Selling Scarlett

Love Inc. #1

by Ella James

Elizabeth DeVille doesn't belong at a party like this—one where the gowns cost more than her Camry and cigars run higher than her grad school utility bills. Dragged out of seclusion by her best friend Suri, Elizabeth is merely playing dress-up, rubbing elbows with a crowd that banished her troubled family years ago.

Hunter West is tired. Tired of parties, tired of pretending, and tired of trying to right a wrong that haunts him every day. Bourbon heir and professional poker player by day, by night Hunter is gambling with his life in a high-stakes game of crime and blackmail.

When Elizabeth stumbles into Hunter's den of vices, she's a light in the darkness, a flame in the void. And, just like everything he touches, Hunter mars her in a record time. To rectify the damage done, Elizabeth needs money she doesn't have, and she's come up with a foolproof way to get it.

Follow Elizabeth—code-named Scarlett—to the lush Nevada brothel where she'll auction her virginity and risk the only thing that's not for sale: her heart. The highest bidder is a familiar face, with wicked hands and the devil's mouth. And a secret so dark that it could cost her life.

***RECOMMENDED FOR READERS 17+ DUE TO SEXUALITY AND MATURE LANGUAGE.***

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Erotica, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, BDSM, Adult

348 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2013

About the author

Ella James is the USA Today + Amazon Top 10 bestselling author of more than twenty books. Ella lives in Colorado with her husband and three kids. When she's not writing, you can find her in the foothills.

Reviews

[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★! Selling Scarlett (stand alone) book 1. Suspenseful story of secrets, lies, villains, blackmail, kidnapping & conspiracy plus a brewing romance between a 5-star hero & heroine.

My warmest thanks go out to my fellow buddy-readers Mackenzie, Ash and Natalie, in particular Mackenzie who suggested we read this book, which ended up being the perfect way to spend the weekend!

Selling Scarlett is a stand-alone book 1 in the Love Inc. series. Each book will have its own hero/heroine. I recommend reading books in order as the characters from previous books will be re-appearing.

This story has a lot of everything; intrigue, mystery, secrets, deceit, blackmail, conspiracy, villains, sex, and a brewing romance with lots of sexual tension! The story takes off and with that I mean “off-the charts” off at around 25-30%. Prior to that we get to meet everyone while the background is laid out.

Hero: Hunter West/30years/son of US Senator/heir to a fortune/professional poker player-businessman/$$$$/blond hair/amber-green eyes
Heroine: Elizabeth DeVille, Lizzy, Libby/23 years/daughter to a heir/PhD student/dark brown hair/blue eyes/virgin

Story is told in present tense, alternating between Libby’s and Hunter’s POV.

Hunter has many qualities I enjoy in a hero. He is the handsome, sexy, detached, jaded, elusive, suave, entitled mega-rich playboy/man-whore. Future heir to a Bourbon fortune (West Bourbon), son of a U.S. Senator, he made his first fortune in investments while still in College. He later became a professional poker player and started his own Hollywood blockbuster movie production company. His fame, sexual exploits, good looks and fortune has made him sought after by gossip magazines and woman alike. But he prefers to pay for escorts. And he has family secrets that he will do just about anything to protect:

“He's languid to the point of appearing almost lazy, and yellow or green, those eyes are framed by ridiculous lashes, set in a strong face with prominent cheekbones, full lips, and a sensuous smile.”

Elizabeth, Lizzy or Libby as Hunter prefers to call her also has a privileged background. Daughter of the heir to a water bottle empire (DeVille Water) she was raised in opulence. But her mom’s addictions took its toll on the family. While Libby’s mom was in and out of rehabs, her father started a new family on the side. He finally left them when Libby started College. Surviving on a small allowance that barely covers her mom’s rehab bills Libby drives an old car and is staying rent free with her friend Suri Dalton (daughter of a Software millionaire). Libby is finishing up her PhD in Ethics. She is a little overweight and lacks confidence when it comes to men. She has never had a boyfriend, still a virgin at 23 years old. She is a wonderful person; so endearing, strong, smart, yet innocent. She is vivacious, very insightful with a good sense of humor.

Her other close friend is Cross Carlson, son of the California Governor, owner of his own hybrid biker design shop. He is estranged from his family and resides/hides out in Libby’s old run-down family home. He will play an important part in this story!

There is so much to take in that I have decided to do a detailed summary of the plot up till that point. Book description hints to everything, but I will just go into more detail. Therefore this review will contain spoilers up until 30% of story and it will be a long review:

The BACKGROUND of Hunter and Libby takes us back six years. Libby, age sixteen was driving near her home when her mom’s old Porsche broke down right outside Hunter West’s Napa Valley vineyard. He was twenty-three at the time and busy entertaining an escort. He suggested Libby spend the night in his guest house. The following morning Libby encountered Hunter having sex by the pool and since then he has been her (porn) fantasy and secret crush. She has kept detailed tabs:

“…my insides have quivered every time I see him on Moneyline or read about his poker tournaments in a newspaper. It's even worse when the gossip blogs feature him toting a trophy date to this event or that…”

The PROLOGUE takes place 2 months prior to the story opening (in chapter one). We meet a very suave, jaded Hunter leaving Wynn Las Vegas after winning $5 Million a poker tournament. He is driving his Aston Martin in route to his Gulfstream to fly back to his Napa Valley vineyard. But he is intercepted by his long-time friend Marchant, whose exclusive brothel/escort empire, Love Inc., Hunter had helped fund a decade earlier. His friend begs him for a favor; Marchant’s favorite porn star Priscilla Heat has agreed to star in an orgy with him providing Hunter stops by to say hi. When Hunter arrives Priscilla tries to seduce him, he is both turned on and off by her and rebuffs her seduction attempts and instead goes to his private suite and spends the night with his favorite escort, Sarabelle.

Priscilla did not take the rejection well and sends him a drink spiked with a rooffie. The escort Sarabelle goes missing and Hunter is the last person to have seen her. In addition, Priscilla starts blackmailing Hunter with his family secrets and he enters into a violent sexual relationship with her. She becomes increasingly demanding, playing devious games while Hunter is trying to appease her to keep his secrets and determine what she knows and what part she might have played in the disappearance of Sarabelle.

“So I'm letting fear dictate the vile things I do with Priscilla. Letting fear keep me in this trap until Marchant and I figure it out…”

CHAPTER 1 opens up at with Hunter hosting a party at his estate. Libby is in attendance with her friends, Suri and Cross. Poor Libby she feels out of place and has lost one contact so she can barely see. We are privy to Libby’s insightful observations about herself, Hunter and the other guests.

“I'm Elizabeth DeVille, super spy and resident poor girl, and watching him out of the corner of my eye will have to do. I nod at something my best friend Suri is saying to me, feeling like a shitty friend because I'm not really listening.”

***
“Hunter West… has too much breeding to be awkward and he's too straightforward to play at anything—although he is hard to get; he's impossible. I watch him produce a convincing and completely gorgeous grin for Brina before he turns to Mary Baldwin, ruffling her chin-length hair and laughing with his blond head thrown back. This earns him a small smile, which, coming from Brina, is like a lap dance.”

***
“With the exception of Hunter West, who's been my own personal porn since that fateful night Mom's Porsche broke down, I don't find that many men attractive. Maybe I am a lesbian, but I don't think so.”

She wanders off into the mansion and overhears Hunter having sex with Priscilla. She decides to masturbate and finds an empty room or so she thought. Hunter is there erratic, distracted and drunk, but when he realizes what she was about to do he offers his assistance, tongue and all. Afterwards he storms off and ends up in the claws of Priscilla. Libby stumbles upon them in a somewhat compromising situation with Hunter half-strangling Priscilla in foreplay.

Back at the party Libby has a quarrel with Cross over Hunter. He is jealous and storms out, jumps on his motorcycle and takes off. Only for Libby to come across Cross by the side of the road with a severe head injuring that has put in him in a coma.

In the weeks following the party/accident Libby is busy with tending to Cross, school and her mom. Hunter’s life is spinning out of control with blackmail and the investigation into Sarabelle’s disappearance. He is being following by who knows who. He is having Priscilla and several other suspects followed and he is watching over Libby who is being followed by Priscilla who has also infiltrated the police.

Hunter and Libby have a few more encounters some hot, some sweet which only confuse Libby further. She is not aware of the kidnapping nor the blackmail. She thinks Hunter is dating Priscilla. I won’t get into Hunter’s thoughts and feeling regarding Libby, I‘ll let you read and enjoy that part yourself.


Meanwhile Cross is recovering splendidly until his family decides to pull the plug on his expensive N-therapy rehab to send him to a county run rehab. He suffers a stroke in transit and when Libby visits she is devastated to discover the facility has already given up on him. Cross is not going to make it unless he can get better care and N-therapy.

She pleads with Cross’ mother to no avail. They are not willing to pay the $4,000+ per day in medical fees. Libby calls her father asking for a loan from her trust, and he hangs up on her. She shows up in court for a hearing regarding Cross and her attorney interrupts the proceedings and Libby is given permission to pay for Cross’ care. Under the light of the news cameras Cross’ family have no choice but to agree. But Libby still needs to figure out how to get the money. She is at her wits end. She loves her friend and she feels partly responsible since they had a fight right before he drove off. She considers selling a kidney and then she has an idea. In the state of Nevada prostitution is legalized so Elizabeth decides to sell her virginity. She makes arrangement with an Auctioneer to have her V-card auctioned off under the name “Selling Scarlett”. No one is to know it’s Elizabeth Deville.

Next she bids her family and friends goodbye feeding them a story about a trip. She stops by her professor’s office prepared to take a semester off, but proposes that she be allowed to do her final thesis about her experience. Her professor signs off on it, but with reservations. The only person she tells is her friend Suri, who is devastated, offering to try to help pay some of the Cross’ medical bills. But Libby is driven by more than love, friendship and guilt:

“A good twenty percent of this idea's allure is in my eagerness to get rid of my V-card so I can stop saving it for Hunter. I need to be freed of that idea. Freed of my crush. I hope that after spending some time at Love Inc., I never blush in the middle of a sexual encounter ever again. No Hunter West or anybody else will be able to knock me off my feet, and I like that idea.”

The next day Libby arrives in Las Vegas to spend a couple of weeks preparing for the auction. And so the story continues or rather unravels from here….Strap on your seatbelt!!!

At his point Hunter is anything but the suave pokerfaced professional poker player we met in the prologue. He is getting more and more frantic; sleepless nights, too much alcohol, stress, Priscilla’s mind games, manipulation and blackmail. He doesn’t know who he can trust. He reminds me of a person running the wrong way up an escalator. The walls are closing in. Libby is in danger and so is Cross, but most of all Hunter:

“There’s a common perception, partially true, that rich people are above the law. It’s true for a lot of us, but I have a feeling my notoriety could work against me. I’m the kind of guy prosecutors like to stick a case to. And I've got a dirty past.”

Hunter and Libby have this attraction, so much sexual tension... But their timing is so off, it’s like they are in parallel worlds. You may get the urge to scream at your Kindle. Will Libby’s V-card remain intact until the auction? Will Hunter even hear about the auction in time?

I might have wished that the timeline be listed somehow to help put everything in perspective in the beginning. The story is so intense and starts off with a bang. I had to go over everything a few times, hence my detailed review. My other gripe was minor and is best ignored, but the story made it sound as if one could drive from Napa to LA in a couple of hours.

Selling Scarlett is a whirlwind romance and a dangerous game of cat and mouse; secrets, deceit, cover-up and blackmail. I had a few theories; some secrets I figured out and others took me by surprise. There is a conspiracy that runs deep and high with villains, some visible others not, plotting, framing and stirring willing to do anything necessary to achieve their objective. Therein lays the danger:

“Powerful players produce powerful results.”

Excellent storytelling courtesy Ella James with many well developed characters, in particular Hunter and Libby who were so well captured in their POV’s. It is such a treat to read a story where the heroine is strong!

The suspense will keep you at the edge of your seat, frantically reading. But it’s the brewing romance and the sexual tension between Hunter and Libby that make the story!

***
Hero rating: 5 stars
Heroine rating: 5 stars
Sex scenes rating: 5 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 4 stars
Storyline concept rating: 5 stars
Storyline execution rating: 4 stars
Storytelling skills rating: 5 stars
Story ending rating: 5 stars
Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): 4.5 stars
************************************************
Overall rating: 5 stars

Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Yes.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me, while reading this book:



If the title looks familiar, this is an updated version of a previously released novel by the author. This edition features tighter editing and updated content, so if you've read the original version, you might still be interested in seeing how far the story has come.

Hunter is a renown poker player and a bit of a play boy, and is the object of Elizabeth/Libby's unrequited affection. Libby finds herself in a bit of a pickle when she feels responsible for helping her friend Carter pay for his impending medical treatments, so Libby finds a creative way to help cover those expenses. The story that follows is full of mystery, suspense, and straight up fire level steam. I don't want to say too much, because most of the fun is letting that suspense build and wondering what the outcome of Hunter and Libby's investigation unfurls, but know that this is a fast paced novel of romantic suspense that will be tough to put down once it gets going. There are quite a few characters, but the beauty of the large cast is that there are three more books in the series that we get to explore while featuring some of the minor characters as well. A truly fun read!

*Many thanks to the author for providing my review copy.

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

*****3.75 Stars*****
(ARC Provided by Netgalley)





Elizabeth "Libby" Deville is a 23 year old college student, who was once an heiress to a bottled water company, until her father sold his shares to the company and abandoned Libby and her mother.
Her mom's an addict who is currently in rehab.
She lives with her best friend, Suri, in Napa Valley.


Hunter West, has been the object of Libby's fantasies, since she was 16 and he was the hot, older, guy next door.
Hunter likes spending time with escorts.
He's never been in a serious relationship.
He's wealthy and he is a professional poker player.


I have to say, I was thoroughly confused in the beginning of the story.
There were so many things going on and WAY TOO many characters, that it was hard to keep the story straight.
First we're in Vegas and Hunter is at a "Bunny Ranch/whorehouse", where he ends up being drugged. He wakes up to find the girl he was with, has vanished.
Then he's in his Napa Valley home at a dinner party with a Porn Star as his escort, and it's clear he loathes her.
This is where Libby is introduced, and she does something at this party that had me saying "REALLY??!!"





I don't think I finally got it all straight till I was about 35% into the story.
BUT, once it all clicked, I started to enjoy the book.



Libby's friend, Cross, has an accident on his motorcycle, that leaves him critically injured and in a coma. His father, who is the Governor, refuses to pay his hospital bills, and he's moved to a state funded facility where his medical care is sub-standard.
She decides to do something really desperate to raise the funds to pay for him to be sent back to the state of the are facility that he was removed from.
Libby offers to sell her virginity to the highest bidder at the Love Inc. Bunny ranch in Vegas.
She jets off to Love Inc, where she will learn from the "pros", all the tricks of the trade.



The story centers around Libby and Hunter for the most part, but also there is a mystery going on as well. Over the past several years, a few call girls have disappeared, including the one that Hunter was with the night he was drugged.
Someone is framing Hunter, and you kind of figure out who, but as to the why, I'm still a little confused myself about that.


I would have really loved this one if the story could have been less complicated. All the different sub plots seemed to be unnecessary.
It did end up being an enjoyable read and I will read book two because I actually dug Cross and want to see him end up with a fantastic leading lady!

["That's All" Ash · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have been a great book had the author showed up.

[image error]

That's all.

;)

[*Marsha,Marsha,Marsha* It's always Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best line in this book: I give blow jobs! Don't hurt me! I'll give you a blowjob!

Well, Ella James went over to the dark side in a pretty wild way. Mystery,brothel,selling V card, political escapades, drug addictions, S/M, sex trade, and only god knows what else. I feel sort of tied up in knots about this one because I wanted Priscilla the Bitch in Heat to HURT. And I mean hurt.

There are so many layers to this story that at times, in the beginning, I did get a tad confused. Lots of going back and forth. The prologue and first couple of chapters had me seriously going WTH? Hunter, Priscilla,Elisabeth/Lizzy/Libby, Cross. I wasn't sure who was what to be honest for a while.

Then little by little the onion's layers peel back a bit at a time. Here's what I know:
1.Hunter is one F*ucked up guy.
2.Priscilla is one F*ucking Bitch.
3.Libby is, well, different, and just wants Hunter to F*uck her.
4.Cross is confusing as hell and to be honest, he doesn't know who he's f*cked.

I'm not even sure how to even try and write a review about this book. It's SO much more than Selling Scarlett, even though the title of the book makes you think that's all it is about. Oh not true. In fact,
the whole selling the V card doesn't even happen until a ways into the story.

I have to admit though. Going to some high priced brothel to get training lessons (grin) in sex was a new one for me. And let's just be honest: if I had any idea that a V card was worth THIS much, well maybe my college tuition would have been free! (snort)

I'm not sure how everyone will take this book. My guess is this: you'll either really really like it or just go "Meh".....

I'm going with 3.8 to 4 Stars...because I did like it and will read the follow up!!

[Shurrn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ups and Downs with this one...



Selling Scarlett was like a psychotic snowball rolling down a hill - all awkward and unassuming at the beginning; easy to ignore, monochromatic white on white... Then to my surprise (and seemingly out of nowhere) it gained momentum. Unstoppable momentum. It rolled over everything in its path, leaving me wondering if that crappy little snowball at the beginning was really the precursor to the avalanche it became.

Alright, enough of the metaphors... This book was a lot of things... Or at least it tried to be a lot of things. It had several failings in my opinion, but once it hooked me (which took at least 1/4 of the book), I didn't put it down. I stayed up until 1am to finish it.

It had some glaring mistakes that could have been caught with the utilization of a competent editor, but they weren't too terribly distracting. In fact, I kind of got the impression that the first half of this book was written independently from the second...

In my experience with crime/thriller fiction, a proficient author will attempt to break up the tension every now and then, luring the reader into a false sense of safety before ratcheting up your anxiety once more. Generally this is accomplished through humor. Unfortunately, I found the humor in this book ridiculously, unbelievably, and unforgivably sophomoric in comparison to the subject matter.

"...I'm starting to get a serious case of belly bats (the unrelated more serious cousins of butterflies.)"

After taking some time to think about this book, I believe the lack of humor (or any other periodic pallet cleanser to the plot line) is what killed the book for me. It caused the whole work to lack a necessary balance. If a reader can deal with political corruption, kidnapping, murder for hire, prostitution, blackmail, and selling women into sex slavery, I promise they can handle some dark or dry humor. It occurred to me that perhaps the author was attempting to use sexy situations to break up the tension... if that was the case, we'll need to add another failure to the list.

In addition to the problem with balance, there were way too many characters. Seriously. If a character is unimportant, and I don't need to remember them for the progression of the story - if I'm never going to see their names again, consider calling them "two former FBI agents, a security adviser, and a PI" instead of telling me that "Theodore and William were in the FBI together before starting a private firm with Christoper. Jonathan joined three years later with a chip on his shoulder..." (For the record that's not an actual quote form the book, just trying to make a point.) As I finished the book I noticed a big shiny advertisement for the next book in the series, and suddenly the hap-hazard character structure made sense - This book was a teaser for a series (which I did not realize when I downloaded it) so the author was just trying to set up a few names which will (in theory) be flushed out later in the series.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I saw that Ella James had teamed up with some of my favorite authors, I knew I needed to start this series. Who could resist when you look at the company she keeps? And just who are these authors? CD Reiss, K.I. Lynn, JA Huss, Cc Gibbs, Shay Savage, Andrea Smith, Alessandra Torre and K. Bromberg. Haven't heard of The Erotica Consortium yet? Check out the Facebook Page by clicking here!

So as you can see, there was no way I was going to put off reading this book any longer.



Elizabeth (Libby) is the heiress to her family's bottled water company but that company isn't doing to well these days and between the father that disappeared and the mother that is spending the nonexistent fortune on rehab, Elizabeth finds herself in the fringe of what used to be her social circle. But there is one man that is in the center, Hunter. She has had a crush on him since he came to her rescue on the side of the road when she was just sixteen. But a man like Hunter in't one you dream of taming, he may star in a few fantasies; but he is always just out of reach.

When she finds herself in disparate need of money there is only one place to go, only one thing left to sell. Her virginity. Love Incorporated is a well established brothel ran by Merch, Hunter's best friend. A place Hunter knows all too well. But she's not just stepping into his arena when she finds herself in Vegas preparing to be auctioned off to the highest bidder; she has walked right into his nightmare.



Hunter's life gets turned upside down when he wakes to find his bed empty. Suddenly he is being blackmailed and is trapped in a web of crimes that he can't seem to escape. His life is complicated and when he can't stop thinking of Libby, complicated is just the beginning. He remembers her at sixteen and he can't seem to forget about her now. But keeping her safe means keeping her out of reach. The only problem is, he can't seem to say no.

"One time I fell in love with a woman in a Porsche."

This was such a well written and complex story and I loved every second of it. As the story starts off you get both points of views and pretty much two stories playing out. They intersect a few times at the start but really don't blend together until Libby makes her way to Vegas to prepare for the auction. Both parts of this story was captivating and Hunter was one of those bad-boy Heroes that is completely broken. He can't sleep, he can't be intimate; spending his time in the bed of the escorts at the ranch; former addict and man that's keeping secrets... I love this combination like a fat kid loves cake!

Libby was sure enough of herself, she didn't have an easy road and she was a tad bit shy at times; but all that faded whenever she found herself near Hunter. She was inexperienced, but her body knew how to react to him - it always had. And although there are some unsavory things about him, she just is unable to refuse that she wants him. I loved that she was willing to risk emotions for just simple tastes of him, rather than push and push until he gave her want she wanted; she was willing to take each experience with him as a gift. No self-shaming afterwards, just a little sullen taste of reality.

"...he screams sex. The kind of sex that's all slick skin and pheromones, bulging biceps..."

But that doesn't last too long. This had a feel of insta-love, but since they shared a history that went far beyond the start of this story, it played out perfectly with the timeline of events.

Beyond the romance and the sexy hero we got one helluva suspense vibe from the story. I was hooked into the who-dunnit aspects of this story just as I was with the relationship forming between Hunter & Libby. Cross is the next feature character to get his book, Taming Cross. I am excited to start this one since we got so much from the portions he was in during this book. Although he was not in a lot of the scenes, he was a major player in this story and we got enough of a tease into his back story to pull us right into his story.

Overall this was a fantastic read, Ella James does a beautiful job with the mingling of romance and suspense while ensuring that neither overtook the other as the story played out. Thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and am excited for Cross & Merch's story, hopefully we'll get a few bits and pieces of Hunter and Libby as the series continues.

[Stacia · Rating 1 out of 5]

The idea and synopsis of this book grabbed me; however, the book didn't meet my expectations.
I hate giving a one star (I think this is my first one)- but unfortunately this book just didn't feel complete and it read as though the author was trying to fill the story with too many parts.
Throughout the book, I felt as though parts of the story were missing. I wasn't able to connect with the characters and even 1/2 way through the book there was just no invest into the storyline. I felt like their was no chemistry between main characters Elizabeth and Hunter, a lot of people were introduced into the story that weren't needed, and I was just basically confused by the whole thing :(

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Yes, there were times that my head was spinning, and yes, it did take me a couple days to get through the first 40% of the book, but it was worth it. There was so much going on but it all tied in together making the mystery and story between Hunter and Elizabeth extremely intriguing!

This was one of those strange books that I actually enjoyed reading the heroine's POV more than the hero's. Hunter was fine, sexy and swoon-worthy, but he was always going through so much that it was either exhausting to read, or just hurt my heart for him.

I would suggest this to most, but on a side note - the editing seemed to be more noticable toward the second half of the book. This didn't make it entirely unreadable.. but I obviously noticed it and y'all just know how I feel about that. I will still read more from this author. Yes, definitely more.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Selling Scarlett is such an 'out there' story line that whilst I'm reading it, I'm thinking WTF.

Again whilst I'm reading it I'm also thinking "put it down, this is ridiculous" - and yet I couldn't. Sometimes you get to a point in a book where you've gone so far, you may as well go all the way! It had a bit of suspense, plenty of drama and some sex thrown in. More of a contemporary romance (with a bit of spice) rather than erotica.

3 1/2 stars.

[Didi · Rating 5 out of 5]

******* 4.5 STARS! *******

Can I believe this was a freebie? NO! But I am so glad I picked it up because it left me speechless.
I fell right into this wonderful story from the prologue. I had read other reviews that said it took time to take off but for me it was a rocket into my mind's stratosphere from the beginning!

It had many elements to it like romance, suspense, betrayal, deceit, kidnapping and forgiveness. I loved this book. Truly.

Quick synopsis: Elizabeth DeVille is almost a social outcast. Her wealthy family, with herself being an heiress to the DeVille bottled water enterprise, is financially on the rocks. Her mom is in rehab and her father has moved on. She attends college and is trying to escape her bleak history. She's also pined for Hunter West for a long time. Hunter is a wealthy heir to West Bourbon and a renegade poker player to boot. He's heavily connected and quite the heavy weight around the rich and famous.

He's also in hot water over a strange turn of events that occured one fateful night at his friends sexy retreat.

A party hosted at one of West's residences brings him and Elizabeth together. They've met before, many times, but for every longing and surreptitious glance his way, Elizabeth thinks Hunter doesn't even remember her or notice her presence. A chance run in together causes ripples in her reality as well as his including a serious accident for one of her friends, Cross. That accident and Elizabeth's decision to rectify his situation is the meat and potatoes of the book. So good!

I don't want to say anymore than that because there are so many things that happen here. The layers of betrayal are thick and difficult to peel back leaving Hunter, Elizabeth and her friend Cross embroiled in a cat and mouse game with the highest possible stakes.

I couldn't get away from my kindle! I was glued to every word, event, detail...and the details were rich. It's one of those stories that really lays down the groundwork well. Even before the climax of events culminating, I was riveted.

Elizabeth is a great character. She was selfless, strong, kind, smart and giving. I really liked her and her refusal to give up on the ones she loves. Hunter was a very intriguing character. He was beautiful, powerful, considerate and unfortunately, held the weight of the world on his shoulders. And then these two together? SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.

I loved them both and was incredibly happy with how everything turned out. The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was because at the point where things really came to a head I expected more. It didn't pull the grit card I was expecting it to, although it felt like that was the direction the book was going. It wasn't dark per se, but definitely had darker elements. It was also well shrouded in suspense and intrigue.

Being in dual POV's(Elizabeth and Hunter), the thoughts and feelings of these two characters really fleshed out the story well. It was so much more insightful to know that despite what one of them was thinking, the other was thinking something entirely different, in a good way.

I loved this! it was well written, minus some editing mishaps--althought it truly didn't stand out or distract from the story--suspenseful, and kept me on the edge of my seat. LOVED IT.

genre: Romantic Suspense/NA
STEAM: Moderate with high sexual tension
POV: Dual--Elizabeth and Hunter
CLIFFY: HEA! With Cross getting his own book next in the series

[Barbara Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t plan to read this book, but I’m glad I did. I didn’t think I would like the plot, but I was wrong. Stories centering on the unfettered world of the uber rich don’t usually appeal to me, and I wasn’t compelled to read about a professional gambler’s life of excess and a woman’s unconventional approach to get her V-card stamped.

I was interested in the plot of the second book in the series, Taming Cross, and thought I could read it as a standalone based on the book’s description on Amazon. A few pages into the book, I realized that I needed to backtrack and read the first book, Selling Scarlett, so I could fully understand Cross and the fallen man he has become. Technically, the book can stand alone, but I recommend starting the series at the beginning so that you can fully appreciate the complexity of the plot and the changes that Cross undergoes in his journey toward redemption.

Scarlett is a young woman who is kind and loyal to her friends. However, I had a hard time wrapping my mind around her idea to visit a brothel and sell her virginity so that she can use the money to help her friend, Cross. That just seems a bit extreme to me. Why can’t she just hold fundraisers? I think it’s unfortunate that people are in such a hurry to get rid of their virginity, and see it as a “problem” that is holding them back in their personal lives. She has the choice to wait and share herself with someone she loves; instead, she’s going to engage in an intimate act with a stranger she knows nothing about. I think it’s a regrettable action especially since she doesn’t even take the time to find out all of the details. She just wants to know when and where the auction is and how much money she can expect to get.

It also took me a while to warm up to Hunter and Elizabeth as a couple. I didn’t feel the chemistry between them. It was just established that they were attracted to each other. They don’t even know each other well enough to be considered acquaintances, but for a long time Elizabeth has had a huge crush on Hunter. Meanwhile, Hunter is being blackmailed by a porn star, Priscilla, and in order to protect his secrets, he engages in Priscilla’s masochistic sexual fantasies. Does he have to do this? I don’t think so. Hunter is tormented on so many levels that I can’t help but wonder if he doesn’t think Priscilla is all he deserves. The antagonists in the book are shallow, two dimensional characters who are easy to despise, and their behavior, at times, stretches believability to its limits.

Overall, though, Selling Scarlett was an emotionally-gripping read with a richly developed protagonist and heroine who become entangled in an intricate plot involving deception, betrayal, and sexual objectification James does an excellent job in drawing out the sexual tension between Hunter and Elizabeth as the stakes keep rising and the secrets get darker.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the unique plot of this story, is something I never even remotely read before. A woman who tries to sell her V-card for a noble cause. That sounds Victorian, which make me assume that this was initially a historical romance. The cover and the blurb sounds like the normal fluff, but there were some pretty serious issue dealt here. Kidnapping, abuse, human trafficking, friendship and love, of course.

The heroine, Elizabeth aka Libby is a virgin, a fact that will usually make me cringe, but she is not the usual kind who annoys me with her naivety or act all holier than thou. She is such a courageous, strong and selfless character. The length she would go to help her best friend, Cross, might make you question her sanity, but I simply wanted to salute her. Cross was fatally injured in an accident and now laying comatose, Libby needs money to get him into the best healthcare facilities. I bet this woman will even sell her soul to the devil if this is a paranormal book. Her reaction towards her situation feels so real and I snickered whenever she talked about her 'belly bats'.

Meanwhile, there is the enigmatic Hunter West, Libby's secret crush since she first met him six years ago. He is the West Bourbon heir, professional poker player and also the frequent patron of Love Inc, the high end brothel established by his best friend, Marchant. Although we have Hunter's POV, his background, secret and motivation are part of the mystery and towards the end I still find myself finding out new tidbits about him as a character.

Hunter find himself in a very sticky situation that might threaten his freedom and his family reputation. An escort of the Love Inc was missing and Hunter was turning out to be the prime suspect. Initially, I thought he seems like typical alpha male, but later I found out that's not the case. All I can say is 'Aww....poor Hunter'. From the beginning of the book, I had no idea Hunter was such a tortured hero, now I just wanted to wrap him up and assure him that everything is going to be alright.

The prologue and the first quarter of the book threw me off guard and I kept splitting my head trying to figure out what the hell is happening. Either the author is lousy in conveying the message or she intentionally keep me in the dark, I'm not sure, but I'm so wildly intrigue and got so caught up with the mysterious plot.

Hunter keep popping in and out of the picture throughout the book and left me panting every time he vanished. I just wanted to simply put a thumb on him and keep him on the page with Libby. Okay, that sounds weird. Although the amount of page time that Libby and Hunter were actually together was not as much as I would prefer, I found their romance really heart warming and sweet. They both care for each other deeply even before they were an item. They spent most of the book getting embroiled in the chaos that I anticipating some down time for them to just be together. I find Libby kind of like a knight in shining armor trying to save him from the evil. She is so stubborn and persistent when it comes to getting what she wants. She is simply marvelous.

We also had a great cast of secondary characters, the girls at Love Inc, Loveless and Juniper, Hunter's best friend, Marchant, Libby's best friend, Suri and Cross. I wonder will Cross end up with Suri in the next book. Last but the least the woman I hate the most, Priscilla Heat. Urg! I so wanted to punch her fake boobs and skin off her sprayed-on tan.

My minor problem is with the overall investigation on the missing escort. There was simply too many parties involves and some parts were not explained clearly during the process. I find myself feeling puzzled most of the time. Anyway, Hunter and Libby were simply too intriguing that I don't really give a damn on that issue. The HEA epilogue we got is really sweet and it wrapped up all the unanswered question nicely. Though I wish I got much more elaborate epilogue or maybe even another half length of a book dedicated for their time together. I'm looking forward to Cross book to get some glimpses into Hunter and Libby's life later.

"One time I fell in love with a woman in a Porsche".

[KMB · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am an Ella James fan so I was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I spent the first part of the book distracted by the fact that they were driving back and forth between Napa and LA as if its a morning commute as opposed to an all day drive. I couldn't figure out if I was misunderstanding, if its not common knowlege that California is BIG, or if maybe mapquest had gone defunct and it is no longer possible to look that kind of thing up. I digress...I was occasionally tripped up by a typo but this was still well under par compared to a lot of indie books I've read lately and certainly not so many that I couldn't get past. What I really had a hard time with was keeping all of the characters straight; all of the parents, all the suspects, the escorts, the PIs/police/FBI. Many of whom we never even actually met. I just spent quite a bit of time confused and muddling through, hoping I could figure it out later. Mostly, I did. I also really can't think of a single NA trope that wasn't touched on here, not that that's really surprising for this genre. Despite all this, and the fact that I was often irritated by the heroine's immature behavior, I still found myself engrossed and at least mildly entertained by this one. My verdict? Glad I read it, wish I bought it on sale.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was nearly a DNF for me, But I stuck with it and In the end I did enjoy it.

It's a weird one for me to rate. I really liked the story line of how she was selling her V card I thought that was awesome.
But it felt like it took so long to get there.

I don't know, I did like it, Just didn't LOVE it. But will read the next one for sure.

3.5 Stars

[~♡AB♡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Not enough romance for me, it's more of a mystery/suspense story. If you like that kind of thing its a good story, although the ending felt a little rushed.

[Ashly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the thoughts behind a book like this however the execution was not what I thought it should be. The story seemed rushed to me, as well as jumped back and forth. You never actually find out the whole story about Hunter and Rita though Libby finds out and its annoying that it was not shared. I also didn't quite understand the relationship between Libby and Hunter, again it just seemed really rushed. The whole framing plot really didnt sit well with me either. Honestly the book to me didnt seem that well thought out and there were A LOT of spelling errors missing words and bad sentences which is saying something as I am dyslexic and cant spell worth a damn and these things actually popped out to me! Disappointing to say the least

[Cameo · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is ~ WOW! This is the first book I've read of Ella James, and it definitely won't be my last!!! I love her writing style, and this book completely had me. Romance, mystery, suspense... It had a bit of everything. And, Hunter West. OMG!!! I loved every page. Pick it up and check it out.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of those ok reads. If you don't mind it being completely predictable, you'll enjoy it.

Also, the female main character kept making stupid exclamations like "holy crabcakes!". WTF is that even? What's so bad about the good ol' tried and true "holy shit!"? At least it makes some goddamned sense! lol

[Lu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just to give you an idea about this book--my favorite character was the heroine's best friend, Cross, and he was unconscious for 80% of the book.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

'As she puts the earrings on me, I feel a sense of total peace. And okay, it evaporates as soon as they leave the room and a little speaker on the bed tells me I'd be live in two minutes. But before that moment, I feel valued and loved. Here in a brothel.'

Plot

Dragged out of seclusion by her best friend Suri, Elizabeth DeVille attends a party where the gowns cost more than her car, and the cigars cost more than her utility bills. She's rubbing shoulders with a crowd that banished her troubled family years ago.

Hunter West is tired of his lifestyle; full of parties, pretending, and trying to right a wrong that's haunted him for many years. Professional Poker player by day, by night Hunter gambles with his life in a game of crime and blackmail.

When Elizabeth stumbles across Hunter that night, she doesn't realise the damage that this encounter is about to have on her life. In order to rectify the damage caused, Elizabeth needs money that she doesn't have, and comes up with a way to get it.

Elizabeth enters a Nevada brothel, with Scarlett as her code name, where she'll auction off her virginity to the highest bidder. The person in question is a familiar face, and just might put her heart in jeopardy.

My thoughts

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, via NetGalley. I found it difficult to rate this book if I'm honest, and was torn between rating it 3 or 4 stars. There were parts of this book that were exciting, and it was certainly a very new type of read for me. Whilst there were parts that were fast paced, that didn't come until the last section of the book. There seemed to be a lot of build up to the main event of the story, and these parts dragged along for me. Hence why I could only rate it as 3 stars, although if half ratings were available, I'd rate it as 3.5.

As I said before, this was a new type of read for me, as although I've read a lot of Romance books, this one was very different, and for me the romance took a back seat. Although Elizabeth can't stop thinking about Hunter West, her main focus is really on her friend Cross, who's currently lying in hospital. He's the reason that Elizabeth enters the brothel in Nevada, as his family are refusing to pay his medical bills. Determined to give him the best possible care, Elizabeth chooses to sacrifice her virginity.

Elizabeth is obviously feeling desperate when she makes this decision, as although she comes from a wealthy family, her fortunes dried up a long time ago. She clearly thinks that this is the only way to raise a large sum of money so quickly and get Cross the best care before it's too late.

As I've pointed out already, parts of this did seem to drag along a bit, but I didn't lose my interest. The story was told in alternating points of view, between Elizabeth and Hunter, and it was mostly Hunter's side of the story that dragged along for me. There was just so much going on in Hunter's story, that it was hard to follow at times, but at the same time it was interesting to see his whole mystery unfold towards the end of the book.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and I'm glad I requested it on NetGalley. It was certainly a different set up to Romance novels I've read in the past, and for that reason I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a romantic read with a good share of mystery thrown into the mix.

[Joy (joyous reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ridiculous plot line or not, I went into this book with the idea that it’s going to be like a Pretty Woman type of story. While the selling of Scarlett part happened for about two seconds in the book, the better part of the story was really focused on Hunter.

Scarlett or Elizabeth is a twenty-something virgin who is looking to make some quick money in order to help out a friend. Commendable reason, yes. But there's something utterly preposterous about someone selling their virginity - a concept, that while I know may be happening behind closed doors - is just utterly unrealistic to me.

I really have no idea why they packaged this novel like the entire plot revolves around Scarlett. It’s really more about Hunter, who got tangled with the law for the disappearance of a prostitute.

The air of mystery surrounding the book was nicely done but the romance was a little hot and cold for me.

As for pacing, there were instances when readers would get lost; the author didn’t really have any smooth transitions of events. It lent for a frustrating, choppy read.

This is my second Ella James book; and though I didn’t really enjoy reading this one, I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review

2.5 stars

Selling Scarlett was a crazy rollercoaster for me. The book begins and you're thrown headfirst into the complication that is Hunter's life. I was so confused for the first 20% of this book. I really had no idea what was going on, or where this book took place, or even who the 20,000 people were that were introduced. It finally started making sense once we got more of Elizabeth and Hunter's inner thoughts.

I won't go into detail about the plot, because it just gets more ridiculous as the book goes on. There's a disappearance, a murder, an accident, someone's in a coma... and the selling of Elizabeth's virginity. And that's just a few of the things that we encounter. It was pretty fast paced, and I did want to see what was going to happen next. I'm a curious girl.

I will say that I did believe in Hunter and Elizabeth as a couple. Even with everything going on, and Hunter being a shady SOB, I actually did connect with their relationship and its progression.

So this wasn't really a winner for me, but it definitely kept me entertained.

[Jacqueline's Reads]

I LOVE the new cover! What a difference. FREE!!! - > http://www.amazon.com/Selling-Scarlet...

[BeeH · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the suspense.Wish the romance was stronger though.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall - I liked this one due to a great idea behind an intricate mystery plot! However, it kept somewhat falling flat ... The romance part of the book was also lacking, as the main couple got very little "screen time" together... They were mostly apart, so i found it hard to believe in this love that was developing between them. Therefore, this novel - which had SO much potential - let me down on both levels > with the mystery AND with the romance! If only one of the two were written a bit better, this would be a 4* read, easily!

My biggest issue while reading this book - especially at the beginning - was that I had mixed feelings as to what the author was trying to say and accomplish. The beginning was written in a confusing way and felt like parts of the story were randomly missing. I'm assuming the author did it for some sort of effect, but a lot of the story was just unclear and I wasn't able to connect with the characters until much later, due to this!

1st example of confusing writing/missing parts:
At the beginning, Hunter (poker player and playboy) is at his friend's whorehouse and is approached by Priscilla, a porn star, (why?! how?! do they already know each other?!) and he rejects her - even though it is hinted at them having had some sort of relationship... He then hires a whore, has sex with her and passes out ... In the morning - the whore has disappeared... But not much attention is paid to this at that point. Then we have a flash forward to Hunter throwing a house party for the rich and famous - enter Elizabeth. Here we find out that Elizabeth's had a crush on him since she was a teenager... During this party, she is snooping through his house, only to witness him having, what is hinted at being rough bdsm, sex with Priscilla. The reader is now left confused - what is he doing with the porn star, when he showed no interest in her in the last chapter? How long ago was that brothel scene when he rejected her? Last night? Few nights ago? Months? Years? The timeline here is completely unclear... To make things even weirder - Hunter catches Elizabeth spying on him , kicks Priscilla out and goes down on Elizabeth ... I mean - ew - he just had sex with someone else!!!

2nd example of confusing writing:
Elizabeth's best friend, Cross, ends up in an accident-induced coma. His rich-as-sin parents refuse to pay for his care (WTF?! WHY?!) and Elizabeth has to sell her virginity at the brothel in order for Cross to get the care he needs. Really? Of all these insanely rich people, only poor Elizabeth thinks that she should be paying for his care?! Literally, the ONLY person without money is the person offering to pay?! What about their mutual friend, Suri, who has a CRUSH on Cross?! She wears a multi-million dollar ring on her finger, yet she can't offer to pay for her crush's care?! Made NO sense!

3rd example of missing parts of the story:
Hunter has a dark secret from his childhood - Rita, his stepmother was in some way abusive to him. "Slapping around" was mentioned, but never the context or the reason! So we never really know what was the issue between them. So when the big "reveal" comes - that at some point he hit her back and the fall killed her - I didn't really know what to feel! Did he just kill his stepmom for no reason?! Did he kill her in self-defence?! I mean - an older woman smacking him around, does NOT justify a 16-year-old guy hitting her back so hard that she falls and splits her head open! Were there no other options for him ?! Was it more than smacking him around? Was she fully abusive even while he was a small child?! WHY was she abusive and in what way?! We don't know ANY of this!

4th example of confusing plot/missing parts of the story:

At some point, we finally find out that Hunter thinks that Priscilla is trying to frame him for the disappearance of the whore from the brothel, so THAT's WHY he engages in a sexual relationship with her, even though he doesn't want her... He acts as if he is appalled and repulsed, yet he allows her to whip him and do all kinds of nasty and hurtful things to him. Is this really necessary?! Just because you think she's trying to frame you, you will let her beat you, whip you, and humiliate you - how is this helping you solve the case ?!?!
Finally, the person who Priscilla is working with is revealed - and we find out about their human trafficking plot - selling whores to Mexican drug lords, who in-turn, sell these women further into slavery ... Yet we never find out how Priscilla (and the politician she works with) picked out Hunter to be their scapegoat?! Why him?! How did they even know him / of him - a poker player ?! Also, we find out that this politician and Priscilla caused Cross's accident (i.e. tried to kill him) - why?!?!?!?! What did Cross have to do with anything?! He was just Elizabeth's friend - he did not even know Hunter... weird!

The ending was also very haphazard - everything finishes off in a few rushed , action-filled pages, without too many details or even much of an explanation. The explanation that is offered is overly simplified and does not really clarify such an intricate white-slavery plot that was laid out earlier...

So overall - lots of dark topics touched upon, lots of suspense and mystery, but everything seemed a bit (pardon my language) half-assed! It seemed like the author had a lot of good things going, but only touched upon each and then let them be! Not one thing was worked out thoroughly! That's what I call a waste of great potential!

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never had this much trouble writing a review before...*frustrated*


“Holy crap. Holy insanity. Holy vagina.”
--Ella James, Selling Scarlett

Bottle water heiress, Elizabeth (Liz, Lizzy, Libby) DeVille is a virgin. It doesn’t seem like a big deal until an accident leaves her friend, Cross, in a coma. Without proper care after his parents write him off, Lizzy decides to cash in her V-card to the highest bidder…

“’We’ll put you up on billboards around Vegas and we’ll talk you up. Something like…’Selling Scarlett’.” “And I’m Scarlett?” “Yeah. You like it?” I’m not sure how I feel about it, but I say, “Yeah. Scarlett sounds good.”’”

Whiskey heir, professional poker player, and playboy, Hunter West doesn’t do relationships. With a complicated past, it just seems easier to pay for his affections. Hunter is a regular at Vegas brothel, Love Incorporated, owned by his long-time best friend, Marchant Radcliffe. Hunter enjoys his “no strings attached” lifestyle until a devious (and in my opinion, crazy) Priscilla Heat decides to use him in ways no one thought possible. Next thing he knows, Hunter wakes up after a night with one of his favorite escorts, to a massive hangover and a missing girl…with him being the main suspect. Keeping his distance from Vegas and Love, Inc. seems like the best thing until he finds out about “Scarlett.”

Ah, the plot thickens…

“’This is good for you,’ he tells me. “Real good. You got a price I wouldn't dream of and the bidder is a good guy. That’s a Disney ending.’”

Or is it?

This book has so much more to it than just what the title indicates. There are sub-plots, a plethora of characters, and a constant change of POV from Elizabeth to Hunter (which I actually enjoyed—it’s like getting both sides of the story at once). This tale is a tangled web of secrets, lies, lust, sex, politics, crime, addiction, money, abandonment, resolution, friendship, trust, and ultimately, love. At the beginning, I was confused and overwhelmed by all of the descriptive wording used by the author, sometimes it was a bit too much but the story-line held true and the ride Ms. James took me on was definitely a memorable one. I look forward to the next installment of Love, Inc.

**Four Heated Stars**

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Selling Scarlett by Ella James
Review done by Amanda <3

If you're like me, this book was a breath of fresh air. I was in a funk. A serious book funk. Everything I read wasn't doing it for me. I was about to get professional help when Ella James stated she was releasing Selling Scarlett last Friday. I had read the blurb before and I was so excited. Finally something different had come a long. Then amazon made me wait. For three effing days. I was seriously upset. But I finally woke up one day and it was live. I bought and went on a ride. A gritty erotic ride. I have read James's other series and was not expecting the sex to be so detailed and hawt! I have to say this author has definitely crossed the YA line and did it very well. Lizzy or as Hunter calls her Libby, was strong and willing to do anything for her friend. She just didn't expect for Hunter to be her savior. I didn't realize that this was going to be a suspense and it sure left me on the end of my seat. Biting my nails and pulling on my hair. The story kind of left me crazy. The most interesting thing about this book is the way James paints the escorts. You don't stop to think that they have lives or even why they are escorts to begin with. It actually made me love them just as much as Lizzy and Hunter. Now Hunter knows how to pull some heart strings. I never cry during reading but I shed a few for him. I have a similar past and it certainly made me connect with him. Lizzy also has a bad past and she is independent and strong because of it. Their relationship is a slow sweaty hot build. I found myself panting and swooning. I love that they didn't automatically end up in bed. In fact it was near the end before the really hot stuff happened. Now I didn't like everyone. Priscilla can die and rot in hell. She seriously upset me. So did Lockwood. James really did a good job with making you hate the villains. I also wasn't fond of Cross but he grew on me and I'm excited to see what happens in his book! 5 huge stars! Well written and beautiful. Gritty and heart stopping. Selling Scarlett is a must read!

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay let me start out by saying Ella James you are freaking INCREDIBLE I mean Holy Shiz this series started out with a bang and I could not get enough. The cast of characters made this book incredible and the flow of it had me on the edge of my seat ready to come apart because I was like what the heck is going on. I thought it was going one way but then totally went the other way.

Elizabeth aka Scarlett is a loyal and devoted daughter and best friend. She will do anything to help out her mother and best friend Cross. When Cross is in an accident and needs help she comes up with a plan to help him out. The plan at first had me cracking up until I realized she was serious as all hell. The plan is to auction off her Virginity. Crazy you say well that is what I thought at first but then as I was reading more and more I realized she loves Cross and does not want to see him suffer. So as a great friend she will do whatever it is to help him.

What she does not take into the equation is Hunter Hot As Hell West. She has crushed on him for forever but he is dark and mysterious and always aloof so she crushes on him hard and when she decides to auction herself and finds herself in the hands of her crush she is both terrified and excited. The only thing standing in her way is Hunter himself. See Hunter has secrets very very dark fifty shades of fucked up secrets and he does not want her to know. But Scarlett is determined to break the barriers and find out what he is into and give herself to him. See Hunter loves gambling and prostitutes. He is mixed into some serious shit and when shit hits the fan it really hits. But Scarlett is determined to get Hunter. Will she have him in the end? Can she break through his barriers and show him they can be together? Well you have to read it to find out!