This was such a cute read! I loved the adventure paired with the comic relief the romcom provided.

The story centers around con artist Bodie King, who is used to charming his way to get what he wants. His charms are useless on antiques authentictor Gracen, and their banter is the best!

It was just a fun story, and the audio format was so good.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-romantic comedy
-twists
-dul POV
-con artist
-mostly kissing

*many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

Rook to King is marketed as an adventure rom-com which is something I was unfamiliar with prior to trying this out. I figured perhaps this might provide my rarely romance-reading self the fun I was looking for at the time. Did it provide on the entertainment front? Yes.

Rook to King is told in two POVs. We are following Bodie, the ex con-man & Gracen, who authenticates antiques, as they find themselves in an amusing situation full of banter and tension as we follow them trying to find the missing pieces of a valuable chess set. The story is a fast moving cat and mouse type of story with the kind of danger you'd want from an adventure rom-com and it made me laugh several times (the quotes in here *chefs kiss* for the sarcasm).

I knew it was a risk to read this one as a gal who typically enjoys the mystery/thriller/historical genre but I'm grateful to have tried it. While it is one that I started a while back in the start of summer and then put down for for an admittedly long while, that is more because of the above and not the story itself. I needed to mix this in with the other genres I typically read to have the best shot, haha. If you're a romance enthusiast you'd most likely read this in one sitting since it is a quick moving story.

I listened to this one on audio which I believe probably upped my thoughts on this story (plus there are two narrators- woo!).

Overall This is a 3 star read for me since there were some things I could have done without but overall was a good time.

For those who have an interest in content: this does have some (what I refer to as) mild language within the pages along some innuendos that I could have done without, but in it is clean in terms of physical things happening with only kissing on page.

*thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced listening copy of this story. All thoughts/opinions are honest and my own.

I loved Rook to King! There was romance, intrigue, art, heists, and travel! This one drew me in from the start and I was hooked until the end!

Rook to King by Carina Taylor was the first book I've read by this author. Wow, it was so entertaining and full of adventure! Bodie, a con man and entrepreneur, and Gracen, a professional antique appraiser, team up to find the missing chess board and pieces for a priceless set. The romance made me smile and laugh as their feelings developed. Wayne Mitchell and Kim Churchill narrated the audiobook well. I recommend giving this book a listen!

I am looking forward to reading more from this author soon.

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Rook to King is a fun adventure romance that I was very excited to revive a copy of early. One of my favorite movies of all time is Romancing the Stone and this reminded me of the hijinks of that movie in many ways. The romance is fun and the characters adventures create an excellent background for the love to develop.

I read this one so fast. I loved pretty much all of it. Can't think of a single negative thing about this read

Rook to King is an enjoyable, original, mystery romcom that had me completely invested from the beginning. I loved the witty banter, fake relationship romance, and suspense as Gracen & Bodie search for a chess set worth a fortune. It’s a good girl/morally gray MMC romance with delightful, quirky side characters that was so much fun to listen to.

Gracen works at Annie’s Antique shop authenticating pieces for resale. When she receives a chess piece from a set worth millions, she’s all of a sudden visited by a conman named Bodie King who wants the piece. Unfortunately, his usual charm & charisma doesn’t work on Gracen and she refuses to sell it to him. Bodie wants that piece, but he also needs Gracen’s skills, so he persists. But, Bodie’s not the only one after the chess set. When Gracen’s shop, conveniently owned by Bodie, is set on fire, she & Bodie go on the run to try to find the other chess pieces before danger finds them.

I loved Gracen’s & Bodie’s romance! They’re both after the chess set so there’s definitely some trust issues as they try to outwit the other. I loved all their adventures as they face one hilarious yet suspenseful situation after another. At several points, they pose as a couple especially in front of Gracen’s family much to their delight & the sparks certainly fly.

The mystery was so good and I loved all the cloak & dagger stuff as they try to find the missing chess pieces and board which supposedly leads to an even greater treasure. There’s a mysterious figure named the Rook who’s also after the chess set. The Rook’s identity is teased out throughout the story & I have to admit was a total surprise.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version. It’s a dual narration audiobook and I grew to appreciate both the male and female narrators. I loved the female narrator’s interpretation of the characters and how she voiced them. At first, the male narrator was a little over the top for me, but as I got used to his performance, I ended up really enjoying it.

This is definitely one unique, fun romcom not to miss. Highly recommend! Although it’s part of a series, I had no difficulty listening to it as a standalone. Look forward to going back and reading the previous book. I received an advanced complimentary listening copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4-4.5 stars!

CW: Some mild infrequent swearing, innuendo, kissing only.

Adventure romcoms aren't my normal go-to, but man, this book was so fun! I loved the twists and the turns, and Bodie and Gracen were just wonderful! I had a blast listening to this story and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for an exciting, action-packed romcom!

I loved this book read the it all in two days! I
Couldn’t put it down excellent plot twist that I totally didn’t see coming. I will definitely be checking out other works from this talented author

OK, this was just ridiculously fun! I kept thinking as I read it that it would make a great rom-com film, in the style of Knight and Day or The Thomas Crowne Affair, and as a book, it's also perfect for anyone who loved Jennifer Crusie's Faking It. I loved the twistiness of the plot, all of which was nicely grounded and foreshadowed, and I had so much fun as I read this battle of wits between two fantastic characters.

A quick note: I spent the first 50 pages or so thinking it would be a 4-star read, because I was having fun but not sure I could really completely buy into the hero based on some of his actions. Then a LOT more stuff came to light, and...let's just say, it's going to be a very fun book to re-read, knowing everything I discovered by the end! And it's a 5-star read all the way for me, now. :)

Thank you so much for this audiobook, I really appreciate the privilege of being able to listen to it and review it.
I enjoyed this book, a playful rom-com with nice pacing, I don't have much to really comment on as I didn't find it showstopping but didn't think it was terrible either. The characters were rather generic but very likeable. A great book for someone who enjoys an easy lighthearted read. The narration was great, clear and well paced aswell.

I forgot how much fun adventure rom-coms are! This had a little bit of everything and I loved every minute of this book! The narrators were phenomenal.

I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher.

This was a first book by this author but I have seen a bunch of her books around on instagram. I had no idea what to expect but if you are looking for a romance with morally gray characters that is also clean this book will be right up your alley. Loved how the relationship developed in this one and there were a few surprises tucked in as well. I will definitely check out books by this author in the future

Rook to King
By @carinataylorauthor
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 💫

You’ll love this book if you like:
♟️Enemies to Lovers
♟️White Collar
♟️Witty Banter
♟️Hidden Identities

Favorites:
♟️The banter
♟️It was mainly in my home state of Oregon
♟️“Now be a good girl and put down the sword.”
♟️Gracen’s family

Bodie, an ex-conman, and Gracen, an antiques appraiser, are both searching for the Benedetto chess set and the suspected treasure that can be found with all of the pieces. They both weave their way into each other’s life and many hilarious situations ensue.

The twists and turns in this book are great and I was proud of myself that I figured out the final twist a chapter before it was announced! With all of the twists, turns, and mystery, it reminded me of Kortney Keisel's Later On We’ll Conspire, which is one of my favorite books.

I listened to the audio book version and loved Kim Churchill narrarating Gracen. She had just the right indignant tone with a bit of sweetness that it was perfect. Wayne Mitchell did a great job too. I enjoyed his Bodie voice but I struggled a little when he would voice Gracen. There were times he made it sound like he had a mocking tone when I didn't feel the dialogue was mocking. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and would recommend it to others.

This was such a fun and engaging book. A romance story about the bad guy. But can he really be the bad guy if we like him so much? The characters were fantastic and there was great banter and funny moments throughout. The romance developed with good intensity and just the right amount of uncertainty fitting with the plot. The intrigue and adventure was quite a change of pace from most of what I read, and I really enjoyed it. This book walked a delicate balance of romance and suspense, and I thought it was done well. As a romance reader, I wasn’t overwhelmed by the intrigue, but it was also active and interesting. It’s a clever story. There were twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting. There is carryover of characters from the previous book in the series, but this book works great as a standalone read. All in all, a great book. I would definitely read another like it from this author. This is a closed door romance with mild innuendo and a handful of instances of mild harsh language.

The narration was very good. It is a dual POV story and was read by dual narrators. I enjoyed the general tone, expression, and delivery of both narrators. They both had clear variations for the voices of other characters, but I admit that I didn’t like the male narrator’s other character voices as much as his main voice, but it wasn’t a big deal.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a complimentary copy of the book. This review was written and shared voluntarily, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF @ 21%

The Pros:
- I loved this premise! Antiques, criminal mischief, adventure, CHESS -- what's not to love? (Quite a bit as it turns out)
- The narrators -- so good! Brodie's narrator in particular has to me a non-traditional romance voice. It's raspy and exasperated and a bit bored and while it took me a minute to get used to, I really ended up enjoying it.

The Cons:
- The FMC. Full stop. I'm not an FMC hater, but the attitude and the contradictions really got me on Grayson. We open with her complaining (to the point of trying to HIDE) from what she thinks is a potential customer. We're also told she's pretty broke, and gosh I wonder what would fix that? Customers and commissions made by selling to them. From the beginning, she set my teeth on edge. The contradictions don't stop there -- the only reason she's working in a shabby-but-somehow-has-priceless-artifacts antique store with her credentials is because she refuses to work with any auction house who is not 100% above-board in the way they acquire their artifacts...and yet she shrugs at the idea that her "boss" is "probably in the mafia." Um, okay. She's got GREAT intuition -- by the way, if you're confused about what intuition means and why women have good intuition, don't worry, Grayson will explain it to you, as she does every single elementary concept of which the reader is 100% familiar with and only makes her sound like a complete idiot -- and yet her intuition (and unwavering belief in conspiracy theories?) allows her to believe that men are not, in fact, after her WHILE SHE IS OVERHEARING THEM DISCUSS THAT THEY ARE AFTER HER. And lastly, keeping in mind I only made it 20% in, despite despising Brodie for being a thief and a conman, she immediately goes all 'body betrayal' when he's LITERALLY TRYING TO STEAL HER ARTIFACT.
- The writing. Listen, I get the temptation, but please stop talking down to your readers. If your next book involves nuclear fission, please, explain away. Unique details about the crazy world of antiques? Awesome, I'd love to learn about that. But come on. We know what intuition is. We know that there could be other explanations for things, in a totally objective world. We also know this is an adventure plot romance novel, and by having Grayson tell herself over and over again, 'nah, it could just be my imagination!' you just make her sound like an idiot.

This was a cute rom-com with a bit of added mystery and adventure. I definitely pictured National Treasure vibes in my head while listening. Gracen and Bodie, starting out as co-workers/enemies work together to find an invaluable chess piece that could unlock a great hidden treasure. Their journey was super fun, and the twist at the end was a nice surprise for a rom-com! The narrators each did a great job portraying Gracen and Bodie. With this being the second book of the series, it was fun to catch glimpses of the couple features in the first book and how their lives are connected. I appreciated the small references to plus size representation of the MFC, I don’t think this demographic is depicted in romances enough!
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and the author for a copy of the audiobook.

The twist at the end of the story made me smile. I love Carina Taylor books, and this one is no different. Closed door romance with a guy she didn’t like due to what she knew of his past “jobs”. The collector in me loved this in such a nerdy way. The narrator was excellent. Another great book!

This book was absolutely fantastic! I read it in one go! I just couldn’t stop listening to it! The plot twists were so amazing, I guessed some but it didn’t affect my experience at all!!! I was so excited to be right.

I loved discovering the characters, the con world, all the mystery behind the antics, the backstory of each characters! The narrators done such a beautiful job bringing this story to life!

Highly recommend

Thank you NetGalley and publish for this ARC!

I didn’t like this one. I really wanted to but I just couldn’t finish it. I stopped a few chapters in.