Thanks to BookSprout for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion...
It is not very often lately that I have been reading contemporary stories but the blurb on this one was very intriguing and this is my first time reading anything by this author. This is a dark romance with dubious morality and graphic sex, including multi-partner, masturbation, and voyeurism. There is elements of grooming and an abusive situation as well, and domestic violence that the FMC deals with as well, so warning to those who may be triggered by this.
The MMC, Mitch, is an older wealthy businessman, who bases his success on his sex business, which includes toys and porn. Despite his wealth and success, he seeks a loving relationship with a woman who shares his sexual appetites, but wants him for himself, not his wealth. Unfortunately, he married hastily to a woman who has turned out to be the very opposite of what he wants, and he is stuck until he can find a way out.
The FMC, Abby, is a hard working young waitress in Mitch's favourite diner, who has been crushing on him from afar. However, she is also stuck in an unhealthy relationship, and her friend and coworker has been trying to get her to move out. Things come to a head in that department and she gets free, ends up living with her friend while the both of them get second jobs cleaning. Ironically, the wife of her crush hires them to clean his house and business.
This is a dark story that involves a bit of stalking, and spying, as Mitch and Abby both work around their situations and their attraction to each other, including conspiring to prove his wife is cheating and working against Mitch with one of his friends to cheat and embezzle from him.
This is sexually graphic, dark, and there is definitely not a happy ever after for Mitch's enemies in this story - but definitely Mitch, Abby and a few other friends have a few happy endings (and yes, I mean *those* kind of happy endings) and Mitch finds his dream woman after he gets rid of the barriers in his way (and yes, I do mean gets rid of). This is not a sunshine happy romance; this is dark, and there are allusions to criminal/mob activities as well as to what I mentioned above - but it is oddly romantic in it's own way, and definitely an engrossing read. Definitely different from what I usually read, and kept my attention!
4 stars out of 5