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The Impossible Julian Strande #1
Illusions of Grandeur
Alice has never been much for ordinary, and her new job at the mysterious Strande Mansion comes complete with strange noises, a sinister ghost, creepy legends, and a sexy amateur magician.
Of course, Alice doesn’t actually believe in ghosts, but what she encounters at the Strande Mansion has her questioning a lot of things—including whether or not her gorgeous new boss is as skilled in the bedroom as he is at illusions.
Julian Strande may have died a century ago, but that doesn’t stop him from taking a keen interest in the new caretaker of his estate. It’s been such a long time since he’s had anyone to play with. And he plans to have a great deal of fun with Alice. That is, if she doesn’t run screaming from his home first…
_____
Author’s Note: This book is what I would call “villain romance.” This story is for anyone who always finds the villain more interesting than the hero. That said, they are therefore sometimes not the nicest of male heroes. This story has a HEA, but it may be a tough ride getting there. This story has mature themes and content.
Of course, Alice doesn’t actually believe in ghosts, but what she encounters at the Strande Mansion has her questioning a lot of things—including whether or not her gorgeous new boss is as skilled in the bedroom as he is at illusions.
Julian Strande may have died a century ago, but that doesn’t stop him from taking a keen interest in the new caretaker of his estate. It’s been such a long time since he’s had anyone to play with. And he plans to have a great deal of fun with Alice. That is, if she doesn’t run screaming from his home first…
_____
Author’s Note: This book is what I would call “villain romance.” This story is for anyone who always finds the villain more interesting than the hero. That said, they are therefore sometimes not the nicest of male heroes. This story has a HEA, but it may be a tough ride getting there. This story has mature themes and content.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2020
243 people are currently reading
2479 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Ann Kingsley
66 books2,449 followersKathryn has always been a storyteller. Years of scriptwriting for performances on stage and for tourism in Boston led her to writing romantically dark, fantastical tales, which was an obsession of hers that began once seeing The Phantom of the Opera at a young age.
When she isn’t penning new villainous leads, she works in video game development. There, she has been everything from Creative Director to Chief of Staff, Design Manager, Executive Producer, and Principal Writer for various companies in the industry.
She shares her antique home with three very fluffy animals and one very patient and loving husband.
When she isn’t penning new villainous leads, she works in video game development. There, she has been everything from Creative Director to Chief of Staff, Design Manager, Executive Producer, and Principal Writer for various companies in the industry.
She shares her antique home with three very fluffy animals and one very patient and loving husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
May 4, 2020
The mysterious and somewhat sinister Strande estate once owned by the late Illusionist and magician Julian Strande.
Now it’s Alice Monroe newest source of employment after answering an obscure advert in a local paper for a caretaker position.
So wow, this one captured my imagination instantly, It was in a word fantastic.
One of my favourite reads of this year and I managed to read this in one complete sitting I was that engrossed in the unfolding story.
This is just going to be my impression’s rather than anything deeper as this book really just needs to be experienced without prior preconceptions to get the most from it.
So this was everything I like in a story it was sinister and eerie and mysteriously chilling but also erotic and amusing and at times as light-hearted as it was serious.
I especially adored the character dynamics and the banter here was great, this also had major chemistry in the bucketloads.
I actually had a little bit of a girl crush on Alice, she was bloody fantastic and I can't wait to learn more about the sinister and magnetic Julian, I want to unmask his many secrets he's such a fascinating enigma.
I'm also wondering how on target my instincts are with, can't wait to find out.
I Loved the puzzle box mansion so much and all the spooky and ghostly going’s on there and this managed to keep my attention right until the final words.
This really was such a unique story and definitely stands out from the crowd with its pure originality, It’s also fabulously well written.
There wasn’t one thing here that I disliked which doesn’t happen that often let me tell you.
I can’t wait to get my mitts on book 2 to continue on with this addictive journey, oh the anticipation with this one is going to slay me.
I highly recommend giving this one a go it was so very amazing.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of illusions of grandeur.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
January 3, 2021
“Welcome to the Strande Estate.”
“Does it scare you? The idea that you might be here at night alone?”
“Well, if it’s haunted, I won’t really be alone, will I?”
CHARACTERS
Alice Monroe: Green eyes, blonde hair, 26, New caretaker creative maintenance manager
Charles Mensonge: Hazel eyes, blonde hair, 34; Very cute, very tall handsome nephew of the friendly (!)ghost, He is a magician and illusionist like his uncle
Julian Strande: One side blue, one side light brown eyes, light brown hair; The ghost of the wealthy famous illusionist whose body never found, genius lunatic, a madman,
Charles is an irresistible guy; I fell for him immediately. Who can resist this guy for real? He is geekish, quirky, flirty, and adorable. His sense of humor might be too direct and uncomforting initially, but it's only until you get used to it! He is a chatter but the kind I extremely love!
He was like a painting of a man, he was so handsome. He had no right being real.
Alice is smart, also geekish, nerd, and lovely; I related to her immediately! She was brave in general, but the way she was scared easily when it came to sudden reactions was charming! Plus, most of the time, her inner monologues were like talking to myself.
She liked everywhere that wasn’t real. Stories. Fantasies. Illusions. Anywhere she could lose herself that was better than where she was.
And Julian, the ghastly ghost! I am angry with him, but he sure has the charms!
“I think I rather like your nephew. Hope you don’t mind.”
PROS
*Alice loves baking/cooking, and she is good at it. Her favorite to bake is a pumpkin pie, and that’s also Charles’ fave. - YAY pumpkins!
*All the sexy times – Yes, I generally need sex in my reads…
*Alice does 3D printing designs - I love it so much when h has a designer side
*Storytelling + inner monoluges + dialogues
*Out of body bj experience
*Ghostly dream climax
*Loki the cat
*I have a thing for heterochromia
“Sorry to be weird, but, um…”
“I love weird.”
Then, man, you’re gonna love me. Damn it, stupid, focus!
Did I just friend-zone a ghost?
I think I did.
OVERALL
*It was a different and interesting story. I got angry for some specific times, but never once was I bored. It was a refreshing read.
*It was sweet, romantic, funny, SO entertaining, partly hot, a tiny tiny bit horrifying.
A GREAT read overall.
*I specifically liked the ghostly parts, and I am dying to have more in the second book, especially more ghost sex, please!!!
*Okay, this is finally my LAST review of 2020 (I promise), and I have been so generous with my votes lately, so I am not gonna lower my ratings for this one, plus I really loved this book, so it’s only fair!
*Thanks for the gem Renee, If it wasn’t for you, I could’ve never found this book!
“You’d better be Charles,”
“Mmh. What if I’m Julian?”
“Sex with a ghost? That’s kinda hot.”
I dedicate the song Lenka – Trouble is a Friend to this book!
♫ He's there in the dark
He's there in my heart
He waits in the winds
He's gotta play a part
Trouble is a friend
Yeah trouble is a friend of mine. oh oh ♫
“I hate normal. Don’t ever be normal.”
“My love will never fade. -JS”
“Does it scare you? The idea that you might be here at night alone?”
“Well, if it’s haunted, I won’t really be alone, will I?”
CHARACTERS
Alice Monroe: Green eyes, blonde hair, 26, New caretaker creative maintenance manager
Charles Mensonge: Hazel eyes, blonde hair, 34; Very cute, very tall handsome nephew of the friendly (!)ghost, He is a magician and illusionist like his uncle
Julian Strande: One side blue, one side light brown eyes, light brown hair; The ghost of the wealthy famous illusionist whose body never found, genius lunatic, a madman,
Charles is an irresistible guy; I fell for him immediately. Who can resist this guy for real? He is geekish, quirky, flirty, and adorable. His sense of humor might be too direct and uncomforting initially, but it's only until you get used to it! He is a chatter but the kind I extremely love!
He was like a painting of a man, he was so handsome. He had no right being real.
Alice is smart, also geekish, nerd, and lovely; I related to her immediately! She was brave in general, but the way she was scared easily when it came to sudden reactions was charming! Plus, most of the time, her inner monologues were like talking to myself.
She liked everywhere that wasn’t real. Stories. Fantasies. Illusions. Anywhere she could lose herself that was better than where she was.
And Julian, the ghastly ghost! I am angry with him, but he sure has the charms!
“I think I rather like your nephew. Hope you don’t mind.”
PROS
*Alice loves baking/cooking, and she is good at it. Her favorite to bake is a pumpkin pie, and that’s also Charles’ fave. - YAY pumpkins!
*All the sexy times – Yes, I generally need sex in my reads…
*Alice does 3D printing designs - I love it so much when h has a designer side
*Storytelling + inner monoluges + dialogues
*Out of body bj experience
*Ghostly dream climax
*Loki the cat
*I have a thing for heterochromia
“Sorry to be weird, but, um…”
“I love weird.”
Then, man, you’re gonna love me. Damn it, stupid, focus!
Did I just friend-zone a ghost?
I think I did.
OVERALL
*It was a different and interesting story. I got angry for some specific times, but never once was I bored. It was a refreshing read.
*It was sweet, romantic, funny, SO entertaining, partly hot, a tiny tiny bit horrifying.
A GREAT read overall.
*I specifically liked the ghostly parts, and I am dying to have more in the second book, especially more ghost sex, please!!!
*Okay, this is finally my LAST review of 2020 (I promise), and I have been so generous with my votes lately, so I am not gonna lower my ratings for this one, plus I really loved this book, so it’s only fair!
*Thanks for the gem Renee, If it wasn’t for you, I could’ve never found this book!
“You’d better be Charles,”
“Mmh. What if I’m Julian?”
“Sex with a ghost? That’s kinda hot.”
I dedicate the song Lenka – Trouble is a Friend to this book!
♫ He's there in the dark
He's there in my heart
He waits in the winds
He's gotta play a part
Trouble is a friend
Yeah trouble is a friend of mine. oh oh ♫
“I hate normal. Don’t ever be normal.”
“My love will never fade. -JS”
November 23, 2020
"Impossible thing, love. So rare, yet so prolific. Everywhere and nowhere. It was the true illusion."
Julian Strande, once a prominent and celebrated magician, died mysteriously years ago after penning his own obituary. Now his legend lives on inside his estate, a wacky maze of strange rooms and stranger artifacts where people from all walks of life come to see the show. And when Alice Monroe signs on to be the new "creative maintenance manager" of the Strande Estate, she quickly grabs the attention of both Julian and his nephew Charles. Except only one of them is still alive.
I adored this book, it was so creative and unique. You can't help but love Charles from the moment you meet him. He's unlike most romance heroes - tall and lanky, goofy with a strange sense of humor, and has a whimsy to him that is instantly loveable. Alice is equally unique and extremely smart. And Julian... well, I'm still not sure what to think about the ghost of Julian Strande.
This is a rare one, where the setting of the story is almost another character altogether. The house is so unique and quirky, so the time spent on getting to know its ins and outs was fun to read. I really enjoyed Alice and Charles as they grew closer and fell in love. There is a big old question mark when it comes to Julian. He's obsessed with Alice and she's definitely drawn to him. Honestly, I would have liked to read more ghost sex, lol. It was mostly hinted at or skimmed past. I was super intrigued by that, though.
This is part one of two, so I have yet to unravel all the mysteries in this series. But I really enjoy it so far, its fun and weird and keeps you guessing. And hopefully I'll get some more ghost sex before its over!
Julian Strande, once a prominent and celebrated magician, died mysteriously years ago after penning his own obituary. Now his legend lives on inside his estate, a wacky maze of strange rooms and stranger artifacts where people from all walks of life come to see the show. And when Alice Monroe signs on to be the new "creative maintenance manager" of the Strande Estate, she quickly grabs the attention of both Julian and his nephew Charles. Except only one of them is still alive.
I adored this book, it was so creative and unique. You can't help but love Charles from the moment you meet him. He's unlike most romance heroes - tall and lanky, goofy with a strange sense of humor, and has a whimsy to him that is instantly loveable. Alice is equally unique and extremely smart. And Julian... well, I'm still not sure what to think about the ghost of Julian Strande.
