A new second chance billionaire romance set in the dark and glamorous underbelly of the Upper East Side from USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde.Natalie Bishop was just supposed to be a one night stand. Until she steps out of the ocean at my summer home in the Hamptons completely naked.The minute I see her, I know I can’t walk away.She claims that she’s just here to watch the house while it … just here to watch the house while it undergoes renovations. That she has no interest in rekindling our fire. But every weighted glance says it’s a lie.
I don’t care that I’m Manhattan royalty and she’s the help.
Only that she’s living in my summer home. With me.
And I want more.
more
One word, ADDICTING. It all starts one night in Paris 6 years ago, a night Natalie could never forget, but did Penn? I think every reader will fall for Penn, and love the intensity between Natalie and himself. But money always makes things a little more complicated, right? This book is unique in every way and K.A. Linde gets to continue to play with your emotions in a sequel!!
This is 6 years later, when Penn and Natalie meet again after their night in Paris. They have a past, their present is different, but this story is full of angst that will start you on a journey you never thought you would find yourself in.
What a cruel start to an addicting series! Gossip Girl meets Cruel Intentions filled with constant twists and turns that will have your head spinning and questioning who is who as well as who you can really trust?
This story picks up years later after a one night stand. Their story can be found in the novella One Cruel Night. A blast from the past that has left her broken with no answers on what had happened from that beautiful time together. Little did they expected to be confronted once again with Natalie Bishop being the help and house sitting for Penn Kennisington’s mom.
Let the games begin! A bet was formed and it was one that will have Penn questioning his feelings and his purpose and wants in his life. Natalie is reunited with the one man that she had fallen deep for; however, afraid of more and having history repeating itself. As the story progresses the chemistry grows and the risks and obstacles will make or break them. Just as their relationship begin to progress we are left with a cliffhanger that will have you wanting more. This read entails juicy details, angsty feels, and moments of revenge. Looking forward to reading more and seeing how everything will play out. Want the next book stat!
What a ride it was!!
I was desperate to get hold of book two because cliffy and I needed answers. KA Linde delivered a second book full of twist, angst and OMG moments!! Love Natalie!
But again I need book 3!!
Cruel Money by K.A. Linde
“Inside the Upper-East side, 5 stars”
Natalie wasn’t expecting a ghost from her past to show up once again, let alone force his way into her life. They come from completely different worlds and have no chance of survival. Natalie let Penn crush her once, will she let it happen once again? Do the elite really fall in love with the help?
Penn is a contradiction. He claims he wants to live one way but lives another. Natalie intrigues him and he can’t help but want her. What will happen when she finds out the truth? Has he proven himself enough to make her stay or will she run?
I loved Natalie and her boho ways. She was a free spirit who didn’t exactly fit in with Penn and his group. Penn is a snob is the best way to put it. He hides it well, but it comes out. Half of his friends I liked, then there were a few that I would like to stab, like Katherine who was totally Blair from Gossip Girl.
Cruel Money ends on a cliffy, I will tell you that right now and I loathe cliffhangers. But the story consumed me, and I fell into the drama. Cruel Money is going to be a part of a trilogy and I can’t help but wonder will it be one involving the same two people for all three books? Or will Natalie end up with someone other then Penn? Because I wont lie, there is another guy in this book who totally did it for me. Dive into Cruel Money and tell me, who do you want Natalie to be with.
Plot-5/5
Characters-5/5
Heat-5/5
Writing style-5/5
Overall-5/5
Fun, fast paced read. Some twisted trickery added to the mystery surrounding this story.
He main characters are not nice of nooo!
They’re vicious, decadent and devilishly delicious.
This is the first book in this new series and since it ended in a cliffhanger I’m left hungry for more!
Penn and Natalie had a past 6 years ago in Paris.. Never in a million years that fate had brought them together.. ‘Cruel Money’ was a great introduction! The story was intense with the playing game.. Stewing hot hotness.. slow and onpoint.. Penn fooled me with charisma and sexy playboy… come onnn! The crazy group with a lot of dynamic, frenemies… smiling face never always your friend..
I am a fan of Linde. I thought that this book was a little different then what I am use to of her books but I enjoyed it! It was a second chance romance meets Cruel Intentions. I love the determination of Natalie. She grew up and had to work for everything that she had. Then you had Penn who ventured away from his families company but still came from money. I wished that Natalie would have seen Catherine for what she was sooner. I am curious to see where the story goes from here. I want a happy ending but I feel like Natalie should cut her losses and we need a curveball!
The Manhattan elite comes to life as Dexter and Rose voice Penn and Natalie respectively and will keep you transfixed as this story so effortlessly twists and turns its characters into a frenzied mess!
With deep reluctance, Natalie gives in to her desires for Penn, knowing the havoc that he once unleashed in her life. Now, only time will tell if she was right to trust the man who said he was a changed man or she will be faced with what could be a deeper heartbreak than she ever knew possible.
