REVIEW: The Bourbon Kings by J.R. Ward

In The Bourbon Kings (The Bourbon Kings #1) by J.R. Ward, Tulane “Lane” Bradford grew up in Easterly, his family’s mansion in the heart of Kentucky. Making their money from their hugely successful bourbon business, the Bradford’s gave the appearance of a perfect, high society family. But on the inside? They were barely holding their family together after lies, abuse, and bad business practices damaged each person under the mansion’s roof.

“It matters,” he said against her lips. “This matters to me even more than my family. Do you hear me, Lizzie? You have always, and will always, matter most to me.”
On that, he left and went to the door, pausing to level a stare at her over his shoulder–the kind that was a vow if she’d ever seen one.

Trying to do the right thing has never worked out well for Lane, so laying low until the next family crisis was the plan. On the week of the Derby, it all comes crashing down. Lane heads home just in time to witness one problem after the other rain down on Easterly. But what holds his attention most is seeing Lizzy King again. As she’s the property’s head horticulturist, he can’t avoid her. The way their secret romance ended a couple of years ago has always weighed on Lane. Now is his chance to make things right. If he can keep the rest of his world from imploding.

“This is…your time, Lane. God has provided you with a sacred duty to keep this family together. You are the only one who can do it. This is all falling into place because it is your destiny to bind the blood once again. It happens every couple of generations. It’s happening now. This is your time.”

Deceit. Family issues. Lust. Financial ruin. The Bourbon Kings was not actually a straight-up romance. Instead, it was more of a family drama that rivaled any soap opera I’ve ever seen. Leave it to J.R. Ward to create a raw, complicated saga such as this.

I am not going to lie or sugarcoat things: I both loved and despised the characters in this book equally many, many times over while reading it. And to me, that is the proof of a talented writer. The fact that I had such strong, if not somewhat mixed, emotions for the characters meant that the story got a reaction out of me, all while holding my interest. And no doubt about it, this was very well written. The attention to detail in every scene was perfect, with the depth of emotions each person felt coming through clearly.

As far as the characters, I will admit that I wanted to smack Lane, his haughty wife Chantal, his selfish sister Gin, and their arrogant father at times. But then one of them would do something that would almost redeem themselves, only to then mess it all up again. I loved Miss Aurora, the woman who basically raised the Bradford siblings. She tried to keep them on the right path, bless her heart, but with no help from their parents, the kids grew up into typical society-types. I actually had a lot of respect for Lizzy, a hard worker who couldn’t help falling for charismatic Lane. They were quite different on the outside but they were loyal and devoted people in their hearts. It made for an interesting relationship.

The family issues along with the shady business dealings that kept winding their way through all of these character’s lives is what really turned this into a full-on soap opera. Not that that’s a bad thing. It was dramatic, highly entertaining, and had that bit of mystery to it, trying to figure out what was truly going on. It brought to mind 80s primetime soaps like Dynasty, Falcon Crest and Dallas. With lots of rich, privileged men and women with too much money and time on their hands, you knew something scandalous was bound to happen.

The Bourbon Kings is setting up to be an exciting, highly volatile series. If this is only a smidgen of what we have to look forward to from future books, then count me in for the duration as this drama plays out!

Book Info:

 July 28th 2015 | by NAL | The Bourbon Kings #1

For generations, the Bradford family has worn the mantle of kings of the bourbon capital of the world. Their sustained wealth has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. Upstairs, a dynasty that by all appearances plays by the rules of good fortune and good taste. Downstairs, the staff who work tirelessly to maintain the impeccable Bradford facade. And never the twain shall meet.

For Lizzie King, Easterly’s head gardener, crossing that divide nearly ruined her life. Falling in love with Tulane, the prodigal son of the bourbon dynasty, was nothing that she intended or wanted—and their bitter breakup only served to prove her instincts were right. Now, after two years of staying away, Tulane is finally coming home again, and he is bringing the past with him. No one will be left unmarked: not Tulane’s beautiful and ruthless wife; not his older brother, whose bitterness and bad blood know no bounds; and especially not the ironfisted Bradford patriarch, a man with few morals, fewer scruples, and many, many terrible secrets.

As family tensions—professional and intimately private—ignite, Easterly and all its inhabitants are thrown into the grips of an irrevocable transformation, and only the cunning will survive.