What do you think?
Rate this book
Leader Murders #3
A King and a Pawn
Leader Case Three
Bert Cooper’s life used to be great, until his sister turned out to be a traitor. Now Bert feels the whole pack looks on him with doubt and suspicion. To prove his loyalty, he volunteers to be the first ambassador at Fey Court, gathering information to finally solve the Leader Murders and punish those plotting against the Council and community. At least, that was the plan….
When Bert meets Sir William Matthew Sims, Court Interrogator, and one hell of a sexy man, life becomes a balancing act. And when the Fey King is assassinated, things become really messy.
Pack politics, fey politics, treason, suspicions of treason…. Bert has to choose between being ruled by his fears or standing up for what—and who—he believes in. And it might just break his heart.
Bert Cooper’s life used to be great, until his sister turned out to be a traitor. Now Bert feels the whole pack looks on him with doubt and suspicion. To prove his loyalty, he volunteers to be the first ambassador at Fey Court, gathering information to finally solve the Leader Murders and punish those plotting against the Council and community. At least, that was the plan….
When Bert meets Sir William Matthew Sims, Court Interrogator, and one hell of a sexy man, life becomes a balancing act. And when the Fey King is assassinated, things become really messy.
Pack politics, fey politics, treason, suspicions of treason…. Bert has to choose between being ruled by his fears or standing up for what—and who—he believes in. And it might just break his heart.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2016
6 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Liv Olteano
13 books74 followersVoracious reader, music lover, and coffee addict extraordinaire. And occasional geek. Okay, more than occasional.
Lover of diversity and quirky character, spamificating the world via https://twitter.com/LiviaOlteano and https://www.facebook.com/LiviaOlteano .
Be afraid, be very afraid. :D
Lover of diversity and quirky character, spamificating the world via https://twitter.com/LiviaOlteano and https://www.facebook.com/LiviaOlteano .
Be afraid, be very afraid. :D
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 7, 2017
This book is all over the place. I am not even sure I am attaching correct tags here.
- Urban fantasy, for example. This could have taken place anywhere. In the woods or in the mountains, for all I care. But there was a mentioning of some humans in cars and apartment complexes so... I guess it's on an urban-y side.
- Law enforcement, PI. Not really. Bert is a beta (read: a butler and a cook and a nanny) to an asshole who happens to be in charge of PBI (paranormal bureau of investigations).
- Secret agent, spy, politician, diplomat. Same - Bert, the PBI asshole's beta, is sent on a diplomatic mission he has no prior training for, obvisly (see "beta" definition above).
*
There is no chemistry between MC's. None. Except for Will proclaiming his undying love for Bert every couple of pages or less.
And then there is all this talking.... I am surprised the characters (all of them, except for the babies) didn't talk their heads off.
A very frustrating and disappointing read :/ 2 stars.
- Urban fantasy, for example. This could have taken place anywhere. In the woods or in the mountains, for all I care. But there was a mentioning of some humans in cars and apartment complexes so... I guess it's on an urban-y side.
- Law enforcement, PI. Not really. Bert is a beta (read: a butler and a cook and a nanny) to an asshole who happens to be in charge of PBI (paranormal bureau of investigations).
- Secret agent, spy, politician, diplomat. Same - Bert, the PBI asshole's beta, is sent on a diplomatic mission he has no prior training for, obvisly (see "beta" definition above).
*
There is no chemistry between MC's. None. Except for Will proclaiming his undying love for Bert every couple of pages or less.
And then there is all this talking.... I am surprised the characters (all of them, except for the babies) didn't talk their heads off.
A very frustrating and disappointing read :/ 2 stars.
March 2, 2017
3.5
This started strong, with plenty of palace intrigue and plot twists, but I ended up not liking it nearly as much as the first two Leader books. I think the main problem is that Will never really cohered as a character for me: devoted parent, uber magician, political leader, superhot Fey heartbreaker, AND lover of Bert, chubby, dessert-making babysitter extraordinaire? I don't mind match-ups like that, and honestly Bert was a great character and a genuinely refreshing change from the usual underwear model heroes, but without that strong sense of Will's character, his attraction to Bert never felt believable or especially hot. It certainly wasn't nearly as compelling or explosive as the couples from the first two books (especially Weiss and Tim in book 2). I also missed the exploration of power dynamics that made the first two books unusually insightful and thought-provoking. I didn't hate the book, and in general I think Olteano's books are a bajillion times better than the usual shifter/mate crap, but I was disappointed that this wasn't as good as the first two.
This started strong, with plenty of palace intrigue and plot twists, but I ended up not liking it nearly as much as the first two Leader books. I think the main problem is that Will never really cohered as a character for me: devoted parent, uber magician, political leader, superhot Fey heartbreaker, AND lover of Bert, chubby, dessert-making babysitter extraordinaire? I don't mind match-ups like that, and honestly Bert was a great character and a genuinely refreshing change from the usual underwear model heroes, but without that strong sense of Will's character, his attraction to Bert never felt believable or especially hot. It certainly wasn't nearly as compelling or explosive as the couples from the first two books (especially Weiss and Tim in book 2). I also missed the exploration of power dynamics that made the first two books unusually insightful and thought-provoking. I didn't hate the book, and in general I think Olteano's books are a bajillion times better than the usual shifter/mate crap, but I was disappointed that this wasn't as good as the first two.
September 21, 2016
3.5 Stars - Full Review to come
❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*Review Copy provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club
❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*Review Copy provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club
July 4, 2016
Book – A King and A Pawn (Leader Murders #3)
Author – Liv Olteano
Star rating - ★★★☆☆ (3.5)
No. of Pages – 234
Cover – Moody and Gorgeous!
POV – 1st person, one character, POV
Would I read it again – Yes.
Genre – LGBT, Paranormal, Crime
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
I struggled with this one, because it took me a while to make up my mind about my rating and how I felt about it. Though I'm totally addicted to the series, I'd have to say the order they come in, as a series, is also the order I'd rank them for my favourite to least favourite.
I'd really been looking forward to getting Bert's story, after seeing snippets of him in book 2. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down. He spent way too much time emphasising his role as Beta and making excuses for himself and other people. I initially assumed that this left the Alpha role to Will, but that was wrong. While Bert went from intriguing and fun to whiny and insecure, Will transitioned from Alpha to sub. He pretty much drooled over Bert, the minute they made their deal and that was disappointing.
I liked the strong, feisty will from the Kingdom, not so much who he became on Council territory. The same could be said for Bert. In book 2 and the beginning of book 3, he was a little snarky, showed some signs of dominance and a flirty, cheeky attitude. That all disappeared when he met Will and returned to Council territory, where he became the simpering Beta, worrying over whether he was good enough, if he should take risks and constantly questioning his role as Weiss' Beta. The fact that Weiss had to keep encouraging him and reminding him of his role in the pack got a little frustrating.
You might ask why I assumed there was a need for an Alpha role? Well, because there's always one in this series. Travis was the Alpha with a tender side, while Rick was his snarky, feisty submissive. Weiss was the gruff, loveable rogue of an Alpha, who wasn't afraid to make the tough choices, while Tim was a little more emotionally free and insecure, while retaining a tough core that could be used whenever necessary (AKA, protecting Alf etc.) I get that Bert is a Beta, so he's supposed to be submissive to Weiss, but that doesn't mean he can't be assertive or retain his character from the start of the book while with Will.
Sadly, the constant doubts about Will's character and loyalty prevented me from rooting for him and I felt that it disconnected me from the chemistry he shared with Bert. At times I wanted them to be together, but at other times I just didn't care enough. I didn't particularly like Will's kids or the Fey treatment of children, either, which didn't help.
While I'm on the inconsistency of characters, I really feel sad and frustrated that Rick was turned into something he's not, throughout the course of books 2 and 3. He was always strong, with a soft underbelly and, sure, Mitch was an infection lying in wait at the back of his mind, festering away. But I really thought Travis would have helped with that, that he would confront Mitch while a strong, capable lycan and confront the past. I get that there are mentions of getting him therapy with Tim, in book 2 and then him going through with it in book 3, but I really don't get the vehemence of his fury with Weiss. It's not like him. He knows better and is smarter than to project his feelings for Mitch onto Weiss. I get why he never really took to Tim, after his prior relationship with Travis, but Rick is a strong enough person to get past that (especially after he's mated to Travis and Tim is mated to Weiss). He's also smart enough to know that Amanda was a psycho, even if she didn't begin as one. And that there are two people to blame for her situation.
Basically, it just annoyed me that a character I'd loved so much was turned into someone that I'd never imagined he could be. He became cold, bitter and angry all the time. Not how I wanted him to end the series or ever become, but the lack of answers about that, in a series where each book is about a new couple and you only get one character's POV, was another reason I couldn't love this book so much.
When you have a book series which is essentially about three different couples, all mixed up in the one situation, it's very limiting to have 1st person, one character POV. For the above reason – we never get to see Rick recover or know about his true feelings in a way that would satisfy my initial love of him – but also because this plot was so intricate and detailed that this is where the story fell down so much. Without delving into other characters POV, even for one or two chapters, we missed out on a great chunk of the plot. I never got to see the interrogation of the council members, the confrontation with the council or the questioning of the perpetrators of the initial three Leader Murder cases. Those are all important to the plot and the characters, since the first page of book 1. Not seeing them and following the Leader Murders through every clue and every twist as it came, was frustrating.
Book prior books focused so much on solving the case that I really expected the same here. Instead, everything integral to the solving of the case was placed into other people's hands – Weiss and Tim or Travis and Rick – which we never got to see. For that reason, the story became much more about whether Will was a traitor or not than about solving the Leader Murders. To me, the case became less of “the heart” of the story and more “a means to an end” to draw Will and Bert together. In the end, this left me with an unsatisfactory resolution to a criminal case that I'd been following eagerly since book 1.
Similarly, it took far too long for the romance to build. Bert and Will were still at an unsure stage by 70-80% and it really felt as though the majority of the book was about the “will they, won't they” aspect of their relationship, rather than the Leader Murders, which is should have been. And, disappointingly, it never went anywhere. At least not on page. Some tame, not very detailed fooling around happened throughout the story, always with Bert keeping an emotional distance, and when they did have sex it was a first for the series. The first to take literally 90% for them to get into bed and then the first to rush their first time together – the most important interaction between the couple – into one brief, non-descriptive paragraph that was glossed over.
I think the main reason I didn't fall for this couple the way I did with the others came down to two factors -
the ring – Bert is given a magic ring, to help him on his mission, and this makes it impossible for Will to read his emotional grid. It also keeps Bert hidden behind a protective cage, where he doesn't have to expose his true feelings.
the Beta thing – Bert uses his role as Beta to Weiss to constantly put distance between himself and Will. The way he uses Weiss' influence over him and his compliance to his Alpha as an excuse was really frustrating.
Like the other books in the series, there were quite a few repeat phrases. “Peacocking”, “fuck me sideways” and the constant belittling of Bert (calling himself fat, useless, untrustworthy, unworthy and a Beta all the time) got old really fast.
I was, however, really happy to see the Anti-Abuse Act put into force and to see a proper resolution to Amanda's part of the story. But the other aspects of the plot made those shining moments less exciting.
The Leader Murders, which took the previous two stories by storm, with various twists, turns and outcomes, had never really gone anywhere. They were clues, hints, trickles of information and I presumed that meant there would be more books to the series, until they put all the pieces together and gathered the evidence. However, that's not going to happen. This book ended with a neat little bow and a summary at the end, of the three couples, that implies there won't be any more books.
All clues and leads were not only real and brought new evidence in this story, but it happened way too fast and in a way that we didn't really get to explore, because Bert and Will were too busy together or plotting against the Fey Court to be a part of it. After the build up of the previous two books, I expected clues to show up, for things to start happening or for one of their prisoners to talk, but not for the entire case – form book 1 to 3 – to be resolved and tied up in the last 20% of the story.
~
Overall, Bert was less of a shining star as he should have been. His position as Beta was used to solve the case, as were his personal ties to people orbiting the case, but not directly involved.
A disappointing ending to a fantastic series. Book 1 – Travis and Rick – will always be my favourite and it won't stop me reading all three again in the future. But I do wish that book 3 hadn't deviated so much from the pattern I'd been expecting and from the Leader Murders so much.
~
Favourite Quotes
“The King was throwing me a welcome party, during which I half expected them to try poisoning me. But the Court was big on pomp and circumstance, Tim told me. They'd make an event out of picking their noses if they could. So they'd even throw a wolf a welcome party, though they generally looked on us as nasty beasts.”
“He was the taste of destruction, and in that terrible moment, I wanted him. I wanted to wrap myself around his heart like a snake, sink my teeth into it, and take a good chunk of it, if not consume it entirely.”
Author – Liv Olteano
Star rating - ★★★☆☆ (3.5)
No. of Pages – 234
Cover – Moody and Gorgeous!
POV – 1st person, one character, POV
Would I read it again – Yes.
Genre – LGBT, Paranormal, Crime
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
I struggled with this one, because it took me a while to make up my mind about my rating and how I felt about it. Though I'm totally addicted to the series, I'd have to say the order they come in, as a series, is also the order I'd rank them for my favourite to least favourite.
I'd really been looking forward to getting Bert's story, after seeing snippets of him in book 2. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down. He spent way too much time emphasising his role as Beta and making excuses for himself and other people. I initially assumed that this left the Alpha role to Will, but that was wrong. While Bert went from intriguing and fun to whiny and insecure, Will transitioned from Alpha to sub. He pretty much drooled over Bert, the minute they made their deal and that was disappointing.
I liked the strong, feisty will from the Kingdom, not so much who he became on Council territory. The same could be said for Bert. In book 2 and the beginning of book 3, he was a little snarky, showed some signs of dominance and a flirty, cheeky attitude. That all disappeared when he met Will and returned to Council territory, where he became the simpering Beta, worrying over whether he was good enough, if he should take risks and constantly questioning his role as Weiss' Beta. The fact that Weiss had to keep encouraging him and reminding him of his role in the pack got a little frustrating.
You might ask why I assumed there was a need for an Alpha role? Well, because there's always one in this series. Travis was the Alpha with a tender side, while Rick was his snarky, feisty submissive. Weiss was the gruff, loveable rogue of an Alpha, who wasn't afraid to make the tough choices, while Tim was a little more emotionally free and insecure, while retaining a tough core that could be used whenever necessary (AKA, protecting Alf etc.) I get that Bert is a Beta, so he's supposed to be submissive to Weiss, but that doesn't mean he can't be assertive or retain his character from the start of the book while with Will.
Sadly, the constant doubts about Will's character and loyalty prevented me from rooting for him and I felt that it disconnected me from the chemistry he shared with Bert. At times I wanted them to be together, but at other times I just didn't care enough. I didn't particularly like Will's kids or the Fey treatment of children, either, which didn't help.
While I'm on the inconsistency of characters, I really feel sad and frustrated that Rick was turned into something he's not, throughout the course of books 2 and 3. He was always strong, with a soft underbelly and, sure, Mitch was an infection lying in wait at the back of his mind, festering away. But I really thought Travis would have helped with that, that he would confront Mitch while a strong, capable lycan and confront the past. I get that there are mentions of getting him therapy with Tim, in book 2 and then him going through with it in book 3, but I really don't get the vehemence of his fury with Weiss. It's not like him. He knows better and is smarter than to project his feelings for Mitch onto Weiss. I get why he never really took to Tim, after his prior relationship with Travis, but Rick is a strong enough person to get past that (especially after he's mated to Travis and Tim is mated to Weiss). He's also smart enough to know that Amanda was a psycho, even if she didn't begin as one. And that there are two people to blame for her situation.
