Review of At Any Price

Synopsis


Achievement Unlocked: Geek Virgin

When Mia Strong, proud geek-girl and popular gaming blogger, auctions off her virginity online, she knows she'll make waves. But what she will not be making is a love connection. Her rules are set in stone: One night. No further contact.

It's a desperate step, but it's the only way she can go to medical school and pay her mother's mounting hospital bills.

Difficulty Level: Millionaire CEO

Adam Drake, the enigmatic auction winner, is a software prodigy who made his first million at seventeen. Now, in his mid-twenties, he's sexy, driven and--as CEO of his own gaming company--he's used to making the rules. Before Mia knows what's happening, he's found the loophole in the rules of her auction. Every stipulation she's made to protect her heart gets tossed by the wayside.

She can't tell if he's playing her...or if he's playing for keeps.

Review

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  The topic of someone selling their virginity can be a little touchy but the author sets the circumstances up in such a way that the approach seems understandable (and not explicitly illegal).  It’s not to say that the author glorifies such an approach as the negative aspects are repeatedly mentioned but the whole thing feels…plausible.  And the hero never comes across as some sleazy, rich dude.  

 

The heroine, Mia, is full of baggage.  Some of it she is fully aware of but, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that there is quite a bit of baggage that she remains blissfully ignorant about.  The hero, Adam, is also flawed.  He is going out of his way to improve Mia’s circumstances and situation but he makes some serious missteps along the way.  This is not a story where the mistakes are disproportionately one-sided.  But this works because it makes him feel real rather than some Prince Charming. 

 

I think my favorite part of this book was the flaw that Adam had to address for a relationship to be possible.  It isn’t one I’ve seen used very frequently and, yet, it is something that many people can relate to or at least understand how detrimental it can be to a relationship, especially when taken to such extremes.  I’m being intentionally vague because I enjoyed the process of discovering the issue through the course of the book and wouldn’t want to spoil things.

 

I also enjoyed the overall geekiness.  I am not a role-playing game aficionado but I found their geekiness endearing and wasn’t turned off by the glimpses into the realm online gaming (or even the Dungeons and Dragons references).  There is no doubt that these characters differ from the typical romantic heroes but the hero was still the strong, sexy alpha male type, albeit a pale one, that women swoon over.  The physical chemistry was intense and there was no shortage of steamy scenes.  This is part of a series that revolves around these two characters but the ending is perfect because you get closure but are left eager for more without taking the cliffhanger approach.

Try it for yourself! Amazon | Amazon UK

 

Katie