The Rejected King

Desolation #1

by Kortney Keisel

The king hired her to find him a wife. She fell for him instead.

Marriage is the only thing that can save King Davin's most-hated reputation. And to make things worse, Davin hired the one girl he's most attracted to, but her social class makes her an impossible choice for his future.

Emree Dutson has one goal: raise the king's approval ratings so she can get a permanent job at the castle. Falling in love with the king wasn't part of the job description. Now her feelings for him are ruining everything.

Will Davin risk his crown for love?

Get a FREE copy of the Rejected King on my website.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Dystopia, Young Adult, Royalty, Fiction, Clean Romance

280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2021

About the author

Kortney graduated from the University of Utah with an English degree and spent a few years before motherhood teaching 7th and 8th graders how to write a book report, among other things. But after a reading slump, where no plots seemed to satisfy, Kortney pulled out her laptop and started writing the "perfect" love story...or at least she tried. Writing love stories is her job...just kidding. Her real job is taking care of her five awesome kids and spending time with her husband.

Kortney loves a good romance movie or book, warm chocolate chip cookies, and traveling the world.

Connect with Kortney at www.kortneykeisel.com

Reviews

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute. wholesome. absolutely perfect for those looking to read something super similar to ‘the selection’ series.

i did find the story to be predictable as it progressed, but the adorable banter between davin and emree had me not caring.

this is a quick, light book - good for anyone needing a couple hours of entertainment.

PS - this is a free ebook you can get at the authors website here.

↠ 3.5 stars

[SHOMPA · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was full of angsty, drama and growing anticipation. When I looked at the synopsis and cover of the book, thought it was going to be a very epic-fantasy read. Honestly I was not prepared at all for such simple and predictable story. One thing I can say though, is Kortney Keisel has got some incredible writing talent. I thoroughly enjoyed her writing.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just can't get over how amazing this book was! I now know why it's all over bookstagram...🙈😍 I was captured by this book from page one and I still wish there was more for me to read!! 😍😍

This book had every element that I love! It had romance, history, lovable characters, a "forbidden" romance, and an amazing author who has an amazing writing style.

I loved Emree so much! I definitely saw quite a bit of myself in her. I was able to connect and love her character from the very beginning. I had a hard time not reacting to things like she did in the book. I was so consumed with her character there were times that I felt like I was her. I loved her wittyness and the personality that came out when she was around Davin.

Speaking of Davin, this boy king is a new favorite of mine! His little cinnamon rollness has stolen my heart! 😍😍 I loved his character so much. I also instantly connected with him from the very first page. I just loved watching him grow and his love grow. Seriously, Davin and Emree are probably a new top OTP for me! They were just SO CUTE!!!! 😍😍💙

I am so happy that I read this book. It is so good! I cannot wait to read the next books in this series!!!!! 😍💙

[Breny and Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5
Guys, I wanted to love it, I truly did! That cover is gorgeous and it gave me all the fantasy and YA vibes!

Sadly, for me, it didn't fufill my expectations. I was expecting a fast paced fantasy book filled with all the world building and complex characters but somehow I feel the plot didn't match the vibe I was getting from the cover.

This is definitley not a fantasy book. It is sci-fi-ish? Like, its in 2050 but the plot of the book makes it seem like civilization went backwards instead of forward in technology. I kinda liked that spin though- depicting tech as strange and foreign in a world where it was decided to never make use of the technoloyg that destroyed civilization in the first place. Kinda interesting twist.

The whole idea of the book was intriguing but there were three things that just made me feel kinda ''eek'' about it :

1) There is no world-building **cries**. There are some books that are these rare unicorns that people love even tho there is no world-building, The Selection being a good example. But I feel this book lacked a lot of world-building. I wanted to be THERE, feel, touch and see you know... I didn't even get a good description of the palace to make up something about it : ( Kiera Cass made us get so invested in her chracters nothing else mattered, but in this book I felt the characters needed more development to get to that level.

2) The romance **hides**. I’m so sorry, but I don’t know how this book can fit under the ‘’clean’’ category of books. I was cringing so hard through the books it was just too much! Yes, there aren’t any sex scenes, but they might as well put some with all the descriptions and lusty thoughts in the book. The romance between the main characters was so physical 🙈. The poor dudes couldn’t even control their eyes, and nope. Also, the ‘’romance’’ starts with the Prince accidentally getting in the a girl's bed and they are both ‘’so tired’’ they don’t realize they are sleeping with each other until they kiss because -‘’dreams are so real’’ and then they both wake up and realize that nope, it wasn’t a dream, they were kissing each other **cough cough* passionately. That scene catapults all the very superficial, love at first sight romance. Sprinkle some more unnecessary physical and lusty descriptions throughout the book and, yeah. I’m so sorry, but I can’t condone this content in books at all. I honestly thought I was going to love it and even posted a story on my Instagram about it. I will not lie, the first chapter was INCREDIBLE! It was a Flashback chapter and that why I made the post-thinking the story would develop the same way that chapter did.

