Unscrupulous by Avery Aster

Title: Unscrupulous

Series:  The Manhattanites #2

Author:  Avery Aster

Genre:  Erotic/Romance

Blurb:  Book 2 in The Manhattanites series

     At thirty-three, Warner Truman is one of the richest men on the planet, a spa mogul who buys and sells resorts at will. He holds powerful executives’ careers in his well-groomed hands. Nothing is beyond Warner’s reach…until he meets her.
Stunning, tantalizing and perverse, Taddy Brill captivates Warner’s carnal desire like no woman he’s ever met. A self-made millionaire, Taddy is tougher than steel, more brilliant than diamonds and, at twenty-seven, she’s never depended on a man for anything…until she meets him.
The more Taddy plays with Warner’s affections, driving him to erotic heights, the more she is confronted by a dark past. Before she can love him, Taddy must meet her worst fears head-on or risk losing it all, including herself.

**Content Warning: due to graphic sex scenes, strong language, suggestive themes, mature humor, and just about everything your besties ever told you not to do–including getting vajazzled, this novel is for adults only.**

Thoughts:  “It’s not my intention to be a diva. It just happens. I wake up like im flippin’ Beyonce or something” – Taddy Brill 

This is a very modern, almost soap-opera like, novel.  This is both plus and a minus in some ways.  On the negative side, the story does not focus solely on the couple featured in the book, Taddy and Warner.  The book is inundated with side characters – and even some characters that serve no purpose whatsoever – which probably could have been left out to focus more on the main story.  However, on a more positive note, the book is part of a series.  Even though they are stand alone – and can be read as such without feeling lost – the somewhat superfluous characters actually help set up the whole “Manhattanites” world.  But it can backfire a little bit, since you don’t get as strong a connection between the characters.

For me, it wasn’t ‘erotic’ so much as ‘graphic’.   To me there is a difference – as well as a fine balance -between erotic, which involves sensuality and sexual desire so scorching it heats up your pages, and graphic scenes which really just involves the use of coarse language and meaningless intimate moments.  To me, this one tilts more into just graphic for me.  Which is not necessarily a bad thing – but personally I would have preferred a bit more emotion between the characters.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with graphic – but I guess I just want my cake and to eat it too!…LOL

And to me the book was more funny-sexy than steamy sexy.  I mean, how can you call someone ‘Big Daddy’ and not giggle?  And there are different levels of funny to the book, as well.  There are the honest laughs – like when Warner runs across two porn stars out on a balcony at one of his hotels, and then the moments where you are rolling your eyes and laughing when things are being said – like, “His bulge grew under his slacks as if a snake surfaced to the Earth’s soil to sun.”

Overall, it was a refreshing change from the standard Alpha male characters and doormat female characters – and with a funny humor that I haven’t seen before.  I would have liked to see more between the main characters, and less of the secondary shenanigans myself, but that’s just my own personal opinion.  I’m not sure I would recommend it as a stand-alone, as I think it’s better suited if you follow the whole series.

Don’t Miss Undressed, the first in the series that is out now, and don’t miss Unsaid and Uncensored that are coming soon!

Rate:  B