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"Ultimate Temptations"
Book One in the Temptations Series
Release Date: July 14th, 2015 |
Ella Wilkins only wants one thing out of life - to graduate from high school and escape her hometown where everyone knows her and the dark cloud surrounding her family.
Everything is going according to plan until two new students show up at her school. Asher and Cain, identical twin brothers, take an interest in her, and she can't help but wonder why two gorgeous brothers would want anything to do with a social outcast like her.
As she gets closer to the brothers, she's torn between the two. Asher's kindness pulls her in and comforts her while Cain both tempts and infuriates her with his sarcastic and devious ways.
When she learns who they truly are - or rather,
what they are - things start to get a little tricky.
Ella might not know it, but she is the key to winning the ultimate battle between heaven and hell. Both realms want her, and neither is willing to let her go.
She's torn betweeen the ultimate temptation of heaven and hell. Which side will she choose?
I watched as Asher hurried over to where I was standing. Cain rolled his eyes before joining the opposite team. I made room as Asher crowded between me and the boy standing next to me.
“What are we playing?” he asked.
“Dodgeball,” I said.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Seriously? You’ve never played dodgeball before?”
He shook his head.
“Basically, everyone attacks each other with those balls in the center of the gym. The goal is to hit as many people as you can without getting hit yourself. Once you’re hit, you’re out.”
“Seems simple enough,” he said.
I glanced at the muscles in his arms. I had no doubt that hurtling balls at innocent students would be easy for him. “Just don’t hurt anyone.”
He grinned when he noticed me staring at his arms. “I wouldn’t.”
Mr. Reynolds blew the whistle, and everyone took off at a full sprint toward the balls—that is, everyone, except for Amanda and me. We were both smart enough to stay against the wall as balls started flying.
Over half of both teams were hit within the first five minutes. After they were gone, things got harder for me. Without as many bodies to aim for, I soon became a target. I ducked and jumped out of the way as several students tossed balls at me. One hit right beside my head, and I winced.
Whoever had thrown that one meant business.
I looked up just in time to dodge another ball flying right at me. It hit the wall just as hard as the other one. I glanced at the opposing team and noticed Jenny glaring at me. Of course it had been her.
She grabbed another ball and threw it. I dropped to the ground just in time.
The next few minutes passed in a blur as I dodged ball after ball. Almost all of them were from Jenny. Finally, she managed to hit me. Luckily for me, it was in the chest instead of the face. I glared at her before walking toward the bleachers to sit down with Amanda. I winced as another ball hit me in the back.
“Whoops. Sorry, Ella. I didn’t realize you were already out!” Jenny shouted sweetly.
“Skank,” I muttered under my breath as I sat down.
Two seconds later, I heard Jenny shriek in protest. I looked up just in time to see a ball nailing her in the chest. She frowned across the room at Asher before walking to the bleachers. Asher shot me a smile before turning his attention back to the game. I couldn’t help but smile back. He’d seen what she did to me, and he’d gone after her. I was really starting to like Asher.
For the rest of the game, my attention was split between Asher and Cain. I whistled under my breath as Cain nailed another guy hard enough to knock him down. The boy didn’t mess around. I counted my blessings that it was Jenny who’d hit me instead of him.
Finally, it was just Asher and Cain still standing. I looked back and forth between the brothers. They both openly glared at each other.
“This should be entertaining,” Amanda said from beside me.
“My money’s on Asher,” I muttered.
From across the room, Asher turned and grinned at me like he’d heard what I just said.
I rolled my eyes at myself. That’s ridiculous. He was twenty feet away from me in a roomful of noisy seniors, and I hadn’t spoken very loud.
“Quit standing there, looking at each other, and throw the balls!” Mr. Reynolds shouted at the brothers.
Cain’s glare disappeared, and his trademark smirk returned. He grabbed a ball off the floor and threw it in Asher’s direction. Asher jumped out of the way just in time and grabbed a ball of his own. He threw it at Cain, and I tensed as it bounced off the wall. He’d thrown it with a lot more force than necessary.
“Come on, brother. That all you got?” Cain taunted as he tossed a ball at Asher.
On and on it went.
Both boys were throwing their balls without holding back in the slightest. The class went silent as we watched the epic dodgeball battle in front of us. My mouth dropped open when Cain did a flip in midair to avoid Asher’s ball. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he tossed a ball at Asher. It missed by inches and hit the wall next to the mats. I was only a few feet away, and my eyes widened in disbelief when I noticed the indent in the wall.
That’s impossible.
There was no way he could have thrown the ball hard enough to dent the wall. I was pretty sure the walls were made of concrete. Cain growled in frustration when he saw that the ball had missed. Asher smirked as he picked up two balls at once. I watched in awe as he launched both of them at Cain. Cain dodged the first one, but the second made contact. It hit his lower stomach with enough force that he flew backward several feet.
Damn. That’s going to leave one heck of a bruise.
“Now, that’s how you play dodgeball!” Mr. Reynolds shouted.
Cain stood back up. Neither brother paid any attention to the teacher.
Both were locked in a glaring contest.
Finally, Asher broke it. He glanced over at me and then back at Cain. “That all you got, brother?”
Ultimate Temptations by K.A. Robinson, writing as K. Anne, is a heavenly hellish, fast-paced read that I just didn't want to put down. While I know that my sixteen year old self would have absolutely loved this book, I can, without hesitation, say that my twenty-four year old self has enjoyed it just the same.
This young adult novel does not only give you a sarcastic female protagonist with an interesting story, but also two very charming paranormal main characters of the opposite sex.
HEY - don't give up on this just yet, because we are neither talking vampires, nor are we looking at your typical, been-there-done-that, love triangle. This book is different from anything I have read before, and I cannot wait to see where the next installments in the series will be taking us.
Cain and Asher are both sweeter than heaven, and hotter than hell - but that's where their similarities end, as each of the identical twin brothers has been sent to Earth from different realms. While one of them is serving Heaven as an angel, the other one is a demon from hell, and their different traits and characteristics make this an interesting and entertaining read. I think it is safe to say that this would be an absolutely recommendable read for anyone who is a fan of the tv-show
The Vampire Diaries, and especially those who have read and enjoyed the books by LJ Smith that the show has been based upon.
Team Damon (/demon),
Team Stefan (/saint)? It's okay to love them both... I did. But
Team Damon,
Team Stefan, it's all water under the bridge - now
Team Cain and
Team Asher are those to ship, and you might definitely start to feel yourself picking sides - I know I did. As I have mentioned before though, it's not your typical love triangle, because while it is undeniably present, it is not
taking place in the foreground, and could almost be considered a subtle sub-story to, and steerer of, what the actual storyline is all about. The brothers are on a mission, each of them trying to convince Ella that their realm is the place to be, that their side is the one to pick... because her choice will ultimately be changing history.
Ultimate Temptations is full of well-developed characters, that each come with their own complex story, beautifully wrapped into one. The paranormal character of the novel isn't too absurd and is clearly structured, so it's easy to follow and get lost in. Falling in love with Asher and Cain was effortless, and now it's time to see what they, and their worlds, are really made of... SO
WHERE THE HELL (pun intended) IS PART TWO?!? (-;
K.A. Robinson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over fifteen books. She lives in West Virginia with her husband and son. When she isn't writing, she enjoys reading and drinking far too much coffee and Diet Pepsi.
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*** I received an ARC from the author, in exchange for an honest review! ***
