The Game

The Game #1

by A.J. Carella

Tara is used to being seen as a commodity, from when she was a child and her mother gave her away to settle a gambling debt to now, as a highly sought after prize in a game of chance. She never believed her future could be anything else until she met Kyle, himself damaged from the loss of his family.

They must overcome incredible odds and travel the world to be together - culminating in the most devastating of betrayals.

Fate brought them together. Can The Game keep them apart?

Genres: Romance, Suspense, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Intense Stars

WOW

What a damn storyline. From the prologue til the very last word I was captivated.

This is the story of Tara, her mother would give her up to various men from the age of 8 so Tara would clear her mothers gambling debts. At the age of 12 the mother packed her bags and sold her to Sergei who took her and created a high class prostitute, where she was the 'prize' for a high stakes poker games.

This story BLEW ME AWAY.

It's an interesting and different novella, and I look forward to book 2!

Don't expect a story filled with teddy bears and zoo visits.

Great novella.

Just saying......

[Jax O · Rating 2 out of 5]

Darn it... I really really wanted to love this story. When I read the book description it had me captivated. The plotline of this young woman owned, and repetitively offered as the winner in a high stakes poker game an intrguing concept. Looking at this young woman, and disecting her life to fully understand how she could exist as a regular prize was an instantanous attention getter. Honestly, this was exactly the story that I recieved, but it was not everything that I thought it would be. Kyle and Tara's romance was missing an intensity and mesmerizing connection that I would have expected in a story that holds so much desperation. After the instantaneous development of feeling through a shocking touch this couple puts everything on the line. This was so uncharacteristic and unrealistic. I was shocked as the story continues, and it seemed as though the bosses are so easily manipulated. WEAK!!! It is not a word that should be used when explaining characters such as Kyle and Tara's bosses. Not to mention that ability for Kyle to rush in, and sweep Tara away from the airport. What kind of man bets 100,000 in a poker game, and doesn't keep track of his investment. This story just really lacks some development that would be essential for making an incredible story. The concept/idea is wonderful, and I would love to see more like. I just hope that the development and detail is more carefully created when hoping to build in truly great story.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

****WARNING SPOILER**** (IF YOU’VE NOT READ)
Okay so, I was surprised that Tara was a hooker who was sold to the winner of a poker game. I’m not sure what I expected…
~ Violence, this was even more unexpected. I really feel for Tara her mother used her for years to pay her debts. Then sells her on to some ‘pimp’ at just the age of 12. It seems her life experiences have played a massive part in the woman she is today so to speak.
As much as I loved the relationship between Kyle and Tara, I feel there should have been more build-up of feelings. The relationship seemed rushed. Like they fell in love straight away there was progression of the relationship, it went straight into it.
I really do like the storyline, it’s different. Nothing I’ve ever read before. It wasn’t what I expected.
I also love the fact that you threw the little cliff-hanger in at the end with Tara’s daughter. I can’t wait to see how the story pans out in part two.
A MUST read!!!

[Cas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

The storyline is certainly interesting. The epilogue is definitely a shocker and heartbreaking.

Tara is used as payment to her mothers gambling debt at the age of 8! When her mother has gotten further and further into debt, she has two choices, to pay up or take what was coming for her. Since Tara is the only thing she has that is of value, she gave Tara to Sergei as payment. Sergei owned and operated one of the biggest underground gambling networks in the world.

When she reached 19, she has become too old for Sergei, so Sergei put her to work. Then she met Kyle.

This is a short read but it'll keep you hanging on every page. My heart goes out to Tara. Can't wait to read what happens next.

[Farah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Mills · Rating 1 out of 5]

For saying this is a book about a high class prostitute/slave, a former-police-officer-turned-criminal seeking justice for his wife's murder and a sadistic crime lord it was pretty boring and the sex scenes were non existent. The romance between aforementioned prostitute and former-police-officer was classic insta-love. They meet. They have absolutely no reason to be into each other other than that she's presumably fairly good-looking and then suddenly they're madly in love. It's ridiculous and totally implausible. I didn't believe in it at all. The female character made stupid decision after stupid decision (especially for considering that she has survived a dangerous life so should really have her wits about her) and the male character... well, he was just irritating and I couldn't imagine why she liked him at all, never mind eternal-loved him. The plot was pretty predictable, hinting at danger and kink but always conveniently skirting around it just in time. Problems were always conveniently solved, however improbable the solution. Any sex in the book was glossed over - which is fine, except if you're going to make your protagonist a prostitute and your plot about a game in which she is the prize... you really ought to be able to write a sex scene. The Game wouldn't be bad for a first draft, but it needs a lot of work and some much more brave authorial decisions to make it a good thriller.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this storyline because it was different. I wish it could've been a little longer so that we could know more about the characters, but it was a great quick read. This author always has good cliffhangers!

[Frances Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was surprised how great this book was because it was free. Quite a fast paced book. Very enjoyable. Draws you in and leaves you wanting more. Good story, something a bit different from the other books out there at the moment. Author is very talented. Bought their next book To Kill For as well.

[Louise Rogers-Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

short but really captivating. looking forward to game on.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ummm, this is definitely NOT a book for you if you don't have an open mind. It deals with prostitution, abuse, gambling, etc. Though short I found it enjoyable and intriguing.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put the book down I even started to reread it as soon as I finished it! It was definitely different which is good in my opinion.

[Jennifer Siekierski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

I really enjoyed this book. the story was good and it kept me wanting to read every night
I recommend to anyone

[Rebecca Rogers · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book severely pissed me off and I found it very hard to finish and had to make myself finish it. As a huge advocate for STOPPING human trafficking, this book was all wrong! It shows that nothing can be done and even the police won't do anything. The whole book was about a sex slave named Tara, but they don't ever say that in the book, that it's human trafficking and she is a sex slave. They make it into a damn love story. I was pissed the whole time I read it and I guess I continued to read it to see if the human trafficking would be addressed, but nope! This author is stupid and needs to be educated!

[Frank Roberto · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good first book to a series.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was full of action, easy to read and the chapters didn’t drag on. However, the one thing that I didn’t enjoy were the errors while reading. There were typographical and grammatical errors and it made it difficult to read. There were times when words were missing and punctuation was in the wrong place.

I might eventually read the rest of the series, but not right now.

[Kimberly M Martinez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Formula cheesy romance crap

This had it all. The wounded damsel in distress, the moody irresistible stud, the instant heat between them. It is love! But wait, the misunderstanding nearly tears them apart... do you really not know how it will end? And the way they resolve the drama is like a seventh grader threw it together in her diary. Sorry, no more words for this...

[Lou · Rating 1 out of 5]

abandoned at 20%, awful writing, awful story

[Dawn Sturdavant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Highly recommend. Quick read. Powerful and intense.
Great read. Great author.
Need another episode of Kyle and Tara. Wow wow

[Claudette Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!

This book had me from the beginning. A lot of twist and turns. Never saw the end going. Thank you.

[Anna Serra i Vidal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am really sorry I didn't like this book. I really wanted to. The premise seemed new-ish and it had some interesting ideas but it doesn't deliver what it promises.
It reads like a draft that could be worked over to finish a readable product. But it needs to let some of the telling go and start working on the showing. The author keeps saying how the characters feel instead of showing it. Also, the characters, supposedly mature and old enough characters react in a very teenage way I couldn't believe.
There's a lot of chance in the book. Conveniently open doors, glancing over a window to find one single person you know in a whole big city... In life coincidences are fun, in fiction they are lazy.
The story doesn't even deliver what it promises about sex. If the main character is an escort, you suppose you'll get a few sexy scenes but no, you ripped off them too. There is some semi-violence but that's all. There's not even the great anticipation of sex with the "good guy".
I wanted to like it, but I couldn't :(.

[Jane Barron · Rating 4 out of 5]

**** EROTICA BOOK CLUB REVIEW ****

The Game

By AJ. Carella

Tara's mother gave her away when she was a child to pay off the gambling debt she had. Years later Tara finds herself with the same man but she is the prize in a poker game the winner wins her for a month to do what he pleases with her. She accepts this as a way of life but then she meets Kyle and has feelings for him feelings that she has never had for a man before..

This is a very different book and I thought it to be a very original storyline. It is very short but I found that I got to know the characters and the story well. I loved Kyle he is a really nice bloke, I also really liked Tara but I did feel a little sorry for her and really want her to find happiness. The ending is a cliffhanger and I will probably go on to read the second book in the series.

I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars for Amazon & 3.5 for Goodreads

~Jane~

[Erotica Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

**** EROTICA BOOK CLUB REVIEW ****

The Game

By AJ. Carella

Tara's mother gave her away when she was a child to pay off the gambling debt she had. Years later Tara finds herself with the same man but she is the prize in a poker game the winner wins her for a month to do what he pleases with her. She accepts this as a way of life but then she meets Kyle and has feelings for him feelings that she has never had for a man before..

This is a very different book and I thought it to be a very original storyline. It is very short but I found that I got to know the characters and the story well. I loved Kyle he is a really nice bloke, I also really liked Tara but I did feel a little sorry for her and really want her to find happiness. The ending is a cliffhanger and I will probably go on to read the second book in the series.

I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars for Amazon & 3.5 for Goodreads

~Jane~

[SheReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Game took me off in a whole different direction than I had expected! That's a good thing in my opinion. There is a love story here but it was only the focus of the first part of the book and I was glad for that. I was disappointed in how quickly the two main characters (Kyle and Tara) fell in love. That's the only problem I had with the book. It didn't feel genuine. I will give it props for not being all about the sex scenes though. Too many books these days tell love stories as if they are just a series of lurid affairs. Unrealistic.

The story goes on to focus on Kyle and Tara both dealing with their pasts in different ways. Kyle needs to say goodbye to someone and Tara is searching for someone. I don't want to give any spoilers but I loved these storylines. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for more than just another romance!

[Brittiany Caine]

The Game, when I first came across it looking for new books to read, I didn't really have much expectations for it because when it comes to books from a suspense/mystery genre I literally expect to be kept on my toes the entire time. However, after reading it I found that it was surprisingly a really good free book. It had very engaging characters that you could emotionally connect with, an easy to follow story plot and kept you on the edge of your seat wondering what was gonna happen next, and last but certainly not least it kept me wanting more, and asking questions along the way. If you ever come across this book take the time to read it.

[Bonnie Gleckler Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Main Characters: 1) Kyle - ex-cop/security guard; 2) Kat - Kyle's ex-partner; 3) Tara - High paid sophisticated hooker; 4) Luccio - Kyle's drug-dealing boss; 5) Sergei - Tara's Boss and father of her daughter; 6) Monika - Care taker for Anna; 7) Anna - Sergei and Tara's daughter. Are Kyle and Tara fated to get together. How will Tara escape Sergei's control and "The Game". International intrigue abounds.

[Baz Leone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't a bad read, the story had a good pace throughout and dealt with the subject matter rather well. I found it a bit tedious with the repetition of telling the story again from a different POV at page breaks. There were a few typos but nearly enough to spoil the reading experience though. My big complaint was that the character of Luccio started out with the surname Marcino and later it became Magotti...oops someone wasn't paying attention during the writing and edit.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

A confession: I got The Game free on BookBub. Because I have a soft spot for writers, and because I was compelled to read the whole thing, I gave it two stars. That was generous. It's a good story hiding in a poorly executed work. Had it been shorter by a third and edited professionally, it could have been so much better. Uneven pacing, two-dimensional characters, implausible developments ... you get the picture. Whether you get the book is up to you.

[Steph's Romance Book Talk · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a pretty dark read when it comes to the subject matter but it does have a very interesting plot. Just letting the story flow over and not thinking about if this could play out in real life make this quick read very interesting. This is more of a 3.5 star book than just a flat 3 star, the plot twist are pulling me in.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent story

for me, the book started out pretty good, but went a bit downhill in the second half. the writing was not top quality, but the story line moved along fast enough that I didn't give up on the book. for a free kindle book, it was good...If I had paid, I might not be so happy.

[Lisa Kinard · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Great Read.

This was my first book by this author but definitely not my last. I love the writing style. The story hooks you at the beginning of the story and keeps you interested til the end. No filler lines or chapters. This story was put together nicely. It was not drawn out.

[Vicki Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think if you choose to read this you need to just read it for what it is and enjoy it. There are many impossible, convenient, ridiculous, and unbelievable things that happen throughout. It seemed rushed and simple, something written for a teenage girl (though the storyline is not for a teenager). It was a quick read and it ended predictably, however overall I enjoyed it.