Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:
Synopsis for Checkmate: This is War (from Goodreads):
Travis King is the worst kind of asshole.
He taunts me for being a good girl and mocks my high standards.
He’s cruel, crass, and has enough confidence to last two lifetimes.
And I hate him.It wouldn’t matter so much if he were avoidable.
But considering he’s my older brother’s best friend and roommate, I see him more than I’d ever want to.
His sculpted abs and gorgeous eyes are a waste on such an egotistical man, which makes me hate him even more.
Even though I’ve had a crush on him since I was ten, the feelings weren’t mutual and he’s always made that very clear.
He’s always loved getting under my skin and one night against my better judgment, I let him in my bed.
I’ve succumbed to his manwhore ways, but that doesn’t change a thing.
Because the King is about to get played at his own game—and lose.
Checkmate.
Series: Checkmate Duets
Author: Kennedy Fox
# of Books: 6 (Full Reading Order)
Book Order: Chronological + Connected
There are two books for every couple (#1+#2; #3+#4; #5+#6)
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: Hot
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Dates: October 2016 – September 2017
Source & Format: Own–eBook
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
I found this series randomly when I was browsing my recommendations on Kobo. I actually was going to buy something else but I noticed the $1 price tag and decided to check it out. I adore hate to love you romances and this one seemed like it would live up to that name.
Reading Order:
There are six books in total but 3 story arcs focusing on 3 different romantic pairings. While you can read each of the duets at any time, I’d stick with reading each duet in order their publication order. (Like don’t go picking up Book #4 before Book #3).
The Plot:
The antics in This is War were exactly what I wanted them to be: though they took them to a different, nearly savage, level.
And that’s how I’d describe this entire series: melodramatic. Everything just had to be over the top and soap-opera-esque. And if you enjoy that, it’s great. I personally like my drama to be more grounded than shock.
The Characters:
I feel like all these characters could have been developed a little more. Travis in particular does a complete 180 in his duet in terms of his personality and I just didn’t like that inconsistency.
But I do like their values when it comes to friendship and comradery for all the characters.
The Romance:
I struggled with the romance a bit for This is War because they are so savage to each other that the romantic sparks between them weren’t overly apparent. It wasn’t brimming with sexual tension like I wanted it to be–though there was definitely tension. However, my reread of this book to complete the duet did have me warming up to their romance more than my first time reading it–maybe it was because I knew how awful they were going to treat each other beforehand.
Overall, the romances always seemed to be more “telling” than showing and I missed seeing those deeper connections grow in front of me.
Why I Didn’t Read This is Dangerous Duet (#5-6):
I did plan on reading this duet as I was looking forward to this couple the most. But I just couldn’t get started when I planned on reading it and it just never crossed my radar again.
Series Rating: 3/5
This is War 3/5 | This is Love 3/5 | This is Reckless 3/5 | This is Effortless 3/5 | This is Dangerous N/A | This is Beautiful N/A
If you want quicker reads that are high on the dramatics and antics with a splash of heated romance, this are the duets for you! But for me, I just wanted a little more balance to all the aspects of the story.
Read if You Like: soap operas, hate to love you romances
Avoid if You: want more realistic romance
- Savage Love by Ella Miles
