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Five Against the World #1
Fine Print
Beatrix knows there’s something wrong with the world. She knows the injustices she sees every day are part of an order that’s rotten to the core. She wants to fight, but she doesn’t know how, or if she even can. She’s just a geek girl who would settle for a normal life if, only the normal life wasn’t so keen to reject her. A chance meeting and a series of life-changing events send her tumbling into a spiral of lies and secrecy, a web of intrigue that spans the world.
Four men, worldly-wise but pure of heart, are out to unravel it. They are like brothers, each unique, all united: the soul, caring, good-hearted, and moral; the brawn, powerful, strong, and determined to atone for the mistakes he has made in his past; the passion, dark, driven, obsessed and brooding; and the brain, intellectual, mysterious, and unfathomable. They threw aside the rules of society and made their own a long time ago. They don’t know her, they don’t know if they can trust her, but they know they need her.
As she peels back the layers of mystery, she learns not only who they really are, but who she really is herself. She can never go back. The only way out is through—with them. And nothing will ever be the same again.
Fine Print is a contemporary, non-paranormal reverse harem novel, and the first in the four-book Five Against the World series. It contains few steamy scenes but is explicit and graphic; subsequent books in this series are steamier. It uses language some may find offensive (i.e. swear words).
Four men, worldly-wise but pure of heart, are out to unravel it. They are like brothers, each unique, all united: the soul, caring, good-hearted, and moral; the brawn, powerful, strong, and determined to atone for the mistakes he has made in his past; the passion, dark, driven, obsessed and brooding; and the brain, intellectual, mysterious, and unfathomable. They threw aside the rules of society and made their own a long time ago. They don’t know her, they don’t know if they can trust her, but they know they need her.
As she peels back the layers of mystery, she learns not only who they really are, but who she really is herself. She can never go back. The only way out is through—with them. And nothing will ever be the same again.
Fine Print is a contemporary, non-paranormal reverse harem novel, and the first in the four-book Five Against the World series. It contains few steamy scenes but is explicit and graphic; subsequent books in this series are steamier. It uses language some may find offensive (i.e. swear words).
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2019
22 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Susan H. Stanley
3 books16 followersSusan Stanley writes romance novels, as you've probably figured out. She loves stories that are believable and even gritty, featuring strong characters who earn their happy endings and steam the windows up along the way.
She has a thing for good-looking British men, which is good, because she's married to one, and she hopes you'll forgive her if good-looking British men should appear in her novels from time to time. If her own good-looking British man should predecease her, her plan is to move to Tashirojima, an island off Japan where cats outnumber people, on the assumption that Tom Hardy will be unavailable. She lives in Canada with her aforementioned husband and an insufficient number of cats.
She has a thing for good-looking British men, which is good, because she's married to one, and she hopes you'll forgive her if good-looking British men should appear in her novels from time to time. If her own good-looking British man should predecease her, her plan is to move to Tashirojima, an island off Japan where cats outnumber people, on the assumption that Tom Hardy will be unavailable. She lives in Canada with her aforementioned husband and an insufficient number of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 14, 2019
I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
All of the Reverse Harem books I've read so far are set in a fantasy world so when i saw that this is a contemporary RH I was intrigued. Mostly because I want to see how this particular type of polyamory will be handled as none of the usual tropes that explain it away in the fantasy settings can exist in this world. So I expected a slower, more relationship building-oriented first book than the usual insta-love. And it was what I got.
Bea is an average girl and most of us can easily identify with her. She faces the same everyday struggles we do, has a shitty job and a bastard of a boyfriend at the beginning of the book. She wants to do more than just exist but realizes that for someone without connections changing the world is almost impossible. A chance meeting with a hot guy in a coffee shop eventually leads her to her chance to do all she ever dreamed of.
