Blood and sweat. Bethany Lewis danced her way out of poverty. She’s a world class athlete… with a debt to pay.Joshua North always gets what he wants. And the mercenary wants Bethany in his bed. He wants her beautiful little body bent to his will.She doesn’t surrender to his kiss.He doesn’t back down from a challenge. It’s going to be a sensual fight… to the death. AUDITION is the enthralling … death.
AUDITION is the enthralling new standalone from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren.
more
Great book with steamy scenes and a good plot line
Bethany has put her heart and soul into ensuring that she is one of the stars when it comes to ballet but there are drawbacks to that success. She has grown weary of being constantly being controlled by those around her who believe that they know what is best for her especially when she feels like her thoughts and opinions are immaterial. When she draws the attention of the wrong person it brings the one person back into her life who truly made her feel alive.
Joshua and Bethany have a past so when he finds out she is being threatened he is determined that he is the only one who can protect her. He has always been attracted to her but believes that she deserves so much more than he can give. From the moment they meet the sparks fly but will this be their second chance or are they destined for heartbreak once again?
Both Bethany and Joshua have painful pasts that still affect their present. This is a story about healing and realizing that you deserve to loved which is filled with suspense, heat and all the feels.
Both Bethan and Joshua have painful pasts that still affects their present. This is a story about healing and realizing that you deserve to loved which is filled with suspense, heat and all the feels.
Bethany’s life revolves around ballet dancing, her grandmother, and the debt she owes her brother. From her humble beginnings, nothing could deter her from pursuing her ballet career. She has sacrificed and persisted through all obstacles in order to just be able to express herself through dance. Now her past somehow has come back to endanger her, only she cannot figure out who could she possibly have injured to the point of desiring her death.
Josh has history with Bethany. He was the operative that infiltrated her brother’s gang of weapons smugglers of military owned weapons. His commitment to Bethany saved her brother’s life but not of all members of his gang. The attraction he feels for Bethany is doomed as far as he is concerned. She is off limits for him. Not only because he must protect her, but because he cannot allow himself to soften his heart and accept love.
This is an interesting and entertaining story. I loved Josh before as he appeared in other North Security books. I just never realized how deep his hurt went. As far as this book, I recommend it with a caveat. The story jumps back and forth and sometimes it is difficult to follow the action as it ensues.
I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thanks to the author for sharing a copy with me.
Too close to child abuse for me.
Nobody writes alpha a-holes like Skye Warren. They are strong, demanding, authoritative, selfish and many times cruel. And yet inside, there’s a core of feeling and passion, a little piece of broken spirit that calls out a need for love and devotion. Such is Joshua North.
I first met Joshua and Bethany in the Concerto series, Liam and Samantha’s story. I thought then that they had a love at first sight situation, but in this book, I realized that they had met years before that, when Bethany was sixteen years old. She was practicing in a warehouse, property of her brother, an ex-military who was smuggling guns to foreigners. Joshua was spying for the US government, and he couldn’t help but be transfixed by this tiny, powerful young spirit. He worked undercover for her brother Caleb and at the same time, he spent time with her, innocent little walks that enchanted them both, until he walked away and then his brother got into trouble with the law, courtesy of Joshua.
Five years later they meet again, when Bethany needs protection from a stalker. When Joshua finds out, he abandons all other jobs and rushes to the rescue. He’s going to protect her, against her wishes if need be. Bethany resists initially, until a close attempt to get to her spooks her and she accepts the protection. And this is when the slow destruction of Joshua’s defenses begins. Bethany is kryptonite on Joshua’s heart and she demolishes unknowingly and relentlessly. She loved him already but knew he would leave at some moment, so she doesn’t let him know….
I loved, loved the prose the author used to describe Josh’s feelings about Bethany. How he longed for her for all those years and that now he’s losing a battle. He tries to be a robot, to forget he has a heart and eliminate all feelings from his soul. But every time he interacts with Bethany, that heart beats for her and his soul wants her heart. As they work together to vanquish a foe, Bethany’s heart works to vanquish and conquer Josh’s heart.
I loved seeing Liam and Samantha again, this time pregnant with their first child. Loved seeing Liam obsess over a baby, over his capacity to care for a newborn and changing diapers. In his convo with his brothers, it was great to see their banter and support. Even though Josh says he has no heart and that he’s a bastard, he has kept a house in New Orleans all these years, all because there’s a woman there he wants. He denies himself the love of a good woman, but it’s clear he has loved her all these years and I loved to see him getting his HEA. Lovely story, so romantic in spite of Josh’s Rambo lifestyle. He’s usually rough and he kept warning her he would break her, and yet, when they make love, he’s all gentleness. Truly epic!
I’m still floating back to reality from the heavens that this read sent me to. Skye and Amelia created a full production with Audition. In my mind’s eye I could hear the orchestra build and decrescendo with each movement of the characters, each dancing their parts in this beautifully tragic story. They entice you with the grey area, and draw you in with intense desire. You can’t look away from the story that is being put on before your eyes.
Joshua North, the asshole you love to hate but can’t get enough of. He’s one of those characters that has been broken down, and put back together with a few missing, important pieces. Those spaces allowing his heart bleed out. He truly is the wolf he claims to be.
Bethany Lewis. Another beautiful, broken ballet dancer, giving her all to an audience who demands more. Her vibe is like a flowing watercolor painting, each pigment fading into a new and deep color. Broken home, broken family, and broken body. No matter how many times she is beaten down, she always comes back stronger and more determined.
Even when the past is between them, when brought together, both try to fill the holes and cracks of the other, all while trying to find the skeleton that is haunting Bethany’s everyday. Hearts take beatings, and when they finally cave to the need between them, the crescendo you will feel is the blood in your body racing, cause it’s intense and sexy as hell. The production these two incredible authors put on is something that will stick with you for days.
I loved this read, and wish I could re-read is anew over many times. You NEED this read!
Audition is a stand alone however you do meet Josh and Bethany in Overture so I was excited to read Josh’s story. I have really enjoyed all of the North Security books so far. They have a little suspense and a whole lot of hotness in them.
4 stars!!
This is book 4 in the “North Security” series. Though I am not sure why there is a second author and if this is a spin off. But it is one of the “North” brothers who played a part in each of the other books. So I am not sure.
So I loved all the other books and was sooo excited for this book. Yes Josh is the asshole but damn I love that jerk of a man. Under it all he really does care. But I knew this story would be a heart breaker. So much past and pain.
My problem with this book is just it lacked something. I didn’t feel the strong connection. The words told me they had one but I didn’t feel it. I won’t say it is because of the past and present story telling because I LOVED that.
It is nice to see more of the mysterious Josh’s past. I know it was horrid from all the other books but this was perfect. Bethany had a story that was intriguing as well. I just wish it was more of a sizzle felt around the world type book.
So this book came at a time in my life when I was down on my health and I had a tragedy in my family (and we are still praying on and hoping that our loved one pulls out of this) so I feel as though I may have felt a disconnect because of this and therefore will re-read later down the line and update my review at that time.
**I received this book and due to unforeseen circumstances am giving a extremely late review**
After reading the first three books in North Security, I had hoped Josh and Bethany would get their own story. And boy did this author deliver it in spades! The lust and connection between these two is incredible. As you read, you find out so much about these two characters to truly understand why they are the way they are. Bethany “dances” around his heart, but Josh feels he needs to stay away from her, only to protect her. But Bethany has other ideas. Will these two end up together? If you want to know, you will have to read this incredible story that will hold you riveted from beginning to end!!! Absolutely phenomenal!
Loved the suspense.
I was very glad to finally get to the truth of things between Beth & Joshua! Ever since reading their brief interactions in Sonata, I have wondered about their backstory. It is both more and less than you would expect.
The story weaves in and out of the present and past. Making it somewhat confusing and at times difficult to follow. But it also highlights the absolute art of the writers’ work, the way that things ebb and flow, and all come together in the end.
Joshua is often an absolute jerk to Beth. Even when he does something nice for her, he often disguises it in meanness. It’s often hard to see how she could even still like him, let alone love him. But, then again, the heart does want what it wants. And apparently these two both want each other. Despite it not really making sense or being the best idea for either of them, they are inexorably drawn together.
I did, however, take issue with Joshua’s actions in the near end, after Beth is taken and then returned; his response is so outside the realm of logic, even for a badass afraid to face his feelings. That he finally realizes what he’s done in the end and makes an attempt to rectify it is rather astounding in the face of his earlier stupidity. I was certainly glad of the final resolution of things for them.
This is definitely a book where the affairs of the heart take precedence over the telling of the various aspects of the suspense story into which it is woven. But all of it combined makes for a good story very well worth the read.
This is a Standalone spin off of North Security Series.
This is the story of Josh & Bethany. Josh is the most broken man I have read about to date. Bethany is a ballerina. This is an extremely dark story. It tells of the past and the present, and leaves you with no questions. Bethany is such a strong character and tries and succeeds to conquer many of her fears. Josh just won’t give in to his feelings of Bethany. He is so, so scared either he will leave or she will. That is the story of his life. There is a lot that goes on in this story. He lives to protect her from the threats against her. If you like dark stories, this one is for you. It is so very well written and you feel every emotion coming through. I’m looking forward to another book by Skye Warren.
3.5/4
I was looking forward to Josh’s story but not sure if this hit the mark for me. There was something missing in the story.
Josh & Bethany meet 5 years prior when her world is a bit chaotic and Josh must hold the reins in because of the circumstances that surrounds them.
5 years later Josh is back and notices his feelings have not change for Bethany they’re as strong as they were originally.
The story surrounds itself in believing and in trusting others and accepting a love that can transpired into so much more if you just let go and accept to be loved…
Audition is the spin off the North Securities series but my first reading from these authors. But like the authors said, this is pretty much a stand alone and main characters of the said series were just mentioned/ played a small part in this one.
As the story goes, these two have met five years ago when, Josh fresh out of the army were offered to check out Bethany’s brother’s activities. Five years later, the attraction and chemistry is still there though both have been fighting it this time around. Though the going back and forth in story telling might have been a bit hard to follow sometimes, I guess the authors was just trying to build up more the sexual tension and suspense of the story. Overall, an entertaining, forbidden, second chance romance read to fans of this trope.
A tough history exists between these two, making them fight harder to live and love. Sharing s past riddle with hidden truths, the two struggle to come to terms with their inevitable relationship.
Their push and pull made me love and hate them both because of how stubborn they both are. Bethany is resilient and continues her pursuit of happiness with Josh, who is so hellbent on keeping her at bay.
The book did spend a lot of time utilizing flashbacks, so fair warning if you’re not a huge fan. Overall the story was well written and things flowed very well.
Thank you Social Butterfly for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Audition
By: Skye Warren
*REVIEW*
I usually like Skye Warren’s work, but Audition was not my favorite. The story has good moments, and I liked Bethany and Josh okay. My main problem was the past and present narrative. I would much rather read about the present with little snippets of background information. This story felt too divided between this and that with too much jumping back and forth. It was confusing, and I didn’t connect with these characters nearly enough to enjoy the story with a any interest in their outcomes. Unfortunately, Audition fell flat.
I have been waiting for Audition to release for a while now, the release date has been pushed a few times but you know what….it was worth the wait! This was another great read by author Skye Warren and this time she has a co-writer Amelia Wilde helping her and to be honest I couldn’t tell the difference if they just brainstormed together or if they actually sat down and went back and forth while writing it because it was done with a nice flow.
Joshua North intrigued me when I met him in the North Security Trilogy which was his older brother Liam’s books, he was a cocky yet broody if that makes sense and you could tell there was something between him and Bethany which had me wanting to find out more about them. Well let me tell you, there was much more to them then we knew! They had a past!!!!!!!!
This story went back and forth over a five year span, I found myself tripping up a couple of times because of this but it did not take away from the story at all which I loved. I really enjoyed the way Bethany didn’t take crap from Josh, there was a push and pull between the two of them even at the beginning when Bethany looked at him with stars in her eyes.
This is a spin-off but can be read independently. I would suggest reading Overture, Concerto, and Sonata because they were great reads and you will see for yourself what I meant about Josh and Bethany in the previous books…but again you don’t need to.
Happy Reading!!!
Josh. Fighter. Mercenary. Loner. Due to a past that is riddled in abuse, he trusts no one. Not his brothers and certainly not a ballerina that he is unable to shake from his thoughts.
Bethany. Dancer. Loner. Naïve. Or, at least she was until Josh opened her eyes. She knows better now and tries to stay away. But her life has been threatened and that brings her into closer contact with Josh than she is comfortable with.
Can these two loners find love and safety together amidst and unknown and undeniable threat?
I was really excited for Josh and Bethany’s story. Unfortunately, I feel a little let down. The story did not grab and/or hold my attention. The story unfolds alternating between present and past tense as well as through Josh and Bethany’s point of view. This gave tantalizing little snippets of time that were never quite enough to satisfy. It wasn’t enough to help me get to know or love these two characters and the past, in my opinion, adds nothing to the overall story.
The intrigue and angst I have come to love and expect from this author is not out in full force. In my opinion, there is no character build up or meat to the story. This could have been an amazing read and I was waiting for it. However, their pasts, for me, were glossed over while their present feels rushed and unfeeling.
I enjoyed the ambiance around the tarot reading and Bethany’s grandmother. There were also some small poignant moments that gave me the feels.
This is not one of my favorites from this author but I’m still excited to see what she comes out with next.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you’ve read the North Security series then you would have met Josh North. We had snippets of him but now we get to really sink our teeth into him 😉
We have this push pull with Bethany, a mysterious ballerina and, of course, the rough and coarse Joshua. He keeps pushing and she pulls back even though you can tell she wants to give in to him. It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t want his help, Josh is not going anywhere. It also seems that the past doesn’t always stay in the past and it can and will influence people no matter how much they try to distance themselves from it. It has coloured both Bethany and Josh’s lives and influenced their behaviour. Josh can be a real ahole at times… okay almost all the time. But who doesn’t love an alpha ahole from time to time? I think a lot of the time he acts this way as a defence mechanism because he fears what will happen if he lets anyone in. There is suspense, action and everything in between. So there is something for everyone. I don’t want to go too in depth because it’s better when you discover the secrets for yourself.
This story felt different to Liam’s but still enjoyable. I hope we get to see the third brother, Elijah, and get to enjoy his book. It would be great to see him in more detail.
Josh and Bethany story is one I was intrigued, now we got it, Josh met Bethany while protecting Samantha, he broke her heart now she is on the list and Josh needs to protect her. The dark twisted stories just Skye Warren can write will take you on a new journey you don’t want to stop. Amazing and phenomenal new series. Make sure you read them all.