Basically, it just annoyed me that a character I'd loved so much was turned into someone that I'd never imagined he could be. He became cold, bitter and angry all the time. Not how I wanted him to end the series or ever become, but the lack of answers about that, in a series where each book is about a new couple and you only get one character's POV, was another reason I couldn't love this book so much.
When you have a book series which is essentially about three different couples, all mixed up in the one situation, it's very limiting to have 1st person, one character POV. For the above reason – we never get to see Rick recover or know about his true feelings in a way that would satisfy my initial love of him – but also because this plot was so intricate and detailed that this is where the story fell down so much. Without delving into other characters POV, even for one or two chapters, we missed out on a great chunk of the plot. I never got to see the interrogation of the council members, the confrontation with the council or the questioning of the perpetrators of the initial three Leader Murder cases. Those are all important to the plot and the characters, since the first page of book 1. Not seeing them and following the Leader Murders through every clue and every twist as it came, was frustrating.
Book prior books focused so much on solving the case that I really expected the same here. Instead, everything integral to the solving of the case was placed into other people's hands – Weiss and Tim or Travis and Rick – which we never got to see. For that reason, the story became much more about whether Will was a traitor or not than about solving the Leader Murders. To me, the case became less of “the heart” of the story and more “a means to an end” to draw Will and Bert together. In the end, this left me with an unsatisfactory resolution to a criminal case that I'd been following eagerly since book 1.
Similarly, it took far too long for the romance to build. Bert and Will were still at an unsure stage by 70-80% and it really felt as though the majority of the book was about the “will they, won't they” aspect of their relationship, rather than the Leader Murders, which is should have been. And, disappointingly, it never went anywhere. At least not on page. Some tame, not very detailed fooling around happened throughout the story, always with Bert keeping an emotional distance, and when they did have sex it was a first for the series. The first to take literally 90% for them to get into bed and then the first to rush their first time together – the most important interaction between the couple – into one brief, non-descriptive paragraph that was glossed over.
I think the main reason I didn't fall for this couple the way I did with the others came down to two factors -
the ring – Bert is given a magic ring, to help him on his mission, and this makes it impossible for Will to read his emotional grid. It also keeps Bert hidden behind a protective cage, where he doesn't have to expose his true feelings.
the Beta thing – Bert uses his role as Beta to Weiss to constantly put distance between himself and Will. The way he uses Weiss' influence over him and his compliance to his Alpha as an excuse was really frustrating.
Like the other books in the series, there were quite a few repeat phrases. “Peacocking”, “fuck me sideways” and the constant belittling of Bert (calling himself fat, useless, untrustworthy, unworthy and a Beta all the time) got old really fast.
I was, however, really happy to see the Anti-Abuse Act put into force and to see a proper resolution to Amanda's part of the story. But the other aspects of the plot made those shining moments less exciting.
The Leader Murders, which took the previous two stories by storm, with various twists, turns and outcomes, had never really gone anywhere. They were clues, hints, trickles of information and I presumed that meant there would be more books to the series, until they put all the pieces together and gathered the evidence. However, that's not going to happen. This book ended with a neat little bow and a summary at the end, of the three couples, that implies there won't be any more books.
All clues and leads were not only real and brought new evidence in this story, but it happened way too fast and in a way that we didn't really get to explore, because Bert and Will were too busy together or plotting against the Fey Court to be a part of it. After the build up of the previous two books, I expected clues to show up, for things to start happening or for one of their prisoners to talk, but not for the entire case – form book 1 to 3 – to be resolved and tied up in the last 20% of the story.
~
Overall, Bert was less of a shining star as he should have been. His position as Beta was used to solve the case, as were his personal ties to people orbiting the case, but not directly involved.
A disappointing ending to a fantastic series. Book 1 – Travis and Rick – will always be my favourite and it won't stop me reading all three again in the future. But I do wish that book 3 hadn't deviated so much from the pattern I'd been expecting and from the Leader Murders so much.
~
Favourite Quotes
“The King was throwing me a welcome party, during which I half expected them to try poisoning me. But the Court was big on pomp and circumstance, Tim told me. They'd make an event out of picking their noses if they could. So they'd even throw a wolf a welcome party, though they generally looked on us as nasty beasts.”
“He was the taste of destruction, and in that terrible moment, I wanted him. I wanted to wrap myself around his heart like a snake, sink my teeth into it, and take a good chunk of it, if not consume it entirely.”
