Pawns in the Bishop's Game

Checkmate #1

by Emilia Finn

How do you protect the girl, when the most dangerous threat in her life is you?

Kane Bishop is a professional enforcer, smuggler, all-around law breaker, and the latest resident of a tiny town hidden by mountains and forest.

His job is to keep his kingpin boss safe and off the local law enforcement's radar.

But when Jessica Lenaghan - immediate family to the police that just won't mind their own damn business - steps into Kane's world, his protective instincts take a wild one-eighty and his focus shifts to someone other than the man he works for.

Jess is months away from sitting the bar exam, but she has a point to prove: she doesn't always have to be the good, dependable girl in the family.

But dipping her toes into Kane's world turns into something she never anticipated.

When drugs, guns, and wh*res are involved, all bets are off.

Join the crew on a nail-biting ride of adrenaline, murder, and one good-girl shooting at her bad-boy because he annoyed her one too many times.

SHELTER is book 1 in The Checkmate Series, and can be read as a complete Standalone.

Genres: Romance, Dark Romance, Dark, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Romantic Suspense

324 pages, Paperback

First published March 12, 2019

About the author

Emilia Finn is an Amazon Top 20 bestselling, Australia-based author with more than 55 books written and published to date.

She's a mom, a coffee addict, a collector of quirky coffee mugs, and before she had kids, she was a real-life full-contact fighter.

Her experience on the fight circuits helped her pen her first ever book—Finding Home—featuring a world champion MMA fighter Bobby Kincaid, and his leading lady and equal in every way, Kit Reilly. What was only supposed to be a once off experience instead turned into a career for Emilia, a thriving empire, and a daily grind she never wants to be rescued from.

Join Emilia's mailing list for exclusive material and new release alerts.

Website➜ https://www.emiliafinn.com

Reviews

[Romance Rehab · Rating 1 out of 5]

Romance Rehab: book recs, author services, general badassery: https://www.romancerehab.com/

Rarely do I hate romance novel heroines as much as I hated the heroine in this book.

Plot overview: Almost lawyer Jess puts herself in danger and requires rescuing multiple times by Kane Bishop, a guy who is working for the city’s worst-of-the-worst criminal element.

First of all, let me just say that I kind of liked Bishop. He was a snarky, dirty-talking, bad boy, and I probably would’ve enjoyed reading about him with ANY heroine other than Jess.

I also enjoy the author’s writing voice and style. She’s talented. Truly. I don’t want what I’m about to say to be a reflection on her ability to...author. She’s good. No question.

But here are the ways in which I loathe Jess with an almost violent passion:

1. She’s researching bad guys for her job. Never in a million years did her boss expect her to GO to the dangerous club where the bad guys hang out. In fact, her boss cautioned her AGAINST getting too close to the bad guys. But, in all her wisdom, our intrepid heroine thought it best to put on her Louboutins with a micro-mini, grab her $500 handbag, and go “fit in with” the bad guys so that she could get the skinny on them. Sure, Jess. I just don’t see anything wrong with that plan at all.

2. Jess is assaulted before she can even get inside the club. Shocking, right? I mean, she was doing such a great job of blending in with the criminal element! Bishop saves her, of course. I could’ve gotten over that if THE SAME EXACT THING didn’t happen once more when Jess refused to listen to Bishop and once again waltzed into the club like she owned the place and got attacked. Again, I say. Because once wasn’t awful enough. Damsel in distress, party of one...your table is ready…

3. Jess passes out after not eating for a few days and not bothering to care for her wounds. Why didn’t she go to the hospital after being wounded, you ask? Great question. Jess didn’t want her family full of cops and EMTs to find out she’d been injured and worry about her. Good plan, hon.

4. As Jess is contemplating her time with Bishop, which pretty much only included him saving her, stitching her wound, a little kissing, and a bit of finger banging, she wonders if he had AIDS, and if he could’ve given her AIDS. Then, our little MENSA candidate wonders if there’s a vaccine for AIDS, because she really enjoyed the finger banging.

