Our date starts out slow as we slowly get to know Lane and Lizzie. Ward brought the grounds and Easterly estate to life. Our characters are broken, and flashbacks into childhood have me shivering. At this point, I am wondering about a romance since Lane appears to be married. The tale has multiple POV’s and I am pleased with this discovery. Breaks between character POV's are easy to distinguish and necessary to allow us to connect and understand.
Second date: They say the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence and I am thinking the Bradford family can keep their manicured lawns and maids. If you liked the hit television shows Dallas or Dynasty, you will quickly become caught up in the drama and secrets of this family. The characters were interesting and Ward did an excellent job of letting us inside their heads. Gin has serious Daddy issues, and I went back and forth between wanting to smack her and hugging her. Edward the oldest son just tugged at my heartstrings and I enjoyed every moment with him. I am very curious about the love interests there..one old, one new. Lane finds himself having to deal with everything and you can feel him wanting to take flight, but he is determined not to lose Lizzie and a part of him wants to protect the others. Drama, twists and turns had me completely caught up in their soap opera lives. Secondary characters added charm, mystery and depth.
Third date: I loved the different POV’s as it helped me understand all the players. Ward really worked on setting the foundation and fleshing out the history of this family, but she also gave us a romance, mystery and suspense. The romance is not center stage making this feel more like woman's fiction or chick-lit. Old fears, miscommunication and the odds stacked against them at every turn did not make this an easy second chance romance. Their feelings felt genuine particularly Lizzie’s who struggled to believe. While the story is far from over, we do get closure on the romance, which isn’t to say our next date couldn’t blow that all to hell, we at least for now, we can end the date satisfied and hungry for more.

Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer ...more

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Nov 01, 2014 Darcy rated it did not like it

Shelves: e-book, romance, 2015, did-not-finish

I kept hearing how this one was like Dallas/Dynasty from the 80's, so I went in not expecting much. It was a good thing too because at 20% I can't keep reading. Lane was a spoiled rich boy, one who seemed to be mad at the world, but instead of living his life how he wanted, he conformed. It annoyed me how mad he was because he made the choice. Lizzy was a little tstl, who stays around when something like that happens to her. The whole vibe of the house was like being back a couple hundred years. ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 06, 2015 Marcela (BookaholicCat) added it · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf, arc

DNF

Originally posted at The Bookaholic Cat

The Bourbon Kings is the first book in The Bourbon Kings series by J.R. Ward.

J.R. Ward is one of the authors to whom I owe thanks for made me fall in love with books again, after many years of not reading. I remember, years back, when I discovered The Black Dagger Brotherhood series and how much I loved those books. But although, the first seven or eight books will always hold a special place in my heart, I cannot say the same of the last installments. DNF

Originally posted at The Bookaholic Cat

The Bourbon Kings is the first book in The Bourbon Kings series by J.R. Ward.

J.R. Ward is one of the authors to whom I owe thanks for made me fall in love with books again, after many years of not reading. I remember, years back, when I discovered The Black Dagger Brotherhood series and how much I loved those books. But although, the first seven or eight books will always hold a special place in my heart, I cannot say the same of the last installments. Unfortunately after many unsatisfactory books I decided to give up on that series. Despite that, I still had faith in J.R. Ward and her talent as an author. For that same reason I was very happy when I hear she was writing a new non-paranormal series. I thought that maybe this new series would be another great hit as the first installments of BDB were for me. Sadly, that was not the case, and now, after weeks of trying to finish reading The Bourbon Kings I have to be honest with myself and with an aching heart, DNF the book.

I tried, I really tried to finish it. I read couple of chapters at a time. I tried to find something good in each of them. I tried to find something to connect with the characters or with the story, but after many fail intents and only reaching the 40% mark in five weeks, I just couldn’t continue, I knew it was time to quit.

My problems with The Bourbon Kings were too many, but I’m going to tell you some of them for you to get an idea. My biggest problem is that it reads like a 80s soap opera and I hate soap operas. My second problem was with the characters. Apart from Lizzie, none of the other characters have any appealing qualities. They all felt like caricatures of spoiled kids. Lane, the “hero” is married, he abandoned his wife in his family home and lived for two years in New York, sleeping on a friend’s couch, drinking and gambling everyday, with not care of the world because he didn’t want to do the mature way and confront his problems, and I, as a reader, I’m supposed to liked him and understand his behavior because he was brokenhearted. Now, thanks to unforeseen circumstances he’s back to his family house and wants to save what he had with Lizzie (who is not his wife) and doesn’t take no for an answer. Really? No, no and no. Why he didn’t do that months/years back if he really wanted her in his life.

The other characters are the same or worse. Lane’s sister Gin is Mrs. Rich Girl Clichés and so over the top that she was annoying and not compelling. The other siblings and parent figure don’t fall far from this characterization.

Another thing that I hated in the last BDB books and is also present in this book is the brand name dropping. There was a scene, with Gin, in which I counted 20+ different products named, from clothes, to jewelry, to cars. 20+ times in one scene!!!

For those and more reason I’m DNF-ing The Bourbon Kings, and with a broken heart, I’m also breaking up with J.R. Ward. ...more

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Feb 10, 2015 Angela Carr rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2015

A modern day Dynasty. With Ward's mention of "Alexis/Krystle lily pond moment" just cemented that theory. Lots and lots of drama. ...more

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May 16, 2015 Liza added it

Shelves: dnf

I really tried to like The Bourbon Kings. I’ve liked some of Ward’s other contemporary books, so figured I’d enjoy her new series. Sadly, The Bourbon Kings was a DNF (Did Not Finish) read for me. I loved the 80’s primetime soap operas, but felt The Bourbon Kings was just a little too over the top for me. Honestly the only main character I even liked was Lizzie and she basically was a servant to the Bradford family, or at least treated like one. I wasn’t a fan of Tulane “Lane” at all and couldn’t ...more

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Jan 12, 2015 Viviana Izzo rated it it was ok

I was really excited when I first found out about a new series being written by J.R. Ward and that it would be similar to the style of Downtown Abbey. Upon receiving the ARC from the Publisher I was all giddy with excitement and immediately started reading. Unfortunately, the story was slow starting and dragged. the characters lacked that spark that made you fall for them. This was quickly becoming a DNF! YIKES!! I was struggling! I decided to put it away and see if the audiobook version would b ...more

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