I go by many names: Playboy, Hustler, Villain. They call me a sadistic a**hole because I rob from the poor and cheat on the weak. Do I ever regret the choices I’ve made? All the damn time. But it’s too late to turn back, and too late to start over… I’ve never even considered giving it all up for anyone or anything before. Never had a reason or motivation to change. Until I met her. Callista Rayner. Heiress. Goddess. Need-her-ass-up-on-my-mattress. My last chance at redemption. Problem was, I couldn’t afford to fall for her, because I didn’t want to ruin her. I didn’t want to destroy her, like the others that came before. Too bad I had no choice. Too bad she was my pawn and I had to use her. Too bad, too bad, too bad.
NOTE: This is a full-length, standalone dark romance/romantic suspense that contains sensitive subject matter.
Ryder is a 38 year old hustler. He is hell bent on getting revenge on everyone who has betrayed him. He uses Cally to get what he wants.
Can Ryder clear his name?
If your looking for a well written romantic dark suspenseful read then I recommend you read this story. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Don't get too comfortable reading this book. Why, you ask? Because it is one wild ride. A giant plot twist with all kinds of insane fuckery. One second, you think you have this all figured out. Then BAM! You get hit out of no where with a curve ball. I swear I have whiplash. And possibly anxiety. I loved this book so damn much.
Ryder is a lost soul. A damaged man. A man on a mission. With vengeance coursing through his veins. He has his eye on the prize and will stop at nothing to rid himself of his haunting past. Until Cally. Sophisticated and elegant. Witty and beautiful. A pawn to be used for Ryder to help himself. These two are complete polar opposites. Which makes for one hell of a story.
Hold onto... Whatever you're holding because you are gonna need a safety net while reading this.
Jackie, I flove you and your beautiful soul lady.
*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Ryder Williams in 38 years old and is a hustler, playboy and most importantly a villain hell bent on revenge and will destroy anyone in his way. He has lived through his own version of hell and has no job or place to live but he knows he is close to his goal and destroying the man who destroyed his life.
Callista Rayner is 28 years old and an heiress tired of men using her to get to her fortune or to gain favors from her father, Paul. She has her guard up but when she is saved by Ryder she wonders if she should give him a chance although part of her knows that it is not a good idea.
As Ryder begins to play his game he realizes he is beginning to develop feelings for Cally which is not part of the plan. When she begins to discover his layers of deceit will she want to learn the truth behind both of their pasts and the secrets that have been kept?
Holy hell was this book ever a freaking roller coaster of emotions that have you hating the main character one minute and loving him the next! The author has done such an amazing job with this book as I can't even describe the range of emotions that I went on while I read this book.
So I loved and hated Ryder at the same time. But I must admit that I think I loved him more than I hated him as he was a bad boy that went through so much hell growing up that you prayed he could get it together and turn his life around. Although I had no idea if he was really going to be able to do it with everything that he was doing that was sabotaging any chance of turning his life around. I was absolutely shocked at the stuff he went through and could understand why he wanted revenge.
I loved Cally's character as she was trusting yet hesitant to let anyone in her life but Ryder was able to manipulate his way into her life and as the book went on I was shocked at how deep it went. Yet Cally also knew that there was a chance that Ryder was telling the truth and she wanted to know for herself what the truth was. I loved that she was tough and worked hard at finding the good in Ryder, even if he didn't believe it himself.
This book just blew my mind and I couldn't put it down. There were so many secrets and twists and turns that I had no idea what was going to come next!