While Linde is an author that I had not read before, she is one that I will be reading again and again. Her take on the New York elite and more so the dynamics of the upper class versus working class was great, but more telling was that of the push and pull between her brilliant characters that I wanted to know so much more about.
This book had only one downfall and that was that it ended leaving me wanting more.
As Always, Happy Reading!
“5/5 Beaming Brains!” – Lit-Up My Mind
WOW! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series
Even though I am not a fan of the cliffhanger, I was prepared for it because I knew this was book 1 of a trilogy of books. The story of Natalie Bishop and Penn Kensington actually starts in a prequel, One Cruel Night, six years prior to the beginning of Cruel Money. Now, reading this prequel is not essential but it will give you more on their first meeting in Paris. Natalie loses her virginity to Penn in Paris on that fateful night, but is heartbroken when Penn disappears on her. The tone of this book gives you Cruel Intentions/Gossip Girl/Mean Girls vibes and I appreciated these drama filled shows in their hay day.
Fast forward six years, Natalie is an aspiring author that is having a rough start, so she house sits for the rich while waiting for her writing to catch a publisher’s eye. What Natalie doesn’t count on is coming face-to-face with Penn after he had broken her heart.
Penn Kensington is a billionaire heir and a part of “crew” of friends. Even though his “friend” Katherine is engaged to another guy, she is attracted to Penn and dislikes Natalie but she makes a “Cruel Intentions” bet with Penn that he cannot get Natalie to fall in love with him in 2 months. Now, Penn is up for the challenge not only to stay in good graces of the “crew” but to get closer to Natalie. But Natalie is no one’s fool. She is not one to be easily swayed by Penn’s charm because of their past in Paris. I liked Natalie and that she was a strong, genuine fighter for what she believed in. One could say that Penn is a victim of his upbringing but I think he needs to grow a pair and be not only his own man but a man that can admit his love for Natalie.
Of course, this book ends in a cliffhanger, so we will have to wait for Cruel Fortune to see what happens next with Natalie and Penn.
** I voluntarily left a honest review after reading an advanced review copy of this book **
CREW (5) STARS for K.A. Linde’s Cruel series!!
“It all started on a park bench in Paris…”
~ K.A. Linde, One Cruel Night (Cruel #0.5)
As I have said in past reviews, nothing makes me happier than to start out with a new author and continue to watch their work grow along the way. K.A. Linde did it again with her Cruel series!! Sure, there has only been the novella, One Cruel Night, and book one, Cruel Money, but I am so excited to see where this series goes. I know in the end there will be a HEA, but we have three books to get there!!! YIKES!!
One Cruel Night leaves us with a bit of an epilogue hangover!
“Last night had been magical, but in the fresh light of day, we felt worlds apart.”
~ K.A. Linde, One Cruel Night (Cruel #0.5)
*** WARNING ***
It is my opinion that you need to read One Cruel Night before you start Cruel Money. Things just won’t make sense to you if you don’t…. Trust me on this one.
“That’s right. We had one night in Paris. You wooed me, you f*cked me, and then you ghosted.”
~ K.A. Linde, Cruel Money (Cruel #1)
Okay, so about that hangover… I was screaming at my kindle!! No lie!! What was Penn thinking?!?! And Natalie… She needs to do something with her life! Okay, that was a bit extreme. Natalie Bishop is a “starving artist” of sorts. She wants to be an author, so she housesits mansions which gives her the time to write. What are the odds of seeing Penn Kensington again?!?!?! Well in romance land, HUGE ODDS!!
“The Kensington house was just another job. Just another way to make a living while I pursued my passion.”
~ K.A. Linde, Cruel Money (Cruel #1)
Fast forward six years, Natalie has a new housesitting assignment in the Hamptons. She is excited to get time to write. Once she gets to her new job, she gets very little writing done. Why?!?! Because Penn Kensington and his “crew” are there! Penn becomes a major distraction in more ways than one.
Penn’s mom is the mayor of New York City. Penn was expected to do things for his family just because he was born a Kensington. Penn wants nothing to do with his “obligations”. So, after ghosting Natalie in Paris, Penn moves on with his life the way that he wants it. I was so happy for him! I was secretly cheering him on by standing up to his family. The only regret he has is leaving Natalie. Never in a million years did he expect to see her again in his Hampton family home.
“No matter that I’d felt that love-at-first sight feeling with Penn, it had all been a lie. He was a lie wrapped in a pretty package. Like tearing into gorgeous Christmas wrapping paper on the morning of the twenty-fifth, only to find coal on the inside.”
~ K.A. Linde, Cruel Money (Cruel #1)
Natalie’s unsure of Penn. Penn is just glad that he has Natalie back in his life. The Crew are unsure of it all, so they make up a bet with Penn. The bet is if Penn can get Natalie to fall in love with him or not.
“I hadn’t been bullsh*ting her when I told her that I remembered our time together. I remembered it vividly. That whole weekend. She was the only highlight of the whole godforsaken thing. She’d been this bright light. Unobscured by the drama of my world. Completely innocent to the glamour I has thrown over our encounter. But it hadn’t been a lie. If anything, f*ck, I’d been too honest with her. She’d made it easy to be honest. And now… Now, I had no f*cking clue who this girl was. Woman. F*ck, was she a woman now.”
~ K.A. Linde, Cruel Money (Cruel #1)
You are starting to see the picture…. And, of course, there is yet another cliffy! One year latter… Hmmm…. That is a K.A. Linde book for you! She has just the right amount of angst and romance together to make the perfect push-pull book that you need to have in your life.
“I wanted Natalie. She confused me. She intrigued me. And despite all my training in ethics, I wanted to throw my morals out the window and go after her. F*ck that smart mouth. And have her crying my name out.”
~ K.A. Linde, Cruel Money (Cruel #1)
Oh, and I LOVED Totle!!! It is an extra bonus when an author gets you to fall in love with a side character. Totle is one of those characters. Read Cruel Money and you’ll understand what I am talking about.
“Forget Penn Kensington. Totle was the real chick magnet.”
~ K.A. Linde, Cruel Money (Cruel #1)
#Truth
And yes, Peen should “… talk dirty philosophy to me every time. Every. Time.”
~ K.A. Linde, Cruel Money (Cruel #1)
You all will fall in love with Penn & Natalie if you are a K.A. Linde fan. One Cruel Night & Cruel Money was so her! In all the feel-good ways. Okay, and all the cliffy ways too… That’s just who Kyla is!
So, we all have to wait until April 23rd for the second book, Cruel Fortune, in the Cruel series. Can I wait that long?!?! Can you?!?! Personally, I want it all on my kindle so I can binge read it all in one sitting. I want to savor the details and love on Penn & Natalie’s story. They are fun character that should not be missed in your book world!
Thank you, K.A. Linde, for allowing me to fall in love with these characters. They whole a special place in my heart because I can see you in so many different places throughout this book. I love that!! You truly pour all of you into your books.
#Paris #BelieveInAnythingEnoughAndBeliefWouldTurnIntoReality #TheCrew #YoureAKensington #PennAndHisNotebook #WritersCurse #TheTrifecta #ManoloBlahnikJimmyChoo&ChristianLouboutin #TheWaterGoddessMelusina #IHateKatherine #ManhattanRoyalty #TheHelp #Aristotle #SabbaticalTenureAtColumbia #AccidentalRoommates #PennKensingtonsPhilosophy #PhilosophyOfSex #PhilosophyProfessor #CanATigerReallyChangeItsStrippes #CunninghamModles #CunninghamCouture #MyNewProject #ACertainBlueEyedDevil #IWantToHaveAMonthOfCasualSex #NoRules #JustMoveInWithMe #TellMeMoreAboutYourself #TheMundaneThings #WritersBrain #YouAreIncrediblyDistracting #TheOnlyPersonIWantIsYou #YoureBestForMyHappiness #JustYou #LetMeSpoilYou #TheGreatGatsby #WereTogether #WereDating #IcingFixedEverything #AWholeTubFull #IWasFired #ABet #Lewis #TheBetWasSet #BetOnIt
~ Review by Heidi Pharo
K. A. Linde has always been fantastic and this is no different. a great read.
Ah! A new release from KA Linde! Gossip Girl meets Cruel Intentions in this new billionaire romance.
Cruel indeed! The Cruel Crew is something else. Beautiful, rich, powerful and cruel with lots of secrets and even more lies. After six years apart and a misunderstanding Natalie runs into Penn again in an unlikely place plus she meets his crew. Thus begins the next chapter in their very complicated story. The chemistry is still there but will Nat succumb to Penn’s romantic overtures? And what is really behind his chase? Between our lovers and the treacherous crew, the characters in this story are spectacular creations. Terrific writing from this fabulous author gives us a story full of sexual tension, intrigue, suspense, drama and a steamy romance that’s absolutely fantastic. Can’t wait for the conclusion! I voluntarily reviewed an ARC. 4.5 stars
Natalie and Penn… what a pair! If you have read Linde’s books you know what to expect. If you have not, then I advise you to buckle up. Cruel Money is spectacular. Its angsty, emotional, and it will definitely piss you off. You may even want to throw the book across the wall. If you are reading a kindle then I would strongly advise against any throwing or temper tantrums.
On a serious note, you will love the storyline. Linde has a talent to deliver nothing but outstanding characters. They will pull you in, and then they will leave you speechless with their shanannigans. Dont expect and HEA and dont expect flowers and sunshine coming out of a unicorns butt. That’s not Linde’s style. You can expect to add this to your favorites list.
Super excited about this one! KA Linde never disappoints!
Gossip Girl meets Cruel Intentions in this new billionaire romance from K.A. Linde!
Love me some K.A. Linde! Her angst writing is OFF THE CHARTS.
Wow…what a great story. It will keep you wanting more to the very end! You won’t want to put it down!