Well, well, Miss Maxwell, you naughty naughty girl. If I knew this new series of yours was THIS hot, I'd have jumped on it way sooner than this. As it is, I'm kicking myself for taking this long to discover it. I've been a huge fan of this author since I first discovered her with Rules of Entanglement (which I absolutely adored). This series of hers is certainly a lot spicier, and you won't find this girl complaining one bit!

This book checked all of my yaaaassss boxes. And I do mean ALL of them.

1. Hot as sin, tatted up and pierced for your pleasure bad boy stripper by night and all alpha hotshot lawyer by day hero?

I know fighting this battle is futile. The man is weaving a spell I’m hesitant to break free of.



2. A sassy, confident, take charge heroine that's not afraid of going after she wants and makes no excuses for who she is while laughingly referring to herself as a honey badger?

3. A perfect amount of humor thrown in to take it from sexy to fun and back again?


His. Cock. Is. Glorious. You know in the movies, when a wide shaft of light pierces through parting clouds like a spotlight from God to illuminate the Magnificently Monumental Thing that everyone should be looking at? That’s what should happen every time Roman Reeves takes his dick out. It’s that amazing.


4. Enough sizzle to light up 30 city blocks?

Our lovemaking isn’t slow and romantic, it’s hurried and feverish. It’s not chick flicks with tissues, it’s office porn with sweat. It’s half-dressed and half-crazy, forceful thrusts and labored breaths. But this is how we started. This is us. This is perfect.


5. And if all that wasn't enough to get your engine revving, it also has one heck of a hot MFM menage.

My gaze stays firmly rooted on the man in front of me, even as my body sings for the man behind me.


Suffice it to say I enjoyed this book. A lot. The heroine is sassy without being brash, which is not easy to pull off. I loved her easy confidence with an underlay of vulnerability. The banter between her and Roman "Ruthless" was off the charts hot. These two sizzle in and out of the bedroom and I couldn't get enough of them.

He takes over my mind, my ability to reason, leaving me with nothing but my four remaining senses.

What I loved most of all is that wrapped into all the smoking hot sexy times was a fantastic hot story that only revved up the hotness factor of this book. I seriously loved every page of it and i'm already salivating for the next book. One of the guys happens to have a particular kink that happens to be my catnip. I won't tell you who or what it is but OMG I NEED HIS BOOK!

Ruthless was a one two punch to the ovaries. It was entertaining and downright sizzling. It had everything; humor, steam, fantastic story telling, and a hero that you will lust after from cover to cover. Guaran-damn-teed.

I just love Gina and this book proves why. So well written! This book is about Addie who has her sights on Roman who is hands off as he's her besties man's bestie. As soon as she hears she can't have him, she wants him more. Roman really wants Addie but it's against his friend rule. But he can't resist her and has an amazing sexual encounter. Weeks later, Roman is still thinking about Addie, something he's never done with another woman. When Addie finds Roman is her boss, she knows he's really off limits but they just can't keep their hands off each other. Such a steamy read. I can't wait to see who we'll read next...Austin or a new series with Addie's cousin, Sam, who plays in the NHL!

4.5 Stars! Ruthless is the second book in the Playboys in Love series but can easily be read as a stand alone. I did, but I have to say I will definitely be going back to get the first book! This book was hot and very sexy which I knew it would be but what I loved was that I truly liked and enjoyed the characters and the plot. Yes there's a plot - too many really sexy books don't have enough of one - that wasn't the case in this book. Plenty of character depth, humor, a relationship that starts off about sex but grows and well yeah lots of really great sex scenes. Menage is hit or miss for me and it really depends on if I can believe the characters are all in but still have feelings for their partner or partners. This one pulls that off in spades and it worked really well! Roman is a great alpha male and Addison is a very feisty character.

I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely read the first one and I'm looking forward to the next in the series. If you're looking for some hot and sexy times with great characters an interesting story and some humor I recommend Ruthless!

The second book in Gina L. Maxwell’s Playboys in Love series is even better than the first book.Ruthless is every bit as raw and sexy as Shameless, but this hero has two very different sides and the heroine finds out she does as well. Ms. Maxwell has really turned up the heat in her writing with this series giving her readers some of the charts smoldering sexy reading.
Addison wants a night with her best friend’s boyfriend’s friend Roman (aka Ruthless, his stripper name), but Roman has a strict policy of not getting involved with friends or even friends of friends. Addison decides she’s going to be the one to make him break that rule and to be honest she does it with flair, but Roman makes her understand that he’s the one that is in charge and despite the fact she manipulated him into breaking his rule. So begins the story of Addison and Roman and a deliciously sexy story it is.
Let me be clear this really isn’t a romance although it does have a HFN ending, but their relationship is combative at the start and based on sex and fun throughout most of the story. That’s not a bad thing; in fact it is exciting, sexy, and even wicked. Roman has certain sexual proclivities and he is convinced that in sharing those with Addison it will run her off, what he doesn’t realize is that under her somewhat buttoned up exterior is a wildcat underneath.
I loved watching these two explore the sexual sides together and Roman introducing Addison to all kinds of new things which she enjoyed fully and completely, but what I enjoyed most of all was watching them both fall in deep with one another without fully realizing it. They were both so set on it just being fun, just being sexy, but with each day, each encounter it became so much more throwing them both for a loop.
Just as Addison’s career is taking off and she’s proving to be a very capable attorney and their relationship is heading towards being more for them both, Roman makes a big assumption that send them both spinning. I was a bit disappointed in this part of the book and it actually felt very contrived to create drama that in my opinion wasn’t needed.
There is nothing better than watching two smart, headstrong, opinionated, passionate people find their match and that is exactly what Ms. Maxwell offers up in Ruthless and the result is fantastic!

I liked and enjoyed this book. great start to this new series. cant wait to read more.

Describe this book in nine words: Raw and naughty on the razor’s edge of tragedy.

I normally would focus on the hot and sexy of a smutty book like this because HOT AND SEXY! There is nothing bad when those two things hang out together. And it’s enough to turn my head every time. The true value of this novel isn’t steam related in anyway-- but I will reiterate, it’s high on steam.

Gina L. Maxwell interjects a heart wrenching undertone to Ruthless I think many erotic novels get snipped out in editing or overshadowed by inserted sensual scenes. In this second Playboys in Love novel Gina L. Maxwell stunningly retains a level of dark truth about broken relationships that plague the psyche of lovers throughout time. And she does it masterfully.

Roman Reeves is one of those lovers a woman can define her every weakness and broken hope by. He’s a man of influence, a lawyer who likes to win. A man of stature who must always maintain an air of respect. Restricting his demeanor for public consumption has cleaved him in half, burying his real needs and wants deeply into an alternative world. His life has become a sleight of hand and a bald face lie. He has sacrificed a little on both sides to find a modicum of peace that leaves him feeling empty.

He’s twins in one body: Roman--analytical and cold; Ruthless, the persona that can feel and live. A half life that can’t reconcile a personal relationship on a meaningful level for fear his dark side will devour and incinerate anything that gets too close.

A friend of a friend and his new lawyer hiree, Addison won’t turn away from the things that might scare her. She burns for experiences that will allow her to touch danger. She wants to be pushed, starving for something that she can conquer and revel in. Her tragedy is that loving a man like Roman is like touching a star. The difference between what she sees and what she gets is no less than an ocean of tears.

Let me tell you, the heart wrenching moment when Addison realizes she has walked into her own destruction is so crushing that I felt it too.

Fear not, my little pervs!

The under arching emotional plot construction isn’t so heavy that it will weigh you down from the sexy times. Some people won’t even feel it. Ruthless is different than Shameless in that the erotic parts aren’t a steady diet of kinky degradation. Roman’s fetish is uniquely his; the only time he can be himself--be honest. I think he likes what he does to some extent because he needs that part of him to be validated. He likes witnesses to the most vulnerable part of him.

And the guy is hot and sexy. HOT AND SEXY. HOT and SEXY. SEXY! HOT.
Addison is a genuinely likeable ball buster. I feel that her finest moments are when she lets down her shields and allows herself to shatter. It gave me a chance to find the strength in her character.

The storycrafting is phenomenal and the telling stellar. I loved Shameless but this book feels like it is built on a more solid foundation. I really can’t wait to read Austin’s story. I don’t know if she can write another one of these gems but I hope so.

If you like this then definitely pick up the first book Shameless. Also L.A. Fiore’s Beautifully Damaged or Penelope Ward’s Roomhate if you want to branch out.

Addison Paige and Roman Reeves have definitely met their match in one another. Both are self-professed control freaks and both are ruthless when it comes to getting what they want in both their personal and professional lives, and it just so happens that despite Roman’s iron will when it comes to following through with his decisions, Addie and her wildcat tendencies overwhelm him in the sexiest and kinkiest of ways, proving that Addison’s self-professed honey badger nickname definitely holds true to form, but she’s also willing to do things the “Ruthless” way, especially if it means seducing, pushing, and pleasing the man who’s captivated her in so many ways.

One aspect of Gina Maxwell’s stories that never fails to tantalize her readers is the intensely hot and passionately sweet encounters her hero and heroine find themselves in, whether it be behind closed doors or in the line of sight of onlookers. A significant part of Maxwell’s couples’ connection centers around them giving into their carnal desires and fulfilling one another’s fantasies in a way that illustrates just how in sync their bodies and their minds seem to be.

What’s particularly intriguing about the dynamics that exist between Addison and Roman is the many different roles they play in one another’s lives. As professionals, Roman is Addison’s boss, helping to shape her as an attorney and giving her firsthand insight into what it takes to win an argument. As a man, Roman wants to dominate Addie’s wildcat personality and prove to her just how good submitting to his commands can be. As an independent woman, Addison is used to having control and not giving a shit about a man’s approval, but as her attraction to Roman expands and her relationship with him grows more significant with every passionate encounter, they’re both thrown off-balance, challenging one another and finding out if their ruthlessness applies to each other or is simply a way to get what they want and keep it

Ruthless is one heck of a scorching read, but it’s about more than just steamy encounters and kinky fucking; it’s a story about finding out one’s personal desires and realizing that the way things have always been may not be what someone truly needs, regardless of how unorthodox learning those ideas is.

Bring on the next playboy to fall in love!

A complimentary copy was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)

Another entertaining, great read from author Gina L Maxwell.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this title, however I have chosen not to finish it. While I generally enjoy the erotic titles, this one felt a little forced to me and after the first scene with them, I was not really able to believe they could form a lasting relationship.

I also had issues with the pacing. I felt all of the "kink" was tossed at me immediately, not giving me a chance to get to know him without a litany of "this is why I am kinky" sent at me,.

I did not read the 1st title in the series, and while I know this is a standalone, I think meeting him prior to this book would have made him a little more accessible to me.

Thank you again for the opportunity and I look forward to the next title through Entangled/Scorched.

Laura

This story is fast paced, very sexy and definitely hot and romantic. This book has amazing characters with very hot chemistry. I just couldn't put this book down till I got to the last page then I was left wanting more and more. The male characters are extremely hot in this book. I cant wait to read more from this author in the future.

Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

Hot hot hot! I loved this book, and definitely recommend it to everyone!

With its stripper by night/lawyer by day main hero who likes to have sex with his stripper clients while his fellow male stripper friends often watch/participate, this book goes down a path I do not travel. Until that big reveal at the beginning, I was looking forward to reading this one. Though stunned, because I seriously was not expecting that, I kept reading thinking the heroine will likely lead this bad boy down a new path of his own...redemption. Problem was the heroine's equally crass/crude behavior left me leary of her, as well. Sure, these two may be perfect for each other. They likely take turns trying to out do one another with crass/crude antics. I do, however, need to like and respect my main couple. The early signs here were that wasn't going to happen. It's just not my idea of a good romantic read.

Perhaps in the future, I'll give this book another attempt to make sure I didn't rush to an unfair judgement. If I do change my opinion, I'll edit these comments accordingly.

(Though gifted a NetGalley ARC in exchange for an unbiased opinion, I am declining writing a full review as it will only be extremely negative.)

Just like the first book in the series, this was an easy hot read. Roman and Addison are the best friends of the main characters from book one. There is a definite attraction from both sides and it was interesting to read how each one would act on it. I did enjoy the time that Roman and Addison spent together in regular settings-they gained a great rapport and I could sense the dramatic progress of feelings. It was nice to see their interactions together and the progression of their relationship. Gina had me hooked on how it would all play out. While this wasn’t a bad read, there were some parts of the story that I didn’t gel with-this was more due to my preferences than anything else. This was a quick nice read. I really liked the characters-they were great. Just like book one, they are what kept the book interesting. I am intrigued by Austin and I’m hoping that his book is next.

This is Book 2 in the "Playboys in Love" Series and I was waiting for Addison and Roman's story since I have read the first book,Shameless and it didn't disappoint me!

Although the male characters have special tastes related to sex, Gina L. Maxwell has a way of waving the story that appeals to me and it makes me like the characters.

Addison is witty, independent and funny. Her best friend introduces her to Roman aka as Ruthless and although he doesn't want to have anything with Addison she will manage to have a one night stand.

Later, they will relate because of their work and the attraction will be too much to deny it.

The book is hot, the love scenes are scorching and the chemistry between Addie and Roman is awesome!

Great read! Highly entertaining!



I voluntarily reviewed a copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Engaging, fast-paced and very well-written, I enjoyed immensely this seriously hot story that captivated me from the start. Ruthless was a great combination of all the elements that fit my reading preferences - entertaining plot, lovable and interesting characters, humour, romance, passion, emotion, off-the-charts chemistry and the love scenes were without a doubt crazy HOT.

Roman aka Ruthless is a successful attorney AND a sexy as hell male stripper. He has a couple of rules and one of them is to not messing around with a friend’s friends. This is a rule he never breaks. On a night out with friends, Roman meets Addison and he’s instantly attracted to her. But Addie is the best friend of his best friend’s girlfriend, which puts her into the forbidden fruit category. Plus, Roman has special sexual needs and everything with him is about control. He’s convinced that Addison can’t be on board to play his kinky games. No matter how much he wants her, Addison is off-limits. What he didn’t count on was the determination of the tempting vixen to have him.

« I can’t help the wide grin that spreads over my face at her retaliatory insult. Fuck me, this woman is driving me insane…And Addison is about to learn what happens when you rouse the sleeping beast. »

Addison is a beautiful, strong and confident newbie Junior attorney. She’s a wildcat with a honey badger persona as she likes to define herself and she always gets what she wants. From the moment they were officially introduced, Addie had her eyes set on the sexy stud. Fueled by Roman’s denial, Addie is more than ready to take up the challenge, even just for the thrill of capturing the unattainable.

« I have this thing about getting my ego bruised: I don’t like it. But in the event it happens, I don’t retreat into a hidey-hole to lick my wounds. Hell, no. I retaliate. I’m like a fucking honey badger. Everyone knows honey badgers don’t give a shit, and neither do I. »

Unable to fight their sizzling chemistry and the undeniable and unstoppable connection that flares between them, and under the guise that what they had was just a one-off time, Addie and Roman end-up in an explosive bump-and-grind session against a wall which turns up into something neither can forget.

They both successfully managed to resist the temptation to contact each other until Roman and Addie find themselves working together. Torn between keeping things professional and giving into their desires, they finally cave and start a brief, no-strings attached relationship.
The emotional ties develop as they discover one another's personalities and soon, what started out between them as an easy and sinful affair, evolves into something so much deeper. Until doubts, insecurities and resentment start to show their ugly heads forcing Addison and Roman to take life-changing decisions.

Ruthless is not a book for the prude folk out there - we have a very dominant and kinky alpha hero in the house who is not afraid to voice his dirtiest wishes, all wrapped up in a sexy package.

« I like control, Addison. I like controlling my lover’s pleasure. Her every desire is fulfilled by me or at my command.”

Loved Roman and Addison together and individualy. I enjoyed their crazy banters, the way they interacted and how they handled one another. They complimented each other perfectely in every way. Addison is a wonderful heroine I adored. She is feisty, fun and doesn't let anyone easily walk over her.

« When faced with a challenge, Im willing to risk a little venom if it means I end up with a nice cobra dinner. »

“You’re practically dripping on my hand, Addison. I’d say you’re far from bored.” “I have a medical condition,” she says breathily. “I’m like that all the time.”

Gina L. Maxwell is a new-to-me author and I can definetely tell you that Ruthless will not be my last read from her.

What's not to like about this book? I can't think of one thing.

We have a very feisty female lead, Addison. She is intelligent with a great sense of humor, feisty and knows how to have fun.

Roman also had a great sense of humor, along with being a bit more than I anticipated. The author gave us insight into this characters past, which of course helped me to understand some of his choices in life. He also is smart and alpha male which just made him even more interesting to me.

The chemistry between these two could melt pages in books and panties to be truthful.
I loved the kink in this book and the heat between our characters are sure to win some new readers over.

This writer knows what we like and made sure she dished it out for all to enjoy.
Would I recommend this book? YES!
This is for dedicated readers of Gina Maxwell along with a great introduction into what new reader might enjoy.

I loved everything about this book!! I could not stop reading it as soon as I started it. Addison and Roman were amazing as a couple. Their interactions were everything that I would want in a book. There was hot, sexy, steamy, drama, and emotion. This is not the first book I have read by this author and it will by no means be the last.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Lawyer and stripper. Anyone? Anyone?
Holy Heavens above, Gina L. Maxwell... what have you done? Whatever it is, I like it.. a lot. A. LOT.
To say that I have been waiting to get my hands on Ruthless is quite possibly the understatement of all understatements. After Shameless (book 1) I knew that, for me, GLM had written a version of lady porn Pokemon and I must have them all. ALL.
Roman 'Ruthless' Reeves, yall. Where to start? Well.. hes a lawyer by day, stripper by night. Sound tacky? Work with me here. He's kinky to the bone. (teehee) He meets Addison and they hook up and its great but not a problem until she gets hired at his company and he turns into her boss. UHOH.
The sparks FLY in this book - its completely off the charts hot but more that that, its a really well written, fully developed story. The MCs and even the secondary characters were fairly three dimensional and I thought the dialogue between the two MCs was great.
GLM has proven to me that she can slay in the romance/erotica genre and I will never hesitate to recommend her or her books to someone looking for a great read in these categories.
5***** WickedGoodStars!

5 KINKY CROWNS

Be prepared to enter the world of delicious alpha men with their own kink when you open the cover of the Playboys in Love series. This erotic world that Gina L. Maxwell is perfect blend of licentious deeds and romance, creating a story that will pull at your heartstrings and keep things hot in the sheets.

From the very first chapter, I was drawn into this story, ad mainly because of the voice of the female lead. Her dominance, her intelligence, her assertiveness and her ownership of her sexual prowess will have readers in complete awe of her. Even with all these female alpha-type behavior, Addie still allows her vulnerable and softer side show through, only making her that much more endearing. She is never more vulnerable though when she is with Roman. He seems to be able to flay her open and serve her up, but she allows it because she trusts him.

Roman as a hero is gahh!! Unreal. Completely dominate, utterly attractive, smart, and loyal to boot. His kink though leaves him wandering around looking for more, and he never thought he would find it in Addie. What will make readers absolutely become enamored with Roman is his care of Allie. Once she agrees to participate in his fantasies, he takes unbelievable care of her, taking things slowly and constantly assessing her comfort. My favorite moments with Roman though are when he lets his guard down, when he is just with Allie as a “couple” without getting down and dirty. These little glimpses not only serve to make Roman than a man with darker pleasures, but a hero readers can fall in love with.

This story is so delectable! The heat picks up from the very beginning, and it doesn’t let up ever! Even when Allie and Roman are hooking up, the sexual tension is enough to set readers blood on fire. Each look, innuendo, comment is laced with desire, and readers feel every hit, but this story is more than just sex. It is about Allie opening up her physical limits, while Roman is pushed to open up emotionally. Of course with both of the characters open and raw, there is bound to be issues, and when these issues come to a head, Roman should just grab readers’ hearts and crush it in his palm. It was painful to see him self-destruct and take the people he loves with him. His redemption, though, his desire to fix what he has done is just as filled with emotion and love. He took the pieces of my crumbled heart and pieced it back together with every sweet word that came from his mouth.

Gina L. Maxwell has effectively sucked me into the P4H club. Gah!! I freaking love every single one of these men and the woman they meet, and the writing is fantastic. This erotic world has effectively seduced me, and I don’t ever want to leave.
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ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this one! It's really hot so make sure to have an ice cold drink handy. Trust me you'll need it. Roman is delicious and he a few surprises. The chemistry between him and Addison is off the charts. Roman doesn't touch friends or friends of friends, but when the attraction is as explosive as it is between him and Addison he can't help, but touch. Things get a little complicated when business comes into play. Can Roman break the rules when it comes to Addison or will he let the best thing ever happen to him slip away?