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Wicked Lovers: Soldiers for Hire #3-4
Wicked and Forbidden (Zyron & Tessa: The Complete Duet)
*Hardback Collector Edition*
This determined operative will stop at nothing to claim her…even if she’s the enemy.
Chase “Zyron” Garrett’s employment agreement forbids hookups with co-workers, which isn’t a problem—until Tessa Lawrence, the office secretary and single mom, is harassed by her vengeful ex-boyfriend.
Wicked and Forbidden is their complete, uncensored story. This collection includes:
Wicked as Lies: He wants her…and he doesn’t care that she’s the enemy.
Wicked and True: He'd protect her from the world. But who will protect her from him?
This determined operative will stop at nothing to claim her…even if she’s the enemy.
Chase “Zyron” Garrett’s employment agreement forbids hookups with co-workers, which isn’t a problem—until Tessa Lawrence, the office secretary and single mom, is harassed by her vengeful ex-boyfriend.
Wicked and Forbidden is their complete, uncensored story. This collection includes:
Wicked as Lies: He wants her…and he doesn’t care that she’s the enemy.
Wicked and True: He'd protect her from the world. But who will protect her from him?
494 pages, Hardcover
First published April 26, 2022
328 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
Shayla Black
150 books9,997 followersShayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances. Her books have sold millions of copies and been published in a dozen languages.
As an only child, Shayla occupied herself by daydreaming, much to the chagrin of her teachers. In college, she found her love for reading and started pursuing a publishing career. Though she graduated with a degree in Marketing/Advertising and embarked on a stint in corporate America, her heart was with her stories and characters, so she left her pantyhose and power suits behind.
Shayla currently lives in North Texas with her wonderfully supportive husband, her daughter, and two spoiled tabbies. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, gaming, and listening to an eclectic blend of music.
Follow me on Facebook: http://shayla.link/FBPage
Join me in my Book Beauties group for weekly LIVE chats: http://shayla.link/FBChat
As an only child, Shayla occupied herself by daydreaming, much to the chagrin of her teachers. In college, she found her love for reading and started pursuing a publishing career. Though she graduated with a degree in Marketing/Advertising and embarked on a stint in corporate America, her heart was with her stories and characters, so she left her pantyhose and power suits behind.
Shayla currently lives in North Texas with her wonderfully supportive husband, her daughter, and two spoiled tabbies. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, gaming, and listening to an eclectic blend of music.
Follow me on Facebook: http://shayla.link/FBPage
Join me in my Book Beauties group for weekly LIVE chats: http://shayla.link/FBChat
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Want to read
March 19, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (3/19/2023)! 🎁
August 25, 2022
Packed full of emotions, this duet will keep you turning the pages. Shayla Black's books will keep you on the edge of your seat as you read Zyron and Tessa's story! I laughed, I cried, I got ticked off..........it's all there. Twists and turns abound in this duet series and you won't want to put it down!! Loved every page of it!
March 23, 2023
While i throughly enjoyed this story as a whole it was heavily focused on the collective group which got a little confusing at times- it focused on the missions and ins and outs of surveillance etc.
Romance wise this was a super slow burn- with not even a kiss in the first book!
Zy is incredibly protective and swoon-worthy, just what Tessa and her baby girl needed.
I didn’t get the ending- the epilogue was the introduction to another couples story 🤷🏻♀️so that kinda ruined it for me.
Book 1: 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 2: 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Digital/ EBook- complete duet.
POV: dual, 3rd person
Romance wise this was a super slow burn- with not even a kiss in the first book!
Zy is incredibly protective and swoon-worthy, just what Tessa and her baby girl needed.
I didn’t get the ending- the epilogue was the introduction to another couples story 🤷🏻♀️so that kinda ruined it for me.
Book 1: 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 2: 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Digital/ EBook- complete duet.
POV: dual, 3rd person
March 25, 2023
I'm sorry to say but these 2 books frustrated me.
There should only be one book instead of 2. There was way too much thinking and planning and angst. I ended up skipping over pages of inner dialogue because there was so much of it.
There should only be one book instead of 2. There was way too much thinking and planning and angst. I ended up skipping over pages of inner dialogue because there was so much of it.
September 10, 2023
Wow what a soap opera
Reminded me of one of those old soap operas my mom used to watch!!! Haha. Ugh. With dialogue just as bad. I'm sorry it was just ridiculously terrible. Delete...Delete...
Reminded me of one of those old soap operas my mom used to watch!!! Haha. Ugh. With dialogue just as bad. I'm sorry it was just ridiculously terrible. Delete...Delete...
March 18, 2023
Good..
WICKED LIES
Zyron left the military to work for a personal security company. He is the demolitions expert and is good at what he does. Tessa is a single mother and works as a receptionist at the security company. Her ex starts causing trouble and the bosses send Zyron as a guard. Zyron and Tessa are attracted to each other but their contract has a no fraternizing clause. Tessa needs her job and won’t cross the line with Zyron. When one of the guys is taken and held hostage, they figure they have a mole. Zyron is tasked to find the mole and it’s between his best friend and the woman he has fallen for.
Great story. Might be best to read One-Mile and Brea’s first. There is a cliffhanger. Action. I can’t wait to read the next one.
WICKED AND TRUE
The long awaited conclusion of Tessa and Zy’s story. This story is full of action, suspense, sex, and secrets. This book is a nail biter and will leave you not knowing if you want to keep reading or stop. I stopped several times to prepare myself for what was next.
Somehow someone is leaking vital information and the bosses have tasked Zy with the job of finding the mole. Tessa and Zy have been forbidden to get involved but the bosses have taken that clause out of the contract so Zy can investigate her. Zy is left in charge of the company and he must investigate his best friend and Tessa or they will all be fired. When Tessa is forced to betray the company and the man she has fallen for, will they ever forgive her?
This might not be much of a review but I didn’t want to give anything away. There is a slight cliffhanger and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
WICKED LIES
Zyron left the military to work for a personal security company. He is the demolitions expert and is good at what he does. Tessa is a single mother and works as a receptionist at the security company. Her ex starts causing trouble and the bosses send Zyron as a guard. Zyron and Tessa are attracted to each other but their contract has a no fraternizing clause. Tessa needs her job and won’t cross the line with Zyron. When one of the guys is taken and held hostage, they figure they have a mole. Zyron is tasked to find the mole and it’s between his best friend and the woman he has fallen for.
Great story. Might be best to read One-Mile and Brea’s first. There is a cliffhanger. Action. I can’t wait to read the next one.
WICKED AND TRUE
The long awaited conclusion of Tessa and Zy’s story. This story is full of action, suspense, sex, and secrets. This book is a nail biter and will leave you not knowing if you want to keep reading or stop. I stopped several times to prepare myself for what was next.
Somehow someone is leaking vital information and the bosses have tasked Zy with the job of finding the mole. Tessa and Zy have been forbidden to get involved but the bosses have taken that clause out of the contract so Zy can investigate her. Zy is left in charge of the company and he must investigate his best friend and Tessa or they will all be fired. When Tessa is forced to betray the company and the man she has fallen for, will they ever forgive her?
This might not be much of a review but I didn’t want to give anything away. There is a slight cliffhanger and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
April 19, 2023
Wicked As Lies - There should be nothing wrong with signing the contract for his new job, until Zy sees the no fraternizing clause. Too bad the feelings he has for Tessa cannot go any further since she also works for the company. But when push comes to shove and her safety is on the line will he break the contract and follow his heart? Or will something else on the job break it for him? Shayla Black certainly knows how to captivate her audience with wonderful characters. The emotions that just bleed form the page make the reader fell all the feels and hurt just as much as the characters. Once again, another addition to the Wicked and Devoted Series that does not disappoint!!
Wicked and True - In true Shayla Black fashion, the conclusion of Zy and Tessa's love story is filled with fast paced action while incorporating honest and true emotions. From the opening pages, Zy has been placed in the difficult position of finding out if the mole is his best friend or the woman he has fallen in love with. Only given two weeks to figure it out he must choose between his heart and his mind. Difficult on all fronts especially when there is another level of tragedy place on the entire team. But in the end the reader is left sighing with happiness while still on the edge of their seat with more questions than answers. Be warned - once you start this book you will not be able to function in real life until you get to the very end. Once again Shayla Black does not disappoint!!
