Twisted Redemption

by Georgia Blake

"When we look at human trafficking, we always think it is far away from us." Du Yun.
Derek Grief. Everyone deals with it differently. Me? I get revenge. This time my focus is on Alexandra my sister's best friend. I am going to ruin her life the same way she ruined mine. I know it will be worth it, even if I lose my very soul in the process.
Lex Here I am, minding my own business, when I'm grabbed right off the street in broad daylight! I'm whisked to a private island that becomes more like my personal Hell than paradise. I just hope I can find a way to get back home before I lose my heart to the angry, gorgeous stranger who holds me captive.

Genres: Romance, Dark Romance, Suspense

262 pages, Paperback

Published January 23, 2023

Reviews

[➦Paulette & Her Sexy Alphas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Georgia Blake’s debut novel

Honestly, I don’t know where to begin with this book, truth be told …… it was nothing like what I had expected when I started reading this Tale.

Alexandra- AKA Lex
When she was a teenager, Alexandra survived almost being Kidnapped along with her best friend (Kate), but this time around I don’t know how lucky Alexandra will be when she is Kidnapped by human traffickers and sold to the highest bidder.

This was a long time coming for Derek, due to the fact that he has spent his life plotting revenge against all the people that were Involved in his sister’s Abduction

I truly enjoyed the pace of this book…. I do feel a little misled into the fact that this was going to be such a dark read …… Yes, the beginning of the book had shown to be a dark theme, but I must say, This was a unusual read due to the fact that I had laugh so hard a few times Then I had in a long time……….. I believe that Derek had no clue into what he got himself into when it came to Lex

Seriously. Let’s just say that the woman had some spirit in her. And lack even the most basic common sense in the most basic jobs……. After each Incident … tell me that you don’t laugh your butt off.


So, even though this book wasn’t about what I expected, I still enjoyed it Immensely. Do I see myself Reading the next installment into the series …... Most definitely….. I am looking forward to reading her follow up Twisted Deviance.
Please note: I have read the ARC copy. However, all the opinions and views are my own as any other review I make…….. Happy Reading Everyone, I’ll see you on the other side

[Rachel Stady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Georgia Blake’s first debut and I can’t wait for the second book to be released! Below are my notes I texted while I was reading. I made a note of when I start saying spoilers. The first bullets I kept vague and spoiler-free.

- I haven’t been able to put the book down. I read like page 60-202. And got up early to finish. I felt like the flow from those pages to the end was just amazing between romance scenes, dark scenes that make you feel a tad uncomfortable, and scenes where you have a reprieve from the steamy and dark.

- end of ch 3: loving figuring out how I feel about Derek. Is he good? Bad? Both? Am I rooting for him or do I not agree with what he’s doing?

- there are multiple comedic golden nuggets thrown throughout. The topic of human trafficking is serious and I appreciated the comedic relief being done in an appropriate way and timing. I feel the author really handled the subject with care. I applaud her.

- the court and closing statements. I loved the connections here and the whole trial really has you on the edge of your seat. One side would give their closing statement and I’d think oh ya that’s so true, that’s good. Then the other side would say there’s and I’d once again be like well that’s a good point as well. I liked how it wasn’t so obvious what the outcome would be.

- I absolutely loved the secondary characters and I need more in the next books!!
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SPOILERS … SPOILERS … SPOILERS BELOW
These are my real time reactions with a friend as I am reading!

- I just read the verdict. Loved the outcome. Made total sense. Still gave you those emotions of oh no he’s guilty, but like of course he is, and then the relief with the judges sentencing/terms and her explanations of why

- I’m still nervous cause what about Dash and his revenge😰

- Andi….I didn’t think much of it at first. Now I’m thinking hmm she’s going to come back into play. AND what if her dad had arranged for her kidnapping?!! They had just met, he’s worried how it would look for his position if ppl found out about her, and THATS why he’s not letting anyone talk to her!!

- Holy guacamole. Kate just shows up?!! Ah I’m like omg she’s here this is amazing wow. And then I’m also like Uhm where have you been and I’m not sure I trust you cause I don’t know enough 😂 and now I need the next book😩😍😂

[Rachele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisted Redemption by Georgia Blake tells the story of a man on a mission to get revenge and the woman he is sure deserves every bit of his anger. While this book touches on the taboo and includes some topics that can be difficult to hear about, I enjoyed the way Blake used those topics to tell the story of Derek and Lex.

This book was enjoyable for me for a number of reasons. I often read, and enjoy dark romance. I am rarely bothered by topics that warrant a trigger warning. The characters were flawed and relatable. Lex was a strong female main character, who held her own given her unpleasant experiences, while also showing her flaws and weaknesses as any human in that situation would undoubtedly have. The secondary characters and relationships were also well rounded, and interesting to read about.

The pacing of this book felt steady and mostly didn’t feel rushed. It was a quick read for me, at about 5 hours. I read it in one sitting, as I didn’t want to put it down. I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next.

For me, the only real down side was the male main character. The first couple of chapters paint him as this mean and ruthless man who will make Lex pay for her role in ruining his life. Almost immediately, we don’t see any of that ruthlessness anymore. He’s mean to Lex because he’s set out to be mean to her…not because he wants to be. While we want to see him change his mind and be the better man, the transformation happens a bit too fast in my opinion.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this debut release from Georgia Blake, and I am looking forward to reading her follow up Twisted Deviance. I would recommend this book to dark romance readers, with the proviso to check trigger warnings beforehand. Enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a 2.5 star book for me. The premise of the story is based on human trafficking. Derek ends up saving women while looking for his sister who was kidnapped years ago.

I’ve got a couple issues with this story. First, who blames a 13 year old kid for his kid sister being kidnapped and spends his life plotting revenge against her?
Second, the whole court proceedings would never happen the way they are written in the book. You can’t just bring up evidence in court without any notice. There’s a thing called discovery.

The idea of the story could be good. Big brother devastated his baby sister got kidnapped and makes it his life mission to try and find her. He thinks she was sex trafficked so he gets involved in that but is saving women instead. Ends up falling for one of the traffic victims.

But the characters and story fell flat for me. I wasn’t drawn into the story. The characters didn’t tug at my heart strings.

[KimMacs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georgia Blake's Twisted Redemption is a dark romance that dives ever so slightly into the world of human trafficking. This is the author's debut book, and I must say, she did not disappoint us. It is a well written story line and was completely not what I was expecting as the story unfolded. It is evident that the author did her research into human trafficking and without glorifying it, gave us a different perspective.

Our main character, Lex, has had a traumatic past. She gets kidnapped and finds herself at the home of Mr. L. where she is tortured in ways that you wouldn't anticipate. There is mystery, lust, laughter, and eventually love. There are so many supporting characters in this book, and I enjoyed hearing the back stories of the women. I wish that we could have seen more of those, but maybe we will in the next book. We definitely know there will be a second book since this one ends on a cliffhanger!

I still have so many questions after finishing this book, and I hope they will be answered in the next installment! If you like a dark unconventional romance, this is definitely the book for you!

[Jazmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this, but I feel like everything happens sooooo quickly.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. The subject of human trafficking was handled in such a way that the outcome was to the good. I believe this is Georgia's first book and I have to say that she is definitely an author to keep on your list!!!

[EGotay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just can't put this book down, so I devour it in some hours. It is a dark romance with just the right amount of suspense, mystery, and humor. The story is about human trafficking. The abduction of a 13 year old girl while she was with her same age best friend eating ice creams.
Her older brother wants to take revenge on his hand for what happened to her lil sister, who still disappeared..
Is a strong topic for many. .. but sadly, it happens much more than we think, is a reality in our world.
The book is very well written, the author managed the topic very well expressed . Even though it delves into the dark world of human trafficking, it has comedy intertwined into the story. The humor is in good taste, the right amount and in the right places.
I really enjoyed the reading and wanted more and more. I love and enjoy so much the dark romance in it. 🥵
Is a story that will move the core of your emotions in every direction.
I'm definitely going for book 2, I need to know about Kate, the psyco handyman and what happen with Rosita.

[Sandra Meeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! I met Georgia this weekend in Knoxville, she is a wonderful person and the book had the perfect amount of dark romance with zero cringe.

[Erica Blake Frankenbery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted Redemption

Holy Twists and Sexy Redemption
I had the privilege to read Georgia Blake’s debut “Twisted Redemption.” The book is the first of her series, “Twisted Billionaires,” which is a series of dark, contemporary romance novels with a theme of human trafficking.

“Twisted Redemption” is well written. It is a dark romance with just the right amount of suspense, mystery, and humor. Even though it delves into the dark would of human trafficking, it has comedy intertwined into the story. The humor is in good taste, the right amount and in the right places. It does not downplay the seriousness of human trafficking, but is a small sparkle needed in a world that can be so dark.

As always, read the trigger warnings before reading this book.

Alexandra "Alex” Wilder is your college student who was out on her routine run. It was anything BUT routine. She was taken by human traffickers and sold to Derek Lassiter, a billionaire, who owns a private island. The island is beautiful, but her personal hell. She needs to come up with a plan to escape.
Alex doesn’t know that Derek, Mr. L., has an agenda for her. Mr. L is still seeking revenge for the kidnapping of his baby sister, Alex’s best friend, 8 years prior. He may have revenge on the mind, but he is not prepared for Alex. She has spunk and self-preservation but lacking in basic domestic skills. Her defiance ruffles his feathers and has him questioning his well thought out plan to ruin her life.

Will Alex and Derek continue to fight the connection they both feel? Will they see each other in a new light when the truth comes out on both sides? Will Alex find out Derek’s true intentions towards her? These are questions that this book answers with so much more! It’s a great read, easy to follow, and steamy love scenes that do not disappoint.

Georgia Blake does an excellent job of answering these questions and more. She gives us a hopeful glimpse into the dark side of human trafficking. Derek is not your typical “buyer” in that dark world. He has a positive agenda that is a result from his sister’s kidnapping. Alex is not your scared, obedient captive. Their hot/cold relationship keeps us on our toes and wanting more!

I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

[Michelle (Chelle's Book Ramblings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a Dark Romance reader and I don't shy away from most topics usually depicted in Dark Romances.. There are some that don't interest me as much but I can say I know the flow of a Dark Romance. You either go the hardcore deep dive into hell or try to balance out the story.
This book is the latter and quite nicely done. It's dark, it's steamy, it's funny in the proper amounts and at the right time.
I loved the secondary characters who hopefully will be featured in upcoming books... That's another great hook for a reader like myself. The pacing, the story, it's all so smartly crafted that makes it a one sitting kind of read regardless of the dark themes it touches on.
I do have one complain, I would have like it more if the Male protagonist (Derek) didn't made such a fast one eighty when it came to Lex. I enjoy conflict and complicated emotions a little bit more dragged out... and with the revenge subplot it was the perfect setting for that...
Even so, that's just a personal preference so it doesn't take away what an entertaining read this was for any Dark romance fan.
looking forward to reading more from this author that shows much promise if this is just a debut novel..

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our hero has our heroine kidnapped as part of a revenge plot regarding his lost sister. But not all is as it seems and both our hero and heroine are going to have to redefine the future.

This is a dark erotic romance with all that entails, so keep that in mind. The story is well written and easy to read. While there are some parts that might be disturbing, there are also nice doses of humor which helps lighten things about. The characters are well done with solid backstories including some shared history that neither of them fully appreciates at first. Both our hero and heroine are tough and clueless at the same time, although generally about different things. All together it makes for a highly engaging story that is quite enjoyable and hard to put down. I definitely look forward to more from this author.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.

[Merilu Keenum · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title definitely describes how wrong a person can be after suffering a devastating tragedy. Not an excuse but showing how family or friends are affected not just the victim. Lex and Derek really have a mountain of trauma to overcome before they can be together in a relationship. Derek has an insane amount of emotional turmoil to work through to make things right.

Lex is a strong woman even as young as she is and demonstrates resilience, determination, and courage. Georgia took on a formidable challenge to humanize Derek, her damaged lead. She used dialogue to describe his emotional struggles and his reasons behind his actions. The story was difficult to read at times due to his behavior but he redeemed himself through love and his remorse. Tough topic but Georgia handled it very well.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amber Keehn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had all of the things I personally love in a dark romance novel. First, a mysterious back story that gets revealed over time (especially when it comes with an AHA moment that makes the anti-hero face palm). Then the morally grey anti-hero himself who turns out to be more of a cinnamon roll even if he does some messed up stuff to begin with, which was definitely Derek. And Lex was a very relatable character- as a college student she didn't quite have things figured out but she was working on paving her way when she was snatched off the streets and sold to human traffickers. Their love story was definitely not one of fairytales but this book did have an HEA and lead really well into Book 2, which will include Derek's long lost sister. I'm excited to read and support this new author!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Leanne Bryson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Georgia Blake's first book and it's a solid 4 stars. When she was 13 years old, Alexandra (Lexi) was nearly kidnapped by traffickers who got her best friend, Kate. Although she narrowly escaped, Kate's brother Derek blames Lexi for not doing enough to save his sister and wants revenge. Years later, Derek has Lexi kidnaped and sold to him to be punished for his sister's kidnaping. But things are never what they seem. The book is well paced, sizzling, steamy, rough at times, has some action, drama, and more. One of the best debut novels I've read and is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Isabel Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read by this author but it won’t be the last one. The story is fascinating and not what I expected when I started reading the story. I like that it was unexpected and I was hooked from the first page. I am already excited to read the next instalment.
The characters are really interesting and I like the interactions and the journeys they take throughout the book. There are some dark elements and moments throughout but there are also moments that amuse and are uplifting as well, so overall although dark and twisted the book does not bring the reader down.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Earth Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derek is looking for his sister who was kidnapped 8 years ago when she was 13. Which leads him to Alexander "Lex" and he felt she was somehow responsible for his sister being kidnapped. Lex was his sister's Best Friend. This story is a Dark Romance involving human trafficking. Please check TW. I enjoyed reading this story very much. It's very well written and all the characters are relatable. This is my first book by Georgia and I will definitely be reading more of her books. Twisted Redemption is the first book in the Billionaire Trilogy. And I am totally looking forward to the next book. This one ends in a HEA that was very heartwarming. I highly recommend this book

[Lacey Dodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has an different story line than any book I've read thus far. I really enjoyed the change of pace, the imagination of this author is limitless! I can not wait to read the second book in this series and to see what else this author has in store for us!
Twisted Redemption is captivating, intriguing, twisted and utterly out of the box. I instantly fell in love with the fire and stubborn streak of the FMC and how hard she fought for herself.

The only thing I believe this book would benefit from it a Trigger Warning at the beginning as this does contain *degradation*

[Trac · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not dark. It was supposed to be about sex trafficking, but that was a cover for “dark”. It was about a pathetic girl who was supposed to be this feisty, too much to handle FMC, but ended up being damn submissive . She didn’t have any fight after the boat scene and ended up being completely degraded left and right and allowed it. It was not funny , it was degrading. A bunch of dudes who sits there and bullies and degrades a female for what? Because of what you believed she did at 13? She was a child you pathetic assholes .

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a new series, and this is Lex and Derek’s story. Derek is seeking revenge, and kidnaps Lex who is his missing sister’s best friend and take her to his private island, to be used as a pawn. This is a well written story which is emotionally charged, with grief, vengeance, suspense, intrigue, trauma, family, friendships, romance, redemption, and love, which leads to a steamy and addictive page turner.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Derek is determined to ruin Lex's life, he holds her responsible for his sister. She is picked by human traffickers and he takes her to his private island. Lex is a fighter and will not go down without swinging.

This may be trigger for some due to the subject matter, and what she goes thru at Derek's hands. The humorous part for me is the girl had no domestic skills, including catching the kitchen on fire.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shirley Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Derek and Lex and their twisted relationship. Derek's sister is missing and he is seeking revenge via Lex. A complicated storyline which I found intriguing. The characters were entertaining and although he had kidnapped Lex they grew very close and the resulting sexy moments were hot. An enjoyable read and now look forward to reading Derek's sister's story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This dark romance is intriguing and kept me on the edge of my seat. It involves human trafficking with perversion and humiliation. It gives a vivid detailed accounting to what Lex experiences at the hands of Derek. It is a challenging story for me but overall worth reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alex Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Georgia Blake novel, and I wasn't disappointed. Deliciously dark and dangerous, not for the fainthearted. With great characters, and a well written storyline. Would recommend.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mylene Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derek and Lex. How long does it take for the victim to become the criminal? As long as the crime goes unpunished. Derek is seeking revenge. Alexandra is now a victim too. What will become of Derek and Lex- will the past ruin them both? An exciting and very good read.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a mystery book and I loved how it started out, grabbed my attention right away. Then it got real steamy and I figured out what kind of book it was...HAHA. However, I did love the plot and really enjoyed it. Now I just have to find the second book.

[Sammye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one in the Twisted Billionaires series. It’s a dark romance with a bit of mystery. The intriguing story is well written and entertaining. There’s plenty of drama, action and steam. It held my interest all the way to the HEA. A very engaging story.

[Nicole Scarborough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this without reading the blurb and best friends brother was one of many reasons it hooked me. I really can't wait for the next book.

[Shana Roszko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need the second book asap as I need to know Kates story. Honestly such a great book and the first one i've read about human trafficking. Please continue the series.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course this is one that's out of my normal type of read but holly crap was it well worth it! If you haven't read this book yet you're missing out!