Review: Truth (Consequences, #2), by Aleatha Romig

Truth by Aleatha Romig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While the ‘Consequences’ series is one of my all-time favorite series, ‘Truth’ is my absolute favorite book in the series. That isn’t to say that all of the books in this series aren’t wonderful — they are. However, this book is so damn great that I can’t even begin to express how much I love it.

I frequently find myself returning to this book and rereading my favorite parts. I’m a glutton for punishment that way. Never has a story made me feel more conflicted…or more addicted, than the story of Tony and Claire. I just cannot get enough of this screwed up, controversial and suspenseful story.

After the huge upset at the end of ‘Consequences’, it is no surprise that ‘Truth’ takes Claire and Tony’s story in a new direction. So much has changed. Yet, so much remains the same.

While many of Claire’s actions continue to be irrational and perplexing, I am so glad that Aleatha Romig dreamed up her character. Otherwise, I would have never experienced this phenomenal story. While all rational thought should send Claire running as far away from Tony as she can get, I’m so glad that she continues to defy all reason and repeatedly engages in his games. I cannot get enough of it!

In comparison to her demeanor in ‘Consequences’, ‘Truth’ shows a more independent and strong-minded version of Claire. She is no longer trapped at Tony’s mansion, at the mercy of his violent whims. This book sees Claire pursue more of an “offensive” approach to her interactions with Tony, whereas Claire had previously been limited to a sort of passive resistance.

Nevertheless, Tony is not one to be out-maneuvered. Time and time again, he proves that he is still in control. The back and forth antics of Tony and Claire keeps me flipping the pages every time I read this book.

Even though I should hate Tony, I just can’t. That is the beauty of this series. In fact, as “truths” are revealed and more of his horrendous actions come to light, I find myself trying to fight a stronger pull to him. He is the epitome of an anti-hero. I love him more, despite all reason, with each new detail shared. I can relate to Claire in that regard.

This second book in the series begins a slow unveiling of Tony’s motivations. Little by little, Claire begins to unearth details of a their families’ shared past. The depth of Tony’s hunger for revenge is astounding. Claire tries to gather clues to figure out exactly where she fits into the picture.

This book was jam-packed with information. Blink and you’ll miss something. Each time I read it, I pick up on something else that I overlooked before.

Not only are “truths” revealed in this book, but new mysteries surface. For every question answered, more questions arise. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Once again, Claire finds herself in danger. Only this time, the person trying to harm her is unknown. Is Tony really trying to turn over a new leaf or is he up to his old tricks? Can Claire ever trust him after everything that he’s done? Is there somebody else that wants to do her harm?

In addition to all of the facts that are unveiled in this book, the introduction of several new characters makes for a multi-dimensional story. Claire finds an unlikely friend in Amber, the fiancée of her recently deceased ex-boyfriend. Amber’s brother, Harry, also plays a pivotal role in this book, helping Claire adjust to her new life. Phil, a private investigator hired by Tony, also ends up being a key player this time around. The introduction of Derek and Sophia Burke adds yet another layer to this story, while familiar characters like Courtney and Brent evolve further.

I don’t want to give too much away, as I believe that this series should be experienced. I cannot begin to coherently state how much I love this series, or why. It is simply spectacular!

If you like darker reads, full of suspense, romance and mystery, then this is one is a must-read. You have to go into it with an open mind though. This story is not for those with “triggers” related to abuse, etc. It is full of controversial, offensive subject matter. However, if you love stories that mess with your head and make you step outside of your comfort zone, then you don’t want to miss it.

View all my reviews

Review: Mister Black (In the Shadows, #1), by P. T. Michelle

Mister Black by P.T. Michelle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This short read has been hanging out on my TBR list for awhile. I picked up the Audible version because it was a relatively short audiobook. I don’t like to start long audiobooks at the end of my workweek because I generally don’t listen as much on the weekends. This book was about the right length to occupy my commute time, while still having enough time to finish it off before the weekend.

In any case, this book started off promising for me. Natalia, aka Talia, aka Red, is a young teenage girl at the onset of the story. She is walking alone in the city when she finds herself in a compromising position. Refusing to hand over her necklace, she engages in a dangerous stand-off with her homeless mugger.

Just as Talia is growing to appreciate the precarious situation she is in, a handsome young man comes to her rescue. “Mister Black” fends off her assailant and offers her a ride home. After he leaves she doesn’t see him again, but she thinks of him often.

