Sela Halstead lost her innocence in a way that no sixteen-year-old should ever have to endure. She’s spent years trying to forget that night even while wondering about the identities of the monsters who brutalized her—until a telltale tattoo flashes across Sela’s TV screen. The incriminating ink belongs to Jonathon Townsend, the millionaire founder of The Sugar Bowl, a website that matches rich … rich older men with impressionable young women. Obsessed with revenge, Sela infiltrates Townsend’s world, only to come face-to-face with a tantalizing complication: Beckett North, his charismatic business partner.
The tech mastermind behind The Sugar Bowl, Beck always gets what he wants, in business and in bed. And yet, for a man who’s done every dirty thing imaginable, there’s something about the naïve, fresh-faced Sela that sparks his hottest fantasies. Because with her, it’s not just about sex. Beck opens up to her in ways he never has with other girls. So why does he get the feeling that she’s hiding something? In a world of pleasure and power, the shocking truth could turn them against each other—or bind them forever.
Note: Sugar Daddy ends on a cliffhanger. Sela and Beck’s story continues in Sugar Rush and Sugar Free!
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DAMN! This book! OK, so please note going in that the first scene is brutal. I’m not trying to spoil anything but if you are a reader who needs trigger warnings please research a few reviews to find those spoilers. (I hate that there’s no spoiler tag available here.) Although I didn’t expect an introduction like that, the scene allowed my emotions to immediately connect pretty well with the heroine and her storyline. I sympathized with the her struggles and was fully on board with her desire to do something about it. Personally, I thought the story segued a bit too much into romance territory (but would it really be new-adult if it didn’t? Let me put my eyeroll away…) and I have to admit I was pretty disappointed that our determined heroine didn’t really have a clear revenge plan to follow. However, the drama the relationship dynamics created was pretty engaging given what could be potentially at stake.
Sugar Daddy is part of an ongoing series and this first installment had to stop somewhere in the story. I guess it ended at the best place it could have but it left me needing closure like nobody’s business. It seems I was pretty invested afterall. In summary, I found this book to be a promising start to a series that I would be thrilled to see shift into a bit of A.R. Torre’s Deanna Madden territory. I mean murder was mentioned…several times. I’ll be continuing this series.
This is a really good story that leaves my heart in my throat because of what Sela went through and how it continues to influence her ability to be happy.
In this first part, some of the more emotionally charged events are somewhat predictable but that just gives the reader the feeling of dread like you know what is going to happen, you aren’t going to like it, but there’s nothing you can do to stop it.
The whole premise of the Sugar Bowl app and Beck’s role in it seems so “not Beck” and everything he does keeps adding to the confusion because he’s so amazing in every way except for his business and relationship with his partner.
The ending to this part of the story was dreaded, and now on to the next part.
Oh the heart-break and pain of this story. This is a story of one girl’s innocence being forcibly taken and her pursuit of vengeance. It’s a story of a jaded man who saw the beautifully broken woman intent on her target and felt something for her. It’s a story of them together healing a painful past and learning to put the broken pieces together, but dark secrets never stay in the dark. For these characters it can break them, again. Such a compelling tale of drives someone more – vengeance or love. Can’t want to listen to the next book.
Listen on audio book. Different. Disliked how it ended and did not say to be continued.
I went into this story blind and was immediately blown away by the powerful prologue. Dealing with an issue that too many girls are forced to deal with Sugar Daddy starts out with Sela seeking revenge. She meets Beck and for the first time in years finds herself thinking about more than revenge. This story is fast paced and packed with a rollercoaster of emotions. I found myself dying for things to unfold and wondering in what books they happen and then…..the ending. Glad I have book two downloaded and ready to go!
4.5 Daaaaayuuuum that ending stars! I knew it was going to end on a cliffy (cause the author said so), but whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa!
This was a a great story, I liked that this was something different from the author. I don’t know why it took me so long to read it! I can’t wait for the next one to come out!
Pre-warning…..Cliffhanger!!!
The start of this book was a little rough for me, Sela was raped at the age of 16. That was rough. I almost quit the book, but that is not fair to the author, so I kept going and I must say….I am so glad I did! I love Sawyer Bennett books, which is the main reason I kept going with this book!
Sela met Beck, who is an owner in the Sugar Bowl, which is for rich men who are looking for sexy women to have on their arm, and even in their beds, even though it is not in their contracts to sleep with the their clients.
I fell in love with Beck, Sela, I wish she would had told Beck about Beck’s partner (who was one of them who raped her at 16), when she had the chance, which she did several times over the book, instead of waiting until Beck caught Sela in his office, which she broke into.
I cannot wait to continue this series!
~4.5 Stars~
I had to take some time and really think about my review and what I would end up ranking it. I for sure was pleasantly surprised by this book. I’ve read some of Sawyer Bennet’s books before and I’ve gone back and forth with them. Sometimes I love them, some times I just like them. This book was much more than I was expecting.
Sela Halstead was brutally attacked when she was sixteen and has been trying to overcome that horrific time in her life. It isn’t until 10 years later when she gets her first lead into who might have been one of the perpetrators. This brings her to Jonathan Townsend. The owner of Sugar Bowl, an online dating service that brings older rich men together with young girls. The ultimate site for a Sugar Daddy. She begins to draw a plan that will collide her world with Jonathan’s so she can get her revenge. What she hadn’t planned on was his business partner, Beckett North.
While Jonathan Townsend is the public face of Sugar Bowl, Beckett North is the brains behind it. His technology skills has allowed the site to launch past any other competitors. He’s passionate about the business and isn’t looking for any type of relationship in his life. He’s completely happy with one night stands. Of course, that is until fate ends up putting Sela in his lap. Literally and physically. There is just something about her that makes him not to be able to stay away from her. He finds himself opening up and laying things out for her. Yet in the back of his mind, he feels like she’s keeping something from him. Will he be able to get past that and continue to let Sela in or will her secret tear them apart?
I absolutely love Sela and Beck. They both go into this telling each other that it’s for a short time. One needs to focus on revenge and the other can’t commit to anything beyond a very short time. Yet they both are pulled towards each other and are forced to battle what their initial intentions were. I wanted to pull for them both. I got where Sela was coming from and I understood where Beck was at but all I wanted was for them to push past their barriers and move forward.
There were enough plot twists in the book that kept me emerged. I honestly wasn’t expecting it. When you add that on top of how sexy it is, you’ve got a complete winner on your hands. Although I haven’t read all of Sawyer Bennett’s books, I get this sense that this is different than a lot of her books. I know it is from the ones that I’ve read. I highly recommend reading this. I promise you that you will get way more than you think you are getting. Well done, Sawyer. I’m hooked and I can’t wait for the next one.
I am still reeling. Sawyer has taken my heart, grasped it, yanked it out and played with it throughout this book.
1. Emotional connection with Sela – check
2. Invested in her plan – check
3. Admire Beck – check
4. Fall in love with the relationship – check
5. Still hate JT – a hundred checks
6. Want more for Beck and Sela – check
7. Want revenge because JT is still a sleezeball – double check
8. Watch my heart get ripped out – a bloody check
9. Crave so much more – all the checks
10. Realize I still have months before Sugar Rush – tearful check
I am so blown away with what Sawyer has done with this book. It is so unlike anything from her in the past and I am so excited for what is next.
What did I just read?!?! Amazing storyline, never know where it’s going but loving every minute!
Revenge and Retribution.
It’s been 10 years since that fateful night that left Sela Halested physically, emotionally, and mentally scarred. Thanks to that horrible night and the lack of knowledge of whom her attackers were, she been living her life in a fog…unable to move past the night she lost her innocence. But fate would have it she does recall one vivid detail from that night…a phoenix tattoo. Now 10 years later, she has not seen that tattoo again until today. While watching TV, she recognizes that SAME tattoo on Jonathon Townsend, co-founder of an internet website called “Sugar Bowl”. Sugar Bowl is a renowned “companionship service”: unconventional website platform that hooks up “Sugar Daddies” and “Sugar Babies”.
“Sugar Daddies are wealthy men, usually in their fifties and sixties, who are looking to regain their youth by dating younger women.”
“Sugar Babies are young women, usually between eighteen and twenty-six, although some can be a bit older. CNN says the average age is actually twenty-two, and that’s because most Sugar Babies are joining as a means to get their college tuition paid.”
After learning this tidbit of information, Sela devices a plan of how to go about obtaining her overdue revenge…
INFILTRATE.
MURDER.
REPEAT.
In order for her carry out her plan, she herself will have to become a “sugar baby”. But after attending her first “Sugar Bowl Mixer”, she catches the eye of the other co-founder and techie mastermind behind the company, Beck North. This throws a wrench in her plans, but she learns fast that maybe he can be her “in” to getting closer to Jonathon and fulfilling her ultimate goal. But of course, in the process of this game of revenge, Beck begins to make Sela realize maybe she isn’t quite broken after all and maybe there could be something between them. Now she has to decide it it’s worth continuing this vendetta to destroy Beck’s company partner and friend or if she should just let it go and move on and find peace and happiness with Beck.
_____________________________
Sawyer Bennett is easily slipping up on my top favorite authors list. I’ve read 4 of her books and each one gets better and BETTER. Bennett never fails to make a hero to swoon over and a heroine to root for and envy. And SUGAR DADDY was no exception! Then there was the villain of the book…he was depicted as this slimy, vile, and egotistical man, which he completely was! I loathed him from the beginning and continued to throughout the book. Oh man, I sure hope he gets his in the end!
This one was not like any other book I’ve read and it literally had me waking up in the middle of the night to read it! What fascinating me the most was the plot! Bennett did a phenomenal job of setting up a believable and intriguing storyline that kept me glued to the pages. The reader could feel the conflict going on internally for Beck and could see the focus and determination from Sela and then the conflict that both were having when they realized there could be more between them. I can NOT wait for book 2 to come out in August! I need to know where their story goes and how this story unfolds!
5 stars!
Reading Order for series:
SUGAR DADDY (Sugar Bowl #1)
SUGAR RUSH (Sugar Bowl #2)- August 2, 2016
SUGAR FREE (Sugar Bowl #3)- October 11, 2016
OMG! This book was intense from beginning to end. So addictive. I love Sela and Beck. I loved that in Sela’s crazy determination for revenge she finds something good with Beck, something she never thought she could have after all she’s been through. Beck was great for Sela. I like that Sawyer Bennett highlights Beck’s knaivete when it comes to JT and how Sela can see through all of JT’s tricks, mostly because she knows firsthand what is under that mask he wears. The ending was great and ended wayy too soon for my liking, but can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
If you want to know about the story, read the synopsis. Anything I state in this review may give away the plotline progression. This is a book series you need to experience for yourself. Yes, a book series. Although this review is for book 1, you are going to want to know what happens with Sela and Beck. I have no hesitation in pronouncing that edict. So let’s discuss about the characters and how they make the reader feel.
“I didn’t come tonight hoping to find a Sugar Daddy.”
Sela is a tough nut to crack. With what she went through, there is no doubt she would harden her heart before letting anyone in. For anyone to have gone through that traumatic experience at that age, and then with no absolute closure would leave you closed off and remote to anyone. Ms. Bennett paints with a detailed brushstroke the pain and guilt that drive this young woman to plan her revenge. I may not be able to relate to her exact feelings, but as a woman, I sure empathize with her plan. Our hero, Beck, he is the one I can clearly relate to. He is me. Always believing in the best in someone. Whether my parents or friend, that this person I believe will do the right thing. And when what you believe begins to crack, it shatters your world. Who doesn’t believe in their core that the people you have known longest can be saved from their actions or maybe have a ‘come to Jesus’ moment for themselves. Again the character of Beck is believable in his actions.
“And I certainly wasn’t looking for a Sugar Baby,” I tell her with a chuckle. “And I’m the one out of your league.”
Before I fell into reading contemporary romance full time, my genre of choice was suspense/thriller. Think Dean Koonz, John Grisham, Robert Ludlum. This book has fulfilled that missing gap in getting my heart pounding for more than one reason. As always the relationship arc is believable and not rushed. Ms. Bennett delivers the erotic on the steamy, making you hot and bothered without feeling like you’ve witnessed a 25 cent porn video. But it’s the suspense aspect of the story that kept me up late last night turning the pages needing to find out how this troubled woman will make it through. And BAM! You are now standing with your mouth open.
I am admittedly a Sawyer Bennett fangirl. I love her style of writing with getting an in-depth dual POV. Her storylines are always engaging and perfectly paced. Whether it’s her legal, family & friends or sports romance, you are always in for a 5 star read. However, without a doubt, romance suspense is where this author soars and exceeds my expectations. Prior to this book, I would have said hands down, Legal Affairs, was my favorite series. We have only been offered book one from the Sugar Bowl and already I can say – #1 favorite of her entire catalogue of novels. Whether or not you’ve read her before, I highly recommend you pick up this book. Come join us on the cliff – it’s a hell of a ride getting there so far. 5++ out of 5 heartstopping stars
Guilty pleasure. A very easy read and a good detachment from reality.