Title: The Five
Author: Lily White
Genre: Dark Romance, Suspense
Rating: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 1/2
Amazon (US/UK/CA/Aus)
Goodreads
Author: Lily White
Genre: Dark Romance, Suspense
Rating: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 1/2
Amazon (US/UK/CA/Aus)
Goodreads
Twenty-two year old, Rainey Day, is the sole survivor of a grisly murder.
Hired to question Rainey regarding the attack, psychologist, Justin Redding, interviews her over the course of several days. What he learns tests every professional boundary he has.
A twisted story of sex, drugs, manipulation and murder, Rainey leads Justin down a path of promiscuity, heartache and a life unlike anything he’s known. While Rainey describes the grueling details of the events leading to her friends’ murders, she seduces him into her world, testing his patience and willpower.
Death clings to Rainey.
It’s a puzzle Justin is determined to solve.
But will Justin be able to resist Rainey’s charms while figuring out the secret of The Five?
Excerpt . .
“No, Rainey. Let me look at you. I love looking at you. Even when I close my eyes, all I see is you.”
I dropped my arms, my legs trembling. This was Rowan, the sweet, kindhearted boy I loved. Yet, in that moment I feared him. The adrenaline was wearing off and I was suddenly so cold.
His lips parted as he stared at me, those blue eyes I knew so well slowly taking in my body as heat blazed behind them. He’d grown so large, twice my size at least, and it had never occurred to me how strong he was until now. Nobody would pick on him anymore. Not without getting their asses handed to them in a fight.
“Can I touch you, Rainey?” His eyes lifted to mine. “Is that all right? For me to touch you?”
“Always,” I whispered, unable to put any strength in my voice. “You can always touch me.”
He stepped forward and I stepped back out of instinct. He would never hurt me. Not Rowan. But what I saw in him now was the predator that had always lingered just beneath the surface. He wasn’t a monster like his family or David. Not him. He was something else entirely.
Pain shot through his eyes when I moved, his hands fisting at his sides. “Do I scare you now?”
Shaking my head, I forced my mouth to move. “No. It’s just -“
“Just what?”
“You’re different, Rowan. A man, I guess. You’ve grown.”
Blue eyes held mine, the darkness in them seeping away, but not entirely. His lips pulled into a tight smile. “You need a man. I’ve become exactly what you need. For you, Rainey. Not anybody else. Just for you.”
I drew in a rattling breath. “Touch me.”
Rowan moved forward and I held my ground, craning my neck to look up at him. He was shaking, his skin so cold that I knew I had to fix him somehow. “Rowan?”
“Yeah?”
“Will you kiss me?”
I dropped my arms, my legs trembling. This was Rowan, the sweet, kindhearted boy I loved. Yet, in that moment I feared him. The adrenaline was wearing off and I was suddenly so cold.
His lips parted as he stared at me, those blue eyes I knew so well slowly taking in my body as heat blazed behind them. He’d grown so large, twice my size at least, and it had never occurred to me how strong he was until now. Nobody would pick on him anymore. Not without getting their asses handed to them in a fight.
“Can I touch you, Rainey?” His eyes lifted to mine. “Is that all right? For me to touch you?”
“Always,” I whispered, unable to put any strength in my voice. “You can always touch me.”
He stepped forward and I stepped back out of instinct. He would never hurt me. Not Rowan. But what I saw in him now was the predator that had always lingered just beneath the surface. He wasn’t a monster like his family or David. Not him. He was something else entirely.
Pain shot through his eyes when I moved, his hands fisting at his sides. “Do I scare you now?”
Shaking my head, I forced my mouth to move. “No. It’s just -“
“Just what?”
“You’re different, Rowan. A man, I guess. You’ve grown.”
Blue eyes held mine, the darkness in them seeping away, but not entirely. His lips pulled into a tight smile. “You need a man. I’ve become exactly what you need. For you, Rainey. Not anybody else. Just for you.”
I drew in a rattling breath. “Touch me.”
Rowan moved forward and I held my ground, craning my neck to look up at him. He was shaking, his skin so cold that I knew I had to fix him somehow. “Rowan?”
“Yeah?”
“Will you kiss me?”
What I love about Lily White’s writing is how she manages to surprise me every single time. And she has done it again with this story. Rather than try to figure out the plot, I have found that the best way is to let the story pull me along and enjoy the journey. Lily White takes confronting and intense issues and writes a compelling story that has you biting your nails while turning the pages. The reader meets Rainey and Justin. Rainey has been to hell and back. She has lived through things that no person should and, as the reader, we experience some of those life experiences.
Justin is trying to get some answers from Rainey but she insists on telling him her story in her own way.
“Don’t you know that stories are supposed to be told from beginning to end? Jumping around will only confuse things.”
The more time he spends with Rainey, the more conflicted he becomes. Can he stay professional under the circumstances? Is Rainey a victim or villain? Will we be blinded by the story and unable to see beyond to uncover the truth?
It was a wild ride reading this story and I’m so glad I was able to read this book. It was suspenseful. It was surprising. And it was wicked.
Justin is trying to get some answers from Rainey but she insists on telling him her story in her own way.
“Don’t you know that stories are supposed to be told from beginning to end? Jumping around will only confuse things.”
The more time he spends with Rainey, the more conflicted he becomes. Can he stay professional under the circumstances? Is Rainey a victim or villain? Will we be blinded by the story and unable to see beyond to uncover the truth?
It was a wild ride reading this story and I’m so glad I was able to read this book. It was suspenseful. It was surprising. And it was wicked.
Giveaway . . .
Check out the giveaway on Lily's FB page
About the Author . . .
Lily White is a dark writer who likes to dabble on the taboo side of eroticism. She is most known for her Masters Series (Her Master’s Courtesan and Her Master’s Teacher), Target This, Hard Roads, and Asylum. She’s co-authored Serial (a four part serial series). When she isn’t writing as Lily White you can find other books by her under M.S. Willis where she has penned the Control Series, the Estate Series, Because of Ellison (contemporary romance), and Standard Romance Story (Romance Comedy). Lily enjoys stretching her writing muscles by continuing to challenge herself with each book she publishes.
In addition to writing, Lily is an avid reader, gummy bear slayer, and a gold medalist in puppy naps.
Website | Facebook | Facebook Reader Group | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon
In addition to writing, Lily is an avid reader, gummy bear slayer, and a gold medalist in puppy naps.
Website | Facebook | Facebook Reader Group | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon
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