This is a novella in Jolie Vines' Body Count world, famous for the Amazon #1 bestseller Arran's Obsession. Want to see a rich man brought to his knees by the woman he claims in the game? How about her temper bringing board room shenanigans before his staff can even flee the room?
JOLIE VINES is a romance novelist who lives in the South West of England with her husband and young son.
From an early age, Jolie lived in a fantasy world and is never happier than when plot dreaming. Jolie loves her heroes to be one-woman guys. Whether they are a huge Highlander, a touch starved earl, or a brooding pilot, they will adore their loved one until the end of time.
Her favourite pastime is wrecking emotions then making up for it by giving her characters deep and meaningful happy ever afters.
Want to contact Jolie? Drop her a line at jolie [at] jolievines.com, or find her in her Facebook Fall Hard reader group. She loves hearing from her readers.
**Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 Stars) — A short, sexy, and high-spice addition to the Body Count universe!**
3.5 stars, rounding up to 4!
This was a quick and incredibly spicy novella set in Jolie Vines' addictive *Body Count* universe. It is definitely low on plot and very high on spice, making it a perfect, fun read if you just can't get enough of this world from the main books.
Elijah was deliciously possessiveness and completely obsessed with Bonnie—even going so far as to stalk her before the games even started because he just had to know everything about her. For a billionaire, he actually had a very refreshing, grounded, blue-collar vibe to him that I really loved.
Bonnie, on the other hand, kind of annoyed me for most of the book. While I completely understood her hesitation and skepticism regarding wealthy men, the way she constantly fought him and stereotyped him at every single turn—even after acknowledging that he felt different—got a bit old. That repetition is what ultimately brought down my rating, though I was glad to see her finally come around in the end.
As I mentioned, there wasn't a whole lot of complex plot, but the little that was there was definitely entertaining! I would have loved a few more cameos from previous characters in the universe, but I understand there is only so much page-time available in a short novella.
All in all, it was a sexy, fun time! I have been obsessed with the *Body Count* world since it first came out, so this was a great little addition and absolutely worth the read.
God, I can't even describe how much I love these books! I know she writes these novellas ad a way to give us stories between releases but I always wish they were longer and this one is no exception.
Ethan is all that is delicious. A man who knows exactly what he wants and has no problem using any and all his resources to get it. Who cares if it takes a little light stalking? Use of facial recognition software? Cool, no problem. BOLO for his girl? Yeah, that's ok too. 😂😂
Bonnie is thankfully no shrinking violet either. She's perfectly happy sticking up for others in times of need, even if she has trouble doing it for herself. I think Bonnie and Ethan both compliment each other as well as clash well, iykyk. 😏😏
Gah, the steam was top notch, enough leave you wanting more but not so much that there was no plot. A very nice balance between the 2 for a novella.
I'm a sucker for this game. I definitely can't get enough of it. In another life, I might be brave enough to participate myself, but because I'm not, I at least live it through Jolie's books 😎
Yes, it's unconventional. Chasing women to claim them, but "fu¢k !t" 😁
The chemistry between Elijah (god, I love this name) and Bonnie is 💥 It's insta-lu$t and insta-hate in ones, depending on who you ask 🤣
Jolie definitely went all in again 🤩 Not going to lie, but I could have read more of Elijah and Bonnie, but "The Game"s are just novellas. It is how it is 😎
A super quick novella related to the Body Count series.
Bonnie a poor girl, trying to make ends meet whilst attempting to make her dreams come true. She enters Divide to join in the game, what she didn’t expect is to see a man she met once in a department store. What follows is a love story built from obsession on his part and his need for her to become his wife…
𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓀, 𝓌𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃’𝓉 𝒹𝑒𝓁𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜𝑜 𝒹𝑒𝑒𝓅. (Tongue in cheek with this quote 🤭)
Totally enjoyed this little foray on the side, a novella built on their spicy times with a little plot into their own pasts. Now I want to read the first one, yes, I did read them the wrong way round 🤣
I loved this so hard!! It’s fast, spicy, sassy and packed with plot.
I was giggling, kicking feet and ready to throw punches. It was the right hit of dopamine I needed.
This is a novella and so is fast burning, the whole book covers 1 month and we go from strangers to HEA. Although the rules of the spicy game these two sign up for mean they are spending every minute together for that month. If you like spicy games of chase, very possessive MMCs and FMCs who aren’t afraid to speak their mind then this is for you.
This was a fun novella set in Jolie’s Deadwater universe. The Game is a primal play event where 20 men compete for 5 women. Elijah, the billionaire, claims Bonnie, the one with the spiked heels, and they set off for their 30 days together.
I liked that Bonnie actually heard Elijah out about how he wasn’t like what she had assumed and was not a rich guy who took advantage of people. Elijah being supportive of Bonnie’s business endeavors was great as well. The spicy times were definitely hot! I hope Jolie continues to write more of these novella’s featuring players of the game.
Oh man. I enjoyed this so much. I'm not surprised because I literally inhale everything Jolie Vines writes. but this was so sweet and short and so freaking hot. MC was the BEST book boyfriend!
Her second The Game novella gives us Bonnie and Elijah's game. Bonnie is cash strapped and working as a topless waitress for her friend to make ends meet and to try save money to achieve her dream of designing lingerie and stylish undies. Elijah is a billionaire who just happens to run into Bonnie one fateful night as she is leaving a party he was meant to attend. Half naked and fuming at the way the host treated the topless waitresses Bonnie flees without thinking about her lack of clothes. Elijah chases her wanting to offer help but is also completely taken by the half naked fiery girl, she evades him and escapes on a bus. He's not done chasing her, not by a long shot and when Bonnie enters the Skeleton Crew's monthly primal play game Elijah does everything he can to take part too. Winning her is just the start of his 30 day battle to try and keep her. This one was so much fun with genuine laugh out loud moments , Elijah was dreamy and Bonnie was a fun and feisty fmc. I really hope we get even more of these novellas
A Note From The Author: For all you who can’t get enough of the game, Honey, I know you’d run straight at the caged men, not away from them.
Okay Bonnie with her fiery temper is something else! She was quick to judge, quick to jump to the worst conclusions, and quick to assume. While I applaud the bold attitude and gumption, she really needed to calm down and use her brain more. I had a serious love/hate relationship with that one. Now Elijah, that man is gold 🪙 he deserves a medal for handling that girl!!! He could do no wrong! Smart, billionaire, built his empire from the ground up, loving son and brother, protective of those he loves, and come on ladies and gents - he paid for his mother's home so she's not worried about money!!!
You could feel the hot, electric chemistry between these two from the very beginning. The smut was on point. The plot held me from start to finish in one sitting!!! I might add I finished this in a few hours. It was deliciously hot 🤤
Bonnie is down her luck. She's working hard to achieve her dreams. Elijah feels something is missing in his life. When their paths cross Elijah knows Bonnie is special. Bonnie isn't as big of a fan though. Elijah decides to pursue her anyway. Bonnie joins the Game to take some control of her life. When Elijah finds out he joins the Game with the intention of winning her heart, but Bonnie isn't making it easy for him. Will Elijah be able to convince her that he's for real? Will Bonnie let down her walls and give him a chance? This was a great addition to the Body Count universe. I greatly enjoyed this story. It is always fun to learn more about the participants in the Game. The characters were well developed. You can feel and relate to their feelings. I also enjoyed the side plot that was woven into the story. Overall this was a great read.
It has the tropes you’d expect in this kind of story. I’m not normally keen on novellas (meh…unless they’re on KU) but Ms Vines has an incredible talent because this didn’t read like a short story it was full on in the best of ways.
A lingerie designer that we all need in our lives because comfortable but sexy underwear? Yes please! A big slap upside the head of very instant instalove when the billionaire businessman first laid his eyes on her. Just as well the man had resources because they were needed to track her down.
It’s easy to see how the game could go either way between terror and primal need. Lucky for our tenacious players that the dial landed squarely on primal. Yum. I’m currently tracking everything available on KU for this author because I’m all in. Give it a shot, it could work for you too.
Had me from start to finish! 💥 Hard to put down? Oh yes!!! Absolutely loved all the characters n story line very much! It was perfection! One thing is obvious! It's written by an English author! She uses words you'd expect to hear from those born in England or read in a historical romance book! Lift.... Elevator! Knickers... Underwear! Boot.... Car trunk! I've read Arrans story etc n the skeleton crew ones! This book was refreshing! Just a few words here n there like 'using the lift' as example! Wish the other books were written like this one! Wish it was much longer! Explore their time on the island for example! 😏 The sexy time was hot asf btw! 💥🔥💯 I'm very sad it's finished! I really can't say enough! 5✨ Enjoy!!!!
I absolutely love returning to the Body Count world, and this novella was another addictive, spicy escape. Elijah falls first and falls hard, while Bonnie's fiery attitude and determination made their chemistry explode from the very beginning. The billionaire and feisty heroine dynamic, mixed with obsession, banter, and scorching heat, made this impossible to put down. Even as a novella, it packed in plenty of emotion, steam, and a satisfying happily ever after. If you love possessive heroes, strong heroines, and fast-paced dark romance with plenty of spice, this one is a must-read.
The Game: the Billionaire & the Spike Heel by: Jolie Vines is a Hot & Spicy Novella that is based off the Body Count Series! I swear this has to be the absolutely sweetest happy ending ever. It has me all in my feelings. Elijah determined to spend his life with Bonnie, never relented, he broke through every wall she had up. Bonnie so guarded & such a spit fire didn't make it easy for him. As always Jolie brought the spice and Elijah & Bonnie definitely got the BEST happy ending! Another happy couple from the GAME.
Such a WONDERFUL little companion book for Vines' wildly popular Body Count series!! This couple is referenced in Arran's Obsession and I was so excited to read how Malachi and Emmeline came to be. I loved watching Malachi be the devoted father and hurt for Emmeline as she faced judgment for entering the game by one who was supposed to be closest to her. Love the ending though and hope to see more of these characters, be they cameos in upcoming books or future novellas. Vines does NOT disappoint with this gem.
Loved, loved, loved it! It’s super short, sweet and spicy. It’s insta-love at its finest, with a little light stalking, some lava level masked primal play, some mild somnophilia and an MMC with major golden retriever energy and green flags all the way. In addition to that you have an FMC who is feisty, independent and who gives as good as she gets, a billionaire with a heart and to top it off there’s a bit of a breeding kink hidden away in there too. It’s like a smorgasbord of micro tropes and kinks all wrapped up in 149 pages. Highly recommend 🖤
I am absolutely wanting to sign up for "the game"!!! Elijah is one of my favorite 😍 which is crazy because he's not Scottish!! But holy hotness is he amazing!! Bonnie does not disappoint as the female lead in this one! She has all the fire and strength of a Jolie Vines heroine!! Talk about big things coming in small packages!! This one definitely did!! Chefs kiss 😘 on this one Jolie
This was a short, entertaining story set in the Body Count world. Because of where it takes place, you'd expect it to be a dark romance, but honestly, it felt more dim than dark. Compared to the other books that revolve around the Game, this one definitely has an alpha male, like they do, but it's more romantic and less depraved. That being said, I still enjoyed the heck out of it. Just be prepared for gray instead of black.
I'm enjoying the little novellas more than I am. The books. Mostly because there is not as much repetition between them. You get a unique perspective for the most part of the couples. And there's no freaking knife play. That crap drives me bonkers. Hard pass.
But these books are fun little stories of the couples who went through the game before the books.
One look was all it took for the billionaire to fall for the lingerie designer. She didn’t want anything to do with him…she had it in her head how men with money behaved. She got into the game for money to start her company … he for into the game for her. Angst✅ Smexy🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🚨🚨🚨🚨 HEA❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Spicy, I absolutely love it! This short but sweet story had a great chemistry between the hero and heroine, which made it hard to put down. The chase aspect added to the excitement. The plot was simple and straightforward, with love at first glance. It’s not my first JV book, but she usually has something to recommend. Great work! Thanks for the escape ❤️
The body count series was the beginning but I love getting to go back into the game with these fun and spicy novellas from Jolie. Each time the claimer is handsome and obsessed, the object of their desire, a firecracker. So much gets packed into such a short story and each time I need more of them.
Jolie Vines has done it again, I love these novellas. Small but perfectly formed, a storyline to keep you hooked and the spice is hot!
Bonnie and Elijah make a lovely couple, both are the kind of strong characters we're used to from JV. The takedown of the villain of the piece is glorious, I loved it.
Jolie brings us back for another round, and boy is this one steamy! Cool billionaire mixes with a fiery business woman is one HOT combo. Seriously the chemistry these two give off is off the charts. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I can't wait for more of this game!
Such a fun spicy novella about another round of the game. Easily finished on my plane flight. Bonnie and Elijah are a very fun dichotomy in how they fall for one other. Warning this one ia darker in its outside story than the other novella, but if you are familiar with Body Count and Dark Island Scots it is not unexpected.
What's not to love about another game in the crew's basement? Bonnie was fierce and elijah was hooked from the start. It was another great novella in the world of the game. I so hope we get more.
I am loving these The Game novellas. They give us little snippets into the Body Count world, characters we already love, and tide us over until the next full novel releases. Strong women, protective men and a wonderful world created by author Jolie Vines.