This is a rare one, where the setting of the story is almost another character altogether. The house is so unique and quirky, so the time spent on getting to know its ins and outs was fun to read. I really enjoyed Alice and Charles as they grew closer and fell in love. There is a big old question mark when it comes to Julian. He's obsessed with Alice and she's definitely drawn to him. Honestly, I would have liked to read more ghost sex, lol. It was mostly hinted at or skimmed past. I was super intrigued by that, though.
This is part one of two, so I have yet to unravel all the mysteries in this series. But I really enjoy it so far, its fun and weird and keeps you guessing. And hopefully I'll get some more ghost sex before its over!
April 21, 2021
1.5 stars
This book was like reading from the perspective of that one dumb person in a horror movie who makes all the stupid and obvious mistakes.
Illusions of Grandeur... honestly, I'm not a fan.
I was really looking forward to this book as Kathryn Ann Kingsley writes some ~truly~ villainous characters who double as (maybe?) love interests. So I'm all over that. But to be honest the characterization in this one was pretty painful. It was a quick read though so there's that to go on.
This book features Alice, an unemployed job-seeker who finds a job at Julian Strande's 100+ year old mansion working under Julian's nephew, Charles. Way back when, Julian was an infamous magician and now his house has been turned into a sort of tourist destination, and Charles puts on magic shows like his uncle once did. The only thing is creepy shenanigans are said to have happened in the house and some believe that Julian isn't really dead.
So I liked the idea of this book but, as is often the case, the execution fell flat. Alice is a super boring, dumb, and weirdly eccentric main character (and not in the good way.) She IS that dumb bitch from a horror movie. There are SO MANY red flags thrown her way and she just goes against her better judgement for... what? sex? mystery? I don't even know. Her job at the mansion is as a sort of nighttime groundskeeper (lol) and then she tinkers with things in the house and has a passion for automatons? She's strangely antisocial and her whirlwind romance with Charles wasn't only not believable, but just straight up WEIRD (again– NOT in the good way.) I honestly have never read a book with a romance that I would describe as weird but here we are. Alice is constantly swearing at herself like she knows that the things she's about to do are a bad idea but she can't help herself, which honestly makes it all worse.
I get the vibe that the author is trying to make Alice intrigued by the shenanigans at the house. But wow the amount of stuff that Alice puts up with not only crosses every line but crosses into another dimension of wack. Look, I like villain romances and possessive people, but even I was done with all the antics that Charles and Julian put her through.
Anyway, basically upon meeting her, her boss Charles really starts laying it on thick in very cringey and over the top ways. I wasn't a fan of Charles' character either. His personality was such a mixed bag of almost infantile humor, a sex obsession, a violent streak, and a giddy happiness that gave me whiplash. He had no boundaries and was just so WEIRD (see a pattern?) And I guess he's supposed to be a bit out there but it made me wonder why the heck Alice was into him. Charles' flirtations crossed the line from endearing to creepy, blatant and cringey in about 5 seconds flat. So by the end of the book I was really not feeling it whatsoever.
Julian, as our more villainous character, was an okay-ish villain. He was more just a creepy possessive stalker than anything, but because Charles took up so much screen time, we really didn't get much from Julian. I wasn't a huge fan of the decision to have two love interests (even if it is a bit explained later on in the book.)
I really wish this duology was just one book. I felt like there was so much setup in this book just for the "main event" of the second book. There really was no need to separate the two books.
Overall, I liked the idea of a creepy ghost haunting a house and the mystery of it all, but unfortunately the characters were so out of left field that I was left pretty disappointed.
Just a heads up there is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end and this is a 2-book series.
CW:
This book was like reading from the perspective of that one dumb person in a horror movie who makes all the stupid and obvious mistakes.
Illusions of Grandeur... honestly, I'm not a fan.
I was really looking forward to this book as Kathryn Ann Kingsley writes some ~truly~ villainous characters who double as (maybe?) love interests. So I'm all over that. But to be honest the characterization in this one was pretty painful. It was a quick read though so there's that to go on.
This book features Alice, an unemployed job-seeker who finds a job at Julian Strande's 100+ year old mansion working under Julian's nephew, Charles. Way back when, Julian was an infamous magician and now his house has been turned into a sort of tourist destination, and Charles puts on magic shows like his uncle once did. The only thing is creepy shenanigans are said to have happened in the house and some believe that Julian isn't really dead.
So I liked the idea of this book but, as is often the case, the execution fell flat. Alice is a super boring, dumb, and weirdly eccentric main character (and not in the good way.) She IS that dumb bitch from a horror movie. There are SO MANY red flags thrown her way and she just goes against her better judgement for... what? sex? mystery? I don't even know. Her job at the mansion is as a sort of nighttime groundskeeper (lol) and then she tinkers with things in the house and has a passion for automatons? She's strangely antisocial and her whirlwind romance with Charles wasn't only not believable, but just straight up WEIRD (again– NOT in the good way.) I honestly have never read a book with a romance that I would describe as weird but here we are. Alice is constantly swearing at herself like she knows that the things she's about to do are a bad idea but she can't help herself, which honestly makes it all worse.
I get the vibe that the author is trying to make Alice intrigued by the shenanigans at the house. But wow the amount of stuff that Alice puts up with not only crosses every line but crosses into another dimension of wack. Look, I like villain romances and possessive people, but even I was done with all the antics that Charles and Julian put her through.
Anyway, basically upon meeting her, her boss Charles really starts laying it on thick in very cringey and over the top ways. I wasn't a fan of Charles' character either. His personality was such a mixed bag of almost infantile humor, a sex obsession, a violent streak, and a giddy happiness that gave me whiplash. He had no boundaries and was just so WEIRD (see a pattern?) And I guess he's supposed to be a bit out there but it made me wonder why the heck Alice was into him. Charles' flirtations crossed the line from endearing to creepy, blatant and cringey in about 5 seconds flat. So by the end of the book I was really not feeling it whatsoever.
Julian, as our more villainous character, was an okay-ish villain. He was more just a creepy possessive stalker than anything, but because Charles took up so much screen time, we really didn't get much from Julian. I wasn't a huge fan of the decision to have two love interests (even if it is a bit explained later on in the book.)
I really wish this duology was just one book. I felt like there was so much setup in this book just for the "main event" of the second book. There really was no need to separate the two books.
Overall, I liked the idea of a creepy ghost haunting a house and the mystery of it all, but unfortunately the characters were so out of left field that I was left pretty disappointed.
Just a heads up there is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end and this is a 2-book series.
CW:
February 16, 2021
I oddly enjoyed the sinister, magician ghost. Although, I feel naughty even reading this one. And I can’t quite put into words what I liked. I guess it was the cuteness of Alice, the darkness of Julian, the goofiness of Charles, the craziness of the mansion. It was very unique.
December 15, 2023
julian strande is a fucking loser
March 9, 2022
This was incredibly fun to read!
A dark romance set in a huge spooky-Art Nouveau mansion, an evil ghost who kept me expectant on every page, and a mystery to solve that was as interesting as the personality of the illusionist himself. I couldn’t put this doulogy down.
I’m always looking for good antihero MCs, but this one here was something else entirely. The author really meant it when she said that she writes "villain romance" genre books. Julian earned a special place among my favorite villains. He really was an evil genius with a tender/black heart that left Eric, the all-time phantom, in danger of falling off the pedestal I put him on. You are going to love Julian, but don’t try to embellish him. He IS the monster the story wants you to believe he is and I loved the book for that. For not trying to apologize for the Evil protagonist; you are going to read a story about a bad powerful man. This was Dark, but no less amazing for that.
Here you get...
Canterville’s sadness
Gary Oldman Dracula’s love/obsession
Eric’s world of illusions
... all wrapped up in a clever, slender, tall package.
“For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. Aren’t those the words? See me at my worst, my Alice. My beloved. See what I hold in my soul, and if you have to look away…then there is no hope for me after all.”
Amazing. I really want to meet every other story this author has on display.
Loved the house! It’s wonderful when the scenery, in this case a building, is as important as the MCs. I imagined something like the Wisconsin’s House on the Rock (I think that was the idea), Stephen King’s Rose Red.... or the Casper Mansion 😂(hey, I loved that 90’s movie).
I didn’t give this the 5 stars that I thought it deserved because...
A dark romance set in a huge spooky-Art Nouveau mansion, an evil ghost who kept me expectant on every page, and a mystery to solve that was as interesting as the personality of the illusionist himself. I couldn’t put this doulogy down.
I’m always looking for good antihero MCs, but this one here was something else entirely. The author really meant it when she said that she writes "villain romance" genre books. Julian earned a special place among my favorite villains. He really was an evil genius with a tender/black heart that left Eric, the all-time phantom, in danger of falling off the pedestal I put him on. You are going to love Julian, but don’t try to embellish him. He IS the monster the story wants you to believe he is and I loved the book for that. For not trying to apologize for the Evil protagonist; you are going to read a story about a bad powerful man. This was Dark, but no less amazing for that.
Here you get...
Canterville’s sadness
Gary Oldman Dracula’s love/obsession
Eric’s world of illusions
... all wrapped up in a clever, slender, tall package.
“For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. Aren’t those the words? See me at my worst, my Alice. My beloved. See what I hold in my soul, and if you have to look away…then there is no hope for me after all.”
Amazing. I really want to meet every other story this author has on display.
Loved the house! It’s wonderful when the scenery, in this case a building, is as important as the MCs. I imagined something like the Wisconsin’s House on the Rock (I think that was the idea), Stephen King’s Rose Red.... or the Casper Mansion 😂(hey, I loved that 90’s movie).
I didn’t give this the 5 stars that I thought it deserved because...
July 7, 2025
My first intro to KAK was with her Phantom ‘sequel’ and then the Harrow Faire series so i often feel I started with her best stuff because ive not found anything since that ive liked as much as the Harrow Faire series but so far i actually think this is better - it definitely starts off stronger anyway and the writing is more sharp and polished than the Harrow Faire series which i found a bit repetitive and sloppy in parts.
I really like Julian so far - more so than Charles funnily enough 😜 I also like when Charles is doing the Julian persona on the stage better. I love the house, the magic tricks, the ghost antics and Alice is relateable enough.
Excited to see how this duology ends.
I really like Julian so far - more so than Charles funnily enough 😜 I also like when Charles is doing the Julian persona on the stage better. I love the house, the magic tricks, the ghost antics and Alice is relateable enough.
Excited to see how this duology ends.
dnf
August 21, 2024Nope.
this is just.. bad (really, really bad).
The writing style is so off putting, the fmc seems dumb but the mmc? what the hell is that? He's so obnoxious, like man, STFU!
I don't wanna hate Kathryn Ann Kingsley's writing because of one book, so I'll kindly dnf this.
this is just.. bad (really, really bad).
The writing style is so off putting, the fmc seems dumb but the mmc? what the hell is that? He's so obnoxious, like man, STFU!
I don't wanna hate Kathryn Ann Kingsley's writing because of one book, so I'll kindly dnf this.
October 25, 2020
This was a really enjoyable read with something always happening to keep you of balance and interested till the end.
May 10, 2020
Three stars on personal preference. Nothing reflective on the quality of this work.
The romance was a little to rushed so I didn’t really feel anything but weird with Julian or Charles.
It has a creepy Alice in Wonderland feeling with mature characters who are certainly unique. If you like this author you’re sure to love this!
Read with the wonderful girls @ RHR
The romance was a little to rushed so I didn’t really feel anything but weird with Julian or Charles.
It has a creepy Alice in Wonderland feeling with mature characters who are certainly unique. If you like this author you’re sure to love this!
Read with the wonderful girls @ RHR
November 16, 2021
November 2021
Re-read before moving onto Harrow Faire. I didn’t remember much about this one except for Julian. Really strong with Alice in Wonderland. I can’t tell if it was meant to be or a little creepy with the nickname and clock. Charles teasing and Julian’s darker teasing was entertaining and whoo boy their punishments. It was the little things that stuck out for me this time around. The little octopus and the cards.
May 2020
I loved this book so much and I still don’t fully understand what’s going on. I liked the Alice in wonderland theme because what else do you call an illusion style haunted house.
To start with it feels like a really weird love triangle, with Charles the charming prankster and Julian the possessive stalker ghost. I enjoyed both of them making Alice jump out of her skin and how she stands her ground. One of my favourite parts has to be the fortune teller card intro. Really looking forward to the next part.
Re-read before moving onto Harrow Faire. I didn’t remember much about this one except for Julian. Really strong with Alice in Wonderland. I can’t tell if it was meant to be or a little creepy with the nickname and clock. Charles teasing and Julian’s darker teasing was entertaining and whoo boy their punishments. It was the little things that stuck out for me this time around. The little octopus and the cards.
May 2020
I loved this book so much and I still don’t fully understand what’s going on. I liked the Alice in wonderland theme because what else do you call an illusion style haunted house.
To start with it feels like a really weird love triangle, with Charles the charming prankster and Julian the possessive stalker ghost. I enjoyed both of them making Alice jump out of her skin and how she stands her ground. One of my favourite parts has to be the fortune teller card intro. Really looking forward to the next part.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2022
So far I love this author.
April 25, 2021
3☆
Sorry to be weird..
I love weird..
Yea, I love weird too and I was initially enjoying reading this story. Then the writing became a bit unpleasant, especially Alice's characterisation. Alice became obnoxious, with little regard for people other than herself and Charles. She mocked other people's car (Billy's "junk" car, when she drove one herself), other people's personality (Billy's stupid having "crush" on her), other people's looks (Billy was like "overeager chipmunk"), other people's "performance" (on magic tricks, sex), etc etc.. For her, nothing and no one's superior other than Charles. Oh, Pish Posh.. 🙄
Overall, it is still bearable. The mystery of Julian's ghost is still interesting enough so I'll read the second book, and also because I've already paid for it.
Sorry to be weird..
I love weird..
Yea, I love weird too and I was initially enjoying reading this story. Then the writing became a bit unpleasant, especially Alice's characterisation. Alice became obnoxious, with little regard for people other than herself and Charles. She mocked other people's car (Billy's "junk" car, when she drove one herself), other people's personality (Billy's stupid having "crush" on her), other people's looks (Billy was like "overeager chipmunk"), other people's "performance" (on magic tricks, sex), etc etc.. For her, nothing and no one's superior other than Charles. Oh, Pish Posh.. 🙄
Overall, it is still bearable. The mystery of Julian's ghost is still interesting enough so I'll read the second book, and also because I've already paid for it.
April 19, 2021
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This dark romance could have easily been a standalone, instead, it was just a disappointment.
It's described as a villain romance where this woman starts working at a haunted mansion and the ghost of a dead magician that sold his soul to the devil is obsessed with her. The story follows her as she starts to fall for the owner of the mansion, the grand nephew of the magician, and simultaneously follows her as she starts to also fall a little bit for the magician.
The main problem is the wiring style, it fails to set the appropriate atmosphere for this type of story and heavily relies on flash forwards to make the story seem more believable but it doesn't work. There's not a good balance between her exploring the house and her being seduced by the ghost.
The other issue is the romance, her love for the grand nephew is not really that enticing and the intalove only makes it less entertaining. Lastly, the plot twist is... Pretty non twisty and not surprising at all.
This dark romance could have easily been a standalone, instead, it was just a disappointment.
It's described as a villain romance where this woman starts working at a haunted mansion and the ghost of a dead magician that sold his soul to the devil is obsessed with her. The story follows her as she starts to fall for the owner of the mansion, the grand nephew of the magician, and simultaneously follows her as she starts to also fall a little bit for the magician.
The main problem is the wiring style, it fails to set the appropriate atmosphere for this type of story and heavily relies on flash forwards to make the story seem more believable but it doesn't work. There's not a good balance between her exploring the house and her being seduced by the ghost.
The other issue is the romance, her love for the grand nephew is not really that enticing and the intalove only makes it less entertaining. Lastly, the plot twist is... Pretty non twisty and not surprising at all.
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October 8, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/12/2021)! 🎁
March 10, 2021
MacHalo Buddy Read
I loved The Masks of Under series by Kathryn Ann Kingsley. I wasn't as consumed with Julian Strande. There was a lot of "page fillers" in the beginning. But as soon as the story hit chapter 10 it took a turn for the best. That was the Kathryn Ann Kingsley style of writing I remember. Intriguing, action and a good pace.
I'll definitely read the next book just find out what happens! But a new Masks Of Under series just came out and I'm DYING to read it!
May 7, 2020
This is a most excellent start to this series/duet. I think there may be 2 or 3 books in the series.
I picked up this book, because I loved Aeon from Masks of Under. I wanted more villain in my life! This book is a loose (and I mean loose) take on Alice in Wonderland. Except Alice goes to work in a magician's funhouse and encounters the magician's mysterious heir. Sparks fly, and Alice finds herself pulled between the heir (Charles) and the ghost (Julian).
The big reveal wasn't too much of a mystery, after all, but I enjoyed the book immensely all the same. And, there is still a lot to unfold. This, is perhaps my biggest (small) *niggle* about the book--and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars. I wanted the author to give Alice and Julian more backstory. Much like the first book of Masks of Under, there were a couple info-dumpy paragraphs that could have used some tidying up. We were told about Alice's likes and dislikes, preferences for friends (she's a loner, no surprise there), hobbies, skillsets...it was a resume set in third person, which took me right out of the moody/mysterious air about the book. I also wish that we got more information and backstory on Julian, the man. Alice spends months wandering the house, and never thinks to research the mystery of Julian. Yes, she did web research beforehand. Yes, she asked to get a book about Julian from the bookstore. BUT...she acknowledges her own lack of knowledge right off the bat. And even as the house continues to unfold in mystery--and she interacts with ghost-Julian--we don't see or learn about her character being bothered by her lack of knowledge. This is where third-person may have failed the story a bit. Perhaps if we'd had some inner-monologuing here and here about how confused/scared/intrigued Alice was about Julian, we might learn what Alice knows (and doesn't know, but is curious to learn). I finished the book happy and intrigued and wanting to learn more...and then realized, yeah--I don't actually know ANYTHING about who Julian was in his former life. Who were his friends? His competitors? What dark magic did he get into? Etc. I wanted more depth for Julian.
