It was never a question of love.I knew I loved Elias Lancaster and that he loved me.At least I always thought he did.But for some reason, he always found an excuse not to be with me. The pain I felt as my childhood love rejected me, again and again, after promising me the world when we were kids… times called for desperate measures, and I never wanted to be considered desperate, but I knew if something didn’t change soon, I’d lose Elias for good and die of a broken heart.
No one told me how many times my heart could break in the process.
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Loved the book it was great, the story was written well and the characters were interesting.
Exposed was an addicting emotional read. I could not put the book down this whole serieshas been like that. I absolutely loved the Mara. She knew what she wanted and was not afraid to say. She showed some real growth through the book. Elias was caught up on not deserving Mara. Honestly, at the end of the book, Elias and Mara teach us we are worthy that love will always win when we fully accept it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Mara started out and even with the book before she was just a person you could really dislike. She did grow and changed her behavior but Elias was still kind of a jerk. I liked the characters and the way they evolved and woke up and stood by each other. This is a very entertaining read and I could not put it down and cannot wait to read the other books. This is a great book with flawed but realistic characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Not at all what I was expecting. A woman I could not stand redeemed. Mara was a brilliant character with so many flaws but she knew what her heart wanted. Now she just had to show that what she wanted was exactly what she needed. The hard part…showing those around her that her actions were exactly what she had to do and to be who she needed to be. This is a fast paced story and it fits perfectly within this series. So get ready to lay it all out, to become the one you need be all the while being exposed to gain the greatest love.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoyed this story so much more because Mara has a spine. She goes after what she wants even if she is expected to do differently. I could understand Elias but had a harder time with him. Mara goes through some growth throughout the story which I loved. The chemistry is there and I love a friends to lovers story with the drama thrown in.
DNF!!
I have been waiting for Maria’s story I wasn’t sure how it was going to go because Lukas story ended so good. But this takes place right where Luka becomes king. I loved to hate Maria so I didn’t know if Willow could change my mind and she did. Oh Maria you have a heart and your a good person.
Maria is so mad she can’t seem to find her place she hates Eden and her new life where her father in jail and her mother and Luka are at war inside the estate.
Elias has been her best friend for a long as she can remember it was them when Luka got older the three were inseparable. When Maria fell in love with him she fell hard. They have had a tug of war for ever. They keep going rounds every one is waiting for them the finally get together.
So much turmoil is happening in the kingdoms but Maria is more interested in herself. She refuses to see her father for what he is a cold blooded killer.
This book was so good. I love this series I can’t wait for the next book. Willow writes the best stories. I can get lost in her books so easily. I love how she created a whole new world I would love to visit these kingdoms.
Exposed is the stand alone sequel to Downfall (which I ADORED) I will admit, after reading Downfall I was surprised Mara was getting the next book because I HATED her, and in all honesty I hate her for the first probably half of this book as well, but I stuck with it and I’m so glad I did! This is the ultimate is second chance and slow burn romance. Their relationship was so toxic for so many years but They both grow and learn and come to terms with their own demons and come together in a beautiful way.
Exposed by Willow Aster is the second standalone romance in the ongoing drama of her Kingdoms of Sin series. This is the story of Mara – sister to Luka from book one, Downfall, and an all-around dislikable character. I mean, I really hated her in Downfall. The fact that she gets her story next must mean she has a lot to tell, right? Damn she sure does! And the learning curve she experiences is a painful one. Not just for Mara but for those around her. Her brother Luka is blind to most of the poison that mara spits at his wife, Eden, but as time progresses he does begin to see how damaging her behavior is. Mara can never seem to please her mother and with her father now in prison she is lost as to what comes next. But slowly she starts to figure out the correct and proper path and manages to steer herself into the direction of a good and productive royal and not a vicious cat with nothing nice to say or do for anyone. Her love, Elias, is a saint to have always put up with her in the past but as a saint he also (like Luka) could see the good in her, even when she kept it so far hidden from herself. Enjoy!
