Sinners' Playground

A Dark Gang Romance (The Harlequin Crew, Book 1)

By: Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti

Narrated by: Bridget Bordeaux, Jake Bordeaux

Length: 18 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's Summary

Dead girls don’t feel pain. But they like the taste of vengeance. 

Maybe that’s why I came back to my hometown. Because it sure as hell wasn’t for the surf. But what else was I supposed to do when I found myself in Sunset Cove with twenty bucks to my name, the key to my enemies’ secrets hanging around my neck and a mouth full of grave dirt that wouldn’t wash clean? 

I hate the Harlequin boys.

But this is the perfect opportunity to take what they owe me. Because once upon a time, they broke my heart, stole my life and sent me away from everything I’d ever known. 

Fox, JJ, Chase, and Maverick. 

The four names tattooed onto my heart more permanently than any of the ink on my skin. They don’t just live in this town anymore, they rule it. And the view here may be beautiful, but the sun, sea and sand hide dark secrets. 

The gangs. The lies. The violence. 

It all lurks beneath a veil so thin that once you’ve seen through it, you can never close your eyes to the truth again. 

But I don’t plan on closing my eyes. I have four devils set in my sights. And this dead girl no longer has anything to lose. 

This is an enemies to lovers contemporary series where the girl will end up with multiple love interests and all of the characters are in their late twenties. Trigger warning: This series features gangs, violence, dark romance, and jealous/possessive themes.

©2020 Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti (P)2021 Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti

Outstanding book

I've mentioned certain authors being a match made in heaven before. I love seeing 2 authors combine their powers and blend their styles into an amazing book.

These authors surpass that, although I suspect their match was forged in someplace far more nefarious, because they are downright evil when it comes to their cliffhangers. But, I do like a good cliffhanger, despite me throwing my kindle across the room and cussing out the authors for pulling this squid on me. But I digress...
What I basically want to say is that these authors write as one. They are so in tune and deliver the most compelling books in fast succession. How they do it? I have no idea, but I suspect there's a deal with a demon involved.

Insert Sinners' Playground, their newest brainchild, picking up 10 years after the prequel novella Devil's Pass.
FMC Rogue finds herself back in Sunset Cove, despite the threats looming over her. She has one thing on her mind: revenge. Being faced with the demons (or Harlequins) from her past did not go as she expected it would.

The story that ensues is enthralling, action packed, fun, sweet, made me angry, ... in short, it had ALL the feels wrapped in a neat big bow.
I won't go into detail, because it would sell this story short. This is a must read, executed masterfully by these two evil geniuses with one shared mind and given life by these amazing narrators.

Fit for a sex shop

This is one of those books that would fit in on the racks of a sex shop. After taking out all the repetitiveness and boring sexual references this book should have been easily told in about 4 to 5 chapters.

Wow

I love a lot of these ladies books and Bridget and Jake just add a whole lot of rawness to there characters!! I have loved everything about this book!! I can't wait for Deadman Isle! That will be an interesting story!!

This book? On ‘Audible’ is deliciously-naughty...

I finally found a book that has everything; all the perfect push with a naughty pull, a female lead that kicks-ass while taking all their numbers, and getting her life back on the right track...she is headstrong, feisty, gets herself into so much trouble it's perfect, she always talks back, and makes you laugh while she is in all kinds of compromising situation.

The boys? they are all so different, like going to ice-cream store, so much verity, can’t blame the girl for wanting them all, also, can’t blame her for wanting to destroy them either, for the alpha-holes they are...except for JJ, something about that broken boy, has me all shift inside, he seems to be the only one, I’d maybe, and I mean maybe... forgive.

The cliffhanger though, damn...that was one good knife stab into the heart, not the last page, but what leads to it, that lie, the betrayal...I see a very vengeful rainbow unicorn, coming for blood.

This is going to be an interesting series, so far five-star girls, can’t wait for June, to see what will happen next, and how much deeper their boys will dig their very own graves.

Hard to like the book when you dislike the characters

I made it to chapter ten and it still seems a pale imitation of a Tate James or CM Stunich book. Unfortunately I just could not buy into a main character with terrible taste in men and nothing but a talent for theft and lies in her favor. Her crew is made up of more thieves and male whores. I just don’t get the appeal of a love story with men who are sleeping with every other woman in town. Visions of VD just keep dancing in my head. The story is slow and not compelling enough for eleven chapters. Bummer.

Rather predictable

Not a bad story, but don't have to be reminded every 30 minutes hiw ridiculously hot or how beautiful the main characters are. Also, Rogue is a bit too whiney and needs some therapy. The whole crew needs a good intervention or therapy session.

Exciting start to a fun series!

I can’t wait for the next book! These authors write the only cliffhanger books I’ll read! So far the first book and a half have been a wild ride and I am excited to listen to the next one ASAP! These narrators make an already awesome book even better!

so emotional, in the best way, on audio

i love to re-read my favorite books on audio and harlequin crew is no exception. there's so much history and pain between rogue and the harlequin boys that is brought to life by bridget and jake's narrations. the audiobook is smooth and keeps you interested until all of a sudden the book is over and you're left reeling and downloading the next book asap.

Obsessed

The story is amazing but the narrators really bring this story to life. This series is my first foray into audio books and I was so hooked from the start.

Male actor needs work

Love everything these authors write. But this particular male actor is hard to listen to.

just wow

I can honestly say this is just wow. I love these authors there books are mind blowing and this is the same. the nuraters are brilliant too and I could listen to them forever

Amazing

Poor Rogue nothing seems to go right for her. When she ends up back with the Harlequin Boys things are only going to get worse.

Loved it!!!!

Brilliant storyline which had me hooked.
The voice actors were excellent, getting into the characters perfectly and making the voices sound so different.

Edgy, dark bully romance.

This is my first book from these authors and they did not disappoint.
This book is a reverse harem, it’s the first in the series. A pre novella does exist and can be read before or after.
My favourite boy so far is Fox but I feel this changes throughout the book!
Rogue is not the typical female character I would fall in love it but I’ve found Rogue has brought out my rebel side!!

The narration is incredible. The tone of voice and speed is perfect. I’m often off put by a book pretty quickly if the narration isn’t right. This book delivers such a good narration, the voices for the characters are forever in my head when I reread the book via kindle!

Amazing

I was lucky enough to win this audiobook and I was honestly hooked. Doing the dishes has never been as enjoyable as while listening to Rouge bitch about Badger. I would definitely recommend this and anything else written by these lovely ladies.

Love these authors!

I loved reading this book and rediscovered just how awesome it was listening to it!

Your heart races, breaks and you hold your breath

Devil’s Pass, I was craving this book. (If you haven’t listened to it, then what exactly are you waiting for?!)

As always the twists and turns were completely unexpected and I couldn’t put it down. I have no idea how these incredible ladies create these immersive worlds and characters that you can get completely lost in. From various POV you feel the story from every angle. Your heart races, you get angry, you get sad and you laugh out loud at the lighthearted moments. The next instalment is going to feel like a eternity waiting and I cannot wait to put myself right back on the pier 🥰

These incredible narrators bring the story to life!

3⭐️Starts off well but I struggled to finish

Excellent narrators 👏👏 👏
Okay so, the book got off to a really good start and I love the sense of humour the sisters bring to their books and the writing style that doesn’t over complicate their stories. This is book 1 in their new series which is about a girl wanting to get revenge on the men in her life that have wronged her. I felt that there wasn’t enough progression in the story for such a long book which made it a struggle to get threw. In fact I found myself more interested in wanting to hear Bella’s story rather than Rouge’s. Rouge’s plan was to get close to the 4 boys who had broke her heart 10yrs ago and abandoned her like she meant nothing to them to steal each of their keys to a crypt that held all their secrets and extract her revenge. Sounds simple enough right? only problem was she barely even attempted to do this and kept running away from them at every chance and when she wasn’t running the only person wanted close to was JJ🤷‍♀️I just couldn’t warm to rouge. she was behaving more like a spoilt child and not the badass b*tch seeking revenge that she was at the beginning. I got so fed up of her constantly referring herself as a dead girl/ghost all the time and the boys kept going on about her coconut scent was really grating on me by the end. Unfortunately it didn’t grasp me enough to be reaching out for book 2 but I am a fan of these authors and will be reading their books again