Tuesday 4 June 2019

✪ SLAY ONE: RIVALRY ✪ Laurelin Paige ✪ #Slay1 #FixedSpinOff ✪

© Bianca Janeane ✰ 




• 4 June 2019
• Book #1 in the Slay Quartet
• Book #2 will be out October 29!
• Fixed series Spin-Off

This is a complete standalone series ... BUT - if you want to really experience the WHOLE THING - I suggest you start with the first Fixed book!! Celia plays a pretty big part in Hudson's story! Plus ... book 1 is ► FREE ◄

JOIN the SLAY ONE: RIVALRY RECOVERY GROUP when you’re done reading!!
Enter at your own risk however!! There WILL BE spoilers!!


★★★★
4 Stars

Edward Fasbender is a devil.

He's my father's business rival, a powerful, vicious man who takes what he wants and bows to no one. I only took the meeting because I was curious. I thought he was going to offer me a job.

But that's not what he's after at all. His proposal is much more intriguing, and I see an opportunity. An opportunity to turn the tables and bring down the devil.

I've gotten in trouble playing these games before. I know when the risk is too great, when the stakes are too high. I know how to be cold and strong-willed and destructive. I know how to withstand dominant men with arrogant charm and rugged features.

Yet I can't resist taking on Edward.

And I can't resist the pull he has on me.

Soon I'm not so sure which side of the battle I'm standing on--if I'm the warrior meant to slay,

Or the one who will be slain.

Slay is Book One in New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, Laurelin Paige, next dark and edgy series.




Celia. We all remember her from the Fixed books.
And we are all now thinking ... why the eff would I ever read a book about her? Or even a whole four-book series!??? She was the most horrible b*tch ever in Hudson's stories!
Yes, I thought that. But I also knew that something - other than Hudson and their games - must have made her like that. And I wanted to find out what it was. Plus I soooo wanted to read more about sexy brit billionaire Edward. The man who is going to 'tame' the Celia! ☺



And I really liked the story! I realllly did!
We have this sad-melancholy-depressed mood throughout the story. Celia knows she is the way she is. We get glimpses of what happened when she was a kid.
She used to love being like that with Hudson and with all their psycho games and stuff. And even now she still thinks she is like that - wants to be like that. Not feeling anything, not caring about anybody ... But meeting Edward changed her. Of course she's still playing her games to try to hurt him for making her feel so 'weird', but he's not making it easy on poor Celia. She's finally met the one guy who might be able to handle her - and more ....
She's so effing attracted to the guy. It's adorable to watch her try to fight against everything he says and does! And it's adorable to see glimpses of a 'normal' person inside the Celia we all know. A person with feelings, dreams, hopes. But she doesn't think she can be like that. She's too busy trying to play her games to think about what her life could be like if she'd only let herself be that nice person that's somewhere inside her.

I loved reading this book. I was kinda expecting to hate it a bit - because Celia was just such a horrible character in the previous books ... but I didn't hate it.
Ok - I could do without the über-kinky stuff - the pain and humiliation. But that's just my personal taste. It really fits with the story and with those two people.

The story was exciting. Sad. Heartbreaking. Sexy. Erotic. Kinky. Funny. Frustrating. Sweet. Mysterious. And we get a nice little WTF Cliffy! ☺
I can't wait to read the next books - even though I'm not really sure why there have to be four books!!!!??? I'm not really a fan of book series. Only when all books are already out! BUT, I hope we don't have to wait too long for the 2nd one - I'm really bad remembering things with my booksalzheimers!

SLAY ONE: RIVALRY was a fascinating start to this new quartet! I can't wait to see where Celia and Edward will take us in the next books! Hurry to your nearest amazon asap - Edward will be sold out in no time!!!



ARC received for an honest review

Laurelin Paige - who is this Celia Werner, and where is the woman we love to hate?

I am going to type words that I never thought I would ever, ever type.

I felt something other than hate for Celia Werner.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, based on my prior knowledge and dislike of our leading lady Celia.

I couldn't be more wrong.  In fact, I kind of felt sorry for her at the beginning of this story.  Sure, Celia is still up to her Celia-games, however it is now a case of is the the player, or is she being played?

I am not sure what I think of our leading man, Edward.  I know I want to like him, I know I will eventually like him, but at the moment he is a mixed bag of sweet and tender, and ar$ehole, and I am waiting to see which side of him wins out.

I did feel at times that this installment went round in circles for a bit, and felt a little bit like it was padding out the story - and had me wondering if there would be enough story for four books?  However, I know Ms Paige won't lead me astray.

I just hope we are not kept waiting too long for part 2!


• Excerpt •

Sitting like this, on the arm of the chair, his back straight, we were practically the same height. It occurred to me that this was the closest we’d ever been to having equal footing, and somehow that made me both heady and encouraged.

I reached out to rub the collar of his shirt between my thumb and forefinger, my breath stuttering under the thick weight of apprehension, my mouth watering from how close I was to touching his skin. This close, I could smell the liquor on his breath and the musky scent of his cologne and the fainter scent underneath of pure man.
“Tell me your requests.” Was it my imagination or did his voice suddenly seem darker? Less steady?
“There’s only one.” I leaned in until my lips were near his ear. “I want to add sex to the deal.”
He made a sound low in his throat, half like a laugh, half like a moan. “What, now?”
He turned his face toward mine, and now our mouths were only inches away from touching. I could feel the warmth of his exhale on my skin, sending a trail of goosebumps down my arms.
“Now, sure.” Fuck, I was wet already. “But I meant in the marriage, too.”
His lips danced around mine. “You don’t know what you’re asking for. You want to be humiliated, degraded, and hurt?”
Yes.
Because that was the goal of The Game.
But, also, YES!
Because, in that moment, there was nothing more I could imagine wanting than to be all those things, to be humiliated and degraded and hurt, by him. I wanted it so much I ached. Ached in places I hadn’t known could feel.
I reached my neck forward, pushing my mouth toward his.
Just when I thought the kiss was inevitable, he leaned back. “You couldn’t handle it.”

Links to the Book & Author
  




Pre-Order Book #2 - 29 October

  



Just in case you haven't yet read the FIXED series - START RIGHT NOW! Book #1 is FREE!




The final FIXED book - we meet Edward in here!

    



Stalking Laurelin ...



With millions of books sold worldwide, Laurelin Paige is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author. She is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however.

When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or Letterkenny, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She's also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn't do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio.

She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.