I paused very briefly before starting this purely because I'd been so disappointed in the previous book 'The Dangerous Billionaire' but thankfully this one (for me anyway) turned out to be much better.
Lucas is the most attractive of the Tate brothers he's also ice cold, he doesn't allow himself to get attached because he doesn't believe he deserves to be happy.

Lucas has a troubled past and once we discover the source of his pain we understand why he is the way he is, ice cold and untouchable.

Grace has also suffered first at the hands of her parents and then losing her husband six months ago. Now she discovers that not only was her husband not the man she thought he was he's also endangered her life and the people he was dealing with are after her.

Lucas has been tasked with protecting Grace and he's never failed a mission yet.

Lucas can't understand his fascination with Grace because she's not beautiful, she's not even pretty but he's been drawn to her from the first moment they met.

I loved Lucas and Grace slowly grew on me.

She annoyed me at first because seriously if a man you know, a SEAL and friend of your deceased husband tells you your life is in danger you take notice not say thank you for the heads-up, but I’m sure I can deal with it myself.
Plus lets not forget the TSTL moment.

I enjoyed this book and after reading the end I can't wait for Wolf's book.

I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

Lucas comes through to anyone he meets as a cold, emotionally frozen, and dangerous man. It has taken him years to perfect this mask of himself until it was permanent.

Never in her life did Grace imagine that Lucas would come to her aid. It was surprising to her to find him following her. Though they mutually treated each other with deference, it was obvious they were leery of each other. The emotions they felt when they were close were intense but perplexing. Neither could define why they felt the way they did.

What begins as a mission to protect Grace evolves into a psychological journey for both of them. Their imposed closeness is the catalyst to dealing not only with what they feel for each other, but to why they approach life the way they do.

This is an amazing story of survival and emotional growth. I recommend this story to anyone over 18 years old who wants a great romantic thriller.

I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thank you to the author for sharing a copy with me.

I requested this book because of the author, whose work I love, and despite the title (billionaire stories are not my thing). And what a wonderful romance it was, with such great characters: a superbly written broken hero and an initially insecure heroine who becomes bolder and stronger.
Lucas is a “ice-cold sniper”, an “emotionless, tightly controlled SEAL” with a deeply troubled past and tons of guilt. I loved how Jackie Ashenden crafted his desolate Arctic soul, blending it with his “intense, masculine beauty” (his blondness, his silver blue eyes, his perfection), and his total indifference towards his own good looks. So, in a way, he’s the anti-cocky and anti-alpha hero, who doesn’t care a thing about his handsomeness or its effect on women and sees himself as potentially destructive.
But the portrayal and characterization of this “stern warrior angel”, whose “soul had been scarred by fire”, is excellent as we get to know him through his own quite imperfect and biased perspective, the author’s, heroine and other characters POV.
I loved both MC’s progression: Lucas becomes less cold and Grace, who has a healing impact on him, bolder and stronger. Lucas is really a mix of alphaness and tenderness, a fascinating man who is all intensity and iciness but also desperation, and who relaxes painting Grace’s toes…
There’s also the additional dimension of the painting creative process and how much is revealed through art and how art is knowledge, and the imagery and metaphors built around ice/fire that I found really fantastic.
There’s a lot of chemistry and sexual tension in the story but they only have sex in the middle of the story.
Maybe some things are a bit over the top – there’s lots of detailed descriptions of Lucas’ stunning good looks; or comparing an orgasm to an IED – but the depiction of the broken hero who is redeemed by the love of a strong-willed woman is fascinating to read.
And of course now I’m eager to read Wolf’s story.
(All quotes from ARC)

**I received a copy of The Wicked Billionaire from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange a voluntary and honest review,**

Wicked Billionaire is the second book in Jackie Ashenden, of her Tate Brothers series. Lucas Tate has been requested by his late father to watch over his teammates widow. It turns out the he was in the midst of selling some highly classified weaponry to the enemy and didn't deliver the goods. So those sketchy folks are after Grace Riley for the money back and the promised arms.

Grace Riley is an artist looking forward to her first gallery showing but if she doesn't find her last inspiration she won't have enough canvases for the show. She doesn't know what her husband was doing so when Lucas tells her he's been ask to protect her, she's very skeptical. They have met before while her husband was alive and neither liked each other. But as she gets to know Lucas more will she be able to melt his ice encrusted heart? Will he be able to convince her that she's a wonderful artist no matter what her father told her when she was 13. But will Lucas be able to keep his infamous ice facade in place with Gracie or will she be able to melt his ice encased heart?

Lucas Tate doesn't want to protect Grace but when his foster father suddenly dies all he wants to do is return back to base and continue doing what he loves be a Navy Seal. He definitely doesn't want to retire and become a board member of Tate Oil or help his brother run a billion dollar company. But when the person who gave Grace's husband the money starts threatening her, Lucas will be there to help protect her. He's always felt that he must keep his temper in check because the last time it exploded he lost his parents. The night of the gallery show he tries hard to stay away but realizes the he's the last portrait and now those attending know how good of an artist Grace is. When she is kidnapped will he be able to find Grace in time and tell her how much he loves her?

Watch out because when the ice melts between them there will be a sudden heat wave on your e-Reader!

I surprisingly really enjoyed this book. It wasn't the typical billionaire romance I expected to say the least. I found Lucas' story heartbreaking, even if he did make me hate him a few times in this book. I liked Grace as well and even though her childhood wasn't nearly as traumatic, it was still very sad as well. This was a great story of two broken souls helping to heal the other. I will note that I hadn't read the first book in the series before, but this can still be read as a standalone.

Lucas Tate is an heir to Tate Oil, but more importantly, he's a NAVY Seal sniper, so yeah, he's not your typical billionaire and is a total hottie and protector. Lucas was actually a foster child and has two other foster brothers and a foster sister. His circumstances that made him a foster child were quite surprising and I wasn't quite sure what I thought of it at first. But once you get to know him and why he did what he did, you just feel heartbreak for the kid he was and the pain he puts himself through now because he doesn't think he deserves it and that he'll hurt anyone he loves. His dad leaves a letter for him when he dies and it includes details that implicate Griffin, one of his SEAL friends, as someone involved in illegal arms dealing and asks Lucas to protect Grace, Griffin's widow.

Griffin has been dead for six months and Grace is trying to move on with her life. She's an artist and has her first exhibition coming up. But she's stuck on that last piece to tie all the paintings together. She had a rough childhood as well and it's really hurt her self-esteem and beliefs in her artist capabilities. She had no clue that her dead husband was involved in something illegal, much less that someone wanted to cause her harm because of that. So when Lucas shows up to protect her, she's hesitant.

It took a while for Lucas to give into his lust for Grace, that's for sure. He frustrated me so much. But when he did finally give in, the heat between these two was off the charts. They just fit so well together and it was sweet that Grace saw more in Lucas than he saw of himself. Unfortunately, Lucas being the cold/hard person he is, he does keep his emotional distance from Grace and ends up being a jerk in the end.

They get their HEA of course, but not without some heartache and reevaluation of themselves. It really took them reassuring the other of their good qualities to make them into the characters they became by the end and to give one another a chance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it. It had just the right amount of romance with a lot of suspense thrown in there.

Now, that teaser for Wolf's book in the epilogue...yeah, can't wait for that to be released. I'm very intrigued by how that all played out and am baffled and so confused.

I was absolutely sold on the first the first book in this series and I seriously doubted the next story could surpass it. I was so so wrong! Lucas and Gracie' s story just blew me away. Lucas is a man who holds himself apart from the world around him. Tragedy and his chosen profession have left him cold and detached. Grace struggles with self doubt, the result of a complicated and destructive relationship with her father. Lucas and Grace are connected through his friendship with Griffin, Grace' s deceased husband. Unfortunately, Griffin was not the man she believed him to be. His deception costs him his life and makes her a target. With her life on the line, Lucas takes on the responsibility of her keeping her safe. What follows is a raw and intense relationship between these two characters. I was deeply and utterly involved in this book from start to finish. Hands down this story is in my top ten all time favorite reads. I was completely undone by this book. This is a beautifully composed story that will you breathless and emotionally gutted. I have to say thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the next book.

Solid storyline and a great book. I was interested from the beginning to the end. I loved that Grace was so in tune with what Lucas was feeling (and vice versa) and was able to get him to open up by saying just the right thing at the right time. She handled him perfectly and was definitely up to "taming the wild beast". I also like that Grace was not super model beautiful. Women can be beautiful without changing themselves. Can't for Wolf's story.

LOVED this book! Lucas is a Navy SEAL sniper and relies on the focus and control needed to do his job so much that he applies it to every aspect of his life, ensuring that he never feels anything too strongly. Then he reads the letter his foster father left him after his death and is stunned that he's been tasked with protecting the widow, Grace, of a deceased member of his SEAL team. While aggravated with the task, he begins surveillance of Grace in an effort to protect her, however, Grace spots him and calls him out, leading to the bad guys learning of their connection. What follows is a very sexy tale that has both Lucas and Grace pushing their boundaries.

The author is a master at telling a sexy romance and fans of the genre will love this book. While it is part of a series, it is a stand alone novel. I loved that both book one and book two took place at the same time, alowing a window into each brother's view of what was happening and how they felt about it. This is a must read for romance fans. The author is on my must read authors' list.

I had to DNF this book. I gave the first one in the series a 3 star on Goodreads. I would probably give this one much of the same rating. I typically don't even read less than 4 star books because there are just so many books to read. It isn't the book really, I just didn't connect at all to the characters and kept falling into what I felt were holes in the plot. I abandoned this one because I felt it would be much of the same and didn't want to give less than 3 stars on Goodreads or Netgalley when it wasn't necessarily a reflection of the book, but my engagement with the book.

OMG..This is Jackie Ashenden's best book yet. All her books are great. Lucas is an amazing protective hero. A must read...

Lucas is a Navy SEAL is trained to protect. He finds himself protecting the widow of one of his former team mates. Grace is completely taken by surprise when she finds out her life is in danger. Lucas is a hot alpha male who takes his job seriously but is having a hard time fighting his attraction to Grace. Grace was always kind of timid in the past but she finds herself telling Lucas what she wants. Lucas and Grace have an intense smoking hot chemistry. The Wicked Billionaire is the second book in this series but can easily be read as a stand alone. What an enjoyable book!

Wow! That was one intense romance. I really liked this couples story. Can't wait to read more by this author.

This is the second book in series with the Tate family. This was Lucas's book, and he broke my heart. We constantly have read that he was a cold person, but that he was gorgeous, after reading why he was that way, it was so sad, it wasn't that he didn't care about others, he felt that he couldn't let them get close or he would hurt them. I knew he wasn't a bad person, with how he was with Chloe (from first book) he may not have been friendly, but he was protective. In this book, we meet Grace, a recent widow who is attracted to Lucas, even though she does not even like him, but the feeling is mutual. Of course, that goes to hell in a hand basket, when they act on mutual attraction, and you need to read, to know everything that is happening with her. Eventually Lucas, does give Van his forgiveness (again from first story) and I am happy about that, I can't wait for the next book..Wolf what is going on???

Love this series. The Tate men are hot alpha males you want protecting you. I found I wasn't disappointed with this page turner.
Lucas Tate is left with a mission from his deceased adoptive father. The only thing Lucas wants is to get it over with so he can ship back out. Sure he could pass it on to someone else but he enjoys a challenge and Grace Ryan is a challenge. She is also an ex colleagues widow. He doesn't even think he likes the woman but he will protect her at all costs.
Grace Ryan doesn't know trouble is lurking. Trouble that her deceased husband left at her doorstep. But Grace has a an unknown ally in Lucas Tate, even though he's a man she is unsure about. Especially when the chemistry between them starts to spark.
But Lucas is a man who's cold and doesn't want anyone close. Then gradually Grace starts breaking his walls down. Will he let her in or will he push her away to keep her safe?

"A sniper in a suit sounds dangerous."

Confession, I've seen so many books with billionaire in the title that I tend to roll my eyes when I see them. I would have simply passed this one over too if not for the author's name on the cover. I've enjoyed her books previously, so I decided to give it a chance. Reading The Wicked Billionaire was the best decision ever. This book is so much more than it's title, it's amazing! I read it as a standalone, but I am determined to go back and read the first book that I somehow missed...probably because of the title. 😉

Lucas Tate is badass. He's cold and hard as steel. He has his emotions on lock down. He can control his heartbeat and his reactions so that he appears cold as ice. That makes him the best sniper, able to sit for hours without moving a muscle. He knows what he's good at and that's enough for him. He has no plans to ever leave his Navy SEAL unit. But he's been given the assignment of protecting the widow of a friend. He takes this temporary duty very seriously and keeps a close eye on her. He knows how to blend into his environment, how to be invisible in plain sight. He doesn't get seen unless he wants to. Well, at least that was the case until she saw him. How did she do that?

Grace is an artist. It was her art that kept her busy when her husband was on deployment for months at a time. Though he passed away six months ago, it had been much longer since she had seen him. When she sees Lucas again, her late husbands good friend, it brings back memories... and guilt. Lucas can't understand how she saw him across the street when he was watching her. But she had felt his presence, before she saw him. That connection that had always been present, but never acknowledged by either of them. When Lucas tells her things about her husband that she never knew, it makes her doubt herself more than she already does. It reminds her of her past that she kept hidden from him, and makes her question her marriage that she thought was happy. He pulls secrets from her that she's never shared with anyone. How did he do that?

This surprisingly deep story kept me enthralled from beginning to end. I'm a sucker for broken characters and this one had several. I was pulled into their pasts, their pain, and their passion. And, if that wasn't enough to keep me glued to my kindle, there was danger and suspense thrown in to guarantee it. Another of my weaknesses is art. I totally love art themed stories so I very much enjoyed that aspect of the story too. I got so much more than I was expecting and I am so excited about reading the next book in the Tate Brothers series. The author teased me and gave me just enough of a glimpse to have me salivating for more. The line forms here...

Grace is an artist and a widow. Lucas is a Navy SEAL sniper, cold, and was friends with her husband. When his father passes away, he leaves each of the boys a letter. Lucas' said to protect Grace because her husband sold weapons to a very bad man. Grace's husband got the money but the man didn't get the guns. Now he's after Grace to get his money back.
Lucas takes her back to his apartment and keeps her there until he can sort this mess out. What he doesn't expect is to find her attractive and want her. He still has his walls up and tells her this is all he can give her.
They've both had rough pasts especially Lucas and he thinks he doesn't deserve to be loved. Can Grace convince him or will he walk away?
* voluntarily reviewed this for netgalley *