Devoted to Love by Shayla Black

He was sent to guard her body… he didn’t expect her to steal his heart.

Her sister’s wedding was hardly the place to find a hook up, but after one look at friend-of-the-groom and special operative Josiah Grant, small-town Texas beauty Magnolia West immediately fell in lust. After a stunningly sensual night together, Maggie is prepared for the two of them to go their separate ways. After all, she’s not a happily-ever-after kind of girl. But Josiah—and danger—change her plans.

Josiah isn’t looking for love… but Maggie rouses his body and stirs his heart like no other woman. She’s got a rocky romantic past, and a smart man would steer clear. But when the murder quotient in Kendall County rises and all signs point to a mysterious group nearby who have been harassing Maggie’s family, he can’t leave her unprotected—especially when he realizes he’s fallen hard for her.

As tension mounts and the menace closes in, Josiah will do anything to prove to Maggie that their love is real… but can they stay alive long enough to share it?

Book 2
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/F Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

Magnolia (Maggie) and Josiah are an unlikely couple. Maggie has been raised by her grandparents and loves living on the ranch with them. With her famous sister now married, Maggie knows that life will go back to being the same and different, all at once. With a relationship with her own mom that’s strained, even though Maggie knows that her mom is trying intellectually, it’s hard to forget or forgive the abandonment she still feels.

Josiah loves his job. He is surrounded by a good group of men and even though they have rules about relationships developing between those who need protection and protectors, he just can’t help himself – Maggie draws him. When he learns that there is a strange group nearby who are trying to get Maggie’s grandparents to sell their land, and even stranger “accidents” start happening, Josiah knows that he will do anything to protect her.

What follows is a story about love, honor, and devious behavior that leads down the wrong path. People are dying around town and with no explanations, Maggie and Josiah will have to use their observation powers to figure out who is behind it.

This is a sweet story that has an alpha protector, a strong woman who takes no prisoners, and people who just want what’s best for their community. It was very entertaining and I can’t wait to see if more books spring from this story.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars of pure magic!

This is the second book in the series, and I would recommend that you read them in order, as why would you miss out on any Black goodness? The story starts with the wedding of the two protagonists from book one, and gives you some insight into the lives of the leads in this story, so really does add something to the story. That said, this would stand up on its own, if you are impatient to start! We also get a few nods to Wicked Lovers from past series – which made me very happy.

Maggie and Josiah embrace their chemistry at her sister Shealyn's wedding to Josiah's colleague, Cutter. Both happy to ignore emotions and enjoy the passion, they spend the night together. And much as Josiah plans to get back to his life the next morning, the recent murder in the town causes him to pause. A local "community" is buying up land, and it looks like Maggie's family ranch is up next. And his sense of duty, and one tends to think, his attraction to Maggie, makes him keen to resolve the issue.

I loved the level of creepy surrounding the cult – it was just at the perfect level of crazy, worrying, and despicable! Mercy was so disturbing, she gave me the shivers.

As the story played out, and Josiah and Maggie come to mean everything to each other, it is not just wondering about how they will make it work, but whether they will get the chance to try. I loved the level of drama, side by side with the inner turmoil they both feel at this turn of events.

Another fantastic read from Shayla Black. Luckily, I am now a veteran, I stacked up snacks and hid myself away until I had emoted my way to the end. Expect laughs, tears, and deep breath moments along with some requiring a fan!


Mary – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars

For Josiah, finding love was not something he was looking for but spending the night with Maggie would be the perfect way to end his time at his friend/coworker’s wedding. When he first saw Maggie, he felt something deep inside, but he didn't want to listen to his true feelings. He had been burned before.

Maggie didn't believe that love was in her future. When she loved someone, they left her. Except for her grandparents and her sister. She lived with her grandparents and her sister just married the love of her life. But Maggie knew that love would not happen for her. When she saw Josiah before the wedding, his stare did something to her.

After their night together, Maggie tried to push him away, but Josiah wanted to help her stop the neighboring group from bothering them about selling their farm. What he learned while at the other farm had him worried for Maggie and her grandparents.

