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Kings of California #9
King's Million-Dollar Secret
As penance for losing a bet, Rafe King had promised to work one job as an everyday carpenter. And that's when he hit the jackpot-an introduction to Katie Charles. With every word, every touch, the sweet, sexy lady made Rafe feel like more than the cold-hearted tycoon he was reputed to be.There was only one Katie despised all wealthy men, especially those in the King family. He couldn't reveal his feelings without coming clean about his last name. But if he kept this secret, it might cost him…everything.
186 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2011
19 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
About the author
Maureen Child
1,152 books548 followersUSA Today best selling author Maureen Child is the author of more than ninety romance novels and novellas. Maureen is a five time nominee for the prestigious Rita award from Romance Writers of America.
One of her novels, A Pocketful Of Paradise, was made into a CBS-TV movie called The Soul Collector, starring Melissa Gilbert, Bruce Greenwood and Ossie Davis.
Over the years, she’s written under lots of different names and she prefers the term ‘pseudonym’ to ‘alias’. As Ann Carberry, she wrote western historical romances. As Kathleen Kane, she wrote not only Americana romances, but western paranormal romances as well. As Sarah Hart, she wrote one really spectacular western paranormal that is still one of her favorites. And once, Ann Carberry even wrote a Victorian historical which she absolutely loved doing.
Under her own name, Maureen writes short contemporary novels for Silhouette Desire—books she loves to write because of their fast pace and condensed story telling. Maureen is also writing funny, contemporary paranormal romances for NAL and darker paranormal stories for Silhouette Nocturne.
Maureen writes paranormal romance novels under the pesudonym of Regan Hastings
One of her novels, A Pocketful Of Paradise, was made into a CBS-TV movie called The Soul Collector, starring Melissa Gilbert, Bruce Greenwood and Ossie Davis.
Over the years, she’s written under lots of different names and she prefers the term ‘pseudonym’ to ‘alias’. As Ann Carberry, she wrote western historical romances. As Kathleen Kane, she wrote not only Americana romances, but western paranormal romances as well. As Sarah Hart, she wrote one really spectacular western paranormal that is still one of her favorites. And once, Ann Carberry even wrote a Victorian historical which she absolutely loved doing.
Under her own name, Maureen writes short contemporary novels for Silhouette Desire—books she loves to write because of their fast pace and condensed story telling. Maureen is also writing funny, contemporary paranormal romances for NAL and darker paranormal stories for Silhouette Nocturne.
Maureen writes paranormal romance novels under the pesudonym of Regan Hastings
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 22, 2011
King's Million Dollar Secret was predictable. The hero Rafe is a rich billionaire who owns a construction company with three of his brothers. He loses a bet and goes to work as an employee on a kitchen job. Of course he doesn't tell anyone his surname and oh he has an ex and issues with how she was raised, his mother only had him for money.
There he meets Katie the client, who he is attracted to but as it turns out Katie doesn't like King's because one of the King men was a jerk to her and there it goes. He lies thinking I am trying to prove her wrong, Katie is all hung-up over the mistake she made with the last guy she dated. I didn't like the book much, seemed repetitive and we did know the lie would blow up in his face. Just an average read.
There he meets Katie the client, who he is attracted to but as it turns out Katie doesn't like King's because one of the King men was a jerk to her and there it goes. He lies thinking I am trying to prove her wrong, Katie is all hung-up over the mistake she made with the last guy she dated. I didn't like the book much, seemed repetitive and we did know the lie would blow up in his face. Just an average read.
July 28, 2014
charming... a bet goes awry when this King falls in love for the first time!
February 19, 2021
As usual, another incredible story from Maureen Child. Great story. Wonderful Characters.
Rafe King, the sexy blue-eyed carpenter who owned King Construction. After losing a bet, he pretended to be a regular guy and worked as a carpenter. He was doing fine until he met Katie. She made him feel things he didn't want to feel. Then he learned that she doesn't like rich men, specifically King men. So he planned to romance her, seduce her and prove her wrong about the King men.
Katie Charles, the Kookie Lady. She'd sworn off rich men after Cordell King dumped and left her without a second glance. So she would instead choose a regular guy, just like Rafe Cole.
Oh my. I loved Rafe. Even though he could be a bit cynical and arrogant, he was sweet, witty, protective. I also loved Katie. She's such an endearing heroine. I could not help but root for this couple.
King's Million-Dollar Secret was such a delightful book. And the epilogue. Yay! It's always lovely to see and catch up with the Kings and their families.
Rafe King, the sexy blue-eyed carpenter who owned King Construction. After losing a bet, he pretended to be a regular guy and worked as a carpenter. He was doing fine until he met Katie. She made him feel things he didn't want to feel. Then he learned that she doesn't like rich men, specifically King men. So he planned to romance her, seduce her and prove her wrong about the King men.
Katie Charles, the Kookie Lady. She'd sworn off rich men after Cordell King dumped and left her without a second glance. So she would instead choose a regular guy, just like Rafe Cole.
Oh my. I loved Rafe. Even though he could be a bit cynical and arrogant, he was sweet, witty, protective. I also loved Katie. She's such an endearing heroine. I could not help but root for this couple.
King's Million-Dollar Secret was such a delightful book. And the epilogue. Yay! It's always lovely to see and catch up with the Kings and their families.
July 8, 2011
Katie Charles has bitten off a little more than she can swallow, deciding to renovate her kitchen she is prepared for the mess and noise, but completely unprepared for one of the workers who looks at her as if he wants to devour her.
Rafe King always keeps his word, and losing a bet where he has to help out on a project as a carpenter is his next obligation. Rafe wonders if he could get any luckier when he meets the owner of the house, Katie. When she explains why she chose King Construction, although reluctantly, he realizes he has to get to know her under his alais as Rafe Cole in order to get her to realize that not all King's are that bad.
Charming story, quite fun. 3.75
Rafe King always keeps his word, and losing a bet where he has to help out on a project as a carpenter is his next obligation. Rafe wonders if he could get any luckier when he meets the owner of the house, Katie. When she explains why she chose King Construction, although reluctantly, he realizes he has to get to know her under his alais as Rafe Cole in order to get her to realize that not all King's are that bad.
Charming story, quite fun. 3.75
March 17, 2021
I think this is the first time that I have given a romance fiction novel more than 3 stars but this one I found I really enjoyed. Once I'd picked it up I just couldn't put it back down again and found that I didn't just finish it quickly because these types of books are easy to read but because I genuinely wanted to know what was going to happen. Of course these books always end in a happy ending but I was interested in how it was going to unfold. I found that it was the perfect amount of romance and more heated content, which often not these books tend to go overboard with the more raunchy side. The plot was actually believable and the characters also seemed more genuine than normal. A lot of the time with these books, especially when they involve rich characters, the author concentrates to much on the fact that the male protagonist is uber rich or uber good looking, but I found with this book that Child didn't do that but focused more on the actual personality of the characters and developed them more. This is the first time that I think I would actually recommend this book to someone else as normally I wouldn't as I often see this genre of books as a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine and that they're not really a high standard of novel (to tell the truth I often feel embarrassed to admit I actually read them, as I'm mostly into non-fiction and books that present more of an intellectual challenge). Maureen Child is most certainly in my opinion one of the better writters of this genre.
October 19, 2025
I just love this King’s series!!!!!
May 11, 2011
I never expect these series Harlequins to be 5 stars, but this one even fell short of my already lowered expectations. The plot was too formula and predictable to be very engaging. I didn't connect with Katie at all. Her "poor me" moaning was just irritiating. Rafe was more likeable; he was exactly as expected. And the end with Katie abruptly reconciling with Rafe was not in the least bit credible!!
May 16, 2011
This is one story I have been waiting to read and I was not disappointed.. This is Rafe Kings Story... Rafe posed as a regular carpenter and happens to fall for the owner of the house he is working on.. He decides not to let her know of his true identity because she HATES the Kings.. You will enjoy this story......
December 10, 2015
This was a pretty good book. I was able to read it because my library had a downloadable copy of it. I would enjoy rereading it again someday. There is only one issue I have with the book. The author used the phrase "What did that say about..." many times throughout the book. It got annoying after while. But other than that, it was a great book.
May 12, 2011
I expect more from this author, however the heroine was just a tad too whiny for me, I felt more for the hero in this story which I think (his family situation) in future books could use a bit more information on.
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December 24, 2014Miniseries: Kings of California
October 19, 2011
love the king series ;)
April 12, 2012
Not as good as some of Maureen Child's other books. Quick nice read, but really nothing interesting about the story.
April 22, 2013
Cute read
June 13, 2013
Im a huge fan of Harlequins quick reads. But this story was very predictable and I had to force myself to finish it.
November 11, 2014
3 stars
As usual, it was a good read.
As usual, it was a good read.
January 24, 2015
Smart, funny, sexy, well-written story with relatable characters and emotions...a fun read..!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews