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Kingston Brothers #3
Fair Market Value
Lauren Gardiner is finally ready to cut loose. The former bad-girl has spent the last ten years sacrificing her personal life to take care of her demanding father. But a girl needs a little sexy, naked fun-time too.
A charity bachelor auction at the local country club seems like the perfect occasion to shop for the ideal one-night stand candidate. She`s looking for a big, beautiful commitment-phobe (brain and personality optional) who will fulfill her needs without complicating her life. How hard can that be? Men love no-strings sex, right?
James Kingston, “the quiet one,” isn’t quite sure how he ended up being auctioned off to the highest bidder. He’s not outgoing or smooth like his brothers and spending an evening making polite chit-chat with some desperate cougar isn’t even close to his idea of a good time. But he’s determined to demonstrate his dedication to the family business, Kingston Brothers Construction, even if it means shaking his hammer in front of a man-hungry crowd as a publicity stunt.
But the woman who outbids the competition isn’t what he expected at all. Lauren is sweet, serene and infuriatingly mysterious. Best of all, he's actually able to talk to her with minimal awkwardness, which is a real advantage considering he finally actually has something to say outside the bedroom for a change.
Too bad she’s only interested in saying good-bye.
Warning: Contains erotic situations and some graphic language.
Approximately 78,000 words.
A charity bachelor auction at the local country club seems like the perfect occasion to shop for the ideal one-night stand candidate. She`s looking for a big, beautiful commitment-phobe (brain and personality optional) who will fulfill her needs without complicating her life. How hard can that be? Men love no-strings sex, right?
James Kingston, “the quiet one,” isn’t quite sure how he ended up being auctioned off to the highest bidder. He’s not outgoing or smooth like his brothers and spending an evening making polite chit-chat with some desperate cougar isn’t even close to his idea of a good time. But he’s determined to demonstrate his dedication to the family business, Kingston Brothers Construction, even if it means shaking his hammer in front of a man-hungry crowd as a publicity stunt.
But the woman who outbids the competition isn’t what he expected at all. Lauren is sweet, serene and infuriatingly mysterious. Best of all, he's actually able to talk to her with minimal awkwardness, which is a real advantage considering he finally actually has something to say outside the bedroom for a change.
Too bad she’s only interested in saying good-bye.
Warning: Contains erotic situations and some graphic language.
Approximately 78,000 words.
231 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2014
5 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Tamara Larson
9 books50 followersOkay, I'm actually pretty boring, so please don't be disappointed to find out that I am not actually married to a giant, alpha male with bulging muscles and jockey shorts. I don't even know a guy like that, though I wouldn't mind meeting one in real life rather than just my own twisted imagination.
What's interesting about me? Well, I'm a writer, but I also have a full-time office job which I actually enjoy when it's not sucking the life out of me.
I was ridiculously close to my mother (she passed away in 2019) and we actually used to look at real estate together, just like Lacey Ferguson and her mother from "Open House." The premise for that book is actually based on an Open House we went to one year where we met the devastatingly attractive builder. He very innocently showed us around, not even suspecting that he was going to be the subject of my next book. To this day I smile when I pass those particular townhouses because this poor guy has no idea that he's the subject of a romance novel that's been downloaded all over the world. Not him, exactly, but an idealized version of him. I wonder what he would think if he knew? Hmmm... I would email him if I knew his name. (Now, wouldn't that make for a good story? Hunky builder finds out he's the subject of a romance novel and seeks some revenge in the form of erotic torture....)
What else? Well, I've had the same hilarious best friend since 1985. We went to high school and university together and spent many nights watching movies and going to comedy clubs and bars. (Also drank our fair share of wine coolers during this period. It was the eighties. We had big hair too.) We live at opposite ends of the country now, but typically text just about every day. She's married to an incredibly patient guy and has two almost grown children now, but we still manage to keep our friendship alive despite living completely different lives. (And we drink Mondavi instead of wine coolers now.)
Yeah, I'm pretty lucky.
When I'm not writing about bulging muscles and jockey shorts I go for long walks and watch a lot of Netflix.
When I actually do sit down to write, I'm always surprised at how quickly time passes when I am in that creative space. After "Lost & Found" was rejected by Harlequin and Avon several years ago I stopped writing fiction for years. I was almost done the sequel, "The Love Laws" at that point, but I just abandoned it because I figured that writing was not my thing after all.
