'The Bourbon Kings': Scandalous, sexy, suspenseful and unputdownable

Southern opulence, closeted scandals, feuding families, dysfunctional romance and a bourbon empire on the cusp of collapse. This is the backdrop of the fantastically captivating and vividly depicted world imagined by USA TODAY and New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward in her latest novel, The Bourbon Kings. In this sweeping, soap opera-like drama, Ward introduces us to the Bradford family … the kings of bourbon. For generations, the Bradfords have not only dominated the industry, they've also relished a life of privilege, prestige and power, while living at their lavish estate, Easterly. With a household staff of 72, every luxury is theirs to enjoy, every whim is theirs to be satisfied.

But behind closed doors, dirty, dangerous secrets lurk as money, sex and power dominate. In Ward's typical style, we experience multiple points of view, uncovering the characters' tortuous and duplicitous lives. There's the head of family, the depraved William Baldwine, whose malice and apparent greed drive a violent fracture through the family. Virginia Bradford, the dynasty's matron, spends her days in a drug-induced haze. And finally, the heirs to the empire — Lane, Max, Gin and Edward — each have a story to tell. A story steeped in heartbreak, scandal, sex and, of course, secrets. We also meet some richly developed secondary characters, with intertwined histories and thorny secrets of their own.

One of the central characters in this first installment is Lizzie King, Easterly's head horticulturalist. Not so long ago, Lizzie let her heart wander past the uncrossable line between the help and the privileged, falling in love with Lane Baldwine — the irresistible playboy and prodigal son of the family. But now, more than two years later, Lizzie tries to heal, despite being reminded of a love gone horribly wrong each time she encounters Lane's pretentious wife. But when Lane surprisingly returns to Easterly, wounds are savagely reopened and dirty, buried secrets are unearthed that threaten to bring down the Bradford dynasty … and perhaps even their renowned bourbon empire.

The Bourbon Kings is fantastically and compulsively engrossing, as readers will undoubtedly fall through an irresistible rabbit hole that leads to murder, adultery, kidnapping, embezzlement, sins, lies and love.

For more information about J.R. Ward and her books, visit www.jrward.com.

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Vilma Gonzalez is a blogger, reader, marketer, wife and mom. She has an insatiable appetite for happily ever afters and a deep love of the written word. You can find more about her and read full book reviews at Vilma's Book Blog. Please e-mail Vilma at [email protected] about content related to this column. Due to the volume of mail, e-mails may not be answered personally, but all will be read.