Labels

BOOKWORM REVIEW: The Anti-Hero by Sara Cate

 

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
SPICE: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Oh. My. Goode.

This read probably awakened the suppressed fantasies of a recovering Catholic schoolgirl, and you know what? I am totally here for it.

Adam Goode has always followed the rules. Ever obedient to his strict minister father and doting mother, he also tries to be a shining example of virtue while working for his father's mega-church. What he thought was a normal stop at his favorite diner turned his work upside down when he meets Sage, a pink-haired, fully pierced, and tattooed co-owner of a local..um, club. After they part ways, he cannot seem to get her out of his mind, but a life of piety does not have room for women like Sage.

That is until Adam discovers that his own father was a hypocrite. A two-faced jerk who callously cheats on his wife and punishes his children for virtues he could not even uphold. Adam decides to rebel -- with Sage as his partner-in-crime -- by doing everything and anything his father has told him not to. As Adam and Sage try to deceive everyone with a fake spicy relationship -- which is documented online, both of them struggle with the reality that faking it might be a total lie, too.

Sara Cate brings an arsenal of her spicy magic to kick off this series, and I am HOOKED. Adam and Sage are complete opposites who would never, ever happen. Yet we find ourselves cheering for them as Cate guides us through layers of emotional complexity and vulnerability. While our main characters each undergo their individual development and they were beautiful, Adam's growth from being in his father's shadow to a more thoughtful, open MAN was so amazing to witness. 

All this while we get a full Sara Cate spicy experience? Heck yeah. I feel like Cate challenges us with extreme spicy tropes that would make us clutch our pearls, but yet..we find ourselves liking it, loving it, and wanting more of it after "The End" graces the pages of our reads. That church scene will forever live rent-free in the dark crevices of my mind. 

This is the first of Cate's Goode Brother series, and we start to get some sneak peeks into the subsequent books throughout this one. Caleb is up next, and I am ready for some Homewrecking. 

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Sara Cate for providing an ARC. **

ABOUT THE BOOK

I’ve been good long enough.

As the eldest son of Austin’s most prominent preacher, I’ve lived my life on the virtuous side. No scandals. Flawless image. Clean reputation.

That’s the way it must be if I’m going to take his place someday.

But everything changes when I find out my father is a VIP member of a local kink club.

A liar. A cheater. A hypocrite.

Now, I’m done being righteous.

And when the club owner’s jaded girlfriend comes to me with a proposal, I can’t resist.

Sage is nothing like the women I’ve dated before. Pink hair, tattoos, piercings. I know it’ll burn my father’s reputation to the ground when she and I are seen together.

But our fake dating scheme isn’t enough. We need videos—dirty videos.

The more we film these scenes, the more I like it.

She wants me to degrade her, hurt her, violate her.

And God help me, I want it too.

But it’s hardly fake anymore, and before long I don’t recognize the Goode man I used to be.


MEET SARA CATE

Sara Cate is a USA Today best-selling author of steamy romance and sexy book boyfriends. Although she writes a wide range of tropes, Sara is best known for her age gap and taboo romances. One thing you can expect from her entire collection is heaps of steam and plenty of angst.

Living in Arizona with her husband and kids, Sara spends most of her time reading, writing, or baking.

Connect with Sara
Tags: