Tag Archives: Laurelin Paige

Review: Sweet Liar (Dirty Sweet Duet #1) by Laurelin Paige

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Title: Sweet Liar
Author:  Laurelin Paige
Publisher/Year:  Paige Press 1/17/19
Length:  156 Pages
Series:  Dirty Sweet Duet #1

Overview

British ad exec Dylan Locke isn’t looking for love. He isn’t looking for fate. He’s definitely not looking for Audrey Lind. She’s pretty, far too young, and overly romantic–in short, exhausting.

But when the girl, young enough to be his daughter, literally lands in his lap and asks for his expertise, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t interested. In her body, in her innocence, in her philosophy.

In the kind of kismet that starts with kisses.

But Audrey isn’t looking for love either–she’s looking for lessons, and she’s certain Dylan knows everything she needs to learn.

If he agrees to play the teacher can he keep his heart?

Of course he can.

Then again, he might be lying.

My Thoughts

We met Dylan back when we were in Donovan’s bit of the story – learning that there was more that connected him to Reach than just the business – he’s the step father of Amanda, Donovan’s first love, and the girl that died as a result of Donovan’s obsession.  Dylan is a man with his own romantic entanglements as well, so there’s really more to his story than that, and from the tease that we got in that mini-series, we know that we’re up for something Dark and Great.

Audrey- our leading lady here is Sabrina’s younger sister and a girl who’s a force to be reckoned with. While all the prior female leads were experienced and powerful in business, Audrey has this innocence about her – she’s twenty three, in college and a romantic at heart. All the things that should have Dylan running from her, but all the same things that pull her to him as well.

In this first book in their duet, we get to see the beginnings of whatever it is that they are doing. We know that the dynamic here is one of intense chemistry, but where it differs from the other series is that they don’t act on it in the same vein. Bri and Donovan had a past history, Weston and Lizzie were in an arrangement, but here, there’s just the notion that the attraction they feel is wrong on many levels and there are many forces that make it impossible.

Audrey is a smart girl who goes after what she wants – using her wiles to get the attention and education of what she needs sexually since she’s yet to have that in her life. Dylan is a man of many years of experience and he’s just the person to teach her without attachment…..or perhaps there IS attachment?

It’s nice to watch the attempts that Audrey tries to get Dylan’s attention and to get past his walls. The man that he appears to be isn’t the man he is, but one that he’s forced himself to become because of his life experiences. What we can only hope through reading their story is that the innocence that Audrey brings gives Dylan a new perspective and hope. I think though that it’s not an easy fight, and when we leave these two, it’s with a lot of sexual tension, the notion that New York and London really are worlds apart and 19 years, and many lives lived will be too much to overcome. I can’t wait to see what’s next knowing that they didn’t leave with the same heartbreak that we had as cliff hangers in the previous series, but there’s still a draw and a need to see this one come to closure. Enjoy!

Review: Dirty Sexy Games (Dirty Games Duet #2) by Laurelin Paige

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Title: Dirty Sexy Games
Author:  Laurelin Paige
Publisher/Year:  Paige Press 10/29/18
Length:  232 Pages
Series:  Dirty Games Duet #2

Overview

I didn’t have a plan for him.


He was the means to an end, a workaround to the cruel terms of my father’s will that would allow me to inherit his company.


I hadn’t planned to fall for him.


I hadn’t planned to enjoy every minute of our wedding, hadn’t planned to gasp his name so many times that night, hadn’t planned for the sexy games on our honeymoon.


He didn’t plan for his secrets to come out.

And neither of us planned for heartbreak.

My Thoughts

Back to the world of Weston and Elizabeth – the couple to get married in name only yet they fell in love along the way. It wasn’t until the actual wedding once the vows were made that they both realized that they felt the same thing. What became the issue though is what happened right before the ceremony that blew up Weston’s world, and as a result, blew the chances that he and Elizabeth could have their happily ever after.

Enter Callie and two year old Sebastian. We all knew that there was someone who was trying to get in touch with Weston from the beginning of his spin off but we didn’t know who and for what. That person is Callie – a girl that Weston spent an amazing week with about 2 and a half years ago and as a result, there’s Sebastian. The son that looks exactly like Weston, but a child that he had no clue about until the moments before he was due to walk down the aisle and that turned us down into a tailspin.

Weston’s a good guy – we learned that a while back and we watch him try wrangle how he feels about it and the trajectory that his life will go. He wants to be a father since he doesn’t have a good relationship with his, but the challenge is that he needs to be in town to be a father and Elizabeth’s company is in Paris which means that there’s really no compromise. Throughout their honeymoon, we watch them try to find their footing, and we see the romance and chemistry between them. It’s not until Weston finally is outed about his news since he was too scared to tell her that their world crumbles.

They both realize the sacrifices that will come from this child, and Elizabeth also knows that she can’t force Weston to walk away from his son, so she does what the original plan was and gets an annulment and runs to France. Nothing better in a story than broken hearts and an ocean between them – right?

What makes this story even more complex is the relationship with Callie and what that means for the couple. Weston doesn’t know what she wants from them, and for some reason, after meeting Callie, Elizabeth is put at ease. Mind you – i saw that one coming from a mile away, but I think that it makes for a bit of cushion on where this story should go. The other complexity is in the form of Clearance Sheridan, the brother of Theo who was the boy who almost raped Sabrina in college, but who also turns out to be Elizabeth’s ex. I still can’t figure him out or his motives here since he has assumptions and ideas about the truth behind Weston and Elizabeth’s relationship, and he continues to insert himself at times that are a bit questionable. When Elizabeth runs from Weston, Clearance is the man that she chooses instead, an i’m not going to lie when I say that I feel like there’s too much alignment here to the reappearance of Theo in the timing from Donovan and Sabrina’s story. But that’s perhaps not for this story.

Anyhow, we get what we have come to love and expect from our amazing author – a story with so much heat brought at the right moments to keep this story propelling forward. There’s such an undeniable connection between this couple that keeps us hooked, yet there’s a different dynamic than the D/s bit that we saw in the other series. I really enjoy seeing how each of our main men are different, yet they have something that brings this grouping of stories together. I believe Dylan is our next series so i’m off to see what his story is and what his future looks like. Enjoy!

Review: Dirty Sexy Players (Dirty Games Duet #1) by Laurelin Paige

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Title: Dirty Sexy Player
Author:  Laurelin Paige
Publisher/Year:  Paige Press 7/2/18
Length:  226 Pages
Series:  Dirty Games Duet #1

Overview

Weston King knows how to play. But wild nights and owning an extensive collection of women’s panties don’t carry the thrill they once did, so when his business partner Donovan suggests an outrageous plan to allow them to take over their competition, Wes takes him up on the offer. The crazy idea? Marry the competitor.

Elizabeth Dyson, the bride-to-be in question, is on board with the plan. She wants access to her trust fund and can only get it once she marries. Each has something the other wants – all they have to do is pretend to like each other well enough to tie the knot.

Only trouble is, playing fiancé to Elizabeth isn’t quite that simple. Wes finds her sexy and brilliant…and soon wishes their engagement wasn’t fake at all. Not that he’d ever tell her that.

But a lover boy like Wes can only stand an empty bed for so long…and even the best of players has to put down his cards eventually.

My Thoughts

We saw this story play out in bits and pieces throughout the other series when we were on the edge of our seat watching Sabrina and Donovan dance around each other, so it’s nice to see the true story of how this faux marriage played itself out. We knew that it started as a shame, and we know that it potentially ended as a real wedding, but what we didn’t know was all the ‘stuff’ in the middle, and the drama that would ensue at the wedding.

The story itself was simple enough to follow – Weston was put in as the role of fiance and groom to Elizabeth – heiress to Dyson Media which is a business that Reach had interest in. Elizabeth could’t get control on the company now that her father had died until she was married (a clause that her father wrote into his will) so marrying someone was a necessary evil. Donovan proposed a solve to this in the form of a husband to be, yet didn’t quite spell out who that would be initially.

We watch Weston and Elizabeth meet, and while we knew that there was a lot of tension between them, and not always the sexual kind from the other series, we really got under the hood here and saw that there was something deeper here….yet neither would succumb to those feelings since they both thought the other was just in it for the end game.

We watch event after event where Weston and Lizzie have to play a role – how they have to keep up appearances so that Elizabeth’s family could truly believe that they were a real couple. While they act the best roles of their lives, they also begin to fall for each other and that’s the sweet stuff that we really need to keep this story going. We know that there’s something in each of their pasts that make them into the characters that we live with now, yet we never quite get deep enough under the surface to find out what the catalyst was. Instead, we watch the chemistry and magnetism between them grow and as it pulls them closer and closer together, the story passes faster and faster.

Our author makes sure to weave in enough angst to keep things interesting. Sabrina is brought up from time to time as a means to keep us on our toes as well as to put Elizabeth in her place. Darrell, Elizabeth’s cousin who’s playing CEO interjects himself fro time to time since he’s clearly got a fear that he’ll lose the one thing of power that he has with the company. There’s the hint that somethings nagging at Weston from his past that we don’t know about and well….it comes to a head at the wedding when a bomb is dropped on him. He copes with that when another one explodes in front of him as well and that’s where we are left at the end of this first book. 3 life changing things have happened in a matter of pages, and there are such major implications to the trajectory of this story that i’m happy i’m reading it now v. when it first came out since I don’t know that i’d want to wait very long to jump back into this one. Enjoy!

Review: Dirty Filthy Rich Love (Dirty Duet #2) by Laurelin Paige

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Title: Dirty Filthy Rich Love
Author:  Laurelin Paige
Publisher/Year:  Paige Press 9/11/17
Length:  238 Pages
Series:  Dirty Duet #2

Overview
I’ve discovered Donovan Kincaid’s secret.

It’s dirty and filthy and rich – as dirty and filthy and rich as he is – and it haunts me as much as he ever did.

Even after knowing what I know now, I still want to talk to him, to touch him. But there’s an ocean between us, and I’m not sure it can be crossed with something as easy as a phone call or a plane ride.

Yet I’m willing to try.

He doesn’t know this yet, but this time I’m the one with the power. And maybe – just maybe – if the air were cleared and all our secrets bared, there could still be a chance for us.

And this dirty, filthy thing between us might end up being love after all

My Thoughts

It’s so hard sometimes to watch the trajectory that some relationships go and where we were dropped at the end of book 1 was really one of the most painful yet obvious places that we could be. Donovan and Sabrina knew that what they had was something more than they were willing to admit, even to themselves, and even when the writing was on the walls in black and white, what happens is we see Donovan hop a flight to France with no clear determination on when he’ll be back.

There’s so much to say about this couple and what they’re willing to reveal to each other throughout this second book. We see that Donovan has a need to save and protect Sabrina, but actually that’s not it at all, and the true revelation doesn’t come until the very end of this story. It’s interesting to see their dynamic, to see how much they are willing to give up of themselves to be together and to see that it’s truly not a compromise that needs to be said out loud anyway.

Donovan is troubled in so many ways and he’s spent much of his adult life trying to make up for sins that affect Sabrina, even when she wasn’t in his life. As part of his opening up of Pandora’s box, we see all of that exposed and laid out clear on the table since that’s what Sabrina needs in order to make things work. There are so many revelations that make her want to give up and walk away, and we see the impossibility here given that she loves her job, she loves what she’s capable of and Donovan frankly had such an effect on where her life was going to begin with that he doesn’t deserve to be the cause of her changing paths.

Her past continues to haunt her, what happened that night with her almost rape by Theo, that’s something that’s made her have the needs that she has, and at the same time puts this never fleeting fear inside her as well. At Weston and Elizabeth’s wedding even, she sees Theos brother, thinks that it’s Theo and has a panic attack.

The other underlying bit to this story is the control that Donovan needs to have in everything. He controls their relationship, he controls when and where they see each other, and that’s something that’s tough at times for Bri to take on, but at other times, something that she welcomes. It makes for some really interesting and unique steamy scenes throughout this installment which are sooo hot and heavy that well….you know where they often lead…even a reader.

Even while we watch their relationship evolve, deteriorate, reform and combust, we also get to see the dynamics of some of the other folks that we’ve been introduced to in the past. Audrey, Bri’s sister gets her time to shine here not just as a sister and only family member to protect Bri, but also as an introduction to what could be a spin off story of her own since there’s a budding romance that may be a bit taboo coming up.