3) The characters are cliche and have super predictable behaviors. I’ll leave it at that because it kinda connects with the romance point. Also, plot wise, it was very predictable and it felt like the author was inspired by The Selection by Kiera Cass and somehow she tried to give it that vibe but sadly it was a no for me : (

Any final thoughts? Well, I dunno. I don't like writting negative reviews, believe me I don't. But sometimes you have to do what you have to do. It wouldn't be fair of me to just write positive ones when in reality this review is for that- to help readers find potential books they can fall in love with and share my honest thoughts about them with you all. <3

Even so, if the book blurb sounds like something you would enjoy, pls give it a try! We all have different tastes in books and maybe you end up liking it ❤️

[Nassy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, fluffy read. It's good for times when you just want to read something light. It does remind me a lot of The Selection without the annoying Love triangle. Although, this technically had one but it's obvious from the beginning how the relationship was going to end.

My only critique is that it didn't have any non-romantic plot. Literally everything in this is about love and feelings which kinda got too much sometimes (this is coming from someone who refuses to read books without a romance plot). I just think too much of a good thing isn't good anymore. Also, the romance was kind of "love at first sight" with a little twist. I didn't mind it that much tho because of the twist

[❁ lilyreadsromance ❁ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This book belongs in a category I would call, full of potential but lacking in execution.

The bare bone of the plot is there. And I can see what the author was trying to do but it didn't exactly achieve it. Moreover, it's clean romance (which is a subgenre I generally stayed away from).

The unique world-building is there but was barely elaborated. Imagine a post-apocalyptic world meets contemporary political romance meets regency era. That's how I imagined the world to be, but since the structural, cultural, and hierarchical world-building wasn't fully explained, I don't even know how this world worked.

I can't help but think about what another author could do with this plot. It would probably be better.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clean Fantasy Romance

5 Stars ✨


“Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats.”

The Rejected King takes place in sort of a post apocalyptic setting. There was a “Desolation” - (year 2055) an end of the world type situation, where lots of wars and devastation took place. Totally turning the world upside down. The book starts 200 years after the desolation, when the world has been semi rebuilt- but not the same as it once was.

King Davin is a young king, trying to build his reputation. He’s not the people or the elites favorite, because he’s so young with great ideas and ambitions. He likes to go against what many in his elite society deem fitting- therefore, making his ratings less in the polls. His mother seems to think he needs a wife, so she puts together a promenade, asking 60 elite women from the surrounding provinces to come compete for his hand. She hires a young working class woman named Emree to help Davin find a wife. Little does his mother know, it’s not the first time Davin has met Emree.

✨SWOON✨

Ladies and gentleman, I have a new OTP.
I absolutely adored this. The writing was fantastic, and flowed beautifully. From the very first chapter, I was hooked, lined and sinker and read it in one sitting. I haven’t read a “romance” in a while so I’m so glad I picked a winner. It had everything I love in a good romance book. The chemistry and banter between Emree and Davin is literally perfection. The way they each saw each other, was chefs kiss 🤌🏽 It was totally dramatic, and of course unrealistic. There were many common cliches- including being a forbidden royal romance, but who even cares, it was clean, swoony and fun. Only complaint- I would have liked to have known a little bit more about the dystopian dynamics of the world, but there was just enough information to make it work. Definitely will be reading more from this author. Would recommend!

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a lot to say. (this is very, veryyyyyy long. And I realize it gets pretty critical...)

Before I go heavy on the negative side and all venty, I got to put it out there that I really enjoyed this; I just had a whole lotta fun reading it. Like, immensely. I stayed up late reading it, and the first thing when I woke up that I was achhiiiing to do was continue reading the book. First, I SO loved the humour presented. Emree was downright hilarious! I laughed out loud wayyy more than I thought I would have, and the dialogue banter between Emree and Davin was just spot-on. I just- AH, the things they said and came up with were just hilarious!

I also liked the situation between Emree and Davin. *looks to the blurb* As we know, Emree and Davin's thing is a whole forbidden love situation, separated by social class. That type of jazz. I'm not really into the Cinderella-style trope, but this story got me invested. Really, really invested. I wanted to see how they would end up together and witness a whole lot more of their bantering.

Anyway, I was in the mood for something light and fluffy, nothing brain-consuming or heart-shattering, and this most definitely was it. The writing was good; the humour real humorous; the plotline was enough to get me invested with the story.

However.

*HoWeVERrRr*

The characters and the romance... I'd say they're more on the questionable side of things.

1) Emree and Davin simply don't act their age. They didn't feel like their age at all. I was really surprised when I found out how old they were in the story. Emree is nineteen and Davin twenty-four.

HUNEY, I was expecting them to be at *the* most, nineteen or under. All right, I'll admit, I did come into reading the book thinking that this story was about teens falling in love with each other with that typical age 17 and up. The thing is, as I progressed through the story, Emree (specifically) was filled with much... childishness (?) in her. Like, the wayyyy she thinks. I know people who are nineteen, and I severely, highly doubt that they would carry their minds as not-so-maturely as she did (or maybe cus they are really mature...). Or it really felt that way personally to me, at least. Therefore, she felt like she lacked a whole lot of maturity – her thinking certainly did not feel like a nineteen-year-old. And this whole thing links to the romance in the story (in which I shall speak [rant] upon very soon).

Emree took one look at the king, and her heart literally stopped. She imagined her death certificate, the lines detailing her demise reading that she had been killed by handsomeness.

So, silly or hilarious? I'm taking this more as hilarious because it is so silly.

Okay, let me cut Emree some slack and give her some credit. She was funny, she really really was. She cracked me up, and I burst out laughing from her thoughts (in which some made me wonder if they were incredibly silly or incredibly-silly-that-I-can't-take-this-book-serious-anymore. More on that later). She was good company as a character, and even though she had more immature thinking, she didn't necessarily annoy me. Really, she wasn't bad at all. She wasn't even unlikable to me. It's just that her character could've been much better!

But now, Davin. All right, he had a lot more solid thinking than Emree. BUT, he didn't feel like his age either. Like, read the book and *try* imagining Davin coming to real life in the body of a twenty-four-year-old. Personally, I just can't. He came off as a nineteen-year-old, max. I wouldn't say that he lacked some maturity like Emree did, but he felt so youthful and just not like an adult. Or, to be honest, it's either that or the fact that I just don't know the majority of the twenty-four-year-old males to compare well enough. *shrugs* It's personally how he came off to me.

Also, Davin didn't seem convincing. He was pretty cliched... but eh, I'm not dying over the fact. It's just it. Can't do much about it...

2) They met in a bed, making out in their "dream".

Do I need to elaborate?

no, no i don't. but i really want to.

First of all, *tries not to type everything in all caps...* HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW YOU'RE LIPS ARE LITERALLY ALL OVER SOMEONE ELSES IRL WHILE YOU ARE SUPPOSEDLY DREAMINGGGGGG?

That is prettyyyyyyyyyy unrealistic and straight off weird. Like, AT LEAST one of them should've realized it sooner or later. In which, of course, Emree was the one to... but they each knew that someone else was in the bed with them but was "too tired to notice" it was real. They should've noticed then! I'm tempted to seek a sociologist or somebody who studies human activities in dreams and ask them if such a thing could happen. So until then, I'm downright convinced that it's just pretty unrealistic.

Secondly, I just didn't like the scenario... I didn't really find it any way romantic. It just came out so much more lusty than I would've preferred.

3) The romance. It was sweet and light, which I always find for one from time to time.
Although, I would say, if you want to read something convincing with a really good love story, I doubt this one would do it.

Now, I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the progression (though, weak as it was..) and seeing how they would end up together. I don't vehemently despise the romance to the point where I just want to go into the story and slam my kindle on their heads.

no, no.

I simply found it utterly, disastrously ridiculous.

(ahhhh, pls pardon my a-tad-harsher choice of vocabulary...)

You know, it's like when you're at a weird/awkward situation in life where you just can't take things seriously anymore because of how ridiculous everything is – and to the point where you can't help but laugh at it.

The whole romance thing was really physical. I've read reviews agreeing with this, so I didn't expect otherwise when I came into the story. Now, you know how I said Emree felt not like her age? Yeah, well, part of the reason why was because of her infatuation with Davin.

I was *literally* ON THE SEARCH for something that Emree would say about Davin's character and whatnot. And I could have missed it by a *very* slight chance, but I found nothing. NOTHING.

NOTHINGGGGGGGGGGG.

GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

It was ALLLLLLLLL about how handsome he was, and it was ALL about the "spark" they shared, the "electricity" that buzzed between them when their hands touched. It was her attraction to him, her very very strong attraction to his sculpted body and handsome face. Her infatuation – which she described to be "love" – with him was soooo high-school boy crush type, based on the "spark" they shared and pretty much nothing else relevant.

Then there was Davin, in which if he hadn't his own POV, I would've not trusted him. You see, Emree had all that attraction to him (which I've pretty much established). And when I decided to banish Davin's POV in my mind and read Emree's POV with her eyes instead of my head, I thought how Davin could've passed to be one of those nasty, slimy villains/bad-bad-boys fellas in which the ladies are attracted to. Now, he wasn't bad at all, I don't think; I did like his character. The point is, Emree could've fallen in love with some really bad dude, with the basis of attraction and "spark". Like, it felt that anybody could've taken the place of Davin as long as he treated her well and provided the spark and good looks.

I was searching and searching for something redeeming from Emree, but I didn't find anything. So, this was the last thing that did it for me that made me go all sed:

(Just some context: Emree was longing for Davin)

As if there was something better than Davin.

Nobody liked handsome, smart, creative, powerful, well-read men. They were the worst! And let's not forget about the king's sculpted abs. Gross!

It was at this point, dearest, where all hope was lost for me. Like, THIS **EXACTLY** shows how shallow a heroine issssssssssss.

Like, you know those type of girls (or guys) in books who are asked "Why do you like him?" (or her) when they are unsure whether they should marry them or not?

Yeah. Then they cliche-y go: "He's handsome, smart, creative, powerful, and well-read. Oh, and he has killer abs that, I mean, who could miss out on???!"

the question I have for Emree: is that alllllll?

I mean, Davin could've been "handsome, smart, creative, powerful, well-read" and all the while be a secret drug lord or something.

EMREE, my dearest, just tell me, convince me that you fell in love with the person he was and tell me what are the attributes you admire about him. And I'm not using this quote above and disqualifying the "other things" she said about him relating to his attributes and all because I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG. Even Davin had an ounce of something that didn't do with how sexy her neck was that made it a lot more convincing than Emree.

*tries to cool down*

In summary, Emree's basis of love for Davin was so weak. I felt like her character wasn't strong; she did have personality, and her lines made me laugh a whole lot, but overall, she felt pretty weak. Her thinking was pretty underdeveloped and came off as slightly immature. She definitely had a lot more potential as a character if she just had more character zest in her and a maturity I like in the heroines I read. :D

But, I need to make a disclaimer that my normal reads are adult fiction, which generally have different types of characters than a YA would have (right?), or a different romance too than what I prefer. So, I was more dissatisfied because it was just not how I like it.



So, I say all this, but I'm giving it a solid three stars. Because despite all... that^, I enjoyed the book. I know I was a lot more, er, critical in the review, but I cannot say enough that it gave me great pleasure to read even though the romance development was not how I like it. The story was interesting, the plot was getting me going, and I was desperate to find out what happened next. While the romance was all... that, it didn't piss me off or annoy me at all (I think I sounded way more annoyed than I feel, HAHA. So a more accurate term would be "baffled" :D); it was something for me to laugh at. So, it didn't take me hugely away from enjoying the book. So definitely cheers to the author for completing the story that was really enjoyable!

With all that said, will I read more of Kortney Keisel's books? Hmm. Probably not because I fear all the other romances and characters might turn out to be like this one. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it, either, but if you're on the lookout for something fluffy and fast with romance, this certainly is it! But yes even still, this book definitely gave me great pleasure to read with lots of good humour that made me laugh out loud more than I thought I would've. :p

I have officially calmed down.

[Nathaniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book. The plot was fun and fast-paced. The characters were engaging. The ending was what I expected. Overall a fun, light read. Am I going to continue? I haven't decided yet. I think that Keisel has a lot of potential as a writer. This book showcased her skills in a good way, but I don't know how much I care about this world. The worldbuilding was minimal, which is fine because the world wasn't the focus at all, but now I couldn't care less about the people and happenings in all the other... kingdoms? Realms? Whatever it was they were called.
So... that's a bummer. i was hoping I would be dying to binge this, but I guess not.
I do also think the characters acted like sixteen-eighteen year olds... not a nineteen and twenty something guy. They were too immature for that. Just something that bothered me for some of the book.

[Cristy Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

adorable, but also thrilling and brave

I loved this romance story set in a future dystopian, post-post apocalyptic kingdom, where the ruling class controls resources and loves big and the working class has no rights. Keizer deftly wove the tale to show not only the injustice of classism, but also its eventual demise in the hands of two brave people long to challenge the status-quo. I had read Keisel’s more contemporary work and this was my first dive into her dystopian genre work. I’ll be reading more! The narrative was as sweet and clean as her contemporary sweet romcoms, with nothing but big emotions and swoony kisses. I also liked that the dystopian portion was low violence with no cursing. A clean read perfect for younger girls wanting to dive into a great narrative with a strong moral lesson.

[Talia Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book because it was supposed to be like the Selection, and in a way it was, but honestly this book was bad. Poor writing, cringey dialog, flat characters, etc.

We'll start at the beginning (a very good place to start). In the beginning Emree and King Davin have a mix up of rooms at a hotel and end up in the same room and bed. Which honestly seems a little... dumb, but it gets worse than that. They then make out ("the most amazing kiss ever" *rolls eyes*) thinking it's a dream. I should've just stopped there, but I didn't and honestly I don't know why. That's then the whole reason they have an interest in each other cuz they've never had a kiss like that before. And must I mention that Emree actually has a boyfriend? I mean he's pretty nonexistent throughout the whole book, but still it's a little iffy. This moment is also the reason Emree got the job. And the reason why I could never take this book seriously. Honestly I have no idea why I didn't stop there.

But the beginning isn't my only issue with this book. I have so many issues with the writing and the dialog in this book, and I could tell you but it's better to just show you. (with some of my commentary)
Quotes that made me wish to pluck out my eyes:
"His movement faltered, and his brown eyes cut into the center of her soul." (hardcore cringe)
"Apparently, she had no control when it came to Davin and his lips--his shiver-inducing lips." (this is disgusting)
"Emree was beautiful, but she was more than that. She was goal-oriented with ideas and ambitions (oh look, a woman with ideas, those are rare). She was intelligent and well-read. She was polished and confident, but at the same time, she had an adorable dose of naivety that he loved (I really hate this bit). He didn't dare take his eyes off of her because he didn't want to miss one wide-eyed expression, one mischievous smile, or one brilliant book review (...wat?)"
"Stop biting your lip and looking so attractive. I'm trying to be a gentleman (why is Davin so gross?)."
"I think I've loved you from the moment you curled up next to me in bed at the Morreck Inn. You were just a dream girl then, but now you're what dreams are made of (cute line completely ruined my the mention of the dumb incident at the Inn. Did I mention this is like the end of the book and they're still talking about it?)."

But there was one particular line that I liked for some reason so I figure I better include it so this book doesn't get totally bashed. Here it is:
"That's the thing, Mother, it's my future. I get to decide if she's worth it."

Okay but this world building was pretty much nonexistent. I have lots of questions. This book takes place after the "desolation." What is the desolation? I think it's a series of natural disasters that must have destroyed stuff and people, but not everyone or everything... There was literally no details or explanation, but they mention it all the time. Also you have to know the have a land called "New Montana" and one called "Dakotaland" can we talk about a lack of creativity? Tho one thing was interesting, in this "world" they vote for the King. Which kinda makes it seem like he's not really a king... but it also caused drama so... I guess it was okay. It was just kinda weird.

Another thing that bothered me was their love for reading. It just feels like such a copout when book characters love to read in order to make them "relatable" to the reader. Emree and Davin trade books which was kinda cute, but it got on my nerves pretty quick (literally the first time it happened cuz they read "the Hunger Games"). And then, and then guys, you just have to read this discussion. This is Davin trying to tell Emree he loves her and wants to be with her. (also with some of my commentary)
Davin: "Why did you like Gale best?" (seriously who likes Gale best? Also keep in mind that right before this he was talking about rainbows so it was totally random)
Emree: *crickets* (here she's also trying to figure out what the crap is happening)
Davin: "In The Hunger Games, why did you like Gale best?"
Emree: *crickets*
Davin: “Did you like Gale because he and Katniss had grown up together? Because they were childhood sweethearts like you and Portlend?" (were they really childhood sweethearts tho?)
Emree: "I think you're reading into my choice a little too much." (absolutely. Thank you Emree. You actually said something worthwhile)
Davin: *nodds* "So there's room in your heart for Peeta?" (stoooop Davin)
Emree: "Are you Peeta in this scenario?" (very good question Emree. And Davin you are nothing like Peeta so please stop.)
Davin: "I think so"
*Everything goes to crap and they confess their love* After that! Do I even need to tell you why this is bad?

At one point they find this pre-desolation safe, it has some notes, rings, and money. They read this note that's super romantic about this guy saying that it doesn't matter what happens or gets destroyed in the desolation because he got to spend time with his wife. Honestly it didn't seem that realistic cuz no one would leave a note in this situation, but it was sweet. And then there's the PS, which says, "P.S. If you found this safe, then it's your lucky day. I hope you spend my last pieces of gold and silver wisely. LOL." THEY ACTUALLY PUT LOL IN THIS?? I am not over this.

And of course we have to end with the most upsetting bit. Let me just share this quote from the book:
"The worst part was how perfectly Pat's dress hugged all her curves. ALL OF THEM. (btw the caps was actually in the book) The dress's front was cut low into a deep V that plunged to her ribcage--lower than any dress Emree had ever seen. Typically, women were expected to follow the Council of Essential's modesty guidelines, (their what???) ensuring their shoulders, back, and chests were covered. Patrice had clearly pushed the modesty rules tonight, and Emree could tell by the other girls' whispers and stares that everyone was talking about it." THIS IS UPSETTING. Why do we always have to put crap like this in books? Just stop. Please.

I didn't like this book. The end.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read almost all of this while sitting through a 2 hour volleyball practice… so yes, I enjoyed it quite a bit. 😉 Something about Kortney Keisel’s book put me in fangirl mode. (Kinda hope no one was watching me too closely at the practice because they would’ve seen me grinning like a fool and snickering like a nut. It’s ok though.)😂

One of the first scenes startled me, to be honest. I was afraid it was going to get uncomfortable… but thankfully it didn’t.
But… the whole chair weaponry thing was pretty funny. The meeting scenes never fail to surprise me (or make me laugh) in KK’s books. 😂

I liked both of the characters. The banter was just awesome. The love story compelling. The tension seriously tense. So yeah, a pretty great book that I entirely flew through! A good book I couldn’t put down. ☺️

I’d recommend it to 16 and up.

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a big, heartwarming hug in the form of a book. 🤗 🥺
I kid you not when I say I was grinning the whole damn time while reading this, everything was just so freaking adorable.

"𝙃𝙚 𝙠𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙞𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙠𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜"
"𝙀𝙢𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙣𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨. 𝙄𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢."
Davin and Emree's book\reading obsession was so accurate and relatable.
Looking for the Davin to my Emree.

[Allyson Jamison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cute and fun read! I barely put it down until I finished. It was a perfect blend of humor, romance, and twists!

However, there was a scene at the beginning that was uncomfortable. It wasn't inappropriate per say, but under some standards it would be. It was definitely not a part I enjoyed.

Also, I didn't realize the book was going to have such a huge romance. It felt almost as of the was no plot aside from the romance. Not exactly my cup of tea. While I enjoy a healthy dose of romance, I also enjoy more focus on other things as well. Just my opinion.

But, as I said, it was a super fun read and one I enjoyed despite these things!

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Fun!

If you loved The Selection, you will probably enjoy this book too. The first meet was fun and I really enjoyed how the story played out. I loved the book loving characters and the kissing! 💋 I'm looking forward to the next book!

[Alysha (For The Love of Christian Fiction) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was a fun little number to read! I don’t normally read a whole lot of “fantasy”, but I really enjoyed the premise of this one that was futuristic but also historical in feeling!

I really loved the characters chemistry! How they just saw EACH OTHER, and not class or station. They just fit.
I LOVE ROYALTY BOOKS so I was a sucker for this one!

Kortney is FABULOUS! She writes some *great* kisses, but more than that she writes strong characters!

My biggest complaint is that fact that Emree was “in a relationship” for over half the book. Even though it wasn’t ACTUALLY a relationship, and we as the readers knew that, I don’t like that Davin & Emree are both under the impression that she’s in a relationship. I just wish she would’ve broken up with Portlend earlier in the story. Even though “technically” nothing happened, it was hard for me to root for them as a couple before she was out of her relationship.

But other than that I really enjoyed the story!! I loooveedd the Promenade theme (it gave me Bachelor vibes) and the outcome of the story!
4/5 stars

[Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, Charming and Humorous read set in a curiously unique world. I plan on checking out this author's second book "The Promised Prince".

Clean Rating 5/5
Kisses can be a teeny bit heated, but nothing too scandalizing, LOL.

[Tiffany]

This book reminded me of The Selection, which is a very good thing! Dystopia meets The Bachelor in this sweet and clean romance. Likable characters, interesting plot. Will read more from this author.

[Madisyn Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75
i’m so conflicted on what i should rate this. i could literally make the argument that this is a 4.5 star read. and also that it’s a 2 star read.
but this was exactly what i needed. a fun, QUICK, easy YA dystopian romance. the way emree and davin meet is so cute and funny and unique. but that’s about the only unique thing about this book hahaha. it’s a LOT like the selection but lacking any big conflict. i kept thinking a problem would arise but every time something did it was resolved in about ten pages. i also thought that the rest of the books in the series were continuing on with emree and davin’s story so i was confused how everything wrapped up so perfectly, but i guess the other books are different characters.
but alas.. i was entertained every step of the way. their banter and silliness was fun. davin is a cutie.
it’s pretty juvenile, but sometimes that’s perfect.
if you’re looking for something easy and quick and brainless, this is a fun one! a great one for teens as well ッ
🔥NO SPICE🔥
🤐NO STRONG LANGUAGE🤐

[spring ~♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

You were just a dream girl then, but now you’re what my dreams are made of.

This book felt like a sibling of The Selection.
Well maybe that one sibling who is better but underappreciated.
We have, America Singer aka Emree. Except she has actually "something" beneath her skull unlike America and she also has a better name I guess.
Also, the love interest is way way better than Maxon. He doesn’t flirt with every girl even when he has feelings for America Emree just because he can.

I'm sorry, I just couldn’t help comparing everything with The Selection. This is not one of those story I'll take very seriously or that would be on my favourite shelf. But if you're looking for something light, fluffy, cute, not a toxic relationship but a genuine, sweet, feel good love story in a dystopian world then give this book a chance.

P.s: did I mention all the quotes are really cheesy but also "too sweet" in a tooth aching way?

[Kate Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let us take a moment to bask in the beautifulness that is that cover. 😊😊 All. The. Best. Vibes.

What started quite awkwardly and more physical-based, ended up being a really sweet romance. I was underlining quotes like "yesss, my dear children, now kiss" near the end there. I absolutely loved how the prologue tied into the story (*sniffs*), and though the ending was expected, it was still satisfying.

Chair weaponry, though. 😍

Also, we love a bookish boy.

Where were the dystopian elements, though? Maybe they come out more later in the series, but I kept forgetting this wasn't just fantasy and wished there was more dystopia.

CW: strong physical attraction, kissing, male undress, lying.

[K. Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I've read a dystopian and this was the perfect book to break my streak. I really enjoyed this story and had a hard time putting it down. I loved the futuristic world the author created, yet it had the feel of ancient times. From the beginning of the book, King Davin and Emree had a connection that was hard to deny. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

[Lauren Fulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

To preface: I'm not a fan of romance books. I picked up this book bc I thought it would be more dystopia than I thought and a bunch of my friends liked it. Take my potato chip opinions with a grain of salt because I probably don't even belong on this side of GoodReads. XD

I see why people love it, but it personally was a little too boring for me. The whole concept of Desolation is so cool, yet is overshadowed by the two MCs drooling over each other. Emree and Davin were interesting characters, and I did love the bookish aspect of their relationship, but I didn't really "ship" them till the end. They were fun, and had a great humorous dynamic, and I liked how marriage was a big factor in the relationship and it seemed to be somewhat realistic.
Nonetheless, it was a fun and quick read and I recommend to anyone who has a few hours to burn. :D

Content: Kissing. Lots of long descriptive kisses.

[Nofreeusernames Nofreeusernames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jako Selekce, jen horší 🤷🏻‍♀️

[ZoraYuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story with impeccable storytelling and how the love between Davin and Emree developed was sweet and perfect.

[azurebllue · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you loved the Selection series, you'll love this book. If you didn't like the Selection (like me) and want a similar plot (sorta) but with actually tolerable characters then I recommend this one.

Okay, I did enjoy most of this, but this wasn't great. I will be reading at least the second book also though- mainly because I accidentally bought the second one before the first lol

Anyway, this book had a lot of potential, but fell short for me personally. I know a lot of people who read it really loved it and I can totally see why, it just wasn't 100% for me.

First off, the world was lacking and didn't seem well thought out. The class system is very basic, yet makes no sense. There's the working class and then the ruling class- easy enough to understand, right? Well, the ruling class has all these things called "essentials" like carriages, sparkles, the right to education, and the ability to wear colored clothing. I don't see why these things could just be too expensive for the working class, but they're just not allowed? Also the fact that the ruling class is supposed to be separate from the working class but Emree (the MC) was able to land a really high position job in the castle planning/running this thing called the "Promenade", which is where 60 girls from across the kingdom come and try to win King Davin's (the LI) hand in marriage and become queen. Why would the royal family entrust a nineteen year old working class women to do this? I don't know. (She does have campaigning experience, but still. This is the future queen for goodness sakes.) Also, in a futuristic world where books like The Hunger Games still exists, don't you think women would be allowed to wear pants? You'd be wrong because they're not.

Second, the Promenade makes no sense. 60 girls come to the palace for a SINGLE WEEK and one of them is supposed to just be chosen as queen?? 3 girls a day are allowed to spend one-on-one time with Davin- and only once. How is he supposed to fall in love in a matter of hours and then trust her with his kingdom? Or maybe the queen position is pointless like many queens in history were. But you would think that because this is fiction it would be the opposite right? Idk.

Anyhoozles....

I'm all for a good meet cute, but I absolutely hated how Emree and Davin met. (If you're going to read this book be warned. It is clean, but how they meet is pretty *gasp* scandalous.) I'm going to tell you because it literally happens in the first threeish chapters: Davin stays in an inn on the way home from a kingly meeting, and he so happens to be given the same room as Emree. Emree is asleep when a strong man with lots of muscles crawls into her bed and cuddles her. She thinks it's her boyfriend, Portlend, in her sleepy state, and just keeps on sleeping. Until they're both half awake and start making out. Yep, you heard me. Full on making out and they both think they're dreaming. Then they jump apart and Emree starts chucking things at him while having a flirty conversation. And then a couple days later he hired her to find him a wife. You can guess the rest. So yeah, that was just weird, but hey if it's your cup of tea I say roll with it.

All the characters are white. So yeah, I definitely wished to see some more diversity in a kingdom set in the US... A country that is literally known for its diversity but whateves.

The last thing that bothered me was just the way the characters talked. Modern terms like guys, boyfriend, break-up and others were used sometimes, but then other times they talked like they were straight out of the Victorian Era. Just pick one. (I personally think that the Victorian language would've fit better seeing that they're royal and girls aren't allowed to wear pants. Again- in a world where you know quite a bit of the world before it was shot to all heck that it would be slightly less misogynistic.

Despite all of these things, I did enjoy the book. I liked both the characters and the plot was good it just wasn't developed all the way. The banter between Emree and Davin was cute, and I liked them together. The world could have been thought out a little better, but I really loved the map, and it was simple to understand.

Again I recommend this to anyone who wants more of The Selection.

[Minglu Jiang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been thinking very hard about how to rate this. Generally my ratings are based on this weird mixture of how much I enjoyed the book and what I deemed its quality to be. Much of the time, my enjoyment matches the quality of the book. The book was of high caliber, and I had few issues with it, so it makes sense that I would like it.

Other times, not so much. Like with The Selection, I had a wild time but also considered the writing, plot, and many aspects of the world building to be... not exactly up to standard.

