Title: The Banker
Author:  Penelope Sky
Publisher/Year:  Penelope Sky 1/22/19
Length:   184 Pages
Series:  Banker #1

Overview

They’ve taken my father. They’ll take me next unless I comply with their demands.

Taking down the most powerful man in Italy.

Cato Marino.

The man is accompanied by his security team everywhere he goes. His fortress in Tuscany is impenetrable. He’s the most paranoid man in the country.

And there’s no possibility I’ll be able to take him down alone.

If I want to save my father, I only have one option.

To get into Cato’s bed…and stay there. 

My Thoughts

I was looking for something to read and thankfully i saw this cover and description in my hunt because this first installment to the Banker Series was a great one. It’s so much grittier and dirtier than what i’ve been reading lately and that’s exactly what i needed.

What we have here is the introduction (at least for me) to the Italian underworld – where Siena, our main character find her quiet life that she managed to construct turned upside down. Her father has his own less than savory business, illegal in nature, with the intention to grow his territory. When that happens though, it means that he’s going to piss someone else off who’s likely just as powerful if not more, and that’s what happens. Siena had been lucky enough to break away from her father’s business, especially after her mother was killed, and she’s sucked back in when her father is kidnapped and her brother is on the run.

In order to save her father, she has to do the impossible and turn over another guy – the most powerful man in the underground. And a man that’s as powerful as he is sexy. Impossible task for sure.

As you can imagine, we get to see a story unfold that’s built on blatant distrust, but a hope for something more. Both Siena and Cato have their demons, and secrets, but they are able to see things about the other that no one else can. She sees what Cato needs – someone who’s not afraid of him. She also sees into his soul – that’s he bored and unsettled because he’s more human than anyone wants to believe. Cato in turn sees a woman who wants to maintain control, power, and who wants to be loved but who has family loyalty at the heart of everything and that causes problems.

The challenge that they face is that their relationship is completely built on lies, and those lies are going to come and bite them in the ass – someone’s going to end up dead since that’s what happens in this life, and we can only wonder if it’ll be Siena, Cato, Bates (his brother), Landon (her brother) or her father. or someone else.

Add to all that complexity some intense and dirty sex. Cato is a man who loves kink, but gives it up for Siena. Instead, we get some raunchy, nasty sex (and all of those words are being used in the most positive way – believe me). It’s so hot that you have to want to hope for the best even when you know that it’ll never be. So, we are left when someone’s being executed and everything that we wished for comes crashing down. I can’t wait to get into book 2, and i’ve just bought it so let’s get to it! Enjoy!