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Paybacks
Two women with a fiery past discover paybacks can be hell...and just as hot.
Colby Dennis's first thought was to toss the invitation to her ten-year high school reunion into the garbage. After all, she spent most of her adult life trying to forget high school―more specifically, her tormentor Mackenzie Brandt. But then, maybe putting her old nemesis in her place is reason enough to show up. Unsuspecting Mackenzie has only one reason for attending the She wants to look into the eyes of the classmate responsible for getting her expelled weeks before her graduation...and apologize the best way she knows how. Revenge is most definitely not best served cold.
Colby Dennis's first thought was to toss the invitation to her ten-year high school reunion into the garbage. After all, she spent most of her adult life trying to forget high school―more specifically, her tormentor Mackenzie Brandt. But then, maybe putting her old nemesis in her place is reason enough to show up. Unsuspecting Mackenzie has only one reason for attending the She wants to look into the eyes of the classmate responsible for getting her expelled weeks before her graduation...and apologize the best way she knows how. Revenge is most definitely not best served cold.
186 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
8 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Gabrielle Goldsby
10 books35 followersGabrielle Goldsby is the author of several novels including Forward Magazine finalist, Remember Tomorrow, the Lambda Literary Award winning Wall of Silence, and The Caretaker’s Daughter, recipient of the Alice B. Lavender Certificate. A Northern California transplant, Gabrielle currently resides in Portland, Oregon. When not writing, she enjoys reading, camping, hiking, and lifting the heaviest things she can get her hands on.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 11, 2019
I read this book many years ago when I first realized I had been in a closet for about 25 years and didn't even know it. Imagine my delight when I stepped out of said closet and found books like this!
Just like I did back then I read through this book in what felt like a single breath. It definitely packs a punch since the subject of being bullied can be quite painful but I thought the author handled it quite well. I also really liked how Colby's thought process was written in regards to 'getting revenge'.
There were several hot scenes throughout the book as well although the locations of where some of these took place meant I had to suspend my disbelief a little. Though to be fair I had to do that with the entire book and especially with certain in-laws who were written to be Satan's spawn. I only wish the book didn't end quite so abruptly. I would have definitely liked an epilogue to wrap things up.
Though it's not one of my favorites, it was nice to revisit this story and take a trip down baby Bi memory lane. Overall rating is 3,75*.
Just like I did back then I read through this book in what felt like a single breath. It definitely packs a punch since the subject of being bullied can be quite painful but I thought the author handled it quite well. I also really liked how Colby's thought process was written in regards to 'getting revenge'.
There were several hot scenes throughout the book as well although the locations of where some of these took place meant I had to suspend my disbelief a little. Though to be fair I had to do that with the entire book and especially with certain in-laws who were written to be Satan's spawn. I only wish the book didn't end quite so abruptly. I would have definitely liked an epilogue to wrap things up.
Though it's not one of my favorites, it was nice to revisit this story and take a trip down baby Bi memory lane. Overall rating is 3,75*.
November 6, 2018
I wasn't expecting much more from this than a reasonable romance with a fairly common trope. Colby decides to go to her ten-year high school reason for no other reason to look her tormenter, Mackenzie Brandt, in the eye and get some payback. What she doesn't expect is Mackenzie trying to apologise to her.
I've read a few books and short stories using this theme but this is about where the similarity ends and I really appreciated that. This is more of an erotic romance than anything else and in my head, I automatically give the book a little more leeway around realism that I would an ordinary romance. In spite of this there was an interesting realism around the complications of their relationship.
Paybacks was a quick, hot and surprisingly emotional read.
I've read a few books and short stories using this theme but this is about where the similarity ends and I really appreciated that. This is more of an erotic romance than anything else and in my head, I automatically give the book a little more leeway around realism that I would an ordinary romance. In spite of this there was an interesting realism around the complications of their relationship.
Paybacks was a quick, hot and surprisingly emotional read.
January 27, 2020
I seem to be striking gold with the couple of books I have read of late. This was a tug of war on old love and well done by this author. The ending.... awww!
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April 22, 2023First, let me say that I really liked Gabrielle Goldsby’s first novel, Wall of Silence. That book had two interesting, complex main characters. Paybacks wasn’t anywhere near as good. It’s a very short read, and the characters acted and reacted in ways that didn’t seem realistic or well-motivated to me.
