Bittersweet Revenge

The Patricians, Book 2

By: R.G. Angel

Narrated by: Charlotte Claremont, Robert Hatchet

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Esme had thought she was free, but a shocking revelation forces her to return to Stonewood.

There she must deal with life-altering secrets and lies, as well as face the consequences of running away.

Caleb is angrier than ever, hell-bent on punishing her for what he considers to be the greatest betrayal.

As she delves deeper into the past with the aid of unlikely allies, even more secrets resurface, making her and everyone around her question the very foundation of their lives.

As the clock ticks and danger looms closer, what will Esme sacrifice to get to the truth? What will Caleb destroy to get his revenge?

©2020 R.G. Angel (P)2020 R.G. Angel

It's A Rich Man's World...

Fresh from the ultimate rejection and betrayal, Caleb is out for revenge.
No one dares to cross this Astor and gets away with it.
Too bad his brain and his heart are both warring when it comes to Esmeralda.
Meanwhile, there's a mystery to solve and the culprit could very well be under their noses.

Okay, let me just say that the Caleb I see on the cover image is NOT the same Caleb Astor I picture in my mind. Nope, not good enough. I AM glad that we got a male narrator though. Unfortunately, I could not get over the female narrator's inflection! There's too much of a difference from the first book and this book. I'd rather listen to Stevi from the first book (going by the Sample) or even have Robert narrating solo instead.

Oh but the story, it was amazing! I was more captivated by the H than the h. The one person who loved him unconditionally has passed. He still bears the physical and emotional scars inflicted on him from his parents. In order to survive in his sadistic world, he needs to be smart: bide his time and play the part of the dutiful heir. It's ironic that Ben, his betrothed's ex-crush, calls him 'sociopath' when William Forbes and James Astor are the true monsters. Narcissism should be the eighth deadly sin.

Then there's the other drama to contend with: Esme and Archie's newfound bond, Archie and Caleb's rocky friendship, the French Adonis and his beard's fake relationship, Archie's jealousy, their mutually-agreed upon sleuthing, the elder Astor's creepy obsession with the future daughter-in-law, the dangers surrounding the Forbes and Astor heirs, and Esme's multitude set of problems.

I was given a free copy of this audio book at my request in exchange for an honest review. So my final thoughts: the results of the near death experiences did not seem realistic, but I'll suspend disbelief. The twists at the end had me shook. I was surprised there was a second epilogue that far into the future. But I have to ask, will we ever get a resolution for T & A's troubled love story?

light at the end of the tunnel

If you like them dark this one is pitch black!! The cruelty, pain, and jealousy manifest in some dark and twisted ways that brought tears to my eyes and shattered my soul. The depravity (Caleb's dad especially) of "sharing" made bile rise up in my throat!!!! So many secrets, truths, changes. and growth that my mind is still reeling and processing. I did not expect the changes and growth at the end, but I am happy fir all the positivity after all the negatively. The ending was very hopeful. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest review. The narrators did a great job bringing the characters and story to life.

A Thrilling Read and Satisfying Conclusion...

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a captivating and intriguing sequel to the hit YA thriller fans were treated to in book 1 of the series. I absolutely loved the dual perspectives of this narrative, as Caleb’s darker, more vindictive personality was paired with Esme’s lighter, more caring, and innocent perspective, creating a memorable and almost iconic relationship between the two.

After the events of the first book, the author does a great job of maintaining the same level of suspense in the second book while increasing the danger and shock of the narrative, from Esme’s imposing father to Caleb’s complicated feelings of both revenge and romance towards Esme and even the growing relationship between Esme and her brother Archibald. The narrators do a great justice towards the two protagonists, capturing the raw emotional delivery of their dialogues and the intrigue of the plot overall.

A memorable, entertaining, and satisfying second book, author R.G. Angel’s “Bittersweet Revenge” is a must-read novel. The twists and turns of the suspenseful part of the narrative take to complement the satisfying conclusion to both protagonist’s stories, while also leaving room for some spin-off or even possible sequels in this memorable series. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!