King of Baseball

by Livia Grant

Fans of The Bachelor, this book is for YOU! Dirty, sexy, romance at its best!

Playboy Colton King is American royalty... sports royalty that is. The MLB all-star is also the newest millionaire bachelor in an R-rated cable reality show. Six gorgeous women are prepared to do anything to win him as their prize. So why does he only want the one woman on the set he's not supposed to have?

Harper Gardener wasn’t supposed to be part of the show, but when Colton turns his charms in her direction, she finds resistance is futile. Can you make it out with her heart still in tact and without being made the fool on national television? 

Genres: Contemporary, Sports, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance

150 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 4, 2017

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Livia Grant lives in Chicago with her husband and furry rescue dog named Max. She is fortunate to have been able to travel extensively and as much as she loves to visit places around the globe, the Midwest and its changing seasons will always be home. Livia's readers appreciate her riveting stories filled with deep, character driven plots, often spiced with elements of BDSM.

Reviews

[Kate V · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve never watched a single episode of the Bachelor or the Bachelorette. I think it’s dumb AF. So why did I pick this up you ask? Because I was trying to get out of my reading slump. Did it pull me out? Nah.

Colton, MLB star, decides to be the meat on a Bachelor like show. However, he is interested in Harper, the shows chef instead of the women chosen for the show. With a contract and cameras, will the two of them give into their chemistry?

This was short and spicy and I really liked Harper but the manwhore personality that was written for Colton until he met Harper was unsavory. Not a bad read but definitely not great.

[Coco.V]

💝FREE on Amazon today (9/30/18)!💝

Blurb:
Harper refuses to be the next notch on the King of Baseball’s bedpost.

Playboy Colton King is American royalty... sports royalty that is. The MLB all-star is also the newest millionaire bachelor in an R-rated cable reality show. Six gorgeous women are prepared to do anything to win him as their prize. So why does he only want the one woman on the set he's not supposed to have?

Harper Gardener wasn’t supposed to be part of the show, but when Colton turns his charms in her direction, she finds resistance is futile. Can you make it out with her heart still in tact and without being made the fool on national television?

[Raine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reality TV in book form

This is about a playboy baseball player who agrees to do a reality show for Showtime (so you know it's not going to be a PG rated show!) with six hot women like The Bachelor, but with more sex and drama. Instead of falling for one of the women on the show he starts to fall for the chef who is technically not part of the cast. Not a bad story, but a bit boring and didn't necessarily wow me.

[Corinne Kapsner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Livia Grant book outside of the Black Light Series! Wowza! Colton and Harper are such a sweet couple. The first sexy scene for the Hero and Heroine is hot hot hot!!!! I was reading this on my lunch break at work and when I got to this scene I had to walk out to my car to finish it. I love the way Colton dotes on Harper.

You get a bonus scene at the end that was awesome! It is a quick easy read that was refreshing for the soul!

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't recognize the pic for Livia, so I am for sure she is new to me. I love the cover, always a sucker for baseball read, favorite sport for sure ... or at least one i did watch a lot of as a kid. Love the character, love her writing style. well written and a quick read. Check it out. will read more from Livia soo enough. ( :

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for Bachelor fans! This was the story of Chef Harper and MLB all-star Colton. While this is a shorter read there is still plenty of character development and plenty of steamy scenes!
#MSBB

[Katie Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Livia Grant Knocks It Out Of The Park

This is a fun take on what it means to be royalty in America. Colton and Harper love takes them both by surprise and their early journey is a joy. Oh and Chapter 4 will melt your Kindle.

[Debra Johnson]

Purch Amazon Oct. 2, 2018

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colton King, MLB all-star and bachelor playboy millionaire. How'd he ever end up on an R-rated cable version of The Bachelor? Regardless of how he got there, despite the fact he doesn't want to be there, he has no choice. He's not about to lose megabucks for breach of contract. But seriously, what can go wrong? There are six gorgeous women on an isolated estate willing to do anything to end up with the king of baseball. It's every man's dream, except maybe Colt's. Harper Gardener's at her wit's end. Her life's dream was within her grasp and...poof, just like that, it vanished. Now she's been hired as a chef for a reality dating show. Easy peasy, right? Not so much. The six women have food allergies, special diets, and despise her cooking. There's only person who seems to appreciate her talents, and she wants nothing to do with him. Colt King's reputation precedes him, and she's not about to be another in his long list of conquests. But Colt's not exactly what she expected. She's not quite as immune to his charms as she might wish. And there are forces at play of which neither Colt nor Harper are aware. When the unthinkable happens, it's up to Colt to make a fateful decision that could end it all: the show, the contestants, his future, and most of all, Harper's life. Will he make the right call? Or will everything come crashing down around not only him but Harper and everyone else too?

Livia Grant is one of my all-time favorite authors, and she's once again (excuse the pun) knocked it out of the park. This is an expansion of the short story included in the Royally Mine anthology, and it's pure gold. There's absolutely nothing not to love about this story. Colt is fascinating and far from predictable. He's not your stereotypical baseball player. And Harper? She's feisty, beautiful, insecure, but so very talented. The story hinges around these two and the changes each goes through as they deal with the rivalries, schemes, plots, and ultimate betrayal that surrounds them. Once I started reading this book, it was impossible to put it down. Congratulations, Ms. Grant. This is the perfect story, and I absolutely loved it. I couldn't give it anything other than five stars. Your talent is amazing!

One final note. Please be an informed reader and consumer! This is an ADULT book. It contains explicit language and sexual scenes. If you don't enjoy this genre, think hard before buying any book you know you won't enjoy. There are book synopses and reviews available on Goodreads and all booksellers' websites. Use these resources. DON'T LEAVE A NEGATIVE REVIEW WHEN YOU KNOW YOU WON'T ENJOY THE BOOK. It's not fair to the author! She works extremely hard to provide a quality work product. If you know you'll object to the book's subject matter before you buy it, you're doing yourself and the authors an extreme disservice.

Thanks for reading my review and happy reading!

[Badh · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Americans, we are fascinated with royalty, in whatever form. Since we don't have the same kind of royalty here that is found in the other places of the world, we've created our own, and they are often sports stars. It's an interesting way to look at royalty, and it leads to a really interesting story from Livia Grant.

Colton is a professional baseball player with a playboy reputation. During the playoffs, his manager tricked him, and he ended up signed on to be on a "Bachelor"-style show with 6 women. Only, this is the R rated version of the Bachelor since it's going to be on cable. Since Colton has been a man-whore, everyone thinks that there is going to be plenty of dirty fun, especially the 6 women who have signed up to be on the show. But the problem is, the one person that Colton is interested in isn't one of those 6 women. She's the chef that was hired to feed everyone, Harper.

Harper is coming off a very bad relationship. Her ex, who she lived and worked with, cheated on her. That means that she currently doesn't have anywhere to stay and nowhere to work, so when the chance to work on the show as the chef comes up, complete with a place to stay, she takes the opportunity. It's either that or move home, and Harper really doesn't want to do that. When she runs into Colton, she tells herself that she isn't going to end up attracted to him, but we all know how well that works, right?

Colton and Harper run into a lot of problems. There are a lot of tears on Harper's part (and mine) and frustration on everyone's part while they are trying to figure things out. The resolution made it better though. It's an awesome story, and I loved reading it.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

What will happen when a confirmed bachelor wants more for his future?

Royalty, American Style: King of Baseball is a stand alone, contemporary romance. Colton is a confirmed bachelor with celebrity status, but didn’t read the fine print to what he agreed to. For the next six weeks, he’s to woo, bed, and select a winner from six different contestants, but Colton has a problem - for the first time in his life, he doesn’t want meaningless flings. But what will happen when he wants something more with Harper, the chef for the show?

I really enjoyed reading about Colton and Harper’s unusual beginning to their romance! For any fan of the Bachelor television show, this romance is right up your alley! I loved that Colton was portrayed as such a lady’s man, but he had some hidden depth that Harper was able to find, and for being a bachelor, he was quite a romantic! Harper has been recently burned from an ex, so she was hesitant to be around Colton, especially as she realized how much power he had over her body and quickly her heart. I loved how hard she tried to resist him, and I loved how hard she fell for him. There’s definitely some drama, quietly with the other ladies and much more up front with the producer, but throughout the whole book, I couldn’t stop reading it! Their connection, the passion, their new love, figuring out what’s real, and that ending! I think I swooned a little bit! I was most surprised by how romantic this book was, but it was a delight to read and I really enjoy Ms. Grant’s writing!

[Rhonda Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when the last known playboy bachelor on an MLB team is talked into doing an R-rated Bachelor show on Showtime with six sexy women? Negotiations were relatively easy. Pin him down in the middle of the season when he's on a tight schedule. For the king of one night stands, this sounds like it should be a piece of cake, right? Then what in the world happened? Nothing is as easy as it should be for Colton King. Harper uses to work and live with the owner of the Italian restaurant. She was under the impression they were building a future together. Evidently her ex didn't think so when he started sleeping with someone else and fired her from the restaurant. He even offered to move out of the house but she was sent an offer to become the chef at a ranch for the new bachelor show that was being filmed. Livia Grant introduces us to characters that are so deliciously flawed and insecure they're easy to relate to. The story begins to unfold and as it does, it just pulled me in until I felt like I was right there (like the cameramen) watching as everything took place. Their chemistry is almost palpable. This was a new twist and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend it.

[Jinx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colton King is American Royalty, a Major League Baseball superstar with a playboy reputation, so when he signs up unwillingly for an R rated reality TV show the last thing Colton expects is to fall for someone working on the show.

Harper Gardner has been hired by the production team to cook for the American Royalty show... feeding the star and the six potential bedmates, and she wants no part of it beyond cooking for them all. But the more time they spend together the more Colton wants things to be different, he doesn't want the contestants he wants the sassy smart mouthed Chef, and Colton will get his way one way or another, even if that means breaking the contract with the production company. Can Harper be with American Royalty? Falling for the star wasn't meant to be part of the plan, but somehow it's happening and she's unable to stop it.

I liked this story, it was short, but engaging. The characters were fun and intriguing making me want to cheer them on. The quick wit and sass of Harper countered the intensity of Colton and the chemistry was evident from the start.

Definitely worth the read if you want something short, entertaining and well written IMO.

[Dawnmarie Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take the King of baseball off the field and put him in a house full of gorgeous women a la the Bachelor and what do you get? If you're Colton you get taught to always read the fine print no matter how good you think the contract looks. Chef Harper winds up in the house through her own tragic circumstances,when she finds herself not only jobless but homeless as well thanks to her cheating ex. When she's approached by the producers to cook for the show she takes it to earn money until she can figure out what to do next. Colton and Harper were never supposed to meet or have any interactions with each other but what happens when they do and everywhere you turn there's a camera or cameraman. Can you really form a relationship under such intense scrutiny with no privacy? You need to read this book and enjoy Ms. Grant's twist on the Bachelor/reality TV. The characters are great,very relatable so if you like the drama of the Bachelor this book's for you. I would definitely recommend this book. I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

[Mom2three · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart is melting! I'm not normally a fan of sport romances, but I'm a huge fan of Livia Grant so I had to read this one. I'm so glad I put aside my aversion to the Athlete Sex God trope and dove into this one. Colt is everything I think of when I think celebrity, with a whole lot more hidden beneath that stereotype. He's sexy, rich, and has a playboy reputation. He's also honest, doesn't like playing romantic games, and not self-centered. Harper is the girl next door. She's smart, snarky, has confidence even if she's been broken down, and is generous to a fault. Their romance is sweet and super sexy. The story doesn't revolve around Baseball. Instead it uses that as a way to explain why the story is happening. I loved that there went any snooty characters, although there is a nemesis, and that the relationship between Harper and Colt felt natural and believable. I honestly wish it hadn't ended. These are two characters that I would love to follow through their lives.

[Carolyn Spence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, Colton is on top of the world and in his sport. Everyone knows him and they are going to get a better chance soon. He's signed up for a TV reality show with six potential partners! He's not happy, he didn't exactly read the contract either, so he's stuck. It's a nightmare.

Harper was a last minute add, and she's not even supposed to be on TV, she's the chef cooking for staff and stars. She's recently been burned and she's not in a good place. Sparks fly when Colton and Harper meet in the horse barn and they keep trying to avoid one another. There's a little bit of success, but it comes to a surprising crescendo, and the description of that bedroom scene was spectacular, awesome and swoonworthy. Colton has realized what he's missing and what he wants and he goes to great lengths to get it. It was a great story with a happy ever after.

I received this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaye Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Royal Frenemies...

OMG...I loved this book...

Colton King is a professional baseball player who managed to get talked into doing a reality tv series based not “The Batchelor” and but with a difference as there are cameras every where in the house it’s being filmed in and he doesn’t seem to have any attraction to the woman he has to share with.....with one exception..Harper.
Harper is a chef who is working for the production company to feed both the crew and the contestants, but while she doesn’t like Colton she does fight her attraction for him by being snarky and sarcastic and Colton finds it refreshing not to have a woman fall at his feet.
I really loved this book and I had to admit that it did cost me a nights sleep as I just could not put it down..5 stars

[Nanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colton King, a popular baseball player, signed up for a reality show during the off season. He certainly did not know what he was in for. LOL. Six women were paraded in front of him and the producers wanted them to get down and dirty. Colton wants to get out of this craziness when he runs across the chef, Harper, who tries to avoid all the cameras. I thought this was a very enjoyable read, with wonderful character development and entertaining drama. The way everything played out was beautifully done and a page turner for me. The sex scenes were hot and the HEA ending was fun. Great read. I recommend it to all romance readers who like some heat in their stories with all kinds of feel goods. I received an arc and voluntarily left an honest review.

[Kathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Adored this Story! Emotional, Romantic and Entertaining!

Colton King is a famous baseball player, with a bit of a reputation with the ladies. In a distracted moment he agrees to participate in an “R-rated Bachelor” show with 6 hand-picked women as his co-stars. Harper is contracted to be the chef for the duration of the show. She recently lost her job and her home with the breakup with her snooty boyfriend/co-worker.

She expects this even-more-famous baseball player to be arrogant, but she sees the man underneath who can be thoughtful and caring. A delightful journey for these two who find attraction under very unusual circumstances.

Great characters, fast-paced story, and the dual point of view brings you closer to the action. Pure entertainment!

[Candice Barrier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home run!

Livia knocks this one out of the park! Colt is the classic baseball playboy, sleeping with a different women seemingly every night. He has the looks, charm and celebrity status that most dream about having. Harper is a chef in NYC who has just had her life turned upside down by her cheating boyfriend. These two would never have met except for they both signed up to be on a new reality show. Harper is the chef for the guests of Colt who is surrounded by 6 gorgeous women all vying for Colt's attention. However, Colt has already found the woman he wants to marry, Harper. This is a feel good story with a happy ending that tugs at your heart strings

[Kerry Pruett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love sports!. The only thing that I love more than watching a good game is reading about an athlete that fights falling in love. I love how they fall for the woman that the least expect to. The women are always so hard for them to get too. I love every moment and word. I love how Colton fell hard for Harper and I put his own feelings aside to protect her from the circus of the problems of being in the public eye. What can I say about Harper she was perfect for Colton. I loved how she gave him what for to keep that playboy ego down a notch or two. I would recommend this read to any of my fellow readers. This story could turn you to reading all the romance you can that evolves sports.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve read any of my previous reviews, you know I’m a sucker for reality TV and anything that takes us behind the scenes of the entertainment industry. This book gives me the best of both those worlds and adds a sinfully hot baseball hero and talented chef heroine to the mix. I loved watching Colton and Harper fall for each other and learn to be brave enough to come out from behind their masks with one another. And the bonus Christmas scene at the end was utterly swoon-worthy. I’d love to come back and visit these two again in the future. After all, they have best friends that could use stories of their own.