January 4, 2016
I really wasn't sure about this one, because I really don't care for revenge stories, but this worked so well for me, possibly because they never really get around to revenge since attraction and feelings keep getting in the way. It helps that Mackenzie finally eventually gets to make it clear why she bullied Colby in high school, and Colby genuinely cares about what could happen to Mackenzie and her family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2020
What an unexpected great read. It is an erotic novel with a beautiful romantic story. I love story’s about MC’s that knew eachother when they were young(er) The chemistry between MacKenzie and Colby was great, the sex scenes were hot 🔥🔥🔥. My only regret is that I wanted it a couple of pages longer or a epilogue so I had more of them when they got together. 4,5 stars.
August 29, 2015
Not enough character development -- the motivations and actions of the two main characters were really unbelievable and inconsistent. It was almost like they were teenagers rather than adults. The sex scenes were pretty good if a little confusing regarding why they were having sex at the time. The author would have done better to leave the storyline and just have a series of erotic interludes between the women
February 17, 2023
2.5 stars for this one and i’m mad because the ending was really cute, but i definitely struggled to get there.
i don’t know what the author was thinking but the internal monologues for both these women were all over the place most of the time, it felt like the author couldn’t decide on how the characters felt.
for this reason i lost faith in the characters for a while there and wasn’t very interested on where the story was going but it definitely picked up toward the end and damn my heart is warm. however, it was sort of a cliffhanger/unfinished ending in my opinion, so once again, this book is like barely punching 2.5 stars for me.
also the whole basis of this book is payback! and revenge! but there wasn’t a lot of that going on at all, certainly not enough to live up to the title or blurb. the motive for payback was also not credible at all, mackenzie is described as someone who used to bully colby but we really only get one example of that and it’s just a scene of her stealing her book?
the smut scenes were average and sort of hard to follow at times? it sounds like i only have bad things to say about this book but it was an interesting premise and a cute ship, despite a lottt of initial toxicity.
won’t be itching to read this again any time soon, but at least it was short!
i don’t know what the author was thinking but the internal monologues for both these women were all over the place most of the time, it felt like the author couldn’t decide on how the characters felt.
for this reason i lost faith in the characters for a while there and wasn’t very interested on where the story was going but it definitely picked up toward the end and damn my heart is warm. however, it was sort of a cliffhanger/unfinished ending in my opinion, so once again, this book is like barely punching 2.5 stars for me.
also the whole basis of this book is payback! and revenge! but there wasn’t a lot of that going on at all, certainly not enough to live up to the title or blurb. the motive for payback was also not credible at all, mackenzie is described as someone who used to bully colby but we really only get one example of that and it’s just a scene of her stealing her book?
the smut scenes were average and sort of hard to follow at times? it sounds like i only have bad things to say about this book but it was an interesting premise and a cute ship, despite a lottt of initial toxicity.
won’t be itching to read this again any time soon, but at least it was short!
September 23, 2021
This was a revisit for a book I have not read in years when it came up the other day.
Positives- If you like erotica this falls towards there. Lots of sex scenes.
I liked the fact that the enemies to lovers didn't fall immediately for each other as they so often do in this trope.
The ending was great.
Negatives- This is a fairly short read and whilst there are lots of emotions some of them are unrealistic for such a short period. The ending whilst great was not really believable. So if you need your romance on level realistic this is probably not the book for you. If you like the fairytale romcom this might be right up your alley.
This is a light enjoyable read.
Positives- If you like erotica this falls towards there. Lots of sex scenes.
I liked the fact that the enemies to lovers didn't fall immediately for each other as they so often do in this trope.
The ending was great.
Negatives- This is a fairly short read and whilst there are lots of emotions some of them are unrealistic for such a short period. The ending whilst great was not really believable. So if you need your romance on level realistic this is probably not the book for you. If you like the fairytale romcom this might be right up your alley.
This is a light enjoyable read.
May 18, 2025
I read this earlier this month and have difficulty remembering it in detail about 3 weeks later. That’s not a great omen…it was fine I guess but I didn’t really like the full on sex followed by pull-back storyline. It didn’t ring at-all true to me and I do like just a touch of reality in my stories (even the fantasy ones!)
July 7, 2020
What if the bully is your soul mate?
An entertaining & enjoyable story with some intriguing & interesting likeable characters, several hot scenes & an easily read book.
