No one's more competitive than sexy, delicious and arrogant Dean Woodall. Sure, he's clever, strong, good at challenges, and has a body that makes her mouth water. He also hates Abby just as much as she hates him. That's fine with her; she'll just ignore the jerk.
But the rules of Endurance Island are working against them. Abby and Dean are teamed up & alone on the beach. It's either work together, or go home. Stuck with no one's company but their own, they learn they might just make a good team after all. And Abby learns that with just a little bit of kindling, the flames of hate can quickly turn to flames of passion.
This book features enemies, lovers, enemies who become lovers, and lots and lots of tropical
heat." (Jill Myles)
Title: Wicked Games (A Games Novel)
Author: Jessica Clare (Jill Myles)
Published: 2011
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Romance
TL;DR Review:
I am unconditionally and irrevocably in love with the novel, to quote Twilight. Wicked Games is a cliche novel with a predictable romantic ending, clichéd characters and brilliant crafting and writing. I couldn't put it down and I wanted so much more. The characters were witty, sarcastic, intelligent and endearing. It doesn't help that Dean is swoon-worthy and Abby is the epitome of a modern yet feminine woman. It is Judith-McNaught-worthy with a plot that follows a simple equation and characters that you can't help but love. I look forward to reading more of Myles' work if all of them are as good as Wicked Games.
Review: [May Contain Spoilers]
There are few novels where I will flat out jump for joy and tell you that I loved it with no beating around the bushes. Wicked Games is one of those. It is one of those classically clichéd novels where you can practically guess the ending and the outcome yet you are "unconditionally and irrevocably in love" to quote Twilight.
In fact, to me, this novel read almost like a Judith McNaught novel complete with dark, tall and handsome hero (Dean) but the witty, intelligent and sarcastic heroine (Abby) is not a McNaught trope. She is the epitome of a modern yet feminine woman. She chews you a new behind and doesn't need to rely on a man. Myles made the novel read-worthy with her portrayal of Abby who was Dean's equal rather than his arm candy.
The plot line was easily predictable in the typical McNaught format:
1. The novel begins with the characters not liking each other and/or fighting
2. They then fall in love over the course of many adorable instances
3. They confess their love,
4. One causes the other heartbreak,
5. The one who causes the heartbreak makes up for it OR the heartbroken one realises that the heartbreaker isn't a heartbreaker at all.
6. Happy endings.
(I guessed the plot twist in the second plot (not Dean/Abby's romance) way before it was revealed. I'm not too sure if others did)
I know authors don't like to be compared but Ms. Myles, if you are reading this, know that when I compare you to McNaught, it is extreme praise because I have yet to find anyone who writes as charmingly as she does. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want it to end. It is the only book to have made me cry and assault me with feels in a long while. Even though I could guess the ending, I was shedding tears when the heartbreak occurred.
Clare/Myles has a way with words that makes you fall in love with her characters and feel the same things that they felt. Although this novel was told from Abby's point of view, at the beginning of each chapter, there is a quote from Dean from interviews. It is a clever way to show readers what Dean is thinking without interrupting the flow of the novel. I think I am biased because the characterisation of the two leads are my favourite sort of characters to read. Dean is an a**hole with a soft spot and good looks to match while Abby is an intelligent, sarcastic and honest woman.
Still, cliched characters, plots and story lines are saved by Clare/Myles ability to craft a believable and heartwarming novel.
I couldn't find fault with it at all. It came at a time when I was sick of reading ebooks (acquired for free through BookBub) with cheesy and cliche plot lines and badly, badly written characters. Not to mention, my guilty pleasure then was MTV's Are You the One?.
So, kudos to Clare/Myles for writing an ebook and self-publishing that did not make me want to cringe or throw up.
Some Quotes:
(I was too engrossed to make any notations or even stop to decide if I like a line or not. I just powered through.)
Rating: 5/5
Other Details: I read the Kindle Edition, approximately 160 pages and published 2013.