The disappearance of Lily's husband Adam four years ago, the death of her father soon after his disappearance, lost income, debt with the threat of debtors prison, all weigh heavily on Lily's shoulders. Now a blackmailer is forcing Lily to get something he wants. Then Adam reappears. He won't reveal where he's been nor why he left, but he's determined to stay as long as he can to help Lily and her family. If Adam and Lily work together to thwart the blackmailer, maybe it's a chance to live a life together, but the blackmailer seems to have the upper hand. It's definitely complicated with many twists and turns, but family has a way of solving problems together. A new author for my TBR list.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

3.5 Stars
Lily Darling knew that marrying a con man was a risk, but her new husband swore those days were behind him. Then a few days after their wedding he disappears without a word, taking all of her money with him. So when her scoundrel of a husband mysteriously returns, four years later, hoping to set things right, Lily guards her heart. Adam Darling never meant to leave his innocent, beautiful wife, but if he hadn’t, he would’ve been sent to prison and Lily’s good reputation destroyed. He can’t blame her for hating him, and now that he’s back, he’ll do whatever he must to prove he never stopped loving her, even if it takes the rest of his life. When Lily is blackmailed by someone from their past, she wonders if the reason Adam abandoned her is more complex than a simple con.
A well written interesting story which has deceit, betrayal, theft & lies. The characters are complex & whilst I liked Lily & Adam I didn’t love them. Adam had never stopped loving Lily & was determined to win her back. Lily was strong & was the glue that held her family together. The pace was good but sometimes lagged & I wanted them to reconcile. I also wanted the villain to get his comeuppance but he didn’t.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Will trust can still be allowed when time only increased the ridge between them ...

Oh my!
Now I must set in order my thoughts.
Let’s begin with the main characters.
Adam is sure a con man, but he was lead to become one when all his life had been a victim, forcibly recruited, so when he escaped broken and damaged, he followed a path, wrong but it would bring the means to help those who were left with nothing to provide for themselves.
And when for once he has found stability in his life, he is robbed of it by a villain who only wants what he has.
Lily, I understand her plight at the beginning, she was lied to believe her husband left after having stolen her dowry but why did she still trust her supposed friend when he blackmails her to do her bidding...
Yet she has also a hand in their near destitute state, she had been too stubborn and too full of herself to ask for help, when her sisters might have provide some respite. She belittles them by thinking them as fickle and weak.
Now I did not understand the true motives behind the villain’s deeds, Reid, what he was really seeking. That Adam’s cheated on his father, okay but the man gave his money on his own will. Yet the extend he goes to make him pay, causing the ruin of his childhood friend’s family, stealing her dowry then extorting a vile action to supposedly satisfy his thirst for revenge.
Also why when he cleared Lily’s life of her husband did he not take advantage, why leave too?

When Lily and Adam meet again, she has every right to think him as the bad guy in the story but her alleged friend appears as no better.
But when the truth comes out, when her husband offers her an exit door, she refuses clinging to stupid notions.
She acts cowardly, afraid of changes when her world is crumbling around her.
I do not understand why they did not set their goal to thwart the bad guy’s plan instead of following and surrendering to his every whims.
At time, she even blames her sisters for not helping her, but she is the one who believed she could shoulder everything on her own, when she could have had some assistance, she turned it away by arrogance. She is behind her family’s failing business, because she refused to ask and listen.
Icarus too thought he could fly.

And last, how I was upset in the last part when instead of acting rationally, Adam rushes alone straight into a trap. For a man who swindled as a living, how many errors must he makes to learn.

In all, it is a very tortured and complex tale that lost me many times with very flawed characters who need to learn the meaning of the word trust because it is part of their lack of faith in the other that has a role in their circumstances.
And I would have like to see Reid taste a bit of his own medicine as he still roams free on this earth.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars

I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Entangled, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

This was a super unique historical romance I would recommend to anyone looking for a break from the typical dukes, earls, and marquis that we typically see in historical romances. This is a steamy and fun read about a woman who marries a con man who gets blackmailed into leaving her behind four years ago. This book had gritty plots and characters that kept me on my toes. The characters were very developed. The romance was swoony and steamy. The plot does get on my nerves at some points but I would definitely still recommend this to anyone looking for something gritty and new to pick up from the historical romance genre.

This was a great read.

- 4.5 stars -
(rounded up to 5)

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a copy of the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow! what a story. It has betrayal, lies, deceit, and theft. A friend that Lily had grown up with tries to blackmail her into stealing an artifact or he will send her and her family to debtor's prison. Also four years ago as a newlywed, he blackmailed Adam into leaving her and giving him her dowry. All the while trying to act innocent. He traps Adam in his townhouse, shoots at him, then keeps him in the basement for several weeks beating him. This tale is exciting and tense. So much happens during the telling. You can not put this book down. It grabs you and carries you along. It was very well written and very easy to read. The characters are so very endearing. I enjoyed it and look forward to her other books.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This is a tough one for me to review! I really loved both the hero and the heroine. I think the characters were interesting, dynamic and had great chemistry together. I liked the setting, the general conflict, the mystery and the general high jinks. However for me, the plot seemed overly complicated and drawn out. There seemed to be too many steps in the conflict to get to the end and it really dragged on for me unfortunately as it went on. It was overall an okay read, and I would consider reading more from the author in the future.

Lily Darling accepted that her husband was a con man and believed his promise to give up his past actions. Yet when he takes all her money and disappears, any love that she had turns to hate. Yet Adam never meant to leave but only did so, to avoid being sent to prison and to protect Lily. When Lily is blackmailed, she begins to wonder if there is more behind Adam’s actions and if she can begin to trust in him again.
An interesting story filled with drama and emotion, between a couple that have faced many past hurts. Both characters are well explored with their flaws making them more realistic. Lily is a fascinating character, who has grown in strength having faced adversity. This was an entertaining read and I look forward to reading more by this author.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Price of Temptation is a very good historical romance with a compelling plot. I liked how the characters were developed. Good fast-paced storyline.

The premise of this book is awesome: Lily hates Adam for how he wronged her in the past, and Adam has never stopped pining for his wife, unabashedly loving her from page one. The thing that didn't work perfectly for me within this frame is that Adam is less complicated than I would like. He has that perfect adoration of Lily down pat, but his arc really relies on the misunderstanding of how he wronged her and his worry of never having her love again. If Lily's arc is to come into her own and then learning to forgive her husband, her husband’s arc is to continue to not run away, but really without a plan to fix his mistakes. The potential growth there isn’t explored. He also has a whole slew of issues going on in his head—PTSD, guilt for leaving Lily, survivor's guilt, general feelings of unworthiness—that really could've been capitalized on more, which could have allowed him to grow and flourish and give him more of an arc to match Lily's, making them an equally interesting pair. Plot-wise, it felt like we were hammering onto the same points over and over rather than moving forward.

I received a digital advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“He cradled her as though the tears she wept into him were precious rather than a sign of weakness. She’d held herself together for four long years…
‘I don’t know what to do,’ she confessed.
‘Neither do I.’ His voice was hoarse. ‘But I promise you whatever comes, we will face it together.’”

In The Price of Temptation by Harmony Williams, Lily knew Adam was a con man when they married, but she never expected to wake up the first day of their honeymoon to him gone along with all of her dowry. She returns home broken hearted and poor. Not long after her return her father passes leaving the family in a precarious position financially. For four years she tries to carry her mother, two sisters, and herself afloat on her own by managing the family debts and her father’s jewelry store. When a childhood friend returns to town, and purchases the family debt, Lily begins to think things may be ok. She quickly learns though that the friend expects her to steal for him in return for this favor. And at the same time her long lost husband returns to town and is offering his assistance. Lily no longer knows who to trust, with her family or with her heart.

This book was a delight to read. Lily is a wonderful character, who is relatable with her her flaws and strong will to protect her heart and her family. The romance is exciting and at times infuriating at the just the right proportions. I also really enjoyed all of the side characters and Lily’s family. The story will have the reader on the edge of their seat waiting to see what the resolution will be, and just when I would think I knew exactly what would happen, the author would change direction. I definitely recommend this book to anyone in the mood for romance and intrigue and I give it 4 full stars.

The review has been posted to Goodreads and will be added to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and my Instagram account on day of publication.

3 stars

The Price of Temptation has moments of passion and thrill, but its overall impact is somewhat undone by uneven character portrayal and a sluggish plot.

The story hits its peak whenever it showcases its protagonists' unique skill; Adam Darling (what a fun last name, by the way) is a reformed con artist with secrets, and Lily is a heartbroken jewellery maker. No matter if it is a simple act of persuasion, forgery, or stealing ancient artifact, the novel comes alive during these instances, and really illustrates the charismatic duo as potential partners, both in crime and in bed.

Compare to the engaging display of deception, The Price of Temptation's plot is a one-trick pony, with its over-dependence on character concealing intent or predicament, in order to drive conflict and drama. Why would a someone, whose entire goal is to make amend, not disclose it and simply let being misunderstood (until 60% into the story)? Why would someone hold on to a family financial predicament, when it has impact on all members (besides beyond one's ability to resolve)? Such narrative maneuver can definitely work, but as implemented here, it feels manipulative and renders these characters unrealistic.

The Price of Temptation also suffers from a very silly central villain, whose motivation doesn't really justify his action, and his schemes are full of loopholes that are easily overturned to his disadvantage. Yet, the protagonists are portrayed as obedient sheep, blindly following his demands, rather than trying to outsmart him (they eventually revolt in the last act, but why would any reasonable minds wait that long?).

All in all, The Price of Temptation has two lovable leads, but they are being drown out and dumb down by a plot that has more interest in padding out page count, rather that telling a truly compelling, character-driven story.

A beautiful story about two people who love each other but after four years find their hea
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley

Adam and Lily's tale is one of blackmail and trechery. It also is one of an abiding love.
The characters are incredibly interesting. The scenario is fantastic. but believable.
It is a story that shouldn't be missed.

The Price of Temptation focuses on Lily and Adam Darling, a couple who works together to steal a valuable artifact for the man who is blackmailing Lily. When Adam returns after four years, Lily wants nothing to do with him. Abandoned by Adam years ago and left in financial ruins, Lily has hardened her heart and learned to live without him. But when someone from their past blackmails Lily, Adam insists on helping her. Nothing is as it seems, and as Lily learns more about Adam, her blackmailer, and the past, she realizes that the truth is more complicated than she ever imagined.

I enjoyed this read. The story is interesting, the characters are well-developed, and the romance between Lily and Adam is fantastic! A lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance, Adam and Lily have a strong connection. Adam is stuck in such a difficult predicament and knows that his presence jeopardizes Lily’s future. However, his love for her runs deep, and he will do anything to protect her. Lily has trust issues and is still so wounded by Adam’s abandonment. She struggles to believe him, and Adam still has secrets that prevent him from being completely truthful with Lily. This complicated mix of emotions leads to some swoon-worthy angst for both characters, and I loved every minute of it! The couple has amazing chemistry, and their love for each other runs deep.

Adam’s backstory is heartbreaking and offers tremendous insight into the man that he is. I was as intrigued by his mysterious past as I was by his attempts to steal the ancient Egyptian artifact with Lily. The treachery of the antagonist, a person who targeted both Adam and Lily, adds to the mystery and intrigue.

The novel deals with some heavy issues, including PTSD, blackmail, grief, and abandonment. However, there are also messages of hope, love, redemption, and family unity. I think the book will appeal to people who like historical fiction with well-developed characters, a chemistry-laden romance, and an intriguing plot. Thanks so much to Netgalley, Entangled Publishing, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I’ve ready by the author and I’m definitely interested in more! It’s an engaging tale of second chances and redemption, and I found it so gripping, I was able to read it in one day. I just had to know what happened next!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.