A Tangled Web

Blackwell #1

by A. Claire Everward

Threats loom and a long-hidden secret is at risk of being uncovered as a man and a woman locked in an unwanted marriage find themselves embroiled in a tangle of destructive webs.

Neither of them had expected this. 

Tess Andrews needed to disappear. Ian Blackwell wanted the gossip chasers to stop disrupting his life. When the two of them said yes, neither had any idea who the other was, and they had nothing for each other but disdain and mistrust. 

But when Ian is threatened, Tess has a choice to make. Keep her head down, or help the man she married face an opponent who could destroy them both-and risk him discovering her secret.

A Tangled Web is the first novel in the new Blackwell romantic suspense series from the author of the groundbreaking Oracle suspense series and of The First, her riveting debut novel.

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 12, 2019

About the author

A. Claire Everward is a suspense author with a love of knowledge and a lively imagination that made writing the natural thing for her to do.

Claire is also the author of the Oracle suspense series and Blackwell series and is currently working on the next two books in the Oracle series with the help of her two hyperactive cats and a laptop named Stanley Jr.

Reviews

[William Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began Claire Everward’s novel wondering what exactly a romantic suspense was, but after a few pages it didn't matter because I got drawn into the story and its characters who gave me a wild and unpredictable ride that never flagged until the final curtain dropped. Very well-written and well plotted too, a book that won over both my mind and my heart. Although I’m a guy, I’m a sucker for a good love story—and I found one here, as a man and woman who have never loved fall for each other against the odds and despite a marriage scheme from the nuthouse. Husband and wife draw together as they work to save the husband’s major corporation from destruction and rescue the wife from her horrifying childhood. I was pulling for them all the way. If you like either suspense or romance, I recommend this novel. And if you like both, the read is a must. By the way, I now know what a romantic suspense is: one kind of book I much like.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Tangled Web” is a superb tale of suspense spun together with intelligent characters, corporate espionage, and closely held secrets that will catch readers from the very first page!

Read full review in the 2019 December issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Paula Riehle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Tangled Web tells the story of Ian Blackwell, a self-made billionaire who defies the playboy stereotype by being a genuinely good guy. After being hounded by the paparazzi eager to capture his love life, he decides the only way to get some privacy is to enter into an arranged marriage. He then entrusts his best friend with the task of choosing his future wife, who turns out to be an employee of a company he is in the process of acquiring. Initially, the couple butts heads, but as time goes by and secret pasts are revealed, their relationship changes in several ways. The reader will be turning pages to discover who these people really are and to see if their relationship can survive the pretense it was founded upon.

A. Claire Everward does an excellent job developing her characters. They are interesting and likeable, and you really want this couple to end up together. She captures, in heartfelt detail, the emotions of those that have been hurt, betrayed, traumatized. And as beautifully as these painful emotions are portrayed, she writes equally engrossingly about love, trust and patience.

The story is suspenseful as well, as a corporate espionage situation unfolds that threatens both the couple's arrangement and the future of Ian's conglomerate. It's an interesting situation, yet possibly too complex at times for the average reader--though tech aficionados will absolutely love it. There are also some plot lines that seem to sort of fall off--for example, I would like to know more about a gossip columnist that seemed like she would have played a bigger role in the events that unfolded.

Despite these small issues, I thoroughly enjoyed A Tangled Web and highly recommend it. The story was as romantic as it was suspenseful and will certainly satisfy readers across several genres.

[Joshua Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

People get married for all sorts of reasons. In A. Claire Everward’s A Tangled Web, those reasons are entirely selfish. Tess Andrews is running from her past and looking for a security blanket. Ian Blackwell is looking to get a cloud of acidic gossipers off his back. But when an enemy emerges to destroy them both, they are forced to band together. It’s a snappy, twisting tale full of intrigue and surprises and a satisfying journey from the characters. I didn’t know romantic suspense was a thing but A Tangled Web has me addicted to it now!