Years later, Talia is an aspiring reporter looking to land an exclusive interview for her college paper. She knows that there is more to the mysterious death of the wealthy co-ed than the authorities are letting on. She is determined to speak to the victim’s roommate to get to the bottom of it.

Talia’s opportunity presents itself in the form of an exclusive party. Her best friend has an uncanny resemblance to another girl that has been invited. This other girl is not planning on attending, so she plans to assume her identity for the night and take Talia along with her.

Once Talia has gained access to the party, she focuses on finding the elusive roommate. However, before she does, she runs into the handsome stranger from her past. She had dreamed of the mysterious Mister Black for years, but now learns that his real name is Sebastian Quinn.

Sparks fly immediately between Talia and Quinn. Things get real smutty, real quick. Everything happened so quickly that I was kind of like, “what the hell just happened?”.

Then, Talia returns her focus to the story. Sebastian introduces her to the roommate, who happens to be his sister. She uncovers some shocking circumstances surrounding the death of the girl’s roommate. What she finds out resonates with her on a deeper level, as the details are eerily similar to secrets from her own past.

Just as the story is starting to take off, it draws to a close. Apparently, Mister Black/Sebastian is a Navy Seal. He is going to be deployed soon and Talia will have to wait to see him again. Bad timing and all that.

To get answers, I’d have to read the next book. Unfortunately, I just don’t care enough to do that. While this story was “okay”, it didn’t hold much appeal for me. It was too convenient and felt a little reminiscent of ‘Nancy Drew’ or ‘The Babysitter’s Club’ to me. Young, naive girl takes on a huge criminal organization and tackles corruption, exposing the wrong-doers, etc., etc. I just wasn’t feeling it.

View all my reviews

Review: The Risk (Mindf*ck Series, #1), by S. T. Abby

The Risk by S.T. Abby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holy hell! This book was fantastic! I had never heard of S. T. Abby before now, but she has blown me away with this book. This is one twisted and fascinating story. I will be one-clicking her releases from this point forward.

The first in a series of five serials, ‘The Risk’ was suspenseful and utterly addicting. I could not put this super short book down. Once you’ve finished the first one, you’re going to want to delve into the next book immediately. Luckily, the entire series has been released, so you don’t have to live with the anxious anticipation for long.

Logan Bennett is a very successful FBI criminal profiler. His team is the FBI’s “dream team” of sorts. They get assigned the toughest cases, tracking down and capturing the country’s worst murderers. He is the quintessential “good guy” and a real-life hero.

Lana Myers is his polar opposite. Her life experiences have taught her that good does not always prevail. She is no longer a young girl with illusions of a criminal justice system that is fair and just. She knows all to well that there is true evil in this world. She has no qualms about handing out her own special brand of justice to those that she deems deserving of punishment. I can’t say that I disagreed either. Lana is quite possibly one of my favorite leading female characters ever…and she’s a serial killer!

When Logan and Lana cross paths, sparks fly immediately. One chance meeting at a coffee shop sets a chain of events in motion that will change the lives of these two forever. I was completely glued to this story. I knew that things were bound to get really ugly, but I couldn’t tear myself away.

Lana knows that the last thing she should ever do is pursue a romantic relationship with an FBI profiler. However, she just can’t deny herself the happiness that she feels with Logan. For his part, Logan is completely clueless about Lana’s true identity or what she does when she’s away from him. He has no idea that the serial killer he’s been hunting is actually warming his bed at night.

From start to finish, I could not pull myself away from this story. Despite being polar opposites, S. T. Abby managed to make both Logan and Lana characters that were endearing. I loved them both, even as I feared the heartache that I know has to be looming in the distance.

This story was dark, twisted and thrilling. This first serial ended with a big cliffhanger, that had me jumping into the next one immediately. I was blown away by this story.

If you’re a fan of dark, suspenseful stories that will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time, then you need to read this series. The first book is free, so you’re not losing anything if you don’t like it. If you’re like me, you won’t even want to come up for air until you’ve read all five. This series was phenomenal!

View all my reviews

Review: Crown of Lies (Truth and Lies Duet, #1), by Pepper Winters

Crown of Lies by Pepper Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yet again, Pepper Winters has managed to suck me in! In her trademark style, she slowly and meticulously weaved a story of romance, danger and intrigue. Bit by bit, the reader is given morsels of truth, while many facts and details remain elusive enough to keep readers guessing.

Elle Charlston is the heiress to a retail dynasty. Belle Elle has been in her family for generations and she stands to inherit the department store conglomerate. From a very young age, Elle has been trained to run the business. While other kids played with dolls, Elle perfected the window displays and learned how to best present merchandise. When other kids focused on basic geometry, Elle mastered complex spreadsheets and earnings reports.

Looking in from the outside, Elle seems to have a dream life. She leads a life of privilege and has everything that money can buy. Yet, she longs for all the things that money can’t buy.

She’s never had anything in common with the kids that she went to school with. Longing for friendship, she allowed herself to be taken advantage of by those who were only interested in what Elle’s wealth could do for them. Her father and her cat are the only “friends” that Elle has ever known.

On Elle’s nineteenth birthday, she makes an impulsive decision to sneak out into the city. She wants to spend one night experiencing life and exploring, without the protective oversight of her driver/security guard. She’s never been able to be “free” and do the things that other teenagers take for granted. For just one night, she wants to shed the uptight persona that has defined her for the entirety of her life.

Not long into her explorations, Elle finds herself in a very precarious position. Without her security guard, she has no protection against the dangers that lurk in the nighttime on the city streets. Having been sheltered her whole life, she lacks street smarts and is an easy mark for those who would victimize her.

Dragged into a deserted alleyway, Elle is robbed and nearly raped. If it weren’t for the bravery of an unnamed homeless man, Elle would have faced a fate far worse. Her unnamed hero saves Elle, beating her assailants and chasing them off into the night.

In the hours that follow, Elle walks the city with the man. The two form an unlikely friendship and eventually more. Sneaking into Central Park after-hours, they share a night of romance and adventure. Elle and her stranger share a kiss that will haunt her for years before their night is abruptly ended and the man is arrested.

For years, Elle tries to locate her hero unsuccessfully. Without his name, and only a vague physical description, she is unable to track him down. She never gives up though. She is determined that she will find “Nameless”, the only man who has ever sparked any interest in her.

Realizing that he may have sentenced his daughter to a life of loneliness, Elle’s father is determined to find a husband for her to help shoulder the burden of running the business. His repeated match-making attempts are futile. Elle refuses to consider the men that her father tries to shove her way. She is only interested in one man and she knows that she’s unlikely to ever find him.

When she overhears her father again trying to set her up with a stranger at a bar, she is appalled. Never has she met a more arrogant man. She’s outraged by her father’s behavior and this man’s cocky attitude. Drenching him in his drink, she leaves the bar certain that it will be the last time she ever has to face the handsome stranger.

As much as she professes to hate the man, she can’t seem to get him off her mind. It is the first time that a man, other than “Nameless”, has consumed her thoughts. When she runs into him, again, the sexual tension between her and the sexy, Penn Everett reaches an all-time high.

One thing leads to another and Elle and Penn begin a tumultuous relationship. The chemistry is incredibly strong between the two, in a love/hate kind of way. They can’t seem to get enough of each other, even as they each try to keep the other at arm’s length. It was incredibly hot!

While Elle is an open book, Penn is not. In fact, Elle doesn’t seem to know much of anything about the enigmatic man. All of her attempts to get to know him on a more personal level are shut down swiftly. Who he is and where he came from are a big mystery.

As the story progresses, pieces of Penn’s past are revealed. However, each detail only leads to more questions. Who is this man and what does he want with Elle really?

From start to finish, I could not get enough of Elle’s story. Admittedly, this book did start off a little slow for me. However, once I got going, I couldn’t put it down. Ms. Winters’ writing is impeccable and she never fails to hold my attention.

The characters were intriguing and the storyline had just enough danger to keep it exciting. I was particularly impressed with the way that Ms. Winters made Elle a personable character that you almost pity. Lets face it, a billionaire “princess” is not a character that most people can sympathize with. However, her kind demeanor and loneliness made Elle very human and easy to relate to.

Elle Charlston, her unnamed rescuer and the high-handed Penn Everett have completely consumed me. I think I know what happened, but Ms. Winters never fails to surprise me. I’ll have to just wait and see if I’m right.

I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book and see where things are headed. I am so glad that I won’t have to wait too long for the next book. The minute it is released, I’ll be all over it!

View all my reviews

Review: Entrapment (Infidelity, #4), by Aleatha Romig

Entrapment by Aleatha Romig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Intense

The fourth book in the ‘Infidelity’ series, ‘Entrapment’ serves to build tension and keep you on the edge of your seat. With only one book remaining in the series, this books paves the way for what is bound to be an explosive ending. Of course, you’ll be left hanging for a while longer, dying to know what fate awaits Alex and Nox, until the last book is released. Surely, you didn’t think your questions would be answered yet.

Picking up where the last book left off, Alex is back under the control of the diabolical trio–Alton, Suzanna and Bryce. Every move she makes is watched and her free will has been forfeited. The constant threat of having her mother harmed or being denied access to her mother is used to keep her in line.

Meanwhile, Nox and his father team up to try and rescue the women that they love from their house of horrors. Despite their troubled history, they have finally found some common ground and put their differences aside temporarily. It was nice to see the father-son duo working together for a change.

While I found Alex’s choices to be pretty frustrating in this book, I can see that the groundwork has been laid for an amazing finale. I spent a lot of time wanting to shake some sense into Alex this time around, much like Nox, I’m sure. Time after time, she placed herself in increasingly compromising positions. It was like she lost all sense of self-preservation.

Chelsea plays a more pivotal role in this installment as well. Her character really kept me engaged in the story. It was clear that she was suffering even more than Alex. Yet, she hung around out of a sense of loyalty to her best friend, despite being treated horribly. I gained a whole new respect for Chelsea.

Bryce also showed his true colors in this book. We’ve seen glimpses of his arrogant, ill-tempered behavior before, but now we’re given the whole, ugly truth. He is a psychopath!

When he was in a scene, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. This guy is a violent predator that gets off on humiliation and domination. Rest assured that Bryce probably has a string of victims everywhere he’s traveled.

Oren and Adelaide’s history continues to be revealed little by little. I enjoyed every little crumb of their story that was thrown my way. Poor Adelaide deserves to have someone watching out for her for a change.

Patrick also plays a crucial role in this book. I just love his character. Like Chelsea, he proves to be a loyal friend to Alex. His mother also stepped up to help out in this book, which was a nice twist.

While I loved the way everything seems to be coming together and building up to a big ending, I have to admit that I’m ready to see this series come to a close. With each book, this story gets more complicated and convoluted. I’ve enjoyed it, but I’m ready to see things come to a close.

The things that Alex and her mother have endured for the sake of money, all while claiming not to care about the money, is ridiculous. Why they just haven’t given Alton the middle finger and walked away is beyond me. It is kind of unbelievable, especially when they’ve both had incredibly wealthy men that have wanted to play knight in shining armor. I just don’t get it.

Overall, I thought this was another great addition to the series. In spite of my few reservations, I continue to enjoy this series. After the huge cliffhanger that this book ended with, I am dying to see how everything ends.

View all my reviews

Review: Fidelity (Infidelity, #5), by Aleatha Romig

Fidelity by Aleatha Romig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Aleatha Romig is one of my all-time favorite authors. She has a way of pulling me into her stories and keeping me utterly captivated from start to finish. I am addicted to her special brand of antiheroes. Nobody can craft a guy that you love to hate and hate to love quite like her.

It goes without saying that I devoured every word of the ‘Infidelity’ series. I loved the taboo and twisted circumstances that surrounded Nox and Charli throughout this series. They were nothing, if not complicated.

That being said, this series was not my favorite of Ms. Romig’s series. While I love the way she takes the time out to develop her characters and the storyline, at times that meant that the story seemed to move at a snail’s pace. There were several times when I found myself questioning the necessity of some of the redundant details while reading this series. Book 4, in particular, seemed to have several slow spots for me.

The fifth, and final, book in the series, ‘Fidelity’ ties up all of the loose ends. I wasn’t left with any lingering questions. I also felt quite satisfied with the way everything worked out, which was a far cry from how unsettled I felt at the end of the last book.

As expected, Nox and Charli, aka Alex, are a huge part of this book. However, I found myself equally intrigued with Oren and Adelaide’s story. Some of the supporting characters seemed to become a more important part of the story this time around, giving way to some new questions. I wonder if any of them will get their own spin-off books.

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Fidelity’. It was a fantastic conclusion to a great series. As much as I enjoyed this series, I have to say that I’m glad to take a break from the Montagues, Fitzgeralds, Demetris and Spencers. It was nice to see things eventually work themselves out, but it was definitely exhausting.

View all my reviews

Review: Deception (Infidelity, #3), by Aleatha Romig

Deception by Aleatha Romig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this third book in the ‘Infidelity’ series, Alexandria’s life continues to prove to be ever more complicated than imagined. Betrayal after betrayal comes to light, revealing a complex web of deceit. The manipulations and lies are everywhere, with her own family seemingly controlling things from afar.

Despite a few rough patches, this book shows Nox and Charli settling into a more stable relationship. However, secrets revealed about Nox’s business affairs may prove to haunt them yet. It seems that his life is not entirely his own, much like Charli’s.

What made this book memorable to me was the history between Oren and Adelaide. As their past relationship was unveiled in small pieces interspersed among the present-day viewpoints, I found myself having to fight the urge to skip ahead until the next tidbit of their story was told. I was, and still am, dying to learn the full extent of what transpired between them.

Adelaide also proved to be the most interesting character for me in the present-day storyline as well. Finally, she is growing a spine and setting out to right some wrongs. Aside from her past with Oren, more details are provided about her past at Montague Manor, which provide more insight. She’s finally trying to fight back, even if doing so places her in grave danger.

Like each of the earlier books in this series, ‘Deception’ ends with a cliffhanger. Ms. Romig has dropped a big bomb and we’ll have to wait until September to see where she’s going to take us. With Alex back Under the influence of her crazy stepfather, there’s no telling what’s to come.

View all my reviews

Review: Hellraiser (The Devil’s Own, #2), by Amo Jones

Hellraiser by Amo Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you’ve read ‘One Hundred & Thirty-Six Scars’, then you’ll remember Braxton “Hella” Ward as the insensitive, promiscuous biker that had a thing for Meadow’s friend, Melissa. I’d like to say that by the end of this book that I came to understand the reasons for Hella’s obnoxious behavior, but I can’t. I did grow to like him a little more, but that’s about all I can say for him.

Whereas Melissa Hart was kind of “along for the ride” in the first book, ‘Hellraiser’ focuses on her tumultuous relationship with Hella. This is a guy that enjoyed flaunting other women in her face, just to get a rise out of her. Yet, despite her tough reputation, she can’t seem to get enough of this jackass. I guess we all have our weaknesses!

The Army is also out for revenge. As The Devil’s Own plan for Beast and Meadow’s wedding, The Army has their own plans underway. Once again, Melissa finds herself on “lockdown” at the club compound.

While some things never change, like the repeat of a crisis requiring a lockdown at the biker club, there were a few new elements to this story. Melissa’s estranged sister, shows up on her doorstep. She is very secretive about why she’s left her life behind as a nun, but it is clear that she is running scared from something.

Of course, we also get more of Melissa’s story. From the once naive college girl, to the strong woman that she grew into, it is easy to see how her life events made her the person that she is. Her past was a brutal one.

In more ways than one, the past collides with the present in this book. Seemingly unrelated events end up being anything but “unrelated”. Eventually, it all comes to light in a brutal twist.

While I still had many of the same issues with this book that I had with the first book in the series, I do think that there were some improvements in the writing and editing. Yes, the author still uses phrases like “deep, shallow breaths” and “usually, always”, which drives me crazy. However, these mistakes did seem to be less frequent.

Like the first book, things just seemed to happen without any reasonable transition. For example, Hella’s character is all about sleeping around and he flaunts the fact that he isn’t going to settle down right up until the moment that he does. Before you could blink, he has committed himself to Melissa and has an entire personality change without any explanation or plausible progression of his feelings being portrayed.

It was like the author needed certain things to happen for the story to go where she wanted it to, so she just wrote it without making an attempt to make it believable. It was like reading the creation story. You know, “Let there be light” and it just happens. Things fell together too easily.

Similarly, the conflict between Melissa and Hella seemed contrived just to create some drama. It was pretty ridiculous. Then was forgotten just as easily. I definitely rolled my eyes a few times.

I once again find myself curious about where the next book will go. ‘Hellraiser’ ended with a huge cliffhanger. Even though this book was just an “okay” read for me, I am dying to know what happens in the next book with Melissa’s sister. I’m having a bit of deja vu here, since I felt the exact same way after finishing the first book. So, I’m going to read the next one, but if it doesn’t improve significantly, I’m calling it quits for this series. I hope I don’t regret it.

View all my reviews

Review: One Hundred & Thirty-Six Scars (The Devil’s Own, #1), by Amo Jones

One Hundred & Thirty-Six Scars by Amo Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I picked up this book, I was looking for a raw, gritty, and dark read. Although ‘One Hundred & Thirty-Six Scars’ did have some dark content, it was primarily in the characters’ pasts. While that was certainly a big part of who they were, as a whole, this book wasn’t as dark as I’d hoped for.

Beast was raised by a secret organization called “The Army”. He never knew tenderness or kindness. He was trained to be an assassin from an early age and everything in his life revolved around his training and the next mission.

Despite never having experienced life on the outside, Beast somehow knows that it is better outside of the confines of the compound. He spends his youth trying to escape, bearing the scars as proof of his many attempts to free himself. Despite the brutal punishments, he never quits trying.

One day, he is successful. Along with his best friend, Hella, he manages to escape. The two go into hiding, with the help of a girl that Hella once knew from his childhood in foster care.

When Beast is recognized, it sets off a chain of events that will change his future. He meets the father that he never knew existed and is given the answers he’s always wanted about how he came to be in The Army. Immediately, he is taken in by the father that didn’t know he was alive.

Taking an apartment in a bad neighborhood while he tries to figure out his next steps, Beast is overcome by an urge to protect the girl next door. He hears her cries at night, until one day he has heard enough. He busts into the apartment next door and puts an end to the girl’s suffering.

When Beast saved Meadow, she was overwhelmed with gratitude for the huge stranger. Molested by her father from the age of four, she had finally decided to end her life. One last time and he would never hurt her again…and then, Beast saved her.

After barging in and saving the day, Meadow doesn’t hear from Beast. The two go their separate ways. Then, years later their paths cross again.

This time around, their attraction is instantaneous. From that point forward, things fell together rather easily for these two. In fact, it was too easy. There were none of the highs and lows that you’d expect. I needed a little more angst to hold my interest.

Overall, this story ended up being pretty good, but not great. The writing needed some work, but it wasn’t the worst I’ve read by a long shot. Contradictory, nonsensical phrases like “gently but roughly” and “shallow deep breaths” seemed to be a calling card for this author and left me scratching my head. There seemed to be a lack of attention to detail in the editing of this book, but I’ve read far worse.

That being said, it was still a pretty good book. Even though I wasn’t overly impressed with this first book, it did leave me very curious about the supporting characters. The author did a great job of paving the way for their stories and making me want to read their stories, even as I was nonplussed with the story I was reading. That takes some talent. I will be continuing the series. I only hope that the writing will improve as the series progresses.

From the point that the main characters re-enter each others’ lives as adults, it was pretty smooth sailing. In fact, I was taken aback at how quickly the two fell in love and how little drama there was surrounding their relationship. It was almost “too perfect”. In that way, it was surprising, but also just too easy to swallow.

View all my reviews

Review: Saint (Boston Underworld, #4), by A. Zavarelli

SAINT by A. Zavarelli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have loved every one of the books in A. Zavarelli’s ‘Boston Underworld’ series and ‘Saint’ was no exception. This book was great! I can’t get enough of these Irish guys!

‘Saint’ is the story of Rory and Scarlett. If you’re like me, you probably only had a vague recollection of who these two were at the beginning of the book. If that’s the case, don’t sweat it. A. Zavarelli did a good job of re-orienting readers to the characters and how they tied into the story.

Scarlett is not your ordinary heroine. I was equally terrified and impressed by her. She was a total badass! She is out for revenge and she is a force to be reckoned with. If you’re expecting a submissive, mild-mannered female leading lady, you’re in for a big shock with Scarlett!

Rory is just an all-around nice guy. He’s tough and sexy, but he has this kind of laid-back personality that draws you in. He was so patient and protective of Scarlett that I couldn’t help but love him. He was swoon-worthy.

As Scarlett’s past is revealed, it becomes clear why she now preys upon wealthy, entitled men. She wasn’t always the predator that she is now. One night years ago left her forever changed when she was brutally gang-raped. Set up by her own boyfriend, used by him and his friends, and then left for dead, she has now dedicated her life to seeking vengeance.

Rory wants nothing more than to claim Scarlett for his own. He is infatuated with the beautiful man-eater, but refuses to let her use him and then write him off as just another guy that wants her only for sex. He is persistent and won’t give up until he can call her his.

No matter how hard Scarlett tries to push him away, she can’t shake Rory Brodrick. When he continues to unwittingly botch her plans, she decides to use him as a means to an end. After all, he just won’t go away.

When Scarlett’s past comes back to haunt her, she finds herself relying on Rory more than she had ever anticipated. Time and time again, he comes to her rescue. He’s made it his number one priority to save Scarlett from herself, even if she doesn’t realize that she needs saving.

This was a great story from beginning to end. Scarlett and Rory did not follow the typical relationship trajectory, and that kept it interesting. It was nice to read a book with a tough as nails heroine and a hero that can respect that. Although this wasn’t my personal favorite book in the series, it was great. In fact, every book in this series has been wonderful. I highly recommend this series.

View all my reviews