Dante That cheating low life. I swore when I got my hands on him, his life wouldn’t be worth living.
How dare he steal from me? Doesn't he know who I am?
Only coming close to him, seeing him shudder at my touch. I'm drawn to him in ways I never imagined.
He's an enigma and not at all what he seems.
But what I did to him. He'll never forgive me, he'll hate me, but if that's all he can give me... I'll take it.
Austin He was filthy rich! He didn’t need the money, probably wouldn’t even miss it. How wrong could I be?
Now here I am, unable to flee and I hate him for what he did to me.
But I can't help myself. I crave his touch and attention. I need everything he can give me. I think I love him, but if this is all he can give me… I’ll take it, gladly.
DEVIL'S DILEMMA IS A STANDALONE MM ROMANCE NOVEL AS PART OF THE MULTI-AUTHOR COLLABORATION TALES FROM THE TAROT. THIS BOOK IS BASED ON THE MAJOR ARCANA CARD THE DEVIL.
HEA GUARANTEED.
TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR VIOLENCE, CAPTIVITY, KIDNAPPING
Alex is an MM author from the NW of England. She's married with three grown-up sons and two Tamaskan dogs, her night time companions when she's writing into the early hours!
She writes gritty, realistic, mainly contemporary romance but always with a happy ever after.
Her tagline? Finding Forever - One Chapter at a Time.
An avid reader, she started writing one lunch break, writing her first book in no time at all. From there, her passion grew and The Nava Dance Studios series was born. Her writing style has changed, a darker feel creeping into her work and while she doesn't profess to be a dark author, she covers some socially dark subjects.
She'd love to move somewhere sunny with a beach view, continuing to write about her perfectly, imperfect men.
WOWWWW i loved this book. dante and austin have such a fun relationship. it was so adorable to see them go from enemies to lovers. even though my review is very lighthearted this book is DARK. quite a lot of death and blood and betrayal and tricks. and i ate it UP. i love the snark and sass of both main characters. overall a super enjoyable read.
This was a good enjoyable read that I finished over the course of a few hours. I especially liked the slower burn of this one and the buildup of emotions. The overall plotline was able to keep me interested as well
This was my first book by Alex J. Adams and I'm happy to say I really enjoyed it! The concept of the Tales from the Tarot anthology series intrigued me from the moment it was announced and when each separate book was revealed, this was one of the ones that interested me the most. Mostly because I love a good demon (well, devil) x human romance, throw in some fated mates, a hint of forbidden romance (and Stockholm syndrome), and some fun banter, and you get a very happy Bee.
The writing was easy to get into and hooked me right from the start, and the characters sold it for me. I loved Dante and Austin! Both were very likable characters that I happily rooted for, which... might be a strange thing to say about the literal devil, but... Oh well.
The only thing keeping me from giving it five stars is that I just wanted... more. I wanted more time with them. More time to develop the relationship, more time to build the world more,... Just more.
Overall, this was a very good, fun, fairly low angst paranormal romance, and I'm definitely eager to check out more of the author's work in the future! (Definitely going to check out The Demon Undertaker...)
I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in exchange for an honest review.
The Tales from the Tarot series delivers another interesting new paranormal romance in The Devil's Dilemma by Alex J. Adams. I did enjoy Adams’ story about a bored Devil casino owner and a mysterious lucky visitor making way too many successful bets. It’s got an abundance of interesting elements to the narrative, the characters themselves have an equal amount of unusual aspects to their histories and current lives to make this a book that engages the reader’s imagination and attention.
I especially enjoyed the character of Austin. Morally gray, but fairly good, loving, but not especially with perspective qualities or introspection. Awful criminal bent friends being the first example. The Devil is strangely evil. Bored , incredibly powerful but as the plot progresses, this aspect of the Devil’s character becomes oddly weaker when presented with the events and villainy that arises.
That’s the issue with a lot of the storylines and characters here. Adams has created some very promising characters and plot threads but doesn’t really fully explain or execute them to their full potential.
For every single thing that happens that I think is a good idea, there is one where I also go “what happened to that character “ or why didn’t whatever come into play. Something gets dropped.
There’s a lot going on here, so much that the author brought in crossover characters from another series and books to help explain certain plot points, to the characters and readers. So yes, this is an enjoyable story, it just feels like more should have been written into it or aspects of the characters better defined.
🔷 Where Fools Have Tread by Jennifer Cody❤️ 🔷The Magician's Heart by J.P. Jackson 🔷Cleric of Desire by Amanda Meuwissen❤️ 🔷The Nephilim’s Touch by Morgan Lysand 🔷King of Hollywood by Fae Quin 🔷My Minotaur Daddy: An MM Romantasy by Laura Lascarso 🔷Across Space and Time by Kit Barrie 🔷Chariot of Souls by Morgan Mason 🔷By Rude Strength ❤️by K.L. Hiers 🔷Found in Obscurity by A. M. Rose 🔷Twisted Fates by Adam J. Ridley 🔷No Justice for the Damned by Hellie Heat 🔷The Angel's Kiss by Nicholas Bella 🔷Death Song by B. Ripley 🔷Arcanum ❤️by Ashlyn Drewek 🔷The Devil's Dilemma by Alex J. Adams 🔷Camelot's Tower by Brooke Matthews 🔷A Highland Gargoyle's Lucky Star ❤️by Chloe Archer 🔷Trust in the Moon ❤️by Delaney Rain 🔷Raising the Sun ❤️by Eryn Hawk 🔷Zero Judgment by Kota Quinn 🔷The End of the World by Drake LaMarque
An entry in the Tales from the Tarot series, this entry featuring The Devil card. The upright represents a shadow self, attachment, addiction, restriction, sexuality. The reverse represents releasing limited beliefs, exploring dark thoughts, detachment. I felt like the book did a good job touching on all of these themes except sexuality. It does get sexual but there's not too much exploration on the concept of it.
It started off fairly strong but this one failed to catch me unfortunately. There were two major things that stopped me from fully enjoying this.
One, the pacing. The pacing was literally break neck. Once the initial set up was in place, the book kept going going going. Normally I don't mind this but in particular, there was not enough time given to any moment at all. I couldn't sit on any new revelation and the characters couldn't either. There would be huge life changing discoveries, the character would be shocked, then the next chapter they would be over it. Then rinse and repeat.
It didn't give me enough time to sit with the dark or sweet things that happened in the book. So the impact of some crazy shit that happen in this book doesn't get to sit with me enough.
Two, telling you things, not showing There is literal interventions in this book at periods of time where tells you what is happening with the prophecy. It felt like the author felt like their plot was too obtuse and felt the need to explain it. Either trust your readers to understand your plot or make it easier to understand please please please. Like I'll call myself out, I enjoyed Court of Mist and Fury which does the exact same thing. I think I can forgive that book more because there were other things I enjoyed about it.
Overall, I think the first point is what really ruined my enjoyment of it. Again, I think the premise is very interesting and it could've been a great book. Alas, it just isn't for me sadly.
What an interesting story! We start off this book in Austin's POV as him and his 'friends' are planning their next heist. Austin seems to be lucky when it comes to whatever he's doing; whether that's playing cards, stealing candy, or escaping without being noticed. He's the one who gets the cash for himself and his friends.
When his friends come up with the idea to set their sights on a well know casino ran by a man nicknamed the devil, he's immediately weary and apprehensive... That's where The Magic Shop comes into play, and that is where the true story starts.
I liked this book I found it to be quite interesting. The dual POV's was really nice and was written well. Sometimes when a book has dual perspectives it can get confusing if not written well, but that wasn't the case here. Being able to read both Dante and Austin's perspectives was a nice way to get to know both of them better, and to figure out the different way these two men think about certain things.
I found the writing to be good, there was a lot of back and forth between both these men in the beginning, understandably so. I liked that it wasn't immediately insta-love, yes they got together quickly but it wasn't right away which added more to the story.
I found the component of these two being destined to be together was handled and written in a way that made sense and was written well. My only critique is a few loose ends that were mentioned in the beginning of the book then wasn't brought up again. For example, Austin worked as a bartender... but then he was kidnapped and it wasn't mentioned again.. Did he get fired? Did he call and quite? Did Dante do that for him? Furthermore, Pete was the getaway driver for that group of friends yet after the three men got caught in the casino, nobody said what happened to him.
Other than those two things I thought this story was great.
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is part of the Tales From The Tarot series. It can be read as a stand-alone in that series. It also ties in with the book by Adams in The Possessive Love series, The Demon Undertaker. Mal and Jason pop up here and it was great to catch up with them.
Austin and his friends plan to clear up in 3 casinos and then be done. Something goes wrong at the third casina and Austin finds himself at the hands of Dante, the devil. But Austin is something other than human, and Dante finds himself face to face with his fated mate, the one who will stop him burning the entire Earth to dust.
I've only read one other of the Tarot series, and I loved that, when Austin enters the shop, it is almost word for word described as it was in that book. It was such a treat. Sometimes, in multi author series, things get lost or mixed up, but that shop is exactly the same in each book.
I loved that this took a path I wasn't expecting. I didn't see it going the way it did and I loved being surprised by it!
Both Dante and Austin fight the bond between them, but once they are clear about a few things, they are all in. I loved that Austin's parentage was not what he thought.
I loved all the little digs from Dante about God. They did make for a few lighter moments in this book. Because there are some very dark moments here. Dante is vicious and he makes no bones about that. Austin and his friends tried to rob him, and he takes no prisoners (Austin is the exception!)
Along with the dark, comes the smexy times, which are hawt, like the devil is!
There are others here, who piqued my interest and I hope they pop up in future books.
Nobody steals from the Devil. Then again no one actually believes Dante is the devil until his horns grow and his eyes glow.
Austin and his group of mates are up to no good. Austin is really lucky and Joel is using that luck to get in with the mob. He pushes Austin to a new a casino, the last one in their grand plan. Only things aren’t what they seem not with Joel or with the plan. When they get caught, the devil is going to get his due.
The banter between Austin and Dante is hilarious and the steam they put off is whew! The prophecy and the bond push them together, keeping them on their toes wondering why they can't seem to walk away the other. I kept going back and going back reading a snippet here and a chapter there. The story is quite entertaining. I really didn’t want it to end. I loved that Austin took care of his Grandpa. and that the Dante called up Mal from The Demon Undertaker. I had just reread the The Demon Undertaker maybe a month ago and it was great to have Mal and Jason back in this book. The best thing about Alex’s writing is the way she makes you feel invested in what happens. I never know who the bad guy is until she writes it. She keeps me guessing and then I’m like what just happened?! I want to read more like this. I want to see what happens to Zeke. Give me more witty banter and hot steamy moments Alex J. Adams. I’m ready for it!
The Devil's Dilemma is Alex J Adams contribution to the multi author Tales From the Tarot series. The story is based on the Devil card of the major arcana. Upright, the card represents being seduced by the material world and physical pleasures, as well as living in fear, domination and bondage. Reversed, the card represents breaking from addictions, and freedom from restraints and restraints.
The Devil and his casino, Temptation, are somewhat literal interpretations. Austin and his cohorts are a bit less literal. They are trapped in poverty and the idea of cheating the casinos is addictive. Neither Dante, the Devil, nor Austin are terribly sympathetic characters. Austin's saving grace is his love of his grandfather. And Dante is so confused (and adorable). He wants to murder Austin as much as he wants to kiss him. Their first kiss is a sizzling hate kiss. The bedroom scenes are not exactly sweet and gentle. Rough and steamy.
The book is set in the same universe as Adam's My Demon Undertaker. Mal and Jason drop in and Mal is helpful unwrapping Dante's… ack… feelings for the disrespectful and confrontational Austin.
It was a fun, quick read. Somewhat bloody and violent. A bit of a surprise towards the end. Enjoy.
I was intrigued by the premise. A guy who's super lucky, a devil who owns a casino...what could go wrong when their paths cross? Well, I have read other Alex J Adams' books before and really enjoyed them. This one was alright but didn't blow me away. Overall it felt a bit rushed. I got a bit bored with Dante, the devil, always saying how bored he was and how he was such a big baddie. I also wasn't quite sure what I thought about Austin. He may have been just on this side of the wrong tracks but he did care for his grandfather. I felt like he had a lot more character potential that wasn't explored. The feelings between these two were pretty fast and I felt that the two of them were confused if they even liked the other one. I did like Conrad, who was practically Dante's second. He was one of the few characters who seemed grounded. It wasn't really dark (at least not in my opinion) but it wanted to be. I think this one could've been so much better if Dante gave himself the space to be evil but show Austin a soft side. I love a morally grey (or even evil) character who is possessive and sweet to their person. We got a bit of that but it didn't push any envelopes. Overall, it wasn't really my cup of tea and I do think the best part was the way the Magic Shop functioned.
Austin gets caught up with some childhood friends that aren't as nice as he thinks. Since he seems to have the golden touch, they talk him into using it at the casinos. They'll make a big windfall and he'll have money for his grandpa. Only Austin doesn't know all the details that his so-called friends have planned. He also doesn't know that the big casino is run by a real baddie, Dante. Dante isn't about to let a bunch of nobodies get away with taking his money. When one of the group gets too mouthy, he decides to really make them pay. After all he can't have his reputation stained as someone that can be had. I really liked this story. I liked that Austin was basically a good guy caught up in a bad situation. It was a little sad that his friends were jerks. I liked the background on Austin and his family. I loved how close he was to his grandpa. I would've liked a little closure on his father though. I also would've liked more background on Dante and his friendship with Conrad. Definitely liked the tie-in with the Tarot series. Definitely recommend this book and this series.
This is part of the multi-author tarot series, with the common link being the magic shop and the mysterious owner. The card for this story is The Devil card, and we do get the literal devil in this one. Dante is bored, he's been topside for years and things have got a little stale, then he meets Austin and all bets are off (literally as he owns a casino where Austin tries to steal from him). I really liked the pairing of these two, it's dark, yes and violent in places but not quite as dark as I thought it would be.
I really liked the pairing of Austin and Dante, and especially the twist of Austin's heritage. The story is good too, fast paced and entertaining with just enough spice. It's dark too, which is awesome and as you'd expect from Alex and a story featuring the Devil. This is another wonderful addition to the tarot universe.
Devil’s Dilemma by Alex J. Adams is the next book in the Tales from the Tarot multi-author universe. Austin is part of a group that is planning on stealing money from a casino not knowing that the owner is literally the devil himself.
This was a really interesting and mysterious story. Austin has always been unusually lucky with no explanation as to why. I’m not sure that we completely had this part answered. I could make an inference but it was never explicitly explained. Austin’s history does play a huge role in this story. The ending was sweet compared to what happened in the last quarter of the book. I was honestly surprised by who finally attacked Austin. Very enjoyable installment to this series and it was great to see Mal and Jason again.
I’m looking forward to the next book!
I received an ARC from BookSirens for my honest review
This was the first book I read from this author and won’t be my last. Austin and his three friends are trying to make enough money to get by. With Austin being so lucky, they have hit a couple of casinos but then decided to hit the biggest one called Temptation. Austin was hesitant, but got swept up in it. After visiting the Magic Shop, he was more confident in his role. Dante, is the owner of the casino, and realizing what is happening, grabbed all the friends and brought them to the basement. This is the start of the story of Austin realizing that Dante is really the devil and why Austin is so lucky. Love the chemistry between them and how Dante would do anything to protect Austin. Great world building and heat between them. Cannot wait to read more.
Dante & Austin Fascinating story about the Devil discovering and learning about his fated mate and the challenges of that mate's bloodline.
Dante is a great embodiment of a fictional devil. His character seems real enough that you start to believe that he's the real thing, even though he's just a character in the book!
Austin's past is unknown for a good portion of the book, but once we learn the truth, the story unveils itself very quickly.
I loved that this story begins as almost an enemies-to-lovers, but quickly evolves into a very possessive lovers situation, even if both MCs are confused and somewhat concerned with those feelings.
I read this whole book in one swallow and stayed up way too late (too early) to finish it, but the story gripped me from the very first chapter and I knew I had to keep reading. I love stories that are so engaging that no matter how tired I am, I cannot stop reading. It happens less and less as I get older. 🙃
I received an advance copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
Overall, I am engaging read with ties to the Magic Shop, and it's all-knowing Owner. I'm glad to see how Alex connected these elements to their addition to the Tales of the Tarot series. This time, we get the Devil card and the chaos he will inflict upon the life of Austin. Austin seeks help from the Magic Shop in pulling off a heist he knows he shouldn't do yet is compelled to. These two don't exactly get off on an easy start as Dante is the devil and doesn't exactly make it easy for Austin. Their bond is new, but you feel their pull immediately, and that just grows throughout the story. Overall, it is a great representation of this major Arcana card and a love story that fit perfectly into this series.
“He was perfect in every way. It was difficult not to see the beauty of the fallen angel he was.”
Well this one was really interesting!
I loved the Devil, Dante, he really was the literal devil in this one. He was vicious and violent, but damn did he make it hot.
Austin was a petty criminal who did it more for his friends and a sense of loyalty than anything. So many times I wanted to shout at him to back out and walk away, but when he met Dante I was hooked.
These two were the perfect hate to love, honestly they truly hate each other. And the first time they get it on is a total hate f*ck.
The role Austin’s mother plays in this is really sweet. The constant guardian angel.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
“Yes, I couldn’t deny the pull, but fated mates? F*ck off. It was bulls*it.”
The Devil’s Dilemma was such an intriguing story! It centers around Dante, the literal devil, who owns a luxurious casino and Austin, a guy with an uncanny streak of luck that almost seems magical. When Austin steps into the casino with “the devil’s own luck” at the tables, it sets off a series of events that change both their lives.
While the story is definitely one of romance, it doesn’t revolve solely around the attraction of the two main characters. There is an element of mystery and the twists and turns had me anxiously turning the pages. I loved how the author was able to combine dark fantasy, romance and mystery all into one book. It was a excellent book!
I freaking love me a Devil/Angel romance. Devils and demons… they’re just so freaking sexy and mysterious and beautiful and oh man, I can’t get enough of them. This story got me hooked from the start, I really enjoyed the mysterious vibe, prophecies and old angel’s tales! And the 🌶️ spirit? Oh yes. The way Dante is SO HOT really resonated with me. And that bodyguard/friend of his? 🫠🤤😏I wouldn’t mind a story about Conrad at all! And baby August… the way he had to go through so much but was so strong? Cutie! Even though I would have loved a bit more drama about it😂 just for the spirit of the Devil being a jokester, you know lol
I've always found the Devil and interesting card in the tarot and was very excited to see what Alex J. Adams would do for this entry in the series. It's definitely a home run. The Devil in the form of Dante is both tempting and hateful to Austin for several reasons that develop from shallow (only his money) to much more complex over the course of the story and via some dark twists and turns which reveal Dante's true nature. Thankfully, Adams doesn't shy away from who the Devil really is to make him generically "likeable/attractive" but she skillfully lets us understand why and how Austin becomes ensnared and captivated. The magic shop was particularly well used in this book.
I enjoyed meeting Austin and Dante. Their story is an interesting one. When Austin and his friends go to Dante’s casino, they reap more than they can sow and Dante is not about to let things go. It was nice to see the way their relationship grows and there are some twists and turns that kept me engaged in their story. I liked the interaction between the two. They are good together and it was nice to see the softer side of Dante that only Austin gets to see. The story moves at a good pace and pulled me in from the start. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Dante and Austin didn’t meet conventionally. Austin and his friends have always wanted excitement and thrilling moments in their lives; not everything was above board. Austin had luck; no matter what he did, he was lucky. Is there a reason? Dante, with his growing horns and flashing eyes, wanted to find out what was happening in his casino; he knew something was up! An intriguing story that has fun moments, plus sensual moments that are sizzling! The story flows, bringing the reader into the story where you learn more about Dante and Austin.
The Devil's Dilemma is one of the books in the multi author Tales from the Tarot series. Each book can be read as a standalone but why not enjoy the rest of the series. This is the story of Dante who is the devil and Austin a human with lots of luck. I loved this book so much. Dante and Austin are so different but so perfect together. I loved how the story unfolds and we learn new things about Austin. I enjoyed seeing Mal and Jason from "The Demon Undertaker" again. This was just a fun, sometimes intense and dark read. I would definitely recommend this book and series.
OH MY GOODNESS, I LOVED THE INTENSITY BETWEEN DANTE AND AUSTIN!
This story kept me on my toes, and I was hooked from the start. Austin is not at all what he seems, and he and his friends go try to steel from a casino, which is owned by Dante, and that is when things definitely get very interesting. Loved Austin and Dante's story a lot, their passionate connection, but plus the way they kept pushing each other. Definitely fantastically written. Another fabulous read from the multi-author Tales From the Tarot series.
There was a good premise, but I was left wanting a little more. The first half was good and certainly captured my attention, but after that, I felt the conflict and romance was very rushed, and I didn't 100% understand the prophecy, what it meant for our MCs, and also why everything was okay in the end. If there was a few more pages, like another hundred, I think things could've been slowed down and developed a bit more. Don't get me wrong, I did still enjoy the characters, but I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied.
Very enjoyable quick read with some really unusual plot ideas about the devil and a half angel. Austin was being used by his friends to steal money from casinos, which was a really bad idea when they tried to steal from the devil owner. Even though the MCs were fated to be together, it was nice that they were allowed to have doubts. The Owner was quite helpful in this story and his gift was really unusual. It was nice to see the characters from other books, although this works completely as a standalone.
This is a new to me author and did not disappoint. The storytelling is engaging with rich world building. I’d love to read more set in it. Dante and Austin’s have fantastic chemistry and their story is interesting enough to keep you invested throughout. I enjoy great secondary characters and this one delivers which added to the overall depth of the book.
This is another wonderful addition to the Tales from the Tarot multi author series of standalones which means we get another glimpse of the mysterious Magic Shop and its shadowy owner. Why not read them all?
I've read several in this series and this one was a bit strange to me. It took me a bit to finish...kept going back because I really wanted to see the ending. I really didn't think Austin was ever gonna forgive Dante...too many bad stuff happened before and during their rocky relationship. Definitely a love hate thing they had going on. I did enjoy seeing other characters making an appearance from prior books. So all in all, it was OK...Nice HEA.
I received an advance review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Austin and Dante story was interesting with excitement and mystery thrown into the mix. It was an interesting concept and a unique pairing that had a couple of hurdles to get through to accomplish their destiny. It had danger and unexpected, as well a higher forces that want to keep them apart. I liked their chemistry and their bonding moments, as well as the way the truth was revealed. I liked the story and I’m looking forward to what’s coming next.