INDULGENCE seriesA second chance at happiness sounds promising. What happens when faced with the unexpected?With their marriage on the line, Paul and Jenn must choose to face their past and move on to a future together forever or forever apart. If you enjoy a fast and furious, heart-thundering ride that leaves you breathless and perhaps a bit hot and bothered, UNEXPECTED is what you’re seeking. … bothered, UNEXPECTED is what you’re seeking. This novella is a suspenseful and steamy stand-alone story following Paul and Jenn Masters, characters previously introduced in the novella UNCONVENTIONAL.
From New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes another of her steamy novellas exploring hidden desires. UNEXPECTED is a stand-alone story in the INDULGENCE series. Stories may be read in any order.
Warning: reading may set your e-reader on fire while bringing a smile to your face.
Have you been Aleatha’d?
*As part of the new INDULGENCE series, UNEXPECTED contains a new alternate ending. Enjoy!
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This was a good read on the shorter side in a typical Aleatha Romig style. If you are looking for a hearts and flowers kind of read, this is not the one. Though this is a story of second chances, hope and finding one self in the midst of heartbreak and demons from the past, there is also a dark side to this story that you might not expect.
I do enjoy reading Aleatha Romig’s darker books and this one was not an exception. Though, I loved the characters, I actually wanted some more depth. don’t get me wrong. They were amazing characters but I just wanted more of their thoughts, more of their feelings. Maybe just a longer story.
As it is typical for Aleatha Romig, there are some twists and turns that I didn’t expect. But to be honest, one of these twists wasn’t exactly to my taste and I think the details of it were just slightly too much for this short story. But as I said, that’s just me and who’s to say that you won’t enjoy it. Especially if you love your books on the darker side 😉
So pick up your copy and check it out 🙂
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This author gives the reader a trigger warning so do not skip reading it.
Jenn Masters has gotten a shock she wasn’t really expecting. Paul Masters is willing to try anything. Their story is over before you know it. But our author knows how to pack a lot into this short story. You can get it read in just a couple of hours.
It’s a book that starts off with a sad beginning. We have a couple not ready to give up on each other. You could consider this a second chance romance. It’s not a book that you need to read anything previously but it made me inquisitive about what The Vault series is all about. This book is not for those that prefer vanilla. Paul wants to explore other things with his wife. Our author has given them the perfect setting – a very romantic setting. She also planted in a twist that for me I was glad to see that it didn’t go into a lot of detail – although it was not hard to fill in the blanks. So if you like something sexy with plenty of heat than this would be a good choice – just remember the trigger warning.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I really enjoyed this short novella by Aleatha Romig. True her writing style it was full of twist and loaded with steam.
Jenn and Paul are on the verge of divorce and they are both having a hard time signing the papers. They decide to give their marriage one last chance on a 10 day vacation on an island. While there they plan to talk and be honest with each other, they both have secrets they have been keeping.
This is one novella you don’t want to miss. I am so excited for Aleaha’s new series Web of Sins! The prologue for Secret the first book in the new series is in the back and will have you wanting more.
Unexpected
She’s baaaack!! This one is going back to the dark side for Aleatha and I LOVE IT!!
This short novella is anything but sweet.
A married couple on the verge of divorce that have both been keeping pretty big secrets
A deserted island where they have one chance to share the secrets and make the marriage work
A nightmare that unfolds on the deserted island
A happy ending
I enjoyed this book so much, definitely finished in one sitting and was biting my nails off throughout.
Oh!! And that sneak peek of her next book Secrets left me hanging in the best way.
to a remote island for 10 days just the two of you to recapture and be honest within your marriage. Would you take it? Of course you would.
What follows is a sexually charged exploration of a marriage with secrets. Lots of sex, exploration of a Dom relationship and for those who expect to be Aleatha’d , a twist. That is the unexpected.
Remember when you are reading,this is a novella. Short but very sweet. The characters were believable and had you championing them.. the unexpected was brief due to the novella nature and the fallout more superficial than if it was a full novel. It would have to be.
I really enjoyed this.
But
It got better.
A new novel very much in Aleathas darker side. A pit bull in a toy poodle clothing. I loved that phrase and this could describe what’s to come.
More than 1 free chapter
The rest is SECRETS.
I can’t wait.
Unexpected by Aleatha Romig was brilliant! Paul and Jenn’s story was emotional and captivating. Their story had me intrigued and hooked since the beginning.
Paul and Jen were facing divorce but before signing they decided to give it one more try. They go away to a private island. In their time there they start learning things about each other that they both had hidden from each other during their marriage.
Will their island retreat be what they need to save their marriage or will they learn that divorce it’s the next step? Will their love survive their secrets and their future?
Embark in Paul and Jenn’s sexy, heartbreaking journey. If it’s filled with the hotness, sexiness, and the angst that only Aleatha Romig knows how to give.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads, so here is my review.
What do you do when your marriage is over and all that is left is to sign the divorce papers? You take your therapist advice and go away for a vacation where the two of you can talk about the problems in your marriage.
Paul and Jenn Masters have secrets they are keeping from each other but they thought it wasn’t causing problems in their marriage. But when Paul told Jenn his desires, she knew that her past would have to be revealed. While on the tropical island and no one else is around, she will learn Paul’s secret and find that she is really alright with his desires too. And it seems their marriage is going to be saved until the unexpected happens.
Can Paul and Jenn’s marriage survive what happened on the island? Will they give up and sign the divorce papers after all? Can Paul forgive her for the secret she keeps about her past?
I didn’t read UNCONVENTIONAL but I am going to go back soon and read it and see what I missed on this couple. As usual Aleatha Romig has written a story that has you right there, believing and feeling this couples pain and happiness. She knows how to tell a story to keep you entertained until the very end. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
**Wicked Reads Review Team**
We all have secrets from our past. Jenn and Paul are at a crossroad, divorce or one more “all in” HONESTY filled try.
This is a roller coaster ride, so be prepared for All the twists and turns. Will the one love they both felt survive the Unexpected revelations!?
Unexpected by Aleatha Romig intrigued me from the blurb alone. A marriage in trouble, but two people who are not ready to let go. So, they decide to go away to see if they can save their marriage. Both have secrets they are hiding but know if they want things to change, they need to lay all their cards out.
Paul and Jenn have loved each other from the start, but felt they had to hide a part of themselves, but in the end, it affected their marriage. So, they are now heading to an isolated island to try and do whatever it takes, even if it means laying each other bare. Will Jenn accept Paul for what he wants and desires? Will Jen be honest with Paul about her past? And what other dangers hide on their island getaway?
So, this review is a bit hard for me. I love Aleatha’s writing and books overall, I did enjoy this book, however, there is something that happens that I feel did not need to happen. But that is just my opinion and did not affect my review as I am not the author. Overall, I loved seeing couple willing to fight for each other no matter the cost. A quick read with a whole lot of sexiness and a bit of suspense.
Read and reviewed for Reviews From The Heart.
Happy reading!
This is a marriage in trouble. Six years together and they have kept secrets from each other that can no longer be kept hidden. As a one last ditch act, they agree to go away to a resort for ten days to see if they reconnect and save their marriage.
For Jenn, she has never stopped loving Paul. Her secrets are deep and she has never fully given herself completely to him. For Paul, he needs more than the vanilla sex they share. He needs the submission and complete trust from Jenn. He still loves her but after six years of holding back his needs, it is no longer possible to forward without making changes.
What starts as a wonderful trip full of new experiences and hope soon becomes a nightmare. Both Paul and Jenn are thrown into a situation from which they will both come out changed forever. Can this marriage survive?
Great story and characters in a marriage that deserves to be saved. Loved it! Mature audiences only!
I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thanks to the author for sharing a copy with me.
