I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
When Sinners Fear continues the dark but entertaining and addictive House of Skin series. The fact the Cortez family enamoured me shows how far down the rabbit hole I have gone with this series. Kudos to the authors for creating compelling and complex anti-heroes. This is a family that lives in a dark and dangerous world. A world where women are treated as chattels and sold for profit. A world where the Cortez family word is law.....and one where death is sure to find you if you attempt to double-cross them. If dark romance is your jam, then the House of Skin series will make a great addition to your reading list.
I have been following the series from the start and this is the darkest and most brutal one so far. It's definitely not for the faint-hearted. When Sinners Fear gives us Knox Cortez and Peyton Summer's story. Knox, the brilliant one with the eidetic memory, the brother who deals with the financial aspect of the family's operations. Don't be fooled, he's just as cold and deadly as his brothers. One should despise him, but somehow before the story concludes, readers will find themselves falling for yet another Cortez brother.
When Sinners Fear delivered a compelling tale. It tells a story of two people from different worlds forced into a dangerous situation where they had no choice, but to rely on each other for survival. A situation where despite its brutal, scary and cringe worthy moments led to the development of unexpected romantic feelings.
Peyton is a sweet and innocent young woman who demonstrated courage throughout the story. She took a leave of absence from her PhD studies to help in the care of her mom. Unknown to her, she caught the eye of one of the most dangerous criminals. Knox love his women pure and untouched. He is not looking for a long term relationship, and Peyton would satisfy his hunger. His decision to take her on a date would change the trajectory of both their lives in the most unpleasant of ways. Because of his sister's actions in the previous book, When Sinners Dare, Knox and Peyton paid dearly.
The person responsible for their pain, misery and humiliation ended up paying dearly with his life. He deserved it after what he put Peyton true, and to think before all of this I was hoping he would escape the Cortez wrath. This one definitely test your boundaries, so heed the trigger warnings.
Knox is not one to feel empathy for women, given the type of business he conducts. As such his need to protect Peyton from their tormentors confuses him. He does it anyway and in the best way he could, given their circumstances. Right there and then, one recognises that he does have a heart. This was further highlighted in his show of guilt and remorse for what he had to do to ensure Peyton survived the ordeal. They both struggled with accepting their feelings for each other.
The first half of the book detailed their meeting and the ordeal they went through. The second half dealt with the after-effects of their horrifying experience. The second half was a little tamer, with the author's infusing some sweet moments which will leave readers with a smile. I sure love that lovely surprise, which brought out Knox's softer side.
When Sinners Fear was another great addition to the series.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading