This is by far my favorite book I’ve read in 2024 (93 books total so far)! This book has a good plot and just the right amount of smut to keep you invested and turning the pages for more! The back and forth between Holden and Rowan is done well for the enemies to lovers trope. The writing telling the agendas of both Rowan and Holden is amazing. I found myself cheering them both on throughout! The gradual reveal of Holden’s reason for revenge is so good!

The narrators for the audiobook (Patrick Zeller and Victoria Connolly) were great in conveying the emotions of each scene.

I was selected to listen to the audiobook ahead of the release date and I will be buying the hard copy and impatiently waiting for the next book in the series!
Notes on specific moments in the book:
1 hr 2 min: first slightly 🌶️ moment “thumb across bottom lip to wipe martini”
1:05:35 - Holden: “I’d opt for sapphires over rubies for you, they’re powerful, regal, confident.” Rowan: “They’d clash with my dress.” Holden: “Then change the dress.” 🫠
1:12:04 - Voice(Holden): “interesting way to phrase… a buyout.” - complete shock to Rowan!
1:13:48: Holden dismisses Rowan 😳🤯 plays into the “boys club,” taunts her
1:18:26 - Holden becomes majority owner - smug and condescending to Rowan (becomes her enemy, boss, 1st betrayal)
4:16 - loved Gran’s letter!!
6:26 - 😳🫠 ok Holden!
🫠🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
OMG!!! Her early birthday present!!!
That ending!!!

Oh this was good. Like, good good GOOD. Hostile takeovers, tragic backstory, office … steam, and one heck of a cliffy. Sign. Me. Up. Holden and Rowen are perfection together, even when it’s battling against each other. A definite recommend.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook.

Immediate thought upon finishing: WHAT THE ACTUAL FORK??? I loved it but the ending???!!!! Are you trying to end me Bromberg?

In all seriousness, I really enjoyed this one - it’s Succession with romance, what’s not to love?! There’s revenge, scheming, and backstabbing with great banter and sizzling chemistry between the leads. I am eating it up and cannot wait for book 2!!

🎧: We get a different narrator for each of the POVs. Rowan’s is performed by Victoria Connolly and she does a great job. Holden’s performance by Patrick Zeller though is something else entirely. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a narrator that put so much emotion into their scenes — it’s fantastic. Highly recommend!

Jaw Dropping Cliffhanger!
I did NOT know (really wasn't paying attention) that this was book 1 of a series UNTIL IT ENDED!
I loved this story & NEED to know what happens next!

Publisher's summary
Kings of Sin meets It Ends With Us in a gritty, heated romance from New York Times bestselling author K. Bromberg.

*Holden
They thought they’d managed to get rid of me once and for all. They thought I’d just forget what they did to my brother.
But I’m going to make sure that they never forget.
If only I can stop thinking about her.
*Rowan
No one sees me. Behind my brother, I’m a ghost, managing the family business that he claims to run. But I’m tired of second fiddle. I’m tired of pretending. I’m going to take what’s mine.
The only problem? Well, he just came back to town.

Thanks to NetGalley & Publisher: Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book!

Twisted Knight
By: K. Bromberg
Narrated by: Patrick Zeller, Victoria Connolly
Series: Tangled Hearts, Book 1
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release date: 09-24-24

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. F. I didn't know this wasn't a standalone, but apparently NetGalley, the publisher and the author all came together to CONSPIRE AGAINST ME. WHAT KIND KF A CLIFFHANGER ENDING WAS THAT?! NOOOOOOOOOOOO

Okay. I'm cool. It's all good. My heart is broken. This was an enemies to lovers office romance with a revenge plot, and it was freaking AWESOME. But. BUT. It's not over. And the ending made me SO MAD because whyyyyyyyyyyy.

Holden is the bad boy, billionaire, CEO type of character. Rowan is the daughter of a rich family who has been overlooked because she's a woman and God forbid women were allowed to be strong (according to these rich families).

This was spicy, and fast-paced, and hot hot hot. I couldn't put this down. And the narrators made this book into something truly amazing. All around, great read.

“𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙛—𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙖𝙮.”

I was hooked to this one right from the start. The writing sucked me in, the story pulled me in further, and the tension and 🔥 was just right.

Rowan’s brother is selling their family’s company, without any input from her, because, you know, she’s a woman. (And they are a part of a very patriarchal, upper class community.) He is selling it to the mysterious, Holden Knight, her new enemy, who is also undeniably irresistible to her.

Meanwhile, Holden is secretly buying the company for…*revenge*…

The tension between these two was so good, and I loved their banter, especially when it got flirty. The slow build of their *feelings*, which they both very much did not want to get, was so sweet and schmoopy.

There was a slow unveiling of the reasons behind Holden’s revenge plot, and I felt his emotion and turmoil coming off the page during those parts.

But beware the cliffhanger! No HEA in this installment, but I am already dying to dive into book 2.

Audiobook Notes: Both narrators were fantastic. Special shoutout to Patrick Zeller for his emotional performance.

Thank you @macmillan.audio for providing me an ALC of this book. All opinions are my own.

What this book is giving:
✅ Contemporary Romance
✅ Billionaire
✅ Enemies to Lovers
✅ Revenge
✅ They’re both “using” each other
✅ Oops, I caught feelings

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

Omg the grip this book had on me!! A delightful mix of modern day thriller, enemies to lovers, and messy family histories, plus past traumas that we carry with us.
I absolutely love both Rowan and Holden, but the fact that I have to wait until the next book to finish their story has me screaming. I can’t wait!

A beautiful story of breaking generational curses and learning how to love and trust again.

Extraordinary narrators.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for this arc in return for my honest review.

Pub date: 24 September 2024

Twisted Knight
By: K. Bromberg
Pub date: September 24, 2024
Publisher: Bramble/ MacMillian Audio
Narrated by: Patrick Zeller & Victoria Connolly
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rothschild’s matriarch Grandmother (Gran)dies. Next comes the reading of the will.

The Rothchild’s children Rhett is the (golden child) and Rowan is the daughter who wants more out of life than marrying into her families circle of society. She has ambitions.

Charming Holden is the CEO of their company. He is wealthy and has his own motives with the Royhchild’s, but he may have met his match in Rowan.

Rowan Rothchild is Vice President of marketing of Tin Spirits, the family business. Debutante, college educated and considered the face of the business. Her mother wants her married to the “right” person and understands their position in town. Rowan wants to take over the family business.

The sexual tension is real! How can Rowan and Holden work together when their attraction is evident. Will they be able to keep their hands off each other?

Sexy, extravagant, deception, revenge, erotic, powerful and HOLY CRAP, what an ending! I can’t wait for the sequel.

Thank you MacMillian Audio for the gifted audio.

#macaudio2024, #twistedknight, #kbromberg, #audioreview, #audiobook, #booksconnectus, #stamperlady50

Okay sooo I need book 2 asap. It's dual POV, some flashbacks to the past, enemies to lovers, with a big twist. The narrators were great bringing these characters to life. I was cringing at some of the family interactions.. which is kind of the point. The way the last 10 minutes played out was NOT the way I was expecting. Really flipped the switch on that one.

(Audio)

Really enjoyed the book! They were truly enemies there for a while! And the love is palpable! If only there weren’t any secrets!!! I can’t wait for the second book, this one ends on a cliffhanger!

The narration was great. I wish it was duet style though.

4⭐️
2.5🌶️
4🎧

5 ⭐ 3 🌶 5 🎧

What the heck was that cliffhanger 😭 I mean, I sorta saw it coming, but thought it would have been earlier and not where we're left wondering what the actual fffff. Really though, I loved the vibes between these two and the enemies to lovers to enemies aspect. There was a lot of intrigue and mystery surrounding Holden and I'm really excited to continue this series.