Unexpected is my first book I have read by Aleatha Romig. I could not take my eyes away from this book. It starts off heartbreaking. Knowing that two people that have a few years of marriage are about to go their separate ways. I had hope that Jenn and Paul were find their way. What a surprise Paul brings to Jenn.
Unexpected lives true to the title it was given. There are a few triggers, and it gets a little dark. At the end I could have not asked for more. I have added this author to my “read” list and will keep an eye out for more books to come. The emotion and angst you feel with this book blew me away!
This is a short fast paced story, with elements of BDSM and dark elements. I always love this authors stories, she has the ability to hook you from the very first page and this was no exception. Told from a dual POV the characters set off to save their marriage both hiding secrets from each other… I was waiting for the sucker punch at the end the one that Aleatha is renowned for but sadly there wasn’t one this time round but still and enjoyable story.
Just not into these two characters
Loved this story! These two really want to make it work. Paul and Jenn and close to a divorce. Neither one really want to sign the papers, but they’re afraid its over for them. They have one option left and do what their marriage counselor suggested. Will 10 days on a private island really save their marriage?
We were briefly introduced to Jenn and Paul in the first novella, UNCONVENTIONAL. Jenn and Paul find themselves on a beautiful secluded island in the hopes of saving their marriage. I love seeing this side of Ms. Romig and was not expecting her to throw that dark twist in there. This story is full of one thing…unconditional love. I cannot wait to see who we’ll meet in the next novella.
Wow, wow, wow.
Can’t believe this author stooped so low.
Cant’t believe she tricked readers (me lol) into reading this sh•t.
Keep reading if want to know the REAL trigger warning for this novella.
*Spoilers?*
The fun fact is that while reading the blurb (“Until the unexpected happens…”, “Will our marriage survive? Will we?”) I just knew what was going to happen, but then I read the trigger warning at the beginning of the novella and that actually reassured me. It wasn’t so different from her other warnings.
“This novella explores consensual play in the area of domination and submission. There are also memories and a scene in which those boundaries are tested and crossed. If any of this is a trigger for you, please return this novella and do not read.”
WHERE DOES IT SAYS R A P E
I’m so f•cking angry right now, you can’t even imagine.
The scene she is talking about is a RAPE SCENE.
No “boundaries” were “tested” and “crossed”! SHE WAS RAPED.
There was no “play”. SHE WAS F•CKING RAPED.
“However, if you enjoy pushing your boundaries, are curious, and enjoy a lot of heat with an HEA, then please read and enjoy UNEXPECTED.”
Are you f•cking kidding me? Is she seriously describing rape as “a lot of heat”?
As of today, Aug 31, 2018, the warning is this and there’s no mention of rape.
Apart from the trigger warning, what’s wrong with people? Really, what’s wrong with them? Why would someone write a rape scene just for drama and shock’s sake? And why so many women readers are okay with this? Why no one is complaining?
Mine is a general and rhetorical consideration. Everyone is free to read whatever they want. To each their own.
Be aware, this is not a story about rape fantasies. You wish!
This novella has only 14 chapters and an epilogue.
In chapter 12, while they are having sex on their private island, they are “interrupted” by two men. The hero gets knocked out cold by a blow on his head and the heroine remains tied to the headboard because, you know, they were “playing”.
You can imagine what happens next and it’s explicit.
Don’t you feel the “heat” yet?
So, they’re alone on this private island that’s part of an archipelago in the middle of nowhere and what a coincidence, two men shipwreck exactly on their f•cking island. Instead of asking for help (or just for f•cking food?), they see a naked woman and decide that rape is a better idea and do you know why? Because of f•cking course the two men are on “an international watch list of drug smugglers and pirates”.
Very plausible. Yup. Everything makes so much sense. #sarcasm
In chapter 13, the hero saves her and she is the one apologising for what happened. She was raped because of him (it was his fault she was tied up) and she is f•cking apologising?!
