Harlot

Another stunningly amazing book from Tracie Podger, who is fast becoming an expert in the thriller/action packed genre. Her writing as always is impeccable and she has the talent to captivate and hold your attention trough every single page. As soon as you open the book, the action, the angst the excitement starts straight away making your heart rate accelerate because you know from Tracie previous works that you are about to be taken on a ride you'll not easily forget. Charlotte is the lead in this book and immediately I felt drawn to her because of the terrible situation she has found herself in. Bought up by her grandmother who has recently passed away, her guardianship goes to a cousin whom she has never met and who is basically an evil SOB and treats Charlotte in the worse possible way he can, she is sold and abused to every man who will have her; basically becoming a prostitute - his "Harlot" as he calls her. When one of her clients is murdered while in her presence she panics and runs thinking she would be the obvious one to get the blame. While running for her life she meets the mysterious Beau and he gives her a lift to the nearest town where lots of secrets and revelation are unraveled over time. I loved reading the character of Charlotte, no matter what was thrown at this poor girl she stood strong and resilient time after time and I really admired her for that. Beau was a little harder to get to know, he is a very distant character and closed off emotionally but you are allowed glimpses of the man he once was and the man you hope he will become again one day. This story will keep you on your toes and will take you on a ride with more twist and turns that you could ever imagine. You won't know what is being thrown at you next - true Tracie Podger style of course, and you delight in thinking that you've sussed this all out and then she throws yet another spanner in the works and your back to square one biting your finger nails and trowing your kindle in despair at what's to come . Although this book can be read as a standalone it is another piece of the conundrum that makes up her other novels Gabriel and Deadly Sin, I can only hope and wait for the next amazing book from this most talented author - absolutely brilliant !!!!

Wow what a bumpy journey! This book has so many twists turns and bumps it keeps you page turning like crazy! This book tells us the story of Charlotte Kenny who is just 14 when her life takes a turn for the worse... living with her grandmother raising her it all goes wrong when her grandmother passes away and Charlotte is left in the care of her cousin Damien. Sold beaten raped and more Charlotte has to decide if she can make her life better on her own or if this is how she has to live now... after making her escape she finds refuge and help but that just another twist in the story. This book definitely keeps you hooked until the very end to find out every last bit that happens.

This book left me completely speechless. Seriously I had no idea how to even start this review! This book was awesome. Charlotte's world was turned on its head when she was younger. She was raised by her Granma until she died. That's when her cousin arrives, a cousin that Charlotte doesn't know, & her life gets much, much worse. When Charlotte decides enough she makes a run for it. As she is trying to escape the hell she lives in she meets a man who offers her a lift. Unsure she accepts & heads to a new town hoping for a new life. Can she make it? Will she learn who she can trust? Will her past catch up with her? These characters are... epic!!! Honestly, they will capture your mind, work their way into your heart & make you feel everything they do. Charlotte has endured so much in her 19 years, lesser people would have given up long ago. But Charlotte just seems to pick herself up, dust herself off & push herself for more each & every time she faces another set back. Beau... Now Beau he's a tough cookie! That man has secrets & talent. He comes across as a bit of an ass to Charlotte but I think as the story progresses & we learn more about him, we understand why. Maybe even forgive him. The characters are well thought out, they interact well & all play key roles in the overall plot; which is so much bigger than I originally thought. Their emotions are intense & real, & can be felt throughout the entire book. This author's writing style has again flawed me & left me speechless. When I started reading Harlot I knew it would be a roller coaster ride & I expected to be drawn into the world that Tracie had created. I was drawn so far into Charlotte's world & life that I felt as though I was right there alongside her every step of the way. The author has created & delivered a fantastically intricate & detailed web of events & emotion that as a reader can be seen & felt unravelling before our very eyes. Harlot is an extremely well written book! As much as this is connected to Gabriel & A Deadly Sin the references are small & would not cause any confusion to someone who hasn't read these 2 books. Harlot can therefore be read as a standalone without any problems or confusion.

