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Black Knight, White Queen
"One night in Bangkok changes all the rules. "
Professional chess player Aleksandr Shastin never lets emotions rule his life, or his game. Not even the unexpected death of his mentor shakes his icy control at least that s what he thinks. Until he meets a woman in a Bangkok rooftop bar, a woman whose raw sexuality and emotional honesty find every invisible crack and pries them wide open.
Graphic artist Izzy Cornwall fled to Thailand to escape suffocating grief and guilt after her sister s suicide. As she locks gazes with Aleks, their instant attraction sets her on fire. And the way he looks at her makes her feel what she hasn t felt in months: that she actually exists.
In the heat of a Bangkok rainstorm, their chemistry steams up what was supposed to be one night of pain-numbing passion. Neither expected that a single encounter would change all the rules, making Aleks the novice, and Izzy the grandmaster. But if Izzy wants his heart, she ll have to show him that in order to win, sometimes you have to lose.
Warning: Contains one hot, controlling Russian chess master, a heroine who s more than capable of taking him on in a game of strip chess, and a checkmate to make Kasparov proud. "
Professional chess player Aleksandr Shastin never lets emotions rule his life, or his game. Not even the unexpected death of his mentor shakes his icy control at least that s what he thinks. Until he meets a woman in a Bangkok rooftop bar, a woman whose raw sexuality and emotional honesty find every invisible crack and pries them wide open.
Graphic artist Izzy Cornwall fled to Thailand to escape suffocating grief and guilt after her sister s suicide. As she locks gazes with Aleks, their instant attraction sets her on fire. And the way he looks at her makes her feel what she hasn t felt in months: that she actually exists.
In the heat of a Bangkok rainstorm, their chemistry steams up what was supposed to be one night of pain-numbing passion. Neither expected that a single encounter would change all the rules, making Aleks the novice, and Izzy the grandmaster. But if Izzy wants his heart, she ll have to show him that in order to win, sometimes you have to lose.
Warning: Contains one hot, controlling Russian chess master, a heroine who s more than capable of taking him on in a game of strip chess, and a checkmate to make Kasparov proud. "
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2013
5 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Ashenden
494 books977 followersJackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. Mild mannered fantasy/SF/pseudo-literary writer by day, obsessive romance writer by night, she used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to throw off the shackles of her day job and devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes who've just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines.
She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.
She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 24, 2017
This book is being rereleased by the author and has been retitled.
This book takes place in Bangkok, Thailand and focuses on Aleks and Izzy who meet on a hotel roof bar.
Both characters have faced loss and heartache and have something to overcome in order that they can continue with a relationship. But it takes Izzy to realise she is running to help herself heal and for herself to realise how she can help Aleks grow and heal from his past.
Most of the book takes place within Aleks hotel room, however they do occasionally venture out, but mostly it is giving each other what they need, but did't know they needed.
A good read.
This book takes place in Bangkok, Thailand and focuses on Aleks and Izzy who meet on a hotel roof bar.
Both characters have faced loss and heartache and have something to overcome in order that they can continue with a relationship. But it takes Izzy to realise she is running to help herself heal and for herself to realise how she can help Aleks grow and heal from his past.
Most of the book takes place within Aleks hotel room, however they do occasionally venture out, but mostly it is giving each other what they need, but did't know they needed.
A good read.
May 31, 2019
I love Jackie’s books. I only discovered her this year, but I have already managed to read a dozen of them and this one is my favourite so far; but I have enjoyed them all.
This one really resonated with me for some reason. The story of two damaged souls finding love, peace and redemption in each other is so beautifully romantic and satisfying and Jackie’s execution of this story is beautifully done.
