I knew the rules.Never reveal my true identity.Play the game, give the illusion. Don’t get close to the clients. The dark and glamorous lifestyle of the rich and shameless open my eyes to a lavish world of sin and wealth, and a man I can’t have. A man I desperately want—James Riviera. We’re treading a fine line as we live the ultimate double life until we make a startling discovery that tests … we make a startling discovery that tests both our loyalties.
I only had to follow the rules, but rules are meant to be broken.
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An age gap romance and so much more, the writing, plot and dialogue is superb. Aubrey, Valentina, and James’ journey is a rollercoaster ride of fierce emotions. As the plot thickens, there are more twists and storylines that will astonish you. I loved all the secrets and passion. The character development and chemistry between James and Aubrey is awesome.
I had this book on my TBR list forever and never time to read it. I loved her Off Balance taboo series and heart a lot of opposite opinions about this book.
I wanted to know for myself what this whole debacle is about.
Yeah, it is a taboo story again, but this time a little bit more dramatic and hellish erotic.
I didn’t expect anything else, we’re talking about Lucia Franco here, but in this book was like 80% about sexual escapades and 20% actually other topics.
I found this a bit sad because the other topics were really emotional and heartbreaking, but in my opinion they were pushed into the background.
Which doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy this book? I enjoyed it just fine
One of the taboo aspects of the story is of course a older, much older man and a young, but not so innocent girl. We’re talking about more than 30 years older. Yes, I know it’s nothing new nowadays, but he is her best friend father
The other is that our not innocent girl love sex and works for an exclusive escort service. She is a student and trying to survive and support her granny, but has really zero moral scruples in her bones
or maybe has, but only when it’s comes to her grandma or her best friend.
Okay, so that’s the rough description for the story.
Of course, the book has much more to offer and that’s the first book in the series.
So, for all of you, that like erotic off the charts hot stories, that’s definitely a book for you
Slight spoilers in this one I guess, but I need to rant a little so whatever I’m not hiding it lol
Let me start by saying right off the bat, I loved that this book was about a female escort. I’m sure there are books out there about this topic, but this was my first time reading one, and to me it’s a relatively unique premise. I loved that show The Girlfriend Experience, so this was right up my alley.
The most enjoyable part of the whole thing was seeing females speak openly about enjoying sex, and being overall very sex-positive. As we all know, it’s commonly widely acceptable for men to be “womanizers” and still be hot, sexy and “alpha bachelor hotties” or whatever. Yet still, in this day and age, when women do it, we’re considered “sluts”. SO I was happy to read a book in which a woman enjoying sex isn’t necessarily deemed a bad thing. It was a little odd to me that after Aubrey (or “Valentina”) went on 2 jobs, she was already talking like a seasoned hooker, rambling off to James about girls in “her line of work” and whatnot lol. I was like, hunni haven’t you been doing it for like 2 days?? I digress…
This book for me was slow to start. The first few chapters were just following Aubrey and her friend, gallivanting around NYC, and while there’s nothing wrong with it, I personally like my books to get right to the point. But once it got going, I was all in.
James Riviera was another part of this book that I simply loved. I loved how honest he was (you’ll see why in a minute lol) and how damn sexy he was, taking charge in the bedroom. Any sex scene with him in it was fire for sure. I mean, a hot older man with tattoos?? What’s not to love?
Now, James is married. So this book contains cheating… which apparently wasn’t a problem to some readers who claim to despise cheating… Not really sure how that works lol. But obviously I have no problem with it. What I didn’t really understand was how James’s wife seemed to be in such denial about their failing marriage while James insists they’re miserable. The wife apparently thinks everything is fine between them, but then allows him to go out and fuck hookers. That part is never explained.
The book got really juicy for a while there in the middle, and I was fully immersed in this world of the NYC rich and shameless, a world I am quite familiar with living in the city myself. I’m a city girl through and through, so I really related to everything they were doing, setting wise.
Unfortunately, it took a bit of a turn for me around the climax, and I’ll tell you why…
Aubrey agreed, with NO ARGUMENT WHATSOEVER, to dump her boyfriend, Daniel, and stop hooking when she and James made their arrangement. But then without a second, she thought continues to take clients AND keeps seeing Daniel behind James’s back. I didn’t care about the behind the back part, because he’s cheating too so whatever I guess… BUT then when James finds out she still has a boyfriend and she’s still hooking, SHE has the nerve to act mad at HIM for… what? Trying to control her?? She straight up AGREED to dump the boyfriend!! She said yes without hesitation and then just didn’t do it!! It was SO frustrating!
And in all honesty, I felt really bad for Daniel, because he was seriously a super nice guy. He never did a damn thing wrong. He was kind and supportive of Aubrey from day one, never once questioning her even though she was lying, not only about her job and her life, but also fucking someone she was clearly in love with behind his back. And she admitted to just using him for comfort and normalcy, but never has to answer for her actions. It just really rubbed me the wrong way, because then when he eventually finds out and is crushed, he just leaves and never once is another word uttered about him! I want to read the Say Yes novella just to see if he’s ever mentioned, but I sorta feel like he won’t be and that’s just very upsetting to me.
I’m not someone who minds cheating in books AT ALL, if it has a purpose and is resolved. On James’s side, it was (though there were serious holes… what with his wife thinking they were fine, being devastated by the divorce, then just moving on out of nowhere). But with the Daniel thing, nothing was resolved at all, and it made me resent Aubrey a lot. Usually you need some reason to take the protagonist’s side against the person they’re cheating on, like them being cheated on too, or the other party being a scumbag or an asshole… but Daniel was none of those things. He was a genuinely nice guy and he got screwed over and tossed aside like trash.
After that, I found it very hard to be happy for Aubrey. So the story went on, she and Natalie went through their shit and she and James got a very abrupt happily ever after.
I don’t even know, but that’s why I’m conflicted about this book. I did thoroughly enjoy it, and James was a saving point, because I didn’t like Aubrey at all in the end. I would still recommend this book, but I think there were things that could have been done differently in my humble opinion.
Regardless, it’s a good read and I still love this author to death<3
There are no words for this book. It was the bomb. So steamy and the sexual chemistry was off the charts making this book one seriously naughty read. I am speachless. I’ve just bought the audio and am going to start listening to it. 5 stars around by me. My first book my Lucia franco and certainly not my last.
I was left crying for so long after I finished the book. The feels are amazing, and there was so so much to think about. I understood where all the characters were coming from, but I side with the heroine the most!
One of my favorite stories ever. Best book I’ve read this year!
Lucia Franco has forbidden angst down to an art! This book was absolutely amazing. I felt every word down to my toes. James and Aubrey had me holding my breath and dying to see where their story was going to go. And boy did it ever go. I was not prepared for the twists and turns and secrets in this book. My mind was totally blown. I will definitely be telling everyone to read this book!
Be prepared for the steamy sexy times to rock your socks all the way off!
I’ve just recently read my first Lucia Franco book and I’ve been hooked from the start. So when I read the blurb for Hush Hush, I knew right away that I needed to get my hands on this bad boy! She did not disappoint on the taboo front. Lucia Franco brought a new spark to romance with Aubrey’s sexy forbidden romance.
About Hush Hush!
Aubrey is sick of working two dead end jobs in order to put herself through college and take care of her Grammy. If only she were rick like her best friend Natalie, then all her problems would be solved. When Natalie comes clean on how she makes her money and informs Aubrey that her boss is interested in hiring her. Aubrey must make a tough decision. Keep working two dead end jobs or set her morals aside and apply at the very prestige club called Sanctuary Cove and become an escort.
But along the path of this new adventure, Aubrey finds a man she’s attracted to on every level possible. Unknowing this man is closer to her than she even realizes.
My Thoughts:
If you are looking for an extremely sexy read where no lines are left uncrossed, look no further and pick up Hush Hush.
When I first started this book I was immediately intrigued by the premise. It felt very *Pretty Woman*ish, only with more sex, more heat, and many more downright dirty moments.
Aubrey is independent to a T in every aspect of her life. She’s working to support her Grammy as she busts her ass to get through college. All she wants is a better life for the both of them and that’s something I can respect and admire from her character. This woman is strong and has been through enough.
Natalie and Aubrey’s relationship and sister type bond is something I also really enjoyed about this novel. These two are two peas in a pod, and there antics were hilarious! There were moments during their conversations where I laughed so hard.
Hush Hush was brilliant and extraordinaire!
Some of the hiring male’s fetishes weirded me out a bit… like hannibal lecter kind of weird. Those moments just added to the dynamic of the novel and showed this profession isn’t all cookie cutter sex and perfect chemistry. You get the kink with the norm.
Overall, Hush Hush had an interesting take on the escort profession. I loved how Lucia Franco didn’t sugar coat the nitty gritty and I loved how this book was so different than the normal approach to this type of storyline. It was definitely a page turner. I loved Aubrey’s story. However, there were some moments I felt ran on a little too long. and some moment I wanted a little more time with and that’s why I dropped the rating from a 5 to a 4 star.
I highly recommend Hush Hush by Lucia Franco for those looking for something a little different and something really sexy. Be warned, this reads more like an erotica than a contemporary romance and it does involve cheating. If cheating is a nono for you, this my not be the book for you.
-Alecia @ The Staircase Reader
Honestly I wasn’t sure what this book was about. I quickly read the blurb, but it was a little vague. All I knew was that Lucia Franco wrote it and it was a forbidden romance. And if anyone knows how to write a forbidden romance it is her. This book is hot and sexy and forbidden in so many ways. There are twists that will shock you and moments that will completely test your limits, and your morals. I questioned mine many times while reading it. All I can say is to just go in blind, it is so much better that way.
Hush Hush was a fantastic read. It is a hot and sexy romance that will break you once or twice. I was sucked in from the first page. I devoured this book, ad when it was all over I was sad that it ended. These are two characters that I cannot forget. I want more of them. Lucia Franco has this way of making a forbidden romance feel so right. As I said earlier, you may question your morals but everything that these two characters feel you feel with them. It may be wrong, but Ms. Franco makes it feel so very right.
It was perfect!
Five hush hush stars! Hot, forbidden and steamy read.
Oh my! Oh My! Hush Hush by Lucia Franco is the book my dirty mind needed! It was a real breath of fresh air! The author, who is new to me, took erotica to a whole new level. Too sinful. Too dirty. Too consuming. Too hot. Too forbidden. It is filthy temptation filled with sinful lust. It made lava run in veins liquefying my insides like no other book before! Hush Hush is a game of illusion where the dark and glamorous lifestyle of rich tempts you, where sin and wealth are synonymous. Everything was unexpected and so hot and sexy.
This is not an ordinary romance, it is unique in every sense. Steamy as hell! This book will throw your comfort zone out of the window. It is a tantalizing tale that will make you ache and burn for more! I was hooked from the first page to the last one. I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough. I couldn’t put it down. I devoured it! The story is riveting, captivating, wicked and decadent with a pulsing plot so flawlessly developed. A read full of hot erotic encounters that will satisfy your inner goodness. This story will make you change your white angelic wings for a dark devilish wings!
Behind all the sex and erotic encounters, it is a story of a young woman who had big losses too early in her life and she craves for more. It is a life story that shows us how destructive deceit could be. Aubrey took the risk to live a double life when she knew how her bestie makes unbelievable money. As a student she didn’t make enough money to take care of her granny and taking a job in Sanctuary Cove will be so tempting and an easy answer to patch her money needs. However every work has rules and Sanctuary Cove won’t be the exception although rules are meant to be broken.
Aubrey will be trapped in a web of lies, wealth, sex and sin. She will work hard to separate her true self when she takes clients but a sexy silver fox will take more that she wanted to give. He will conquer her. Because James Riviera is the definition of sex in flesh! How could she resist the explosive attraction between them? Even when she know he is forbidden. He will chase her until she surrender to his deepest and sensual desires. Loyalties will be tested. Hearts will be in danger. Boundaries will be crossed.
The cherry on the top of this tempting cake is James Riviera. He is just how all silver foxes should be; dominant, possessive and viciously sexy with that salt and pepper hair that made women drop their panties. James is a proof that age is only a number. His body is to die for, colourfully marked with tattoos that have meaning; moments that were priceless. His maturity just added to his attractiveness. A conqueror and a hunter. He is a man who knows what he wants. Dangerous and powerful.
Hush Hush is a college romance with a deep erotic shade and a few touches of dark romance. This book is not going to be gentle for soft hearts. If hot, tempting, angsty, tear-jerking reads are your thing, get on this book now! It will take you on an angst-lust filled journey. You won’t be disappointed! Morals will be flying out the window. It will make you question how much will you be able to sacrifice for money? Do your soul and body have a price?
Where do I start ?
This book was insane , This definitely was the lifestyle of the Rich and Shameless . These characters were fast paced , wild and crazy!
Aubrey and Natalie are college students trying to survive in NY. Natalie works as an escort and helps Aubrey get into the business . That’s how she meets James the silver fox. A forbidden much older man.
This is where her life starts to unravel. She made desicions that I did not agree with . I didnt agree with some of Jame’s decisons either .Some parts were difficult for me to read . She definitely took me out of my comfort zone ! But the sexy scenes were on point and hot ! Some I did get sucked into the story because when Lucia writes a scene you live it!!!. She always adds shock value to her stories . You will be in for surprise or two…. As a writer Lucia has grown so much . This story shows what a strong writer she is . She can write anything . This steamy story will have your kindle melting .It’s that hot. You will have to come out and read how the Rich and Shameless really live !!!
3.5 stars
“Money can buy a lot of things, but it can’t buy moments, and those are priceless.”
Hush Hush was my first book by Lucia Franco and wow, what a pleasant surprise! This book is full of erotic encounters, some funny, some steamy hot, some you don’t want to read in public. I was captured and intruiged from the first page to the last.
“Life is a collection of moments”
The story is well paced with interesting developments. However some of them were quite predictable which somehow muffled my excitement for this book. The characters are well developed and very fitting for this story.
“Becoming your lover was part of the job, but falling for you … I had no control. I didn’t stand a chance.”
Hush Hush is a very intriguing book that will surely entertain and satisfy your need on hot erotic encounters.
I am Grade A OBSESSED with Hush, Hush — and now, even more so with Lucia Franco.
First, I’m not going to lie…it took me a bit to get into this book. Don’t get me wrong, I love Aubrey and Natalie’s dynamic — they were fun and bubbly. Two girls I would totally want to be my friends, but it just took me awhile to get into that “fully engrossed zone” I need to be in.
But you guys, once I reached that zone, I was done. GONE. Forget trying to get me out of it. It simply wasn’t going to happen.
This book was HOT. Way hotter than some of the books I’ve been reading. Also, I’m 99.9% positive this is the BIGGEST age gap I’ve personally read in a book…and I. WAS. HERE. FOR. IT. (Don’t worry, BOTH parties are of legal age.) Aubrey and James are EVERYTHING together, and I couldn’t get enough of them!
Hush, Hush was packed with angst, drama, and at one point, it felt as if my heart completely dropped into my stomach. A story like this is exactly way forbidden romances are my favorite. They make you feel every beautiful, excruciating moment characters go through to be together. They’re unapologetic in their love, and Lucia Franco absolutely kills it with this one.
It’s taken me a few days to actually write this review after finishing the book. I still don’t know what to say about this book. It is different from other books I have read recently, which is what caught my attention in the first place. This book is definitely not for everyone, but if you’re willing to open your mind to the lifestyles of the rich and the shameless it is one to check out.
Aubrey, there was just something about her. I had such a difficult time connecting to her character and I can’t pinpoint why. She just seemed rather immature at times, but at the same time she had to grow up quickly with losing her parents at a young age and now she is the one going to school full time and working two jobs to take care of her grammy.
I do love the friendship/sister bond between Aubrey and Natalie. Those two girls are thick as thieves and have the type of friendship that everyone would want or want to be a part of. Some of my favorite scenes and lines throughout the book came from their interactions together.
James, well he is one smooth talking, alpha, silver fox and you can’t help but love him. His is high profile lawyer, gentleman and one amazing dirty talker. There is no denying the instant chemistry between him and Aubrey. I seriously thought my kindle would catch fire with the heat between the two of them. James is forbidden. He is a client and he is a married man. There could never really be anything between them. But will Aubrey be able to stay away?
If you’re looking for a super steamy, slightly kinky, age gap romance this is definitely one to check out!
Man, this book.
I truly enjoyed this crazy and sexy ride Lucia Franco put me through in this book. Aubrey and James were F-I-R-E on the pages and the angst and tension were insane; that’s why I love forbidden/age gap romance books, and Lucia Franco is SOOO good at that!
The reasons why I didn’t feel this book in particular was a full 5-star for me was mainly due to the fact that it took me a bit to fully get into the story. I also had some issues with the heroine and her friend’s (secondary character) dynamic a bit in the beginning. I do recognize that those are MY own hang-ups and some of the things they did felt a bit “out there” for my liking, but I’m not a young woman living in NYC in this generation so in that sense, there was some disconnect there FOR ME.
Other than that, once the book picked up the pace, it was one heck of a ride!!
RC RECEIVED!!!!!!!
I AM ON CLOUD 9!!!!! THIS IS MY FIRST BIG AGE GAP BOOK & THE WAY LUCIA WROTE IT CONVINCED ME. HO LEE FCK HE was 52 & she was still in college, it was mind blowing! I felt all kinds of emotions. It was filthy hot. Couldn’t put my kindle down. So sexy, so hot, i was so swooned by James. My imagination went wild. So powerful I forgot i was reading a book. I devoured this book and fall hopelessly in love with James and Aubrey. Now I want more. I always want more with Lucia’s writing. Damn!
What a heart wrenching ride!
4.5
It is true that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but Lucia tested my limits with this book..in a good way. I must admit at first it was touch, but I pulled up my big girl panties and trusted Lucia. She did not disappoint. I love James so much! Of course I didn’t approve of things both he and Aub did, but these kinds of books are the reason I’m a reader. If I wanted something fluffy and safe then I never would have agreed to this book, but I knew any story in Lucia’s Head would take me to those heights that I crave as a reader. Can I just say the steam factor on this one is off the charts—HOT. So so good!!
“I need this man something fierce. “James?” “Hmm?” My jaw trembles. “Make love to me?” “Sweetheart, I’ve been making love to you all along.”
This book! Wow. That’s about all I can say. Lucia Franco can certainly write taboo and forbidden like nothing you’ve ever seen. This is the story of Aubrey Abrams, a college student who grew up without much and is trying everything she can to survive and provide for her beloved grandmother. An opportunity comes up that would make her more money than she ever dreamed of having and you are on the edge of your seat to see if she’ll go through with it. When she does, oh my !
Her new world finds her crossing paths with the mysterious but enigmatic, James Riviera. He’s a much older man, but the sparks fly off the page when they meet.
There is a twist that I will not spoil, but it is juicy !
I absolutely loved this book and devoured every page.
I swear, Lucia is SUCH a queen. I seriously cannot help but fall in love with everything that this beautiful woman writes!
Lucia isn’t afraid to pull a reader out of their comfort zone, and that’s exactly what it felt like when I had first started reading Hush, Hush. To be honest, prior to starting reading, I was a little bit skeptical as to whether I would enjoy this story or not. Had I now known what an incredible author Lucia is, I may not have given this book the chance that it deserved. I normally am not into this trope/genre of romance, but Lucia pulled me out of my normal comfort zone, and showed me that sometimes you HAVE to step out and try something new.
&All I can say now is that I am SO very happy that I gave this incredible book the chance that it deserved.
Hush, Hush is about Aubrey and Natalie. These two are best friends and thick as thieves. They both attend the same college in NYC, and they share an apartment as well.
After a babysitting job gone slightly wrong, Aubrey was seeing more and more that nothing was working, and no matter what she did, the money just wasn’t adding up to where she needed it to be.
She vents to Natalie about her circumstances, and Natalie offers to help her get a job where she works. She tells her that she can make thousands of dollars everyday if she chooses to take the job offer. After alot of thought, Aubrey decides to take Natalie up on her proposition.
&After that final decision, that’s when things went haywire.
I do have to say, James is seriously something else. Oh man. He is sexy, fun to read, and man does he match Aubrey’s personality SO perfectly. They seriously are a match in heaven…..&hell.
There was so much steam & heat that I was worried my kindle was going to light on fire. Lucia created a world full of NYC’s elite, and there wasn’t any detail spared, so everything could be pictured exactly as is, right in your mind. You will laugh, cringe, feel the steam flow from the pages, and you will have your emotions messed with! There are twists and turn’s and moment’s where you can’t help but think, “OH. MY. Did that SERIOUSLY JUST HAPPEN?!?” . But, that is nothing new, because we all know how much Lucia loves to mess with her readers! It is something you can’t help but nervously anticipate, and at the same time you can’t wait to see what twist she created this time!
No matter how much I love Kova(I do love him more than James, but I think thats because I have 3 books of Kova, and he still holds so much mystery.), I am not going to lie, I think that this is Lucia’s best work yet. She continues to exceed any and all boundaries, and Hush, Hush is in a group all of its own.
If you love steam, dirty talking alphas, a woman who isn’t afraid to take what she wants, whenever she wants, and two shameless best friends that don’t allow anything to break them…than Hush, Hush is absolutely PERFECT for you. If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. It felt amazing to be pulled out of my comfort zone, and enjoying it at the same time. Congratulations to the phenomenal Author that is Lucia Franco. Hush, Hush is coming for the romance world, and is an absolutely amazing addition!
3.5 Stars!
I felt this was a really different story from what I was expecting. But then again Lucia Franco loves to shock my weak heart so I should have known. I’d honestly give this book 10/10 for the shock value because I did not see the twists and turns for even a second. My jaw was on the floor asking what even in the world just happened.
I love the way Lucia writes, with abandon. She never holds back and gives you a story that is raw and hard hitting.
I actually had a hard time getting into the story for the first 30% and that was mostly because of the heroine. I couldn’t connect to her at all. On top of that I was done with her and my feelings didn’t really change for her. She could have done so many things so much better.
James Riviera was a saving grace. He entered with a bang and man I loved it. This man is INSANE, I tell you but he knows how to go after who he wants. I also felt so bad for him at times because no one should have to hide and compromise with who they really are and having to do that for most of your life is just despicable. I love that he finally found someone who loves like he does. *all the heart eyes*
10/10 would risk my life for James Riviera.