“How do you see your cup, Dr. West? Half full, or half empty? Her life depends on your answer.”Dr. Ian West is the best trial consultant in the city, and he knows it. He’s made a living—a damn good one—helping lawyers win cases through his special brand of trial science. As a natural people reader, West’s one grave error presents in the form of a murderer named Quentin Shaver.Amid Shaver’s trial, … Shaver’s trial, a dangerous bargain is struck, and—impressed with Dr. West’s abilities—Shaver engages him in a battle of wits. The prize? One gritty defense attorney from West’s past—the one woman West could fall for.
Loss broke West once before. Grief his sole companion, until Porter breaks down his defenses. But just as West is about to take a chance on love again, Porter becomes leverage in a sadistic game between doctor and madman.
Can Dr. West save the woman he loves before the last cup runs empty?
*This is a complete standalone novel
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4.5 stars
I was drawn into the story right away. Eerie and dark just how I like my books. Kept me on the edge of my seat all the way to the end.
I did struggle with this book. This one is different from the other Cards of Love books. This book is more a who done it type mystery / thriller twist type of a book.
West is a very likable guy and enjoyed his POV, and very reasonable. In this book, it is a courtroom setting, which feels like we are a part of the whole process. A behind the scenes peek into the happenings. The fact that this is all West’s POV is also something that I find adventurous, we get all the feels from him, the who’s and the why’s. After losing is fiancé he has become a little closed off and bitter.
I did have a hard time following along with this book at the beginning. I wasn’t sure who was speaking / who we were following. I started picking up who was who a little bit into the book.
I loved Trisha’s latest release! If you enjoy fast-paced romantic suspense and crime fiction with flawed, engaging characters, check out Five of Cups.
It’s so good!!!!!
This wasn’t the normal dark we’ve been getting from Wolfe lately. But it was still dark and edgy. And will have you flipping the pages.
Dr. West is cocky and arrogant. And after losing is fiancé he has become a little closed off and bitter. But now that has finally opened is heart again will all that arrogance make him lose it all again? Or will the vulnerability help him realize Porter is worth laying is all on the line? How far will he go to save his best friend and the woman he loves after finally getting her back?
There were so many twists and turns in this book I did not see coming up until the very end. I hoping with the ending we will see more of Dr. West in the near future. Hint hint!! This is one of my favorites in the Cards of Love series.
In Cards Of Love: Five Of Cups everybody has a card. It’s their judgment. Their imminent fate. The cards offer insight, a choice.
We are introduced to Dr. Ian West a psychologist who is a trial consultant. He helps lawyers win cases. He’s currently building a jury to convict Quentin Shaver a man who killed Devin Tillman. Mr. Shaver is a known drug lord.
Dr. Ian West lost his fiancé three years ago to a car accident. During a visit to the cemetery he found the five of cups tarot card on her grave. This card often carries the meaning of emotional dejection, disappointment and sorrow over past events.
Porter Lovell is Quentin Shaver’s defense attorney. She also was friends with Melanie, Ian’s fiancé. They all worked together.
Cards of Love features 34 romances all unified by the tarot deck they share. Each book is a stand-alone with no cliffhangers. Five of Cups is just one of the many stories in the Cards of Love Collection.
I love Trisha Wolfe’s writing voice. She speaks my language in the dark romance category.
Unfortunately, this story didn’t speak to me. I can tell Trisha spent a great deal of time researching jury topics, murder topics, and psychology. I appreciate the effort to provide accurate information. Sadly, I couldn’t connect with the concept, the characters, or the storyline.
There were a lot of moving parts. At times I wasn’t as invested. I did enjoy the twist at the end. When it all comes to conclusion I saw how all those parts fit into place.
First book I’ve read by this author! If I’m honest I struggled a bit with this book but only due to that this book took more thinking on my part. I generally read books which are light and easy. I found myself having to take more breaks during reading…which I never do.
However the storyline was amazing! The characters were interesting, often blunt, sometimes witty and I was intrigued! A courtroom consultant using his psychological knowledge to help the prosecution nail a murderer! With some twists and turns in the middle of the court case. Dr West also aided in the selection of the jury members and which side they were leaning towards. There becomes a time when he feels threatened, vulnerable and angry towards the accused “Shaver”. Dr West told Mia to do whatever was needed to have the courtroom evacuated so he could speak to Shaver personally. I laughed during this scene and poor Eddies reaction. Which path will he choose?
Intense!
Dr. West, at first look, may seem a bit arrogant even a little cocky – as one of the top trial consultants he has earned that right. He analyzes every tick, blink, and change in pulse – he can see that you are hiding something- he knows you have a secret.
What happens when evil decides to turn the tables on, Dr. West? Can he face his own secrets? Will the truth be more than he is capable of accepting?
A psychological thriller that will take you to the edge of the abyss – pause – only to let you catch a breath – then once again hurl you into its darkness.
Five of Cups does not disappoint
Oh I loved Dr Ian West, the way his mind never stopped working always analyzing. To fight his past he must fight for a future. His most complex case yet and he just might be the one being analysed this time.
“How do you see your cup, Dr. West? Half full, or half empty? Her life depends on your answer.”
Dr. Ian West is struggling with grief after the loss of someone very important in his life, while tasked with helping to put a serial killer away for good. The Arcana Killer isn’t interested in going down without a fight and suddenly the game becomes personal. Ian West can’t handle any more loss and grief, so his mission…whatever he needs to do to make sure he doesn’t have to.
Brilliant, this story is nothing short of brilliant. I am a huge fan of the current TV show that explores the use of trial science and this author wrote it spectacularly. Completely from the male MC POV it is concise and explorative, but full of emotion. I don’t know anyone else that can write serial killers the way Trisha Wolfe can.
Trisha Wolfe writes dark, psychological suspense so well. Team that with murder and romance and I’m all in! Once I started reading The Five of Cups I couldn’t put it down. A clever storyline, with so many twists and turns, had me hanging off the edge of my seat. Characters who conspire, together with the fast pace of the storytelling, means that you need to keep your wits about you in order to fully appreciate the complexities of the plot.
I love that the story comes from the male point of view, which gives it such a great impact for me. Dr. West is arrogant but not so much so that his character doesn’t feel realistic. He’s also honest in his analysis of himself and I love his sarcastic humour. The darkness we love from this author is still there but it’s ingenious and skillfully applied. I would describe this whole book as tense, intriguing and exciting. I can imagine the author rubbing her hands together, whilst giving an evil laugh like some cartoon villain when she wrote the ending!
All of this, plus a fantastic, inventive, spin on the use of tarot cards make this a five star read for me.
“Everybody has a card. It’s their judgment. Their imminent fate. The cards don’t lie. They offer insight, a choice.”
Cards of Love: Five of Cups is definitely going down as on of my favorites by Trisha Wolfe. The authors hauntingly beautiful mind did not fail to deliever another fantastic, suspenseful read. I loved how every page of this book only got more thrilling then the last. Five of Cups was a perfectly woven web of suspense, mystery, and thrill. I could not devour the pages quick enough. They just had SO MANY FEELS! It was a emotional roller coaster ride that keep your heart racing up to the very end. I loved how utterly unique the plot and story line was. It is unlike any story I have read previously. I love when a author knows her stuff, and this story show cased that knowledge perfectly. From the courtroom to the bedroom Ian and Porter are hauntingly perfect together. They take second chance romance to another level. I just could not get enough of them. Their chemistry was off the charts. While their knowledge made them the perfect power couple. I can NOT recommend this book enough if your looking for a unique thrilling read. And if you have not started the Cards of Love series yet you are missing out. Each one I read only gets better than the last.
“I dated. I moved on. But it just so happens that I’m sick of trying to get over the one that got away.”
Dr Ian West immediately drew me in with his sorrow and knowledge. Haunted by the grief of his past, he was the epitome of the damaged alpha. He commanded your attention in the most precise way. He was definitely intense and all consuming. While his protective ways left you swooning. I loved how his character never faced any task without pure determination and passion. Dr West is one of those alphas who haunt you long after the story ends.
“Porter commands respect with an equal measure of feminine sensuality. And she drives me crazy.”
Porter was one of those spit fire heroines you couldn’t help but like. She was just the heroine Ian needed to keep him on his toes. She was commanding yet vulnerable. Porter had her own grief that you could not keep from tugging on your heart. Most of all I admired her characters spirit. She was strong willed, and fearless. Even after facing the worst, she came out with her head held high.
“You saved me first, Porter, and I will want to save you every day from here on out.”
*4&1/2 STARS*
Well earned for another fantastic installment in the Cards of Love series. Which card will you chose next? I am more than ready to find out my next card.
I absolutely loved this book and fell in love with Ian and Porter. Both characters are very realistic and relatable. Poter with her sacrifices. Ian with his sarcasm. Both broken in their own way and finding their own ways to deal with everything that has happened. One thing I have come to love about Trisha’s writing is the realism and the twists. She takes us to a place that feels tangible. A courtroom, in this case, that feels like we are a part of the whole process. A behind the scenes peek into the happenings. The fact that this is all Ian’s POV is also something that I find amazing. We get all the feels from him. The who’s and the why’s. You can’t help but feel what he feels. I, for one, hope this isn’t the end for these two.