The exotic location is almost irrelevant because most of the story takes place in one room with our hero and heroine - Aleks and Izzy, but the sense of a foreign locale is still evoked in the story. Jackie’s ability to create such sympathetic and fascinating characters - who draw you into their story from the very beginning, really is amazing. I loved the descriptions and the dialogue; Jackie’s prose just rolls out apparently effortlessly. The other thing that Jackie does amazingly well are sex scenes. I am always concerned about sex scenes because I have found so many of them to be boring, mechanical, sex-by-numbers biology manuals - which are as erotic as a slap with a wet fish!! Writing good sex scenes is in my opinion, a very rare talent and one which Jackie possesses in spades. Jackie’s sex scenes are beautifully written pieces of erotica and illustrate the power of love really well. Her ability to mix the physical with the emotional, the fierce with the tender , the angry with the loving and avoid it becoming simply mechanical is brilliant.
This one really resonated with me for some reason. The story of two damaged souls finding love, peace and redemption in each other is so beautifully romantic and satisfying and Jackie’s execution of this story is beautifully done.
The exotic location is almost irrelevant because most of the story takes place in one room with our hero and heroine - Aleks and Izzy, but the sense of a foreign locale is still evoked in the story. Jackie’s ability to create such sympathetic and fascinating characters - who draw you into their story from the very beginning, really is amazing. I loved the descriptions and the dialogue; Jackie’s prose just rolls out apparently effortlessly. The other thing that Jackie does amazingly well are sex scenes. I am always concerned about sex scenes because I have found so many of them to be boring, mechanical, sex-by-numbers biology manuals - which are as erotic as a slap with a wet fish!! Writing good sex scenes is in my opinion, a very rare talent and one which Jackie possesses in spades. Jackie’s sex scenes are beautifully written pieces of erotica and illustrate the power of love really well. Her ability to mix the physical with the emotional, the fierce with the tender , the angry with the loving and avoid it becoming simply mechanical is brilliant.
August 10, 2013
Jackie Ashenden has done it again, with a story that grabs you right from the opening line and does't let go till well after you are forced to close the final page. This is a book that I did not want to finish because it meant saying goodbye to her wonderful characters.
Aleks and Izzy both know too well what it is to lose someone you love, Aleks a mentor and Izzy a sister. Not that Aleks is about to admit to any emotional ties, let alone to loving someone. Not till Izzy comes along, and he discovers he cannot let her go.
Jackie writes with an intensity and vividness that is irresistable, and creates characters whose fate come to matter so very much to the reader. This book is one of those rare pleasures; one that you just cannot put down. Every single word is alive with the passion and heart aches of her characters, and the reader walks each step of the characters' journey with them.
This book is a definite must read.
Aleks and Izzy both know too well what it is to lose someone you love, Aleks a mentor and Izzy a sister. Not that Aleks is about to admit to any emotional ties, let alone to loving someone. Not till Izzy comes along, and he discovers he cannot let her go.
Jackie writes with an intensity and vividness that is irresistable, and creates characters whose fate come to matter so very much to the reader. This book is one of those rare pleasures; one that you just cannot put down. Every single word is alive with the passion and heart aches of her characters, and the reader walks each step of the characters' journey with them.
This book is a definite must read.
May 29, 2013
You want to know what I love? Like REALLY love? When a story is so hot, that there is no other way for it to be told than letting that hotness, simultaneously having my inner smut whore raise her head asking "Oh Shit! Really!?!? Like its starting already!" *she commences into a purring hussy*
So, sorry, damn slut always pushing through and making her whorish thoughts know! Anywho, when a story is so erotic and HOT on a scale of epic proportions that the hot, thigh clinching, squirming in your seat, I cannot read this shit in public hotness occurs STRAIGHT OUT THE GATE!!!!
Damn, you just really gotta love that shit, right? Alright, now are you ready for this? 'Cause it gets better! The intelligent reader in me also had her interest piqued by the author.
Aleks is a man that is so broken that he is, and has been since before he was seven years old, beyond feeling or expressing any and all emotion. Where his heart should be, is nothing but a black empty hole, where his mind should seek companionship, or someone to share his thoughts, all his mind sees is a chess game, in every aspect, in every human interaction, he is always strategizing, and trying to stay a step ahead.......
When Izzy Cornwall, a woman like none he has ever witnessed, with her heart on her sleeve and everyone of her emotions easily read on her stunning face, crosses his path, he is sure of one thing, the only thing he will allow himself to acknowledge, he needs a release, and she is the one for the job.
Izzy is finally out from under her families grief, as well as her own, over the suicide of her sister. She no longer has too look into her parents eyes and read what they really want to know, why couldn't it have been her that day?
She no longer feels invisible, and with the way this beautiful, yet sad eyed man looks at her, for the first time since she can remember, she is not only visible, but desired. And she has no plans to play this with a prude hand, she knows what she wants, and for the first time ever, she is going all out to get it......
Aleks isn't liking the way Izzy stirs not only desires but unfamiliar things that refuses to acknowledge.
Izzy feels the rein on his control slipping, and just when she catches a glance of the shattered man behind his perfected facade, something shifts, his eyes turn vacant, his words turn cold, the distance between them feels like a crater........
Can Aleks keep a hold on these feelings that Izzy evokes under control, can he keep his head straight and remember that she is only a chess piece, in this game that is his life, he knows its almost unheard of to check mate your opponent with out your queen remaining in the game.....
And Izzy knows she has finally found the one in the broken man that continues to evade her emotionally, so of she plays his game, but by her rules using sex, her only upper hand, can she find a way to keep her Knight, even with a heart as black as his........
Black Knight, White Queen picks up 5 super sexy, super brooding, super chemistry Kimmi stars!!!!!
So, sorry, damn slut always pushing through and making her whorish thoughts know! Anywho, when a story is so erotic and HOT on a scale of epic proportions that the hot, thigh clinching, squirming in your seat, I cannot read this shit in public hotness occurs STRAIGHT OUT THE GATE!!!!
Damn, you just really gotta love that shit, right? Alright, now are you ready for this? 'Cause it gets better! The intelligent reader in me also had her interest piqued by the author.
Aleks is a man that is so broken that he is, and has been since before he was seven years old, beyond feeling or expressing any and all emotion. Where his heart should be, is nothing but a black empty hole, where his mind should seek companionship, or someone to share his thoughts, all his mind sees is a chess game, in every aspect, in every human interaction, he is always strategizing, and trying to stay a step ahead.......
When Izzy Cornwall, a woman like none he has ever witnessed, with her heart on her sleeve and everyone of her emotions easily read on her stunning face, crosses his path, he is sure of one thing, the only thing he will allow himself to acknowledge, he needs a release, and she is the one for the job.
Izzy is finally out from under her families grief, as well as her own, over the suicide of her sister. She no longer has too look into her parents eyes and read what they really want to know, why couldn't it have been her that day?
She no longer feels invisible, and with the way this beautiful, yet sad eyed man looks at her, for the first time since she can remember, she is not only visible, but desired. And she has no plans to play this with a prude hand, she knows what she wants, and for the first time ever, she is going all out to get it......
Aleks isn't liking the way Izzy stirs not only desires but unfamiliar things that refuses to acknowledge.
Izzy feels the rein on his control slipping, and just when she catches a glance of the shattered man behind his perfected facade, something shifts, his eyes turn vacant, his words turn cold, the distance between them feels like a crater........
Can Aleks keep a hold on these feelings that Izzy evokes under control, can he keep his head straight and remember that she is only a chess piece, in this game that is his life, he knows its almost unheard of to check mate your opponent with out your queen remaining in the game.....
And Izzy knows she has finally found the one in the broken man that continues to evade her emotionally, so of she plays his game, but by her rules using sex, her only upper hand, can she find a way to keep her Knight, even with a heart as black as his........
Black Knight, White Queen picks up 5 super sexy, super brooding, super chemistry Kimmi stars!!!!!
September 12, 2014
Scene: Bangkok. Take one back-packing heroine and one chess genius hero. Add heat.
That's pretty much Black Knight White Queen in a nutshell. A peanut shell. This erotic romance has quite a bit more emotional range than it seems at first blush. Aleks is a Russian chess champion in Thailand for a tournament. He's a little bit broken, which is pretty much my favorite kind of hero. His brokenness originated in being returned to Russia by the American family who had adopted him. He's all grown up, but the damage has been done, leaving him with some serious trust issues. Izzy is a former graphic designer on holiday from New Zealand. Her sister has committed suicide and her parents are barely coping, unable to help or even acknowledge her grief.
You'd think that with all the upheaval that has happened in these characters' lives, this book would seem dark, but that was not the case. There's a playfulness to their relationship, even though the angst persists almost through the end of the book. This is an erotic romance so the sex is pretty hot, with some light bondage and light dominance. Any 50 Shades reader will find it mild fare, but if you're used to sweet historicals, you might be a little surprised at how fast and far it ramps up. This was my first Ashenden book, but it definitely won't be my last. In fact, she mentioned on Twitter that she's working on a story about a modern day rake and you've gotta know I like that. Can't wait!
For a recipe inspired by Black Knight White Queen, visit Cooking Up Romance: http://www.cooking-up-romance.com/201...
That's pretty much Black Knight White Queen in a nutshell. A peanut shell. This erotic romance has quite a bit more emotional range than it seems at first blush. Aleks is a Russian chess champion in Thailand for a tournament. He's a little bit broken, which is pretty much my favorite kind of hero. His brokenness originated in being returned to Russia by the American family who had adopted him. He's all grown up, but the damage has been done, leaving him with some serious trust issues. Izzy is a former graphic designer on holiday from New Zealand. Her sister has committed suicide and her parents are barely coping, unable to help or even acknowledge her grief.
You'd think that with all the upheaval that has happened in these characters' lives, this book would seem dark, but that was not the case. There's a playfulness to their relationship, even though the angst persists almost through the end of the book. This is an erotic romance so the sex is pretty hot, with some light bondage and light dominance. Any 50 Shades reader will find it mild fare, but if you're used to sweet historicals, you might be a little surprised at how fast and far it ramps up. This was my first Ashenden book, but it definitely won't be my last. In fact, she mentioned on Twitter that she's working on a story about a modern day rake and you've gotta know I like that. Can't wait!
For a recipe inspired by Black Knight White Queen, visit Cooking Up Romance: http://www.cooking-up-romance.com/201...
July 14, 2013
This was an amazing book. The story of Aleks Shastin and Izzy Cornwall starts off in Bangkok in a storm. But the tropical rain is nothing to the storm that's about to break when Izzy and Aleks face off.
Both of them are grieving, looking for a way to forget and the physical between them is explosive. But for ice cold Aleks and emotional Izzy it was never going to stop there.
I loved the way the two of them interacted. For all the physical was the dominating connection between the two, you can see both of them changing, growing, revealing themselves. And there is a whole lot hidden behind Aleks cold facade. Even Izzy, open and prepared to let it all out there, has her secrets.
I loved this story and really connected with all the emotion bubbling under the surface of both Aleks and Izzy.
And the Ending. I cried three times. It was amazing. Beautiful. Just so.... *cries*
Both of them are grieving, looking for a way to forget and the physical between them is explosive. But for ice cold Aleks and emotional Izzy it was never going to stop there.
I loved the way the two of them interacted. For all the physical was the dominating connection between the two, you can see both of them changing, growing, revealing themselves. And there is a whole lot hidden behind Aleks cold facade. Even Izzy, open and prepared to let it all out there, has her secrets.
I loved this story and really connected with all the emotion bubbling under the surface of both Aleks and Izzy.
And the Ending. I cried three times. It was amazing. Beautiful. Just so.... *cries*
August 14, 2017
Simply compelling!!! Gotta love a brutally emotional journey between two extremely broken people that's set in a foreign country & begins on a rooftop bar in a thunderstorm! I loved these two so much but kudos to izzy for knowing what needed to be done in the end of their journey to ensure Alex's and izzys phenomenal HEA💕❤️💕 Kudos to Jackie for another glorious hot emotional read!
January 2, 2018
Short and intense - classic Ms. Ashenden. Izzy and Aleks are a great opposites-attract couple. Watching their relationship evolve was so good.
Bought from kobo
Bought from kobo
April 12, 2015
I'm not sure what I expected with this book, but it was different. I have to give Izzy credit for hanging in there and figuring out why Aleks acted the way he did. He could be quite hurtful, but she discovered it was his way to keep people far enough away so he wouldn't feel hurt when they left. In the process of learning this, they had a LOT of sex, lol. To be fair, it started off that it would be a one night stand, but when they experienced a deeper connection, Izzy tried over and over to coax Aleks out of his shell. And then he'd be a dick. And then he'd show remorse on his face and with his actions, if he never actually said he was sorry. In Aleks' case, actions definitely spoke louder than words. Luckily for Aleks, Izzy could "hear" those actions.
July 30, 2013
Review Posted on HarlequinJunkie.com
Aleks sees her – standing by the balustrade, watching the lightning light up the Thailand sky. “You should get undercover,” He said. “You’re going to get wet.” And even though she didn’t listen, he was riveted. Not a good thing to be when he was only two days away from a professional chess match. He had to concentrate. He just wished his brain would co-operate.
Izzy felt the attraction emanating from him in hot wanting waves. “Dude, are you going to pick me up?” She asked huskily. “Because I’m telling you now, your chances of success are extremely high.”...Read More
Aleks sees her – standing by the balustrade, watching the lightning light up the Thailand sky. “You should get undercover,” He said. “You’re going to get wet.” And even though she didn’t listen, he was riveted. Not a good thing to be when he was only two days away from a professional chess match. He had to concentrate. He just wished his brain would co-operate.
Izzy felt the attraction emanating from him in hot wanting waves. “Dude, are you going to pick me up?” She asked huskily. “Because I’m telling you now, your chances of success are extremely high.”...Read More
November 15, 2014
Jackie Ashenden is one of my favorite authors. Period. I don't know how she manages to hit it out of the park every. single. time. But she does. And I'm pretty much addicted to her writing now. Seriously.
If you like your romance really hot, dark, and tortured at the same time, you can't go wrong with Jackie Ashenden.
I'm not sure why I hadn't picked up Black Knight, White Queen before today, but holy hotness, I'm so, so glad I did. The feels! The sex! The everything! Just...so damn good.
If you like your romance really hot, dark, and tortured at the same time, you can't go wrong with Jackie Ashenden.
I'm not sure why I hadn't picked up Black Knight, White Queen before today, but holy hotness, I'm so, so glad I did. The feels! The sex! The everything! Just...so damn good.
October 3, 2015
My first foray into the works of Jackie Ashenden was Falling For Finn. I've worked my way through all the rest of her books and finally found my way back to this one. I'm really not sure why it took me so long.
Black Knight, White Queen has all the emotional angst, sexy heat, and high stakes that every Ashenden book has. I love how she was able to condense the timeline of this story into a few short days and still pull off the emotional fulfillment.
Once again, another keeper for my virtual bookshelf.
Black Knight, White Queen has all the emotional angst, sexy heat, and high stakes that every Ashenden book has. I love how she was able to condense the timeline of this story into a few short days and still pull off the emotional fulfillment.
Once again, another keeper for my virtual bookshelf.
October 15, 2022
This book was an emotional roller coaster that I just couldn't put down. I love love loved it. Aleks was an amazing character and i just wanted to pull him in for a giant bear hug then get all down and dirty with him. I felt a bit the same for Izzy too ;) The writing is so good it just pulls you in and you can feel every emotion right down to your very core. I would definitely recommend this read to anyone.
Want to read
April 17, 2013HOT DAMN!!!! A new Jackie Ashenden book!!!! Featuring a SEXY, RUSSIAN, CHESS PLAYER!!!! Be still my beating heart!!!! Cannot wait for July!!!
Read
August 1, 2013Beautifully written. I'm glad I couldn't gobble this up in one sitting because it's a good book to savor.
Read
December 28, 2013Love.
April 11, 2014
I hit my Ashenden wall with this one. It didn't work for me at all. Still, a weak Jackie Ashenden book is still a fun read. Thus three stars.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews