Jilted Bride: High Risk, Higher Reward

by Erosa Knowles

He didn't show up.

Fiona St. James stands alone in her wedding dress, mascara running, while two hundred guests whisper in the pews behind her. Jonathan promised forever. He gave her thirty minutes of silence instead.

She gave him everything. Three years of her life. Her trust. Her heart.

He took it all and walked away.

But when Fiona follows him to Miami—to their honeymoon suite—she discovers something that turns grief into something colder. Sharper. Jonathan didn't just leave her at the altar. He's been playing a game she never knew existed. And she was always meant to lose.

The good girl who apologized for taking up space? She's gone.

The woman who emerges knows exactly what men like Jonathan fear being seen for who they really are. And Fiona's spent her career seeing through lies.

But revenge is a dangerous business. Especially when a stranger named Simeon Lange starts watching her with eyes that promise he knows exactly what she's planning—and exactly what it will cost.

Some betrayals break you. Others remake you into something unbreakable.JILTED BRIDE is a standalone contemporary revenge romance featuring a transformation that can't be undone, a dangerous attraction, and consequences that matter.

Content Strong language, explicit sexual content, emotional intensity, revenge romance.

UNBREAKABLE Standalone stories. Different women. Same refusal to stay broken.

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2026

About the author

"Hello,I'm a self-proclaimed read-a-holic. I love most genres and would rather read than do most things. Stands to reason, that I'd have this inexplicable love affair with the written word!

Reading was the balm that soothed me during tough times as a single mother, working two jobs. As things leveled out, I found I enjoyed the places books took me, there was a certain solace learning about various times and cultures. When I began traveling, many of the places I visited felt like old friends. I could envision the characters from the books walking the cobbled streets, or running along the swift moving streams.

After twenty years of reading and collecting my favorite authors, I decided to indulge my passion for storytelling. I took classes, invested in seminars and sat nervously across the table from editors. It was a lengthy process, Finally, I got the courage to allow the market to judge my work. The market can be a brutal, but I think fair, mistress. Hard work is rewarded and appreciated. Slackers don't stand a chance. :-)."

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different

This isn't a romance. In fact, it starts with a milquetoast CPA jilted on her wedding day. The remainder of the book is her exacting her revenge. No real excitement. To be honest, I was disappointed.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC - I really enjoyed this book, Fiona was all about going past getting even. However, the can of worms that she did not know she was opening while getting even took an interesting turn, a very surprising one. Forgiveness is sometimes hard to give, especially if everyone you thought you knew is not whom you perceive them to be. Well Done Ms. Knowels..

[dee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed with this book when I usually enjoy this author. This felt like a prequel. You get some good storyline for what seems like the start or transformation of the FMC Fiona and how she has evolved after being “jilted” (or maybe her backstory). It was a good twist on the character we first meet, what happened to change her and how she meets the real MMC, Simeon and how he is part of her evolution. However, just when they meet and start to simmer, we’re at the end of the book, skipping to a brief simple epilogue that is vague and skips all the juicy parts of the actual relationship building and unfolding. It says this is book 1, but it does not even read like a “to be continued” cliffhanger. In other series, you get some indication for if it’s going to be a continuation of their story or if it will jump to someone else completely, you can’t even tell that. So disappointed, Simeon is still a mystery, no juicy scenes, just a start to the story in my opinion. This may need to have been longer to be more complete.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Victoria Ziglor-smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it 🥰

This wasn’t about getting into bed or having amazing sex with someone. This was about Fiona stepping out from the shadows and coming into the light. I’m 64 I stepped out of my shadow 16 yrs ago, it was hard. I lost myself and my voice, I had to take counseling to stop jumping at everything. Fiona was left by herself at the alter, mine married me then destroyed me little by little without me realizing it. This story was really eye opening, my daughters & granddaughter need to read this and I will pass it on. By me being in a negative environment for so long it made them feel or believe negative as normal and it’s not. Thank you for writing this. I’ve read other books of yours. Trust me. I love those books, but for a lot of women nowadays they really really need this book.

[BreakingtheEpigraph · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went in expecting a revenge romance and am disappointed that the story did not deliver what the synopsis promised. It focused on revenge, and that part was clear, but the romance was missing. Both Jonathan and Simeon used Fiona, in my opinion. I was looking for a strong emotional arc with growth, healing, and finding something new.

𝐼 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟 via BookSirens. 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑚𝑦 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑜𝑤𝑛. 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑜 𝑜𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiona really went through it. Jonathan and his ilk were human trash. So I loved what she did to get her licks back. Hell hath no fury and revenge is a dish best served cold and all of that stuff. Just when we were figuring out Simeon, he reveals his role. I would have to liked to see more between them though. It felt unfinished to me. But I enjoyed it and was sad to see it end.

[Kay Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

That’s What’s Up

I can imagine Angel singing that Saweetie song about Fiona: “She’s my best friend. She’s a real bad b-, got her own money.” Ok, Fee, I see you. This was a cold and satisfying take down case study for us girlies who shrank ourselves to be palatable.

[Sonya Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprising Ending

Great job with this one! I did not see the ending. The entire time I thought the ex would do damage, but the ending result was something I did not anticipate. Thank you for the HEA. Can't wait to read Tiffany's book.

[Mylene Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

There us no romance here. Just the cost of revenge once served cold. Not. what was expected, but fitting for the tale. Good read.

[Judy Cheatham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Read

This storyline is real.. What Fiona went through actually happens more often not.. Sometimes men like Jonathan will take your kindness for weakness…

[Genoveva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiona St. James has some sh*t people in her life! First her father is a total tool. Then there is her fiance which deserves all the evil sent to him. The romance part of this story is pretty minimal but to be honest it was ok without that much of it. I was chuckling reading Fiona's adventures.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.