New Release Review: Ruthless by @authorlexiblake

RUTHLESS
Series: Lawless #1
Genre: Contemporary Suspence
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: August 9. 2016

The first in a sexy contemporary romance series featuring the Lawless siblings—from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake.

The Lawless siblings are bound by vengeance. Riley, Drew, Brandon, and Mia believe the CEO of StratCast orchestrated their parents’ murder twenty years ago to steal their father’s software program. And there’s only one way Riley can find some solid evidence…

Heir to the StratCast legacy, Ellie Stratton hires a new attorney to handle a delicate business matter—and she’s shocked by her attraction to him. Over the course of a few weeks, Riley becomes her lover, her friend, her everything. But when her life is threatened, Ellie discovers that Riley is more obsessed with settling an old score than in the love she thought they were building. And Riley must choose between a revenge he’s prepared for all his life and the woman he’s sure he can’t live without..

AMAZON | iBOOKS

You tempt me like no other woman ever has. I don’t understand you and I might never, but I’m going to know you, Ellie Stratton. I’m going to know what makes you smile and what makes you scream out my name.”

I don’t know how this woman does it, but she manages to write books that do it for me. Every. Single. Time. Being a huge fan of her Masters & Mercenaries series, I’ve been salivating for more of the mysterious Lawless siblings ever since we first met Mia and Drew in From Sanctum with Love. I mean, c’mon, a mysterious, brooding billionaire software genius and his 3 siblings that are hell bent on exacting revenge on the people they believe responsible for their parents murder twenty years ago? Yes, please, and thank you!

Ruthless is the first book in the sexy and intriguing series. For those that haven’t read Blake’s Masters & Mercenaries series, don’t worry, you won’t be lost. But for those that have read Mia’s book, Dominance Never Dies, you’ll certainly appreciate the cameos here. I know I sure did. But I digress.

So what does this book have? EVERYTHING.

Revenge plot? Check!
Epic grovel? Check!
Lots of sexy times? Check!
Well developed characters and plot? Check and check!
Suspense? Check!
Perfect Saturday night read? You bet your tuhis!

Riley is the middle brother. He barely remembers the night that took their parents, but he knows that his father didn’t kill himself. Ever since that night, everything they’ve done has been a systematic step closer to their revenge. Now they have their sights set on the StratCast and the CEO, Phillip Stratton and his partner, who may be two of the three people they suspect to be behind their parents’ murder. Unfortunately, Phillip Stratton is now dead, and his daughter is now running the company. Hiring Riley as the company attorney to oversee the corporate buy out from her father’s partner seemed like a great idea to Ellie. But what she doesn’t know, is his interest runs much deeper than a mere paycheck.

It might be wrong. It might be completely unprofessional, but she was going to have him. She was going to sink herself into an affair with him and not worry about the consequences. For once in her life, she was going to do something wild, something for herself.

I loved absolutely everything about this book; the pacing, the character development, and it certainly wasn’t without plenty of unpredictable twists to spice things up. In true Lexi Blake fashion, there was plenty of intrigue and suspense thrown in to perfectly balance the story.

Ellie starts off as a bit of a wallflower, but man, she really comes into her own towards the second part of the book. While their romance feels instant, it is established through weeks of working together. Ellie definitely doesn’t give into the brewing sexual chemistry between them with ease. She thinks things through and I really appreciated that. I also absolutely loved Riley. He’s not quite as singleminded in his revenge plan as his older brother. He knows a good thing when he has it and he knows he wants Ellie for much more than a carefully constructed revenge plan.

This book also had one of the most delicious grovels I’ve read in a really long time. I’m talking SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS levels here. Like half the book sort of delicious!

But it was also so much more than just a romance. All of the secondary characters are carefully plotted and perfectly developed. Everything and I’m talking everything is effortlessly fleshed out. Even the villains of the story are incredibly well developed, which only hooks you that much more. I loved getting glimpses of Bran and Drew and I seriously can’t wait for their books.

Ruthless was everything I could want in a story. It was filled with intrigue and suspense, and enough sizzle to set your kindle on fire. I’m utterly hooked and I can’t wait for more of these Lawless siblings. With the little peek we get of Bran’s story here, I already know it will be just as good as Riley’s, if not better. This author can do absolutely no wrong in my mind. If you haven’t read anything by her yet, you’re seriously missing out, and Ruthless will be the perfect book to start with!

PRE-ORDER SATISFACTION
Book 2 in the Lawless series and Bran’s story
Releasing January 3, 2017