WICKED TORTURE (Stark World #3) by J. Kenner-Review & Excerpt Tour
WICKED TORTURE
Stark World #3
by J. Kenner
Release Date: November 14, 2017
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance
Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /Amazon. uk/ B&N / KOBO / iBooks / Google Play
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 14, 2017
Sometimes, it feels so damn good to be bad …
Outwardly, Noah Carter is riding high as the tech world’s hottest new genius. Inside, he’s still reeling from the abduction of his wife and baby daughter eight years ago, and then the devastating discovery of his child’s body. For years, he kept up hope that his wife was alive, but now that she’s been declared legally dead, he’s thrown himself even more deeply into his work, cutting himself off from emotional ties because they just hurt too damn much.
Then he meets Kiki Porter, an eternal optimist with a killer work ethic and dreams of fronting a band. And everything changes. Even though he tries his damnedest to fight it…
Sexually, they are combustible together. But their true fire is emotional, though it is a slow to burn. But once it lights, it is all consuming. The relationship grows emotionally, the sex is hot, things are good.
But just when it’s looking like they might have a real future together, the past comes back to haunt them. And Noah’s going to have to decide what he’s willing to give up for love
••••••••••••
REVIEW: WICKED TORTURE is the third instalment in J. Kenner’s contemporary adult STARK WORLD erotic romance series focusing on the men and women of Stark International-a spin off from the author’s Stark Trilogy. This is IT genius Noah Carter, and singer/program designer Kimberly ‘Kiki’ Porter’s story line. WICKED TORTURE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.
Told from first person point of view (Kiki), and third person perspective (Noah) WICKED TORTURE follows the second chance romance between two people whose relationship was destroyed ten years earlier when Noah walked out of Kiki’s life leaving her heartbroken and shattered. Fast forward to present day wherein Kiki is the new consultant at Stark Applied Technology Austin, and her contract position has her working side by side with the man she once loved. What ensues is the rebuilding relationship between Kiki and Noah, and the potential fall out when Noah’s past resurfaces for a second chance.
Kiki barely survived the destruction and aftermath, ten years earlier, of her breakup with Noah Carter- the man to whom she promised her life but a man who felt obligated to someone else. Noah Carter has never stopped loving the woman he left behind but will his love be strong enough to overcome the painful memories of heartbreak and betrayal? Noah has a bit of a martyr complex that could have proven destructive if he followed the same pattern he chosen in the past.
The relationship between Noah and Kiki is one of second chances; a rekindling romance where trust must be rebuilt upon a broken foundation. The sexual attraction is palpable; the energy is electric. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Kiki’s hlalf-brother Cam: Ares and the band Seven Percent; as well as some of the members of Kiki’s original group Pink Chameleon. We are reintroduced to Lyle Tarpin and Sugar Laine (Wicked Dirty #2), Wyatt Royce and Kelsey Draper (Wicked Grind #1), Dallas Sykes (S.I.N trilogy), as well as the requisite cameo appearance of Damien Stark.
The world building takes the reader to the sights and sounds of Austin; the nightlife, the music, and the world of IT technology.
WICKED TORTURE is a sexy read; a second chance for two people whose lives when in opposite directions; where one man’s guilt barely escapes his day to day life and memories. The premise is edgy and engaging; the characters are charismatic and colorful; the romance is sexy and hot. There is a bit of a twist to the storyline that was easily deduced early on but a twist that barely made a difference to the story line conflict. I did struggle with one particular aspect in regards to eye color and hereditary significance that would have been proven false if scientific research were actually involved. WICKED TORTURE and the Stark World series is a decadent escape into the passionate lives of the rich and famous.
Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Wicked Grind
Wicked Dirty
Wicked Torture
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
Somehow, though, he never found the enthusiasm. Or maybe that was just an excuse. Another way of punishing himself for walking away from the woman he loved in favor of the woman he’d owed.
And since he’d never have either of them again, he needed to kick his own ass, pick up the pieces of his life, and start building something real. After all, there wasn’t a tech gadget he couldn’t design, build, or repair. So why was he so clueless when it came to his own damn life?
It was time, and it would be easy. Painless even, because God knew Evie embodied everything he admired in a woman. Strength. Intelligence. Ambition. Humor. Beauty. She was as desirable as Lyle had promised and obviously enthusiastic.
In other words, he was all out of excuses.
He stood up, intending to tell her to lead the way. But the words that came out of his mouth shocked them both. “I’m sorry, Evie,” he said. “You’ve been wonderful, but I have an early meeting, and I should probably get home.”
“Oh.” He’d surprised her as she was rising, and now she teetered awkwardly on her heels, as if his unexpected words would physically topple her.
He reached out a hand to steady her, and for the briefest moment, he considered pulling her close and fighting his way past his hesitation. She was everything he should want in a woman—with the unfortunately insurmountable problem that she wasn’t what he wanted at all. Or, rather, she wasn’t who he wanted.
Goddamn him.
Goddamn his stupid, unrealistic fantasies.
And while he was at it, goddamn Kiki, too.
He was being an idiot and unfair, and he knew it. An idiot, because he’d made his choice to walk away from Kiki long ago, and he knew damn well that he’d shattered her in the process. Even if he could have seen his way clear to look her up after all these years, he’d forfeited his right to come crawling back.
Unfair, because not ten minutes ago he’d been ready to take the plunge with Evie, and yet here he was, dodging and shifting like a damn coward, trying to swim up out of the deep black ocean of loss and pain. A familiar pain that wrapped him like a blanket, so cloying it was almost comfortable. And he knew damn well that there was only one way to fight it—he needed to take the girl to her room and try to fuck the darkness out of him.
The way he’d done with countless other women.
The way that never worked like it should. That only dulled the sharp edges of his pain, but added no light to the darkness.
That wasn’t what he wanted. Not anymore. One of the reasons he’d moved to Austin was to heal, after all. To heal, and to break bad habits.
Still, it was tempting, and it took more strength than he expected to shake his head again and say very gently, “I really am sorry. I’m not … ready.” She’d been polite enough not to mention the tragedy in his past, but he was certain that Lyle must have at least told her that he’d lost his wife and daughter. Hopefully, that softened the blow of rejection.
She’d regained her footing, and now she stepped back, her forehead creased as her eyes flicked over him, expertly assessing him as she would a witness. “It’s been almost nine years, I’m told.” The sharp edge of her voice sliced his heart. So much for softening the blow. “If you don’t get ready soon, I can’t help but think you’re going to end up sad and alone.”
With a thin, sympathetic smile, she turned and walked away, leaving him to watch her go and wonder at her perceptiveness. Because she was right.
He was going to end up sad and alone.
Hell, he already was.
J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.
Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.
JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development with AwesomenessTV/Awestruck.
Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.
In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.
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Wonderful review, Sandy. You express very well how much you enjoy Kenner’s books.
Great review, Sandy. I look forward to reading this.
Excellent review and excerpt, thanks Sandy.
Great review, Sandy. Thanks.
Looks great….and…..I don’t see any complaints about a certain four letter word-yay !
Thanks for the review and excerpt. Congrats to Julie on the new release.
great review, sandy. thanks.
Another great review,thanks Sandy.
Thanks for the review, looks great !
Very nice thanks Sandy