One of the first books I've read from this author and an instant favorite! If you haven't read her, please do!!!

So this book is one of those that I previously read one by the author, and decided to give another a shot. And I was glad I did. Zara's books are a little outside my normal reads. But I like the way they also push me out of my typical comfort zone too.

yes this one's a bit darker and a whole lot sexy. But it was also Killian and Faith that really drew me into the story.
There's this fine line of how a character can be say damaged or at least think they are that just makes you feel for them and also maybe resent them just a bit. And I went through a range of emotions as this book progressed and we really got to dive deeper into Killian's mind and see how faith just brought out some light in his dark. But without really changing him either. And honestly I enjoyed that so much. I liked how rough around the edges he was and happy Zara didn't try to water that down or change him as the story progressed. It gave him so much more dimension and depth. And Faith was just that character that you kinda love. She seems so sweet and innocent at first. And then I feel like things just get flipped on their heads. And I quite enjoyed the little hellion she had hiding in there. And how it played of killian

Definitely a surprising read. And worthy of 5 stars

Arrogant bastard was one of my most anticipated since I love this series but I can say that sadly was my least favorite.Faith and Killian's story had such great potential.And I really tried to like it a lot but I couldn't .

After being surprised in the best way possible by the last book in the Dark Desires series, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the next book. Black Sheep had set up the Black Widow’s story so well, I was dying for Arrogant Bastard to release, especially since I knew it would be a second chance romance. I am a huge sucker for that trope, and luckily Zara Cox delivered on the angst and intensity I was expecting to come with Black Widow/Faith and Killian’s second chance romance. There were still some parts that I wasn’t too keen on, but overall, this was a fantastically dark and delicious second chance romance I’d recommend!

I feel like I’ve desired her and lost her through several lifetimes. She wishes she’d never met me in even one of them, I know. But that matters very little now.
It happened. We happened. And this time… I don’t plan to loser her again.

Four years ago, Faith and Killian met, and against all odds fell for each other. Killian introduced her to the world of espionage and, caught up in the rush of love, lust, and adrenaline, they never looked back. That is, until one assignment breaks them, and Faith disappears completely from Killian’s life. Years later, after his unwavering search for the love of his life (it certainly helped that he had the money and brains to find her), Killian has found Faith, who now goes by Black Widow. And now that he’s found her, he’s never letting her go again.

She was everything I’d been waiting for without even knowing it.

I loved Black Widow in Black Sheep, and she’s just as badass as I knew she was in Arrogant Bastard. After learning her history with espionage with Killian, I grew to admire her all the more. Despite leaving Killian, Faith never forgot about the man who, once upon a time, was her everything. But now that’s he’s found her, her newly constructed life in New York slowly crumbles, and she’s not sure she’s tough enough to keep Killian out of her life – again.

“When are you going to get it through your head that I exist just for you?”

I loved the second chance romance. I adored the determined hero who never stopped searching for and loving the one woman he knew was meant for him. Seriously, you will swoon over how much Killian loved and cherishes Faith (even if he is arrogant and a bastard at times). I do wish we got to see more of their history though, just to get a sense of how they fell in love from the beginning.

But the main reason I didn’t love this book as much as Black Sheep was that I felt the suspenseful part of the story nearly overtook the romance. I love a good romantic suspense, but I just wasn’t expecting the book to focus so heavily on the action. Although if you love action and suspense, and are in the mood for it, then Arrogant Bastard is definitely for you. The addicting second chance romance will just be the icing on top!

I did enjoy Arrogant Bastard overall and hope that Zara Cox writes more dark romance. Her heroes are alpha, powerful, and irresistible, while her heroines are tough and independent. She writes some sizzling chemistry – the sexual tension is all-consuming and erotic. I’m very much looking forward to what the author has in store for us next!

Arrogant Bastard by Zara Cox keeps the reader turning pages until there are no more. What a rollercoaster of a story! I've read heroes who are determined, but none like Killian Knight. He really does not take no for an answer, and once he sets his mind on to something, he pursues it until he gets it. Nothing else will do.

Both Killian and Faith are extremely strong characters. I love Killian's resolution not to give up his search for Faith. I love it even more so when Faith doesn't concede to his demands even though he sort of kidnaps her to keep her safe. They each have their secrets, and they're far from perfect but through their discovery of the ghosts from years past hunting them, they find a way to work through their issues.

The sex is off the charts!

It does take a while before Faith admits that she wants Killian as much as he wants her, but once she does... the pages go up in flames and the story gets even better.

There's one thing that stands out at the beginning of the book, and that's perhaps because someone super close to me works at the private airport referenced. I won't go into detail because I'm probably in the minority of those who know how the airport there works, and what kind of jets can depart at any time vs those that have a curfew. Or, when "officials" or "immigration" are actually required to be there vs not. I think this was perhaps a little too much detail and unnecessary, but I digress. These facts don't take anything away from the story.

I've become an irrevocable fan of Zara Cox one book at a time with her Dark Desires series and can't wait to see what she's got coming out next.

I love Zara Cox's writing. I've loved the other books in this series, but unfortunately, Arrogant Bastard just didn't work for me. I didn't connect with either of the leading characters at all. I found myself skimming the beginning trying to find an entry point that would draw me in and carry me forward to read their full story. But it just didn't happen for me. DNF at 18%.

Intense read and super sexy. I was pretty hooked from the beginning but the dialogue throughout was pretty cheesy and threw me off a bit. There was a good amount of suspense to balance out the romance. This is an extremely emotional read and it deals with some dark issues so be warned.

I love Zara Cox and her words and stories. I was so excited to read Arrogant Bastard, mostly because I loved her others in this series of standalones so much.

But this one just wasn't it for me, right now. I wasn't able to connect like I wanted to, and that made me sad. I sat on what to write in my review and I decided that I'm going to read it again when I feel like it's time and I'll write another one... because I just don't feel like this was the best time for me.

I want to love these words. These characters. This story.
I'm determined!

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar

In Arrogant Bastard, we get to learn about the mysterious manager of Axel’s Rutherford punishment club, Black Widow, or as her past knows her, Faith. Four years ago, Faith decided to run from her past and the man she loved. Now, after she makes a mistake and decides to visit her boss’s apartment to help him in Black Sheep, her profile is caught in a security camera and she is found. Killian Knight has finally found her, he’s been looking for her since the day she disappears from the hospital where she was after the last mission they were in together. Now, Faith has to work together with Killian to finally finish the assignment and take down a human traffic group.

The story was good. I liked the character of Faith and all about the mission and the revenge that existed against her. Killian was an okay character, he came out as very obsessive and possessive regarding Faith. Still, I liked that he was prepared to do anything to keep Faith safe, even though it means kidnap her.

I liked the how they used the memory scene and incorporated into the narrative. It’s interesting how they first made the reader get involved in the past life of Faith when she worked with Killian, and what made her leave him in such mysterious way. As a reader, it didn’t take me so long to realize what was the penance that Faith had over herself, and what took her way for Killian.

Arrogant Bastard is a little more different than its predecessors in the series. While is still a book under the genre of erotic and contemporary romance with its steamy sex scenes, the story more of the base of a romance with the two characters trying to get to know each other again. Still, I think that Killian used to much sex as a weapon against Faith when trying to get her to stay with him.

The final confrontation scene felt rapid and let the reader wanting more than just a standoff between two parties. Also, the betrayal of a character didn’t fit quite right with the story that it’s a portrait, given that they are supposed to be a super-secret organization. But still, these are small things that ticked me off.

The story mentions of characters from the previous books in the series, given that Faith or “B” as we meet her first is friends with Alex and Cleo from Black Sheep. We also see Fionnella Smith again, I wish we could learn more about her and her ties to all the characters. I will also like to read more about Mitch and Linc, who work for Killian, and learn about their history with him and together.

If you are a fan of Zara Cox and her work such as, Dark Desires, then I recommend you Arrogant Bastard. In this story, it doesn’t matter how fast you run or how well you hide yourself, the past is always ready to come back and bite you, it just takes a simple mistake that you didn’t know you took. In this case, the past for Faith is Killian, and he will everything he can to get her back.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

I have a slight obsession with this series. Zara Cox has a signature grit to her writing that I simply can't get enough of. Her stories are passionate and with a dark undercurrent that never fails to satisfy this picky reader. Arrogant Bastard had a slightly different feel that the other books in this series. Killian wasn't the broody alphahole like Q or the tortured alphahole like Axel. He was a man that lost the only woman he loved and was determined to do anything to get her back. Even if all the odds were stacked against him.

Known simply as the Black Widow in the Punishment Club that she works for that's owned by Axel Rutherford, B is not a woman that you want to mess with. She metes out punishment like the deadly creature that she is, leaving men panting in her wake. But she's a woman that's clearly running from her demons and secrets so dark, that not even those closest to her know them. But then the man that she ran from all those years ago tracks her down, and her carefully constructed new world gets tilted on its axis.

B and Killian share a past that no one knows about. It was a convoluted and dangerous connection that in the end, cost B everything. She's been running since. But when a dangerous enemy learns that she's alive, Killian knows that he's the lesser of two evils and will stop at nothing to protect the woman that he's never forgotten or gotten over.

Arrogant Bastard was an action packed, sizzling combination of espionage, suspense and romance. B is one hard core woman on the outside, but on the inside she's never healed from the scars of her past. Killian is a dangerous enigma that's as lethal as he is sexy, but beyond the man's magnetism and allure, he's completely head over heals for B and makes no qualms about it. Their road to a HEA is not an easy one but entertaining from start to finish. Zara Cox wrote a real page turner that kept this reader up well into the night, eager for each little morsel of information that ultimately led to one mind blowing revelation.

My only quibble is the hows and whys of B getting into the line of work that she did. It seemed a little much even if I did suspend my disbelief for the sake of enjoying the story. But ultimately, I stopped caring because I was enjoy the story and couldn't get enough of her and Killian together.

This is the third book in this series by this author. This author has the ability to bring you stories that just blow you away. The characters are written so intensely that you can't help but be sucked into the story. this story will keep you hooked till the very end. This is a hot and sensual story to keep you warm on these autumn nights. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.
Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

This book is dark in the most delicious way. Some would say Killian is obsessed and in a way he is. He is madly still in love with Faith and knows she is in danger. That isn’t to say that he is a great guy. He is and isn’t. He is flawed and dark. He believes in what he did before and now he just wants to protect Faith even though he is the one who trained her and brought into his world.

Killian is a very complex character. You will never truly figure him out. His past haunts him but also propels him to be better. His love for Faith drives him in ways that are just wow. He will do anything for her and now he is wanting not just her but to save her from being found and harmed. Being found though may be one too late but being harmed he can do to a point.

Faith is a stubborn, smart woman. She is regretful of her past but she really doesn’t know all of it. She wants nothing to do with Killian even though her body says otherwise. She finds their desire for one another to be toxic and when Killian returns to her world we see her stubbornness on display in full force. She fights him every step of the way. that is until she has that aha moment and begins to really see the danger she is in. that is when we get some explosive chemistry between them and understanding.

Zara Cox gives us a dark, explosive book. The characters aren’t ones you lhave instalove with because you don’t really know them. They are dark and mysterious. Over time you see all that has happened between them and all that is going on because Cox gives us tantalizing morsels of this to keep us hanging on. You do like them as you see who they are and what is going on. They are both complex and full of secrets that slowly are revealed. This is fast paced with some explosive intimacy, banter that has you smile and see the feistiness of Faith in its full glory and a air of dark mystery about it. The danger is palpable and jumps off the page at you. I do wonder what is next and who it is but also why. Zara cox leaves us hanging on for the next to get the answers we so desperately want but we got them at least together to a point I wonder though for how long. A really great edge of your seat dark romance with a suspense that draws you in and keeps you wanting more.

Oooh, I adored this book!

It did take me a while to get into it, but that has no reflections on my feelings about the book. Honestly, I think that was more of me being in a reading slump than anything else.

The premise of Arrogant Bastard sucked me in. I have a few other Cox books sitting in my TBR that I will definitely be reading now.

I'm not usually one for spy(ish) books, but the secrecy of everything made me dive into the pages and wonder how everything was going to turn out. This had a dangerous feel to it, and y'all know how I like my books: dark and dangerous. But I had to take this one slowly, literally one chapter at a time (in one sitting).

Cox's writing had me wishing I could get rid of the damn slump I'm in. All I wanted was to flip the pages like I couldn't read fast enough. I wish that was the case with this book. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed it. I loved the darkness of it, I liked the characters, and I liked the plot. This is one book I could see myself re-reading just to get another feel for it. That may even raise my rating too!

Don't these slumps just take everything out of you?! Grah!

I picked up this book only trusting the work of this talented author, and I was not disappointed! With this book, Zara Cox has once again delivered a seductive blend of mystery, darks secrets and sultry romance. Faith Carson and Killian Knight are star crossed lovers. Once upon a time, they were the Bonnie and Clyde of the espionage world. But Faith made a mistake and blew up their cover, jeopardizing their mission. This badass heroine is broken by her feelings of guilt and her sorrow. She ran away from her past, but she never forgave herself.

Killian never stopped looking for her, and yet this brilliant hacker and computer genius lost track of her for four years. Faith succeeded in hiding from him, becoming the Black Widow and starting a new life as the manageress of “Black Sheep” hero, Alex Rutherford’s punishment club. She thought she could find there a form of salvation for her sins. But she never could forget Killian and he still has a hold over her. She can’t resist their intense chemistry. Killian has changed, though, he is harder, persistent and ruthless. Even though she fights him, he has no intention to let her disappear again. Their past has caught up with them and they are in danger.

Faith and Killian’s story is told partly through flashbacks. As the story progresses and the past and present begin to merge, I was glued to the text. “Arrogant Bastard” is a story of love lost and found, of perseverance and redemption. With her unique style, Zara Cox intrigues and captivates. This story kept me glued to my kindle! It is filled with suspense, passion, steam, danger and raw characters, and I definitely recommend it.

I'm known as the Black Widow because the desires I hide inside are pure poison.
I was a different person once. Faith, a young wife, hoping to become a mother. My life was pleasant. Stable. It was hell. Until Killian Knight opened my eyes to a world of espionage and intrigue. He saw something in me, something I was too afraid to acknowledge. I didn't want to be excited by the danger. Didn't want to crave the wicked passion only he could provide. But I did want, so now I run. And I pay.

I never meant to corrupt her, but I'm not sorry.
After all, I'm already damned.
After four years of searching and longing, I've finally found her. Faith, the one person in the world I breathe for. She lives beneath my skin as surely as I wear proof of our transgressions inked on my body. And like the forbidden fruit that doomed us from the beginning, our end is inevitable. We lived with no regret. We loved without inhibition. We betrayed those closest to us. We killed for that love. Now...we will burn in hell together.




Review:




Killian Knight is an Arrogant Bastard, but he is also a caring one. He has been searching for Faith for 4 years. Faith you will recognize as "B" from Black Sheep and Axel's manager of his club. Faith has been running, hiding and keeping secrets for 4 years. All those things come to catch up to her in the form of Killian and enemies. It was great to see more of Faith's past as she was kind of a mystery in Black Sheep. I liked that there is a lot more to Killian and Faith than meets the eye. Killian and Faith together are extremely hot! This Author know how to write a great love story full of emotion and sexy goodness. The story also has action and suspense woven through it to form a well-rounded story. The only thing I was a little confused about was why Faith decided to become a spy, it was a little unclear to me and did not jive with what she seemed like. The story is told from alternating POV's. Each story can be read as a stand alone book, so you can start with this one if you have not read the others and not feel lost.




This is my favorite of the series so far.




4Stars

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

This was one of those books I've waited for and felt so much excitement about.
The cover is simply stunning and one of my favorites ever.

So I started reading it and already on the first pages I was hooked and ready to give it my all.
The mysterious intrigue and connection between Killian and Faith spiked up my need to find out more by each chapter.

And than somewhere along the way the story line took a different turn from what I was expecting and what was implied in some moments which were my key factors.


The story has an important and hard message which should be brought up more to light and try our all to stop it from happening.

For me it just didn't work anymore.
I struggled to keep reading, put it aside and resumed again just to realize that some things are maybe best left alone than force something.

What a rush! Arrogant Bastard is fast-paced, smoking hot and loaded with the unexpected that had me struggling to put it down. Killian has been searching for Faith for over four years. She disappeared right after an assignment in Cairo taking his heart and leaving him with many unanswered questions. He is super geek smart and oh so sexy. Faith is a wounded soul but a mistress of her domain. assignment in Cairo really messed her up, leaving her soul scarred and running away from Killian. A hit on a CCTV has him rushing to New York to hunt her down and when he finds her, he’s never letting her go.

Ack! Where to begin. Killian is certainly arrogant but a bastard, no. Unlike the previous male leads in this series, at no time did I find myself disliking him. To be exact, you can’t help but fall for him from the beginning. Despite his tough and super smart façade, her leaving him has made him vulnerable. Faith aka Black Widow. AHA! Finally, we get to discover the mysterious B from Black Sheep. Hmm… I didn’t find her very BW-ish but instead a combination of strength and pain. You know from the very beginning despite their broken history, these two have a connection something beyond the physical. However, it is their physical they begin with and lordy do they burn up the pages. Have a fresh pair of panties nearby because they have four years of making up to do.

Now besides all the hot sex and mending of hearts between these two, there’s their past and what happened in Cairo which is mostly told in flashbacks. Cairo and what sent everyone undercover there in the first place is a disturbing subject matter. You know, one of those necessary evil plot lines to give the story something to go on. That’s at first what I thought until the impact of the who/what/whys all come to light. Now the big question is will we ever find out what and who Fionnella Smith is. Hello, mystery and intrigue!

I’ve been addicted to the series from the very beginning and even though I thoroughly enjoyed Arrogant Bastard, it did lack something that the previous books had. None of the lead characters had damaged and blackened souls. Yes, Killian did have some issues but not at the level of Axel and certainly not of Quinn’s. Same goes for Faith. Her pain is more recent. Their lack of damaging childhood trauma meant no edgy darkness to overcome. I would completely recommend to anyone Arrogant Bastard is a book worth reading, I would just point out it was more fast and sexy than dark and edgy

reviewed by Jac

Arrogant Bastard by Zara Cox was a terrific read!

I don't even know where to start this review. I was held captive by the intrigue of the characters, as well as the dynamic and multifaceted plot line.

Let's not forget about the steamy and sensual scenes thrown into the story. There were so many moments where I was holding my breath, not knowing what was going to take place next. The "Black Widow" was my weakness, and me constantly wanting more!!!

I definitely enjoyed this novel, and can't wait to read more from Zara in the future!!!!

4/5 Stars!

Killian Knight has searched for Faith for four years. He longs for her. They created chaos together, committed transgressions, ate forbidden fruit, betrayed others and killed for their love. But Faith doesn't want to be found. She wants her stable life back without all the espionage and danger. Faith calls bullshit on the belief that you can't help who you fall in love with. Passion isn't always worth your peace of mind.

This is more than just a spy story. It has passion, intense scenes and emotional characters, whose names seemed to represent their personalities too. My first time reading a novel by Zara Cox was good. From the title and description alone, it reminded me of a couple novels by Belle Aurora. But Arrogant Bastard stands out on its own.

The way Zara Cox spun words was like poetry. Some lines (pages) matter and some are filler. But an act of pulling a trigger takes readers through every step of the character's thought process. It makes the drawn out parts worth getting past. I recommend this new release. Plus it'll look pretty on your bookcase thanks to the lovely cover.

Happy Early Pub Day, Zara Cox. Arrogant Bastard will be available Tuesday, September 12.

LiteraryMarie