They say New York City is the Devil’s Playground.They’re wrong.This city belongs to me.And so does Aislinn Granville. She is a pampered politician’s daughter.A decorative ornament, raised to smile and nod and do what she’s told.Except… she doesn’t. Not with me. Ever.In this city full of thugs and thieves, I’ve kept Aislinn safe.From my enemies.From me.Until now.
Damon and Aislinn are fire and ice, light and dark. In other words, they are perfect for each other! What starts off as disguised blackmail, his protection becomes her sanctuary. Too bad Damon doesn’t do love, at least he doesn’t think so. Aislinn wants to be be loved more than anything, and Damon could be that man. On paper they are the two most incompatible people. In the flesh they burn exquisitely together. This book will keep you up late just to finish it and have you pleading for more!
“Damn you, King.” “Someone a lot higher up than you damned me a long time ago, princess.”
Damon King is the ruthless King of New York City, who does whatever he deems necessary in order to keep the city in check. Aislinn Granville having grown up the daughter of the DA has seen the dirty side of the law and politics, now a professional fixer she joins her father’s campaign only to learn that he is not the man she thought he was. Now with her life in danger it’s up to Damon to keep her safe whether she trusts him or not.
Right off the bat I had so much respect for Aislinn and I knew that she would be a heroine that I could stand behind. She’s smart, independent and in a morally corrupt world of politics she chooses to stand her ground. The political elite and the belly of the criminal underground all look to Damon and he decides the fate of many. What Aislinn doesn’t know is that Damon has been protecting her from a far for years and for reasons he isn’t ready to tell her. But when the potential for danger becomes more apparent, he can no longer watch her from a far and takes her under his direct protection.
Damon is so much more than he lets on and when he starts to show glimpses of that man you can’t help but start to fall for him too. This is the first book I’ve read by Tara Leigh and I am so glad I picked it up. It has just the right amount of heat, danger and drama to make for an awesome read. I am absolutely hooked and I can’t wait for part two Corrupt Savior.
“You have a story too. I know you do. You don’t have to tell me now, or ever. But, Damon, I’ve been face-to-face with true darkness. You may think that is all you are—but I see the light in you. And it’s beautiful.”
Very intriguing. I feel impatient about Aislinn about founding lot all secrets about her life. Damon is in the same boat the way I feel. There got to be more to him. Super excited about this series.
My first read from the author and so many cussing I gave the author already
A political princess caught by her father bad dealings and become target. A King of the underworld was ask to put her under his protection for a price.
Or so it seems at first.
Secrets
Intrigue
Lies
Passion
Trust
Domination
“Damon King is my lord and liege. My captor and savior.”
In the name of all hot book husband…. I wanna jump Damon the moment I lay eyes on him. A hot computer genious in suit with dangerous and bad boy aura, this man just simply mouthwatering.
My eye brow gone to the roof with Aisliin response to Damon at their first meeting. Let’s just say I don’t mind a little slow burn at their first meeting. That’s why I couldn’t give the perfect five.
But then I got to know Damon better, and I must say this man demands your full attention so effortlessly.
And Aisliin… Her reaction to Damon is normal, to say the least. Their chemistry is wow! Aisliin found her self in crossroad of believing Damon completely with the whole King of the underworld thing. Should she believe all the fact her eyes see or what her heart know?
” She is the spoils of a war I never knew I was fighting. Aislinn Granville is my victory. And I claim her. As mine.”
Ends with bad bad bad cliffy… I couldn’t wait to read the second book!
I may not give the perfect five star, but Tara Leigh definitly become my new must read author
5 INTENSE STARS!! This was a amazing read!! It was so intense and kept me on the edge of my seat, I could not flip pages fast enough. Damon……oh my……I am in love!! Aislinn is perfect in every way. The author has given us a phenomenal story. This is one book you will not want to miss out on.
*4.5 stars*
A delightfully tangled web…
Every first read of an author should be this intense. This complicated. This entertaining. I know that’s a lot of ‘this’ but there’s also a whole heap of ‘that’, and all of it good!
High-octane suspense and drama surrounded the characters from the very beginning. The events unfolded with deceptive calm, snowballing at an unassuming, quiet pace. Secrets and truths peeled away to rip the façade off Aislinn’s life and Damon was there for every piece of it. I wasn’t sure if the hand he held was helping but he was always there, one way or another… Don’t get me wrong. I liked Damon even if I wasn’t entirely okay with his methods. Aislinn was easy to connect with as soldiered every harsh bump she had to face.
There was chemistry and so much more unsaid between the main characters as they struggled with the complications that tangled them together. Damon was a man who deliberately and purposefully lived in the darkness, with Aislinn now firmly embroiled in it, too.
A cliffhanger definitely left things hanging – let the finale come quickly!
*Reviewed for Nerdy Dirty & Flirty
Cruel Sanctuary
I will have to say, I’m now a fan of Tara Leigh. I received Cruel Sanctuary from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have never read any of her books until now. And what a way to discover a “new-to-me” author. I have really grown to like mafia romances and this one adds to my growing collection.
More than a protector, Damon King is sexy as they come. Mafia boss and the only one He’s an dirty talking alpha with a bad reputation. Aislinn can trust even though he was the enemy.
Aislinn is the daughter of a politician who sees her circle of those she can trust shrink. Unbeknownst to her, her life is full of secrets that out her life in danger at every turn. The one whose name alone makes her cringe may be the only one who can protect her.
Aislinn and Damon have an attraction but their battle of wills and secrets may destroy them.
Tara has done an amazing job with the characters and storyline. I highly recommend Cruel Sanctuary as a 5 Star Must Read. I’m so looking forward to Book 2 Corrupt Savior.
This is my first Tara Leigh book and I am sure I will stay with her stories for a long time. Now my need for Corrupt Savior is so big…I need to hibernate because the ending of Cruel Sanctuary almost killed me.
Aislinn Granville is the daughter of a very powerful man but because of that, she isn’t a spoiled brat. She is a smart, caring, ambitious and very strong woman. When the ugly truth comes out, she gets to know the other side, very corrupted and greedy side of her dad and a guy she casually slept and thought as a friend. Now she is in mortal danger and only one man can save her.
Damon King is as his surname says, The King of New York. His power and connection reach from underworld to the highest elite. He created himself as a ruthless and passionless man but deep down he is someone very caring and lovable. Someone worth swooning over. And with years he was slightly (joking) obsessed with Aislinn. And when the opportunity came he agreed to protect her.
They both have secrets, some of them are revealed with time and some of them are still mysterious. They both have completely different perceptions of themselves. What at first supposed to be temporary soon turned into something more, hot, sometimes sweet and fierce. But what when danger is so close you cannot dodge it?
I really enjoyed this book, although some things were predictable for me I am curious how Damon and Aislinn story end.
The life that Aislinn had been dealt with wasn’t really as glamorous as what the perceived of her family. The daughter of a high-profiled District Attorney, Aislinn Granville was anything but pampered and spoiled and sheltered. Nope, there was more that met the eye when it came to this main female protagonist. She was something else.
When she discovered the truth about her esteemed father, Aislinn’s life was endangered. On the brink of death threats and her father’s treachery, there was only one person who could protect her at all costs. And that is Damon King; powerful, wealthy, dangerous, intoxicating, cruel. Notoriously known for the fierce methods he did to unjustly people, criminals, corrupt politicians and druglords, Aislinn’s life was now at stake in the hands of the King. And it was only a matter of time before all his dirty, dark secrets could betray him.
This story is dangerously good, devastatingly fantastic and wickedly raw. I couldn’t fathom how my initial hatred to Damon King turned upside down and ended in me admiring him for what he’d done to the scorned woman that is Aislinn. Tara Leigh is awesome, there’s no more other words I could describe her. She keeps upping her game and continuously pleases her readers with dark, dangerous and exhilarating characters. To say that I have enjoyed reading this book is an understatement. Cruel Sanctuary by Tara Leigh is by far my favorite among her books. I won’t be surprised if the second book could surpass the excitement I felt for the first one. Can’t wait for the continuation on Corrupt Savior! Definitely a must-read!
I didn’t love the first part of this story but the rest is fascinating. A mixture of suspense, sex, hostility, dirty politics, power play and unbridled lust. Damon King is the king of corruption in the underworld of New York City. He has a hand in all the crime activity that happens, either as a facilitator or observer. For years he has been protecting Aislinn from afar, but we don’t know why yet. When her life is in danger from her father’s actions, he comes into play, bringing her into his home. Aislinn’s father is a dirty politician and with his greed is causing repercussions from a drug cartel. The book deals with the reader learning the back story of the characters and how they are all interconnected.
I wasn’t surprised with the plot and I wasn’t enthused with the start of the book. It goes too soon into the sexual foreplay between Damon and Aislinn, and starts with a lot of hostility on Aislinn’s part that will later turn, predictably, into lust. I didn’t enjoy their initial dialogues, found them bitchy on her part, too cocky on his part, and generally annoying. Once their feelings get sorted, and Aislinn and Damon start their courting dance with doubts, issues and obstacles, the fun begins and the story gets fascinating. I love this author’s writing because it’s tight, fast and doesn’t waste too much time in character’s musings. We learn from them as much from their musings as from their actions. We can tell that Aislinn is a survivor of some violence in her childhood and is dedicated to protect women from domestic violence. She shows her moral compass when she rejects dealing with her father’s dealings as soon as she learns of them. She rejects crime of all sorts which causes the conundrum of her attraction to Damon and the trust he eventually wins from her. Damon tries to keep his distance and protect her from afar but is attracted like a bee to nectar. They’re both passionate and strong of character and the story sparkles with their chemistry.
One aspect that detracted me from liking it so much is that Damon is too criminal. While he shows sensitivity to Aislinn, he’s also ruthless and a murderer. I have some objections towards presenting a criminal as a romantic subject, especially someone who is so squarely in the midst of corruption and wrongdoing. He later redeems himself somewhat, but not completely.
The book finishes in a spectacular cliffhanger, the kind that makes you bite your nails, and start agonizing for the sequel.
A devil. A monster. A criminal. A murderer. A hacker.
Ruler of New York City’s underbelly. Boogeyman of Manhattan. King of corruption.
Ruthless. Unethical. Conniving. Duplicitous.
All of these monikers and descriptors epitomize who Damon King is, and as Tara Leigh takes readers into his underground kingdom in Cruel Sanctuary, she introduces us to the man behind the myth, and from what we’ve learned in book one, it’s clear that this anti-hero isn’t afraid to do what needs to be done in order to achieve what he wants to achieve, regardless of the fall out or the costs of others, especially those who stand in his way.
I like that Damon doesn’t pretend to be anything that he isn’t, but I really wanted his character to be fleshed out more…I wanted more of his backstory…more insight into how he built his empire…more information about the reasons for his claim on Aislinn. I feel like there is so much to who Damon is at his core, but all I was given was the fact that he’s a bad man and as much as he wants Aislinn, he knows he can’t keep her because she doesn’t fit into his world.
Aislinn Granville is a fierce, snarky, and independent heroine – one whose ethics drive her. She’s always been on the right side of the law and a past incident makes her a victim’s advocate, risking it all to help those in need. But when her world implodes, she doesn’t know who to believe or who to trust and she finds herself being protected by a man who should repulse and scare her, not make her desire things she’s only fantasized about and willingly…or somewhat willingly…give herself to a man who defines everything that she abhors.
The main conflict in Cruel Sanctuary is quite intriguing, and there is sexual tension and angst galore. It’s clear that Damon was lying in wait to claim Aislinn as his, even if he knows it won’t last because they come from two very different worlds and have to very different views on how life is to be lived. And with everything that goes down in book one, the threat to Aislinn’s life is real but who’s willing to sacrifice themselves for her is not as clear because everything she’s believed has been turned upside, causing
I enjoyed Damon and Aislinn’s story and I’m eager to see how everything plays out in Corrupt Savior, but I will admit that the ending frustrated the heck out of me because what happens seems too easy, especially given how Damon has been when it comes to Aislinn, and I also struggled with the fact that Aislinn seems quite oblivious to the truth beneath the lies when it comes to those closest to her. It’s almost like her book smarts takes precedence over her street smarts, and while there’s nothing wrong with that fact, when it comes to who she should trust and who she should watch out for, she’s blinded by who she thinks these men are and not who they truly are or could be.
I absolutely love anti-heroes…there’s just something about their over-the-top attitude, their jerkish behavior, and their dominating ways. And I also can’t get enough of feisty heroines who aren’t afraid to put their alpha a-holes in their place, and I’m sure as this duet continues, readers will see more of these attributes resonate form the pages.
3.5/4 Poison Apples
Lord knows this was just what I needed in my life!
CRUEL SANCTUARY is everything I ever needed and oh so much more!
Call in a sick day because you’re going to need it after you pull an all-nighter with this delectable number! Pantie melting hot and oh so fricken explosive you might even catch fire!!! GOD, I NEED MORE!!!!!!!
From the very first page Ms. Leigh has crafted an atmospheric tale teeming with sensuality and suspense as two seemingly very different people find a connection amidst all the danger. When honorable and hard-working daughter Aislinn Granville’s life is threatened because of her father’s actions, a commanding and dangerous man who hides in the shadows of the criminal underworld will be the only one to keep her safe. Close quarters soon lead to truths being realized and secrets being revealed that bind this captivating couple together even tighter while changing how they view themselves and each other. With each turn of the page my heart pounded harder as this sizzling story raced to its exhilarating cliffhanger conclusion.
Aislinn Granville has always been seen as the princess of her father’s heart, living a happy life, being dutiful and being the one to keep him being seen in a positive light. The reality though isn’t as pretty as a childhood event has left its mark emotionally with memories rushing once again to the forefront. The feelings between her father and her are also complicated as he’s a very cold and demanding man who sees her as a prop, a very useful one when his political career is now being threatened. To clean up the mess he’s willing to sacrifice his daughter in order to gain the assistance of the notorious Damon King which puts her in the hands of the Devil himself with fireworks the result. Aislinn always thought her father would never compromise his principles but upon learning just how wrong she’s been throws her for a loop, leaving her adrift and vulnerable to the protectiveness of Damon. From the moment they meet she sees him as a criminal, but she can’t deny her attraction to him. Learning the truth about her father has her wanting to cast off her good daughter role and giving into the tempting Damon seems like the perfect way to do that. Every interaction she has with Damon is teeming with sexual tension, leaving her warring with herself and him in a constant battle for dominance that made for many erotically-charged encounters. Through it all Aislinn’s no wilting flower as she gives as good as she gets, stating what she wants even when she hates herself for her attraction to someone she’s always thought she should hate. Life for her has always been black and white, but learning the truth about her father’s actions has her seeing all sorts of greys. The more time she spends with Damon the greater the dichotomy she discovers as beneath his dangerous facade is a man very protective or her, a man willing to give her the world. Between scorching interludes in and out of the bedroom Aislinn discovers even more secrets from her past, some that Damon has a hand in, which changes everything and ultimately puts her in even greater danger that I can only hope Damon can save her from.
Damon King’s a true anti-hero, a man who’s spent time in prison and made his wealth through all that he learned there. Prison is where he also first discovered Aislinn and since then he’s been watching over her, learning about her, until he finally gets the chance to claim her. In some ways it’s a bit stalkerish, but with Damon it’s a more calculated move as everything he does is done methodically. He’s a man used to getting what he wants and it’s clear that he wants Aislinn, doing whatever necessary to bring her to him. Once he has her she’s not quite what he thought as she’s a tough woman who stands toe to toe with him instead of being the pampered princess he once thought. As the story progresses readers discover he’s not quite what we thought either. Yes, he’s a criminal, but he has a code and an honor about him that you can rely on. He’s a dangerous man, but also a protective one as seen by his quick capture of Aislinn from the danger getting ever closer to her. He’s not the kind of man to blink but with Aislinn he was thrown a bit off-course and you could see the flashes of humor she brought out in him as well as his fear for her safety. He’s a delicious man, suave with a bit of roughness around the edges. He exudes sensuality and it made for a scorching connection with Aislinn and lots of sizzling interludes for readers. He’s also a man of mystery and with each turn of the page we start to discover his secrets, secrets that will change Aislinn’s life irrevocably and put their future in doubt. It all adds up to a complicated man full of conflicts, and flashes of vulnerability, that has me still dreaming of him.
From the moment I read the first sentence I was captivated by this tale, enthralled by the rawness and the sensuality. Aislinn and Derek are a sizzling couple brought together under a shadow of secrets, lies, and danger and they practically jumped off the page in their sensual tug of war. Along with a battle over their bodies was a battle for their hearts and souls, a battle that made for a rocky road to HEA as both had reasons to be untrusting. Surrounding this crackling couple and their erotic interactions was a constant sense of danger from a drug cartel looking for retaliation. This atmosphere kept me on edge, gave me a foreboding feeling that culminated in an ending that left me gutted and breathlessly waiting for the concluding installment. Though some of this story’s secrets I figured out early on I still applaud Ms. Leigh for the tightrope she walked in crafting such a decadently delightful anti-hero as he’s the main draw of this story for me alongside its strong-willed heroine. Readers looking for sexiness and suspense will definitely want to grab this gritty and emotional tale!
Our heroine, Aislinn, is a tough spin doctor (think Olivia Pope from Scandal) when she believes in the cause. Something happens which not only turns her world upside down, but also places her in mortal danger, and our bad boy, Hero, Damon, is the only one who can protect her. Or should I say, that he made a promise to someone several years ago that he would always keep her safe. Because this story is told from a dual point of view, Damon has hinted their pasts are connected, but Aislinn has yet to learn everything. As tough as Damon is on the outside to the underworld of New York, he’s also revealed his sensitive side. There are several supporting characters also tangled up in this complicated web of past and present, and I can’t wait to see how this story concludes. This book does end on a cliffhanger.
Suspenseful, twists with intense chemistry between the hero and the heroine. Aislinn was the daughter of a corrupt politician unbeknownst to her about his dirty ways that crosses path with the bad boy Damon. But they are things that she clearly doesn’t know that he has all the answers too. She didn’t do bad boys but Damon intrigued her and Damon always knew she was his. The intensity of this book will have you captivated from beginning to end especially when some things start unraveling. That cliffhanger, . This can go either way because no one can be trusted.
Aislinn Granville is a politicians daughter in New York City. She left her lucrative job at a political consulting firm to help her father (James Granville), a Manhattan district attorney running in the next election for mayor. Her and her father do not have the most amicable relationship but since it is her father she agrees. Knee deep in the campaign and it is brought to her attention that her father and his chief of staff (and her sometimes casual lover), Chat Lytton are not necessarily the men of moral that she had previously thought.
And now with a private conversation recorded and about to be leaked to the public, it’s a PR nightmare that even she can’t fix. That’s when they call in Damon King…
Damon King is always a last resort. Most who know of him, consider him the boogeyman of Manhattan. “Rumor has it, he’s a fixer in the same way the devil is.” When James Granville and his chief of staff get too greedy with their ambitions and start crossing the wrong people, specifically the Los Muertos cartel, things begin to go down hill – quickly. But Damon King has a price.
Will the price be something that James Granville will freely give? And will Aislinn ever fully understand what it means to be protected by Damon King.
Aislinn is a strong willed, strong minded, all business woman. She left her cushy job to join her fathers campaign – despite the fact that they have a strained relationship. Her whole world collapses when she finds out her father isn’t the moral man she believed him to be.
In fact he is on the take, just like every other crooked politician in New York. At first, Aislinn doesn’t believe that her life is in danger but as that quickly changes and is brought to light she finds sanctuary in the one man everyone else fears. She turns to the devil himself to protect her. And protect her – he will.
Damon King is the thing nightmares are made of. He is mysterious, lethal and completely under the radar, a boogeyman as they say. He was once a Wall Street broker but a deal gone wrong ended him up in prison. While there he swore to a cellmate to look after and protect Aislinn Granville. He has always been watching over her from a far. But now he can protect her the way she should be. But having her in his home proves to be quite a distraction. He soon comes to realize that she is not the pampered princess he thought her to be. He thinks he knows everything about her, but he doesn’t. She has secrets and darkness in her past. And she trusts him.
I absolutely loved this book, read it in two sittings. I loved everything about Damon. He was dark, and at times evil, but you knew there was good in him. I really enjoyed Aislinn’s character from the beginning of the book. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. She walks the walk. She is a powerhouse in and of herself, but what she truly needs is a powerhouse of her own. One that will allow her to let down her guard and take the reins for once.
The relationship between Aislinn and Damon is erotically wonderful. It pulls you in, you want more for them, you want them to open themselves to one another. And when you turn to the last page – you know you truly dared to dance with the devil.
I can not wait for book two in the series, and I highly recommend
Cruel Sanctuary might be Tara Leigh best work yet. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE her Nothing but Trouble series but there was something about this book that just grabbed me and I couldn’t put it down.
From Damon King first words “Not on my account” and the way he smelled of burned wood and old whiskey, SO HOT! And the way he talked to Aislinn “One – I don’t date Two – I’m the filthiest (BEEP) you’ll ever meet, in ways you’ve never even imagined”. He does have a caring side you just have to really read between the lines to find it. Aislinn Granville is just this fierce and feisty woman that keeps Damon on his toes; with her little stunts and just everything about her. Together Damon and Aislinn chemistry is on fire and you can’t help but get invested in these two.
Sorry in this review I’m not telling you anything about the book; I will just say YOU NEED TO READ THIS. Oh, and the ending will leave you – WHAT!! NOO!! You can leave us like that. Then make us wait a month… that’s mean Tara! But don’t let the cliffhanger keep you from reading we can all sit and wait impatiently together.
Whoa! This book will have you enthralled in the first chapter. The first chapter. I only discovered Tara Leigh last year, and have become one of her most loyal readers. She has a way of unraveling a story that is unexpected and leaves the reader on the edge of their seat. She is a lover of words and her lyrical prose is beautifully written, enhancing every detail of this story! I have more highlighted passages in this book than any of the other 2000+ on my e-readers.
Cruel Sanctuary was dark and erotic and intriguing. Damon King is a mysterious anti-hero, leaving the reader wondering what his intentions are toward Aislinn.
“I should want Aislinn to be scared of me. Terrified, in fact. Fear is powerful, motivating. A weapon that prevents wars. But I don’t need to kiss Aislinn to know I won’t like the taste of fear on her tongue.”
Aislinn Granville is a heroine that was traumatized as a child, but has grown up to be a woman with ideals and independence. I enjoyed her character and her inner struggle to make sense of her feelings toward Damon.
The two of them have explosive chemistry, and you will FEEL the heat emanating from the pages.
“I am reveling in his possession. Exalting in his attention. Craving his touch. Craving him.”
Cruel Sanctuary is romantic suspense at its best, and I promise you will be insistent for more. This book is told from dual POV, and is the first in a duet with Corrupt Savior releasing May 13th! You will not regret 1-clicking this book…highly recommend!!!
This is one of Tara Leigh best work to date. This deliciously dark and decadent book has a taken turn for the dark side and I love it!!
Tara takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride with crazy twists and turns into the dark underbelly of crime, politics and love.
Her words are vividly and beautifully crafted and I am sucked into this story page by page.
I loved the main characters, their chemistry and sexual tension was off the charts. Damon King is the epitome of sexy, a broody Alphahole with damaged layers and a painful past.
Aislinn is fierce and fiesty, proving she’s not your average rich spoiled princess. She too has a dark past lurking beneath her fascade.
We get to see these two tango in a dual, challenging and pushing each other out their comfort zones until they confront their fears/pasts.
I eagerly await the second book of this series for the conclusion of the epically amazing and insane story!!
OKay without giving anything away, you have to read this! I couldn’t stop reading it and had to read it all in one sitting. I have always followed Tara and all her books that she has out at the moment I love. I cant wait to read book 2