The Pawn by Skye Warren (Endgame #1)
Released: December 6, 2016
Dark Contemporary
Self Published

Reviewed by Mandi 

Avery’s world is falling apart. Her father is very bad off after getting severely beaten over bad business dealings with a man named Gabriel. Gabriel  sells and buys things – things like guns and drugs. Avery goes to the “King of the Underworld” Damon Scott for hopes of a loan, but when she discovers Damon reports to Gabriel, she knows she is big trouble.

When Gabriel learns eighteen year old Avery is a virgin, he tells her that her virginity is the most valuable thing she owns and if it is sold, she would make enough money to help her father and keep his house. But she would be owned for a month. He will sell her body to the highest bidder at auction. After thinking on it, Avery feels as if she has no choice.

The night of the auction, Gabriel actually bids and wins Avery – and now she is his for one month in exchange for a million dollars.

I don’t know about this one – first it ends with more of a cliffhanger than a HEA. Book two releases next month. Gabriel never forces Avery to have sex – you actually learn he has had a thing for her for quite some time and kind of arranged this entire thing so he could have a chance with her. While Avery is bought by him, she enjoys the pleasure he gives her. He saves her virginity for as long as he can – but does act out in other ways with her.

I couldn’t get into the romance at all. Part of it is that it didn’t feel realistic enough. Gabriel felt so – over the top dark and secretive. Maybe you get to know him better in the next book but I wanted to understand him more.  And Avery felt over the top innocent and “I need to save my daddy.” I never had a moment of “ooooh this is dark” or “oooooooh what a scene!” It fell rather flat for me.

This pretty much sums up their relationship:

“You’re so fucking innocent. Do you get that? So fucking breakable.”

He seems almost angry, but I don’t understand. I thought he liked my innocence. I thought that was the whole point. In the face of his fury, my lack of knowledge feels shameful. I shrink back, but his grip holds me tight. “What did I do wrong?” I ask, my voice even.

“Nothing,” he says, almost a snarl. “You’re fucking perfect. An angel. A sacrifice on a marble altar. You’ll give up every part of yourself just to save your precious fucking father, won’t you?”

It just doesn’t do it for me!

Grade: C

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