Book Review — A Pound Of Flesh by Sophie Jackson

“I know it’s against session rules, but I’m fucking dyin’ to kiss you.”

• Buy A POUND OF FLESH (Kindle)
• Buy A POUND OF FLESH (Paperback)

I loved everything about this book!! It was sexy, addictive, and kept my heart racing from beginning to end! This is one of my top favorites of the year! 5 STARS!!

It’s a story about “a strong-minded prison tutor who discovers that her sexy bad-boy student is far more than he appears to be…” — C’mon, tell me you don’t just want to drop everything to read that!! 😀

From the moment I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it! That gorgeous cover and blurb called to me. I just knew this would be a story I’d adore and I was right because…. I LOVED IT!!!!!

And, from the moment I started reading, I was captivated and completely drawn into the story.

Wesley James Carter had been in and out of jail since he was a kid, accumulating a rap sheet several pages long and a reputation as the prison bad boy. Now, at twenty-seven years old, he was doing time again but what few people knew was that he didn’t commit the crime he was jailed for. Needless to say, his cocky, arrogant, reckless attitude made him the “poster boy for rebellious deviants” and that was how the world saw — and judged — him. His tattoos and buzz cut and fuck-with-me-if-you-dare aura just solidifying his image. In reality though, there was so much more to this guy than met the eye…

Kat Lane was haunted by the memory of her father’s brutal murder by street thugs when she was just twelve years old. She’d been there that night and were it not for a mysterious boy whose face she never saw who pulled her away from the scene and hid her, she would have met the same fate. Now, at twenty-five years old, she was facing her fears head on by tutoring inmates at a prison. And her newest student was none other than than Wesley Carter.

“She had no idea what it was about him. He was, after all, just like the other men she taught. Well, that wasn’t exactly true; he was a lot more combative and exceedingly more aggressive and — she winced at the thought — a lot more attractive, too. She tried hard not to see him in any other way than as her student, but it was too hard to ignore the man who drove her crazy…

As scared as she was when he’d flung the desk at the wall during her class, she’d been unable to tear her eyes from him, watching with fascination as the beast inside him roared. He was animalistic and, for that brief time, utterly uncaged.”

Carter had essentially been forced to take on extra classes in an effort to help him get early parole, and Kat had no choice but to include the cocky inmate in her lessons. But it soon became clear that a classroom environment wouldn’t work for him and so began their one-on-one lessons… a place that allowed them to both get to know each other on a much deeper level without the constant scrutiny of the outside world.

“And why should I be scared of you?”

He moved forward in his seat… “You should be scared,” he murmured. “I’ve done thing that would make your pretty little head spin, and, you being this close” — he gestured between them — “well, let’s just say… it just makes me want to be bad all over again.”

The more they got to know each other, the more Carter revealed his true nature — he was very well read, well educated, and highly intelligent, not to mention he had a very good heart. They were drawn to each other on a very deep level but with the strict non-fraternization policy of the prison in place, they had no choice but to hide their growing feelings for one another.

“She watched the ire in his eyes dim and his strong, large chest began to slow. He swallowed hard and Kat stared at his Adams apple bobbing at the front of his throat. She shook her head free of the inappropriate thoughts entering it. Not least, the one where her tongue traveled the length of the black neck tattoo that was teasing her mercilessly. She wondered how far down his body it went…”

Ohhhhhh how I love forbidden romances!!! This was a deliciously slow build that teased the intensity of their connection along with the thrill of having to keep it a secret. All the subtle but intense glances, the flirtatious banter, and even just a brush of the hand became supercharged with this sizzling chemistry that made my heart race! It was an intoxicating mix of danger, desire, and forbidden temptation.

“Carter stared at Jack, silently accepting the line that lay between himself and his tutor. As blurred as it had become, he knew he couldn’t cross it. He knew he shouldn’t cross it.

The silent question that hung between them was whether he had the strength to remember that or, rules be damned, cross it anyway.”

Once Carter was released, we also got to see much more about his real life which again both surprised an intrigued me to see how a guy like him ended up where he was. His past was heart breaking but I am so strongly drawn to broken, tortured heroes. I fall for them every time and I certainly fell hard for him.

And let me just say…. I will never look at an Oreo the same way again! *fans self*

I loved seeing them get to know each other outside the constraints of the prison walls. They were still bound by their working relationship, but granted more freedoms. It allowed them more room to be playful and flirtatious even though they still had to keep them true feelings hidden.

I was smiling, laughing, swooooooooning. My heart was fluttering as I hung off of every word I read.

“Is everything all right, Miss Lane.”

The two of them startled at Mrs. Latham’s voice. Carter blinked, realizing how close they’d been standing to each other.

“Yes, I’m fine.” She told the old woman, who was eyeing Carter. He smirked.

“I heard a scream.” She adjusted her glasses.

“Yeah,” Carter interrupted. “That was me. I saw a spider. Fucking huge. I’m terrified of them. Kat saved me.”

He flashed her his trademark smile to seal the deal.

This book just had a *spark* to it. I don’t know how to describe it better. There are good stories, and there are well written stories, but the best ones just have this extra spark to them that, for me, is that almost magical quality that turns them into top favorite reads. This book absolutely had the SPARK!!

The sexual tension between Carter and Kat just rolled off the page!! I mean… wow!!!

“Can I tell you something?”

Kat could do nothing but nod. Carter’s stare prowled down her face, coming to a dead stop at her mouth.

“I really, really, really want to kiss you right now.”

“Cart—“

“I know I shouldn’t, and I don’t usually kiss, but, fuck, I want to.” He trailed his thumb across her mouth. “I want to find out what your top lip tastes like,” He licked his own. “And then compare it to the bottom.” He exhaled. “I’m desperate to know if your tongue tastes of peaches.”

**** SWOOOOOON ****

Oh, and this….

“Carter,” she whispered again, in one final attempt to stop what she knew in her heart was inevitable. “We can’t do this.”

“I know,” he answered, cupping the side of her face. He tilted his head, his mouth a luscious whisper across the edge of hers. “Just one taste. Just one. That’s all I want.”

And then his lips pressed against hers.

Gah. LOVE THAT!!

And not only did they have to keep their relationship hidden because of her work, they also faced extreme judgment on all sides — her family just saw Carter as a worthless criminal. They couldn’t see past his label. It didn’t matter how he felt about Kat, or what kind of person he actually was, it didn’t even matter how much money he had, all they saw was his criminal past. But I loved that Kat looked right past his labels and just saw him. I loved the way she stood up for what she felt and I loved the way he didn’t let people walk all over him just because he went to prison.  I loved the message that not every criminal is a bad man. And not every free person deserves their freedom.

Carter let his nose touch the tip of hers. “I’m not a good person, Kat —“

“Bullshit.” She turned in his arms.

Before he could argue, Kat pressed on. “You saved my life.” She traced his lips with the tips of her fingers. “Don’t ever tell me you’re not good.”

Honestly, I have absolutely no complaints about this book. Not one. It had a gorgeous (and unique!!) love story, beautiful writing, and had a fully resolved ending. There was no ‘stupid drama’ at all. Everything that happened made complete sense and I respected/understood everything that both Carter and Kat did every step of the way. Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes, but even their mistakes were understandable and realistic. To be completely blunt, I think it’s the sign of a very strong author when they’re able to write a 450 page book without a single thing in it that makes my eyes roll, lol.

I felt this story! The emotions, the romance, the pure raw sexiness, the desire, the complications of their position, the forbidden nature of their love, the depth of their feelings for each other, I felt it all.

“I want you,” he murmured into her ear, before placing another kiss in the hollow behind her ear. “God help me, I don’t care if it’s against the rules. I want you so fucking much.”

Many readers have asked me about this book’s origins as fan fiction so I just wanted to explain that here. Back when Twilight was first released, it inspired a lot of authors (who weren’t already authors) to begin writing. So they came up with completely unique stories (that had nothing to do with Twilight) but used the Edward/Bella names. They just completely changed everything else about them. Those developed over time into what could be a full book (or series). Just like how Fifty Shades was originally a TwiFic called Master Of The Universe (with Edward & Bella instead of Christian & Ana). Many of those were so popular and unique that they’ve now become independently or traditionally published novels (of course, with now changed names). A few examples are Fifty Shades, Bad Romeo, Wallbanger, Clipped Wings, Beautiful Bastard, Seduction & Snacks, Sempre, Poughkeepsie, and so many more. The books that resulted from these fanfictions are a HUGE part of what started the reading craze that brought so many readers back into reading. I personally love them! And A Pound Of Flesh is absolutely one of my new top favorites!

This can easily be read as standalone. It has a resolved ending, with a gorgeous epilogue, so no cliffhanger! There will be a follow-up novella later in the year though for readers who want ‘more’ and the next book in the series will be about Carter’s best friend Max, so a totally different couple. But you don’t have to wait to read this. A Pound Of Flesh is essentially a complete story, or standalone.

And one more time (because a lot of you have asked), he’s 27 and she’s 25. There’s nothing taboo about their relationship, it’s only forbidden because of her work. There is no cheating and no cliffhanger.

Bottom line, I absolutely LOVED this book! It was perfect to me. The thrill of the forbidden romance kept my heart racing the whole way through. I could not stop reading! If you love sexy bad boy heroes and unique love stories that’ll make you swoon, you have to read this and meet Wes Carter!

Rating: 5 stars. Contemporary NA/Adult romance. Can be a standalone.

• Buy A POUND OF FLESH (Kindle)
• Buy A POUND OF FLESH (Paperback)

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*** FULL SERIES ***

A POUND OF FLESH — full length novel
(Carter & Kat. Can be a standalone. Resolved ending, no cliffhanger.)
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback

LOVE AND ALWAYS — novella
(Carter & Kat. Follow-up story.)
Pre-order for Kindle | Not in Paperback

AN OUNCE OF HOPE — full length novel
(Max & Grace. Spin-off standalone.)
Pre-order for Kindle | Pre-order in Paperback

FATE AND FOREVER — novella
Pre-order for Kindle

A MEASURE OF FATE — full length novel
Pre-order for Kindle