Bruises heal, but broken hearts can be scarred forever…….Nikki fled South Africa to escape an abusive relationship. All she wanted was to disappear and start anew and Glasgow offered the perfect place to hide. Landing in the world of corporate espionage was the last thing Nikki had in mind. Landing in her boss’s bed was certainly a step beyond. If the last year taught her anything, this is not a … this is not a road she wants to travel again.
Keeping her secret shame close to her chest is just as important as staying hidden.
Dan has it all, or so it seems. A worldwide software empire, staff to meet his every need, and wealth beyond comprehension. He can’t help wanting one more thing. Nikki. But he has secrets of his own, and secrets have a way of rearing their ugly head when least expected.
Can Nikki and Dan forge a new life together, or will a love borne from secrecy be the catalyst that brings down an empire?
The line between business and pleasure is well and truly destroyed in this hot new novel from the author of The Soul Series.
Buy this thrilling contemporary romance now!
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This is wonderfully written book with the characters being well developed and engaging Nd the storyline flows easily from start to insist.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Intimidation Game is an intriguing story that highlights some important issues. Nikki escapes an abusive relationship and moves to a new country. While there she gets a new start at a new company, although not everything is as it initially appears there either. This story had a slow burn pace and includes a myriad of topics including corporate espionage, bullying, domestic abuse, and PTSD. Although all of these topics seem unrelated Stewart does a good job of tying them all together. The entire story is told from Nikki’s point of view, which really lets you understand her personal dilemma and PTSD. I would have liked to have gotten Dan’s POV, he always seemed elusive to me as a character.
The title says Game Series #1, but I honestly have no idea what will come next in the series. It seems like this is a stand alone, so maybe the next books will feature different main characters? Also, there are some possible triggers that you should be away of, including: domestic abuse, murder and suicide.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The great character and storyline development kept me totally engaged throughout the entire book! I look forward to reading more from this author!
Nikki left an abusive relationship. He happened to be her higher up at her job. So she left the country and took a job with another tech company. The boss, Dan, is very hot to look at and they are attracted to each other. They both have their own sets of trust issues which they don’t tell each other about until things start to go very downhill. The story could be so true about domestic abuse. A very good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is my first book by C.L. Stewart and I can say with confidence that it won’t be my last!
This book was raw, endearing, witty, funny, and heart-breaking. It was a workplace, slow-burn, broken heroine, single-dad romance with several twists and turns.
I enjoyed getting to take a trip to Glasgow, Scotland, adored the Scottish dialogue, wording and culture. I loved Nikki and Dan’s relationship, Nikki’s friendship with Damo and how strong Nikki became despite how fragile she was in the beginning of this novel. She was easy to love, a broken soul healing from a dark past, and Dan was a gentleman with a bad boy side too, the perfect balance of professional and sexy. Both their pasts were heart-breaking but these two souls learned to heal together and that was the most beautiful part of this book.
If you want romance with a new, refreshing twist to the “game”, check this book out! It won’t disappoint!
Wow what an incredible story! I have been on a rollercoaster of emotions but it was so worth it and i think if a story that actually has you feeling along with it, is for sure one that has been brilliantly written! Nikki – what a strong brave courageous woman i adore her. Dan – As much as i wanted to bitch slap him a few times, he really grew on me in the end. These characters brought to life a situation many women and men face and it was done so well by a truly great author
I could not put this book down! This is a fantastic story about the strength it takes to get out of a toxic, abusive relationship and the juxtaposition of what a healthy, respectful relationship looks like. I want to thank C.L. Stewart for the uplifting message she sends to all of us, that we are worthy of being treated with dignity and respect and that we always have a choice – even if that’s difficult.
I was also impressed with the attention to detail on how emotional trauma affects us and how easy it is to go back to the devil you know because in the twisted logic of our subconscious, it is easier to work with known unknowns that unknown unknowns.
Finally, an added touch that meant a lot to me was that the main character, Nikki, is a South African expat, just like me. It gave me a personal connection to her that I enjoyed.
This book is well written and incredibly well polished. It is enjoyable on many levels as well as being informative and meaningful.
Book Name : The Intimidation Game.
Series : Game Series #1. (Standalone for Nikki & Dan).
Genre : Contemporary – Office Romance.
Ratings : 4 Blazing Stars
The Intimidation Game is the first book in Game Series by C.L. Stewart. Thankfully, not the last. This story was very composed and adventurous, nonetheless. Exploring the life of Nikki, a woman who has been suffering from domestic abuse soon grows a backbone, has enough and ventures out for a new lifestyle. This story isn’t all about love and sex. It reflects upon the dynamics and struggles faced by a person who has undergone abuse for certain years. It’s not easy for them to just fall for the next person in line or throw themselves on anyone who winks at them. It’s a phase. A recovering module which is fueled by Love. Proper Care. Feelings. And support from the loved ones.
As Nikki takes up on a job, she soon finds herself amidst new chaos, life and more troubles from her past. But this girl won’t be taking a shit from anyone else now. It was amusing to see her progress throughout the book. Her communication skills improvised greatly from being meek to brilliant. She learns many dynamics of her own life, through different people. She learns to let in the people that like her and respect her back. Kudos to Dan – our hot male lead. He’s that perfect boyfriend material, who’s rich, obedient, arrogant but an eventual gentleman and of course has a soft spot for our girl.
From thereon, the story goes smoothly. Yes, it had its own bumps and slopes. It was unfulfilling at points but let those not affect you thoroughly. Just devour their love story. Go with the flow. I certainly enjoyed reading this a million times, already now. It was fast paced, rocking, passionate, original and a great tear-jerker for me. Stewart has invested herself fully into this story. She has made it her goal to make the readers cry with Nikki and swoon at Dan. Also those sneaky kisses were simply epic. Dan was a perfect male lead for a woman like Nikki. I fully enjoyed the side-characters, we’ve got villains, some nasty ones and they deserved their rightful fate in the end. It was all about self discovery. Stewart may be new in this but she certainly slays like a queen! I am hoping and looking forward to more of the characters’ stories in this series.
BETA READ.