I was kidnapped on my honeymoon by three masked men.Blindfolded.Bound.Destination unknown.I was told to stay silent and abide by their rules. But they didn’t realize I wasn’t a victim…not anymore.The open sea was my backdrop for nine torturous days. During that time, glimmers of my fate were revealed by a man with the mysterious chartreuse-colored eyes. He should have scared me, but he didn’t.He … should have scared me, but he didn’t.
He intrigued me. And I intrigued him.
He punished me when I didn’t listen, which was every single day. But beneath his cruelty, I sensed he was guarding a grave secret.
I was sold.
And in a game of poker, no less.
My buyer? A Russian mobster who likes to collect pretty things. Now that I know the truth, I only have one choice.
Sink or swim.
And when one fateful night presents me the opportunity, I take it. I just never anticipated my actions would leave me shipwrecked with my kidnapper.
He needs me alive. I want him dead.
But as days turn into weeks, one thing becomes clear—I should hate him…but I don’t.
My name is Willow.
His name is Saint.
Ironic, isn’t it? He bears a name that denotes nothing but holiness yet delivers nothing but hell. However, if this is hell on earth…God, save my soul.
**BAD SAINT is a DARK ROMANCE containing mature themes that might make some readers uncomfortable. It includes: kidnapping, captivity, strong violence, mild language, and some dark and disturbing scenes.
This twisted tale is not intended for the fainthearted. So, if you’re game…welcome to the madness.
“Sinful and compelling, Bad Saint takes you on a darkly romantic, emotionally tense ride that will leave you aching for more” – New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy
“Shipwrecked on a deserted island with a beautiful, tortured villain? Sign me up!” – K.A. Tucker, USA Today Bestselling Author of Ten Tiny Breaths
“Bad Saint is a dark and emotional romance that you are sure to love.” NYT & USA Bestselling Author – Kylie Scott
more
This book will turn you inside out and then gut you with its ending. It is worth every emotion, tear and feeling because the story of Saint and Willow is a crazy, suspenseful and emotion filled tale of having to do wrong to achieve right. Add in angst, deception and suspense and you have the masterpiece that is Bad Saint.
Ugh. I am completely wrecked over Saint and Willow. Wow. I need to catch my breath after finishing that. What starts as something tragic, ends up still being tragic. Willow blew me away by how strong and resilient she is. The author has created this romance that sucks you in and I am wrecked over the ending. It has the plot, characters, suspense, deception and emotion all wrapped up in one amazing book that will leave you reeling and begging for more. I felt emotionally invested in these characters and could feel their emotions and struggles, all because the authors amazing words. I finished this book in a matter of hours once I started. A must read for 2019 that will make you come back for more over and over again.
Willow and Saint….. where do I start? Their story is a tale that will put you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Saint is made to do something, Willow is at the end of that something. They are forced together with so many twists and turns, they are shipwrecked. I loved the emotion and strength Willow has. I love how you see glimpses of Saint as a man in his past. I hated the bad guys and gals. It wrecked me what willow had gone through, but I’m excited to see what the future holds with this strong, kick butt woman and this man named Saint who I’m sure will be something to behold in the next book.
Bad Saint is the first installment in the promising All The Pretty Things Trilogy by Monica James. It’s a dark, twisted forbidden romance with a badass heroine and a controversial hero that left me completely breathless and shamelessly begging for more. This book contains mature themes and some disturbing scenes that might make certain readers uncomfortable. Monica didn’t mince or romanticize some aspects of this story and I’m grateful for that to be honest since this is not an “all hearts and flowers” kind of book and certainly not a conventional love story.
Willow Shaw didn’t have an easy childhood. Life has thrown some major curveballs her way. But despite all the bad and tragic things that happend to her she still remained positive and never gave up. This woman is a fighter and I truly admired her for her strength and perseverance. When she gets kidnapped on her honeymoon in Greece by three masked, brutal men in order to be brought to her master – a Russian mobster – as his new plaything she tries to keep her cool and find a way out of this desperate situation. They tell her to be obedient und to follow their rules but little do they know that Willow is not a victim and an easy pushover. One of her kidnappers seems to be different then the others. He shows glimpses of humanity underneath his cruel demeanor. His name is ironically Saint, although he is definitely more an unforgivable sinner than a holy creature. Willow is equally fascinated and irritated by this gorgeous and mysterious man who seems to be keeping a huge secret. He punishes her when she doesn’t listen and rewards her for her good behavior. He needs her alive and she wants him dead. Willow should hate him but she doesn’t. And as days turn into weeks she is asking herself if Saint is actually her captor or rather her savior?
Kuddos to Monica for creating such multi-layered and well-developed characters. I adored Willow and think that she is one of the strongest female leads I’ve ever read about. This woman endured so much but she never allowed anybody to break her – not even Saint. And that was actually what gained her his respect and admiration. There is so much more to Saint than meets the eye. He was a walking conundrum in the beginning but with every layer of his personality revealed I fell more for this troubled and broken man. There is still kindness and compassion inside his heart which makes him the definition of an antihero.
Bad Saint is a highly entertaining and intriguing mix of a mobster and Island romance with a lot of suspense and sexiness thrown into it. I was glued to my kindle while devouring this fantastic story because I simply couldn’t get enough of the pent-up need and sizzling chemistry between Willow and Saint. My mind was spinning with possible theories about who is playing who and why and how the story is going to continue. This book ends on a huge heartstopping cliffhanger and leaves us with open questions that are going to be answered in the following installments. I can’t wait to see what Monica will come up with. I’m giving this amazing must-read 5 shiny stars!!!
Monica James has been on my TBR list for a while. I’ve heard so many amazing things about her writing. After watching her talk about her new release Bad Saint at a book convention, I was so intrigued that I instantly bought it and started to read it shortly after. And let me tell you, it was the best decision ever. Because Bad Saint was the epitome of a great and captivating story! There were many twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I love it when an author is able to surprise me.
Aside from the gorgeous cover and interesting blurb, this book had two of the most complex and intriguing main characters I’ve ever had the pleasure to read about: Willow and Saint. She was a very strong and brave woman I deeply admired. While he was the mysterious bad guy with a soft spot for her. Their chemistry was scorching hot and their story dark, twisted and deliciously forbidden. But most of all it was absolutely unputdownable! I cheered for them and prayed that there must be a way for them to be together despite all the obstacles. And there were many, like her being the captive and him being her kidnapper. But both didn’t really choose to be in that situation. They were forced into it. Neither of them expected to find love at a hopeless place.
Willow gets kidnapped on her honeymoon by three masked strangers. Blindfolded and bound, she has no other choice but to follow these men to a unknown destination and abide by their rules in order to stay alive. Willow knows that she’s in a forlorn situation, but she refuses to be a victim and let them break her. While the two Russian kidnappers scare her, the third guy with the chartreuse-colored eyes named Saint doesn’t. He intrigues Willow as much as she intrigues him. He’s also the one who explains to her that she’s been sold in a poker game to a Russian Mobster who likes collecting pretty things. Knowing what awaits her, Saint is trying to prepare Willow for her future role but she refuses to listen and obey, so he punishes her every single day. Refusing to except her fate, Willow strikes back which leads to her and him being shipwrecked on a deserted island. She knows that Saint needs her alive in order to deliver her to his boss and that this alone should make her hate him. But as days turn into weeks, one thing becomes clear: there’s more to Saint than meets the eye and there are more things at stake than just Willow’s freedom…
I can’t give away more of the plot because I strongly believe that you need to read this book and experience it on your own. All I can tell you is to trust Monica James and let her take you on a wild ride! But be warned: many things are not the way they seem at first sight.
If you are looking for a well written dark romance novel, with a lot of twists and turns and some major angst, then this book is for you! Bravo Monica James. I’m so impressed with your writing and can’t wait for book two, Fallen Saint. 5 stars!
Bad Saint by Monica James is a story topped with violence, betrayal, pain and heartbreak but also has feelings of love, passion, feels and hope that give the readers the feeling that the characters are determined to keep on going despite the odds stacked against them and make it. The main characters are Saint and Willow.
Without giving anything away, Saint is very much my favorite anti-hero! He is dangerous, powerful, cruel, commanding, sexy, mysterious and cold at times. But there is this part to him that is warm – watch in that way in how he treats Willow.
Willow has not had an easy life. She doesn’t let life get her down when she has every reason to. She’s no one’s victim. She’s beautiful and smart and keeps on fighting for herself even when the stakes are against her.
There are twists, turns, omg moments, things that will have you wondering and then choosing sides — then you have those dark moments and one doozy epic cliffhanger. I can’t wait for book 2 in this series. What a mindblowing read!!!
My Rating: 4.5 stars ******
So sinfully delicious is what this book is!
Dark, angsty, super steamy and full of twist and surprises you won’t see coming.
Author Monica James brought it hard (pun intended )
I love how she took on the dark side of romance & I enjoyed every minute of it while reading this book.
Willow and Saint will blow your mind! I am still thinking about these 2 characters and wondering where their journey will take them.
I’m chopping at the bit for what Author Monica James will have happen next between Willow and Saint in the next installment.
Be ready to fall hard for the psycho Saint and feel totally sinful for lusting over him like Willow.
5 popped!
Shipwrecked on a deserted island with a beautiful, tortured villain? Sign me up!
I don’t know why I have been avoiding this book when all I’ve heard was nothing but good things. But maybe I wasn’t just avoiding this one, but dark romance books in general. But Monica may convert me with one.
This one wasn’t as dark as I thought it would be. Right from the beginning, there was a kidnapping scene that just captivates you to read what happen next.
Willow was just a very strong and fierce woman. She had a very lovely family but turns horrid when her dad passed away. Then her life turned dark. She thought when she got married she’s finally living her own fairy tale but it remains only fairy tale.
Saint was once a normal guy with a normal life. But his life took a complete turn when he wanted to safe someone important in his life. And that’s how he came to meet Willow. Saint gave up on his life, thinking he deserved all the bad things for what he had done. But Willow saw something in him that the old him still remains inside him.
Seriously this book just captivates me in so many different ways. And as much as I don’t appreciate cliffhangers, and this ends with one, I just can’t stop loving this one and I can’t wait for Fallen Saint, the continuation of this one.
DREAMY’S REVIEW
I AM AT THE EDGE OF MY SEAT LOSING MY EVER LOVING FREAKING MIND!!!
Lies. Secrets. Deceit. Death. Torture. Defiance. Strength. Temptation. Anticipation. Darkness. Tantalizing. Sexual Frustration. Intriguing. Captivating. Complicated. Angtsy. Hot. Emotional. Erotic. Heartbreaking. Beautiful. Intense. Deep.
Those are the many words I’d use to describe this Bad Saint All The Pretty Things, Volume One!
My first Monica James book and I’m besides myself, wondering how in the world have I not read a thing by her?!
Like where has she been all of my life?!
What have I been doing?!
Luckily, we rectified that with her first dark romance and God save my soul because I’M IN FREAKING LOVE WITH IT!!
Holy freaking moly, Bad Saint is one of those books that grip at your heart unexpectedly and evoke so many emotions out of you! It enraptured me right from the start and kept me captivated throughout!
*****
Being kidnapped and held captive wasn’t what Willow Shaw was expecting when she went on her honeymoon…
“She isn’t what I was expecting. . .”
Saint is one of the best anti-heroes I’ve read by far! I love a damaged, tortured hero and he stole my heart when he first came alive through the pages. His reasoning behind everything is heartbreaking and I mean, I get it. He’s beautiful and bad-ass in his own ways! And just everything about him screamed beautifully tortured soul!
I loved his internal push and pull, his attraction and desire for our heroine, Willow. I love how he tried to not give into those wants, desires and yet, he couldn’t resist the pull he has towards her.
“She’s worming her way into my soul.”
Willow is one of the strongest heroines I’ve read! The journey that she gets thrusted into is cruel, harsh, and painful. And even so, she never breaks. She’s tested many times, her fighting fading in and out, and has questioned her sanity, but trust me, she’s still all there.
Nothing can ever break her or her spirit.
“He thinks he can break me, but he cant.”
While fighting for her life, her freedom, she finds herself particularly drawn to Saint like a moth to a flame. There’s something about him, but he wears a mask with the Devil as the face, and yet his actions aren’t so evil.
“He’s leading a lamb to the slaughter, but the one thing he doesn’t realize…is that I’m not a lamb. And I never will be.”
In the progression of everything going on, Willow questions a lot. She feels a lot of guilt, second-guessing herself and her needs. She questions if she’s experience Stockholm Syndrome because everything in her is screaming to fight, her she can’t find wanting Saint, craving him.
“What a mess, and to make matters worse, I have formed some sort of… attachment to my kidnapper.”
All the while, Saint continuously gave me emotional whiplash! He gives her thoughtfulness, kindness, and showed that he has an ounce of care for her, and then suddenly, he’s does something harsh and humiliating. He was fighting something inside of him too and trying to fighting off something that felt inevitable.
“I am her captor. And she is my slave.”
These two made me go crazy and yet I was CRAZY for them! I needed to delve deeper into their story, I need see what happened next! And let me tell you, it just gets more dark and more twisted!
“Being with her erases the pain, and I will move heaven and hell to protect her.”
It keeps you on edge every time you flip the pages!
“We’ve bonded over the most heinous circumstances, but somehow, under the horror, I’m stronger.”
*****
Bad Saint pushes your boundaries. It makes you think. It makes you question. It makes you feel.
James is able to weave you through a intense, captivating plot with a sizzling, undeniable romance between captor and captive. It has the perfect balance of darkness and light!
Sinful, emotional, and so compelling!
Trust me when I tell you this, YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS OUT ON THIS BOOK!
It captures all the essence of what an excellent dark romance should have! I am so in love with everything!! The character development to the writing technique is exceptional, the full hatred to lustful thoughts and feelings will have you hot and bothered, and the overall plot is mind blowing! Bad Saint really GRABS YOU!! It’s full of mystery and suspense! I cannot tell you excited I was every time I turned the pages!
Willow and Saint’s journey ends on a cliffhanger and has you begging, pleading, salivating for more! My imagination was running completely wild as I read about their journey! So if cliffhangers aren’t your thing and you like to read series in it entirety, take that into consideration!!
But the payoff is so much sweeter this way!
I’m totally into delayed gratification and enjoy a little depravation, so I’m here for all of it and I’m so damn sure that the rest of the series won’t disappoint!!
Monica James, you have a cheerleader on your squad!! And I’m so excited for what’s to come!
Five dark and dreamy stars:
BAD SAINT is the first instalment in Monica James’ contemporary, adult ALL THE PRETTY THINGS dark, romance trilogy focusing on Willow Shaw, and thirty-three year old, Saint Hennessy.
NOTE: Due to the story line content, there may be some trigger for more sensitive readers.
Told from first person perspective (Willow) BAD SAINT follows in the aftermath of Willow Shaw’s abduction while on her honeymoon in Greece. Unaware that her husband had gambled and lost, Willow is the ultimate payment for indebted sins. At the mercy of her kidnappers Willow’s life is threatened on numerous occasions but for not the actions of one of her abductors Willow’s life would be forfeited, her body no longer her own. What ensues is the acrimonious relationship between Willow and Saint, and the fall-out as a storm lands our couple on a deserted island where Willow discovers there is more to Saint then she could have ever imagined.
BAD SAINT is a story of secrets and lies; of sexual slavery, payment for a debt, intimidation, assault, recklessness and death. Frightened yet strong, willing to stand up to her captors Willow battles between her head and heart fearing life as she knows it is spiralling out of control.
Monica James’ pulls the readers into an intense, raw and gritty story of payback and vengeance; of power and control; of repercussions, suspense, danger and more. The premise is tragic, impassioned and fascinating; the characters are strong, resilient, animated and energetic. BAD SAINT ends on a cliffhanger-you have been warned.
Dark, gritty, and deliciously sinful.
Bad Saint is a story filled to the top with violence and betrayal, but also with hope, a feeling that makes the characters determined to survive and keep going.
From hatred to lust—the contradicting emotions evoked in Willow and Saint consumed me from beginning to end. Monica James took me on a captivating, suspenseful ride with a brave heroine and a broody, enigmatic antihero that will make you forget time and space, only craving the next chapter.
As I inched closer to the last chapters, I was fearful, anxious, totally involved with the story to the point where there were not one, but two captives—Willow and I.
If you like dark romances, I think you will enjoy this one as well. I personally can’t wait to see what’s next for them.
Ok, so this was my first book by Monica James, who by the way generously provided the ARC. Honestly how have I missed her work? WOW, this book was pretty intense, dark & gritty. I could not put it down.
Willow is kidnapped on her honeymoon by the 3 masked men. She is no shrinking violet. She is strong, determined and a fighter. She is also very sweet & vulnerable. When they kidnapped her they had no idea what they in for.
Saint is INTENSE. Although he is Willows captor and can be cruel, there is also a hidden kindness. The story is told from Willows perspective, but you get some some insight into Saints thoughts. While he is her nightmare, you get the feeling their is more to his side through his reluctance. Very slowly parts of his story are revealed.
Willow is incredibly attracted to Saint and this confuses and pisses her off. It is clearly a mutual feeling but Saint is on a mission and will stop at nothing to get his job done even if that involves hurting Willow.
Willows kidnapping is not a random act, as the story unfolds you learn of her betrayal. This coupled with the profound chemistry she has with Saint, will keep you engaged and invested in this story. It does end in a cliffhanger, but luckily the next book is soon to follow.
This book has a dark and violent theme and may have triggers for some.
I am desperate for the next book, I really need to know where this is headed!
intriguing!!
Irresistible, thrilling and seductive. Bad Saint was oh so good!
This was my first book by Monica James and I absolutely loved it. Not being a huge fan of dark romance stories, I started Bad Saint with some trepidation but after a few pages, I immediately knew the story would easily outshine whatever darkness was to come. So often dark romance stories are all impact and no storyline but this was definitely not the case with Bad Saint.
This story unwittingly falls into two parts as the key protagonists get to know each other in a variety of different situations, environments and in delightfully unrestrained ways.
Having recently married and looking to put her past firmly behind her, Willow Shaw thinks she has found her dream man in new husband Drew Gibbs. Despite his wealth, Drew appears to live a relating frugal life, a quality that Willow finds endearing.
When Drew and Willow arrive at their honeymoon destination in the Greek Islands, they are looking forward to a couple of relaxing weeks in their peaceful paradise. That is until Willow is kidnapped and Drew is left beaten and broken.
Willow finds herself facing a living hell as she is bound, gagged and blindfolded by her seemingly Russian captors, although she soon finds out that one of her captors is American. A hitman for Russian crime boss Aleksei Popov, Saint Hennessy is tasked with transporting Aleksei’s latest acquisition, Willow, to Russia by boat and in return, he expects to receive something of equal value.
Having fought her way out of the darkness of her past, Willow is determined to do what she can to escape Saint’s clutches but in doing so, she starts to see something in Saint that gives her hope, despite his determination to deliver her to Aleksei.
As the story progresses, Saint and Willow find a way to live alongside each other whilst trying to make sense of their feelings towards each other. Saint is enamored by his “ангел” especially her resilience and Willow is lost to her emotions when it comes to her mysterious captor.
As expected, this story ends on a dramatic pause as Willow and Saint find themselves in another seemingly impossible situation and once again facing an uncertain future.
The dynamic between Saint and Willow was perfect and made the story even more compelling. Bad Saint is fast-paced and dramatic and 100% captivating. I can’t wait to read on!
Omg…wow..where do I start…
Bad Saint is the first book in Monica James’s All The Pretty Things trilogy and holy geez, what a way to start it. This book is an intense ride filled with ruthlessness, second guessing, lust and tough decisions. It is not for the faint of heart, but if you can handle stories that are raw and easy to get lost in, then this should be your next read!!
I really liked Willow right away, I though her innocence was a breathe of fresh air and then I got to read some of her back story and it made me love her even more. Then there is Saint…it took me a bit more for him and I am usually a supporter of the “bad guy or a%$hole” but since he was so closed off, I didn’t catch “feelings” for a while; but once I did…I really did! I felt like both of their situations are awful and I was honestly hoping for a different ending, only because I know it’s about to get worse.
I absolutely recommend this book and hope you get started soon, so you will be ready for the next books!
WOW! What a story! Well done Monica James on your first foray into dark romance! I was completely swept away into this dark and corrupt world from the very get go. The pacing was perfect and flowed really well with the intrigue, angst and suspense increasing each step of the way. As I was reading this, time ceased to exist. I was consumed all throughout, glued to the pages until the very end. And what an ending that was! Talk about one hell of a cliffhanger!
The characters were brilliant. From Willow’s strength, courage, bravery and kindness, to Saint’s sexy, possessive, dominating, alpha persona. There were times where I hated him and wanted to punch him. He could be so frustrating. Then as I began to see the reasoning behind his troubled soul and mind, I was feeling sympathetic. Both of them had been dealt some crappy cards in life, and seeing what they grappled with internally was absolutely heartbreaking.
This dark and disturbing world was so skillfully crafted. It was emotional, tumultuous, sexy and suspenseful. Despite being a dark and unconventional romance, there are still those sweet and intense moments between our two main leads. This captivating story hooked me right from the start and didn’t once let me go. It held my attention in such a way that I couldn’t bring myself to put it down. Monica James has found herself a new fan, and I’ve found myself a new one-click author.
What a book! I need book 2 like nooooow!
Bad Saint is an amzing mix between Dark Romance and romance. It´s very twisted in the best way even tho I know the minute Willow´s journey started who is responsible for it. 😉 The story is written so amazing there is no way to put the book down because you need to know what happens next.
SAINT IS HOT. Like all alpha hot.
I was in the mood for a dark romance because it´s been a while when I read a good one and I´m so happy I got the chance to read this one early.
Well done Monica, but you need to hurry up with the second one. I NEED ANSWERS! 😀