Stella Sullivan
Bright. Dedicated. Loyal.
The day I walked into his boardroom, I had no idea my life was about to change forever. It was supposed to be a simple proposal that would catapult my career. The chance to help Hurst & McCoy save one of their flailing business lines seemed simple enough. However, I never expected that one look at Maxwell McCoy would have me grasping for control. … grasping for control. He’s demanding, charming, powerful; most of all he’s beautiful, inside and out. As hard as I fought against the attraction, he broke down my defenses. But he’s hiding things. Even when secrets, lies, and greed threaten everything I have worked so hard for, I couldn’t walk away. There’s no denying, the moment my eyes landed on Maxwell McCoy was the moment I became his.
Maxwell McCoy
Rich. Brilliant. Powerful.
People only see me as CEO of Hurst & McCoy. The ruthless businessman whose mere presence demands respect. People don’t know I chose to leave a life I loved in order to protect my father’s legacy and reputation. When my company’s future was threatened, I had no choice but to seek assistance. The day Stella Sullivan walked into my boardroom was the day my heart started beating again. One business proposal, from the topaz-eyed beauty, changed my life. She tried to deny our unyielding chemistry, but I wouldn’t. I should let her go, but I didn’t.
The smokescreen I created soon comes crashing down, forcing me to fight for everything I love.
*Due to graphic language and explicit sexual situations, this book is recommended for readers 18+.
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Smokescreen ~ a ruse designed to disguise someone’s real intentions or activities
Ahren Sanders couldn’t have chosen a more fitting title for her newest release. There’s a plethora of secrets and duplicity throughout the text, and while most of it is done in the name of revenge and greed, some deceptions or hidden truths are used in order to cope with regrets and mishandled choices.
Maxwell McCoy is one such hero who falls into the latter category, and for the last three years, he hasn’t really been living, keeping everything close to the vest and doing what needs to be done for his company and his father’s legacy. But in order to clean up the issues that plague Hurst & McCoy, he needs a PR firm who can reimage the business and do damage control on multiple fronts, which is where Stella Sullivan comes into play and clears the smoke that has surrounded both Max’s personal and professional life, rendering him, for the most part, an open book to Stella, at least those are Max’s intentions when the connection he feels for Stella is worth playing a new kind of game – the forever kind.
But the business world is filled with duplicity, and when things get personal between Max and Stella hiding their relationship is the least of their worries when there are multiple players threatening to not only separate them but wreak havoc in all areas of their lives.
Going in to Smokescreen, I had heard such amazing things about Ahren Sanders’ Reed’s Reckoning, and while I own the text, I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, so when a blog tour opened up for Max and Stella’s story, I knew I needed to sign-up, and I’m so glad that I did! I loved everything about this story! The writing is extremely engaging; it has a great blend of steam, humor, and conflict that will have readers turning pages until a resolution is reached. A captivating storyline is a necessity in a text, but what really solidify the greatness of Sanders’ text are her characters, both the hero/heroine as well as the family and friends who surround them.
Max McCoy is a dominant in the bedroom and the boardroom; he’s alpha to the core and he protects what’s his. Stella takes his breath away from their very first meeting, and from that day on, he does everything in his power to claim her. In words and deeds, Max becomes Stella’s willing captive, and as their relationship grows throughout the text, he shows her and everyone else the kind of man he is due to his love for her and the presence she has in his life. I love a hero who is strong and confident but also brought to his knees by the woman of his dreams and not afraid to show it and claim those feelings – that’s exactly the kind of man Max is.
Stella Sullivan is a force to be reckoned with; she’s a compassionate and selfless woman who also has a great amount of strength and determination. She’s everything Max never knew he wanted, and he is the man who she can trust to have her back in everything. They make such a fantastic couple and the chemistry between them is written so well that readers can’t help but smile during all of Max and Stella’s interactions.
Laci, Jake, Pedro, Ryan…I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed the whole ensemble of supporting characters in a book like I enjoyed Sanders’ crew. They add so much to the text and illustrate the kind of people both Max and Stella are to have these people stand behind them; their own personalities are also brought out in the text, which I absolutely adored!
Smokescreen is a fantastic story that definitely needs to be on everyone’s TBR list!
A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
5 poison apples