I absolutely loved Harper and Eric's story! Lisa Renee Jones is an amazing storyteller, she demonstrates once more her ability to weave together gripping storylines with powerful emotional complexity. Another heart-stealer for sure and I can't wait to read the second part of this duet. Overall rating : 4.5 stars!

This story could have been so entertaining with a better execution. The main issues that stopped me from feeling completely immersed in this book were the pacing and repetitiveness. The attraction and physical relationship between Eric and Harper happened at breakneck speed, so much so that I didn't get a chance to care about them individually or as a couple. Then six years go by and it just doesn't feel believable that this unexplained scorching attraction hasn't waned one bit. Then, there's the repetitiveness of the story and even similar sentence wording; it was distracting and it took away from advancing the general story line. That said, there's enough mystery and intrigue to keep my interest even if it's not a book that I will devour or consider memorable.I

Thank you to NetGalley for.providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to everyone.

I really enjoyed thus book. I didn’t realize until I was about 80% finished that it was going to end in a cliff hanger. So I did what any normal person would do and immediately went to amazon to purchase book 2 and 3. It’s fantastically written and I can’t wait for book 3!

Wow! Full of secrets, angst, lies and some wicked attraction between Eric and Harper, The Bastard kept me on the edge of my seat. The cliffhanger left me begging for The Princess! I loved this book.

​First of all, called it!

This is Eric Mitchell’s story, he is the bastard child. His mother had an affair with a married man, at the time she didn’t know that he was married and they never had contact until she discovered that she was sick and set out to make sure her son was well taken care of. Because of this, Eric has always been treated like trash, even worst. He is just the backup, nothing more, even less.

His backstory is tumultuous, to say the least, at first he tried to fit into his father world, he sends him to Harvard but he left to become and SEAL, then came back and finished school by his own means and in present time, he is the right-hand man to Greyson Bennett, his best friend, and self-made family. Now, he doesn’t want or need his father’s company or love, Eric has decided for 6 years now to severe ties with them.

Everything changes when she walks in from the elevator, Harper. The bane of his existence, he met her at a party 6 years ago, when he decided he wanted nothing to do with the Kingston Empire when he met the daughter of his father’s new wife (just to be clear here, she is technically his stepsister). They had an instant connection and a heated moment before he walked away from that world. Now she is here, at his office, asking him for help to save the company. The things he felt 6 years ago hasn’t diminished one bit and he can’t pull away from her.

Now, about the story I have to say, I kind of hate guessing the things that happened before they say them but since it took me some time to put it together I guess is not that bad. I did love the suspense part of this but, I felt it was dragged a lot, A LOT! That, I don’t particularly like, I suppose that you need to keep the mystery going but at the same time I felt it was too much and also felt like they spent a lot of time in their heads. Also, when I read a book I see a movie in my head, so when I have to redirect my actors because a scene didn't make sense is not good. To me, (this is entirely personal preference) the writing style could have some polishing but I did like it.

I will definitely be looking for the next part of this story and to read more about this author because even though I wasn't completely sold on the style I did love the plot and the characters so far.

I'm the bastard child, son to the mistress, my father's backup heir to the Kingston empire. He sent me to Harvard. I left and became a Navy SEAL, but I'm back now, and I finished school on my own dime. I'm now the right hand man to Grayson Bennett, the billionaire who runs the Bennett Empire. I'm now a few months from being a billionaire myself.When I started reading I couldn't put it down.Lisa Renee Jones is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.Can't wait for the next book.

The Bastard is a spicy story of girl meets bad boy. It's an entertaining intelligent and intriguing story. The story moves at a good pace and is well written. The characters are flawed but likeable, sympathetic and complex. This story is a fun easy read, and when you want something light, this would be a good choice. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

.75 stars--THE BASTARD is the first instalment in Lisa Renee Jones’ contemporary, adult FILTHY DUET erotic, romantic suspense duology focusing on billionaire/ Navy SEAL and second in command to Grayson Bennett, Eric Mitchell, and heiress Harper Evans’ story line. Eric was first introduced in the author’s DIRTY RICH BETRAYAL (Dirty Rich #4) but you do not have to have read the previous release to understand or follow the story. As per most of Lisa’s series, there is a slight cross-over with inclusion of some of the characters from the author’s Walker Security series including Blake Walker.


Told from dual first person perspectives THE BASTARD follows the building but forbidden relationship between billionaire / Navy SEAL and second in command to Grayson Bennett, Eric Mitchell, and heiress Harper Evans. Six years earlier, Eric Mitchell, the bastard son of Kingston Motors CEO Jeff Kingston met his father’s new step-daughter Harper Evans, a woman Eric dubbed The Princess, but a woman that stirred something deep within our story line hero. A one-night stand followed by the realization of who and what Harper Evans represented further pushed Eric away from his birth right, as the spare to the heir of Kingston Motors. Fast forward to present day wherein Harper Evans is in desperate need of Eric’s help, help Eric isn’t willing to give without a price. What ensues is the acrimonious relationship but growing romance between Eric and Harper, and the fall-out as Eric believes Harper is setting him up to be destroyed by the family who have rejected him from birth.

Eric Mitchell knows the pain of betrayal; the heartbreak of rejection; and the loss of someone close but Eric has never forgotten the woman who currently works for the family who all but ignores his existence, a family he is hoping to take down, and destroy. Harper Evans is trying to save what’s left of her father’s legacy, a legacy ‘stolen’ through betrayal but a legacy she no longer controls. Asking Eric Mitchell for help is all kinds of wrong knowing his relationship with the Kingston’s is dangerous and dark, a relationship that continues to fester with secrets and lies.

The relationship between Eric and Harper is one of second chances; a forbidden romance, of a sorts, between two people connected by marriage, and the mutual betrayal by someone close. Eric’s distrust of Harper goes beyond their one-night stand, mistrust that continues to build as secrets are revealed. The $ex scenes are passionate, intimate and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic, language and text. The palpable sexual attraction is heavy and real.

The world building follows the tempestuous and caustic relationship between Eric Mitchell, and the family thast refuses to acknowledge his existence. As the bastard son of Jeff Kingston, Eric’s presence is unwelcome but it is his relationship with Harper Evans that forces a show down between brothers, and father and son. As Harper and Eric begin an investigation into Kingston Motors, our couple are targeted from both inside and outside the family.

We are introduced to Harper’s mother; Eric’s grandmother Gigi; his half-brother Isaac, and father Jeff Kingston. The dysfunctional family dynamics are incredulous-trust is absent; doubt and uncertainty, secrets and lies are facts of life.

THE BASTARD is an intriguing, engaging and intelligent story line. The premise is imaginative and energetic; the characters are sassy, spirited and strong; the romance is sensual and provocative. Lisa Renee Jones pulls the reader into a thrilling, impassioned and suspenseful story of family, power and greed. THE BASTARD ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

GOODREAD: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2589225298


AMAZON.COM: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1LQKKQ1YQ4LMM/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B07GM14GTR


BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/4241795223

B&N (Sandy_thereadingcafe) posted

CHAPTERS/INDIGO (Sandy_At_the_Reading_Cafe) posted

Ibooks (Sandy Sch) posted