DARK, DELICIOUS, AND SEXY !!! Title: Villain Series: Northbridge Nights Author: Jackie Want Designation: Book Three of Series, Full-Length Standalone, Dark Contemporary Romantic Thriller Reading Platform: Kindle Edition My Rating: Five Deliciously Dark Stars***** I adore contemporary romance, especially when it's filled with perplexing mystery, spine-tingling suspense, unexpected plot twists, and sexy bad boys intent on revenge, and Jackie Wang delivered the perfect combination in Villain, the third riveting release in her captivating Northbridge Nights Series. I discovered Jackie Wang a few months ago after downloading a freebie offered on Amazon entitled Hotshot, the first book of the Northbridge Nights Series. I fell head-over-heels for Wang's addictive prose and easy-to-follow style, so I returned to Amazon to try the second book of the series, Fugitive. Fugitive is much darker than Hotshot but I loved it even more! Naturally, I raced back to Amazon again for the third book of the series, Villain, which is even darker and more twisted than Fugitive. And oh my, I was hooked in the first chapter and could not stop reading! I was glued to my seat, white-knuckling my reader, my heart fluttering wildly in my chest as the hours flew as quickly as the pages. It was fabulous! I'm a fan for life! But, as usual, I digress. I tend to get a little carried away when discussing my favorite authors and books, so let's talk details about Villain. Villain is a well-crafted, fast-paced, easy-to-follow, full-length standalone dark romantic thriller. The narrative is beautifully written in the first person with clearly defined present/past multiple perspectives. I had no problem following the timeline and progression of this story. I find that I very much enjoy this style of storytelling where the author allows the characters to share backstory and past events using first person flashback chapters. Wang skillfully guides the reader through a vivid, detailed, and highly suspenseful accounting of past and current events, expertly weaving a suspenseful web that will keep you on the edge of your seat, desperate to turn every page. The dialogue is smart, snappy and flows effortlessly. But my favorite element of this gripping tale is the large cast of intriguing, well-developed characters. I was immediately smitten with the two protagonists, handsome hustler bad boy ex-con Ryder Williams and beautiful savvy heiress Callista Rayner. My heart ached for Ryder. He may have been born to a wealthy, well-connected family but his life was anything but easy. Ryder had the looks and could be very charming, even with his flirty, dirty vocabulary and come-ons, but this guy just couldn't catch a break, until he meets beautiful, savvy heiress Callista Rayner. But don't let the heiress part throw you. Cally's father may have been rich, but she's not your typical wealthy spoiled princess. She's kind, generous, extremely intelligent, and works hard as the manager of one of her father's restaurants. Ryder and Callie's story is a captivating spin on one of my favorite romance tropes, enemies to lovers. These two were complete opposites, yet perfect together. Their attraction was immediate, their interaction titillating, their passion explosive, their love undeniable, and their sexual chemistry was so hot it sizzled. Absolute perfection! No spoilers from me but I will say this... Handsome bad boy ex-con out for revenge and desperate to clear his name-check! Beautiful, savvy heiress who turns out to be so much more than she seems-check! Danger, drama, lies, deceit, abuse, angst, and plot twists you'll never see coming-OMG, yes! Heated attraction, undeniable passion, sweet romance, and a happy ending-you bet! That and a whole lot more! Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain explicit language and several steamy dreamy love scenes. If you enjoy dark contemporary thrillers filled to the brim with danger, drama, lies, deceit, betrayal, mystery, suspense, plot twists, romance, and sex, then this book is definitely for you! Will I read this author again? Abso-freakin-lutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book! And finally, was I entertained? Completely! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!
I loved the twists and turns in this story about Cally and Ryder. I loved the chemistry between the characters. Ryder is damaged, by his past. His father was very abusive.
This book takes you on one wild ride. One giant plots twist with lots of turns. Once you think you figured it out BAM another curve ball to the story. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down. It was well written and I loved the story line. I loved Ryder's and Callistas story. This story is a gripping story full of darkness, plot twists, suspense and a little romance. This is the third or fourth book in the Nightbridge Nights series but can be read as a standalone. Can't wait to read the other stories in this series.
I received an ARC and volunteered to leave a review!
So this is my first book by this author. I have been reading ALOT of wrongful jailed storylines lately so you are going to really need to hold my attention if that's the genre! This one was good in the twist of the events and held my attention so I say that is a pretty good indication that you might want to click this one up.
From page one we start with Ryder at 21 years ago and fly forward to present day. We go back and forth within the book and even hit a 3 year ago mark and 4 weeks ago. So let me say if that is not your thing then this one is not for you. Having said that it was NOT hard to keep up and in fact the flashbacks were necessary for the story. And yes the first two pages ... TWO PAGES will floor you.
Ryder Williams has an assbag father to say the least and maybe you might give him some understanding from chapter one but lost that quickly. Hell bent on revenge Ryder plans on using Cally Rayner as his prey. He cant think with his you know what -- he has to keep his head in the game. Life sucked for Ryder as a kid -- he ran from home and ended up on the streets only to have his life taken away by mistake. He wont falter this time.
