Four years ago I lost my virginity on live, streaming television.Too bad I wasn’t awake for it.The video went viral. Of course it would. A Senator’s daughter on camera? Wouldn’t you click “share”? Besides, that’s what three of the four guys in the video did.Share.They shared me.But that fourth guy? The nondescript one in the background in the upper left corner of the screen, just sitting on the … corner of the screen, just sitting on the couch? The only one who did nothing?
Not one single thing.
That was my boyfriend, Drew.
And that was the last time I saw him.
Until today, when my father—now on a path to the White House—hired him as head of security for my new team as I return home after four years of “recovering” in an undisclosed location that involved white lab coats, needles, pills and damage control.
You see, the other three guys never went to jail. Never had charges pressed.
Never faced consequences.
Until today.
Game on.
* * *
A Harmless Little Game is the first in this political thriller/romantic suspense trilogy by USA Today bestselling author Meli Raine.
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A real page turner. Special ops and bodyguards… There’s enemies to lovers. I love those books!
A Harmless Little Game
By Meli Raine
Main Characters: Lindsey and Drew
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.
5 out of 5 stars
Please Note: This book contains scenes that may be triggers for some people.
This is a well written suspenseful story this ends in a cliffhanger. Things don’t always turn out the way it seems in the beginning. Lindsey turns out to be a very strong h. I kept thinking ya baby, you go girl! This is a real page turner and I would love to read the rest of the books in this series to see how it all turns out. Nice job! Highly recommend this book!!
Ok so, I started with the False series so have come back to start here where this whole story arc seemed to start. Damn I love this authors books. Thrilling. Nail biting. Suspenseful. Love it!
A deeply emotional journey filled with danger, secrets, betrayal, longing and passion…. Nothing is every exactly what it seems on the surface. This trilling and dangerous game kept me hooked from beginning to end and kept me guessing the whole way. My perspective changed with each new heart pounding twist and turn. Looking forward to reading more!
ans of Meli Raine knew this was the first book in the trilogy (also states it in the description). Now that the trilogy is complete, I highly recommend getting all three because you’re not going to want to stop reading! The author takes you on a roller coaster suspense story in this politically based (or is it?) drama surrounding our heroine, Lindsay, and our Hero, Drew. After several years away at a treatment center, Lindsay returns home to find out her father is running for President, which puts her and her tragic past in an undesired public spotlight. Her ex-boyfriend, Drew, who now runs a high profile security service, has been assigned to protect her, and as a result, stirs up memories and recollections that seem to be unclear in present day. She doesn’t know who she can trust, especially since someone is also out to hurt her. This series is so worth the money with all the twist and turns and the revelations that eventually come to light!
A sadly twisted story. I found myself shocked and engaged with the awful direction as this tale progressed. It ends with the reader snapping up the next book to find out what happens next. And the hope that some type of justice is served. Excellent read, not for the faint of heart.
I devoured this book in one sitting. Drew and Lindsay’s story (yes, it is just as much Drew’s story!) is heart stopping and intriguing, you never know who you can trust. I could not wait to get to parts 2 and 3. My first Meli Raine book and it most definitely will not be my last!
This book sucked me right! It is a dark read that has many twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down.
4.5 Stars
The Story:
Four years ago Lindsay’s virginity was brutally taken by three men while being live streamed on TV. Now she is back home after spending the last four years in a mental institution, isolated from the world and cut off from everything that’s been going on after what had happened to her.
Lindsay had enough time in this place to plan what to do when she was out. She seeks revenge on those guys that did horrible things to her. And her boyfriend?! He was just watching and doing nothing to help her back then. She hates him so much that she is dumbstruck when she finds out that he’s hired by her father as her security. The irony isn’t lost on her how this guy is supposed to keep her safe when he couldn’t even save her four years ago.
We get to know what Lindsay had to endure the last few years in an emotional way. First of all did she learn in this institution to keep her true feelings hidden in fear of the consequences for her. It was so hard for me to get over the fact that what happened to her was rather suppressed in this institution instead of really dealt with. The past four years in this clinic didn’t help her at all, those years were just taken from her and now since she’s back she has to deal with the flood of emotions overwhelming her.
Lindsay realizes that even the people closest to her, her friends and family, did not welcome her home into open arms. Her father just lives for his job and everything that’s not according to his plan has to be dealt with in the way he deems appropriate even if it’s not the right way. Lindsay learns this the hard way and when she can’t endure this anymore she finally speaks up. And even though Lindsay wished for nothing more than for those criminals that stole her virginity to face their consequences, she had hoped that when she was finally home she could resume a normal life.
Thoughts:
The story was suspenseful and had a good flow though sometimes Lindsay’s monologues slowed the story down a bit. I also couldn’t fully warm up to Lindsay despite my sympathy for what she’s been through.
It was nonetheless well written especially with a topic this sensitive.
This story was really twisted and you didn’t know who to trust anymore. Lindsay’s parents were just plain horrible and I felt really bad for what she had to endure not just those 4 years ago with the gang rape but all those years in this rehabilitation center and even now at home.
I never knew what to think of Drew and no matter what happened later I couldn’t deal with Lindsay’s love for Drew when she also hated him for not helping her back then. I wish there was more loath on her side.
Something else that bothered me was that even though four years passed since that horrific event took place, a lot changed which I just can’t believe to have happened and developed in such a ‘short’ time. Even though I may be wrong it felt a bit exaggerated.
The ending took me a bit by surprise though it was not as much a cliffhanger as I feared it would be but this book was suspenseful enough for me to want to continue reading =) I can’t wait for the second book!
5 star review of A Little Harmless Game by Meli Raine (Harmless #1)
Meli Raine is a new author to me and I will certainly be looking into her other books as soon as time allows. There is a cliff hanger at the end, so be warned. I actually listened to this on audible so it made the story even more gripping in my opinion.
Well where do I start? Firstly there is NOTHING harmless about this game. There is gang rape, torture, violence and such a mind f**k that you feel as though you are on a roller coaster which is out of control and you have no idea where you are going to end up.
Lindsay Bosworth is a broken and shattered woman, the result of a traumatic and horrific attack 4 years ago. She has been kept secluded from the public eye since the attack occurred and was plastered all over social media. Even worse than the 3 men who attacked her, her boyfriend sat by and let it all occur, or did he?
When she is finally allowed to return to her family, her father sends her bodyguard to escort her home, only problem is that it is Andrew “Drew” Foster, her ex boyfriend.
Thrust back into her life, Lindsay has to battle not only her demons but her feelings for the man she believes betrayed her. Not knowing who she can trust she second guesses almost everyone in her life.
This was a raw, gritty read that was at time emotional and certainly not for the feint of heart. Well written, the suspense and political intrigue got me from the start and I once I finished I immediately had to one click the remaining two books so that I could find out what happened.
WOW! There are so many facets to this story and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. A Harmless Little Game is definitely a misnomer! There was nothing harmless about what happened to Lindsay.
Lindsay was brutalized by “friends” but I think her parents betrayed her just as much. I absolutely loathed her mother and hated her father. I had no respect for the man. I certainly hope he never makes it to the White House. Drew has been the only one who has shown Lindsay any love in her entire life. I can’t really say more about the book because it is Book 1 in a trilogy and there are too many unanswered questions. This book was told from Lindsay’s POV.
Non stop suspense. I couldn’t put it down. I would recommend this series. It will keep your attention and looking for the next book
What the hell is going on??
I’m so confused. Intrigued. Outraged. Heartbroken. I can’t even narrow down all the feels.
Lindsey has been trapped for 4 years in a prestigious mental institution after a brutal gang rape. Now that she’s out, her ex, Drew, who was a witness to the event is her new bodyguard. Her father is setting up to run for President. And everyone wants to sweep the truth under the rug in order to look good for the media. But the truth has a way of coming out. And Lindsey refuses to hide from it or ignore her growing desire for revenge.
The only bad thing about this book is the cliffhanger ending! I am so caught up, I’m having a hard time writing this review in lieu of starting the next book.
I feel Lindsey’s outrage and frustration. When all you’re doing is telling the truth and no one believes you, it’s indescribably hurtful, depressing, and can ultimately make you feel even more violated to the core.
As for Drew, I’m still having trouble trusting him. His entire role in the situation hasn’t been fully uncovered and he’s still hiding a lot of information. I’m rooting for him to be the good guy, but I still need more proof before I actually start liking him as the hero of the story.
5 -cheers for Lindsey slapping her father- Stars!!
A Harmless Little Game (Harmless #1) by Meli Raine is the first thing I have read by this author and it was that oh so intriguing blurb that initially attracted me to this book, that was such a killer of a synopsis, in my opinion, it actually deserves a rating all on its own.
So A Harmless Game is the first instalment in the Harmless Trilogy it is written from Lindsays POV and follows the story of Lindsay and Andrew after Linsay’s release from “The Island ” Where she’s been recovering, hidden from the public eye for the last four year’s, Yeh I kid you not, you heard that right I said FOUR BLOODY YEARS!!!
So Lindsay a senator’s daughter gets sent to The Island after she is brutally attacked by three of her boyfriend Drew’s old school friends while Drew himself supposedly stood by and watched without intervening.
The gang rape sees Lindsay in the hospital and then on to a rehabilitation unit to receive therapy for the attack.
It also goes viral, though the video is doctored to place masks on all involved to conceal all their identities.
Lindsay’s name is then also leaked to the press but the investigation stalls when her friends make statements to the effect that Lindsay was high and drunk at the time of the attack and everything that occurred was consensual in nature.
Gives a new definition to the term frenemies, doesn’t it?
fast forward four years and after aeons of incarceration in what is nothing more than a glorified prison, Lindsay arrives home to find things are not always what they seem.
What’s more, her three attackers are walking around, not just free but in highly successful careers this is despite there young ages and to top it all off her ex-boyfriend Drew is now head of her security detail and seems a completely changed man.
So yeh, I really enjoyed this unusual romantic suspense, I loved the way this was essentially more plot driven and the romance was really just a backdrop, taking more of a back seat to the whole main event.
From the get-go, I surmised there was more here than was initially being drip-fed to the reader and without giving anything away turns out I was right.
This really was a total page-turner that manages to jump right into the fray from the initial onset.
I also found the two main characters extremely likeable, if I’m being honest I have to say I was drawn more towards Drew than Lindsay.
I just felt that sometimes she was too pliable, not inserting her independence more and reading outside the box.
Believing the worst of people she had no cause to doubt while not confronting the many snakes she seemed to be surrounded by.
I decided to give her a break though mainly because
A-I thought she was probably a product of her upbringing.
B-The poor girl had been attacked horrifically and essentially been kept in a mental institution against her will for the past few years.
C- The whole world had labelled her an internet slut while she was shut away unable to defend herself, harsh much.
So where was I, Oh yeh total page turner,
So why four stars instead of Five?
Well, there were a few things here that despite my enjoyment bothered me slightly.
The first one being Lindsays stay at the island, now I’m from the UK so I’m not sure exactly how it works over in the good ole USA, but it surely can’t be that different from over here.
I’m slightly sceptical that she would be able to be kept locked up so tight completely against her will for so long, It just seems so far-fetched.
But then again, who knows what can be achieved with power and money, so I could be wrong.
I also couldn’t believe Lindsay would put up no fight in regards to Drew being the head of her security detail if she really believes he is complicit in her attack surely that wouldn’t have left her feeling very safe with him at all.
And finally, I also found it amazing her lack of major anger towards her parents all that she really does is act like a petulant child towards them.
Despite these three grievances I still very much adored this so I have just marked it down a star overall.
We left this story with Lindsay finally getting some answers to her questions and a much anticipated (from me that is) level of re-connection between her and Drew that definitely left me wanting more.
Harmless #1 closes on a cliffhanger which then assures me I am so going to pick up book two.
No problem recommending this it’s a delightful read that despite certain plot-holes still manages to deliver.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
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Did not like this book at all. Will not be forced to buy the next book to see what happens next.
Excellent book. Got me interested right from the start.
no ending. Have to read the next book.
Well written but difficult subject matter. Too many unanswered questions at end of book. Unsatisfactory.
The first book of this series is fairly good. The writer is great with describing emotions and making you feel them with the character. It is semi annoying that no one ever finishes a conversation or answers questions but I find that to be typical in pretty much every form of media. I would have given this book more stars if it didn’t end in a cliffhanger which I could handle if the rest of the books were as good as this one.
I couldn’t get into the characters. Only read about 50 pages…