A chance encounter becomes a way out. But at what price?Data expert Tess Andrews thought she was finally safe. All she wanted was to stay where she was, keep the job that she liked and the only friend she trusted. But an unexpected turn of events puts her in danger, and she has to disappear.Businessman Ian Blackwell wants the gossip chasers out of his way. Besides the obvious disruption to his … Besides the obvious disruption to his life, their recklessness also puts at risk a critical merger he is after, one that would put his multinational company at the forefront of artificial intelligence technology.
With contract marriage their only resort, the two are trapped in a relationship full of disdain and mistrust. But when Ian is threatened, Tess has a choice to make: protect herself, or help the man she married deal with an opponent who could destroy them both–and risk her secret being uncovered.
A Tangled Web weaves a tale full of romance and suspense with characters who pull at your emotions and a wealth of twists and turns you can lose yourself in. If you like page-turning suspense and enjoy contemporary romance tinged with plenty of thrill, you’ll love it!
“A superb tale of suspense spun together with intelligent characters, corporate espionage, and closely held secrets that will catch readers from the very first page! ” -In’DTale Magazine
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‘A Tangled Web’ is a great story, but if you are familiar with A. Claire Everward’s work, please don’t expect it to be anything like ‘The First’ or the Oracle series when you grab it. The only thing you must expect is that this is another good book and you won’t be disappointed, but everything else is different. If the previous novels can be described as ‘suspense with a splash of romance,’ ‘A Tangled Web’ is a ‘romance with a splash of suspense.’ Ian Blackwell is a self-confident billionaire who suddenly decides to get hitched, while Tess is a strong and psychologically complex woman. Their relationship isn’t easy, and develops slowly. Ian isn’t used to that. But difficult things are more attractive, aren’t they? The more doors you unlock to reach a woman’s mind and heart, the more thrilling and rewarding your relationship will be. Although the narrative always focuses on the couple, romance is also intertwined with a well-thought-out suspense subplot, which can satisfy the suspense enthusiast. Suffice it to say, a catastrophe is looming and has to be averted. Although ‘A Tangled Web’ isn’t a classic love story, readers who mainly enjoy romance and passion won’t be disappointed. What I’ve appreciated the most, however, is the detailed analysis of emotions and feelings. Yes, A. Claire Everward is a talented writer. Highly recommended.
Charming romantic suspense with an unusual storyline.
Ian Blackwell, a good-looking billionaire becomes the focus of social media as the most eligible bachelor. A workaholic, concentrating on building his business empire, he becomes annoyed when the unwanted publicity starts to have a detrimental effect on his work. As someone used to money solving his problems he devises a plan to orchestrate a sham marriage.
Tess, for unclear reasons, accepts the proposition of the contractual marriage put to her by Ian’s attorney. She is happy with the agreement. Within the house they share, she lives an independent life. Only when attending functions does she have to act a devoted wife.
When the business empire is attacked the two work together in a surprising way as secrets from Tess’ past are revealed.
The characters are believable and likable and the storyline compelling.
Recommend.
A few months ago I read my first A. Claire Everward novel, ‘Oracle’s Hunt’, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Her latest, ‘A Tangled Web’, is also a romantic suspense novel. This time the storyline is very character-driven. Tess Andrews has a secret. If someone finds out about this, she could be tracked down and murdered. So far, she has managed to elude this danger by working for a small start-up company. Now, a major conglomerate, IBH – Ian Blackwell Holdings, has bought them out and intends to merge the staff into their own structure. Beforehand, though, she will have an in-depth background review as part of their security procedures. Her secret is closer than ever to being exposed. Tess needs to disappear. Now!
The owner of IBH, Billionaire Ian Blackwell, has his own problems, also of a personal nature, which are not letting him live his life as he wishes. He has come up with an original and unconventional solution. His friend and legal counsel has identified the perfect co-conspirator for Blackwell’s bizarre plan. Tess! However, this will throw her into the public spotlight, potentially making matters very easy for those who stalk her.
The premise of this tightly written suspense novel is highly innovative, and author Everward ensures readers are flipping pages constantly as new dangers emerge to threaten both Tess and Ian. I mentioned this novel hangs heavily on its two main characters and their evolution as the tale progresses. The subtleties of the relationship between the protagonists is treated with finesse by the author. The result is the creation of two souls that are solidly believable, and, as their liaison runs its turbulent course, both characters mature and flourish. A superb tour de force from a masterful novelist. Highly recommended!
Interesting Story with characters that you can connect with…
I always love a good romance — combine romance with a dash of suspense and you can’t go wrong. This story did not disappoint. The author did a great job of pulling you into the lives of the characters from the very first page. It doesn’t take long to realize Tess Andrews is hiding a secret from her past, one that is still controlling her life completely. Ian Blackwell is frustrated. He’s a successful businessman that just wants to focus on his one true passion — his company. Unfortunately, he is a man and his needs are gaining him a reputation that he knows will ruin everything.
The solution? A marriage in image only. A carefully orchestrated business deal that will resolve the current dilemma both characters are facing. Yes, this has been done before. But it hasn’t been done like this. The romance is believable, not rushed. The characters are well-developed and easy to relate to. You can’t help but love them both. Over time, they gradually build trust and friendship. As they worked together to discover the identity of an enemy trying to bring Ian and his company down, their feelings intensify and blossom into love and respect. There was enough romance and suspense to keep you fully engaged and rooting for that HEA. The story flowed smoothly at a steady pace that kept the reader’s interest to the very end. This was a great read and I would definitely recommend it to others.
What can I say? This is a great read. I thought the beginning was a bit slow but once past that I was hooked. I stayed up to 2am last night to finish the book. I just couldn’t put it down.
As Ian gets married you watch how the couple grow. From the arguments at the beginning to them warming to each other. The POV changes are clear. I’d definitely recommend this one and look forward to what else the author brings us.
Another great book by this Author. Why I haven’t seen her on the top of every bestseller list yet I don’t know. She is one of the best authors I have ever read. She creates characters you want to meet and puts them in situations you enjoy reading about.
In this story there is a mystery around Tess’s background. I would say that it keeps you engaged, but I would be lying. There is so much more than just that which makes you want to keep reading. You feel like you know the people and are part of the story.
This one is different from others by this author. Previous books make you want to believe that they could really happen, while deep down you know they can’t. This one you believe can happen, that the people can really exist and that the events could be based on truth.
This is a very compelling story, full of technical detail that is delivered in a very realistic, understandable way. The romance almost takes a back seat to the suspense but nevertheless, the growing attraction and attachment between Tess and Ian is always just underneath the surface. There are several webs the title could refer to in this book and it isn’t until the very end that they are all unravelled which kept me turning the pages and staying up way later than I should have to follow through until the HEA.
A Tangled Web is the first book I’ve read by the author and supposedly the first in a series. I can only recommend this book and hope for the next one to come out soon.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ian and Tess drew me in to this intriguing story. They were both in a bind and to save his business, he marries Tess. The marriage was based on the wrong reasons but they weathered the storm and when one comes with the potential to ruin Ian, Tess has a tough choice to make. This is filled with suspense that will keep you glued to the pages.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was straight down the rabbit hole with this amazing emotional intense beautiful story, Tess needs to leave her job, Ian needs a wife, this can only be described as dynamite packaged nicely to understand Tess you have yo read this fabulous book I voluntarily reviewed this book.
This is the first book in the Blackwell Series. This romantic suspense will have you on the edge of your seat at times. A world of corporate espionage, danger, and secrets. Ian and Tess will take you on an emotional roller coaster from the beginning of their fake marriage to a slow-burn love affair. The book was a joy to read and the characters were likable and well-developed. I read an arc via Story Origin and voluntarily chose to write a review.
I was pleasantly surprise to find this to be more of a thriller than romance novel. I loved that it was surprisingly more suspenseful than romantic and loved the tension of not knowing what was going to happen.
Wow! I’m enthralled already and it left off with a huge cliffhanger and lots of unanswered questions that has me edging for the next book.
The press has dubbed Ian Blackwell one of the most sought after eligible bachelors in the country. This has turned his life into a circus. He cannot seem to get away from social media and women’s proposals of all kinds. It’s starting to get in the way of his business. He decides he needs a wife to keep the media at bay. Ian asks his attorney and best friend, Robert, to find him a wife. This marriage is to be a business deal only! Tess Andrews is a data analyst that is working for a company Ian is buying. She is extremely smart, feisty, and doesn’t let the arrogant billionaire push her around. After witnessing Tess’s affect on Ian and how she stand up to him, Robert decides that Tess is the perfect person to marry Ian. Tess, in order to protect the one friend she has in this world, is desperate to separate herself from the company before it merges with Ian’s conglomerate so she accepts the marriage proposal not knowing who the husband to be is. When Ian and Tess realize they are to marry each other, they are livid. Can they put aside their differences and make the marriage contract work or will they continue to clash wills?
This book is very well written and the plot carefully laid out. It is full of intrigue, betrayal, justice, second chances, and love. I like the characters and how they are intertwined. There are plot surprises and twists I never expected which kept me glued to each page. Once I picked this book up, I had a hard time putting it down. Even though there are some characters that I cannot personally relate to (billionaire bachelor), I found all the characters to be real and well written. I would definitely recommend this book and cannot wait for the next in the series to be released.