Cally isn't one to believe the words coming out of Ryder's mouth. No one can surely be that sadistic. Especially when its a family member. How and why should she trust the man she barley knows. Why would someone be so hateful to another human being for "no reason." Bribery ... paying people off to frame someone ?? But what if ...
This one is a tough read at times be aware of that -- it does have some eeeek parts. Nothing that I haven't read before but if you are sensitive to abuse then don't click up. There are some very interesting secondary characters and a great end of story. I recommend clicking this one up and taking it to the beach with you! Thank you for the ARC and the chance to read.
Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets.
Ryder is a 38 year old playboy, hustler, and villain, but that doesn't change that he's sexy as all get out. He's also so very driven to take down the man who destroyed his life. Callista Rayner is a beautiful heiress, who is tired of men just trying to use her for her fortune, or the connections she has. Her guard is sky high, but that doesn't help after she's rescued by Ryder, as she knows it's not a good idea to give him a chance, but there's something about him. What happens when the lines between playing a game, and real feelings become blurry. This is the first book that I've read by Jackie Wang, and I found her writing style utterly captivating and addictive. She definitely put me on the fast track for an emotional roller coaster ride that had all of my dramatic emotions out to play. I truly was torn with Ryder, as to whether I loved or hated him, as he didn't make it easy, but at the end of the day, love won out. And Cally's character was great, so I cheered for the whole journey. So many diabolical twists and turns that had me dropping so many loud f-bombs in between bouts of the thunder storms going on here, and every time I think about those secrets, I drop some more. Villain blew my mind, which makes me super excited to see what this author comes out with next! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Ryder is out for Revenge- the kind you want to stay away from. He is out to clear his name and avenge a family member, hardened, laced with anger, fueled with need to make it right the sleuthed con man with a cheating past set an elaborate plan in motion, one that involved Callista a smart, beautiful non-trusting soul of women who was the daughter of a very wealthy important man. She is his key to finding the evidence he needs. Callista the formidable advisory and would be ally is not going to make it easy on Ryder! Which shouldn't be a problem for the cold-hearted con man right?
More than just a revenge story! Hot, suspenseful, with rollercoaster twists, emotional ups, and downs, and humor laced in between the detailed pages of these interesting read. This is one of those books the intrigue had me glued to the kindle not stopping till I finished! This villainous bad boy with the damaged heart stole mine! What an excellent read! 5 Stars from me! *Side Note* Callista drove me bonkers LOL ** I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book
Blurb: Homeless. Broken. Outcast. Ryder is an ex-con fueled by one thing: revenge. His target: his enemy’s only daughter, a prissy billionaire heiress. His new pawn. If he can win over Cally, he might just have a shot at getting his life back. Jaded. Paranoid. Exhausted. Cally is sick of people using her to get closer to her dad. Reeling from her recent breakup to an obsessive, stalker boyfriend, she’s naturally suspicious when a hot stranger strikes up a conversation with her at a bar. She doesn’t trust him; she doesn’t trust anyone anymore, and she’s not about to let him get inside her head. Cally won’t open up unless Ryder reveals his dark secrets and confesses to his crimes. Ryder won’t rest until Cally helps him bring down her own father. Ryder’s all-consuming need for vengeance will be his downfall unless Cally can bring him out of the shadows, back into the light. Villain is a full-length, standalone dark romantic thriller/ romantic suspense with jaw-dropping plot twists you won’t expect!
Wow! What a rollercoaster of a story. It's a hard book to put down once you have started it as there's many twists and turns to the plot that it will keep you guessing the outcome of it's secrets and has you wondering what's going to happen next. Ryder has had a hard upbringing, his life was hell, and because of the cruel and selfish acts of others he had to spent time in prison and he's now out to clear his name and he wants revenge. Callista is unwittingly drawn into his plans, she doesn't believe him at first but soon has no other choice but to go with him. Ryder's youth is horrific at best, it was a scary and an emotional read for me, especially when Ryder is suffering in the hands of his father or recounting the times to Cally. Cally was a smart girl, she was a little hesitant at first with Ryder, her trust had to be earned and Ryder could be a bit of a live wire, he also needed to learn to trust more. All in all, "Villian" is a brilliantly written thriller that grabs you and will have you on the edge of your seat. A definite must read.
