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Wicked Ties
by Shayla BlackSeries: Wicked Lovers #1
Published by Berkley on January 2, 2007
SubGenres: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Format: eBook
Pages: 354
Source: Purchased
Audience: 18+/Adult
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She didn’t know what she wanted…
Morgan O’Malley has seen a lot of kinky things as the hostess of a cable sex talk show. But she’s never met a man like Jack Cole before. A self-proclaimed dominant, he’s as alpha as a male can get—and good for Morgan to have around when an obsessed stalker ratchets up his attempts to get to her.
Until he made her beg for it.
Though Jack is a bodyguard, Morgan feels anything but safe in his presence because, slowly and seductively, Jack is bringing her deepest fantasies to the surface. And when he bends her to his will, what’s more shocking than her surrender is how much she enjoys it—and starts to crave his masterful touch. A willing player in Jack’s games, Morgan knows that his motives aren’t pure, but she has no idea how personal they are…
Whew! Wicked Ties was one hot book, and it is exactly the type of book I needed during this crazy winter weather. This book has been on my TBR for a while, and I’m glad I finally picked it up. This is the first book in Shayla Black’s Wicked Lovers series, and after reading it, I’m definitely picking up the rest of the series. If there is one thing I love, it’s reading BDSM books like this one, and Shayla gave me a dominant that will be hard to forget, even if I had a love/hate relationship with him the whole time.
First, I’m going to admit right away that I only gave this book 3.5-stars, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. It just had some things that may have driven me crazy, which is why I gave it this rating. It’s mainly due to the main characters and how they kept secrets from one another. I’ll get into that a little bit.
The heroine, Morgan, has a stalker, and the moment she meets the hero, Jack Cole, to ask him about his dominant ways for her talk show, the stalker escalates and tries to kill her. It’s up to Jack to protect her since he’s not just a Dom but also a bodyguard. However, Jack has other motives for getting close to Morgan, which have nothing to do with her talk show. He wants revenge for what his best friend did to him, and what better way to get back at him than to get with his fiancée, Morgan. The issue is, the more time he spends with her while protecting her from the stalker, the more he wants her to be a submissive because he sees those qualities in her. Not only that, but he wants her completely after he has her, and it wouldn’t be the perfect revenge to get back at his best friend if he steals his fiancée? Here’s the kicker, though: Morgan has a secret about her fiancé and she’s going to keep that from Jack until her fiancé ends up confronting Jack about Morgan.
This is what drove me crazy. Jack and Morgan are keeping secrets and motives that could have been easily shared, and there wouldn’t be a real fallout. I know it makes the storyline more interesting, keeping readers on the edge of their seats, but Morgan’s secret should have been mentioned, since what she was doing was odd in the first place. Then there is Jack with his revenge. He’s a grown man still upset with what happened, and he was focused on getting even and using Morgan. I would have been the same as Morgan when finding out what he was doing with her, too.
With that being said, I did like this story and was trying to figure out who was targeting Morgan because this person had a strange obsession with her. They were crossing so many lines that I would have called the police, but Morgan felt it was better to run and hide and figure out who the stalker was later. Thankfully, Jack was a protector and knew how to keep her safe, and his friend Deke also got involved and played a role in the book. A very spicy role. 😘
When it came to the BDSM in the book, Shayla brought the heat between Jack and Morgan. The whole time they were together, and he was protecting her, he was making her realize she was a submissive, even though she kept telling him she wasn’t. He was teaching her the dynamics, and when she mentioned what she lacked in other relationships, he showed her what she was always craving. There is even an MFM scene in this book, which was off the charts.
When the stalker was revealed, I was shocked because I thought it was someone else with how the story was going, but no, Shayla surprised me. I definitely wasn’t expecting it, which had my jaw dropping. I’m glad in the end, though that person is handled, and Morgan is safe, and she gets an HEA with Jack after they work out some things.
POV: Third Person (Dual POV)
Would I recommend this book? Yes. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading Contemporary Romance with lots of spice and a suspense storyline. If you do plan on reading this book, may I suggest having a fan handy because it’s going to bring the heat, and you’re going to need to have something to cool down with.
What to Expect:
✔️Contemporary Erotic Romance
✔️BDSM – Dom/Sub Relationship
✔️Bodyguard/Protector Romance
✔️Alpha/Dominant Hero
✔️Heroine in Danger
✔️Suspense Elements
Favorite Quote(s):
“Dominance and submission can be a game or a way of life, depending on how seriously you play…the promise of pleasure can be every bit as arousing as the pleasure itself, maybe more.”
“If you were expecting Prince Charming, I’m sorry. He’s with his boyfriend.”
About Shayla Black
Shayla 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.
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