Adult Fiction book review

Drama King by Penny Reid

Drama King by Penny Reid

About the Book

Stuck with her off-limits, taciturn, hunky movie star client during a sudden snowstorm on Christmas Eve, an extremely capable and highly professional bodyguard must keep him alive and warm without letting the tension building between them get too hot.

Bathsheba (Beth) Ryan can’t thank her best friend enough for helping her land the job of her dreams. After being relegated to second-string security for politicians in DC, being hired as an undercover personal security specialist by a giant Hollywood studio is exactly the kind of action she’s always wanted.

Until she meets her first assignment.

Cyrus Malcom can’t thank his agent enough for arranging a blind date with seemingly the woman of his dreams. After spending the past several years playing all the parts and climbing all the ladders, the lonely mega movie star finds himself actually enjoying a night on the town for the first time in ages when he meets the gorgeous, funny, and genuine Ryaine O’Rourke.

Until she shows up at his studio meeting the next day with a completely different name.

A world-wide press tour and too many late-night parties later, Beth simply needs to get through a short, one-day visit during the Christmas holiday, and then she’ll be free of Cyrus Malcom’s confusing hot looks and cold shoulders for good.

But just as they leave the airport, it starts to snow . . .

‘Drama King’ is the second book in the Three Kings Series, is a full-length, contemporary romantic comedy, and can be read as a complete standalone.

Librarian Laura’s Review of Drama King

Drama King is the second installment in the Three Kings series. However, it can be read as a stand-alone holiday romantic comedy, as no prior background knowledge of the first book, Homecoming King, is required for enjoyment of the story. We do get an updates and a cameo appearance of the beloved characters from Homecoming King, Rex and Abby, however, and its truly delightful to catch up with them a bit. If you enjoyed the role reversal of female bodyguard protecting male movie star in The Bodyguard by Katherine Center or the forced proximity stuck in a cabin during a snowstorm action of Happy Trail by Daisy Prescott, then you will most definitely enjoy Drama King, as it contains a lovely mix of those elements. I enjoyed both of those books very much, but Drama King has surpassed them both and it reigns supreme (see what I did there?). I’m a sucker for forced proximity, and when you add in a winter snowstorm and a rustic cabin in the Texas countryside…just take my money. I must have the book. Compound this with the fact that Penny Reid is my most-favorite author, and you can see how excited I was for this release. And it was released on my 40th birthday. Coincidence? I think not.

Though they grew up in the same small Texas town, Beth and Cyrus haven’t seen each other in years. Beth, while working undercover as Ryaine O’Rourke, meets Cyrus for a blind date and enjoys herself very much, even if she accidentally mixes alcohol and Benadryl and makes some questionable decisions. Hoping to put the evening behind her, Beth shows up for her new assignment the next day, only to find out that her Hollywood personal security studio has assigned her to protect none other than gorgeous Cyrus Malcom. There is no denying he is charming, but Beth must stick to her professional nature if she is going to get through the holidays unscathed. Fast forward a bit and Beth is the only one of the security team to pick up Cyrus from the airport to transport him to his family home on Christmas Eve. She can do it. it’s only one day, right? Think again. The snow starts falling as they leave the airport and then the holiday really heats up. Thankfully Cyrus’s family has an old rustic cabin for shelter. Who needs lights and plumbing?

Drama King is full of hilarious banter and steamy romance, and what I would call holiday romcom gold. The “dinner” in the cabin had me laughing out loud – both the procurement of said dinner and the consumption of it. But, it also features unique characters who each have real-life struggles. As such, readers can really empathize and root for the success of both Beth and Cyrus. I dare you to read this book and not fall in love with them both. Cryus is getting very close to knocking Cletus Winston out of top book boyfriend spot for me. Only book boyfriends created by the genius mind of Penny Reid can hold the spot. All the stars for this one! Absolutely can not wait for next season when the final book is released.

This would make an excellent movie, by the way. For that matter, any and all of Penny’s books would make excellent movies.

Thank you to Give Me Books Promotions and Penny Reid for the early review copy of this novel.

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