Only the Wicked

The Sinful State Series, Book 1

By: Isabel Jolie

Narrated by: Marie Hawkins, Scott Rose

Control built my empire. She might destroy it all.

To some, my creation, ARGUS, is a weapon. To others, it's a safeguard.

The system sees all, finds every connection, leaves no secret buried.

Yet she found my blind spot.

I gave her everything—my bed, my secrets, my trust. The heart I'd buried under years of ambition and isolation.

Only to discover she didn't find me by accident. Former CIA. Investigating a deadly leak. Hired by shadows to hunt rumors that could destroy everything I've built.

Every kiss was a lie. Every vulnerable moment, a calculated move. She played me like a mark, and I let her.

But the fire between us? That was real. And now that same fire might burn us both.

I've always been willing to pay any price to protect my creation. Now I'll pay any price to keep her. Even if it means becoming the monster they already think I am.

Only the Wicked is the first book in the sizzling Sinful State series, where elite operatives and ruthless billionaires discover that the deadliest game is the one played with the heart—and the only rule is that only the wicked win.

©2025 Isabel Jolie (P)2025 Blue Nose Publishing, Isabel Jolie

A Suspenseful Thriller

This was my first experience with this author's work. I was entertained by the story. I liked Sydney who was independent, courageous, and driven to find answers regarding her last assignment. I liked Rhodes who buried himself in his work until he met Sydney. When the two were forced by circumstances to work together, in spite of their mistrust, the suspense kept me on the edge-of-my seat. I enjoyed all the twists and turns. There were some steamy scenes depicted. I thought that the narration provided by Marie Hawkins and Scott Rose enhanced the story's entertainment as their performances kept my attention riveted to the story. I was given an advanced listener's copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.

Rhode and Sydney

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
🌶️🌶️

Thank you Blue Nose Audio for this ALC

Only the Wicked by Isabel Jolie
Book 1 in The Sinful State Series
Performed in duet by Marie Hawkins & Scott Rose 

Isabel Jolie is a new author for me. This troupe is also a something I haven’t read a lot of. I loved it.

Billionaire Romance
He Falls First
Disguise
Protective Hero
Strong Heroine
Vigilante

Rhodes and Sydney

I enjoyed this suspense audiobook. Former CIA recruited to find out a leak that put her and others in danger.

I liked the chemistry between these two. Sydney turmoil whether she could trust him.

Both Marie Hawkins and Scott Rose were fantastic. Scott is a new narrator for me and look forward to listening to more of his narrations

I am looking forward to more in this series

An amazing romantic suspense

Oh my god, Only The Wicked was better than I expected. Marie Hawkins and Scott Rose were the perfect pair of narrators to bring this amazing book to life. And the story was amazing! A handsome Rhodes( tech guy) was forced on vacation (working too much) and Sydney was sent there to get intel on him. And I absolutely loved that Sydney is undercover agent (but no longer in the CIA), and that in itself is just amazing. I love to read about a badass woman. The chemistry and banter between Rhodes and Sydney was amazing. The plot is so good, I was on the edge on my seat. What’s going on? Who following them? What is Rhodes hiding? Is he hiding anything? Who’s working against them?

Only the Wicked

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️
3🌶️🌶️🌶️

Only the Wicked is the first book in The Sinful State series. Rhodes is a wealthy man that has created an AI system called ARGUS. This system could become a weapon if it ends up in the wrong hands. Sydney is an ex-CIA agent. She now works for a private company. She is hired to investigate Rhodes and ARGUS. She has been researching Rhodes and his hobbies. She plans to casually meet him on a hiking trail and try to spark his interest. As she starts spending time with Rhodes she can’t stop falling for him. They decide to team up together and try to find out who might be working against them. This book was very intriguing.

Marie Hawkins and Scott Rose did an excellent job narrating this book.

Wickedly Addictive! Fantastic Story & Narration🎧

This is my first Isabel Jolie book, and consider me impressed by her writing style and the amazing characters and storylines she created that are complex and multi-layered. A gripping romantic suspense that is intriguing, keeps you guessing and takes you to the edge of your seat, all while tugging at your heartstrings, too. Billionaire Rhodes MacMillan created an AI program to do good, a powerful program that should not get into the wrong hands, but that does not stop them from wanting a piece of it or trying to get in but the tech guru has safety and security measures in place. His partner, Miles, convinced him to take a long overdue vacation, and that is where he met her, Sidney Parker, while out hiking. The two hit it off, and what starts off as a vacation fling turns into something more, but it turns out not all is as it seems. Sidney is a former CIA, working undercover to gather intel, a case that is close to her heart because there may be a connection to her former job. It was great watching these two get to know each other, and despite her working on an assignment, her feelings were real, and so was their connection. When the truth comes out, he questions the validity of her feelings, but you can not fake that smoking hot chemistry between them. Jolie weaved a complex and might fine web, and I loved watching it unravel as all the pieces fell into place. There is never a dull moment in this cleverly plotted story, a story that has a perfect balance of drama, angst, mystery, betrayals, twists and turns, thrilling suspense and steamy romance. The world building and character growth and development are fantastic too. Isabel Jolie, thank you for this amazing story and the wild emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧And for the amazing casting and audiobook listen performed by two talented voice artists, Marie Hawkins and Scott Rose, who brought these characters to life perfectly. I loved how they took each role and made it their own, with voices that were fitting, sounding believable and just as I imagined the characters to sound. Hawkins was fantastic as Sidney, and Rose was just as fantastic as Rhodes, each embodying their roles and showcasing their personalities perfectly, confident and fierce. Both were just as great performing the roles of the side/secondary characters too. They set the ideal tone for the story, conveyed all the characters’ emotions in their performance, making you feel them all. These entertaining storytellers are a pleasure to listen to and their captivating performance rivets you to the story.