Series: The Harlequin Crew #1
Publication date: November 13th, 2020
Pages: 656
Synopsis:
Dead girls don't feel pain.
But they like the taste of vengeance.
Maybe that's why I came back to my hometown. Because it sure as hell wasn't for the surf. But what else was I supposed to do when I found myself in Sunset Cove with twenty bucks to my name, the key to my enemies' secrets hanging around my neck and a mouth full of grave dirt that wouldn't wash clean?
I hate the Harlequin boys.
But this is the perfect opportunity to take what they owe me. Because once upon a time, they broke my heart, stole my life and sent me away from everything I'd ever known.
Fox, JJ, Chase and Maverick.
The four names tattooed onto my heart more permanently than any of the ink on my skin. they don't just live in this town anymore, they rule it. And the view here may be beautiful, but the sun, sea and sand hide dark secrets.
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Review:
Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti have become household names on BookTok and in the "smut" reading community as of recently. In fact, this book Zodiac Academy was just placed on my TBR yesterday. However, I had no idea how many books they had actually written together. This book struck my fancy when I decided to take a dip into the Discover feature on my Kindle app. The cover of the book was absolutely gorgeous and made me really curious about the tattooed woman with the pastel hair. I didn't fully read the synopsis because I enjoy going into a book blind. This is because it keeps me from reading into the synopsis and awaiting certain things to happen that coincide with the description given. What possessed me to tackle a 600+ page book with no background? Apparently me.
The story opens on Rogue crawling her way out of a shallow grave (talk about catching your audience attention...). Whereas a normal person would be screaming bloody murder and traumatized beyond all reason, Rogue looks around, realizes she's near her hometown, shrugs, and starts heading that way. What? This chick is already as hardcore as they come! So, you've discovered yourself a few miles from the home and the people who set your life in motion towards being straggled to death and first instinct is to finally seek revenge on those who wronged you ten years prior. Sure, Rogue, ya nut. Rogue quickly finds herself in overbearingly protective company of 3 of the 4 boys who abandoned her so long ago. Her mission? Find and retrieve their keys to open their crews very own Pandora box and release all their damning secrets.
But she'll need to get through Fox, the alpha male bent on making Rogue his and his alone, JJ, the easy going escort with a smile that melts panties, and Chase, the angry asshole who wants nothing to do with Rogue's return and wishes she would disappear once more. These three are just as attractive and droolworthy as she remembered. They're going to be tough to resist (at least, Chase's broody ass makes it a bit easier).
When Rogue returns the boys she knew are at war amongst themselves with her personal favorite boy who took the fall for her so many years ago, on the enemy team. Maverick, leader of the Dead Man's Crew, wants the Harlequins to feel the pain he was dealt when he was made to suffer through 6 years of prison for a crime he didn't commit. Maverick will stop at nothing to see Fox, his adoptive brother, and his boys dead.
Rogue is the definition of a feisty spitfire heroine who everyone would love to be. She gives big time Harley Quinn vibes for me. While she is a definitively wonderful character I am not sure why so many of the boys are so over the moon for her. With periodic flashbacks we get to see a slightly softer side of Rogue and it touches on the different dynamics in the relationships with each of the boys but I still don't know why they're all so willing to give up anything and everything for her without the slightest hesitation nor why now and not 10 years ago. Albeit, Rogue has quickly stolen my heart as well, so I guess it's not that farfetched.
We all have that one character that just speaks to a reader and for me, that was Maverick. He was so delightfully cuckoo for cocoa puffs. He was the alpha dominant personality that Fox tries to be but won't completely commit to because he still wants to be liked. Maverick doesn't care one bit whether he's liked. He also has a kindred spirit vibe going with Rogue that makes me 'ship' them so completely.
Sinners' Playground is the sensationally electric book you've all been dying for. If you like books where the heroine doesn't choose one love interest but several and will snark and sass every step of the way, this is the book for you!
