ARC Review: Tied to His Betrayal

You all probably know by now that I love Stacey Kennedy. So when the second book in her Dirty Little Secrets series became available on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. Check out my review below.

Title: Tied to His Betrayal
Series: Dirty Little Secrets, #2
Author: Stacey Kennedy
Publisher: Loveswept
Release Date: November 15, 2016
Pages: 229
Buy Links: Amazon | BN | iBooks | Kobo | Books-A-Million | Google Play

Blurb:

Darius Bennett can’t live without supreme control. A self-made billionaire, he’s rich enough to get anything—and any woman—he wants, yet he’s still haunted by a broken relationship. Five years ago, Darius let Taylor Erikson go because he knew he could never give her what she truly wanted: his heart. But the moment Taylor walks back into his life, bruised and beaten, Darius blames himself. To make good on his betrayal, he vows to help her heal—in and out of the sheets.

Once upon a time, Darius was Taylor’s world. Now his fierce embrace is exactly what she needs to get back on her feet. But Taylor pays a heavy price for her sizzling nights with Darius. As the emotional ties become stronger than ever and the paparazzi hunt her down for their next juicy story, Taylor must face some hard truths. They can’t go back. And to move forward, the key to loving Darius isn’t about keeping his secrets—it’s about exposing them.

Passionately hot, Stacey Kennedy hits it home again!

There was something about a powerful billionaire that was simply attractive. But what made Darius desirable was his habit to provide and to protect for those people he cared about. No matter that he thought it was his duty, the people who received his "help" probably took it as him being kind and generous.

One flaw that Darius had was that I thought he was self-centered. He thought the world revolved around him and whatever conflict other people had must have been because they were associated with him. Sometimes I wanted to smack some sense into him.

Darius loves lace; he always has. Lace belongs on your body, he once told me. He steps behind me and tightens the mask around my face, and I realize I can still see quite a bit. And that's when I know the lace is for him--his kink--not to hinder my eyesight.

On the other hand, Taylor somehow ended up worse than when she was with Darius. You see, Darius being the protector that he was, broke Taylor's heart thinking she was better off without him. Well then, she ended up in worse situations. Thanks, Darius. One thing I loved about Taylor, however, was her drive. No matter how bad things got, she was logical and didn't let her emotions get the best of her. She also saw the best in people, even when the same people would hurt her in return. Last thing I loved about Taylor was her love of books. A woman after my own heart!

Together, these two broken pieces became whole when they finally accepted that they belonged with each other. But of course, it didn't come without challenges. There was a mole among them, and I couldn't wait to read the next one in hopes that they'd finally find the culprit.

Before I spoil this book, I would end this review and implore you to buy this book. You would most definitely not regret it. 

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ARC Review: Bound Beneath His Pain

It's been a while since I read Stacey Kennedy's books, so I was only too excited to request a new book from Netgalley. This is the first book of a new series. Check out my review below!

Title: Bound Beneath His Pain
Series: Dirty Little Secrets, #1
Author: Stacey Kennedy
Publisher: Loveswept
Release Date: July 5, 2016
Buy Link: Amazon | BN | iBooks | Kobo |
Books-A-Million | Google Play

Blurb:

Real estate mogul Micah Holt exerts absolute control over all aspects of his life. As a founding member of the Dominants Council that oversees San Francisco’s sex club scene, he keeps his dark side hidden away from the press, who will chase down any hint of scandal. He’s always in command of his world, careful to expose his closely guarded secrets only to those he knows he can trust. Then Allie Bennett shakes his legendary discipline. She’s beautiful, pure, untainted. But is Micah willing to sacrifice her innocence for his own selfish obsessions?
 
When that sexy smile makes her body burn, Allie tries with all her might to ignore it. For one thing, Micah’s her new boss. For another, he’s as complicated as he is devastatingly handsome. Still, Allie can only fight so much before she gives in to his dangerous games. She knows he’s got dark secrets. But when she discovers the true depth of his pain, Allie must decide how far she’s willing to go to light the way for love.

This book reminds me of the reason why I love Stacey Kennedy. She's so good, it's almost unreal. It's always why I recommend her books to anyone that wants to read BDSM stories. Regardless if you want mild, medium, or hot BDSM, she's got it all.

I love the depth of this story, especially the character development. Both the characters Micah and Allie were strong in their own regard, but I loved it even more when Micah was rendered powerless when it came to Allie. Essentially, they both had power over each other, but that didn't mean they knew it.

"I've never seen him like I saw him tonight. He's broken. And Micah never breaks." --Gabe

Another thing I enjoyed about this book is the pure heart of the two characters. Micah was a powerful, rich mogul, but he had a great, big heart. I was pleased that he worked his hardest to become a better businessman than his father. He honored his mother that way. How amazing!

In a suit, Micah wows me. A little disheveled, he blows my friggin' mind. --Allie

Allie, on the other hand, didn't care much for money and I also admired her for that. There's nothing more disappointing than a gold digger or a person that revolves around money. Allie was a great role model, I thought. 

"I bet I could remove your frustration faster than any punching bag." --Micah

Together, they were explosive. I also enjoyed the supporting characters because it was clear that without them, Micah and Allie wouldn't be where they were then. Levi and Liv (oh, I didn't even realize their names were so similar) were kickass in their own way. 

I would highly recommend this book. It was hot, it was sexy, it was gold. 

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