Will Maggie give Josiah a chance at a relationship? Can Josiah show Maggie that he will not hurt or leave her? Can they find out just what is going on at the farm that seems to be sketchy?

I love Shayla Black and her writing style always pulls me into each story I read. This one had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what would happen next. I highly recommend this author, no matter what you read you will not be disappointed.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
I have to say this is one of the better books I've read in a while. The story was well thought out, and the characters had chemistry.

It's not every day that we come across a female lead that owns her sexuality. Maggie doesn't shy away from what she believes will be a one-night stand, or the fact that she cheated on her ex- fiancé. Granted, it appears that she and her ex weren't exactly in love, but still. She owns her decisions.

Josiah, on the other hand, believes in complete honesty. He was once on the flip side – the person being cheated on – and he has no desire to hook up with a woman that would potentially do that to him. However, he's man enough to realize that every story has two sides and listening to both is what makes a man good feel about himself.

The twists and turns in this story are believable and I can't wait to read the next story in this series.

Also Available in the Devoted Lovers Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our Devoted to Pleasure post.

Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels, including the Wicked Lovers series and, with Lexi Blake, the Perfect Gentlemen series. For over fifteen years, she’s written contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances via traditional, independent, foreign, and audio publishers. Her books have sold well over a million copies and have been published in a dozen languages.

Connect with Shayla

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Devoted to Love (Devoted Lovers #2) by Shayla Black to read and review. Mary reviewed her personal NetGalley copy.

Devoted to Pleasure by Shayla Black

The first in an all-new sexy contemporary romance series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shayla Black.

BOUND BY DUTY...

Bodyguard and former military man Cutter Bryant has always done his duty—no matter the cost. Now he's taking one last high-octane assignment before settling down in a new role that means sacrificing his chance at love. But he never expects to share an irresistible chemistry with his beautiful new client.

...TEMPTED BY PLEASURE

As the star of a steamy television drama, Shealyn West knows fame well, but it has come at the expense of her heart. With a blackmailer watching her every move and the threat of career-ending exposure looming, Shealyn hires Cutter to shore up her security and keep her safe, never imagining their attraction will be too powerful to contain.

As Shealyn and Cutter navigate the scintillating line between business and pleasure, they unravel a web of secrets that threaten their relationship and their lives. When danger strikes, Cutter must decide whether to follow his heart for the first time, or risk losing Shealyn forever.

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars

I found myself loving this story, but Cutter was too good to be true. He was there to help anyone who needed it and was even going to give up true love and forever happiness to help a friend, someone as close to him as a sister. It just didn't seem real to me because I haven't met anyone that selfless in my life.

Cutter Bryant was the all-around good guy, former military, now a bodyguard for hire and his next assignment has him heading to Hollywood. And after this high-profile job, he is giving up his chance at love to help a friend. Wait until he meets Shealyn West, the one person he was not expecting.

Small town girl makes it big, Shealyn West is finally living her dream as a Hollywood actress. But what she wasn't ready for was all the press following her every move. And when a blackmailer sends a text with a steamy video of her and a man that is not her boyfriend, she realizes that she needs someone to go with her to drop off the payoff. She hires a bodyguard at a friend’s recommendation. When the man shows up at her door, Cutter Bryant was not what she was expecting at all. He leaves her tingling all over and tongue-tied. She has never had these feelings towards any man before. And she wants to explore them more with him.

Can Cutter and Shealyn enjoy their time together and he can keep her safe too? Will the blackmailer give up after she pays whoever it is off? Will they find out who the blackmailer is? Will Cutter and Shealyn end things when he leaves, or will they make a future together?

I loved this story and other than Cutter being too good to be true, I recommend it highly. Shayla Black has a way of pulling you into a story and making you feel all the emotions the story has to offer. So I hope you enjoy this story too.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
The characters in this book are well defined and each are seeking some form of redemption. In Shealyn's cases it takes the form of striving to be perfect and not causing her family members heartache. For Cutter it's to right a wrong, to be better than he was to let no one get hurt in his watch ever again.

Shealyn is being blackmailed and just wants to pay the money with no one being the wiser. When the drop goes south she realizes that she has to trust Cutter with her secrets. Cutter's first instinct is to put her in a safe house but that's not realistic.

As their lives become intertwined, both Cutter and Shealyn must figure out what is more important: their careers or each other.


Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆
I didn’t love this book – I didn’t feel invested in Shealyn and Cutter, their chemistry just didn’t do it for me. I’m giving three stars because I did enjoy the storyline and I love Shayla Black’s writing, I always breeze through her books very quickly.

Cutter works private security now that he’s out of the military. In his hometown he’s known for helping anyone who needs it – even at the expense of his personal life. Cutter has committed to marry his best friend when he returns from his next job so that she doesn’t look bad to her family. This one last job before that can happen is with Shealyn, a big time actress who is being blackmailed and needs Cutter to provide security for her to make the payoff. From their first meeting they’re attracted to one another, but neither is willing to cross the professional/personal line. Then, Shealyn’s blackmailing becomes more and Cutter swoops in to save this damsel.

I think the part that had me not loving this book was that Cutter lets everyone walk all over him. He doesn’t seem to have an alpha bone in his body but at the same time, he’s a security guard so he’s strong. It was just weird, and I struggled with that and him having promised himself to his best friend before leaving on the job with Shealyn. Though this one wasn’t for me, I still applaud the author for writing a book that kept me reading through to the end even though I wasn’t invested in the main characters.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is a really good first book in a new series – although any Wicked Lovers fans will find some familiar names to smile about too. If you haven't read that series, well you have a treat waiting for you when you do!

Cutter is in security, and first we find him talking to his all-life friend Brea, and she is in a major jam. Then we watch on as he is assailed by intense desire for his latest client, Shealyn, an actress on a hit TV show. This sets up the underlying plot issues perfectly and had me trying to work out just how he was going to resolve a fairly massive problem that he has created... let's just say that Shayla Black is brilliant at writing men who should think less and say more! I cannot tell you how many times I said to Cutter "now?" and rolled my eyes when the page turned and the moment had passed!

Add in a blackmail mystery with some clever turns and use of Facebook and social media to divert attention, and this is a great combination of very hot, steamy, and quickly intense romance, and well-paced drama. I don't really want to say anymore for fear of giving anything away. Rest assured you will enjoy the ride, find out more about the repetitive nature of the role of TV star, and how just about everything written about celebrity is nonsense. Another winner, thank you and can't wait to read the next installment – there are some big hints about who should be involved, and I am looking forward to unravelling all the negative comments about him soon.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance with some thrills
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

This is a great start to a new series. It has the makings of a great series with all of the hints at secondary characters.

Cutter is a great guy - he is too good to be true, in all honesty. I wish that he had some flaws throughout, since he was so "perfect," it was hard to believe his character or to even really relate. He is in security and when he's called to protect a Hollywood star, he takes his job very seriously... until he meets her. Not only is he insanely attracted to her, he is also in a personal pickle with what he left behind.

Shealyn is an actress who is set on protecting her private life. She is now in need of protection, but she's not willing to divulge what is really going on until it's almost too late. She meets Cutter and knows that her life is complicated already, but just this once, she wants something real – for herself.

In true romance fashion, the lack of communication is prevalent and rears its ugly head. I think that Black has an amazing talent for writing characters that suck you in and who you want to root for.

This is a great story with a lot of intrigue and a ton of chemistry between the main characters. I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for more.

Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty novels. For nearly twenty years, she’s written contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances via traditional, independent, foreign, and audio publishers. Her books have sold millions of copies and been published in a dozen languages.

Raised an only child, Shayla occupied herself with lots of daydreaming, much to the chagrin of her teachers. In college, she found her love for reading and realized that she could have a career publishing the stories spinning in her imagination. Though she graduated with a degree in Marketing/Advertising and embarked on a stint in corporate America to pay the bills, her heart has always been with her characters. She’s thrilled that she’s been living her dream as a full-time author for the past eight years.

Shayla currently lives in North Texas with her wonderfully supportive husband, her teenage daughter, and two spoiled tabbies. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading, and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Connect with Shayla

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Google+  ~  Instagram

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Devoted to Pleasure (Devoted Lovers #1) by Shayla Black to read and review. Mary reviewed her personal NetGalley copy.