She hates him.He loves getting under her skin.Travis King is the worst kind of ahole.He taunts me for being a good girl and mocks my high standards.He’s cruel, crass, and has enough confidence to last two lifetimes.And I hate him.It wouldn’t matter so much if he were avoidable.But considering he’s my older brother’s best friend and roommate, I see him more than I’d ever want to. His sculpted abs … roommate, I see him more than I’d ever want to. His sculpted abs and gorgeous eyes are wasted on such an arrogant man, which makes me hate him even more.
Even though I’ve had a crush on him since I was ten, the feelings weren’t mutual and he’s made that very clear. He’s always loved getting under my skin and one night against my better judgment, I let him in my bed. I’ve succumbed to his manwre ways, but that doesn’t change a thing.
Because the King is about to get played at his own game—and lose.
Checkmate, King.
This is book 1 in the Travis & Viola duet and must be read first. Suggested for mature readers only.
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Loved this book so much!
This is my first book from the writing Duo Kennedy Fox after being on my TBR for so long! I actually listened to the Audiobook version and I have to admit I enjoyed it much better the second time around. Through my first listen I found it a little hard to follow, a single narrator was used and I found her voice was quite masculine anyway, this meant I struggled to differentiate between Travis and Viola’s chapters if I was paying 100% attention. I thought she narrated the male sections really well but I would have preferred a slightly more feminine narration for Viola’s sections. That aside I did enjoy the narration very much.
This is War is a true childhood friends/brother’s best friend turned enemies to lovers romance. Viola and Travis were inseparable as children, but as they hit pre teens the feelings changed and the teasing began. Viola’s heart was broken and she lost her best friend while Travis was non the wiser and they were now at war.
What I loved about this book was the back and forth teasing, pranks and insults slung between Hero and heroine. It helped to build up some seriously intense sexual chemistry, which was bound to explode. Travis is a typical manwhore, he gets what he needs and moves on and he isn’t afraid to throw this in Viola’s face just to get a reaction from her. When Viola decides to get even all bets are off and we really see the jealousy and alpha protectiveness come out of both characters.
Of course with the added complication of a conniving work college and occasional lay for Travis and Drew (Viola’s brother and Travis’s best friend) in the mix, the road ahead isn’t an easy one. Things heat up towards the end and culminate in one heck of a cliff hanger I did not see coming at all! I really need to see how this duet plays out, I loved the writing and the character development. the story was down to earth, easy to relate to and the pacing was very good. The back and forth friction between Travis and Viola made the book for me I loved that she didn’t back down from his relentless banter.
Audio review:
Travis and Viola are so much fun to listen to. The shade they throw, the banter, the push and pull… it sucked me right in! I can’t wait to listen to their conclusion. Lia did a fabulous job with narration.
A true enemies to lover…err…yea…back to enemies to lover, good golly these two could not make up their minds! The sure do like to fight and once they tip over into that forbidden territory there is no hope for them. But they do not know how to stay that way. Travis is a foul-mouthed alpha who is Viola’s big brother’s best friend and roommate and they used to live across from each other and were close when they were younger but something happened way back then. Hurt feelings and Viola does not forgive and likes to fight and Travis gives as good and she delivers. When she moves in for spring break and Drew goes out of two they are left alone and you would think they would kill each other and it looks like they are going to but just when it looks tempers are almost out of control so are lips and hands and all bets are off. Now on to part 2. One ends on a cliffhanger and oh my it is going to be good!
These two – what a pair. I stayed up way to late reading thier story and have to hurry and get book 2 to find out what in the world happens next.
Hot hot. I do loved this book. Once I started I couldn’t put it down. Travis can piss me off and I just love Viola. I love her smart and snarky attitude. I am so going to have to get the next book to see how it ends. Please authors put the whole story in one book. Thank you for the exciting book.
I couldn’t put it down
I love the characters. You felt the chemistry throughout the book. Can’t wait to read the second book.
Can’t have enough! Reading part two now!!
This the story of Travis and Viola. the first book of the Checkmate duet.
They knew each other since they were just kids, he was the best friend of her brother. she was off limits, they were inseparable until something happened that made this beautiful friendship go away..
Years went by and she still hates him, she can’t stand him and he doesn’t even know why.. something happened that still not clear to him but he hasn’t forgotten her, he keeps wanting for her.. but she is not making things easy.. sooner or later things will go off the rail.. seeming impossible for them to finally be together…
This is the first book of Checkmate Duet.
overall was a good book, a good story, and a great beginning..
I read this book in one sitting, and that is very rare for me. A great friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story. We’ve all met at least one Viola in our lives: that person who is always super prepared for everything. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like her, but I love her character. Travis comes across as cocky, almost arrogant, but the more you get to know him, you realize that’s his defense mechanism to protect himself. And just when all looks right for Viola and Travis….BOOM! That’s one helluva cliffhanger!
I know many people were upset by this book but I geniunely enjoyed it. I mean, it’s fiction. I loved the hero even though I’d hate him in real life. He was entertaining and his hate banter with the heroine was hilarious!
The book ended with a cliffhanger that just made me want to buy the next book ASAP.
Viola had a crush on her brother Drew’s best friend Travis when she was a young girl but all that changed when she overheard him talking about her. Viola was crushed and from that point on she despised Travis. Lots of years have past and Viola is having to spend spring break with her brother who just happens to have Travis as his roommate. Man, oh man Travis is goanna find out just how much Viola hates him, or will she and him find out they may actually like each other.
The book is told in dual pov which I like to read and the audible version is worth the time to listen to as Lia Langola did a wonderful job with her narration. I felt like she did a wonderful job especially while narrating Travis. This is a cliffhanger but I feel it is worth reading. Kennedy Fox books are one click for me hands down. I was honored to receive a copy of this audible book from the author and I am freely leaving my honest review.
Enemies to lovers at its best.
This book was so much fun to read because Travis and Viola’s banter is off the charts hilarious and a good mix of secual tension.
These two were friends long ago and something seems to have broken that friendship but by proxy Travis is still in Viola’s life because he’s best friends with her brother. Now her brother doesn’t seem to see the sexual tension these two harbor and is a bit dense lol. He always throws out “don’t touch my sister” warnings though. My guess because Travis is a bit of a man whore.
Absolutely loved the angst and drama of these two.
I definitely recommend this book if you like the enemies to lovers trope and some serious angst and steamy moments. There are a ton of LOL moments also and maybe a few OMG ones also. I love the writing style these two authors gives you. Honestly you can’t tell there are even two people who wrote their books it is a seamless transition. So grab a copy enjoy this insanely inappropriate at times love to hate relationship these two have.
Wow, wow. This book was crazy and in the best way. I swear Kennedy Fox has a special super power of creating these crazy plot twists that I never see coming. Just when I think I’ve got them figured out, they are there saying “Hold my beer.” This book was an enemies to lovers and it went from zero to a hundred in a blink.
Viola and Travis have known each other for most of their lives. But they are like oil and water, they DO not get along. Forced to spend two weeks together, the attraction sparks but they both decided to be stubborn and start a mini war. Taking jabs at each other, the way they get back at each other is genius. Pack those away for future use.
Travis was definitely an alphahole. But under those gruffy, angry layers is a sweet guy. He had to protect himself. Viola had put herself in a protective box because she had been hurt by Travis in the past when she was younger. But man, once they figure out the issue, I’m surprised my phone didn’t catch on fire. The two have a lot of issues to get through still though, Viola being Travis’s best friend’s little sister, one of them. The story leaves on one crazy cliffhanger. I can’t wait to start book #2 of this duet.
I was given a code to listen to this as an audiobook. The story is told from dual perspectives and it has one narrator. Lia Langola was amazing. Her male voice narration is off the charts. She did an amazing job of narrating both characters.
An enemies-to-lovers storyline with lots of sexual tension and spicy scene.
NO END
Love the characters. Looking forward to the next book in series. Ending was a surprise. Love this book
The love/hate relationship made it steamy, the character development was great, but the cliffhanger was kind of a let down since I didn’t get the second book.
I couldn’t get into it. The characters didn’t pull me in. Maybe the age difference between me and the characters, to be fair.