California Suits #5
February 9, 2023
Palm Springs King
A former rockstar. A perfectionistic yoga teacher. Opposites attract?
Rockstar Austin Michaels never took much seriously—other than his music. But tragedy thrust him out of the spotlight and into the boardroom. Now, he’s helping his brother run a luxury hotel chain and he couldn’t be farther out of his comfort zone. He’s doing his best––until his beautiful new spa manager arrives.
Yoga teacher Kenzie Banks earned her reputation as the best in the spa business by being a hyper-efficient perfectionist. Ready to plant roots after too many years on the road, she’s thrilled to land her dream job working for the Hotel Kings — they’re literally the family she always wished for. Except, her sexy boss Austin Michaels is driving her nuts with his impulsive decisions and smoldering glances.
The sparks between these two opposites burn so hot it’s a wonder they don’t spontaneously combust. But Kenzie knows what they say about fire…and she’s come too far and worked too hard to get burned. Can the pair find a way to work together, or will everything they’re building go up in flames?
One-click this opposites attract, forced proximity standalone romance today!
*Palm Springs King is the fifth book in award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Claire Marti’s new spin off contemporary romance series, California Suits. The series follows the adventures of five best friends who are opening a string of luxury boutique hotels from La Jolla to Monterey to Beverly Hills as each one finds true love…usually where he least expects it. Each book is a standalone.
As a yoga teacher, projecting serene strength was important, which meant mastering her emotions. Since patience wasn’t one of her natural gifts, she worked extra hard to remain even keeled.
Even when she was screaming inside.
Somehow, within mere minutes in Austin Michaels’ presence, he’d triggered the fiery nature she carefully controlled. Her belly had hopped, skipped, and jumped when he sauntered in looking more like the rock star he used to be. Stepping onto center stage, ready to unleash his signature raspy voice that had catapulted his band to the top of the alt-rock charts. Rock and roll wasn’t her thing but she hadn’t lived on Mars.
At the height of Black Velvet Machine’s fame, his chiseled features, naughty grin, and tall, rangy frame had graced many a magazine cover. For a few years, the band was everywhere from Saturday Night Live to a Newsweek cover story on the second wave of alternative rock. What Pearl Jam and Soundgarden had embodied in the 90s, Austin’s band represented in the 2010s. He’d drawn comparisons to the late Chris Cornell, whose posters she’d had plastered on her walls growing up, even if she hadn’t listened to a lot of his music.
Yeah, Austin was her own personal brand of catnip and if she let her guard down, all her meticulously laid plans could implode.
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5 Stars: Palm Springs King is like a chilli-chocolate cupcake—super sweet with one hell of a kick. Ms Marti combines delightful characters, delicious tension, and a fascinating setup to create this truly satisfying romance.
5 Stars: Very few series live up to the hype but this one does. Every one of these books is a true testimony to the work of the author.
5 Stars: Absolutely Brilliant and Addictive Read! “Chemistry between Austin and Kenzie sizzles of the pages but they are both determined to ignore it… sparks fly all around them even though they try desperately to keep their distance. I absolutely love this book and I couldn’t put it down and had to keep turning the pages to see what would happen next and it was so addictive. I definitely recommend you read this book and you will not be disappointed.” Jean-Goodreads
5 Stars: “Austin and Kenzie’s story is in turns heartwarming and steamy. Who doesn’t love a bad-boy former rock star? Especially when he has the soul of a poet. Kenzie is a perfect match for him, even if it doesn’t seem that way on the surface.I love the theme of found family that runs through the California Suits series, and it is especially impactful in Palm Springs King.” Louise–Goodreads
5 Stars––A Sexy Delight! “Austin and Kenzie’s story of compassion and desire warmed my heart… Not only are there hot and sexy scenes in this wonderful tale, but Austin and Kenzie want the best for each other and have each other’s back as they are falling in love.” Starra-Goodreads
5 Stars––Sweet Escape! “Palm Springs King takes the heart on a sweet escape. From combustible attraction to emotional revelations, Marti tackles all sides of the human psyche. Reading is Our Passion Book Blog-Goodreads
5 Stars-My Favorite Kind of Book! “Loved this book and the series so much! Sexy and also action packed and suspenseful. My favorite kind of read!!!” Di-Goodreads
5 Stars-–”Claire masterfully strikes the match at the very start for Austin and Kenzie. They take over from there, heating up the pages with tension, angst, dreams and expectation. And that is just in the first couple of chapters. After the first kiss, things flat out combust with these two.” Mallnee-Goodreads
5 Stars–Oh, Austin and Kenzie! These two have now topped my chart for my favorite couples of all time!! I love their dedication to their careers, as well as how much they deny a connection. As opposites, they are incredibly fun to watch fall in love. Their differences are precisely what makes them work — once they are willing to let their guard down. They both work hard and love even harder.
I absolutely have loved the previous books in this series but this one captured a special place in my heart. The vulnerability underneath their shells is like a warm blanket that wraps you up in every aspect of the book from start to finish. The heat is HOT, so be ready to stomp your feet in that giddy, school-girl kind of way as you read how these two navigate a relationship beyond a working one. For both characters, I felt like the pacing was on point, giving them time for healing, growth, and moving forward – together. Absolutely a gem! Lynchburg Reads