Pursuit of Innocence

The Pursuit #1

by Bethany Rosa

“I’m done waiting around. You’re mine. No more games or pining
over someone else when it’s me you want. You won’t remember
his name after I get through with you.”

Lily knows exactly what she wants in life. To graduate, land a high-paying job, and forge her own way. Nothing will distract her. Until the ultimate playboy, billionaire Sebastian Dubree, barges in. Not to be overlooked, Lily’s longtime crush, Jackson, decides she’s worth the fight.

Reluctant to succumb to either, she quickly becomes a challenge to conquer. Lily must decide between the familiarity of her childhood longing or the newly discovered passion ignited by the dominant CEO. But can she surrender without losing herself in the process, or will someone take matters into his own hands?

Boundaries blur between desire and resistance in this gripping coming-of-age romance, leaving readers yearning for more.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Billionaire Romance, Dark Romance, Audiobook, Workplace Romance, Workplace

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 29, 2024

About the author

Bethany Rosa has been passionate about romance since her teenage years. After raising four wonderful daughters, she embarked on a writing career, channeling her love for the genre into crafting captivating stories. Bethany enjoys creating sexy tales featuring alpha males who fall for strong, independent women, making the chase irresistible. Besides writing, she loves to travel, especially to visit her two (soon to be three) daughters living in Europe. When not globetrotting, she enjoys time at home with her husband, dividing her days between the serene mountains of Montana and the sunny landscapes of Arizona.

Reviews

[Cheyenne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the tropes, it was fast-paced and really spicy. At the beginning of this book the characters acted immature which honestly threw me off a bit and because of that I struggled to read the book but towards the ending it got much better and the storyline became far more interesting.

The storyline and a lot of scenes did reminded me a lot of 50 shades of grey. Which made the book a little predictable for me. But overall it was a fun read and I do see potential in this author. I think her next book will be better. I’m really grateful that I received this book as an ARC.

[Shelby Westerdahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my spicy stars! This book sizzled from the prologue and never let up. I was hooked from the first page - and even though chapter 1 had me raising an eyebrow with a few awkward senses, that quickly faded because the story? Whew. Lily stole my heart with her growth in confidence, and Sebastian… let’s just say he’s been officially added to the book boyfriend Hall of Fame. Would I want a man to talk to me like that in real life? Hard no. But in fiction? Yes, please. This book had me giggling, blushing, and kicking my feet like a teenager. The tension? Immaculate. I can’t wait for book #2! Big thanks to Bethany for the ARC - I devoured every page!

[mads ꫂৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Something about this moment makes me want to keep hold and not let go.”

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Also can we talk about how pretty this cover is? I’m in love with it. Anyways, I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is your typical innocent fmc and playboy mmc kind of story. It’s predictable but non the less, it was still enjoyable. I really liked the buildup of the romance between Lily and Sebastian. I also liked the text convos between the two of them. It was very cute to see how Lily would change his contact name from time to time.

This book did a good job at handling the topic of virginity. It didn’t feel glossed over leading up to it. Which sometimes happens in romance novels. The inner dialogue of the fmc was something that I really appreciated. It was nice how the spice developed throughout the book. Each time it came about it felt different but in a way that stayed true to the characters.

I also really enjoyed the aftercare in this book. It’s something that I feel is important when talking about the topic of virginity. I enjoyed the emotional depth from Lily in the more heavy scenes. However, I do wish that we’d gotten more from Sebastian. For most of the book he was so against dating and love. While we do get more insight in the end I would’ve loved to see more emotional depth from his pov’s.

To me the third act breakup scene felt pretty melodramatic. The book (up to that point) wasn't leaning that way so it just felt a little weird in my opinion. I also felt that the prologue was misleading (in terms of how quick it came about). I thought it was the mmc and not a villain-like character. And in terms of it coming about, it didn’t feel like there was a big turning point in the story for these characters to have growth to move the story along. Those were the only things that fell flat for me. Other than those things I still really enjoyed this one!


Quotes I loved:

“You’re so fucking beautiful. You were made for me.”

“Lily, it’s my job to care for you. Now let me, okay, sweetheart?”

“I’m wrecked for anyone else, I swear.”

“I have a favor to ask,” I tell Sebastian as he gets in the car behind me. “Anything, sweetheart,” he says, grabbing my hand and kissing it.

“You drive me crazy. I want more, consequences be damned.”

