Blog Tour: The Fifth Avenue Trilogy

Avenge Me
Fifth Avenue #1
By: Maisey Yates
Published:  May 27, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin
Mature Content
Source:  Publisher
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GR's Summary:

TEN YEARS AGO ONE DEVASTATING NIGHT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR AUSTIN, HUNTER AND ALEX. NOW THEY MUST EACH PLAY THEIR PART IN THE REVENGE AGAINST THE ONE MAN WHO RUINED IT ALL. 

Austin Treffen was born into a world of privilege, but behind its gilded doors lies a corruption so sordid New York's elite would never believe it—especially as his infamous philanthropic father is at its core! With everything he believed in shattered, how can Austin take down his father—risking his family name and those he loves—without any proof? Until one earth-shattering night with Katy Michaels unlocks not only their deepest, most passionate desires but also the key to bringing Jason Treffen's reign to an end. But with an intense sexual attraction that combines a heady mix of exquisite pleasure and sublime pain, will they satiate their thirst for revenge and each other…or lose themselves forever in the darkness?

My Thoughts:

Avenge Me, by Maisey Yates, is the first book in the Fifth Avenue Trilogy.  It tells the story of Austin Treffen and Katy Michaels.  Austin comes from a legacy of wealth and prestige.  He has always looked up to his father, Jason Treffen, a powerful layer with many powerful connections, who is known to the world as an advocate for women in the workplace.  However, his whole life is turned upside down when he learns that his good friend, Sarah, who committed suicide 10 years ago at his father's annual Christmas party, did so due to the unrelenting sexual harassment she suffered at his father's hands.  There were signs of what was happening to Sarah, but Austin was so self involved at the time that he did not pick up on them.  Sarah tried to talk to him, but he wasn't a very good listener, and after she kills herself, he listens to a desperate voice message that she left him.  Austin is filled with guilt for not paying better attention and picking up the signs.  He is estranged from his father for 10 years, when he receives an anonymous letter that turns his world upside down.  For him, this letter proves that the reason Sarah killed herself was because of his fathers behavior.

When Austin meets up with his two best friends, Hunter, and Alex, for their annual meet-up on the anniversary of Sarah's death, he shows them the letter.  Hunter was Sarah's ex-boyfriend, and Alex was her good friend.  The three men discuss how they are going to take down Jason, so that he never hurts another woman again.  Austin has a plan, and each man will play their individual role in the revenge against Austin's father, Jason.  Austin fears that with his name and his family's name being connected to his father, they too, will suffer the consequences of Jason's actions.

Sarah, was Katy's older sister.  She looked up to her.  Sarah, Katy, and their younger brother, Trey, grew up in poverty, with parents who were drug addicts.  Sarah always looked out for her two younger siblings, and taught them that with hard work, they could have a good life.  She attended Harvard, and supported them.  When Sarah died, Katy and Trey suffered a devastating loss.  Now that Katy is older, she plans to get revenge on the man that took her sister away from her.  She starts investigating Jason, as learns that Jason Treffen is involved with many other powerful individuals in something larger than she ever could have guessed.  

She gets herself invited to Mr. Treffen's annual christmas party, and while their meets Austin.  The two share a sizzling hot chemistry, do not exchange names, and have one wild night of passion.  When Austin runs in to Katy at his father's office, he fears for her safety.  These two share information, and Aistin convinces Katy to stay with him, so that they can work together to bring down his father, and he can protect her from the dangers of trying to bring down the city's most powerful, and corrupt key players in a far reaching sex scandal.

Avenge Me, was one very hot ride!  Austin and Katy shared passion, and played dominate and submissive roles in the bedroom.  They got to know one another, and what started as passion blossomed in to something even deeper.  This story held my attention with the suspense, and plot for revenge.  I couldn't wait to see how everything played out.       

My Rating:

I give, Avenge Me, by Maisey Yates, 3 Erotic, Passionate, Revenge-Plan Filled Stars!  This was an interesting beginning and a great foundation for the Fifth Avenue Trilogy.  I look forward to reading about Hunter and Alex's roles in the revenge plan, as well as the leading women in their stories!

Scandalize Me
Fifth Ave #2
By: Caitlin Crews
Pubished: May 24, 2014
Publisher:  Harlequin
Mature Content
Source:  Publisher
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GR's Summary:

TEN YEARS AGO ONE DEVASTATING NIGHT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR AUSTIN, HUNTER AND ALEX. NOW THEY MUST EACH PLAY THEIR PART IN THE REVENGE AGAINST THE ONE MAN WHO RUINED IT ALL. 

 Hunter Talbot Grant III, sports figure du jour, wealthy beyond measure and disreputable by choice, has cultivated a reputation that masks the shadows of his past. When the opportunity to ensure financial destruction for Jason Treffen arises, he can't refuse. But first he must shake off the woman sent to tame him! Zoe Brook, PR agent extraordinaire, never fails to transform a tarnished star. And Hunter's no different. Except there's a catch. Beneath their scorching mutual attraction, Zoe has a secret, she's also been on the wrong side of Jason Treffen, and she has as much of a taste for revenge as Hunter does!

My Thoughts:

The sequel in the 5th Avenue Trilogy, Scandalize me, by Caitlin Crews, was Hunter and Zoe's story.  Hunter was only ever in love with one girl, Sarah.  They were together many years, and when she broke up with him, he was devastated.  He thought that she was having an affair with Jason Treffen, and that was why she left him.  What he didn't know was that Sarah never stopped loving him, and didn't want to see him destroyed by Jason.  Sarah tells Hunter that she needs to talk to him, but he is so angry that he turns her down, and says hateful words to her, that he will never be able to take back.  He even goes so far as to propose to a rebound girlfriend in front of her, because he is so angry.  Then Sarah commits suicide, and Hunter is devastated.  He is racked with guilt, and knows that he will never love another woman.

Ten years later, Hunter, has been kicked out of the football league, due to his bad behavior.  He was a star quarterback, but because of self-loathing, and guilt, he has destroyed his own image.  His parents, who are from high society, were devastated when he began playing football, something that they thought was beneath his breeding.  However, now that he's brought scandal to his name, they have disowned him.  

Zoe was Sarah's friend, and one of the women Jason Treffan victimized.  She is now a successful and powerful PR agent, who is ready to take her revenge.  She is a woman with a plan, and Hunter is at the center of it.  Zoe approaches Hunter, and refuses to back down, until he agrees to let her clean up his image.  She is a woman that doesn't take "no" for an answer, and eventually Hunter gives in.  Zoe fascinates Hunter, and he is very attracted to her.  She is the first woman, that has interested him in ten years since Sarah's death.  Zoe only feels numb around members of the opposite sex.  A fact that she attributes to what Jason Treffen did to her.  However, Hunter, is the first man to make her feel.  As Zoe plots her revenge, she never plans on falling for Hunter.  Things are about to get a whole lot complicated.

I loved Scandalize Me!  The romance between Hunter and Zoe was slow building, and the sexual tension between these two was off of the charts.  These two used verbal sparring as a form of foreplay, and it was fun and entertaining to watch.  I loved how this story wasn't just sex.  It was really well-developed, and the main characters were solid.  From the beginning of the story, we don't know how Zoe plans to use Hunter for her revenge.  This kept me turning pages quickly!  I wanted to know what her plan was, and if it would work.  It wasn't unveiled til I was near the end of the story.  Once Hunter and Zoe began their sexual relationship, I could not tear my eyes away.  Not only were the physical aspects sensual and passionate, but what I loved the most were the emotional aspects to their lovemaking.  It really was an intense emotional experience for Zoe.  Hunter demanded that she dropped her tough act, and be herself.  This forced her walls to start crumbling, and was a powerful part of the story.  

My Rating:

I give Scandalize Me, by Caitlin Crews, 4 Passionate, Healing, Long Term Revenge Plot, Exquisite Heat Filled Stars!  I loved the central message in this story!  "Surviving isn't the same thing as living."  Hunter and Zoe had been just "surviving" so long that they were not enjoying their lives.  Once they met, they broke down each other's walls, and healed one another.  Scandalize Me was a great sequel to the 5th Avenue Trilogy, and I am looking forward to the final story in this series!

Expose Me
Fifth Avenue #3
By: Kate Hewitt
Published:  May 29, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin
Mature Content
Source:  Publisher
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GR's Summary:

The third and final step to revenge in the fifth avenue trilogy. Alex has the power…

TEN YEARS AGO ONE DEVASTATING NIGHT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR AUSTIN, HUNTER AND ALEX. NOW THEY MUST EACH PLAY THEIR PART IN THE REVENGE AGAINST THE ONE MAN WHO RUINED IT ALL. 

With ruthless determination, Alex Diaz has risen up from his deprived roots to become the head of a global media empire. But he has one last thing to achieve…avenge his friend by destroying the man responsible for her death, Jason Treffen. With stunning talk-show host Chelsea Maxwell about to interview Treffen live on TV, this is Alex’s chance. He’ll use her show to exact a very public revenge—and seducing Chelsea, if needed, would certainly be no hardship. But he underestimates Chelsea and the attraction between them, and as their relationship deepens, Alex realizes that to annihilate Treffen could also shatter the life that Chelsea has built to protect herself….

My Thoughts:

In the final segment of the 5th Avenue Trilogy, Expose Me, we get Alex and Chelsea's story.  Alex, a professional reporter, made a pact with his friends, Austin, and Hunter, that they would each do their part to bring down the corrupt Jason Treffan.  Austin has seen his part of the plan through, Hunter has his part underway, and now it's time for Alex to see his part through.  Alex was good friends with Sarah in college.  He was the last person that she tried to talk to before she committed suicide.  He ignored her, and has been carrying the heavy burden of guilt for ten years.  He plans to avenge Sarah's death, and he doesn't care who it may hurt in the process.

Jason Treffan doesn't do live interviews, but Chelsea has gotten him to agree to participate in a live interview on her talkshow during primetime.  Alex plans on telling Chelsea about the kind of person Jason is, and wants her to destroy his reputation with the public. However, Chelsea cannot believe that a man with such a stellar reputation for championing woman's causes could be such a monster.  She demands solid proof of Jason's actions, and knows that if she goes against Mr. Teffan's pre- approved interview questions, that she agreed to in the form of a written and binding lawyer drawn contract, she will lose her job, and be brought to court.  As Alex works on his plan of getting Chelsea to do his bidding, he never plans on falling in love for the first time.

Expose Me, by Kate Hewitt, was a great conclusion to the 5th Avenue Trilogy.  Alex and Chelsea were both very interesting characters that came from broken homes and poverty, yet found a way to pull themselves out of their situations, and become professionals.  Chelsea had a secretive and traumatic passed.  I felt so badly for her, and saw why she had the need to always be in control, and portray a facade.  I've been dying to see Mr. Treffan get justice for his evil actions.  There was a lot of suspense in this segment, because both Alex and Chelsea were so closed off that I wanted to see if they would ever reveal all of their secrets to each other, and take a chance on love.  I loved how Katy, Zoe, Austin, and Hunter were all in this final story!     

My Rating:

I give, Expose Me, by Kate Hewitt, 3.5 Secrets Revealed, and Deep Healing Through Love Filled Stars!  If you're looking for a series on revenge, passion, love, and healing, check out the 5th Avenue Trilogy!

Amazon Purchase Links:

Avenge Me | Expose Me | Scandalize Me

About the Authors:

Maisey Yates found her very first Harlequin Presents book in a local thrift store. By the time she’d reached the happily ever after, she had fallen in love. She devoured as many as she could get her hands on after that, and she knew that these were the books she wanted to write! At age twenty-three, she sold her first manuscript to the Harlequin Presents line. Maisey lives in Southern Oregon with her husband and three children.

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Caitlin Crews discovered her first romance novel at the age of twelve. It involved swashbuckling pirates, grand adventures, a heroine with rustling skirts and a mind of her own, and a seriously mouthwatering and masterful hero. Caitlin has made her home in places as far-flung as York, England, and Atlanta, Georgia. She currently lives in California with her animator/comic book artist husband and their menagerie of animals. 


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Kate Hewitt discovered her first Harlequin romance novel on a trip to England when she was thirteen, and she’s continued to read them ever since. Kate moved to England with the man of her dreams and sold her first short story to a British magazine. Besides writing, she enjoys reading, traveling and learning to knit. After living in England for six years she now resides in Connecticut with her husband and her three young children.

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