I'd definitely recommend this book, especially if you liked Masks of Under. By comparison (to Aeon), Julian is pretty tame, but perhaps he grows more nefarious as the books go on. I wish Kingsley didn't cut out the romance scenes (she did this in other books), because the fade-t0-black feels a bit incongruent with the momentum of the plot (you feel like you're leading up to something, and then *poof* you jump into the next scene). Can't wait till the next book comes out in June!
I picked up this book, because I loved Aeon from Masks of Under. I wanted more villain in my life! This book is a loose (and I mean loose) take on Alice in Wonderland. Except Alice goes to work in a magician's funhouse and encounters the magician's mysterious heir. Sparks fly, and Alice finds herself pulled between the heir (Charles) and the ghost (Julian).
The big reveal wasn't too much of a mystery, after all, but I enjoyed the book immensely all the same. And, there is still a lot to unfold. This, is perhaps my biggest (small) *niggle* about the book--and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars. I wanted the author to give Alice and Julian more backstory. Much like the first book of Masks of Under, there were a couple info-dumpy paragraphs that could have used some tidying up. We were told about Alice's likes and dislikes, preferences for friends (she's a loner, no surprise there), hobbies, skillsets...it was a resume set in third person, which took me right out of the moody/mysterious air about the book. I also wish that we got more information and backstory on Julian, the man. Alice spends months wandering the house, and never thinks to research the mystery of Julian. Yes, she did web research beforehand. Yes, she asked to get a book about Julian from the bookstore. BUT...she acknowledges her own lack of knowledge right off the bat. And even as the house continues to unfold in mystery--and she interacts with ghost-Julian--we don't see or learn about her character being bothered by her lack of knowledge. This is where third-person may have failed the story a bit. Perhaps if we'd had some inner-monologuing here and here about how confused/scared/intrigued Alice was about Julian, we might learn what Alice knows (and doesn't know, but is curious to learn). I finished the book happy and intrigued and wanting to learn more...and then realized, yeah--I don't actually know ANYTHING about who Julian was in his former life. Who were his friends? His competitors? What dark magic did he get into? Etc. I wanted more depth for Julian.
I'd definitely recommend this book, especially if you liked Masks of Under. By comparison (to Aeon), Julian is pretty tame, but perhaps he grows more nefarious as the books go on. I wish Kingsley didn't cut out the romance scenes (she did this in other books), because the fade-t0-black feels a bit incongruent with the momentum of the plot (you feel like you're leading up to something, and then *poof* you jump into the next scene). Can't wait till the next book comes out in June!
May 4, 2020
I really don't think I could ever get tired of praising Kathryn Ann Kingsley's writing! And I don't even know how she never fails to surprise me with every new book of hers! Each time I go in expecting something based on the blurb, I'm amazed by the completely different experience that I get when I'm done reading!
Illusions of Grandeur is what I'd classify as villain romance or even dark romance! It's dark, twisted and magical on a whole new level!
Alice has just arrived at the Strande Mansion to interview for the position of a Caretaker when she's hired on the spot! She's not one to make impulsive decisions, but after losing her job and coming across an ad for this position she decides to take a leap of faith and try her hand at this!
The Strande Mansion also holds a lot of secrets, illusions and ghosts, and it's upto Alice now to figure out whether to stay and unearth them or leave them as it is!
Along with Kathryn's writing my favorite thing about her books is the characters! Alice was an intriguing protagonist, who prefers her own company but has a lot of curiosity! We also have her new boss Charles who's both flirty and dangerous! And let's not forget the ghost of Julian Strande who finds himself drawn to Alice! The interplay between all of them was amazing!
I found myself drawn to the puzzle of Julian just like Alice was and the Strande mansion is essentially an extension of him. And some of the steamy scenes were downright explosive!
After finishing this book in one sitting, I'm as invested as Alice and I need answers to all of my questions! So many things to find out and I can't wait for book two!
Arggh! June feels too far away!
*I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Illusions of Grandeur is what I'd classify as villain romance or even dark romance! It's dark, twisted and magical on a whole new level!
Alice has just arrived at the Strande Mansion to interview for the position of a Caretaker when she's hired on the spot! She's not one to make impulsive decisions, but after losing her job and coming across an ad for this position she decides to take a leap of faith and try her hand at this!
The Strande Mansion also holds a lot of secrets, illusions and ghosts, and it's upto Alice now to figure out whether to stay and unearth them or leave them as it is!
Along with Kathryn's writing my favorite thing about her books is the characters! Alice was an intriguing protagonist, who prefers her own company but has a lot of curiosity! We also have her new boss Charles who's both flirty and dangerous! And let's not forget the ghost of Julian Strande who finds himself drawn to Alice! The interplay between all of them was amazing!
I found myself drawn to the puzzle of Julian just like Alice was and the Strande mansion is essentially an extension of him. And some of the steamy scenes were downright explosive!
After finishing this book in one sitting, I'm as invested as Alice and I need answers to all of my questions! So many things to find out and I can't wait for book two!
Arggh! June feels too far away!
*I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
July 16, 2020
I really liked these books- and I’m looking forward to reading more of this authors work. However, I’m deducting twos stars just because I like much darker reads. This almost had everything I love. I just like more violence and darker villains/hero’s.
*Update with spoilers*
OK I thought about it some more and decided that it was because Julian was always mischievous and playing pranks that made me not take him seriously. Even when he got angry I was still never scared of him. I wish the author would have expanded more on his evil side; made him darker, more twisted and obsessed. Too much time was spent on Charles and he overshadowed Julian IMO. Charles was this big goofy Labrador and it was almost impossible for me to get around that. I knew pretty early on what the twist was, and again---I had a hard time taking anything Julian did serious because he was Charles from the beginning.
However, I really do enjoy this author- her writing is smooth, easy to follow and she's super creative. I'll keep reading!
*Update with spoilers*
OK I thought about it some more and decided that it was because Julian was always mischievous and playing pranks that made me not take him seriously. Even when he got angry I was still never scared of him. I wish the author would have expanded more on his evil side; made him darker, more twisted and obsessed. Too much time was spent on Charles and he overshadowed Julian IMO. Charles was this big goofy Labrador and it was almost impossible for me to get around that. I knew pretty early on what the twist was, and again---I had a hard time taking anything Julian did serious because he was Charles from the beginning.
However, I really do enjoy this author- her writing is smooth, easy to follow and she's super creative. I'll keep reading!
May 25, 2020
This is one big fat spoiler. Beware!
GHOST DIDN'T SHAG ALICE in this book. Alice even didn't want to bounce on ghosts bed with Charles and even at the haunted house ballroom. Well Alice you are a real party pooper :(
We got one steamy night with Charles (Julians (the ghost) grand grand some kind of relative) and one kind a nice "hoovering" after the show. Alice I believe you could do better.
Eh probably all the fun things are reserved for the second book :(
GHOST DIDN'T SHAG ALICE in this book. Alice even didn't want to bounce on ghosts bed with Charles and even at the haunted house ballroom. Well Alice you are a real party pooper :(
We got one steamy night with Charles (Julians (the ghost) grand grand some kind of relative) and one kind a nice "hoovering" after the show. Alice I believe you could do better.
Eh probably all the fun things are reserved for the second book :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2020
*panting* I don’t even know where to begin! I cannot believe the author wrote this book AND half of the 2nd in 2 1/2 weeks...just absolutely amazing! This is the first book I have read from this author and definitely will not be the last.
Grammar/Editing - Very well written. I didn’t notice any mistakes that I can recall.
Plot - Intriguing and held my interest.
Length - Ended at location 3538 on the Kindle app.
Romance - The chemistry is off the charts! I love the mental foreplay...that just makes the real deal so much better! The scenes in the book are not graphic, but the author has 2 deleted scenes on her website that are for mature eyes only. *gasp* *so hot*
Profanity - Quite a bit of the harsher words.
Violence - There’s such a sense of mystery with a heavy dose of suspense. One scene of potential violence at the end of the book is unexplained in part 1. Maybe we’ll see the bigger picture in part 2.
Cheating - None
Cliffhanger - YES! The author prefaces the story by letting the reader know there is a second book. I was almost tempted to wait, but the book is coming out in June, so I went ahead and read the first one. So glad I did!
Final rating - 5 stars all the way, and even MORE if Amazon allowed it! I love how the author had the hero reveal his villainous side! *insert villainous wiggling eyebrows*
Grammar/Editing - Very well written. I didn’t notice any mistakes that I can recall.
Plot - Intriguing and held my interest.
Length - Ended at location 3538 on the Kindle app.
Romance - The chemistry is off the charts! I love the mental foreplay...that just makes the real deal so much better! The scenes in the book are not graphic, but the author has 2 deleted scenes on her website that are for mature eyes only. *gasp* *so hot*
Profanity - Quite a bit of the harsher words.
Violence - There’s such a sense of mystery with a heavy dose of suspense. One scene of potential violence at the end of the book is unexplained in part 1. Maybe we’ll see the bigger picture in part 2.
Cheating - None
Cliffhanger - YES! The author prefaces the story by letting the reader know there is a second book. I was almost tempted to wait, but the book is coming out in June, so I went ahead and read the first one. So glad I did!
Final rating - 5 stars all the way, and even MORE if Amazon allowed it! I love how the author had the hero reveal his villainous side! *insert villainous wiggling eyebrows*
May 8, 2020
4.5.
I really loved this!
I discovered this author last year with her Masks of Under series, which I thought was excellent and this is the third series if hers that I have started and I am as drawn in as I was with the others.
The whole concept on this novel was really interesting: a strange house owned filled with illusions and trickery haunted by the ghost of the magician who allegedly sold his soul to the devil and that is what powered his amazing illusions.
In comes Alice, an introverted, puzzle loving mechanical engineering twenty something, so is instantly drawn to the mystery of the house, her new boss and great nephew of the sea magician and even the ghost of the magician itself.
While it was pretty clear about what was going on with Charles and Julian, I am still really intrigued to find out the details of it and there is so much unanswered.
I am desperate for the next one and am now making it my personal mission to try and get my hands on an ARC like the greedy person I am! Julian would approve if my greediness, I'm sure!
I really loved this!
I discovered this author last year with her Masks of Under series, which I thought was excellent and this is the third series if hers that I have started and I am as drawn in as I was with the others.
The whole concept on this novel was really interesting: a strange house owned filled with illusions and trickery haunted by the ghost of the magician who allegedly sold his soul to the devil and that is what powered his amazing illusions.
In comes Alice, an introverted, puzzle loving mechanical engineering twenty something, so is instantly drawn to the mystery of the house, her new boss and great nephew of the sea magician and even the ghost of the magician itself.
While it was pretty clear about what was going on with Charles and Julian, I am still really intrigued to find out the details of it and there is so much unanswered.
I am desperate for the next one and am now making it my personal mission to try and get my hands on an ARC like the greedy person I am! Julian would approve if my greediness, I'm sure!
May 9, 2020
Edit: Just changed my rating from 3 to 4 stars..thanks to deleted scenes. Here's why....