And that's something of the way I feel about The Rejected King. I had a great time and probably could have finished the book in two days, maybe one if I weren't purposefully saving it because I was on a trip and didn't want to be caught without a book. (This scheme ended up unsuccessful. I was unable to keep myself from finishing the book before my trip home.)

But the writing's not great. I mean, it's not bad. But it tells the story and that's it. Nothing special about the style. This book also contained a few moments that were just laughable. I don't have it with me right now, but there's a spot where the female protagonist, Emree asks Millar, the palace guard to whack her if she ever seems interested in a guy again. Which is the strangest situation ever. I honestly wouldn't have minded if Emree just thought that she would like Millar to whack her if she ever seems interested in a guy. I mean, we all think crazy stuff. It's just so weird that Emree, a reasonably intelligent young woman, actually said it.

Not to mention that the relationship between Emree and King Davin, our two leads, felt a bit insta-lovey.

I'm sounding negative, but honestly there was also just so much I loved about this book. Emree and Davin are both extremely likeable, and while it took me a little longer than comfortable to connect, we all ended up clicking and it was wonderful. Emree's a strong female character without constantly abusing everyone around her. She is hard-working, caring, and witty. Davin is... I may be falling in love with a fictional character again. I think it's because he's someone anyone can relate to. He's smart and really cares about his kingdom, but he just keeps failing. And now nobody likes him and the only way he can get his approval ratings up is if he gets married.

I LOVE THE ROMANCE SO MUCH. Y'all know that I am a sucker for couples that can't be together because society is stupid. I probably should have explained this earlier, but I have no sense of future planning or organization. Davin hires Emree to help him with the Promenade, which if you've read The Selection will feel very familiar to you. Basically, the king brings a bunch of young women into the palace to get to know them and pick a wife. In this case, unlike The Selection, the candidates can only come from the ruling class because the king is only allowed to marry someone from the ruling class, not the working class. This is all great, except Davin falls in love with Emree instead and she's from the working class. If Davin marries Emree, he will anger all the ruling class guys and risk losing his crown.

While the romance was, as I mentioned earlier, a bit insta-lovey, it felt natural. And it was so sweet. I love Davin and Emree together so much. They are both so ready to work together to achieve their respective dreams and to weather all the storms together. I love that. And not to mention that they exchange favorite books and geek about them? Sounds like my kind of romance.

This is so unorganized, but the book also has a nice dose of humor to it. I laughed out loud multiple times.

I've seen a lot of people say that if you liked The Selection, you'll like The Rejected King. And I pretty much have the same thing to say. They are both light romance reads for when you kind of just want to relax and have fun and not work too hard.

[Karen Thornell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have wanted to read this book for awhile now, and I finally got the chance to today! I adored it! Em and Davin were hilarious and a little adorkable and just all around lovable. There were a lot of obstacles in their way, and I loved how they got over each of them. I also loved that the story line didn’t focus a ton on the other women—so that Em and Davin’s love was able to grow without a heck ton of jealousy (though some of that was still there 😏 of course)

I also really appreciated that things weren’t magically perfect when they finally realized how they felt. The ending didn’t go as I expected—but it was perfect and I loved it!

[Tasha (the_clean_read_book_club) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Being king is a hard job but doing it when everyone around you thinks you’re a failure is even tougher. -King Davin

I will admit that I was nervous going into this book because I had already read, and fallen in love, with The Promised Prince. I didn’t know if this one could live up to that same level I’ve labeled for The Promised Prince. I’m here to tell you that none of you will have to worry about that. I was beyond wow’d by this book. I wouldn’t even be able to choose a favorite between the two. They are both THAT GOOD!

Kortney has such an incredible writing style. Her characters are SO FULL of life. The dialogue is engaging from the first word to the last. The romance is so good! Like beyond good! I’m all for a clean romance that gives the reader just as many butterflies as the main character. Kortney is able to suck the reader in so that you feel like you are part of the book; and because of that I’m going to need a story for every side character as well-because now I’m wholly invested in this series.

I’m thrilled to have found another 5 star author and can’t wait to see what comes next! I HIGHLY recommend reading anything this author publishes!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from this author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Hannah Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A king, a broken crown on the cover, dystopian genre... It didn't take too many people raving about this book for me to add it to my list of books I had to read.

I didn't have many expectations for it, given I've never read anything by this author before, but I do know I was surprised by how much fun it was. I guess I (subconsciously) thought it would be super serious, like a lot of YA dystopians are, but this was so much fun! The repartee between the two mains had me grinning, time and time again. I actually forced myself to stop reading at one point because it was already past when I should have been asleep - before pulling it back out again and staying up another hour to finish it. Happy smiley sleepy Hannah. Totally worth it.

If you enjoy dystopians, royalty books, witty conversations, book-loving characters, The Selection Series, or just a sweet romance, definitely check out The Rejected King. (Meanwhile, I'm off to track down the next ones in the series!)