I’m not sure about this book. Many times while reading it I asked myself if I really wanted to finish it or not. I found this book very dark & I truly tried to like the characters but I just couldn’t. Rafe was so dark, arrogant & underhanded, while Ella was so simpering at first it made me cringe. It wasn’t until almost the end that I finally felt a little empathy for Rafe & Ella but I still couldn’t like them. The author wrote this with the idea of a dark fairy tale which she pulled off fabulously, I just couldn’t get behind it.

Published November 21st 2017 by Swerve
I have loved this series and was always looking forward to Rafe’s story and what a story it is, he is big and bad very bad but I think he met his match in Ella she is a tiny ballerina but with the strength to stand up to the wolf and heal him, they have a rough trip to a HEA.

Ella Hart is alone just her grandmother and her she puts everything she has into her dancing she is so passionate with it, she is vulnerable and quiet so when she needs to ask her guardian for money to go to Paris for dance school instead of the normal yes she is met by Rafe DeSantis who now controls her and her money and what he demands in return for the money will bring out a different Ella one who has demands of her own.

Rafe DeSantis is now the CEO of DS Corp and nothing is going to stand in his way to get the girl he wants, oh there is a lot in Rafe’s past that would make a normal person cringe he was sent from his family when young so as he could be controlled. Know he is controlling and the little girl who was never afraid of him is going to be his.

What a story this one is, Ella doesn’t have anyone to look after her that is until Rafe arrives on the scene and he is a wolf demanding and calm but she sees more in him he pushes her and she has the strength to stand up to him, and in such a way that he finally opens up to someone like he never has before you see she opens his heart to true love and together they will soar. Thank you MS Ashenden I loved this one.

The Big, Bad Billionaire is the fourth and final novel in Jackie Ashenden's Billionaire Fairy Tales series, but it's the third one I've read, it's one of the darkest in the series and it gets a 4-star rating from this reader.

The Big, Bad Billionaire in this novel is Raphael (Rafe) and he's a hero that it took more than three-quarters of the novel to warm up to, but although he's certainly not my favorite among the heroes in this series, he's unforgettable as one of the most broken heroes I've come across and this novel brings up enough of his issues to warrant a warning to readers for whom violence toward a child and cutting may be triggers. Although I've read a few novels where cutting was an issue, those who practice it have always been female, so kudos to Ms. Ashenden for featuring a male character who not only had to resort to this dangerous behavior, but who also was forced into it.

The heroine in this story is Ella, who, from the age of two, adored Rafe, who was a dozen years her senior. Since Rafe was the black sheep in the family, one who had anger issues and an uncontrollable temper, no one seemed to understand why she wasn't afraid of him and instead came running to him eagerly, with a smile on her face. In fact, she was the only person to ever seem glad to see him, and that charmed Rafe.

All of that ended when Rafe was fourteen and got so angry that he punched a hole in a wall, scaring Ella. Rafe's parents sent their volatile teenager away to live with his abusive grandfather, and when he returned to the family fold, he'd learned to control his anger issues, bury his emotions and control every other aspect of his life, and he wants revenge.

During the time he was away, Ella's parents sheltered and over-protected her, convinced her that Rafe was someone to avoid, and programmed a fear of him into her. She's now twenty, a ballerina, and the rare times they've seen seach other, she has kept Rafe at a distance at all costs, much to Rafe's displeasure.

Adult Rafe gets his revenge, by silently and carefully orchestrating his father's retirement from the company he founded and taking over control as head of the billion dollar family-owned corporation. No one seems able to break through his icy demeanor, but he's never forgotten his feelings for Ella, and he's too broken to even understand them, but he wants her, and he's enough of a control-freak to always get what he wants, no matter what he has to do to make that happen.

After Ella's parents died within the same month, Rafe's father became her guardian, a role that Rafe also took over when he took control of the family corporation. Although he still doesn't understand himself enough to know why, he becomes Ella's guardian, and is responsible for her trust fund, which puts him in control of her finances until she reaches the age of twenty-one, and it's just the leverage he needs to manipulate her into doing what he wants, and what he wants is her. When Ella needs money to spend the summer studying ballet in Paris, Rafe won't release the funds she needs without manipulating her, both physically and emotionally, and pushing all her buttons to keep her close and under his control. His behavior towards Ella at this point is controlling to the point of emotional blackmail and utterly reprehensible, but she's not as easy to control as Rafe thought.

All of the aforementioned happens in the first half of the novel, and makes Rafe a very difficult character to warm up to. The second half of the book is far more revealing and far more emotional, as we get to understand fully what drives Rafe and why. It also affords us the chance to realize that scared and virginal little Ella has issues of her own, and is almost as broken as Rafe. By the time we do understand them and what motivates their behavior, we end up rooting for them both. The bottom line is that Rafe is a hard character to like or understand, and the fact that Ms. Ashenden made his behavior and manipulations so reprehensible at the outset and eventually had us understanding and actually liking him was an astonishing feat. My only complaint was that the final HEA ending seemed to happen far too quickly and was so abrupt as to be both jarring and hard to believe after all the drama and angst that occurred before it, and it's why I could only give this well-written novel 4 stars.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

Jackie asherden has written a hot story that had me captivated from the very first moment of this story. I completely connected to the characters and loved the chemistry between them. I enjoyed this story from start to finish.

Whenever I start a Jackie Ashenden book I get caught up in the compelling story and passion in her couples. I absolutely love her novels because the men are always alpha and growly and the women are just as snappy and sassy. They bring the men to their knees and give no effs about the consequences. I absolutely loved Rafe and Ella as the play on the little red riding hood fairytale was fantastic but their chemistry and attraction was amazing. I could not get enough of them.

While this is the fourth novel in the Billionaite Fairy tales series with the De Santis brothers, The Big Bad Billionaire is a complete standalone. I really enjoyed this story of the big and bad billionaire CEO (Rafe De Santis) and the innocent ward (Ella Hart) who outwit and outsmarts him of his plans. I was hooked from the start and did not want it to end. I loved their emotional connection and how Rafe became vulnerable to Ella. While I would have liked to see a resolution with Rafe's past and not a quick solution towards the end, this was a great story!
4 stars! ~Ratula 

I would like to thank SMP Romance and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

The Big, Bad Billionaire by Jackie Ashenden
Billionaire Fairy Tales #4

A book you will love or hate…and so say the reviews.

At first I felt that Rafe was a manipulative jerk that wanted what he wanted and would do anything to get it…no matter what. Setting his eyes on Ella and pushing her into spending time with him seemed wrong in many ways BUT as I got to know Rafe and how he had been raised his behavior did make more sense.

There was an age gap between Rafe and Ella of about twelve years. I don’t find that so great except that Ella at twenty was rather naïve, sheltered and anxious so a stronger more dominant older male might not have been the best partner for her…though the book does work and the two do bring peace to one another once they get things worked out.

I felt so sorry for both Rafe and Ella. There were traumas in their lives neither really deserved. There are no doubt people who live such lives but reading about them is not always easy. The issues that might bother some are not easily shared without giving away a significant portion of at least one backstory so…just be warned this is dark and there might be issues for some of you considering reading this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Swerve for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Received an ARC for my honest opinion review for NetGalley.
Rafe DeSantis was sent away a boy, but comes back a monster. However only one thing will tame him.
Ella Hart is a ballerina in Little Red Riding Hood when she learns that Rafe is her new guardian. Rafe will stop at nothing to get Ella and that includes blackmail to get what he wants.
Ella wants to go to prestigious dance school in Paris where her mother had gone, but first she must do what Rafe wants .
This is NOT the fairy tale I remember.

This is a modern twist on Red Riding Hood, it grabbed my attention, and I really wanted to know what happens next between the CEO Rafe De Santis and his charge Ella

I received an ARC from Netgalley and voluntarily leave my own opinion

As a child, Rafe DeSantis had anger issues. He scared most people, but not Ella. Ella was only two years old, but she liked Rafe for who he was. She always had a smile for him and always wanted to be around him, until Rafe lost his temper. Rafe would NEVER hurt Ella, but her family thought he had. So they kept Ella away from Rafe and spoke badly of him. Rafe's punishment....he was shipped off to live with his grandpa.

Under his grandpa's care, Rafe learned to control his anger, but it came at a cost. Rafe's grandpa was very abusive. He locked him in a dark cellar, didn't feed him for days, and scarred him with a belt and cigarette burns. Although Rafe attributes his control and success to his grandpa's "teachings", the abuse he suffered truly affected his relationships.

Ella, having lost her parents as a teen, also suffered greatly. The only family Ella had left was her grandma, only her grandma wasn't her guardian. Rafe blackmailed his way into Ella's life by becoming her guardian. When Rafe informs her of his new "role" in her life, she's outraged and scared. Her parent's past influence concerning Rafe is all she knows and remembers. So she's scared of him. Rafe realizes this, but vows to change her mind and make her his.

While I truly enjoyed this novel, it was a little hard to read topic wise. It's a wonderfully written story, but the abuse Rafe endured was almost too much for me. While I know child abuse occurs, I don't find it entertaining to read. That being said, I did enjoy the story. I received a gifted copy and all opinions stated are my own.

Rafe who is the big, bad wolf who is ruthless in most everything until it comes to Ella. Ella, who is little red riding hood and has the ability to tame the wolf but she doesn't know the power that she actually has over him.

Ella quiets the rage inside Rafe and Rafe helps Ella be a stronger person than she thought she was. She thinks Rafe is everything she doesn't want or need in her life and he does everything to show her that he's everything she does need.

I loved that Rafe was a little bit ruthless, he made things happen, he was damaged. Ella may have seemed weak but she was a fighter and she was strong. She knew what she wanted, she just had to step up and make it happen. These two complete each other but will they be able to overcome their pasts to make their future hold the love that they could share?

This modern twist to the little Red Riding Hood fairy tale was very moving and passionate. Rafe and Ella have had a connection since they were young. When Rafe was sent away because of his emotional issues, Ellas family turned her against him. Now years later, Ella is alone with her guilt over her parents death, taking care of her ailing grandmother. Rafe has learned to live with his faults and is determined to win back the only person who cared for his true self. Ella doesn't remember the good times with Rafe but can't deny the thrill and attraction of this dangerous man pursuing her. I loved the back and forth between both Rafe and Ella. Their banter was their foreplay and their chemistry was explosive. Their history is heartbreaking but they help heal each other and become stronger together. I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh, hot & steamy modern fairy tale.

DNF at 35%

This book was a little uncomfortable for me to read. I'm not sure what the age difference was, but it seemed as if he was focused on her youth. He was also manipulating her to date and sleep with him. Not my cuppa.

Thanks for the ARC.

The Big Bad Billionaire by Jackie Ashenden is the 4th story in her sexy and seductive Billionaire Fairy Tales series. They are all standalone romances centered on the DeSantis family, a group of four brothers who run DS Corp, a weapons and security company. The title gives away the Red Riding Hood theme of this story. Rafael DeSantis is the big bad wolf here, and he's got his sights set on the woman he calls 'Little Red'.

Rafe's coup against his rich and powerful father means he's now in charge of DS Corp. It also means that he's become the new guardian to Ella Hart, the daughter of one of his father's oldest friends. Though several years older than 21 year old Ella, she'd been unafraid of him as a toddler when their families would get together until one day his emotional outburst had scared her and he'd been sent away to live with his abusive grandfather. Ella has no memory of Rafe from those early days, just ones later on as a teenager when her parents had died and Rafe's father had been given guardianship. The brooding and silent Rafe had made her nervous and she'd avoided him when she could.

On one occasion Rafe had accompanied his father to see Ella in a ballet recital, and he'd been captivated by the young woman and her talent. Then when she'd been 18, he'd started to see her as a woman, and not just a pretty child. He'd wanted to court her, but his father had refused. Now though, as her guardian, he has a say in her future. Ella wants to go to Paris for a summer intensive, and she needs the permission of her guardian to go. To her shock, Ella finds out that Rafe is now in charge of her future, the one man who both fascinates and scares her. The things he wants from her seem simple – dinner, a night out - but Ella doesn't trust him, or the intense attraction she feels for him either. Rafe has plans for her future that include him. But will Ella let herself see the real, wounded man behind the wolf's mask? And can it lead to a happy ever after for them both?

The author likes to skirt the edge of dangerous desire in her stories and this one certainly balances on a razor thin margin for a time. Rafe blackmails Ella into doing his bidding with the thing she wants most, the trip to Paris. She can only get it by acquiescing to his demands, which, while not sexual in nature at first, are definitely heading in that direction. Still even though Rafe is arrogant and sometimes overbearing, he doesn't push Ella into anything without her full consent, despite his desire to have her in his bed. The result is some exquisite sexual tension that eventually leads to some very steamy scenes.

Rafe forces Ella to face some of her fears, and to realize that he can be the antidote to them. He also makes her realize that she has a lot of inner strength and the ability to bring Rafe to his knees if she so desires. A lot of their relationship is give and take as Rafe opens up to Ella and reveals some of his vulnerabilities in return. Rafe has his own deep dark secrets, ways he uses to maintain control for all the times that it was taken away from him as a teenager. The dark side of his personality is something he has to own up to in order to envision a real future with Ella. I really enjoyed how the story unfolded, the revelations that come up one by one, and the searing intensity of the sex scenes. Rafe's relationship with his three brothers (who all have earlier stories in the series) is complex and there are several scenes that delve into their complicated family dynamics too. The conflict that comes up is one that drives them apart, but they fight their way back to each other to get their well deserved happy ending. I recommend the whole series for those who enjoy romances with blazing sexual tension and dramatic intensity.

This review has been posted at Straight Shootin' Book Reviews and feedback updated with the link. It's been posted at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

This was actually my first book in the series and my first read by Jackie Ashenden. I don't have a point of reference if I missed out on anything by starting with this book. I am definitely going to start at the begging of the series and catch up to The Big, Bad Billionaire just in case there are more details I can piece together.

If you love alpha, revenge, dark, secrets, fairytale spin offs and steamy romances you have found your match. They both have past that intertwined and leave them hesitant to trust. Are they using each other or are they meant to be?

Revenge, need, desire - how do these emotions play into the make up of a person. For Rafe, his past had lead him to be icily controlled on the outside, but hurting inside with the need to be taken care of. For Ella, the loss of her parents and her reliance on a guardian have lead to an anxiety disorder. Their shared pasts include mistrust and insecurity. Will the Big Bad Wolf be tamed? Will Little Red be the one to surrender? Will these two be able to reconcile the hurts and forge a new future?

I’m very … conflicted … over how I feel about The Big, Bad Billionaire. At times, I would have told you I was reading two separate books, one the first half and one the second half of this romance. Because of my reaction to this romance I’m going to keep the review brief so that I don’t unintentionally let spoilers fly while trying to explain myself.

Rafe is a difficult man to get a feel for at first. Part of that is his personality from birth, part is also how he’s been raised away from his parents so that now he only shows the world what he wants to be seen and not one thing more. He is hard, dominating, arrogant and in control, even if that control is held by the slimmest margin. Revenge has been his life’s plan – and having the woman who has had the ability to understand him, calm him from a very young age as his own. Two goals, one reached the other almost within his grasp.

Ella and Rafe are two people who will butt heads, argue with each other and perhaps even fear each other on some levels. Yet, they are also the only people who can calm fears, temper rage and complete each other in ways they never imagined. Their romance will be fiery, intense, filled with the push and pull of dominance and submission emotionally. The road to a happy future will not be easy by any means – but in the end, it will be so worth the journey.

Don’t misunderstand when I say I’m conflicted – I enjoyed The Big, Bad Billionaire very much. It is intense. It is sexy. And it is often harsh. I believe this is a story that needs to be experienced for it’s impossible to convey the emotions that ran through my mind while reading Rafe and Ella’s love story. I would recommend this story with the opinion that you should expect dark and deep with this one, the only thing sweet here is Ella.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

3 1/2 Stars Rafe and Ella both have issues. You will get to see how the OTT alpha and his young timid obsession enter into an angsty relationship and work it so that it turns into a steamy read with an HEA.

Even though I didn't connect with the couple, I really enjoyed the story.

This is the fourth book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone, this story loosely based on Little Red Riding Hood and Rafe is definitely the big bad wolf. Ella’s parents died when she was young and now Rafe controls her money. Ella used dance to ease her grief over losing her parents and now wants to go to a dance school in Paris. Rafe has one condition before allowing her to go, be his. This read is fast paced with plenty of drama and emotion. I loved the characters as well as the story. The chemistry is amazing and they both really draw you into the story. I really liked it!

I was not a fan of the book. The blurb sounded good, loved the cover. But I did not like Rafe at all. He was controlling and wanted Ella because she was nice to him... when she was 2 years old. What is that about?

I found it to be bordering on forced consent and was blackmailing Ella to be physical with him. I would not recommend this book and will not be seeking the others out in the series.