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Sinful, Montana #1
Guilty as Sin
There are secrets. There are guilty secrets. And then there's switching places with your twin.
Paige Hollander and her identical twin Lily stopped switching places a decade ago. But Lily's run into trouble, and Paige is on leave from the SFPD, recovering from a traumatic shooting. It's not like she has anything better to do, and she remembers how to be feminine. Sort of. Anyway, it's selling lacy thongs in Sinful Secrets and playing Heidi to Lily's goats for a week or two. How hard could it be?
For Jace Blackstone, idyllic Sinful, Montana, is the perfect escape. In this town, he's nothing but a reclusive, black-haired stranger with an Aussie accent and a bad attitude. Not the former pride of Australia's special forces, not a bestselling thriller writer, and not a man with no more faith in women. Right up until the day a mystery fan starts getting much too up-close and personal, and his neighbor comes back from her vacation with a personality change that knocks him sideways.
Suddenly, Sinful is looking downright dangerous. And the biggest danger of all might come in the form of flashing brown eyes, a rear view to stop a man's heart, and a wit sharp enough to slice him to the bone.
Sinful could be getting serious.
Paige Hollander and her identical twin Lily stopped switching places a decade ago. But Lily's run into trouble, and Paige is on leave from the SFPD, recovering from a traumatic shooting. It's not like she has anything better to do, and she remembers how to be feminine. Sort of. Anyway, it's selling lacy thongs in Sinful Secrets and playing Heidi to Lily's goats for a week or two. How hard could it be?
For Jace Blackstone, idyllic Sinful, Montana, is the perfect escape. In this town, he's nothing but a reclusive, black-haired stranger with an Aussie accent and a bad attitude. Not the former pride of Australia's special forces, not a bestselling thriller writer, and not a man with no more faith in women. Right up until the day a mystery fan starts getting much too up-close and personal, and his neighbor comes back from her vacation with a personality change that knocks him sideways.
Suddenly, Sinful is looking downright dangerous. And the biggest danger of all might come in the form of flashing brown eyes, a rear view to stop a man's heart, and a wit sharp enough to slice him to the bone.
Sinful could be getting serious.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2017
1669 people are currently reading
769 people want to read
About the author
Rosalind James
55 books1,218 followersRosalind James writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense published both by Montlake Romance and independently. Her stories are set in New Zealand, Idaho, California, New York . . . really, anyplace that seems cool. (Research trips, especially those involving lots of rugby, are a bonus.) Her books are available in ebook, paperback, and audio formats. Rosalind is a former marketing executive who spent several years in Australia and New Zealand, where she fell in love with the people, the landscape, and the culture of both countries. She attributes her rapid success to the fact that "Lots of people would like to escape to New Zealand! I know I did!"
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January 5, 2024This was not a well written book for me and I didn’t find the cover appealing.
This story was really messy and overloaded.
Twins that changed places. One twin was a police officer and the other had a lingerie shop.
The hero was an Aussie thriller best selling writer who was also an ex special forces.
Someone was stalking the hero and another was threatening the heroine.
Both mcs had a lot of baggage.
And why did I have to read about milking goats???? 🤦🏻♀️
Either suddenly going from one theme to another or not being able to distinguish to whom the lines of the dialogues belonged to, made my reading time so tiring...
Dnf @ 37%
This story was really messy and overloaded.
Twins that changed places. One twin was a police officer and the other had a lingerie shop.
The hero was an Aussie thriller best selling writer who was also an ex special forces.
Someone was stalking the hero and another was threatening the heroine.
Both mcs had a lot of baggage.
And why did I have to read about milking goats???? 🤦🏻♀️
Either suddenly going from one theme to another or not being able to distinguish to whom the lines of the dialogues belonged to, made my reading time so tiring...
Dnf @ 37%
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June 30, 2018💝FREE on Amazon today (6/30/2018)!💝
Blurb:
There are secrets. There are guilty secrets. And then there's switching places with your twin.
Paige Hollander and her identical twin Lily stopped switching places a decade ago. But Lily's run into trouble, and Paige is on leave from the SFPD, recovering from a traumatic shooting. It's not like she has anything better to do, and she remembers how to be feminine. Sort of. Anyway, it's selling lacy thongs in Sinful Secrets and playing Heidi to Lily's goats for a week or two. How hard could it be?
For Jace Blackstone, idyllic Sinful, Montana, is the perfect escape. In this town, he's nothing but a reclusive, black-haired stranger with an Aussie accent and a bad attitude. Not the former pride of Australia's special forces, not a bestselling thriller writer, and not a man with no more faith in women. Right up until the day a mystery fan starts getting much too up-close and personal, and his neighbor comes back from her vacation with a personality change that knocks him sideways.
Suddenly, Sinful is looking downright dangerous. And the biggest danger of all might come in the form of flashing brown eyes, a rear view to stop a man's heart, and a wit sharp enough to slice him to the bone.
Sinful could be getting serious.
Blurb:
There are secrets. There are guilty secrets. And then there's switching places with your twin.
Paige Hollander and her identical twin Lily stopped switching places a decade ago. But Lily's run into trouble, and Paige is on leave from the SFPD, recovering from a traumatic shooting. It's not like she has anything better to do, and she remembers how to be feminine. Sort of. Anyway, it's selling lacy thongs in Sinful Secrets and playing Heidi to Lily's goats for a week or two. How hard could it be?
For Jace Blackstone, idyllic Sinful, Montana, is the perfect escape. In this town, he's nothing but a reclusive, black-haired stranger with an Aussie accent and a bad attitude. Not the former pride of Australia's special forces, not a bestselling thriller writer, and not a man with no more faith in women. Right up until the day a mystery fan starts getting much too up-close and personal, and his neighbor comes back from her vacation with a personality change that knocks him sideways.
Suddenly, Sinful is looking downright dangerous. And the biggest danger of all might come in the form of flashing brown eyes, a rear view to stop a man's heart, and a wit sharp enough to slice him to the bone.
Sinful could be getting serious.
March 1, 2019
Rosalind James is one of my favorite authors for mixing romance and suspense, and I really loved this first book of this series. Funny- my 10 year old son saw the cover pic on my phone as I was listening to the audiobook via earbuds. He stared at it for a good five seconds. I tried to explain to him that one of the characters owns a "fancy ladies' underwear shop in a quaint, mountain tourist town" and he said, "uhh... that's stupid." Lol! (Heck, I didn't even try to explain to him the title is bc the small town is called Sinful; as a child raised Southern Baptist, his little mind would be blown, and he might ask some odd questions this weekend at Sunday school, ha!) But regarding the cover, which I think this one is really pretty, I actually usually try to hide the phone or Kindle cover screen from my boys (my other son is 14) because sometimes even *I* am embarrassed by some of the covers, particularly when there's half-naked folks on the front or if the title is super suggestive, etc. 😛🙈☺️
February 26, 2020
Guilty As Sin was the first book in the Sinful, Montana series by Rosalind James.
Paige and Lilly Hollander were identical twins. Paige was a cop in San Francisco who had just been injured on the job and was on leave while recuperating. Paige was independent, strong and snarky. Lilly was the girlish twin, lived in Montana, owned a lingerie shop and was the sweet, shy twin. Lilly was being pressured to sell her land so Paige stepped in and they swapped identities for a week so “Lilly” could express a tougher side and keep her land.
Jace Blackstone was a 6’3” Aussie thriller author. He was also former military, Lilly’s neighbor in Montana and had an unapproachable vibe.
Guilty Sin was told with a double POV. I had a hard time following the beginning with Jace’s POV. There were a lot of names and I couldn’t tell the real people from the fictitious characters. It all blended and I was confused. However, once the story progressed and Paige/Lilly began her fun bantering with Jace, the plot began to form and had a suspenseful vibe.
