King's Legacy

Tennessee Russo #2

by Lev A.C. Rosen

Tennessee Russo has done more difficult things than this before.

He's evaded traps, found lost treasures, become kind of famous, gotten over a bad relationship, and survived all that. Filming a new season of his artifact-hunting reality show for a major international streaming service should be easy, right? His archeologist dad even said Tennessee is in charge of what artifacts they go after. Plus, Ten's awesome best friend (and sometimes more), Gabe, gets to come along on the adventure.

But here's the thing: Tennessee wants to hunt down a long-lost gift that King David gave Jonathan. Queer history, especially of Biblical figures, isn't easy for some people to believe or accept. Tennessee has done his research, and he knows where the clues point. But what happens when the producer of the show threatens to misrepresent not just Ten's ideas, but his identity?

To tell the true story of his queer legacy, Tennessee will have to race through Rome and Paris, stand up to the actual Vatican, crack ancient puzzles, and maybe hardest of all, reclaim the power of being his authentic self. Along the way, author L. C. Rosen delivers the excitement, romance, and magic of a wildly fun adventure.

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Queer, LGBT, Fantasy, Romance

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2025

About the author

LEV AC ROSEN sometimes is sometimes known as L.C. ROSEN. He is the author of books for all ages.

Reviews

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Chock full of the same exciting adventure and commentary on queer history that readers loved from the first book, King’s Legacy is a thrilling second entry into this severely underrated YA adventure series.

[Ben Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A new adventure and a new network streaming service.

Tennessee and his dad's artifact-hunting show blew up in popularity due to the previous season. Now this season's going to be on a big streaming service. This means a wider audience for the show but it also means more pressure, and a new camerawoman from a network that seems to have their own ideas of what the show should be.

I'm more than a bit obsessed with this series now. King's Legacy was a great read and I'm looking forward to where the series goes next!

[Jared W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

After my third L.C. Rosen novel, I think I’m not meant to read his YA novels.

King’s Legacy, I felt like, had a little bit TOO much to say for the whole story it was telling. The ideas and commentary it presents for wanting to be your authentic self and not being placed into labels and boxes that society dictates for queer people is pretty alright but I felt like Tennessee focused too much on his inner self and wanting to showcase how he’s so determined for queer history to be correct and protected. It just felt a little too… too cheesy? It left such a weird taste in my head.

The locations for this novel though were BEAUTIFUL! The bouncing around Europe was a little hard to follow but when the gang touched down in an area for long enough, Rosen describes the locations beautifully. Sterling’s growth as a character is also really really interesting to watch and I love Liat added as almost an Ada Wong from Resident Evil badass who doesn’t pick sides - just goes wherever she can get her own way.

[Aaron]

Another delightful Tennessee Russo book

[Robert Fontenot · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I loved the first one. It was fun, a little silly, and unapologetically queer.

This one not so much. A large chunk of the story centers around Ten having to push back against the network for wanting to push a narrative onto him, making him less controversial. It's not a bad plot point but it overwhelms everything around it and still somehow takes place mainly in the main character's own head. It's exhausting. The amount of bandwidth given to Ten's reluctance to promote his sponsor is excessive and hard to relate to.

And then there's Gabe. Even I think it's a little weird how much time Ten spends making out with his best friend. It starts to feel like that despite everything they say they actually are dating, but in an open relationship.

And finally there is the artifact that they are chasing. The author never fully lays out just who David was, who Jonathan was, and how they knew each other. You get hints and there are a set of clues related to the story that are recycled endlessly, but I still have no idea what happened. The author expects the reader to have a working knowledge of the biblical text and to an extent the scholarship that has arisen. It's odd to have a book that frequently bemoans the ways in which gay history is ignored and yet is centered around a gay historical story that it doesn't bother to explain. I know the basic idea of the David and Goliath story, but had never heard of Jonathon or any mention of a lyre. There could have just been a short chapter where Ten turns to Gabe and just info dumps everything we need to know. It would not have taken long.

Overall the book just gets mired down at times and the pacing suffers (don't worry, they still have time for a three-way) and it lacks the clarity and spark of the first one. I'll still read the next one if the author writes it but I'd hesitate to recommend this one to anyone.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this was a letdown compared to the first book. The adventure isn't as grand or sweeping, and there is no romantic element as there was in Lion's Legacy. And, overall, it just felt a bit middle grade: overly didactic themes and messaging, flat characters, cartoonish villains... but then Tennessee and Gabe would randomly have a threesome (at seventeen?!) or shower together, so it felt tonally disparate and unsure of who it's for. The grandstanding about queer history seems aimed at adults, the adventure seems aimed at young adults, and the characterization and dialogue seem aimed at teens.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars
🌶 pepper - fade to black scene

Okay. So, I loved the first book of this series. It had great pacing, great character work, and interesting history. I loved it. This one does have all of those, but it just fell a little short for me. And there are 2 main reasons one.

First was the artifact they were looking for. It was a harp gifted between David and Jonathan, from the Bible story of David and Goliath. My main issue was that at no point in the book was the full story told. We got very disjointed pieces, but as someone who didn't know the story, I was lost for the history part of the book.

The other issue I had with it is that I felt that the adventure to character issues was skewed. Tennessee Russo is trying to show queer history, and he spent a lot of it the time in this book, fighting to be able to do that. While that is completely valid, it started to get repetitive throughout the book.

I did really like the book. It just isn't as good as the first one. If you are all interested in a gay Indiana Jones or queer Uncharted kind of story, I would definitely read this series. It really is a fantastic, interesting time.

[Andrew Smith-Mebust · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I loved the first book in the series, Lion’s Legacy. I thought the pacing, plot, and characters were all so well done. It was basically a LGBTQIA+ version of Indian Jones, Tomb Raider or Uncharted.
I had such high expectations for this one, and it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I know Tennessee Russo’s mission as an archeologist is to preserve and present “queer history” to the world, but he spent so much of his time arguing in this book about it, that it was to the point of being annoying. As a queer person I get it. We are constantly trying to justify our existence and hold space for our truth, but it was exhausting to hear Tennessee constantly having to defend and explain himself. He easily spent half the book doing just that, which I felt took away from the fun YA heart of the story. The first book was the perfect blend of that, and I get trying to move the series forward and tackle deeper/darker issues. I get what the author was trying to do, but dude I just want to read and be transported to a different reality where I don’t have to deal with this exhausting shit 🤣 I want the fantasy! That fault aside, It’s a good read. I honestly wish characters like Tennessee were around when I was a teen, and trying to figure out my identity. I’m so glad that there’s more representation in today’s world.
I am looking forward to hopefully more adventures with Tennessee Russo!
💖🏳️‍🌈👬🏻

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Lion’s Legacy, and couldn’t wait to read this one! I definitely enjoyed all the adventure and history that this sequel once again had in abundance. There were ancient artifacts, maps, puzzles, and lots of clues. There was intrigue with other people being after the same artifact, King David’s lyre, some willing to stop at almost nothing.

Tennessee, or Ten for short, got to call the shots, and got to research queer history. And the fact that he was talking about King David being gay was something that was upsetting to a lot of people. But he had his supposed facts and reasons to back up his point of view. He also, while not as worried about being himself, had other teen stress and worries. For instance, with the producer having products she wanted him to advertise, it made him think about just what people thought about him. He had to figure out throughout the whole story if he cared what people thought, as long as he was doing and saying what he knew was right for himself as well as for the history he was trying to show. His best friend Gabe got to come along, as the show runners thought their cute relationship would keep people happy who followed him on Instagram.

Now Ten and Gabe were really just friends, but in this case friends with benefits. I gave this story a few flames for spice, because honestly it was a little more than I might normally want to recommend for teens. While nothing was shown on the page, the way things were talked about was very direct and there was really not much mistaking what was happening when it faded to black. I get why that aspect was shown, I mean sexuality is not the same as gender, and the history Ten was looking for had to do with sexuality in this case, or at least to promote his search. Also true is that they are getting ready to go to college, so I think the age isn’t as young as it might bother me more, but still was a little more graphic than I expected about things.

So keep that in mind if you choose to read this book, it may not be for you if you read YA, or may not be what you’d share with your children of that age.

Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

King’s Legacy is the second installment in the YA series Tennessee Russo, following the adventures of the titular gay teenage treasure hunter and his quest for queer historical artifacts. This time around, he is hunting for the (fictional) lyre given by David to his lover Jonathan alongside his father, his best friend, and the new network liaison/camerawoman. They need to retrieve the lyre first before other factions can find it and erase its queer heritage. On top of that, a new sponsor and the streaming network producing their reality show are demanding an excellent season.

This was another fun entry into the series with the Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider puzzles and traps. It is fast-paced, easy to read, and had something meaningful to say. It was a bit bogged down by the anti-commercialization of queerness messaging which it just kept repeating over and over again. I liked what it had to say, but it was honestly bordering on being preachy. Once the adventure got going though, it really got into the zone with exciting sequences, funny dynamics between the characters, and sex positivity.

There isn’t really any romance, but the book is very sex positive and forward especially for a YA novel. There’s references to/off-page fellatio, shower sex, a friends with benefits situation and a threesome that may make this not quite appropriate for younger teens.

King’s Legacy is a fun queer Indiana Jones-esque adventure.

[Drakoulis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 2nd installment of the Tennessee Russo series is loyal to the spirit of its predecessor, asking the hard questions below the surface of the polished TV adventure.

Ten, his dad, Gabe and their new network producer go after David's lyre - and ruffle some feathers: from their network executives all the way to the Vatican, some people aren't happy for theit heteronormalized version of the Bible to be cast into doubt.

Ten has to find the balance of where he draws the line between being authentic and playing a part for his social media and his sponsors, while following the trails left by a secret order in the race towards the lyre.

An easy read, with the friendship (with benefits) between Ten and Gabe being easy, true and realistic (Rosen is really good at depicting realistic queer personal relatiinships). The adventure part (like in the 1st book) could have done with a little more twists.

I hope Lev Rosen continues the series with a 3rd book!

Thank you Edelweiss and Union Square & Co for the ARC!

[Deke Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words cannot express how deeply satisfying this book was. A PERFECT sequel. So many nods and in jokes to Indiana Jones (again, the dad’s name is HENRY). This was just so queer and more Harsh than the first in the series!!! And I LOVE the ACTUAL TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF TORAH THAT EXPLAINS HOW DAVID AND JONATHAN WERE QUEER!!!!

I hope this series does not end, though the novel certainly wraps up as though it may be. All my love to the author- this was a great ride!!!

[Lily Heron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to give this a go because I love the main character Tennessee, but I had to remember that I really, really hated his dad and the way his dad treats him and their whole dynamic. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to try this book and I think other readers who may not be as sensitive to parental abuse/manipulation as a storyline may not be as impacted.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second installment was worth the wait. This time Tennessee is not only relic hunting, but dealing with the expectations of a new network, sponsors, and ongoing attempts to de-queer history. Tennessee had to figure out how he wants to present himself to the public and where he is and isn't willing to compromise all while undertaking a new and exciting adventure.

[ev · Rating 5 out of 5]

GUYS TENNESSEE IS QUEER AND JEWISH!!! LET'S CELEBRATE THAT! THANK YOU TO MR. ROSEN AND OTHER QUEER, JEWISH AUTHORS FOR WRITING THE STORIES ABOUT QUEER JEWISH TEENS THAT WE (the queer jewish teens) WANT AND NEED!!!!!

[(rey) gelphielvr ༝꩜]

i really hope it gets published soon its been ages since the first lion's legacy book :((

[Brynja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in one day.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advanced reader's copy review

This was a fun adventure story, but it did not meet my admittedly high expectations based on the first Tennessee Russo book. But to start with what I enjoyed. I love Ten. He is so passionate about queer history, and he has really come into his own since the first book. He is confident and happy and an overall amazing main character and narrator. I liked his internal struggle as he figured out what fame means for his life. I also loved his dad. Their relationship has come so far and his dad is now so supportive. It made me so happy to read. I also adored Gabe and his relationship with Ten. Lastly, I really liked Liat. As for the plot, it opened so strong and had me on the edge of my seat. I loved all the puzzles, clues, and traps. However, there were two big things I struggled with in this book. One was Sterling, the new producer, and the many terrible things she said to Ten and Gabe. I did not forgive her like Ten did. I also didn’t like the ending. It was a bit too dark for me, and also a bit rushed. But overall this was a solid sequel and I did enjoy it.

Thank you Union Square & Co for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Lupo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to the first one it was quite boring. I think the most important part ,wich was the rapport with his dad , here was lacking , yes he was supportive and all , but still I don't feel like he has done enough to be forgiven entirely or at least there was not enough talking about it . Also it looked like all the problems magically solved themselves. It was still a sweet read tho , so that's why the three stars. I like Gabe , but I would've preferred that he was not there , as a personal preference , it kinda looked forced. that's it I'm done , I'm still gonna wait for the next one, hoping it is gonna be more like the first , funny and angsty.

[Jordan Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loves getting to experience this ARC! I have always been fascinated by the love of King David and Jonathan and even more excited that Tennessee dove right in there!

This book explores many aspects of queer culture; including being Jewish and being queer. (Totally wanted more of that intersection 🥲). Great overall story… echos Indiana Jones with the Vatican showing up. 🤣