Published February 15th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Romance Novel, Contemporary Fiction
Today is my stop on the blog tour for this sizzling second-chance romance. Thank you to Sara at Simon & Schuster UK for the invitation to take part and the gifted proof.
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SYNOPSIS:
A sexy, whip-smart, enemies to lovers romcom that’s fresh and topical, tackling racism and tokenism as experienced by a young Black woman in the cutthroat world of Publicity.
‘A funny, satisfying read full of sparkling banter and thoughtful social commentary’ Shauna Robinson, author of Must Love Books
‘The most delicious blend of a *very* heated novel, the dynamics of an age old and rock-solid friendship, the complexities that come with being a Black woman in any workspace and a romance that could melt any heart. Token had me rapt from the very first page with it’s humour and intelligence – I absolutely adored it’ Ore Agbaje-Williams, author of The Three of Us
‘Brimming with angst, banter, and a fiery chemistry’ Taj McCoy, author of Zora Books Her Happy Ever After
Kennedy Mitchell is brilliant, beautiful and tired of being the only Black woman in the room.
Two years ago, she was plucked from reception for a seat at the boardroom table in the name of “representation”. Rather than play along, she and her best friend founded Token, a boutique PR agency that helps diversity-challenged companies and celebrities. With famous people getting into reputation-damaging controversies, Token is in high demand and business is booming, but when her ex shows up needing help repairing his reputation, things get even more complicated and soon Kennedy finds herself drawn into a PR scandal of her own.
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MY REVIEW:
Though New York might be known as a melting pot, Kennedy Mitchell is used to being the only Black woman in the room. And she’s had enough. So she and her best friend Aurora create Token, a PR firm that helps diversity-challenged companies and celebrities. But when her ex reaches out for help after becoming embroiled in a scandal, things take a personal turn and Kennedy soon finds herself fighting to save her own reputation.
Sizzling, sexy, funny, and entertaining, Token is a second-chance romance brimming with chemistry, banter, humour, drama, angst, and thought-provoking social commentary. Set against the backdrop of the ruthless world of PR, Beverley Kendall explores topical issues such as racism, sexism, and diversity in the workplace.
Kennedy and Nate are great protagonists. Kennedy is a gorgeous, smart, fierce and independent Black woman who is passionate about what her company does. While she might despair of the attitudes of some of their clients, she truly believes that they are helping make a difference in the world and I loved her scenes at work because of this. I loved her friendships with Aurora and Sahara, who were also brilliant characters in their own right. I had initially thought Nate was going to be seen only through Kennedy’s lens, so I was surprised when I discovered he was also a narrator. But I enjoyed getting a greater insight into his mind and motivations. It would have been easy for a rich, white man who has famous parents to feel like a vapid and one-dimensional character that no one would like, but Kendall managed to make Nate someone who is compelling. You can see why Kennedy is drawn to him as a person and the spark between them is red hot, making it easy to root for them as a couple.
So if you like your romances loaded with tension, wit, intelligence, and spice, then this is for you.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
BEVERLEY KENDALL has published over ten contemporary and historical romance novels. She also manages the romance review blog, Smitten by Books (smittenbybooks.com). Bev writes full-time while raising her son as a single mother. Both dual citizens of the US and Canada, they currently call Atlanta home.
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BUY THE BOOK:
Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links
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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx
Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.
Emma's Biblio Treasures 