5. For all her “you’re a bad guy and I can never be with you” bluster early on, Jess sure flips the switch on her morals pretty quickly and does everything she can to help Bishop and keep him out of trouble. Way to stick to your guns, Princess!

6. And for all her worry about AIDS, Jess didn’t hestitate to have unprotected sex with Bishop, even while thinking that he was drug-using killer who may or may not have raped a girl (long story).

And the twist ending? I saw it coming a mile away. But I wouldn’t have taken a star away if Jess had been a halfway decent heroine. The one star I let this book kept belongs solely to Bishop.

So, long-story-short, the hero is a pretty decent dude, the author is a talented lady, and the heroine is a dumpster fire of epic proportions. May she never darken my Kindle ever again.

[Aղցela W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading dark mafia books and this book was pretty good this was also my first time reading this author. Kane Bishop is a professional enforcer, smuggler and all around badass he is in a small to keep his boss safe when he meets Jessica Lenaghan. Jess is always the good girl she is about to take the bar exam but she wants to prove that she is not always the good girl. This was a good read I loved that Kane he was protective of Jess from the beginning he is a hot sexy is an alpha male and I liked Jess she was smart and sexy and didn't obey when Kane gave her demands. These two had some hot sexy chemistry. I also liked the secondary character's in this book also. This was a dark emotional read that was twisted and I liked it. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/1/2020)! 🎁

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Dark Mafia Romance, and this is the first book in the Checkmate book. I read this book by listening to the audiobook, and I loved the audiobook. I loved this book so much. This book had so many things in it that can trigger a reader, so please look into triggers before picking up this book. This book was so well written, and it kept me wanting to read it. I just could not put this book down. This book had me laughing at times and then crying at other times. It made me feel so many different things. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I hope it is as good as this book was. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 Stars
New to me author and I thought this was going to be a pretty good book at first but it soon fizzled out. I kept going because Kane was super hot! lol Jess...she grated my nerves though. Oh well...moving on to something else:)

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, Emilia Finn is the type of author that forces me to sit and read her books in 1 sitting, because I can’t put a pause in her stories. Her characters are so real that I feel every single emotion with every single one of them.

I loved this book, as I knew I would. Kane and Jess drew me in and wouldn’t let me stop until I had finished the book. Then I cried because it was over.

If you haven’t checked out her books yet, do so. I started with her Roller Series (which was amazing). But her books keep getting better and better. I’m seriously so happy I stumbled onto her sponsored FB post a few months ago. She has become a must read author for me.

[Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this on Facebook via the Kindle forum but read book 5 in the series first. So started outta sync. Start with this one or better still start at the very beginning of the series with her vey first book.

This book had it all for me, angsty, a really hot alpha, emotional, LOL moments and a truly amazing storyline that kept me glued to my Kindle. Read it from start to finish.

Straight onto book 2.

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-⭐

❁ Thank you to Netgalley and Emilia Finn for the opportunity to listen to the audio version of this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion — ARC provided by Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio ❁

I'm surprised by my own rating. I began this hoping for a bit of spicy fun, and I had that. This book felt like a perfect guilty pleasure, but then I ended up in tears... and if a book manages to move me it has to be more than average!

I admit I'm still a bit confused by the MFC family... they are a lot and not reading the names, but only listening, I have a lot of confusion about who is who? How many actual siblings? How is she related to the ones who are in fact not siblings?!

I hope to have more clarity with book 2, since we'll be moving to the twin sister!

Things I absolutely loved: Kane ❤️
Things that almost made me DNF after a couple chapters: Jess.

I swear the MFC did her best to end up dead 🤦🏼‍♀️ she was so frustrating at first.
but their dynamic and chemistry was amazing 😍

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 “Say whaaaat?!” stars

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first experience with this author and it was a positive one I will be checking out their back-list as this was an enjoyable easy well-written read. I feel I have joined this series late in the game, the character set-up was well established and there were a lot of prior connected couples here but no matter this didn’t affect my enjoyment or comprehension and this in my opinion can be read as a stand-alone read.

Basic premise Bishop an enforcer goes against his boss's orders and saves Jess from an attacker. Despite warning her away the two cross paths again and it’s not long before their lives become incredibly intertwined and Jess is soon falling deep for a man that should be totally off-limits for her. Jess is a lawyer in training and is part of a crackdown on certain criminal elements in her town. Kane Bishop is her target and the tattooed bad boy has now somehow managed to burrow under her skin.

There are secrets and intrigue and some unexpected turns, on the page these two together were dynamite and the banter indulged in between them was fantastic their chemistry was off the charts and their connection felt authentic and real. I liked how Kane wasn’t perfect and needed rescuing too and even though there were times i definitely felt that Jess was TSTL I also liked her and felt for her in her heartbreak.

The writing here was fabulous and such an easy fit and it managed to hook and draw me in instantly i definitely recommend reading this and I enjoyed it a lot.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I almost feel bad giving this one star because it's my own fault. I almost exclusively read paranormal romances because something being realistic isn't as important. When I'm reading about very human people there is a level of believability that needs to be there....and this did not have it.

I'm supposed to believe that an educated woman would put herself into a dangerous situation to get a closer look at a criminal she is researching...because that makes any sense. I am also supposed to believe that aforementioned criminal, who has witnessed very heinous acts, would go out of his way to save a woman he doesn't know. That just doesn't pass the sniff test. I am then asked to believe that theses two individuals have such a strong connection (which has to be based solely on looks, because what else do they have?) that they continue to risk their lives and careers for each other.

Absolutely not, this was a DNF/should not have started.

[Ashleyjo]

I lift a dangerous brow.

One of my biggest pet peeves is the use of erratic adjectives and adverbs. Excuse me while my dangerous brow stabs you, saves the day, and conveys just how badass I am… or not. Needless to say, the writing style and I got off to a bad start.

Anyhoo, the FMC is Legally Blonde 2.8… minus what little brain existed in Elle’s head. This is apparent before I finish chapter two, which leads me to stop and read reviews to see if this yoyohoho gets any better.

Apparently not…

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[c a r í · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like the first half of the book, but got lost interest on the other half. I always like a good wacky banter between mc. It makes the dialogue more convincing. And I admit I pick up this book purposely because of Kane Bishop. He's wearing his heart on sleeves. As for Jessica she's an okay love interest I guess, nothing special and intriguing. She's preparing for the bar exam and be certify as a lawyer, but sometimes I can't help to judge and irked by her actions, she's stubborn and whiney. Because of her impulsivity danger follows her. And thats not a sign of a badass heroine at all.

Anyways this is just okay. Not gonna be on my reread list.

[JenMcJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

So here is what happened. I got about 1/3 of the way into this book and was struggling with the plot being pretty stale and predictable. The foreshadowing about Kane was obvious so I was going to DNF and move on....

THEN , I get to the part of the plot that has Kane high as shit on blow, calling Jess and then Jess saving him without being a totally unreasonable heroine but also being a totally badass heroine and I couldn't put the book down. The grief scenes were written so well, I noticed tears on my face and didn't even notice when they started. I get the criticism in other reviews that Jess is annoying, TSTL and pretty much has no moral fortitude but this part redeemed her enough for me to finish the book.

So, I ended up loving this book but I still don't feel enticed into the next book or into the past books right now.

I would have given this maybe 3.5 stars but there is a part in this book with such ridiculous crap about "AIDs" that I cringed so hard I got a cramp and felt like the Author really, really needs to do some soul searching.

[Nicole McCabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down

After being disappointed time and again reading whatever popped up for my recommendations, I decided to search for something that had really strong positive reviews. I found this and was just consumed. This book was read in just one day and I LOVE it. Love the storyline, love the characters, love the twists. I usually find books to be pretty predictable but there were several surprises with this one. I want to start the next one of this series but I’m certain that if I do, I won’t sleep tonight. Highly recommend!

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
This book has been on my TBR for a long time, because it was supposed to have Rio (from Good Girls) vibes. And it did. In fact, I just pictured him and didn't pay any attention to how Bishop was described. But that was the end of the similarities, Jess was no Elizabeth, and I missed that connection. This story was good on it's own, but I feel like I didn't get what I was promised by all of the recommendations. The plot was very obvious to me from almost the beginning, so I was also missing the excitement of seeing it unfold throughout the book. But it was good enough for me to want to read Lane's book if there is one. I listened to the audiobook, and it was very well done, but it would have been better if Kane was portrayed more as the gangster presented.

[Janice Dudley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great start to a new series, but to get the best benefit you need to start at the beginning as all these books are interconnected

[Lira]

DNFed at 35%. Icanttakeitanymorereadingaboutkanesdick!

I alternated between reading the book and listening to the audiobook, and while the narration itself is fantastic, the story was simply impossible for me to finish. It’s confusing, overly repetitive, and the thirty-year-old protagonist behaves more like a fourteen-year-old based on the decisions she makes.

The breaking point for me came when the heroine was essentially assaulted twice (not by the MMC), and yet she reacted as if nothing had happened—jumping straight into flirty, sexual banter the very next day. It felt completely unrealistic and disconnected from the severity of what she had just experienced. That was ultimately what made me put the book down for good.

[TrulyDeeplyBookishly_708456 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boy do I have mixed feelings about this book!!

The first 75% deserves 1 star, but the last 25% deserves 5 stars.
So instead I've settled on a happy middle of 3 stars.

This was recommended to me from a friend because it's apparently
So fucking good

I think I would have liked this book a hella lot more if it hadn't been for the stupidity of Jess, the leading lady. She's studying to be a criminal lawyer. She's surrounded by family members who are cops and criminal layers. She's seeing the world very much as black and white; you're either a criminal or an upstanding and honest citizen. There's no room for grey areas, or disagreeing with her. She thinks it, she believes it = it's indisputable correct.

When handed case files to study, she's very thorough and even take it upon herself to go undercover at a seedy club. So, in other words - you'd think she has a healthy knowledge of what the underbelly is like, and what to expect. Yet she acts like a seriously dumb woman. Kane Bishop steps in to save her, but that's no reason to thank him and heed his warning about this area. Oh no..... rape me once shame on you, rape me twice...... Jess is hellbent on going there again. And when she's there the second time, and someone threatens her again, what does she do? Yell up about being on first name basis with the cops. I mean... is she expecting them to stand still while she makes a call, then hang about till the police gets there?

This is such a weak and annoying portrayal at a woman. Hell, at a would-be lawyer. Hell, of a human being. she's She keeps pestering Bishop into getting a job, and even getting angry with him for not just waving goodbye to his criminal lifestyle and boss.

All this came across like she had no knowledge or grasp on reality. I mean what was he supposed to do? Hand his "boss" a little note:

"Dear Abel.

Please accept my 2 weeks notice. I'll no longer be a criminal, and instead walk the straight and narrow. I'll make my new life with my uptight GF who has connections in the police. But don't be alarmed, I'd never rat you out. Wink wink nudge nudge.

Xoxo Kane "

Yeah, because that's how it works *insert dramatic eye roll*

To some this may not be a big deal, but to me it ruined three quarters of the book. It just made her obnoxious, bratty, dumb and very much someone who suffers from the unattractive special snowflake syndrome.

Then comes the last quarter, which had me in tears!!
The writing is so powerful and heartfelt, it's hard not to get swept up in the sadness and heartbreak.

[Lori Ritondale · Rating 4 out of 5]

different, but good

I was definitely in suspense this entire book. Please don’t read the negative reviews and take them seriously. Sometimes I swear people read how they want to read. Jess was not dumb or annoying. Honestly if I had half the trauma she had I been a basket case. She was a warrior and Kane character was so believable you never guessed the ending.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo. *takes big breath* Sometimes a book comes along (or a film) and just about everything in it is totally wrong. The plot (over the whole series in this case, all of which I read but I will rate this one only) has holes a mile wide, nobody would act like this in real life, the heroine is annoying as hell, the hero is a psycho, the story is total BS, the psychology is bollocks, NOTHING works other than the writing itself (Finn can string sentences and dialogue together with the best of them) - and still you fucking love it. You love it so much you reread it time and time again. Within this series it even has a name: it's the Kane Bishop effect. And it's real. Finn didn't write a book, she vodooed a book here. I've tried everything else she's written (the Rollin On series, Survivors, even Stacked) and it falls flat in comparison. It's not terrible but just not even close. The only other book almost up there with it, is Checkmate 5 - Rise of the King. But still not the same.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jessica is possibly the worst heroine I've ever read. She wants to be a lawyer but has absolutely ZERO issue watching and breaking the law over and over again. She saw multiple ppl murdered and really had no issue not reporting this to the police. Overall, she was awful. The thing I really couldn't get my head around though is the size of this stupid town. It was mentioned multiple times that it's a small town YET it has a club that is trafficking drugs and people AND had people die in it every single night...how was this happening? In NY a club like this would be difficult to exist but a small town? Is this Gotham? Is it completely lawless here? How are all these people dying and going unreported and uninvestigated?? It doesn't make any sense. Just so damn stupid I'm getting annoyed all over again about this story. It was a one star almost from the start but I'm giving it an extra only because Kane was surprisingly well written for such a shitty story.

[Toni Benton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emilia has outdone herself

I’m not totally positive that I have the words to express the love I have for this author & her books. She has taken it out of the box on this one!! This book is so different from everything else she’s written, but it is still so her style!!! You fall in love with characters you’ve known in other books, but just didn’t feel totally connected to (but that’s really bc Emilia wasn’t ready for you to connect with them). You love on them, you hurt with them, you cry with & for them. Literally ugly crying tears here!!! The suspense, the intensity, the mystery, the anger, the love & the tenderness is all there. My stomach was in knots a majority of this book.
CAN NOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THIS AWESOME BOOK...JUST READ IT!!

[DemetraP · Rating 1 out of 5]

The heroine is too stupid to live. She goes to a dangerous club run by criminals by herself. She gets attacked and almost raped. She gets stabbed. Hero saves her. He checks on her the next day and she didn't go to the hospital to get stitches because she didn't want anyone to find out she got hurt.

Hero gives her 12 stitches. He tells her to never come back to the club as it's dangerous. So she goes back again and gets attacked again and raped. Hero kills the guy but bad guy had already started raping her.

She tells hero she wants to save him and can help him get a job.

[CeCe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not care for the heroine, Jess. A spoiled brat. Too much detail. Don’t care. Jess is supposed to be this smart attorney, but she was idiot. What did the hero see in her?!?! A pretty, shallow girl was all I saw. From all the descriptions I guess she knew how to dress expensive and well. Ugh. She dresses expensive to meet bad guys?!?! She was an idiot. Jessica and Bishop have unprotected sex.

Bishop deserved a better heroine.
Good luck with this one.
My opinion.

[Liz [reads books] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay this is probably the best book I've read by this author. A story about two completely opposite personalities coming together, a girl who lives in a black and white world, and a guy who's life exists in the gray area.
And, wow! What an ending! I was set on a 4½-star rating for this book, but THEN! The ending clinched it for me. 5 stars!!!

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an emotional roller coaster with lots of whiplash but I absolutely loved it. Hated both of the main characters at first but they grew on me and I really enjoyed the plot. The whole family dynamic was weird and all the way they were related was weird and confusing which was a little off putting for me. I needed more smut to be in this too. The slow burn was too slow burn.

[Sandra R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark. Possible triggers. Blood. Fighting. Mafia. Drugs. Drama. Tragedy. Loved it!! This is a very good suspense story with a slow burn steamy romance and lots of twists. There were a few small grammar errors though. Jess' instead of Jess's for example.

[Kim Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first experience with Emelia Finn and I have never laughed out loud so much! Edgy and full of twists! Comical and exciting! The bantering! Such a fun and entertaining book!

[Judy Churchill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is raw, profane, dirty and yet it’s a story that kept me on the edge of my seat till I finished it. I really liked it.