Book Review: The Pawn

Avery James once had a rich life with a father who loved her so dearly; she came from a noble family. At least, that’s what she thought. But her dad was suddenly beaten up for being a fraud, then ended up losing everything – his dignity, his wealth, and his health. Because of this, Avery had to quit her private college to take care of her dad but when their house, the only thing her mom left, was about to be taken away, she couldn’t let that happen. Left with an indecent way to get the money she needed through an auction, she had to give up her virginity and be in someone’s complete possession for 30 days. With that money, she could save the house, afford his dad’s hospital bills and medical needs, and possibly still continue her college. But there was something more disturbing to her than losing her virginity – the man who bought her was Gabriel, the same man who tore down her father and destroyed their lives.

The Pawn by Skye Warren is a dark contemporary romance that was hard to put down. It was very intriguing. A girl lost her dignity to a guy who loathed her father and has taken her for revenge. Or maybe not...

I think Avery’s character was very typical, and so is her story. From riches to rags, she was left with no choice but to sell her dignity to save her entire life. The concept is definitely not something original, but what made me keep on reading this book was Gabriel. His character was very mysterious – you wouldn’t know whether he was helping Avery or simply putting her at the palm of his hands. In fact, until the end, I had no idea whether Gabriel just wanted to take revenge or was really into her. But of course, I have to find out through the second book. Apparently, I have come across a book series and had no idea. I know I should’ve checked on the product description first, or at least, I should’ve read the reviews, but I instantly got interested because it was free, and I loved the title and cover. I thought it was another intelligently written story that would feed my knowledge with philosophy or life strategy because the author used a chess piece to describe the book. I wanted to find out what the title meant, then I realized he was referring to Avery as “the pawn,” a person he used for his own purpose. I laughed at myself for judging the book by its cover when I found out it was an erotic novel. But the good thing is, it is way much better than 50 Shades of Grey. In fact, this is nothing like that book because it is smarter, more gripping, and more sensual.

I’m giving this 4 out of 5 stars. The concept isn’t original, but the storyline and the author’s approach in enticing the readers is very intriguing. I recommend this to mature readers who love twisted romance. It’s a page-turner and I’ll certainly read the next book.