Reviewed by Tidal
TITLE: A Dangerous Seduction
AUTHOR: A.N. Bond
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 180 Pages
BLURB:
With a beautiful, doting fiancée and a dream job at one of New York City’s top law firms, life is going well for ambitious but inexperienced attorney, Ryan Paullson. Handpicked by his new boss, Joseph Van Aardt, to work on the firm’s biggest case, Ryan soon finds himself out of his depth and struggling with a dangerous and irresistible attraction to the charismatic and ruthless Van Aardt—an attraction that seems mutual.
Ryan and Joseph begin a secret affair as they work to build their case against controversial billionaire Jack McNeil. As their affair heats up, Ryan starts to fear how far Joseph is willing to go to win the case, and when two critical witnesses die under suspicious circumstances, Ryan doesn’t know whether to suspect McNeil or his lover. He wants to be with Joseph; he just doesn’t know how far he’ll have to go–or how far he’ll have to fall–to hold onto him.
REVIEW:
Ryan Paullson is new lawyer full of ambition and dreams, who has a beautiful fiancé named Daisy. He seems to have his whole life planned out. Ryan also has a good head on his shoulders as well as a deep sense of loyalty to family and obligations. However, he jeopardizes a perfect opportunity for the job of his dreams to attend his brother’s wedding. Then serendipity steps in. Joseph Van Aardt, one of Manhattan’s most powerful attorneys provides Ryan the opportunity to join his team. Accepting the job at the firm changes Ryan and Daisy’s lives forever.
After Joseph and Ryan begin a secret affair, Ryan rises quickly in his job, rather too quickly in fact, in a place where people come and go too quickly. One must wonder about the unsaid thoughts of the other employees who have been there for a long time. But something is off with the case they are working on and although Ryan suspects some nefarious acts by Joseph, he does not realize his personal predicament until it is too late.
Is it possible that an opportunity of a lifetime would come without strings? Nope, and there are a lot of them. The thing about the book that frustrates me is that to like a book you have to like one of the characters. Each time I grew weary of Ryan so willingly gambling everything he values and losing himself in a hypnotic whirlpool of sex, opportunity, attention, and lavish gifts; something was revealed about his character that showed his vulnerability and helped explain that he really was not playing on an equal footing in this dance of manipulation sex, power, and revenge.
Sadly, innocent people get hurt and as with any good book, not all is what it seems. Ryan is too trusting and is giving of himself wholeheartedly to someone giving very little in return other than empty promises and stringing him along with a carrot.
I dislike Joseph. He says all the time, “I never say what I do not mean”. If he proves to be a liar, will Ryan be convinced to take action or remain complacent? Joseph is charming, persuasive, and the sex is hot. I must say in Ryan’s defense, that he would not be the first love struck pup drawn in by a worldly man who happens to be a beautiful and skillful lover, who offers attention, affirmation and a lavish lifestyle. That drug can truly be intoxicating.
The book has a twist and an ending that I did not expect. In fact, the way it ends I would like to see a sequel. I did think Ryan was too smart to be taken in, but lust and ambition can blind us. Did he find all that he sacrificed was a fair trade off or was it all an illusion? Will he find out the truth when two critical witnesses on their case die mysteriously? You will have to read the book for yourself to find out.
I thought Ryan was terribly naïve and I really disliked Joseph, finding him not at all a nice person. But, I did like the book. It told a good story that drew me in. I like the author’s style. In addition, I liked the pace and found it clever that each time I was ready to give up on Ryan he would show me something redeemable. A.N. Bond weaves a strong compelling story. Perhaps there is still more of their story yet to discover?
RATING:
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