King

Endgame #1

by Riley Ashby

I'm falling for the man who's trying to destroy me.

My mother left me.
My father traded me.
The man who owns me needs me for a very specific purpose.
He's rich, powerful, and unwavering in his determination.
I've always lived my life in a shell, protected from emotions that would harm me. But if I don't give in to him now, a grim fate awaits me.
Because he intends to hand me over to someone far worse.
I don't know what I'm sacrificing myself for, but I'll do anything to keep myself safe.

This is a dark romance/romantic suspense that contains themes that may not be appropriate for all readers, including sexual assault and self injury.

Genres: Dark, BDSM, Erotica

316 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2019

About the author

Riley Ashby lives in the American Midwest. She eats entirely too much tofu and owns just the right number of cats. She enjoys reading and writing anything romantic, be it dark and suspenseful or light and fluffy - always with a Happily Ever After.

Reviews

[Pat Labrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this dark romance. It's hot with some suspense that will keep you reading from the first page to the last. Can't wait for book 2

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this fast-paced steamy read. Sophie is given to Ellery King as payment for his gambling debts. The chemistry between them is intense, the story is filled with drama and suspense. I was hooked from beginning to end. Great characters with a story that really draws you in and amazing characters. I loved it!

[Riley Ashby]

What can I say about my first book, my first love?

Wow, that got cheesy fast.

I loved every minute of writing this story. Ellery and Sophie are so dear to my heart and I'm so lucky I got to tell their story. I hope you love them, too.

[TinaMarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating is actually a 4.5 but Goodreads doesn't allow for half stars.

Copying author's warning 'that this is a dark romance/romantic suspense that contains themes that may not be appropriate for all readers, including sexual assault and self injury.' I'll also warn if you have sensitivities there is also human trafficking, and BDSM.

I didn't read the intro so I wasn't 100% sure where the story was going right away. At first we see Sophie as a child connecting with her father, managing her mother's abandonment and her father's struggle with alcohol and gambling. Fast forward to the present, her father's gambling debt has him in deep water and Sophie won't let them take her father without her. Sophie gives herself to Mr. King to save her father.

At first it is unclear what the cost to her will be as Ellery confines her to a fancy room and purchases clothing for her. I could feel how off balance and unsure Sophie was, knowing King was going to give her to someone else but his actions seemed to indicate otherwise.

It becomes clear that Ellery is a dominant, sadist and Sophie is a submissive, masochist. A perfect BDSM match accept he has plans to turn her over to a nasty man in order to save another. These characters have flaws but that made them very engaging, I loved learning about them.

I was asked by the author if I'd be willing to read her story, which I'm so glad I accepted. If you enjoy dark romance and BDSM I think you'll enjoy their story. They're complicated and their situation makes it even more complicated but this couple was clearly made for each other. I really enjoyed the extended peek into their future. For a first book I think Ashby has done a great job, with only a few minor editing issues.

More of my reviews can be found at https://wyldheartreads.wordpress.com/

[Boxy Frown · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rating
King is about a young woman, Sophie, that gets involved (well, traded) to Ellery King because of her alcoholic father's gambling debts. King is dark, mysterious, kinky, and alpha. Sophie is headstrong, yet fragile and as it turns out, kinky as well.

A slimy underbelly is revealed in this book, so the dark ambiance is set. Ellery is a secretive and controlling man, a seeming puppet master to Sophie, who is sometimes unpredictable. They fall fast and hard, with amazing chemistry that produces very sexy and sweet scenes. Considering how they were brought together, will their relationship weather the storm of trust and illegal business dealings?

There were a couple of things that made me want to throw my Kindle - Sophie's temper tantrums and Ellery's easy acquiescence. These dramatic blow ups and apology tours for no good reason seemed out of character for both of them, and there was plenty of tense drama where these episodes weren't needed.

The secondary characters here were great as well, and I actually want to read the next book in this series. Castel is passionate and sexy and I can't wait to read about him some more.
CW/TW for rape/non consensual sexual situation.

[Kelly DeMarco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, seductive, captivating and gripping
King (Endgame Series Book 1) by Riley Ashby is a wonderfully well written first effort! I really enjoyed her development and delivery of this story. This book delivers pulse-pounding scenes (good and bad) while developing the characters and revealing the plot in perfect incriminates to keep the reader fully engaged, completely captivated and held in an all encompassing enthrallment.
Ellery King and Sophie McDermott feature in this first book of the series and their story is full and dynamic. For me, Ellery is the alpha cold and calculating billioniare who appears one way but is truly quite different from the initial impression. Sophie is not exactly as she seems and her part of the book is a little bit self discovery, a little bit healing and a lot asserting herself.
Overall, a very well written dark and intense romance with gripping suspense, wonderful characters and a plot that keeps the reader engaged and invested to the end. The HEA ticked all my boxes and the teaser for Rook (Endgame Series Book 2) has me excited to continue the series.
I read an ARC of this book from Hidden Gems and voluntarily share my review.

[Silvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The description of this book had me very intrigued. Sophie was struggling with two jobs to support her alcoholic, gambling father, who I can only describe as a true p.o.s.! When his bad decisions come knocking at their door, Sophie’s life will forever change.
Ellery King is an alpha through and through. His first encounter with Sophie was intense. He has plans that he needs Sophie for, but after spending time with her, he’s hesitant.
This was actually a very good story. It took a bit to find out what was really going on (I had my suspicions), then things really made sense. I wasn’t a complete fan of some of what Ellery did to Sophie, but it was all very consensual.
I really want to know what the story is between Vail and Castel!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started out as a darker read with a more sinister vibe, but quickly changed. Not into a sweet romance, but the 'villain' turned into a savior of sorts. It had a mysterious bit about it, dealing with the reasons the 'villain' was doing the things he did, that were kept mostly a secret until further into the book. During the book, there were times that the plot itself got confusing, due to what was said between characters and then what actually happened. (Something that was supposedly of the upmost importance turned into just a small blip on the radar when it went array.) The story itself was intriguing. While the whole basis of the story was based on a sexual deviant nature, the sexual content was only a minor part of the book. It alternates between POVs. It is recommended for mature readers due to the nature of the book.

*I volunteered to review an ARC of this book.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet Ellery and Sophie in this amazing dark romance, this book starts the series off flying. Sophie is a young woman with one goal, keep herself safe by whatever means necessary. She only as herself, she cannot rely on her parents to protect her. Her Dad is a drunk and a gambler......he has given up his daughter as payment for his gambling debts. Ellery King is the receiver of this payment. This a well written story where the captive is not willing to roll over and obey. The captor is challenged and is unsure about that feeling as it is foreign. But what happens when chemistry and attraction moves into the mix as well. This is a great story with a few twists of course that will keep your fingers swiping that screen through the pages. I cannot wait for book two, Rook and to continue on with this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book free from Hidden Gems.

[SBee Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ Dark secrets and real monsters ★

—>>> Stepping up to offer herself in her father’s stead to pay off his gambling debt, Sophia ends up as Ellery’s latest submissive toy, but just for the meanwhile until he trains her for her new master. It was not long before Ellery realized he had really lucked out when Sophia ended up in his arms, the problem was keeping her there and trying to unlock her heart while trying to honor his prior commitment with his friend Castel. Ellery is full of dark secrets which become revealed gradually as their relationship cements together through trials of tantrums, submission, and very real danger. Ellery finds himself losing focus with this woman whom he can not bring himself to give up. Enjoyed this story as well as the secondary characters introduced in this installment. Looking forward to reading Castel’s next!

[KyleeHeartsBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahhhh. my first read of 2020.

I was sent this book by the author for a full and honest review!

OverView: I really enjoyed this! it was a little different than expected but once I got past that I really liked 'king'. This is pitched as a dark romance but it was not as dark as expected. The themes were dark but the relationship was not Dark which is fine but not expected.

what I liked:
- I liked all the characters. Sophie was awesome! King is my newest book boyfriend
- The sex was incredibly hot. I really enjoyed the BDSM relations both in and out of the bedroom. especially outside!! so good!
- I loved loved loved the ending. the action and the sneak peeks of their future at the end were so good! I really enjoyed the mention of Sophies PTSD.

what I didn't like:
- I wish the relationship had more time to develop. I wish the time between when they first meet and first started to have sex was longer. I wanted more angst and will they won't they. I wanted more. 'why am I feeling this way?' It felt a little insta lovey.
- again I was expecting something A little more dark
- please more detailed sex scenes!!! I wanted the sex scenes to go WAY further. More BDSM elements PLEASE!

[Kathy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Ellery has Sophie, because she volunteered herself as payment for a gambling debt her father had. Sophie has been the sole provider for her alcoholic father. He's constantly getting into trouble, and this latest loan could get him killed. Sophie offers herself up as payment. This is the area i had a problem with. At times Sophie gets furious with Ellery for not being honest with her and for treating her like she was property. Well, she is his property! She put herself in that position. Maybe it's because of her youth, but I just found this annoying. I normally like bdsm stories, but I guess the terminology of Ellery wanting to beat Sophie, was something I didn't care for. All in all I enjoyed this story, and will be purchasing the next book.

[Just A Little Book Addiction · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of King for an honest review.
Had potential but no real depth. I really liked this book when it started out, I thought that it was going to be a good story line and that Sophie was going to be a strong female lead but that all faded away. While Sophie was still strong in a lot of ways, I felt she gave in too quickly with King. She was only with him a few days before basically falling in love. I also felt like there was no story development. The plot was basically just background with the book being mostly about the sex scenes. If the author had gone deeper into the actual story and characters, I think I would've liked the book more but there was not real character or plot development and I found myself skimming parts of it to get to the end.

[Charley Crestland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC, this is my voluntary review. There were many things I enjoyed during the read, some examples without including spoilers. I enjoyed the back story on Sophie, the heroine, giving us a glimpse of her life helped the reader to understand her complex motivation for survival in her life. The hero, Ellery, difficult not to grow attached even though I found it difficult to trust his motivations. Overall the story was good and it held my interest. I felt as a whole the book needed another round of polishing, grammar and sentence restructuring would help the overall flow of the writing. The good definitely outweighed the bad, so I look forward to more from this author.

[Dana Isaly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy heck. This book hit every single trope I love: enemies to lovers, sold to protect dad, Dom/sub, guy has a soft spot only for the girl. And that twist at the end with Castel being FBI??? I literally had 0 clue that was going to happen. I did assume that the girl in question was Ellery’s sister but it didn’t take away from the plot. I think we were supposed to assume that.

I love the romance in this book. Dark romances can sometimes just be abuse and sex, but there are quotes in this book that made my heart melt. The love Ellery felt and expressed for Sophie, my goodness.

I cannot wait to read another book by this author.

[Linda Rea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie was tired working two jobs just trying to keep her dad and herself alive but the gambling debts have to be paid, so when they come for her dad she volunteers herself.
Elliot King is having his men pick up Sophie’s father to give to the men he owes but now he has two people instead of one, and he has no idea what to do with Sophie.
That was his first mistake.
Loved the fire in Sophie even when things became dire she fight with all she had. Riley is a new author to me and I will be looking forward to reading more from her.

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie's father bet her in a poker game and lost. Ellery is determined to find his sister who was kidnapped by sex traffickers. Ellery was going to trade Sophie for his sister, but he fell for her instead.

Fantastic book with some unexpected twists. This book has BDSM scenes, as well as a couple of near rape scenes which may be a trigger for some readers. I thought the characters were unique, well written, and a perfect match. I loved this book, and I look forward to the next book in the series.

I am voluntarily leaving an honest and non-incentivized review of this ARC.

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellery and Sophie, perfect for each other! Ellery King is a dominant alpha male businessman/?. Sophie is a beautiful young woman who was abandoned by her mother as a child, traded by her worthless sleeze of a father, and falls into the hands of King, who is determined to sell her in exchange for someone he loves. Sophie finds out she enjoys King's BDSM love style, but is rebellious at the same time and very needy. The characters are very well written and the story tautly suspenseful. Some triggers of open door rough sex. I found the book so entertaining and enjoyable.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily received a copy of this book for an honest review!

This is suspense filled read. I wanted to scream, hit someone, and fight for all those girls. I love the outcome for all involved. But Jesus was I on the edge of my seat. I honestly think Sophie’s dad deserves an honest old fashioned butt whopping and trust me I could do it too....spineless twat!
As for Sophie and Ellery I love there story and how it come to a head in the end! Sweet read. And I want to read Rook so bad!

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw the author's tiktok this afternoon and decided to give it a try. So glad I did! I was immediately sucked in and felt a connection to the main female character. By the first chapter or two I was telling my best friend that she needed to check it out. Stayed up late so I could finish it! Highly recommend if you need a book between a series that's left you with a book hangover. This was exactly what I needed. Can't wait to read more!

[Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this dark romance!

Loved this dark romance! A lot of hotness going on! Full of action, you never knew what would happen next! Please be aware of the trigger warnings for this book! A lot of violence, so if that's not something you can handle then please skip this! But if you like your dark with your light then I highly recommend it!

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. This was my first time reading this author and I was not disappointed.
It has a little darker theme full of secrets. How some will do almost anything for family, even if they are the ones to cause you the most pain. Look forward to the next book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Ilene G> · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. There are triggers.

Sophie takes her father's place when he cannot pay his gambling debts. Ellery King takes her to his home. They are attracted to each other. There are surprises in the plot. Sophie experiences joy and heartache. I will read the rest of the series.

[Jazmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was hard to finish. The writing is just kind of lazy, the characters have little depth and so does the plot. It’s an awkward love story with a weak hero. The guy had a flesh wound to the stomach and had to be sedated for 3 days because the pain was too much. I won’t be finishing the series.

[E.M. Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest I wasn’t expecting a lot from this novel based on the synopsis, but I was pleasantly surprised! I love a good romance novel, but I love it even more when there’s a plot I’m invested in and realistic(ish) relationships. This book delivered on both accounts! I will definitely check out more Riley Ashby in the future!

[Monique Hebert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a really enjoyable read. I believe this is a new author to me. I will read more from this author for sure. I like the heat and the hot sex scenes too. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Angela McClellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first Riley Ashby Book, but so not my last!! I fell in love with these characters from the very beginning between the spunk and sarcasm... the love and hate... the beautiful torture and the amazing private moments I’m so freaking ready for book two 😍🤤

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie & Ellery's story was an intense read. Good characters. I felt so bad for Sophie... I went through a roller coaster of emotions with this one. Fast-paced with lots of suspense. I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.

[Terry Guerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite Perfection!

This was an exquisite Five star read from a first time read from this author! Thank you for an awesome and well written rollercoaster ride of emotions you evoked in me.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steamy and dark!

I enjoyed this. It was dark, steamy and had enough mystery and suspense to keep me guessing. There's some pretty heavy BDSM themes, but I'm all for that. Ellery and Sophie made a great couple.