WICKED SINNER is the second book in Stacey Kennedy’s “Dangerous Love” series. Most romances that have a marriage of convenience storyline start with that and build from there, but WICKED SINNER is a romantic suspense about two people taking a second chance on love that works its way in that direction slowly. Asher Sullivan broke Remy Brennan’s heart when they were both young, and he ran away to join the FBI. Now, Remy lands in a situation that Asher feels is his opportunity to be the man for Remy that he should have been back then – somebody she can count on.

It’s a very complicated set of circumstances that have Asher playing avenging knight for Remy. Her almost- husband turned out to be a con man who led a creepy gangster to Remy’s door. With the ever-present and sinister Lars Violi lurking around Remy’s small town, it gives a very CAPE FEAR vibe to the story. Stacey Kennedy does a good job of balancing the romance and relationship growth between Remy and Asher with the spine-tingling danger. My first reaction to Asher, after learning how he hurt Remy years ago, is to think of him as a first-class jerk. However, because this story is told from alternating perspectives, the reader gets a strong sense of Asher’s feelings of guilt and the sorrow over what he feels he’s lost over the years.

WICKED SINNER has a tantalizing mix of thrills, fierce friendships, and second-chance sexiness. As with the first book in this series, as well as other books by Stacey Kennedy, the friendships between the men and the ones between the women really stand out and add depth to this story. I don’t know if Stacey Kennedy has written a story already for Joaquin King, or if she plans to, but I admit to being very interested in reading one. I look forward to reading Kinsley and Rhett’s story next.