An entertaining & enjoyable story with some intriguing & interesting likeable characters, several hot scenes & an easily read book.
March 10, 2013
Very nearly a DNF, but the story held my attention enough that I wanted to see how it played out, and because it's a quick read. I... can't think of anything else good to say. The characters bicker and then have sex and bicker some more and have some FEELINGS that get superseded by the idea that they're betraying each other, but this never lasts longer than it takes them to get their pants off again. There's no build. I was looking forward to a book about two women, 10 years after high school, working out their differences. Instead, there's a ridiculous plot (that becomes the main plot) involving Colby getting hired to spy on Mackenzie and take pictures of her being a lesbian and they work their issues out (frequently) via hatesex. ZZZZZZZZZ.
There were two major plot-related continuity errors.
1. After Nick recognizes Colby as the person investigating Mackenzie, he tells Mackenzie that he saw Colby outside the gym with a camera. Later, they have this conversation again and Nick tells Mackenzie the same thing, and says that when they spoke before he'd told her it was a cell phone. (He hadn't. This was a continuity error.)
2. Colby and Mackenzie have sex in the first scene. Later, after Mackenzie finds out about Colby's spying, she accuses her of seducing her b/c of her job, using that specific location as an example. Colby denies it but says nothing about not being hired at that point; she acts as if she had been.
Not a continuity error but still confusing: various scenes when characters "confess" things in narration and then chapters later tell them to others in almost the same words. E.g. Mackenzie confesses her love to sleeping Colby and later is all "Didn't I ever tell you this? Here is my life history."
There were a few lines that didn't belong, such as saying a character answered with silence, followed by the character speaking.
The formatting of the book was also confusing. Section breaks were marked at the bottom, so if a new section started on a new page, and you miss the symbol, it led to confusing moments of wondering why the POV had shifted.
And finally, the "villains" were simply flat. They were stereotypical overbearing (yet neglectful) wealthy, image-conscious (read: homophobic) parents. They were silenced by their son's threat to out himself. That's it.
I don't know. I was reading it on the subway, so I skimmed over the sex fast and stuck to the plot. It looked hot and heavy from what I skimmed. Maybe if I'd done the opposite, I'd rate it higher. LOL
There were two major plot-related continuity errors.
1. After Nick recognizes Colby as the person investigating Mackenzie, he tells Mackenzie that he saw Colby outside the gym with a camera. Later, they have this conversation again and Nick tells Mackenzie the same thing, and says that when they spoke before he'd told her it was a cell phone. (He hadn't. This was a continuity error.)
2. Colby and Mackenzie have sex in the first scene. Later, after Mackenzie finds out about Colby's spying, she accuses her of seducing her b/c of her job, using that specific location as an example. Colby denies it but says nothing about not being hired at that point; she acts as if she had been.
Not a continuity error but still confusing: various scenes when characters "confess" things in narration and then chapters later tell them to others in almost the same words. E.g. Mackenzie confesses her love to sleeping Colby and later is all "Didn't I ever tell you this? Here is my life history."
There were a few lines that didn't belong, such as saying a character answered with silence, followed by the character speaking.
The formatting of the book was also confusing. Section breaks were marked at the bottom, so if a new section started on a new page, and you miss the symbol, it led to confusing moments of wondering why the POV had shifted.
And finally, the "villains" were simply flat. They were stereotypical overbearing (yet neglectful) wealthy, image-conscious (read: homophobic) parents. They were silenced by their son's threat to out himself. That's it.
I don't know. I was reading it on the subway, so I skimmed over the sex fast and stuck to the plot. It looked hot and heavy from what I skimmed. Maybe if I'd done the opposite, I'd rate it higher. LOL
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2016
No tenía muchas expectativas y por eso es que me siento normal al acabarla. Ni feliz ni triste, completamente normal.
Siento que este libro tenía mucho potencial y mucha historia por desarrollar porque al principio llama mucho la atención, pero le ha faltado trama y le ha sobrado sexo.
Eso si, me gusto mucho el final <3
Siento que este libro tenía mucho potencial y mucha historia por desarrollar porque al principio llama mucho la atención, pero le ha faltado trama y le ha sobrado sexo.
Eso si, me gusto mucho el final <3
July 29, 2011
wow, this one is a bit graphic..
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews