Summary
“Must be slim, able to stand for long periods of time, and be impervious to the cold.”
The headline caught my attention.
“Hours are negotiable, pay is minimal, clothing absolutely forbidden.”
The second line piqued my curiosity.
“Able to hold your bladder and tongue, refrain from opinions or suggestions, and be the perfect living canvas.”
The third made me scowl.
“Other attributes required: non-ticklish, contortionist, and obedient. Must also enjoy being studied while naked in a crowd.”
The fourth made me shudder.
“Call or email ‘YOUR SKIN, HIS CANVAS’ if interested in applying.”
The final made my heart race.
I should’ve kept scrolling past the advertisement.
I should’ve applied for the boring receptionist job at minimum wage.
I should’ve clicked on any other job where I got to keep my clothes on.
But I didn’t.
I applied.
My interview is tomorrow…
Excerpt
SHE’D RUINED EVERYTHING.
She should’ve heard my warnings, seen my threats, read between the cruel lines I’d given her.
I’d done my best to be a bastard.
To be hateful, heartless, and vicious in my denial of everything that existed between us.
But she didn’t walk away.
She ignored my commands like an idiot.
She believed she could help me.
She willingly gave me the heart I’d broken when we were just kids.
And just like back then…it was too late.
Too late because what she didn’t know had the power to kill her.
Not emotionally. Not hypothetically. But murder…in cold blood.
And now, she knew too much.
Kiss me?
Love me?
Now die for me.
I’m sorry…
Review
(audiobook) There were so many revelations and twists in this book, I’ll have to try and write a spoiler-free review. Let’s see.
It’s a second chance story–though the ‘chance’ part is dubious. Hazard, yes. Coincidences, certainly. Chance, meh. In high school, Olin and Gil were close friends, and a little more, though neither of them would take the leap. Gil lived in a whorehouse with his abusive father, while Olin was just neglected by her parents. They were protective of each other. Until something happened and Gilbert rejected Olin, breaking her heart in the process.
Fast forward a decade or so. Alone, in need of money and a job, Olin applies to be a model for a body painter. Who happens to be Gil. Once again, Olin wants to help him, and once again, Gil rejects her. But the attraction is too strong. And the sweet boy Olin loved in high school has become a jaded and ruthless man who takes what he wants. They can’t stay away from each other, but that puts Olin in danger.
There are chapters about the past, and chapters about the present. Though Olin and Gil in high school were kind of cute, their relationship, before and now, is toxic. As teenagers, they clung to each other because they were alone–Gil offered Olin the attention she craved as an abandoned daughter, while she took care of Gil’s basic needs, like food and money and safety. They even talk about them as family. As adults, Olin still has strong urges to protect Gil, but he has changed a lot. He desires her and this time, he has no restraint. It IS a dark romance.
Most of the book, they go around in circles. Gil pushes Olin away, she goes. He goes back to her because he wants to protect her. She sees it as a sign that he wants a relationship, but he rejects her. She goes to him a little later, and they’re right at the beginning. They can’t stay away from each other, but for different reasons–Olin because she still has feelings for Gil, Gil because he wants to protect her. They never are at the same level. It was a bit repetitive, with little variations. And communication isn’t their forte.
Be aware that there are a few triggers. Also, there’s no love making here. It’s harsh, sometimes violent. It can be disturbing.
The narration was quite good. Though the female narrator was very expressive in the dialogs, her reading was a bit dull. The male narrator was amazing, full of raw feelings. The whole thing was maybe a bit slow, but when needed, it picked up the pace.
Quickie
- Series: Master of trickery duet #1 (ends on a cliffhanger)
- Hashtags: #romantic suspense #dark romance #second chance #serial killer
- Triggers: rape, bullying, domestic abuse, murder, past accident
- Main couple: Olin Moss & Gilbert Clark
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: in the past, 4/5; in the present, I don’t know…
- + it was intense! I love a good gut-wrenching book
- – the push-pull becomes annoying after some time
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