This book is a complete lie!

SWEET AS SIN starts off with John Murphy, a successful YA writer walking over to his neighbourโ€™s home to return a scarlet demi bra that flew into his yard on a gust of wind. Naturally, the lingerie catches his attention and causes erotic fantasies to fly and rumble around in his head.

I had a similar experience as this, though mind you, mine involved hot pink panties instead of the scarlet demi bra but I can tell you my story didnโ€™t end up as fabulous or as delicious as Johnโ€™s trip to his neighbourโ€™s.

Why, I must ask. Why does this only happen in books? Inez Kelley, please rewrite the pages of my life so that THIS happens in it.

โ€œYeah, itโ€™s a neighborhood tradition. Come over. Bring your wife and kids.โ€
A twitch danced along his upper lip before he grinned. โ€œCanโ€™t. Donโ€™t have either.โ€
Livvy lowered her brows. A shiver slid along her skin and she fought the shake. He was far too cocky to encourage. โ€œThen bring your girlfriend.โ€
โ€œNo girlfriend to bring.โ€
โ€œBring your boyfriend then.โ€
A bark of a laugh rumbled out. โ€œSorry, honey, youโ€™re just stuck with me.โ€
โ€œI donโ€™t want you,โ€ she snapped.
John leaned close. The scent of sunshine, man and power wrapped around her. โ€œMaybe I want you.โ€

*shivers*

But I digress.

In all seriousness, this book was a fantastic read that captured my heart from the beginning and never let go until the very end. I read this book in one night with tears running down my cheeks. This from an author I have never read before and had no expectations of. Inez caught me by surprise and I can tell you that she has gained a new fan out of me.

SWEET AS SIN follows Livvy, a pastry chef and the dark and tortured writer, whose past still haunts him daily. I didnโ€™t expect the emotion that Kelley evoked from me. Touched by the love that developed between Livvy and John and heart-broken when things began to shatter for them, this book took me on a roller-coaster ride of emotions. I didnโ€™t think I could come to love and hate a character in equal measures. John Murphy is an extraordinary character that really came to life. Even as his outbursts caused me to step back a little, I still loved him. I canโ€™t remember the last time a character felt so alive for me.

And then there is Livvy who has a heart made of gold and a spine made of steel. What she endures in this book to be with John is hard but magical. In those steps, she is able to go from a reluctant lover who needed some urgings from her sexy neighbour to a woman in love, someone willing to fight for it all.

This isnโ€™t an easy read, there are some really dark places that this book delves into, but if you are looking for a tortured hero, then look no further, no one is as tortured as John Murphy. Similarly, John isnโ€™t always the wickedly charming man as Iโ€™ve exampled above. As layers to his character are revealed, other darker sides of him are exposed as well. He says and does some really mean things that I donโ€™t think Livvy deserved but he did what was necessary to push her away. For John, only his monsters are his companions.

Speaking of his monsters, I really enjoyed the glimpses into Johnโ€™s characters in his writing. Jondi, Thorn and Vory gave the book additional life and served as a great way to get into Johnโ€™s mind and see how it works.

In the end, SWEET AS SIN has become my new favorite book. It is sweet and sinful, decadent and entirely satisfying. Definitely a treat to be shared and devoured by all. I loved it!

Favorite Quote: โ€œLove him hard. And when he pushes you away โ€“ and he will โ€“ love him harder.โ€

ย Did you like this review? If so, please tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

[about-author author=”Inez Kelley”]

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7 Comments

  1. I loved this book when it first came out. It was one of those “I love the cover so I am going to buy it.” And so glad that I did because it is one of my favorites.

  2. Thanks Catherine Lee! This book is fantastic!!! You must read it and then let me know what you think!

    Hi Tessa! I’m so with you. I love the cover of this book too! So glad I bought it ๐Ÿ™‚

    Ann

  3. I’ve got this one sitting on my ereader, just waiting for me to open it. I think the fact that it goes to dark places is a good thing. It will definitely make me pick it up quicker. Great review!

  4. Thanks Timitra! This is for sure on my must-have list now! One of my new all-time fave books!

    Thank you Z. I am now a new fan of Inez. This was my first book by her.

    Thanks Laura Ashlee. You will have let me know what you think of this one ๐Ÿ™‚