Once the suspense began, it was fun, intriguing and entertaining. I enjoyed both Paige and Jace as well as the storyline. Lilly and Rafe are next and I can’t wait.
Paige and Lilly Hollander were identical twins. Paige was a cop in San Francisco who had just been injured on the job and was on leave while recuperating. Paige was independent, strong and snarky. Lilly was the girlish twin, lived in Montana, owned a lingerie shop and was the sweet, shy twin. Lilly was being pressured to sell her land so Paige stepped in and they swapped identities for a week so “Lilly” could express a tougher side and keep her land.
Jace Blackstone was a 6’3” Aussie thriller author. He was also former military, Lilly’s neighbor in Montana and had an unapproachable vibe.
Guilty Sin was told with a double POV. I had a hard time following the beginning with Jace’s POV. There were a lot of names and I couldn’t tell the real people from the fictitious characters. It all blended and I was confused. However, once the story progressed and Paige/Lilly began her fun bantering with Jace, the plot began to form and had a suspenseful vibe.
Once the suspense began, it was fun, intriguing and entertaining. I enjoyed both Paige and Jace as well as the storyline. Lilly and Rafe are next and I can’t wait.
March 3, 2019
4 Gentle Stars
Shot in the line of duty and needing time to recuperate, both mentally and physically, cop Paige Hollander, decides to kill to birds with one stone and use her ‘vacation time’ to switch places with her twin sister Lily and deal with some of the hassle her softer sister has been enduring in the small town of Sinful, Montana.
For Jace Blackstone, Sinful has been the perfect place to try and escape the nightmares/memories that plague him, and when ‘Lily’ (aka Paige) returns from her trip away, he notices things about her he never noticed before, seeing her in a wholly different light – and his interest is more than piqued.
As Paige tries to make things easier for Lily’s return, she also finds herself unwillingly attracted to Jace, and as they get to know each other she also finds herself trying to locate his stalker.
This was a lovely read, whilst I wasn’t riveted, I was engaged and hoping Jace and Paige would get their HEA. I see myself re-reading this.
The ebook is presently 99p on Amazon (UK) and the 2nd book available on KU.
Shot in the line of duty and needing time to recuperate, both mentally and physically, cop Paige Hollander, decides to kill to birds with one stone and use her ‘vacation time’ to switch places with her twin sister Lily and deal with some of the hassle her softer sister has been enduring in the small town of Sinful, Montana.
For Jace Blackstone, Sinful has been the perfect place to try and escape the nightmares/memories that plague him, and when ‘Lily’ (aka Paige) returns from her trip away, he notices things about her he never noticed before, seeing her in a wholly different light – and his interest is more than piqued.
As Paige tries to make things easier for Lily’s return, she also finds herself unwillingly attracted to Jace, and as they get to know each other she also finds herself trying to locate his stalker.
This was a lovely read, whilst I wasn’t riveted, I was engaged and hoping Jace and Paige would get their HEA. I see myself re-reading this.
The ebook is presently 99p on Amazon (UK) and the 2nd book available on KU.
March 13, 2019
I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't
The blurb sounded fantasy about identical twins who switch lives for a little ample and they are total opposites. Throw in a sexy Aussie ex military who now writes best-selling thrillers and the story practically series itself. Or it should, but this book lost my attention around 10% into the book. I kept thinking the writing was going to get better or the plot was going to get interesting and it never really did. Sure there were some high points, but those were few and far between. I don't think I'll be reading the next book in the series about the other twin and the brother.
The blurb sounded fantasy about identical twins who switch lives for a little ample and they are total opposites. Throw in a sexy Aussie ex military who now writes best-selling thrillers and the story practically series itself. Or it should, but this book lost my attention around 10% into the book. I kept thinking the writing was going to get better or the plot was going to get interesting and it never really did. Sure there were some high points, but those were few and far between. I don't think I'll be reading the next book in the series about the other twin and the brother.
December 11, 2018
Edited 12.10.18 for some grammatical errors.
It’s been a little while since I’ve read a book by the lovely Rosalind James and I’m reminded by how much I enjoy her storytelling. I like the dual povs, a sweet and faithful H, and the realistic characters.
Normally, I don’t like plots propelled by a big lie but found that I could dismiss that with this book. Whether it was the dry sense of humour or the development of a legitimate reason for said lie, we’ll never know for sure.
The H was lovely and I’m glad that the author dealt with his intimate past with a light hand. It didn’t annoy me and it didn’t discount what he felt toward the h. He was the definition of a swoon worthy book boyfriend and the slow development of feelings between him and the h was nice to read.
So why only three stars? Well, I found the h and her insecurities a little frustrating. Never having been an identical twin myself, I guess I don’t really understand her hang ups, but what does a guy have to do to make you understand that he loves you? Take care of you when you’re injured? Help you with mundane chores? Take precautionary measures to ensure your safety? Oh wait. He did do all of those things. Sigh...
Then there was the utter lack of communication regarding the future. Why didn’t the MCs just talk about it like adults instead of making assumptions about everything? I didn’t understand it.
And then there was the suspense/mystery element. It was creepy enough, but the reveal was obvious. So that was disappointing. I also wanted a bit more of an epilogue. What Ms. James gave us was nice, but I prefer my epilogues a little further down the road. However, all in all, this was a nice, solid, and romantic read.
It’s been a little while since I’ve read a book by the lovely Rosalind James and I’m reminded by how much I enjoy her storytelling. I like the dual povs, a sweet and faithful H, and the realistic characters.
Normally, I don’t like plots propelled by a big lie but found that I could dismiss that with this book. Whether it was the dry sense of humour or the development of a legitimate reason for said lie, we’ll never know for sure.
The H was lovely and I’m glad that the author dealt with his intimate past with a light hand. It didn’t annoy me and it didn’t discount what he felt toward the h. He was the definition of a swoon worthy book boyfriend and the slow development of feelings between him and the h was nice to read.
So why only three stars? Well, I found the h and her insecurities a little frustrating. Never having been an identical twin myself, I guess I don’t really understand her hang ups, but what does a guy have to do to make you understand that he loves you? Take care of you when you’re injured? Help you with mundane chores? Take precautionary measures to ensure your safety? Oh wait. He did do all of those things. Sigh...
Then there was the utter lack of communication regarding the future. Why didn’t the MCs just talk about it like adults instead of making assumptions about everything? I didn’t understand it.
And then there was the suspense/mystery element. It was creepy enough, but the reveal was obvious. So that was disappointing. I also wanted a bit more of an epilogue. What Ms. James gave us was nice, but I prefer my epilogues a little further down the road. However, all in all, this was a nice, solid, and romantic read.
December 20, 2021
Not a fav of mine by this writer, whose books I usually really like. For my personal reading tastes there was too much mystery and suspense, even though the romance element was definitely there too. I know many readers like this style of writing, but it's just not really for me.
I also didn't really enjoy the identical-twins-swap trope. I found it quite confusing for much of the first part of the book. Paige was pretending to be Lily, but when the real Lily was referred to, in my head it got confused with when another character called Paige, Lily. Made it too hard to follow for me. I did like that the author gave the twins very different personalities though. That was somewhat realistic, even if the story felt a little hard to follow at times (for me).
I tried to read this book once before and dnf'ed, but I was determined to finish it this time. Well, I did finish, but admit I did a bit of skimming in the last third or so. Oh well, it doesn't detract from my enjoyment of most of Ms James' other books. She's a fine writer. This one just wasn't for me.
I also didn't really enjoy the identical-twins-swap trope. I found it quite confusing for much of the first part of the book. Paige was pretending to be Lily, but when the real Lily was referred to, in my head it got confused with when another character called Paige, Lily. Made it too hard to follow for me. I did like that the author gave the twins very different personalities though. That was somewhat realistic, even if the story felt a little hard to follow at times (for me).
I tried to read this book once before and dnf'ed, but I was determined to finish it this time. Well, I did finish, but admit I did a bit of skimming in the last third or so. Oh well, it doesn't detract from my enjoyment of most of Ms James' other books. She's a fine writer. This one just wasn't for me.
November 18, 2017
Awwww. Jace... Jace... where are you for me??? I loved this book sooo much! Looking for Lilys story! Thank you
October 19, 2017
Goats, stalkers, thriller writers, twins, lingerie.... sinfully delicious, sinfully intense, sinfully sweet.
Welome to Sinful Montana home to Jace Blackstone aka Jason Black thriller writer/ex. Aussie special forces who is being stalked by someone unknown. And also home to his sweet neighbor Lily, lingerie shop owner and part-time "Heidi " to a bunch of goats.
Lily is being harassed by the town to sell her property to a big developer to build a ski resort. Lily and her identical twin Paige switch places when the stress of it all gets to much for Lily.
Paige who is a cop on administrative leave after being shot wants the challenge of taking on the town.
What Paige "aka Lily" doesn't realize is that she will also be taking Jace on for size as well. But is getting close to Jace really a bad thing?
Grizzly Jace who all of a sudden wants to know what happened to his frilly and girly neighbor and why is she acting so strange? Could she be his mystery stalker? Could his stalker and Lily's problem with the town have a connection?
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were real, enjoyable and likeable. It had a wonderful flow, it was engaging and kept you wanting to read to find out what was going to happen next. Looking forward to the next book.
Welome to Sinful Montana home to Jace Blackstone aka Jason Black thriller writer/ex. Aussie special forces who is being stalked by someone unknown. And also home to his sweet neighbor Lily, lingerie shop owner and part-time "Heidi " to a bunch of goats.
Lily is being harassed by the town to sell her property to a big developer to build a ski resort. Lily and her identical twin Paige switch places when the stress of it all gets to much for Lily.
Paige who is a cop on administrative leave after being shot wants the challenge of taking on the town.
What Paige "aka Lily" doesn't realize is that she will also be taking Jace on for size as well. But is getting close to Jace really a bad thing?
Grizzly Jace who all of a sudden wants to know what happened to his frilly and girly neighbor and why is she acting so strange? Could she be his mystery stalker? Could his stalker and Lily's problem with the town have a connection?
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were real, enjoyable and likeable. It had a wonderful flow, it was engaging and kept you wanting to read to find out what was going to happen next. Looking forward to the next book.
November 8, 2017
Four and a half stars.
Paige and Lily are identical twins. Lily runs a lingerie shop in Sinful, Montana while Paige is a cop in San Francisco. They are celebrating their birthdays at a spa retreat. Lily is the softer, gentler twin who has a hard time saying no, while Paige is the more direct, forceful twin. Lily is feeling pressured to sell her 20 acres of land to make way for a new ski resort and finds it difficult to say no to the developer. Paige is on sick leave after being shot in a domestic violence disturbance in which her partner, the victim, and the abuser all died. Paige suggests the two of them swap places, Lily can shop and relax in San Francisco while Paige can resist the developer in Sinful.
Jace is an Australian ex-special forces commando turned thriller writer living as a recluse in Sinful after his wife dumped him. He appears to have a disturbed stalker who sends him Misery-style stories, nude pictures and underwear, which wouldn't be so disturbing if it didn't seem to have been hand-delivered. Jace has seen his neighbour Lily a number of times and dismissed her as a sweet, blonde, soft type - not the sort of woman he's interested in - until one morning he and his dog walk past her homestead and hear her swearing like a trooper at her goats.
As Paige struggles to be the feminine Lily, run a lingerie shop and deal with hostility from the townsfolk who want the new resort she also battles with her attraction to Lily's neighbour. But as Paige too is subject to random violent acts and anonymous letters she and Jace have to decide whether there is one stalker or two.
Rosalind James manages to inject both humour and suspense into this wonderful novel where no-one is who they seem and I was kept guessing the end as to the identity of the stalker(s). I loved this book and can't wait for Lily's book!
Paige and Lily are identical twins. Lily runs a lingerie shop in Sinful, Montana while Paige is a cop in San Francisco. They are celebrating their birthdays at a spa retreat. Lily is the softer, gentler twin who has a hard time saying no, while Paige is the more direct, forceful twin. Lily is feeling pressured to sell her 20 acres of land to make way for a new ski resort and finds it difficult to say no to the developer. Paige is on sick leave after being shot in a domestic violence disturbance in which her partner, the victim, and the abuser all died. Paige suggests the two of them swap places, Lily can shop and relax in San Francisco while Paige can resist the developer in Sinful.
Jace is an Australian ex-special forces commando turned thriller writer living as a recluse in Sinful after his wife dumped him. He appears to have a disturbed stalker who sends him Misery-style stories, nude pictures and underwear, which wouldn't be so disturbing if it didn't seem to have been hand-delivered. Jace has seen his neighbour Lily a number of times and dismissed her as a sweet, blonde, soft type - not the sort of woman he's interested in - until one morning he and his dog walk past her homestead and hear her swearing like a trooper at her goats.
As Paige struggles to be the feminine Lily, run a lingerie shop and deal with hostility from the townsfolk who want the new resort she also battles with her attraction to Lily's neighbour. But as Paige too is subject to random violent acts and anonymous letters she and Jace have to decide whether there is one stalker or two.
Rosalind James manages to inject both humour and suspense into this wonderful novel where no-one is who they seem and I was kept guessing the end as to the identity of the stalker(s). I loved this book and can't wait for Lily's book!
October 18, 2021
4.5 STARS
I have a read a few books from James, and this is hands down my favorite to date. There was a tough but adorable heroine, a lovable but rugged hero, an interesting mystery, and the perfect balance of humor and emotion. I cannot wait to read more from this series.
I have a read a few books from James, and this is hands down my favorite to date. There was a tough but adorable heroine, a lovable but rugged hero, an interesting mystery, and the perfect balance of humor and emotion. I cannot wait to read more from this series.
October 21, 2017
Loved it! Read it almost in one sitting. I think Rosalind has slightly changed her style of writing for this book, it is a little more teasing of the reader than in previous books, and it is exciting from beginning to end.
Paige and Lily are identical twins, but in their character and nature they are complete opposites. Lily is totally feminine; frilly, lacy and pink are her choices. She lives in Sinful, Montana where she runs a lingerie boutique. Paige is a San Francisco policewoman, on sick leave after an incident which killed her partner and left her wounded, and awaiting the results of an enquiry into the incident. Jeans and boots are her clothes of choice. But Lily is having problems, a property developer wants to build a ski resort which will bring much needed jobs, and tourists to the town, and he threatens to pull out if Lily doesn't sell her land to him. She doesn't want to, her home is everything she ever wanted; but it is getting harder to say no against the resentment of the townsfolk. They decide to swap places, so that Paige can keep the no firmly in place. It seems someone is trying to push her (as Lily) into leaving.
Jace, an Australian thriller writer who lives close to Lily meets Paige on her first morning in town. He is immediately suspicious, he knows there is something not quite right with his neighbour. He wonders whether she could be the woman who is stalking him with ever increasing persistence. It is amusing watching Paige try and persuade everyone that she is Lily, when she doesn't really know who she should know well, and who she is supposedly just on nodding terms with. She keeps putting her foot in it, terrified that others will notice, but people often only see what is in front of them, she looks like Lily, so she is Lily. Jace is the exception, but is fascinated by her, and they are soon able to be fairly honest with each other (although she hasn't admitted she is not Lily), and put their heads together working out ways to trap their stalkers. Jace thinks they might just be the same person, Paige is not so sure.
There is much incident in the story, and Paige gets injured a few times, twice being admitted to hospital. Jace's dog, a Ridgeback called Tobias gets injured too, yet even with a broken leg he does his best to defend his territory. I love the Australian (and English) colloquialisms that creep in occasionally, they fit Jace perfectly, make him more real somehow.
The ending of the book is delightful, it is an absolute joy when the sisters deliberately try and fool Jace that each is the other, and he is not fooled for a second. The treasure hunt that follows is just lovely.
A lovely story that nobody should miss. Rosalind writes stories that satisfy the senses! I cannot wait for Lily's story.
Paige and Lily are identical twins, but in their character and nature they are complete opposites. Lily is totally feminine; frilly, lacy and pink are her choices. She lives in Sinful, Montana where she runs a lingerie boutique. Paige is a San Francisco policewoman, on sick leave after an incident which killed her partner and left her wounded, and awaiting the results of an enquiry into the incident. Jeans and boots are her clothes of choice. But Lily is having problems, a property developer wants to build a ski resort which will bring much needed jobs, and tourists to the town, and he threatens to pull out if Lily doesn't sell her land to him. She doesn't want to, her home is everything she ever wanted; but it is getting harder to say no against the resentment of the townsfolk. They decide to swap places, so that Paige can keep the no firmly in place. It seems someone is trying to push her (as Lily) into leaving.
Jace, an Australian thriller writer who lives close to Lily meets Paige on her first morning in town. He is immediately suspicious, he knows there is something not quite right with his neighbour. He wonders whether she could be the woman who is stalking him with ever increasing persistence. It is amusing watching Paige try and persuade everyone that she is Lily, when she doesn't really know who she should know well, and who she is supposedly just on nodding terms with. She keeps putting her foot in it, terrified that others will notice, but people often only see what is in front of them, she looks like Lily, so she is Lily. Jace is the exception, but is fascinated by her, and they are soon able to be fairly honest with each other (although she hasn't admitted she is not Lily), and put their heads together working out ways to trap their stalkers. Jace thinks they might just be the same person, Paige is not so sure.
There is much incident in the story, and Paige gets injured a few times, twice being admitted to hospital. Jace's dog, a Ridgeback called Tobias gets injured too, yet even with a broken leg he does his best to defend his territory. I love the Australian (and English) colloquialisms that creep in occasionally, they fit Jace perfectly, make him more real somehow.
The ending of the book is delightful, it is an absolute joy when the sisters deliberately try and fool Jace that each is the other, and he is not fooled for a second. The treasure hunt that follows is just lovely.
A lovely story that nobody should miss. Rosalind writes stories that satisfy the senses! I cannot wait for Lily's story.
October 24, 2017
This is another winner of a romantic suspense novel set in Montana by Rosalind James. I read a lot of romance novels and James’s novels stand out by the level of her writing and her development of characters.
The set-up of the book is that Paige Hollander switches places with her identical twin sister, Lily. While they look exactly alike, they’re very different. Paige is a policewoman from San Francisco who has been injured on the job and has to wait to be cleared to return. Lily wants to get away from the pressure she’s feeling to sell her property to a ski resort developer.
Paige meets her wild-looking neighbor, Jace Blackstone, who happens to be a veteran of Australian special forces and a best-selling author. Now he’s settled in this small Montana town to get away from people and write. He’s attracted to Paige when he hadn’t been attracted to Lily because he likes her toughness. She’s his kind of woman and he turns out to be her kind of guy.
There’s some suspense involving a stalker targeting Jace because guys can have creepy female stalkers and someone is targeting Paige. Is it the same person or are they under different threats? It’s convenient that she’s a policewoman and not her sister who owns a lingerie store. And it’s convenient that he’s a former special forces soldier.
The journey to Paige revealing who she really is and their finding their way to their HEA while defeating the threats is enjoyable. I couldn’t put it down and I look forward to Lily’s story.
I was given a free ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2017
I loved this book! Then again I love most everything by Ms. James. This is the first book in a new series and I have to say I absolutely can’t wait for more. I loved Lily and Paige not just their twin connection but how well they loved each other. Then there was Jace….oh Jace. The sexy alpha male who still knows how to show his soft side to the right woman. I love how he is this total badass but recognizes that Paige is too and he’s ok with that. He doesn’t expect her to change and be more feminine like her sister Lily (though he does enjoy some of the articles from Lily’s shop) he falls for her as she is. Then you throw in a crazy stalker and a town that wants Lily/Paige to sell her land and move and you have plenty of page turning questions and action. I loved everything about this book and it kept me reading past my bedtime more than once. Another thing I love about Ms. James’ more suspenseful books is that her characters aren’t stupid, there is no TSTL moment for any of the main characters. They plan and they investigate but they don’t do the stupid or reckless thing that just happens to work out ok that so many authors like to do in this sub genre. If you’re looking for a great read with a little suspense and plenty of love look no further. Now I just have to wait for Rafe and Lily’s book, hopefully not too long.
May 24, 2024
Paige Hollander's twin sister Lily has been dealing with pressure to sell her home in Sinful, Montana to a ski lodge developer. Since Paige is on the mend from a recent gunshot wound she suffered trying to save her partner in a police action shooting, she decides to switch places with Lily and take the heat for awhile. But when Paige arrives in Sinful, she is immediately hit with issues involving the care of Lily's animals and the running of her lingerie shop. It doesn't help that she is attracted to the tough as nails author who offers to help with the animals and her security, as the threats become more serious.
Guilty as Sin is a very well written, well paced romantic suspense novel with likable characters and two intriguing mysteries. The romance between the two protagonists develops in a way that is satisfying and enjoyable as the mysteries continue to unfold throughout the book. While more clues would have made the plot more entertaining, the supporting characters add a layer of fun to the narrative. The conclusion of the novel slows a bit as the resolution to the mysteries are revealed, but overall, Guilty as Sin is a delightful romantic suspense story that is well worth the read.
Guilty as Sin is a very well written, well paced romantic suspense novel with likable characters and two intriguing mysteries. The romance between the two protagonists develops in a way that is satisfying and enjoyable as the mysteries continue to unfold throughout the book. While more clues would have made the plot more entertaining, the supporting characters add a layer of fun to the narrative. The conclusion of the novel slows a bit as the resolution to the mysteries are revealed, but overall, Guilty as Sin is a delightful romantic suspense story that is well worth the read.
December 13, 2022
Paige is a strong woman who has reached a turning point in her life. She is a twin and her sister, Lily, needs help in her small town of Sinful, Montana. Jace Blackstone is Lily's neighbor and a recluse for most of his time in Sinful. He's a popular thriller author but he also has PTSD from his days in the Australian military. Paige and Jace are both warriors who now must face local intrigue and danger together and also face their fears of the attraction between them. A winning story filled with suspense and romance.
June 12, 2018
Love this author!
November 2, 2017
I absolutely loves this book. Another fantastic story by Rosalind James. I really enjoyed the small town drama that plays out in the story and the twins each seeing how the other lives. Jace is a strong male character, who is absolutely certain what he wants and works hard to get it. He is loyal and caring and willing to go the extra mile.
November 1, 2017
I liked this book, the characters were likable and the story line was engaging. The book had 2 different puzzles that had to be resolved and this element had the reader guessing who the perpetrators were. This is a good book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to have some steamy sex scenes interspersed with the action in the book. Another hit for Ms. James and I have already pre-ordered the next book in the series which deals with Lily and Rafe, siblings of the main characters in this book, who will be taking center stage in their own book next year.
February 3, 2025
New author for me, I listened to audible book. It was great! Loved the narration and the characters. Plot revolves around identical twins that switch places and then the trouble starts. It has swoony Australian former special ops guy who is just looking for peace and quiet. He attracts a stalker (cool twist to have the guy being stalked instead of the woman). Really like this book and will read the rest of the series.
