Harlow

A Choice & Consequence #1

by Cadence Vonn

It never occurs to Harlow Blackwood that losing her virginity could lead to an attempted kidnapping and death. Striking out to uncover a story that would make her byline appear on front pages across the country, she tangles with Marco Agassi, a billionaire who wants to possess her. Refusing his advances puts her in his predatory crosshairs, leaving her embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Driven by revenge, Xander Royce agrees to help the FBI put away Marco, the man who destroyed his father. Discovering Harlow, the woman of his dreams, among his enemies wasn’t planned. Using her as bait is unthinkable. Sex with her is heart-stopping, and fear of losing her compels him to keep her safe until a botched plan thrusts her into his enemy’s grasp.

Now the difference between life and death depends on instinct…

Genres: Romance, Erotica, Amazon, Contemporary Romance

228 pages, Paperback

Published November 19, 2020

About the author

Cadence Vonn is an Amazon bestselling and an award winning erotic romantic suspense author with a BFA in photography and silversmithing. She’s an accomplished doodler and daydreamer who discovered she enjoys writing down the sexy stories that dance in her head. Lately villains have been screaming for attention in her dreams so she’s incorporated their POV’s into her new darker Choice & Consequence series. If you like your romances sizzling hot with an edge of suspense and danger, but always with a happily ever after, this series is for you. Read more about the books at www.CadenceVonn.com/books

Learn more about her new releases and receive a free copy of KITTEN by signing up for her once a month newsletter. https://www.subscribepage.com/j1y0d2

Reviews

[Sammie Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly written. The dialogue is wooden, there is no character building or relationship fodder. Just blank, emotionless conversation, rushed sex scenes with very little feelings, and just BLAH. I tried.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/14/2021)! 🎁

[Jenn Bertrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cadence is one of my new favorite authors for dynamic storylines with strong heroines and sizzling sex scenes. With HARLOW, she created a nastier villain (watch out for the dark side of this villain), hotter sex and a book you won’t want to put down until the end. Full of suspense and crafty teasing. Bad guys and guns have nothing on the Heroine with her man. They are smart, hot and fun. They surround themselves with other characters that make the story even more engaging. Particularly, Houston! I hope Houston gets his own story in the future.

[M Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Different from other romances by this author, she takes the reader into the mind of the villain. He's cruel and sadistic and he obsesses over Harlow. Fortunately Ms. Vonn creates a believable hero in Xander. He has trouble trusting but one thing is for sure, he loves Harlow and they burn up the pages when they get together. The author writes HEA endings but with Harlow the twists and turns to get there make for a good read. I want more of the secondary characters she's created and hope she gives them their own story. 5+stars.

[Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harlow is the first in Cadence Vonn's A Choice & Consequence series and I could not put it down! It had a plot twist I did not expect at all. The author had me guessing at every turn and I loved that we could read from the villain’s perspective. I loved Harlow and Xander together! I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to devour this book in one sitting, hating when I had to put it down. Harlow is a 25-yr-old virgin who is cock blocked by her six brothers. Harlow desperately wants to move away from her over-protective family and explore her sexuality. She makes a drastic decision to auction off her virginity. This terrible decision exposes her to unexpected danger. The girl is a bit naive, which is never attractive for a woman. However, her desire made for a sexy, entertaining read.

[JB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way they author weaves a nasty villian throughout this story. The way the heroine meets her "happily ever after" through all the challenges and hot sex scenes keeps the reader engaged the whole way through. I look forward to reading more by this author. This was a fresh view of the heroine being strong and soft at the same time. Great characters and story.

[Pat Elliott · Rating 1 out of 5]

TOO WEIRD

I made it through 2 chapters into this book before I gave up, which I’ve never done before. This book was just too out there for me. I like erotic but this was more weird, cruel than erotic.
This is my first book by this author and, sadly, will probably be my last.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harlow Blackwood is a twenty-something virgin and she wants to be financially independent from her family. So, she auctions herself off through an exclusive and fully vetted auction house. She’s floored by the amount of money a certain bidder is offering. She understands why when he answers her direct questions. She refuses his offer but that doesn’t deter him. The more she refuses Marco, the more obsessed he becomes. When she meets handsome Xander at a masquerade party, she’s ready to explore her newfound relationship with him. Marco refuses to let her go and vows revenge. Can Harlow escape Marco’s possessive grip on every facet of her life or must she pay for her disobedience with her own life?

Harlow is an erotic romantic thriller that left a lasting impression on me. It’s a very hot (5 flames +), extreme kink with dubious consent romance. The erotic scenes were blistering hot and definitely added to the overall sensual tone of the story. The romantic thriller subplot is what makes this a five-star read. Cadence Vonn is a brilliant erotic romance writer but when she adds suspense to the plot, she’s up there with legends like Robb. Her ability to grab the reader and jack up the suspense is pure gold, a true pleasure to read. If you’re a fan of erotic romantic suspense/thriller, take the plunge into Harlow. A tasty trip to the dark side of kink.

Note: I struggled with the dubious consent parts but it in no way affected my rating of this book. If this is a trigger for you, please be warned.

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it.

My Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by: Mrs. N

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent writing! This story keeps us a little confused in the beginning, but that is okay. It makes for a better story overall since we have to work a little bit to figure out who is who. However, pretty soon, we know who the good guys are. Our heroine, Harlow, is naive in some of the worst ways, but if she weren't, she would not meet Xander, who is one of the sexiest book boyfriends I've ever met!

There is a very dark plot under the surface, and plenty of misunderstandings before things come to a rapid and frightening end. But our lovers survive to get a happy ending.

This is a mystery as well as romance. There is a fair amount of well-written, just slightly kinky sex.

Do not be upset by 4 stars--to get 5 from me, I have to get my socks knocked off, which only happens once in a long while.

[Goldienut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harlow is a great novel. There is a mix of everything. Harlow meets
Marco Agassi at an auction to sell her virginity. Marco offers her 5 million
dollars at first and wants her at any cost. He is under investigation for sex trafficking by the FBI. She meets Xander at an auction and he takes her in
when he sees Marco controlling her strings. She is under body guard protection
ordered by Xander. She goes to a photo shoot that the location is changed at the
last minute. It ends up Xander fighting for his life and Xander's body guard
saves her from drowning after Marco had a tight hold on her as she was trying
to get out of the car that Marco kidnapped her to. This book has it all steamy
romance, murder, mystery and intrigue to just name a few. A great read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Seashell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, I really DID NOT like this story. I was really excited to read it but was very quickly let down. The characters are so inconsistent in there actions that literally nothing they did made any sense. The villain is supposed to be an evil mastermind, who when offered what he wants releases it willingly then puts together an elaborate plan to take it back, committing crimes that would get him life in prison in front of multiple witnesses. The actions of the two other main characters are just as mind boggling. This was unrealistic, confusing and definitely not worth the read. I gave it two stars because I was at least able to read it to the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mikayla (What.Mik.Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spice – 3/5
Rating – 3/5
Tropes – Kidnapping, insta-love(ish), Virgin
Quote – “Sex couldn’t possibly be this emotional. Sex was sex, nothing more. Apparently not with Harlow. He got lost in her scent; it would haunt him with every breath.”

This was the first time I’ve read anything by this author and I’m glad I read this book, it’s different from what I normally read. I think it was exciting being able to see inside the mind of the villain during the whole story. I loved that it started off without the main male love interest. It was cool to see how things developed throughout. In the beginning with the auction, my jaw literally dropped. You’ll know why when you read it. Lol. I’ve never read anything remotely similar.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a bid for independence, Harlow determines to sell her virginity at an auction. She catches the attention of billionaire Marco who is determined to have and possess her. He is obsessed over her, so much so when she runs, he will have her hunted down and kidnapped in order to keep her. Lucky for Harlow, Xander Royce agrees to help the FBI take down Marco at the same time. When he discovers Harlow with him, he is even more determined to accomplish his mission.
Harlow and Xander are so sweet together and their scenes – so hot. I love how protective he is of her and even when she is being somewhat childish, he still puts her best interest first. This book keeps moving and the story is good. It takes a long time before it’s clear what is going to happen to the nasty villain.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy mother of plot twists- what did I just read!? Harlow-Marco-Xander. I did NOT see the plot twist, not did I expect the last half of the book to end the way it did. I was 100% blindsided in the BEST kind of way. What I thought was going to be this boy meets girl- boy tries to buy girl - girl says no - girl leaves- then boy finds girl and orchestrates her life so that he can still have her and then they fall madly in love with each other and have a HEA… did NOT happen. In fact something entirely different happens and let’s just say that I am a Xander fan all the way. If you like a Virginia heroine, a white knight, and a dragon lord then you will love this book. Make sure to check any trigger warnings prior to reading!

[Andra Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harlow is an intensely erotic romance suspense book. The plot builds with calculated suspense, eroticism, and the right amount of action. The storyline brings the reader into a very sordid criminal empire, making one feel the need to stay safe.

The characters are well-developed and believable. You feel like you know each one, and their roles make sense. The main character, Harlow, is a naive yet independent, loyal, and strong-willed woman. All that comes through in her interactions with the men in the book, especially Xander and Marco.

I read the book rather quickly. I could not put it down. I look forward to reading other books by this author.

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a first time author for me. It was a good premise for the story, but I felt it fell flat in the execution. The characters were a little too amazing and the plot bordered into the eye roll territory too many times for me. I could never immerse myself in the story or characters because I kept being pulled out by how perfect our main character was or how contrived some of the plot lines became. It was a little difficult to finish. I would've loved to have a deeper dive into motives and actions and more depth to the overall story arc. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Taylor Armijo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book through an IG ad. It didn’t end up matching what the ad showed but I did get through it in a night.

Lots of open door spice. A bit too much on the “dark entrance” back door play for me… Not my style.

The FBI crossover was intriguing. I feel like it’s a bit hard to process both sides of the story. Rival millionaire is also an undercover FBI agent/CI? A bit much on the suspension of belief there. It did have a happy enough of an ending, minus the traumatic showdown, so that was worth it I guess.

[Lalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, which is my first read by Cadence Vonn. I thought it was an easy and smooth read and the chemistry between the characters felt real. I would rate it 4.5/5 purely because the ending felt rush and I’d have liked it to have been a little bit more developed.

I can’t wait to read the « sequel ».

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harlow was a great read. When I started the book I had an idea how it would go. I was suprised to be wrong! The steamy scenes were fantastic and the plot was exciting and certainly kept me guessing. Harlow herself didn't have aton of personality kinda the typical virgin finding herself. It works for the story though and I didn't mind it. I definitely recommend this book if youre looking for a steamy escape. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amy Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a bid to get out from under her protective parents, Harlow signs up to an Auction house called LoseIt, to sell her Virginity. Her beautiful red hair soon grabs the attention of Marco, with a to good tk be true proposal. Will it be a dream come true or her worse nightmare.

I absolutely loved this story, every step of the way had you guessing. All of my prediction were completely wrong but so much better.
Xander definitely was her devilish Prince Charming.

[Victoria Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve ever heard from this author. I enjoyed the main character, she’s early 20s just trying to find her way through life. She meets a man, things didn’t work out. Somehow she moves away from home, things keep happening to her until she figures out who offered her the job originally. After losing one job getting another she meets a new man. Things get hot and heavy and then the first men is still meddling. This just keeps going you must read!

[Christine Kingston · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book full of twists and turns. Harlow kept me at the edge of my seat through this fun read. I loved the relationship between Xander and Harlow, he's a great Alpha male that didn't let obstacles stand in his way. He knew what he wanted and he worked to sweep the girl off her feet.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lorraine Anton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

I really enjoyed this story. Harlow and Xander have great chemistry it is sizzling Hot🔥!
I loved the characters.
I loved the plot. It has some interesting twists and turns. It will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Read it for yourself!

[Regina Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steamy perfection

This book blew me aways with the aurthurs writing and the story in general.I"ll definitely be looking for this aurthurs name when selecting books to read.Beutifully written.Thank you for the free read.

[Campbell]

Also have in Wicked Obsession: A Limited Edition Collection of Contemporary Romances)

[Lakea]

0 stars.

8% in is a new record for me to DNF. Not interested in a character who manipulates a woman or deals with selling them on a black market.

[Candice LaBria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful read with good characters you absolutely loved and bad guys you detested.

[Chicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was an ok read Easy to follow but slow in the plot

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harlow and Xander. You cant help but root for them. I read this in 1 sitting. Could not put it down. Definitely recommend.

Trigger warning: mentions human trafficking.