literary gluttony

The Marquess of Kingston – King to his friends – has never wanted for anything. Except maybe the attentions of his father. Instead, he has spent his childhood in boarding school after boarding school, oftentimes getting into as much trouble as a young boy can. On one particular adventure, he’s tasked with stealing a cask of whiskey from an alleged witch. But during his dare, he’s caught and cursed by the witch. King thinks nothing of it…until his thirtieth birthday when his world falls apart.

But in the middle of his downfall, he finds hope in the form of Violet Baker, a tavern owner from the slums of London, and someone he now owes a lot of money to. Since he has fallen from society, the only way to make it up to her is to work for her. But King hasn’t worked a day in his life, let alone manual labor in the worst parts of town. However, as he works beside Violet he finds more to life than just money and societal standing. But will the curse leave him alone and let him find peace? Or will he have to contend with fate herself to save the promise of a new life?

The King and Vi is a fast-paced historical romance. As such, I found it difficult to form any connection with the characters. There were bits and pieces of them that were enjoyable but nothing about them drew me into the story. The plot was intriguing and that’s what kept me reading. It isn’t often that you read a book where the male lead is brought low and must find his way. Too many times we read those Cinderella-esque stories about lowly women falling in love with a prince to have their world changed.

Aside from the characters, there were some issues I had with the timing of things towards the end of the book. It almost felt as if the ending was rushed and the author was simply trying to meet a deadline. Also, the dialogue seemed amateur and disconnected to some of the scenes. It didn’t flow quite right and was a little disconcerting to read. However, it was a light and quick read and if you’re looking for a book to whet your palette, then this would be a perfect choice

**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**