Member Reviews
A not so romantic love story that makes you just want more and more. It had everything you could want from.a good book. Great character, and amazing plot, some drama. I really enjoyed this one.
Lucian Prescott has grown up protecting others, ensuring his siblings still had elements of a normal childhood around dysfunctional parents. As well as stepping in to solve troubles and issues as they have gotten older, Now all of his siblings are partnered up, happy and in love. Lucian is very aware that he is the remaining Prescott sibling that is single. However, his tricky balance between the mob world and businessman leaves him to believe that it is safer for him to forgo love in his life.
Olivia met Lucian five years ago on her 21st birthday, introduced to him by her father as his new investment project and the owner of the club she was celebrating her birthday in. Immediately drawn to him despite knowing that there was an age gap between them. Eighteen years in fact something Lucian pushes to explain to Olivia as to why they could never take their attraction and flirtations further.
Their paths crossing over the years only fuelling the desire on both sides. So when her father asks Lucian for a favour to employ his daughter as a designer on the new bistro Lucian knows he should say no but finds he can’t. Especially when he finds out her ex is stalking her and his need to protect her is stronger than the reasons he has for keeping his distance. But can they make things work between them? What does this mean for the precarious balance in his mob world?
Wow, just wow what a powerful, HOT story! These two, when he finally gives in, really burn up the sheets, walls, wherever the find themselves! I loved every minute of Lucian Prescott finally having his happily ever after. If you've been reading this series, you know Lucian is the protector of the family. He solves his younger siblings problems with any means needed. He straddles the line of legitimacy being essentially the mob's Chief of Police. He's the dispute settler, the negotiator who solves problems and quiets situations that flair up. Wow what a man! I loved every minute of this story.
Olivia Walsh comes into Lucian's life when he meets his new major investor's daughter at her 21st birthday party at one of his clubs. He's gobsmacked by her. She's beautiful, flirty, fun and full of life. He's 18 years older that her and knows she's off limits. She doesn't get the message and every time they meet she flirts with him. To say they have chemistry is an understatement. When his ray of sunshine calls him one night needing a ride home after being attacked by a former boyfriend who won't take no for an answer things make a radical change. The guy Massimo, is the Italian mob hit man and a real douche treating women badly. Lucian steps in and takes her home to his place as Massimo was waiting at her apartment when they get there. This changes their relationship permanently as well as his position with the mob. It was so much fun watching these two dance around each other until he finally can't stay away. The best news is the series isn't over. Now we can look forward to the three cousins we've been getting peeks at, Noah, Hudson & Levi. And Lucian's Hells Kitchen guys will be getting their own series. Wins all around!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Initially I didn't enjoy this book as much as I ended up enjoying it at the end. I felt it was slightly cheesy at first and I didn't love the writing style. I think I would have preferred alternating POV's each chapter. HOWEVER I absolutely loved the overall story. The forbidden romance and the sex scenes made this book SO good. The car scene was my seriously the BEST spicy scene I have ever read in my life. The protectiveness, sexiness, richness, and badass-ness made Lucian literally the most amazing book boyfriend. And Olivia was totally the type of girl you'd want to be, or at least be friend with. She is so fun, totally a girl's girl, and she's definitely a badass in her own way too. The way that Olivia was so confident without ever coming across as cocky was an amazing thing to get from a female character. Additionally, she never came across as a damsel in distress. She may have needed help here and there, but she never seemed like she couldn't fend for herself if it came down to it.
This book is packed with passion and suspense. Shows that there are no rules in the fight for love. Highly recommend this author I just found!!
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a smutty Romance and I have to say that I have been missing out!! I should have had a running tally going of how many times I said “daaaayyyuuummm” while reading 🥵🍆🔥. Let me break this book down for you.
Lucian Prescott: Brooding alpha, suave entrepreneur, dark & dangerous, secretly in love with Olivia Walsh.
Olivia Walsh: Vibrant female alpha, ambitious & successful, won’t take no for an answer, secretly in love with Lucian Prescott.
These two have the odds stacked against them: 18 year age gap, Olivia’s father is an investor in Lucian’s company, Lucian leads a dangerous double life, A.K.A this is a forbidden romance.
But when their worlds collide, nothing will keep them apart.
I LOVED that both Lucian and Olivia were a force to be reckoned with. They were both such strong characters that complimented each other perfectly. I liked that they were both alphas and I definitely got some domination vibes from both of them. Even though Lucian had this dark, dangerous, secret life, he was so tender with Olivia. He had a heart of gold under the hard facade. If I had to sum Lucian up with one word, it would be “yum.”
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was a love/hate book for me. There were parts I really enjoyed, and parts I really disliked. The jump back and forth in time wasn’t my favourite. I would’ve preferred if it was all in the first few chapters and then the story progressed from there. I also found that the lead female character was just off putting. Her reaction just didn’t seem like one that would’ve been genuine. I would’ve loved to have seen more emotion from her.
I've been waiting for this book for sooo long!
It is so extraordinary fulfilling for the end of the series to be the best of the series.
This is (finally!) the story of Lucian. You've seen him helping his brothers and their women and now he gets to meet his match. And what a match she is! There are a lot of super dirty moments, a lot of sensual tension, all so well written.
There is some darkness here as Lucian threads the water between the mafia organizations of New York. Except this necessary darkness for the plot everything was absolutely spectacular. The characters are amazing, I love so much about them, how loving and caring he was, brooding but not dark, and how loving, caring, sweet, witty and absolutely powerful she was. There is nothing like a story where the princess saves herself. Ultimately, there were the Kins of Hell's Kitchen. Not because they operate in one of my favorite places on earth but this guys will surely have a special place in my library shaped heart. Can't wait to read their story!
I cannot recommend this book enough, it is everything I hoped Lucian story would be and so much more, sitting on the perfect balanced line between sweet and dark gray. Loved it!
I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed this one immensely.
Lucian and Olivia are just perfect for each other. I loved the dynamic between them, and the flashbacks during the first few chapters really solidified their bond. Lucian is just so swoon-worthy, I can't!
One thing I'm disappointed about was that the ending felt very rushed and the potentially dangerous situation was resolved way too quickly. Overall, great read, and can't wait to read the other Prescott brothers stories!
I usually don’t go for big age gap romances but this steamy hot suspense romance didn’t disappoint. I loved how mature Olivia was and she knew what she wanted! I also really loved how virtuous Lucian was and all of his alpha-maleness!
This was my first book by the authors and I really enjoyed her writing style. Also I didn’t feel lost at all as this was the 4th book in the series. The only thing is I wouldn’t really put this in the trope category of mafia romance.
Lucian Prescott. Swoon.
Who doesn't want a mature, sexy alpha hero who knows he should stay away but he. just. can't.
Our hero first meets Olivia Walsh on her twenty-first birthday. He's instantly intrigued and in lust with her, but she is almost two decades younger than him, and she's also the daughter of his largest investor.
I am a sucker for age gap romance, and this did not disappoint. The majority of this book takes place when Olivia is twenty-five, and the author depicts her perfectly. She's rich and entittled, but not spoiled. She works hard for her career and she plays hard with her friends. She also falls HARD for Lucian the second she meets him.
The push and pull between these two was delicious. The build-up of their sexual attraction was tension at its best.
I loved that nothing fazed Olivia. The author could have created a cliche big misunderstanding and I give her props for not doing that. Olivia knew what she wanted and she wasn't going to let anything change her mind.
Watching Lucian give in to his feelings for Olivia was so sexy and romantic.
This was my first book by this author and I was not disappointed!
Bad Intentions
by Tara Wyatt
Olivia Walsh and Lucian Prescott have been pining, and lusting, after each other for years. 5 years, to be exact. Ever since her 21st birthday party at one of his clubs. In Lucian’s eyes, it’s as forbidden as forbidden can get for him. With an age gap of 18 years and the fact that Olivia’s father is an investor in his company, one he can’t afford to lose, Lucian tries his utmost to keep his hands, among other things, to himself. To him, Olivia is too pure and too good for the life he lives. A life he considers far from safe for his Olivia. For years, Olivia and Lucian have been flirting with each other every chance they got, Olivia especially. And for years, Lucian kept pushing her in the other direction, one he deemed best and safe for his sweet Liv. But after a favor granted to her father, both realize that whatever it is between them, cannot be ignored much longer.
When I first read the blurb, I was super excited to get my hands on it. It sounded like something meant exactly for little old me. When I finally got the chance to read it, I was ecstatic and couldn’t put it down for a while. I usually prefer dual first person, but I loved the writing in this book, absolutely loved it. Which surprised me, because a few chapters in, I had completely forgotten that this book was written in the third person.
To me, this book seemed like a good and healthy mix of the CEO + mafia trope, but dialed down a few notches. And I was into it, wholeheartedly.
Everything I loved can be summed up as:
- age gap
- forbidden
- mutual pining
- SPICE
- underground organizations of sorts/mafia
However, I started to get annoyed at the end. Lucian, for example, was much too open about his ‘second, darker life’ with Olivia. She didn’t have to pry for information, nor did she accidentally uncover bits and pieces of the truth by herself, to then be told the story in its entirety. Or maybe that’s just what I expected, because that’s usually how it goes in these.
Another example is Olivia getting tricked. It was a dumb mistake on her part, but a mistake that really didn’t make sense. Olivia is a smart woman, so it really annoyed me how she easily fell for that one trap she’d already been suspicious of, voiced out loud no less. But these things can be easily forgiven, however. I forgive them. See? Easy.
Another thing I loved was the conflict at the end. The fight scene. The rescue mission, if you will. Oh, my goodness, how I’ve missed those kinds of chapters. I haven’t read something like this is a while. With guns and violence and blood. It was by no means gory or anything, but just the fact that there was this rescue chapter, really made my heart smile. It made me ten times happier that it was Olivia who got revenge, and not that she was avenged.
Now, the villain of this story? I couldn’t for the life of me, take him seriously. Not only did he behave childishly at times, at least in my opinion, but this man was so foolish and so reckless. It’s not a dark book by any means, so this kind of villain I can forgive. Especially with the way it’s handled at the end. But the real, real, real reason I couldn’t take this man seriously, was his name. Massimo. Massimo Greco. All I could think of was Massimo in 365 days. That movie ruined this character for me, truly. And that’s not at all the fault of this author, but my own brain. I kept reading his name, and every time I just giggled.
In short, I enjoyed this book immensely, and I’m excited to read more of Tara Wyatt’s work. Especially now that I know The Kings of Hell’s Kitchen are getting their own series. I sure hope Ryu gets his own book, because him arriving at the mansion on his bike really made me weak in the knees. If you’re reading this, Tara Wyatt, what do you think about an ex Yakuza-member granting asylum to a woman born and raised in Japan, on the run from the Yakuza? Forced proximity, slow-burn, friends to lovers maybe? I would do the unthinkable for a POC/Asian-leads underground organization romance.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Lucian's story was everything I had hoped it would be. He has all my favorite traits: sexy, dominant, dangerous, and absolutely filthy talking. Olivia is strong and the perfect match for Lucian. He and Olivia have spent five years flirting with each other before a simple favor pushes them together. Their story has lots of action and is so steamy. This book did not disappoint. I was excited to see that the Kings of Hell's Kitchen are getting books as well because I need more of them.
First of the series I've read, so may be why I struggled a bit. Not a bad story, and the sex is steamy. The darkish romance made me skim a bit, but I was warned. Would recommend.
Bad Intentions may be part of the Prescotts' series but can totally be read as a standalone. I did, so I would know. This is an age gap romance with mafia elements and I totally loved this!
Lucien is the leader of the Kings' of Hells Kitchen, a group that grew organically from smoothing relations between the different organised crime groups in the city. He is also the oldest of the Prescott kids, although family in this instance did not play a huge role. Olivia is the daughter of his biggest investor; they meet on her 21st birthday and although we have flashbacks of interactions over the years, this story starts when Olivia is 26. This makes the age gap part of the story much more palatable as you don't have this super young female MC that has little life experience. This book would be a hidden gem in the Age gap genre for this reason.
In general Oliva is a strong character, knows what she wants and are able to communicate this and stand up to Lucien for the most part. She is also not tstl as we so often find in these types of protector books, although she does end up kidnapped! Lucien has a strong sense of ethics and I appreciated that he did not make a play for Olivia when they first met. He is an anti hero that would easily sacrifice his happiness and himself for his loved ones. Not only does this relate to Olivia but also hints of this regarding his family is all over the book. If you have read all the Prescotts' books, you may now even more.
So, I loved the characters, I liked the troupe and story line, what else is there to say? Well, the thing that this writer did that I found perfect was her smexy scenes! Wow, drool, and scorching heat! These were written very well and I have not enjoyed a book this much in a long time. I read a lot, much of my romance reads borders on or are erotica. After a while it seems to get boring and blah, but Tara White put some new oomph into the scenes that were perfect. Not meant to shock, no new fandangled kink or weird positions - just really hot love scenes! Well done.
This book is about Lucian and Olivia. Lucian has thought that love isn't for him, he's reached his forties without being in a committed relationship and has spent more time protecting those who are important to him, rather than worrying about his own happiness. Despite this, he's also been drawn to Olivia, a young woman eighteen years younger than him. He knows all of the reasons that they shouldn't be together, but because he also knows how she feels about him, he does his best to avoid spending too much time with her.
This is the classic swears that they shouldn't be together, but is all in once they are and wonders why he fought it for so long. Olivia and Lucian make a good couple, despite the age difference and it's clear that she accepts him for all that he is. I have to admit that I wasn't completely sold on such a large age gap. I think it helps that they are so well suited and that despite the fact that they are attracted to one another when she is 21, it's another five years before their relationship begins.
This was a good read, I read it quickly and wanted to see how their story played out. I wasn't completely sold on all aspects of it, but overall it worked well and I enjoyed it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Title: Bad Intentions
Author: Tara Wyatt
Publication date: June 29th, 2021
Series: The Prescott's
Summary: Everyone in Manhattan thinks they know everything there is to know about Lucian Prescott.
In his mid-forties, he’s a successful businessman, the founder and CEO of one of Manhattan’s largest hospitality companies, the Prescott Group. He’s sexy, rich, and one of the most eligible bachelors in the city. Very few people know just how dangerous he is. Because he’s also the head of the Kings of Hell’s Kitchen, a small, elite group of former mob members who are the lynchpin in Manhattan’s underground organized crime scene.
But Lucian has more secrets than just his criminal ties—like the fact that he’s been in love with Olivia Walsh for the past five years. Olivia, who is eighteen years younger than him and happens to be the daughter of Prescott Group’s biggest, most important investor. She’s completely off-limits, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. In his arms. His bed. His life.
He knows he needs to stay away from her, no matter how he feels about her—or how she feels about him. But staying away becomes impossible when Olivia’s ex—a man almost as dangerous as Lucian—begins stalking her, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.
He’ll burn down the entire city to protect the only woman he’s ever loved.
Review: This book does have a content warning so if you don't like dark romance this will not be for you. I would double check the warning before reading. Everyone has their limits, I appreciate that the author put a warning right away.
Now on to the review. I have not read the other books in the series. But just from the beginning of the book I know that it won't be long before I buy them and absolutely devour them, maybe even right now. I haven't been this obsessed with a book in a long time and I've read some fantastic books this year. I cannot wait to see what is to come for the Prescott cousins as well as the series for the King's of Hell's Kitchen. I think I am most excited for Killian's story. I'm officially hooked on the series and I'm ready for more. There is an age gap but the way they talk reminds me of my boyfriend and I. We have a ten year gap they have an 18 year gap.
This is Lucien’s story which can be read as a stand-alone. An 18 yr age difference between him andOlivia which they wait 5 yrs to act on, mafia connection and a kidnapping by a stalker ex, this book has it all. Fantastic.
This is the first book I have read from The Prescotts series, and now I need to read the rest!
This book follows Lucian Prescott, successful business man and judge and peacekeeper to the Mafia families of New York. When he hosts a party for his colleagues daughter’s 21st birthday, he has no idea that Olivia Walsh is going to change his world; in more ways than one.
I really enjoyed the build up in this book, how it went back and showed the different meetings in Lucian and Olivias past; not just jumping straight into the present time. Seeing their relationship build over the meetings and their desires for each other grow with everyone.
If you like spice, this book is perfect. There is plenty of it. I sometimes found the language of the spicy scenes a little too much, but it did suit and fit Lucians character so it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book.
I think the pace of this book was great, flowed nicely and didn’t stick on one part of the story too long; but also didn’t rush it and make it feel like you were missing out on anything.
I can’t wait to catch up on the rest of series.
Finally we got Lucian’s story. I will be honest and say that i did not really love him in The other books, mostly because he was so closed off. But now i know why he is who he is and I really loved him. His love interest Olivia Walsh was also really fantastic. I loved The fact that Lucian were a friend of Gavin, Olivias dad