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Magic and Kings #2

The Desert King's Spy

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She was hired to spy on the King, not get dragged on a quest.

Asharee lost her family in a monster attack and learned to survive on the streets. It’s a hard life, so when she’s offered a chance to escape, she decides to look past the reputation of the person offering.

Best decision ever.

While a house of pleasure might seem like a bad place for a young woman, the truth is Asharee’s never been safer. The gradeenas protect their tizanas. And so she learns how to entice, to dance, to seduce with her eyes and a shake of her hips. But what happens later in the privacy of her room…

It’s only an illusion because Asharee’s mentor taught her alchemy. With her potions, she can make her clients believe the fantasy she weaves with words—and get them to spill their secrets.

When an old friend asks her to spy on the king, she must resort to a disguise to get close enough. Only he’s not as expected. For one, Daksh sees right through her deception.

And still wants her.

Together, they will travel to a place long forgotten to try and save a kingdom. They will face a peril unlike any. Be tested to their limits.

And if they prevail, they will have to figure out if there’s a future for a spy and her king.

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 30, 2022

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About the author

Eve Langlais

404 books5,435 followers
~ New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Hello, my name is Eve Langlais and I am an International Bestselling author who loves to write hot romance, usually with werewolves, cyborgs or aliens .

I should warn you, I have a twisted imagination and a sarcastic sense of humor something I like to let loose in my writing. While well known for my shifter stories, I am also extremely partial to aliens, the kind who like to abduct humans and then drive them insane...with pleasure. Or do you like something a little darker, more serious? Then check out my cyborgs whose battle with humanity have captivated readers worldwide.

If you'd like to know more, read some excerpts or find out what I’m working on, then please visit me at http://www.EveLanglais.com or sign up for my newsletter at http://www.evelanglais.com/newrelease .
I am also extremely active on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eve.langlais.98

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5 stars
70 (26%)
4 stars
99 (37%)
3 stars
73 (27%)
2 stars
15 (5%)
1 star
4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Blodeuedd Finland.
3,798 reviews310 followers
December 6, 2022
Asharee was interesting. She lived in a dangerous world where monster could show up and eat you. And that is how she ended up in a pleasure house, but, one where she ruled herself and put up rules. She is also an amazing spy.

But yes this world is falling apart. How to save it?

She is sent to spy on the king. Bad bad idea. She might be good with potions and making men think one thing, while she is getting info from them. but they are not the king.

Obvisouly they will fall in love. Hunt down some monsters, and live happily ever after.

I enjoyed the book. Danger, some romance they had to work for, and an interesting world.

Good narration that pulled me in. All that danger and tension was handled so well. A book that works really well in audio
Profile Image for Hollie.
803 reviews
February 10, 2023
This book was a not as good as the first one. Ash was a b!tch and a whiner. She's supposed to be a spy, which is an adventure and adrenaline rush in itself, but balks at going on the quest to find the first jewel and save the town because she doesn't want to be a hero? Then her incessant stupid questions. [insert eye roll] Maybe Langlais was shooting for a strong female character but this one came across as spineless and dense. The romance was a bit lacking also. But I gave it 3 stars for the creativity.
Profile Image for 2TNWalkers.
797 reviews8 followers
September 3, 2022
This book was not as excellent as first book..fade to almost black sex scenes. I think what made me drop stars was the FMC as a spy she was quite clueless of the happenings in her city as well as she did not clue into Oriz at all. She was not really suspicious of him at all. Also her disbelief of magic and dragons was a little over the top..guess in the end I did not care for her too much.
Profile Image for Valerie Atkinson.
164 reviews
April 24, 2023
It was hard for me to get I to this one. There were quite a few of flash backs that made it a little confusing. I definitely prefer first book in the series over this one.
Profile Image for Piseog.
1,752 reviews7 followers
May 21, 2023
This type of couple and romance is one of my favourites, where we have two likeable protagonists who start off antagonistic towards each other and have good banter; so I enjoyed Daksh (how do you pronounce that name?) and Asheree together. However, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first book in the series The Barbarian King's Assassin. I noticed the mediocre writing more with this one. Asheree talked like a snarky urban fantasy MC, and it just didn't fit with this desert fantasy setting. It especially annoyed me when she would make these sarcastic comments during really serious moments, completely ruining the tension and any sense of danger. Daksh did a particularly awful thing to Asheree in this book and it's never mentioned, explained or acknowledged again, and that kind of frustrated me. Anyway, this book had an interesting plot, and mostly likeable romance with some faults, so 3 stars is a perfect rating. Not sure I'll check out book 3 since I don't care about Jrijori's love life.
1,190 reviews
April 21, 2023
Good book.
I enjoyed listening to this book. I like the MC’s and their fun banter. Asharee is a confident, capable woman who speaks her mind and did that from the start when she met the king. This led him to be intrigued by her. Their romance was good but I didn’t feel as connected with them as I did with the MC’s from the first book in this series.
The plot was interesting with the mystery of why there were so many large monsters plaguing the King’s people. They had fun adventure towards the end when they set out to fix the issue. Good amount of action, no angst or drama.
I look forward to the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Dar.
4,833 reviews95 followers
November 28, 2022
This book starts out slow, setting the stage for everything, and then it took off like a shot! Like most fantasy worlds, you need to pay attention to everything, because the littlest thing has significance. We spend almost the first half of the book with only our heroine, but when she and hero meet up, things start to get very interesting. Loved the characters, main and side, and the story, and can’t wait for more in this world!
Profile Image for Diane Selander- maglioli.
751 reviews1 follower
January 24, 2023
The Desert King's Spy

The main character in this book is an orphan who witnessed the deaths of her whole family by underground monsters. Many years later she is recruited to be a spy so she can find out information from the Desert King. That is when she is thrown into a world of magic, monsters and betrayal. Loved this book. Eve Langlais is a very talented author and her books never disappoint me.
Profile Image for Tiny Dragon Books~ Reviews .
433 reviews20 followers
August 15, 2023
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW 🎧 of The Desert Kings Spy by Eve Langlais
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Oh, did the Goddess choose well! Come with me, my new apprentice. I will teach you how to remain always in control while getting everything you want.”

Asharee lived on the sands of Ukuba as a child, alongside her family of nine, until one night when they are massacred by sand lizards, leaving Asharee the lone survivor. Slowly wasting away on the desert plains, she is rescued by the Goddess of War, Ratha, and told that she is to be the Goddess’s champion in a mysterious future. Banding together with fellow orphan, Palla, the girls eke out an existence on the streets until they are taken in by pleasure house owner, Tizana Butterfly, another Ratha devout, and taught the arts of alchemy. Now, Asharee spends her nights beguiling clients with her dancing, and using her potions to unlock their secrets, while never being forced to partake in their lascivious requests. Visited by an assassin friend, Asharee discovers that the kingdom is plagued by monsters and storms and she is tasked with ferreting out the Kings plan, under the guise of an emissary from the South. Alongside the giant southern warriors, Asharee must trick the desert King into sharing, but he isn’t at all what Asharee expected. The King sees through Asharee’s disguise and is immune to her potions. Unlikely allies, they are drawn together and cannot resist….

I am so enjoying this series! The covers made me believe that they would be Mills and Boon style romance, but there’s a great fantasy storyline as well! This book is full of Perso-Arabian mythology with major Aladdin vibes. The romance is written so well, and there is spice but not overly done.
I wasn’t super fond of the jumping back and forth in time, but it wasn’t a dealbreaker for me. All the elements were great: monsters, political intrigue, gods and goddesses etc. I also loved that characters from book one made an appearance but weren’t the focal characters.
Tropes included: ‘orphan’, ‘secret identity’ & ‘enemies to lovers’.
Onwards to Book Three!
Profile Image for Rini.
339 reviews5 followers
June 19, 2023
I had no idea what this was going to be about, I just needed another audio book for my commute but this was super fun. The monster threat was exciting and dangerous and the quest for the lost jewels made this feel like an Indiana Jones type story. Romance was fine, they don't stand out as like a new favorite couple or anything but this is an easy and enjoyable read. I do like that we are in the same world as the first book but the area all stand alone stories. I love seeing more of the giants in this book.
Profile Image for Cara Bristol.
Author 110 books944 followers
September 17, 2022
This was an enjoyable fantasy romance, offering a nice blend of romance, magic, fantastical monsters, and action. Typical for Author Eve Langlais, her heroine is full of sass and spunk. The pacing was good; plot twists and action scenes kept the story moving.
1,094 reviews
September 25, 2022
ok

This has all the elements that you’d expect from this series. I just didn’t feel the connection between the couple so I didn’t really get invested in this story. They lacked the charm and connection of book 1 for me.
Profile Image for Fairy.
86 reviews
October 7, 2023
There more plot, it's better than the first one..
Profile Image for Noor!.
276 reviews1 follower
September 10, 2022
Okay, so just read this book. You don’t even need to read this review. Like stop reading this and go read the book. DISCLAIMER: SLIGHT SPOILERS. The plot was soooo good and enticing that I knew I was going to love the book. The FMC works in a house of pleasure, but with potions she ensures that the guys are left sated (and she’s still pure). She’s tasked to spy on the king, and get this, the potions don’t work on him 🥲 (ofc)

Romance:😏😏 king was a cocky dark and broody guy, I loved their witty banter, and PLEASE THE

Tropes:
Profile Image for Ann Shipp.
133 reviews3 followers
December 20, 2022
Well add Eve Langlais to my list of favorite authors. This is book 2 ( I read it for a book club) and now I need to go back read book 1 and then book 3. I'm so invested now. Each book follows a different main character but they are set in the same universe and the characters make appearances in each others story. This one in particular follows a young woman who survived a monster attack that wiped out her whole family when she was a small child. She eventually finds herself in the city with a a fellow orphan that she befriended. After months of struggling to survive the cities most famous and sought after Tizana adopts them and begins to teach them another means of survival. Years later the main character has now taken her mentors place and is sent on a mission to seduce the king and get answers about the monster attacks that are becoming more frequent. This is enemies to lovers, sassy main character who isn't afraid to tell the king off. Toward the end of the book there is some set up for the books to follow and in book 3 the MC's surrogate uncle is taken hostage a by sexy pirate.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews