Words of Wisdom....from The Scarf Princess: Audiobook Tour for Love the Way You Lie by Skye Warren (Review & GIVEAWAY)

Readers drawn to books that invade their hearts and souls will want to add this first installment in the Stripped series to their audio player as its dark and gritty world, populated by people who are never what they seem, is captivating in audio form. Keep reading to get a tantalizing taste of Love the Way You Lie by Skye Warren and her Stripped series, along with my impressions of it. To celebrate the audio release of Ms. Warren's book make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $20 Amazon GC too!

A dark romance about the lies that lead us down…
I’ll do anything to get safe, even if that means working at the scariest club in town.
I’ll do anything to stay hidden, even if it means taking off my clothes for strangers.
I’ll do anything to be free. Except give him up. When he looks at me, I forget why I can’t have him. He’s beautiful and scarred. His body fits mine, filling the places where I’m hollow, rough where I am soft.
He’s the one man who wants to help, but he has his own agenda. He has questions I can’t answer. What are you afraid of?

FIND AT GOODREADS here.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS AUDIOBOOK:

When it comes to emotionally intense reads Ms. Warren has become my go-to author for her interpretations of a gritty world inhabited by characters both complex and not easily defined. Her Stripped series has especially captivated me for its darkness and feelings of hopelessness where you're constantly rooting for those few kindhearted souls to survive. The series is made even more powerful when listened to as feelings of fear mixed with unrelenting sensuality made the overall storyline jump off the page into the real world. The voice inflections and subtle differences in accents gave each character individuality and made the story easy to follow which helps you focus on the action and complex romance.

Honor (Honey) Moretti was born into a family of wealth, but it was also a family mired in the mafia. As a young girl she was given everything but freedom, living in a gilded cage alone and feeling unloved. Her place in the family was one of being a commodity that her father gave to the highest bidder. Her life of being engaged to a man of power purporting to be a hero was one of physical and sexual degradation, fear, and hopelessness though as everyone knew of her predicament but did nothing to help her. With her sister's future heading in the same direction she was left with no choice but to run. Where she ends up at is stripping in a place just as dark and gritty as where she came from and populated with women just as lost as she and working for a man of frightening power and mystery. She's there to discover secrets about her past and sells her talents to Ivan to earn his protection and knowledge in a complex relationship based on sex and desperation. Her life is irrevocably changed the day an intense man expresses an interest in her which leaves her emotions in conflict as her heart reawakens to the sensuality and sense of safety he exudes. Just as a HEA seems possible her past comes back to haunt her and truths about her newfound hero are revealed in a maelstrom of bruises, blood, and bullets. From the very start Honor is a sympathetic character. She's cynical about men and love and in some ways is street smart. When it comes to protecting herself though she's too kindhearted which puts her in constant jeopardy. It's that kindheartedness, despite all the darkness in her life, that made her an admirable heroine that had me cheering for her to find HEA.

Kip is a man of mystery who exudes power and sensuality. He's drawn to Honey the moment he sees her in a scene that crackles with sexual tension and slowly morphs into something more powerful. Their burgeoning romance was sweet as he spent time getting to know Honor, but there was always a sense of foreboding when they were together. Theirs is a complex relationship full of attraction amidst a battle of hearts and minds which kept me on edge. As Kip's past comes to light it further complicates their feelings and puts her life and future in doubt. Though Kip kept much of his past from Honor he was always there when she needed him, being her savior when all hope was lost. He's a complex man who was once a criminal but after a stint in the military he's now more dangerous than ever. He's sexy with moments of sweetness with a talent for erotic talk and action and I found myself drawn to him despite his secrets and dangerous nature. His familial relations make this story more suspenseful with unexpected twists and turns that further complicate his relationship with Honor and ultimately shows him at his best and worst. He's definitely a hero but one that is tarnished by fate.

This is a dark and highly sexualized story with many of the women in it being abused in one way or another which might make some readers uncomfortable. While these vividly depicted scenes were hard to witness they do pull you in and keep your heart pounding. Along with Honey, the other women at the strip club are hardened by life and love, with intriguing and painful pasts of their own just starting to be revealed. They're all strong-willed though under the dubious protection of Ivan and bouncer Blue, with both men appealing despite their intimidating natures. The world of the strip club is vividly presented in all its smokiness and sex with each character multifaceted which further kept me guessing and on edge. Kip fits perfectly into this world as he isn't what he seems either. He's a commanding and protective man whose feelings for Honor leave him confused but their mutual attraction makes for intensely erotic sexual encounters that are sometimes sweet but always scorching. From start to finish I found myself fully immersed in this story despite a beginning that started a bit slow due to all the twists, turns, blood, and lust surrounding the denizens inhabiting this world full of greys. It's a depraved world at times, an intense one that I look forward to revisiting in the next installment as each character's earned the right to have a HEA through each bruise to their body and soul.

My rating for this is an B+

*I got this book from Audible.com for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE STRIPPED SERIES......