King's Rule by Jackie Ashenden is the second story in her Kings of Sydney series and a searing erotic romance with a forbidden love theme – step-siblings who as adults can no longer deny their attraction to each other.

Life took an unexpected turn for fifteen year old Xander King when his father remarried and he gained a ten year old step-sister, Poppy. From their first meeting they were at odds and kept out of each other's way. When Poppy turned eighteen, Xander noticed her as a woman, but did nothing outwardly to show his changing feelings towards her.

A few years later, Xander and his brothers have successfully taken down their father and are trying to clear their family name from the crimes in which their father was involved. They're having trouble hiring staff, and with few to trust, Xander offers Poppy a deal. If she'll come to work with him as his personal assistant for a few months, he'll put in a good word for her with an architectural internship. Poppy needs the money as she's the sole support for her mother who, despite getting a generous allowance every month from the King family, spends more than she has. Her mother thinks Poppy should use her looks to get a sugar daddy like she did, but Poppy isn't interested. She wants to use her designing skills to get a good job. For now, she'll take what Xander offers.

But being in close quarters and unable to avoid each other, the truth of their mutual attraction comes out, and it leads to sexual exploration and a new emotional intimacy. Can it also lead to a happy ever after?

Step-sibling romances aren't generally my thing even knowing that the parties are not genetically related, but I'm always willing to take a chance on Jackie Ashenden's writing and enjoyed what she's done here. It turns out that Xander has dominant tendencies and Poppy has submissive ones, so this story veers into D/s territory in mutually satisfying and very hot scenes. At the same time, they start to confide their deepest fears and secrets to each other, until they eventually get to the one that could break them apart for good.

Xander grew up under harsh conditions with his criminal father and unbeknownst to him, he was a pawn in his father's games that defrauded investors – including Poppy's father. When he discovered the truth he made it his mission to try to recover the money that rightfully belonged to Poppy, all while feeling the guilt over Poppy's father's death, and the reason she ended up with the King family. But Poppy has her own guilt over her father's death. Until they can come clean with each other, they won't be able to be truly happy, but when they take that risk the reward is worth it.If you like forbidden love affairs, and emotionally erotic romances, you'll definitely want to read this one (and you'll want to investigate more of Jackie Ashenden's books!).

This review has been posted at Harlequin Junkie and feedback updated with the link. It has been posted at Goodreads and will be posted at amazon during release week.

Xander King and Poppy Valentine hate each other. But Xander needs Holly when he has no other alternative for a Personal Assistant that he can trust. Holly needs Xander to provide her with a recommendation for that will ensure for her the dream job she has always desired. Sparks fly from the first moment, which will lead to a challenge of wills in a heated struggle for sexual dominance. But how can they face the fact that they were both cut from the same cloth, both facing the same demons?
Jackie Ashenden has written a fast-paced, sex-charged story that you will find hard to put down. Be forewarned, sex is frequent and graphic, and language is coarse. Four stars.

Xander and Poppy are stepsiblings and for years they hate eachother. But something happens and the enemies become lovers. I liked this short hot steamy read from Jackie Ashenden. The characters are really well developed with their troubled past and the baggage that doesn't allow them to live a happy life. After their first kiss is exchanged everything changes, Xander helps Poppy to realize that she matters and that she can't dwell on the past. But will Xander do the same it for himself? I liked how Xander carriage Poppy, and made her feel better. I liked Poppy more when she didn't act all bratty when we saw reasons why did the act the way she did. They have some really intense hot scenes and it is great to see their HEA.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly

Xander and Poppy were a great couple in an equally great book. She was strong and proud and he was damaged and loyal. They were exactly what each other needed.

King's Rule is an enemies to lovers and step-brother romance that I found quite enjoyable. I loved the connection and chemistry between Xander and Poppy and the way it all unfolded. I enjoyed their journey and would recommend this book to those who love a mix of characters who dislike each other with a mix of taboo.

This was entertaining and the protagonists were genuinely likeable and had great chemistry. I found the heroine a little unrealistically unprofessional in her job, but she was young and grew into herself.

5 Stars for Kings Rule by Jackie Ashenden

ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Love ❤️ LOVED ❤️ this book!!
This is the second in the Kings of Sydney series and can be read as a stand-alone!

The plot of this story is slightly different from others I have read by this author - Xander & Poppy are step siblings who thru the years have had a growing but very secret attraction to each other ......

Xander was isolated as a child from his siblings & because he was very good with #’s was enlisted by his father to creatively help hide investors savings in a Ponzi type scheme. He was really to young to know what his father was doing & the isolation kept him from developing any meaningful relationships especially after his mother dies...


Poppy’s mother marries Xander’s father after hers commits suicide. She comes to live with Xander’s family but never feels at home or comfortable... when her stepfather is sent to prison the dynamics change again within the family.
Poppy goes to school to study architecture & works to help pay her mother’s bills since even with a monthly allowance she can’t seem to live within her means.

Things really combust 🔥🔥 when Poppy accepts a job working for Xander to help pay some bills - being in such close proximity every day they eventually sleep together. Personally, I was rooting for them to get together ASAP but they decide they need to be discrete ! Poppy feels she is just Xander’s plaything & there is no chance at a real relationship not that either of them believe they can find love with each other or find a HEA ...

I really loved both of these characters & felt their pain! This author has a way of tugging at your heartstrings. This book had me thinking about so many things especially how our upbringings set us up for success or failure at times in life.

This book does have a great HEA - the reader goes thru a bit of angst as well as the characters to get there ...

Highly recommend this book & author!!

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough erotic romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

Poppy is a little more open-minded than I remember. It turns out my attraction to her isn’t completely one sided apparently, she finds my authority as exciting as I find her body. The animosity between us only makes it more exhilaratingWhen I started reading I couldn't put it down. Jackie Ashenden is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.Can't wait for the next book.

Love Jackie Ashenden stories, this one is not as gritty as some of her other stories but it is still a very good quick read.

Oh My my my....This was a HOT HOT HOT story. Loved the characters, the setting, the story line. Great job of grabbing ahold of the reader and keeping them entertained. Can't wait to read more about the King Brothers...

DNF at 21%

I dunno, man. I just don't like both hero and heroine. They're both snippy with each other to the point that I rolled my eyes every time they interacted. I usually love me some hate-to-love but this book didn't work out for me, sadly.

I am a fan of Jackie's books, not all of them but a lot of them, This book was ok, after we get pst the he hated her and she hated him the story starts rolling. However I am not a fan dom/sub stories, just me to each there own, but that is just not cup of tea, that all being said it was an entertaining book.

Another wonderful addition to Harlequin's Dare series. This was a super fun and steamy read full of tons of slightly forbidden sexual tension. It seems the step-siblings is the "it" things right now in erotic/romance. It's a really fun book if you are in for a quick and dirty read.

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Over all, it was a very good book. I didn’t think I would care for the “I’ve fallen for my step-sister”, but surprisingly it wasn’t what I expected. I do feel like it’s missing something, maybe a few more details on...... sorry no spoilers.

Another good addition to this author's series. You cannot go wrong with this author and her characters.

I don't know how Jackie do it but she writes about things that I usually don't like, like dominant alpha males, or "I'm in love with my stepsister" trope, (she even have a few books where the main character falls in love with her kidnapper). But in a way that I can't help to enjoy and love. This book in particular was so addictive, I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day. And as always, her characters are more complex than they seem at the beginning.

The sex scenes were so hot, and I liked that in the end it was everything about Poppy's pleasure and that Xander was respectful to her. Even if she was a submissive and he was very dominant.

A very hot, fast and entertaining read

Jackie Ashenden writes amazing male and female characters. As couples they are the very definition romance. Every new book becomes my "favorite" and this one was no exception. I can't wait for what comes next.

I am seriously so obsessed with Jackie Ashenden's books. They are always super sexy and riveting and and I never want them to end. Combine her talent with the hot and sexy chemistry always found in Harlequin's Dare brand and it is a perfect combination!

King's Rule was so hot and intense and filled to the brim with everything I love in enemies to lovers stories. The banter was combustible and electrifying and the passion was intense. I loved how both Poppy and Xander had a vulnerable side that came out and how ultimately they were each other's safe space. I did think the ending and conflict resolution was a little rushed but all in all this was fantastic. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 3.5 stars! ~Ratula

Thoroughly enjoyed this read! Lots of sexy tension, strong, well developed characters, and a prototypical but satisfying love story that makes me intensely curious about the rest of this series!

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Dare for this awesome ARC in exchange for an honest review!