When I started again in 2014 I was shocked at how easy it was to submerge myself in that world, the one I had created for my characters. I also found a valuable lesson in being a writer. I'm in complete control of what happens next, but that doesn't stop when I retreat from the keyboard. I'm also the author of my own life and if the plot isn't going in a direction I want, then I have to take steps to get it back on track. Of course, in real life I can't kill off an irritating person with a particularly aggressive case of syphilis, but I do have the power to write myself a happy ending. I just have to figure out how to make it happen.
If I have one message for readers, it's this: Thank you for reading my words. Whether you paid full price or got it for free. I sincerely hope I've succeeded in entertaining you and giving you a little escape from a life that can seem mundane and occasionally downright cruel. If my work has made you smile and hopefully a little hot, then I've succeeded in my intentions.
Keep reading and I will be at my computer, looking for creative synonyms for penis.
I can be reached at tamaralarson@shaw.ca
What's interesting about me? Well, I'm a writer, but I also have a full-time office job which I actually enjoy when it's not sucking the life out of me.
I was ridiculously close to my mother (she passed away in 2019) and we actually used to look at real estate together, just like Lacey Ferguson and her mother from "Open House." The premise for that book is actually based on an Open House we went to one year where we met the devastatingly attractive builder. He very innocently showed us around, not even suspecting that he was going to be the subject of my next book. To this day I smile when I pass those particular townhouses because this poor guy has no idea that he's the subject of a romance novel that's been downloaded all over the world. Not him, exactly, but an idealized version of him. I wonder what he would think if he knew? Hmmm... I would email him if I knew his name. (Now, wouldn't that make for a good story? Hunky builder finds out he's the subject of a romance novel and seeks some revenge in the form of erotic torture....)
What else? Well, I've had the same hilarious best friend since 1985. We went to high school and university together and spent many nights watching movies and going to comedy clubs and bars. (Also drank our fair share of wine coolers during this period. It was the eighties. We had big hair too.) We live at opposite ends of the country now, but typically text just about every day. She's married to an incredibly patient guy and has two almost grown children now, but we still manage to keep our friendship alive despite living completely different lives. (And we drink Mondavi instead of wine coolers now.)
Yeah, I'm pretty lucky.
When I'm not writing about bulging muscles and jockey shorts I go for long walks and watch a lot of Netflix.
When I actually do sit down to write, I'm always surprised at how quickly time passes when I am in that creative space. After "Lost & Found" was rejected by Harlequin and Avon several years ago I stopped writing fiction for years. I was almost done the sequel, "The Love Laws" at that point, but I just abandoned it because I figured that writing was not my thing after all.
When I started again in 2014 I was shocked at how easy it was to submerge myself in that world, the one I had created for my characters. I also found a valuable lesson in being a writer. I'm in complete control of what happens next, but that doesn't stop when I retreat from the keyboard. I'm also the author of my own life and if the plot isn't going in a direction I want, then I have to take steps to get it back on track. Of course, in real life I can't kill off an irritating person with a particularly aggressive case of syphilis, but I do have the power to write myself a happy ending. I just have to figure out how to make it happen.
If I have one message for readers, it's this: Thank you for reading my words. Whether you paid full price or got it for free. I sincerely hope I've succeeded in entertaining you and giving you a little escape from a life that can seem mundane and occasionally downright cruel. If my work has made you smile and hopefully a little hot, then I've succeeded in my intentions.
Keep reading and I will be at my computer, looking for creative synonyms for penis.
I can be reached at tamaralarson@shaw.ca
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 4, 2015
5 stars for the best in the series (so far)
Fair Market Value is the 3rd book in the Kingston Brother's Series. If you are new to the series, these are, for the most part, standalones. I would say that all of these books would be just as enjoyable even if they were read out of order. Though there is the promise of a creepy villain from book 2 making an appearance in future books.
FMV is the story of James Kingston. Like the other Kingston boys he's skilled with his hands, tall, sexy and devastatingly handsome. Unlike his brothers, James hasn't always been so irresistible. As a child he was the stuttering, chubby, ginger-haired, introvert of the clan, which left him with more than a few self-esteem issues that still hinder him even as a grown man. Physically he's left the awkwardness of childhood behind but he still hasn't managed to feel confident with people.
So you can imagine the utter torture James has to endure when his cousin Serena offers him up for a charity auction.
Luckily for him, Lauren Gardiner is cutting loose for one night, ready to dip into her savings and she's set her mind to have a fling with the most gorgeous man she's ever laid eyes on: James Kingston.
They have their date but timing is off. Both are on the cusp of major life upheavals. Tragedy strikes and relationships start crumbling and it takes months for these two to rekindle the spark they had their first night together.
I expect three things from a Tamara Larson book (and she never disappoints):
FUNNY DIALOGUE:
"Seriously, you don't even want to get me started on his body. It's so good that if I had an ounce of talent I would write a poem about his butt. And not a limerick either. A full-length sonnet maybe. At the very least it deserves its own website or Instagram account."
"God, I love your pussy. It missed me. I can tell." He grunted. She giggled and looked back over her shoulder at him. "How can you tell? Are you a Pussy-Whisperer, or something?"
CUTE MOMENTS:
"So will you trust me when I tell you how to win your lady fair?" James stared down at his brother. It didn't seem possible but he was about to take romance advice from a grown man wearing a fuzzy, pink sweater.
"That's how I feel about you. You're like," he counted off qualities with the fingers of one hand, "the best lot, in the most exclusive neighborhood. With an ocean view and subway access. Near schools and shopping."
SMOKIN' SEXY TIMES:
She nodded and tried to thrust her hips up in an attempt to force him to take her but he held her down with one hand on the small of her back. "I don't think you're quite wet enough to take all of me. Tell me. What will it take for you to get really nice and soaking wet? Do I need to tell you how often I jerked off while thinking of you over the past few months? Will that get you excited enough, do you think?" He couldn't imagine her getting any wetter and yet he nearly howled in triumph as he felt her body immediately stretch to accommodate him.
So Fair Market Value definitely lived up to my expectations. But there were a few things that stuck out to me as extraordinary: James. He sort of defied romance-hero convention. He was a Beta who realized he didn't have to be a Beta. He underwent changes during this story to shed his nerves and insecurities and to live up to his potential and follow his heart. I loved that. I'm not always content to read about growling Alphas and controlling Doms and suave Playboys. I love a working-class man with real issues. Now... James didn't magically transform, there were times when he was petulant and times when his self-esteem hindered his bold plans (92%!!! James, I wanted to choke you). But that just made him more real to me. Characters that have personality traits that ring true, have real-life struggles...those are the books that really get me.
I usually don't give the heroines much in my reviews--unless it's to really bitch about them, but while we are on the topic of real-life struggles, I can't not mention that Lauren was also a bit of an oddity in the heroine department. Lilly-white virgin and stunningly gorgeous? No. Cupcake baker extraordinaire? No. Too Stupid To Live? No. She was a normal woman who'd made mistakes in her youth, who was just trying to scrape by, deal with guilt and grief, and get a little action. She too, made me yell at her. Her stubbornness wasn't justified. There's no good reason to ever say "no" when James Kingston wants a date...But, we can't have it all, can we?
The promise of what's to come in the next installment for Jacob has got me on the hook and I just KNOW crazy White-Power Karl
will be back to make our skin crawl. I'm loving this series and can't wait to see what happens to the rest of these Kingston hunks.
Book 1:
Book 2:
UPDATE: THERE'S A BONUS CHAPTER AVAILABLE FROM THE CRAZY KID'S POV ON TAMARA'S WEBSITE! THIS BOY IS AS NUTS AS KARL! CHILLING.
http://tvlarson.shawwebspace.ca/pages...
Fair Market Value is the 3rd book in the Kingston Brother's Series. If you are new to the series, these are, for the most part, standalones. I would say that all of these books would be just as enjoyable even if they were read out of order. Though there is the promise of a creepy villain from book 2 making an appearance in future books.
FMV is the story of James Kingston. Like the other Kingston boys he's skilled with his hands, tall, sexy and devastatingly handsome. Unlike his brothers, James hasn't always been so irresistible. As a child he was the stuttering, chubby, ginger-haired, introvert of the clan, which left him with more than a few self-esteem issues that still hinder him even as a grown man. Physically he's left the awkwardness of childhood behind but he still hasn't managed to feel confident with people.
So you can imagine the utter torture James has to endure when his cousin Serena offers him up for a charity auction.
Luckily for him, Lauren Gardiner is cutting loose for one night, ready to dip into her savings and she's set her mind to have a fling with the most gorgeous man she's ever laid eyes on: James Kingston.
They have their date but timing is off. Both are on the cusp of major life upheavals. Tragedy strikes and relationships start crumbling and it takes months for these two to rekindle the spark they had their first night together.
I expect three things from a Tamara Larson book (and she never disappoints):
FUNNY DIALOGUE:
"Seriously, you don't even want to get me started on his body. It's so good that if I had an ounce of talent I would write a poem about his butt. And not a limerick either. A full-length sonnet maybe. At the very least it deserves its own website or Instagram account."
"God, I love your pussy. It missed me. I can tell." He grunted. She giggled and looked back over her shoulder at him. "How can you tell? Are you a Pussy-Whisperer, or something?"
CUTE MOMENTS:
"So will you trust me when I tell you how to win your lady fair?" James stared down at his brother. It didn't seem possible but he was about to take romance advice from a grown man wearing a fuzzy, pink sweater.
"That's how I feel about you. You're like," he counted off qualities with the fingers of one hand, "the best lot, in the most exclusive neighborhood. With an ocean view and subway access. Near schools and shopping."
SMOKIN' SEXY TIMES:
She nodded and tried to thrust her hips up in an attempt to force him to take her but he held her down with one hand on the small of her back. "I don't think you're quite wet enough to take all of me. Tell me. What will it take for you to get really nice and soaking wet? Do I need to tell you how often I jerked off while thinking of you over the past few months? Will that get you excited enough, do you think?" He couldn't imagine her getting any wetter and yet he nearly howled in triumph as he felt her body immediately stretch to accommodate him.
So Fair Market Value definitely lived up to my expectations. But there were a few things that stuck out to me as extraordinary: James. He sort of defied romance-hero convention. He was a Beta who realized he didn't have to be a Beta. He underwent changes during this story to shed his nerves and insecurities and to live up to his potential and follow his heart. I loved that. I'm not always content to read about growling Alphas and controlling Doms and suave Playboys. I love a working-class man with real issues. Now... James didn't magically transform, there were times when he was petulant and times when his self-esteem hindered his bold plans (92%!!! James, I wanted to choke you). But that just made him more real to me. Characters that have personality traits that ring true, have real-life struggles...those are the books that really get me.
I usually don't give the heroines much in my reviews--unless it's to really bitch about them, but while we are on the topic of real-life struggles, I can't not mention that Lauren was also a bit of an oddity in the heroine department. Lilly-white virgin and stunningly gorgeous? No. Cupcake baker extraordinaire? No. Too Stupid To Live? No. She was a normal woman who'd made mistakes in her youth, who was just trying to scrape by, deal with guilt and grief, and get a little action. She too, made me yell at her. Her stubbornness wasn't justified. There's no good reason to ever say "no" when James Kingston wants a date...But, we can't have it all, can we?
The promise of what's to come in the next installment for Jacob has got me on the hook and I just KNOW crazy White-Power Karl
will be back to make our skin crawl. I'm loving this series and can't wait to see what happens to the rest of these Kingston hunks.Book 1:
Book 2:
UPDATE: THERE'S A BONUS CHAPTER AVAILABLE FROM THE CRAZY KID'S POV ON TAMARA'S WEBSITE! THIS BOY IS AS NUTS AS KARL! CHILLING.
http://tvlarson.shawwebspace.ca/pages...
December 6, 2014
I knew I would like this book from the start as I'm a big fan of this authors but didn't realise how much I would love it, some books you read and you feel nothing for the characters but this one I was amazed at how much I could identify with both James and Lauren. This is where I get a bit emotional, the subject matter was hard to read and for anyone who is/has been a care provider or has a loved one that is unwell will relate to the utter helplessness and isolation that Lauren feels in the book, personally I was relieved that the story of Lauren and her dad wasn't to drawn out as I wouldn't have been able to finish it, but there are lighter moments which balances the sad, especially with Jacob, James very cheeky brother! Now about the lovely James, lovely red headed James! i was so glad he wasn't an Alpha but had he's own issues with his past, his family and what his place was in the world, James and Lauren both make mistakes, they try their best, not always successful, but together they make perfect sense, I loved the ending and I'm looking forward to Jacobs book, but my only gripe is no epilogue!, I love an epilogue!
January 4, 2015
Found out about this book and author as a Kindle Scout and read the 2-3 chapter excerpt and nominated the book eventhough it wasn't selected by Kindle Press for publication. Found it by accident on Amazon and read the first two previous books. Looking forward to books 4 and 5, Jacob and Jeremy's story and what happens to the villians. Love the cousin, Serena. Mark wasn't a Kingston brother but enjoyed their story too.
May 27, 2016
Author Review
Now available at Apple iBooks Fair Market Value - Tamara Larson
B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fair-...
and Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebo...
Now available at Apple iBooks Fair Market Value - Tamara Larson
B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fair-...
and Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebo...
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews