A Taste of Sin: Passion and Politics #2

Passion and Politics #2

by J.L. Seegars

A Taste of Sin is the stunningly emotional and dangerously sexy conclusion to the Passion and Politics duet.

Months after suffering a devastating heartbreak, Selene Taylor finds herself navigating the complexities of her new role as First Lady while longing for the two men her husband is determined not to let her have—Secret Service agents Callan Drake and Lance Beckham.

With their hearts on the line and threats pressing in from all sides, the forbidden trio is faced with the challenge of wading through the webs of lies and shadows of deceit to find their way back to each other. For good.

Genres: Why Choose, M M F, Black Author, M M Romance, Romance, Bodyguard Romance

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2025

About the author

J.L. Seegars is a dedicated smut peddler and lifelong nerd who’s always had a love of words, storytelling and drama. When she isn’t writing messy and emotionally complex characters like the ones she grew up around, she’s watching reality TV, supporting her fellow authors by devouring their work or spending time with her husband and son.

Reviews

[bookluvr · Rating 2 out of 5]

somehow, this sequel managed to be better AND worse than its predecessor…so we arrive at the same rating. this was redundancy at its peak. this book was NAWT necessary if i examine what it actually served 🤣😭. you could have taken the most important bits from this that were needed to resolve the story, tacked on an extra 50-100 pages to the first book and had that be a standalone.

where we were worse off: there was hardly any movement on the romance. the things that may have been interesting to see were told and not shown. absolutely nothing of consequence happened with these three on the page. this second book may have been more useful if the romantic development in book one was paced more gradually and you had the love piece fall into place in here, but since that was all hastily developed in the first one, the point of this book became moot. i’m never one to even complain about something like this either, but there was hardly any spice in this and for a premise like this story had and the author identifying as a “smut peddler”, i was left discombobulated by the lack of it...(this was actually a problem i had with the other book of hers i read over a year ago. i thought it was too spicy for the story it was supposed to be selling. lo and behold she dialed it back in this one, but almost to the detriment of making this story exciting).

where we were better off…until we weren’t: the suspense plot got a bit interesting. it was giving B613 wannabe (if you’ve watched scandal, you’ll know what that means), but it was a fair attempt at something thriller-esque for a while there. what took me OUT though was how everything was resolved. rushed doesn’t even begin to cover it. late players introduced into things only to be quickly disposed of. plot holes galore. too convenient solutions. strange time lapses. i couldn’t suspend my disbelief enough with that cartoonish ending 🤣🤣🤣. my jaw was literally on the floor with how they tried to close this. no. this was the cheapest cinema i may have ever subjected myself to.

the only good thing (for me anyways) to come out of this book was seeing aubrey get GOT. i hated that man, for real. needed to see him suffer MORE.

i may have to accept that i don’t think this author is for me. this is my third book by her (second story overall) but they’ve all flopped. the writing, stylistically, isn’t terrible by any means (many noticeable editing blunders aside in this one though), but the storytelling is where she tends to lose me. this was actually incredibly silly if i really digest what happened here.

[Jahda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the creative flair and the twisted revelation at the end. I believe it simply demonstrated how vicious people can be in order to achieve their aims and increase their wealth. I like when authors put in the work and study to make a book unique. It's always fascinating to read about politics and administration via the lens of the author's art. Outside of the poly relationship the plot itself was strong. Aubrey and Jordan ain’t sh*t though.

[Asia Levine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is unfortunate. I couldn’t wait to read this on release day only to feel it was nothing like book 1 in the series. I found myself skipping pages just to get to the end, I almost DNF. Now that I’ve finished I’m not sure I get the point of book 2. What was revealed I feel was obvious in book 1. I just feel this went from a romance with aspects of thriller/mystery to was the romance in the room with us?!?! It wasn’t a bad written story and there were aspects of grieving that gave the story some depth. As a mood reader it just wasn’t what I expected and I feel like the 2 books in a duo-logy could be considered 2 different genres and that’s weird and not what I was in the mood for.

