Sexy Sundays is a weekly feature on Nawanda Files where our romance expert will provide mini-reviews for the hottest New Adult and crossover titles in the genre.
On Every Street
by Karina Halle
Series: The Artists Trilogy #0.5
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books
Release Date: March 9th, 2013
Source: Publisher/ Netgalley
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Amazon
When young con artist Ellie Watt decides to call herself Eden White and go after the drug lord who ruined her as a child, she never expects to fall for one of his henchmen. But Javier Bernal is no ordinary man. Subtly dangerous and overwhelmingly seductive, Eden finds herself passionately in love with Javier, the very person she's set-up to betray. With her body and heart in a heated battle against her deep need for revenge, no one will walk away from this con a winner.
This 50K word (100+ pages) novella takes place six years before Sins & Needles. It can be read before or after Sins & Needles and may also be read as a standalone.
Review
On Every Street we meet Ellie Watt/ Eden White and Javier as they meet over lattes in an upscale café on the beach. Ellie/Eden had been stalking Javier for over a month, deciding if he was a good mark to get to Travis, the man who had changed Ellie’s life (not a good type of change). As a child, Travis had poured acid on Ellie and scared her leg horribly causing nerve pain and giving her a permanent limp. This disfigurement is what shaped her into the person she was today and why she was out for revenge, driven to defeat the man who ruined her life. Ellie -- who changed her name to Eden White -- decided Javier was the perfect mark to get to Travis (the drug lord) and kill him.
Ellie/Eden has a perfect combination of innocence and sex appeal, and she is a virgin…that will prove irresistible to Javier :)
On That note, Karina Halle wrote the best deflowerment scene I’ve personally ever read! It was incredible, but so were many other parts of this book. Halle is able to expose every piece of a person -- even the ugly sides, which I love. As Javier said “I want your heart, your soul, and your body, I want the you that you’re hiding deep inside. I must have her.”
I think that’s how she (Halle) makes me Team Javier, but you’ll have to read the trilogy to feel the connection.
Javier was in the Mexican drug cartel, and shortly after knowing Ellie/Eden, he became his own boss -- no longer under Travis. Javier promised Ellie/Eden that he would keep the violence from the main house, but of course he was not able to do this.
Karina Halle pours every bit of emotion out of Javier and Ellie. The sex is hot and graphic, sweet and violent, just never boring! I couldn’t help but become invested in these characters from page one! As a Prequel Novella this book certainly did a great job of wanting me to read the next one, Sins and Needles of The Artists Trilogy.
5 Badass Kisses
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Sins & Needles
by Karina Halle
Series: The Artists Trilogy #1
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books
Release Date: January 1st, 2013
Source: Publisher/ Netgalley
Goodreads
Amazon
Ellie Watt is used to starting over. The daughter of a grifting team, Ellie spent her childhood being used as a pawn in her parents' latest scam. Now she’s much older, wiser and ready to give her con artist life a rest. But returning to the dry desert town of Palm Valley, California means one more temptation than she bargained for – Camden McQueen. Once known as the high school weirdo, Camden is bigger and badder than the boy he used to be and a talented tattoo artist with his own thriving business. Ellie’s counting on Camden still being in love with her but what she’s not counting on is how easily unrequited love can turn into obsession over time. When Camden discovers Ellie’s plan to con him, he makes her a deal she doesn’t dare refuse, but her freedom comes with a price and it’s one that takes both Ellie and Camden down a dangerous road.
Review
In Sins and Needles Eden becomes Ellie again. In the prequel she met and fell in love with Javier, who then cheated on her. Eden/Ellie was not able to revenge herself as she first set out to do because she was caught up in Javier and their life together. When Javier cheated on Ellie it changed the outcome of her life, it changed Ellie. She spends the next few years grifting and working her on her scamming trade.
Eden became Ellie Watt again in Sins and Needles, making her way back to her Uncle Jim in Palm Valley. He was her only living relative that was reliable in her eyes.
Enter in the local sheriff’s son Camden McQueen!!! Camden is a hot, tattoo, pierced hunk of a MAN who immediately recognizes Ellie as she fills out the job application at the local coffee shop.
Camden operates the local tattoo parlor, but he also plays guitar with a band. In high school, Camden wore black makeup and long black trench coats and boots. He also was a bit of a loner because of that, and always took pictures or drew. NOW he looks like a tattooed superhero and way too sexy, and Ellie is definitely affected by him. There is sooooo much chemistry between them I could not read fast enough, and I can’t thank KH enough for the descriptive way she invented Camden.
Of course Ellie wouldn’t be Ellie if she didn’t try and scam him :) And expect Javier to return!
Karina Halle has this dark sexy violent romance thing going on that I can’t get enough of in the Artists Trilogy. KH always leaves me panting for more! I finish her book and head straight to her website for info on the next sequel to come out, and she usually has teaser posters. I won’t lie, her teaser for Bold Tricks went into my “spank bank” lol, and I can’t wait till it comes out!!!
5 Sexy Kisses