Chess

Vampires in Wonderland, Book 2

By: Candace Robinson, Amber R. Duell

Narrated by: Eva Caine

Spicy NA paranormal romance for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Sarah J. Maas, and Laura Thalassa.

He’s a villainous prince. She’s a virtuous queen. Their hatred for one another will ignite desire.

Chess has been the Queen of Hearts' perfect, devious son all his life. With Wonderland as his playground, he revels in consuming blood and pleasuring lovers in his bed. That is, until he’s blamed for his mother’s death and a price is put on his head.

Ever has been in hiding for years, biding her time until she can reclaim the Ivory kingdom. Until she can drive a blade through the heart of the cruel prince who once tried to murder her. With a mutual enemy hunting them both, Chess offers Ever a bargain, one she has no choice but to agree to. A bargain neither can keep.

Chess is the second in this stand-alone series of sizzling romance, enemies to lovers, and sexy vampires.

©2022 Candace Robinson and Amber R. Duell (P)2023 Candace Robinson and Amber R. Duell

Chess and Ever

The adventure continues in this book. Ever returned to Scarlett. She and Chess have a connection that cannot be denied. This book is fast paced and action-packed. Eva Caine is perfect for this series as the narrator.

Fascinating retelling

This book is part of a fantastic series full of intrigue and action. I loved watching Chess grow and develop through the book. Really thought he was shallow at the beginning. By the end, I was in love with him. So many romances feel too fast, but I felt this one developed at an appropriate speed, all things considering. As with all of the other "retelling" books by these authors, there are delightful Easter eggs hidden throughout that refer back to the original story.

It had been a while since I read the previous books in the series and had planned to revisit them before this book. Life intervened and I just decided to jump in without a relisten. All of that to say, I didn't need to read the rest again. This book had enough backstory woven throughout that it could be read as a standalone. There is a slight cliffhanger at the end, but it did not detract from the story and while I'm anxious for the next book, I don't feel cheated by having to wait.

Narration was excellent. I especially liked the voice given to Chess. His sass and impishness came through perfectly.

Good addition to this series

I enjoyed listening to Chess background and seeing what happened to the characters. The narrator did a great job with the characters.

Good enemies to lovers story

If you like enemies to lovers, this will be your cup of tea. Seeing how Chess got to be the villain he was, and then watching him start to think for himself and grow as a person was enjoyable. I love the take on the white Queen, and this was a fun twist to the characters seen in the past.