[Melise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the last 5 star of the year but we shall see. JL did everything she needed to do, I will say there were some frustrating moments with Selene but I still loved the way it all came together. Idk if it was an official diagnosis but Selene def gave on the spectrum a lot which led to some of my frustrations. Like one she was always having these antagonistic discussions with Aubrey with no sense of self preservation. Like the man hates you and you decide now is the time to give a speech about his affair partner?? Like cmon we two books in and mamas can’t fight she ain’t keep a knife on her nothing just surprised by Aubrey’s aggression at every turn. Loved how supportive all the families were, loved Cal & Beck down and I’m happy they got a HEA. I was only mildly taken aback by the depths of deception on Aubrey’s part but I said it in my first review that he was DESPERATE to sit in the Oval Office so nothing was too farfetched or devious because of his hunger for power. Wish his Mama and daddy could’ve faced some consequences but overall this was a top tier experience

[MJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

I struggled through this one. It’s was very different compared to the 1st book, leaning more into the mystery genre. Not really what I expected. It reminded me of an episode of Scandal, but boring. I found myself skimming over parts that were over descriptive and repetitive. The story was wrapped up well with enough closure.

[ChasxSabri🫧 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giving Scandal in the best way possible

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
The first 75% of the book was pretty boring, but I did enjoy the last 25%. The plot twist kinda shook me which is why my rating went from 2 to 2.5 stars

[Asharia Mosley · Rating 5 out of 5]

no notes! this was PERFECT!! i absolutely lovedddd

[LexRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I pushed through… This one lacked the romance I would have wanted to see. I get forbidden romance but that they barely saw each other interacted for half of the book. It was just okay..

[Kirby Laguerre · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m honestly conflicted with how I feel about this book. I still enjoyed it overall but much less than I did the original. I think this just fell flat for me. I had two main issues: 1) I don’t know how I feel about the main person “pulling the strings” being someone who doesn’t appear until nearly the end of the book. As I was reading, I was trying to figure out who was behind everything and for it to be someone who we never even heard of was underwhelming to say the least. 2) It still also isn’t clear to me where Aubrey’s hatred of Selene came from and when their marriage really started to go south. Separately, whenever there’s an element of “why choose?” in a novel, it really needs to make sense to me/be justified and I’m not sure I was sold on her being with both Cal & Beck in either of the books.

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I’m sad to see this series come and go as quickly as it did. Which is why I was very intentional about taking my time with this. Selene, Cal and Beck’s love reached new heights in this book they were given the opportunity to be in each other’s space and just exist and I loved that. I really enjoyed seeing Beck’s growth in therapy, I appreciated the 3 separate epilogues that were given at the end from all 3 povs. There were a few things that kept this from being a 5 star read for me and that’s ok. Overall this was one of my most highly anticipated releases for the end of 2025 it did not disappoint. I’ve recommended this series to anyone that would listen and I’ll continue to do so.

[Jai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to jump into the next and finally book.

Boy it did not disappoint. The way Selene tore Audrey ass up.. PERIODDDDSSDD.

I will say I wish the book was longer. I need more scene with Cal and Beck. I wanted to see the relationship that I know grew beautifully with the twin girls. I WANTED TO SEE SELENE WHOOP THAT FOSTER MOTHER’s ASS!!!! The ending was chef’s fucking kiss. And I that time you did yo OWN child dirty you want to sit there and cry like a bitch?!?? Cause CRYING is crazy… after ALL the shit you did you wanna cry?? Audrey… really? You might as well be a sista with all the crying. But Selene had the feminine rage on her side and I was eating every second of it.

[ShaTorey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ This one is tough for me because I LOVED book 1 (outside of the cliff hanger). This one leaned more into mystery/suspense, which I didn’t mind but I think the romance was put to the back burner at times. Especially given this is a poly romance book. The plot twist was WILDDDD. The ending made up for the slow pieces in between. Cal and Beck are still my faves. I honestly wish we could have gotten more (they didn’t get enough smut time to me).

[Georgy Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️The mystery/suspense was great. I love how everything connected from the first book. Aubrey got what was coming to him but I wish everyone else had suffered more. I did want more of the romance aspect though. I didn’t get to enjoy them in love as much as I wanted, especially considering how much time they were able to spend together.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Taste of Sin is hands down one of the best books I’ve read this year. I’m still sitting here thinking about it…. Wishing I could read it from the beginning again. It’s the perfect blend of political suspense and romance. Don’t go in expecting romance and spice. It’s soooo much more than that and I loved every second of it.

The power, betrayal, passion, man this was a great ride!!

[JaAsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ This second book was slower moving than the first. For as slow as it started, the plot twist and quick resolution was somewhat jarring. I was happy to see the trio get there happily ever after.

[Kellyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 stars. Holy crap!!! The words aren’t forming at the moment to say just how good this conclusion to book one was. It was everything I didn’t know I needed. All I’ll say is that the ending was chefs kiss!!

[Lindsey G · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up - full review to come but wowowow WOW

[KarynReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a 3.75 for me. The story picked up a bit at 81%.

[k · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn’t the sequel I wanted it to be. I’m a bit disappointed given how much I liked the first book. I felt that the story fell a little flat in this one and I definitely felt that the characters lost their momentum from the first book.

The spice seriously declined which was disappointing. 🌶️

I did like the twist about 75% in which helped me reconcile some of the plot that I didn’t like from the first book. It made it worthwhile in the end.

And lastly I wanted more epilogue! The ending felt rushed and abrupt.

Rating 3/5⭐️

[Kaytleen.n · Rating 2 out of 5]

not what im into but well written
weird dynamic

[Khayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 and confused

I adore JL Seegar and was so excited about this release so I’m so disappointed I didn’t enjoy it. The first book started off as such a cute romance and this one had hardly any romance and was just a mystery. I wanted groveling, more loving and more happily ever after and this didn’t give that.

[Arionne · Rating 4 out of 5]

J. L’s writing is going to keep me engaged every time but at no point did I ever know what direction we were going in with this book, which made for a very fun yet stressful reading experience.

[♋ManiLovesBooks♋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ending Corruption with a Bang

🛑SPOLIERS🛑
⭐️: 4/5

A conclusion to an epic duet with lots of love and corruption.

I can't believe I didnt read this duet sooner. I kept putting it off but I am glad I read it.

I was reluctant to start the second book right away because of reviews. But as always reading the book yourself is the way to go.

Let's me say this: I HATE AUBREY!?!?!

That man was terrible from the first book to the second. As we all know politics is corrupt. Nothing surprises me when it comes to rich people pulling the strings of politicians because we all knows it happens behind the scenes. Also, using different events just to get more power is not new at all.

But to have your own child killed 🥺. You are the scum of the world. I knew from the beginning something was off about him. Him lack of care for his wife and the emotion he didnt show when it came to his son. Plus I knew the other people like Coredlia and the cop were in on everything. Seegars adding a rich person pulling all the strings was just the mastermind we needed. To be honest we see it alot today.

I was glad everyone in the end got there's but I wanted them to suffer a little bit more. At first I thought the things going on were a little over stimulated but then I thought this is politics we never know as citizens what is going on.

I just wish to have seen a couple of the people in jail. But as we have all seen power and money doesn't result in jail time.

The book was over all well done. I do wish we got to see the corruption happen a little more and revelation happen early on in the book. Everything just happened at the end like the last book.

For Jordan, sorry my ADHD, is exposing itself, did she really think Selene was going to feel bad for her. She was complicit in everything. She would have been perfectly fine with everything if she didnt get on the bad side of things. I hated that she died but when you mix yourself up with the wrong people unfortunately it will eventually end you when you are no longer of use.

I was glad to see Cal, Beck, and Selene get there happy ending. They deserved it after everything they went through. Especially Selene who never seems to recieve a break.

In the end they adopted two teenagers who have connection to Selene. I wish she and Beck didnt experience the loss they endured but in the end the memories help and they found love again.

To me the book showcased the love they had for each other without them always been in each other's presence. Thats what I loved the most.

I would definitely recommend this book. It showcases alot of what we endure in America specifically Black woman.

Another good read by Seegars I hope to see this as a show in the future!

[Maddie 📚💓⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️ This book was just as twisty and insane as I thought it was going to be! I hated the beginning because some circumstances caused there to be separation between Beck, Cal, and Selene. I was heartbroken that they couldn’t be with one another. Although they still tried to see each other secretly and treasured the little time they did have together 😭💖This book just reaffirmed for me the fact that Cal, Beck, and Selene were always meant to find one another. The complete love, confidence, and care they all shared for each other was so priceless🤭💗 It was something that didn’t need to be explained and you just felt by reading their POVs. If I hated Aubrey before but it doesn’t compare to what I feel for him now. He is repulsive, heartless, and an absolute monster. The things he did to Selene and in general were inexcusable and completely irrational. This book also showed what I’ve always believed. Money, power, and greed will never get anyone anywhere good. People who usually have those three things are selfish and have no humanity left. We learn so much in this book about questions that were left unanswered in the first book. I finished relatively quickly because things were happening back to back. They kept me interested and on the edge of my seat. The ending of this book was perfect and I wouldn’t change a single thing! 🙂‍↕️👏 I’m just happy we got to see Cal, Beck, and Selene taking steps to achieve their goal of being together and in love! Also I loved that we got introduced to Isis and Imani! They were such sweet, hardworking, and intelligent girls💖🫶🏼I’m glad Selene took them under her wing and cared for them so much! 💗 I really enjoyed this book because it was the perfect conclusion to this story! Also shoutout to Monique for being the bestest friend a girl could ask for. She cared beyond words for Selene she was by her side throughout everything!! I love her and the bond she had with Selene! 🤭🫶🏼

[Stecy Louis · Rating 4 out of 5]

J.L. did not come to play with this second book. Everything that worked in book one, the pace, the heat, the tension, is back, and then some. The stakes are higher, the story is deeper, and somehow it’s even more entertaining than the first.
What I didn’t expect was the mystery element, and honestly? It was a welcome surprise. The investigative thread woven through this book added a layer of genuine thrill that elevated it beyond a standard romance. The urgency of uncovering the truth kept me turning pages just as much as the chemistry did.
But the moment that really stood out to me was how J.L. handled the MMCs. Romance heroes are so often written as untouchable, powerful, in control, the kind of men who can fix anything and rescue anyone. These men were not that. They were employees. Regular people. And yet they never stopped feeling powerful, which is actually a much harder thing to pull off on the page. Watching them face real helplessness, real fear, real anxiety, while still being fully themselves was refreshing in a way I didn’t know I needed. That was intentional, layered writing.
Now, my complaints, because I have them.
The ending felt rushed. After the slow burn and careful buildup, the final stretch moved too fast and didn’t quite stick the landing. And then just when the story reaches a peak moment, the author skips the scene. Jumps right over it and picks up on the other side like we weren’t owed that. I see you, J.L. I see exactly what you did. And I don’t appreciate it.
Also I have not forgotten about Pet. I carried that grievance through every single page of this book and I will continue to carry it. Cal still owes me an explanation.

[the.psedition · Rating 5 out of 5]

another CINEMA by JL Seegers! 🎬👏🏽

this was such a great book 2 in the series. i genuinely never knew whether i was reading a romance, action thriller, political drama, or conspiracy novel because this book gave me a little bit of EVERYTHING. the suspense, the lies, the secrets, the deception… i swear i was gagged and my jaw was on the floor for the majority of this book.

and chapter 26!? when that new POV popped up i had a legitimate jump scare. 😳 i literally sat there for a minute wondering if i genuinely cared to hear from this person. but unfortunately we had to do it for the plot.

and when i say this book was a JOURNEY, it was a JOURNEY. every time i thought i finally knew what was going on, another secret got exposed, another lie got uncovered, or somebody was suddenly being exposed as a person of interest. 😭

and the ending!? whew. 🎬🍿

overall, this series felt like scandal in book form. politics, power, secrets, manipulation, romance, action, drama, spice, and just enough mess to keep me locked in the entire time.

now if you’re picking this up strictly for the spice and romance, just know that book 1 definitely had more. but honestly, from my POV, i didn’t even mind. with everything else happening in this story, the plot, suspense, and drama were carrying so much of the weight that i never found myself sitting there wishing for more spice. there was always something happening that kept me invested and needing to know what happened next.

[llenna’s library · Rating 3 out of 5]

We wrapped up Selene Taylor’s story, and while I’m ultimately glad she gets her happily ever after, this sequel didn’t hit the way book one did for me.

Months after a devastating heartbreak, Selene is navigating life as First Lady while still longing for Callan and Beck. As threats and secrets unravel, the story shifts toward uncovering lies and political intrigue rather than leaning into the romance that originally sucked me in.

My biggest struggle with this book was the imbalance between mystery and romance. This felt far more like a political thriller than a romance, and while the plot itself was solid, I missed the tension, chemistry, and smut that made the first book so compelling.

Selene remains controlled and constrained for much of the story, and I found myself wishing she’d step fully into the powerful, unapologetic woman I know she could be much earlier on. I wanted her to be more and to claim that strength sooner rather than later. The relationship between Selene, Beck, and Cal is still a highlight. Their connection is amazing, and I just wish we had more time with them together.

Overall, A Taste of Sin is a decent conclusion that ties up the storyline, but it didn’t live up to the intensity and romance of book one for me. If you’re invested in Selene’s journey and want closure, it’s worth finishing but go in expecting more mystery than passion.

[Zoe Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I gave the first book 5⭐️ I rated this one was a 3/5⭐️
I would say I’m content with the way things ended but not necessarily satisfied.

Now concerning this book particularly I rated it 3⭐️ it didn’t give as much romance as the first book. This one was more so villain focused, problem solving mixed in with a little Romeo & Juliet. We spent 80% of the book being stressed! So I was a little saddened the ending wasn’t as savory as hoped. It felt rushed but at the same time it was a HEA so I can’t really complain can I?

I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the time jumps or layout for both books. For example it would be Selene’s POV along with the presence and/or involvement of the mmc’s. As a reader I’m expecting some sort of continuation or insight of the mmc’s thoughts or actions. Instead of just moving along allow for some type of acknowledgement. It would’ve gave more depth to the books & readers, especially after an important scene.

[AMBER · Rating 3 out of 5]

December Read: A Taste of Sin by J.L. Seegars ⭐️⭐️⭐️. A Taste of Sin is a bold, emotionally charged, and dangerously sexy finale to the Passion and Politics duet. After a brutal heartbreak, Selene Taylor is thrust into life as First Lady—powerful, scrutinized, and deeply unfulfilled. What she wants most are the two men her husband is determined to keep from her: Secret Service agents Callan Drake and Lance Beckham. The stakes are high. Hearts are exposed. Desire is forbidden. As threats close in and secrets unravel, Selene, Callan, and Lance are forced to confront betrayal, loyalty, and the cost of choosing love in a world built on control and deception.
This conclusion doesn’t play it safe. It’s intense, messy, sensual, and emotionally satisfying. If you’ve been invested in this trio, the payoff hits hard—and earns it.