[Lana Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tess and Ian are the perfect couple! Famous billionaire Ian Blackwell has a reputation as a playboy, which he hates. Ian's had enough of the media hounding him and making up crap about him that isn't true. He decides it's time to take a wife and has Robert, his lead attorney and best friend, choose one for him. Tess, the wife Robert chooses for Ian, he met at one of his subsidiary artificial intelligence companies. The two of them clashed big time over the firing of a key employee. So when Ian meets his future wife for the first time, he's furious and wants nothing to do with her. Robert creates a marriage contract for the two of them that boils down to them having a marriage of convenience while still allowing Ian to cat around, but Tess must remain faithful. The reason Tess agrees to this marriage is complicated, but has to do with her needing to disappear. As Ian's wife though she becomes very visible when she steps out into the public eye. Ian sees her as very cold and reserved at first and naive socially. She surprises him though and handles every public engagement like a pro. At first this marriage is very stilted and uncomfortable for both of them as they both try to honor the perimeters of their contract. Then something troubling happens for Ian. He discovers someone has been messing with his business internally and tells Tess. She happens to understand better than anyone he's ever met how to track someone who's hacked into a computer system. She agrees to help him find the culprit. As they embark on this mission, the playing field between them changes. Something is developing between them, something sweet and tender. Neither want to admit it though. So the questions are these--will Tess and Ian find the creep trying to ruin Ian and will either one of them put their feelings for the other on the table? This is quite the romance and mystery to bust a villain. Great story line with multi-dimensional characters who pull at your emotions. Highly recommend!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was sweet.

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deliciously written fast-paced romance meets suspense meets intrigue novel. The language pops off the page, the dialogue is sharp and the romance elements feel fresh and modern. The social media aspect of the proposed deal makes this feel very 21st century millennial/Gen Z appropriate. The AI and hacker storyline added to that feeling as well!

While the ‘find me a wife for a secret cover story’ premise is a little dated, the transparency around why the characters do what they do more than makes up for it, and you find yourself invested in these people’s problems and hoping it ends well for them. They’re feisty and fun, and I love how strong Tess is.

I really enjoyed how the characters were (mostly) upfront about what drives their behavior which is refreshing and the conversational tone feels very natural. The depictions of office life and culture are spot on!

Overall, a snappy modern romance with a frankness that’s quite charming.

[Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because of the way Ian and Tess, the two main characters have been written and the story which is a mix of romance, mystery and corporate espionage.

Ian and Tess enter into a contract marriage with each having their own, very strong reasons and equally negative opinions of each other which they count on to keep it a business arrangement.

When Ian is threatened and Tess is in a position to help him, they work together to figure out who is trying to bring down his company, getting to know each other better in the process.

I liked Tess for her intelligence and confidence despite the trauma in her past. As for Ian, he isn't what he appears in a totally non cheesy way! He is smart and caring. The growth of the two characters in the story was very pleasing.

Been sometime since I read romantic suspense as such but this one was good because it focused on the mystery aspect as much as on the couple and so was very interesting.

[Melanie Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. When I saw it described as "romantic suspense", I expected a lighter, fluffier approach to the suspense element. That wasn't the case at all. This is a gripping thriller that just happens to have a romantic sub-plot. I'd finished it within 13 hours of starting it (and had a night of sleep in that time, too!)

Main character Tess is fantastic - strong, independent and intelligent and more than capable of holding her own with the initially stubborn and overbearing Ian Blackwell. The growth and development of each as the story progressed was interesting and nicely entwined into the main plot.

It took a little while for the suspense element to come to the fore but, once that had been revealed, the combination of the thriller-like industrial espionage and the budding romance kept the pages on this one turning and turning. A highly enjoyable story.

[David Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Tangled Web is a very good and pleasant read that will keep you turning the pages until you are finished. It is like reading a combination of Beauty and the Beast, Dynasty, and a touch of Pride and Prejudice. As a reader, you will fall in love with the two main characters Tess and Ian, and the journey they take from the beginning of the novel to the end. The secondary characters like Muriel, Graham, Robert, and Jayden are well developed and likable as well. My only quibble with the work is the main antagonist/criminal is a little too one-dimensional.

A good and well-crafted love story, this will make an excellent choice for holiday or weekend reading.

[BP34 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Blackwell Series. This romantic suspense will have you on the edge of your seat at times. A world of corporate espionage, danger, and secrets. Ian and Tess will take you on an emotional roller coaster from the beginning of their fake marriage to a slow-burn love affair. The book was a joy to read and the characters were likable and well-developed. I read an arc via Story Origin and voluntarily chose to write a review.

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Billionaire and businessman Ian Blackwell has decided to take drastic action to deal with all the interference and interest in his social life. He needs to find a wife and soon, to stop the gossip chasers and stop any damage to a critical business merger that is coming soon. He asks his lawyer Robert to hire him a wife and with the contract he has in mind, he will still be free to sleep with any woman he fancies, as and when he wants, with the attention of his bachelor status now gone. Robert can’t believe that Ian is leaving it to him to find a suitable woman and see to the wording of the contract between Ian and the woman he needs by his side for mostly business reasons. Robert has been Ian’s best friend and lawyer for over twelve years, ever since he helped write his first contract when he first started out. He is to go with Ian to Denver next, where he is going to look at the company InSyn (Intelligence Synergy), before he tears it apart. He is also looking into buying up Alster Industries, for a breakthrough virtual interface one of their gamer employees came up with. Ian wants to develop it for one of his subsidiaries, Pythia Vision, and make it a hub of his artificial intelligence (AI) business. He wants to keep Jeremy Alster working with him, to keep all of his loyal employees, using them in his own companies, retraining those who were open to it, keeping as many as he could for their skills, especially the team who came up with the virtual interface he needs for one of his own companies to go forward.
Tess Andrews has been hiding for some twelve years and has as close to somewhere she would call home now, but she has been called for a security screening at her work, which she loves. But now she has until her appointment in a few days to find somewhere else to go. When the new boss and his transition team supervisor Ms Davis ran into her and caused a bit of an issue, Robert saw it all happen from the sidelines and saw how Ina reacted to Tess. Ms Davis is completely the wrong person to be doing the role Ian wanted, annoying all of the important and essential staff her needs to keep for his mew endeavour. She even speaks instead of Ian, firing one of the key staff, which Tess stands up against! When his lawyer calls her about a proposal he has for her, she doesn’t know who he is nor who he works for as he refuses to give her his name at that time. His proposal gives her the perfect opportunity to keep her friend Jayden from harm, the other person who can do the work she does at InSyn and who Ian needs, safe from any trouble that might come for her. Especially since he had been protecting her for years. She is a lonely individual and Jayden and his wife are her only companions or friends, and she lives in an apartment above their garage. Now she has to act the part as Mrs Blackwell, even joining him on social occasions and having to be bought a whole new wardrobe and more to act the part of his wife. What Ian doesn’t expect, is how well she takes to it and others are shocked to see him without what they would expect on his arm, perhaps a gold digger or a model. She is as intelligent and hardworking as Ian, if not more so and has been used to her isolated lifestyle, a bit like Ian when not at work.
He has taken time to teach her about the artwork in his home and taken her out to further events and intimate meals out at his favourite restaurants. The fervour about his marriage and who Mrs Blackwell was, has started to calm down. The only person really not happy about the news is Cecilia Heart, a gossip blogger who was a popular guest on loads of talk shows with her stories about Ian as a bachelor, as she was one of the only person not to be told he had married, nor any notification of any events they would attend. Now she wants to get back at him for losing all her prestige and catching Tess at an event alone, tries to question her, only to be put exactly in her place! Tess has an inner strength in her that helped her to escape a bad situation as a teen and to become the woman she is today. She may have hidden in her work down in the basement of InSyn with Jayden, but now she is in a position of power as Ina Blackwell’s wife and he treats her well, sticking to his end of the contract they signed together. They both slowly come to like the other and work in similar ways. When she steps in to help with InSyn, for an issue he didn’t understand, she is instrumental in making things work more smoothly and he begins to ask her to help him in his den at home. He even asks her to help with an issue only he has discovered and which could bring his whole company to its knees.
Tess has to decide whether to help Ian and his company or keep what happened to her in his own office, as the person behind the threat confronted her, thinking she knew more than she did, or keep everything silent. What this person does to her is a direct reminder of events that occurred immediately after her parents deaths. She escaped from that and only grew stronger because of what she went through. But it also made her keep away from men nearly completely. The attack in his office leaves her fighting for herself, but also to keep Ian safe from further harm. This person is deranged and wants what Ian has, not content to be a large part of a smaller company, he thinks he deserves so much more and will do whatever he can to discredit Tess in Ian’s eyes and then destroy him as well. Luckily, Tess is damned good at being a data analyst and she and Ian work together to discover the full extent of the possible damage to his company and hoe to put a stop to it. Doing so, they work side by side and become even closer with her even able to stand having him close or touching her occasionally. It seems that Robert, his lawyer, was right to choose Tess to be his wife all those months ago, after seeing her stand up to him, knowing his friend Ian far better it seems than Ian knows himself! Two really strong characters who have agreed to come together as man and wife, for reasons of their own and with no expectation of love, only to fall for each other and get to truly know the other on their journey. A cracking story with multiple threads and some complex characters, who do things you don’t really know the reasons for until you get to the end of the book and all is revealed. Themes of child abuse, rape, social media gossips and cyber hacking are but a few used in this tale. I loved how things worked out between Ian and Tess, but also the stalwart support she received from Jayden and his wife, as well as the trust and support they both had from Robert and his wife, Graham and Lina. No better group of people on your side than you could ever want. A fitting end and trust earnt between two private people. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Audrey Driscoll · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise behind this book is promising: a billionaire businessman needs a wife to escape from the annoying status of desirable bachelor. He tells his lawyer to find a woman who can do the job and draw up a contract specifying the nature of the relationship. The arrangement is to be purely business, a marriage in appearance only.

Unfortunately, this opening is followed by a lengthy section that reads like a corporate document, describing Ian Blackwell's reasons for wanting to acquire a specific tech company and his plans for incorporating it into his empire. I found myself skimming these pages while hoping I wasn't missing anything important.

Things become more interesting once Tess, soon to be Mrs. Blackwell, arrives on the scene. Her introduction to a life of unaccustomed luxury is a pleasant tour through the world of the super-rich. Rooms, offices, and clothing are described in enough detail to generate envy.

However, the pace of the story is leisurely. There is a wealth of explanation around the characters' thoughts and emotions. Someone says something and the action is paused while the listener processes the statement, and then again while the other person's reply is similarly dealt with.

There are two antagonists in this book. One, a social media influencer whose attentions make Blackwell decide he needs a wife, disappears from the scene soon after the marriage. The other emerges as a threat to Blackwell's business. At this point, I had to admire the way the author described the threat in great detail but with few specifics. While I can understand the reason for this (given my previous objection to too much about business in the early chapters), it gives the story a feeling of unreality. It's hard to feel tension about something abstract.

Trust between Ian and Tess is at the foundation of the story. There is an excellent reason she finds it difficult to trust him, which emerges toward the end of the book. And soon after the halfway point, something happens that could seriously impair Ian's trust in Tess and complicate the story. However, this excellent opportunity to develop suspense is lost through the use of a deus ex machina element, after which things are resolved much too easily.

In the last quarter of the book, revelations unfold about Tess's early life. While these are compelling, for me there was a large credibility gap between the challenges she has to deal with and her eventual skills and sophistication.

The parts of this book I enjoyed the most were the vicarious peek into the lovely world of the ultra-rich, and Tess's pleasant personality. But I cannot call it a gripping read.

[Eric J. Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few months ago I read my first A. Claire Everward novel, ‘Oracle’s Hunt’, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Her latest, ‘A Tangled Web’, is also a romantic suspense novel. This time the storyline is very character-driven. Tess Andrews has a secret. If someone finds out about this, she could be tracked down and murdered. So far, she has managed to elude this danger by working for a small start-up company. Now, a major conglomerate, IBH - Ian Blackwell Holdings, has bought them out and intends to merge the staff into their own structure. Beforehand, though, she will have an in-depth background review as part of their security procedures. Her secret is closer than ever to being exposed. Tess needs to disappear. Now!

The owner of IBH, Billionaire Ian Blackwell, has his own problems, also of a personal nature, which are not letting him live his life as he wishes. He has come up with an original and unconventional solution. His friend and legal counsel has identified the perfect co-conspirator for Blackwell’s bizarre plan. Tess! However, this will throw her into the public spotlight, potentially making matters very easy for those who stalk her.

The premise of this tightly written suspense novel is highly innovative, and author Everward ensures readers are flipping pages constantly as new dangers emerge to threaten both Tess and Ian. I mentioned this novel hangs heavily on its two main characters and their evolution as the tale progresses. The subtleties of the relationship between the protagonists is treated with finesse by the author. The result is the creation of two souls that are solidly believable, and, as their liaison runs its turbulent course, both characters mature and flourish. A superb tour de force from a masterful novelist. Highly recommended!

[Arti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story and loved how romance and suspense build side by side. The cover is so apt.
Initially, I found the book slow, what with descriptions of mergers, and then as the story moves, it picks up speed, so much so, that the book becomes unputdownable. The story flows smoothly and the twists and turns kept me hooked. I read till 2 in the morning, but then my Ipad had no battery left so I had to reluctantly put the book down, but I could not sleep as I really wanted to know what happened next.
The characters are so realistic, both of them have a past, which gradually is revealed. I really wanted to know about both Tess and Ian’s families and their early days. The feelings of the characters for each other become evident as the story progresses. The romance is slow and beautifully written. Secondary characters like Robert, Muriel and Graham have important parts to play in the story.
The suspense is such that I really wanted it to end soon, the stress was just too much. Though a lot of computer language is used, which I could not understand much, but still I loved how the author went about it step by step.
The scenes and some places are so well described that I could actually picturize them like the library, the apartment, the den, the office.
This is not a love story out and out, it is about friendship, trust, understanding and romance. The slowly simmering romance has been written very well.
This the first book I’ve read by the author and I plan to read more of her books. I would love to read the next books in the series. And this book can be read again.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The press has dubbed Ian Blackwell one of the most sought after eligible bachelors in the country. This has turned his life into a circus. He cannot seem to get away from social media and women's proposals of all kinds. It's starting to get in the way of his business. He decides he needs a wife to keep the media at bay. Ian asks his attorney and best friend, Robert, to find him a wife. This marriage is to be a business deal only! Tess Andrews is a data analyst that is working for a company Ian is buying. She is extremely smart, feisty, and doesn't let the arrogant billionaire push her around. After witnessing Tess's affect on Ian and how she stand up to him, Robert decides that Tess is the perfect person to marry Ian. Tess, in order to protect the one friend she has in this world, is desperate to separate herself from the company before it merges with Ian's conglomerate so she accepts the marriage proposal not knowing who the husband to be is. When Ian and Tess realize they are to marry each other, they are livid. Can they put aside their differences and make the marriage contract work or will they continue to clash wills?

This book is very well written and the plot carefully laid out. It is full of intrigue, betrayal, justice, second chances, and love. I like the characters and how they are intertwined. There are plot surprises and twists I never expected which kept me glued to each page. Once I picked this book up, I had a hard time putting it down. Even though there are some characters that I cannot personally relate to (billionaire bachelor), I found all the characters to be real and well written. I would definitely recommend this book and cannot wait for the next in the series to be released.

[Melanie P. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Story with characters you can connect with...

I always love a good romance — combine romance with a dash of suspense and you can’t go wrong. This story did not disappoint. The author did a great job of pulling you into the lives of the characters from the very first page. It doesn’t take long to realize Tess Andrews is hiding a secret from her past, one that is still controlling her life completely. Ian Blackwell is frustrated. He’s a successful businessman that just wants to focus on his one true passion — his company. Unfortunately, he is a man and his needs are gaining him a reputation that he knows will ruin everything.

The solution? A marriage in image only. A carefully orchestrated business deal that will resolve the current dilemma both characters are facing. Yes, this has been done before. But it hasn’t been done like this. The romance is believable, not rushed. The characters are well-developed and easy to relate to. You can’t help but love them both. Over time, they gradually build trust and friendship. As they worked together to discover the identity of an enemy trying to bring Ian and his company down, their feelings intensify and blossom into love and respect. There was enough romance and suspense to keep you fully engaged and rooting for that HEA. The story flowed smoothly at a steady pace that kept the reader’s interest to the very end. This was a great read and I would definitely recommend it to others.