I'm a new reader of Kathryn Ann Kingsley. Just last week I picked up my first book by this author Steel Rose. My thoughts- effortless and deliciously explicit. I guess I expected Illusions of Grandeur to be the same. It was a great read. Totes effortless. So much fun mystery spread around. Here the but, it was missing the sexiness. I know this author can write sexy. I read it in Steel Rose💕. I also felt like Alice should be asking a few questions just to find out that the author did do these things!!! She just didn't add them to the book! So after reading the deleted scenes I felt alot better and I even have a new insight on theories. Sorry if this is rambling I dont write many reviews.
I'm a new reader of Kathryn Ann Kingsley. Just last week I picked up my first book by this author Steel Rose. My thoughts- effortless and deliciously explicit. I guess I expected Illusions of Grandeur to be the same. It was a great read. Totes effortless. So much fun mystery spread around. Here the but, it was missing the sexiness. I know this author can write sexy. I read it in Steel Rose💕. I also felt like Alice should be asking a few questions just to find out that the author did do these things!!! She just didn't add them to the book! So after reading the deleted scenes I felt alot better and I even have a new insight on theories. Sorry if this is rambling I dont write many reviews.
March 27, 2022
4.5 stars rounded.
I love a dark hero that's not completely evil, and Julian Strands hits all those notes for me. Although not impossibly long, this book was a slow read for me. I love this heroine, and I can't wait to see what she will do once she has all the pieces to the puzzle. I love that she is smart and loves to solve puzzles. I love the fact that she wanted to be a puppeteer. She's strong, but not brash and abrasive. She faces her fears and is not afraid of admitting that there are pieces of her that like the fact that the fear is there.
I love a dark hero that's not completely evil, and Julian Strands hits all those notes for me. Although not impossibly long, this book was a slow read for me. I love this heroine, and I can't wait to see what she will do once she has all the pieces to the puzzle. I love that she is smart and loves to solve puzzles. I love the fact that she wanted to be a puppeteer. She's strong, but not brash and abrasive. She faces her fears and is not afraid of admitting that there are pieces of her that like the fact that the fear is there.
June 20, 2022
Well. That was quite a wild ride. Onto book 2!
May 7, 2020
Well this is only the second book I have read by this author and I can tell you that I'sm hooked. This story will take you for a ride and leave you wanting more. So I guess we bare in luck cause book two is not far off I hope. If you want a little spooky a litle hot and whole lotta good the give this book a go. Spook-a-licios
July 17, 2020
I despise cliffhanger books. It's such a dirty trick to play on an unsuspecting reader, so normally I give them one star for that piece of fuckery. However, the next book was already out when I got to this one, so that saved it.
This book had me hooked, even though I kinda figured it out. Still, I love the theme and the haunting nature of it. It's a bit repetitive so that and the shitty cliffhanger made it lose stars.
This book had me hooked, even though I kinda figured it out. Still, I love the theme and the haunting nature of it. It's a bit repetitive so that and the shitty cliffhanger made it lose stars.
July 13, 2020
2 stars
This book started strong with a carnival/magician mansion running as a museum with years of mysteries and spook to be desired. This book did have a great atmosphere.
I did not mind the hot boss with a knack for the mischievous until he became a love interest and lover to the main character especially when the synopsis portrays this as a ghost love story.
Ghost romances like this are more miss than hit but occasionally I have been surprised and loved the cute wholesomeness of them and the others tended to have some conversation of grief. I should have been more realistic when I knew this book would be more smutty.
There were times when I did suspect the ghost and the boss were the same people but the book did such a great job seemingly disproving that so you have a sexual relationship with the boss and “happy” times with a ghost and I just can’t stand cheating even in a situation as weird and fantastical as this. Furthermore, I do not like the boss. Something about his dialogue, mannerisms, etc just uncomfortable with him despite not being able to pinpoint why.
Also, the summary has a warning that this is a villain love story and the male wouldn’t necessarily make the right or nice choices and honestly the ghost wasn’t evil. He was moody and quick to become obsessive and in “love” with the main character. The relationship and feelings definitely on his part were not healthy he watched her sleep and spooned her since night one.
Then the boyfriend taking role play of his uncle during sex was just so cringe at the time because we don’t know the truth yet.
However, I love how the big reveal was revealed to the readers and not the main character. It was refreshing.
I did enjoy the Alice in Wonderland references, music, and love of tinkering the characters have but again it was lacking. I do not think I will read the next book
This book started strong with a carnival/magician mansion running as a museum with years of mysteries and spook to be desired. This book did have a great atmosphere.
I did not mind the hot boss with a knack for the mischievous until he became a love interest and lover to the main character especially when the synopsis portrays this as a ghost love story.
Ghost romances like this are more miss than hit but occasionally I have been surprised and loved the cute wholesomeness of them and the others tended to have some conversation of grief. I should have been more realistic when I knew this book would be more smutty.
There were times when I did suspect the ghost and the boss were the same people but the book did such a great job seemingly disproving that so you have a sexual relationship with the boss and “happy” times with a ghost and I just can’t stand cheating even in a situation as weird and fantastical as this. Furthermore, I do not like the boss. Something about his dialogue, mannerisms, etc just uncomfortable with him despite not being able to pinpoint why.
Also, the summary has a warning that this is a villain love story and the male wouldn’t necessarily make the right or nice choices and honestly the ghost wasn’t evil. He was moody and quick to become obsessive and in “love” with the main character. The relationship and feelings definitely on his part were not healthy he watched her sleep and spooned her since night one.
Then the boyfriend taking role play of his uncle during sex was just so cringe at the time because we don’t know the truth yet.
However, I love how the big reveal was revealed to the readers and not the main character. It was refreshing.
I did enjoy the Alice in Wonderland references, music, and love of tinkering the characters have but again it was lacking. I do not think I will read the next book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 8, 2020DNF at 66%
Honestly the only character in this book that I liked was Julian. This is completely a personal preference but the rest of them just didn’t do it for me. I was also confused the whole time I was reading this book, I felt like I could never catch up. So unfortunately this book was not for me.
Honestly the only character in this book that I liked was Julian. This is completely a personal preference but the rest of them just didn’t do it for me. I was also confused the whole time I was reading this book, I felt like I could never catch up. So unfortunately this book was not for me.
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