“When I look at her, I see every girl she’s ever been. From the moment we met and all the times in between. She’s never had an awkward phase, and I should know. I’ve been watching her for as long as I can remember.”
Exposed is book 2 in the Kingdoms of Sin series. While this book focuses on a different couple (Elias and Mara), you should read the first book to get introduced to the characters and gain background knowledge on them and the current situations in the book.
Elias and Mara have a frustrating relationship. They have been friends since forever and while they both love and want to be with each other, they just don’t seem to be able to get it together. This is mostly because he doesn’t think he’s good enough and keeps coming up with excuses. You just want to yell at them and tell them that they belong together and to stop being stupid!
You will feel every emotion throughout the evolution of their relationship in this book. You will smile, curse, laugh, cry, and scream with them. There are some seriously heartbreaking moments that left me with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. And there are also some seriously steamy scenes between these two!
So while there story was frustrating because you just wanted them to be together, it wasn’t frustrating in a bad way (if that makes sense!). The book was well written and held your attention. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with the next book/couple!
Mara’s heart has always belonged to Elias. Only he saw through her willful behavior to the real inside her. They’ve been friends forever and that whole time she’s wanted him to love her as more than a friend. Why does he keep putting her off?
She doesn’t realize that he’s as obsessed with her as she is with him. But there are so many obstacles to their being together. Obstacles that just may be insurmountable. And with her brother taking over as King, and acting strangely, there really is no way for them to be together. Is there?
Well, yes, there is if Mara has her way. And she’s more than determined that she will have her way. Look out world because a determined Mara is one to watch out for!
I really liked Exposed. I did get the feeling that I may have been missing something, since it was obvious that book 1 had a lot of impact on this story, but for the most part I understood (and enjoyed) Mara and Elias’ love story. It’s sexy and suspenseful and the way they managed to climb over everything that stood in their way was exciting reading. Now I’m looking forward to Ava’s story, Ruin.
Endless love, that’s what you’ll get with this beautiful heartbreaking read. I’m totally loving this series and how they are written. This is Mara and Elias story, it’s a story of true never ending love. Two people who have loved each other since childhood and continues through misunderstandings and heartbreak.
I’ve so enjoyed this and can not wait for more of this series from this fabulous author. Great story, wonderful characters and fantastic writing.
*Review by Michelle
Endless love, that’s what you’ll get with this beautiful heartbreaking read. I’m totally loving this series and how they are written. This is Mara and Elias story, it’s a story of true never ending love. Two people who have loved each other since childhood and continues through misunderstandings and heartbreak.
I’ve so enjoyed this and can not wait for more of this series from this fabulous author. Great story, wonderful characters and fantastic writing.
I loved Downfall, the first book in this series, but Exposed was unbelievably better!
Mara and Elias are in love since they were kids, but due to some circumstances from the past, they never got together. Now Mara takes reign of her future and Elias finally sees that Mara is everything he can’t live without.
There’s a slow-burn within this story. The push and pull going forever. The reasons for it are so so good that makes it necessary and with it Willow Aster build another great angsty romance that will keep you glued to your kindle until the last page!
I never thought I would like Mara the way I did. She was so manipulative in book one but at the same time I knew there was a reason for it and I was not wrong! And Elias… oh Elias Lancaster you are such a fine specimen… precious even!
This story has it all: romance, angst, action, mystery… don’t miss it!
4 Always & Real Stars!
After having read Downfall I couldn’t wait to start the next Kingdoms of Sin book! I was so happy that I got to jump back into this series right away and dig deeper into this world. I was glued to my Kindle from the very beginning. I couldn’t get of this story and everything it made me feel! I enjoyed Exposed so much!
Elias and Mara’s journey is far from an easy one. With all the things thrown their way I loved getting to see their realness and strength. These characters put my heart through it all! They definitely kept me on my toes with every page turn!
Ms.Aster has done it once again! She’s created another unputdownable and unique read with Exposed! This series has reminded me why I love Royal romances so much!
