Just Between Us: A King Family Special Edition Paperback – 14 Oct. 2024

Who knew a tattooed golden retriever choke daddy would be the man of my dreams? Me. I did. From the very first time I met Royal on page in One Look, I knew he would ruin me for all others ❤️‍🔥 the banter between Royal and Veda is off the charts, and the running secret between Royal and Lark has me cackling!! I love the King’s and the Sullivan’s with my whole chest. Veda was a perfect FMC, fierce and headstrong yet soft exactly when she needed to be. Outtatowner is a world you can get completely lost in, and I never want to leave!

— 4 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️📖 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 316 pages👤 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Lena Hendrix🏢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: published independently📅 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 15 October 2024What you can expect:— Adult Contemporary Small Town Romance— Interconnected Standalone Series— First Person X Dual POV— Secret Relationship— Black Cat X Golden Retriever— Forced Proximity— He Falls First— Tattoo Shop Owner X Business Consultant— Small Town Feuds, Pranks & Mystery— Spicy Lessons X Open Door Spice Scenes𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: sexually explicit content, death of a parent (past, off-page), child abandonment (past, discussed), attempted non-sexual assault, physical abuse, and mild suspense elements.𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲:Just Between Us is the third instalment in the King Family series by author Lena Hendrix. The familiarity to be found within Hendrix's writing is both a comfort and a joy to submerse into as I find myself swiftly enraptured by the small town charm and loveable cast of characters that reside in Outtatowner. The theme of and emphasis on the importance of family is consistent throughout this series which brings a sense of comfort and belonging as we follow the King family one family member at a time on their journey towards happily ever after. The story felt well-balanced and presented a steady pacing from beginning to end which enabled me to remain engaged with the text on-screen without swaying and becoming otherwise distracted. The writing format is easy to follow, and I love that this series is written in dual POV which only seeks to strengthen the story by offering an intimate insight into the minds of our two main characters. Lena Hendrix can do no wrong and has yet again written a compelling and emotional tale that I was unable to put down and continues to cement my betrayal by remaining a King woman. Sorry Sullivans… it was good whilst it lasted.𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:The slow-building plot surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Maryann King finally unravels and brings such long-awaited answers in Just Between Us. I've been theorising and anticipating the truth about this tragedy for two books now and it's safe to say that I'm feeling bittersweet and emotional in the aftermath of finishing this book. I'm almost sad that it's over because I've had fun trying to solve the mystery as a reader alongside the characters, and I'm also relieved to finally have the answers the members of the King family (and me) have been desperately seeking. I'm happy to see one chapter closed and another one opened... as despite truths being unveiled I suspect this plotline is far from over. Outside of this mystery I had a lot of fun with the chaotic budding romance between Vera and Royal. The circumstances in which they meet is hilarious and offers some much needed reprieve from the emotional backstory unfolding, and seeing their relationship blossom and strengthen as a result was everything I had hoped to see and more. I'll forever be obsessed with the dynamics of a secret relationship and the feelings of anticipation that can come with it, and I loved how flawlessly the plot of the story was intertwined with the development of our main characters. All of the dynamics fleshed together well and felt complimentary of the other, and I'm definitely eager to see where JP's story will lead after that eyebrow raising ending.𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:Veda Bauer is a determined and ambitious woman who is keen to find her footing after a wrongful circumstance resulted in her unemployment status and a desperation to prove herself to her peers. Her 'black cat' persona means that she gives off cool, sophisticated and uncaring vibes externally which is far from the truth on the inside. Veda is business savvy and intelligent. Her ability to look out-with what's presented in front of her face and critical thinking skills prove her to be a great asset to her role within Just Between Us, and I was thrilled to see her surrounded by people who appreciated her prowess and skill. Whilst portraying a cool and collected woman to her peers, Veda is lonely and in need of companionship and connection. This leads to her discovering a faceless man on a social media app who seeks to educate on women's pleasure and teach all who are willing to listen on how to advocate for themselves and their desires. Veda never expected to be able to place a face onto the faceless tattooed god... least of all for him to be her employer's older brother. Watching Veda stumble through this realisation was wholly entertaining and I loved seeing both sides of those interactions between Veda and Royal. Her feisty nature and quick wit made her a wonderful verbal opponent for the delighted Royal and I had the best time seeing her emotional walls crumble as their connection deepened. Seeing Veda fall gradually in love was a beautiful development as it emotionally opened up her character and it is at this point we truly see her flourish. Veda is a woman that feels her emotions deeply and intimately, however she sometimes struggles to communicate her needs and wants so it was important for her to find a partner that can recognise this and encourage open communication. Seeing her grow and gain confidence within herself and her ability was a rewarding journey to follow, and I was so happy to see her gain a community of people worthy of the love that she had to give. My only complaint about Veda was that I wanted more. I personally feel like the history of her previous employment could've been expanded upon, as could her relationship with her own family. I feel like I wasn't granted much history to Veda and the majority of her character was focused on present time. Being granted an expanded intimate insight into a main character's life and history helps me better connect with their journey as a whole, however Veda managed to stand out on her own so I still love her in spite of this.Royal King has been a man of mystery across two book series and I'm both thrilled and relieved to see that intrigue finally at an end. The end of the Sullivan Family series had me hoping for the follow-up series announcement focused on the Kings, and the character I was most intrigued by was Royal. It's safe to say that he did not disappoint and turned out to be exactly what I expected (and hoped) he would become. Royal's need for mischief and chaos was delightfully funny as he is often an instigator of the Sullivan King x Sullivan (iykyk) prank wars. He's the perfect combination with his golden retriever character personality mixed with his heavily tattooed bad boy exterior. He's every romance reader's dream and I loved getting to know his character through his own point of view. Royal's love and loyalty for his family is apparent and unrivalled. I just know that if a King comes calling that Royal would jump straight into action regardless of reasoning and consequence. His passion for his artistic craft was admirable and it was incredible to learn how much work went into keeping the lights on in his tattoo parlour. Royal's accepting nature made him an ease to be around and I loved seeing how patient he was regarding Veda. He knew how badly he wanted her and was more than happy to wait her out as she came to a decision on her own terms. His dominance and assurance in the bedroom was swoon-worthy, but most of all I adored his commitment towards assuring Veda that she possessed the authoritative voice. Whilst Royal acted as the soft dominant within their sexual development, it was made clear that he was at Veda's mercy and his commitment towards earning her trust and love was very well explored. Consent and demanding your own pleasure is sexy, and Royal's ability to create a safe space for Veda to explore her own desires was everything I was hoping for. I loved getting to know a more emotionally vulnerable side of Royal outside of his jokester persona, and I was really proud of his growth as he opened up about the secretive aspects to his life and getting to witness his family's utter acceptance. His hidden insecurities and emotional vulnerabilities took me by complete surprise, however I loved how this can open up the conversation that even the happiest-presenting people can be dealing with difficult personal circumstances and it's important to be there for them regardless. Voicing your deepest buried secrets is never easy out of fear of rejection and ridicule, and I was so proud of the King family to see them rally around their own and accept Royal without question. Royal was a wonderfully complex and intricate character that I would've loved more time with, however I'm ultimately left feeling satisfied with his journey and hope to see his character make continued cameos in future instalments in the King Family series.𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:The relationship development between our two main characters was surprisingly pretty smooth sailing despite an initial frosty first (physical) encounter. Royal challenged Veda and it was hilarious how frustrated she felt as a result. She so desperately wanted to dislike him and assert a professional boundary that was not to be crossed... but like many of us the allure of Royal King is hard to resist. Their banter was top tier and I loved how their equal stubbornness turned into an asset within their relationship. They somehow managed to effortlessly encourage and bring out the best within each other and it just proved how well-paired they are as a couple. Due to the secrecy of their relationship their development gave off a soft and intimate vibe which was beautiful to see as the lack of background interference disrupting their development helped strengthen their relationship over time. I adore how passionately Veda and Royal advocated for the other and never left room for doubt in their intentions and commitment for the other. Their relationship remained steady throughout which was greatly needed as the impactful and emotional side-plot comes to light, and I just love when I get to see a couple that can find peace together after overcoming great struggles and trauma in life. Veda and Royal are proud individuals with a lot of love to give, and I was really happy to see them come out on the other side proudly and openly in-love.𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:All I know is as the end of this series nears I'm continually faced with the reality that I'm not ready. Not ready to say goodbye to the expansive cast of characters that I have come to know and love, and their beautifully written dynamics that continues to strengthen with every new book release. Whilst I do think Just Between Us could've benefitted from being slightly longer I still adored it with my entire heart and soul, and I look forward to shouting about it publicly upon release. I'm so relieved that we still have JP and MJ's stories left... and I'm beyond intrigued to see who their romantic interests will be.

Royal MF King 👑Charming Joker with a tortured past. All wrapped up an a Daddy Dom bow. Delicious.Veda Bauer 🐈‍⬛Spicy and sweet and sheltered. Always felt like she’s had to tone herself down to be more palatable to others. I can relate HARD. Total gives her the space to just Be & and also shows her that control isn’t everything.Absolutely loved this book the love story the on going murder mystery around 10/10.If there was one bookish place I could live it would be Outtatowner.

Aww I loved Royal and Veda. She’s a black cat and he is very much a golden retriever and they’re perfect for each other! Their relationship behind closed doors was hot. They had so much chemistry and sexual tension! I really enjoyed the plot of this book and seeing it all come to a head after the last two books of questions. I’m looking forward to reading JP’s book and seeing what he has in store!

Since Royals show up in previous books about the king clan I’ve patiently waited for him, and he did not disappoint….im in love with him and Veda, thank you Lena Hendrix for bringing him to life and for the cover model for being the Royal that I imagine in my head! Can’t wait now for JP’s story next! X

To be fair Russell king is the worst but we always knew that.Royal King though is a revelation and might just be my fav King brother. Plenty of Sullivan/King antics and lots of drama, tying things we have suspected in such a satisfying way.I can’t wait to read more

3.75 starsJust Between Us is fast. I raced through it as a book, but the story raced by too. From how quickly Royal figured out who Veda is to the downfall of Russell King, this book flew by and I feel like it took a lot of possible depth and potential with it. We’ve been building up to this story over several books and just didn’t get the time to really explore either Royal or Veda that much as individuals, outside of the context of their relationship.Veda’s background is hinted at, but then wrapped up in a paragraph. I feel like we almost get less of Royal’s playfulness in this book than we did in the last. The dom/sub aspect was very quick too, and honestly seemed unnecessary given that it is not the main focus. Veda accepts her role in the relationship very swiftly, and it is only explored at surface-level, making the emphasis on that dynamic feel exaggerated. Similarly, plot points like Royal’s injury seemed unnecessary because they added little to nothing to the storyline.I love the story of the Kings, and I root for them all to get their happy ending. I just would have really liked more time with these characters, more background on Veda, and just a bit more depth overall.

This was a very fun read and I adored Royal and his soft Dom ways!! Also seeing all the puzzle pieces slot together had my jaw on the floor!Veda was the absolute perfect person to help unravel things and also the perfect match for Royal...their chemistry was absolutely insane and I couldn't get enough!5/5 stars