Deadly Attraction

by Ashlee Lynn

Lex has always been the perfect boyfriend. When he invites Reyna on a surprise anniversary trip, she jumps at the chance. Lex is ready to make Reyna his forever. However, things fall apart when she is taken, stolen away into the night.

Ace doesn't do emotions. Brought up in a world of guns, violence, and bloodshed. He has seen every horror the world has to offer. Reyna is just another job to him...until she's not.

Reyna says it's kismet, but Ace doesn't believe in fate. He must stop himself from falling for her, because he's afraid that loving her will be the death of them both.

194 pages, Hardcover

First published June 7, 2022

About the author

Ashlee Lynn lives in Southern California. She is the mother of a rather ‘spicy’ 11-year-old girl, who keeps her days busy and her heart full. When she is not writing she is reading, cooking, watching a movie or spending time with her family and her fur babies. Ashlee is a reader first and foremost, who loves to connect with other reading fans. She encourages you to interact with her about books you’ve read and recommend, thoughts and reactions about her book or maybe just to swap pictures of pets. She is constantly rescuing animals, she eventually would like to have her own rescue.

Reviews

[Literary Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reyna and Lex head out on a romantic getaway to celebrate their anniversary when the unexpected happens. Their romantic getaway turns into a nightmare when Reyna is kidnapped. Luke tries everything to find his soon to-be wife. Held captive by a man named Ace, Reyna realizes that Ace, who doesn’t show any emotions or care for others, begins showing affection for her. Ace knows he cannot make a mistake and fall for Reyna or else that will be the death of them both.

Deadly Attraction, by Ashlee Lynn, is a thrilling romance novel that dramatically changes the fate of three people. This breathtaking shift is what kept me coming back to this story. The book sends these characters on an impassioned journey that weaves in and out of love and pain.

Reyna’s character first comes off as immature and oblivious, but I liked seeing her in different situations that challenged her, especially when it comes to Ace’s character. Ace is the tough guy who is soft on the inside and I liked watching his character grow as he began to have feelings for Reyna. His evolution as a character is an emotional aspect to the story that I really enjoyed. This attraction ups the stakes and puts both of their lives in danger, which adds tension and drama to the plot. The internal conflict that Reyna has about her relationship with Lex is intriguing and I wanted to know more. Especially since Lex is on a different page in their relationship and planning for their future together.

The plot alone makes this a romance novel that you cannot put down. The intimate scenes are an immersive experience that is filled with passion and excitement. The plot and characters take center stage in this story, so if you like character driven novels then this is a book you’ll devour. The writing reminded me of the Fear Street novels and the way in which those stories expertly use action and drama to keep readers engaged.

Deadly Attraction is a scintillating read that will appeal to readers who enjoy mystery and intrigue in their romance novels. Reading about the thrill of loving someone who you shouldn’t and fighting for it will make this book hard to put down.

[Chris Buono · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best made plans can be deadly!

Minding their own business on the path to getting engage in wine country, Reyna “Rey” Crawford and her boyfriend for two years Lex Beckett find themselves attacked, Rey kidnapped, and Lex left for dead in the middle of nowhere.

But Rey—a self-described “tomboy”—is a fighter. A king at laser tag, she has all the traits of a seasoned warrior, and she’s going to need those abilities if she plans to survive her present nightmarish situation. A believer in fate, Rey’s kismet is never more tested than when she meets Ace “Luke” Decker. He’s her heartless captor’s coldblooded-killer buddy, Rey’s most unlikely sidekick, and her unthinkable love interest. Or so she initially believes.

Learning of the true reason why Rey was kidnapped I thought came a bit late in the story and it didn't have a lot of teeth once revealed. I also took momentary pause at the main villain being mostly off the page. In the end, too, it was unclear as to any trial, immunity given, or protective custody awarded. I can surmise why Lynn may have made such decisions regarding these particulars, but they weren’t my preference. Still, Lynn’s characters tend to be realistic within their confines of exposition that unfold in a believable story well told.

Peppered with romance, daring escapes, snide henchmen, tender moments, and memorable secondary characters, this thriller for the most part works. Dotted with humor, some interesting scenes, and action sequences on point that completely draw you into them, Lynn’s story offers a page-turning experience.

From shocking revelations to present-situation kidnapping horrors, Lynn inks a tangled web of dark romance here. And as her characters maneuver through that darkness, Lynn somehow manages to make their fictional world seem all the more real, true, and optimistic.

Told in first person—through the eyes of the book’s characters—Lynn brings about more than enough intrigue and surprise to keep you hooked, guessing, and mostly satisfied until the end.

*I had received an e-copy from the author via BookFunnel, in exchange for my honest review.

[Mary Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Romance fans, here is a book for you! Reyna is on a vacation with her boyfriend. Then the unthinkable happens. She is kidnapped. Enter Ace. He comes from a different world than Reyna. She is nothing but an assignment to him. But Reyna somehow grips his heart, something he didn't think is possible. But he isn't supposed to fall for her. There is so much action and drama in this book that I can't spill anymore. Just know that you will think you have the characters figured out, but you'll discover you don't, down to the last page. I couldn't put this book down. It was a thrill of a read.

[Becky Dreyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story takes you on a trip into a world most don’t know but sometimes here about. This topic can be very touchy for some and is definitely a trigger however Ashlee did an amazing job of portraying this from two different angles. This book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the entire read, especially with the two survivors who ultimately get their HEA.

I received a complimentary copy of Deadly Attraction from Ashlee Lynn via Voracious Readers Only.

[Trinity Waddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review through Voracious Readers Only

An exciting thriller with a few twists and turns along the way. While on a romantic getaway with soon to be 'fiancé' Lex, Reyna is kidnapped by an arms dealer. Luke is the baddie emotionless right hand man and what follows is full of action and romance. I had several unanswered questions but overall an enjoyable read.

[Sayde · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great. The connection between all the characters felt messy, hot & cold, it didn’t flow naturally. The insta love between the fmc & mmc was cringe but so was the weird relationship between the fmc & her boyfriend. Also I can’t with the super inaccurate investigation/raid ect it felt implausible

[Samantha Nikac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book at the Love and Devotion book con in San Diego and Ashlee was so sweet of course I had to read it! The writing is so good! The smut was fire, plot was juicy, and the characters were fantastic. If you’re just starting out in Dark Romance or a seasoned Dark Romance reader, you’ll enjoy this one.

[Lakeisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one hell of a crazy ass book, but in all the right ways. Reyna with her dealing with past trauma with her parents, Lex with his unique view of the future, and then Alex whose emotions had been locked away for years. I could not put this book down. Great writing from Ashlee Lynn.

[Kimberly Cisneros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Kept me on the edge of my seat. Did not want to put it down. Great read.

[Violet Kovacevic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not at all what I expected but definitely kept me on my toes wondering what was going to happen next. This novel was a surprising series of twists and turns. So satisfying.

[Rach3l · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. It was suspenseful and exciting. Had some twists I wasn’t expecting.

Side note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review