Melanie P. Smith

[James George · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Tangled Web" is an intriguing offering from suspense author A. Claire Everward. When I'm not crazy about a book, I prefer to talk about the author.

Ms. Everward has made the transition from a corporate MBA/Aerospace Engineering lifestyle to the life of an adventure/suspense writer. As far as I can tell, the move has been a smashing success. With the help of her sister, she has launched her own publishing company, and the books seem to be coming in droves. "Oracle's Hunt", "Oracle's Diplomacy", and "The First" are some of her offerings. It looks like she has found her niche, and I enthusiastically applaud her for doing what she loves.

Unfortunately, "A Tangled Web" wasn't my cup of tea. I suspect I would have enjoyed something from the Oracle series much more. For me, the whole "married to a billionaire" premise is getting a little stale, and isn't very appealing. The need for Ian to marry Tess was established, but for me, it wasn't very compelling. From there, the story arc seemed a little predictable and dry. I thought there would be at least some lustful scenes to make my glasses steam up, but this is not one of those books. Ms. Everward kept this love story firmly rated "PG."

I do salute the author, however. Even though this wasn't a favorite of mine, the book is generally well-written and has been getting stellar reviews. It appears the aerospace world's loss is the literary world's gain. 3.5 stars.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

'A Tangled Web' is a great story, but if you are familiar with A. Claire Everward's work, please don't expect it to be anything like 'The First' or the Oracle series when you grab it. The only thing you must expect is that this is another good book and you won't be disappointed, but everything else is different. If the previous novels can be described as 'suspense with a splash of romance,' 'A Tangled Web' is a 'romance with a splash of suspense.' Ian Blackwell is a self-confident billionaire who suddenly decides to get hitched, while Tess is a strong and psychologically complex woman. Their relationship isn't easy, and develops slowly. Ian isn't used to that. But difficult things are more attractive, aren't they? The more doors you unlock to reach a woman's mind and heart, the more thrilling and rewarding your relationship will be. Although the narrative always focuses on the couple, romance is also intertwined with a well-thought-out suspense subplot, which can satisfy the suspense enthusiast. Suffice it to say, a catastrophe is looming and has to be averted. Although 'A Tangled Web' isn't a classic love story, readers who mainly enjoy romance and passion won't be disappointed. What I've appreciated the most, however, is the detailed analysis of emotions and feelings. Yes, A. Claire Everward is a talented writer. Highly recommended.

[Susan Wüthrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful young woman and a playboy billionaire embark on a modern-day marriage of convenience, which sets the gossip columnists on a media rampage.
From the outset it is clear why Ian Blackwell wanted the unusual arrangement, while Tess, at a turning point in her life hesitates before taking the plunge and entering the luxurious lifestyle of her cold and reluctant husband. Unbeknown to him, the reclusive woman is harbouring a terrible secret, which we learn of as the story unfolds.
Head of a giant conglomerate under threat from a monster hacker, Ian soon realises the only person who can help him solve the mystery of who is trying to bring him down, is his new wife. Working side by side, as their relationship deepens, Tess, an ex-employee, discovers the culprit must be someone working from inside the organisation. But who?
As a non-techie I found understanding the complex world of Internet espionage a challenge. However, this is a great read for anyone also wanting a mixture of romance and intrigue.
My only complaint would be the corporate preamble in the first few chapters, which slowed down the pace. I believe this could have been spread out and incorporated in further chapters. Even so, the story is cleverly told, as the untangling of the masterful cybercrime kept the pages turning.

[Bella Nox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting little love story and apparently the first of a series that I will now be adding to my TBR.
Man owns company.
Man needs wife.
Man basically hires woman to be his wife. Man and wife don't know each other, don't like each other. It's just a contract. It's like a job. Riiiiight.
The rest is a fast-moving, content-heavy story that zips right on by.

Super heavy in the behind the scenes work details-this is where I got lost-I can honestly say, I'm not even sure what the company was, but there was lots of money, hacking, and big time work-type stuff going on.
Not as heavy in the dialogue or building of mind-blowing relationships between the characters, because they were very focused on work for most of the book. I think I would have liked to see more character development and more tension between all of the characters, not just the mains, however, I liked the way the author wrapped things together-work stuff, personal stuff, final moment stuff. I also liked that the female lead was fairly independent and the male wasn't quite the typical @$$hole like most CEO-types are portrayed to be...annnnd that's all I'm gonna say about THAT bit. That's right, no other spoilers here. Only vague descriptions for you!
Fans of detail-heavy, fast-paced stories with a bit of romance will enjoy this one.

[Jason Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the corporate world of big companies the super rich who own them. Being a famous business executive is no different from being a famous musician or actor when it comes to the media and your life exhibited to millions of people. So what can Ian Blackwell, a self made billionaire, do to stop the paparazzi from making a big deal about him being a bachelor, in a celebrity like world where your expected to marry?

He get his business partner Robert to find him a wife, Tess, who happens to work for a company that Ian's about to buy out. Tess is a successful, independent woman, how will she cope in this obscure world? Specially where she doesn't have to cook or clean anymore. Can she pull off acting out the role of a happy, infatuated wife with cameras permanently on her?

The story unfolds nicely as you learn more and more about Ian and Tess and their falsified life and
what surprises, good and bad, lie in wait as they embark on this unusual journey. This is an entertaining and addictive story, quite an original idea too that is quite true to life, we really do exist in a world where we have very little privacy at all.

I was kindly given a free copy from the author to provide a review.

[Michael Wilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verified Purchase Format: Kindle Version

Full of romantic suspense

This the first book I’ve read by the author and I was most impressed by the skill and knowledge that made the technical detail seem so realistic. It is certainly full of romantic suspense, with a title to match.
To escape her past, Tess Andrews accepts a carefully contrived marriage of convenience to billionaire Ian Blackwell to allow him to avoid the mounting pressure of society gossip and allow him concentrate all his attention on his widespread business empire.
Although it starts off as a purely platonic arrangement, Tess makes a great effort to play her part in supporting her partner at a social level as part of the contract and after initial clashes Ian comes to respect her attitude. In time, her earlier misgivings are overtaken by a tentative feeling of trust and friendship and as they begin to work together, they gradually unearth a plot that could mean an end to all the painstaking work he has spent on building up his business and destroy his reputation. Without revealing the outcome, I can only promise an intriguing story that will keep you in suspense up to the end.

[Els · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book this was! I am often a bit sceptic when I see this genre announced. Not that the stories are not good and I don’t have anything against sex scenes in a book, but too much sex often kills it for me.

Why did I accept this book then? Well, that’s quite simple. First of all I loved the cover and I was intrigued.

What did I like about the book? Everything! Sometimes I struggled a little bit, because it was too technical for me and I was lost, but I took my time and I ended up understanding it and even learning from it. Woohoo. 🙂

The rest of the book was easy to follow and understand due also to the author’s fluent writing style. She put a smile on my face and she broke my heart with other passages, but she made me go oooooh too.

Now about the sex. I am sure you want to know about that if you feel like I do. I can assure you it was very beautiful and not used to fill pages and pages. It was only used when it added something to the story and it was very tastefully described.

A bit of glamour and glitter mixed with some romance and suspense makes this story a great read.

I really enjoyed it. 5 stars

Thank you, A. Claire and Kate Everward

[Balroop Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A character-oriented story, ‘Tangled Web’ by A. Claire Everward gets interesting when Tess is introduced. The plot hinges on her smart yet shaky shoulders and makes you wonder why is she so detached and indifferent, why the most eligible bachelor doesn’t arouse her passion and what are her compulsions when she enters into a marriage of contract. If you don’t pay attention to the technical and business jargon, this book has all the elements of a page-turner – secrets that would stun you, professional jealousy, loyalty, friendship and love.

Claire’s style is crisp, her language clean despite the horrid situations she describes and her characters are brilliantly drawn. Ian won my heart despite his reputation and Tess, a victim of circumstances, develops into a mature and responsible woman who could take independent decisions. Secondary characters like Graham too have been handled well. Though darkness lurks in some corners, it is a feel-good story, which won the extra star that I was withholding due to a heavy beginning.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fighting Back . . .

Tess Andrews needed to get off the grid, so in order to escape from her past, she agrees to a marriage of convenience to billionaire Ian Blackwell. The benefit to him would be to discourage gossipers so he can put all his concentration on his business. They were complete strangers and had no trust or respect for the other. This was strictly a business proposition. Yet he observes that she is putting forth the effort to be convincing and supportive of him in social interactions, and he acknowledges a grudging respect for her. She, in turn, begins to trust him and they work together more comfortably, building a rapport.

But when Ian is threatened and could lose everything he has been working for, Tess has a choice to make to either stay out of it or to give her full help and support to the man she married, even if it puts her own secret at risk. What will she decide? Can they really contain this and fight back? Romance and mystery is the perfect combination to intrigue the reader. You won’t want to miss this one.

[Adam Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are rules about writing, with show, don't tell perhaps being the most important. Another is to avoid passive voice. A Tangled Web is tediously slow-paced, so much that I found myself skipping over pages of nothing much in particular about corporate takeovers until I got to Tess and Blackwell, where their contract didn't make a lot of sense, until a backstory was revealed later, all told, none shown, and which went on and on and on (and on and on). The backstory sequence I found myself skipping pages again, nothing much here, still nothing much here, until things started to happen again. The dialogue was dreadful (read this book's dialogue aloud to understand what I mean - absence of commas and artificial ways of speaking - another rule of writing is to read dialogue aloud to see if it rings true). In the end I gave up and wasn't interested. Just as well because more is revealed in another episode (which is something I cannot stand). A sequel with the same characters is fine, but the end must be the end. In this case, the journey to the end was more than I could abide!

[Ellie Midwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Ian Blackwell, a self-made billionaire, tasks his attorney and good friend Robert with finding him a suitable wife to get the press off his back and improve his image for business purposes, he had no idea what treasure he’d discover in the face of Tess. What I enjoyed the most about this story was the fact that it’s not your typical romance where the two characters fall for each other right away. Instead, it’s a story of building trust, of a healing heart, of friendship and mutual support more than anything, and particularly when Tess discovers a plot of an invisible enemy who seems to be set on taking the Blackwell corporation down. Despite Tess’s story being so heartbreaking, Ian’s treatment of her won my utmost respect right away and I couldn’t help but applaud him for handling so many difficult situations with such grace. A mixture of thriller and romance, this novel definitely deserves five stars and more. Highly recommended!

[Natalie Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow such an amazing read! Not sure what I expected when I started reading this but omg! I would recommend this book to everyone! It is not what you would expect for a romance novel I'm used to the gushy emotional stuff but this is different  it truly is an amazing read! Ian is your typical billionaire, he doesn't want to settle down and wants to keep his business up and running, however his lifestyle right now isnt doing him any good with his buisness. So Ian has a plan, he is going to have a fake marriage that way he can save his reputation the company will remain doing well and he can continue his usual lifestyle in secret. However it doesn't quite go just how he expects.  Ian and Tess face many issues as a married couple but not the usual marriage issues you would expect.  I recommend you read this and find out just what goes on in Ian and Tess' married life. Would read again for sure! 10/10

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming romantic suspense with an unusual storyline.
Ian Blackwell, a good-looking billionaire becomes the focus of social media as the most eligible bachelor. A workaholic, concentrating on building his business empire, he becomes annoyed when the unwanted publicity starts to have a detrimental effect on his work. As someone used to money solving his problems he devises a plan to orchestrate a sham marriage.
Tess, for unclear reasons, accepts the proposition of the contractual marriage put to her by Ian's attorney. She is happy with the agreement. Within the house they share, she lives an independent life. Only when attending functions does she have to act a devoted wife.
When the business empire is attacked the two work together in a surprising way as secrets from Tess' past are revealed.
The characters are believable and likable and the storyline compelling.
Recommend.