The Tryst List - Kaylene Winter

The Tryst List
Kaylene Winter
Publication date: April 11th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

When a man, haunted by secrets, reunites with the only woman who’s ever ignited his soul, he’ll do anything to prove he’s more than his mistakes.

From the moment I laid eyes on her in Vegas, I knew tattoo artist Jordan Deveraux was my destiny.

Our chemistry was too fiery to ignore, one night of passion could never be enough.

Walking away was agony.

Easily, the biggest regret of my life.

Years later, I’m successful and rich but still crave my siren of the sea.

Her game of pretend doesn’t mask the heat still smoldering between us.

Little does she know, I have the roadmap to turn her fantasies into reality.

Stranded in my boat, the waves aren’t the only things rocking.

Her ability to resist me sinks faster than a lead anchor.

Here’s the catch—my past isn’t as spotless as the buildings I design.

And my secrets threaten to pull us under.

Can we navigate these turbulent waters to find a future?

Or, will my mistake capsize everything?

The Tryst List is a sizzling, standalone, billionaire, enemies to lovers, forced proximity tale of second chances, where the ink of passion and the scars of the past collide.

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Author Bio:

When she was only 15, Kaylene Winter wrote her first rocker romance novel starring a fictionalized version of herself, her friends and their gorgeous rocker boyfriends. After living her own rockstar life as a band manager, music promoter and mover and shaker in Seattle during the early 1990’s, Kaylene became a digital media legal strategist helping bring movies, television and music online. Throughout her busy career, Kaylene lost herself in romance novels across all genres inspiring her to realize her life-long dream to be a published author. She lives in Seattle with her amazing husband and dog. She loves to travel, throw lavish dinner parties and support charitable causes supporting arts and animals.

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My Review

These stand-alone books, that link into the world of Less than Zero are such a lot of fun. This latest book features Jase's sister Jordan, a really cool tattoo artist. I loved Jordan's character, so strong, but when she meets Peter she can't help but find all of that questioned.
I loved the way that they were with one another when Jordan was trying to pretend that she didn't remember Peter and Peter was desperate for her to remember him. The tension there was fantastic. As a couple they worked really well. My only slight hesitation in this one, is that despite the HEA that this couple gets, I wasn't convinced that long term he'd really be able to change the way he acted sometimes (trying hard not give anything away there).
It was a good enjoyable read and at times a really quite spicy romance.These stand-alone books, that link into the world of Less than Zero are such a lot of fun. This latest book features Jase's sister Jordan, a really cool tattoo artist. I loved Jordan's character, so strong, but when she meets Peter she can't help but find all of that questioned.

I loved the way that they were with one another when Jordan was trying to pretend that she didn't remember Peter and Peter was desperate for her to remember him. The tension there was fantastic. As a couple they worked really well. My only slight hesitation in this one, is that despite the HEA that this couple gets, I wasn't convinced that long term he'd really be able to change the way he acted sometimes (trying hard not give anything away there).
It was a good enjoyable read and at times a really quite spicy romance.

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A Body at the Dance Hall

 922. Amateur sleuth Mabel Canning is surrounded by the bright lights of London as she chaperones a young American woman to a dance. But when someone is murdered, a deadly tango begins…

Meet plucky woman-about-town Mabel Canning, leader of the London Ladies’ Murder Club and trusted assistant to gentlewomen. When she is tasked with accompanying Roxy, a fun-loving heiress, on a glamorous night out, Mabel can’t wait to sip champagne and practice the foxtrot. But just as Roxy sashays out of sight, a mysterious man warns Mabel that the feisty young redhead is in danger. And someone is dead before the music stops...

Roxy was the last person to see the victim alive, and she stumbles into Mabel’s arms with her daffodil-yellow dress splashed with blood. Determined to protect her ward, Mabel gathers her dashing beau Winstone and her pals from the murder club. Together they trace the weapon back to the ballroom, but when its twin goes missing, it is clear time is running out to prevent another murder on the dance floor…

The police conclude the killer is in Roxy’s family, but Mabel finds herself spinning between a motley troupe of suspects. Mr Bryars, the anxious ballroom manager, is constantly tripping over himself to hide his secrets. But would he kill to protect his reputation? And young Ned Kettle may have looked dashing while waltzing around with Roxy, but he was once a notorious thief. Is the sticky-fingered rogue also a dab hand at murder?

Just as Mabel and her murder club friends quickstep closer to the truth, Roxy is kidnapped, and Mabel comes cheek to cheek with the killer. Can she save poor Roxy and herself? Or has she danced her last dance?

A delightfully witty and utterly addictive whodunnit absolutely bursting with 1920s sparkle, from USA Today bestselling author Marty Wingate. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, Verity Bright and T.E. Kinsey.

My Review

I do enjoy historical murder mysteries and so I was looking forward to A Body at the Dance Hall. I hadn't, sadly, read the first two books in the series yet, but that doesn't really matter. Mabel Canning is an independent woman. She has a small flat in London and works for the Useful Ladies agency, she turns her hand to any task that a Useful Lady is needed for. Sometimes, that turns out to be detecting a murderer.

I enjoyed this mystery. I did manage to spot most of the 'twists' before they occurred, including having solved who was behind it quite early on. That didn't matter though, it still made for a very enjoyable read and let me pretend that I was incredibly intelligent, having been able to solve it all!
I'd be quite keen to read more in this series. Mabel and her friends are really interesting. With this having been the first book in the series that I'd read, I got a bit confused about who Park and Winstone were. For a good portion of time, I thought that they were two different people, the way that the names were used interchangeably. I'm not sure why this was done, seeing as they are one and the same man. Minor irritation though.
This was a great and entertaining read and I'd be very keen to read more from this series.

Red Kingdom - Rachel L. Demeter

 Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist. 

Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.

Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side. 

United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love. 

Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?

Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate, slow-burn historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony.

*Red Kingdom is a standalone installment in a series of reimagined classic fairy tales. Due to adult content and themes, it is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

My Review

Some fairy tale's lend themselves to a romance retelling really easily, which is the reason that they are the ones that you see done most often. I was intrigued to see how a Red Riding Hood retelling would work. I have to say I enjoyed it. In many ways, this is a reimagining, or perhaps it takes inspiration from the fairy tale, rather than a retelling. The good and evil that stalk these pages isn't quite so clear cut or obvious as you might remember from the original story. But then, things are never as obvious as they first appear.
Blanchette, a princess rarely seen without her Red Riding Hood finds her world turn upside down at the hands of the Black Wolf. He tears her family apart, almost literally, but she can't help but be drawn to him.
I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance and this was certainly that. It was a slow burn though, which is always painful and delightful all at the same time. Every time I thought they were finally going to take the jump, they didn't and I found myself getting more frustrated and invested in the story.
This was a great read. 
I haven't read the first retelling in this series, but I'm definitely planning on checking it out after enjoying this one so much.

Author

I live in Sunny California with my dashing husband, who inspires my romance novels every day!

​

Writing has always been an integral part of my identity. Before I physically learned how to write, I'd narrate stories to my mom and she'd record them for me.

​

I graduated from Chapman’s film school, where I often received the feedback on my scripts, “Your stories and characters are great, but this reads like a novel!” That’s when I realized my true calling.

​

In my free time, I frequent reptile expos, lift double my body’s weight, and indulge in dinosaur trivia.

I'm passionate about writing stories that explore what it means to be human and to be loved. My books focus on hope, courage, and redemption in the face of adversity.

Links

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The Nowhere Girls - Dana Perry

My kid sister was murdered fifteen years ago. Now the killer has struck again. And this time, I’m going to take my revenge…

On the anniversary of her sister’s death, FBI agent Nikki Cassidy takes a call that has her heart pounding in her chest, the image of her beautiful sister Caitlin etched in her mind.

Another girl has been taken.

Days later, the lifeless body of twelve-year-old Natalie Jarvis is found in a remote patch of woodland, a crown of roses delicately placed on her head. Just like Caitlin.

The killer is back.

Nikki rushes to her small hometown of Groveton, Ohio. She will do anything to stop another young girl dying, but she soon realises that nothing is what it seems—everyone in her hometown is keeping a secret. And when a note is discovered near Natalie’s body addressed to Nikki, it’s clear what the murderer really wants: her…

She’s caught killers before, but this time it’s personal. And Nikki will risk everything—even her own life—to get justice for every victim. It’s time to stop this twisted killer, once and for all…

If you love reading Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Kendra Elliot, you won’t be able to put down this gripping new series. Full of heart-racing twists and turns, you’ll be hooked!

Author Bio:

I am a New York City author who writes mystery thrillers under the pen name of Dana Perry - and also as R.G. Belsky. My new thriller for Bookouture is The Nowhere Girls, the first in a series featuring Detective Nikki Cassidy. Book 2, Last One to Die and Book 3, The Lost Ones, will also be published on April 2nd.
Contact me at DanaPerryAuthor@yahoo.com
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Book Description Book 2: 

Ten days ago, straight-A student Jessica Stanley ran away from home. Now her lifeless body lies pale and still in an empty parking lot, her unblinking brown eyes staring up to the night sky…

FBI agent Nikki Cassidy’s heart pounds as she takes in the short, dark hair and delicate features of fourteen-year-old schoolgirl Jessica Stanley. It’s another unsolved murder in Groveton, Ohio, just like her sister, Caitlin, fifteen years before. Her family beg her to keep her distance, but Nikki knows she can’t walk away.

What if her sister’s killer is back?

Talking to Jessica’s heartbroken family, Nikki learns that she wasn’t happy at home. Just days ago, she packed a few belongings into her school backpack and left, never to be seen alive again.

Determined to give Jessica’s family the answers she never found for herself, Nikki works around the clock, trawling hours of CCTV footage from the scene. And just when she thinks she’s close to uncovering the truth, a chilling email arrives that confirms her deepest fear. There are more victims, Nikki. Can you ever stop me?

This killer is playing a dangerous game, and he has Nikki in his sights now—one wrong move and she could be his next victim. She’s determined to unmask the monster who has tortured her hometown for decades. But what if the killer is someone close to her? What if it’s someone she loves?

Fans of Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Kendra Elliot will absolutely love this gripping new series from Dana Perry. Prepare to stay up all night!

Book Description Book 3:

As dawn breaks over a small gas station on the outskirts of Groveton, Ohio, the body of a teenage girl lies totally still. Long blonde hair covers her face, and a length of frayed rope hangs loosely around her neck. It’s only a matter of time before someone finds her, just like her killer intended…

When FBI agent Nikki Cassidy receives a call from Groveton’s Chief of Police, her heart pounds. A young girl just knocked on the door of Nikki’s old family home, claiming to be Nikki’s kid sister, Caitlin. But Caitlin was murdered fifteen years ago. Who is the girl and what does she want?

Nikki thinks the impersonator could finally lead her to her sister’s twisted killer. But her hope is shattered when the girl’s lifeless body is found strangled at a local service stop. If the girl knew about Caitlin, could she have known the identity of the killer? Was she murdered before she could unmask them?

Going against her boss’s orders to stay away, Nikki traces the girl’s last known steps to her best friend, Shirley. Nikki learns that the girl was last seen meeting with a stranger at the mall. Could it have been her killer?

Closer than ever to uncovering the truth, Nikki can’t give up now. But when Shirley’s body is found at another service station, a length of rope wound around her neck, her heart shatters. Another young life has been lost. Nikki vows that this will be the last.

When an intruder breaks into her old home, Nikki knows it’s the killer sending her a sign. As she walks into the familiar old house in the dead of night, will she finally get justice and catch her sister’s killer, or did she just walk into a deadly trap?

If you enjoy Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Kendra Elliot, you will absolutely love this gripping and totally unputdownable crime thriller.

My Review

The Nowhere Girls is the first book in the Nikki Cassidy series. I haven't read any books by this author before, so this was a completely new one for me.
Nikki Cassidy is an FBI agent with a sad past. Her sister was abducted and murdered when the girls were both teenagers. It's something which (as you would expect) has had a huge impact on Nikki's life and the course it has taken still.
This is quite a quick read and I found myself getting through it quickly. There were a few things that I wasn't completely convinced about and I did guess quite a few of the twists before they happened. This is the first book in the series though, so I'm hopeful that future books will build on the characters and add a bit of depth to the stories.
I enjoyed this read and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

 

Fiona's Fury - Roxy Blue

Fiona’s Fury
Roxy Blue
Publication date: March 12th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

This chilling but hysterically sardonic thrill-ride is hard to put down. Smart, sexy, and deeply revelatory, it will send you on an enthralling emotional journey you won’t forget.

Fiona Turner, CEO of Fiona’s Flowers floral shop, hasn’t the time nor inclination to bother with men until she finally meets the face on the other end of the phone. Having remained friends, she never suspected her ex-husband, Quade, would morph into a terrifying, controlling, law-bending monster. When Fiona exhibits the first signs of wanting to move on in life, he threatens to take everything from her. A long weekend at a conference answers all of Fiona’s questions about floral supplier, Bo Thompson, except how she can possibly have him. She’ll never know what she’s missing unless she risks everything for love.

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Author Bio:

Raised in the South and transplanted to a midwestern New Age community, Roxy Blue writes about the types of down-to-earth characters that dispel the notion of romance being rubbish. After thirteen years as an exotic dancer, she developed a rare autoimmune arthritis that gave her an excuse to settle down and focus more on writing, although she still hoopdances and hikes on the good days. Roxy lives in Asheville, NC with the kind of hunk she likes to read about, and their two ridiculous cats.

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My Review

Fiona's Fury is one of those books that has you simultaneously wanting to scream at the heroine for being so foolish and desperate to know what's going to happen next. Fiona is described as being a strong and capable woman. She is far from that. Since separating from her husband (nine years ago?) she has let him be a big part of things, never fearing that when she finally moves on, he might not be so keen. When she meets and begins to fall for farmer and flower grower Bo, her ex turns psycho.
While I don't hate the idea of remaining friends with an ex in a book like this and sometimes even people we've known for a long time don't show their true colours, when they do, I like my heroines to listen. Time and time again Fiona went back for more. I was almost shouting at her, for goodness sake woman, show some self-preservation!
This isn't a bad read, as I say I was keen to know what was going to happen next. I liked Bo and Fiona together, her foolishness was frustrating though. I also couldn't decide how old the characters were supposed to be. At times they seemed to be almost childlike and then at others almost retirement age.
I think that this was a good debut novel and worth a read, even if you do find yourself despairing at Fiona like I did.

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A Country Wedding Murder - Katie Gayle

The joyous crowd applauds as the happy couple strides down the aisle. This Cotswolds country wedding has everything – friends and family, beautiful flowers and… murder?

When Julia Bird’s ex-husband Peter and his lovely partner Christopher decide to get married in Berrywick, Julia is delighted – after all, who doesn't love a country wedding? Little does Julia know that normally calm and collected Christopher will turn into a full-on Groomzilla – and that by the end of the night, someone will end up dead.

The morning after the big day, the jolly nuptial mood turns grim when Julia discovers the lifeless body of the caterer, Desmond. Someone locked him in the cold truck and the poor man froze to death. Now looking for a murderer, all eyes are on Christopher who, mid-tantrum, had publicly threatened to kill him. Convinced that Christopher is innocent, Julia vows to find the real culprit.

Julia soon discovers Desmond had a long list of enemies as she races against the clock to clear Christopher’s name. Could his death be the work of the respected wedding planner who was heard exchanging choice words with the victim? Or perhaps it was his wife – ‘til death do them part – who didn’t shed a single tear at his funeral?

But just when Julia thinks she’s cracked the case, her prime suspect is found dead with a knife in their back. Can Julia find the murderer before they strike again?

An utterly gripping, charming cosy mystery set in the English countryside. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands will love the Julia Bird Mysteries.

Book Review

I do enjoy these Julia Bird mysteries. There's always a danger that the stories will get too predictable and boring by book five. That's far from the case here. Yes, they are of a type and you might just be able to work out what's going to happen and 'whodunnit' but it doesn't matter, because these are well-written and entertaining books. I love going back and seeing what Julia, Sean, Jake and her other friends are getting up to.
This time we get to meet Julia's daughter Jess. Although she has been overseas in Hong Kong for quite some time and no doubt intends to return, I suspect we might see some more of her in the not-too-distant future.
Having said that it is possible to work out 'whodunnit' I have to admit that this time I didn't. I'd managed to put some parts of the puzzle together, but I followed too many red herrings and ended up completely on the wrong track. I did finally figure it out in the last little bit, but it was very close to the end and just as Julia was realising the same thing, so I don't think that I can really claim that one.
This was a really enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to my next visit to see Julia and her friends.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Author Bio:

Katie Gayle is the writing partnership of best-selling South African writers, Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. Kate and Gail have, between them, written over ten books of various genres, but with Katie Gayle, they both make their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg, with husbands, children, dogs and cats. 

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Vicious Seduction - Jill Ramsower

 

 

   

 

♦ ♦ ♦

𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗡:

𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙖 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙯𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙖𝙬𝙣. 

𝘼 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙮 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚.

 

I’ll seduce her. Claim her.

Then flaunt my acquisition in front of her ex, Lawrence Wellington—

The man I plan to destroy.

 

𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲, 𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴.

 

She’ll be the easiest and most … 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 part of my vengeance.

Charming her away from a man old enough to be her father won’t be an issue.

 

And if it comes down to it, I’m not above using force.

 

𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗔:

𝙊𝙧𝙖𝙣 𝘽𝙮𝙧𝙣𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧— 

𝙃𝙚’𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙖𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚.

 

But he’s just like every other rich, entitled asshole.

He doesn't know me.

All he sees is a pretty object to be possessed and discarded.

 

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗲.

 

I’ve come back to the Olympus Club for a reason,

And I won’t let anything stop me,

Least of all a smooth-talking criminal with arsenic on his tongue.

 

𝙄𝙛 𝙊𝙧𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙨, 

𝙃𝙚’𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩.

 

𝘼 𝙉𝙊𝙏𝙀 𝙁𝙍𝙊𝙈 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘼𝙐𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙍:  𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘖𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘢’𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥-𝘵𝘰-𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦!   

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘐 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 "𝘮𝘢𝘧𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦." 𝘔𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘌𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺!

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My Review

I've loved all of Jill Ramsower's Mafia books and Vicious Seduction is no exception. Featuring Byrne family member Orin who becomes entangled with Lina, a woman with secrets, but who he just can't seem to stay away from.

Orina and Lina are so well-suited. Lina is a feisty woman who is prepared to do anything to protect those who she loves. Orin wants to avenge his father and although he has plans to do this, once he meets Lina, then all that comes into question.

I really enjoyed this story and watching these two find their way to one another. There wasn't the big misunderstanding that you sometimes get in books like this and I enjoyed that aspect of it as well. 

This was a great read and one I would highly recommend. 

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I was too pissed to play Prince Charming. Fuck that. I’d sooner throw her over my shoulder and lock her away than let that geriatric bastard see her in what should have been meant for me.

Jesus, I didn’t know where these thoughts were coming from.

I was out of control and couldn’t find it in me to care.

She started to answer, and I could tell by the fire in her eyes that I wouldn’t like what she was going to say. I cut her off before she got the chance to say a word. Clutching her wrist, I hauled her around to the alley on the side of the building. It wasn’t particularly private, but it was better than having it out with her on the goddamn sidewalk.

“Is Wellington taking you to the club for dinner tonight?” Just saying the words made my jaw ache with strain.

“Yes.” Defiance. So much bloody defiance.

“You don’t want to be with him, I know it. You came to Bastion for a reason. I didn’t make you—you came on your own. So why the fuck are you still going to see him?”

“I told you, it’s complicated.”

“Nothing’s that fucking complicated.”

“Maybe for you,” she shot back angrily.

My mind raced as I stared her down. I needed to handle this carefully, but my frustration tinged my vision with red, making it hard to see anything but my need to gain her submission.

The lighter was in my hand before I knew it, and I flicked it open.

“Can you swear on your life he’ll never see it?”

“You wouldn’t.” She gaped at me.

“Baby, you have no idea the lengths I’d go to.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed angry blue eyes at me. “Fine, I swear no other man will see the lingerie.”

My smile was slow and lupine as it crept across my face.

“Wrong answer.”

She could try to sass me, but it wouldn’t get her far. The small flame barely kissed the thin black tissue before the hungry flame devoured the paper.

Lina’s jaw plummeted, her eyes going wide with horror. And was that … a touch of … sorrow mixed in?

Shit, I didn’t want to hurt her. I’d been trying to prevent that. Being near Wellington, clothed or not, was dangerous for her in so many ways.

I tossed the smoking bag away from us and caged her in against the stone wall, forcing her watery gaze to mine. “Look at me, Lina.”

Questions and uncertainty spun in her eyes like little blue whirlpools of chaos. “Why, Oran? Why are you doing this?”

Only an inch separated us, and my body screamed with the need to close the gap, so much so that my breath grew choppy and shallow.

“Because you need me to. You need my help, whether you want it or not.”

It should have been a lie—a line I fed to her to win her over—but instead, it rang with sincerity even to my own ears. Where she was concerned, my actions were no longer purely motivated by revenge. I didn’t know what that meant for me and didn’t want to think about it.

I lowered my face to hers, drawn by an invisible force impossible to ignore. My lips ghosted over her skin—her temple, her cheeks, her lips. I never touched her, though. I made sure of that. My body vibrated inside with restraint, but I kept control of myself.

Lina trembled beneath me.

Her lips parted a fraction, and I felt her warmth as her chest lifted and strained closer to mine. We lingered in a timeless moment of suspense, all the while the whisper of my words from the club echoing in the air around us.

Kiss me.

Kiss me.

Kiss me.

Like a needle to a balloon, chaos exploded when Lina launched herself at me, her lips colliding with mine and arms tugging me close.

Thank Christ.

I responded with equal abandon. Pulling her luscious body against mine and devouring her kiss. The sweep of her tongue along mine turned my cock to solid stone. It pressed so hard against my zipper I worried it would leave a permanent mark. My physical reaction to her was undeniable. What amazed me even more was my emotional response. The second her body melted into mine, I went feral with the need to own her. To possess her so thoroughly she forgot any other man had ever existed.

Her submission to the desire pulsing between us was a sign that I was making progress.

It made me ravenous for more.

The small glimpse of what it would be like to have her for myself had my world tilting on its axis. The breathless moan that snuck past her lips. The tug of her fingers in my hair. The nip of her teeth on my bottom lip.

How could kissing anyone else ever compare to this?

It was impossible.

She’d decimated my prior standards and permanently altered my perceptions. She’d marked me in a way that couldn’t be seen, but I knew it was there, and I’d be damned if I didn’t find a way to return the favor.

I hated how much I wanted her. 

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Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she's a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.

With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.

   

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