[Terri Trawets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful & Erotic

Colton is a very famous and tantalizing millionaire, king of baseball and now a reality tv star. He hates the women who were chosen to vie for his attention. Harper is ONLY the Chef, but she is honest and real and totally unassuming. Hmmm, guess what happens!

This beautiful story started out so almost squeaky clean, I was a bit surprised. But, while the interaction between Harper and Colton began slowly and tentatively, it then progressed to magnificently sexy, stimulating and erotic relations

This was a lovely story to read, which left me feeling warm and satisfied.

[Anne (Izzie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colton is a famous sports star who finds himself signed up to star in an XXX rated reality TV show, a lone bachelor living with six beautiful women, where absolutely nothing is forbidden and cameras are everywhere in the house. Unfortunately, he didn’t read the small print and realise just how many cameras were around, and how much he didn’t want to participate in any way with the women. The only woman he was interested in was the chef catering for everyone, and she was definitely not a participant in the show - or at least not knowingly. Well written story which grabs your attention from the start, steamy chemistry, and some unexpected twists. Great ending.

[Joy Westerfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable story this was. Absolutely refreshing. It’s the story of Colton, a mega star baseball player who grudgingly agrees to do a reality show. And Harper, the chef hired to make the meals for the show. When Colton and Harper meet, he is a bit entranced by her, but Harper wants nothing to do with him. Does he break down her walls? Do they end up together? I found this story to be heartwarming, funny, sad and just all around feel good. I highly recommend this book, truly amazing.

[Maria (Ri) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 stars

I first discovered this author from the Black Light series. I am slowly working my way through her other stories because I fell in love with her writing style.

I wish this story would have been longer because I wanted to know more about these characters. I was expecting there to be elements of Black Light (especially as she does that so well) but there was baseball so it was almost as good.

I look forward to more of this series (even if the next one is going to be football-- I abhor football). The extended epilogue was a bonus.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great, steamy read by Livia
This is my ninth book by Livia and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! Livia quickly draws you into the life of Colton, of baseball royalty fame, who is not thrilled that he was roped into a reality TV show with six equally different women. Colton may have played the field in more ways than one, but Harper, the hired cook is the only one that seems to grab his attention in that way. Harper’s avoidance of Colton doesn’t push him away, but only makes him more determined. So how it all ends will have you turning the pages to find out!

[JigsawGirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. It was kind of boring. That might be because I am totally NOT into reality TV shows. Colton and Harper were ok. I guess I could understand Harper's insecurities regarding Colton's interest in her.

The ending was somewhat of a surprise. They got their HEA, but I didn't expect it to happen like it did.

I honestly think that the best part of the book was the bonus scene at the end. That is when I really felt like Colton and Harper had some chemistry, some type of connection. It was sexy, kind of sweet, and romantic.

[Gab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, thoughtful, and loving.
I enjoyed this story's short version in the box set in August.
We left Harper and Colin right after they.....Oops! If you haven't read the story then, that would be a big spoiler!
Do read it now, you'll love it!
Let me just say, the extended version, and the bonus scenes at the end, catapult this tale from the entertaining and sensual, into the proper Christmas stratosphere.

[Kay Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be one of Ms. Grant's sweeter romance novels. I tend to like my romance more along the lines of the Black Light series, but I never turn down a sweetly passionate work.
I'm not going to spoil the book by reeling off the storyline - all I will say is that there is good, strong chemistry between the main characters, an amusing plot line with supporting side characters, and I loved the Christmas story at the end.
Highly recommended with 5*