“He owns you. Whatever he tells you to do you do”.
One year. No future. A past that won’t go away.
Lennox “Nox” Demetri broke his own rule by making a deal. It may not have been directly with the devil, but that doesn’t mean Satan himself isn’t watching. Was it fate that brought Charli into his life and his bed? What will happen when rules are broken and secrets are revealed?
“New rules…my … revealed?
“New rules…my rules.”
Alex “Charli” Collins found pleasure with Nox like she’d never known. That was before she knew his last name. Now that Infidelity is involved and the rules have changed, what will result when real life and fantasy collide?
Is it really cheating if you’re doing it to yourself?
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a sexy, new dominant hero who knows what he wants and a strong-willed heroine who has plans of her own. With classic Aleatha Romig twists, turns, deceptions, and devotions, the depth of this new, epic dark romance reaches new levels and will have readers swooning one minute and screaming the next.
Have you been Aleatha’d?
CUNNING is a full-length novel, 360 pages, and the second of five books in the INFIDELITY series.
Infidelity – it isn’t what you think.
more
A true masterpiece.
I’m utterly addicted to this series and totally entranced by the plot.
There’s so much intrigue, so much deception lurking in the shadows as if ready to pounce at any moment that, once again, I found myself on edge the whole book.
Since the first book, I’ve developed a huge crush on Alex/Charli. She is so strong, tenacious and she’s the perfect balance between emotion and reason. She fights for what she wants, she doesn’t back down from any challenge, either created by her dysfunctional family nor even by Nox. And man, he can be challenging.
She had the grace to dodge the danger but also the strength to fight it head on when the time called for it. And she did all that with finesse, courage and love.
Nox’s also stolen my heart. Even when he was cold, there was this hot energy oozing from him that was scorching. He was intense, so full of secrets and surrounded by mystery and completely impossible not to love. He could be the cocky, intense and sexy Nox from Betrayal, or he could be the dangerous, jerk Mr. Demetri from Cunning, but he was always the protective, loving, supportive Lennox that stopped at nothing to care for his Charli.
This book was flawlessly constructed and there were secrets popping up at every turn, some of them I’d antecipated, but other ones caught me completely off guard and putting the book down wasn’t an option.
Something new about this book was Adelaide (Charli’s mother) POV that added drama and so many emotions to the book. I was torn between hating her and feeling sorry and simpathetic about her.
And it was incredible the dichotomy between mother and daughter’s history. Right after I started to wonder if Charli was ending up in her mother’s shoes regarding the men with they are involved, it was brought in the book their realities and how different they were despite the apparent similarities. Alton and Nox were polar opposites and the proof of that was their treatment and respect (lack of in Alton’s case) toward the women in their lives.
I’m craving the next book something fierce and I have a feeling it’ll be as unputdownable as the previous ones.
This entire series is awesome. The Author is very talented and makes the flow of this series captivating to the point you cannot put it down. A must read
Cunning is the 2nd book in this series. Great storyline as you get to find out more about Nox and Alex and their families and learn just how “cunning” they really are. Fab read, pulls you in and keeps you wanting more, can’t wait for the next book.
Cunning was one of my most anticipated reads of 2016. It did NOT disappoint! While Betrayal laid the groundwork, Cunning built the story. We got answers to some of our questions and were left hanging with many more. I was enthralled and enticed from the first chapter. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! Nox and Charli are a captivating pair, both with their own share of vulnerability and power. You can’t help but root for them to solidify their place in each other’s arms. However, the twisting, turning, ups and downs of this story are certainly not going to make it easy for them. This book is a fast-paced, suspenseful, sensual and engaging read. Cunning was everything I have come to expect from this author and more! Book 3 arrives in May, 2016 and I cannot wait. I highly recommend this new series from this author because I LOVE IT and I hope you will too!
I loved loved Betrayal… Cunning the rules change and so the love for this series… It only gets better.. Betrayal is a home run.. But Cunning hits it out of the ball park!!!!!!
Aleatha Romig once again has created a masterpiece. Cunning, suspenseful, exciting and a full of twist “never believe you have figured out the story- because once you do- you will find another piece of the puzzle that leads you down a new path.”
Nox is sexy, sweet and willing to give Charlie everything she never knew she wanted. At least until the rules changed and the real domineering Nox came out to play. Unfortunately, Nox doesn’t always play by all of his own rules, Angry and feeling betrayed- Nox planned on teaching Charli his new rules. Rules he expected to be followed without having to repeat himself more than once or suffer his consequences.
Charlie is independent and determined, ready to follow her dream. Charli might have signed a deal- but that does not mean she is willing to give up her dreams or the new freedom she is seeking. Consequences or not, Charli refuses to follow Nox’s rules- she escaped her past before and she will again.
Charli quickly finds out that Nox, in Palo Alto, is not the same as Mr. Demetri, the man who owns her. Nox and Charlie are both fighting to win the war of wills – Nox changes the rules leaving Charli ready to break the rules and push Nox to his limits in order to prevail over the power struggle. Little do either of them realize, the struggles have just began and it is no longer between Charli and Nox – new players and secrets are revealed and not everyone is who they say.
Readers will easily fall into the story, feeling the heart warming and heartbreak moments. The painful past of her characters and the exciting future that are not always fairy tales- endings; especially when so many of the players in the ring have their own agenda.
Aleatha Romig does a beautiful job bringing her characters to life- you do not just read her books- you become part of them; feeling all the emotions the characters are experiencing. Nox not only gave me thrilling chills but made my heart skip a beat or two. Aleatha has a wonderful talent for writing thrillers and giving her readers a story they will never forget. It is beautifully written- keeping the story intriguing and stimulating. I cannot wait for the next book in the series- Deception.
Cunning begins where Betrayal left off…
After signing for Infidelity to secure the continuation of her schooling, Charli didn’t expect a call from someone who will own her for a year. At first Charli’s excited but later on she became nervous because he’s not the same Knox she met and spent a week of pure pleasure in Del Mar!
Knox tried his best to own Charli by demanding this and that, but Charli won’t just follow the rules, she rebels against it. But you can feel the love between these two, their concern for each other and sexy moment are just HOT!
Book two also explores the history of Montague and how it affects the life of Adelaide.
Addicting, enthralling, riveting series that keep you asking for more about Knox, Charli and other characters that are worth reading about.
Moving on to Book 3 – Deception.
The story continues where book one left us hanging. More twists and turns and secrets are revealed in part two.
In usual Aleatha style as one question is answered a whole load more need asking. I think I read this book in a day. I couldn’t put it down… it was thoroughly addictive. Flitting between the past & current day we learn a little of the Montague history through Adelaide, Alex’s mother… we learn of the future of the Montague Corporation and deals that we’re made and put in place when Alex was barely five years old.
As the story progresses I love the character of Alex / Charli , I love that she is a strong , independent person wanting to make a life on her own. Being an outstanding student graduating from Stanford with the highest grade possible she is more than determined to leave her family and all it’s power and money behind as she continues onto Colombia law to study for her post graduate qualification in becoming a top class lawyer. I love how she is not spoilt or bratty and clearly knows her own mind she is a perfect match for Lennox ‘Nox’ Demetrie; full of secrets and a past of his own he is still an enigma but there is a clear history that both families are entwined somehow.
In true Aleatha fashion we will never know the full extent of those secrets until the last page is turned.!! Thoroughly addictive and on route to a major book hangover…
4.5 Stars…
After reading Betrayal, I was sucked into the story of Nox and Charli. Well, really it was the beginning of the story they were telling me. I waited patiently for this book to come out. Then it did…
Just like Aleatha’s other books, this story is so full of twists and turns. Nothing is as it seems. No one is who you think they are. The lies and deceit are thick and getting thicker from the first page to the last.
Aleatha’s books are full of trust and mistrust. This series is just that. Who does one trust? Who is the bad guy? Who is the good guy? Is the bad guy the good guy and vice versa?
I was sucked in from the first word. This one is another page turner that will capture you from the start to finish. Just like any other book in Aleatha’s series, there is a cliffhanger. If you are one of those that don’t like to wait between books, you will have to wait just a little bit longer for all the books to be out.
Speaking of the cliffhanger. Although it left me with the wanting of more, I kind of saw it coming. It was exactly how I expected it to. However, that didn’t make it any less jaw dropping.
It was an awesome read, couldn’t put it down
Aleatha proved me wrong.
I’ll explain…
Usually when there is a series where each book is kinda it’s own story. It involves a couple and each book has it’s own drama, story-line, things the couple has to over come and all that. Some series get stretched way beyond when they should have ended. Then you are reading about drama just for the sake of drama because the original arc of the story has ended. I don’t like it when this happens. Give me a good solid set of 2 books with a really good story rather then dragging it out to 5 books and having half of them just be filler books. You know what I mean?!?
Well, when I read and reviewed Betrayal I thought and kinda feared that this is where that was going. I liked that book. I loved those characters and didn’t want that for them. I saw that this was going to be a five book series from what Aleatha had posted. It had me worried and almost a little sad.
I was wrong…
When Aleatha weaves a tale you should sit down and pay attention. Take notes even. You think that tiny little detail you read in chapter two was pointless, think again. It all means something and it is all important. Nothing is filler, nothing is drama for the sake of having it, everything is needed. This is more then I expected and I have never been more excited to be proven wrong. I can’t wait for Deception and Entrapment and Fidelity. I don’t know where this is going even though I may think my ideas are solid, I bet I’m wrong. This may be a 5 book series all about the same couple but the story is so much more then the romance of Nox and Charli.
I can’t recommend this enough. Do not miss these books.
Aleatha Romig has done it again. The characters of this series are amazing! I love the twists and turns of the book as of course the passion. Just when you think you have everything figured out, there is more.
Some of my reactions while reading:
*jaw hits the floor*
*WHAT?!?! Mind blown*
*awe swoon! I love him* #dibsonNox
*I hate him!*
*I love him again*
*O.M.G!!! Plot twist!*
AND THE PLOT THICKENS!! *cue the music dundunDUUUN*. The development of the storyline and characters in CUNNING is astounding! Right when you think you know what’s going on, Aleatha Romig throws in a MAJOR plot twist and changes everything!
We learn more and more about all the characters from book 1, BETRAYAL and we’re introduced to some new key players. Yes, I said NEW, as in MORE characters to add to the twists and turns. I swear this is Aleatha’s plan…throw us all these characters, give us bits and pieces of their involvement in the storyline and then leave us hanging until the next book…and I’M LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT! I can imagine Aleatha doing an evil *mahaha* laugh here. *lol*. Well moving on. In CUNNING the characters and storyline pull such emotion from the reader. For example, whenever Alexandria’s (aka Charli) mom, Adalaide is present, I want to reach through the book and beat her over the head with a 2×4 to knock some sense into her, all the while yelling “WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?”. *lol*. Then there’s Nox (#dibs BTW *wink*) whom in the beginning of CUNNING was breaking my heart *tears*. But THANKFULLY we get his POV again in this book, so we get to know his reasoning’s behind his choices. Then there’s Alton…I LOATHE HIM! He is a self-serving, pompous, righteous man (I can barely call him a man) that’s only out to protect himself and his interests, but without him, there wouldn’t be much of a story *grr*. I pray he gets his in the end! I could go and on about these characters, but I should probably leave it at that.
And this is another aspect of the book that keeps the reader on their toes…ALL THE NAMES! Each character goes by a different name depending on whom they are with or what POV we’re in:
Lennox Demetri: Nox
Alexandria Charles Montague Collins: Charli, Alex, Alexandria
Adalaide Montague Collins Fitzgerald: Laide
Edward Bryce Spencer: Bryce
The multiple POV’s make for an even more in depth plot and storyline! It’s almost as if all these POV’s intensify the story. They give the readers THAT MUCH MORE to focus on. In CUNNING, we get an additional POV, Alexandria’s mom, Laide, which like I mentioned adds MORE layers to the story. We also go back and forth from past to present. Nox and Charli’s POV’s are in the present whereas most of Laide’s chapters occurred 16-20 years ago, so we get to read her motivations behind her decisions *grr*. I’m curious to see if Aleatha gives us more POV’s in book 3 DECEPTION.
I have a feeling this series is going to be like peeling back an onion, a very LARGE onion. Each book goes further and further into the layers and reveals more and more secrets. I, for one, CAN NOT wait for the next book to come out in May 2016. I truly believe this will easily be a TOP fav of mine from 2016!
5++ stars!
#dibsonNox
#californiawine
#batman
#princess
Book Two was a perfect installment to this awesome series. I absolutely love love love NOX. There were a few moments when I was on the fence, but this book completely changed my mind. Is he an alpha male? Short tempered? Says the wrong thing at the wrong time? Hell yeah he is. But, does he truly, deep down, inside his soul love love love Charli? If you haven’t read Betrayal, grab it. If you have and haven’t read Cunning? What are you waiting for? I am not going any further in this review, except to say…If you enjoy bad ass alpha’s, smart sassy female’s, steamy sex scenes, and back ground stories full of twists and turns, then this is the series for you.
Sometimes when you ready books like this it’s exhausting for the characters to keep fighting each other all the time. I like this book because Nox isn’t a complete jerk and actually has some good communication skills. I feel like it’s a wee bit drawn out and there’s so much secrecy, but I love that we’re in on the secrets because of the different POVs in this book. I feel like I could stop here and be content with the ending, but I also want to know more and see how it all comes together.
Read 2/1/2020
Cunning was the second book in the five book series Infidelity by Aleatha Romig. It was the continuation of Alexandria Charles Montague Collins aka Alex or Charli and Lennox “Nox” Demetri and cannot be read as a stand-alone.
Cunning started at the exact scene Betrayal left off. It read as one book so I would have preferred it as one, or at least as a box set. I didn’t enjoy the beginning as much as I enjoyed the first book and I think it was because there was a break in reading. Again, I prefer one flow of reading versus having it chopped up.
As to the characters, I felt like I was reading different characters from book one with the same name. I despised Nox. Once the stage was set for this book, Romig then began to put some mystery into the plot through various other POV’s both present and past. I then began to enjoy it more, but there were still times with Nox that I despised.
Otherwise, it was a quick read and a good continuation of the series. However, I do believe books one and two could have easily been combined and condensed without losing depth. As expected, another cliff hanger. Deception is next. Two down, three to go.
Betrayal and Cunning
Woah! That is really an exciting read. But I didn’t expected anything else from Aleatha Romig. I loved her other books but had never time to read this series. It’s beyond me why I waited so long
The first book was at the beginning a little bit slow and had a lot of descriptions, but after that everything made complete sense. You’ve to have all the background knowledge to understand the dynamic of the blue-blood-royal-lunatics world
This series is exciting and unbelievable dramatic. Some of you already know how I love my dramas for everyone else: I not only love it, I need it in my books
The first book is like an introduction to the whole disaster that begins at the end of book 1 and continues in book 2. I love the connection between Alex and Nox.
I love that both characters are strong, through for some Alex’s behavior may appear sometimes weak. You’ve to remember that she is a survivor of the cruel childhood and she fights for her independence. She has doubts and fears the demons from her past, but she fights!
I’m team Alex .
Nox is a control freak and workaholic who has so many secrets and demons from his past, that they seems to overran his life.
I don’t really know if I love or hate him. I think it’s something in between
I love how gripping and dramatic the second book was.
It’s incredible captivating and thrilling. I’m currently reading the third book and wow!
The review will be of course continued… They are 3 more books in this series to read
(I am fully aware that most of you have already read this series )
Good second book in the series!
This book continues with Nox and Charli’s story. They met before when Charli was on vacation. Charli takes a job she shouldn’t have only because she needs money fore school. It is working with men. Nox is one man who hires Charli. Cunning ends in a cliff hanger, Aleatha Romig does that to us on purpose. She makes us want to suffer with unanswered questions and dive right into the next book in the series. Aleatha, Bravo on another 5 star read!!
Charli goes behind Miss Alexandria Collins and a different facet of Her and Lennox Demetri Surfaces in this book. The Rules have certainly changed. And way for the better !!
The story goes through many sharp turns and curves. Alex and Nox coming closer, drifting apart, building trust , doubting each other , yet their love continues to strengthen , then the end happens and you’re left with a gaping mouth….
I want to say more….much much more , but I cant so I’ll say this .
what we see in Nox and Alex ‘s love story , is just a tip of the iceberg. The elaborate behind the scenes story is one of intrigue, politics, revenge, murder, Guilt,Betrayal and Cunning !
Nox and Alex are mere pawns in a game of chess being played between power hungry families .
For the record- I Hate Alton and Oren !
nobody can knit an elaborate tale like Aleatha can .
threads are spreading like tentacles and I can’t Wait to see how they intertwine in the next book to come together Again
I was very excited to get reacquainted with Charli and Nox. Then I started the first chapter and wanted to punch Nox in the face repeatedly for a good chunk of the beginning chapters. It was like he was a totally different man than the one we met in Betrayal. As their story unfolds glimpses of the man from Del Mar start to shine through. True to the style of storytelling we’ve come to know and love from Aleatha Romig, this installment is packed with twists and turns. Pieces of the puzzle are revealed through Adelaide’s POV. My mind is trying to will the story away from where I think it’s going. But with AR you just never know and that is a double edged sword. She makes you love, she makes hate, she makes you hurt and in the end I know she’ll make it all worth it.