This book made me realize how much I miss reading Kenner’s writing! I loved the stark series and it made me excited to see cameos. Matthew and Aria where so great and the tension there had me hooked. I wanted to see them go back to the club but nevertheless I still gobbled this book right up!

Wicked Fortune delivers exactly what you’d expect from a J. Kenner novel—high-stakes suspense, sizzling chemistry, and plenty of secrets. Aria is on a mission to uncover the truth behind her friend’s mysterious death, and she believes billionaire Matthew Holt is at the center of it all. Posing as his personal assistant, she’s determined to take him down… but of course, things get complicated when their undeniable attraction starts to blur the lines between deception and desire.

The chemistry between Aria and Matthew is intense from the start, making for a fast-paced, steamy read. I really enjoyed the push and pull between them, especially with Aria torn between her mission and her feelings. Matthew, meanwhile, is the classic powerful billionaire with a hidden soft side, and his backstory added depth to his character.

While I enjoyed the suspense element, I do wish the mystery had been a little more layered. Some of the twists felt predictable, and I would have liked a bit more depth to the investigation itself. That said, if you love a spicy, high-stakes romance with morally gray characters and plenty of tension, Wicked Fortune is a solid pick!

This story delivers a thrilling mix of suspense and sizzling romance. Aria Parker is determined to uncover the truth about her friend’s death, infiltrating billionaire Matthew Holt’s world as his personal assistant. She believes he’s responsible, but the more she investigates, the more tangled she becomes in his secrets, and in their undeniable chemistry. Matthew isn’t just a powerful man with a dark past; he’s also the one person who might help her uncover the real danger. Betrayal, passion, and shocking twists kept me hooked until the end. If you love steamy, suspenseful romance with morally complex characters, this is a must

this was a strong fifth book in the Wicked Nights series, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from the previous books in this series. The characters were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this. J. Kenner has a strong writing style and was able to weave characters perfectly.

<b>J Kenner's books are synonymous with sinful and heart stopping. Wicked Fortune is no exception. The author takes us to the world of power, fame and money where an epic love story is built over the years. Aria and Matthew are sizzling hot together. Their forbidden attraction is intense. But their hearts are bound together with a beautiful love that will have to fight secrets, regrets and temptation.</b>

<i>🖤Billionaire romance
🖤Hollywood/ celebrity romance
🖤Age gap ( heroine is 28, hero is 47)
🖤Romantic suspense
🖤Sexy as hell
🖤Forbidden
🖤Boss - employee
🖤Reformed bad boy</i>

Aria is on a mission to find out the truth about her friend Jenny's "suicide". That's why she wants the job of personal assistant to Matthew Holt who owns the biggest company in entertainment industry. Jenny was trying to find a break as actress and Aria suspects Matthew. They had a magnetic chemistry through their brief encounters but right now, Matthew isn't hiding that he wants Aria. He even put a clause in her job contract. Aria is confused because he doesn't seem to be a man who would kill Jenny but again he is ruthless in business. And she doesn't know that Matthew is hiding even bigger secrets. What will happen when those come out?

<b>I absolutely love J. Kenner's alpha heroes. And the age gap here made things even hotter. Matthew crawled his way from the pits of the hell to the very top. He isn't a complete innocent soul because one doesn't become the king without being merciless to enemies and competitors. Aria is his only weakness and his obsession. There is tendrils of encounters those go way back but you won't put the pieces together until later. He is crazy possessive and protective and dominating in a oh so sexy way. Aria may be young but she isn't naive. She has a fierceness that rivals Matthew. She can be goofy and adorable but her fire is her asset. Their banter was brilliant. I loved how it wasn't only about sex between them even from the beginning. You can feel their emotional connection. Aria was playing a dangerous game and she almost got caught..but Matthew appeared at the right time, playing the knight. But their old secret almost destroyed their love. Matthew had to work hard to show her that he is a changed man. Aria already knew that deep in her heart though. It was sizzling hot. It was full of twists and turns. It was heartwarming with a touch of danger.</b>

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

Wicked Fortune is book 5 in the Wicked Nights series by J. Kenner. This book is Aria and Mathew’s story is full of intrigue, mystery, passion and some unexpected twist. I really loved this book and highly recommend it.

Wicked Fortune
By J.Kenner
Book five in Wicked Nights series.

I really wanted to like this book. I've enjoyed the books in the Stark series, but frankly this one fell flat. I'm not sure if it's just there wasn't enough characte development of the mains, or if the loss of her friend wasn't hooked well. The obviousness of the "cat" was painful. And don't get me started on the complete ick factor and stalker tendencies that are portrayed. Ugh! But if you can get past all of that and you like the series, it has enough to keep you entertained in a eerily predictable manner.

Premise: Young woman with long term issues committing to stable job lands a what I imagine is a highly sought after position for a Hollywood mogul with a shady past. She's there under false pretenses, and she's insanely attracted to the older man and her new boss.

Things I'm still questioning, why the Masque visit? What happened to her when she was younger, it's not explained.

Ooh boy! I couldn’t read this book fast enough! I absolutely loved Aria and Matthew’s story. She has always been drawn to Matthew but when she loses her friend, it’s more important than ever for her to get to know the real Matthew. I enjoyed their budding relationship. Their chemistry was palpable through the pages. There was also a sense of danger dwelling in the background. I can’t recommend this book enough! Grab your copy!

4.5⭐ J Kenner's Wicked Fortune is salacious and had my pulse pounding right from the start.

Aria Parker: A woman determined to prove that her friend didn't take her own life. She suspects Matthew Holt is involved somehow. She's about to walk into the lion's den, to try to solve the mystery of who was responsible for Jenny's death. But her attraction to Matthew is palpable. The chemistry between them was so hot it was worth ruining his favorite shirt. Can she solve her mystery without losing her heart?

Matthew: A man who built an empire from the ground up. He remembers what it was like living on the streets. And he's prod of what he's accomplished. He's been in love with Aria for so many years, he's never dared to consider a serious relationship with anyone. But he has a secret that might make her walk away forever.

If you enjoy a spicy read, with a mix of suspense, I think you will enjoy reading this book.

Thank you J. Kenner and NetGalley for this ARC. The above is my own and personal opinion.

2.5 Stars

I have read every book in the Stark Universe and have been reading this author’s work for something like 10 years now. With that said, I have some mixed feelings about this book.
The connection of this story to the author’s book released just before this, Possess Me, starring Nikki and Damien (ie, the 2 that started it all). Having read Possess Me before this story, provided an interesting backstory that adds to Wicked Fortune. The ending/epilogue was good.

Overall, the story was too instalust/instalove, there didn’t seem to be a lot of development relationship wise between these characters. For an MMC that owns a spicy club, this story lack spice, it was vanilla with some steam and a little chemistry. The way the story started was a little jarring because I felt like I was dropped into an already on-going story. I found some of the story arcs to be conflicting and I felt left unsatisfied with Aria’s backstory, that not enough information was revealed.

WICKED FORTUNE is the fifth instalment in J. Kenner’s contemporary, adult WICKED NIGHTS erotic, romance series, set in the author’s Stark Worlds. This is forty-seven year old, billionaire business and CEO of Hardline Entertainment Matthew Holt, and twenty-eight year PA Ariadne ‘Aria’ Parker’s story line. WICKED FORTUNE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading POSSESS ME for back story and cohesion. There is a slight cross-over with POSSESS ME.

Told from first person (Aria) and third person (Matthew) WICKED FORTUNE follows in the wake of the death of Aria Parker’s friend Jenny Garland, a death she blames on entertainment mogul Matthew Holt. Applying and getting the job as Matthew’s new PA, Aria Parker begins a search for the truth, only to discover the darker side of the entertainment industry that destroys so many lives but as their relationship goes from professional to personal, someone else is playing a dangerous game with the lives of the naïve and innocent.

The world building follows Aria as she follows a potential trail of betrayal; of abuse and mistrust, of ignorance and destruction that may or may not be connected to our story line hero. Matthew Holt knows that once his own story is revealed, there may be no going forward for our story line couple.

The relationship between Matthew and Aria is predicated up several lies: Aria is determined to destroy our story line hero, and Matthew must prove he is worthy of love and forgiveness from the woman who now controls his heart. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.



The secondary and supporting characters include Nikki and Damien Stark’s former nanny Bree Bernstein-Stone, now married to Damien’s son Aston Stone; Matthew Holt’s secretary Lila Blackstone, Joel Carradine, and Elias Trent.

WICKED FORTUNE is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, greed and desperation, forgiveness and love. The character driven premise is intriguing, dark and dramatic; the romance is provocative; the characters are broken determined and dynamic.



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I'm gonna be honest, I was a little lost with this story. I'm not a 100 % sure if it can be read as a standalone. There were elements that had me a bit confused and that I was missing something.

I am a big fan and loved the Stark series by J.Kenner. There is mention of the couple that started it all so there is that. I would say this story felt rushed and the break-up 80% in felt like it wasn't needed. Everything was tied into a nice little boy pretty fast without going into much detail as to how.

This was ok, it might have helped if I were to read the first 4 books in the series. I was excited to get back into J.Kenner's storytelling because I really enjoyed the Start series. Maybe that was my mistake in starting at book 5.

This is an extension of the Stark series, revolving around Matthew and Aria. I reads as a romantic suspense, as Aria sneaks around trying to figure out what happened to her friend, Jenny.
I am a huge fan of J. Kenner and love the Stark series. While I enjoyed this book, it wasn;t my favorite by this author. Some of the plot was less flowing than others, and seemed a bit choppy and confusing, especially in the beginning.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was very excited to read this as I used to love the Stark series and it's been a while since I read a J. Kenner book. I was honestly struggled to get into this book. The first chapter felt a bit disjointed. It took a while for the characters to feel more complex and less flat. Once I got into it, it became more enjoyable. Overall a decent read.

3.5 ⭐️

The book was interesting enough, I just had a disconnect from the story.

The main female character [Aria] gave off selfish vibes that put me off.

The story also felt rushed. I wish there could've been a little more to their relationship build up.

(Dislaimer: I'm a mood reader, so take that into mind when reading this review 🤣)

I liked how Matthew was the man who had saved her all those years ago.
The suspense element played out well & it was nice to have a plot, not all smut.
Although, the smut was there and pretty dang good.

I loved this book by Julie Kenner! Matthew and Aria have an intense relationship. Aria is trying to find out what happened to her friend and thinks Matthew did it. But, the closeness between them grows to want and need, but is it truly okay. Is Matthew this bad person after-all and can their connection continue.
You have to read to find out. A very good story. Thank you Julie! Keep them coming!

That was sooo HOT!

I loved every page of it, the story was so much tension and hotness.

A must in your TBR if you love erotic romance with suspense.

Wicked Fortune ( Wicked Nights #5) is Matthew Holt and Aria Parker’s captivating story. It’s a well written, romantic suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat from the first chapter to the last page.
Matthew is used to getting what he wants and he has his sights set on his assistant Aria. Problem is crossing the line could bring all sorts of secrets to light ………..
This book has a great mix of love, passion and suspense and there are a few twists and turns you don’t see coming, it’s also a good addition to the series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.

I don't take pleasure in rating books 1 star but this book really did not do it for me. I read reviews prior to requesting this book, and many said that this book can be read as a standalone, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Sadly, I was left feeling confused.

It starts off with a 28 year old woman having nightmares about "Stair Man" and "The Cat" and claiming she has psychic abilities. "The Cat" and "Stair Man" are brought up a lot, but it's hard to piece together why without a backstory. To make it worse, she's having wet dreams about "The Cat". Kind of odd. As far as Aria being psychic or having psychic abilities, that is only brought up twice - once in the beginning and once at the end. I figured that her "abilities" would have played a major role with how quickly it was brought up, but it didn't.

The story itself was very choppy. It didn't flow, and there were many times where I found myself confused and feeling lost. Aria had this great plan to get close to Matthew by working for him and then doing some digging, but none of that really happened. She misunderstood the assignment. This book is just a book about a gullible, foolish, 28 year old woman who is dickmatized even before she got the d. And then, after every (sexual) encounter with Matthew, she'd then somehow try to convince herself of her reason for doing it- justice for Jenny. Those were practically the only times she thought of Jenny. She didn't really do anything to try to solve the case. I also found it odd how she was still comfortable and "in love" with Matther after he basically admitted to having stalked her since she was a child (he's 20 years older than her).

The blurb came off pretty enticing and I found myself ready to read a good mystery, with maybe some steamy, intense moments between the two main characters, but unfortunately this is just a story of a woman lusting over an older male and getting.. moist.. for him every other sentence. And speaking of sentences, a lot of the wording is repetitive. I don't know. This book did not give what I thought it would. There was just a lot, but yet nothing going on the entire time, if that makes sense.

Thank you NetGalley, Oliver Herber Books, and K. Jenner for this ARC.

For those joining the universe now this can be read as a standalone even though the characters have been introduced in the original spin off (Stark Saga) I feel the story is actually fresh from the Sage as I just finished the latest book (Possess me and truly that is the book that should be before this because that is where you meet them) . Honestly you don’t need to read them all in order but I feel the taduhhh, I know that name and woa moments are better just known instead of waiting til the book circles back to the characters if that makes sense?
The pain and mystery you feel of the monster that the babysitter let in the house and the intrigue of the stair man (then later The Cat (same character but as she aged she renamed him)) who has been with her since she (Aria) was a child. I liked that this book had that air of mystery that possess me had. The general focus is over a death of Aria’s friend Jenny.
But Dayna .. how does the world connect? Well easy Aria is friends with Bree who is the Stark’s nanny thus bridging Aria and the MMC Holt together as well as bringing Jenny ‘s death at one of the parties to the conversation. (as Jenny was killed at a party they were all at/invited to because of their connections)<spoiler> But wait.. Aria then interviews to be Holt’s personal assistant.. as in THE CAT!!!!!! (honestly I would count that a spoiler since you learned that in like chapter 3.. but ill tag it just in case </spoiler>
But just as we are putting pieces together .. it kinda drags a bit (aka some filler moments “girl talk”) but I will say Holt doesn’t take baby steps in showing his attractions. So just know those filler moments are short and we move on quickly. This book I feel has more steam than the previous wicked books but maybe im just distracted.
If you liked Stark.. you will love this book because Holt.. ooh lawd he gives Stark vibesss
(for me its a 4.5)