Cole has become the epitome of a Scorpio without ever meaning to. Years of fighting fate and avoiding his path have somehow landed him exactly where he was always supposed to be.
Damn it.
But when he finds himself in the audience of a seedy underground auction, his successful, detached life comes to a screeching halt. The last person he expects to see up for sale is the woman who shattered his heart ten years ago.
Now that he owns her contract, he’ll finally be able to get the answers he needs to move on—and maybe extract a little revenge from her beautiful, lithe body too. But the answers don’t come easy, and Natalie’s return rips his past wide open to expose a deep well of secrets.
His destiny had only been delayed, but now it’s back on track and everything is about to change.
USA Today Bestselling Author Kessily Lewel, and her darker side Sadie Marks, are two halves of the same author. All of her work falls under the category of power-exchange romance. Kessily’s books tend more towards sexy romance with a side of domestic discipline, while Sadie has been sticking to sci-fi, with her race of Dominant aliens who are looking for a few good humans to call their own.
She has been in love with fantasy, sci-fi and horror since she was a child. She grew up reading Stephen King, Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and others, so it was only natural that one day she’d write her own worlds—though hers do seem to have a lot more sex and BDSM in them.
The "Masters of the Zodiac" series is a collaboration between twelve authors set in a shared world in which Astrology is of great importance. Each book is about a different relationship involving a couple involved with one of twelve guilds devoted to the twelve signs.
"Scorpio" is the story of Cole and Natalie who met, fell in love and were married in a war zone, only to have their relationship fail when they returned home from the war. Now circumstances have brought them together again, giving them a second chance.
This is a steamy romance played out around a contracted dominant/submissive relationship. Cole finds himself in a position of command over Natalie, and they have to learn to trust and confide in one another both in and out of the bedroom. And how exactly does the secretive Scorpio Guild figure into their future?
The kink is delicious, the couple are clearly made for each other and just need to get their shit together, and the story works well as a standalone - it is the first I've read from the series and I had no trouble coming to grips with its world.
Omg Cole & Natalie were so hot! I loved seeing how their relationship changed and grew, and HOLY CRAP. I don't want to do spoilers, but wow. The sexy scenes were so hot, the danger was hot, basically everything was hot and so much fun.
Oh yes this a terrific Paranormal Romance and I really enjoyed it, here and there it had bits that made me laugh 😂 and there is plenty of smut. I really don’t like books without smut and there is no such thing as too much smut as long as there is a good story with interesting characters. This book has great characters and there are secrets that are only revealed later in the story. There is a wonderful HEA at the End and I highly recommend this book if you like a good Paranormal with smut.
'Scorpio' by Kessily Lewel is the second book in the "Masters of the Zodiac" series. Have you started it yet? This one is like an onion with all the layers that need to be peeled back in order to get to the core of things. If you've read the blurb then you know Cole and Natalie had been married and then divorced. But he woke up one morning to a note and she was gone without any explanation. Cole doesn't even really believe in his sign controlling things but he does get feelings and intuition that have kept him alive and made him a relatively wealthy man through the years. That's the main reason he agreed to meet an old acquaintance at the seedy bar. Something said he needed to be there. What he found was beyond his comprehension. They were holding a voluntary indentured servant auction and Cole was being asked to become a partner. Before he could outright refuse he saw his ex-wife being led on stage … to be sold. That sealed the deal for Cole. After all these years he could exact revenge for what she'd put him through and maybe get the answers he needed in order to finally get closure but like most well-laid plans of mice and men, Cole got more than he bargained for. The plots and secrets just kept coming in this one. Just about the time, I thought I had put all the pieces together, Ms. Lewel threw another one at me. It was a great read and I can't wait to see what comes with the next one.
Cole Brennan was always determined to be the master of his own destiny. A former soldier, turned into a successful business man, his instincts had saved his life many times and made him a lot of money over the years. When he finds himself in a special type of an auction, he is blown away finding his ex wife on the stage. He had last seen Natalie when she walked out of their marriage. 10 years ago, Natalie had no choice but to leave the man she fell in love with. Even though his dominance had called to her and she would have loved to be his full time submissive, the tangled web of lies she found herself trapped in was too much for her. Signing up for the auction was her chance of bringing her secret fantasies to life. She just never expected her buyer to be her ex husband! Finally, Cole has the perfect opportunity to pay back his ex for the heart ache she had caused him, but as it turns out, revenge is the last thing he actually wants.... Cole and Natalie are explosive together. At the end of the day, when all the secrets are out, they finally get their chance of a HEA. I wanted a story for Cole since we met him in the 1st book of the series and Kessily Lewel did not disappoint! This is a great second chance story, with two strong, interesting main characters that managed to beat the odds.
Great addition to the series, great characters and scenario
This was a great addition to the series and as the second book in the series I have to say that I found it to be a thoroughly captivating read that held my attention throughout.
I do not want to give away too much about the story as I hate spoilers so I will say that Cole the main character in the story has become quite persistent in his search and by accident has managed to find the place he been dreaming of all his life.
He finds himself at an auction that is the lowest of the low and he sees a woman for sale that he recognises, she had broken his heart over ten years before. He has to help her and now finds that he owns her contract and this means that he can do anything he wants with her and he will..
I assure you that you will love every moment of this book it is simply a fantastic read. I voluntarily received and review an Advanced Reader Copy I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading any future publications; keep up all the great writing.
In the second book of this series, we find Cole...........who we met in the first book. This was a second chance romance between Cole and his wife, Natalie. They've been apart for years now and when he finds her again, it's at an auction in a seedy little joint. He buys her contract and then the "fun" begins. Neither of them have stopped loving each other but Natalie was keeping secrets from Cole that kept her from submitting fully to him in the past. Secrets that might have changed everything. I loved watching these two navigate the path back to a relationship and seeing how things worked out. I honestly can't say a whole lot because I don't give out spoilers but if you liked Libra, you're going to love Scorpio!!! Now, I need the next one!! I have a feeling that this will become a favorite series!
This is the second book in the Masters of the Zodiac multi authors series. You do not need to read book one to enjoy this book.
Cole and Natalie were married, but divorced. When Cole sees her at an auction for her services, he decides to buy her. He wants to know her secrets, but Natalie will not divulge them. They get to know one another again with the backdrop of this alternate world, where your zodiac sign indicates your path in life. Of course, Cole does not believe in fate and works to make his own path. But, even with his fighting, he is still brought back to his destiny.
Great book, great writing. Cole and Natalie are both strong main characters that find themselves back together again. I'm looking forward to book three.
I received an advance copy of this book via Booksprout and this is my honest review.
Cole still has questions ten years after he and Natalie divorced. He comes across her at an auction, and makes sure his is the winning bid. As he and Natalie come back together, he realizes it's all destiny.
Well-written as I've come to expect from Ms. Lewel, the characters drew me in from the get go. Lots of steam and kink made for a really good read. This is the second in the Masters of the Zodiac series, but may easily be read as a stand alone. I loved the first book though, so recommend you read the series in order. A five star read, this is one hundred percent worth the one click!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The second book in the Masters of the Zodiac series and the first book I have read in this multi Author series. This is Cole and his ex-wife Natalie's story. Cole was not chosen to be part of the Guilds people as he did things his own way, where Natalie was chosen when she was seven. The story is well written and kept me turning pages there is drama, suspense, a surprise and romance. The story was well worth reading. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this latest story by Kessily Lewel. I have been a fan of her writing style for years now. I loved reading this second chance for Cole and Natalie. They were once married before she left him. Now, he has a chance to get some answers and a chance to explore a deeper connection with her. Natalie was shocked to see Cole again and to discover her secrets. Will this be their chance at happiness together?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Enjoyable, slightly complicated, but well written story about Scorpio (Cole, ex solder) and his ex wife (wife? Natalie), sometimes told in flash backs, Their on off relationship is complicated but when Cole spots her in a sex club 'slave' sale he buys her contract for a year: a year in which relationships can be rebuilt, secrets revealed and powers understood. This is a well written and interesting story that can be read as a stand alone,.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The writing is fluid and the words are well-chosen. The characters and the circumstances carry you along without any awkward lapses, and they are interesting, fascinating, sexy, fun, spontaneous, stunning, steamy, and entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Each page was a surprise, and I never knew what I was going to find.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book is one of a series, that all tie together in terms of world building and understanding magic within the world. However, each book tells the story of one couple that match the zodiac sign in the title, this one Scorpio.
The story draws you in quickly, and moves along at a quick clip. There is actually a fair amount that happens between filling in back stories, character and relationship development, and the actual plot of the story. The layers within the book was what surprised me most - and I enjoyed that the author kept adding reveals of information throughout the book, almost until the very end.
Both of our main characters are intense, stubborn, prideful and sexual. While this book really focuses on a D/S relationship, they are both strong characters and given some depth. I liked the portrayal of BDSM in this book, even including a conversation about strength in submission, which was...refreshing. Even though the premise of a sexual auction may seem a bit dark, I wouldn't consider this a dark romance at all - there is a lot of discussion around the exploration of kinks with a heavy dose of consent. All that said, there is a good amount of spice in this book, which was well written but somehow not over the top. Keep in mind that if reading spice within a power dynamic isn't your favorite, this book won't be for you.
I'm not sure that the premise of an astrological sign based world drew me in enough to continue reading the series, but this book was very enjoyable as a standalone story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a very well written story with interesting characters and a really interesting storyline.
The male lead is a complex guy with more fascinating backstory content that isn't included here. What is shared about him is a lot of compelling stuff. I'd have liked more about him frankly, which would have made for a longer story.
The female lead is also interesting, but her backstory is more often shared in snippets and flashbacks, which I found a little less gratifying. I get the method, it's just not my favorite way to learn about a character. I also didn't think the case was truly made for why she left the male lead at one point.
This is supposed to be a standalone story, as is each book in this series. However, the weird magical twist to this story wasn't introduced until very late, which made it much harder to swallow. I found myself kinda frustrated by this late intro to an entirely new world. There was virtually no time to ramp up on the new environment. I was left with a pile of questions about what exactly was going on.
The sex is pretty smoking, although the super-extended punishment scene lost its steam for me about 15 pages in. Too long to a payoff.
Overall, this is a super well written book. It just lacked some bavkstory content and pacing.
This is Natalie and Cole's story. They have a history of having been married and Natalie leaving the marriage because of guilty feelings. This book happens 10 years later. Cole sees Natalie as she is on stage at an auction where she is to be sold as a submissive. Cole buy her contract even though he claimed he has no feelings for her. During the time they are together he tries to get Natalie to tell why she left but she does not. The Master Scorpio dies and the competition is between Natalie and Cole as to who will replace him. Cole does not believe in extrasensory talents and has had no training. Natalie .had training from a young age. Who will be chosen? This is the first book that I have read by this author and I will be reading he again as she keeps the suspense and is easy to read. I received a free copy of the boos from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
There were a lot of secrets in this story and you really had to pull back the layers to see everything that was going on. Cole doesn't really believe in this zodiac crap, but he admits he has "feelings" about things that have kept him alive. When he discovers his ex wife in a situation he can take advantage of, he does. They have a complicated history and neither of them is the same person as ten years ago. I enjoyed the BDSM aspects, but the drama surrounding the Guild was definitely strange. Great HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved the beginning of this book. It really hooked me. I loved Cole’s character. Natalie’s not as much. Her motives didn’t make a lot of sense. Why didn’t she tell Cole the truth from the beginning?
The book doesn’t focus on the Scorpio guild until the end. Most of the plot revolves around the second chance romance between the MC’s. The scenes were hot, however I was disappointed by the fade to black moments between the MC’s after a lot of tension had built up!
I’m happy this couple got their HEA and overall, I really liked this book. Just wish we could’ve gotten more clarification on Natalie’s motives and I’m not sure I loved how she just deferred everything to Cole in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Scorpio is the 2nd story in this multi-author series. I did not read the first one but didn't have any problems following the storyline, a second-chance at love romance with some very surprising twists and turns. There is an undercurrent of d/s and BDSM in the book, but the scenes themselves are fairly mild. I came to like both Cole and Natalie and was rooting for them to find their HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is such a unique series and Nathalie and Cole’s story was fascinating. All through the story we are waiting to find out what Nathalie’s secret is but I have to admit I was only a little bit correct in my guess. Having met Cole in Libra, it was great to understand his references and when we finally understand what is going on it all makes so much more sense. I have to say I was squirming at the thought of Cole’s tattoo it gave me the creeps, but other than that I really enjoyed it.
Scorpio is a raw, steamy and emotionally intense tale of love, destiny and deceit. This second chance romance is very well written with solid, well rounded characters and a robust, extremely well built plot that branches out and deepens - with enough mystery to keep the pages turning and the reader guessing - coming beautifully together in the end.
Oh I did like this book. Cole is charge of his own destiny and he's doing well for himself. Unexpectedly seeing his ex wife gave.them a second chance but with all the secret his ex wife had, do they have a chance of a future together? Good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
this was another great entry in the Masters of the Zodiac series, it does what I enjoyed from the previous book. The characters worked with the world and I was glad I was able to read this.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Though it was inferred in Libra that Cole would be the focal point of Scorpio, it was nice to see the complexity of his character and story. Natalie's character was a fun, bratty surprise. I'm enjoying this series. Lots of kinky fun, too.
This was very interesting dynamic for this couple. Natalie and Cole were set up from the beginning as some sort of Destiny. They probably both needed things to go down the way they did to come to their particular HEA. I enjoyed watching them grow into each other.
Loved this book. The main characters are very engaging and the chemistry between them is scorching. Loved the ending but I won't give it away. Plenty of action and drama. Definitely recommend.
So many secrets exist between Cole and his ex-wife Natalie. When Cole buys her at an auction for one year, can he use her fantasies to finally find out the truth of why she left him?