The audio was great. I really loved Patrick Zeller and Victoria Connelly and the way they brought Rowan, Holden and the rest of this cast to life. I can't wait to listen to book two!

It ends in a cliffhanger but it is so addictive and fun. The work rivalry is strong but so is the romance. I can't wait for the next book.

Twisted Knight by K. Bromberg is the first book in what I later discovered is a trilogy—a fact that, unfortunately, wasn't clear in the marketing materials. This lack of disclosure had a significant impact on my reading experience. While I enjoy a good cliffhanger when I'm prepared for it, reaching the end of a 68-chapter book only to realize the story wasn't complete left me more frustrated than satisfied. The lack of content warnings in the book is also an issue. It needs to be clear that it is dealing with the death of a sibling.

Rowan, the FMC, is a Rothschild heiress with a passion for reviving her family's alcohol company, Tin Spirits, despite societal pressures to conform to a more traditional role. Her plans are upended by the arrival of Holden Knight, a tech millionaire with his own agenda, sparking a slow-burn romance fueled by animosity and attraction. However, Rowan's entitlement, lack of self-awareness, and frequent unprofessional outbursts in the workplace made it difficult for me to fully connect with her character. Her misdirected aggression towards Knight, who was simply executing a legitimate business deal, felt more childish than empowering.

On the other hand, Holden Knight's character was intriguing. His mysterious motives and calculated charm kept me engaged, though the frequent flashbacks and the book's pacing at times felt stunted. The tension between the characters, while initially compelling, eventually devolved into repetitive bickering, leaving me craving more substantive development in both the romance and the business subplot.

The audiobook, narrated by Patrick Zeller and Victoria Connolly, had its strengths and weaknesses. Zeller brought a lot of emotion to the male POV, though it occasionally felt overdone, while Connolly's crisper delivery was enjoyable but perhaps lacked the same emotional depth. The sound production by Macmillan Audio was top-notch, making for a pleasant listening experience overall.

One of my biggest disappointments was discovering that this book ends on a cliffhanger. Had I known this was the first in a series, I might have approached it differently. The plot, while intriguing, felt stretched, and I would have preferred a single, well-rounded novel over multiple books that seem to thinly plot the story. Additionally, the title Twisted Knight didn't quite align with the book's tone—it felt more suited to a darker romance than what was presented here.

Overall, Twisted Knight is a fine read for fans of billionaire romances, but it doesn't particularly stand out. The lack of clarity about the series structure and Rowan's character left me feeling more frustrated than satisfied. If you're a fan of the genre and don't mind waiting for the full story to unfold over multiple books, this might be for you. However, for those who prefer a more complete story in one sitting, be prepared for the cliffhanger.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio, author K. Bromberg, and NetGalley for providing me with the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

K. Bromberg's latest novel has left me on the edge of my seat, demanding the next installment.

The story follows Holden, a man consumed by a childhood trauma that has fueled his desire for revenge against the Rothschild family. His path is filled with deception until he encounters Rowan, a woman who challenges his hardened exterior. Her family has made her feel insignificant, but underneath she is confident and has a mission of her own.

The chemistry between Holden and Rowan is evident, and their passionate encounters are both intense and satisfying. However, beneath the surface lies a complex mix of trust and mistrust, as Rowan struggles to open her heart to Holden.

The plot is well-crafted, with unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader engaged. The ending, however, is a cliffhanger that will leave you craving more. I can't wait to see how this story unfolds in the next book.

I enjoyed the narrators. This was my first audiobook with either narrator but both captured their characters personalities and were able to convey the characters chemistry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of the audiobook. I voluntarily read it and gave an honest review.

Not a standalone 😭😭

Read the physical book. And for those in the back READ THE PHYSICAL BOOK!!!

Let me start by saying I am reviewing the actual book and storyline NOT the audiobook narrators bc they were awful! I wish I had read the actual book bc they were too “theatrical” in their reading and very often their emotions did not match what the character was experiencing.

I have loved K. Bromberg, since first reading the Driven series, so I was super excited to get access to this ARC. The story line had all the enemies to lovers to enemies angst one would expect from Bromberg. Rowan was a strong FMC, who holds her own throughout the book. Holden was every bit the a-hole MMC you would expect. However, Rowan’s beauty, strength and sass, wore him down. Until…. CLIFFHANGER 🤬🤬

But I can’t wait for the next one to be released. If they use the same narrators, I’ll be sure to not listen to the audio version!!


Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the opportunity to listen to this advanced release.

<b>⭐ - 3.5/5 - ⭐</b> (rounded up because of the fact that this was my first full audiobook, and I don't know if reading the book would have done anything different)

Thank you #netgalley and #macmillanaudio for the ARC of this book!

✦ Enemies to Lovers
✦ Workplace Romance
✦ Secret Romance
✦ Revenge Plot
✦ Possessive MMC
✦ Dual POV

⚠️ - Loss, grief
🌶️ - 4.5/5
💕 - 2.5/5
👥 - 3/5
🌎 - 2/5
🗡️ - N/A
💀 - .5/5


𝙾𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠:
Holden is a man of mystery, the new guy in town, the man who just saved a failing company. Everyone wants a piece of him. Little do they know that he's not new, he's back, and he's here to take down those responsible for what they did to his family.

Rowan is a shadow behind her brother. Born into a prominent family name, her brother takes the spotlight and she's expected to follow suit, especially when it comes to the family business, but she wants more, and she'll do anything to get it. If only her new boss wasn't so damn enigmatic...


𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:
● Rowan is such a feisty character. I loved her from the start. I thought she might be a bit too bratty for my liking, but the brattiness is warranted for most of the book, and it’s also fueled by passion.
● Holden is a snarky, cocky SOB
● The emotion that is felt through Holdens flashbacks...incredible.


𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅:
● The ‘I’m out for revenge’ and the ‘what is he up to and who is he?’ plot got a bit old. I know that’s kind of the whole point of the main plot, to figure these things out and see the plan come to fruition, but the first 3rd of the book was a bit stagnant with it. The story didn’t seem to move forward until about halfway through the book.
● Some of Rowans internal and external rants come across mildly frantic and shrill, but I don’t know if that’s the voice actor or the writing.
● Fairly predictable


This was my first dip into listening to an entire book. Unfortunately, definitely not my cup of tea. I thought the actors they got to play the main characters were good, but a little shrill on the girls side and a little cringy on the mans. But overall, the book was ok. There were some predicable moments, annoying moments, heartbreaking moments, and super spicy moments. Definitely a book for fans of billionaire characters, major spice, workplace romance, and revenge plots.

This was so good! K.Bromberg never misses! I loved this audio! The way the characters had good chemistry and all the banter !! I just loved it

A star crossed romance that sets out to break your heart and ends up awakening your soul. Rowan and Holden have a complicated journey. From unpredictable to unforgivable to irresistible, emotion cuts deep. Against the backdrop of darkness and betrayal, Bromberg finds beauty. Her words come to life through the shadows of betrayal and the narration of Zeller and Connolly. Dark temptation meets dangerous romance with seductive results.

4.2🌟
-
The banter was delicious! I love a STRONG female lead, and Rowan is definitely that! I enjoy how even after she gets the D, she still is a strong female lead. Most women lose their strong personality after getting the D; they become pushovers and soft, blah, blah, but not ROWAN! And I LOVE IT. The cliffhanger . . . . I can't wait for book two!
The narrators did a good job. It was a little hard for me to listen to the male narrator's voice, but his female voice is good, lol.
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 Sept.24
Thank you, Netgalley, and MacmillanAudio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio, author K Bromberg, and NetGalley for providing me the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
This title will be released on September 24, 2024.

3 STARS

Twisted Knight by K. Bromberg
First book in a series
Trope & Elements: billionaire, workplace, high society, revenge, hate to love
***************************

AUDIOBOOK: Patrick Zeller as the male POV narrator deserves 5/5 and delivered a great performance. Victoria Connolly gave perhaps a crisper delivery but her timbre and inflections might have contributed to my annoyance with the fmc. The sound production and quality by Macmillan Audio was great; no complaints.

****************************

Brief Summary: Rowan is a Rothschild heiress, which puts her at the top of Westmore society. She bristles at her mom (and society's) expectations that she settle down, get married, and become a society wife who just brunches and sits on committees. Rowan instead wants to rehab her family's alcohol company, Tin Spirits, to its former glory and beyond. She runs into the incredibly attractive but unknown quantity that is Holden Knight. Sparks fly when they meet and rage even hotter when she soon finds out that her jerky CEO brother is letting Knight buy out Tin Spirits. Rowan will do everything she can to stop the takeover and get control of the company herself. Meanwhile, Knight has his own agenda. Both driven people's plans are detoured by their mutual attraction.

The romance is slow burn until about 50% -- because the fmc makes her hatred for the mmc so loud and clear for so much of the book. I honestly could not stand the insufferable female protagonist. Rowan is so entitled and not self-aware. I'm not sure the author intended her to come off that way? She has good reason to hate her horrible brother for disregarding her and selling out the family company. What made me so annoyed was her constant unprofessionalism in the workplace. When she first finds out about the takeover, she shouts in the boardroom and throws a tantrum. And she wonders why they think she shouldn't be on the board??? This continues with every subsequent encounter she has with Knight in the office. She treats Knight like a most hated enemy when he made an aboveboard business dealing to buy the company. Talk about misdirected aggression! Rowan's constant whining and clear statements of animosity to her soon-to-be boss made her seem childish and unable to think strategically as far as pursuing her own goals. I would've appreciated if Rowan had toned it down to lighter verbal sparring and trying to win out in the workplace by running her own business deals, implementing innovative ideas, and challenging Knight professionally.

While I disliked Rowan, I was interested in Knight's story. In the beginning, we are not told why this tech millionaire has left Silicon Valley and come to buy an alcohol company. It's soon apparent that he has revenge on his mind. The reason why is compelling and actually matches the lengths he's willing to go. I liked Holden Knight's mystery, arrogance, and charm. His POV chapters were engaging and easy to read/listen to.

Overall, I would give a light recommendation to any massive billionaire romance fans. It's a fine book but doesn't really stand out. One thing to also note is that this seems to be the FIRST BOOK IN A SERIES. It ends on a cliffhanger without an HEA. Imo the plotting was not the best because it felt like the plot was stretched so that it could be a series. I would have preferred on 450-500 page book over multiple thinly plotted books. I wanted more complex business dealings, more substantive scenes of Rowan dealing with high society that she finds distasteful, and actual moments of meaningful connection between the MCs rather than just bickering and attraction.

*********************

I find the marketing a little odd. The title "Twisted Knight" doesn't really fit the book. "Twisted" to me would fit either a dark romance or a romance that has an extremely tortured/damaged hero. (I guess you could argue the latter but the book only barely implies that but does not focus on it.) "Knight" as a word always evokes fantasy. Add to that the nondescript discreet cover, and I might have jumped to the conclusion this was a fantasy romance. If you're going with a discreet cover, they could've at least chosen sterile and/or rich colors with matching items (e.g. diamonds, expensive watch) that speak to opulence--instead of the tropical flowers???

Comp Titles: In the blurb, the publisher has Kings of Sin meets Things We Left Behind. My comps are Devious Lies by Parker S. Huntington and My Dark Romeo by Huntington and LJ Shen.