Reading Bliss: Exquisite Betrayal Review...

A male Romance Author… a convention in Vegas… a female book blogger… a goal to lose her virginity… what next? Find out when you mix all the above!

Fallon McKinley is headed to Vegas for the Wicked Wenches Romance Con and losing her virginity is only one of her goals. The other is to meet her favorite author of romance novels, R.T. Sinclair. What she doesn’t realize is that the sexy green-eyed god she rams into at the airport is the real R.T. When they keep running into each other, she’s shocked, but excited, because the attraction is irresistible.

Ryland Thomas Sinclair doesn’t want anyone to know his true identity. He’s the author that all women love, but everyone thinks he’s a female. He hides his persona behind the public face of his twin sister, keeping his own a secret. But after meeting the lovely Fallon, his intentions to avoid a relationship come to a screeching halt. She’s put an unwanted kink into his perfectly laid out plans. His unusual reaction surprises him because after a heart-shredding breakup a few years ago, he’s managed to avoid women at all costs.

Resisting Fallon becomes more difficult than he imagines. Soon things are spiraling out of control, until a major miscommunication has Fallon walking out of his home and his life. Will Ryland Thomas succeed in losing the woman he loves? Or can he win her back?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reviewed by Erycka:

“Fallon, sweetie, always remember to keep your chin up. Negative thoughts will only bring you down.”

I am always delighted when I sit down to embark on a new book that I know nothing about. I hadn’t ever heard of the author (please forgive me), and had only read the synopsis before delving in.

WOW, WOW, WOW!!! About 10% of my way into this book, I hunted Ms. Hargrove down, asked to be my “friend” on Facebook, and messaged her because I HAD to let her know I was reading ‘EB’ and that so far; I loved it!! Thankfully, she didn’t think I was some crazy stalker chick and accepted my request.

Fallon is a recent college graduate with debt piled higher than the eye can see. Her mother is as bad as they come. A snarky, evil, ruthless, diabolical bitch!! (I don’t like her, can you tell?) Anytime Fallon has turned to her mother, she has been denied the love, guidance, and understanding a parent should afford their children. And unfortunately for Fallon, she can no longer turn to the one parent that gave her everything; her father. He died when she was sixteen. Leaving her alone and lost in the world.

Fallon worked very hard to get through college, and was searching fervently for a career, but was still broker than a joke. She had a great set of friends through her blogging network, which supported her, lifted her up, and challenged her to go after her life’s dream. They harassed her and she finally agreed to meet them in Vegas for WWC. Besides seeing the ever talented R.T. Sinclair, Fallon’s goal that weekend was to lose her virginity. Little did she know the ride to get there was going to be unlike any ride she’s ever taken.

There were several times throughout the course of this read that I had to remind myself of the above quote. Negative thoughts danced through me and attempted to trample all the good. My emotions were all over the board. Fallon is a character that I can closely, and I mean closely relate to on many levels. Some of what she was feeling regarding the loss of her father, and the tumultuous relationship with her mother struck a cord in me that I couldn’t shake. Tears streamed when under ‘normal’ (whatever that is) circumstances, they wouldn’t have. I appreciate any author that can do that to me.

This story takes many turns, some good and cheer invoking, and others not so good. I did the happy dance on more than one occasion, and shook my fist a few times as well. There is loss, love, hate, angst, and lust. All the makings of a great read!

If you’re like me and are a novice when it come to Ms. Hargrove’s works, or a seasoned reader, this is a MUST read!! I give Exquisite Betrayal, five STEAMING hearts!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A.M. Hargrove's Bio:

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what laptop out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss and quit her job. Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).

So began A. M. Hargrove's career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer. Her books include the following: Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge and Kissing Fire (The Edge Series); The Guardians of Vesturon series (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent and Beginnings); Dark Waltz and Tragically Flawed.

Other than being in love with writing about being in love, she loves chocolate, ice cream and coffee and is positive they should be added as part of the USDA food groups.