4 stars! The Prize, book 3 of 3. A whirlwind secret affair & high-stakes game of stolen treasures, seduction, greed, illusions, secrets & corruption!


“He smiled as he leaned in, tugging aside my panties to suckle my clit. “I’ll be thirsty for you for the rest of my life…”

Books in The ICON trilogy should be read in order:
Book 1: The Chase
Book 2: The Game
Book 3: The Prize

In The Chase, book 1-2 recent college graduate and art forensic investigator Zara Elizabeth Leighton was pulled into a secret affair with a client, renowned art collector, inventor and heir to a fortune, the aloof and mercurial Tobias William Wilder, Toby aka Wilder. All while a sophisticated art thief, Icon wreaked havoc on the art world casting suspicions on everyone.

The Prize, book 3 is the explosive conclusion to Wilder and Zara’s secret undefined on-again-off-again whirlwind affair. With the world trying to discover the identity and bring Icon to justice, they find themselves the target of both investigators and villains in a menacing and ambiguous game of excess, betrayal, greed, vengeance and redemption.

TOBIAS WILLIAM WILDER, Toby: American/30 years/Inventor/Art collector/Heir/$$$$/Dk blond hair/Gold-green eyes/Tattos/Orphan/6’2”.
Seven words to describe Tobias William Wilder, Toby: Enigmatic, possessive, aloof, mysterious, commanding, charismatic and unpredictable.

ZARA ELIZABETH LEIGHTON: British/23 years/Art Forensic Investigator/Auburn hair/Brown eyes/5’6”.
Seven words to describe Zara Elizabeth Leighton: Smart, reflective, curious, stubborn, impulsive, perceptive and strong.

The Prize, told from Zara’s POV, centers around stolen treasures, treacherous illusions, leveraged secrets and buried truths. There is mystery, suspense, seduction, danger, greed, betrayal, intrigue, corruption and pretty much a race across the globe. It ends with truth, forgiveness, revenge, but with a lingering lack of trust from Zara making me wish for an extended epilogue further into their future.
“If the meaning of life had a taste you would be it.”

A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

I'm just saying. . . If you have not read books 1 and 2, then I highly recommend/suggest/encourage you to read them first and then flow seamlessly in to The Prize. The series was breathtaking as whole and with each new addition you find the romance, suspense, mystery, and intrigue all building you up for something more. We start first with The Chase where Zara finds that Tobias was more of a challenge than she thought. She learns fast that he was the one man she should stay away from but there was just something about him that kept her coming back. Then we move on to The Game where things have heated up between Zara and Tobias. The stakes here are clearly high and the hunt for a treasure adds an additional layer because hearts get laid bare and the savage world of money, influence, greed, illusions, corruption, lies/deceit, secrets make all events more.

Now, we finally come to the ultimate wrap-up. Zara much make some tough decisions. She must decide first how do she love Tobias. She must decide what she will do with the information that she has. She must decide if any of the previous is worth throwing love away. She must decide if she will do what it takes to have and hold love. Tobias already knows that he will do whatever it takes to keep his Zara safe. Now, she must decide if it is all worth the risk. There will be danger, intensity, drama, suspense, and must certainly the off the chart passion and chemistry that both Zara and Tobias shares.

I will give nothing away. I will tell you that this was worth the anticipation that went in to waiting for the last installment of the trilogy. I find that I want to tell everyone and anyone that you will need to read them all to get the full impact and catch all the nuisance of this sexy, wicked, intriguing romance filled with suspense, and more. The Prize was the name of the book, well it was a prize to find all that I did inside the pages of this final step in this trilogy.

The ICON Trilogy:
The Chase
The Game
The Prize

This is Book #3 in the ICON triology. I have read Book #1 (The Chase) and Book #2 (The Game). Loved it a lot. There was a lot of passion, suspense, intrigue, and romance. I loved that Zara was a complete opposite of Tobias. Their chemistry was still combustible.

Finally the conclusion from the first 2 books. I do not want to say too much. If you are looking for a series that will keep you on the edge of your seat, you need to read the ICON trilogy.


☆☆☆☆☆
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!
Read more from this author? Yes!

Happy Reading!
Melissa

The third and final book in this series was incredible. Vanessa Fewings delivered in the ICON trilogy just as she did in her other series! The story of Zara and Tobias and their adventures through the art world come to the end in this book. Zara must decide between her morals and the love of her life. Tobias will do anything to protect Zara but with her knowledge and skills he needs her. Tobias is like a modern day Robin Hood and Zara doesn’t know which way to go. Should follow his morals or her own. Could they get away with it all and still be together? This was an amazing book with vivid descriptions of the art work and travels they went on. You felt as though you were there with them the entire time. Extremely well written as with all Fewings books, she knows just how to bring you into her books and hold your attention and keep you flipping pages. I couldn’t stop reading. Perfect ending to a great suspenseful romance trilogy.

It's been a while since Tobias Wilder absolutely stole my heart with The Chase. In The Chase, we got to see Zara and Tobias developing what would turn out to be a world-shaking romance. In The Game we saw Zara chasing Tobias as well as chasing her family's heritage. In The Prize, we get to see them in totally new environment.

Vanessa uncovers quite a lot of Tobias privacy and I can assure anyone and everyone - you'll just love it. In the previous books we got to see him as a billionaire and entrepreneur, but I truly enjoyed the direction Vanessa took him in this one. For me, Tobias is like the perfect combination of characteristics that make up the ideal man. He is adventurous, thoughtful and caring and in The Prize all of these are brought to the surface and intensified.

I often felt bad for Zara. Torn in a two very different directions that will never cross, she is standing before a decision. Being loyal to her work, to people she loves and to her family has put her in an difficult position. Throughout the book it was very fascinating to see Vanessa developing this character and kind of broadening Zara's horizon.

This book is action packed! There's a lot of suspense - some lines will have you double (or triple) reading them to make sure you are reading correctly. It's very intense. In regards of Zara and Tobias, I feel like we got to see them and know their relationship in more of an intimate way. As I said, the setting is new and will set the grounds for a very captivating scenes.

What can I say, I absolutely love this book and this whole series in general. I sure will miss these characters! Go pre-order it asap if you haven't yet!

Romance + art + gadgets + hot alpha + intrigue + suspense = a Wilder adventure

The final book in the trilogy, and it's wilder than the previous books. It's filled with romance, art, intrigue, and suspense. The stakes are higher as well as the danger. The suspenseful moments had me on the edge of my seat. Tobias is my favorite. He's more than a pretty face. I loved his cleverness and how he thought things out first. He always had a trick up his sleeve. Plus, he had really cool tech gadgets. I liked Zara, but there were times where she got on my nerves. Her distrust dragged longer than to my liking.

It took me awhile to get into it. The epilogue wasn't what I expected to be. It didn't quite feel like one. Regardless, it was enjoyable. The conclusion to Tobias and Zara's story was good. Vanessa Fewings did a fabulous job with this series.

This finale has definitely been worth the wait. A prize in itself! It nicely picks up from where it left off in the previous book. The Icon Trilogy comes to a sublime finish in The Prize.

Tobias and Zara are now on a new quest. To do so, they have to put some of the past occurrences behind them. Even though Zara is eager to achieve this goal, she remains full of doubts whereas Tobias is his cool and collected self, confident of his plans.

With their new discovery which is part of Zara's past and her future aspirations, she teams up with Tobias and in the process, gains confidence in herself. She is no longer the wallflower, but a courageous and protective woman instead. Her only problem is her constant internal debates. Trust doesn't come easy to her.

Tobias will do anything for her. Even putting his own life and reputation on the line. He is one of the most enigmatic and magnetic characters that I have ever come across. One can't help, but love him. His achievements, both in science and in art are beyond belief.

The relationship between Tobias and Zara is passionate and sizzling hot. The depth of their love is unrivalled. There are times when their relationship is threatened by the unscrupulous Burrell family. They play a dangerous game where their lives are in danger, but the way they support each other sets the heart thumping. In these situations, they put each other's welfare and safety above their own. Despite Zara's doubts and mistrust, she sticks by her man, but there is a bit of a scare towards the end. Surely not. Not now. Will she overcome these shortcomings and give Tobias a chance to have their happily ever after?

This book starts off slowly and gradually builds up to a climatic zenith. The suspense throughout kept me at the edge of my seat. Their selfless love and sexual chemistry are enthralling. It's both compulsive and addictive. Loved it.

Excellent ending. Lots of action, twists and turns.
Tobias is a genius, so it is amazing what happens and Zara comes to the rescue.
Zara is like Joan of Ark finally brave enough to go after the bad guys and the man she loves.
When Tobias turns on the charm, I melt. Love to be with him for one night.
Will Zara trust Tobias 100 % and get her HEA.
Find out.

With this book, the Icon trilogy is complete. By the end, you know all of the secrets Tobias has been keeping (well, most of them, I think it's safe to say he still has a few) and you know how Zara is gong to handle the things she discovers and the ways in which those discoveries change her world.

How do I review this without spoilers?

At this point, Zara and Tobias are in deep in the missing art, art theft and heist world...and telling you the things you discover in this book, even though you really suspect a lot of it at this point, is a spoiler.

I hate spoilers.

So, what can I say? This book has drama, drones, man-cave dungeons, danger and an ending that delivers exactly what you want from the books.

It's not a standalone, so if you are starting at this book, go back to the beginning, you need to see where it all starts to really appreciate where it all ends up.

And, if you are like me, you will think the end is absolutely, exactly, where it should have ended up. I recommend this book, and the entire series.

This was a fantasmic ending. Vanessa Fewings really put it all out there in this last of the series. She gave us art history entangled in the intrigue, suspense, danger and romance.

Fell more in love with Tobias as no matter what he never faltered in his belief and love in Zara. He stood by her even when she suspected and doubted him. He stuck his neck out and fell on his sword for her. Showed his love over and over again as the played cat and mouse with Eli and Elliott Burell.

We got both Tobias and Zara’s view. Tobias for me was the best. He was more honest and real. He never faltered in his feelings or support. He was confident and kind. I loved his playful side and his way he was in the Science museum. It was there that you saw who Tobias really was. How playful and real he was. He had a underlying belief and never wavered. He stuck by his morals and decisions and always tried to protect Zara.

Zara did drive me nuts at times with her doubt. She never truly trusted Tobias. Even with all he risked and did she still was wary of him and doubted him. Her heart was closed up tight and it wasn’t until she saw how much danger Tobias was in and all he risked but also that she may lose him did she finally come to terms with it all. She was a great character just very mistrusting and it took awhile for her to come to terms with all Tobias was and did. She had to see that sometimes Grey areas was needed to do good.

The story was alluring and dangerous. Sexy and intriguing. The writing lured you into the spider’s web and didn’t let you go. The romance was secondary to the chase and keeping the eye on the prize-the paintings and getting justice for all the horrible things the Burells have done.

The romance was steamy and vivacious as where the characters. I wasn’t disappointed with the chase, the suspense, romance and thrill of the unknown and danger that was before Zara and Tobias. Nor was I disappointed with how they faced it. A great ending to a awesome series.

This is the third book in this trilogy and boy I really got into the story and couldn't put it down. In this last adventure, Zara puts everything on the line, her reputation, job, and her history all for her lover—Tobias Wilder. Keeping his secret has cost her, but hopefully Tobias and Zara can prove her credibility in the art world and her father's reputation, and bring to justice the person responsible for stealing precious artifacts and priceless paintings, They will have to use all their combined experience and knowledge to bring the truth of an unscrupulous mega-rich billionaire and his son to justice.
With Tobias's ingenious inventions, they set off to capture their prize, and hopefully, they will get the chance to spend their future together.

Now what I didn't like about the book, well the blurb on this book has a bit of a spoiler ( I would be a bit fed up to be honest if I had accidentally read this blurb before reading the first book... as it gives the plot twist of book 1 away) But that was it... I loved this book, the pacing, the way the author brings the world of art into the book, which made me want to stop and google the paintings that were mentioned in the book, I wanted to go sit in a museum and sit in front of a painting, to just 'BE' and absorb the art. Hopefully, I will get a chance to do that soon but I will have to make do with my screensaver on my laptop which has a mix of famous art paintings as well as famous photographs to keep my artistic muse satisfied.
I do love reading books that bring you not only great characters you can get invested in, but also expand your imagination, knowledge, and inspiration in the setting of the story. This book did this and I just loved picking it up and wondering where Zara and Tobias would lead me to next.

I have enjoyed all three books But As I mentioned above, try to ignore the blurb of this book, grab book 1 and get reading.

In book two we were left hanging on the edge unsure of what the future held for Zara and Tobias - We did not have to wait long for our answers.
The Prize picks up right where we left off and as I finished The Prize my first thought was "WOW! What an epically wonderful adventure!"
Fewings has again presented her readers with a story of romance, intrigue, and suspense that not only captivates but enthralls its readers from the opening scene to the closing kiss
Zara and Tobias are vivid and detailed characters that come alive under Fewings hand - I have watched them battle with their personal demons and desires, felt my heart break for their losses and then rebuild with jubilation for every trial they conquered - I have been a part of their journey and what a wonderful journey it has been.
Tobias, for me, was even more real in this final installment of the trilogy as his secrets were exposed and his heart was laid open - no longer just the billionaire playboy but someone that I could definitely put on my "perfect book boyfriend" list
If you are looking for a love story that will stand the test of time - look no further than the ICON trilogy

Zara and Tobias come to end in the last of the Icon trilogy. In this book Zara gets caught up in trying to get her family paintings that where stolen with the help of Icon. I wish the tech that Tobias used actually exist in the real world.

The way paintings are talked about make me want to go to a museum to see some of the classics. Overall a great series by Fewings. I look forward to seeing what she writes next.

The Prize by Vanessa Fewings is book Three in The ICON Trilogy.
I haven't yet read the previous books and I do feel that was a mistake. I felt I was missing some story but the author's writing was very good so I was able to figure out some of the past story line. But overall I don't feel this was a standalone book. I do hope to go back and read the previous stories since I enjoyed this one and would like to get the full pictures of what actually happened.

The finale to this trilogy brings everything we have read in the last few books together beautifully and seamlessly (well as seamless is all the intrigue and suspense can be). To be torn between your love of art, your true life's calling and the man that you are falling for can be the most difficult thing to face, I would imagine. How does Zara reconcile her moral and ethical beliefs regarding art with what Tobias has in mind to finally put an end to the bad guys and get her family's heritage back in her arms. At times, you feel almost frustrated with Zara because she seems so conflicted and then does something small to show no conflict then back to heavily conflicted again. But that is what Vanessa Fewings is so darned good at. She puts YOU, the reader into the story, so much so that you can truly envision the beauty of your surroundings because her writing is so vivid and encompassing. She does her research and while there may be SOME liberties taken, she leaves you completely enthralled with the world she created. She perfectly weaves suspense, intrigue, technology and old world art to bring us a truly perfect ending to Zara and Tobias' story.

I love Tobias and Zara's story. It's a non-stop adventure with hot romance. I couldn't put this series down.

I was looking forward to this installment but unfortunately this was not all that I’d expected. The back and forth between Zara and Tobias was just too tiring and repetitive. Then how she decides to play along and then perhaps give him up was just out of character especially because she’s been head over heels since she met him. I don’t know what happened here but while Tobias continued to be the same charming guy as in the two previous books, Zara just felt off, almost like a completely different person.

My review is coming very slow soon on my website and it'll be updated here.
www.beautyandthebeastlybooks.com

Zara Leighton has risked everything to track down the elusive art thief known as Icon, only to discover him already in her arms: the billionaire tech genius and her lover Tobias Wilder. Zara wants to resist Tobias, to deny his fiercely sexy smile and their sizzling chemistry. But instead, she agrees to help him one more time.Tobias will do anything to protect Zara, but he needs her for one last ultimate job: a job that will clear both their names and grant them a future together...if they can pull it off.When I started reading I couldn't put it down I read the book in one day.Vanessa is magnifysent writer.I cannot wait to read more of her books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.

After that ending in book two (The Game) I was insanely hooked on this series and could not wait to jump back into Tobias and Zara's love story. The passion, suspense, mystery, pure adrenaline rush and the magic of the art itself made The Prize an amazing conclusion to Tobias and Zara's story. I never wanted it to end! 

After that shocking ending in the second book, Zara and Tobias are now on the run as Zara is now implicated in the ICON scandle and under investigation. But now with authorities hot on their trail they must do what they must to clear their names, avoid the enemy and pull off one last job to ensure they have a future. But can Zara reconcile her feelings for the man she loves with his enigmatic and elusive alterego Icon?

Like the prior two books in the series, I was completely lost in Zara and Tobias' love story. It was exhilarating and heart pounding and I was addicted to the cat and mouse game of eluding their pursuers and their quest for justice against their enemies. But I found myself not fully engaged with the story due to Zara's ambivalent and fluctuating feelings. Her self righteous attitude (at times) and constant suspicions of Tobias' intentions were diconcerting and distracting preventing me from fully believing her depth of feelings for him. While I understood her need to "take her power back" given her current situation, I did not feel it should have been at the expense of her relationship and her feelings for Tobias. So that back and forth and push and pull prevented me from really feeling engaged with the story as I have in the prior two books. 

Overall, I loved this series and every globetrotting adventure Zara and Tobias took us on. It was incredible to have a front row to their story while being surrounded  by history's most famous works of art. Furthermore, we were able to see the power of love transform her two main characters: Zara, who was once always careful and reserved is now open to a world of adventure and Tobias, a man who never opened himself up to emotions, would now sacrifice anything and everything for the world's ultimate prize: his Zara. This was fantastic! Bravo! 4 stars! ~Ratula