Blog tour Book Review: The Rebel Queen by Jeana E. Mann

The Rebel Queen by Jeana E. Mann is LIVE!!!

Author: Jeana E. Mann

Series: The Rebel Queen Duet #2
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: October 15th 2019
My Rating: 4.5 Cups
Source: Wildfire Marketing Solutions
Blurb (from Goodreads):

“Shall we begin?” When spoken by my new husband, these three little words fill me with terror and anticipation.

In private, King Henry rules my body like he rules his country—with unrelenting control and passion. I crave his orders, his punishment, his commands. Outside the bedroom, we’re strangers caught in a web of lies and decadence.

Our marriage is a sham, a business arrangement devised to save my life and secure his crown. He doesn’t love me. He loves my body, controlling it, shaming it, worshipping it. To survive the dangers at court, I need to be smart, but it’s hard to think straight with a man like Henry between my legs.

Each night, he locks the bedroom door, determined to teach me a new lesson. Obedience, patience, trust. I lie awake in bed waiting for the sound of his footsteps and the latest installment in pleasure and pain. My heart pounds when the hinges creak and his broad shoulders block the door. I’m not ready, but I can’t wait to feel his hands on me. He shoves his bowtie in my mouth, binds my hands to the headboard, and whispers in my ear…

“Shall we begin?”


From USA Today bestselling author Jeana E. Mann comes this dark, contemporary romance filled with twists, turns, and unprecedented heat.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of his book from Wildfire Marketing Solutions in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

Everly and Henry's story concludes in The Rebel Queen and I have to say, I was surprised by how it ended. We get to see how they adjust to married life, how Henry becomes a king, and how Everly grows into her role as a royal consort and queen. So it was the perfect conclusion for the duet.

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The story picks up right where The Royal Arrangement left off, with Henry and Everly getting married. Everly is still distraught after her father's betrayal, her mother's abandonment, and adjusting to married life in a new country, with no friends isn't an easy feat for her. It was interesting to read about Everly's struggles to life at court. She transforms over the course of this book, going from a defenseless woman to a true queen. As she gets more comfortable in her role, she starts being more confident, and she expresses her desires more. She even helps out her maid, Olga, when the woman is sick and needs medical care, even though it's not something that was usually done in Androvia. She struggles with her marriage though. She's trying to accept her role as a partner, even though Henry doesn't seem to see her as such, and their relationship goes from hot to cold to hot again very fast. I liked seeing that dynamic between them, and I liked seeing what it brought out in Everly. She's been hurt by men in the past, so she's not quite sure Henry will be an exception, but she's willing to fight for what she really deserves, which is the respect of her husband, something she's never had before.

Henry on the other side was struggling between him trying to protect Everly, and trying to completely dominate her. He liked toying with her, and the mental games he put her through thrilled him a lot. I would have wanted to see him be more honest and open with her about certain things, especially when they related to her safety. He also took his role very seriously and didn't allow his mother, or his uncle to rule from the shadows. In the first book I wasn't really sure if he was fit to rule, but he proved me wrong in this book.

The chemistry between Henry and Everly was off the charts, even though I wished there were less fade-to-black sex scenes. As a writing style though, I thought it made their chemistry more potent, so I did enjoy that aspect of the story. Although their love story is growing and they get more comfortable around each other, it's not all smooth sailing and they do have their issues from time to time.

The pacing is amazing, and there's an undercurrent of danger throughout the story. We get to meet some new characters, as well as characters we already know.

All in all, I thought this was a great ending to the duology. I really liked this story and I can't wait to read more books from this author.

EXCERPT

When his key clicks in the lock of the apartment door, my heart almost leaps out of my chest. I slip my hands into the fur-lined restraints. Anticipation heightens my awareness. The silk sheets are soft against my skin. They smell of his cologne and shower gel. I draw in his scent and try not to squirm. With each passing second, my mouth grows drier and the ache between my legs intensifies. I can hardly wait to see what he has in store for me tonight.
His light footsteps approach, sending my pulse rate higher. He doesn’t speak. He shrugs out of his jacket, loosens his tie, and sits in the elegant chair at the end of the bed. My skin prickles under the weight of his scrutiny. I’ve never been self-conscious about my body, but insecurity races through me. He’s the king. How many women has he had in his bed? If they’re anything like Lady Clayton, they’ve been the most beautiful women in the world. I tug on the restraints, wishing I could crawl beneath the sheets.
He drags a finger over his upper lip. “I’ve changed my mind.”
“What?” Mortification sends heat rushing into my face. Changed his mind? About me? About us? A knot clenches in my belly.
“I’ve always taken the lead in our lessons, but tonight, I’m giving you control.”
I slide my hands out of the restraints and sit up, clutching a pillow to cover my nudity, feeling vulnerable. “I don’t understand.”
“Take the reins, Everly.” He enunciates each word in his haughty British accent. “Show me how persuasive you can be. Make me want you.”