Wicked and True - In true Shayla Black fashion, the conclusion of Zy and Tessa's love story is filled with fast paced action while incorporating honest and true emotions. From the opening pages, Zy has been placed in the difficult position of finding out if the mole is his best friend or the woman he has fallen in love with. Only given two weeks to figure it out he must choose between his heart and his mind. Difficult on all fronts especially when there is another level of tragedy place on the entire team. But in the end the reader is left sighing with happiness while still on the edge of their seat with more questions than answers. Be warned - once you start this book you will not be able to function in real life until you get to the very end. Once again Shayla Black does not disappoint!!
August 23, 2023
I had some mixed feelings about this duet. I absolutely loved the first half of the book, where Zyron and Tessa get to know one another and try to fight their growing attraction because of the no-fraternization clause in the contracts they both signed. Zyron is not only gorgeous and sexy; he shows his soft side in the way he helps take care of Tessa's baby daughter.
If I had bought only the first book in this set, I would have been really upset to discover it ended on a cliffhanger, but since I received the entire duet, I'm not taking any points off for that.
I had some issues with the second half of the duet. It was pretty obvious to the reader who was responsible for at least some of the breaches in security at the company. The fact that none of the men were able to figure it out made them seem stupid. Also it didn't make sense that Tessa wouldn't seek help when she really needed it from someone who was trained to deal with the sort of situation she was in. The other part that didn't make sense was some of the information Hector was asking Tessa to provide, considering he should have already known this information because of the people he was with.
The book did have plenty of action, which kept it fast-paced. There was a HEA for Zyon and Tessa, but a lot of things were still left up in the air, I presume to be continued in the next book(s).
If I had bought only the first book in this set, I would have been really upset to discover it ended on a cliffhanger, but since I received the entire duet, I'm not taking any points off for that.
I had some issues with the second half of the duet. It was pretty obvious to the reader who was responsible for at least some of the breaches in security at the company. The fact that none of the men were able to figure it out made them seem stupid. Also it didn't make sense that Tessa wouldn't seek help when she really needed it from someone who was trained to deal with the sort of situation she was in. The other part that didn't make sense was some of the information Hector was asking Tessa to provide, considering he should have already known this information because of the people he was with.
The book did have plenty of action, which kept it fast-paced. There was a HEA for Zyon and Tessa, but a lot of things were still left up in the air, I presume to be continued in the next book(s).
June 30, 2023
Not really wicked nor forbidden...
But it turns out that this 2 part mini-series is actually a somewhat touching love story. A security/protection badass meets sweet struggling new single mother, and no surprise... lust and love are in the air, and not only does he feel the protective drive, but turns out they need protection. Sadly, there are no real mysteries or ingenious plot devices. The characters are well developed, if a bit formulaic. The storyline and arc are fairly compelling, and exciting but not surprising. Not great literature by anyone's description, but a fun little erotic action romance story nonetheless.
Warning: Do not even consider trying to read part one without having part two at hand... the cliffhanger would be whiplash inducing, and part two literally picks up in the same scene where part one leaves off. The volume I am reviewing contains both parts, and is the only way I can recommend this book.
R for graphic violence, explicit sexual content, and language.
Themes include murder, kidnapping, rape, domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, corporate espionage, blackmail, drug cartel violence, trust and betrayal.
But it turns out that this 2 part mini-series is actually a somewhat touching love story. A security/protection badass meets sweet struggling new single mother, and no surprise... lust and love are in the air, and not only does he feel the protective drive, but turns out they need protection. Sadly, there are no real mysteries or ingenious plot devices. The characters are well developed, if a bit formulaic. The storyline and arc are fairly compelling, and exciting but not surprising. Not great literature by anyone's description, but a fun little erotic action romance story nonetheless.