*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Wildfire Marketing Solutions / the author*
Okay, I am not gonna lie. I hated Mara in the first book – Downfall. I couldn’t stand her. When I found out book two was about her, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to read it. BUT, I loved book 1 so much that I figured I’d give it a chance. And I am so glad that I did.
Mara is so much more than what you think she is in book 1. Yes, she is still a (insert bad word here), but you get to understand her and why she is the way she is. Add in Elias and their relationship, it actually makes sense as to why she acts the way that she does.
I’m not going to say that I’m fully team Mara, not even close really, but I am able to understand her a bit better. Elias. Sweet, dirty Elias. I get why he does what he does and why he stays away, I totally understand it. But I feel as though he goes about it in all the wrong ways. Their communication is lacking and that is what causes the rift between them to continue to grow.
As the story progresses, you can’t help but root for them to finally pull their heads out of their rears and get together. It’s like watching a perfect storm come together, you know what will happen when it does, but they dance around each other so intricately that they can’t connect and become the storm they are meant to be, together.
All in all, I love this series and I can’t wait to see where the next book takes us in this world that Willow has created for us!
4 beautiful stars for the second book in the Kingdoms of Sin series.
Exposed is now live!
The sequel to the Kingdoms of Sin series is getting hotter and better than ever. In the first one we saw Prince Luka and Princess Eden getting well acquainted and a little bit of the party Princess. Seeing Mara in her own book we see a lot of reasons why she is like the spoiled princess. From the outside we see someone who has it all but man on the inside she is so troubled and feels misplaced in every way. Then we have Elias and boy is this one sexy bodyguard I wouldn’t mind having by my side. Yet Willow Aster doesn’t show us just a royal family but one sad dysfunctional family that boy needs like five Dr. Phils to fix them. We see Mara finally becoming who she is meant to be and Willow Aster did this beautiful finally making her see that she does have a voice. Loved it.
“I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own.”
This book took me a while to finish, and I will tell you why. It is because I was scared to read it after how mad I was after I read Downfall. Mara was a character I wasn’t sure I cared to know about, sorry Willow.
Mara was an incredibly tough character to like. The one thing she had going for her was her love for Elias. She was constant. She loved him from childhood and would NOT give up on him. Elias had a lot of issues, and pushing Mara away constantly was painful to witness because the love she had for him is really all that made her human in my eyes. She is the most prickly, opinionated character. She thinks she is right and knows everything. As the book goes on, you find out more and more tidbits of information about why Elias is the way he is. Stories start to unravel and love is tested.
In the end, Willow won back my trust. I enjoyed this book more than Downfall because Mara was redeemable. Elias needed at least seven hugs and a cuddle. Once Mara let guard down and was able to see the truth, she became softer. Softer Mara is a good thing.
Willow has done it again guys! This series just keeps getting better and better! I absolutely love the world Willow has created, full of such interesting layered characters! Mara and Elias were… frustrating to say the least, both so flawed and made so many stupid decisions that just had me wanting to pull my hair out! So much push and pull with these two but, their chemistry is just undeniable!! One of my absolute favorite things is to fall for a character we expect to hate, after Downfall Mara isn’t a character people are drawn to, on the surface shes spoiled, bratty and selfish, but once we get to know her we find out she is so much more than that, I loved watching her character change and grow! Elias wasn’t perfect either he had so many insecurities to work through. Watching them both come into their own was magical. I love this series and the world Willow has created so much, and I’m already dying for the next book!!
After reading Downfall I was more than a little reluctant to read Exposed. To put it plainly Mara was horrid in book 1 of this series. She was a petulant brat who played childish games even though she was Luka’s older sister. Well I am happy to report that she has fully redeemed herself in my eyes! Not only do we get to know more about Mara’s behavior in current settings but we also get a lot of flashback scenes. That really helped to learn more about her, and also about Elias, and their history together.
Downfall is a beautiful friends to lovers, personal redemption story and I loved Mara and Elias. Neither one of them is perfect, but they are perfect for each other. This series is definitely progressing in the right direction!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.