Sin with Me

There is pervasive “alchemy” within and without this scintillating, angst-filled, volatile story of two shattered souls on a collision course for one another. “Alchemy” is the descriptive word that the dark hero, Tyler uses when explaining, “That thing one person has with another person that they can’t explain. When people call it chemistry, they’re wrong, of course. Chemistry is science and finding someone you can stand being around, that’s alchemy.”Alchemy is also that mysterious force, energy that the ancient mystics tried to harness for many purposes, some good and some not so good.The story opens with our dark hero, Tyler, half out of his mind with lingering PTSD issues incurred from severely traumatic experiences he suffered during his service as an Explosive Ordinance Demolitions expert in the military. He is also suffering from personal grief over the loss of one his childhood friends. For some inexplicable reason, he feels responsible for his death.The reader is immersed in his madness as we read from his POV. He has trouble with keeping track of time. He is drowning his feelings in meaningless sex, booze and prescribed tranquilizers taken improperly. His mood alternates between having an “eff you” attitude to despair over his personal worthlessness. He has come home to the madness that is Las Vegas, even though he has the money to go anywhere in the world. He experienced a financial windfall as he left the service, but the money is not healing his gaping emotional wounds.He finds himself dreaming of a strange heaven with a ministering angel. The dream is comforting and soothing until fiery mayhem reigns at the end of the dream and then he wakes up even more agitated.We are introduced to our dark heroine, Maddie, who barely is making a life for herself. She wants to start a respectable business, but she is stripping to get quick money to solve immediate financial concerns. She also has underworld financial obligations which have unfairly been thrust upon her. She is depressed and suffering mightily from some trauma which is revealed further on in the narrative. She tries to hold herself above the “seediness” of the sex trade environment but the illusion of herself as “above it all” and “different” from the strippers and call girls is shattered when she meets Tyler who was dragged to the strip club where she performs by his best friend.For Tyler, when he sees her on the stripper's stage, she is the angel of his dream and coincidentally as per the strange alchemy at work in the story she is costumed as an angel. Tyler can barely control himself as he needs to be with this angel and so they spend their first evening together in the champagne room where Maddie becomes the angel/whore for this man who needs her so. He pays her thousands of dollars for this night.Just as there is inexplicable alchemy between our dark damaged lovers, indeed, there is alchemy between the two authors. From their first meeting and throughout their relationship, our main character’s erotic encounters were written like the author’s were composing music...a duet. The base notes are violence and despair in the chords of desire and lust making this strange music…borne of alchemy. The mid scene POV switches from Maddie to Tyler back and forth effectively communicate the desperate wild passionate need and release our lovers find in each other’s arms. It was almost cinematic; like changing camera shots during a scene on film. The effect on the reader…words fail me for the intensity of the heat and dizzying “feels”.“Until she has taken all of me, deep, and I have filled her with my blackness and poison and together we have turned it into light.”The magic of alchemy…turning “blackness and poison” into light?Throughout the narrative you can appreciate the writing style of Ms. Huss. There is always a level of brilliance in her writing of the “darker” romance. The reader can also detect the touch of Mr. McClain. There are certain uniquely male mannerisms that would not readily come to the female writer. Perhaps Tyler’s bouts of exhibitionism as he stands nude before his wall of windows and the pride he has in his equipment even as his best friend remarks how nice it is. There is so much these alchemists can do with this infusion of testosterone.Sometimes, readers are impatient or even feel cheated because a book ends on a cliffhanger as is the case here. I do not feel cheated in the least. The writing was superb, and there was a lot of story to be read in this book. This story looks like it will be expansive. Personally, I adore a sexy, expansive story that will have us on tether hooks until all is said and done in May 2018. Fortunately, each book will be released very shortly after the last. There is some serious sexy combustible alchemy at work with these two authors and I, for one, cannot miss it!

HOLY….. Cannoli…. I’m at a loss for words.Everyone who knows me knows I love Julie A. Huss’ writing. I buy every book on release day and gift her books to family and friends often. Now I can admit that I felt a little nervous when she announced that she is going to partner with Johnathan McClain on a book series. Every day until the book appeared on my Kindle; I braced myself that a partnership would change the type of stories and, more importantly, Julie’s writing style. Wow did I worry for nothing! Sin with Me is an outstanding beginning to the Original Sin series by Julie and Johnathan. They work wonderfully together. Their styles meld nicely and flow smoothly into one twisted voice. YEAH!Sin with Me is Tyler Morgan and Maddie Clayton’s story. These two people are struggling with loss. Tyler is a soldier with survivor’s guilt. Maddie lost someone too unexpectedly. She can't move forward with her life. They meet up unexpectedly. There is an immediate attraction that neither of them understands. Maddie fights it but craves Tyler.Maddie is working as a stripper in Las Vegas. She feels abandoned by the people she loves. On the outside, Tyler appears to have it all, but that is a façade. Tyler made a lot of money and doesn't have to work another day. Maddie has dreams but can't stick with anything long enough to make it work.I love how these two characters complement each other. From their first meeting, the chemistry is there even if they aren’t aware it exists. There is something about Maddie that reminds Tyler of his recurring dream. Maddie recognizes their shared pain and the cry for help.The ancillary characters are interesting. Tyler’s friends, especially Evan, are his support. They worry about him and encourage him to forgive himself. Maddie doesn’t have friends, or so she thinks until her acquaintances surprise me, and her too. That is a kind of theme running through the story, how these two are so different but not really.In true JA Huss style, Sin with Me is dark and twisted. Johnathan’s voice adds to the sinfully twisted storyline seamlessly. I love the alternating points of view of Tyler and Maddie. Getting in their heads reveal the depth of their pain and how neither character finds life comfortable even though it wasn't always that way. Honestly, I expected the twist or secret revealed, but I didn’t expect THE SECRET TWIST reveal. I am stressing and still thinking about these characters after several days. What an absolutely poignant and captivating story from beginning to end.I love how these authors take some dark and painful scenes then sprinkle in a little humor relief. The contrast of Tyler’s despair and depression to his macho-protector side when he is around Maddie is charming. The same is true for Maddie. She is holding on to life by a string then when Tyler a.k.a. Ford Aston (that made me laugh) appears she has someone to give her strength and forget.Sin with Me is a cliffhanger. While I am not a cliffhanger fan, this writing duo can whip out books quickly making the gap between easy to endure. Angels Fall is scheduled to release on March 27. The characters and their story are so memorable I know they will be on my mind when the next book drops. I for one can’t wait to see how Tyler and Maddie’s adventures continue.Well done Julie and Johnathan. You have a hit! Starting the audio ASAP.

I bought this book expecting it to be one thing; and it was, it was sexy and risqué. Just like everything I’ve read by Julie. It was also nothing like what I expected. The addition of Johnathan’s writing voice not only alters the tempo and pacing of the story, but it amps up the energy. It feels almost frenetic as it carries you along until it dumps you on the middle of the floor wondering what happened and you’re scrambling to catch up. I’m still trying to recuperate. Can’t wait to start the next book.

Wow!! I freakin loved this book! Julie and Johnathan, this series is golden!

Amazing

I’d usually avoid a novel with internal monologue, but Tyler’s ptsd and his head space, this was how he survived each day. Loved his character and execution of his trauma, along with the limited social interaction.The witty banter with Maddie, interspersed with two sad stories, was easy to read and it kept me turning pages. Did I pick up hints where it was going? Sure. It’s still a very different read.I loved the male POV. It was refreshing after so many soft male interpretations recently.Cliffhanger, meaning I’m reading book two immediately.4.5 ⭐️

Oh Wow! A fantastic beginning to this new series.  Julie Huss has for a long time now been one of my favourite authors and I can honestly say she has done good with pairing up with Johnathan McClain.The way that Tyler is written had me in hysterics despite the somewhat desperate need behind his actions. The constant talking to himself inside his head is genius because, lets face it, most of us go off on internal monologues and completely lose track of where we are and what we are doing.  Reading about what was going on inside Tyler's mind is also a little scary!Maddie had to grow on me. It took me a while to understand why she was putting herself through what she was when realistically there was no need.  But as the story progressed her reasons became clear and I was really starting to feel her despair and outrage with life and the injustice of it all.  The loneliness and hopelessness.I loved the duel POV.  All too often romance novels are only written from the female perspective.  Men have feelings and emotions too and I love when a writer captures the thoughts and reasons  behind the actions of the lead male character.For anyone who has read Julie's previous work there is a little homage to a certain character we all know and love,.   To anyone who hasn't....what's the matter with you?!Angels Fall will continue the story of Maddie and Tyler in the Original Sin series.