Steph Reviews Tied to His Betrayal (Dirty Little Secrets #2) by Stacey Kennedy

Publisher: Loveswept
Series: Dirty Little Secrets #2
Format Read: E-book
Source: From Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 15, 2016
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Darius Bennett can’t live without supreme control. A self-made billionaire, he’s rich enough to get anything—and any woman—he wants, yet he’s still haunted by a broken relationship. Five years ago, Darius let Taylor Erikson go because he knew he could never give her what she truly wanted: his heart. But the moment Taylor walks back into his life, bruised and beaten, Darius blames himself. To make good on his betrayal, he vows to help her heal—in and out of the sheets.

Once upon a time, Darius was Taylor’s world. Now his fierce embrace is exactly what she needs to get back on her feet. But Taylor pays a heavy price for her sizzling nights with Darius. As the emotional ties become stronger than ever and the paparazzi hunt her down for their next juicy story, Taylor must face some hard truths. They can’t go back. And to move forward, the key to loving Darius isn’t about keeping his secrets—it’s about exposing them.

Steph's Thoughts:

I got this one from Netgalley even before I had read the first one. I figured once I got around to the series, I would be hooked and I was correct.

I will have to admit that I was a bit apprehensive about this book seeing how the first one ended with Taylor showing up at Allie’s door after being physically abused by her ex-boyfriend. Happily, I can say that I did not need to be worried. Taylor is not emotionally damaged by her experience.

There is a plot line that starts up in the first book and continues in this book, so I would suggest that you read this one after reading the first. Normally, I do not like stories with exes getting back together but seeing how they broke in the first place made this story work for me. Darius was just trying to protect her then, like he is protecting her now.

Darius is a sweet and caring man, once you get to know him. I liked how he protected Taylor, yet he respected her wishes (mostly) when it came to her abusive ex. If you don't melt at one point for the things he did out of love, then you must have a heart of stone. Taylor is a strong, independent woman. I was worried about this when I read the last few pages of book one. I admired her courage and how she handled things, not only with her ex but with Darius too. She really puts him in his place and takes control of their relationship. They both have some emotional baggage to deal with but none of it was a turn off for me.

There is more kink in this book than the previous one but less than the Club Sin series. However, Taylor is not forced into anything. Since she dated Darius before, she already expected some and liked it. No arm twisting to get her to participate in the kink. This is always a good thing for me.

This was another good addition to the series. I enjoyed it and finished it pretty quick. It is definitely lighter on the BDSM than the previous series, which is ok with me. It is another good starter book for those wishing to venture into BDSM books without getting in too deep with their first book. I am currently working on book three. :)