This was my first Jackie Wang book. One look at the blurb and I knew I had to read this one.
Ryder is out to clear his name and will stop at nothing to accomplish this. Set up for a crime he didn’t commit, he is now out of prison and ready to make it happen.
What he didn’t count on was Callista Rayner being someone who could change the way he has built the wall that surrounds his heart.
This book while had great potential, didn’t grab me. Found myself having to go back quite a bit and do some re-reading of parts just to make sense. While there is a good amount of suspense in this story, the flow was difficult at times.
Ryder and Callista's story was darker than I expected. Maybe it was because I'd just read Jackie Wang's Love Affair in Venice. I appreciated that Jackie was willing to address Ryder's history. A lot of authors shy away from telling the realities of prison and trauma. The Kept Woman was a nice addition to the book and really helped develop the story further. If you're looking for a dark and complicated love story, this book is for you.
ARC of the book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Ryder is known as the playboy or man whore He's always been that way with no plans on changing until he met her. She made him want everything and more. He craved her. Can he change for her or will he stay the same
Took me a little while to get thru this and I think I should have started with the first in this series. Nonetheless I liked this book and will read the others in this series
WHOA…. What a ride…. Jackie Wang really blew it out of the park with Villain! Villain is this awesome, intense story that takes you on a wild roller coaster ride with some crazy twists and turns! Seriously, expect the unexpected with this story! Just when I thought that I knew the direction that the story was going…WHAM… plot twist! I loved that about the story!
Villain tells the story of, hustler and villain, Ryder as he seeks vengeance on his enemy while using the beautiful and intelligent Cally like a game piece in his plan. The dynamic between Ryder and Cally is unique and adds a great unexpected element to the story.
Jackie Wang’s writing just gets better and better! Villain is easily my fave story by her! And I can’t wait to see where she takes us next!
Villain is dark, salacious and emotionally gut-wrenching. I wouldn’t necessarily call this a ‘romance’ but more like a relationship through a dark journey. Simply put, it was AWESOME!
Ryder was a character that you just had to ‘feel’ for. He wasn’t the typical Alpha hero that was rocking that swagger and machismo. He was a hurt and damaged boy who turned into a man looking for revenge. Through the course of this story he learned a lot about himself, the world and others he interacted with.
“This woman was fucking gorgeous, a ten out of ten; perfect proportions. C-cup tits, legs that went on forever.”
Cally was not your stereotypical heroine. She may have been blonde, was a princess in her daddy’s eye and was accustomed to the finer things in life, but she could definitely take care of herself. She was refined.
“He was also at least ten years older than me, and looked like a younger version of Johnny Depp. Depp from Donnie Brasco. Roguish. Magnetic. Hot. Rugged bad boy types turned me on.”
Ryder is a thirty-eight-year-old man who was physically and mentally abused years earlier by his own father. At the age of seventeen, an incident happened at his house that his father had punished him and banished him from his home with nothing but the clothes on his back and whatever he could pack into a backpack. His father was a prominent senator and Ryder felt that he had no choice, but to follow his commands.
A few years later, he met a man who would give him a job opportunity. Unfortunately, for Ryder this was not the promise of a better future that he thought. His life was irrevocably changed from then on.
Upon meeting Cally, he fell for her but didn’t expect to have her want to do anything with him.
“You make me wish I was a different man, Cally. Someone with integrity. With a good family background and nice upbringing. I wish I was the type of man you could brag about to your friends and family. The type of man who could take care of you, provide for you. And give you everything you’ve ever wanted.”
Jackie Wang painted a wonderful story, complete with emotions, descriptions of characters so vivid you can picture them along with a possible happy ending? You need to read Villain to find out the true twisty-turviness of Ryder and Cally’s relationship.
Whilst this is Book 3 in the Northbridge Nights series they are pretty much stand-alone books, with a minimum of spoilers. And this is as amazing, if not more so, than the previous two books.
I've read the first two books, and they are amazing romances with strong heroines and brooding heroes. In some ways there wasn't a great deal of romance in this book, but at no point did I miss it or feel the book was lacking. Instead of romance this had intrigue, abuse, lies and suspense that had me gripped so much I read this straight through in one sitting.
There is lie upon lie in this tale that twists and turns, and just when you think you know who is who or what is what another surprise pops up and knocks you sideways. There were times when I thought Ryder was a scumbag, particularly with the revelation about Anthony. But then you'd find out something else dreadful that had happened to him and accept that bad things had driven him to hurtful actions. Then he'd be a scumbag again, but even so I never disliked him. He is so well written that it was difficult to have anything but empathy for the guy.
Cally was a bit of a princess at first, but I liked how her character developed through the book and how strong she was towards the end (and I adored her in Book 1). Rather than sexual chemistry, a lot of the interactions between Cally and Ryder seemed to be based more on them using (not sure if that's quite the word I want but can't think of an alternative!) the other to gain answers. And as a format it worked. There was an attraction there but it was subtle and, for me, done perfectly to complement the plot.
Most of the book is set in the present day, but when we do get chapters based in the past they are easy to follow and are well used to slowly reveal secrets and lies. I found it easy to follow the plot and know 'when' I was and who's point of view I was reading.
This isn't an easy or light read but it wasn't too dark either. It hit a perfect balance of light and dark, along with romance and suspense. These are characters that I won't be forgetting after a few days. I received an advance copy of this book.
Ryder is beyond jaded, and wants nothing more than to get his revenge. To do that, he has set his sight on Callista.
He needs her but never factored in that he might fall for her. It was never the part of his plan. She does not trust him at all, but he has her thinking of the things that he is presenting to her.
This is not a really a romance, you are not going to see a bunch of “I Love You” and and there is very minimal talk of or sex.
To say this had so many twists and turns would be an understatement. You might need to take a dramamine. At points I had to scroll back and re-read scenes to make sure that I had the information correct. Do not get me wrong, there was a lot of suspense but at times just confusing.
I expected a bit more punch, a bit more streamlined, a bit more romance, a bit more strength. I was hoping for a little bit more than what, in my opinion, we got overall. It was not bad but it was not great, it was definitely a quick read in between book hangovers.
Jackie did it again. Villain is AMAZING! The book absorbs you, the book didn't leave me sleep because I needed know what happen after (and before too). I wrote before Jackie Y. Wang is becoming one of my favorite authors, I have to make a rectification, It’s one of my favorite authors. How write, how introduced you into the stories, the characters… Jakie Y. Wang in one wordl: Wonderful. The story has absolutely all you’re wanted: romance, betrayal, action, cheating... Ryder needs help, and not only gets it from his friend Keiran, who lets him work at his bar, but also Cally's. For him, Cally is his lifeline, the key to his destiny, who will helps him rectify his past. Yes, he has done things he should not, but one of them, the cruelest is false, and Ryder wants to clear his name. Cally doesn't trust Ryder. After leaving a relationship with an stalker as ex-boyfriend, the last thing she wants is to relate to a man who shouts "problems" at first sight. But Ryder saves her from unexpected situations, is there to help her and little by little Cally's walls will fall. Why does Ryder desperately need Cally? What will Cally do when he learns about Ryder's past?
❤ {.Spanish Review.}❤ ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Jackie lo hizo de nuevo. ¡Villain es SORPRENDENTE! La historia te absorbe, me costó mucho dormir porque quería saber que pasaba en los capítulos siguientes para descubrirlo que pasa después (y también antes) En otras reviews puse que Jackie Y, Wang se estaba convirtiendo en una de mis autores favoritos, tengo que rectificar, es uno de mis autores favoritos. La forma en la que escribe, como te introduce en la historia,… me encanta. La historia tiene todo lo que te puede gustar: romance, traición, acción, sus toques de escenas hot,… todo eso dentro de una gran historia. Ryder necesita ayuda, y no solo la consigue de su amigo Keiran, que le deja trabajar en su bar, sino también de Cally. Para él, Cally es su tabla de salvación, la llave de su destino, la que le ayudará a rectificar su pasado. Sí, él ha hecho cosas que no debía, pero una de ellas, la más grave es falsa, y Ryder quiere limpiar su nombre. Cally no se fía de Ryder. Después de salir de una relación y un exnovio que la acosa, lo último que quiere es relacionarse con un hombre que grita “peligro” a kilómetros. Pero Ryder la salva de situaciones inesperadas, está ahí para ayudarla y poco a poco sus paredes se irán cayendo. ¿Por qué necesita tan desesperadamente Ryder a Cally? ¿Qué hará Cally cuando se entere del pasado de Ryder?
* ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review*
This is my first book by Jackie Wang and I know I'll read another. This book is wild. I was on the edge of my seat for most of it, biting my nails. Villain is a lot darker than I thought it was going to be and I'm okay with that. I like dark and twisted books and this one fits the bill. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, something new was happening on the next page or the next chapter.
I think the synopsis is vague on what actually is going on in the book. So much is happening with the different characters - who each have their own thing going on - and then when they come together there is this underlying chemistry. Neither character wants to admit their feelings because of the situation they're put in and by what's going on around them.
Ryder Williams is on a mission. A mission to get revenge for being put in prison for three years for something he didn't do. He knows just how to get his revenge and he won't stop until his name is cleared. He's ruthless, sadistic, a villain, if you will. His plan is to use Cally Rayner, the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in the world. If he can get close to her and use her in his plan to take down her father, then that is what he'll do. He just has to try not to fall for her in the process.
Villain is an adult novel. Sometimes I forgot that Ryder is almost forty years old. I'm so used to reading New Adult novels that I feel like they're all in their twenties. This book has dark subject matter and definitely shouldn't be read by anyone under the age of eighteen. Violence, dark themes and sexual content throughout is not intended for young readers.
I received an Advance Reader Copy for Villain written by Jackie Wang and voluntarily reviewed this book.
Having a good life is about making the right choices. What happens, though, if you have none left?
Ryder Ainsworth was the son of a prominent Oregon Senator, a psychopath behind closed doors and a smooth smile. At seventeen years old, Ryder finds himself thrown out of his house, his spirit completely broken. But it wasn't until he was a man, taken in and then used by Paul Rayner, that he became a broken man. All that was left of worth in his life was revenge on Rayner, payback for both time spent in jail for a horrible crime he did not commit and for someone who was a link to a life he could have had, if he was also not betrayed back then, too. Desperate to propel that revenge, nearly two decades later, he targets the only weak-link he could devise, Rayner's daughter, Callista. All his well-laid plans go awry, however, when he falls for Cally, who goes to great lengths to follow through on a promise she makes to him.
This was a suspenseful and engaging, multi-layered plot, with several POVs adding much to enrich the tale, although you had to be patient when the action bounced between the past and the present. The connections between all characters were well crafted, and all ends were tied up via epilogues and a much-overdue HEA for Ryder with Cally.
Villain tested my resolve and I found myself feeling so angry and upset for Ryder, regardless of the decisions he made in his life I was so upset for how he was living and found myself really angry at the adults who had played him. I hated how he was living, he had nothing and was scraping by, it really made me sad and I could rant all day about ‘The Kept Woman’ !!
I wanted his revenge, I was with him every step of the way as his father is a brutal man and then throw in all the other people playing with his feeling and emotions well no wonder he is so aggressive.
The last quarter of this book just explodes with so many questions but also big answers and then the final chapter just blows it out of the water, I had no clue and well I was pleasantly surprised by this so well done to the author.
I kind of wished we had a couple of more chapters after the explosive revelations as by then I really had connected to Ryder and Callie as a couple in the romantic sense.
So my only complaint was I did want more emotional connection between Ryder and Callie, I did not feel them, they were both playing their cards so close to their chest if affected my ability to think they were attracted to each other emotionally and physically. I really did not connect to them until right at the end which was a shame and I also found her friendship group strange.
Quote: I married a monster. The monster wore a kind mask. He Said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’
3.5 ☄ I received this arc from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first read by this author and it wasnt the best experience, i really struggled to finish.
Villain was a story based more on redemption than romance. It contained 1 sex scene, so if your looking for hot, this is not!
