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lmrivas54 's review for:
Cruel Money
by K.A. Linde
A fantastic look into the world of the privileged and entitled young men and women of the Upper East Side, New York City. With more money than they know what to do with, peer pressure, parental demands, no true moral compass except the love and pursuit of money and pleasure, we are taken into their world and cringe at their maneuvers.
In the novella One Cruel Night that serves as the prequel to this series, we have that Natalie and Penn met in Paris six years previous to the start of this book. It was the last night of Nat’s summer vacation and they spend the night walking around Paris, ending up at Penn’s family flat where Nat loses her virginity to Penn. Next morning, she finds that he left and the cleaning maid threw her out like she was garbage. This left her with some unresolved issues from that night.
Now, a full-fledged writer, with two book rejections under her belt, she’s starting a new house-sitting assignment in the Hamptons. Until she gets published, Nat has made a career of vacation house-sitting, which allows her to live rent-free, away from her parents, and free to pursue her dream of becoming an author.
To her surprise, Penn and his crew of high-society friends appear to stay overnight, and she finds that Penn is a Kensington, son of New York City’s mayor and part of the Manhattan royalty. The same holds true for his friends. After she tells Penn off, she hits it off with his friends, they have a great time, get drunk, and after Nat goes off to sleep, they concoct a bet involving Nat. Think Cruel Intentions, where the cast of characters aren’t evil, just bored socialites who like to compete and manipulate others.
The book is riveting with a great cast of characters. Everyone is fascinating in their own right, good or bad. Katherine is devious and conniving, Lewis is a darling, Lark is the serious goody-two shoes, and Rowe is nerdy and retracted. Penn rejects this way of life that seems to be second nature, and struggles with the philosophical pursuit of happiness and being ethical. Natalie is a strong, straightforward, sweet girl who comes from a military father and a flower child mother. She has always been poor but has been surrounded by love and acceptance. Even though she should be the disadvantaged one, she is in fact the richest one in that crowd.
The chemistry between Penn and Natalie is strong, their attraction inevitable. Penn pursues not only the woman but her essence and how she makes him feel. He feels he is real with her in a way he isn’t everywhere else. However, there is a struggle between his world and the world he shares with her. The book is multilayered, the interactions intriguing and fascinating. There is evil and sincerity, truth and evasions. I even loved the cliffhanger! Can’t wait for the sequel and read more about Penn and Natalie.
In the novella One Cruel Night that serves as the prequel to this series, we have that Natalie and Penn met in Paris six years previous to the start of this book. It was the last night of Nat’s summer vacation and they spend the night walking around Paris, ending up at Penn’s family flat where Nat loses her virginity to Penn. Next morning, she finds that he left and the cleaning maid threw her out like she was garbage. This left her with some unresolved issues from that night.
Now, a full-fledged writer, with two book rejections under her belt, she’s starting a new house-sitting assignment in the Hamptons. Until she gets published, Nat has made a career of vacation house-sitting, which allows her to live rent-free, away from her parents, and free to pursue her dream of becoming an author.
To her surprise, Penn and his crew of high-society friends appear to stay overnight, and she finds that Penn is a Kensington, son of New York City’s mayor and part of the Manhattan royalty. The same holds true for his friends. After she tells Penn off, she hits it off with his friends, they have a great time, get drunk, and after Nat goes off to sleep, they concoct a bet involving Nat. Think Cruel Intentions, where the cast of characters aren’t evil, just bored socialites who like to compete and manipulate others.
The book is riveting with a great cast of characters. Everyone is fascinating in their own right, good or bad. Katherine is devious and conniving, Lewis is a darling, Lark is the serious goody-two shoes, and Rowe is nerdy and retracted. Penn rejects this way of life that seems to be second nature, and struggles with the philosophical pursuit of happiness and being ethical. Natalie is a strong, straightforward, sweet girl who comes from a military father and a flower child mother. She has always been poor but has been surrounded by love and acceptance. Even though she should be the disadvantaged one, she is in fact the richest one in that crowd.
The chemistry between Penn and Natalie is strong, their attraction inevitable. Penn pursues not only the woman but her essence and how she makes him feel. He feels he is real with her in a way he isn’t everywhere else. However, there is a struggle between his world and the world he shares with her. The book is multilayered, the interactions intriguing and fascinating. There is evil and sincerity, truth and evasions. I even loved the cliffhanger! Can’t wait for the sequel and read more about Penn and Natalie.