Re-listening to this again 2 yrs later and it is just as good as I remember. LOVE the Aussie voice the narrator is superb.
Re-listening to this again 2 yrs later and it is just as good as I remember. LOVE the Aussie voice the narrator is superb.
November 8, 2017
Guys.
Guys!
GUYS!
I found a new book boyfriend. His name his Jace and gosh he's Aussie and sweet and tempting and man alive :fans face:.
I really enjoyed this. I went in because I always enjoy twins switching places in romance, but Jace is so wonderful and Paige is my kind of heroine.
---
Twins switching places in books is one of my favorite tropes. Mostly because its adjacent to my OTHER favorite trope of alternate universe selves trading places. Which in and of itself is adjacent to my ultimate favorite trope of the "What If...?" principle. So James got my attention quickly. I already knew I liked James' writing, from her New Zealand romances and this sounded just light enough to engage me.
Slight spoiler, this isn't QUITE as light-hearted as you might think.
From the get go I liked Paige. I liked that she wasn't above manipulating her sister when she felt it was for her sister's own good, I liked that she put her sister's happiness above her own discomfort, I liked that she was practical. Well as practical as one could be when you consider how totally not prepared for it all.
Jace was the kind of romance hero perfect that you want to dislike because he's perfect, but you can't. We spend a lot more time on Paige's imperfections then we do with Jace's, so even though the beginning sounds like he has just as many demons to exorcise as Paige does, you never really get that feeling. He mentions he has trouble sleeping, but we don't see that because he's peaceful with Paige around. He mentions having trouble committing because he's gotten hurt before, but he seems very committed to Paige early on so his internal "this is dangerous be careful" dialogue is easily dismissed (and indeed I did roll my eyes several times).
Paige though, she was easier to relate to when it came to why she didn't want to commit. Aside from the fact that for much of the book Jace thinks she's her sister, she's always been the responsible one. The one who takes charge of a situation to make sure everyone she cares about comes out of it happier. Later in the book she explains why she felt a need to become a cop, why it was so important to her, and while I appreciated that story, James had written her so perfectly aligned that the story was just icing to a character I understood quite well.
Which is something Jace understood too. He calls her out, demanding she be just as honest with herself as she was being with him. He doesn't want her to just "be happier" so she will be with him, he wants her to work through her demons so that she can be as strong for herself as she is for others. In return Paige tries and in the Epilogue we read about how they've been trying hard to find a way to make it all work. I especially liked the fact that Jace understood that Lily being a part of everything was important to Jace.
That all said, I'm looking forward to the next book involving . Though I wouldn't mind reading about Paige and Jace running around solving crimes while vacationing either. They're like tailor made for their own Detective Agency.
Guys!
GUYS!
I found a new book boyfriend. His name his Jace and gosh he's Aussie and sweet and tempting and man alive :fans face:.
I really enjoyed this. I went in because I always enjoy twins switching places in romance, but Jace is so wonderful and Paige is my kind of heroine.
---
Twins switching places in books is one of my favorite tropes. Mostly because its adjacent to my OTHER favorite trope of alternate universe selves trading places. Which in and of itself is adjacent to my ultimate favorite trope of the "What If...?" principle. So James got my attention quickly. I already knew I liked James' writing, from her New Zealand romances and this sounded just light enough to engage me.
Slight spoiler, this isn't QUITE as light-hearted as you might think.
From the get go I liked Paige. I liked that she wasn't above manipulating her sister when she felt it was for her sister's own good, I liked that she put her sister's happiness above her own discomfort, I liked that she was practical. Well as practical as one could be when you consider how totally not prepared for it all.
Jace was the kind of romance hero perfect that you want to dislike because he's perfect, but you can't. We spend a lot more time on Paige's imperfections then we do with Jace's, so even though the beginning sounds like he has just as many demons to exorcise as Paige does, you never really get that feeling. He mentions he has trouble sleeping, but we don't see that because he's peaceful with Paige around. He mentions having trouble committing because he's gotten hurt before, but he seems very committed to Paige early on so his internal "this is dangerous be careful" dialogue is easily dismissed (and indeed I did roll my eyes several times).
Paige though, she was easier to relate to when it came to why she didn't want to commit. Aside from the fact that for much of the book Jace thinks she's her sister, she's always been the responsible one. The one who takes charge of a situation to make sure everyone she cares about comes out of it happier. Later in the book she explains why she felt a need to become a cop, why it was so important to her, and while I appreciated that story, James had written her so perfectly aligned that the story was just icing to a character I understood quite well.
Which is something Jace understood too. He calls her out, demanding she be just as honest with herself as she was being with him. He doesn't want her to just "be happier" so she will be with him, he wants her to work through her demons so that she can be as strong for herself as she is for others. In return Paige tries and in the Epilogue we read about how they've been trying hard to find a way to make it all work. I especially liked the fact that Jace understood that Lily being a part of everything was important to Jace.
That all said, I'm looking forward to the next book involving . Though I wouldn't mind reading about Paige and Jace running around solving crimes while vacationing either. They're like tailor made for their own Detective Agency.
November 6, 2017
When I first started reading Rosalind James’ newest book, Guilty as Sin, I was put off at first by the thought of the identical twin sisters, Paige and Lily Hollander, switching places. Images of the now-ancient Patty Duke TV show, where twin cousins would occasionally trade places, popped into my head. To my immense relief, in Rosalind James’ capable hands, what could have been a ridiculous premise became a very entertaining, solid romantic suspense novel.
As the book opens, twins Paige and Lily Hollander each have their own problems. Lily, owner of a lingerie store in Sinful, Montana, is receiving a lot of pressure to sell her personal residence and sanctuary to make way for a resort that could breathe life into Sinful’s anemic economy. Paige, a police officer in the San Francisco Police Department, is awaiting the verdict concerning an on-the-job shooting and recovering from an injury sustained at that time. Paige, who has always considered herself to be the tougher of the twins and her sister’s protector, comes up with the idea of taking Lily’s place. Complications ensue when the pressure on Lily is far greater than Paige anticipated and when Paige meets Lily’s “scary” neighbor Jace Blackstone, a former Aussie commando and thriller writer, with baggage of his own—a stalker. His nameless nemesis starts out as just plain creepy but, as the book continues, increases his/her threat level far beyond sending Jace pages with erotic and vaguely threatening scenes featuring the two of them.
As the novel continues, the readability factor increases from “I need to go read that book” to “I can’t put this book down,” even if it meant getting up at 4:00 am to continue reading. The dual plots of both “Lily” and Jace being menaced up the ante of suspense substantially and it isn’t quite clear to them or the reader if the threats are separate or somehow intertwined. Paige (though he knows her as Lily) and Jace become increasingly close as they battle their faceless adversary (ies). While Sinful, Montana is a small town, there is no shortage of suspects who could be menacing Paige-as-Lily and Jace. How the twin switch is dealt with is credible. Though Paige struggles to live as the more feminine and tactful Lily, she is able to pull off the subterfuge because no one knows that Lily has an identical twin. This includes Jace, though he senses there is something off about Lily.
The resolution of the novel was well done and satisfying. I am deliberately vague so as not to give anything away.
This is a very entertaining read and I highly recommend it. I enjoyed the dual mysteries and the fact that the book, while full of suspense, wasn’t too dark.
As the book opens, twins Paige and Lily Hollander each have their own problems. Lily, owner of a lingerie store in Sinful, Montana, is receiving a lot of pressure to sell her personal residence and sanctuary to make way for a resort that could breathe life into Sinful’s anemic economy. Paige, a police officer in the San Francisco Police Department, is awaiting the verdict concerning an on-the-job shooting and recovering from an injury sustained at that time. Paige, who has always considered herself to be the tougher of the twins and her sister’s protector, comes up with the idea of taking Lily’s place. Complications ensue when the pressure on Lily is far greater than Paige anticipated and when Paige meets Lily’s “scary” neighbor Jace Blackstone, a former Aussie commando and thriller writer, with baggage of his own—a stalker. His nameless nemesis starts out as just plain creepy but, as the book continues, increases his/her threat level far beyond sending Jace pages with erotic and vaguely threatening scenes featuring the two of them.
As the novel continues, the readability factor increases from “I need to go read that book” to “I can’t put this book down,” even if it meant getting up at 4:00 am to continue reading. The dual plots of both “Lily” and Jace being menaced up the ante of suspense substantially and it isn’t quite clear to them or the reader if the threats are separate or somehow intertwined. Paige (though he knows her as Lily) and Jace become increasingly close as they battle their faceless adversary (ies). While Sinful, Montana is a small town, there is no shortage of suspects who could be menacing Paige-as-Lily and Jace. How the twin switch is dealt with is credible. Though Paige struggles to live as the more feminine and tactful Lily, she is able to pull off the subterfuge because no one knows that Lily has an identical twin. This includes Jace, though he senses there is something off about Lily.
The resolution of the novel was well done and satisfying. I am deliberately vague so as not to give anything away.
This is a very entertaining read and I highly recommend it. I enjoyed the dual mysteries and the fact that the book, while full of suspense, wasn’t too dark.
November 2, 2017
Overview
This is a new series by Rosalind James, based in a small town in Montana. It can be read as a stand-alone book and this book can be read and enjoyed independently and along with the others just as well. Ms. James has written several books from the Northern Idaho area, California, and a great many from New Zealand too in her Escape series.
The Main characters
Paige Hollander and her identical twin Lily are the central focal characters, with Paige being the heroine. For being identical twins, the two couldn't be more different in every other way. Paige is a tough, strong, competent police officer in the city of San Francisco, with a heart of gold, and is on a medical leave of absence after being wounded in the line of duty. Lily is a frilly, sweet and feminine small town - country-girl raising goats and chickens on a small ranch-farm and owns a lingerie store in the town of Sinful, Montana. She's been having trouble lately with someone in her town putting the pressure on her to sell her property for the development of a large ski resort. The pressure is becoming more and more like harassment, so Paige agrees to switch places with sweet Lily and be the tough-girl - showing the pushy developer she's not one to be bullied. It is not as easy as it seems to be a sweet, nice small-town girl as Paige had thought. She has some hilarious adventures and dilemmas to overcome, all while helping Lily's hot neighbor get to the bottom of his stalker-problem. It turns out tough-girls can be sweet.
Jace Blackstone is a reclusive, ex-special forces thriller writer from Australia, living alone out in the hills of Montana. Solitude is just perfect for him as he wants nothing to do with the hustle and bustle of city-life. He has a major problem with a stalker and it is getting more and more intense. He starts to suspect his neighbor might be involved- she somehow catches his attention and not in a good way. This woman gets under his skin and he realizes she is not his stalker -but may be able to help him - they help each other in fact. As they get to know one another and slowly chip away at each others' mistrust issues, they cannot fight the attraction that is building and the tension is too much to bear.
I loved the book - it's got some suspense, and mystery, and some excitement and action. And of course some steamy romance too, as things really heat up between Paige and the hot alpha-male-neighbor, Jace. There are some very hilarious moments that will had me laughing my butt off. This is a great, funny, heart-warming read that will take you away from your world for just a short bit and fill your heart with wonderful characters and a memorable storyline. The book will stir your emotions and remind you of the importance of family. Life is too short - don't miss the opportunity to be there for them.
Another great book by Rosalind James! I can't wait to read the next one in the series, with Rafe and Lily!
This is a new series by Rosalind James, based in a small town in Montana. It can be read as a stand-alone book and this book can be read and enjoyed independently and along with the others just as well. Ms. James has written several books from the Northern Idaho area, California, and a great many from New Zealand too in her Escape series.
The Main characters
Paige Hollander and her identical twin Lily are the central focal characters, with Paige being the heroine. For being identical twins, the two couldn't be more different in every other way. Paige is a tough, strong, competent police officer in the city of San Francisco, with a heart of gold, and is on a medical leave of absence after being wounded in the line of duty. Lily is a frilly, sweet and feminine small town - country-girl raising goats and chickens on a small ranch-farm and owns a lingerie store in the town of Sinful, Montana. She's been having trouble lately with someone in her town putting the pressure on her to sell her property for the development of a large ski resort. The pressure is becoming more and more like harassment, so Paige agrees to switch places with sweet Lily and be the tough-girl - showing the pushy developer she's not one to be bullied. It is not as easy as it seems to be a sweet, nice small-town girl as Paige had thought. She has some hilarious adventures and dilemmas to overcome, all while helping Lily's hot neighbor get to the bottom of his stalker-problem. It turns out tough-girls can be sweet.
Jace Blackstone is a reclusive, ex-special forces thriller writer from Australia, living alone out in the hills of Montana. Solitude is just perfect for him as he wants nothing to do with the hustle and bustle of city-life. He has a major problem with a stalker and it is getting more and more intense. He starts to suspect his neighbor might be involved- she somehow catches his attention and not in a good way. This woman gets under his skin and he realizes she is not his stalker -but may be able to help him - they help each other in fact. As they get to know one another and slowly chip away at each others' mistrust issues, they cannot fight the attraction that is building and the tension is too much to bear.
I loved the book - it's got some suspense, and mystery, and some excitement and action. And of course some steamy romance too, as things really heat up between Paige and the hot alpha-male-neighbor, Jace. There are some very hilarious moments that will had me laughing my butt off. This is a great, funny, heart-warming read that will take you away from your world for just a short bit and fill your heart with wonderful characters and a memorable storyline. The book will stir your emotions and remind you of the importance of family. Life is too short - don't miss the opportunity to be there for them.
Another great book by Rosalind James! I can't wait to read the next one in the series, with Rafe and Lily!
October 31, 2017
I don't think there is a type of book that Rosalind James can't write. This book touches so many different aspects of people's lives. The love that is between twins, Paige & Lily is simply precious. They would do anything for one another and that even means switching places for each other.
Lily is being pressured to sell her property to a resort and she simply does not want to. She loves her home, animals and land. But, when the developer is being too pushy, Paige steps in to take over as she is off of work as a police officer due to an injury. So, as twins, they switch places.
Paige doesn't know the first thing about taking care of animals, taking care of a lingerie shop and being "girly" like Lily. But, she steps up and gives it her best shot. However, things don't go so well with her first try at milking the goats. Enter neighbor, Australian, Jace. Rugged, handsome, strong, friendly - everything you need in a neighbor. He decides to help Paige - a/k/a Lily.
As the days go on, Jace and Paige become friendlier and confide in one another. Jace tells Paige that he has a stalker and Paige instinctively gives her investigative advice. However, things start happening to Paige as well and they don't know if it could be coming from the same person. Jace's could be a fan of his books, while Paige's could be an angry developer or citizen that wants her to sell the land. Things escalate not only between Jace and Paige as sparks start to fly, but also the threats get worse and Paige ends up being attacked.
Because Paige and Lily are twins, Lily senses when bad or painful things happen to Paige and vice versa. Therefore, Lily decides to come back home earlier than she was supposed to.
There is plenty of suspense in this book and Lily proves to be a stronger person than Paige gives her credit for.
The chemistry between Paige and Jace is incredible. Not only is it hot, but it also has a very tender side to it too. That, on top of the suspense, makes this a great book. Jace is definitely now a favorite of mine. Rosalind has many great male characters, and I think Jace comes in at one of the top 5 for me! Great book. Can't wait for book 2.
I was given a free ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Lily is being pressured to sell her property to a resort and she simply does not want to. She loves her home, animals and land. But, when the developer is being too pushy, Paige steps in to take over as she is off of work as a police officer due to an injury. So, as twins, they switch places.
Paige doesn't know the first thing about taking care of animals, taking care of a lingerie shop and being "girly" like Lily. But, she steps up and gives it her best shot. However, things don't go so well with her first try at milking the goats. Enter neighbor, Australian, Jace. Rugged, handsome, strong, friendly - everything you need in a neighbor. He decides to help Paige - a/k/a Lily.
As the days go on, Jace and Paige become friendlier and confide in one another. Jace tells Paige that he has a stalker and Paige instinctively gives her investigative advice. However, things start happening to Paige as well and they don't know if it could be coming from the same person. Jace's could be a fan of his books, while Paige's could be an angry developer or citizen that wants her to sell the land. Things escalate not only between Jace and Paige as sparks start to fly, but also the threats get worse and Paige ends up being attacked.
Because Paige and Lily are twins, Lily senses when bad or painful things happen to Paige and vice versa. Therefore, Lily decides to come back home earlier than she was supposed to.
There is plenty of suspense in this book and Lily proves to be a stronger person than Paige gives her credit for.
The chemistry between Paige and Jace is incredible. Not only is it hot, but it also has a very tender side to it too. That, on top of the suspense, makes this a great book. Jace is definitely now a favorite of mine. Rosalind has many great male characters, and I think Jace comes in at one of the top 5 for me! Great book. Can't wait for book 2.
I was given a free ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2017
Review written: November 2, 2017
Star Rating: ★★★★☆
Heat Rating: ☀☀☀☼☼
As Kiwis say "Sweet as...". Guilty as Sin features James' trademark breezy authorial voice which just makes it so easy for me to settle into the story and relax.
Paige and Lily are awesome together! I loved the differences and similarities between Paige and Lily, how they are strong differently and protective differently but still both strong and protective. I love how they each see themselves and then the other and how that changes as the book draws to a close. Paige is a tough cop and Lily is a sweet, feminine purveyor of lingerie and they are twins. They are yin and yang and it is just so cool to see how they each contain that kernel of similarity despite how different they seem to be. There is a lot of sister-love going on here and since family dynamics are one of James' strengths this shines through beautifully.
Jace is ... well, he's a tough badass is what he is. Former Aussie special forces, current thriller writer, and looking for a quiet place to write and be alone with the PTSD he still battles, Jace has found Sinful. Here he lives a reclusive life and writes when not being bugged by little brother Rafe. There's a strong bond between them though, at least partly owing to the fact that they are very different and lead very different lives. But when things go sideways, they have each others' backs.
Something is very rotten in Sinful, Montana. It may look like an idyllic place but Jace has a stalker and Lily (aka Paige shortly after the book starts) is being harassed because she doesn't want to sell her place to a land developer. As the mysteries deepen in Sinful, Jace and Paige are looking at getting a bit sinful with each other. It will take all of Paige and Jace's combined training to figure out what is really going on in Sinful, and it will take Lily the peacemaker to find a solution to all the problems.
Guilty as Sin is fun and cute, poignant and sweet, hard and tough, dangerous and devious. And all of it is sinfully wonderful. I loved the interplay between siblings, the hot chemistry between Jace and Paige, the interesting mysteries, and even the goats! Some secondary and tertiary characters were more trope-ish and one dimensional than I would have preferred but overall, characterization was strong.
I can't wait to see what's in store for Lily.
This review is ©November 2017 by Monique N. and has been crossposted to Amazon.com.
Star Rating: ★★★★☆
Heat Rating: ☀☀☀☼☼
As Kiwis say "Sweet as...". Guilty as Sin features James' trademark breezy authorial voice which just makes it so easy for me to settle into the story and relax.
Paige and Lily are awesome together! I loved the differences and similarities between Paige and Lily, how they are strong differently and protective differently but still both strong and protective. I love how they each see themselves and then the other and how that changes as the book draws to a close. Paige is a tough cop and Lily is a sweet, feminine purveyor of lingerie and they are twins. They are yin and yang and it is just so cool to see how they each contain that kernel of similarity despite how different they seem to be. There is a lot of sister-love going on here and since family dynamics are one of James' strengths this shines through beautifully.
Jace is ... well, he's a tough badass is what he is. Former Aussie special forces, current thriller writer, and looking for a quiet place to write and be alone with the PTSD he still battles, Jace has found Sinful. Here he lives a reclusive life and writes when not being bugged by little brother Rafe. There's a strong bond between them though, at least partly owing to the fact that they are very different and lead very different lives. But when things go sideways, they have each others' backs.
Something is very rotten in Sinful, Montana. It may look like an idyllic place but Jace has a stalker and Lily (aka Paige shortly after the book starts) is being harassed because she doesn't want to sell her place to a land developer. As the mysteries deepen in Sinful, Jace and Paige are looking at getting a bit sinful with each other. It will take all of Paige and Jace's combined training to figure out what is really going on in Sinful, and it will take Lily the peacemaker to find a solution to all the problems.
Guilty as Sin is fun and cute, poignant and sweet, hard and tough, dangerous and devious. And all of it is sinfully wonderful. I loved the interplay between siblings, the hot chemistry between Jace and Paige, the interesting mysteries, and even the goats! Some secondary and tertiary characters were more trope-ish and one dimensional than I would have preferred but overall, characterization was strong.
I can't wait to see what's in store for Lily.
This review is ©November 2017 by Monique N. and has been crossposted to Amazon.com.
November 4, 2017
Twin Switch
Identical twins can be trouble especially when they decide to switch places. And no, we are not talking about them doing it as children but as grown women. Identical twins, but totally different in character, Lily and Paige decide to switch places when they meet up for a special birthday retreat. Paige can use a break from aftereffects of an injury suffered during the line of duty. Lily is dealing with some issues at home of her own in Sinful, Montana, but she is not used to standing up to herself like her sister. So the two of them switching places seems like a great solution for both of them.
Lily owns an upscale lingerie shop in the small town of Sinful which has a ski resort close by. She also has a stunning gorgeous Aussie next door neighbor who is a bit of a recluse. But Lily has no interest in him. But Paige masquerading as Lily can’t say the same. Her first time meeting him involves the dairy goats her sister keeps and claims are easy to milk. The goats know that Paige isn’t Lily which is a special talent goats have.
Jace is Lily’s reclusive neighbor. Lily didn’t have much to tell her sister about him but there is much more to him than it appears on the surface. Jace is ex-military or more specifically, ex-Special Forces which means he has demons of his own. He has retreated to Montana to try and deal with his demons and write. Jace is a best selling writer who is being stalked by a fan and this fan is enough to scare him. Somehow this fan has gotten inside his head and is sending him pages of scenes that scare even a toughened military veteran.
There are plenty of sparks between Paige and Jace to light a fire which can be a dangerous thing in Montana. But these sparks keep you going on to the next page to see where this romance couched in a suspense leads you.
Well developed characters and beautiful scenery are a standard part of Ms. James’ books. She never quits until she is happy her characters are both believable and real. And the scenery in her books is always a huge part of the book.
I did receive a copy of this novel ahead of the publication date in exchange for a honest, unbiased review.
Identical twins can be trouble especially when they decide to switch places. And no, we are not talking about them doing it as children but as grown women. Identical twins, but totally different in character, Lily and Paige decide to switch places when they meet up for a special birthday retreat. Paige can use a break from aftereffects of an injury suffered during the line of duty. Lily is dealing with some issues at home of her own in Sinful, Montana, but she is not used to standing up to herself like her sister. So the two of them switching places seems like a great solution for both of them.
Lily owns an upscale lingerie shop in the small town of Sinful which has a ski resort close by. She also has a stunning gorgeous Aussie next door neighbor who is a bit of a recluse. But Lily has no interest in him. But Paige masquerading as Lily can’t say the same. Her first time meeting him involves the dairy goats her sister keeps and claims are easy to milk. The goats know that Paige isn’t Lily which is a special talent goats have.
Jace is Lily’s reclusive neighbor. Lily didn’t have much to tell her sister about him but there is much more to him than it appears on the surface. Jace is ex-military or more specifically, ex-Special Forces which means he has demons of his own. He has retreated to Montana to try and deal with his demons and write. Jace is a best selling writer who is being stalked by a fan and this fan is enough to scare him. Somehow this fan has gotten inside his head and is sending him pages of scenes that scare even a toughened military veteran.
There are plenty of sparks between Paige and Jace to light a fire which can be a dangerous thing in Montana. But these sparks keep you going on to the next page to see where this romance couched in a suspense leads you.
Well developed characters and beautiful scenery are a standard part of Ms. James’ books. She never quits until she is happy her characters are both believable and real. And the scenery in her books is always a huge part of the book.
I did receive a copy of this novel ahead of the publication date in exchange for a honest, unbiased review.
November 2, 2017
What a good read!
Paige's identical twin sister Lily is being pressured to sell her land to a developer in the small town of Sinful, Montana. Since Paige is on leave after being shot on the job (she's a cop), they decide to switch places. Paige can take anything the town throws at her and Lily can decide what to do in peace. Paige is the tough twin, always protecting her sister. Lily's soft and girly but with a strong core. Paige in particular was a great character, strong and practical; not a whiff of TSTL at all!
Jace is former Aussie Special Forces and a successful thriller author who has come to Sinful looking for peace and quiet to write and to recuperate from the PTSD that still haunts him. His little brother is a famous screen super hero.
When Jace meets Paige/Lily, he doesn't know why he's attracted to his seemingly girly neighbor, but he knows she's the one. The whole deception was handled well by the author. The story is soon off to a roller-coaster ride that's thrilling and sensuous.
Ms. James writes beautifully about family. Both Jace and Paige have great connections to their families. The relationship between Lily and Paige, in particular, was very well developed. They are different in many ways but with a kernel at their center that's very similar.
There was humor aplenty, a great dog, some cute scampering goats, and two mysteries that intertwine to make for a nice puzzle. The romance part was build up slowly to culminate in a hot steamy romance that was utterly believable.
Overall, another great book by Ms. James. I'm looking forward to the next book which will involve Lily and Jace's brother Rafe.
Paige's identical twin sister Lily is being pressured to sell her land to a developer in the small town of Sinful, Montana. Since Paige is on leave after being shot on the job (she's a cop), they decide to switch places. Paige can take anything the town throws at her and Lily can decide what to do in peace. Paige is the tough twin, always protecting her sister. Lily's soft and girly but with a strong core. Paige in particular was a great character, strong and practical; not a whiff of TSTL at all!
Jace is former Aussie Special Forces and a successful thriller author who has come to Sinful looking for peace and quiet to write and to recuperate from the PTSD that still haunts him. His little brother is a famous screen super hero.
When Jace meets Paige/Lily, he doesn't know why he's attracted to his seemingly girly neighbor, but he knows she's the one. The whole deception was handled well by the author. The story is soon off to a roller-coaster ride that's thrilling and sensuous.
Ms. James writes beautifully about family. Both Jace and Paige have great connections to their families. The relationship between Lily and Paige, in particular, was very well developed. They are different in many ways but with a kernel at their center that's very similar.
There was humor aplenty, a great dog, some cute scampering goats, and two mysteries that intertwine to make for a nice puzzle. The romance part was build up slowly to culminate in a hot steamy romance that was utterly believable.
Overall, another great book by Ms. James. I'm looking forward to the next book which will involve Lily and Jace's brother Rafe.
October 30, 2017
Guilty as Sin:
4.5 stars
Rosalind James' new book, Guilty as Sin, is another winner. It's set in the small mountain town of Sinful, Montana, and revolves around the two main characters Paige Hollander and Jace Blackstone.
Paige's identical twin sister Lily lives in Sinful and is being pressured to sell her property to a development company that wants to build a high end resort. Paige, now a cop, who has always been the protector of the two, switches places with Lily to handle the pushy developer. Jace, who is Lily's neighbor, is former Australian army special services and now has a successful career writing action/suspense novels. He's settled in Sinful for the seclusion, and up until this point has made himself somewhat of a hermit around town. To complicate things, now it seems he's attracted a crazy fan/stalker.
I don't want to give too much away, but I recommend the read to any romance lover. There's a lot of action, suspense and mystery, but you'll also find family ties, humor, love and laughter. Rosalind James is one of my go to authors and now I can hardly wait to see what happens next in Sinful, Montana in the next book in the series: Tempting as Sin.
4.5 stars
Rosalind James' new book, Guilty as Sin, is another winner. It's set in the small mountain town of Sinful, Montana, and revolves around the two main characters Paige Hollander and Jace Blackstone.
Paige's identical twin sister Lily lives in Sinful and is being pressured to sell her property to a development company that wants to build a high end resort. Paige, now a cop, who has always been the protector of the two, switches places with Lily to handle the pushy developer. Jace, who is Lily's neighbor, is former Australian army special services and now has a successful career writing action/suspense novels. He's settled in Sinful for the seclusion, and up until this point has made himself somewhat of a hermit around town. To complicate things, now it seems he's attracted a crazy fan/stalker.
I don't want to give too much away, but I recommend the read to any romance lover. There's a lot of action, suspense and mystery, but you'll also find family ties, humor, love and laughter. Rosalind James is one of my go to authors and now I can hardly wait to see what happens next in Sinful, Montana in the next book in the series: Tempting as Sin.
November 1, 2017
Another winner from Rosalind James!
Guilty As Sin- another intriguing storyline with wonderful character development. I honestly didn't want it to end! Luckily there's another in the series!
At first, I thought, another story about identical twins switching places, but this was actually totally believable.
The town of Sinful, Montana is trying to pressure Lilly Hollander into selling her land to a developer who wants to remodel an existing ski resort to include cross-country skiing.
This means more revenue and jobs for the town, but Lilly loves her secluded, gingerbread cottage. Paige, Lilly's identical looking, polar opposite twin is a cop on administrative leave after being shot in the thigh and losing her partner in San Fransisco.
Switching roles seems like a great idea until Paige meets the scary, hairy, sexy neighbor, Jace. Jace, current action novelist, former special forces with the Australian army, knows something's up right away. Dealing with a stalker of his own, Jace and his trusty canine, Tobias join forces with Paige/Lilly to protect Lilly's property and lingerie store.
I always love Rosalind's main characters, but she always has superb sub characters. Hailey, the lingerie store's faithful employee is my favorite in this one.
Guilty As Sin- another intriguing storyline with wonderful character development. I honestly didn't want it to end! Luckily there's another in the series!
At first, I thought, another story about identical twins switching places, but this was actually totally believable.
The town of Sinful, Montana is trying to pressure Lilly Hollander into selling her land to a developer who wants to remodel an existing ski resort to include cross-country skiing.
This means more revenue and jobs for the town, but Lilly loves her secluded, gingerbread cottage. Paige, Lilly's identical looking, polar opposite twin is a cop on administrative leave after being shot in the thigh and losing her partner in San Fransisco.
Switching roles seems like a great idea until Paige meets the scary, hairy, sexy neighbor, Jace. Jace, current action novelist, former special forces with the Australian army, knows something's up right away. Dealing with a stalker of his own, Jace and his trusty canine, Tobias join forces with Paige/Lilly to protect Lilly's property and lingerie store.
I always love Rosalind's main characters, but she always has superb sub characters. Hailey, the lingerie store's faithful employee is my favorite in this one.
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