The story itself was, unfortunately for me, lacking that special something that grabs me and makes me want to know more. I found it unbelievable, lacking emotion, apart from 1 scene toward the end and the characters didn't do anything for me, I found it hard to relate in any way? Story wise, with how things went down I just couldn't get my head around it, and the 1 sex scene between Callie and Tyler just seemed to come out of nowhere? One minute they were struggling to get along the next they fucked.
Tyler was a nice enough guy but his plan had holes. He is meant to be some big bad badass, yet couldn't stop a girl from taping his wrists together, let alone defend them from the baddies. Callie was a snob and not a character I could fully like, even though she somewhat redeems herself in the end.
I'm not going to say anything more, I think I have made my point. I might try reading something else from Wang before making a final decision on her writing style and how it speaks to me?
This is my 2nd book by Jackie Wang, and she continues to deliver high quality reading.
Ryder who grew up under very harsh circumstances is a strong Alpha male with a cinvict past. Charged with a crime he didn't commit, he is out to clear his name and get revenge against millionaire Paul Rayner.
Callista "Cally" Rayner is Paul's only daughter and the perfect pawn for Ryder's plan. But, what happens when he starts falling for her?
This book was written between 3 POVs, which sometimes takes away from the storyline. But, that is not the case with Villain. I like seeing the story from the views of Ryder, Cally and the Kept Woman. It gave different insights to what was really going on.
The characters were all unique with interesting backstories. But, they were all relatable to some point.
The storyline was nicely written with many plot twists. As soon as I thought that I had it figured out, it went in a different direction.
All in all I enjoyed this book, and can't wait to see what comes next!
I decided I'm not going to go too much into detail about what villain is about. Too much information would spoil the enjoyment of the book and the surprises in it. It's really best to go in pretty much blind, just like I did in order to get the full enjoyment out of it.
There was a lot of "gasp" moments in this book. Moments that kept me on the edge of my seat as I turned the page to see what happened next!!
I fell completely in love with Ryder, he went through so much he deserved to get what he wanted. Trouble is he didn't really realise what he wanted. His character was mysterious and very "villain" like but also likeable.
Callista I mostly wanted to slap her stupid, she annoyed me so much. Stuck up brat springs to mind!!!
But overall the story was brilliant, kept me entrigued enough to read it in two sessions. And I didn't see the twists in the story coming either!!!
Fantastic read, looking forward to reading more from this author.
Overall: 4 / 5 Story 4.5 / 5 Amount of sex 2 / 5 How explicit 3.5 / 5
Villain is the third book in the Northbridge Nights Series by Jackie Wang. I have not read the other books in this series and was able to follow along with no difficulties. This is a dark suspenseful romance and not an easy/sweet read. Villain does have a HEA, but the path to reach it is bumpy and difficult.
In this story, Ryder is on a mission to hurt the one person he feels messed up his life. He planned perfectly how he was going to get his revenge, although he did not plan on Callista Rayner reacting the way she did. Will Ryder let go of his anger and move forward with his life or risk it all to get his retribution?
The characters are complex, well developed and the story line is gripping. It smoothly switches back and forth between the past and the present with plenty of twists and turns! I definitely recommend this book to those that like the dark suspenseful romance.
VILLAIN BY JACKIE WANG MAY 11, 2017 I received an ARC for an honest review. This book was definitely an action packed roller coaster. It’s a story of an abused boy turns into a homeless young man, to a betrayed man, to a convict. He falls in love with the last person he ever thought, his enemies daughter, in the midst of trying to use her to get his revenge. This was a gritty kind of read. My heart broke repeatedly for our villan. As his love interest or victim for most of the book, knew deep in her heart that she was a mark. I got so carried away, I found myself yelling at my kindle.But ultimately, it was a beautiful story of forgiveness and the power of showing mercy.
Reply| Thu 4/27, 5:35 PM You Jackie Wang's Villain is one heck of a ride! If you might think your family is f*cked up, wait till you meet the Ainsworth's! I received the book as an ARC and OMG so good! Ryder's father is a monster, using brutality to control those around him, mostly Ryder. After growing an attachment to his step mother, Ryder was beaten, locked away and kicked out to the street to survive! Ryder went through his life surviving the best he could, until he thought he met his salvation! And things go twisting down from there! There are so many messed up relationships in this story, and it is edge of your seat ride to the end.... And the end? Perfect!