REVIEW: The King's Man (+Kindle Fire Giveaway!)

Title: The King's Man

Author: Alison Stuart

Series: Guardians of the Crown

Pages: 310

Date Published: 2015

Publisher: Escape Publishing

Format: Kindle

Genre: Historical Romance 

Source: Goddess Fish Blog Tours
Buy Me!

Synopsis:
London 1654: Kit Lovell is one of the King’s men, a disillusioned Royalist who passes his time cheating at cards, living off his wealthy and attractive mistress and plotting the death of Oliver Cromwell.

Penniless and friendless, Thamsine Granville has lost everything. Terrified, in pain and alone, she hurls a piece of brick at the coach of Oliver Cromwell and earns herself an immediate death sentence. Only the quick thinking of a stranger saves her.

Far from the bored, benevolent rescuer that he seems, Kit plunges Thamsine into his world of espionage and betrayal – a world that has no room for falling in love.

Torn between Thamsine and loyalty to his master and King, Kit’s carefully constructed web of lies begins to unravel. He must make one last desperate gamble – the cost of which might be his life.

~My Thoughts~

Kit Lovell is the kind of rogue you'd like to have at your back, even though he's also the devilish kind of guy who may or may not cheat you out of your gold in the gamer's den. He's got a major chip on his shoulder about one Oliver Cromwell, and when a be-trodden beauty ends up endangering Cromwell's life, she sort of endears herself to Kit. Thamsine, through a series of very unfortunate events, finds herself in the dangerous predicament of having nearly done bodily harm to Oliver Cromwell and therefore potentially on the receiving end of a very deadly death sentence. 

These two were very interesting characters. They both have lots, and I mean LOTS, of flaws but that did keep them interesting. A few times I felt like throwing my hands up in the air because they were frustrating me so much. In the end though, these flaws were really growing pains. Through all of the adventures the two have, and the mystery and deceit flying around through Kit's life...there's a bond there that is spicy and sweet. 

The King's Man is the kind of Historical Romance that sets the genre on fire and makes you realize why you love to get lost in the past of romances of the likes of Camelot. I just ate this book up and really wanted more. I'm about to go back and get By The Sword (the first book in the series) just so that I can recap and get the full picture. 

Alison Stuart is one to watch if you're a fan of romance, historical or otherwise. 

~Try an Excerpt!~

Thamsine Granville had not begun the day with the intention of killing Oliver Cromwell.

Around her a jovial crowd pressed against the barricades, determined to enjoy the spectacle of the Lord Protector’s ride in state to dine with the Lord Mayor of London. But from across the road, he had seen her. A triumphant smile crossed his handsome face and he raised his hand to his hat, doffing it as he bowed. She saw him mouth her name and push his way towards the barricade. Thamsine swallowed, her mouth dry with fear. She only had a few moments to make good her escape, but the press of people to her rear hemmed her in, pushing her toward the barriers.

The bells of London, silenced for so many years, rang out, and above her the flags of the City Guilds flapped in the chill wind. A roar went up from the crowd as the coach bearing Cromwell approached.

From where she stood she could see the Lord Protector, clad in a reddish-coloured suit embroidered with gold. He inclined his head to acknowledge the cheers of the crowd with all the aplomb of a man born to such a station. She could see no trace of the simple farmer he had once professed to be. Thamsine’s heart beat a rapid tattoo. Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector, the false King, was about to become Thamsine Granville’s personal protector.

She stooped and gathered up the broken piece of brick at her feet.

Oblivious to his fate, Cromwell smiled, his right hand raised in a parody of benediction as if forgiving them their sins. At the sight of his face, solid and pudding-like, framed by the open

~Meet Alison!~ 

Award winning Australian author, Alison Stuart learned her passion from history from her father. She has been writing stories since her teenage years but it was not until 2007 that her first full length novel was published. Alison has now published 6 full length historical romances and a collection of her short stories.  Her disposition for writing about soldier heroes may come from her varied career as a lawyer in the military and fire services. These days when she is not writing she is travelling and routinely drags her long suffering husband around battlefields and castles.

Alison will be awarding a Kindle to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway