Sienna, over the past six months, has had to deal with more than enough for one person. Her friend and roommate, Clinton, changed becoming aggressive in regards to his feelings for her, her estranged Dad, the one whose lifestyle she walked away from eight years ago, went to prison and somehow she's know responsible for his legal bills, she became the sole guardian for her constantly acting out fifteen-year-old half-brother, Zach, and her once flourishing art career has become virtually non-existent except for one loyal client, Mason Xavier. To make her life even more stressful, the one man she never wanted to see again is knocking on her door. James is Clint's older brother and when she and James first met, there was an instant connection and attraction, which changed immediately upon James learning her connection to Clint. The second time she saw him, James barred her from Clint's funeral and ordered her to stay away from his family.
James is a successful businessman and part of the Dyson family. He blames Sienna for his brother, Clint's, death, believing her manipulations of Clint's feelings for her to be the catalyst to him committing suicide. The Dyson men are known for the ruthlessness when necessary, and James intends to use that quality along with any and all tools at his vast disposal, including himself if needed, to destroy Sienna piece by piece. And if, during the course of his plans, he's able to finally act on the chemistry that burns between them, he'll chalk it up to a bonus, just one more way to hurt her.
James began his plans after the funeral and now the next phase is being set in motion. He knows Sienna's dire circumstances will ensure she can't refuse his reason for contacting her, and he fully intends to use that to suit his purposes. Sienna will be his, err will pay for what she's done. And yet, everything he's learned of her in the past six months, from his investigation into her as well as his own personal impressions upon getting to know her, don't quite match the picture Clint painted of her. (Ha, an artist reference that works on numerous levels...you'll see after reading the book.) It isn't long before James sees Sienna as so much more than a means to an end...she's becoming his everything.
"He needed her." - James
Sienna is suspicious of James's change of heart, yet she can't deny she does need the money to continue taking care of Zach, as well as her Dad's debt, plus, she's still drawn to James in spite of how he views her.
"Damn it, he was going to be her undoing." - Sienna
What happens when James realizes he's falling for Sienna? That she's nothing like he was led to believe? Is he too late to stop the rest of his plan? If revenge is a dish best served cold, then why are things between them so hot? How will Sienna react upon learning James's true motive for contacting her? Can he convince her that although his initial plan may have been revenge, he now just wants to, needs to, be with her? Will Sienna give James another chance? Can she trust him? Will the love they've found withstand the secrets that are revealed?
One-click now and follow along as two people, one determined to exact revenge, the other unaware of the motives of the man she's falling for, become so much more than either thought they could be. The premise was unique and I liked the characters, even as James was in the midst of his deception, I liked the peeks we were given into his true character, his conscious speaking to him, and to how deeply Sienna impacted him. Also, I just need to say I love that he wasn't a manwhore and we weren't treated to numerous references of his sexual history, nor subjected to every woman he meets hitting on him. Yes, it was stated while they were at a gallery event that a few had tried, and that was it, we didn't have to actually witness it, and he definitively, yet politely, let them know he was in no way interested. He had eyes for Sienna and Sienna only. And so you don't think the opposite sex hitting on a main character was one sided, in that same paragraph we read how James didn't hesitate to let the men watching Sienna know she was with him. Even though for Sienna, James made all others fade away. It was very sweet.
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.**