He’s supposed to be the ruler of this kingdom.The prince poised to take his rightful place on the pitch.Instead, he plays the jester, shunning his legacy.Only I am privy to his lion heart.Kingston Phillips is the heir to England’s football dynasty. The offspring of two of the world’s greatest players, the expectations set on his shoulders could crush the universe. But the golden-haired Adonis … golden-haired Adonis chooses to live his life as a game; a series of nightclubs, brawls, pranks and different kit chasers parading through his sheets.
I’m the last woman he should chase, and I’ve told him so. My cheeky mouth and icy demeanor guard the secret no one can learn. But when the Casanova I’ve been avoiding becomes the bloke next door, he quickly begins to thaw the frost around my heart. Kingston shows me the ferocious, loyal, protective side of himself that no one else gets to witness.
I begin to realize that he’s just as damaged as I am.
That as much as I try to deny it, we’re the same.
And … that might just be our undoing.
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The second book in the Rogue Academy series was brilliant, and it was great to read about Poppy & Kingston. Having met both characters in the first book I couldn’t wait to find out more.
In places I found this story really very emotional. It was sad, emotional, heartwarming and romantic all in one, wrapped up with a bow on top.
Poppy really doesn’t like Kingston to start but as she learns more about him and the secrets and hurts that run inside him, she gathers more of an understanding of what makes him tick.
The chemistry between the two characters is amazing. The sparks fly off the pages, even when they’re disliking each other.
Both characters have very similar family backgrounds and many of their issues stem from here. But they both deal with them sooooo differently.
My only niggle was the British language. I just struggle to get how us Brits supposedly use all this slang language all the time!!
Another must-read from Carrie Aarons. A lovely slow-burn romance, full of chemistry, and emotions with a token bit of humour and lightheartedness thrown in!
4.5 Stars
4 1/2 stars!
Kingston doesn’t care what people think of him and his actions, on and off the field, are definitely a projection of that. He is a cocky bastard who doesn’t see his downfall coming. Poppy is one of the world’s most famous models and prides herself on her great reputation. These two originally met in the first book of this series and it was a fantastic set up to this story. Poppy wants nothing to do with him, but they find themselves crossing paths, much to her discomfort.
But that also leads Poppy to seeing a side to Kingston that puts him in the same category as her. Broken. (CW: This story is one that deals with abuse. Verbal. Physical. Sexual. There are multiple scenes that could be hard for some people to read.)
Kingston really goes through a journey in this book. A complete personality makeover. I’m going to be honest, in the beginning, he is really hard to like. He thinks his shit doesn’t stink and most of the time comes off as pompous asshole, especially to Poppy. But all it takes is one moment for that to unravel and for Poppy to realize what only his best friends know, that there is much more to Kingston than his bad boy soccer persona.
I loved Poppy so much. Despite everything she has been through, she is a very positive person. She’s ridiculously understanding and wears her heart on her sleeve. She tries to see the best in people, which is good because she would have never given Kingston a chance to prove to her that he can be better. To be the man she deserves. And then the two of them go on their own journey which is sweet and left me with the warm and fuzzies.
I just loved this story. I wanted more of them and I’m hoping that they pop back up in what I think will be the next book in this series. Carrie drops a big bomb in regards to one of the secondary characters and it sounds SO GOOD. Fingers crossed that she announces this book soon!
I didn’t expect anything less than what Kingston’s story was. I couldn’t sleep one night and thought I’d start The Lion Heart with a few chapters. Well, I stayed up all night because I needed to know Poppy’s story (which broke my heart) and then Kingston came along and completed the entire story. His struggles and expectations from his family were so sad to read and combining Poppy’s pain just had me in tears. But together they will fight the battle and complete one another. Kingston’s cockiness and brilliant antics are front and center as one would expect. Poppy isn’t just a beautiful model, but a woman broken, yet her strength is mind-blowing. This author is brilliant in her writing and the way she can bring humor and pain together makes for a story to fall in love with.
This series it’s getting better and better. I loved all the English things as I live in England myself and the fact that a favourite author it’s writing a love story about two beautiful characters with flaws and so reliable, it’s even better.
Check it out and you won’t regret it.
This book is all about appearances. What you show to the outside world. What everyone thinks about you. How you present yourself to them. And who you really are. It takes all of these, and really shows that you should take appearances at face value. Very few people are who they present in public. And these two characters highlight that fact.
Kingston is a legacy soccer player. He comes from some of the best in the world. And by all appearances, he is living that life to the fullest. He is a player, a partier, living life in the fast lane. He has no cares in life, takes nothing seriously. But on the inside, he really isn’t like that. The face he presents in public doesn’t portray accurately who he is.
Poppy seems to be at the top of her game. She is a model, constantly on the go, surrounded by people, independent, and happy. But in reality, she’s a loner. She doesn’t have the time or the inclination to deal with a play boy soccer player.
These two were drawn to each other from the beginning, but resisted. This is a very slow burn romance, with plenty of heat simmering in the back ground. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as Book 1. (Kingston kind of rubbed me the wrong way, I guess!) It’s definitely worth reading, a good continuation of the series, and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book!
The Lion Heart is the second book in Aarons’ Rogue Academy series featuring Kingston and Poppy. If you are new to Rogue Academy, don’t worry! You can totally jump right into Kingston’s and Poppy’s love story as a stand alone.
If you are a lover of sports romance, then this one is for you. The Lion Heart is a wonderful addition to this series. Kingston and Poppy have been through so much and both take every opportunity they can to hide their emotions. Although they provide a good front, their lives have been far from perfect. Kingston’s constant pursuit of Poppy was admirable, even if at times she could come across as a pain. Aarons created a slow burn of chemistry between these two that kept me reading. Aarons’ characters both over come adversity and become stronger, more true to themselves because of it. It was moving to read such inspirational characters.
The Lion Heart is such a good book and well worth your one click. Aarons continues to write romance that capture your attention from cover to cover as she dives into serious and hard topics.
Hands down, one of my absolute FAVORITE Carrie Aarons books to date! Kingston and Poppy are two of the most interesting characters I’ve met recently and the more I read, the more I couldn’t wait to learn more about them, and the layers to each of them are several and deep. The interactions between them don’t start off on a positive note, but the more they’re in the same proximity (seeing how they’re neighbors), the more things begin to change between them. But events and issues from their respective pasts have shaped them into the characters we meet and I was up late reading to see how they would manage to deal with their pasts and see how they could possibly find their HEA and I was NOT disappointed!
Kingston Phillips is an arrogant, selfish and and all around playboy. Even when he meets Poppy. Poppy is a top model who is just trying to concentrate on her career. She has no time for Kingston’s foolishness. When they find themselves in closer proximity than comfortable, they get to know each other. I loved this story and how it developed. Each of them has a public face that they let down for each other. Things that should have come out long ago has shaped them into what they are. Kingston is so much more than I imagined he could be and Poppy is his perfect match in every way
Kingston is the star soccer player who comes across as arrogant but there is far more to the man than appears. He has inherited the skill from his parents but is also weighted down by their expectations. As a result, he chooses to take control where he can and that is by pretending it doesn’t matter and earning a reputation as a playboy.
From the outside looking in Poppy appears to be living a charmed life as she is a successful model with financial security. When she and Kingston become neighbors, she is determined to keep her distance but Kingston is more determined, and he shows her by word and actions that he was a man she could depend on and trust.
This is a sweet and sexy story between two people who both have painful pasts and have created an image to protect themselves. As they see below the surface, they accept each other faults and all, and couldn’t be a better match.
The Lion Heart book 2 Rogue Academy
Carrie Aarons
5 Stars
What a really awesome fantastic story!! Love the characters!! Great feels and emotions. Very captivating!
“All our lives, we’ve been cast aside or told we don’t belong. It was only because we were waiting for each other. She is my perfect fit.”
“Kingston Phillips is not who I thought he was, and I’m falling head over heels for the man I’ve found him to be.”
What happens when the sensation of the fashion world meets the royalty of football? A battle is fought.
Poppy Raymond is a famous model. Kingston Phillips is famous by birth. The son of two football legends, he follows in his family’s footsteps, and the field is where he stands out. But if fame connects them, personally they could not be more different. Poppy is a mystery, a reserved person, without friends, who does not get involved in scandals. Kingston has a troubled social life. His destructive and partying attitude puts him like a troublemaker in the media.
She is consolidated in her career. He is facing a bad phase. Their first meeting is fraught with provocation and a rather indiscreet invitation from Kingston. Poppy knows she should stay away. He will not give in to the challenge of hunting. The two being neighbors is just the icing on the cake.
But behind the masks they wear, whether it’s her ice queen or his playboy bon vivant, they both have something in common. Both hide a past of abuse and trauma that still haunts them and makes them sabotage themselves. If they allow themselves to be honest with each other, can they help one another?
With Kingston’s career at stake and Poppy’s trauma keeping her from living, their proximity will show that sometimes what we need most is what’s right in front of us. And though we fear, opening up with someone else can be our salvation.
The book is wonderful. Loved the characters. Poppy, even with all that has happened, is extremely strong. And Kingston, despite his destructive attitude, is suffering, and needed to hit rock bottom to find himself. These two suffering souls deserved their happy endings.
Aria and Jude appear in the story, as does Vance, who throws a bomb at the reader. The book has a bit of drama, but nothing to weigh the narrative. The duels between Poppy and Kingston are the best, seeing how she faces him and not fussing over his taunts shows that the two were made for each other. The dialogues are quick, sometimes sarcastic, and the love-hate relationship between the two is hilarious to follow.
A great read.
This was a fantastic read. I’m really loving the series. Highly recommend.
The second installment in the Rogue Academy will delight you with its witty banter and strong characters.
Kingston and Poppy have both created a name for themselves in their respective worlds, which often cross. But when they discover how much more their worlds will intersect, life gets a bit crazy. They both come with their prejudices and preconceived against each other, but each of them harbored their own grief and broken hearts. Poppy thinks Kingston is merely a vapid and egotistical player, and Kingston wants in Poppy’s pants…and maybe a bit more. They each bear an armor to protect themselves against the hurt and loneliness.
But they are more alike than what shows on the surface.
“I think we’re all f***ed up. It’s just how we deal with it, how much of a brave face we can put on, that gets us through the day.”
Life can change on a dime, but the quality of your character is determined by how you react in these situations and the choices you make when facing these circumstances. And that is the true test of Poppy and Kingston… Can they make their way to each other, unearth their true selves, and stay honest to who they are and each other?
Oh my heart! What a beautiful book! Poppy and Kingston…just because something looks so beautiful and shiny from the outside doesn’t mean that’s who they truly are. How my heart broke as the layers of their perfect facades peeled back. Kingston and Poppy had to fight to get to know each other, to break down the walls they had each built to protect themselves….but oh was it worth it! I HIGHLY recommend this book…simply perfect!
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!!
I cannot describe how amazing this book was, Kingston is my everything!!! I couldn’t put this book down, Kingston is the type of character you wished was read. Poppy was also someone I loved so much, these two characters needed each other, they both had a past that had you wanting to just give them a hug.
Poppy was strong and amazing, she never gave up and she was just such a queen. I loved seeing her and Kingston meet, I loved seeing them take a chance and learn who each other really was. I loved this slow burn, we got to know when and fall for them too, this was a story that DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I must read ASAP!!!
I don’t remember having 2 people break my heart as much as Kingston and Poppy did. They are just two broken people trying to make their way in the world. They are both products of circumstances beyond their control and have taught themselves how to shield their emotions. Both have found different ways to mask their pain and the turmoil they go through every day.
Kingston is the prankster, the one person everyone can count on for a laugh. He is reckless, a ladies’ man and never someone anyone takes seriously. That is his armor. That is how he protects himself from his deepest darkest secrets. He is a broken man. He is a man who needs the love the one to help him see that what he portrays to the world isn’t the real him. The real him is fiercely protective of those he loves, the real him loves with everything whether it is his career or those around him.
Poppy is on top of her career. She is the it girl, but she too is just a shell of herself. He looks and acts the part of the perfect model, everyone wants to work with her, and she puts on her makeup and fancy clothes and smiles for the camera. That is her armor, but she is more broken than anyone knows. She is dying inside and has been for years. Her story had tears in my eyes because it is the story of so many. It isn’t just a story in a book but it is a story that many deal with on a daily basis.
This book handled some heavy subject matter but they the author wrote it, it was all handled with care. This book brought out a lot of emotions from me and that’s what a book is supposed to do. It is not only an escape but it is something that should make you feel.
I have a feeling Vance’s book is going to do the same. It is going to break my heart but I know in the end it will put it back together.
Kingston Phillips should he at the top of his game and the one player everyone should look up to…..however, his dynasty is lacking and his love of the game is waning as his parental disappointment becomes overwhelming. But while at the bottom of his gaming, he meets Poppy, the beautiful model who is tough as nails and shows no interest in Kingston. While biding for her affection Kingston finally reveals his true self. His emotional and physical baggage is left open which shows him in a different light to Poppy. But this connection also brings out the abuse that Poppy has hidden away from the world. Can two broken souls connect and heal each other? Or is this just a car crash waiting to happen? With beautifully written characters Carrie Aarons takes the reader on an emotional journey. A journey that opens everyone’s eyes to the realization that looks are deceiving and first impressions are not always the best. I cannot wait for the next book in this series!!
By far my favorite book of this author! this characters are so real, I fell in love with their story from the very first page, this story has a way of pulling at your heartstrings from the very start. It was an amazing story.
This book was so freaking good! I loved THE SECOND COMING, but THE LION HEART goes over and beyond what I was expecting, and delivers a heartwarming and beautiful story.
Kingston is exactly what he portrays himself to be, a playboy with not a care in the world. Right?!
Poppy is the exact same, a frigid ice queen. Right?
What happens when two people that don’t seem to have anything in common realize that they might have more than they think? ….. READ THE BOOK TO SEE!
All in all, this book is a MUST read by anyone who loves New Adult Sports Romances that pack a huge emotional punch. I cannot recommend this book more!
The Lion Heart by Carrie Aarons is the second book in her Rogue Academy series and though this can be read as a standalone, they are about interconnected couples. Kingston Phillips and Poppy live as the world expects them too, but there is so much more to who they are. Kingston is the son of two soccer greats, so the game should be all he wants, right? Poppy is a top model, but that does not mean life is easy for her. Two people who hide so much of each other to the outside world, when they meet, could they be just what they need? I loved their chemistry and back-and-forth. Their journey was not an easy one, but so worth the read!
4.5-stars. Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!