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Talisman #1

Obsession

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When the perfect husband
Becomes the perfect nightmare...


Josh Delaney is the ideal honey trap. His charm and model good looks would be enough for most women, but coupled with his psychic ability to read their thoughts, he’s impossible to resist. Suspicious husbands employ him to test their wives, to see if they can be tempted to stray.

High profile couple Suki and Gabe Bridgewater have the perfect marriage, or at least, that’s the image they portray to the world. Behind closed doors, Gabe’s dominance in the marriage is unravelling and he decides to test Suki, using Josh as bait.

For Josh it should be just another easy job, but two things go horribly wrong.

One, Josh falls in love with Suki.

And two, Gabe refuses to let her go.

355 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 9, 2013

38 people are currently reading
490 people want to read

About the author

Sofia Grey

60 books281 followers
Romance author Sofia Grey spends her days managing projects in the corporate world and her nights hanging out with wolf shifters and alpha males. She devours pretty much anything in the fiction line, but she prefers her romances to be hot, and her heroes to have hidden depths. When writing, she enjoys peeling back the layers to expose her characters’ flaws and always makes them work hard for their happy endings.

Find her at: www.SofiaGrey.com, on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sofia.Grey.R..., on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sofiagrey1 and Instagram as @sofiagreyauthor

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 12, 2013
Firstly, Thank you Sofia, for sending me an ARC of your latest amazing release.
Sofia sent me this and I started it immediately, as I had a challenge that it fitted perfectly.

Everything about Gabriel Bridgewater made my skin crawl. I couldn't find a single redeeming feature JOSH DELANEY

This about sums Gabe up! The man is so low he could get under a snakes belly with his umbrella up. I loved to hate him!

He is a sick, psycho,wannabe Dominant,rapist.

Minutes later, pounding into her as she sprawled on the bed, I felt a surge of satisfaction. She was mine and I'd make sure she remembered that. Her quiet acquiescence was normal, Suki rarely showed enthusiasm in bed. One of these days I'd find out what turned her on. For the moment I took selfish pleasure in stamping my claim on her body, and added a fresh love bite in place of the one that had almost faded.

This is the amazingly written story of the triangle of deceit and love between Gabe and Suki Bridgewater, and Josh Delaney. Its a wonderful black contemporary romance, sprinkled with a little Paranormal. Very hard to put into a category. But easy to put into my favorites shelf!
I hope I'm not overstepping the mark, by adding quotes, but it is release day!

I hated Gabe almost from the moment I met him, Suki is sweet and you feel for her right from the start, and Josh (aka Joe, and Raphael), despite the job he does, is just so likeable.
I am completely in awe of Sofia Grey's imagination, for bringing the whole story together in the way she did. (I was starting to worry there a couple of times, that it wasn't going to go the way I wanted it to!)

Ms Grey gives us a multi view of the events as they unfold, by giving us our three main character's point of view, throughout each chapter, this method may not appeal to everyone, but I loved it! We get inside each characters head, and know exactly whats going on from all angles.

We pick up the lives of Gabe and Suki, at a time in their lives, where their marriage is on a downhill slide. Suki is obviously (to the reader, but not her {yet}) terrified of her husband, he is a freak! A control freak, a sex freak, a speed freak, just an all round freak.

Looking back, I couldn't be sure what I wanted to protect her from, apart from myself

Suki has been married to Gabe since she was eighteen, she knows nothing else. She has however built herself a life and has a great job, and is well able to support herself, if needs be. After ten years together, things have become stale, and Gabe uses everything he can to his advantage.

She was quiet at the moment, the panicked shrieking giving way to a muffled sobbing. Some might have considered it to be harsh treatment, but it was for her own good. Once she'd had a taste of captivity she'd understand all the more clearly, how freedom should be valued. My father had been driven to use similar methods on my mother, but look how well they'd turned out. She'd become an excellent wife and mother, perfect in every way. Could I be blamed for wanting Suki to be the same? I was truly my father's son.

Suki and Josh meet by accident (twice!) and have an instant connection, not necessarily the love type of connection, to start with. But the romance isnt far away!
This is essentially a romance story, not a sexy read, although there are a couple of scenes, I can't say both sexy, because one definitely wasn't sexy, but the second, is tender and loving.
Josh and Suki are meant to be together, and Gabe gets his comeuppance, just like he deserves!


I am SO glad this is a series! Dante ( who has a cameo) is up next, and I gather we get to see more of Josh (Gabriel) and perhaps, hopefully the whole crowd, (except Gabe!) in the next book.

Fantastic story, a must read, so add it to your shelves!

Great job Sofia!
Looking forward to the next installment.


Profile Image for Heather  book whore & shifter slut extrordinaire.
331 reviews102 followers
August 6, 2013
The blurb for this book is excellent. It introduces us nicely to the main characters and sets up the ensuing drama of the book enough to entice us without giving too much away. We know what Josh can do and what he does for a living. We view the perfect Gabe and Suki from the outside but also know about the cracks forming on the inside. And we know what the whole driving force of the book is. So why bother reading the book? Because for this book, as with the truly mind-boggling WOW I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING or HOLY CRAP DID THAT JUST HAPPEN book its not about the destination, its the journey. And what a journey it is...

As the title suggests, Obsession is about what we hold close or consider most precious. For some it is their personal image, for others their independence and still others value family above all else. Then there are those who simply obsess over all - everything they see and touch and want is considered theirs and no one must ever challenge their right to OWN IT, whatever it may be.

This was a fantastic, creepy, amazing, terrifying, awesome, frucked up and INTENSE book. It contained scenes and characters and motivations that spanned everything from truly goodhearted to pure evil and touched on the themes of passion, fidelity, obsession, redemption, friendship and true love. All of those themes in one book is pretty damn unbelievable but it truly was done and done well.

Minor spoiler about the way the book is written not specifically anything that happens.

This was a complete and utter 5***** star read for me. I am very excited about the second book in the Talisman series.
Profile Image for Sotia Lazu.
Author 61 books283 followers
July 5, 2013
I don't really read books; I listen to them. My life right now doesn't allow time for me to actually sit down and read, so the fact alone that I read Obsession in a handful of days, on my phone should be telling of how much I loved it.

I'm not going to do a re-hash of the summary. I'll just say that Sofia Grey built a solid, strong plot, full of passion, hurt, love, and betrayal. She sprinkled that with enough paranormal elements to keep me biting my nails, and wrapped it around believable, flawed, and--mostly--relatable characters.

I loved the three POV format that gave us insight into the main characters and the layers and depth everyone, including the supporting characters, had. .

I absolutely loved this book, and I'm more than a little excited that it's the first in a series. I can't wait to see what comes next from Sofia Grey, but I'm sure she'll keep delivering!
Profile Image for JLOluvsbooks&dogs.
316 reviews5 followers
April 28, 2015
Wow, this was such a different read for me, I was fascinated by how the story had such twists like nothing I've read before. It was at times frustrating, because I do tend to like easy reads, and this was not an easy, light story. But... It was so captivating and you just didn't know what each character (5 interesting characters by the way) would do with each twist that unfolded. At times I wanted to stop, being annoyed or upset by what I thought the character would do (and be wrong lol) but because I just had to know what responses and actions occurred I stayed glued to the book. This did not leave you with a cliffhanger (thank goodness, otherwise this would have had a lesser rating for sure), even though it is a "book 1". Today it was raining like mad so this ended up being the perfect day to read this and I definitely recommend if you want to read a book that will have such a good movie reel in your head.
Profile Image for Rosanna Leo.
Author 41 books832 followers
August 5, 2016
4.5 stars for me. Sofia Grey's romantic suspense Obsession creeps up on you when you least expect it. What seems to be the tale between married couple Gabe and Suki quickly turns into a frightening story of obsession and megalomania. Throw in "honey trap" Josh and you have a potent triangle, one which turns awry very quickly and in a devastating manner. Ms. Grey builds the suspense in such a way you almost don't see it coming. At first, Gabe didn't strike me as much more than your typical arrogant husband but he becomes a nightmare. You want to hate him, but want to see him reformed: the perfect charming bastard. You root for Suki and for Josh, and I was pleased to see the story come to a dramatic and satisfying conclusion. If you haven't read Ms. Grey's work, this is a terrific one to start with. Bravo!
Profile Image for Michelle.
266 reviews41 followers
August 8, 2013
A phenomenal book that easily ranks as one of the best I've read this year. Amazing to think that this was the product of a relatively new author as well, for she manages to weave together the threads of several very complicated relationships via three different first person POVs and does it in a way that is so skillful that many more seasoned authors could stand to take notes from her I think. The subject matter isn't easy, and some of the behaviors, especially Gabe's, will have you wanting to scream with outrage or wishing you could reach into the book to smack the everloving crap out of him.

Gabriel, more often known as Gabe, is a selfish asshole and a sadistic monster who is quite adept at hiding his true nature behind a friendly, congenial, and often loving facade. While I can understand why Suki was initially eager to try to rekindle things between them and rediscover the closeness they had when they were first married, I believe that if she had allowed him to try anything truly kinky in the bedroom it would have ended up as an abusive situation because he seemed to regard her as little more than a living doll meant to satisfy him however he wanted. He cared nothing for what she wanted or needed - I don't think it ever even occurred to him that she would have wants and needs of her own separate from his. He seemed to have the idea that a wife existed solely to serve her husband, and that it was ok to use any and all tactics necessary to "bring them to heel" if they tried to think for themselves too much. I'm somewhat surprised he ever let her have a career to begin with, though I suppose her media career probably worked to his benefit a lot of the time by giving him greater access to key media figures through her.

Suki starts out kind of weak. She's too willing to follow Gabe's lead and do whatever he wanted her to or told her to do. Still, there were signs right from the beginning that she was beginning to question things, and rebel against him to do things her own way. Stopping at the cafe for an illicit coffee was one thing. The sessions she'd been doing with Babs are another. She does grow throughout the novel, and gains greater self-confidence and courage to stand up for herself. I loved how once she'd really opened her eyes to Gabe's treachery and believed it she was determined to stand her ground and refused to play by his rules

I liked Josh from the start. Even if his morals were a bit questionable at times, you could tell that he really was a decent guy at heart. He wasn't really hurting anyone doing the honey trap bit - the women he got evidence on weren't forced into anything after all, but still, it was rather shady. I get why he tried to conceal the truth as much as possible, but also had to respect him for coming clean, at least as much as he could, once the situation demanded it. When push came to shove, he sucked it up, swallowed his pride, and did the right thing. I'll be really interested to see where his story goes in the next book(s), as I was quite intrigued by the house, and the other people that seem to just know him despite having never actually met him before.

This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster that will leave you wrung out, angry, exasperated, happy, curious, confused, and probably a few other emotions to boot. Even though there is a resolution to the immediate situation between Gabe, Suki and Josh that comes complete with a (mostly) HEA, there are still many unanswered questions at the end along with teasers that we may have only just begun to scratch the surface of the real story in this series. There isn't a cliffhanger ending per se, more a pulling back of at least one curtain to reveal the stage here encompasses a lot more than we'd been told so far. Besides the glimpse we get of the next level of the story, there are also a few threads of this story that don't get completely tied off. I will not be at all surprised if a few things come back to haunt them in the future from all that transpired here.

Overall this is one that I would highly recommend to anyone who likes romantic suspense, thrillers, contemporary romance, and paranormal romance. Be prepared for a dark and twisted read that will leave you gaping at the lengths to which some people will go to "protect" what they consider to be theirs, but will also have you smiling at how much determination and true love can accomplish when they truly set their mind to it. 5 glowing stars from me for this first book in what promises to be an extraordinary series.
Profile Image for SN the Viking.
411 reviews8 followers
September 2, 2014
Once in a while you stumble upon a book that will blow your mind. This one did that to me. It was devious, thrilling, dark, clever and absolutely AWESOME. Book of the year for me, I have never read anything like it. It is absolutely unique I take my hat off to Sofia Grey for this accomplishment. I would say it is a thriller with contemporary romance and a touch of the paranormal.

The plot:

Meet the Bridgewater`s Suki and Gabe has been married for 10 years and their marriage is failing. Suki was an 18 year old virgin when they married and after 10 year the sex life is still not working properly. This is why you should have a test spin before you marry someone. It can go horribly wrong and here it does. The more Gabe is bored the worst it gets.

Suki has made her own career in television. She is a kind successful woman that constantly worries if her mom’s mental illness is passed down to her. She is also very miserable in her marriage and the sex is not working for her at all.

Gabe is a rich formula 1 racer and used to getting his way. He enjoys his fame and likes to bath in his own glory. He is also a control freak like no other and the nastiest man in two shoes I have ever met.

Then Josh steps into the picture, hired by Gabe to seduce his wife to test Suki. He has some paranormal skills and is an expert in seducing woman. Everything backfires on them all when Josh falls in love with Gabe’s wife.

And here the downfall begins. It is a ride you want to buckle up before reading. You are taken for a grand tour on a roller coaster like no other with twist and turns that will blow your mind and knock you over the head at every turn. You follow all the character in their minds, this is seamlessly written. You get to ride along in Gabe’s mind and see how he think’s, this is a scary world indeed. You get to see Suki`s side of the story with her struggles about everything that is happening. Then you get the outside look from Josh. It is genius really.

Over all if you don’t already have figured it out, I absolutely loved this book. I give it 5 stars +
This is a book that should be on you to read list for this year.

Book provided by author for an honest review.
Profile Image for Ellen.
670 reviews10 followers
June 18, 2013
This review is also available on my blog at: http://neverkissandblog.blogspot.com....

Obsession is book one in the Talisman Series. Sofia Grey is a new author and I was intrigued by the mix of paranormal abilities and a male honey trap. I was not expecting this book.

Fair warning, this book focuses heavily on an abusive relationship so if that is a trigger for you then please steer clear of this book. That said the relationships in this book are crafted beautifully. Gabe is an abuser about to go off the rails and Suki is unhappy and fearful in her relationship. The way that Grey paints this dysfunctional abusive relationship is disturbing. She makes you read from Gabe’s POV and it is awful. The man is sick and it’s uncomfortable to read the things he thinks. As it should be.

Despite how much I liked this it was light on both the paranormal and romance aspects. At the end of Obsession, you’re left with a heck load of questions about Josh and his powers, the ‘Talisman’ and the way Grey writes I’m not sure we’ll ever get the answers.

As for the romance, it’s sweet but not very explicit. Considering Suki spends a lot of the novel with her asshole husband drugging and screwing her over that’s understandable. She and Josh don’t consummate their relationship until after Suki finally leaves Gabe. If adultery is a problem for you I think you could still enjoy this book. Suki is emotionally involved with Josh and kisses him while still with Gabe, but did I mention he drugs and generally abuses her? Because he does and at no point did I think she was morally bankrupt.

I really liked this book. It’s thought provoking and not at all what I expected. I definitely recommend this unless of course abusive relationships and or rape are a trigger for you.
Profile Image for Mei.
1,897 reviews474 followers
August 29, 2013
An interesting book with a twisted relationship between man and wife.
I like it but din't loved it. It was interesting, but I didn't like Suki. Here I've told it! LOL

Suki is young when she gets married to Gabe. So, it's understandable that she was unable to get that he's an abuser and a contolling freak. But she's been married with him for 10 years, for God's sake!!! She's not 18 any more!!! She's 28! And still she doesn't get it!
I'm sorry but for me that's pure TSTL!

Obviously, because of her TSTL actions, things get nasty and dangerous!

Josh is a darling. He could be thought about as shady, but he's just profoundly honest. I appreciated that in him.
Tha's also why I'm asking myself: what in the whole world did he see in Suki???!!!

Gabe was an interesting chatacter. He's completely out of his mind, but he's conviced that he's right! He's very clever and has a perfect victim in Suki.

The action was interesting and the flow of the story very good. I liked the 3 main characters POVs.
Profile Image for ToddAn.
383 reviews8 followers
August 31, 2013
Masterfully written...adding the various perspectives was just genius! Seeing the madness progressing was a bit scary...the suspense was at times unbearable. Excellent read...leaves you hanging at then end..craving the next fix!
Profile Image for Pamela .
1,439 reviews78 followers
August 5, 2013
Every time you start a book, all you’re hoping for is that it’s at least half-decent and hopefully interesting. That’s what I thought when I read the synopsis for “Obsession,” something quick and simple. But WOW! Holy shit! I was completely blown away as it went above and beyond my expectations. It turned out to be such a fantastic novel I didn’t want it to end as I just couldn’t get enough of. I love it when novels grab my attention from the get-go and keeps me totally engaged right up until the end to the point I want to read the next one right then and there. I thought “Obsession” was going be a simple contemporary romance novel. Instead, Sofia Grey (“Grey”) delivers a well-written and well-developed novel that’s dark and twisted that includes romance and a touch of paranormal. Grey does a terrific job of grabbing the readers’ interest not only with her story-telling, but also by having the story told from the three protagonists’ POV: Josh, Gabe, and Suki, giving us more insight to their side of the story whether it be good or just plain evil. Without going overboard to the point of being repetitive, Grey does a great job with character development, and not just with the three lead characters, but with the supporting cast as well, Jon and Anita – two people that I absolutely loved. I love it when authors give the supporting characters more presence in a novel instead of just a quick mention here or there with them never being seen or heard again. The entire cast of characters definitely makes the story shine and stand out; a story that just happens to be full of many twists and turns leaving you on the edge of your seat.

This is a novel worthy of the five HUGE stars I give it. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next novel in the “Talisman” series. I highly recommend you read “Obsession” as it’s just amazing!
Profile Image for Erin.
1,922 reviews64 followers
July 19, 2017
I had to stop reading this. It is good, but I don't think I can handle the subject matter at the moment.
And admittedly, I am not overly fond of the main character Suki. I really hate to use this phrase, but a lot of the problems were her own doing. Given the context of the abusive manipulative husband, it really makes me cringe saying that. Yes at the start she said she was afraid of telling Gabe her worst fear as she knew it was possible he'd use it against her, but that doesn't explain other things. Things that directly made him suspect that she was cheating.
How could you never mention to your husband that your baby brother died when you were a child. Yeah you don't have to mention that it caused your mother to have a psychotic break, and your biggest fear is that you will have a psychotic break as well... But you could mention that he existed. You could even mention that it caused your mother to have a break. You didn't have to mention that it was your fear as well. Had she mentioned that, a lot of it wouldn't have been an issue.
And she lied. She could have said "instead of researching, I decided to go visit Anita and the baby in Wales."
I think I'm not overly fond of the POV, which is a common problem for me.
However what I have read, this is good. I just can't finish it because I am not in the right frame of mind to deal with the subject matter. (plus I have issues with women who stay in relationships like that)
Profile Image for Angie ~aka Reading Machine~.
3,746 reviews134 followers
December 10, 2014
Josh Delaney's job is to catch cheating spouses in honey trap. When Josh takes a job from anonymous client he's caught going down the rabbit hole filled with lies masked as truth. Suki Bridgewater has been married to Gabe Bridgewater for ten years but something is definitely missing from the relationship. Gabe can't seem to understand his wife Suki's reluctance to start a family but he sets a dangerous course of action that leads to family secrets and betrayal. Gabe believes that he's successfully taken his rival out of the picture. Gabe is now concentrating on Suki making her think she's forgetting appointments and family secrets. Suki meets Josh as Joe Summers but can't explain the connection between the two of them. Gabe's obsession at being the best of everything takes a dangerous turn for the worst. What is Gabe's obsession? Will Suki finally admit she's unhappy? Can Josh admit his feelings for Suki? Your answers await you in Obsession.

This is my first experience with this author. Admittedly I'm blown away by the depth and realism of her characters and story too. I really enjoyed the twisted fashion that carried through the whole book from first to last page. Definitely looking forward to more of this author's work in the future.
Profile Image for Yuri Bellamy.
8 reviews
June 14, 2014
I thought this was an outstanding romantic suspense which kept me fascinated until the end. I honestly wish I'd read it sooner - I picked it up a few months ago but kept getting interrupted from getting some reading time in.

Would I recommend it?

I would definitely recommend Obsession to anyone who likes romantic suspense with a touch of paranormal.

Other comments:

I thought the use of all three first-person POVs in the story worked very well. This is a well-executed book all around. At first, I wasn't sure Obsession was going to be my cup of tea because I usually like more paranormal elements in a novel if a book is set in modern times, but I quickly grew invested in the characters. I also enjoyed the setting(s) described in this book because I live in the US and haven't traveled much (outside of books, of course).

Rating:

4.5 to 5 stars. I had a hard time choosing between the 4 and 5 star rating, but only because I don't give almost anything 5 full stars. At minimum, I'd give this one a 4.5 - I loved most elements in it and at times I felt various emotions for the characters, which is important. Some books don't have the power to get me so emotionally invested in what is going on, but this one did.
440 reviews7 followers
February 6, 2020
I usually love Sofia Grey's writing but I had a hard time reading this story. Somehow the whole story and some of the d*bag characters struck me the wrong way, I think. I can tolerate some dishonesty for a story's sake in general but here it reached such high levels that my stomach was constantly in knots. Not to mention the manipulative and evil-minded husband. His character made my skin crawl.
The writing was very good, it conveyed all emotions and anxiety. So much so that I could only manage a few short chapters to read than I had to stop. Then after months of trying I decided to give up. It rarely happens to me, but this thime I didn't finish the book. I had to admit defeat. Probably I'm not in the necessary frame of mind at the moment for this story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Sue MacKenzie.
1,687 reviews15 followers
September 29, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it shows the dark side of life and the light side.
Its the sort of story that sinks its teeth into you and wont let go until you have read it all.
This authors diversity shows in her variety of books and this is just another story that makes me want to read more.
Another great read by Sofia.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Steph.
172 reviews43 followers
June 15, 2013
I gotta say it was difficult to hate Gabe at the beginning of the novel because of the little and sweet details he had with Suki. He prepared her favorite dish, bought her fav wine called her sweet names. It was just adorable when he kissed her forehead and call her Suzu or Suki. I really thought that she may have been a little unfair to him but the truth is that Gabe's feelings may not have been as real as I thought. It is quite easy to confuse love and obsession. I got really scared and worried when I saw how he bullied Suki but after that he would act all sweet so I just didn't knew what to do...I thought he was just a little volatile because of the jealousy. Gabe thought Suki was having an affair with his rival, Jon. Gabe was paranoid but after 10 years of marriage he was suspecting something was happening because Suki was distant. I could totally understand him because one would feel something was wrong if your partner didnt want to spend time with you or have intimacy. When you meant the world to that person and you were so used to sweet moments (I really loved the good moments Gabe or Suki remembered about their marriage and those just...didnt let me totally hate Gabe. Someone so sweet couldnt be that cruel...or so I thought. I guess that when you put your trust in someone and that person becomes you partner in crime and suddenly starts leaving you little by little well...it might drive you insane...just like Gabe). well it is normal to start to think something is happening. A little revenge is also normal but not to the extent that Gabe took things. He bullied her with the things she feared the most...he bullied her into submission and got over the faint guilt of doing so in nothing more than a second.

I really want Suki to be happy and for some reason since the second Josh hold her in his arms to take her headache away...I just knew that he was good for her...he was her one and only and I was happy it was him because for some reason I was sure he was gonna treat her right and would never use her fears to keep her.

This book was great but the Raphael part really confused me but hopefully that would be explained totally in the next book.

4.5 STARS!!!!!!!!!!! :) WONDERFUL BOOK!!!!!
Profile Image for texxie-PRUFreads.blogspot.com.
382 reviews84 followers
June 27, 2013
Originally reviewed at http://prufreads.blogspot.com/

My rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

"I love you so much, Suzu, the mere thought of you with someone else crucified me. I couldn't cope with that. You're mine. My Suzu. Don't ever forget that."

~Gabe


Bat. Shit. Crazy. Obsession, perfectly titled by the way, is the first of Sophia Grey's Talisman series. What seems to be the perfect marriage between race car driver superstar Gabe and TV personality Suki is anything but. The Bridgewaters have an extremely dysfunctional marriage to say the least. The virgin bride at the tender age of 18 thought she had it all, the perfect marriage, the perfect life.

Josh Delaney makes his living by proving married women, or women in general it seems, cannot be trusted and will easily stray. He had no idea what or whom the next client would bring into his life or how it would turn it completely upside down.

This book was really quite disturbing. The level in which Gabe stooped to attain total and complete control over his wife was demented at best. It takes a special brand of evil to not only do the things he did but to also be able to justify it in ones own mind. Suzi has only one true friend and she just so happens to be the wife of Gabe's number one rival in the world of race car, this of course only fuels him further. There are lots of twists and turns plus surprising revelations in this book that made good for quite the page turner.

If I had one complaint, it would be the paranormal element. Good looks and charm for days aside, what also makes Josh so good at his job is his psychic ability to read the emotions and thoughts of these women that he pursues. Also, he has a reoccurring dream that he can't make sense of and a pull towards an old home that he can't explain either. Those things coupled with a bizarre scene between he and a character named Dante and the mysterious talisman around his wrist struck intrigued the paranormal lover in me. That being said, even as I got to the end of the book, I still had more questions than answers. Not to say all should have been revealed, this is to be a series after all, but I would have liked a little more insight so this mystery man. All that aside, am I looking forward to book 2? Damn straight.

808 reviews13 followers
July 18, 2015
Writing is SO hard...

Advice for authors who find writing difficult:
-It's hard deciding on a POV. Avoid that by telling the story through The POV of ALL the main characters and be sure to switch between those points of view FREQUENTLY. You can avoid reader confusion if you LABLE those POVs each and every time you make the switch. Labeling also avoids the pesky problem of...
-Creating a distinctive voice for each of the main characters. Who needs a voice that distinguishes each of the characters? It's much easier to just have the characters TELL what their reactions are to an event or surprise in the story than SHOW reader how they feel or what they plan to do through...
-Dialog. Avoiding dialog as much as possible cuts down on the hassle of having to type all those quotation marks and commas. Besides, there are other ways to develop...
-Characters. Developing strong, relatable characters is much less difficult if you avoid it all together. Instead, rely upon clichés that clearly paint the characters in ways that you want the reader to perceive them. If your heroine is, on the outside, a strong, assertive business professional, be sure that she is a self doubting, fearing-for-her-sanity doormat in every other area of her life. If your 'hero' is so tragically flawed that the sane reader might wonder how the heroine who has substantial issues of her own might choose him, consider...
-Introducing a fantasy element for the hero but then drop it without explanation. Also consider describing a secondary character (the mother-in-law) in one way, but have her act in ways that dispel the description. These things add to the readers' suspense and, clearly, you want the readers to...
-Buy the NEXT book in your series. So pick up the thread of the mysterious castle-like house, introduce a new fantasy element and new characters at the end.


There is is just a small list of suggestions for writers who have decent plot ideas but wish to avoid the hard work of writing a fully realized, engrossing novel. Why go to all that work when you can put it off until the sequel? Of course, the readers have to be willing to buy that sequel.
Profile Image for Elizabeth H..
1,085 reviews78 followers
March 6, 2014
Wow! This book was crazy! I absolutely enjoyed this story. I could classify the book in many genres: psychological thriller, romance, paranormal. Gabe is completely off his rocker. I can easily relate his character to that of Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. Both characters had bad childhoods and as adults, they slowly slipped deeper into madness as the story unfolds.

Josh, I am not sure I like him too much. He is a professional liar. He gets paid to get proof of spouses and partners that are being unfaithful and often propositions them in order to get the evidence. He lied so much I’m not even sure what was truthful. But Josh does have a big weapon in his arsenal, other than his rugged good looks and devastating smile; he can read women’s thoughts.

Poor Suki. She’s been married to a man she loves for ten years but his single-minded drive to win against his racing team rival is consuming him, leaving little room left for the love and affection that he first gave Suki. Gabe really treats her horribly in the book and when you think he couldn’t possibly get any more depraved, he does.

I loved the secondary characters Anita and Jon, Gabe’s rival on the racing team. Anita and Jon totally had Suki’s back and fought for her well-being and happiness throughout the story. And although Gabe tried to break apart Anita and Jon’s marriage, they stayed strong and committed.

It felt like, cosmically, Suki and Josh belonged together. They had this underlying chemistry that really had you pulling for them. I don’t normally like love triangles but Gabe was not the man for Suki. Gabe’s jealousy, cruelty, and manipulative mindset really scared me sometimes.

The characters were dynamically well-written. The story line was entertaining but the paranormal swing to the story was left open-ended. This book is the first in a series so maybe we’ll find out more about Josh and his abilities in future books.

I really enjoyed the book and I’m looking forward to reading the next installment.
Profile Image for Dawn Jayne.
Author 7 books144 followers
September 1, 2013
Review to come...

UPDATE
Review is here!

Obsession...
Love the story, loved the writing, loved the characters. Okay, maybe not the characters, not all them, anyway. I enjoyed the characterization- layered, each with a unique voice displayed beautifully with first-person POV shifts.

A cross between Sleeping with the Enemy and Silence of the Lambs, I could blah blah blah for an hour about the astoundingly disturbing story, but I'm forgoing all that and shooting right to the heart of things.

This book triggered panic attacks for me. That has never happened in my entire life, not from a book or a movie or anything else within the realm of fiction. My chest tightened, my breathing went haywire, and I ended up in a pool of sweat, sitting in the floor and willing myself to grow a set of figurative balls.

Yes, this book was that good.

The physical and emotional abuse was brutal, the psychological torture was palpable, and the manipulation was extreme and entirely believable - which scares the hell out of me.

Gabe is on a downward spiral, and hell-bent on taking his wife with him, along with anyone else who dares to cross his path. That I actually liked this guy at the beginning says a lot about the book and the complexity of the characters.

Five stars
Recommended for those who enjoy dark reads that become darker,characters that win your heart then crush it beneath heel, and a writing style that puts the finishing touch on the whole twisted tale!


Profile Image for Jennifer.
Author 38 books57 followers
March 3, 2014
I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book! By the tag on the cover I had the gist of the story, the title helped to lol. What I didnt expect was the depth and talent of emotional abuse one man can inflict. Sofia Grey is one scary woman to write such a twisted character!

Gabe Bridgewater is a spoiled man, raised by really horrible parents, which of course screwed him up! We dont see at first how totally screwed his is at first. Its subtle and just hinted at. Suki is his wife and is emotionally vulnerable. Gave is controlling and obessive. Enter Josh who is supposed to be helping Gabe but falls for Suki and BAM!

There are so many levels to this story! Gabe and Suki, Suki and Josh, Josh and Gabe, dont forget Anita! OH Raphael lol!! WOW, I recommend this book to everyone!!!
Profile Image for Ashley .
316 reviews20 followers
July 24, 2014
A contemporary, thriller romance with a touch of paranormal. Wow! This book was crazy! I absolutely enjoyed this clever and thrilling book. It was an emotional roller coaster and I did not want to get off. I was up to 1am finishing Obsession and I immediately started Craving the next morning. The story is intense and full of twists and turns, I was on the edge of my seat most of the book. I loved the alternating points of view. It really helped you understand/connect with the characters and know exactly what their intentions were. I usually don't enjoy love triangles but this one was done in a way that was dark and enjoyable. The ending was great. The author gives you just enough closure to be satisfied but just enough unanswered questions to make you want more. Sofia Grey's writing is phenomenal and I'll definitely be stalking her books on amazon.
Profile Image for Christina .
325 reviews2 followers
July 30, 2013
Suki, who works on a television show, is married to Gabe, a race car driver. Gabe hires Josh to see if his wife can be swayed from her marriage. Josh can usually tell if women are willing to cheat because he can read minds. However, during the story Josh falls in love with Suki. Gabe doesn't want to let her go though.

Ther suspense in this book kept me on the endge of my seat. I thought it was a great read. It switches between all three characher's perspectives in the story, so you get to hear what they are thinking and why they do some of their actions. I will say that there are some characters in this book that I love to hate, but I won't tell you who. You will have to read this one for yourself.
1,404 reviews7 followers
February 26, 2014
Josh Delaney is the ideal honey trap. His charm and model good looks would be enough for most women, but coupled with his psychic ability to read their thoughts, he’s impossible to resist. Suspicious husbands employ him to test their wives, to see if they can be tempted to stray.


High profile couple Suki and Gabe Bridgewater have the perfect marriage, or at least, that’s the image they portray to the world. Behind closed doors, Gabe’s dominance in the marriage is unravelling and he decides to test Suki, using Josh as bait.


For Josh it should be just another easy job, but two things go horribly wrong.


One, Josh falls in love with Suki.


And two, Gabe refuses to let her go.
Profile Image for Lisa Owens.
Author 6 books7 followers
November 9, 2013
This was the first novel I have read by Sofia Grey and I know for sure that it won't be my last. An incredible love story with a husband that would make Scott Peterson look like a schoolboy. I kept finding myself cussing Gabe's character and rooting for Suki to figure out that it was her husband screwing with her the entire time. My only complaint is that I wished that it would have been a little longer...give a more descriptive HEA ending for these two characters.

All in all, it was an awesome story with believable characters. Can't wait to read more from this author in the future.
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