Yesterday, he had it all, a beautiful woman at his side, more money than he knew what to do with, and a real shot at the Oval Office. Today, he's a murderer. Yesterday, she was America's sweetheart; the wholesome first daughter of a beloved former president, a rising star without so much as a whisper of a scandal attached to her name. Today, she's an accomplice. Vanessa doesn't know why these words flew out of her mouth when Charles is accused of murdering his wife in cold blood, but she's said them, and she isn't taking them back. "He was with me all night." Power Games is unsuitable for sensitive readers.
May Sage is a USA Today Bestselling romance writer dabbling in different genres.
When she isn’t writing, she spends her time with her German Shepherd and her two Savannahs. She loves reading, ballet, running, and cake. Mostly, cake.
May Sage also writes longer fantasy romance novels as Alexi Blake.
Blurb: Yesterday, he had it all, a beautiful woman at his side, more money than he knew what to do with, and a real shot at the Oval Office. Today, he's a murderer.
Yesterday, she was America's sweetheart; the wholesome first daughter of a beloved former president, a rising star without so much as a whisper of a scandal attached to her name. Today, she's an accomplice.
Vanessa doesn't know why these words flew out of her mouth when Charles is accused of murdering his wife in cold blood, but she's said them, and she isn't taking them back.
I enjoy a good political thriller every now and then. This was well written but wrapped up a bit too quickly towards the end. The romance part of the story was more an infatuation and no physical contact for most of the book. I never understood why? I still enjoyed it, but thought it was lacking something. I really liked our hero Charles, and Vanessa was a strong leading lady. Overall not a bad read.
Yesterday, he had it all, a beautiful woman at his side, more money than he knew what to do with, and a real shot at the Oval Office. Today, he's a murderer. So I'm not really into politics but this book was a fantastic read that for me had nothing to do with politics lol. The slow burning chemistry between the characters was wonderful and emotional, the story line was full of twists and turns that kept you turning the pages, it had everything romance, drama, suspense. The only problem I had was that it seemed like the conclusion was all crammed in quickly to a small part of the end which was disappointing due to the complexity of the story so it really needed to be longer.
Slightly different from Sage's other works, but I found myself totally glued to my Kindle as it drew me in and simply refused to let me go. Politics usually leaves completely cold, and if anything, I tend to avoid books with politics in it, but I wasn't bothered by it in the slightest and I thought Sage combined it really nicely with the overall story of Vanessa and Charles. Nor do I fancy love triangles, but lo and behold, Sage did it so well that I actually enjoyed it! Colour me surprised indeed.
Audiobook: The performance was excellent and what you'd expect from Sebastian York and Virginia Rose. But the story itself felt a bit drawn out even tough this book is just a little over 6 hours. This might have been because the story spans over several years.
But my main gripe with this book is that it didn't go in deep enough. There was just a lot of telling, and as the reader I was just an outside observer. The narrative did not draw me in or gave me the feels. A lot of the initial action was off the page and told in the narrative. So as the reader/listener it left me on the outside of the story.
May Sage is a new author to me and I was impressed with the story she wove with Power Games and was invested from the beginning.
Narrated by Sebastian York and Virginia Ros who did a fabulous job. Their performance was realistic and they drew me in to the intrigue.
The story spans years and is told from the perspective of Charles Grant and Vanessa McNamara. Power Games had suspense, drama, intrigue, love and is a good example of a well written political thriller.
This was a book that I really enjoyed and I will be looking at other books by May Sage.
Think #thegoodwife but on steroids. That is all that I could think off whilst I was listening to #powergames by author #maysage
This book was a fast paced, well written political drama with murder and love thrown in for good measure.
I read somewhere that this was the first book the author has written in this genre (usually creating romance stories) but I would never have known this just by reading the book.
The narrative was powerful and the storyline although been done before was still strong and enticing. Murder, politics and scandals are always a lethal combination and one that works very well. Sage injects chemistry and love with her two characters, but it was not a cheesy type of love story.
It was a mature, slow burn of an attraction and at one-point I questioned the authenticity of that love. The story takes an unexpected turn half way through and it makes you question everything – very clever.
Special mention must be given to Sebastian York and Virginia Rose for the dynamic dual narration of this book for #audible. The created a chemistry between the two characters with their dual narrative and it makes you want to keep listening.
This isn’t a book that you should start late at night after a hard day at work. Once you start reading it you won’t stop. 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Mystery, suspense, politics and romance, what a combination May Sage has put together in this romantic thriller! Charles is stuck in a lifeless marriage with a woman who enjoys her share of men. When he meets Vanessa, he knows she is special and values her friendship as they get to know each other. Now years later, he is getting divorced, and they can finally act on their attraction. With political aspirations of being president, Charles is ready to move forward, only to have now find out his wife is murdered and he is a suspect! This thrilling story is full of intrigue and suspense. The intricate web of lies, deceit, affairs, and love all culminates to an answer that you least expect! It's a great romance and the story is one that keeps you on the edge til the end. I love this genre, it's my absolute favorite and May Sage has nailed it!
Virginia Rose and Sebastian York narrate the story in duet. It's a fantastic listen as always, these two are amazing together. They have good chemistry and the flow of the conversations is as if they are actually living the story. This is a wonderful listen.
By: May Sage Narrated by: Sebastian York, Virginia Rose
‘Power Games’ is an enjoyable, well written, fast paced story with lots of drama, mystery, suspense, twists and heated romance. Characters are interesting and well developed, interesting storylines as well. Politics, deceit, lies & murder! This is my first book form May Sage and it will not be my last. She knows how to capture her readers attention and hold it to very very end. Thank you for this great read.
I listened to the Audible edition, the super talented Sebastian York and Virginia Rose are wonderful narrators & storytellers. They perform well together and bring the characters to life while adding the perfect amount of dramatic flair. Thank you for the great listen.
I couldn’t put it down. I loved it. Literally stopped reading at 11 pm because I’d just had a long day so needed to sleep but woke up at 4 am thinking “I need to finish the book!” So, here we are at 6 am writing my review. The book was exquisite. It had drama, mystery, humor, sexual tension. It was all there. I was thinking this book was going to be all about politics and not worth my time but boy was I wrong. You get to really know Vanessa and Charles. I just love it. You see them as strangers, as acquaintances, as friends, then as lovers. It just transitions beautifully. You don’t know how the book will go. You get sucked in for sure. The drama, the family and friend dynamics. I’m just speechless. I hadn’t read Ms. Sage before but I feel like we’re going to have a great relationship. Hopefully we get those extra books mentioned!
Yesterday, he had it all, a beautiful woman at his side, more money than he knew what to do with, and a real shot at the Oval Office. Today, he's a murderer.
Yesterday, she was America's sweetheart; the wholesome first daughter of a beloved former president, a rising star without so much as a whisper of a scandal attached to her name. Today, she's an accomplice.
Vanessa doesn't know why these words flew out of her mouth when Charles is accused of murdering his wife in cold blood, but she's said them, and she isn't taking them back.
"He was with me all night."
So that book has been a emotional roller coaster that I would not change for anything in the world. This book is not typical. It was well written and I loved these characters. This book was totally yummy! Love It!
This in A genre debute for Ms. Sage but she is almost Like a veteran here! So be Ready to Her sucked in! This is not written in usual convention as sometimes Time line jumps to The past and give us glimpse of what nad happen (and I love flashbacks That are well done and have something in itself) so That made me happy. Charles is an Alpha Hero but not in The meaning Dom Alpha but who knows with those characters you can never be sure until you read The whole book. Vannesa well she is an enigma to me with Her attitude and upbringing. You can Love or hate Her nothing in between. But what side has more People? Im on L side. And you? I hope next book will be out soon!
NARRATTION 5 STARS First of all I loved the narrattion by Sebastian York and Virginia Rose, their voices are really amazing and they did a fantastic job voicing these characters. It was a duet narrattion, which make it even more enjoyable.
As for the story, it's a slow burn romance, but it captured my attention from the beginning, it's easy to listen. It was quite interesting everything that happened, all the political lifestyle, plots, and events that can help or destroyed someone.
The characters were well written, I personally loved Vanessa, she's smart, confident and quirky. Her friends were a good addition, I liked the relationship between them.
This book was far from what I had expected when I read the blurb. I personally do not think the blurb fully described the book appropriately. I have loved the previous 2 May Sage audios that I have listened to and had assumed I would this one as well. I'm not saying the book is bad in anyway, just not something I would usually go with. It was far more political than I had anticipated and I felt there were too many details that had been left out and caused me to be very confused through too much of the book.
The narration was amazing. I loved the duet style that Sebastian York and Virginia Rose did!
Different read from this author and some disturbing aspects to it which blended in to make a great story. Unrequited love that goes on for years between two good people with shenanigans from people you wouldn’t think could possibly be involved. Complex, disturbing, romantic and sexy. Nice to see characters from the king series and their involvement at time. Charles was loyal beyond what he should have been and for Natasha to be there for him when he still maintained a full relationship with the horrible Izzy frustrated and annoyed me. A good read and hope Barrett gets a book. Well done to the author.
Power Hames by May Sage Narrated by Sebastian York and Virginia Rose Five Stars This is the first book I have listened/read by May Sage, but definitely won’t be the last. This fast paced book had me wondering what would happen throughout the story. I love the mix of politics, intrigue, sexual tension and action. Vanessa and Charles are an interesting pair with chemistry off the charts. Sebastian York and Virginia Rose really brought the characters to life. Hard to believe but these two narrators are new to me and I’m looking forward to listening to more from them. Excellent Read/Listen!
Audio book review Wow this was an edge of your seat listen . May Sage the author outdid herself . It’s a powerful political thriller. You have it all A family that wants to be in the White House. They will go to no ends to accomplish that . There is murder and Charles is accused of it. Killing his wife . Did Charles kill his wife or is it like Vanessa said , that Charles was with her all night . If it was a set up why are they doing it and who is it .
What a powerhouse of narrators, Sebastian York and Virginia Rose . When you have those two telling your story , you can’t get any better .
This is a great Romantic Suspense and Political Thriller. I love Vanessa and Charles's story is really intriguing, breathtaking, suspenseful, sexy and beautiful. They share an amazing chemistry. I love the ending. This story is really well written. Sebastian York and Virginia Rose have done an amazing duet narration. I totally recommend this audiobook. I received this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
What an amazing slow burn full of drama mystery and suspense. My favorite types. Sebastian York and Virginia Rose do an amazing job with the narration.
Charles used to love his wife. At least that is what he thinks before he meets Vanessa. Vanessa falls in love with him the first time they meet as well but many thing will push them apart. Will it ever work out?
It was a challenge to follow the time line. (Potential spoilers). The time between paragraphs could be minutes or months. Tried too hard to be a steamy romance, a murder mystery, and a political thriller. It did none particularly well. Charles was a likable character. Too many peripheral characters (Barrett?). Many other characters were either all bad or all good.
It's a political thriller, a story based on deception, killing, lies since all is fair in politics if the end goal is power and control. I love it from beginning to end. Add a marriage gone wrong, a love affair that wasn't really an affair, more a state of mind, a wishful feeling among two people afraid to let their feelings for each other be freely manifested. You have all for a very engaging story. Well done!
I thought this was going to be more of a murder, mystery, thriller novel than what it was. The story was still very interesting but not what I was expecting. The first half of the novel is about Charles and Vanessa's separate life. They met upon accident but still continue to live separately even though they meet up accidentally and then begin a true friendship. While events keep them from being together, each experience can be seen how they are meant to be together. Then Charles' wife ends up murdered and they devise a ploy. This was a heavily political and full of motives. I wish we would have more of the ending and less of the beginning. The ending felt a little rushed. While I appreciated the build up of the relationship, it felt a little redundant after a point. Even though this wasn't as thriller as I was expecting it to be, I really did enjoy the story and it was very intriguing.
I really enjoyed the characters. Charles was a very easy character to get behind. He seemed like a genuinely good guy who could truly make a difference in the world. His smart and caring ways really helped him build up his character. Vanessa was smart and very cunning, but in a good way. She refused to be drawn into her family's history of politics and forged her own path. One of the aspects I really liked about Vanessa was how she stayed true to her values, especially in the Hollywood spotlight. It was refreshing to see two characters who really held themselves in high regards without being arrogant.
**AUDIO REVIEW* NOTE: The narration does not affect my review of the actual book
I loved this narration. It was a duel narration where Sebastian and Virginia truly nailed it. It really helped create the narrative and was very easy to follow. They did a great job in portraying the characters and giving the different characters each their own unique voice. The duel narration felt right and the transitions were done perfectly.
I was stupid enough to open this book before bed, after a super long day. As I write this review it is 3am and I once again read through the night. This book is not just your stereotypical romance. It has drama, suspence, sex appeal. It really has it all.
A must read for fans of political romance, May Sage fans, those who like suspenseful romance and fans of a female lead that gets shit done.
This wasn’t what I was expecting when I started this book. I absolutely love this author and thought I would give it a try. I loved the forbidden love, the mystery, the steamy scenes! I didn’t like Vanessa until the end, but now I wish her well and her grandma is my favorite! You’ll see what I mean, because you have to read this book!
Charles is happy in his loveless marriage until he meets Vanessa. She is everything his wife is not and what he thinks he wants. They keep in contact and don't want to cross the lines. That is until his wife is murdered and Vanessa lies to save him. This book is full of political games and suspense. Great story.
This book is definitely different from any other May Sage book I’ve read/listened to and I have to say I LOVED it! There are definitely a couple twists that you don’t see coming and the ending was absolutely perfect for this couple. I really hope she writes more books like this in the future. Narration is amazing. This is definitely a narrating pair that work great together.
Quite an interesting aspect on politics. Of course, it doesn't seem possible to be as perfect as Charles but maybe someday it could happen. Nice love story, didn't like the wife but you dealt nicely with her and took good care of Tristan. Overall very satisfactory.
Wow, this is one of the best romantic, suspense stories I have ever read, I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys stories that are funny, steamy, suspenseful, and romantic with strong characters both male and female. I became so entangled in the story that I could not stop reading until the very end. Well done.
May Sage you excelled at writing a Rom-.com book with a murder in it. You can't help but love Nessie and Charles. His having a wide was a bummer.....killing her off was effective and added a delicious spin to the story.....who killed the wife? And the identity of the murderer I didn't see coming. Masterfully written.