Warning: Do not even consider trying to read part one without having part two at hand... the cliffhanger would be whiplash inducing, and part two literally picks up in the same scene where part one leaves off. The volume I am reviewing contains both parts, and is the only way I can recommend this book.
R for graphic violence, explicit sexual content, and language.
Themes include murder, kidnapping, rape, domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, corporate espionage, blackmail, drug cartel violence, trust and betrayal.
May 11, 2023
Thank goodness I’ve finished this book or rather these 2 of a series. Can’t believe I got to the end to find they carried on in 3rd in the series! Just not that interested in finding out what happened.
Lots to dislike & little to like quite sexist & some bits made me feel a bit uncomfortable. So much swearing & I find it hard to believe that anyone would speak to their bosses like that…& not get fired? Not even sure why Zy disliked them so much? So much ‘man talk’ which sounded ridiculous - I can’t believe even macho men talk like this all the time?
And why on earth would someone dislike his name, Chase and then call himself Zyron? Is that even a name?!
Very poor and a complete waste of reading time.
Lots to dislike & little to like quite sexist & some bits made me feel a bit uncomfortable. So much swearing & I find it hard to believe that anyone would speak to their bosses like that…& not get fired? Not even sure why Zy disliked them so much? So much ‘man talk’ which sounded ridiculous - I can’t believe even macho men talk like this all the time?
And why on earth would someone dislike his name, Chase and then call himself Zyron? Is that even a name?!
Very poor and a complete waste of reading time.
August 7, 2023
Should have been one book!
The characters, as a whole, are very dislikeable (except Hallie, but she was an infant)! Tessa made many stupid mistakes throughout the book, she was rediculous! Everyone else were just awful, disagreeable people!
The amount of angst dragged out the book! The only purpose was drivel to fill too many needless pages!
The books were very predictable! I knew half way through the first book, the name of the mole and how it was done!
I think the author is usually good, but this duet is not!
The characters, as a whole, are very dislikeable (except Hallie, but she was an infant)! Tessa made many stupid mistakes throughout the book, she was rediculous! Everyone else were just awful, disagreeable people!
The amount of angst dragged out the book! The only purpose was drivel to fill too many needless pages!
The books were very predictable! I knew half way through the first book, the name of the mole and how it was done!
I think the author is usually good, but this duet is not!
July 8, 2023
The "stupid' temp secretary pretending to be so bad at performing even menial tasks, such as setting up a laptop for office use - so stupid that she was able to get from the standard OS boot up page to the OS' back end - was this not the biggest clue that she was the bad guy? Seriously, what kind of stupidity is this that warrants such a long story, when the badass operators couldn't even take a stab at guessing who the real bad guy is?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2024
This 2 book collection was captivating and spicy with a slow burn start that had me hooked! I fell in love with the characters immediately and couldn't put it down, needing to see them get their HEA despite everything that stood in their way.
I can't wait to read more in this world.
I can't wait to read more in this world.
March 14, 2023
Suspenseful
Fast pace. Keeps you on your toes. The H and h are a fantastic couple. Author really keeps you entertained!
Fast pace. Keeps you on your toes. The H and h are a fantastic couple. Author really keeps you entertained!
Want to read
March 19, 2023Amazon Purch. March 19, 2023
June 10, 2023
Phenomenal
I love this book from start to finish. There was some moments my heart was in my throat but lawd it was a awesome book. Love the characters
I love this book from start to finish. There was some moments my heart was in my throat but lawd it was a awesome book. Love the characters
October 31, 2023
Amazing duet! Highly recommend it! I also recommend all the other duets in this world. Great reads!
November 1, 2023
Readers K and Linda have said all there is to say. I thought I would never get to the end and should have just stopped in the first part.
May 25, 2025
😀
So hot and so good I love this series and this author I'm off to buy the next book now
So hot and so good I love this series and this author I'm off to buy the next book now
Want to read
June 1, 2025Purchased in epub format from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.
July 4, 2023
The writing was not for me - seemed over the top and dramatic and that was just in the first 1%. Read a few reviews and decided to DNF
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews