Reckless Attraction

by Kathleen Haley

Tess

I know my mother was murdered when I was young, though they swept it under the carpet. And I think I know who did the deed. So I decide to study criminology, vowing to bring her killer to justice. My grandmother teaches me to pretend to be ditzy in order to take the establishment by surprise.

But she didn’t prepare me for the wild attraction I’d have for my senior lecturer, advisor, and boss. He’s a god in the guise of an alphahole—so brilliant, magnetic, and cruel it’s reckless to lust after him. What’s more, I’m discovering things that suggest the criminologist himself is a criminal.

Am I going to give such an egomaniac power over me? Or am I too late, and he already has it?

Fraser

I aim to be the youngest professor at the university, and nothing can stand in my way. Except perhaps my own student, who’s dredging up unsavory facts from my career and the lives of my associates. She keeps poking her nose in business that threatens to explode my chances of promotion.

It’s reckless to be so attracted to my student, advisee, and research assistant. She’s flighty, shallow, and frivolous, and if anyone knew what I’d like to do to her, I’d be fired in a heartbeat. Yet the more she undermines my goal, the more I vow to shatter her in pieces.

Am I going to play by the rules, or is my Little Red Riding Hood playing right into the hands of the wolf?

This dark mafia romance, number six in the Tainted Love series, stands alone.

424 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 31, 2026

About the author

Formerly an academic, I took up writing romance recently and quite by accident. In early 2022 the right elements conjoined—my love of villains, my taste for high comedy, and my pull towards strong women. Now I can’t stop cooking up plots and drawing new characters. Though I write mostly dark romance, I invariably weave plenty of reality into the fantasy. My preference for lone wolves, quirky characters, and intense plot results in what my reader and author friends call romance with teeth. I live in Berkeley, California with my dachshund-Chihuahua, Pooh-bah. When I’m not writing, I love traveling, cooking, playing piano, and cycling in the nearby hills.

Follow on Insta @kathleenlotthaley

Website: https://kathleenhaley1.wixsite.com/my...

Reviews

[Noeli McClelland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love
Her writing keeps you interested and wanting more as her characters evolve. Love her!

[Joanne Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Reckless Attraction” is the sixth book in the “Tainted Love Series.” This is a steamy, forbidden contemporary romance between a Professor and his student. This dark romance explores the relationship between power and vulnerability, between suffering and resilience. This book is everything you expect from an erotic BDSM romance.

“She’s a bite-sized morsel wrapped up in a package only I can open. My mouth waters at the prospect of sinking my teeth into her delicate neck.”

As per Kathleen’s previous books, she has excelled again. A thoroughly enjoyable read from one chapter to the next - at times you are metaphorical “on the edge of your chair” wondering what will happen next. You will fall in love with Fraser and Tess, hoping that everything will work out for them and they have a future together. This book will be guaranteed to set your “lady bits” on fire.

“He drags two fingertips up the inside of my calf and along my inner thigh, following behind with deep, slow, open-mouthed kisses. Each kiss drives me a little more frantic. By the time he reaches my pussy, I’m a quivering mess, mewing and lolling my head back into the duvet. But he stops just shy of my pulsing heat, instead repeating the routine on the other leg. Languidly he feathers my skin with his kisses, making me yearn for more. If his lips can drive me this wild on my thighs, they must have magical powers on my intimate flesh.”

I could not put this book down, page to page, chapter to chapter - read in less than twelve hours! Nearly every page sizzles with hot wanton sex or the thoughts or possibilities of what the punishment will be? The book - I did not want it to end! A thoroughly enjoyable read from page to page, one chapter to the next - at times you are metaphorical “on the edge of your chair” wondering what will happen next. Overall, I would highly recommend this book and you will not be disappointed 😊

[Jennifer Hash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to get to Fraser and Tess's story!! Previously in the Tainted Love series, Fraser's sisters and family have been so delightful and he has been an absolute prat. And I had no idea how Tess came to love him. Well, here we are. He is her best friend's brother, her professor and advisor, and the sexiest yet most annoying man she has ever wanted to give her virginity to.

Tess's mother dies when she is young and she truly feels it was no simple car accident. Deciding to get into criminology in the hopes to find mom's murderer, she encounters a man who attended the same seminar on her flight home. Except he is the epitome of arrogance and rudeness. Only for her to find out the book in her hands which she disparages to him is his own book. Whoops!

Fast forward to attending his courses at university and he is still the grade A prat to her. Except Tess has never been so turned on by a man's stature and confidence. He wrangles out of her why she chose criminology and he agrees to assist her. But doing so puts her in such close proximity with him, she starts to find out what he is really like. Spoiler alert-he is that big of a jerk underneath.

But Fraser has more to him than his ego. In his own research and studies, he has not been a perfect angel, even consorting with criminals to further his research. As he gets closer to Tess, he worries she will dig too deep for her own answers and dig up his buried bones. And yet he cannot stay away from her. Damn the torpedos & full steam ahead, he has claimed her as his.

There are some decent plot twists and a redemption arc for Fraser-all good alphaholes need one.*wink*

Such a solid and complex story. I really loved hating Fraser. And Tess is just the right fit for him, she does not just take what he dishes out, she can push back.

[Shanna Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, Kathleen knows how to bring everyone to their knees when it comes to the men in the Tainted Love series, and Fraser is one of them. He is definitely someone you want to hate but for me I just couldn't. He had his moments for sure but during his redemption arc he was the man for me. Then there is Tess, who lost her mother at a young age in a car accident that Tess knows wasn't just that simple. Deciding to study criminology at university she is thrown into the sights of Fraser, a professor and subsequently becomes her advisor. Oh, and he happens to be Tess's best friends brother and a past that could destroy them both. The attraction between Fraser and Tess is spicy and hot while knowing because they are student and professor, being together is risky. Through the twist and turns and a mystery behind Tess's mother death you are in for a ride. I have become obsessed the more I read this series.

[reader. kore · Rating 5 out of 5]

An angsty, tear jerker read. Fraser and Tess's story isn't for the faint hearted. It could very well be a horror story, Fraser and Tess being advisor and advisee in academia. A forbidden romance through and through and Fraser was the perfect asshole. Tess, equal match was not only resilient, but also a brilliant examplary female character. Her spirit was inspiring to me and despite the hurdles, the set backs, faced with cruel, harsh truth, Tess's flame was never engulfed. Anyone in her place might have given up. Their love story is years in the making and Kathleen has done such a great work in showing their chemistry, their banter and their explosive, happening path to the happy ending. She didn't paint the professor student relationship lightly for the readers. The stakes were high, following a murder plot and justice was delivered in the end.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew this was going to be another amazing read from Kathleen. It has all the best tropes - forbidden relationship between professor and student, best friend's brother and mafia in this romantic suspense. Tess is a hard working criminology student and Fraser is her advisor and professor. He is known for being very hard on his students and especially with Tess. She's known him for four years as his younger sister is her best friend and she's been attracted to him the whole time. He's been fighting his feelings for her. Until they no longer can ignore the pull. Now Fraser is an alphahole, like all of Kathleen's men, you think there is no way he can gain the fmc's love and trust but he grovels with the best of them.

[Vivien R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always a swooner for a professor/student romance. Add the subject of criminology into the mixture, and somehow this forbidden relationship seems more dangerous and tempting. Tess and Fraser are the perfect match of wits and longing. Tess intends to use her knowledge to help solve the mystery of her mother’s death. Will the hot professor be her ally or adversary? The smexual tension between these two is delicious. The forced proximity is longed for. Their chemistry is brighter than fireworks. This was a wonderful story you shouldn’t miss.

[My_Books_In_Nooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review ‘Reckless Attraction’

Book 6 in the Tainted Love collection, and it has everything we know and love from Kathleen.
And this time, in a forbidden tropes setting of teacher and student🤩
A very intense, morally grey, Dom attitude Fraser, who has his eyes set on Tess. Leaves no stone unturned to claim her. But underneath his ways, there is tenderness in his own unique way.
Tess is sweet, driven, even to the fact that she puts herself in danger to get to the bottom of things.
And she is so done for when Fraser slowly introduces her to submissive ways🫣 because when it comes to Fraser, all self preservation is out the window 🫢
Yes, their 🌶️ is spicing! And not in a vanilla way🫣🤩 but in the end, their love is intense and true!

The storyline had a nice flow to it, some plot twists were really good where I did not see the twist coming!
Some parts I had a little so so feelings, esp during the interviews. It felt off for me.

All in all liked it!
4/5⭐️

[neeshreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kathleen Haley has done it yet again! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time – I mean the ANGST of it all plus plot twists I didn’t totally see coming?! I had to get to the bottom of the underlying mysteries. I went from wanting to throttle Fraser something fierce to being like, well, Tess…I see the appeal of being caught in the orbit of a stupidly hot, possessive alphahole, and I’d be pushing back, too, even if I knew a punishment was in the works 😈

🖤Dark Mafia Romance
🖤OTT Possessive Alphahole
🖤Forbidden/Taboo - Professor & Student
🖤He Follows Her
🖤Cøckbløcking & B|äckmäil
🖤Power Exchange & Discipline
🖤Predicament Bøndäge & Edging
🖤Breath & Ice Play
🖤Virgin FMC & BC Tampering
🖤His “Wee Rogue”

Tess’s mother was murdered when Tess was young, but the culprits were never caught. Seeking justice for her mother’s cold case, Tess studies criminology, surprising those in power with her astute and perceptive mind. What Tess wasn’t prepared for? For her senior lecturer turned advisor and boss to be a god among men – it’s reckless to lust after him when entertaining a relationship of any kind can ruin both of their futures in academia. Fraser is ambitious, cutthroat and domineering – all traits that have led him down a path to be the youngest professor at university. But, when his bonnie student goes rogue and dredges up unsavory secrets from his past, his promotion is at risk, and so is her safety. When the past and present collide, Tess and Fraser can no longer deny what’s been building between them…but what will the cost be?

Fraser. Fraser. Fraser. He was an alphahole I loved to hate, but also couldn’t stay away from, and ended up team Fraser by the time his redemption arc hit. While he tested my sanity, underneath that gruff and unfairly handsome exterior was a man who had some growing to do, and Tess was the only woman who could’ve elicited that change so he was the man she deserved. When Tess pushed back and voiced her vulnerabilities, Fraser was forced to take stock of his priorities, and when her safety was at risk? You already knew the man was gone for her, but he definitely showed his true feelings before those three precious words were spoken, and continued to show with his actions what mattered most. And I ATE UP the spicy scenes because when Fraser is in command, you CANNOT look away (nor do you want to!).

A fab installment in the series!

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 (rounded up for rating)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

[Emily Knaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reckless Attraction is the kind of student/professor romance that doesn’t pretend to be healthy, it leans into the danger, the fixation, the power imbalance, and somehow still builds a story that feels intentional and emotionally complex.

Tess Kincaid is a criminology student determined to uncover the truth about her past. She’s resilient, brave, and sharper than anyone expects. She doesn’t fold under pressure; she studies it, challenges it, and keeps pushing even when the answers cut close to home.

Fraser MacCoubrey is her professor, her best friend’s brother and the man who infuriates her to no end. Tess is his obsession, and he’s the man who calls her his “wee rogue”with a mix of affection and warning. Fraser is the kind of MMC Haley excels at, he’s obsessive, possessive, and absolutely convinced that if he can’t have Tess, no one else will. He keeps every man at arm’s length from her, not out of romance but out of something darker, deeper, and fiercely protective. He knows more about Tess’s past than she realizes, and that knowledge twists the story into something addictive.

The tension between them is toxic, psychological, and impossible to look away from. It explores control, submission, and the dangerous edges of desire. Let me tell you, the spice is hot. I blushed a lot, like a ton. This man is infuriatingly demanding, but it only makes the chemistry that much more explosive. Tess truly is his perfect match, she pushes the boundaries and really makes him earn it. Tess and Fraser are drawn to each other in a way that feels inevitable, it’s like a collision neither of them can stop. Their connection is magnetic and dangerous, built on secrets, obsession, and a pull that only gets stronger the more they try to resist it.

“You’d be bound to me forever, Little Red Ridinghood. Are you afraid of the big bad wolf?”

The twists are sharp, the secrets land just at the right moment, and the emotional connection between Fraser and Tess stays front and center. Kathleen Haley proves again she’s unmatched at writing MMC’s you love to hate and FMCs who refuse to be defined by the darkness chasing them.

“The more twists and turns to a journey, the sweeter the destination.”

A huge thank you Kathleen Haley for the early copy! Obsessed would be an understatement. The Tainted Love series is a must read!!

[Nikki B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reckless Attraction is book 6 in the Tainted Love series but can definitely be read as a standalone. This was Fraser and Tess's story. When I tell you this story was written with some sort of drug! I was hooked! I haven't been this lost in a story for a while. Tess lost her mother in a car accident when she was a kid. But she is almost sure her father is responsible and she wants to hold him accountable for his actions. So as a grown woman, she is studying criminology. That's how she meets Fraser. Accidental encounter at first, but then later he ends up being her advisor since he is a professor at the school she is attending. Fraser is very hot and cold with her. He wants her but knows that the circumstances aren't in favor of them. Mainly because professor and student relationships are frowned upon, but also, since she lost her grandmother, Fraser's sister has basically taken her in and claimed her as family. Yet.... the connection between these two is undeniable. The chemistry is off the charts. Fraser is feeling things for Tess that he shouldn't and doesn't want to feel. Tess on the other hand, she is smitten with Fraser. So she is knocked off her feet when he decides to end things with her.
I mean... honestly, my heart fell to my butt. I was so hurt for her. But then things get worse for Tess because when she finds her father, I wasn't prepared for what that led up to. The torture... man.. I was furious and my blood was boiling. I haven't had a story bring out those emotions in me in a long time.
I know I say this every time, but this one was definitely my favorite. Tess's strong character with Frasers obsession... it was everything. I'm going to need Kathleen to write me a book boyfriend and find a way to make him real because the way she writes these men has me weak in the knees. Fraser had his moments where I thought he was past redeemable, but .... I'm a sucker!
I can't wait to see what Kathleen has for us next. I will read anything she writes. Her books are the best and if you haven't read one yet, you are definitely missing out on something special!

[Rosalina Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see why it works for readers who like dark, intense romance. Tess and Fraser have a lot of chemistry, and the story certainly doesn't suffer from a lack of things happening. There’s romance, secrets, crime, the art heist, family drama, threats and eventually a rescue plot, so the pace keeps moving.

The psychology is interesting, although not always comfortable. Fraser is deliberately written as controlling, possessive and morally questionable, and his character development comes from gradually realizing that Tess matters more to him than his career and reputation. That part actually worked for me: when Tess is kidnapped, his priorities completely change, and he openly recognizes how selfish and cold he's been.

But the spice is absolutely not 3/5. 😂 This is very explicit dark romance—I'd put it around 5/5. There is a lot of BDSM/possessive sexual content, and some of Fraser's behaviour crosses into territory I found genuinely uncomfortable rather than simply sexy. The ending also contains a particularly serious consent issue involving contraception that I definitely didn't love.
The writing is very readable and fast, with plenty of banter and some genuinely funny moments. The English is British/Scottish English, with Scottish vocabulary and dialect such as aye, wee, bairn, ken and mibbe. That's not incorrect English—it's clearly part of the setting and character voice.

My notes:
❤️ Fraser is fascinating psychologically, even when I really didn't like his choices.
⚡ There is a LOT happening, which definitely suits me.
🕵️ The crime/suspense side gave the romance more substance.
😬 Some of the possessiveness and consent issues were a definite minus for me.

Verdict: 3/5 for me. I enjoyed the fast pace, suspense and complicated characters, but the extreme spice and darker relationship dynamics make it a poor match for my personal taste. If the spice were toned down considerably, I'd probably enjoy this story much more.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another riveting instalment in the Tainted Love series and I adored seeing previous characters make an appearance (would definitely recommend reading the previous books!).

Tess's mother dies in a dubious accident (aka murder!), leading Tess to pursue criminology in the hopes of getting justice. She ends up crossing paths with Fraser, who is determined to become the youngest professor at the university. From the explosive prologue, I was invested, and the tension didn't let up. Tess and Fraser's first meeting had me cringing for her when it's revealed he is the author of the book she disparages and their continued verbal altercations had me chortling throughout. She gives as good as she gets, readily thwarting him despite the consequences. Fraser is a true a-hole, arrogant and cruel, revelling in humiliating Tess for his own pleasure. Turns out, she kind of likes it though. But there's more to them than what meets the eye, with many a skeleton in the closet. As Tess gets closer, the stakes get higher, making Fraser wonder what his priorities are. I loved the nuance and complexity of these two! Their chemistry was sizzling and I was rooting for them, even when Fraser was infuriating.

I loved guessing what would happen next, and was delighted when I was right in some instances, and other times I never could've guessed what would happen. It was a fast paced, thrilling read and I was on edge for them both, with all the obstacles they had to endure. As always, I love the mix of romance, heat, suspense and mystery that Kathleen masterfully balances.