Homecoming King: Three Kings, Book 1 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Penny Reid (Author), Joy Nash (Narrator), Cipher-Naught (Publisher)

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Rex “TW” McMurtry’s perpetual singlehood wouldn’t bother him so much if all his ex-girlfriends didn’t keep marrying the very next person they dated, especially when so many of those grooms are his closest friends. He may be a pro-football defensive end for the Chicago Squalls, but the press only wants to talk about how he’s always a groomsman and never a groom. Rex is sick of being the guy before the husband, and he’s most definitely sick of being the best man at all their weddings.

Bartender Abigail McNerny is the gal-pal, the wing-woman, the she-BFF. She’s dated. Once. And once was more than enough. Privy to all the sad stories of her customers, "contentment over commitment" is her motto, and Abby is convinced no one on earth could ever entice her into a romantic relationship...except that one guy she’s loved since preschool.

The guy who just walked into her bar.

The guy who doesn’t recognize her.

The guy who is drunk and needs a ride home.

The guy who has a proposition she should definitely refuse.

Listening Length

12 hours and 27 minutes
Author

Penny Reid
Narrator

Joy Nash
Audible release date

5 May 2022
Language

English
Publisher

Cipher-Naught
ASIN

B09ZLVK4F3
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	12 hours and 27 minutes
Author	Penny Reid
Narrator	Joy Nash
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com.au Release Date	05 May 2022
Publisher	Cipher-Naught
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B09ZLVK4F3
Best Sellers Rank	1,240 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) 1 in Sports Romance (Audible Books & Originals) 27 in Romantic Comedy (Audible Books & Originals) 46 in Contemporary Romance (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

5 star		63%
4 star		28%
3 star		8%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from Australia

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A SOLID READ, BUT WITHOUT A HEFTY DOSE OF REID MAGIC

Reviewed in Australia on 22 December 2021

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Sport romance, ‘Homecoming King’ (Three Kings Series #1) is a book showcasing what seems like a newish direction for author, Penny Reid. On the positive side, there’s still some quirkiness, shenanigans and smouldering romance. There’s also some excellent and insightful writing.
The main themes for HK are built around two guarded people placing faith in each other, revealing their true feelings and committing. There are also themes of personal growth and the importance of respect. The shero, Abby, has become a great ‘people reader’ after having had a series of emotional and financial blows - learning to be non confrontational along with being ‘invisible’ which helps her feel safe (a ‘placeholder’ as she called it). Another hard lesson Abby learned is:
“Anything that seems too good to be true always is.”
Why not 5 stars for one of my favourite storytellers? HK, as I said, has a switch in tone and that’s not to say the book isn’t entertaining, because it is. However, it has too many similarities to several other popular, contemporary romance writers. In fact, I found myself checking I hadn’t misunderstood who the author was or that the book wasn’t a collaboration. So there’s familiar styles, settings, scenarios and characters – a grumpy, but sweet and famous football hero; an underachieving woman who has a couple of good friends, but is isolated and without family support; his glamour lifestyle compared to her humble one; a marriage of convenience; and several predictable scenes, such as: shero has forgotten her fresh clothes after showering, wraps herself in a scanty towel and gets sprung by the hero.
I understand that all artists change, are influenced by their peers or try different things, otherwise, it’s all just a bit same/same. I’m just a teeny bit thrown by PR’s approach which in this book is: formulaic, a tad drawn-out and lacking a little in originality. I will admit to feeling a couple of Penny’s older stories have been OTT wacky or not as enjoyable as most of her work, but I now find myself asking - where is Penny Reid’s unique stamp on this new series, thus far? That approach that separates her from other writers?
All that being said, HK is still a good read, but not up there with my all time favourites ‘Beauty and the Mustache’ and ‘Beard With Me’. After a brief return to ‘classic Penny Reid’ in the final stage of the book, I settled on a solid 4 stars.
Favourite quote - Rex asks, “Will you still want me when you discover I’m not too good to be true?”

One person found this helpful

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Judy

Warmth, some laughs, some tears, and it’s got pockets!

Reviewed in Australia on 14 December 2021

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I start reading anything of Penny Reid’s with very high expectations. She sets a scene very well, and her characters always have something about them to make you care for their HEA very quickly. Sometimes there’s a character that feels a little too close to home for comfort, and Abby had that quality for me. I had glimpses of my own thinking and emotional reactions and sometimes it was a way of getting really absorbed into the story, and other times it made me flinch. I will need to reread this book and have a think about those flinchy pieces.