Add to that, we get a hint at Cade- the partner who is in the Tokyo office and we see that there’s something interesting going on with his life and the search for a love that’s potentially gotten away. i’m excited to see how that one evolves. If that’s not enough, we don’t delve deep enough into Weston and Elizabeth, or Dylan for that matter either, and there have been teases of Nate and Trish throughout all versions of Laurelin Paige’s series that i’m intrigued to pick up the next few books and read on. I hope you guys are as hooked as I am. Enjoy!

Review: Dirty Filthy Rich Men (Dirty Duet #1) by Laurelin Paige

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Title: Dirty Filthy Rich Men
Author:  Laurelin Paige
Publisher/Year:  Paige Press 3/27/17
Length:  262 Pages
Series:  Dirty Duet #1

Overview

When I met Donovan Kincaid, I knew he was rich. I didn’t know he was filthy. Truth be told, I was only trying to get his best friend to notice me.

I knew poor scholarship girls like me didn’t stand a chance against guys like Weston King and Donovan Kincaid, but I was in love with his world, their world, of parties and sex and power. I knew what I wanted—I knew who I wanted—until one night, their world tried to bite me back and Donovan saved me. He saved me, and then Weston finally noticed me, and I finally learned what it was to be in their world.

And then what it was like to lose it.

Ten years later, I’ve found my way back. Back to their world. Back to him.

This time, I’m ready. I’ve been down this road before, and I know all the dirty, filthy ways Donovan will try and wreck me.

But it’s hard to resist. Especially when I know how much I’ll like it.

My Thoughts

I didn’t realize how much I needed a book that could suck me in so quickly that I would stay up until 1am to finish it- but that’s what we got here. We’re back in the New York world that our amazing author Ms Paige has created – but with new characters. We don’t start in the city but we end up there.

Sabrina is a girl who’s tried her whole life to be enough. Her mother passed away when she was young and she’s had to be a perfect daughter and big sister for those remaining years at home. She manages to somehow graduate early from high school and get a full scholarship to Harvard – where her life forever changes. She meets the elite of the elite there during her first few weeks but realizes quickly that she’s out of her league. She watches – observes and tries to figure out how she can fit in, but instead, she’s caught spying by a TA who’s part of that world, realizes the spark between them but walks away. Too bad she did because that night changed her life – she walked away, almost gets raped by one of the guys in that crew, gets saved by the TA but her world is uprooted.

We watch how something in Bri is woken up, how she can’t focus on either this TA or the guy that she was originally attracted to – Weston. Turns out they are brothers of a sort, and there’s a rivalry that she’ll never understand. Just when she thinks that she has a chance with Weston, Donovan, the TA causes waves, which brings out the true attraction that Bri has for him, and then tragedy hits. Bri’s father passes away, forcing Sabrina to move home, lose her scholarship, take care of her sister and live the life that she wasn’t ever meant to have.

We jump 10 years into the future now where Bri’s life is ok. she’s working for an advertising agency in LA and she’s relatively happy. Her best friend sees that Weston is speaking at a conference in New York and they both go, in the hopes that maybe they’ll learn something but maybe a reintroduction to Weston, the one that got away – some life could be brought back to Bri’s world. Things don’t go as planned – he doesn’t remember her until he does – they spend a steamy weekend together and then they go their separate ways.

Fast forward again a few months and Sabrina is now in New York after being offered a job at Weston’s company. Weston and Donovan’s company. This is where things get hot, steamy, angsty, intense etc etc etc. I don’t have enough words to describe what happens now, but it’s sooooo hot.

There’s a push and pull with this threesome. Weston wants to have something with Sabrina, and she’s inclined to agree. Turns out Weston is engaged though – fake as it may be. Donovan still has this power over Sabrina that no one can explain and he always fights is as does she. We watch the dance between them for several chapters – trying to understand what’s going to happen between them. What ensues is a dark and hot tryst that still leaves us with more questions than answers. You have no choice as a reader but to keep reading because their story is that intense.

We’re left when Donovan does what he always does – he runs away, leaving a broken mess behind. Sabrina doesn’t ever take that as answers – so she snoops and learns so much more than she bargained for, and well, we’re wondering what that means for anyone’s future. Question now becomes, will they ever make it as a couple or is Weston better suited? What will happen to Sabrina’s sanity and safety and is Donovan gone for good? I’m off to get book 2 – enjoy!

Review: Fixed Forever (Fixed #6) by Laurelin Paige

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Title: Fixed Forever
Author:  Laurelin Paige
Publisher/Year:  Paige Press 6/25/18
Length:  280 Pages
Series:  Fixed #6

Overview

Hudson Pierce-

You act so high and mighty, you and your perfect pregnant wife Alayna. With your perfect child and your perfect home.

You weren’t always perfect. Your past is filled with misdeeds.

Does your wife know all your secrets?

Would she stand behind you if she did?

You think because she’s on bedrest you can protect her? How sweet.

Sleep tight, you two.

-An Old Friend.

My Thoughts

I’m actually happy that i’ve read this series out of order since there’s something to be said about knowing how things will end up but not knowing all the details. In the Slay series, we saw the plot of this book come to fruition, we knew that there was someone from Hudson’s past that was after him but we didn’t know who. We saw him and Alayna imply that it was Celia yet we knew that she had changed. We also knew that Alayna had been kidnapped and saw the result of that, but again didn’t know more.

So in this sixth and final book of the Fixed series, we see the full story line. It starts with yet another note coming to Hudson with a threat, and we see that he’s not quite sure what to make of it since his security detail can’t figure it out. We also see at the same time that his nightclub in AC is having issues with harassment charges against the management coming to life, resulting in firings and a club closure. On top of that, we see Alayna slipping into her obsessive ways again and those are not good behaviors.

Quite a lot going on and several different paths that this story can go, so we have to pay close attention to figure things out. The main one of course though is the secrets that Hudson is hiding in regards to the threat since he doesn’t want Alayna to know, and what we learn of the person behind it all is that it’s immensely personal, and the victim isn’t Hudson at all.

Throughout this story, we see that the relationship and bond between Hudson and his wife is stronger than anyone knew. They both have faults that they love each other more for and when we see how they’ve had to adapt to be happy, it makes for a really lovely relationship. Makes you feel the same way that we all felt about Edward and Celia actually since both of them are quite damaged and complex as well.

In true fashion, we have so much intensity and heat here – so much passion and angst that there’s depth to just about everyone in the story. You’re invested in everyone and that makes a story flow even more. If my own personal life weren’t in chaos right now, I would def have finished this book in a day since I really managed to read it in whole in one day, but picked it up for days on and off TRYING to read.

I’m sad that this part of the story is done but I see that there are supplement books to this series out there which are now next on my list. I hope you try this series out. Enjoy!

Review: Chandler (Fixed #5) by Laurelin Paige

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Title: Chandler
Author:  Laurelin Paige
Publisher/Year:  Paige Press 9/20/16
Length:  288 Pages
Series:  Fixed #5

Overview

I’m good in a boardroom, but I’m better in the bedroom. Much better. I can charm the skirt off any woman in one encounter. I’ll even give her an orgasm before I put her in a cab. Or three. No more or she’ll start making plans for the future and I’m not into that.

Or I wasn’t until Genevieve Fasbender. She’s the first woman in five years that I want to spend the whole night with. And she’s the first woman who’s told me I’m not what she wants in a lover, even after multiple O’s. She’s brash and bold and stubborn as hell, and she doesn’t believe it’s possible to satisfy her.

But I’m up for the challenge.

And after an incident in my brother’s office closet―a downright dirty incident―I think I’m just the guy to deliver.

Genevieve Fasbender will never know what’s coming.

My Thoughts

I love that some how I managed to read all these stories out of order since I feel like reading this fifth installment that tells us the story of Genny and Chandler after i’ve seen Slay play out gives me a better sense of what the epilogue really mean and what their story truly began as.

We remember from Slay that Genny is Edward’s daughter, a girl who’s insanely intelligent but unfortunately finds herself in the position where her father doesn’t want her to be as close to him in business because he doesn’t want her to see the man that he’s become after all these years. He wants her to keep this cleaner version of him in her mind. So when the opportunity arises to work with Chandler on an opportunity to strengthen everyone’s business, she dives in and Chandler is there with her.

What’s nice about this story is that we see their interactions start as a game of cat and mouse. Genny really wants nothing more from Chandler than to use him for a night because she knows who he is, and then move on. When he realizes who she is, that makes the game more interesting, and add to that the notion that he’s really interested in her, he’s intrigued and can’t get her out of his head, well we know that this can’t end well.

So for the bulk of this story we watch the chase – and we watch on the edge of our seat to see what it will take to crack. Once it cracks, we’re back on the edge of our seat to see the fallout.

There’s the history between Genny’s stepmother Celia and Hudson, Chandler’s older brother that comes in between them, and of course it’s neither of their story to get into the mud on, yet it derails them. There’s the fear that they won’t be truly appreciated for the ideas that they put together since they’re the #2s in their families, so we also hold our breath in the hopes for a happy ending.

All while this is happening, we get the expected steam, passion and heat that comes from our author Laurelin Paige and I have to say that i’m excited to see what’s next since I realized that there are so many other books in this world that i’ve yet to read. So on that note, I hope you liked this one and i’m off to the next. Enjoy!

Review: Rising (Slay Quartet #4) by Laurelin Paige

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Title: Rising
Author:  Laurelin Paige
Publisher/Year:  Paige Press 5/12/20
Length:  294 Pages
Series:  Slay Quartet #4

Overview

The stakes have never been higher, and she’s full of the devil.

Edward Fasbender is my husband.

Together, we brought down powerful men.

Now we have a chance to start over. To be the family neither of us ever had, to leave the past in the past where it belongs. Edward has a choice to make.

It will decide if we fall into the flames-or rise together.

My Thoughts

So it’s taken me a bit to read this final installment to the series, however it’s not because of the book. Life just got in the way and i’m sure many of you get that these days! Anyhow, we get to see how Edward and Celia’s story progresses and hope for the best.

When we left off, we knew that things were starting to setting in various parts of their lives. Edward’s quest to bring down Celia’s uncle was successful and there was closure there. We also saw that Celia was pregnant which brought upon us a whole new set of issues since Edward wasn’t necessarily keen to have more kids and that means that we’re going to see a whole lot of ‘compromise’. Add to that Edward’s need to know all of Celia’s secrets and well, that means we’re in for yet another roller coaster.

Throughout this final installment, we see each of our characters lay their cards out on the table, fight, put distance in between one another, we see the supporting characters of family play a role in the evolution of things, and we unfortunately get more of Hudson than we wanted.

There’s an underlying story of the power struggle between everyone in this series and this fourth book is no different. Edward needs to have control and when others seemingly have it, there’s no good that can come of it. We see Celia’s father step down as CEO and we see Edward trying to get that spot. Hudson has controlling shares of the company so that means that it’s an uphill battle that Edward will never win. On top of that, we know that there’s pure hatred between Hudson and Celia so that makes matters worse. When Hudson is put in danger though, we see the tables turn.

There’s also another sweet story that comes out of this one. We see Edward come to life as a father, and we see his role and appreciation for his kids change, especially with his oldest children. There’s something to be said about being put into positions that you’re uncomfortable and his eldest are able to do that and come out shining. I love that there’s a hint of what’s to come for his older daughter, and I can’t wait to see if there’s a separate story that I can read on that.

In any event, there are kidnappings in this book, we see passion and chemistry used as punishment over and over again, we also see a relationship crumble before our eyes. Business always seems to take priority and that’s not anything that we shy away from in this finale. So….all I can say is that it’s a crazy heated passionate finale and I think that the epilogue does a great job of tying up loose ends, and teasing new ones. Enjoy!

Review: Revenge (Slay Quartet #3) by Laurelin Paige

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Title: Revenge
Author:  Laurelin Paige
Publisher/Year:  Paige Press 2/25/20
Length:  296 Pages
Series:  Slay Quartet #3

Overview

Their relationship changes again when Celia learns the devil takes care of his own.

Edward Fasbender is my savior.

From the ashes of who I once was, he is helping me to rise.

He has a list of people who have wronged him. And now he’s adding names to that list. Names that I gave him.

And we will have our revenge.

My Thoughts

In this third book, we see life become what it’s supposed to be between this married couple. They have decided on their compromises and as a result, they know what role they play in each other’s lives. That makes for an interesting dynamic when we know that what’s next on the plate is revenge (as the title implies) and vengance.

Throughout this third book, we watch Edward work to get his revenge against his new target Ron now that Celia has shown that her father isn’t the direct enemy any longer. As such, Edward enlists his sister Camilla to help pull off a scheme that will put Ron behind bars, make everyone who abused Celia in the past suffer and hopefully give them the closure that they need. What happens though is not what they were expecting and of course, the outcome changes what their implied hope of an outcome would be.

Add to that, Edwards need to control everything shows us that hes still out for blood against anyone who wronged Celia in the past, and that now includes Hudson and mystery guy A (aka Hudson). Celia’s not willing to go down that path, so we have to continue to read to see where that nets out.

In addition to all the revenge, we get to see Marion, Edward’s first wife and get to better understand their story. The nice thing about this book v. what we saw in the previous 2 is that we get flashbacks a bit to pieces of Edwards story that give us a more clear understanding of what shaped him. The relationship between Marion and Edward makes much more sense now and we see how it all came to be and how it expired as well.

The nice thing about this third book is that it gives us the heat and chemistry that we saw build in the beginning of their relationship and this is something that’s not dwindled at all as they’ve grown their farce into something real. There’s still so much tension and edge that you have no choice but to continue on reading and get completely sucked in. So with that in mind, i’m off to find book 4. Enjoy!

Review: Ruin (Slay Quartet #2) by Laurelin Paige

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Title: Ruin
Author:  Laurelin Paige
Publisher/Year:  Paige Press 10/29/19
Length:  299 Pages
Series:  Slay Quartet #2

Overview

With her heart literally in his hands, Celia will have to try and bargain with a devil.

Edward Fasbender is my captor.

Trapped on this island he owns everything on–including, it seems, me.

He told me he would break me, but I thought he meant in the bedroom. It turns out Edward is playing a completely different game.

And he won’t stop until he’s ruined me.

My Thoughts

This is quite the diabolical story that we’ve got here – everyone is playing a game, most of it as a form of revenge against someone or something, and it’s really anyone’s guess on how it will net out.

We left the first installment with a marriage, chemistry and pure hate. Celia’s plan to take Edward down was figured out since she didn’t realize how much he dug into her and her actions, and what that means is that she’s really at his complete and utter mercy. As though she wasn’t already…..

Edward on the other hand has even more motivation to take Celia and her family down outside of the games that were being played, yet it takes the bulk of this story to learn exactly what that motivation is. What we do see though is that his plan is going off track since his impression of Celia prior to keeping her hostage and trying to break her was way off base. He thought that she was spoiled and surface when in fact there are layers and layers to her that no one had expected.

Throughout this second book we watch torture at it’s finest. Celia is captive on the island, a place where all the people owe Edward everything, and his word is bible. She’s not able to convince anyone that he’s keeping her against her will, he even goes so far as to weave a story as to why she’s there and the staff is quick to support his word. As a result, we spend the first quarter/third of the story watching Celia try to escape any way that she can. It’s a valiant effort for sure, but one that we all know will end up with no success. Instead, we watch her break a bit, bend to what he wants of her and when she does that, she gets rewarded with ‘things’ and the opportunity to design parts of the house etc. Little scraps to make her hate him just a bit less.

The other bit of this is that no matter how much they hate each other, they have such a connection, such heat and chemistry that there’s really no chance in fighting it. He tries, and fails. She tries….but then again doesn’t really. So when we see those scenes, i’ll tell you that they are some of the hottest that i’ve read lately.

We learn that Edward’s kink is psychological pain of sorts – he wants to break her down not through physical submission, although that’s massively attractive to him, but instead to get inside her head and her soul and find out who she is and why. What pain in her past made her into what she is today. In doing this, we see their relationship change and we see unexpected revelations come out.

Where we are left at the end of this second book is a completely different place than we were at the end of the first book, and it’s a moment in time that give us hope, but at the same time, there are so many other factors that will make that hope fall aside quickly. I can’t wait to see how this relationship and story plays out since revenge is still quite important and death is a possibility. Off to find book 3 now – Enjoy!