I found this a very easy to read story and finished it in 2 days. However, I did not feel that the main character went through enough hardship. It all seemed a little easy and straightforward; not enough twists in the plot for me I’m afraid. I also disliked the focus on guns- as an avid reader of British detective crime fiction, it was all a little alien to me and was frankly, a little cliche and dull. I did however like the unusual dynamic between Charlotte and Beau which was very unexpected. Overall a very easy to read story that required little concentration on behalf of the reader.

After the death of her grandma, 14-year-old Charlotte was thrown into a world of depravity. For 4 years she was forced to have sex with her cousin’s friends and clients. Living in a dilapidated trailer, all she wanted to do was escape. But when she finds a client murdered, she knows that this is her chance to escape. Having no idea where she will end up, she packs her meagre items and runs. Picked up by Beau who seems to be her knight in shining armour, Charlotte is at her lowest, wet, cold and lost. When he drops her off in his home town, she finds help where she least expects it. To be honest, when I started to read this book, I thought here we go it’s a damaged girl meet a damaged boy and have a relationship. I WAS WRONG. This story tackles difficult subjects human trafficking, drugs and abuse. Charlotte appears to be a strong character, used to fending for herself, however when she meets Rose, Kieran and Cecelia she shows her vulnerability. All she wants is to be cared for. With everything she has gone through you would expect her to be bitter and selfish, but she will fight for what she believes in and has a heart of gold to the people she cares for. Beau is tall dark and brooding. He came across of having everyone problems on his shoulder and he was the only one who could sort it out. As the story progresses, you find out why is like that and the reasons behind the job he does. Charlotte and Beau’s relationship is hard to explain, one moment they hate each other but then they act like bosom buddies. Some of the scenes are graphic and heart breaking, but they are necessary to the story. Each character has their own story to tell and as we learn more about them, they form a story that got me hooked from page 1. The author had a way of leading you down the wrong path and the people you think are good turn out to me some of the most despicable people you will meet. This is a standalone book so even like me, who had not read anything else by this author you will be able to enjoy the story. A story full of suspense

Fast paced and exciting story. Slightly far fetched but I loved it and read it in a day.

Charlotte's life is a mess but it wasn't always like that. The death of her beloved grandmother plummets her into a life of abuse and forced prostitution. One final, horrendous act is the last straw and Charlotte runs.....straight into a town filled with kindness and acceptance that she hasn't felt for an age. Beau is the gruff, abrupt ass who rescues Charlotte from the side of the road but doesn't act like a knight in shining armour initially. Is there more to Beau's story and can Charlotte find a friend in him? Charlotte is a complex character that has endured so much yet still yearns for companionship and warmth from others. Her story is raw and heart-wrenching. Beau is full of secrets and a very intriguing character. This is a gripping thriller that will make your heart hurt, pound and race in quick succession. The story ties in with Gabriel and A Deadly Sin. Each can be read as a standalone but to get the maximum effect, you've gotta read them all! Another absolute stormer from Tracie.

What if abandoned as a child, your Grandmother takes you in. What if in your early teens she dies and an unknown cousin is given guardianship of you. What if that cousin sells you to his friends at aged 14 and you are raped over and over by his friends to fund his drug habit. This is Charlotte's life and when a client is murdered and she is the one most likely to be blamed she does the only thing she can, runs. picked up from the side of the road by a stranger, Beau, who drops her off in a town where the people, who are not all they seem, take her in and she finds a sort of peace just being accepted. Beau it seems is part of the town and although he doesn't trust she is telling them the whole truth keeps a wary eye on her. As with her life up until now, it isn't that easy and among the people who are helping her rebuild her life, monsters are hiding. This is a great read, not always easy but as always with this author the characters are exceptionally well written. The twists and turns throughout the story take us into the horrors of cults, drugs and trafficking. The greatest horror for me is that this story or stories very like it are happening all around the world everyday. This is a standalone but the reading experience is enhanced by the other two books Gabriel and A Deadly Sin where you will meet characters within the other books.

Eeks! This is book three by this author that I’ve read and I couldn’t love it anymore! If I could, I would absolutely give it more than 5 stars. If you’ve read the first couple books in this connected series, then you’ll be used to the intense, thrilling, suspenseful scenes that this author writes. This book doesn’t have the intense scenes the other two have, but I don’t think it was necessary for this book. It was just as good as the other two, if not a little better, and definitely held my attention just fine. Details and descriptions are perfection. She leaves just enough out as you’re reading to keep you hooked, to keep you reading. It will still leave you sitting on the edge of your seat. You’ll plaster your eyes to the pages a little more intensely during certain scenes and you’ll breathe a sigh of relief in others. The main male and female lead characters in this story are broken. They couldn’t get any more real. They are real and relatable. They have a broken past and are struggling to keep their heads above water. They are definitely my favorites so far. I could easily read another book about them for sure. I’m really hoping that the author has another story coming up for them. I need to know what happens to them and their future. So, if you can’t tell, I absolutely loved this book. I adore this authors writing style. I have fallen in love with her characters and how broken they are. Broken characters finding their way back after a tragedy provide for an absolute perfect read, no matter how gut wrenching. I definitely recommend these books to you.

This was a really interesting book, that held my attention from start to finish. It was intriguing, suspensful, dark, mysterious and shocked me with some twists that I did not see coming. I enjoyed reading this book and although it may be my first book by this author It wil not be my last

The one thing you can never accuse Tracie Podger of is writing cookie cutter books. Every book I have read by this author is different and an has a unique and intriguing storyline. Harlot is no different, beginning with the amazing cover. The suspense series that this book plays into has intrigued me since I read Gabriel. While each book can be read as a standalone, they all tie into the elusive cult that the FBI is chasing. Charlotte has not had an easy life, abandoned by her mother at birth she was raised by her loving grandmother. However, when she dies all hell breaks loose in Charlotte's life. Her guardian is a cousin she never knew, who throws her into a life of prostitution and degradation. Given a unique opportunity, she runs from the trashy trailer she is forced to live in. Rescued from during a storm, Beau sees something in Charlotte and though he is an ass, he protects her, as do several of the people in the small town she lands in. Striving for a normal life, with limited success, Charlotte must always look over her shoulder but the danger is not just from her cousin; she has landed on the cult's radar. This is no formula book, things happen that surprise the reader and often the characters. There are secrets revealed, character that are not as they appear, and an issue of trust and truth to be resolved. As always Ms. Podger's characters are well developed and interact well with each other. The plot is tight and pulls the reader into the action. Harlot is an amazing book.

This isn't a romance by any means but it is the story of a girl. The loss of her grandmother set her life into a spiral she couldn't find a way out of. Not until that night. He had no idea what he was getting himself into when he saved her on the side of the road, or did he. This isn't about romance. It's dark and ugly and as her life twist upside down it also twist back right. It's the story of a girl fighting for normal and all she has to go through to get there. It's the story of fighting to regain control. It's also the story of dark ugly things and people who take advantage and ruin lives. But there can be light in darkness along with strength and sometimes it's worth the fight to prove you're more than a name. Heartbreaking. Emotional. Awesome.

Absolutely amazing writing, this book grabbed me from the start and didn't let go. I've fallen in love with Tracie Podger's fluid writing style, her words come together effortlessly. The title will fool you. I went in thinking a certain way. I mean, Harlot is the title, right? This was totally different than I expected. I was on the edge of my seat throughout. This isn't a romance, but I actually was hoping for a bit, just a smidgen. But, when I closed the book and thought of the hard times and devastations that lead Charlotte and Beau together, it wouldn't have made the book realistic. I love that the author stayed true to each and every one of the characters. It just made sense. I'm hoping for a novella... I'd love to see how things end up for Beau and Charlotte. Enemy to friends. Banter. Back and forth. I love that stuff. And these two have the chemistry to be a great couple. The story as times can be hard to chew, some of the dark scenes are hard to stomach. The suspense will keep you on your toes and the characters will make you fall in love. I'm all about mystery and this book had the edge that I needed. I loved this book from start to finish!!!!