June 24, 2016
Review can be read at It's About The Book
4.5 stars
Bert Cooper feels tainted by his sister’s treason. He needs to prove he’s still a loyal beta. He also needs to be away from curious and possibly condemning eyes. His alpha, Herman Weiss, sends him to the Fey court as an “ambassador” where he’s pretty much just going to act as a spy. He’s even got a special ring so the Fey won’t be able to correctly read his emotional grid. It doesn’t take Bert long to realize he’s in way over his head. That attractive driver he got from the Fey court? He happens to be the Court Interrogator. He’s possibly one of the strongest Fey in the territory. Then Bert’s drunk and the Interrogator, Will, takes him home, and something really fishy is going on. Bert wasn’t simply drunk and the Fey king was killed. Poisoned. At the same party Bert had attended. Bert is now a suspect. Will is now in line to be the next Fey king. Bert and Will realize they each have the power to grant very important favors to each other. Will can testify on Bert’s behalf he wasn’t involved in the king’s death, he can also help Bert get evidence to help solve the Leader Murders case. Will has a request Bert really didn’t expect. Nothing about Will is as Bert expected, but Bert likes everything he sees about Will and Bert gets predictably scared by that. As Bert and Will begin to develop a relationship Bert has to decide on whether or not he can trust Will
Oh man, Poor Bert Cooper. Bert sees himself as Everyman. Even his name is unremarkable. He’s a little overweight, he’s got average looks, and his position as Beta is the pack version of middle management. No one loves Bert. No one sees Bert. When Bert’s sister betrays the pack his goal is to prove to everyone he’s the well regarded man they’ve been overlooking for years. Bert is comfortable there. Suddenly, Sir William Matthew Sims of the very powerful Sims line is looking at Bert. Bert doesn’t know how to deal with that. What could a beautiful being with so much in his life possibly see in Bert Cooper?
Throughout the book Bert is worried he’ll be viewed as a traitor to his pack and their way of life because of his sister’s actions. Will is effectively a traitor to the Fey court and wholly rejects the Fey way of life. Bert falls for a man who is everything he fears in himself all while thinking he’s not worthy of such a man. I loved it! Bert also fails to realize Will has just as much to lose as Bert if their relationship does fail. After Will leaves the Fey court he has nothing, but he’s willing to take the plunge on an unknown entity. The only thing Will knows for sure about Bert is he’s a guy willing to prove his allegiance to his pack in any way he can, and he’s willing to help a guy who is in the process of betraying his court and whole way of life.
So, the murders are finally solved, and this book is possibly the most overt example of all that any relationship you enter is a risk. An inherent part of starting a new relationship is trusting your partner to not hurt you or abuse you. Each narrator in this series has fallen for someone they deeply crave and fear. Every relationship has the potential to be either everlasting love or everlasting hell. This is the human condition.
4.5 stars
Bert Cooper feels tainted by his sister’s treason. He needs to prove he’s still a loyal beta. He also needs to be away from curious and possibly condemning eyes. His alpha, Herman Weiss, sends him to the Fey court as an “ambassador” where he’s pretty much just going to act as a spy. He’s even got a special ring so the Fey won’t be able to correctly read his emotional grid. It doesn’t take Bert long to realize he’s in way over his head. That attractive driver he got from the Fey court? He happens to be the Court Interrogator. He’s possibly one of the strongest Fey in the territory. Then Bert’s drunk and the Interrogator, Will, takes him home, and something really fishy is going on. Bert wasn’t simply drunk and the Fey king was killed. Poisoned. At the same party Bert had attended. Bert is now a suspect. Will is now in line to be the next Fey king. Bert and Will realize they each have the power to grant very important favors to each other. Will can testify on Bert’s behalf he wasn’t involved in the king’s death, he can also help Bert get evidence to help solve the Leader Murders case. Will has a request Bert really didn’t expect. Nothing about Will is as Bert expected, but Bert likes everything he sees about Will and Bert gets predictably scared by that. As Bert and Will begin to develop a relationship Bert has to decide on whether or not he can trust Will
Oh man, Poor Bert Cooper. Bert sees himself as Everyman. Even his name is unremarkable. He’s a little overweight, he’s got average looks, and his position as Beta is the pack version of middle management. No one loves Bert. No one sees Bert. When Bert’s sister betrays the pack his goal is to prove to everyone he’s the well regarded man they’ve been overlooking for years. Bert is comfortable there. Suddenly, Sir William Matthew Sims of the very powerful Sims line is looking at Bert. Bert doesn’t know how to deal with that. What could a beautiful being with so much in his life possibly see in Bert Cooper?
Throughout the book Bert is worried he’ll be viewed as a traitor to his pack and their way of life because of his sister’s actions. Will is effectively a traitor to the Fey court and wholly rejects the Fey way of life. Bert falls for a man who is everything he fears in himself all while thinking he’s not worthy of such a man. I loved it! Bert also fails to realize Will has just as much to lose as Bert if their relationship does fail. After Will leaves the Fey court he has nothing, but he’s willing to take the plunge on an unknown entity. The only thing Will knows for sure about Bert is he’s a guy willing to prove his allegiance to his pack in any way he can, and he’s willing to help a guy who is in the process of betraying his court and whole way of life.
So, the murders are finally solved, and this book is possibly the most overt example of all that any relationship you enter is a risk. An inherent part of starting a new relationship is trusting your partner to not hurt you or abuse you. Each narrator in this series has fallen for someone they deeply crave and fear. Every relationship has the potential to be either everlasting love or everlasting hell. This is the human condition.
June 28, 2016
The author tackles the hard subjects in this series, and handles them with aplomb. The entire series has running themes of consent, dominance and submission of both the sexual and non-sexual variety, and many others. In this story, Bert has self-esteem and body issues. But he knows it and he owns it. He’s a rather flashy character, and I was a bit put off by him at first. He seemed to be older, more settled in the previous book than what is portrayed here, but he only had a small bit of screen time in book two. I eventually grew to like him.
Will was the classic definition of a fey being, and I loved that we saw more of Olteano’s take on this legend. As the two men learn more about each other, they find the evidence needed to solve the Leader Murders, and the outcome is a doozy. It was convoluted and it took me a few minutes to absorb what had happened, but I wasn’t surprised to have such an intricate ending to such an involved storyline.
Full Review at The Novel Approach
Will was the classic definition of a fey being, and I loved that we saw more of Olteano’s take on this legend. As the two men learn more about each other, they find the evidence needed to solve the Leader Murders, and the outcome is a doozy. It was convoluted and it took me a few minutes to absorb what had happened, but I wasn’t surprised to have such an intricate ending to such an involved storyline.
Full Review at The Novel Approach
June 27, 2016
2.75 stars
For some reason the characters didn't engage me as much as the MC's in #1 and #2 did. Bert seemed rather wimpy and Will really not very connected to him. The "mystery" was summarily wrapped up almost as an afterthought. I did like .
If you've read and enjoyed the first two, though, this still is a don't miss read.
For some reason the characters didn't engage me as much as the MC's in #1 and #2 did. Bert seemed rather wimpy and Will really not very connected to him. The "mystery" was summarily wrapped up almost as an afterthought. I did like .
If you've read and enjoyed the first two, though, this still is a don't miss read.
June 19, 2016
An intriguing ending to the series. Full review to come to The Novel Approach soon.
December 3, 2017
Reviewed on The Blogger Girls
To gain information on solving the Leader Murders, Bert must act as ambassador in the Fey Court. Unfortunately, Bert didn’t expect his life to spin so out of control and before he knows it, he’s intrigued the Court Interrogator, Sir William Sims. Except, Will isn’t all he appears and might just be on Bert’s side but when the Fey King is assassinated, Will has an outrageous plan that might just cost them both their lives.
I’ve loved Bert since he first showed up in this series. He was so adorable and I loved his playfulness so I was so excited to finally get his story. I really liked Will as a character because of how much he loved his children. The two of them together were simultaneously hilarious and adorable. I loved that Bert was so confused about Will and I especially loved that Will was so intrigued by Bert and so intense when it came to him. One of the best things about this book was Will’s children, especially Susannah!
I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see more of the fey side and finally see how everything came to a close. I will say, though, that this book in particular was pretty repetitive. Aside from that, I found Bert’s constant back and fourth on his feelings with Will to be a bit tiring. The first time or two I could understand but after the 5th time, I was over it. Add to that, while I loved Will, I was a little disappointed in him as a fey. He seemed more like a wolf than a fey and not just because he should have been cold hearted.
In the end, I still enjoyed this one. I loved where the Leader Murders ended up and the journey to finding out how/why it all happened. It was interesting to see Bert and Will together, though, and how Bert got along with Will’s kids. I know the mystery is over but I wouldn’t mind seeing these characters again! And seeing how everyone turns out in a few months or years. Definitely give this a go if you’ve enjoyed this series so far!
To gain information on solving the Leader Murders, Bert must act as ambassador in the Fey Court. Unfortunately, Bert didn’t expect his life to spin so out of control and before he knows it, he’s intrigued the Court Interrogator, Sir William Sims. Except, Will isn’t all he appears and might just be on Bert’s side but when the Fey King is assassinated, Will has an outrageous plan that might just cost them both their lives.
I’ve loved Bert since he first showed up in this series. He was so adorable and I loved his playfulness so I was so excited to finally get his story. I really liked Will as a character because of how much he loved his children. The two of them together were simultaneously hilarious and adorable. I loved that Bert was so confused about Will and I especially loved that Will was so intrigued by Bert and so intense when it came to him. One of the best things about this book was Will’s children, especially Susannah!
I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see more of the fey side and finally see how everything came to a close. I will say, though, that this book in particular was pretty repetitive. Aside from that, I found Bert’s constant back and fourth on his feelings with Will to be a bit tiring. The first time or two I could understand but after the 5th time, I was over it. Add to that, while I loved Will, I was a little disappointed in him as a fey. He seemed more like a wolf than a fey and not just because he should have been cold hearted.
In the end, I still enjoyed this one. I loved where the Leader Murders ended up and the journey to finding out how/why it all happened. It was interesting to see Bert and Will together, though, and how Bert got along with Will’s kids. I know the mystery is over but I wouldn’t mind seeing these characters again! And seeing how everyone turns out in a few months or years. Definitely give this a go if you’ve enjoyed this series so far!
December 23, 2020
Definitely my least favorite book of the series. I just didn't feel the chemistry between the two MC's. Not to mention I was so frustrated with Weiss. I don't remember him being such a jerk in book #2 but I couldn't stand him in this book. There was a lot of talk and not as much action as I expected.
July 31, 2017
2.5 stars
It started promising but half way through the story the MCs' characters changed completely to an extend that I was wondering if I'm still reading the same book. The conflict resolutions were unrealistic and simplistic. And the ending was unsatisfactory. I'm deeply disappointed!
It started promising but half way through the story the MCs' characters changed completely to an extend that I was wondering if I'm still reading the same book. The conflict resolutions were unrealistic and simplistic. And the ending was unsatisfactory. I'm deeply disappointed!
June 5, 2017
I like this series!
mm-have-bk
August 31, 2025pRdsp
September 24, 2016
A King and a Pawn by Liv Olteano is the third book in the Leader Murders: Case, 3. I will say I think you should read these books in order. I felt like I was missing something throughout this book, and I think that is why. I really think the core story is enough to carry the book, but if you had the back knowledge this book would be a really spectacular read.
We have a story sorta already in progress. Bert's sister is a pack trader. He was the clueless beta who never saw that coming. He has offered to be the Fey Court ambassador, he wants to really prove that he is not his sister. He wants to show he has value in this pack and can contribute.
I liked his heart, seems to always be in the right place. I also like the way he puts it all on the line when he is in he is all in. I liked that bravery.
The Fey Court interrogator is Sir William. He can have any Fey he wants. He volunteers to protect Bert. There is a ton of chemistry between Bert and William. But there are many rules in the Fey court. Ones that even William must uphold. In order for William's family to be safe, he might have to trust Bert with his life and the life of his children.
I liked the world building in this book. I feel very much a part of a story that has many layers to it. I loved the chemistry and connection in this book too. So much to this story that I want more, I want to know what happens next. Cannot wait for more from this imaginative and wonderful world.
Five Shooting Stars
We have a story sorta already in progress. Bert's sister is a pack trader. He was the clueless beta who never saw that coming. He has offered to be the Fey Court ambassador, he wants to really prove that he is not his sister. He wants to show he has value in this pack and can contribute.
I liked his heart, seems to always be in the right place. I also like the way he puts it all on the line when he is in he is all in. I liked that bravery.
The Fey Court interrogator is Sir William. He can have any Fey he wants. He volunteers to protect Bert. There is a ton of chemistry between Bert and William. But there are many rules in the Fey court. Ones that even William must uphold. In order for William's family to be safe, he might have to trust Bert with his life and the life of his children.
I liked the world building in this book. I feel very much a part of a story that has many layers to it. I loved the chemistry and connection in this book too. So much to this story that I want more, I want to know what happens next. Cannot wait for more from this imaginative and wonderful world.
Five Shooting Stars
November 8, 2016
This title was originally reviewed for Prism Book Alliance®
The Leader Murders are part paranormal, part romance, and part mystery. Exactly what I have been needing in my books lately. Each of the three stories revolves around a different central couple but involve the main characters from the other two installments. They also all revolve around the so-called "Leader Murders".
For complete Review see http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?p=5...
July 8, 2016
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words review
Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5
For the Full Review: http://wp.me/p220KL-7IL
From that review: "Bert is one of those characters readers flock to emotionally like geese to water. He's vulnerable, full of self doubts, loving, loyal, capable of being so much more than he thinks he is. He's overweight but instead of feeling bad about himself, he accepts it. He likes it in fact...because in truth he will never give up his sweets or the fact the he adores cooking. The model on the cover? A perfect representation of Bert Cooper...chef, beta, manny, and werewolf. Trust me there is no way not to fall in love with this character. He's fully fleshed out, anxieties included and watching him fall in love and find his strengths here is such a joy I intend to sit back and read it all over again..."
For all our reviews, author interviews, and all things books, visit us at http://ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords...
Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5
For the Full Review: http://wp.me/p220KL-7IL
From that review: "Bert is one of those characters readers flock to emotionally like geese to water. He's vulnerable, full of self doubts, loving, loyal, capable of being so much more than he thinks he is. He's overweight but instead of feeling bad about himself, he accepts it. He likes it in fact...because in truth he will never give up his sweets or the fact the he adores cooking. The model on the cover? A perfect representation of Bert Cooper...chef, beta, manny, and werewolf. Trust me there is no way not to fall in love with this character. He's fully fleshed out, anxieties included and watching him fall in love and find his strengths here is such a joy I intend to sit back and read it all over again..."
For all our reviews, author interviews, and all things books, visit us at http://ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords...
June 30, 2016
Bert Cooper has to prove his loyalty, with that in mind, he accepts the job of being an envoy to the Fey Council. The alpha of the werewolf communities believes the Fey have something to do with the murders that have been committed within his pack. He needs Bert to get some answers. Bert hopes he can get the job done, but he isn't prepared for the handsome, elegant head interrogator.
The head interrogator of the Fey Council, Sir Will Sims. becomes interested in Bert the minute he steps into Fey territory. The problem is, it's more sexual attraction than Fey business.
Once again, this is a fun, intriguing world to get lost in. The story, the characters are complex without being confusing., however, you have to read the previous books.
The head interrogator of the Fey Council, Sir Will Sims. becomes interested in Bert the minute he steps into Fey territory. The problem is, it's more sexual attraction than Fey business.
Once again, this is a fun, intriguing world to get lost in. The story, the characters are complex without being confusing., however, you have to read the previous books.
November 13, 2016
This was one of the DSP summer releases I won on Joyfully Jay and actually, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would - paranormal/AU not being a big draw for me.
I would say that reading books 1 & 2 would make more sense of the story, the past murders, the investigation and the key investigation. Whilst I did get the gist of it all, this was a definite follow on rather than an installment.
There were various power struggles in the Council and the Court and generally they were well written but towards the end all the political moves just got a bit much for my head.
Some fairly gory fight scenes, and certainly no hesitation in killing off enemies!!
Only a small bit in shifted form and whilst mostly the fey magic was mind control, there was a fairly destructive scene at the end.
I would say that reading books 1 & 2 would make more sense of the story, the past murders, the investigation and the key investigation. Whilst I did get the gist of it all, this was a definite follow on rather than an installment.
