Sin with Me is the first book in a four-book contemporary romance series by New York Times bestselling author, JA Huss, and veteran actor and writer, Johnathan McClain.***Two broken people in a city fueled by sin. Maddie Clayton isn’t looking to be saved. She knows the only person you can count on is yourself. Her moral compass might not point true North these days—but at least she’s still … least she’s still standing.
The Military taught Tyler Bell about loyalty. Being there for your brothers is the only thing that matters—but when it mattered most, he wasn’t.
She’s got a ticket straight to Hell. He’s already been there and back.
She needs to win. He just needs to stop fighting.
Some sins scar your soul so deeply, you’ll never be the same.
But this Devil in disguise might just be the angel he needs to forgive himself.
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Expect the unexpected when reading a book by JA Huss – I know that, but still I get blindsided. Be it by twists I was not expecting, or simply a storyline that does not go where I think it would. The first surprise with this one was the fact that she would co-author this series with Johnathan McClain. Because Huss herself is a force to be reckoned with, her way of constructing a story always unique and powerful – what would happen if you added a man’s perspective into the mix? Well, it’s intoxicating and intense and raw – to say the least. It fits and makes me hungry for more – and thankfully, SIN WIT ME is the first of a four-book-series. I just have the feeling my new obsession will only get worse from this point on…
While the beginning is a bit slow, it gathers speed very quickly – having me wondering where all the pages have gone. There was this one point from which on the story just held me hostage, unwilling to let me go. It consumed me, had me forgetting everything else around me. That’s what makes a great read for me. To block out the real world. To just dive in and be in your happy place – even if the story contains elements that are anything but that. Because, let’s face it, this one was more beautifully tragic than happy. And still, it wowed me, left an imprint on my soul and will have me thinking of it for a long time to come.
It’s not your typical romance, which is exactly why I crave unpredictable stories like this so much. It is about two damaged souls, two people kind of lost in the world. Existing, but not living. Both harboring secrets and carrying baggage and guilt that no lone person should bear. Still, neither of them is looking to be saved. …that is, until their worlds collide and they slowly begin to recognize a broken part of themselves in one another. Should there still be salvation for them both after all?
Gritty. Dark. Suspenseful. Emotional. Tender. Explosive. Heartbreaking. Hot. Screwed-up. A few of many adjectives that do not even begin to describe the complexity of the story. The story of two lost and tortured people finding solace in each other. If you love dark romance or have yet to discover it – this one is a must read!
There is pervasive “alchemy” within and without this scintillating, angst-filled, volatile story of two shattered souls on a collision course for one another. “Alchemy” is the descriptive word that the dark hero, Tyler uses when explaining, “That thing one person has with another person that they can’t explain. When people call it chemistry, they’re wrong, of course. Chemistry is science and finding someone you can stand being around, that’s alchemy.”
Alchemy is also that mysterious force, energy that the ancient mystics tried to harness for many purposes, some good and some not so good.
The story opens with our dark hero, Tyler, half out of his mind with lingering PTSD issues incurred from severely traumatic experiences he suffered during his service as an Explosive Ordinance Demolitions expert in the military. He is also suffering from personal grief over the loss of one his childhood friends. For some inexplicable reason, he feels responsible for his death.
The reader is immersed in his madness as we read from his POV. He has trouble with keeping track of time. He is drowning his feelings in meaningless sex, booze and prescribed tranquilizers taken improperly. His mood alternates between having an “eff you” attitude to despair over his personal worthlessness. He has come home to the madness that is Las Vegas, even though he has the money to go anywhere in the world. He experienced a financial windfall as he left the service, but the money is not healing his gaping emotional wounds.
He finds himself dreaming of a strange heaven with a ministering angel. The dream is comforting and soothing until fiery mayhem reigns at the end of the dream and then he wakes up even more agitated.
We are introduced to our dark heroine, Maddie, who barely is making a life for herself. She wants to start a respectable business, but she is stripping to get quick money to solve immediate financial concerns. She also has underworld financial obligations which have unfairly been thrust upon her. She is depressed and suffering mightily from some trauma which is revealed further on in the narrative. She tries to hold herself above the “seediness” of the sex trade environment but the illusion of herself as “above it all” and “different” from the strippers and call girls is shattered when she meets Tyler who was dragged to the strip club where she performs by his best friend.
For Tyler, when he sees her on the stripper’s stage, she is the angel of his dream and coincidentally as per the strange alchemy at work in the story she is costumed as an angel. Tyler can barely control himself as he needs to be with this angel and so they spend their first evening together in the champagne room where Maddie becomes the angel/whore for this man who needs her so. He pays her thousands of dollars for this night.
Just as there is inexplicable alchemy between our dark damaged lovers, indeed, there is alchemy between the two authors. From their first meeting and throughout their relationship, our main character’s erotic encounters were written like the author’s were composing music…a duet. The base notes are violence and despair in the chords of desire and lust making this strange music…borne of alchemy. The mid scene POV switches from Maddie to Tyler back and forth effectively communicate the desperate wild passionate need and release our lovers find in each other’s arms. It was almost cinematic; like changing camera shots during a scene on film. The effect on the reader…words fail me for the intensity of the heat and dizzying “feels”.
“Until she has taken all of me, deep, and I have filled her with my blackness and poison and together we have turned it into light.”
The magic of alchemy…turning “blackness and poison” into light?
Throughout the narrative you can appreciate the writing style of Ms. Huss. There is always a level of brilliance in her writing of the “darker” romance. The reader can also detect the touch of Mr. McClain. There are certain uniquely male mannerisms that would not readily come to the female writer. Perhaps Tyler’s bouts of exhibitionism as he stands nude before his wall of windows and the pride he has in his equipment even as his best friend remarks how nice it is. There is so much these alchemists can do with this infusion of testosterone.
Sometimes, readers are impatient or even feel cheated because a book ends on a cliffhanger as is the case here. I do not feel cheated in the least. The writing was superb, and there was a lot of story to be read in this book. This story looks like it will be expansive. Personally, I adore a sexy, expansive story that will have us on tether hooks until all is said and done in May 2018. Fortunately, each book will be released very shortly after the last. There is some serious sexy combustible alchemy at work with these two authors and I, for one, cannot miss it!
Well I didn’t know what to expect from this book at all but in the end it didn’t disappoint and I am now left waiting in anticipation for the next book. Which reminds me anyone who doesn’t like to be left hanging may want to wait until the series is complete but the good news is they will all be out 3 weeks apart so you don’t have long to wait.
I have loved some of the previous books that JA Huss has written so I was looking forward to see what would happen when I heard she was writing a duo with Johnathan McClain. However I was in fact pleasantly surprised in how these two executed the plot in the book and it actually took me by surprise. Admittedly I did initially find it hard to connect to Tyler and Maddie but only because there is a lot of inner dialogue going on through the book and it was quite distracting at first. However I soon forgot about it because I was immersed in the story itself. I’m not going to rehash over that story in my review because the blurb is enough and I would fear any further would spoil it for others.
In the end I was rooting for these characters all the way. As usual with any JA Huss book there is a couple of large twists in there that you won’t find out the answers to until much later, but it’s worth the wait I promise. I really need book 2 now because the ending has left me reeling and wanting to scream at both Tyler and Maddie.
It’s always interesting when a favorite writer decides to co-author a new book. This one was definitely well anticipated and it darn well lived up to it. Julie is an incredible author, and a big favorite of mine, while Johnathan McClain was an unknown variable.
I didn’t have to worry about that, at all. These two writers gelled so well, it’s impossible to tell them apart. The story held me in its grip throughout the entire book.
Sin With Me, is the book 1 of 4 in the Original series, it was a fantastic start to what is sure to be a phenomenal collection of books.
This was what I’ve come to expect from this author. Emotionally gruelling, sexy as sin and flipping hot enough to melt my kindle. It’s full of passion, laughter and some tears. The characters, Maddie Clayton and Taylor Morgan are well written and unforgettable, I truly felt like I lived the story through their eyes and hearts and feelings and have wormed their way into my soul. They are both struggling to get through life and have a connection that goes beyond the sexual one which drew them together from their first meeting.
As with most of Julie’s books, there is a dark element to this story and having a dual POV really lets us get into the characters heads. I liked the secondary characters too, I’m sure we’ll see some of them later. Be warned though, this has a doozey of a cliffhanger and left me gasping for air and demanding the next book right the heck NOW!! Thankfully, it’s only a couple of weeks to wait before the next installment hits my kindle and I can’t wait.
5 blow me away stars for a fantastic start to a new series.
WOW!!! Sin With Me is so freaking good and has left me with craving more of this dark, twisted story. I absolutely love J.A. Huss writing, then you add Johnathan McClain writing and you have a magnificent combination of writing. These two are going to do some damage in the book world. I am hooked with this first book and I know without a doubt that these two together are going to leave me well satisfied with this series. I am ready for Angels Fall(book 2) so that I can continue this twisted journey.
Maddie and Tyler both have troubled past and their roller coaster journey had me laughing one minute and in tears the next. These two characters have stolen my heart and I’m pretty sure that they will be very unforgettable.
Happy Reading Everyone!!
I received a free copy of this book from the author.
This is the first JA Huss book I’ve read. One of my blogger friends asked me if I would be interested in reading this new series by Huss and her co-author Johnathan McClain. I know she loves Huss books so I said sure, I’ll give it a whirl.
Sin with Me features Tyler, a veteran with loads of baggage and PTSD; as well as Maddie, an entrepreneur finding her way in the business world while stripping to make ends meet These two meet at Maddie’s strip club and their attraction to each other is explosive. So much so neither can get the other out of their heads after they part ways.
While reading this book I thought the story was rather choppy. I’m not sure if that’s normal for these authors but then there are some chapters that are quite smooth. Because of the choppiness of the story it took me longer to read this book than it normally would because I would put it down thinking I’d just come back to it later and it would read better. HA! Well…eventually I just pushed through it.
The story is a good one. These two definitely have lots of demons in their closet and secrets they need to share. Though what happens when they do you, the reader, will be so irritated with the characters! Not to worry though this is a four book series. I expect sometime in these four books Tyler and Maddie will eventually get their acts together! One can only hope anyway.
OMG – SIN WITH ME is one of the most emotionally gripping and compelling books I’ve read in a while. The story is full of tears, laughter, humor, passionate moments and memorable characters that have already won a special place in my heart.
From the very beginning I was enthralled by Maddie and Tyler’s troubled past, but the chemistry and connection between them, is absolutely bewitching and so exquisitely developed.
This amazing duo of authors JA Huss and Johnathan McClain have managed to bring people and places to life in an astonishing way that allows readers to live vicariously through this amazing characters they have so brilliantly created.
You all need to experience not only the book, but more so the audiobook. Same story, 2 different phenomenal experiences you’ll enjoy minute by minute!!
All in all, this book is immensely entertaining and unputdownable!!! FANFREAKINTASTIC!
Can’t wait for the next installment of this mind-blowing series.
Wow! Just. Holy fucking wow.
Yep. This is intense. Like, super fucking intense. I don’t have adequate words to describe how I am feeling after finishing this wild ride. And oh, my god. This is one wild ride. One crazy, intense, wild, fucking ride.
I don’t know what rock Johnathan McClain has been hiding under (just kidding, he hasn’t been under a rock, he’s been out in the open writing and doing other things, but that isn’t the point here), but holy fucking shit where has he been all this time? He’s the voice this romance world needs.
And Julie, oh, we all know and love Julie at this point. But she did something extra special here. She did something so extraordinarily Huss, yet not. And there’s really no way to explain that unless you’ve read her other work, not to mention this book. It’s just phenomenal.
Bring these two together? BOOM. Big fucking explosion. Of the figurative sense, for sure. And maybe of the literal sense. I have no idea. I’m sure something could have exploded during the writing and/or reading of this book. I know that my mind basically exploded, but that’s figurative again so….
Tyler Morgan. Well, shit. I think I have a new man to love. See, he’s so not book boyfriend material. He’s the antihero, despite the weird circumstances in which he keeps showing up. But he’s not the antihero we’ve come to know and love from Huss. He’s a new antihero. Because I’m pretty sure there are times when you’ll think he’s batshit crazy and you’ll want to run in the other direction. But then there are those times where he’s got you droppin’ panties because he’s so unbelievably dirty.
“Tell me how to fuck you. Because if you don’t, you’re just gonna have to get it the way I like to give it.”
I mean, come the fuck on. You know you dropped the panties when he said that. And that alley scene?! Just Jesus Christ. Yes. Please. However you want to give it.
Anyway, do you want to know about the book? I assume if you’ve made it this far it’s because you’ve enjoyed my rambling and could give a shit about what the book actually contains, but in case you do care, here ya go:
Tyler Morgan. Hot AF crazy man with more money than he could ever spend.
Maddie. Off her rocker stripper.
Both hate Halloween.
Seems like a good enough combo to keep the story going.
And it does. It goes and goes and goes…
And then it ends.
And book two will be out in a few weeks, so until then, we just have to wait and see what happens with Tyler and Maddie.
Tyler and Maddie….two broken, damaged souls trying to cope with loss and failing miserably. Self destruction seems to be their by-word. Living day to day is not working. Thinking about ending it all seems worth it but it doesn’t happen. In Tyler’s twisted dreams he sees an angel so watching Maddie in her angel costume on stage as she strips seems to make his dream a reality. Maddie’s demons are real and threatening. Tyler saves her but she walks away. Another chance meeting on Halloween night reveals truths that neither one of them saw coming. Despite his pleas, Maddie walks away from him again and straight into the arms of danger. Meanwhile, Tyler is about to go over the edge. Knowing what will happen must wait until the next book.
Take my word for it – the EOBS is worth the price of admission alone. This creative partnership is dynamic, charasmatic and talented. These characters and their story crawl inside your head and mess with you a bit. Rich, multilayered and tormented; they are hard to read at times and yet you continue reading because you must know what happens- because you care.
I love and enjoy to live vicariously through this amazing characters created by this two brilliantly talented storytellers!
OMG – this book got all the feels (Sad, Passionate, Romantic, Sexy, Breathtaking and much more ). Is immensely entertaining and unputdownable!!! FANFREAKINTASTIC!
Sin with Me is Book #1 in the Original Sin series, and the first of the amazing duo JA Huss and Johnathan McClain.
Mind-blowing storyline. I enjoy to live vicariously through this amazing characters that pull us into their world. You all need to experience not only the book, but more so the audiobook. Same story, 2 different phenomenal experiences you’ll enjoy minute by minute!!
Can’t wait for the next installment of this mind-blowing series.
4.5 stars
I’ve read quite a few of JA Huss’ other books but wasn’t quite sure what to expect now she’s teamed up with co author Johnathan McClain. I’ve got to say I loved this book. I loved the story, the twists, but most of all I loved the characters.
Tyler’s mind is chaotic. I found it quite hard sometime to keep up with his inner musings/dialogue. He’s a little (a LOT) messed up, confused, kind of just ambling his way through life but there’s something about him that I really like. It’s so obvious he’s struggling (mentally and emotionally) and i really felt for him.
Maddie’s mind isn’t much better to be honest. Stuck with a debt she doesn’t actually owe, she’s working as a stripper to make ends meet. Now, she’s not one of those dancers who loves her job or gives out an extras, she’s in it solely for the pay check…Until she meets a sexy stranger that she has an instant and seriously hot connection with.
It’s obvious fairly early on that both main characters have a ton of secrets they’re hiding and when they’re exposed, things take a turn for the worse.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters (once I’d got used to Tyler’s ramblings) were really easy to like and the story has plenty happening to keep your attention. Can’t wait for the next book in this series.
Some books blaze through your senses like a flash fire, this one is a slow satisfying burn. The lead in lets us get to know the characters, revealing their lives past and present one tidbit at a time. Love them, not yet. Like them, maybe. Understand them, almost, getting there. Right now Maddie and Tyler are breaking my heart, but I have faith “Joy cometh with the morning”. Whenever the morning gets here. Yes, this is that kind of book, somewhat heavy, but when it all comes together it will be one that sticks with you for a long time. A really long time.
I have read all of JA Huss books except the Junco series and have loved them all. I was super excited when she said she was pairing up with Johnathan McClain. I wasn’t sure what to expect. But with Huss’s other books you always expect the unexpected.
This book was full of chaos right from the start. I will be honest (don’t strike me down) I wasn’t sure if I liked it at first. There was so much chaos and I wasn’t sure where it was headed. But it got better for me after while. You can definitely tell which parts are Huss and which parts are McClain which makes it kind of cool when reading because you feel as if both characters stand out on their own.
Tyler and Maddie broken souls. I don’t know that if being together is going to heal them or burn them to the ground. I don’t know if Huss and McClain are going to Heaven or Hell. But I will follow them anywhere.
This book is amazing can’t wait for the next one!