Wicked Beautiful - Book Review

By J.T. Geissinger

Synopsis

A ruthless businesswoman and the playboy who dumped her long ago find themselves embroiled in a high stakes game of love, lies and revenge.

Life coach and best-selling author Victoria Price has it all: a successful career, fabulous friends, a fantastic penthouse in Manhattan. What she doesn’t have—and doesn’t want—is a husband. Fifteen years ago her high school flame broke her heart so badly she swore she’d never love again. Now she makes millions teaching other women how to be just like her: a ruthless bitch.

Drop-dead sexy restaurant tycoon and infamous playboy Parker Maxwell has only three rules for the women he dates: no questions about his past, no expectations for the future and no spending the night. When he meets Victoria, however, he’s willing to break his own rules if it means sating the explosive desire she arouses in him. What he doesn’t know is that the alluring Victoria Price used to be the mousy Isabel Diaz, the girl he deflowered and dumped long ago.

Presented with a perfect opportunity for revenge, Victoria decides the game is on. But when her connection with Parker proves more than just skin deep, she has to make a choice—continue with her plan for payback, or risk her career, her reputation and her heart by taking a second chance on love?

Review

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”

I can’t really say much about WICKED BEAUTIFUL, because to do so would reveal too much of the story. What I can say is that this book is full of secrets, lies, revenge, manipulation and games. Oh, and some hot sex.

Parker and Victoria were high school sweethearts and madly in love, until Parker left town suddenly and broke up with Victoria with a letter. Flash forward fifteen years and they run into each other again. Victoria recognises Parker instantly, but he has no idea who she is, partly because of all the plastic surgery she had done as part of her new identity. When she realises he doesn’t recognise her, she initiates a plan for revenge. She vows to uncover his biggest, darkest secret and use it to ruin him for what he did to her.

Victoria spent most of this book plotting her revenge and living in fear that Parker will figure out who she is and ruin her plans. She’s constantly afraid that he does know who she is and that he’s only toying with her. Simply put, she’s an emotional wreck, despite her Queen Bitch title. Parker spent most of this book calling Victoria out on her lies and bullshit, while trying to break down her walls to get to the woman underneath. I knew there had to be more to their story because not once did Parker act like an arsehole. Yes, he’s rich and arrogant, but he’s also very kind and generous, donating to several charities that are special to him. When she learns the truth about what happened all those years ago, she’s devastated and forgives him in an instant. But instead of revealing who she is, she runs, leaving him to figure it all out for himself.

WICKED BEAUTIFUL is told in dual POVs and is the first book in the Wicked Games series. I’m assuming each book in the series could be read as a stand-alone given that book two is about a different couple: Connor and Tabby. Connor is Parker’s friend, and Tabby is Victoria’s friend. The chemistry between those two was off-the-charts and I wouldn’t mind reading their story.