She’s a take-charge woman. But he’s a master of control.Skye Manning knows what she wants. Her job as assistant and photographer for a major social media influencer isn’t perfect, but it’s a rung on the ladder to bigger and better things. She’s confident she’ll one day take feature photos for National Geographic.Self-made billionaire Braden Black didn’t get where he is by taking no for an answer. … where he is by taking no for an answer. When a chance encounter with the refreshingly innocent and beautiful Skye piques his interest in more ways than one, he’s determined to make her submit.
Dating a billionaire soon has Skye in the middle of a Cinderella story…until the clock strikes midnight and Braden reveals his dark side. Heat sizzles between them, and Skye finds herself falling hard.
But Braden Black is no Prince Charming, and his dark desires are far from his only secret.
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Follow Me Darkly (Follow Me# 1) by Helen Hardt is the story about Skye Montgomery. She is an aspiring photographer who is the personal assistant to social media influencer Addison Ames. When an old friend of Addison visits the office Skye is instantly smitten with billionaire eligible bachelor Braden Black. When Braden takes Skye out for a bite to eat, soon into the the meal he tells her he wants to take her to bed. What starts out as a reluctant one night stands eventually morphs into her becoming his girlfriend. As things get hotter between them so do the thing they do in the bedroom. As a control freak Skye is not only concern with why he would want her but what happened between Addison and Braden. It has been awhile since I have read anything from this author. I really loved her Blood Bond Saga series. I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed this author’s storytelling style till I was into this book. I didn’t get much sleep. I couldn’t put it down. I liked the characters. The chemistry between Skye and Braden is hot got hot. A man of mystery always gets my attention. Braden definitely has some ghost and secrets in his closet. Trying to uncover them is something Skye wants to do and so do I. Skye is discovering she has a dark and kinky side however how far will she allow Braden to go before all hell breaks loose. I can’t wait to find out. 4.5 stars for me. This book has left we salivating for more.
Holy smokes this book was amazing! That ending though!! Now what am I going to do?! Gahhhh. It was beautifully written with the perfect amounts of angst, steam and tension to keep me sucked in the entire time. Definitely a must read! Especially if you like your books with a little bit of kink. Okay…a lot of bit of kink. LOL! Sooo good.
RATING: 4.5/5
Helen Hardt delivers an irresistible story full of steam and mystery that had me hooked from beginning to end.
In the story we get to meet Skye Manning, assistant to Addison Ames, a Boston hotel heiress and social media influencer. As an aspiring photographer, Skye takes pictures of Addison for her instagram, but that’s not what she has always wanted to do. Having moved from Kansas to the big city in hopes of making a name for herself, Skye quickly gets wrapped around Addison’s world and that includes her past. When Braden Black comes into her life all she knows is that the billionaire shares a past with Addison. But no matter how much Skye wants to know more about their past, neither Braden or Addison want to talk about it. It’s a mystery that she can’t seem to solve, but that soon gets clouded by the enigmatic billionaire as he pulls her into his world and shows her what she is truly capable of doing. Yet, the more time they spend together the more she starts to feel for Braden and she quickly learns that in order to be with him she will have to give up control, something that she is not sure she wants to give up at all.
From the eye-catching cover to the intriguing synopsis, Follow Me Darkly did not disappoint at all. Being the first book that I’ve read from the author, I found the story to be compelling and romantic. Told in Skye’s POV, we get to see her develop and fall completely in love with Braden. Yet, we also get to follow on her journey as she dwells deep into the mystery behind Brande’s past. It’s the closer that she gets that she starts to question who Braden really is. It’s their chemistry that drew me in from the start and I cannot wait to read what happens next. The ending was completely unexpected, since it does end with a cliffhanger, but it worked well in the story. All in all, the story was steamy and romantic. I would highly recommend it if love billionaire romances. 🙂
**I received an advanced copy from the publisher**
Wow, Wow, WOW! What a read! I hate waiting for the next book in a series. This book sucked me in, chewed me up, and spit me out! The twists and turns in this book left me breathless and wanting more. Readers can feel the lust coming from Braden and Skye. Wow…just WOW!
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read.
I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this story and I was not disappointed. This is my first time reading Helen Hardt and I am definitely looking forward to reading more.
Skye and Braden will take you on a steamy ride. I could not put this book down, I needed to know more with every page. This is a steamy read that will have you on edge wondering a lot of things. I can not wait for the next book because I have a lot questions that I need the answers too. This is a must read!!
This book was incredible and I NEED more. Yes, it was left on a cliffhanger but I didn’t care; I knew since I have read other series by Helen, and this is just as addicting as that one. Braden Black is giving Christian Grey a run for his money. I can’t wait to see where the next two books are going to take Braden and Addison.u2060
This is serious some intense chemistry for Skye and Braden.
From the first meeting of Braden as a main character you can tell he is fierce and will get what he wants. Even though he is hiding some darkness, he has this draw to him so strong. His billionaire status does help him also.
Skye just happens to be an assistant to someone he knows so the encounter is rather random.
It’s push and pull from the start. I love how Skye holds her ground when he tries to bulldoze over her to take her to the bedroom. She had a strong backbone.
It is my first novel from this author in awhile but it was insanely passionate and highly intoxicating. I had a hard time trying to put it down and it was so addictive. I am so looking forward to what is next for these too.
I’m enamored with this series! Follow Me Darkly will captivate you and keep you entertained from start to finish. This book will leave you breathless and counting down the days until the next release. Skye and Braden both have their secrets, but the journey from acquaintances to more will have you turning the pages as fast as you can read. I enjoyed everything about this book and can’t wait until the next installment release. This will definitely be a series I revisit often!
This is book one in this new series and it’s off to a great start!
Scorching hot, this book had some nice twisty dark elements that had me intrigued.
Braden is a mysterious self made billionaire, full of secrets. Skye is the assistant to a social media influencer. When Braden leaves some comments on a Instagram account she manages, they agree to meet. To say that sparks flew is an understatement. What happens you need to read and find out, and believe me I was glued to my reading device.
The story flowed well and while overall well written, I wish there was more character development. Braden was just a little bit too mysterious which had me thinking… hmmm.
However, the book ends in a cliffhanger and I need to find out what happens next
This is the first book in the Follow Me Series, an erotic romance. The story is hot! Skye and Braden share an instant attraction, and an undeniable and sizzling hot chemistry. Skye is lovely and determined. Braden is rich, handsome, secretive, and intriguing. The story is well written and interesting. I can’t wait to read the next book in the trilogy, Follow Me Under, to know what happens next.
I mean …. WOW
You know what I never get tired of reading? Billionaire alpha heroes that could literally have grown up next door to me. That’s the kind of uber rich alpha male I like to read about. It’s on my level. It’s not out of touch for my realm of possibility so it makes the fiction romance realistic for me and I like to believe 🙂
I know how this author writes or rather I know the process of her trilogies so I was prepared for the build-up and also the different plot points embedded into the story like breadcrumbs. Have no fear readers, everything has a purpose and its purpose will be revealed in due time. What I was not expecting is how much eroticism there was to the storyline. Yes, I expected the bedroom to be kinky and erotic but the story itself was edgy and passionate and quite frankly was maybe what it feels like to walk a tightrope! I mean I’ve never done it, but I can imagine …
I don’t have very much to share with you now because as these things go, the less you know going in, the better off you will be as the story unfolds. I never ever read the synopsis. All I needed was the cover and I jumped. I am on pins and needles right now waiting to see what comes next in the storyline but I suspect it will be just as edgy and sexy and sensual as it has been. I read in a review earlier that this should be made into a movie if it keeps up the trajectory it seems to be following and they are absolutely correct in that assessment. There’s a lot of passion in this story and I have to agree that it would make for one heck of a Passionflix!
FIFTY SHADES…MOVE OVER!
Oh. My. Word. What happens when the enigmatic billionaire appears to fall for a lowly Assistant? Fireworks. That’s what!
Skye Manning is Personal Assistant to hotel heiress, Addison Ames who gets so many opportunities to push products on social media that she needs a photographer to do her “selfies.” Skye is her photographer, gopher and anything else she needs. This is not the job that Skye hoped to have but it pays the bills and she does get to utilize her photography skills…so. After one such “selfie” event, Addison gets an unkind remark on her Instagram account, which Skye immediately deletes but somehow Addie sees it. She knows the unkind remark-maker, Braden Black, from a long time ago. He’s the billionaire aforementioned. Circumstances occur that brings Braden to Addison’s office and he meets Skye. Fireworks!!! He tells her he wants her in his bed. Just like that. Now we wonder, if Braden is so great (he most definitely is a superior hunk of man), why does Addie hate him so? Skye is stunned by Braden’s attraction. Can she really pass up this opportunity? Oh! And, Skye has never experienced an orgasm. Will Braden change that?
This is part one of the trilogy and I’ve bought them all! There is steam, secrets, humor, surprises and so much more. I can already tell this series is going to be off-the-charts in anticipation and expectation. I volunteered to review an ARC through Entangled/NetGalley and it comes highly recommended. Minimum 5 stars…more if I could.
A sensual romance with a little darkness thrown in. The writing and plot create this amazing world filled with chemistry and mystery that keeps you on your toes. The character development is flawless. They are so complex but fit eachother in a way that no one else will. I was so blown away by this book and I can’t wait to read the next in the series.
This book was addicted from start to finish and I have to say this book was so amazing. Each page had me glued to the story I couldn’t stop reading it. The story is intriguing, captivating, dazzling, steamy, sizzling, and with some twists of darkness. I love both main characters and side characters were perfectly written. Their relationship was all consuming and passionate. It’s a story between two people who crave control, but yet one has to give it up, especially in the bedroom. There are definitely secrets and unanswered questions. I wasn’t prepared for the cliffhanger. I’ll definitely be over here waiting for Book 2!!
I received an ARC from Entangled Publishing and Helen Hardt for an honest review
I really, really wanted to like this book and I feel so bad because I just can’t…
When i started this book was because I thought is a standalone, and discovering at the end that there’s two more books was so disappointed, this last was just adding to me not liking the story as much as I was hoping.
Braden Black been so mysterious was something that keep me reading, just because I want to know what he’s hiding, but as I read more chapters my excitement decreases. He doesn’t do relationship, he loves control and that’s probably my biggest problem with him, and with Skye.
I thought she was a person who likes to be in control but she gives all to Braden so fast that I just can’t enjoy the rest of the book. I was hopping more from her and unfortunately for me that never happens.
Well overall I can’t say that the book was bad, for me is an ok story, maybe if I have the knowledge that this supposed to be a trilogy I could go with a different perspective and putting in my mind that this would end with a cliffhanger and get ready for the next installment.
As I always say, read the book that caught your attention and form your own opinion, I been trying to do that more often lately 🙂
Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the advance ebook copy, i freely provided my honest review.
3.5 Stars
Steamy, fun, secretive, and with a hint of steamy are part of why I liked this one, loved how Helen guide is through this one, keeping us reading and happy without giving us too much of a clue of what is going to happen and I love it can’t wait to read the next one in this series
What a delicious read and amazing start to an enthralling new series! Following me Darkly is an erotic page turner, full of mystery, intriguing characters, and a captivating sexual tension that will have you all hot and bothered!
There are some familiar tropes here, or so it begins- they may scratch your 50 Shades of Grey itch, but don’t worry, this story has it’s one teeth. We have the recalcitrant billionaire in Braden- a man who started from nothing and now has everything, a man who goes after what he wants and is use to getting it, a man who needs control. He’s a powerful force- sexy and alluring, the type of hero you desperately want to unravel to figure out all that makes him tick. But he keeps his cards close- desire that emotional power. But he’s intrigued by our considerably younger heroine Skye- the photographer of a social media influence and heiress.But unlike possessive billionaire stories of our past, Skye TOO needs control. She keeps her circle tight, does what she can, even in the bedroom, to keep the power. IN a delightful nod to the age of social media, Instagram brings these two together- and once they meet, chemistry sizzles. Braden does what he does best- makes a deal, tries to acquire what he wants, but the challenge, of course, is that they both need control- emotionally and i the bedroom- how can they act on their chemistry? And, of course, there are secrets, too.
This was my first Hardt book in a while, and I forgot how much I appreciate her prose. Not only is she an engaging writer but she brings such a mysterious tension to her plot and characters. This story was incredibly engaging and so steamy and erotic- with the right amount of darkness. BDSMish stories are hit or miss for me, I need them to be slightly more tender/less humiliating (ie “lighter”) and more emotionally based, and here the power play worked for more in general, nothing too extreme for me. I also appreciated exploring a new element- two power-needing characters. The chemistry was really scorching and captivating- and the overall story alluring and intriguing. I really enjoyed Skye- she’s relatable, inviting as a character. She’s younger but doesn’t read as such. Braden is deliciously mysterious and he has that alpha possessive dominance that revs my engine. I wanted to peel away they layers on both of these characters- both were fascinating, and we have a solid connection here to drive to the rest of the series and to keep the story meaningful.
Fair warning- this ones in a cliffhanger that you’ll be agonizing in until the new year! I would have liked a smidge more unveiling of some of the questions, but we have more books to come, so we have to keep the mystery alive. I’ll definitely be checking out book 2!
I think Follow Me Darkly is easily my favorite Helen Hardt book to date. It’s a blue collar billionaire romance that starts out with a bit of instalust, and then slowly builds in to a mystery that draws the reader in.
Skye Manning has the ultimate job, or one would think. Photographer for one of the world’s most famous influencers and heiress’s, Addison Ames. Skye’s relationship with Addison is kind of a contentious one. Addison is demanding, bratty, and self centered. Being a photographer, Skye is content with being in the background and creating the beautiful images that Addison shares to her followers. It helps hone her skills to hopefully fulfill her ultimate dream of becoming a photographer for a major magazine.
Braden Black is a man of few words. He knows what he wants and goes after it. A blue collar guy who built his business from the ground up, he isn’t used to being told no. And when he first sees Skye at Addison’s office, he set his sights on her.
Braden and Skye’s chemistry is instantaneous. From the boardroom to the bedroom, Braden craves control. The problem is, so does Skye. But when she’s with Braden, that control slips more and more and she finds herself at his mercy and craving things she could never admit to anyone.
I was so afraid this was going to turn in to an instalove kind of book but I am so glad my assumtions were wrong. I was kept wondering exactly what Braden Black’s secrets were. Was Addison telling the truth in her version of events? Did Braden have an even darker side than he lets on?
The first part of Braden and Skye’s story ends on one heck of a cliff hanger. I was hoping for some sort of clue, but nope, didn’t happen. Helen left me craving for more and wracking my brain trying to find and Easter eggs she might have left in the book. Needless to say, it’s going to be a long agonizing wait until the next book
Follow Me Darkly is the first book in the Follow Me Series. This is Braden Black’s & Skye Montgomery’s story. Skye works for Addison Ames who is a social media influencer as Addison’s PA and photographer. Braden is a “self-made” billionaire playboy who visits Addison’s office and meets Skye. He asks Skye out to dinner and then he is very direct and tells her that he wants to take her to bed.
Braden takes Skye down a dark path. Skye becomes attracted to the dark side of Braden.
I loved the chemistry that Skye and Braden have. It is super sexy and this book gets pretty hot! There is a mystery to solve because Follow Me Darkly ends on a cliffhanger. Not a jaw dropping cliffhanger but more of an anticipation type of cliffhanger.
This is my favorite genre to read. A little dark and a little of a BDSM theme. I loved this story and I can’t wait until January when the next book will hopefully be out! 4.5 Stars
„You’re my Everest and I’m determined to conquer you.”
You could tell there are tons of books with controlling, kinky billionaire, but there’s just something about Helen Hardt’s storytelling that captivates you. Follow Me Darkly made me addicted from the very first page. This whole story is surrounded in mystery, laced with seduction and eroticism that makes you unable to stop reading. And what started as a power play turned out to be the story about putting control in someone else’s hands. Braden and Skye were extremely sensual and I couldn’t get enough of them!
Braden is a successful man who always gets what he wants. He’s domineering and commanding, intriguing and completely enticing. But there’s also a darkness and secrecy that surrounds him, and that’s what drew me to him like moth to the flame.
At first Skye appeared to be a little mouse who doesn’t mind living in the shadows and obeying someone else’s commands. However, it quickly turns out that she is a control freak who always follows her own rules.
These two had an instant and undeniable chemistry. And although at the beginning there was push and pull, it quickly evolved into sensual play. Braden and Skye are all about dominance, submission and desire. And while their love story has a lot of kink, it’s not humiliating or degrading. They were scorching hot and I was constantly fanning myself when they were in the same room!
Helen Hardt delivered super steamy and suspenseful story that keeps at the edge of the seat. Follow Me Darkly is highly erotic and secretive, making you completely addicted to the intensity that flows from the pages of this story. I was hooked from the very beginning and I can’t wait to unravel all the secrets this couple carries! I need the continuation asap!