Summary
My Boss. My Sin.
I’m not the type who has one-night stands.
It wasn’t supposed to happen, okay?
A couple of drinks and a sinful British accent later and I’m in bed with a stranger.
Of course, I left first thing in the morning because I’m a responsible adult.
An adult who has a new job that I need in order to keep my double life a secret.
Little did I know I’m not, in fact, responsible.
Because the stranger I left in bed? Yeah, he’s not a stranger after all.
He’s my new boss.
Knox Van Doren might have a charming smile, but a true villain lurks beneath it all.
And like any villain, he’ll use my sin against me…
Excerpt
Tonight, I’m going to fuck someone.
I don’t care who.
I don’t care where.
I just need to cross it off my bucket list before I disappear.
Good girls like me don’t think about fucking or doing it with a complete stranger. We’re taught to always keep our legs closed, our hearts sealed, and our brains dormant.
Oh, and we don’t get to curse.
We don’t get to live either.
We’re just valuable stock to be used when the opportunity arises.
Good girls like me definitely don’t dress in provocative red dresses that show more cleavage than it hides. We’re not even allowed to buy such things.
But I did. Secretly. When no one was looking.
I’m wearing it now, the red dress that falls amply to mid-thigh and bares half of my back. I improvised and used a dainty chain to attach the straps together at the back and hooking my lucky butterfly motif to it—the only thing my mom left me before she also disappeared to a different place than the one I’ll be going to.
With each move, I feel the soothing coldness of the pendent against my bare back. Normal people hate the cold, but I find solace in it. It probably has to do with my Russian genes. Although I was born in the States and have lived here my entire life, my origins will never change.
I wasn’t even allowed to adopt the normal American lifestyle. Education? Homeschooled. Fun? Security hazard. Friends? What are those? Clubs and bars? Yeah, they’re not an option.
So the fact that I’m in a bar is a miracle that should be engraved in history. It’s called Black Moon and is situated at the end of a backstreet in New Jersey.
Review
(audiobook) I wasn’t expecting it to be way darker than the previous book. Doesn’t mean I didn’t like it though.
How was it darker? First of all, there’s some mafia here. Well, bratva, as it is, because Anastasia is a Russian mafia princess. And her family doesn’t want to let her go. Be prepared for violence, death threats, murder, heartless killers… It’s never explicit, but it’s here. I quite enjoyed Ana as a character. Her nerdiness was refreshing–she’s a computer genius and she loves technology–and I loved her fantasies, the way she decided to view the world around her. Also, she was strong and she knew what she wanted. But she also was ready to relinquish control in bed.
The perfect woman for Knox, who was controlling and domineering. His backstory was another source of angst, but it was revealed much later in the book. When he met Anastasia, he was happy to find someone ready to satisfy his needs, as well as a challenge and a mystery. I wasn’t a fan of the magic vagina trope–once he’s been with her, Knox the womanizer can’t think of any other girl. Doubtful. I’d have loved to see more feelings and connections right from the beginning. His story arc was quite interesting though. He clearly grows up and changes in the course of the book, even reaching some sort of closure by the end of it.
Their relationship is HOT. Their attraction for each other was undeniable, and the slight Dom/sub dynamic took it up a notch. To say they were meant for each other is an understatement.
The theme of child abuse–through sexual abuse, neglect, or altogether toxic environment–could be triggering or disturbing, but it’s never treated lightly or fetishized. I felt the horror and trauma. And don’t worry, the bad guys get what they deserve. Not before they make victims, unfortunately.
A lot of side characters navigate around Ana and Knox. Friends, family, bratva members, colleagues…They don’t have much function besides helping or hindering the romance, but some of the interactions are quite enjoyable, and they help defining the main characters, as well as the side characters who have been or will become more important in other books in the series. It’s a complete standalone though, and the author gives enough information to know what’s up with those other characters without reading the rest of the series.
The narrators were good. The male one was perfect for cold-hearted Knox, hence sometimes missing the target with emotions. The female narrator was great though, bringing to life both the strength and the vulnerability of Anastasia, and Knox’s ruthlessness. I felt they didn’t quite matched together, but they are good on their own and made the audio a great experience.
Quickie
- Series: Empire #2 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #billionaire romance #office romance #erotica #forbidden romance #age gap #virgin #bratva
- Triggers: somewhat explicit depiction of child sexual abuse, prostitution, drug abuse, domestic abuse, murder, violence, slight Dom/sub relationship
- Main couple: Anastasia Sokolov & Knox Van Doren
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 3/5
- + who doesn’t love a nerdy girl?
- – it was a case of magic pussy
Stalker mode
You can subscribe to Rina Kent’s newsletter on her website.
You can also follow her on Facebook.
Vero Ticker 