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Playboys in Love #3
Merciless
I’m not always the hero. Sometimes, I’m merciless.
My whole life I've been the good guy—loyal friend, helpful son, dedicated firefighter—but in the bedroom I'm someone else. That’s where my inner villain likes to come out and play.
With a kink as taboo as mine, it’s too risky to play with anyone who doesn’t crave it like I do, so I’ve gotten used to depriving that side of me.
Then I see HER. She’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen and my darker half recognizes itself in her mysterious brown eyes. She’s everything I could ever want and thought I would never find.
Our arrangement may seem twisted to everyone else, but the sex is explosive—and soon my soul is demanding to own every part of her. We come from different worlds that want to tear us apart, but I won’t give up on our future.
For her, I will fight. And I will be…MERCILESS.
Reader Advisory: Merciless deals with forced fantasy between consenting adults. Readers sensitive to non-consensual sex fantasies should be advised.
My whole life I've been the good guy—loyal friend, helpful son, dedicated firefighter—but in the bedroom I'm someone else. That’s where my inner villain likes to come out and play.
With a kink as taboo as mine, it’s too risky to play with anyone who doesn’t crave it like I do, so I’ve gotten used to depriving that side of me.
Then I see HER. She’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen and my darker half recognizes itself in her mysterious brown eyes. She’s everything I could ever want and thought I would never find.
Our arrangement may seem twisted to everyone else, but the sex is explosive—and soon my soul is demanding to own every part of her. We come from different worlds that want to tear us apart, but I won’t give up on our future.
For her, I will fight. And I will be…MERCILESS.
Reader Advisory: Merciless deals with forced fantasy between consenting adults. Readers sensitive to non-consensual sex fantasies should be advised.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2018
205 people are currently reading
1650 people want to read
About the author
Gina L. Maxwell
37 books4,154 followersGina L. Maxwell is a New York Times, USA Today, and #1 International bestselling author living in the upper Midwest, despite her scathing hatred of snow and cold weather. As a lifelong romance novel addict, she began writing as another way of enjoying her love of Happily Ever Afters.
Her debut novel in 2012, Seducing Cinderella, hit the bestseller lists within a month of its release and continues to be a fan favorite a full decade later.
When she’s not reading, writing, or spending way too much on planners and office supplies, Gina enjoys hanging out with her grown children, experiencing everything life has to offer, and dreaming of her someday-move to someplace tropical.
Her debut novel in 2012, Seducing Cinderella, hit the bestseller lists within a month of its release and continues to be a fan favorite a full decade later.
When she’s not reading, writing, or spending way too much on planners and office supplies, Gina enjoys hanging out with her grown children, experiencing everything life has to offer, and dreaming of her someday-move to someplace tropical.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
April 28, 2018
4 STARS
You see that squirming uncomfortable mess in the corner icing her ovaries? Yeah. That'd be me. Because this book SET THEM ON FIRE!!!
I've been stalking Gina for Austin's book forever! The mere second I got a whiff of his particular kink, I knew I had to have it. Because I happen to love me some dub con. So Austin's penchant for things being a little...rougher? Bring. It. On.
I highly recommend the entire series, but this could also be easily read as a standalone. I mean, who doesn't get a lady hard on for a firefighter during the day, male stripper during the night? When this bad boy meets a woman who's much more than initially meets the eyes? He's hooked. And when he finds out that she craves exactly the type of sex that he does? He's addicted.
Merciless is one deliciously kinky thrill ride that I enjoyed from beginning to finish. It was a little depraved and a whole lot of sexy. I loved the relationship development and I especially loved that the heroine truly made Austin work for it. She gives into his demands, but she certainly doesn't make it easy to win her heart. And I especially loved the way everything was handled in the end and the slight role reversal of the ultimate conflict.
I read a very early copy of the ARC so I won't go into too much detail, but I will tell you that if you're looking for one sizzling read, this book is a done deal. Just have a change of underwear and some ice on hand, because your ovaries will never be the same.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
I want to protect her, take care of her...and in the dark of night when we let our fantasies out to play, I want to violate her.
You see that squirming uncomfortable mess in the corner icing her ovaries? Yeah. That'd be me. Because this book SET THEM ON FIRE!!!
I've been stalking Gina for Austin's book forever! The mere second I got a whiff of his particular kink, I knew I had to have it. Because I happen to love me some dub con. So Austin's penchant for things being a little...rougher? Bring. It. On.
I highly recommend the entire series, but this could also be easily read as a standalone. I mean, who doesn't get a lady hard on for a firefighter during the day, male stripper during the night? When this bad boy meets a woman who's much more than initially meets the eyes? He's hooked. And when he finds out that she craves exactly the type of sex that he does? He's addicted.
Merciless is one deliciously kinky thrill ride that I enjoyed from beginning to finish. It was a little depraved and a whole lot of sexy. I loved the relationship development and I especially loved that the heroine truly made Austin work for it. She gives into his demands, but she certainly doesn't make it easy to win her heart. And I especially loved the way everything was handled in the end and the slight role reversal of the ultimate conflict.
I read a very early copy of the ARC so I won't go into too much detail, but I will tell you that if you're looking for one sizzling read, this book is a done deal. Just have a change of underwear and some ice on hand, because your ovaries will never be the same.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
May 14, 2018
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I really enjoyed this story. I thought it had the perfect amount of hotness to go along with the lighter storyline. The characters had a great connection and a pretty easy romance so I liked that the smexiness didn't overshadow that at all. There was also a good amount of sweetness thrown in that I felt was great for the story. Definitely a book I would recommend if you're looking for a cute couple that still has some very hot moments.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I really enjoyed this story. I thought it had the perfect amount of hotness to go along with the lighter storyline. The characters had a great connection and a pretty easy romance so I liked that the smexiness didn't overshadow that at all. There was also a good amount of sweetness thrown in that I felt was great for the story. Definitely a book I would recommend if you're looking for a cute couple that still has some very hot moments.
July 12, 2024
Much better than I expected!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙❤️💚🖤
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😊😄😘😍
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Emi - she is a professional dancer, professionally trained since she was a young girl. Though she does exotic dancing every Friday for the last six months, at a strip club on amateur night. She likes the anonymity of if. There are no expectations. Her day job is running her mother’s dance studio. Her mother was a famous dancer and Emi is quite well known as well which is part of the reason she wears a mask when she strips on amateur night.
The Hero: Austin - he is a Chicago firefighter who owns a business called Playboy’s for Hire with his two best friends. He also likes to strip for his company now and then. His mother was a professional ballroom dancer, and he has been dancing and around dancing since he was young. He is in charge of recruiting for P4H. He and his friend are attending amateur night at a local strip club to check out some of the amateur male strippers upstairs, but they are watching the women because one of their friends is dancing.
The Story: Austin sees Emi dance and he is entranced by her from the start. Even more so with the fact that he can tell from her body and movements that she is a trained ballet dancer. She stares at him through her entire dance, and he sees a definite connection between them and imagines them doing sexy things together. He has some kinks which most women don’t appreciate like he does, so he has resigned himself to the fact that it just won’t happen as often as he hungers for. Though he decides on the spot to check and see if the dancer feels the same connection he did. He finds out her name and tracks her down at the dance studio where she works.
I liked both of these characters from the start and though I don’t usually like the main characters in the romance books I read to be strippers, and I definitely didn’t like the fact that Emi is “betrothed”. She explained that she was pretty much pressured into an arranged marriage by her father. Though I think she was weak for not standing up to her father about it. He didn’t really pressure her like a mafia don pressure’s his daughter, it was just that he had a heart attack, and she didn’t want to cause him stress. She did love Marco as a friend, and he was away in some sort of business program for eleven more weeks, so Emi decides to sow her wild oats for the rest of that time.
You could tell throughout this story that Emi’s secret would end up coming out in a way that she didn’t expect and that did happen. I liked Emi aside from the fact that she kept this secret when she should have told Austin and her father. But the way it all came out did make the story quite interesting. The fact that Emi comes from wealth and Austin is a firefighter and a stripper made him feel like he wasn’t good enough for her.
This audiobook was told in multiple points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Aiden Snow and Avery Reed. I am not too fond of Avery Reed’s voice; you can tell she is reading. She has too many pauses between words. Though Aiden Snow is one of my all-time favorite male narrators, with a deep, yet soft and sexy voice. I could listen to hi all day and all night.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙❤️💚🖤
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😊😄😘😍
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Emi - she is a professional dancer, professionally trained since she was a young girl. Though she does exotic dancing every Friday for the last six months, at a strip club on amateur night. She likes the anonymity of if. There are no expectations. Her day job is running her mother’s dance studio. Her mother was a famous dancer and Emi is quite well known as well which is part of the reason she wears a mask when she strips on amateur night.
The Hero: Austin - he is a Chicago firefighter who owns a business called Playboy’s for Hire with his two best friends. He also likes to strip for his company now and then. His mother was a professional ballroom dancer, and he has been dancing and around dancing since he was young. He is in charge of recruiting for P4H. He and his friend are attending amateur night at a local strip club to check out some of the amateur male strippers upstairs, but they are watching the women because one of their friends is dancing.
The Story: Austin sees Emi dance and he is entranced by her from the start. Even more so with the fact that he can tell from her body and movements that she is a trained ballet dancer. She stares at him through her entire dance, and he sees a definite connection between them and imagines them doing sexy things together. He has some kinks which most women don’t appreciate like he does, so he has resigned himself to the fact that it just won’t happen as often as he hungers for. Though he decides on the spot to check and see if the dancer feels the same connection he did. He finds out her name and tracks her down at the dance studio where she works.
I liked both of these characters from the start and though I don’t usually like the main characters in the romance books I read to be strippers, and I definitely didn’t like the fact that Emi is “betrothed”. She explained that she was pretty much pressured into an arranged marriage by her father. Though I think she was weak for not standing up to her father about it. He didn’t really pressure her like a mafia don pressure’s his daughter, it was just that he had a heart attack, and she didn’t want to cause him stress. She did love Marco as a friend, and he was away in some sort of business program for eleven more weeks, so Emi decides to sow her wild oats for the rest of that time.
You could tell throughout this story that Emi’s secret would end up coming out in a way that she didn’t expect and that did happen. I liked Emi aside from the fact that she kept this secret when she should have told Austin and her father. But the way it all came out did make the story quite interesting. The fact that Emi comes from wealth and Austin is a firefighter and a stripper made him feel like he wasn’t good enough for her.
This audiobook was told in multiple points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Aiden Snow and Avery Reed. I am not too fond of Avery Reed’s voice; you can tell she is reading. She has too many pauses between words. Though Aiden Snow is one of my all-time favorite male narrators, with a deep, yet soft and sexy voice. I could listen to hi all day and all night.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Pinterest|BookBub
May 8, 2018
I’m not a big fan of kinks in books (Go ahead and judge me, I judge myself) and so this whole series has been quite a journey in self-examination for me. What I’ve discovered is that if you ever have any doubts about a touchy subject matter, you should always feel safe with Gina’s writing. She has a way of breaching a touchy subject with a calm thoughtfulness that allows you to really understand the feelings and emotions of the characters and their stories. She’s shown me that there can be romance in even the most non-traditional relationships that I had previously judged.
The chemistry between Austin and Emi is off the charts for sure, but it’s their emotional connection and the way you see them open up to each other that will truly make you fall for them. When both of their walls are knocked down and you get to the heart of what has helped shape them into who they are and the way that they choose to love, everything falls into place and you will not just be rooting for them and their HEA, you’ll be aching for it.
This is a MUST READ book. No, a MUST READ series!!
The chemistry between Austin and Emi is off the charts for sure, but it’s their emotional connection and the way you see them open up to each other that will truly make you fall for them. When both of their walls are knocked down and you get to the heart of what has helped shape them into who they are and the way that they choose to love, everything falls into place and you will not just be rooting for them and their HEA, you’ll be aching for it.
This is a MUST READ book. No, a MUST READ series!!
May 10, 2018
I’ve been waiting for Austin’s book and it did not disappoint at all. If you’ve read the other books in the series you will find out each guy has a sexual kink. Austin’s is a little extreme and to be honest I wasn’t sure how I would react while reading. I have to say Gina Maxwell wrote these scenes in a tasteful and respectful manner which I very much appreciated. Don’t get me wrong it was hot as heck but I didn’t get that sick feeling in my stomach when I knew it was going to happen. Nor did I feel sick after I was finished. I felt safe and respected just like Emi. I loved Austin and Emi as they are social opposites and I loved the way the crew accepted her into the family. Austin is a good ole Southern boy and he’s my second favorite now after Chance. Sorry, Roman. It was good catching up with the rest of the gang as well. I loved the bond that Austin and Addison have with each other in this story. Each book in the series has offered me an escape and I can’t wait to read the next one!
October 26, 2025
4⭐
So this one ends the series of Playboys in love. I actually think the author might be thinking about another (or even 2) books, because of the chemistry between other side characters, but I still haven't searched for info.
I LOVED the personalities of the MCs: Austin I already loved... but Emi really was a good match for him.
Loved the romance and all, but the things I most appreciated in this one were the group moments between friends. Having a lonely FMC with no experiences of a real circle of friends, it was heartwarming, really ♥
Addison from book #2 remains the ultimate badass, best matchmaker, unapologetic character of them all!
3 books in 3 days.... this was a fun ride.
So this one ends the series of Playboys in love. I actually think the author might be thinking about another (or even 2) books, because of the chemistry between other side characters, but I still haven't searched for info.
I LOVED the personalities of the MCs: Austin I already loved... but Emi really was a good match for him.
Loved the romance and all, but the things I most appreciated in this one were the group moments between friends. Having a lonely FMC with no experiences of a real circle of friends, it was heartwarming, really ♥
Addison from book #2 remains the ultimate badass, best matchmaker, unapologetic character of them all!
3 books in 3 days.... this was a fun ride.
May 7, 2018
Settle yourself in for this one ladies and prepare yourselves to read yet another incredible book from Gina Maxwell. She never ceases to amaze me, but this one- this story took my breath away. The incredible steam combined with two characters you will love from the beginning it's the ultimate read. Stellar writing, while dealing with a sensitive topic she does so perfectly, that just pulls you right into the story and does not let go.
When Austin meets Emi, he sees in her as though he's looking in the mirror. The same deep, dark desire and his need to pursue her begins. Emi, the moment she locks eyes with Austin feels the same pull. A pull she's trying to understand, and one that Austin gently and oh so seductively, leads her through. I loved these two characters together. They made sense. It's not all smooth sailing for the two of them as Emi, a former ballerina and daughter to an extremely overprotective father who has conveniently arranged her marriage interferes and his timing couldn't have been worse. It was great to see the characters from the previous books (and yes you should read those) Emi was embraced by his friends, never having friends before; her backstory is telling.
This book could not have been better, it sucked me in from the first page and gave me one heck of a book hangover when I finished. Stellar writing, an incredible hot story, Gina sails this one over the top. It deserves far more than 5 stars.
**advanced reader copy from NetGalley and Entangled for honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When Austin meets Emi, he sees in her as though he's looking in the mirror. The same deep, dark desire and his need to pursue her begins. Emi, the moment she locks eyes with Austin feels the same pull. A pull she's trying to understand, and one that Austin gently and oh so seductively, leads her through. I loved these two characters together. They made sense. It's not all smooth sailing for the two of them as Emi, a former ballerina and daughter to an extremely overprotective father who has conveniently arranged her marriage interferes and his timing couldn't have been worse. It was great to see the characters from the previous books (and yes you should read those) Emi was embraced by his friends, never having friends before; her backstory is telling.
This book could not have been better, it sucked me in from the first page and gave me one heck of a book hangover when I finished. Stellar writing, an incredible hot story, Gina sails this one over the top. It deserves far more than 5 stars.
**advanced reader copy from NetGalley and Entangled for honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 16, 2025
There's very little I liked about this one. Well - the MMC was good, but everything else was a disaster.
Austin (stripper, fireman) is with the stripper crew at a club to see Roman's sister fulfill her bucket list item of stripping. While waiting for the show, another girl comes on stage to dance, and she takes his breath away. Emi (ballerina, super rich) likes to live out her kinky side by going to amateur night at the strip club to dance. Austin tracks her down and asks her out, she says yes. Yada yada they want to get naked, but she's hesitant because she wants to be dominated, and her past dudes have called her a freak for wanting it. As luck would have it, Austin's kink is to dominate women and also role play noncon. More yada yada and feelings develop - which would be great except that Emi is engaged to someone else. Her dad emotionally manipulated her into agreeing to marry a family friend (that's the short version of it). More crap, truth comes out, sad face, reuniting feels so good, HFN with no epilogue.
From the very beginning I had issues, the biggest one being:
SEX: When they actually got to the sex, it was kind of hot. The biggest thing was them trying the whole BDSM aspect of things. It feels like this was written for someone who has absolutely NO idea what any form of kinky sex is. Every. Single. Thing. was discussed to death. What hard limits means. What soft limits means. What safe words are and why someone would use them. Then once they'd get to a sexy item, like him talking dirty, it was explained why he would say such things and how she was supposed to feel about them being said, all while reassuring the reader that all of this was consensual and they were just fake playing. I was like OMFG JUST MOVE ON TO THE GOOD STUFF ALREADY!!!! It completely took you out of the moment because there was so much stopping/starting going on. And honestly - nothing they did was even kinky!!!! The most he did was tie her hands together. THAT'S IT!!
COMMUNICATION: It's a classic "I'm not going to give you this critical information and then you're going to find out at the last minute and leave me but if I had just told you from the beginning, everything would have been fine" trope. I started to write all this out but instead I'm just going to say it was dumb.
I can't remember what else I was going to say, but there were a bunch of other things that pissed me the hell off.
I'm going to give this 2 stars because I'm feeling generous. Austin was really sweet and kind of perfect.
Austin (stripper, fireman) is with the stripper crew at a club to see Roman's sister fulfill her bucket list item of stripping. While waiting for the show, another girl comes on stage to dance, and she takes his breath away. Emi (ballerina, super rich) likes to live out her kinky side by going to amateur night at the strip club to dance. Austin tracks her down and asks her out, she says yes. Yada yada they want to get naked, but she's hesitant because she wants to be dominated, and her past dudes have called her a freak for wanting it. As luck would have it, Austin's kink is to dominate women and also role play noncon. More yada yada and feelings develop - which would be great except that Emi is engaged to someone else. Her dad emotionally manipulated her into agreeing to marry a family friend (that's the short version of it). More crap, truth comes out, sad face, reuniting feels so good, HFN with no epilogue.
From the very beginning I had issues, the biggest one being:
SEX: When they actually got to the sex, it was kind of hot. The biggest thing was them trying the whole BDSM aspect of things. It feels like this was written for someone who has absolutely NO idea what any form of kinky sex is. Every. Single. Thing. was discussed to death. What hard limits means. What soft limits means. What safe words are and why someone would use them. Then once they'd get to a sexy item, like him talking dirty, it was explained why he would say such things and how she was supposed to feel about them being said, all while reassuring the reader that all of this was consensual and they were just fake playing. I was like OMFG JUST MOVE ON TO THE GOOD STUFF ALREADY!!!! It completely took you out of the moment because there was so much stopping/starting going on. And honestly - nothing they did was even kinky!!!! The most he did was tie her hands together. THAT'S IT!!
COMMUNICATION: It's a classic "I'm not going to give you this critical information and then you're going to find out at the last minute and leave me but if I had just told you from the beginning, everything would have been fine" trope. I started to write all this out but instead I'm just going to say it was dumb.
I can't remember what else I was going to say, but there were a bunch of other things that pissed me the hell off.
I'm going to give this 2 stars because I'm feeling generous. Austin was really sweet and kind of perfect.
May 1, 2018
Gina Maxwell is one of those authors that has a gift for combining humour and romance. Her books always make me laugh, but more importantly they never fail to make me fall in love.
Merciless is the 3rd book in the playboy in love series. Although it can be read as a standalone, I loved the fact that all the characters from past books made their presence well and truly felt and it is the sense of family that made this book entertaining.
Gina has this amazing ability to create real, likeable, relatable characters that draw the reader in from the beginning and makes them feel a part of the story. Gina nails the character connection, dialogue, and emotion. She builds storylines that are engaging, all-consuming, smile inducing, and heartfelt.
Austin “Rowdy” Massey is a man that will melt your heart. He’s sexy as sin with the sex appeal of all the Hollywood Chris characters combined. That is a lot of yummy! With a motto like his you can’t go wrong.
“ My motto for both jobs is find them hot and leave them wet ,and I’m damn good at what I do. “
His personality is adorable, his heart is huge, and his love is fierce. Austin is used to being the Hero. His whole life he’s been the good son, loyal friend, and firefighter. But in the bedroom he’s something else, someone else.
Emi the heroine in Merciless is the perfect match for Austin. She grew up in a wealthy family as the prodigal daughter of a famous dancer. Her life has been sheltered with few friends. The sexual experiences she has had have left her feeling damaged or like her desires make her a freak. She seems quiet and reserved on the outside but her inner minx is just waiting to be unleashed. And boy does Austin know how to unleash it.
Austin and Emi meet during a chance encounter. They both speak to each other’s soul and they embark on a journey to explore their sexual desire for each other.
If you have ever read any of Gina’s book you know the sex is going to be 🔥🔥🔥.
Merciless doesn’t disappoint. Austin and Emi are scorching hot together.
“Is your pussy wet for me Emi? If I shove my fingers in deep, will they be slick with your lust for me? “
A chance meeting and an instant attraction that develops into a lifelong love.
This book was perfection, I loved everything about it.The instant attraction,the dialogue and intense chemistry between the sheets, the sense of family, the interactions, and the love. Gina once again demonstrates why I will always read anything she writes. At the end of the book I had a huge smile on my face and a warm heart.
Merciless is the 3rd book in the playboy in love series. Although it can be read as a standalone, I loved the fact that all the characters from past books made their presence well and truly felt and it is the sense of family that made this book entertaining.
Gina has this amazing ability to create real, likeable, relatable characters that draw the reader in from the beginning and makes them feel a part of the story. Gina nails the character connection, dialogue, and emotion. She builds storylines that are engaging, all-consuming, smile inducing, and heartfelt.
Austin “Rowdy” Massey is a man that will melt your heart. He’s sexy as sin with the sex appeal of all the Hollywood Chris characters combined. That is a lot of yummy! With a motto like his you can’t go wrong.
“ My motto for both jobs is find them hot and leave them wet ,and I’m damn good at what I do. “
His personality is adorable, his heart is huge, and his love is fierce. Austin is used to being the Hero. His whole life he’s been the good son, loyal friend, and firefighter. But in the bedroom he’s something else, someone else.
Emi the heroine in Merciless is the perfect match for Austin. She grew up in a wealthy family as the prodigal daughter of a famous dancer. Her life has been sheltered with few friends. The sexual experiences she has had have left her feeling damaged or like her desires make her a freak. She seems quiet and reserved on the outside but her inner minx is just waiting to be unleashed. And boy does Austin know how to unleash it.
Austin and Emi meet during a chance encounter. They both speak to each other’s soul and they embark on a journey to explore their sexual desire for each other.
If you have ever read any of Gina’s book you know the sex is going to be 🔥🔥🔥.
Merciless doesn’t disappoint. Austin and Emi are scorching hot together.
“Is your pussy wet for me Emi? If I shove my fingers in deep, will they be slick with your lust for me? “
A chance meeting and an instant attraction that develops into a lifelong love.
This book was perfection, I loved everything about it.The instant attraction,the dialogue and intense chemistry between the sheets, the sense of family, the interactions, and the love. Gina once again demonstrates why I will always read anything she writes. At the end of the book I had a huge smile on my face and a warm heart.
May 3, 2018
I adored Merciless. I especially loved that it explored duality, the dual natures of both the hero and heroine, Emi and Austin; their secret and public personas as well as the contrast in their social status and upbringing. I also loved Austin's kink but it didn't feel non-con to me it felt like role playing there wasn't that sense that the acts were against her will, they were hot but there was something missing.
All in all I found it enjoyable and I'd definitely recommend it to those wanting to dip their toes in non-con waters so to speak.
ARC won in a contest hosted by author
All in all I found it enjoyable and I'd definitely recommend it to those wanting to dip their toes in non-con waters so to speak.
ARC won in a contest hosted by author
May 20, 2018
Okay, being completely honest (as you know I like to be in all my reviews) I wasn't completely sold on Merciless when I picked it up to start reading it, I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of forced fantasies but I gave it a go because I trusted Gina’s talent and judgement enough to know that whatever she wrote would be well-crafted and written about with the utmost sensitivity + not to mention I loved what we had been shown of Austin’s character in the other books so I was curious as to how Gina would reconcile this side of Austin’s character with what we had been shown of his character so far and I have to say, Gina does not disappoint one iota.
The intimate scenes between Emi and Austin are written brilliantly well, you can tell that a lot of research went into everything that was written about in the book, and that comes across, especially in the sex scenes between the two characters. I’ll be honest, Gina challenged my perceptions/pre-conceived notions on forced fantasies, I have a better understanding of the subject now than I did before I read Merciless and I have to thank Gina for that.
The characters… Oh the characters! Emi has to be up there with my all-time favourite Gina L. Maxwell heroines. There’s nothing vaguely damsel in distress-y about Emi and I love it! There’s so much more I want to say but I don’t want to spoil the book for those of you who want to read so I’ll leave it there but it’s so hard for me to not reveal EVERYTHING… And Austin, I didn’t think I could love Austin’s character more than I did already, but I do. I had thought that the two sides to Austin might feel and read like two separate characters but I needn’t have worried (I mean come on this is Gina after all) because they didn’t. In fact, I absolutely loved and am in awe of how Gina managed to merge both together so well. To the point where I was like full-on fangirling over the adorable-ness that was (both sides of) Austin Massey.
If you want to see BDSM/other less written about subjects done well? I highly recommend Gina’s books to you. I honestly am so glad and grateful to a friend of mine for introducing me to Gina’s writing way back when because otherwise I would never have challenged my reading habits, not to mention that I would have kept the pre-conceived ideas I had of this genre/category of books.
P. S. I hope we get a book with Sam and Roman’s sister (Rhona? Rhonda I forget) as the main characters because I NEED. I fell in love with them thanks to that teeny scene that Gina treated us too (who says we need pages upon pages of interaction between characters to see sparks/potential ;])
The intimate scenes between Emi and Austin are written brilliantly well, you can tell that a lot of research went into everything that was written about in the book, and that comes across, especially in the sex scenes between the two characters. I’ll be honest, Gina challenged my perceptions/pre-conceived notions on forced fantasies, I have a better understanding of the subject now than I did before I read Merciless and I have to thank Gina for that.
The characters… Oh the characters! Emi has to be up there with my all-time favourite Gina L. Maxwell heroines. There’s nothing vaguely damsel in distress-y about Emi and I love it! There’s so much more I want to say but I don’t want to spoil the book for those of you who want to read so I’ll leave it there but it’s so hard for me to not reveal EVERYTHING… And Austin, I didn’t think I could love Austin’s character more than I did already, but I do. I had thought that the two sides to Austin might feel and read like two separate characters but I needn’t have worried (I mean come on this is Gina after all) because they didn’t. In fact, I absolutely loved and am in awe of how Gina managed to merge both together so well. To the point where I was like full-on fangirling over the adorable-ness that was (both sides of) Austin Massey.
If you want to see BDSM/other less written about subjects done well? I highly recommend Gina’s books to you. I honestly am so glad and grateful to a friend of mine for introducing me to Gina’s writing way back when because otherwise I would never have challenged my reading habits, not to mention that I would have kept the pre-conceived ideas I had of this genre/category of books.
P. S. I hope we get a book with Sam and Roman’s sister (Rhona? Rhonda I forget) as the main characters because I NEED. I fell in love with them thanks to that teeny scene that Gina treated us too (who says we need pages upon pages of interaction between characters to see sparks/potential ;])
May 13, 2018
Playboys in Love is a fun and sexy series filled with attractive and sinfully delicious men who like to take a walk on the wild side. This third novel features Austin, a firefighter by day, stripper by night and part owner of Playboys 4 Hire who sees an amateur female stripper, Raven, at a local club and is struck by their sizzling connection.
Raven turns out to be Emi, a ballerina by trade who likes to dabble in a little more of the erotic dance variety and has some desires Austin is only too happy to fill. They both have a thing for consensual forced sex fantasies and with safe words and contracts (and a man well versed in proper after care) they indulge in a steamy affair. Emi comes from a wealthy family and her father has plans for her to end up in an arranged marriage, something she's hoping to avoid but will definitely cause trouble for her and Austin when things between them start to get serious. Fortunately they find their way to a happy ending. We get several scenes with Austin's friends (characters from the first two books in the series) and Emi is avidly welcomed into their circle. As well there are some hints of stories to come which I'm looking forward to reading. If you like some kink with your sex and genuinely fun and friendly characters who find romance and love, this is a series not to be missed!
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
Raven turns out to be Emi, a ballerina by trade who likes to dabble in a little more of the erotic dance variety and has some desires Austin is only too happy to fill. They both have a thing for consensual forced sex fantasies and with safe words and contracts (and a man well versed in proper after care) they indulge in a steamy affair. Emi comes from a wealthy family and her father has plans for her to end up in an arranged marriage, something she's hoping to avoid but will definitely cause trouble for her and Austin when things between them start to get serious. Fortunately they find their way to a happy ending. We get several scenes with Austin's friends (characters from the first two books in the series) and Emi is avidly welcomed into their circle. As well there are some hints of stories to come which I'm looking forward to reading. If you like some kink with your sex and genuinely fun and friendly characters who find romance and love, this is a series not to be missed!
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
July 10, 2025
Gina Maxwell can write the heck out of a sexy book and this was no exception. Consensual non consent done in a way that respects the kink community and the reader experience. Absolutely a great addition to the series.
Want to read
February 2, 2017Is this Austin's story? If it is, I hope is not like Romans
May 21, 2018
Maxwell is a master!
May 6, 2018
4.5 Stars!
Gahh!! The minute I read the blurb for Merciless I knew I needed it!! Gina L. Maxwell's novels are ALWAYS hot, sexy and has a storyline that just won't quit. I LOVED this story and Austin and Emi. I thought it was sexy, romantic and filled with a delicious connection that could not be denied.
Merciless is the third installment in the Playboys in Love series but is a complete standalone. This one was my favorite in the series as it has a darker edge than the previous books in the series. In this book, Austin and Emi give into their darker desires and need for forced fantasies/roleplay.
I thought this story was hot AF. I loved that both Austin and Emi felt that their relationship was a safe place where they could act out their darker passionate needs with one another. I also loved the group comraderie with Addison, Roman, Jane and Chance. This was such an amazing book and I look forward to more from this author in the future.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula
Gahh!! The minute I read the blurb for Merciless I knew I needed it!! Gina L. Maxwell's novels are ALWAYS hot, sexy and has a storyline that just won't quit. I LOVED this story and Austin and Emi. I thought it was sexy, romantic and filled with a delicious connection that could not be denied.
Merciless is the third installment in the Playboys in Love series but is a complete standalone. This one was my favorite in the series as it has a darker edge than the previous books in the series. In this book, Austin and Emi give into their darker desires and need for forced fantasies/roleplay.
I thought this story was hot AF. I loved that both Austin and Emi felt that their relationship was a safe place where they could act out their darker passionate needs with one another. I also loved the group comraderie with Addison, Roman, Jane and Chance. This was such an amazing book and I look forward to more from this author in the future.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula
January 25, 2019
So damn HOT!! Whew! A stripper firefighter and a former ballerina now a dance school owner. This has a recipe to be passionate and kinky to say the least. You will enjoy this one immensely if you you’re into intense and charming men. And, Emi was a strong beautiful woman just wanting to be her own person. They come from two different worlds, and Austin just doesn’t think that he’s good enough for Emi when an incident occurs between himself and her father. So heartbreaking it was for her. Will she give Austin another chance when he finally realizes what he’s done? And, will this end the solid relationship with her only living parent?
My first Gina Maxwell read, and I’m going to go back and read the first two of the series. I loved the supporting characters too! So much fun they all were. And, Emi and Austin’s love story was sexy and erotically charged.
My first Gina Maxwell read, and I’m going to go back and read the first two of the series. I loved the supporting characters too! So much fun they all were. And, Emi and Austin’s love story was sexy and erotically charged.
May 9, 2018
Forget the Prince. I want the Villian!
That’s right! This villain is everything Emi has wanted and never knew possible. He gives her the best of both worlds. First time reading from this author and the blurb sounded interesting. Plus the cover sold me. I didn’t realize this is book three and will be reading the other two. The background characters were great and their stories were never hinted at except for one part that Emi needed to know about Austin’s relationship/friendship with one.
That’s right! This villain is everything Emi has wanted and never knew possible. He gives her the best of both worlds. First time reading from this author and the blurb sounded interesting. Plus the cover sold me. I didn’t realize this is book three and will be reading the other two. The background characters were great and their stories were never hinted at except for one part that Emi needed to know about Austin’s relationship/friendship with one.
May 8, 2018
Once again Gina managed to break my heart and repair it in a book that I couldn't put down. Both point managed to bring me to tears. Love Gina's books and each has a moment that standout to me. This was by far the best make it up to her scene ever!
May 6, 2018
WOW just plain WOW .. How can the P4H get any Hotter or Sexier but when Firefighter/Strippers/Hero Austin falls for Ballerina/ Princess Emmelie he knows he is out of his league.
When he first meets Emmelie .. aka .. Raven .. he feels it .. there is dark In Emi just like there is dark inside him but why is a ballerina at Cardinal Sin ?? He needs to find out .. why ?? Maybe she just needs an escape from her life .. from the promises she made .. from the future she does not want ??
Emi feels it too .. there is something dark that Austin make her see light but can the light be enough or will the dark keep her secrets hidden ?? Cane the love she is feeling for Austin our weigh the promises she made to her dad ??
So many questions, twist and turns that this book has you turning the pages faster and faster to get to the end .. BUT .. will the end, end the way he wants or will Daddy put a stop to it and put his fire out ??
LOVED IT !! Nothing else to say but HOT HOT HOT !!
When he first meets Emmelie .. aka .. Raven .. he feels it .. there is dark In Emi just like there is dark inside him but why is a ballerina at Cardinal Sin ?? He needs to find out .. why ?? Maybe she just needs an escape from her life .. from the promises she made .. from the future she does not want ??
Emi feels it too .. there is something dark that Austin make her see light but can the light be enough or will the dark keep her secrets hidden ?? Cane the love she is feeling for Austin our weigh the promises she made to her dad ??
So many questions, twist and turns that this book has you turning the pages faster and faster to get to the end .. BUT .. will the end, end the way he wants or will Daddy put a stop to it and put his fire out ??
LOVED IT !! Nothing else to say but HOT HOT HOT !!
May 5, 2018
Austin is a sexy firefighter that moonlights as a stripper. He is essentially a good guy through and through, but like anyone else, there’s more to him than meets the eye.
Emi is a woman from an affluent family, a good daughter caring for her father, a now retired ballerina teaching at what used to be her mother’s studio. But Emi has a secret side she lets free on the form of Raven, an amateur stripper.
Merciless is the story of Austin and Emi and how they come together. How they find the way to set themselves free and indulge in their deepest desires with one another.
I really enjoyed this book. As usual Gina weaves her magic to bring us a love story full of humor and steamy sexy times while handling the characters’ special form of kink in a way even the most reluctant readers couldn’t object.
I loved the characters. I was completely in awe of Austin because he’s such a good guy as a son, friend and lover and he compliments Emi perfectly. And she has a firecracker quality under her very proper exterior that I really liked as well.
Can’t wait to read what comes next for the guys of P4H!
4 stars
*Received a very early ARC for which I voluntarily provided an honest review*
Emi is a woman from an affluent family, a good daughter caring for her father, a now retired ballerina teaching at what used to be her mother’s studio. But Emi has a secret side she lets free on the form of Raven, an amateur stripper.
Merciless is the story of Austin and Emi and how they come together. How they find the way to set themselves free and indulge in their deepest desires with one another.
I really enjoyed this book. As usual Gina weaves her magic to bring us a love story full of humor and steamy sexy times while handling the characters’ special form of kink in a way even the most reluctant readers couldn’t object.
I loved the characters. I was completely in awe of Austin because he’s such a good guy as a son, friend and lover and he compliments Emi perfectly. And she has a firecracker quality under her very proper exterior that I really liked as well.
Can’t wait to read what comes next for the guys of P4H!
4 stars
*Received a very early ARC for which I voluntarily provided an honest review*
May 8, 2018
Ive been on pins and needles waiting for Austin's story to arrive from Gina L. Maxwell and the debate in my head has gone back and forth. Yes, I knew Austin's kink was KINK-EEE. I mean, this guy is one dirty bird. Would I be comfortable reading this? Hell yes. *smirk*
I love to read taboo but I havent really run across much forced fantasy that I thought was written well. Its a difficult subject to discuss and probably even worse for an author to have to write about. I thought GLM did a truly OUTSTANDING job handling the issue and setting up the scenes to be both believable and meaningful to me as a reader.
Austin the fireman/stripper wasnt really what I expected him to be. He had this wonderful soft side when it came to Emi that I fell so in love with during the course of the book. And Emi.. well, when I think of professional ballerina, I think of graceful, sweet and demure. Emi was all that but she was also tough as nails. I loved this about both of the characters - that there were multiple dimensions to their personalities. I really felt it added depth to the story to go along with all the HEAT that was burning up in the background!
Each of the books in this series can be read independently but you will be missing out on so much if you dont read them all. A wonderful series by one of my auto one-click authors!
I love to read taboo but I havent really run across much forced fantasy that I thought was written well. Its a difficult subject to discuss and probably even worse for an author to have to write about. I thought GLM did a truly OUTSTANDING job handling the issue and setting up the scenes to be both believable and meaningful to me as a reader.
Austin the fireman/stripper wasnt really what I expected him to be. He had this wonderful soft side when it came to Emi that I fell so in love with during the course of the book. And Emi.. well, when I think of professional ballerina, I think of graceful, sweet and demure. Emi was all that but she was also tough as nails. I loved this about both of the characters - that there were multiple dimensions to their personalities. I really felt it added depth to the story to go along with all the HEAT that was burning up in the background!
Each of the books in this series can be read independently but you will be missing out on so much if you dont read them all. A wonderful series by one of my auto one-click authors!
May 4, 2018
I've been waiting for this book for a long time and wasn't sure how she'd write Austin's specific kind of kink, but I loved how it turned out and how the rest of the gang was included. I'm pretty sure there needs to be at least two more books based on characters mentioned! Yes! Austin and Emi had a great connection and the pages flew by too fast because I loved their story too much for it to end so early. A great third book, but it could stand alone also. Mucho hotness in the pages!!
May 2, 2018
Wow! What a great book! The characters really came to life. Gina L. Maxwell did a great job with this book. I highly recommend it.
May 12, 2018
Loved this book
Best in the series so far! Loved how they fought for their relationship. Great seeing how the other couples in the series are doing
Best in the series so far! Loved how they fought for their relationship. Great seeing how the other couples in the series are doing
May 8, 2018
My favorite
Out of this whole series so far this one is my favorite. Had just enough steam but still had that sweetness to it that I loved
Out of this whole series so far this one is my favorite. Had just enough steam but still had that sweetness to it that I loved
May 8, 2018
Love the hell out of this series and this book did not disappoint. Gina Maxwell once again proves why she is on my auto buy author list!
May 11, 2018
Yikes, hot, hot, hot
This is an intense book. I very much liked the characters and the story. Their relationship is explosive and the scenes well written.
This is an intense book. I very much liked the characters and the story. Their relationship is explosive and the scenes well written.
May 27, 2018
I loved the previous books in the series, but this one just didn’t hit the mark for me.
December 28, 2024
Austin is a good ole' southern charmer... but that kink of his could get him introuble.
I liked Austin story. Good way to finish out the series!
I liked Austin story. Good way to finish out the series!
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