Black Swan Affair by K.L. Kreig Published by Self-Published on October 17th 2016
Pages: 324
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I’ve loved him as long as I can remember.
The gangly boy with big brown eyes and unruly hair who grew up into an intoxicating man. He wears scruff like he invented it and ambles with a swagger that makes panties drop.
Killian Shepard.
Shep.
We grew up together. We played Ghost in the Graveyard. Had our own rock band. It didn’t matter that he was five years older than me. It didn’t matter that he looked at me as a kid sister even as I grew into woman. It didn’t even matter when he left me behind to go to college and start his adult life.
He’d be back. He was always meant to be mine.
He came back, all right. But instead of smelling of promises, he stunk of betrayal. And he destroyed me—us—the day he married my sister instead of me.
So I did the only thing a girl like me in my position could do.
I got my revenge. I married his brother, Kael. Now we’re one big happy f*cking family.
***mature content appropriate for 18+
I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this. The childhood boyfriend who goes away to college and comes back a changed man plot is nothing new, and I either enjoy or loathe love triangles depending on my mood and the story. Black Swan Affair is decidedly different though. Mystery, backstabbing, and selfless love elevate what could be your typical love triangle into something wonderfully complex and unpredictable.
Killian is the love of Maverick’s life, and he commits the ultimate betrayal by suddenly marrying her sister. Maverick, in turn, marries Kael—her best friend since childhood who just so happens to be Killian’s brother. Is she punishing Killian or settling? I love K.L. Kreig for making the reader ask that question.
The depth of Kael’s love for Maverick is breathtaking. Unfortunately for him, he’s been friend zoned, and the love she feels for him has always been platonic in nature. Kael thinks he can love Maverick enough for both of them, but as Bonnie Raitt sings, “You can’t make your heart feel something it won’t.” Then again, maybe the head just needs to gain clarity in order for the heart to fall in love. However, it certainly doesn’t help matters that the lingering sexual tension between Killian and Maverick is so intense.
Where the story falls short is in establishing the basis for Maverick’s consuming love for Killian. I didn’t doubt her feelings or their bond. I just didn’t understand it. And when the secret is unveiled, it’s definitely surprising, but I questioned some of the rationale. To say the situation is complicated is an understatement.
There are so many wonderful things about this story that even the pitfalls are worth the journey. Black Swan Affair has all the feels. It’s suspenseful, sultry, heartbreaking, full of angst, and yet also sweet. Above all, it’s a gripping and gorgeous love story.
Recommended for fans of:
Love Triangles
Angst
Romantic suspense
** ARC received in exchange for an honest review. **
About K.L. Kreig
I’m just a regular ol’ Midwest girl who likes Game of Thrones and am obsessed with Modern Family and The Goldbergs. I run, I eat, I run, I eat. It’s a vicious cycle. I love carbs, but there’s love-hate relationship with my ass and thighs. Mostly hate. I like a good cocktail (oh hell…who am I kidding? I love any cocktail). I’m a huge creature of habit, but I’ll tell you I’m flexible. I read every single day and if I don’t get a chance…watch the hell out, I’m a raving bitch. My iPad and me: BFFs. I’m direct and I make no apologies for it. I swear too much. I love alternative music and in my next life I want to be a bad-ass female rocker. I hate, hate, hate spiders, telemarketers, liver, acne, winter and loose hairs that fall down my shirt (don’t ask, it’s a thing).
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