THE BIG, BAD BILLIONAIRE is the fourth book in Jackie Ashenden's Billionaire Fairy Tales series. Out of all the books in this series, I think that THE BIG, BAD BILLIONAIRE is closest to the classic fairy tale it's modeled on. The de Santis brothers are all men who have been broken in some way by their unscrupulous father. These stories tell how these men shed some of their wild animal traits, after experiencing love for the first time. In THE BIG, BAD BILLIONAIRE, Rafe DeSantis is pursuing Ella Hart for reasons both known and unknown to him. Ella is a talented dancer, and one of the few people to treat Rafe with any kindness.

There are some uncomfortable moments in THE BIG, BAD BILLIONAIRE because Rafe is in the position to control the purse strings, and Ella's access to her dream of studying abroad. Having this story told from alternating perspectives is crucial for the reader because, without getting that insight into his soul, Rafe can be seen as a villain. As with previous books in this Billionaire Fairy Tales series, sex, power, and love vie for prominence in the relationship between this hero and heroine. Although he has no truly evil intentions with respect to Ella, Rafe keeps his deeper feelings hidden from her throughout most of the book. Rafe and Ella scratch at each other until they get at raw emotion and the fallout can be difficult for them both to handle. Although Rafe starts out trying to maintain control while still getting what he wants, his love for Ella puts him through a much needed trial by fire.

THE BIG, BAD BILLIONAIRE is a tale about a corporate wolf who finds himself a slave to his little red riding hood, but comes out a better man because of it. The path to love and happiness is complex and exceedingly arduous at times for this couple, but the journey makes a fascinating story. I look forward to reading Jackie Ashenden's next tale of billionaires and the women who take them on.