Cover Image: The Bastard

The Bastard

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Member Reviews

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

It took me a bit to really get into this book as it felt like I was missing a piece of the plot. Fortunately, things cleared up as I continued into the book. What I was not expecting was a cliff hanger and abrupt ending to what I soon realized was book 1. I really hate waiting for the next part of a serial book so I typically don't read a series until it is all done so that I can read through it.

I really started to like Eric and Harper towards the end but their back and forth and the trust me, don't trust me is very wearing and after awhile, it gets old. I realize that they need to build the relationship and the trust but I can only take so much back and forth!

So, while that is what I didn't like, I now am invested in this book and want to know what the big mystery is - what were they doing that was illegal, was Harper's mother involved, was Gigi playing both of them, were the Kingstons setting them up for a betrayal, and what were those numbers? Who wanted Eric to have those numbers and clue him in?

Wow, so many unanswered questions, and now I have to wait for the second book to get the full story.

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Disappointed. I usually love this author but for some reason I just didn’t enjoy this very much. I found myself skipping parts just to finish. Some of it was fun but i didn’t think it flowed very smoothly.

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Eric and Harper are introduced at a party and she is introduced as his new stepsister. They technically are not related and do not share a parent. Her mother is married to his biological father. They connect on a primitive level but he finds her to be a part of Kingston family when he sees her take the stage with them. Eric leaves and they do not see each other again for 6 years. When they reconnect, it is because Harper is there to ask for Eric's help. So begins their on/off dance. Eric doesn't want to become embroiled with the Kingston family and Harper keeps using her daddy's fortune and mother's care as her excuses to remain with the Kingston family. When it becomes apparent that the Kingston family is up to no good, Eric has to decide what he is going to do about it.
I found both Eric and Harper to both be kind of embroiled in their own secrets. I think Harper should have told him the big secret she was keeping long before he came back. I think Eric should have also let her into his life wholly if he really wants this to work out. It ends on a cliffy so I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this duet. I did really like this book and it is one of my favorites of Lisa Renee Jones.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

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Lisa Renee Jones has another great read with The Bastard. I enjoyed the action, the characters, the love story, the suspense but in typical Jones fashion I was left wanted to devour the next story immediately only to have to wait.

There were a lot of similarities with the Dirty Money series; the brother pitted against each other by their father for control of an enormous empire, dirty dealings, an intense, hot love affair. The story was unique enough and well enough written that this wasn't a huge detractor though.

I loved and hated the suspicious natures that kept Eric and Harper second-guessing each other's motives. I didn't want to see them undermining their budding relationship but the tension added was delicious.

I can recommend this book to any reader who enjoys suspense and intrigue in their romances.

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4 1/2 Stars

OMG! The suspense in this romantic mystery is almost more than my poor heart could take! And to top it off author, Lisa Renee Jones, leaves us hanging on a cliff that falls straight down with jagged rocks blocking the way!
The Kingston family is a dynasty in the world of auto makers. Their elite cars has made Jeff Kingston an extremely wealthy man. Unfortunately he’s also a f*#nging prick of the highest order.
Mr. Kingston has 2 sons. The son he claims, Issac, and his bastard son, Eric.
Jeff put Eric through hell and he got the hell away from his poisonous family. But just as he’s leaving he meets Harper. They share a special night but when he misinterprets something he sees her do he packs his bags and is gone.
6 years later, after Eric has become a self made billionaire, Harper walks through his door begging for his help. Despite his mistrust of her he goes to help her anyway because they still have an insane attraction to each other.
When Eric returns home to help Harper he begins to uncover some sinister happenings. But he doesn’t know who he can trust and that includes Harper.
There are plenty of suspects to go around and you’ll blow your mind trying to figure out all of the twists and turns.
This is an excellent book but it leaves you with a giant cliffhanger. I can’t wait for the next book to come out.
I was generously given a copy of this book by NetGalley. I have voluntarily given my honest review.

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Great start to a new duet! I can’t wait for the conclusion! Lisa’s writing is erotic and really draws you in. Her characters are perfect mix of love/hate!

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4.5 stars

I absolutely loved the blurb of The Bastard by Lisa Renee Jones. The bastard son who wanted to stand on his own and the princess he desired more than anything, but could never really have. Eric was for all intents and purposes, a bastard. Be he was also a determined man who was strong and set on building his own life on his terms.

He wants no part in his father’s company or life. He is his own man. But When Harper asks for his help, he cannot walk away. Eric and Harper have history. So much lies between them, but so does their connection and chemistry. When it came to Harper, he was protective and possessive. Harper was smart, but had her secrets as well. Could they uncover all the mysteries and lies or were they set on a path of destruction?

The Bastard by Lisa Renee Jones was a sexy, steamy and suspenseful read! I loved the characters, the suspense and their undeniable chemistry! I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book!

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The Bastard chronicles the rise to billionaire status of our hero, Eric, the bastard of the Kingston Empire who gave up his role to join competing Bennet Enterprises. The story focuses on his hatred towards his family and the tension he has with his new step-sister (Harper) that he has electric physical attraction to. They share a moment of passion that results in Eric leaving his family for good, and the story picks back up six years later with Harper asking for Eric's help.

While the sexual tension between between Harper and Eric is palpable, there is not much I really enjoyed about this book. While the plot had great potential, the writing was distractingly unrefined and ultimately made a pretty straightforward plot very confusing. And repetitive. I actually started counting how many times Eric referred to having sex with Harper as 'the bastard and the princess' in a chapter and got second-hand embarrassment. I also couldn't take Harper saying 'you hate me' or 'I won't have sex again with someone who hates me' or Eric saying 'I can't hate you/ I hate you/ you are just like them/you are so different from them'

Ultimately, with some editorial refinement, this could be cut down to a decent, non-repetitive novella.

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Wow. Want to know what comes next. But must I say the word Bastard was a little overdone. And him repeating about the family. Sorry repetition is one of my pet peeves.

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I knew going into this book that there was a cliffhanger, but having said that, I was just a bit disappointed in the speed of this book -- some of the chapters seemed redundant and repetitive; nothing new from chapter to chapter until the very last few when the story and the plot actually kept my interest. I'm not sure if I'll read the second book, but on the other hand I'm interested to see what happens. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

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Suspense, sizzle and secrets, The Bastard is a great start to the Filthy Duet series. Also book 6 in the Dirty Rich series, Eric and Harper’s story is a gripping read from its twists, betrayals to the engaging characters and banter. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more.

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Review for NetGalley
This book has an amazing cover and an even better story. It was intense and had me captivated from the beginning. It’s the first book out of the Filthy Duet series and also ties into the Dirty Rich series. Lisa Renee Jones is an exceptional writer and I can’t wait to read more of her work

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Wow! This book! I'm obsessed and CANNOT WAIT for The Princess (already preordered!)

At first, I wasn't overly sure of the frequency of their intimate encounters, but I quickly began to crave them and craved the growth of the two as a couple. I love the story behind their sudden reunion and the mystery we slowly begin to see unravel throughout the story.

I loved this book and would highly recommend to anyone looking for a new steamy romance series!

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WOW what an ending...…can we say CLIFFHANGER.... I'm like when is book 2 coming out?
Lisa Renee Jones writes steamy gripping books that I love and she did not disappoint with this book! I was drawn into the storyline by the first page and was glued to my kindle until the very last page....ok well that's a lie I'm still sitting here on the edge of that cliff Lisa Renee wrote waiting to dive into book two!

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Another book where the story doesn't end with the same old, same old from this author. A lot of sex, weak story-line, and while there is a twist at the end, I'm not interested enough to read the next book.

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Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for this copy of #TheBastard

I read this book for an insight into Lisa Renee Jones’ writing outside the realm of her other popular suspense series. While the narrative was well paced and held an intriguing storyline, the character development was moderate. There was a lot of intimacy right from the beginning and the storyline seemed primarily driven by this rather than included within. It was a decent read but Jones has much more to offer than what is portrayed in this novel. 3 stars.

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I am a fan of this author so naturally I was looking forward to starting this duet. I liked the characters of Eric and Harper and thought it was well written. There was plenty of angst, suspicion, steamy scenes and a relationship that is slight taboo. Maybe I've just read too many of these types of stories but this one seemed longer than perhaps was necessary. I also felt like there wasn't enough communication between the characters and too much inner dialogue. I just wanted the pace of the book to be a bit faster. It does leave the reader with a major cliffhanger. I enjoyed this book well enough that I will be looking for the next to see how this story ends.

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The Bastard by Lisa Rennee Jones
Filthy Duet #1

This is the two-part love story of Eric and Harper. Eric is the illegitimate son of Jeff Kingston and though he moved into the rich life of the wealthy always was an outsider. He is a number-savant, ex-SEAL and self-made billionaire who made the decision to leave the family business before being offered a position within it. Six years later he is asked by Harper, a one night stand and the daughter of his father’s new wife, to return to “fix” what is wrong with Kingston Motors.

This book reads like a New Adult romance with steamy passages and intrigue and not much honest communication by any of the characters in the book. I had trouble seeing what the attraction, beyond the physical, there was between Eric and Harper and had difficulty finding anything to like about either one of them. There is a great deal of tension and a mystery left unsolved just after the “twist” at the end of book one and...it ended with a cliffhanger. I don’t enjoy cliffhangers and would prefer a longer book that tells the entire story because I find it a bit manipulative pushing the reader to have to buy book two to find out the rest of the story.

Did I enjoy the book? At some times more than others
Did I find it believable? Hmm…
Do I want to find out what happens in book two, THE PRINCESS? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and … for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

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While I’m always left frustrated at the end of a Lisa Renee Jones novel, there is no denying the bevy of plot twists, intrigue and conspiracy theories that she manages to pack into each and every story. Yes, this author also owns the market on cliffhangers that leave you felling somewhat robbed at the book's ending, but that only heightens your need for more.

The Bastard is a story jam-packed with tension, questionable loyalties, and a closet full of secrets; it’s guaranteed to have readers chomping at the bit for the final instalment. A story of overwhelming passion, a once-in-a-lifetime connection and a unknown future, makes Eric and Harper’s story one that definitely must be shared. I'm not sure what Ms Jones has in store for this complex couple, but I’m sure that we’re all dying to known!

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5 Fantastic Stars!

Holy wow! Eric and Harper take you on quite a ride full of drama, suspense, and passion. I can’t wait until part 2 comes out!

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