Devil's Contract

Dark Pen Series, Book 1

By: Alta Hensley, Livia Grant

Narrated by: Lynn Barrington, Michael Gallagher

Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

She’ll regret the day she turned me into her enemy.

She’s the princess of The Whitney, the premier hotel in New York City. Her empire is like a fairy tale. But there is no happily ever after in this story. For there are consequences for breaking a decade-old contract sealed with blood, and now she must pay the price.

Because of my power, connections, and our past, the Manhattan royalty has no choice but to turn to me for help.

The villain in the story.

Dangerous. Vengeful. Possessive.

I’m a man to be feared in the elite underground. I’m also the only person who can save her legacy.

Locked in my clutches, she must play my wicked game of revenge.

She’ll have no choice but to fall to her knees, beg, and pull out her dark pen to sign a contract with the devil.

USA Today best-selling authors Alta Hensley and Livia Grant join forces to bring you a dark billionaire stand-alone enemies-to-lovers romance.

©2022 Black Collar Press (P)2022 Pink Flamingo Productions

Consequences

I couldn't put it down. Dex Cohen and Katja Belov have plenty of history. Some good, some bad. Their present is marred by deceit, hurt, and revenge.

While I wish the ending had an extra chapter or two with more groveling and making up, I really like the journey. They have plenty of chemistry, challenge one another, and get more wrong than right some days.

Having read Alta's work previously, I expected this to be darker. There are still plenty of dark elements (and some triggers), but I was pleasantly surprised.

I received an author's copy of the audio book. The narrators are Lynn Barrington and Michael Gallagher. Both were fantastic with their respective primary characters, but when they did each other's character in dual narration... I really wish this had been duet. That is my only complaint.

Story: 4 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Listening Speed: 1.6x

story had me on edge and riveted as lines crossed

This story had me on edge and riveted as lines were drawn and crossed continuously. Katya and Dex have extensive history that has transformed into a caustic connection that appears to be ready to burn them alive... but often things aren't as they seem and as betrayals, secrets, and hidden agendas are revealed the waters surrounding them get murkier. How on earth could they possibly move past this bitter push and pull routine to an HEA...well listen to find out because they do it. Narrators do an awesome job at bringing the characters to life.

Terrific Story & Narration🎧Riveting & Twisted!

This is a terrific enemies-to-lovers romance, the story is original with interesting storylines that are captivating from start to end. Katja Belov owns and runs The Whitney, a premier hotel in New York City, which she grew up in and inherited from her father. She is also part of the New York elite and moves in the same circle as the rich and even the famous. She learned how to survive in that world and keep tabs on everyone and their indiscretions for when she may need a favor. Katja is in a marriage of convenience, for show only, and there is no love between her and Tristan, just a business arrangement. Dex Cohen also grew up in The Whitney, his father conducted his business there and so did Dex until Katja took over and threw him out. It was a business decision, but he took it personal and never forgave her for it. But when Katja’s world implodes, he comes to her rescue, but it is at a cost. There is a lot of history between these two and the chemistry between them is electric. He gets her where he wants her and all is going well until his secrets come to light and she realizes what he is trying to do. This well written and cleverly plotted story has a perfect balance of drama, angst, some twists and turns, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. Alta Hensley and Livia Grant, thank you for the great story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
 
🎧📚🎧 And for the fantastic narration, Lynn Barrington and Michael Gallagher did an amazing job bringing the characters and story to life. They had a complete understanding of who they were portraying, giving each character their own voice, one that was fitting and believable. Gallagher nailed it as Dex, playing the role perfectly, and Barrington did the same as Katja. Both were just as fabulous performing the roles of the secondary characters, too. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the character’s emotions and had you feeling every them all. These entertaining storytellers are versatile voice artists and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this terrific listen.

Good one

Loved this enemies to lovers romance! It had all the goodies I love in a book. I was intrigued from the beginning and couldn’t get enough. Definitely recommend this one!

Incredible collaboration

Everyone needs a Dex in their life. Dex and Katja have known each other since childhood when both Dex and Katja's families owned The Whitney but, their story doesn't end there. This is a beautiful dark, dangerous, drama filled, enemies to lovers, revenge story that you will love.#The FlockonTour

4.5 Stars - Left me giddy

This is the first book I've listen to by Alta Hensley and Livia Grant, but I read this series about a year and a half ago. I loved it. Listening to it has been even better! This has a darkness, but not too much. I loved the storyline and enemies-to-lovers relationship between Katja and Dex. My heart broke for them at one point. I can't wait for Z's story!

I was so excited to see that my favorite audiobook publisher (Pink Flamingo Productions) and the authors were working together because I knew the narrators would be top notch! I was not disappointed! Michael Gallagher and Lynn Barrington are excellent narrators. They brought this audiobook to life with emotional performances, their voices being perfect for the characters.

#PinkFlamingoProductions
#TheFlockonTour

Quick and dirty...

Intriguing start, the FMC is really put through it, and I’m hooked. It turns weak for just a small bit, but still works as I enjoy the hotel management aspects. I predicted how it’d go early in but for the most part, still enjoyed seeing it play out.

🖤 Billionaires.
🏨 High profile / celebrity secondary characters.
🖤 FMC business owner.
🏨 Arranged / convenience marriage.
🖤 Elites gossip.
🏨 MMC innkeeper.
🖤 Set in NYC / hotel.
🏨 Crime families. Bratva.
🖤 Dubcon.
🏨 Extortion.
🖤Dirty talk.
🏨Cheating (secondary characters).
🖤Manipulation.
🏨Scandal.

Based on this read, my first for both authors, I’d be open to reading more from either.
Overall: 3.5 stars. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Audio:
The narration, performance, voices and overall sound quality are completely perfect. 🦩
5 stars. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Devil’s Contract

This is the first book in the Dark Pen series. Alta Hensley and Livia Grant are new authors to me. This book is deliciously dark, a smidge twisted and taboo. Katyja and Dex both grew up learning how to run The Whitney. The Whitney is a high end hotel that their fathers ran. Katyja’s father ran everything within the hotel on the professional side. Dex’s father ran things under the table. Several years ago Katyja kicked Dex and his business out of The Whitney. She married a man for his social status. Katyja’s husband got himself so far in debt that he started selling her properties behind her back and got himself caught up with a lone shark. The only person she could turn to was Dex. Lynn Barrington and Michael Gallagher did a fantastic job narrating this book.

Dark and Dirty

This is a dark and steamy enemies to lovers romance. Dex and Katyia had great chemistry. The storyline is suspenseful with secrets and betrayal and twists and turns throughout. Once the big secret comes out, I do feel like Katyia took Dex back a little too quickly. I did enjoy this story and am looking forward to more from this series.

Michael Gallagher and Lynn Barrington are fantastic! I absolutely loved listening to them as they brought Dex and Katyia to life. The emotions that they added to the characters was perfect!!

dark, dirty and delicious!

🅰🆄🅳🅸🅾🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆

I requested this book because I loooove Michael Gallagher!! His voice is smooth perfection! Lynn Hartington is a new to me narrator, and I enjoyed her voice very much.

Alta and Livia are totally new to me, and I will always give a new author a chance, especially if it's narrated by a favorite voice actor.

This book is a dark romance (with some shaming, spanking, questionable male lead.. basically all the requisite wants in a dark romance).

I liked Dex a helluva lot more than Katyja. Sorry, not sorry !!
I found it hard to believe that she's this badass ice princess of NY royalty who trades in secrets but was completely clueless about her husband.

In the end, I was begrudgingly won over because I'm a sucker for this type of storyline! She eats crow thanks to Dex's brand of retribution... and she damn well liked it! 😈
Let's talk about that payback.. in a word.. HAWT!!

I'm a huge fan of a dark hero with a backstory. K and D have history too, which you get as the story progresses.

I really liked how we got more about Dex and Katya's history in doses throughout the book. Their HEA was perfect for them!

I would definitely listen to the next book in the series to see where it goes from here!