I’m glad that this is the beginning of a series, and hope to visit with these characters again.

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3.5 stars

Reviewed in Australia on 14 December 2021

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It was a really nice read but to be honest I expected more from this author. Not her fault that my expectations were sky high. Or maybe it is? Some of her books are just so good.
This book had good characters, a decent romance and storyline as well. But it lacked something. Drama maybe? A big finale? I’m not sure. The writing still flowed well though and kept me reading.

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Laura T

Sweet and spicy holiday romance

Reviewed in Australia on 2 January 2022

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Loved this, found the characters really engaging, the storyline enjoyable and it was full of Penny Reid's trademark wit, cleverness and joy.

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Alison

Highly recommend!! So amazing!!

Reviewed in Australia on 13 December 2021

What do I look in a Holiday read? This, exactly this. I want it to make me feel all the good feels, warm and fuzzy and what not, with a smattering of steam. Penny exceeded all of these.

This book gave me Wall of Winnipeg vibes, probably because grumpy footballer player, marriage of convenience and slow burn gloriousness.

You got to know Rex slowly through this book and boy did I just love him more and more. He keeps to himself, but slowly reveals that he is a sweet, kind grump who is a dirty talker 😆 *and the heavens rejoiced* haha. I loved that he was so complex.

Abby, wow, her past is wow. That is all I have to say. Despite her past, and how it has affected her, she was amazing. I loved the way she grew and how quirky and funny she was.

These two together they were just perfect for one another. Their chemistry and banter, *chefs kiss*, fabulous. The build up and anticipation of when something, anything will happen, slowly kills you in a good way, because hot damn.

This is was a holiday without overkill on the holiday and I highly recommend it to everyone!

2 people found this helpful

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5 stars

Reviewed in Australia on 14 December 2021

One of my top 5 reads of 2021. I adored everything about this book and I didn’t want it to end! A beautiful story, great characters and that chemistry! 5 stars.

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Good story

Reviewed in Australia on 14 December 2021

Oh this story pulled me right in, Abby and Rex had me swooning and wishing I was in this story.

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Too good to be true!

Reviewed in Australia on 26 December 2021

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This story is my favourite Christmas story. It was knee buckling, angsty, swoony, hearrt eye worthy. In fact the ratings shouldnt be stars, they should definitely be heart eyes. I fell hard for Abby and Rex and was left wanting more. And not because the story wasnt finished but because I fell so hard for them and want them in my life. Definitely a HEA story and definitelyone that will leave you with a goofy grin. I can see this as a Netflix movie!

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Top reviews from other countries

ellee

A bit dull

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 December 2021

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This book is just a bit dull. It starts actually really well, but the plot exits stage left about 60% in and after that it's just a mushy sexfest. I personally prefer a bit more tension and for there to be real obstacles that have to be overcome before the couple can be together. But where can you go when they're already married, having loads of sex and clearly in love? There's just nothing else to do (despite many many plot opportunities to add tension from Cyrus, to the ex Declan).

I also don't really understand why the author wrote it all from Abby's point of view. You end up trapped in the cycle of her mild hang ups and you get no handle on Rex at all. Way too much inner angsty dialogue for her and a total blank on him. It's hard to understand why he falls for her. Or what he was even doing in the bar in the first place. He goes from not having a clue who she is to telling her later he was instantly in love with her? And manufactured the whole gotta get married thing just because she said she didn't date???? Really? REALLY? She was confused and frankly so was I!

So not great. Def don't pay the £6+ I did!

4 people found this helpful

Dini

A swoony romance with peak pining and sexual tension!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 January 2022

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I was hooked from the moment I started reading and I sped through this so quickly because the pining and sexual tension were so thick that I needed to know when and how they’d *finally* get together. Abby and Rex were opposites in so many ways but as a result of earlier life experiences that made them feel unworthy, they both struggle to accept that good things won't always get taken away from them and that they deserve to be happy!

Abby was the absolute sweetest and ugh, I just wanted to give her such a big hug throughout this whole read! Seriously, screw people who thrive on making other peoples lives hell! I'm so glad that she stood up for herself and didn't allow her douche ex to paralyse her with fear. I was so happy when she finally allowed herself to accept the good things that came her way and embraced her relationship with Rex by taking the first real permanent steps with him. It warmed my heart! I also really loved her relationship with Kaylee and Walker but I definitely could've done with much more of them in the story because they were such wonderful support systems for Abby!

Rex was this hulking beast of a man with a little known soft centre, especially when it came to the people he cares for—my favourite kind of hero! This guy had it bad for Abby right from the beginning and one of my favourite parts about angsty romances is when the H/h have to force themselves to be distant because otherwise their major heart-eyes will take over and they're worried those heart-eyes won't be reciprocated. That said, while this angst really squeezed my heart to bits, Rex was doling out the distance in spades and it got to the point where when confession time came around, I didn't think his feelings were entirely believable only because they spent so little time around each other. Even the majority of their text message exchanges were a little sparse. Another reason that I didn't give this 5-stars is that I felt like something was missing and that something was Rex's POV. I think his POV would've really added more to the story since he was so quiet most of the time and I feel like only seeing him from Abby's POV didn't do his character justice. i kinda don't want to say he felt flat but he kind of did... 🙈

That's not to say that I didn't love what I saw of Rex though because I really did; especially in the bedroom cos it seemed like a switch flipped and he became this gruff and fairly vocal, dirty-mouthed hero who was down to play fantasies, which was so very different to his usual persona. It was hot! 🥵 Also, their chemistry throughout the whole story was undeniable. Even though they didn't spend as much time together as I wished they did, whenever they were on the page together, sparks went flying, plus their banter was just so freaking adorable! Their sizzling chemistry is also what made their separation even more angsty and it's also what made it all the more satisfying when they finally got together—this is definitely a slow-burn though as even their first 'real' kiss only happens about 61% and the slow pace continues until the very end, but it's absolutely worth the anticipation!

Overall, a delightfully binge-able fake-dating/marriage romance that I had a really hard time putting down. Abby and Rex stole my heart and their romance made me swoon and sigh with happiness! I'm eagerly anticipating the next two books in the series, which I'm assuming will be about Cyrus and Alaric(?) and I absolutely cannot wait 😍

Sianny banany

Love love love love love

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 December 2021

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Abby had a massive, huge, gigantasmic, stalkery crush on Rex for their entire school life. And to be honest, she never really grew out of it; her crush just dulled to an admiring-of-a-famous-athlete-she-once-knew from afar. For Rex is now a pro football player.

So imagine her surprise when one night, Rex wanders into her bar and ends up drunkenly asking her to marry him.

Abby tries to forget and shrug off the entire strange encounter of that whole night, except that the next day he turns up again with a serious proposition: he’ll pay her to fake marry him and accompany him to certain events. Because he’s been labelled “Training Wheels” in that every woman he has ever dated has gone on to meet the love of her life straight after. Oftentimes it was Rex that introduced them. And he’s sick of the nickname, of the attention, of the whole thing. Maybe if he’s married it’ll all go away?

Firstly, I thought this was going to be a novella so damn, was I happy girl when I realised it was a full length novel!

I absolutely ADORED these two. They both had similar reservations and a lack of trust, partly in themselves, to really take the dive and face their feelings for a while.

Rex was just…I mean…le sigh. Can I keep him? Protective, gruff, kind, loving, giant (in all ways), and genuine. And Abby was so self deprecating to an extent. She just couldn’t see how Rex, the object of all her fantasies, the man who sat on a pedestal of her own making, could possibly ever really want her. But she was wonderful! Caring, thoughtful, funny, beautiful, also a giant. They were absolutely perfect for each other.

I’ve only just finished reading it and I miss them already!

Kindle Customer

Slow burn

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 December 2021

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Anyone else get serious Wall of Winnipeg flashbacks?
I love a slow burn. I liked the first half of this book more than the second but would still say it was good.
Funnily enough with Mariana Zapata I tend to like the second half more than the first ... Hmmmm
Anyway, good fun.
But please Penny, stop overusing "essential", it pulls me right out of the book every time.

One person found this helpful

Maykersworld

Just exasperating...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 June 2022

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Penny Reid is a brilliant writer. Beauty and the Moustache is a particular favourite of mine but since the conclusion of the Winston Brothers series, the story arcs and characters just seem unnecessarily exasperating. I guess my exasperating is another reader's 'slow burn', so do make up your own mind, but the over-the-top melodrama is not for me. I read fiction and this fantastic genre because I like to support female authors, particularly indie ones and because it's a delicious escape. If I wanted to be tormented, I would watch the news.

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Homecoming King: Three Kings, Book 1 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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