There were various power struggles in the Council and the Court and generally they were well written but towards the end all the political moves just got a bit much for my head.
Some fairly gory fight scenes, and certainly no hesitation in killing off enemies!!
Only a small bit in shifted form and whilst mostly the fey magic was mind control, there was a fairly destructive scene at the end.
November 1, 2016
Enjoyable three-book series about werewolves and fey involved in a power struggle. Likable characters, and the sex scenes were very plot-appropriate, and never felt gratuitous. Although most of the story-threads were tied up in book three, there is definitely room to expand the "Leader Murder-verse", and I wouldn't mind reading more about the fey, the werewolves, the fey who have become werewolves, and the Paranormal Bureau of Investigation, in general.
May 17, 2017
I did really enjoy this addition to the series. It's not my favorite of the series, but it was still good.
I really liked Bert.
The ring piqued my interest throughout.
It's not just the connection to past characters that connect these books. The same case from book 1 is still being explored. It's been an ongoing theme through the series.
I really hope this is not the final book in the series. I like the world.
I really liked Bert.
The ring piqued my interest throughout.
It's not just the connection to past characters that connect these books. The same case from book 1 is still being explored. It's been an ongoing theme through the series.
I really hope this is not the final book in the series. I like the world.
August 15, 2016
This book drags until about halfway before picking up a bit and becoming something worth reading, but even then, there's a lag. I don't think the characters are quite on the same page when it comes to their relationship and I never got the sense that they have genuine chemistry (a problem all the books in this series have unfortunately).
July 28, 2016
This series just keeps getting better. The third book was my favorite so far; full of magic, intrigue, humor and a dash of mystery. Plus, one of the heroes wasn't picture perfect beautiful for a change.
December 17, 2016
Love this series, I hope there will be more.
June 13, 2018
Full review at :
OptimuMM - Home of MM Book Reviews
We at OptimuMM, with the approval of Dreamspinner Press, decided that we will review some previously published books. Our first choice was Liv Olteano’s Leader Murders series.
This is the third installment of the series. I come to like this series so much, and I would be thrilled if this series will continue.
My resentment from the first book it’s totally gone by now. I love the characters, the setting, and this universe of Liv’s. The alphas are still assholes, but as we learned from the second book, maybe their behavior comes from their insecurities.
This book is the story of Bert, Weiss’ beta. We learn little about him in the previous books, but I was eager to get to know him.
Well, this book was a wonderful read.
Bert feels guilty for his sister’s behavior. He feels that not knowing Tricia’s plan all along, makes him not suitable for his role as a beta. These feelings push him to accept the role of the first ambassador in the Fey Court.
He knows that arriving there he could be killed on sight. But the need to prove himself to Weiss is even higher. Going into fey territory is his last chance to prove himself. Or is this what he thinks.
Will Sims is the Interrogator of the Fey Court. That means there is no one with stronger magical power than him. Except the combination of magic of the High Council. Will is present as Bert’s driver then later on, he arranges for Bert to be close to him, as close as possible.
Bert is cautious. His life is in danger, but he can’t really ignore the chemistry between him and Will. Will being the most powerful magic user, he can do anything, but Bert fears his heart. And when he learns about Will’s ulterior motives, the doubt takes root in his mind. A mind that is so confused about everything at that moment in his life.
I loved it! All of it! I couldn’t put it down. I loved Bert. His dedication to his emotions and everything about him. Will is a sweetheart, a strong man who knows what he wants. And he wants Bert. But will he be able to pass through Bert’s defense mechanisms and earn his trust and love? Khmm khmmm … of course not *wink-wink.
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***
OptimuMM - Home of MM Book Reviews
We at OptimuMM, with the approval of Dreamspinner Press, decided that we will review some previously published books. Our first choice was Liv Olteano’s Leader Murders series.
This is the third installment of the series. I come to like this series so much, and I would be thrilled if this series will continue.
My resentment from the first book it’s totally gone by now. I love the characters, the setting, and this universe of Liv’s. The alphas are still assholes, but as we learned from the second book, maybe their behavior comes from their insecurities.
This book is the story of Bert, Weiss’ beta. We learn little about him in the previous books, but I was eager to get to know him.
Well, this book was a wonderful read.
Bert feels guilty for his sister’s behavior. He feels that not knowing Tricia’s plan all along, makes him not suitable for his role as a beta. These feelings push him to accept the role of the first ambassador in the Fey Court.
He knows that arriving there he could be killed on sight. But the need to prove himself to Weiss is even higher. Going into fey territory is his last chance to prove himself. Or is this what he thinks.
Will Sims is the Interrogator of the Fey Court. That means there is no one with stronger magical power than him. Except the combination of magic of the High Council. Will is present as Bert’s driver then later on, he arranges for Bert to be close to him, as close as possible.
Bert is cautious. His life is in danger, but he can’t really ignore the chemistry between him and Will. Will being the most powerful magic user, he can do anything, but Bert fears his heart. And when he learns about Will’s ulterior motives, the doubt takes root in his mind. A mind that is so confused about everything at that moment in his life.
I loved it! All of it! I couldn’t put it down. I loved Bert. His dedication to his emotions and everything about him. Will is a sweetheart, a strong man who knows what he wants. And he wants Bert. But will he be able to pass through Bert’s defense mechanisms and earn his trust and love? Khmm khmmm … of course not *wink-wink.
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews