Series Review: The Bishop Brothers series by Kennedy Fox

 

Over the last couple months I've been on a mission to catch up on/complete the plethora of series I have going. Most recently I binged Kennedy Fox's Bishop Brothers series on audio and I inhaled all four books like a Venti Iced Chai Tea Latte with two extra pumps of Chai. 😉 I don't feel particularly led to write full-length reviews for each book, so here are the short and sweet versions of my thoughts on each book.

   


TAMING HIM (Bishop Brothers #1)

⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

11 hours 16 min | 394 pages

Narrators: Aiden Snow and Savannah Peachwood

Alex Bishop was full of southern charm and sex appeal. He worked hard on his family's ranch and had a reputation for playing just as hard. A two week vacation in the Florida Keys had him crossing paths with River. Pediatric nurse River Lancaster made the impromptu escape from Wisconsin to the Keys after learning her boyfriend was married. She absolutely was not looking for a man, but crossing paths with Alex led to a sizzling hot, no-strings-attached vacation fling. When they parted ways, I was puzzled as to how their story would play out, but when River showed up in Texas several months later with news she needed to deliver face to face... that's when things really got interesting. I loved this introduction to the tight-knit Bishop family and watching as Alex and River navigated a new relationship. The narration was a treat and Aiden Snow nailed the charming Southern drawl.

Graphic credit: @shay_shelf

NEEDING HIM (Bishop Brothers #2)

⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

11 hours | 379 pages

Narrators: Aiden Snow and Vanessa Edwin

Oldest Bishop brother Evan bucked family tradition and instead of working on the ranch, he went to medical school and was now an ER doctor. Quiet and broody, he acted completely out of character the night of his brother Alex's wedding by indulging in a one night stand with a stunning woman he'd never seen before. The following Monday at the hospital he meets the new ER physician who is, of course, his one night stand, Emily. There was a mild enemies to lovers vibe in this one (not my favorite trope) but there was no real animosity and it didn't take long for their relationship to gather steam. Evan's lingering grief over a woman from his past seemed a bit much (I mean, he liked her but never even asked her out so how deep could his feelings have ran?). The sub-plot with Emily's stalker added plenty of tension and suspense and showcased Evan's protective nature. The teaser at the end was a brilliant set-up for the next book and had me diving right into Chasing Him.

Graphic credit: @shay_shelf

CHASING HIM (Bishop Brothers #3)

⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

11 hours 16 min | 428 pages

Narrators: Aiden Snow and Vanessa Edwin

John Bishop's life took a dramatic turn when he found out he was a father... in a most dramatic fashion, involving a 9 week old baby being left on his doorstep. Baby Maize was the product of a brief affair between John and Bailey, who never shared that she was pregnant. Having lost her battle with cancer, she left Maize to be raised by John. Mila Carmichael left her home in Georgia to spend time with her beloved grandparents in Texas. A little meddling by Mama Bishop, the family matriarch, led to Mila working as a live-in nanny for Maize while John ran the B&B on the ranch and adjusted to life as a new father. Mila fit in so well with the Bishop clan and they all adored her. And whether John was willing to admit it or not, he did too. I'd be hard-pressed to pick a favorite from the Bishop Brothers series, but if I had to this would be it. I fell hard for John and Mila and Maize and the little family they created - even when they didn't recognize it as such. The way John took to fatherhood and was so in love with his baby girl turned me into a pile of goo. And the way he encouraged Mila to follow her dreams, even if it meant leaving him and Maize and returning to Georgia, showed what a loving and selfless man he was. Vanessa Edwin lent such a sweetness to Mila's voice and Aiden Snow continued to bring every Bishop brother to life.

Graphic credit: @shay_shelf

KEEPING HIM (Bishop Brothers #4)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

12 hours 54 min | 492 pages

Narrators: Aiden Snow and Vanessa Edwin

Jackson Bishop and Kiera had been best friends since before they could walk. By the time she was fifteen, Kiera knew Jackson was the one for her but it seemed he kept her firmly in the friend zone. More than fifteen years later, she knew it was past time to move on and was now engaged to Trent. Jackson had loved Kiera for as long as could remember but felt he wasn't good enough for her. He was passionate about his work on the ranch but was certain Kiera deserved more than a life married to a ranch hand. When Jackson kissed Kiera the night of her wedding rehearsal (thanks to an abundance of whiskey), the doubts she'd been harboring all came to the surface. I can't say that Jackson was my favorite of the Bishop brothers. At over 30 years old, he still lived like a carefree frat boy - a total playboy who slept with all the single women and had Friday night whiskey parties. A lot of time was spent on flashbacks of Jackson and Kiera's past and I found myself wanting more of their present. (That also led to this being the longest of the books at almost 500 pages, which felt unnecessary.) There were some serious red flags in Kiera's relationship with Trent that she consistently explained away and Kennedy Fox really amped up the tension as the relationship imploded. While I wished for more time with Jackson and Kiera together as a couple (that came late in the story), I really loved all the time spent with the ever-growing Bishop family. The brothers, their wives, the children... I'd grown attached over the span of four books and was sad to say goodbye.

HAVE YOU READ THE BISHOP BROTHERS SERIES?