One star because no stars isn't an option. I am not the target audience for this type of thing. I couldn't get past 3%. Horses for courses and all that, but this is terrible! So many alarm bells going off! On the page I gave up on the dude's eyes changed colour infinitesimally about 72 times and therefore the lady was able to appreciate every last nuance of his personality instantaneously!

Not for me.

An issue with my device meant that I completely forgot I had this ARC but it was such a pleasant surprise when my device started working again and I rediscovered this. Bar one novel, I have devoured all of JEM's books and this was no exception. Strong characterisation and a good plot meant that I enjoyed this novel immensely and now I can't wait for JEM's next novel!

We all make mistakes. Mine was requesting this book on NetGalley as an impulse without really paying attention to what it was about. Lesson most emphatically learned, let me tell you. It was clear very early on that I was not the target audience for this book, but as it was from NetGalley, I had to review it or my rating would be impacted. This has led to some… personal conflict. In the history of this blog, I’ve never not finished a book. I finished Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe. I finished Daughter of Light and Shadows. Surely I could finish this?

I don’t know if this is just significantly longer than the others, or whether I don’t have the patience for nonsense right now, but I struggled. It was over a quarter of the way through before we got to the first sex scene, which would have made sense if the two characters had managed to have any sort of significant interaction leading up to that point. Aside from Theo acting like an A-grade stalker, and setting off all sorts of fun alarm bells, there was no development of their relationship at all.

Where to begin?

Izzy is a nurse, and the book opens with her finishing her shift at the hospital and taking a shady shortcut home, where she encounters a concussed prostitute who she attempts to help, only to get assaulted by the pimp. He’s about to, it’s presumed, rape her when he is interrupted by the arrival of a Bentley in the shady shortcut, and a very large man who throws him clear and then roughs him up a bit. This very large man isn’t Theo Kane, Theo Kane appears shortly afterwards and is EVEN LARGER. So much emphasis is placed on how big he is that I am only able to picture a height difference similar to that between Hayden Panettiere (5′ and a smidge tall) and her ex-husband Wladmir Klitschko (6′ 5″ or near enough). This height difference is so continually emphasised I find myself forced to consider logistics more than being swept up in the romance.

Not that I was particularly in danger of being swept up.

Theo and his… henchman sweep up the concussed prostitute and toss her into the car. Rather than questioning why the rich man is kidnapping a prostitute, Izzy asserts that the girl needs to go to a hospital – presumably for a brain scan, for that concussion which is another continually mentioned fact. Theo refuses to take the woman to hospital, instead saying he will take her home – which he calls ‘the Playground’, another thing that raises a lot of questions but which Izzy doesn’t seem to notice – and that, if Izzy wants her to have medical attention, she’ll have to come too. Unless he has some kind of CAT Scanner in his dining room I don’t know what he expects her to do, but he gets quite insistent.

Showing the first bit of rational thinking so far, Izzy is like “Maybe I shouldn’t get into a car with the large, strange man.” Theo’s response? He offers her a gun as insurance against him. Which. The book is set in London. It’s not really an insurance policy when the odds of Izzy knowing how to use it are slim to none. What’s she going to do, hit him with it? And as he is so large, she’ll at best be able to bop him on the nipple, which isn’t going to slow him down much.

Izzy gives him the gun back, makes some kind of… weird sassy quip about already having one? And then clambers into the car with him anyway.

What I have left out through all of this is Izzy continually thinking “This man is dangerous, but I feel safe with him!” whilst she ogles him, and making occasional clunking allusions to a previous abusive relationship.

That’s right kids, it’s another BDSM erotic romance where at least one partner is emotionally damaged from an abusive relationship, because GOD FORBID emotionally healthy people like being tied up and spanked a bit.

Meanwhile this poor prostitute is unconscious in the car next to them.

Anyway they go to his house, where there’s a butler and a woman whose sole job seems to be to stand around with a drink on a tray ready for Theo, like Mrs Doyle from Father Ted but without the agency. The prostitute – Penny – has been taken in… a separate entrance I guess? There’s some more weird… not quite talking between Theo and Izzy and then Theo leads her to where Penny is being kept (even though… they could have all come in together? They were literally in the same car). Izzy gets so distracted watching Theo’s bum that she falls over, and he turns to catch her and falls over too? And they end up sprawled on the floor on the stairs on top of each other like they both have a bad inner ear infection and don’t know how to walk like normal people.

Izzy’s left with Penny, after Theo lurks and watches her for a bit because he likes watching her – no he actually says that. And Penny, whose concussion must be quite severe because she’s been basically unconscious since the start, wakes up enough to say her name, and that she wants to be taken to Theo’s, and Izzy’s like “Oh cool, okay, she’s fine” and just lets her go to sleep and wanders off.

Like the NHS website literally says “call an ambulance if they’ve been knocked out or if they have difficulty staying awake.” But Izzy, pro nurse, just wanders off like “she’s totally okay”. She doesn’t even tell anyone to go in and check on her regularly.

Then Izzy has another meeting with Theo, where he is all up in her business but they don’t… actually say anything? And she thinks “oh he’s dangerous, but I feel so safe! That’s bad” again and does a runner.

For any sane person that would be THE END, but no. Theo turns up at the end of her shift at work the next day, gets a boner carrying her out to the car to drive her home, but then kicks her out of the car saying “I’d try and kiss you and you wouldn’t be able to stop me, and not just because I’m bigger than you” (WTF), but then drives along really slowly behind her for the entire rest of the way home.

THEN he sends her a new phone because hers broke in the dodgy alleyway at the start, and he’s taken her number, and he sends her a bossy text saying that she has to go out for dinner with him. Like, literally, “you will be gracious and accept”. Um no, she will call the fucking police, good grief. I had money on him actually installing a “find my phone” app on there so he could trace her movements. So far I’m losing, but I don’t have the will to carry on reading and find out.

She turns down the date (“because he’s a bad man, but I feel safe with him, and that’s bad”), and he turns up at her house anyway, banging on the door for like half an hour before her roommate LETS HIM IN INSTEAD OF CALLING THE POLICE WTF and then he pins Izzy against the wall and kisses her, and… like I don’t even know what his point was because then he leaves? And I just don’t know.

The next day Izzy goes on holiday to Vegas, and THE FUCKER TURNS UP THERE. He calls her, notices a foreign dialling tone, then FLIPS THE FUCK OUT AND SHOWS UP THE NEXT DAY. AND he tells her to cover up because he thinks her swimsuit is too revealing. AND he threatens to just entirely wreck what, we have been told, is a once-in-a-lifetime, years-in-the-planning holiday for her and her friend if she refuses to have dinner with him.

That’s not even mentioning her best-friend-slash-roommate (whose entire character is, ‘works as a midwife so is obsessed with cocks because she sees vaginas all day’ and I just can’t you guys) who, despite being a witness to ALL of this behaviour, and occasionally calling out the slightly (hah!) stalkery tone to it all, is still like “No you should absolutely go for it Izzy, he’s hot and clearly likes you, I can see no downsides to you fucking him sideways.” (She feels SAFE with him you guys, but that’s DANGEROUS)

Anyway then she has dinner with him, in his private suite at the Bellagio, but neither of them eat anything, and then he has this whole spiel about how he needs controlled environments and that he always gets what he wants and he wants Izzy, and that he’s going to treat her like a queen and fuck her like a whore and I just. That’s exactly what he says. Also, ta-daaa, he has issues too, he doesn’t like to be touched! So that’s a two-for-one on people in this relationship who have psychological problems, because you can’t spell BDSM without PTSD.

I WILL say that as soon as the sexy bits start, Theo stops being so stalkers and asks her permission and checks her consent. He doesn’t go all Tarzan and Jane and fling her onto the bed, he checks she’s happy with it, and gets her to give permission (which she does, because he makes her feel so SAFE even though he is DANGEROUS). And when he ties her to the bed, he uses silk not the ridiculous hardware store bullshit from Fifty Shades. So. Some points I guess?

there was an attempt

I’m not even a third of the way through the book at this point. I wanted to read the first sexy scene at least since it’s an erotic novel so I wanted to give it a fair chance in its wheelhouse. But. But.

He ties her up and teases her a lot, then he fucks off and leaves her tied to the bed for, and I quote, “an hour, maybe two.” Given as he is a psychopathic near-enough stranger, honestly at this stage, in this situation (providing I had lost my senses enough to GET into this situation) I would be legit pissing myself that he was going to get the tools to steal my kidneys, OR bring some buddies in to fuck my shit up.

He doesn’t, but honestly.

Instead, Izzy actually dozes off and has a nice little nap, all trussed up like some kind of sex piñata. When Theo deigns to come back, after proving his extremely petty point that he didn’t like it when she ignored him (Red flag number seventy million), she is perfectly ready to just pick up and carry on with the sexy time. After a two hour break plus nap? No dice, he should have to start all over again.

Mostly at this stage I am skim-reading, just looking to see if Malpas falls into the trap of using the words “moist” and “slick”, which drove me mad in Daughter of Light and Shadows. It’s all going well, there’s one “wetness” which I can handle, but nothing else.

Until.

He grinds deep into my womb.

NOPE. NOPE.

That sort of thing requires fucking major surgery, I call Not Sexy. If his penis is in her uterus she would be suffering from extremely severe internal injuries there is nothing fucking sexy about that. That teeny tiny little sentence just makes my entire lower body clench up so hard I’m curled up in a ball. This will haunt me the way that episode of Call the Midwife with the prolapse haunts me, like just slamming to the front of my brain to re-traumatise me every few months when I am just living my life free from THAT.

But she doesn’t use the word “moist”, I guess.

200w

Look, I like romance. My three favourite books (Pride and Prejudice, These Old Shades and Ella Enchanted, if you’re keeping track) are all romances. Hell, look at my fanfic browsing history (hahahaha no, don’t do that) – it’s all romances. I don’t know why I can’t click with a lot of the romances written more recently. But there was no doubt from the start that this one wasn’t going to be for me. It’s definitely aimed at the crowd who like dumb, sexy nonsense they don’t want to think about, but I just can’t switch that part of my brain off that much.

Malpas has a track record of bestsellers in erotic fiction, and she didn’t hit a lot of the things I usually have issues with (moist, consent issues for the actual sex, the practical side of the bondage), but instead she hit totally different bits that just didn’t sit well with me. I’m too pragmatic and practical, which doesn’t entirely mesh with the “swept off your feet” romance style. (THAT SAID, the sequel to These Old Shades, Devil’s Cub, satirises this sort of romance delightfully – and is another cracking romance novel that I love)

By the end of that sex scene I was only just over a quarter of the way through. I couldn’t take any more. I’m sorry guys – you’ll have to work out if it’s for you on your own.

Briefly:

The main character has no common sense, the love interest is a possessive and controlling stalker.
Look. I have a lot of Concerns.
Another entry in the genre of “only broken people can be into kinky shit.”
GRINDS INTO MY WOMB.
Rating: 0/5 – if I couldn’t even finish it, if I couldn’t even get halfway, it doesn’t even deserve a single point, but Netgalley made me put one in.

SWOON! Jodi is one of my go-to authors. I found myself thinking about how her writing has evolved since this man. Jodi has found her style now and you can see a bit of Jodi in all her characters, I even hear her voice when reading. I adored Jesse, Miller, Jake, Jack, Josh and now Theo is taking a part of my heart to. I expected something very different after seeing all the teasers and reading other reviews but I was so NOT disappointed because Theo stole a little of my heart even though I often wanted to slap him for being such a bloke!. To see a man so in love and showing his feelings so full on was refreshing. Theo never once tried to hide his feelings for Izzy and that was a breath of fresh air. Jodi, please don't stop writing great characters especially easy to relate characters like nurses. can't wait to see what her mind comes up with next.

*ARC kindly gifted by NetGalley* - I have read a number of Jodi Ellen Malpas books & thoroughly enjoyed them. However I do have to (sadly) admit that this is probably my least favourite one!

I was instantly intrigued by the mysteries surrounded Theo & Izzy, but as the story went on I found them both really frustrating and the story just a little too far fetched for my liking & fell flat.

This really was a book of two halves.

From being excited to read it to then feeling that it was slightly too familiar to certain other well-known stories, suddenly something, probably Theo, locked onto me and was not prepared to let me go (or maybe it was the other way around!).

Theo’s back story is similar to a certain other well-known alpha male but at the same time, it’s totally different in a way that I found more thought-provoking and genuine. I could sympathise with Theo and his behaviour, despite him being a ticking time bomb 99% of the time in a way that I never could with CG. I hate comparing the two characters but that’s what the book made me do, at first.

Having read the first quarter of the book, I’ll admit to being tempted to move on to something else. The story was initially difficult to get into and it felt too predictable thus spoiling my enjoyment and my much-needed feeling of suspense/drama/intrigue. Then, the story seemed to do an about turn. The theme remained unchanged but something clicked and before I knew it, I was 100% invested in the story and its characters.

Theo’s love interest in this story is nurse Izzy, who, along with her friend and flat-mate Jess, were incredibly endearing characters. Yes, I can hear all of the “doormat” quotes and the blatant disregard for her safety when it came to Theo, but Izzy was a nurse and nurses have it ingrained into them to help people, and that’s exactly what Izzy did for Theo, and Theo did for Izzy in his own misguided way. Both Izzy and Theo have so much emotional baggage it weighs them down in their everyday activities. They are both recovering from trauma but in totally different ways. Both Izzy and Theo have formed lives for themselves based on their pasts: Izzy has run and created a new life for herself trying to move on from her memories but Theo is living the life his father wanted for him, despite his mother’s pleas. Different paths and journies to recovery aside, Theo and Izzy are like two pieces of a jigsaw that shouldn’t fit together but somehow manage to, without too much effort. Whilst Izzy’s is able to use a gentle healing hand on Theo, Theo’s method of helping Izzy is more akin to an emotional bull-dozer. Theo and Izzy may be opposites but when it comes to their coping strategies their relationship clearly works for them.

Despite having two very strong lead characters, it appears that the side story between Callum, Theo’s bodyguard, and Jess, Izzy’s friend and flat-mate, is what has put readers into a tailspin. For some reason their coming together has resonated with readers perhaps more than Theo and Izzy’s connection. Personally, I’d be happy to have more from all four characters but my curiosity is calling out to find out what would happen if Jess and Callum got together.

The epilogue, which can make or break a story IMO, was incredibly saccharine. It had an overload of gooiness, which was completely at odds to the brutal and violent start to the story, and yet it managed to wrap things up nicely. I just love it when two tough guys are brought to their knees in the most unexpected way!

Whilst this story was enjoyable, it did feel a little forced at times and almost as if the author was finding her way with the book whilst writing it. The essence of the story was thought-provoking and there was drama and suspense but overall it felt as if the book was growing as it was written rather than being mapped out from the start. Despite this, the book donned its Converse, and before long was running straight towards very successful conclusion.

Jodi is a one click author for me. One that I will buy the book without hesitation because I know with every fibre in my body that the book will be amazing.

I fell in love with Theo immediately, if there's one thing this author can do it's create sexy alpha males to swoon over.

Izzy is a great character too, she's a strong capable woman that has been though a lot and is still strong and capable. 

I expected Izzy to have a much stronger and shocking back story than it was if I'm honest. It was mentioned a lot and eventually was explained but felt very played down. This doesn't stop the book from being a brilliant read though in my opinion, nor does it stop it from being a 5 star read.

This was my third Jodi Ellen Malpas book and although I think she's a great writer this one just wasn't for me. I found it hard to connect to the characters and the storyline just didn't grab me the way I hoped it would.

I did, however, enjoy trying to guess the secrets that the two main characters, Izzy and Theo were hiding. but other than that I, unfortunately, found myself a bit bored.

1 - "Keep your distance..." Star.

DNF @ 28%

If Christian Grey and Jesse Ward decided to split and merge their DNA and load the result into a human cyborg, you'd get Theo Kane.

Similarly, if Ana Steel and Ava O'Shea did the same you'd likely get a close approximation of Izzy White.

Then Jodi Ellen Malpas, puts all the tropes, important personality traits, characteristics and quirks from all the howevermany books from the FSOG & This Man series, and does a lucky dip style draw for the ones she will mold together to make this story into something, pretty much gives you; Gentleman Sinner.

I have spent the better part of a day trying to get into the story all the while in the back of my head continually going … 'Jesse does that', Christian had that problem', 'Izzy is just as annoying as Ava was when she did that', 'Oh that happened in Fifty/This Man'. You get my drift I am sure.

But what decided it ultimately in regards to me calling time on the book was reading the most unsexy, first sex scene between a couple (who have spent virtually no time together and still know absolutely nothing about each, particularly as the H is acting like a rich stalker at that point too).

I think because I was annoyed and a bit turned off by the pair of them, that it exacerbated my dismay at the lack of discussion to a certain predilection and what it may entail for the other participant, to the unreasonable treatment of that person, and the lack of provision of safe word (bearing in mind this is the first time they have sex, and it is not your common garden missionary variety, and one of them has past issues with being mistreated as well), to the whole cringeworthy act itself which felt completely off in all aspects.

This isn't a short book, I'll likely finish it by reading a few chapters here and there when I soak in the bath, but it's definitely not one I want to spend hours on. Mainly because I have read this type of story many, many times before and I didn't feel any connection between Theo and Izzy. The book up to where I stopped was told solely from Izzy's POV, I can't help thinking getting in Theo's head may have helped things a bit, but hey the skeptic in me wonders if that may afford the author another book at some point in the future. Although I stand corrected if his POV does crop up further along.

Not a winner, and not the first time I have had this problem with this authors work post Jesse Ward.

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest sum up.

After reading a four chapter preview from NetGalley, I literally could not wait to read the rest of this book! Jodi Ellen Malpas has truly outdone herself with this one! Bravo!!

Izzy White's life completely changes due to an act of kindness. Her actions bring her into Theo Kane's world. A world she would never in a million years normally encounter!

Izzy and Theo are attracted to each other like magnets, but they're both keeping secrets regarding their past, and neither of them wants to let the other in completely – not at first anyway...

I think this may well be my favourite Jodi Ellen Malpas book. Theo's past was totally not what I was expecting – and the ending – OMG!!! This book is a total MUST READ!

Izzy White is a woman who although has been subject of the cruelty finds peace in caring for others as a Nurse. She’s worked hard to forge a way for herself and her sense of pride is palpable. She’s compassionate to a fault, so much so, what should have been an uneventful walk home from work ends with her being in a position of real danger.

Her saviour is an imposing figure whose intrigue overrides her very alert sense of caution. He’s obviously dangerous but the care he takes with her is what I suspect prevents her from being able to walk away from him. Theo Kane is an intimidating figure with scars that go deep, but Izzy seems to be the balm that soothes them.

Their relationship is a complex one and there are many factors which make it dysfunctional to anyone looking in. Theo has zero boundaries and I found myself leery of some of the behaviours he perceived as acceptable. I have no doubt they would deem to describe their relationship as passionate, but at several times I was more incline to find frustrating a more descriptive term.

It was an incredibly strong start but ultimately I found the dramatics overshadowed the story, and with it my enjoyment of it. Sins were although forgiven with the epilogue. I enjoyed witnessing how far they had come together and at last meeting the Gentleman behind the Sinner.

4.5/5 Stars ~ Reviewed by Rachel at KindleFriendsForever

What I can say about Jodi’s books that can be summed up in just a few words to entice you into reading them, mmm...I would have to say unapologetically British! I know some authors write their books in American English to appeal to a wider audience but not Ms. Malpas! She doesn’t mess about! I’m sure her fans across the world have got used to the lingo by now so they will be delighted. As a true Brit, it was music to my ears!

“With Theo in my present, I know my past can’t touch me.”

I honestly never thought this author could come close to the love I have Jesse Ward from the This Man series but she’s certainly giving him a run for his money. Ok, so let’s discuss Theo Kane in more detail because let’s face it, I’ve teased you just a little. He’s definitely of the Alpha Male variety without a doubt but like them all; they have a weak spot. He’s also dangerous, utterly gorgeous, of course, downright irresistible. I’m not going to tell you why he’s so like he is as it’s heart-breaking but rest assured, you’ll understand his manner and why he chooses to live the life the way he does. Izzy sees him as a contradiction, hard on the outside but also oh so soft and vulnerable underneath. Theo has more than suffered and now he thinks he should pay for his past but along comes Izzy who effectively blows that strategy straight out of the window.

“I haven’t just dipped a toe into Theo’s world. I’ve dived headfirst.”

Izzy also has a past which she does her best to hide. When Theo meets her, she feels she’s safe but at the same time also on high alert for any potential threats. Izzy isn’t interested in Theo to start out with but soon succumbs to his advances. Little does she know her world is about to be rocked. She’s a strong character; feisty and not at all one to be wooed but it seems she’s immune to Theo’s advances. Yes, ladies, he’s that irresistible.

“For a big dude, you’re quite cute.”
“For a little female, you’re quite fierce.”

I have to admit at one point I thought I knew where this story was going and I did feel a little let down, but then the story took me in a completely different direction. After this, I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough. The shock in this story wasn’t the story per se, no, it was the fact that Ms. Malpas went over to the dark side. In all her books we have angst, passion, unbelievable chemistry from the main protagonists but never a storyline which took that particular turn. For some, it may be a little too much but for me who likes a touch of dark suspense it was fantastic and fit both the story and characters perfectly.

“If God thought it was too late for you, I wouldn’t be here. He wouldn’t have sent me to you.”

As ever Ms. Malpas storytelling is masterful and the supporting characters were fabulous. Although the story was suspenseful, deep and thrilling at times you also got the witty banter between Izzy and her bestie, Jess. She was an absolute breath of fresh air! The potential for her and Theo’s main man, Callum, is huge so let’s hope we get a little more from these two.

With this book, I got what I crave in a story; a beginning which laid the foundations perfectly for what was to come. The middle which gave you the plight between Theo and Izzy and an absolutely perfect ending! This author has a knack for giving you a perfect epilogue and that’s exactly what I got. I can tell you one thing; after the last 20% of the book, you definitely needed that ending!

Jodi Ellen Malpas is one of those authors who is an automatic one-click buy for me. She’s famous for her intense, domineering heroes and feisty heroines who delight in pushing them to their limits and Forbidden Sinner is no exception.

Izzy, a nurse, is on her way home one night when she hears a cry for help coming from a dark alleyway. Rushing to help she soon becomes as helpless as the prostitute she was trying to save when suddenly, as if from nowhere, Theo Kane, the Gentleman Sinner of the title appears like a knight charging to the rescue and so this love story begins.

I enjoyed this book but I didn’t love it. Izzy has a secret which, without trying to make light of or minimise in any way what she’s supposed to have been through, wasn’t nearly as bad as I felt was implied in the story. Theo also comes with his own issues which leaves him demanding complete control in every aspect of his life. Everyone one feared him, even his own staff who respected him in equal measure. The reason for this excessive behaviour wasn’t explained until the end of the book with only a couple of chapters to go. In reality Izzy should have run a mile away from rather than to Theo. For me the best part of the book are the characters of Jess, Izzy’s best friend and fellow nurse and Callum, Theo’s friend/driver/bodyguard. Now there’s a match made in hell and I, for one, would love to see them eventually have their own book.

I found this book really hard to get in to- and even harder to enjoy.

It was like JEM was trying to replicate some of the Jesse alpha-isms that made her first few novels such a hit- but for me the mark was massively missed.

The way he followed her to vegas- creepy as....

The no touching thing- Well we've all read that somewhere before??!!

It's been a while since I enjoyed a JEM book, since This Man in fact, something that must be a constant pain to top.

In this we have Theo, a built, charismatic, gorgeous chap who is pretty persistent in going after our girl Izzy.

I cannot lie, there are a few similarities to other stories in this that niggled me; his weak spot (it's a bit of a spoiler so I won't say what that was) and his line of business being the main ones. While it was its own story, I was aware of them as I was reading and I kept having to remind myself not to draw comparisons. It wasn't easy though.

That aside, the chemistry was strong and the smut hot and I raced through this, finding it hard to put down.

Towards the end there was another scene that tested my patience because it was a tad too far fetched for my liking, but the story did redeem itself with a glorious epilogue.

Complete story. Recommended for fans of Jesse and Mr Grey, you'll love this.

I've read a few of this author's books and I've really enjoyed one and I didn't enjoy the other one as much! I then saw that this book was available to request on Netgalley and I'd been excited for it to release, so I requested a copy and squealed when I was accepted! I started reading it straightaway, and I was sucked in right from the first chapter! I also said I was only going to read the first chapter and I ended up reading the first four chapters lol! The plot developed at the perfect pace and it only took me a few sittings to read because I couldn't put it down! There were also plenty of seriously hot scenes in this book and they really, really hot! There were a few action and suspense scenes too, and they added a lot to the plot! I also loved the direction that the plot went in and it kept me wanting to read on and find out what was going to happen next! The characters were also amazing and made this book even better! Izzy was the main character, and in this book she was working in a very respectable job and she worked hard! I also really liked Izzy and I connected with her very quickly! I loved the way that Izzy was with her love interest too! She was one of the only people that he listened to and Izzy also helped her love interest a lot more than I was expecting her to! This made me love Izzy more and it was easy to see how much she loved her love interest and wanted to be with him! Theo was the love interest of Izzy! I loved Theo a lot in this book! He was quite a domineering character and was used to everyone being at his command, but there was also something very intriguing about Theo and I wanted to know more about him and his background I did feel for Theo in this book because he had been through a tough childhood and his still had a big impact on him! Izzy helped Theo a lot and she really helped him open up! It was also easy to see how much Theo loved Izzy! He was also very protective of her and he showed this several times in this book! This book was only written from Izzy's point of view! I wasn't sure if it was going to be written from only one point of view or dual point of view or not before I started reading, and then it was only written from one point of view! I would have loved this book to have been written from both Izzy and Theo's point of views, but it helped keep Theo more mysterious, so in a way I can understand why it was only written from Izzy's point of view! I was still able to connect with Theo and it did allow for more things to happen in the plot! I can also completely understand why this book is a standalone! I wish that it wasn't because I would love to read more on Izzy and Theo, but the ending was left at the perfect place and summed up the characters story beautifully! I now can't wait to read the books from this author that I haven't read yet and I can't wait to see what she's going to release next too! I also love the cover for this book a lot! It does make more sense after you read the book and see the connection! I also like that the cover doesn't have models on it and uses an image to represent the book! Big thank you to Jodi, Orion and Netgalley for an ARC of Gentleman Sinner!

Basic storyline good with some mystery and twists. Too graphic for my tastes.
Strong characters with their own back stories.

Gentleman Sinner is at times a rather dark romance but that said it is a very lovely and emotional read.
Izzy is a nurse who for the past ten years has been getting on with her life after a terrible incident in her past. After work one evening she stumbles across a prostitute being beaten savagely by her pimp, as she jumps in to help she herself is then accosted by this vicious man, she is saved by another passer by, Theo Kane. He is huge and imposing and makes short work of dealing with the attacker, he is gentle with Izzy and together they help the girl.
So starts this intense story of their relationship. Theo has some serious issues and is no stranger to handing out physical punishment, but with Izzy he falls hard and treats her with nothing but respect, love and kindness.
They both have many issues to overcome which causes difficulties but these are well dealt with and explained. The violence is at times rather graphic and I did find one incident difficult to deal with and felt was unnecessary.
A thoroughly enjoyable and exciting read with a cast of great characters and snappy dialogue. Another winner from this author. My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Jodi Ellen Maplas for the arc! I really loved Izzy’s and Theo’s story Jodi loves her broody men and she did not disappoint! Definitely recommend! 5 stars!!

Gentleman Sinner follow the same formula as Jodi Ellen Malpas' previous works in that an incredibly handsome, damaged man falls obsessively in love with a woman and there is a lot of hot sex. That's pretty much it although Gentleman Sinner lacks the charm of Malpas' earlier books.