A review by theoriginal_b00k_nerd
Just This Once by Lena Hendrix

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

𝒥𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒪𝓃𝒸𝑒 - 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒦𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝟣 - 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌 

 

Author: Lena Hendrix 

 

Couple: Emily & Whip King 

 

Tropes: firefighter romance, Chief’s daughter, small town, forced proximity, one-night stnad to friends, friends to lovers, forbidden romance, broken hero 

 

Review: Just This Once was a great introduction to the King men and I cannot wait for more! Lena showed us the softer side of the King family in this book with Whip and Emily’s romance and I couldn’t be happier! I found that the push and pull dynamic in this book was more intense than the steam but it fit the two of them wonderfully! 

 

Whip was a MMC that had many layers and the conflict he had once he found out Emily was the fire chief’s daughter was perfect! I enjoyed how he felt guilty for pursuing her but also had the inexplicable draw to her he could not explain. His character grew a lot in this book and I found that he was much more than I expected. Lena also was able to open up the connection between the other King brothers and I enjoyed seeing Abel and Royal more after One Night. 

 

Emily was soft hearted for the type of FMC I expected a King to fall for but as the book went on I began to see her inner fire. I loved how she fought to be her own person but also became Whip’s biggest advocate. Her dilemma with wanting to hide the relationship was really what I did not enjoy about her character but also was the leading point of tension between them. The way she took forever to see the damage that she was doing to Whip without knowing added a lot to the story in this book and Lena was able to toe the line of just enough wonderfully. 

 

I was sad that we did not get to see a lot of Sylvie or the other previous couples but did enjoy how the book club was still just as nosy! I enjoyed how Whip and Emily were the epitome of small town romance as well. The way that Whip was not the alphahole I expected made me like him more once the romance heated up and I also loved how he stood up to his father and began the downfall of the elder King. Lena sets off the mystery that will last the length of the Kind brothers in this book and I could not believe the foreshadowing she left us with at the end of this book! I am excited to continue the series with Abel and CANNOT wait for JP! 

 

Rating: 4/5, Whip King…the legend…the man…the cinnamon roll hero we didn’t know we needed! 

 

Thank you Lena for the eARC copy!