I only need one more piece of property to complete my new, legit empire—Grant Fraser’s company. He’s wily, but I’m far more determined than he realizes, especially when this means my family business can go from back alley to Wall Street.
The deal is mine for the taking, at least it was until Cadence Fraser showed up at the negotiating table. Grant’s daughter, she’s a surprise, one that I can’t resist. I need her to make this deal happen—that’s the only reason I watch her at her apartment, follow her around the city, and keep an eye on her every move. It’s also the only reason I bring her into my home, into my bed, into my life …
But now she’s in my heart. She’s the future I didn’t know I needed. When I find out she’s in danger, I return to my blood-soaked roots and vow to destroy anyone who would dare touch her. Because she’s mine, and I always keep what’s mine.
MINK’s Get your fluffy friend and a caffeine at the ready for this instalove story about dark pasts, an adorable liar, and the man who would do anything to make her happy.
I've been on the hunt for new novellas recently and nothing has been hitting- but Mink never disappoints. The weird cover aside 💀 this was just really strange and cute (as you would expect).
My reviews always contain spoilers, I write them so I can remember the story.
3.5/5 stars
Vargas is a gangster wanting to go legit, the last piece to his new empire is a company owned by Grant. During negotiations Grant brings in his secret weapon, his daughter Cadence. She has a super power, she a human lie detector. Vargas is immediately intrigued, he becomes obsessed with her and stalks her. She is intrigued by him too. It’s kind of cat and mouse their banter, he doesn’t really outright lie to her, it’s always half truths and small white lies. While stalking her he sees she has another stalker, a creepy guy she has gone on a date with. Vargas intervenes and chases him away. Which leads to them hanging out together. Cadence has wanted to be more independent, get out from under her dad’s thumb. She convinces him to let her and her cat move out. Wanting her back home her dad tries to scare her by staging a break in of her apartment. Luckily Vargas was with her when they return from their impromptu date. Worried about her safety he takes her to his place. When he walks in on her changing they enjoy a little oral sexy fun. Vargas’s right hand man Cat finds out it’s her dad who ordered the break in but he also found out a rival gangster was looking at his girl too, he asks Cat to find out what the gangster wants with Cadence. Not able to stay away from her he finds her in her room and of course they have their first time together, she’s a virgin no mention of his past. Vargas leaves her sleeping in bed and heads to his home office, Cadence remembers she needs to meet her dad, she heads out to the estate and is stopped outside the gate when a man approaches her and drugs her. As soon as she’s taken Vargas’s security team notifies him. He and Cat give chase. The find the kidnappers, it’s the rival gangster, Vargas kills him and rescues Cadence. Once she awakens he tells her he loves her, she can see he’s telling her the absolute truth. I love yous all around and an epilogue with twin girls. Her dad is there enjoying being a grandpa so you don’t know if she ever found out it was her dad who ordered her apartment break in. She and Vargas never talk about her gift. I guess he figured it out from context cues? Story was cute but had some unanswered questions and the cover was a little creepy. I guess the model was going for coy but it came off as creepy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
It’s mink, so of course I dropped everything and immediately read it! Totally loved it. Loved the heroines unique gift. I actually wished it could’ve been fleshed out a little bit more between her and the hero, but it was still a great story that brought the swoon
Safe. Hero’s past isn’t mentioned, not a manwhore. Heroine is a virgin and belongs only to her hero. No ow, but small OM from a guy heroine dated once. No cheating or sharing or abuse. HEA with epilogue.
This was instant attraction, not lust or love, but the first time they met, they were both intrigued by each other. Then Vargas stalked Cadence for 3 days, until he needed to step in to save her from a guy.
This is a novella, so the fast-paced progression isn't something new. The story spans a whole two days, and before I knew it, they were proclaiming love for each other.
Still, I enjoyed it, and it was a good short story to pass some time.
You basically know what you’re getting into with a MINK read. I enjoyed this one quite a bit even if the heroines naïveté got on my nerves occasionally. I found it pretty compelling. I mean, you know what is going to happen but I was really left guessing as to the HOW it was going to happen. There was so much packed into this one that it could have been a longer book and I’d have been happy.
I loved it! I'm so happy to read another story by this author. I adore her little, well-planned novellas. It feels good to go back to her special brand of cute and devious.
I really enjoyed the relationship between Cadence and Vargas (such original names!). They have these long and enchanting conversations, lots of sweet inner thoughts, and those hot, hot times ;-)
There's a little mystery around the female character. I must confess that I was expecting a certain plot twist because the hints were building up to it. There was an abrupt ending to that dream, though. It seemed the story was missing an important quarter or perhaps it's going to happen in a coming novella? Who knows.
Despite that, I loved the plot itself. Overprotective father, a naïve and creative young woman who has a quirky talent, and then the dark hero who falls head over heels in love with the woman he's trying to use as leverage or upper hand. His mind is a whirlwind of new experiences and need for her.
Another favourite part of mine is what is related to his home and food and a welcoming feeling, and oh, oh, the cat, don't forget the cat!! I look forward to that part as catnip in every story :-D
I really enjoyed that one. The ending was a little abrupt…I would’ve loved just a bit more…but I really liked the characters. I wasn’t sure about this blurb, but I definitely liked the story. This book is exactly what I want from a MINK.
5 stars for enjoyment. 3 chili peppers. Absolutely recommend for a short before bed read.
Plot: Vargas is trying to strike a deal with Grant Foster, but the minute his daughter walks in, the deal changes. Vargas hasn't even wanted a woman the way he wants her, so he contrives to be exactly where she needs him. Now she'll have to decide if she trusts him.
Commentary: Cute, short, sweet. Typical story from the author - extra-naive girl meets slightly dangerous man, insta-love follows. I like that the trouble with the dad was resolved easily and quickly.
s h e l v e s : alpha damsel x knight endearing fmc instalove mafia-ish men in suits moves her in (kinda) ott possessive protective rich hero take care of u virgin
k i n k s : clit biting dry humping no condom praise
e n d e a r m e n t s : ♥︎ little one
e n d i n g : HEA + babies!
p l o t : Vargas is trying to buy Mr. Fraser’s company, and Mr. Fraser isn’t budging. But Vargas is determined to get him to accept the offer, bc there’s nothing he wants more.
Until he meets Cadence, Mr. Fraser’s cute, quirky, adorkable daughter.
Cadence has the unique ability to tell if someone is lying or not, so her father has her sit in on all his important business meetings. That’s how she met Vargas.
Cadence’s dad is suuuper overprotective of her. He’s never allowed her outside the house for much, and she’s barely convinced him to let her move out and live on her own. Because she’s basically been locked up all her life, she doesn’t really know how to socialize, and is endearingly naive and honest. She says whatever pops into her head lol.
Vargas originally started following her around w the intent of possibly getting intel that would help him seal the deal w her father, but he soon finds himself totally goners for her.
Cute story, which as always includes a cute furry feline friend with adorable interactions w the hero.
h o t c l i p s:
He yanks at my top, freeing it from my body. I let out a gasp of surprise. “Be a good girl and let me take what I want.”
subtracted a star because the ending was so abrupt. a lot of issues were left unresolved. 1) the fact that the H is a bit distant and seems like a workaholic like her father 2) that the h's father hired someone to break into her apartment 3) the conversation where the heroine explains her unusual gift to the hero (why didn't we get to see that????) the book ended before we could see any of that. and imo the first issue is a biggie for their relationship as a whole, so the fact that it was completely skipped? not happy about that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
s h e l v e s : alpha endearing fmc he falls first instalove mafia-ish men in suits moves her in obsessed stalker behavior ott possessive protective rich hero takes care of her virgin
e n d e a r m e n t s : ♥︎ little one ♥︎ sweet girl
k i n k s : clit biting dirty talk dry humping no condom praise tss
The steamy scenes are STEAMY on this one. I guess that's what we are all here for. But there are some issues with this book that made me lower my rating:
The pacing is really bad, there is no sense of time at all. Characters teleport from one place to the next in seconds, they conclude actions that should have taken several minutes in the span of two single bits of dialogue (they sit down to eat, say two things to each other and suddenly the meal is over), and so on. It's really distracting and forced me go back to re-read several pages thinking maybe I'd missed something, because there's no clear sense of the passage of time between one chapter and the next.
There's also several plot points that never get resolved, like Candance's nightmares, her disappointment at being in a relationship with a workaholic, how her own father sent people to break into her apartment, the fact that she felt the need to hide the bloodstained blankets after her first night with Vargas...why did she do that? It added nothing to the plot.
Also, as far as I know Vargas is a last name, not a first name, and certainly not an Italian first name. That was weird to read but oh well.
I did like Candance's character growth, tho, how she learns not only that everyone lies, but that white lies are a necessity in polite society, and she let's go of the irrational expectation of never being lied to as she finds herself lying over and over again to protect herself. It was interesting, and I wish the author had explored this a bit more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I liked this story a lot. It was entertaining and enjoyable. I would have liked to know more about Cadence’s accident and how she figured out that she had a new “ability” but it was still really good. Vargas was over the top with Cadence as soon as he saw her. It was kind of funny how quickly he went from being upset to being all “she is mine”. Cadence was interesting. She was a mix of naive and innocent but also kind of world weary. Cadence was all about discovering new things but the people she met tended to disappoint her. I got a kick out of Sassy and her interactions with Vargas as well as Cadence’s reactions to Sassy’s behavior with Vargas. Cadence and Vargas were really cute together. The way that they interacted was different but it worked for them. I loved their happily ever after. I recommend reading this book.
It feels like forever since I read the last Mink book, and this one did not disappoint. It filled me with mystery, hope, and longing. There was never a dull moment, and oh how Mink masterfully brought two incredible characters into my life. They will not be forgotten anytime soon.
Whatever you do, do not miss this beautiful wonder. It is a blessing in disguise as a tumultuous romance. My heart was left hopeful, and my mind is looking forward to the next awe-inspiring work of art from the wonderfully talented Mink.
Loved this lying book. Vargas doesn’t know what hits him when he meets Cadence. Throw in her cat Sassy and you have the love story of all times. Vargas thinks he’s using Cadence to get what he wants from her father but what he realizes is that Cadence is the only thing he truly wants. Loved this story, loved the characters and loved the cat Sassy. Great read.
Oh how I love the way MINK writes her love interests! Vargas and Cadence’s romance was so entertaining and fast to read. The way that Vargas couldn’t help but fall hard and fast for Cadence was so good! I alway enjoy the way MINK writes her male characters are hard on the outside but mush when it comes to them finding their one. Cadence had that man eating out of the palm of her hand and so did her cat Sassy. It was so cute, and I loved how quick and fun this was to read.
The squeaks and squeals that leave me when I get an email that Mink dropped a book is unreal. Mink is always an automatic download, I don’t even need to read the description to know I’ll read it, love it and review it. And this book was no different. How perfectly Vargas and Cadence fit together, with Sassy. And of course Cat. Perfect perfect perfect. Forever in love with Mink.
MINK is one of my favorite authors and I enjoy everything she writes. This is the story of Vargas, a businessman didpuesto to do what seabpra achieve to have the deal of his life and Cadence only daughter overprotected by his father that this to sell his company to Vargas. Between the two businesses become personal and when Candence’s security is threatened, Vargas is there to rescue her.
I like MINK books. They are somewhat of a short, sweet palate cleanser always a 3-4 star read and rarely disappointing. This book was a bit frustrating because it felt like it COULD have been a 5 star read. There were hints of a deeper plot especially in regard to a) her power b) her relationship with her father and c) her accident. So despite like the story and characters, I was a bit sad to not have the potential reached I know cooks have been. Felt like low hanging fruit not picked.
I love over the top novella length stories and this one did not disappoint! Great insta-love story!
Vargas is trying to make a business deal when he first lays eyes on the enemy’s daughter - Cadence. Good thing while he’s watching her he notices she’s being followed by a creepy man. Makes it easier for him to make his move and stake his claim. :)
Vargas didn't know what was waiting for him. He wants Grant Fraser business and he wants it on his terms. He needs it so he can go legit so he will do anything to make it happen. But the one thing he didn't see coming was Candence, Fraisers daughter. Will he risk losing her to get what he wants or will he risk everything as long as he has her by his side.
Cadence can tell when someone is lying and she believes all men lie. When she meets Vargas during a meeting with her father she is not sure what to make of him. Vargas is instantly obsessed with Cadence and will do anything to keep her safe when he finds out she is in danger. This is a great read!!
This was a short, steamy, funny book. I really enjoyed Cadence and Vargas together. These two get in other deeper than anyone else and they can’t help the pull they feel towards each other. There is some drama, suspense, love, intrigue and a great HEA. I can’t wait for Mink’s next book.
I received a free e-book copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This author is an automatic one-click, she consistently delivers a sweet and sexy read. The characters, especially the female leads are so genuinely nice, relatable and funny as hell.
The male leads are alpha with a capital A. They manage to make this attractive and appealing. There’s a touch of arrogance that is just so swoon worthy.
This was an instalove that made sense . I appreciated a heroine that was shown to be intelligent and could hold her own with the hero. This was a nice change from the last Mink book I read. The storyline was fleshed out and the communication between h and H was good. I would have liked to have known what happened to the stepmother.
Delightfully quirky, Mink's instalove novellas are always entertaining. Vargas is after Fraser's company but everything goes sideways when he meets the man's daughter. Cadence is adorable and has been sheltered her whole life. Vargas thinks he can get info from her to help him with his deal. He never expected to fall under her spell. A fun little read!
There were a number of missed opportunities and holes in the story. There's no real conclusion to what was going on at the end. They could have given more info about her childhood amnesia or the mysterious nightmares that we never find out the cause for.
I wish there had been more of an explanation about what happened to Cadence, her "superpower", and I thought the ending was too abrupt. Plus there was no explanation or fallout or anything about what her dad did? There's overprotective and then there's what he had done. And why was *every* family after her?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.