[Dawn Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The prologue alone had me fully invested—I was already coming up with theories and just waiting for the moment it would all come full circle. And when it did? Mind blown. 🤯

Lily is such a great main character. She’s smart, focused, and really trying to do life her own way... until Sebastian Dubree (rich, hot, cocky—of course 🥵) shows up and throws her world into chaos. And then Jackson, her long-time crush, suddenly decides to step up? The drama, the tension—I was eating it up.

The buildup was chef’s kiss. Super angsty, in the best way. There were moments I wanted to shake these characters and moments I was grinning like an idiot. I loved how it wasn’t just a romance—it had twists, inner conflict, and that “who’s she gonna choose” pull that keeps you flipping pages way past bedtime.

If you’re into love triangles, slow-burn vibes, and stories that keep you guessing but also give you alllll the feels, you’ll love this one.

[B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Upon struggling to reach the 63% read mark, I have decided that it was time to officially label this book as DNF (Did Not Finish)

I want to enjoy this book and appreciate the book for what it is however Pursuit of Innocence is extremely similar to one specific book that I have read before. If I hadn't have read that once specific book or have watched that one specific movie about that specific book, perhaps I would have enjoyed this more and could finish it.
Overall, it lacks something to make it stand out more, its missing some pizzazz to make it unique. The characters...well I can honestly say that I really don't care for them much. Infact, I can't decide which main character I dislike the most. Without giving too many spoilers, there is a time and place for some dominant spice in your life but too much (and in public) is pushing it.
That stops and makes me think. I do have some sort of emotion over the characters and this book. I cared enough to at least form some sort of opinion and perhaps that was all the writer wanted.
I mean no disrespect to the author. I understand that it's a very challenging and brave thing to do to write a book and hope they continue writing more!

[Ashley Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5

If I had to describe this book in 3 emojis it’d be:
🌶️🥵🙌

Lily: Almost College Graduate. Working at a small marketing firm she hates with a boss who is a perv. Her best friend is rich and helps her afford her rent. Jackson is her high school crush and best friends brother.

Sebastian: man whore billionaire boss who is merging companies and possible switching from the small marketing firm Lily works at to their in house one. He’s obsessed with Lily & intent on getting in her pants.

⭐️ she’s a virgin
⭐️ College Student/Almost Graduate
⭐️ Billionaire MMC
⭐️ Sexual Tension
⭐️ Possessive MMC
⭐️ Feisty FMC


This book had me in a chokehold! Obsessed and loved it! Super steamy with a lot of sexual tension in the beginning! Very well written, flowed nicely & very engaging story!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"FUUUUUCK!" makes me lol

[Jess Morgan]

The moral of Bethany Rosa's Pursuit of Innocence is that it's totally fine for a rich and powerful man to browbeat and coerce his much younger and less experienced new hire into an affair over her repeated, vehement, and reasonable objections, as long as he's upfront about it.

At least, that was the intended moral. What I learned is that pepper spray isn't good enough and all young women should know both krav maga and the power of radio silence by the time they graduate high school. I'll see to this if I ever have a daughter.

Let's open with a little game of "count the cliches." The heroine's name is Lily. She's a virgin. She has a deadbeat dad. And a cat. She aspires to a career in marketing. She doesn't like spending too much money. She has little interest in fashion or beauty. She lives with Cici, her blond blue-eyed steadfastly single party-girl BFF. She has a crush on Cici's older brother, Jackson, who doesn't seem to notice. She goes along with Cici's insistence that they go out clubbing so she can get some dick, or at least tongue. As we'll later find out, she's not fake plastic horny tan blond pretty, but naturally curvy innocent smart pale brunette pretty. She'll meet the hero by physically bumping into him. The only non-cliches about her are that she lives in San Diego (one of my favorite cities) and feels no qualms about being openly snarky to her boss and his clients. That's still 12.

We also learn that her boss, Brad, is a perv who she can't stand. But she says she "can't look for a new job at [her] current job," lest he force her to leave his employ on his terms instead of her own. Then use your own laptop at home, dumbass.

Some more on Lily's nonexistent sexual history:

There just hasn't been time since being on my own at fifteen and having to work my butt off ever since. It doesn't leave much time for dating. I've gotten so good at putting off the not interested vibe that my approachability level has become nonexistent.



Here's the thing: If she made an affirmative, non-traumatic, fully voluntary choice to repel male interest and focus on her career, I'd be extremely interested. She didn't. She craves male interest, if only from one male (for now). A heroine who did make that choice would be a potentially comedic contrast to the "hero" we're soon to meet, since much less of what he had to offer would appeal to her. I don't know if Bethany was going for comedy with the subsequent events, but I sure wasn't laughing.