In chapter 14, they’re saved and a few days later (yes, days) she’s complaining that her husband “treats her with kid gloves” instead of f•cking her.
The end.
In the epilogue, a year later they’re back on that f•cking island because that’s “where they saved their marriage”.
How can anyone believe this sh•t?
How can any relationship survive after this? It would take at least 3 books only for that.
But don’t worry, it’s only a rape scene and a HEA in only 3 short chapters.
No big deal.
The sad thing is that I actually liked what I was reading before the out-of-the-blue rape scene.
Why did she have to ruin everything like this? WHY.
ALL she had to do was make the hero push some of heroine’s hard limits. That’s what the warning says, that’s what I was expecting and that’s what would have worked.
Since Aleatha gives 5 stars to the T.M. Frazier books, I should have known something like this was going to happen. Rape was treated the same f•cking way as in ‘King’. Both rape scenes happen almost at the end and are forgotten in 5 seconds. To never be mentioned again because the heroines are not victims. They’re super humans that can’t be touched by such a minor thing like rape.
Frazier implies death is worse (puh-lease) and Romig says this is nothing because her heroine had it worse in the past (Really? REALLY?!).
Don’t know if or what’s better or worse because that was a book, while this is a novella. Maybe the shortness was a factor, maybe not. But that’s the point! Writing good novellas and short stories is already difficult (much more complicated than a book), who told her adding rape to the mix was a good idea? Really, why no one stopped her from f•cking up a good story?
I was disappointed then because Aleatha is one of my favourites and, as I implied (without writing her name) in my ‘Tyrant’ review, she is 547868 times better than Frazier and I’m disappointed now because I didn’t think she would ever write rape like this. Apparently she is no better.
For an author who wrote a whole series about consequences, she sure forgot the consequences of rape for a woman.
I don’t give a f•ck if your heroine is “strong”. If you use rape, you must take it seriously. I can’t read sh•t like this where rape is dismissed in this way and is only used for “fun” to shock readers.
It’s also an insult to all the authors who write about rape because they actually want to say something.
So… What was the point? Money? Sales are “bad” (she can’t stop complaining about it), so let’s sell rape?
Don’t care it was only $1.08.
Returned for refund.
I only hope she doesn’t f•ck up her new series like that.
Random violence only because it sells or because it’s cool or because whatever is not my thing.
I only gave this 4 stars because I wanted more. Paul and Jen decide in the 11th hour to take their therapists advice and take a secluded vacation to save their marriage. When Paul reveals his desires he finds that Jen is his perfect match. When things go horribly wrong it is almost the end but their newfound love and respect for each other prevails.
With their marriage on the line, Paul & Jenn resort to therapy… a sexy kind of therapy!
A couple that loves each other, dark secrets from the past, and a tropical island all to themselves… what could go wrong?
Well this book was short and to the point for sure! If you like BDSM and Aleatha’s writing then this book is for you! I love this author and her dark twisted mind and this was right up her alley of darkness. I have to say I know this was a novella but I did feel it could have been so much more if it was longer and we got more of the back story and extension of all that was written. I would give this story a 3.5 stars and recommend to others with a warning that there are some lighter moments but dark ones as well so be prepared.
I can’t wait for what is next from this author because we all know she can write the down and dirty and the light and sexy! Get to one clicking to see what this is all about!
This is a short novella that is a quick steamy read. In an attempt to save their marriage Jenn and Paul take a vacation to a secluded island. As the only occupants of the island they are able to start working through their issues until the “unexpected” happens that has the potential to derail the progress they have made. The chemistry between Jenn and Paul is strong both in and out of the bedroom and you want them to work out their issues so they can have their HEA. I really liked this book, if you are looking for a quick, sexy read then this is the book for you. Additionally, at the end of the book Aleatha gives the reader a glimpse of her new work “Secrets”. Can’t wait for it to be released. Advanced copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.