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The boy who always felt like mine is now the man I can't have…

Dig a little and you'll find photos of me in the bathtub with Ezra Stern.
Get your mind out of the gutter. We were six months old.
Pry and one of us might confess we saved our first kiss for each other.
The most clumsy, wet, sloppy . . . spectacular thirty seconds of my adolescence.
Get into our business and you'll see two families, closer than blood, torn apart in an instant.
Twenty years later, my "awkward duckling" best friend from childhood, the boy no one noticed, is a man no one can ignore.

Finer. Fiercer. Smarter.
Taken.


Tell me it's wrong.
Tell me the boy who always felt like mine is now the man I can’t have.
When we find each other again, everything stands in our way--secrets, lies, promises.
But we didn't come this far to give up now.
And I know just the move to make if I want to make him mine.

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 26, 2020

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About the author

Kennedy Ryan

59 books26.8k followers
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I write contemporary romance and women's fiction. I always give my characters their happily ever after, but I love to make them work for it! It's a long road to love, so sit back and enjoy the ride.

I am wife to the love of my life, mom to a special, beautiful son, and a friend to those living with autism through my charitable foundation.

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5 stars
4,189 (43%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,630 reviews
Profile Image for TJ *Book Twins Reviews*.
1,096 reviews2,548 followers
May 28, 2020

Kennedy Ryan has the uncanny ability to sweep me up into every story she writes. Her characters are always masterfully created and jump off the page. I can’t help but be drawn to the complexities of their character and back stories. The characters are vivid and so real. This latest release is no different! Kimba and Ezra are magical!!

Queen Move brought to mind so many wonderful feelings and emotions. I had so much fun reading this book. The first twenty percent was such a treat. Watching these characters grow into the amazing adults they become was phenomenal. Kimba and Ezra’s connection started from a very young age and only grew deeper as the years progressed. Their connection was so brilliantly written and demonstrated throughout.

So, here’s what I loved:

Obviously, the characters. I particularly loved the development of their connection. Kimba is vibrant, strong, and feisty. The ultimate girl boss!! I’d want to be her best friend is she were real. Her family was also a joy! Their connection and backstory was such a treat! Ezra is perfection! Such a great guy. The absolute best. The way he sees her and feels for her is breathtaking!!

The writing!!! Gah, I could get lost in the magic of Kennedy Ryan’s words every single day. She takes such great care with her subject matter. It’s an amazing experience to witness.

The chemistry and absolute devotion that develops between these two is remarkable. The overall development of the story and plot progression are all on point. The story is entertaining, moving, and will leave you feeling completely satisfied! Highly recommended!!




For more of my reviews:
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Profile Image for Talia Hibbert.
Author 29 books32k followers
May 18, 2020
Most of you already know that I love Kennedy Ryan's books, and also love Kennedy Ryan in general. She is all-round fantastic, as a writer and a person. This is known!!!

BUT. I would be doing you all a disservice if I didn't take some time to lose my crap specifically about her next release. Queen Move honestly blew... my... mind.

As in, my mother is now sick of me interrupting her mid-conversation to say things like, "But seriously, how does Kennedy do the thing with the symbols and the physical manifestations of each emotion and then time it perfectly to the beats of -"

Mum: Child, if you don't shut up and answer my question about the dishwasher.

I JUST CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THIS BOOK. I was lucky enough to get an early copy, which I started on Friday night and finished on Saturday morning. I then spent the rest of the weekend trying to gather my thoughts, but they are still SCATTERED. I am INCOHERENT. This review is going to be a chaotic, rambling flood of hero-worship because I just CANNOT. So! Here we go!!!

I would describe Queen Move as a contemporary romance with high heat, even higher emotional stakes, and thoroughly modern sensibilities. In this day and age, there is nothing I love better than to see explicit, freedom-fighting politics on the page, and Kennedy always delivers. She writes these huge characters - a political powerhouse heroine, a hero who is a pillar of his community - in such fine, minute detail. She layers the major issues of our world with the achingly personal issues of each individual's life. The result is a story that feels so cozy and personal yet so glamorous and impactful all at once.

But I'm off on a tangent again.

Queen Move is a childhood friends to lovers, second chance, single dad romance. Kimba and Ezra were born on the same day and have been inseparable since their mothers met when they were babies. In their early teens, their soul mate bond becomes adorably romantic - but disaster quickly strikes and they are separated by forces beyond their control.

The next time they meet, years later, Ezra is with the mother of his child.

But the next time they meet... well. Things are different and the same all at once.

This romance was an epic love story. I was so heavily invested and so anxious for Ezra and Kimba, and for all the other characters involved. I cared deeply about every friend and family member, not only because their stories were wound into the main couple's HEA, but because they were all so real and therefore loveable.

I will say that if this story was written by an author I didn't 'know' (and also know), I would've been nervous AF. But because I can trust Kennedy to keep my soft little romance reader heart safe, I was able to handle all the high stakes, twist-and-turn-y, emotional bomb moments of this story. I want to reassure you guys, if you haven't read Kennedy Ryan, that you can do the same! Which makes this the perfect cathartic comfort read that will take you on a rollercoaster but leave you feeling all glow-y and triumphant by the end.

As always, I wasn't just bowled away by the incredible characters and emotional plot, but by the writing itself. Kennedy is a poet. She can do the word stuff like no other. I highlight her books so much because every other sentence is just pure ART. She works such wonders with literary symbolism, twining specific words into her overall theme until they make one beautiful tapestry.

This story was about faith - faith in the world, faith in your loved ones, faith in yourself. It was about belonging, and about being different, and about carving a space for yourself and what you need. It was about making empowering choices even when they don't fit the mould. And all of those wider concepts were reflected in every word, every phrase, every sentence.

In particular, Kennedy has this incredible talent for highlighting the inherent emotional beauty of religious language and using it to elevate her romances. She finds the similarities between spirituality and the feeling of a soulmate bond, and illustrates it perfectly and respectfully. That's one of my favourite things about her style and it is wonderfully present in Queen Move.

Finally, I want to say how much I enjoyed reading a 37-year-old heroine who unashamedly puts her career first and takes things at her own pace, even when pressured, one way or another, toward motherhood. (There was another woman in the story who also grappled with her career and motherhood, and I thought that was beautifully done as well. In fact, there were countless examples of women in this story who are balancing all the expectations of womanhood in their own way, and every last one of them was respected and loved, and I just adored that.)

I'm now going to list content notes for the story, for those who prefer to go in with some awareness. I want to emphasise that the medical things on this list are handled carefully and with a light hand, but they are still there, and I know they can hit some people hard so I’m gonna list them in fine detail: perimenopause, related discussion of weight change, infertility, IVF, infidelity, pregnancy, loss of pregnancy.

You can get Queen Move on May 26th, and you definitely should.
Profile Image for Christy.
4,105 reviews34.6k followers
February 15, 2023
5 stars

 photo 7DBB243E-48D6-4C16-9422-2BC8FCD9E31A_zpsbiv8t5st.png
You don’t blame magnets for being drawn to each other. But if they’re far enough apart, they can’t stick. For the last two decades, Ezra and I were far enough apart not to stick, but now…

Kennedy Ryan blows me away with her writing every time. Every. Single. Time. With every book she writes, she solidifies just how talented she is. You can feel the heart and the passion in every single book, every chapter, every word. Queen Move was one of the best friends to lovers romances I’ve ever read.

Kimba is a secondary character from ‘The Kingmaker’ and when I met her in that book, I knew I wanted her story. She is unapologetically herself and a strong and independent woman. I wasn’t sure what man would be able to take her on, but Ezra Stern has what it takes.

Ezra and Kimba were best friends from the time they were infants until their teenage years when Ezra’s family moved out of the country. Ezra and Kimba always had a special bond, and unbreakable friendship. They’ve been out of each others lives for so many years and things are complicated, but it’s obvious even after all this time, these two belong together.

There are parts towards the end of this story that are angsty and a bit…messy. This could have been handled in a bad way, but Kennedy handled it perfectly. I was worried this twist of the story would make me love the book a little less, but it only made me love these characters and their story even more. They were resilient and strong and proved that their love was for real, even during hard times.
“I think I fell in love with her every day for the first thirteen years of my life, and as soon as I saw her again, my heart just remembered.”

This book was special. This story was important. These characters moved me. I can’t get enough of Kennedy Ryan’s works and I hope she never ever stops writing. If you’re looking for an epic book that has steam, an incredible prose, and will give you all the feels, pick up Queen Move!
Profile Image for mel ☽.
369 reviews10.6k followers
June 7, 2020
2.75 stars ✧

oof this was painful.

i have a love/hate relationship with second chance romance mainly because they have tropes i absolutely hate where H is content with his life without the h, while h suffers and pines over H ← that's usually the case 99.9% of the time. but also, i like torturing myself and making myself suffer through the pain and angst. why do i keep doing this to myself you ask?
description

well... i don't know. when someone tells me to do something, i do the opposite. it is what it iss. and by the way, this review is going to be filled with S P O I L E R S so be warned, folks!

so this is about Ezra and Kimba's story. they were childhood best friends and had their first kiss the same night Ezra left Kimba when they were only 13 years old. get this, 24 YEARS goes by and both have moved on and quite frankly, at least in my perspective, kind of forgot about each other.
"It doesn't feel funny to me. It feels tragic that the person I thought I'd know all my life is now a veritable stranger. Someone whose sentences I used to be able to finish. The few secrets I had at that age, Kimba kept. Now I don't know her at all."

24 years is a long ass time. that's my whole life plus 2 years!! that's a lot.

and in those years, both have moved on with others. Kimba had a lot of hookups and no-strings attached relationships, while Ezra had a 10-year relationship with Aiko and has a kid with her.
"They are a family. Aiko is not just some girl he found on Tinder and then decided it's quits. He hasn't been with anyone but her for ten years, and they have a son together. Things happened fast and things just happened. It ain't over 'til it's over, and if anyone gets hurt when things go south, it'll be you."

and boy did it hurt. thankfully, the OW drama wasn't too painful when Ezra and Kimba reunited because the first scene of Ezra at the beginning of part 2 was him breaking things off with Aiko. oh, and they were never married by the way. they were having problems for a long time and he even admitted that they were together for that long because of their child.

anyways, everything was going so well and the romance between them was fast but nonetheless passionate. i love how the writing clearly, and powerfully conveys how much they passionately love and miss one another. everything was all fine and dandy but then...

description


IT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE. it literally hit me in the face like a wrecking ball tf???

Aiko comes home and let's us know that she is pregnant with Ezra's baby!!! now, knowing this and the fact that Kimba also has perimenopause is just painful. can you imagine finally having the love of your life back in your life but then you have to watch them be a family with another woman, knowing that you may not have that?? it. is. PAINFUL.
"Will wanting him mean accepting something I know for me is wholly unacceptable?"

not only this but they were literally having sex at his and OWs place with all their family pictures plastered on the wall, rubbing the fact that they've done a lot in Kimba's face.

honestly, im glad that Ezra was fighting for Kimba and was literally begging her to give him a chance but he was lowkey selfish. couldn't he understand how painful this was for Kimba?? and this drama was just unnecessary in my humble opinion. it just felt... wrong. i know love is painful and not all rainbows and unicorns but damn.

also, with how innocent and passionate their childhood love was, im actually very surprised that BOTH of them didn't try to find each other and it took them 20+ years to reunite. i know they separated in the late 90s but heeellooooo. what happened when Facebook was created?? and obviously with my neurotic obsessive behavior, if i calculated it right, he wasn't with Aiko when Facebook was created sooo... im just saying.

after that little bomb dropped, they separated for 1.5 years and got together pretty quickly after that. both were not with other people.

but overall, this just made me so sad for Kimba. i know heroine had a lot of sexual partners throughout the years but i wish she actually fell in love with another person too. equality and all that. but nope. she actually had to "force herself to like someone and fuck them".

i don't know what's more painful,
↳ H being a ho or
↳ H falling in love with OW and having a kid with them.

i honestly don't. but the same thing always happens, h always suffers and has to go through the most pain. this is why second chance romance are a double-edged sword for me.

anyways, all these things i did not like aside, i like Ezra and Kimba as a character. they're both quite literally, career goals and that's coming from me, a criminology student. BUT although i didn't like this because of personal preferences doesn't mean that this was bad. this was actually really good! the writing was great especially when it comes to the MCs passionate love for one another and the angst was good but yeah... that little drama at the end was a no for me. also, im a moody reader so if i was in a different mood while reading this, i probably would have rated it higher but for now, i'll stick with this one.

AND, the diversity and representation in this is impeccable. i loved learning about the different cultures represented here and you could really tell ms. Kennedy did her research. i really appreciate that like YES bishhh. flavors!! so many flavors *chef's kiss*

also, i just wanna say that i have a girl crush on the book cover model. like girl who are YOU cuz you gorgeous ✨
Profile Image for Rea.
342 reviews25 followers
May 26, 2020
The thing I’ve discovered about any Kennedy Ryan book? They make you FEEL. And I mean FEEEEEEL. Not just in the feels, not just ALL the feels. The words, the breaths, the ticks, the swishes and hair tucks. You are so immersed in the story you can physically feel the story.

I read a lot and I read everywhere. But Kennedy’s books need to find me in solitude and peacefulness, because my brain and heart will have to work as one to survive a Kennedy Ryan book. And Queen Move?
Man. Queen Move. Every molecule got a work out for Queen Move. Every corner of my brain is learning and storing and tip tapping on memories. Because even though Kimba and I come from different ethnicities, I feel her in the bonds. The bonds with her family, the bonds with her friends, the heart bonds. This is a story for NOW. This is a story of loving the family you have and creating the family you want; and a story that displays to the reader a family that could be. It could be if the world was a more accepting and peaceful place. It’s what we could have. And what we should strive to have.

Kimba and Ezra are a love story that brings exposure to people that aren’t always seen in the forefront of romance. But you know what they have that is always in the forefront of romance? Love. Love in its purest and most true form.

Queen Move fills you with that feeling of pure, true love.

Bravo Mrs. Ryan, brafreakingvo! ‬

I can’t do a review without mentioning the strength of the Allen family, you’ll know it when you read it, this family is what a family should be about. Being there no matter the tests to your bond. Family is family.

And a Daddy’s girl? Well this Daddy’s girl feels compelled to acknowledge the way in which Kimba never waivers on her love and bond with her daddy. It gives the fierce, alpha female just a sprinkle of her vulnerability. It’s not all of it, just a sprinkle.
Profile Image for benedicta.
348 reviews481 followers
August 30, 2023
4.2⭐️ this story was beautiful 🥺💞

✔️ black rep
✔️ biracial rep
✔️ jewish family rep
✔️ perimenopause rep
✔️ childhood friends to lovers
✔️ second chance(ish) romance
✔️ dual pov
✔️ contemporary romance

This is my first Kennedy Ryan, she has been on my radar for a while. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this.

I went in blind and this is the third book in All the king's men books but this was so easy to get into, I almost didn't miss the first two (which I'll definitely read). I wanted a book that could fix my book hangover after an ember quartet 😩🥰 and I couldn't have picked a better book.

I loved that we got a look in Ezra and Kimba as kids. I related to kimba so hard because growing up, I stammered when I had to deal with overpowering emotions or stressful situations. I was so emotional seeing this well represented, I've never seen it in any book or movie. 😭

On to the romance, Ezra and Kimba got me rooting for them immediately from the prologue.. likeee? and that first kiss was toooo cute. Kimba is a strong modern fmc with a career in politics and Ezra is just some guy (jk 🤭), Ezra owns a private school that allows his students to attend for free and he's a teacher as well. The smut is spicyyy and their interactions warmed my heart, so wholesome 😩🤌🏼. I need to read more contemporary romance like this.





***
please fix me 🧎🏽‍♀️ I'm having the worst book hangover 😔
Profile Image for Arini.
857 reviews2,017 followers
June 9, 2020
This trainwreck I’ve just borne witness to is complicated and cruel and sad.



Our main leads are both admirable individuals, and their romance is passionate and enduring. But the circumstances around which they start their relationship is messy.

I don’t blame Ezra . And salute to Kimba the Lioness who’s got a heart big enough to love and accept a man with a baggage as heavy as his.

The one thing that didn’t sit well with me is this . . .



I know everyone is entitled to their privacy. But when it comes to matters of love affairs in romance, there’s always this cloud of doom (e.g. the fear of getting caught, etc) looming above our heads that more often than not leads to (an) over the top D R A M A.



And oh boy, what a catastrophe it is that we see here! I felt sorry for Kimba. Hasn’t she suffered enough? In addition, I was irked that is used as a plot device to further exaggerate what has already been a tough sitch.

All that aside . . .

How did we go from MAXIM CADE to EZRA STERN (?!?)

Not that there’s anything wrong with Ezra as we’ve established earlier. But Maxim is just so wholesome. And him and Lennix are forever my favorite. (Along with Keenan and Lotus, Hook Shot.)

I know it’s not fair to compare, but I just can’t help point out that the second chance romance in All the King’s Men Duet is WAY BETTER executed than in this book. It’s of a different kind, sure. But the pining, the chasing, the groveling, Maxim does it all in excellence!

SO, YES, GO READ THAT DUET!

Kennedy Ryan is undoubtedly a talented author. Her writing is impeccable, and her stories are often full of passion, hard hitting, and empowering. That being said, I appreciate the politics and cultural diversity she includes in this book.

However, I also think she comes on a little too strong. Especially since the politics in this book is more or less similar to what’s in All the King’s Men Duet. And from someone who’s read them, this time it just felt stuffy.

To conclude, Queen Move is not powerful enough to secure a checkmate in my heart that warrants a long lasting impression.
Profile Image for Malene.
1,253 reviews698 followers
May 25, 2020
Queen Move is an epic childhood friends to lovers romance that spans decades. Kennedy Ryan is a master storyteller and an expert in grand stories that spans years. With Queen Move I got everything I could ever ask for. Multi layered characters and a strong well developed storyline with relatable and very relevant subject matters. Ryan doesn’t shy away and tackles them head on and flawlessly intertwine these with Kimba and Ezra’s story.

Queen Move or should I say Kimba’s move. This is Kimba’s book and what a brilliant book it is. I enjoy a strong, determined and sexual woman and that’s exactly what Kimba is. I root for women like Kimba. I applaud women like Kimba who does what she wants and not what’s expected of her. Whether it’s her as a woman in general or what her family expects of her. Kimba does what Kimba wants.
Ezra Stern is the perfect match to Kimba. Their story which begins at a very early age captured me immediately and held me spellbound until the final page. Ezra is also a person who chooses with his heart and once he sets his mind to something he’ll achieve it.

Their story is so much more than romance. For me it’s also the evolution of how Kimba and Ezra became these two influential people who fell in love. They both come from different backgrounds. I was deeply engrossed all thanks to Ryan’s dedication to the overall story and her attention to details regarding certain religions and cultures.

Queen Move is groundbreaking. It has a voice that needs to be heard. It’s relevant and it resonated with me on a deeper level. Once again this author has left me in awe and speechless. A truly spectacular reading experience.

5+ I Want To Be Her Last Stars


Profile Image for Lacey (laceybooklovers).
2,132 reviews11.7k followers
May 21, 2020
Was it ever a question that I would love this book? It’s childhood friends to lovers. Second chance romance. The perfect combo!! Kimba and Ezra are now one of my favorite couples of 2020. I loved Kimba since she first appeared in the ATKM duet, and Ezra was THE perfect man for her. Queen Move is ridiculously romantic and swoony. It’s made me remember just why I love second chance romances so much. Kennedy Ryan has blown me away once again and I’m already itching to read another book from her!
Profile Image for EmBibliophile.
588 reviews1,809 followers
May 27, 2020
5 stars




Second chance romance is my least favorite trope, maybe because of my kinda cold heart, because I just don’t believe in that, or because they rarely tend to convince me. However, I realized that I love it when a second chance romance is not about a past mistake that needs a second chance to be corrected, those just never work for me. I love it when it’s more like a second chance of what we could have been, what didn’t get a first chance to turn into something more. This is the second chance I love to read about. That’s what this book was about and I loved their story!

“I think I fell in love with her every day for the first thirteen years of my life, and as soon as I saw her again, my heart just remembered.”

I love how Kennedy is always writing something different and impactful and how well she does her research. I love how her books are always full of diversity and complex characters. This book was more than just a romance, it tackled serious topics like race, religion, and culture. How the author always tend to mix the romance with important life topics is just so amazing and makes it so engaging to read!

“You could never be a lot of people, Ez. There's everyone else, and then there's you.”

Queen move is an epic second chance friends to lovers powerful book. Kennedy Ryan has a captivating powerful way with words. Her female characters satisfy my feminist heart. Kimba is unapologetically hereself. And I love her for that! She such a strong smart independent woman. Her and Ezra’s romance went from sweet to angsty to powerful and I enjoyed every second of it.

Song recommendation:
BIGGER by Beyonce
The man by Taylor Swift
You should see me in a crown by Billie Eilish
Power by Isak Danielson
Profile Image for Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡.
736 reviews1,062 followers
May 26, 2020
♛ Queen Move is LIVE! ♛

🎀 '𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄,' by Kennedy Ryan
𝐷𝐸𝑆𝐸𝑅𝑉𝐸𝑆 𝐴𝐿𝐿 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑆𝑇𝐴𝑅𝑆 🎀

Queen Move is a gorgeous second chance love story with heart, soul, and power all encased in a beautifully flowing, hypnotic romance that totally captured my heart. The story unfolds layers of carefully crafted lyrical words with substance and a swoon worthy story arc that breathes life into characters to admire and love.


Kennedy Ryan is adept at producing strong, empowered heroines with grit, fight, strength, power, and determination and Kimba, the heroine at the heart of this love story, ticks all of the aforementioned character traits in a big way and more. Principled, loyal, driven, ambitious, and loving. She is beautiful both inside and out and is matched perfectly by Ezra. Gorgeous EZRA..... #sigh: the strong, silent type. The type of man who will come and put his arms around you and tell you everything is going to be okay. The type of man who will give you room to breathe and celebrate your achievements. I absolutely fell in love with him and was totally rooting for Kimba and Ezra as a couple. Their story is not straightforward; their road has twists and turns and is messy in places but Kennedy Ryan effortlessly unpicks all the real-life issues with ease creating a rich and passionate world inhabited by extremely well-developed protagonists whom I wholeheartedly believed in. In addition, the wider cast of credible and engaging characters add breadth and depth to the narrative enhancing the story arc and the depiction of the main characters.

As soon as I read the prologue, I knew that, ‘Queen Move,’ would be special simply because of the second chance love aspect and the visceral connection I felt between the main protagonists. Honestly, it offers the reader beauty in abundance. ♡ It is the epitome of a second chance love story. I was hooked and have read and reread and chatted about these amazing characters and their story and loved every single moment. Inspirational in so many ways; I always learn something from a Kennedy novel and I always feel better for having read her words. I always feel like I am reading about real people. They become three dimensional, alive on the page and that is an incredible talent to have. Kimba and Ezra are amazing and their story is one you will want to experience.



Kennedy Ryan releases Queen Move May 26 and she has shared the entire prologue to wet your appetite! Make sure you also enter on her website to win a QUEEN BOX stuffed with a signed paperback and all the things to treat yourself like a queen!


Read the prologue and enter the QUEEN BOX giveaway on Kennedy’s website:→ https://bit.ly/35U65FL



**𝙌𝙐𝙀𝙀𝙉 𝙈𝙊𝙑𝙀 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 $3.99. 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚.**

Find It Here:

➜ Amazon: https://amzn.to/2V4HLvZ
➜ Apple Books: https://apple.co/2JGiqD7
➜ Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/queenmove
➜ Nook: https://bit.ly/2UIueeE
➜ Kobo: https://bit.ly/2JFJ7YM
➜ Google Play: https://bit.ly/2yrPZ9E



Alpha/beta read ♡
Profile Image for Yamina -Women Who Stare at Books.
777 reviews66 followers
June 4, 2020


Firstly, let me tell you one thing, Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan is the sort of novel you just can't stop talking about and want everyone you know to read… EVERYONE.

I gobbled it down... KR has an incredible intellectual nimbleness. Thanks to her attention to details and knowledge of the topics tackled, KR challenges us constantly and poses the question that lies within today’s society.
The ups and downs in the lives of Ezra and Kimba had me gripped from start to finish.

I was a mess at the prologue, I am not joking. That opening scene was so close to home and I knew that KR had set the tone for this story. When you read a KR book , it is not all about the romance but also about the roots and the heritage of the characters.

The story of Ezra and Kimba holds important messages about the lives and struggles they experienced right from their childhood but they are not shoehorned in for effect. I will not spoil it for you, but when I read the words Oreo and zebra, my heart broke into pieces.

Kimba is a heroine you can’t help rooting for. She is a fierce, driven and intelligent heroine and she showed her strength from a very young age, the way she protected her friend Ezra was everything… no wonder they got married at the age of 6!

I was completely swept up by their amazing story. I fell in love with the way the author completely told the tale and I willingly lost myself in all that was unfolding before my eyes. I devoured it all. I felt it all.
Every. Last. Word.

The story is so perfectly balanced, it's angsty, beautiful, ugly, honest and completely raw. There is no sugar coating the pure emotion and the chemistry is off the scale. The first kiss was just pure perfection and again, I got emotional because the characters were so relatable. Whatever you feel from what you read, you will feel for a long time after the last page, completely and wholeheartedly. You want to know why?

EASY ANSWER, the best part of this book was the skillful way the author elicited emotion from the reader. I felt EVERYTHING alongside the main characters but also their parents and Aiko. All the pain and the heartache and the hurt.

The brilliance of KR's writing is enhanced by the fact that her prose is extraordinarily efficient. Not a word is wasted. I was in agony at times reading it, wanting the two main characters to wake up and get it together. And then you realise this is the way normal people fumble through life. Making decisions that seem right but are not always the best ones… and how great it is to feel that involved with the story's main characters.
When they both said goodbye that summer, I knew it and what kept me going was that KR sold me a fairy tale and I wanted to believe that they were going to get their HEA, I had to, even though the prologue threw a curve ball in the story. It is all about the PACT.
I loved the exact timing of the chapters too (e.g. Two years before Present etc)
I have not said much about the plot because I do not want spoil it.
If I had to summarise it , I would say “ The author has given us a spellbinding twenty-first-century love story, Unforgettable . . . as engrossing as it is moving”.


Find It Here:
➜ Amazon: https://amzn.to/2V4HLvZ
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➜ Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/queenmove
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Profile Image for Kennedy Ryan.
Author 59 books26.8k followers
May 19, 2020

♛ 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 ♛
"𝙄’𝙢 𝙖 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝."

Queen Move is Coming May 26! It will NOT be in Kindle Unlimited, but will be available on all retailers.

✦Single Dad
✦Childhood Besties
✦Reunion romance
✦Swoons & Feels
✦Girl power turned allll the way up

➜ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 ➜ https://bit.ly/35U65FL

➜ 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XeOIf8
B&N: https://bit.ly/2STK8l2
iBooks: https://apple.co/2JGiqD7
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3fDK6ri
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3fF1Dze
Profile Image for Natasha is a Book Junkie.
686 reviews4,767 followers
May 26, 2020
“It hasn’t been years. There has only been one long day for us on which the sun has never set. We were never lost, and this place has always been waiting for our wandering hearts, for our prodigal souls to finally, together rest.”

There’s nothing like a great romance novel to cancel out the incessant noise inside and outside of our heads these days, but as it is always the case with Kennedy Ryan’s offerings, a romance is never just a romance, and her every word is imbued with a breathless sense of purpose and hope. Friendship, love, and second chances may be the bedrock of the story, but there is more to this story than two childhood best friends finding each other again and rekindling what they once had. A fervent celebration of perseverance and self-determination, this is the tale of a woman forging her own trailblazing path in life, and doing it on her own terms. It’s complicated, it’s messy, it’s bittersweet, it’s beautiful, it’s unflinchingly real, but a story about love is rarely black and white, and every single second of it is just as it should be. A triumph!

Continue reading this review...



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Profile Image for Shabby  -BookBistroBlog.
1,597 reviews863 followers
May 22, 2020
From the uniquely talented author of Hoops series, comes yet another remarkable story that makes you feel deep and think hard! The profoundly evocative story has left me speechless!!
From spellbinding narration to the depth of sentiments, this eye-opening tale of microaggressions and discriminationary practices that POC or bi-racial people, like myself, have to face on a daily basis, who have to struggle twice as hard to prove themselves of being deserving, is hard hitting to say the least.. If we still have to talk /write about it in this day and age, then we have made zero progress in last few decades. This endeavor has been ably undertaken by our wonderful authors of diverse ethnicities recently.
"Simply being myself is an act of resistance.”

description

In present world of indie Booklandia, Kennedy is definitely a Queen to be reckoned with. Writer of prolific & purposeful prose, she spotlights the social stigma and struggles POC in general, and women in particular, face everyday.
"Neither of my parents really know what it’s like to live here as me. To look around and see no one who looks like you. To live with the stares and questions about “what I am.” To feel like a puzzle, pieces hidden and scattered, and always trying to find and fit all my parts together. To see myself not as half this or bi-that, but whole."
Her character sketching is vividly colorful with rainbow of emotions, placing a lot of value In the people she creates, she makes them humane and human. Her own personal warmth seeps into every story she writes and the result is a turbulent love saga beginning at the onset of childhood.
Kimba Allen and Ezra Stern's ill-fated love starts with tin can tab.

description

The nice Jewish boy with African Violet eyes is a shy introvert of a boy. Live wire Kimba soon turns him into a Kimba-vert
I admired Kimba, aspired to have her clearheadedness and quiet strength. A natural born leader and problem solver, she's mesmerizing to watch grow up and blossom into a beautiful butterfly with wings of steel
It gathers intensity and fervour as it progresses. I got to be there when they became neighbours, professed and Playacted at age 6, promised a Pact when they parted.....waited endlessly for two decades till they dealt with their lives, always feeling hollow and missing a piece of their souls. I cheered when the reacquainted and begged fate to give them a break.
I was RIGHT THERE through it all!! Kennedy adds a special flavour of Forbidden that gives it a kick, an extra spice of angst
"There’s something delicious about the tension of the forbidden, how you dance around its edges, like caressing a trip wire."

description

Kennedy never let's one slide or give them a get out of jail free pass. Nope, they don't collect 250$ when the pass Go...they pay for every small smile, every bit of happiness with their tears and pain. They have to snatch their HEA from the clingy hands of cruel fate...and that's what it makes it all worthwhile
The horrible mess this LOVE is, it should be totally worth it to clean up, no matter how long it takes!!
I could wax poetic for however long it takes to convince you guys to grab this book when it releases.
Kennedy has definitely pulled a Queen Move with this one!!
Such active and diligent writing deserves ALL the accolades, ALL the stars in the universe.
All the stars for Hazak, Hazak,Venithazek
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Profile Image for Phuong ✯.
665 reviews7,549 followers
May 30, 2020
2.5 stars

The plot was such a mess. I'm so sad that I didn't like this as much as I thought I would. Kennedy Ryan is an exceptional writer, but Queen Move must be my least favorite of all of her books. 

Big moves make big waves. Do big things. Make big waves.


What I really appreciate about Kennedy Ryan is that she does not shy away from hard topics. She always puts a lot research in the topics she wants to discuss and that's awesome. I'm so thankful for authors like her who also include so many minorities and give them a voice. QUEEN OF DIVERSITY AND REPRESENTATION! Unfortunately for me she went overboard with all the things she wanted to include in this book that it took away from the romance.

Things that were include in Queen Move: Electing the first latin american as a governor, perimonopause, CROWD Act, education for minorites and low income children, jewish heritage, growing up as a biracial person

The story went in million different directions with all the things that the author wanted to include and it was just too much. Sometimes lesser is better. Pick maybe 1-2 topics you really want to highlight and go with it. Therefore I wasn't really impressed with the romantic development between Ezra and Kimba either. The last 22% of the book came straight out of a soap opera and completely destroyed the book.

SPOILER PART

Queen Move is divided into two parts. Part 1 are flashbacks scenes of Kimba and Ezra in their childhood. One day when they were 13 years something between their families happened and Ezra had to move away. Ezra and Kimba didn't kept in contact bc apparently technology wasn't a thing back then. Part 2 is over 20 years later. Kimba is a succesful carreer woman. Ezra is in 10 year relationship with his girlfriend Aiko and has an 8 year old son with her. The fact that Ezra spent the last decade in a commited relationship with this women and they are a family is something that was kind of annoying to me. Second chance romances where they spend a decade alone is already meh but 24 years with one of the main character having a child and being in a relationship just hit different, but not in the good way.

At the beginning of Part 2 Ezra breaks up with Aiko but it's only between them. There is no cheating in this book, but when Ezra and Kimba reunite it's still kind of a forbidden thing cause everyone thinks that Ezra is cheating on Aiko.

For a while the book is pretty lowkey on the drama side, that's when you know that shit's going down. BAAM. Aiko comes back from her Tanzania trip and sees Kimba and Ezra in their house and is royally pissed. She drops the bomb that SHE IS PREGNANT. Excuse me? What the freaking hell? It's Ezra's baby from the one time they slept together 4 weeks before he and Kimba started to get back together.

Kimba is ofc devasted. She's dealing with her own problems of perimenopause where the chances of her getting her own children is pretty low. Therefore hearing that another woman is AGAIN' pregnant with Ezra's child is a punch in her face. Out of self preservation she sacrifice her romantic relationship with Ezra for the time being and Kimba & Ezra ONCE AGAIN spent 1.5 years apart. Yeah i really hate it here. Honestly what was the point of this unnecessary drama? Kimba and Ezra already spent over 20 years apart and then another separation… THAT IS REALLY NOT COOL. I knew the ex girlfriend Aiko would create some drama, but why did she have to be pregnant? It could been the child of the other guy she was sleeping with while in Tanzania but noo it had to be Ezra's to create this dumb drama.

Initially until the 75% mark I wanted to give this a 3.5 stars rating, but with all the drama the romance between Kimba and Ezra became really MEH to me. They barely spend time together and everything about them just lost their appeal. The only part I truly enjoyed was the first one when Kimba and Ezra in their childhood. That was cute. Part 2 I spend mostly bored and towards the end I just had to rolled my eyes so hard that I'm prob blind now.

Shoutout to the woman on the cover. She's a bombshell. No wonder Ezra was so smitten with Kimba cause same lol.
Profile Image for chan ☆.
1,132 reviews54.8k followers
Read
April 19, 2023
deeeeeefinitely not the right time for me to be reading this. might revisit at a later date <3
Profile Image for Berry ♡ Nice.
559 reviews83 followers
May 31, 2020
☆ • ☆ • ☆ • ☆ • ☆

~•~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~▪︎~
They were childhood friends. Seeing them as kids was the sweetest thing ever.
As they grew older I could feel their friendship become a deeper bond which was beautiful. They loved each other before they even knew the true meaning. Young innocent love. Because love is simply felt without explanations.



There's just no denying the connection between these two. The respect, admiration and love they have for each other. And let's not forget about their crazy chemistry that jumps right out. They are so right together. I was in la-la-love-land

Kennedy Ryan puts her signature all over this one. Giving me all the feels.
Making my heart skip beats and giving me much to think and reflect on.
What an amazing journey to not only be able to fall in love but also gain perspective. I LOVE IT!

AND • • • •
Ezra is perfection.
It's true.
It's a fact.
I wanted to Hold him. Hug him. Keep him. Kiss him and run my hands through his hair 😍
Kimba is the badass I knew she was when I met her in ATKM. She's true to herself. She's a fighter and I was beyond happy when she fought for her own happines.

♡ "You could never be a lot of people, Ez. There's everyone else, and then there's you. "

Ezra and Kimba have touched my heart.

"If love is not just an emotion, but a type of eternity, an infinity that lives in our hearts, then we have always been in love. " ☆
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,751 reviews1,323 followers
May 26, 2020
***AVAILABLE NOW - FULL REVIEW ***

5+ PACT CROWNS

Kennedy Ryan is a wordsmith in every sense of the word. Her prose is so vibrant and eloquently written, that I become absorbed into the story and feel swept away not only in the romance of the couple but in the social aspects of each book.

From the minute readers meet Ezra and Kimba, they will fall in love. Their friendship and the innocence of the beginning of their young love is so tangible, you’ll feel it with them. You’ll see genuine love and compassion between them, and you can empathize with their budding feelings as they get older. The authenticity that Kennedy creates with their relationship in youth translates to how seamlessly they come together when they reconnect as adults.

Ezra and Kimba are the epitome of what romance readers love, the idea that you are destined for someone, and the way in which Kennedy Ryan writes about their connection and their feelings makes their love seem written in the stars. Kimba and Ezra make you feel like even when life gets in the way, true, real love will find a way.

Readers will not only love Ezra and Kimba as a couple, but they will also admire them as individuals, which is one of the aspects I love of Kennedy’s writing.

Kimba is a heroine young girls should look up to. Intelligent, independent, proud, and a hustler, she allows nothing and no one to stop her from her dreams. She is a boss and a queen in every sense of the word. She never yields to the social construct of what a woman should be and what their HEA looks like for her, and she makes her own way in her own time. Kimba is hands down one of my favorite Kennedy Ryan heroines. Her story and journey will resonate with so many women.

Ezra is so much more than the hunky, dirty in the sheets hero we love in a romance novel. Seeing him transform from the boy who is a bit lost and unsure of who he is and where he fits in society to a man who is confident, who owns and claims all parts of who he is is beyond attractive. His ardent love and devotion to Kimba, and his fight for them only adds to all the parts of his character I love. He has so many layers and depth to his character, and I personally love his professional endeavors and how his job lends itself to ideas and movements that need to be heard. The way he leads and teaches and models for others is one of the most attractive aspects of his character. I fell for Ezra because of his ideologies, the way he loves Kimba and his family (and you know the bedroom didn’t hurt).

The secondary characters, like most Ryan novels, are full or rich and vibrant people who add life and dimension to the story. The heighten the themes, expanded in the H and h, and add humor and love where needed. The secondary characters in this one are so integral to some her messages and I adored every single one of them.

With any Kennedy Ryan novel, there are social issues intertwined with these epic romances. They way she integrates them as part of the story is so seamless, adding to the characters and their journey. It provides depth to the characters and the plot. And while there are several themes and topics that resonated with me in Queen Move, the idea of family and redefining the social construct of what family looks like and how it functions rang true. We are no longer a society that operates within one idea of family. This in addition to the character issues Kimba and Ezra face as people makes this book one of my favorites from Ms. Ryan.

With her words, Kennedy Ryan has the ability to make me reflect on social issues that plague society while simultaneously falling in love with a new couple. She makes readers believe that change is real and can happen, providing hope and a call for change in a time period when it might not always feel that way. She makes readers believe in real love, in a person who will see and love the flaws, who will be a partner in all things, and a will push through the hard times with you. She gives readers all facets of great writing - integrity, authenticity, relevancy. She blurs the line between the mislabeled “smutty romance” and the literature of our time.

ARC / BETA COPY
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
416 reviews47 followers
May 29, 2020
Hero has a ten year relationship with another woman, but he always loved the heroine 🙄 he also still sleeps with his gf enough to get her pregnant right before heroine comes back in his life (also slept with her knowing he wanted the heroine already bc he had run into her two years prior) AND on top of everything else the heroine is going through menopause early which means she cant have kids possibly. I honestly cant stand that trope, it feels like torture for the heroine to have to watch a man she loves who made a life with another woman for years give him babies you cant give him possibly. The combination of the two plot points is a horrible writing choice in a romance book, sorry it just is. It does not inspire good feelings unless you got a free book. I did not get a free book so it made me pretty bitter. As per usual the heroine gets sloppy seconds and the short end of the stick. I love the inclusion of an issue women experience that is rarely talked about, but pairing it with the OW drama sucked all the love out of it.

Also, these long ass separations in romance are just annoying at this point, you love her so much you never bothered to look for her or go after her, and fell in love with someone else, sure. I just didnt buy this connection they apparently had, from Kimbas side yes, not from Ezra. Kimba was supposed to be this bad ass strong woman, but she basically put her entire romantic life on hold so the hero could live with his ex and they could have a baby together, how is that romantic? She even expected he might fall in love with Aiko again or slip up and sleep with her, and she just waits to see if he does, ugh. The only good thing is she was allowed to have sex at least in the twenty year separation. At the end she had a miscarriage but was pregnant again, but like girl he already did it twice before without you, you ain't special! 🤣 the whole baby issue with her at the end just felt depressing because he had just had a baby with another woman so it felt like something forced to be special, because the heroine wanted it.

I wish I could like this authors books bc of her representation, but all her plots are always ones I cannot get behind. She just isnt for me. Great writer, but I just never quite feel anything but annoyance when I read these latest books from her. I did like Block Shot, but that has been the only one. I honestly read this one because the cover is gorgeous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Deanna❤Pink Lady❤️.
820 reviews847 followers
May 27, 2020
5 “A Pact Meant To Be” Stars



Leave it to Kennedy Ryan to WOW me again with her magical, thought provoking, socially relevant, exquisitely written words. She writes a passionate story that penetrates the soul of how love can be lost and found again. The diversity and inclusivity within the story is also applauding and refreshing. The love story of Kimba and Ezra is one for the ages and not to be missed by anyone.

This kiss flies into the sun, melting my iron will and burning my reservations to ashes. I fight my way through the lust fog and search for reason, a mirage in the distance, something flickering in and out of sight between hot fantasy and cold, hard reality.

Kimba and Ezra are kindred souls, best friends, with best friend parents, who grew up together until the age of 13. Something happens and Ezra and his family move away and Kimba and Ezra are lost to one another until 22 years later. But when the heart recognizes its other half, that’s when life gets complicated and messy for these two. There are issues for both that they must work through and that “working through life” is how this author excels. Kimba and Ezra’s journey is realistic and moving and complex and it completely envelopes you in their road to forever.

Besides the romance in this story, the strength of women, of families, of having to go the extra mile is very much alive and present in the storytelling. It’s also wonderful to see Lennix and Maxim and visualize Lotus’s fashion. The bringing together of previous characters who are all intertwined in life by the creative and inspiring mind of this author brings added joy to this story. A lifetime story told of two souls that reconnect at the perfect time to let their love soar and be all that it is suppose to be. A well made “Pact” indeed.

A Best of 2020 and a Must Read for every contemporary romance lover!!

*advanced copy provided provided in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Hulya Kara Yuksel.
994 reviews1,243 followers
May 16, 2020
Ms.Ryan never disappoints me. 🙏🙏🙏Once again she took my breath away with this story... It was so beautiful! ❤

FTCL

*ARC provided by Social Butterfly PR.🤗

Profile Image for The Book Bee.
566 reviews276 followers
May 27, 2020
REVIEW: 4 STARS
"I don't think it will be easy. I just know it will be worth it."


I read the All The Kings Men Duet earlier this year and really enjoyed it, so when Kennedy Ryan announced that she would be giving Kimba her own story, I about passed out from excitement! Kimba was a force to be reckoned with in that duet, so I just knew Ryan was going to give an emotional and empowered read that was going to leave me breathless. Ezra was THE BEST and Kimba shined. Together they had a love worth reading and I'm so glad she gave me their story! To note: this is a standalone spinoff, and there is nothing you will spoil by reading this before the duet.

I do know that when I sit down with one of Kennedy's books, I am in for a lesson. She's going to educate me not on something trivial, but something that is plaguing a culture, a belief, a way of life. She brings light to a situation that doesn't get enough attention, and she works it into an amazing love story that I can settle into. She has an impassioned voice designed to effect change. It's full of knowledge and pride, an intensity required to deliver this type of story. I love settling into one of her books. And I mean settling in - as in, she has a lot of depth and truth to her words, and it always goes beyond the surface level with her stories. There is more to learn, to read between the lines, to delve into, and that's what I enjoy most about her books.

These characters though? The strength Kimba possessed was admirable - definitely a good mix of stubborn and street smarts added in there. It was at times championable, and at others, heartbreaking, but wise. I read this entire book with an eerie sense of confidence that she would do what was right for her, because I knew the minute that Ezra looked at me with those eyes, touched me with those hands, I'd have been a goner and given in. She's a lot stronger than I could ever be. I loved her tenacity!

But, shockingly enough - the same can be said about Ezra. His strength and responsibility shined through. Doing the right thing and standing up for yourself aren't always one in the same, and he showed his determination throughout, but it especially shined at the end. I cannot tell you how many times the "visual" of him was running through my mind while reading this story. He was delicious. Absolutely, hands down, sexy and swoony. Every bit of who he was and what he stood for worked in the big picture of his makeup.

"I see the armor you have to put on to make it in your world. I just want you to know here, with me, you can take the armor off."

There is something about being able to be true to who you are in the company of the one that possesses your soul. I love that Ezra was her safe space and she felt that security with him. Watching them navigate some pretty tough situations, ones that I know for a solid fact that I would not make it through in one piece, was tough - no lie. Some parts brought me to my knees, others made me feel like I was on top of the world, flying high.

When Ryan tells her stories in vivid detail, she makes me feel the emotion and the tug on my heartstrings. It's the intimacy in the way Ezra holds her face and rubs her lips with his thumbs. It's the way the goosebumps rise as he drags his finger down her arms or up her spine. You SEE it all happening while Kimba FEELS it all happening, and that is one of the most amazing things about her writing. SO good. So descriptive. It always works for me.

"Sometimes what we think is a fluke is really fate."

When I get down to the little nitpicky, nitty-gritty things I didn't like - it's all whatever. It's a basis for some great discussion and it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the book - at all. The ex. The drama. The hypocrisy. It all lends more emotion to an already tense situation, but it heightens that discussion, which is my favorite part.

Kennedy Ryan is not only passionate in her storytelling, she's very giving with the emotions and the depth of her characters. Their development and the background of a love story I get to enjoy are huge highlights with her stories. I was deep in my feels with this one. It's not just the emotions of a second chance, it's the truth behind the pull your soul has with the one who speaks to it. The one that holds your heart’s fate in their hands. She just dances with her words, and I love the journey each and every time.

I am so glad she gave me Ezra and Kimba's love story.

"Now. Forever. Always. Never end."
~BEE


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Profile Image for Alba and Her Secrets..♥.
857 reviews1,143 followers
May 26, 2020
5+ 'Big moves make big waves' Stars!
ARC provided via Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review.


I bow to Queen Kennedy Ryan! She has done it. Again. Her very own queen move! A moving love story developing from childhood to adulthood that was absolutely EPIC from beginning to end. I had no doubts Kennedy would give Kimba her much deserved love story in a very special way and she did not disappoint. I was completely engaged to the narrative and the way she developed Kimba and Ezra’s relationship. Well done, lady!

Queen Move is Kennedy’s newest release, it can be read as a standalone but it’s connected with her All the King's Men Duet where we actually met Kimba Allen for the first time. Kimba and Ezra Stern have been in each other’s lives literally since they were babies. They became best friends and shared a connection that developed to the next level after sharing their first kiss. But for unknown reasons between their families, life separates them for 20 years. Their paths cross again, after both have become very successful and influential people, and the sparks are still there. But their lives have changed in many ways and that makes it difficult to find their way back to each other. Is it time for them to be happy?

“Be strong, very strong.” [...] “And we will strengthen each other.”

I am still mind blown by the talent Kennedy Ryan has. What an outstanding story! The writing, the characters, the development of their relationship, the chemistry. WOW. Everything was amazing. As always, her stories are more than a burning, emotional romance. They make you think, they make you understand things better, they get you involved and interested in everything that is happening around the main and secondary characters. Kennedy’s novels are smart and full of power. And Queen Move is no exception. Both Kimba and Ezra are pillars of society, in very different ways but both in very important matters. I just love how Kennedy works so much on her characters and gives them big dreams, purposes, strengths and vulnerabilities. In my opinion, it makes the whole story and especially the romance even better.

“You could never be a lot of people, Ez. There's everyone else, and then there's you.”

And what a romance this was! The whole love story gets you hooked from the very first page to the very last one. It’s addicting to read how a beautiful childhood friendship turns into sweet young love and after into an epic and explosive adult romance. And all that amazingness is because of the couple living it. Kimba is just one hell of a heroine: strong, working, sexy, confident but also vulnerable and loving. And Ezra.. oh Ezra! What a wonderful hero. Sweet, protective, intelligent. A gorgeous fighter decided to win Kimba’s heart back at all costs. The chemistry and love between this couple is larger-than-life and, in the end, completely worth it.

“When did you fall in love with her?”
[...] “I was six years old. [...] And again when I was seven. Eight. Nine and ten. I think I fell in love with her every day for the first thirteen years of my life, and as soon as I saw her again, my heart just remembered.”


Therefore, I am rating Queen Move with my special 5+ STARS rating because I 100% assure the book deserves it. It was one of my most expected releases of 2020 and it definitely is one of my favorites this year. After loving the All the King's Men Duet, I just knew Kennedy would not fail to give us a just as impressive love story for Queen Kimba. It’s so clear that Ezra is her soul mate and their story was stunning and an absolute delight to read. I am sure many romance lovers will fall in love with this story because it’s just THAT GOOD. Highly, hiiiighly recommend!

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November 25, 2020
DNF and skim.

I tried, and I wish I didn't. Based on all her latest books, it feels like the HOOPS series will be the only ones I like by her. I'm so still confused on how the heroine is so "strong" too😒 and Ezra is NOT hero material imo🙃 his actions were just pissing me off. I don't understand how he can love and want the heroine but continue to sleep with his ex and then get her preggo. This story needed OM drama to balance it out, or she should have gotten preggo by another guy and then maybe they can have been on even ground, but her going through early menopause and basically having to suffer watching the love of her life have kids with ow? Ya no. It would have been STRONG of her to LEAVE him and find someone better🤷 Not even the writing was able to save this for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Antonella.
3,734 reviews516 followers
May 29, 2020
yeeeees queen Kimba...





trust Kennedy to write a realistic & messy love story!!
trust Kennedy to give a strong woman like Kimba a gentle giant like Ezra!!

and trust me when I say that this author writes the best relevant romance books!!

Profile Image for Jessica .
2,245 reviews14.8k followers
June 28, 2020
Every time I pick up a new Kennedy Ryan book, I know that I am going to love it and I know that I am going to be hit with some intense emotion. I love the All the King's Men duet and could not wait to read Kimba's story in this standalone romance!

From the start, I loved how Kennedy Ryan built up this story. We get a couple of scenes in the past to understand Kimba and Ezra's relationship and how their souls were just connected when they were growing up. They were torn apart when they were 13 and don't see each other for another 24 years.

Kimba's character was my favorite. She is a working woman who is 37 and she is content with her life. She is working on getting a client who means a lot to her and she is trying to prove her worth without Lennox on her team. A curveball is thrown her way and Kimba has to really reevaluate her life and decide what her priorities really are. THEN, Ezra enters her life again and Kimba has no idea what to do.

The connection between Ezra and Kimba is so strong and emotional and deep. They have both created these whole lives without one another, so they have to navigate how they would fit into each other's lives without giving up who they are and what is important to them. I loved how neither one of them wanted the other to change or give up on their dreams just to be together. This book was just so realistic with the timeline, priorities, hurt they don't mean to cause each other, and communication to work through their issues. Kennedy Ryan creates real people that you feel protective over and who you just want the best for.

I absolutely loved Queen Move and the romance between Ezra and Kimba. The romances in Kennedy's books are always so complex and I cannot recommend her books enough!
Profile Image for Korrie’s Korner.
1,209 reviews13.5k followers
May 26, 2020
Give me a childhood best friends to lovers trope anyday! That is definitely my catnip of choice. This story was beyond special, and so uniquely Kennedy. When it mentioned that Ezra was 1/2 black & 1/2 Jewish, I was all in! This is what I love about KR’s books. They’re so rich in diversity and complexity of characters that it keeps me locked in.

I was immediately drawn to Kimba in the KingsMaker duet that came out last year. She was a secondary character, and very powerful bestie of Lennix, who is now the First Lady. I loved that she was a strong black woman, and rocked her natural curls! Even her brain is sexy. I had a total girl crush on her.

I love finding out how her story originated, and how it literally started with her, and Ezra in her tub as babies, and what they went through each year of their lives until they were ripped apart at thirteen, and Ezra’s family moved back to NY after being in Atlanta because of a mystery bomb that was dropped.

Fast forward 24 years later when fate brings them back into each other’s lives again, but there are very complex things going on. I loved that these two were 37, and having to deal with the intense struggles of the things they have been going through in their lives. I’m not going to spoil a thing about this book.

This book was tough, real, and very well written. I love Ezra Stern so much! What a man!! The struggle for Kimba’s, and Ezra’s hea was so worth it. What a ride!

“I think I fell in love with her every day for the first thirteen years of my life, and as soon as I saw her again, my heart just remembered.”
Profile Image for Sentranced Jem.
1,134 reviews602 followers
May 26, 2020
So much could be said about the books Kennedy Ryan writes… Powerful, confident, vulnerable, beautiful, kind, hot, sizzling…the list is endless.

Over the years, I have not once been disappointed by the books written by Kennedy Ryan. Complimenting just one book from the list of masterpieces she has written feels like I’m not doing enough justice. From Hot Shot (hands down my FAVOURITE book by KR) to All The King’s Men duet (Another favourite), I could talk on and on about them all.

Queen Move is beautiful.
I think a lot of people would say that it’s an overused phrase amongst book dragons but I truly did devour this book.

Yes, Queen Move is swoony.
Yes, Queen Move is full of angst.
And oh yes! Queen Move does have one of THE most badass, confident, fiesty female protagonist. I loved Kimba so much!

Ezra is *swoon*
Gosh I love characters like Ezra. Total alpha male that is kind, confident,patient and considerate.

Kimba and Ezra have the most amazing chemistry. Like the “I think the pages of my book is burning because their chemistry is that hot” type of sizzling connection.

Kennedy Ryan’s stories always stay with me forever. Even when I read hundreds of books a year, I always remember the characters and their stories. I may forget the plotline for most books that I read in a year and sometimes they perhaps get jumbled up in my memory but I ALWAYS ALWAYS remember Kennedy Ryan’s books. I always recommend her books to everyone…her words are magic.

She never writes the typical contemporary romance: There is always wisdom and knowledge that gets ingrained into the reader’s DNA with every book that you read.

Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan is Powerful, Confident, Vulnerable and Beautiful.

I truly hope you all give her books a try. I promise they won’t disappoint you.
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