Lily and Cici do go to the club, where she meets "a dark, handsome god of a man" who gets annoyed at her barreling into the "solid, warm wall that smells dreadfully sinful" that is he. She stews over this "jerk" for the rest of the night:

That's the problem with gorgeous men. They're pompous, domineering bastards who think women will drop their panties and do anything they want.

Except all he orders her to do in this scene is keep her head up while walking through a crowded club. That's generally advisable anyway, Lily. You don't really want to look too closely at the floor of a crowded club.

Lily has a friend and classmate named Kevin. She thinks he's cute and fun but just a friend.



At her job as a receptionist/bookkeeper/office manager/marketing assistant, she suffers through Brad's ogling while he tells her about a client who's considering dropping his account and leaving all the work to his in-house marketing department. I'm an in-house copywriter, so that's an unequivocal YES, IDIOT, WHY ELSE DO YOU EVEN HAVE A MARKETING DEPARTMENT from me. And of course the client is the sinful-smelling jerk himself, Sebastian, along with his brother, Eli. The other POV in this story is his, so despite the behavior we're about to see, he's the hero. Remember that.

When I first read this scene, I thought Bethany was going to make us think he was the hero for now until the real one showed up and we switched POVs between them. But, no, that would have been mildly clever.

Sebastian is confused because Lily makes him horny for real, not just horny enough to scratch a routine itch. And she responds to his question about why she left the club so hastily with a vague response, instead of pouring out her life story and other fluids, as most women apparently do. When he sees how talented she is and how much Brad squicks her out, he gets a brilliant idea: Keep his account with this tiny two-person firm so HE can be the one to squick her out. And, oh, boy, does he. Here's a list of the ways he does in this one scene:

-Decides to "ruffle her feathers" and make her "squirm" by asking about the other night
-Uses a handshake as an excuse to "caress her unbelievably soft skin with my thumb"
-Thinks about how he'd "like to punish her"
-"Demands" that she see him out the door
-Keeps his hand on the small of her back while exiting
-Asks her on a date and insists after she flatly turns him down
-Wraps an arm around her after her second refusal
-Says "This will happen one way or another"



Lily's "traitorous body" doesn't prevent her from mouthing off. There's really no good way for her to turn down a client without risking continued advances or the loss of her job. But I have to wonder how a shy career-focused virgin finds it in herself to say this:

"Um, no. I barely have time for people I like, so I'm certainly not wasting any time on someone I despise."

I can only advise her to evade or block his touch and let his advances go completely unanswered, as if she didn't even hear them. For his part, Brad thinks she should have accepted for the sake of the account:

"No, I'm not whoring myself out for an account. Honestly, I don't have time to go out with the guy, and besides, I really don't like him. He's a jerk. It's not happening."

"I don't think I made myself clear. Your job is on the line here. If we lose this account, which happens to be one of our largest, our income will take a direct hit and your position may be eliminated....

"Hmmm... Yep, still a no. If I should start looking for another job, let me know."



Sebastian lifts her cell number from the NDA he made her and Brad sign. He demands that Lily go out with him, claiming to be "the man who makes your panties wet." She refuses, but she keeps replying, so they spend the next few chapters in a monotonous cycle of date-me-no-date-me-no-date-me-no. He just can't understand this:

I've never had anyone turn me down before. Hell, why would they? I was endowed with looks made for magazine covers, which I've been on, and my skills in the bedroom are no secret.... Any female would jump at the chance to be with me. Not only for the fantastic romp in the bedroom but they all want their chance to be the one woman who can make me fall in love.

He's not wrong. I also want to get inside his bedroom, if only to garotte him for being such a self-satisfied heel. And just so you know, ladies, none of you will ever make him fall in love, because his father loved his mother so much that he killed himself to be with her in the afterlife. And also because you're not Lily.

Sebastian's plan is for Lily to work out of his office with his in-house team. He and Brad discuss this while Lily is right there, and she bitches at them both for not letting her have a say in any of this. If these two weren't so desperate to fuck her, she'd have been fired about three times by now. When Brad leaves the room, she tries to shoot Sebastian's horse by revealing her virgin status, but that only works until he decides "she just wasn't turned on enough" to accept him or any of her previous love interests. His ego demands that he turn her on properly. If we didn't know from her POV that he already has, I'd hope for her to settle the matter by having him catch her with Jax Slayher.

When the two next just happen to run into each other at a club--seriously, Bethany, how many times?--and Sebastian picks up on the burgeoning mutual attraction between Lily and Jackson, his next move is to clamp his hand over her mouth and pull her into an alley.



There he forces a kiss and some crotch rubbing on her. She's aroused, so the game is afoot, as far as he's concerned. Why do people in these books always credit the mere fact of a partner's arousal to themselves alone and not simple physical stimuli?

Kevin tries to ask Lily out. She pretends she's into Sebastian so he'll back off. Truly, nothing gets you a man's attention like another man's attention.

Lily finally does what she should have done from the beginning and ignores some of Sebastian's texts, which he sends hoping she's "finished with this tantrum she's throwing." Highlight:

"I can't forget the feel of you grinding on me. I'd like to show you how good it can be when you give in to what your body wants. And trust me, baby, your body wants this."

Scott Weiland wrote "Sex Type Thing" about YOU, Sebastian. There's only one reason she finds herself letting you pull her onto your lap the next day: because you're hotter and richer than Brad.

Eli suggest that Sebastian tone down the rapeyness a scooch and ask Lily on a date instead. He arranges for an overnight yacht trip to Coronado Island. You can drive to Coronado from San Diego. There's a bridge. It takes five minutes. But that would spoil the effect.



Lily starts working at Sebastian's office. She's much more receptive to his surprise makeouts now, which bodes VERY well for her reputation with her new team. She even agrees to accompany Sebastian to lunch, "as long as it's not Mexican." How does someone who lives in San Diego have a problem with Mexican food?

Jackson asks Lily out next. She doesn't want to back off, but she already accepted the Coronado date. Not that anything Jackson proposes could top champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, a free outfit complete with Louboutins, and a boat called Veni, Vidi, Vici that has its own laundry room. On the other hand, some strumpet shows up and asks Sebastian out right in front of Lily. He assuages her discomfort by describing the strumpet as "unbelievably fake and full of herself." The Lily at the beginning of this book would have called him out for tearing down another woman as a compliment to her. The Lily in the middle of this book is too full of wine and shellfish to care.

He fingers her. Then he spanks her (with an open hand, thank the gods). She loves it. Whee.

She still agrees to a date with Jackson a few days later, resulting in a rougher round of finger-spanking. She never agreed to spanking as a punishment, by the way. Would these guys even care if the girls WEREN'T into it sexually? Sebastian follows this by insisting he really does like-like Lily, even though he can't promise her anything more heartfelt than finger-spanking. But if that's what she wants, they might as well end whatever this is now. So they do.



Lily goes on a perfectly enjoyable date with Jackson, ending with a brief and hot and sweet makeout session. She just can't shake Sebastian out of her gourd, though. The feeling is mutual: Eli's attempt to distract Jackson with a new strumpet ends right after she gives him her name and commences an over-the-pants handy. No meaningless magazine-worthy fuckery for you, whore!

Luckily, the next day, Sebastian gets an excuse to insert himself back into Lily's... personal life. He's assigned a security detail to her (does she know that?), and they've spotted a stalker. Bethany flew the stalker flag as early as the prologue, so I'm not surprised. Actually, I'd be surprised if there WEREN'T a stalker. How else could we ensure an HEA if the hero didn't find an excuse to restrict the heroine's autonomy?

Kevin tries to logic Lily into going out with him. She refuses again. He accepts, sort of:

"I'd have you as my friend any day over nothing. Just don't expect me to give up completely. I'll ease up, though, I promise.

So he's the stalker. But Lily thinks the conversation ended on a positive and productive note. No, dear, a productive note would be "I suggest you do give up completely before I cut off your balls and feed them to the pigs."

Lily's next assignment is to attend Sebastian's fancy penthouse party. Now that's different. Most fancy parties happen at some venue other than the hero's penthouse. There's a separate gala coming up for the local ad industry association's annual award presentations, and she's won an award in the student category. She impulsively asks Kevin to be her date.



Lily goes out with Jackson again. She turns him down for a third date because she's too confused. Jackson accepts and says he'll wait for her to come around. So Bethany knows what appropriate romantic overtures sound like. She's just not putting them in the hero's mouth. Cici comments with some unassailable logic:

"Maybe this 'crush' you've had on my brother is just that, a childhood crush with no real substance. Who would you rather masturbate to, Jackson or Sebastian? There's your answer."

That's not the kind of substance you think you meant, Ceece.

At work, Sebastian flips a shit on Lily because a male coworker leaned in slightly during a conversation with her. He accuses her of behaving and dressing unprofessionally. Lily doesn't take the opportunity to remind him of the closed-door spank session loudly enough for others to hear it. Jordan does ask Lily to accompany him to the party. But he backs off. For real, not until she changes her mind. Well done, Jordan. Have a cookie.

Sebastian and Lily each quickly become overwhelmed at the sight of the other talking to other people of their respective opposite sexes. Only Sebastian is aware that in the middle of their foreplay, Jackson has entered the room and is whacking in the corner.



Sebastian turns Lily's head in Jackson's direction while he's halfway inside her. She freaks and nearly stops the show. So now we can add surprise voyeurism to the long, long rundown of Sebastian's violations. But they keep going, because even that turns her on after a moment. I'm starting to wonder what Sebastian would have to do to dry her out. Maybe something involving Mexican food.

I have to mention that just before Sebastian slides all the way in, he yells "Mine!" That right there should dry her out: treating her pussy like a chicken tender that my son is trying to withhold from the dog.

After that, Sebastian promises to be exclusive but stresses that he won't "do love." Of course, he's already taken her on his boat and held multiple conversations with her outside of bed, and he lets her spend the night, which by his usual standards is pretty goddamn romantic. Just wait for the stalker to do his thing, Lily, and Sebastian will be putty in your pants.

Yup, I'm right. Later that week, after they fuck in the back of his car, he accompanies her to the grocery store so she can shop for ingredients for a girls' dinner. They run into Jackson. Sebastian brags about doing the stuff that Jackson is too horny to get jealous about:

"Since she's preoccupied this evening"--Bethany, "occupied" and "preoccupied" are different things--"we decided to thoroughly enjoy the 'ride' home. I'm sure you can use your imagination--oh, wait, you don't need to. And if Lily agreed to spend every night in my bed, it still wouldn't be enough."



Later Sebastian gets mad at Lily for having coffee with Kevin without telling him. He doesn't know Kevin is the stalker yet, but I feel like he read ahead just to confirm that his anger is justified. But Sebastian and Lily fuck again, complete with spanking and orgasm denial, so it's all good. Ah, one-sided sex. What problems CAN'T it solve? He gets mad again after Lily admits that Kevin will be her date to the gala. She already regretted asking him, so why couldn't she just break the fucking date and skip all this drama? Sebastian decides he can't trust her anymore and drops her off at home. Woe.

No! One of the rags has photos of Lily out with Sebastian, Lily out with Jackson, and all three of them chatting at the store. Headline: "Real Life 'Why Choose' Romance?" Take it from a salaried writer, Bethany: We don't write in Kindle Unlimited tropes. Everyone talks it out and decides it's meaningless gossip that didn't really hurt anyone.



The gala. Kevin gets his hands on Lily's drink. You know what that means. She wakes up undressed and tied to Kevin's bed. He tells her to "accept the inevitable." The only differences between his and Sebastian's tactics are the roofies and his failure to introduce the subject of bondage gradually. Other than that, though.

He hears a knock at the door and goes to answer it. He's letting THAT delay things? Is he expecting Grubhub? But he left one of Lily's legs free, so after Sebastian and Jackson barge in, she kicks the wall and alerts them to her presence. She's lucky Kevin missed that session of Stalking: Principles and Practices.

Five months later, Lily is working at Sebastian's firm full time. They only communicate through admins so they won't tip anyone else off. How they reconcile that with their frequent desk fucking, we can only speculate. Lily has moved in with Sebastian after a "grueling two months" of him bitching about it. Tonight he proposes:

"I know I'm possessive, but it's because I care for you. I know I'm strict, but it's because I worry about you. I know I'm domineering, but it's because I want you. And I know I smother the hell out of you, but it's because I love you, more than I ever thought possible."



She happily accepts.

Go fuck yourself, San Diego.

[Bookish with Stas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was hot!!!!!

The moment I read the prologue I was HOOKED! I already knew this was going to be good. The first chapter had me a bit confused because I thought some of the sentence structure was a bit off. But that changed real quick.

I loved Lilly and how confident she got throughout the book. And Sebastian oh wow the man he is. Would I ever want a man to talk to me like that in real life? Absolutely not. But that is why we read about men like that. He is a new book boyfriend to add to my list 🤭

This book had me giggling and kicking my feet all throughout the storyline. The sexual tension was there oh my oh my.

“Lily, I'm going to kiss you now because it's the only way to shut you up."

"You don't know how many times I've imagined this over the last week. Nothing came close to the real thing. You are pure heaven."

“When I'm with you, I crave more; when
I'm not, I simply crave you."

I can’t wait for book 2. But Bethany darling do you really need to torture me and let me wait until book 3 for Eli and Cici’s story???? I need that story like yesterday 😩

[Lyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG OMG OMG I LOVE THIS BOOK! 💜

From the first moment on I was really into the story. I knew from the beginning that I would love the book.

I loved how Lily developed herself in the book. And Sebastian OMG 🤭🤭. He really is a hot man fjieuwww.

The part I liked the most was the limo scene. It was veryy hot!

4⭐️
4🌶️

[Ashley Martinelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Such an easy book to fly through.

[Jennifer Wycech · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forced proximity
Obsessed MMC
Sassy FMC
Suspense (ish)
Love triangle
Virgin FMC
Age gap
Billionaire romance

Duet narration - Vanessa Edwin, Aiden Snow, Ava Erickson, Aaron Shedlock, Micheal Gallagher

Fantastically narrated! I love this cast and their performance was fantastic.

This was a fun listen. There is banter, swoony moments, and a little bit of suspense.

Sensatian is a grumpy playboy billionaire that has found himself obsessed with a young woman who literally ran into him. He can’t figure out what it is about her but he can’t stay away.

Lily is almost done with college working a job she loves but her boss leaves much to be desired. She’s never had much time or desire to take a relationship to the next level. She focuses more on her school and work. That is until she meets a handsome billionaire one night.

I enjoyed this book and the writing style was captivating. The development of the relationship was messy and entertaining.

[luvmyreadingjourney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't read anything regarding the story prior to reading. I was hooked within the first 20 pages!! Soo good.

Blurb: For fans of Ana Huang, get ready for a pulse-pounding tale of risk, resilience, and romance in the ultimate gamble for love.

Mia Nightingale Marcos is more nightmare than nightingale.

I’m handed the reins to the family business along with an inexperienced assistant barely out of high school. Not to mention, she’s distractingly beautiful and completely off-limits. I plan to be so unbearable she’ll quit, but she's tougher than she looks. When Mia shows up at an underground poker tournament, I’m floored, I’m floored.. She’s a natural, clearing the table like it’s child’s play. But why is she here, and what is she hiding? The deeper I dig, the more protective I become, and my world starts spinning.

Just when I think I’ve got her figured out, she vanishes, leaving a trail of unanswered questions sending me on a dangerous pursuit.

Jackson Soloman is the boss from hell.

But I can handle him. What I can’t handle are the thugs threatening me and my mom, all thanks to my gambling-addicted father who skipped town, leaving me to pay his debts. Balancing work by day and poker by night was a breeze until Jackson stepped in. It was easier when he was making my life hell, not trying to play hero. Now, I can’t shake him off, and with the growing attraction between us, I’m not sure I want to.

Just when I think I’ve hit the jackpot, I’m forced to fold, leaving everything behind for a chance at redemption.

Will Mia and Jackson survive the trials of deceit and danger that lie ahead? In a heart-wrenching climax that tests their love and commitment, every decision could be their last bet.

[Zoë Nira · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was genuinely a rollercoaster of emotions. I went back and forth in giving stars.

I started at 3 stars, then it became 4 and so I kept going back and forth a bit. I finally chose to give the book 3.75 stars and this is why:

Let me just say up front that I enjoyed the storyline immensely. The story itself was basically really top notch and I really enjoyed it.

The reason I'm going for 3.75 stars instead of 4 is because the conversations between the characters in the book give off more 16/18 year vibes than 22/27 year vibes. There was definitely not a miscommunication trope, but more of an overcommunication situation? I find it hard to explain. I was more really concerned with how certain things were pronounced.

I genuinely felt a bit sad for Lilly at the beginning because she is a virgin and some friends made quite dickish comments about it (also her best friend made a bit of a crazy comment).

I genuinely thought the story was super fun and I really see potential in this author! I think with a few minor tweaks to describing some things, the next book will be even better. I for one am super curious about part 2 and especially about Eli and Cici's story!

*I read this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

I absolutely loved this book. The writing was fantastic. The only reason it's 4.75 stars and not 5 stars is because of certain descriptions that could have had different words used. But other than that this book is fantastic 💜

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great romance and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series when the other books are released! Sebastian was a walking red flag, so of course, I absolutely loved him. It’s funny how my favourite fictional men would have me running in the opposite direction in real life.

This was a very classic darker romance in the sense that a lot of familiar tropes were used. Very rich man that is super controlling, the female love interest is struggling financially, actually stands up to the domineering man, he refuses to fall in love but somehow it happens anyway while he simultaneously gives her everything she’s ever needed in life.

In my opinion, as long as these tropes are done well, I don’t care that they’re over-used. They’re popular for a reason. And this author did an amazing job incorporating these elements to make a super spicy romance!

The only aspect of the book I didn’t like was Lily, the FMC. She was very…innocent…which is fine, but it was a little too excessive at times and was reflected in her personality. She would say and do certain things that I can’t imagine a grown woman ever saying or doing. But I’m very picky with FMCs, so it didn’t bother me!

Thank you to iRead Book Tours for my gifted copy!

[readwithvel (bookishrebel01) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rollercoaster of drama and romance.

Pursuit of Innocence by Bethany Rosa is a Dark billionaire romance. It is a  gripping coming-of-age romance that leaves readers yearning for more

Our story follows college student Lilly who meets billionaire playboy Sebastian and with these two you're in for a steamy romance but add in Lilly’s longtime crush, Jackson who decided he now wants to fight for her and you're in for a rollercoaster of a story.

This was a quick, fast-paced, and entertaining read. The plot has the perfect amount and blend of intrigue, tension, yearning, and swoony moments with characters that are simple yet so entertaining. This story has a mix of so many favorite tropes from workplace romance to enemies to lovers to love triangle, forced proximity and opposites attract.

If you're a fan of dark romance books or looking for something with similar vibes to the Twisted series or the Made series you should check out Pursuit of Innocence.

Read if you like:
-Dark Romance
-Billionaire Romance
-Dual POV
-Open-door spice scenes
-Sassy FMC
-Possessive/Red Flag MMC
-Lots of tropes

Thank you @ireadbooktours for the gifted review copy!💜

[Celina Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pursuit of Innocence follows Lily the FMC who is strong, opinionated, independent and sassy. Lily has had some struggles in life, but she has kept her focus on what is important to her which is school and a career. Lily is still a virgin and even with numerous comments from friends Lily doesn't allow it to change her mind on what is most important to her especially being in her last year of college.

Sebastian the MMC is grumpy, possessive and after meeting Lily and her sassiness he can't seem to get her off his mind. He is not the relationship type of guy, but Lily might just be what changes that especially after finding out she is a virgin and has other men interested in her. Jackson is Lily's childhood crush and has made it known he doesn't want to regret never shooting his shot.

Lily has a decision she must make between Jackson who knows her whole life and can provide a real relationship and Sebastion who makes no promises but shows her a side of herself she has left untouched. Lily might think she has time but one of these men refuses to go down without a fight and is not above fighting dirty. 😈

This book took me by surprise and in the best way possible. A billionaire dark romance that actually was true to its word with a story that kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next, I was giving advice like I am a friend, sexual tension, and spice that had me needing a tall glass of ice water. I promise this book will not disappoint so do not think about it further and start reading.

Thank you, Bethany Rosa for sharing this story with me and I can't wait to read the next book in this series 😍

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fantastic debut! It had a lot of my fave tropes. The writing is detailed and descriptive enough to build the world and characters. Told in dual POV. I loved reading in both characters POVs.

Lily runs into a mysterious guy at the club. They have a heated exchange. Later, they run into eachother again at Lily’s office. We find out mysterious guy was Sebastian. The company that was coming in to sign an NDA was Sebastian's company. I could feel the tension immediately.

I loved Lily. She was stubborn, independent and sassy. I really liked Sebastian too. He was attracted to Lily from the beginning, but didn't want to pursue her further after finding out she was a virgin. I loved how Sebastian couldn't stay away even though he tried numerous times. I loved the push and pull between them. It gave way to great sexual tension.

There was some twists in this story that caught me by surprise. I loved how everything went down. It was a great spicy, slow burn romance with some suspense.

💜Release Date: Feb. 29, 2024 (available now!)

Thank you to the author for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Brittany selken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m so glad I picked up this series to read. This is only book 1 of the series and I like everything about this story with these two characters. I like how she didn’t give into him right away and made him work on himself in a way to go out with her. I’m glad she had a choice when it came to her love life and she was not letting anybody come in take what she work so hard on away from her dream. I’m glad she did leave her old job her boss was creepy if you read this story you understand why. I did not see that one part coming at all I was so shocked but then I’m so glad that they got her back right away and nothing bad happens to her either. I love the ending and how he finally broke down his wall when it comes to loving someone.

[Christine Blick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not want to put this one down. If I had the time I definitely could have read this in one sitting. This one had it all plot and smut and loved the characters, oh and can’t go wrong with billionaire boss trope! Loved the brother relationship of Eli and Sebastian, and the best friend relationship of Lily and Cici. I loved how Lily never hid anything and was up front with all of the male characters, there was no beating around the bush. I will definitely continue the series when book 2 comes out. Only a little disappointed to see book 2 isn’t about Eli! Dying to know who his secret girl is, I have a guess.

[Maps R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romantic duality, a fast-paced plot, and the chance to explore themes like love, obsession, and desire are what you’ll find in this book. I enjoyed following Lily’s story and how the author portrays the challenges she faces, the duality from a woman’s perspective, as she finds herself torn between two men. The book explores typical scenarios, including one of the most familiar figures in a woman’s life: the childhood friend, in Jackson. The author’s skill in developing this character will make you root for him. But be ready to experience Lily's feelings when she meets Sebastian, a charismatic man. It’s a very sensual story that you’ll enjoy.

[Haven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just binge read the whole second half of this book and I LOVED IT! It did start out pretty slow for me, but it was such a great read. It’s so good I don’t even know how to put it into words other than definitely check it out. If you liked the dreamland billionaire series or the twisted series then this book is for you! It’s got billionaires, forced proximity, why choose, possessive mmc, and a wild plot twist at the end.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fast-paced, spicy romance was quite fun to read!

It started off a tad predictable, with Lily being a virgin pursued by a hot rich playboy, but despite the predictability of their romance, I really enjoy how the story was built. At times, some of the dialogue was cheesy, but I didn't feel it took anything away from the story - and also lent a bit more credence to Lily's lack of dating experience.

The plot twist in the latter part of the book did take me by surprise, and was resolved fairly quickly, but I liked how it brought Lily and Sebastian together, finally.

Really looking forward to Bethany's next book!

[Skylar Lemon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute romance with a few twists and turns!

This was a cute alpha male billionaire romance. He’s super overprotective and doesn’t want to commit to anyone for more than one night. She has zero experience and wants all the commitment, but from who? So many times I thought how they’re fooling nobody but themselves. Had a few little twists and turns with a cute little ending. I’m excited to see where the next books go.

[Rachel Fynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down and took every free minute to read during this past week. I do not usually read romance but with a little (or in this case A LOT) spice I can be persuaded.

Even though it was not neccessary for the plot, I liked the thriller-plottwist in the end, that kept me glued to the pages even more. Can’t wait for the next books in the pursuit-series!

[* Crissy * crissys_book_addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book. This book will keep you hooked from start to finish. I loved watching Lilys journey unfold as she tried to navigate her way through a steamy love triangle while being so inexperienced . I also loved everything about Sebastian and his alpha male vibe. This book also has a few unexpected twists that I did not see coming and made it even more interesting. The characters are well developed and the story flowed wonderfully. I am so excited to read the rest of the series.

[A.D Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were engaging, and I especially liked how their relationship developed over time. The buildup between them felt natural and not rushed, which made their connection feel more meaningful.

That said, it did give off a bit of a Fifty Shades vibe at times, which was a little spicier than I personally prefer. I also would’ve liked to see more emotional depth from the MMC point of view. There were moments where his feelings felt a bit surface-level, and I think a deeper look into his emotions could’ve added more heart to the story.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I'm thankful to have received an ARC for this book🤍

[Andra Blue-Pound · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books is for sure steamy !

The prologue puts the suspense on from the start

The main FMC is strong willed but is still a virgin at 22 She finds her self from having no love life to having multiple mens attention all placing heat on her.

The MMC what can I say he falls hard and fast but is unwilling to admit his true feelings and tries to keep our strong willed MFC at arms length at any cost

I rated this book a 4* purely because I'm parts it felt to back and forth almost repetitive but with minor differences placed in

The author done a great job writing this book and I was able to enjoy the book

clarification I received this book as an arc read for an honest review

[BookishKayCee · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re into love triangles, forced proximity, sexual tension, and spice then this story is for you. It has a 50 Shades type of romance and dominance.

It’s a Fast-paced read, with great characters. Lily, a smart and independent woman who has overcome a tough background, and is focused on her own goals. She has caught the attention of handsome but cocky, Billionaire Sebastian Dunbree and her longtime best friend Jackson. It’s a love triangle that keeps you guessing, and wanting to know what’s going to happen next.

I was grateful to be able to read this an ARC from Bethany Rosa, who has several other publications out now.