We get to know three of the potential harem members throughout the book to different extend. It's interesting to see Bea's reactions to each of them and hear her thoughts and justifications for going for two of them at the same time. I deliberately used justifications because as a contemporary novel this is set in our world and women are conditioned to think that they should have only one man at a time, otherwise they're sluts. In the real world overcoming this social conditioning would be the hardest part of dating multiple guys at once. Just to clarify I don't mean cheating but an actual honest relationship in which all parties are aware and approve of the arrangement. I was hoping we would see more of that in Fine Print but considering the pacing maybe the bulk of it will happen in the next book.
The plot itself is very unbelievable and at times I snorted in disbelief. Sure a a reader I'm capable of accepting a lot but I have my limits. Still it was enjoyable and though at times I greatly disapproved of what the characters were doing I'm still looking forward to what will happen next.
All of the Reverse Harem books I've read so far are set in a fantasy world so when i saw that this is a contemporary RH I was intrigued. Mostly because I want to see how this particular type of polyamory will be handled as none of the usual tropes that explain it away in the fantasy settings can exist in this world. So I expected a slower, more relationship building-oriented first book than the usual insta-love. And it was what I got.
Bea is an average girl and most of us can easily identify with her. She faces the same everyday struggles we do, has a shitty job and a bastard of a boyfriend at the beginning of the book. She wants to do more than just exist but realizes that for someone without connections changing the world is almost impossible. A chance meeting with a hot guy in a coffee shop eventually leads her to her chance to do all she ever dreamed of.
We get to know three of the potential harem members throughout the book to different extend. It's interesting to see Bea's reactions to each of them and hear her thoughts and justifications for going for two of them at the same time. I deliberately used justifications because as a contemporary novel this is set in our world and women are conditioned to think that they should have only one man at a time, otherwise they're sluts. In the real world overcoming this social conditioning would be the hardest part of dating multiple guys at once. Just to clarify I don't mean cheating but an actual honest relationship in which all parties are aware and approve of the arrangement. I was hoping we would see more of that in Fine Print but considering the pacing maybe the bulk of it will happen in the next book.
The plot itself is very unbelievable and at times I snorted in disbelief. Sure a a reader I'm capable of accepting a lot but I have my limits. Still it was enjoyable and though at times I greatly disapproved of what the characters were doing I'm still looking forward to what will happen next.
July 26, 2019
Fine Print has already been released, so no waiting on this. And plus, is that book two is just four days away. There is a cliffhanger so, that is a major plus. Starting off is alittle slow, but once the meat of the story gets started, watch out. I could not stop reading until the end, and what an ending it was!!
Beatrix is our main lead. She is kind of jumping through life right now trying to find her place. Until one such fateful meeting. When a stranger steps in and helps her in a very comical way, to show she was not interested. Never expecting to meet Anton again. Until her first day working at Sandoval-Carr in the IT department. There she meets Noa. Opportunities are given to her if she can prove herself to be a part of the team. When she goes on a trip to help build their team up, she is faced with questions. Has she finally found a place where she belongs, or is there no place for the new girl. And what really are they doing? And not everyone wants her there.
So Beatrix is a fun character that you will find your self saying "go girl!!" You already see some growth to her character. I cannot wait to see what she becomes.
The guys, are hot as hell. Some you will love right off the bat, and one you may not. I will leave it up to you to figure out which is which.
So, overall, Fine Print is a great first glimpse into the Five Against The World series, and it is going to be one that you do not want to miss.
Beatrix is our main lead. She is kind of jumping through life right now trying to find her place. Until one such fateful meeting. When a stranger steps in and helps her in a very comical way, to show she was not interested. Never expecting to meet Anton again. Until her first day working at Sandoval-Carr in the IT department. There she meets Noa. Opportunities are given to her if she can prove herself to be a part of the team. When she goes on a trip to help build their team up, she is faced with questions. Has she finally found a place where she belongs, or is there no place for the new girl. And what really are they doing? And not everyone wants her there.
So Beatrix is a fun character that you will find your self saying "go girl!!" You already see some growth to her character. I cannot wait to see what she becomes.
The guys, are hot as hell. Some you will love right off the bat, and one you may not. I will leave it up to you to figure out which is which.
So, overall, Fine Print is a great first glimpse into the Five Against The World series, and it is going to be one that you do not want to miss.
April 25, 2019
*I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
DNF
The writing style just wasn't for me and I felt like politics (no matter how little there may have or may not have been) were thrown into the book and I just don't support that. I might try to come back to this book at a different time, but right now wasn't it.
DNF
The writing style just wasn't for me and I felt like politics (no matter how little there may have or may not have been) were thrown into the book and I just don't support that. I might try to come back to this book at a different time, but right now wasn't it.
August 1, 2019
This book is a yes!
This book was amazing. The FMC is smart, if a little naive. But! I think she shows real progress and I love the twist. Seriously I'm following the author bc there was a cliffy and now I'm hooked!
This book was amazing. The FMC is smart, if a little naive. But! I think she shows real progress and I love the twist. Seriously I'm following the author bc there was a cliffy and now I'm hooked!
August 18, 2019
Great first book
Beatrix has had it rough but a chance encounter leads to a unique but sketchy job offer. It could be a once in a lifetime kind of deal but is brave enough to take the risk? I look forward to more!
Beatrix has had it rough but a chance encounter leads to a unique but sketchy job offer. It could be a once in a lifetime kind of deal but is brave enough to take the risk? I look forward to more!
July 31, 2019
Good book
I really like this book. The storyline is solid and well written. The characters are well written and interesting. !
I really like this book. The storyline is solid and well written. The characters are well written and interesting. !
August 6, 2019
Intriguing
This book is certainly a page turner. Filled with suspense, mystery, adventure, and romance... this book leaves you wanting more!
This book is certainly a page turner. Filled with suspense, mystery, adventure, and romance... this book leaves you wanting more!
December 29, 2020
Good story. More plot focused than romance. I might reread when more of the series comes out. I'm not really feeling a connection to any of the guys, I kinda like the fmc.
July 4, 2019
Fine print is fantastic
I was a little frustrated with the FMC in the beginning but she quickly became some one I could relate to. The story is incredible and I can't wait for the next book!
I was a little frustrated with the FMC in the beginning but she quickly became some one I could relate to. The story is incredible and I can't wait for the next book!
May 20, 2019
GAH! This book took me by surprise and obliterated everything I was beginning to think and feel about it. This book started off really slow but once it caught its rhythm,
my GOD
I couldn’t get enough. I kept turning the pages becoming more and more engrossed until I hit the very end and DIED! It’s a cliff-hanger and I’m sitting here not comprehending that it’s over and that I’ll have to wait for this intriguing and suspense-escalating story to continue.
Beatrix is a woman down on her luck. Being shunned and treated inferior by mysogynist men, she has become ok with status quo. Never truly fighting any battles-simply accepting.
After a fateful meeting with Anton, a helpful stranger, she has no idea her life is about to change.
On her first day at Sandoval-Carr, she bumps into Anton once again. He affords her with an opportunity to work in the IT field that she has been shut out of so many times before for being a female. Here, she meets the director of Special Projects, Noa Bruce. He says he will quadruple her salary but she must prove herself first and trust the team in all things.
Although Noa, sends them all on a team-building trip, she feels separate and knows that they are hiding something. It doesn’t help that she is attracted to her three gorgeous co-workers. Nor does it help that Wilder, one of her co-workers is adamantly against her joining the team.
Will Beatrix be able to prove herself? What do they actually want from her? Who are they really?
This story is told only through Beatrix’s point of view. The slow pace in the beginning almost turned me away but I powered through and I’m so glad I did. This was an amazing read that fully captured my attention and exceeded my expectations.
I loved seeing Beatrix grow as a character and I cannot wait to see further developments. I just know she is going to be on helluva firecracker and a force to be reckoned with.
The men in this book? Sigh! I don’t know how this author did it, but she made me fall in love with each of them.
Anton is so friendly and down to earth. He makes Beatrix feel wanted, beautiful and like she belongs.
Noa is curt and blows hot and cold. But when he blows hot, you have no choice but to melt.
I think my favorite of all however is Wilder. There is so much anger in him but there’s something about him that makes me believe he’s one of the most passionate men. I need and want to know more about him.
This is a perfect beginning for what will be a suspenseful, compelling and page-turning series.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Beatrix is a woman down on her luck. Being shunned and treated inferior by mysogynist men, she has become ok with status quo. Never truly fighting any battles-simply accepting.
After a fateful meeting with Anton, a helpful stranger, she has no idea her life is about to change.
On her first day at Sandoval-Carr, she bumps into Anton once again. He affords her with an opportunity to work in the IT field that she has been shut out of so many times before for being a female. Here, she meets the director of Special Projects, Noa Bruce. He says he will quadruple her salary but she must prove herself first and trust the team in all things.
Although Noa, sends them all on a team-building trip, she feels separate and knows that they are hiding something. It doesn’t help that she is attracted to her three gorgeous co-workers. Nor does it help that Wilder, one of her co-workers is adamantly against her joining the team.
Will Beatrix be able to prove herself? What do they actually want from her? Who are they really?
This story is told only through Beatrix’s point of view. The slow pace in the beginning almost turned me away but I powered through and I’m so glad I did. This was an amazing read that fully captured my attention and exceeded my expectations.
I loved seeing Beatrix grow as a character and I cannot wait to see further developments. I just know she is going to be on helluva firecracker and a force to be reckoned with.
The men in this book? Sigh! I don’t know how this author did it, but she made me fall in love with each of them.
Anton is so friendly and down to earth. He makes Beatrix feel wanted, beautiful and like she belongs.
Noa is curt and blows hot and cold. But when he blows hot, you have no choice but to melt.
I think my favorite of all however is Wilder. There is so much anger in him but there’s something about him that makes me believe he’s one of the most passionate men. I need and want to know more about him.
This is a perfect beginning for what will be a suspenseful, compelling and page-turning series.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 25, 2019
Read : April 14th 2019
Rating : 5 Stars
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It starts of a little slow but picks up after Beatrix has a chance encounter with Anton in a coffee shop.
From there on out the story starts unfolding itself and man, what a story!
It's very cloak and dagger and you get the feeling somethings not completely right about everything going on, unsaid things, vague explanations etc etc, which makes it super fun to read since I love the whole spy/ cloak and dagger/sneaky stuff and it definitely has that vibe going for it.
Our heroin is Beatrix Whitelock, a girl that feels like a very " real person" character, she not a super special snowflake, has a crappy job that's not at all what she went to college for and while there is a lot of stuff she's not happy about in the world, she doesn't believe there's anything he can do to change things so she doesn't really try.
She gets drafted to work with Anton, Noa and Wilder after accepting an entry level job at Sandoval-Carr, a big multinational.
Noa is the director of special operations at Sandoval-Carr and offers her a lot better sounding job than something she can do in her sleep. Noa and Anton are on board with her working with them but the third of the trio, Wilder is not happy with it. She agrees to work for them, even knowing it might take some not quite legal things from her to do so.
What I like most about the book is that it feels like I'm reading about an actual person, with real struggles and not a magical fairy princess who just has everything fall into their lap without any effort, this takes this book to a higher level IMO.
The 3 guys, Noa, Anton and Wilder are reasonably diverse without falling too much into the preset types for a reverse harem, and of the three Wilder, grumpy growly wilder might be my Favourite.
It's also fun to read because most RH books take place in a fantasy setting and then it's easily explained as fate/mates/ divine intervention/ etc etc etc.. but this is a contemporary setting so that makes it harder to explain and more of a choice than fate and I really like that.
I will be waiting for the next book in this series!
Definitely recommend this one for starters of RH because it's a contemporary setting and relatively slow burn.
March 6, 2019
This book was excellent! Way to keep me engaged and intrigued throughout the whole thing. Reverse Harem's always intrigue me in how they go about setting everything up to keep things classy and that is part of what I love about them. This is definitely a slow burn with a bit more emphasis on the story and webbing an intricate web, but there are some MAJOR HAWT moments-- definitely keeps the anticipation up!
Bea is a little down on her luck. She graduated with a degree basically in cyber security and she is finding out the luck that we all have, entry level REALLY doesn't mean entry level. It means make sure you have years of experience before you apply for the job. You can tell in the beginning that she is the type to stick to her own guns, even if she is a little unsure of her place in the world.
Once she finds a position, it is pretty darn entry level at a call center, but then a few random doors open up for her. (Totes not going into it more, because what fun is that?)
Side Note: I totally think a bad@ss female coder is awesome and I really respect the way that Susan Stanley showcases just how unequal our world is in perception with pretty faces and sexism.
Bea then is introduced to some seriously sexy men. She feels an attraction for all of the guys in different ways. There is the imposing, handsome, brooding giant; the sweet, fun-loving, but intense hippie; and also the intimidating, hateful, but passionate brute. I have freaking loved getting to know these guys and cannot wait for more in the series to get under their skin. ;)
Susan's suspenseful web draws you in with hopes of finding out what is going to happen next, keeps you intrigued with elegant story telling, and excites you for more with the attraction and intrigue Bea feels for these men and how the story plays out!
5 out of 5 and desperately wanting more!
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book from the author in return for my honest review. This does not have a part to play in how I rated it!
Bea is a little down on her luck. She graduated with a degree basically in cyber security and she is finding out the luck that we all have, entry level REALLY doesn't mean entry level. It means make sure you have years of experience before you apply for the job. You can tell in the beginning that she is the type to stick to her own guns, even if she is a little unsure of her place in the world.
Once she finds a position, it is pretty darn entry level at a call center, but then a few random doors open up for her. (Totes not going into it more, because what fun is that?)
Side Note: I totally think a bad@ss female coder is awesome and I really respect the way that Susan Stanley showcases just how unequal our world is in perception with pretty faces and sexism.
Bea then is introduced to some seriously sexy men. She feels an attraction for all of the guys in different ways. There is the imposing, handsome, brooding giant; the sweet, fun-loving, but intense hippie; and also the intimidating, hateful, but passionate brute. I have freaking loved getting to know these guys and cannot wait for more in the series to get under their skin. ;)
Susan's suspenseful web draws you in with hopes of finding out what is going to happen next, keeps you intrigued with elegant story telling, and excites you for more with the attraction and intrigue Bea feels for these men and how the story plays out!
5 out of 5 and desperately wanting more!
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book from the author in return for my honest review. This does not have a part to play in how I rated it!
June 4, 2019
After reading Some Wounds Heal by Susan H. Stanley, I was intrigued to see what else she could write. And when I heard that this book was going to be written in first person, I was excited as I honestly prefer that to third person and I have to say for an author who’s not really branched into this prospective, she’s done a really good job. I was hooked throughout the entire story and I really didn’t want it to end, there was plot twists thrown out of no-where at you and you couldn’t help but love the characters. At first Beatrix seems pretty shy and doesn’t really have much confidence, however as the book develops you see that she does have a backbone and that she grows as a character and I love it when an author manages to give their characters room to grow and Susan really did nail that perfectly. You had all the hot guys you could think of thrown at you, one of them who prefers acting all tough and doesn’t let anyone in, the kind and understanding one and then the other who takes charge and is in control of everything. Honestly, that sounds like a perfect combination and Beatrix has no idea how lucky she is. I have no idea where Susan is planning on taking this series, but I’m excited to find out what happens though and I’m hoping it’s as exciting as this one. Seriously though, I couldn’t find anything that I didn’t like about the book, it had all the right things that you look for in a story.
Beatrix is a smart girl, she knows what she wants in life, but due to the fact that she’s a female and the career she wants to work in mainly rejects females as they think IT is something that guys should be doing, she’s currently working at a bookstore to try and keep her head afloat. However, just as life likes to throw us off balance most of the time, she ends up losing her job thanks to her jerk of a boss and is stuck trying to figure out how she’ll be able to reach her work field of choice. Little does she realise that her luck is about to change after bumping into a familiar face, but will everything after be worth the risk or is she set to be doomed?
Beatrix is a smart girl, she knows what she wants in life, but due to the fact that she’s a female and the career she wants to work in mainly rejects females as they think IT is something that guys should be doing, she’s currently working at a bookstore to try and keep her head afloat. However, just as life likes to throw us off balance most of the time, she ends up losing her job thanks to her jerk of a boss and is stuck trying to figure out how she’ll be able to reach her work field of choice. Little does she realise that her luck is about to change after bumping into a familiar face, but will everything after be worth the risk or is she set to be doomed?
April 13, 2019
**Please note: I was given an ARC for an honest and true review of this book**
Let me start this review with the following: I HATE cliffhangers. Now, having said that...what a cliffhanger! I’m totally looking forward to the next book in the series and Susan, dear, please write quicker!!
Out of all the heroines I’ve read (a few thousand at least!), Bea is the most relatable so far. She’s a young woman just trying to find her place in the world while dealing with today’s true issues for women (Sexual harassment, wage inequality, not being taken seriously in her chosen field, etc).
Susan has written what appears to be some strong alpha heros, but we don’t know much about them at this time, so I’m looking forward to seeing their back stories. This book was just setting up the series primarily and giving us a taste of Bea’s strength, which she didn’t even know she had! I love watching a woman come into her own!
How long until book 2 again?? lol
Let me start this review with the following: I HATE cliffhangers. Now, having said that...what a cliffhanger! I’m totally looking forward to the next book in the series and Susan, dear, please write quicker!!
Out of all the heroines I’ve read (a few thousand at least!), Bea is the most relatable so far. She’s a young woman just trying to find her place in the world while dealing with today’s true issues for women (Sexual harassment, wage inequality, not being taken seriously in her chosen field, etc).
Susan has written what appears to be some strong alpha heros, but we don’t know much about them at this time, so I’m looking forward to seeing their back stories. This book was just setting up the series primarily and giving us a taste of Bea’s strength, which she didn’t even know she had! I love watching a woman come into her own!
How long until book 2 again?? lol
May 10, 2019
Surprising
This is one of those books your not to sure if the pay off is going to be worth the effort . I say this because In the beginning, I didn’t particularly care for some of the main characters... the story was too good to stop reading though, so I figured there had to be a twist , and sure enough ! Well worth the read , excellent world building , characters were intricate and layered , and by the end I was disappointed I couldn’t continue this journey, I need to know what happens next ! Well written and all around excellent book , eagerly awaiting book 2 :)
This is one of those books your not to sure if the pay off is going to be worth the effort . I say this because In the beginning, I didn’t particularly care for some of the main characters... the story was too good to stop reading though, so I figured there had to be a twist , and sure enough ! Well worth the read , excellent world building , characters were intricate and layered , and by the end I was disappointed I couldn’t continue this journey, I need to know what happens next ! Well written and all around excellent book , eagerly awaiting book 2 :)
March 31, 2019
This is the first time I have read a book by Susan Stanley and she has done and amazing job with the characters and the story. I love Bea and how at the start of the book she is a yes girl but by the end she is doing what she wants to do. The male characters are to die for I think my favourite would have to be Noa but it would be hard to leave the other out. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down I can’t wait for the next book to find out what happens next
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews