In Bed with the Billionaire

The intense fifth and final Nine Circles erotic contemporary (after Kidnapped by the Billionaire), which crisscrosses the underworlds of Paris and New York, showcases Ashenden’s talent for creating fascinating, morally gray characters. For 16 years, billionaire Theodore Fitzgerald has consolidated power as crime lord Jericho with the goal of smashing his father’s criminal enterprise. Assassin Temple Cross has a contract from the Nine Circles to kill Jericho, but she discovers the part of Theo that hasn’t been corrupted by years of evil. Theo, a sexy hero with a tortured past, is a sizzling match for Temple, who has her own demons. Neither of them is interested in candy hearts or soft music; their affair is dark, explosive, and gritty, with a splash of dominance. Ashenden is brilliant at crafting complex characters, and she interweaves sensuality with suspense as Theo and Temple both reach past their criminal lives for that sliver of redemption. The love story is as intensely captivating and compelling as the previous ones in the series, and Ashenden provides fans with a tremendously satisfying conclusion that ties up all loose ends. (Nov.)