Review: ‘Tainted Saint’ by Gwyn McNamee
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Tainted Saint
by Gwyn McNameeSeries: Billionaires of New Orleans: The Hawke Family #5
Published by Self-Published on March 14, 2019
SubGenres: Contemporary Romance
Format: eBook
Pages: 141
Source: Kobo Plus
Audience: 18+/Adult
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He's searching for absolution. She wants her happily ever after.
Solomon Clarke goes by Saint, though he’s anything but. After lusting for him from afar, the masquerade party affords me the anonymity to pursue that attraction without worrying about the fall-out of hooking-up with the bouncer from the Hawkeye Club. From the second he lays his eyes and hands on me, I’m helpless to resist him. Even burying myself in a dangerous investigation can’t erase the memory of our combustible connection and one night together. The only problem… he has no idea who I am.
Caroline Brooks thinks I don’t see her watching me, the way her eyes rake over me with appreciation. But I’ve noticed, and the party is the perfect opportunity to unleash the desire I’ve kept reined in for so damn long. It also sets off a series of events no one sees coming. Events that leave those I love hurting because of my failures. While the guilt eats away at my soul, Caroline continues to weigh on my heart. That woman may be the death of me, but oh, what a way to go.
Life isn’t always clean, and sometimes, it takes a saint to do the dirty work.
***Tainted Saint is the first novella in The Hawke Family Series, but it is a continuation of the same story in the main series. While it is a complete story, it is NOT meant to be read as a standalone. The story of the Hawke siblings and the secondary characters featured in Tainted Saint starts in Savage Collision and continues in book two, Tortured Skye, book three, Stone Sober, and book four, Building Storm. These stories all build on one another and are intertwined. They need to be read in order to fully enjoy and understand the plots and characters. ***
Tainted Saint is the fifth installment in Gwyn McNamee’s Billionaires of New Orleans: The Hawke Family series. This time, the story is novella-sized, but don’t worry, it’s still going to have a captivating storyline that will keep you engaged and leave you longing for a cold shower due to the spicy scenes between Saint and Caroline. I enjoyed this novella of Saint and Caroline and how they found their HEA with one another.
Caroline and Saint have been secretly yearning for each other from a distance for some time. They finally get the chance to connect at a masquerade party. Caroline believes that Saint doesn’t recognize her identity at the party; however, a month later, he confronts her, revealing that he can’t stay away and wants more from their relationship. The complication is that Caroline is hiding a secret not only from Saint but also from the Hawke family, a secret that could jeopardize her life and the lives of others. She’s determined to uncover the truth and decides to navigate the dangerous situation. (No spoilers here—just read the novella to find out more.)
Saint may not be a member of the Hawke family by blood, but he is part of the family because of how protective he is of them. I loved his character and getting to know him. His protectiveness over Caroline was especially endearing, as was his determination to be with her, even when she was putting herself at risk. Caroline was also an interesting character, and I enjoyed getting to know her. However, she did something rather reckless that put herself at risk. She reminded me of Dani from Savage Collision, who she used to work with and is still close friends with.
One thing I loved about this novella is the opportunity to learn more about Luca’s character, who will be featured in the next book. Readers will discover some insights into his character, including the reasons why he didn’t have a relationship with his father.
If you haven’t yet read this series by Gwyn McNamee, you’re missing out. Each book connects storylines, so it’s best to read them in order, but each features new main characters who find their happily-ever-afters with one another. I give Tainted Saint four stars and can’t wait to read Steele Resolve next.
What to Expect:
✔️One Night Stand
✔️Instant Love/Lust
✔️Suspense
About Gwyn McNamee
USA Today Best Selling author Gwyn McNamee is an attorney, wife, and mother. Originally from the Midwest, Gwyn relocated to her husband’s home town of Las Vegas in 2015 and is enjoying her respite from the cold and snow. Gwyn has been writing down her crazy stories and ideas for years and finally decided to share them with the world. She loves to write stories with a bit of suspense and action mingled with romance and heat.
When she isn’t either writing or voraciously devouring any books she can get her hands on, Gwyn is busy adding to her tattoo collection, golfing, and stirring up trouble with her perfect mix of sweetness and sarcasm (usually while wearing heels).
Gwyn’s debut novel, Savage Collision, the first book in The Hawke Family Series, was a 2017 Romance Writers of America Passionate Plumes Contest Finalist for excellence in contemporary steamy romance.
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