Release Day Review ~ Sin with Me ~ JA Huss & Johnathan McClain (@JAHuss @MisterJMcClain ) #2018NewRelease

Sin with Me by JA Huss & Johnathan McClain
The Original Sin Series #1
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Source: I received an eARC from the author. This did not affect my rating and I voluntarily provided a review.
Rating: 5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2018NewRelease
Goodreads ~ Amazon

Sin with Me is the first book in a four-book contemporary romance series by New York Times bestselling author, JA Huss, and veteran actor and writer, Johnathan McClain. Each full-length novel will release three weeks apart starting March 6, 2018.

Synopsis
Two broken people in a city fueled by sin.

Maddie isn't looking to be saved. She knows the only person you can count on is yourself. Her moral compass might not point true North these days - but at least she's still standing.

The Military taught Tyler about loyalty. Being there for your brothers is the only thing that matters - but when it mattered most, he wasn't.

She's got a ticket straight to Hell. He's already been there and back.

Some sins scar your soul so deeply, you'll never be the same.
But this Devil in disguise might just be the angel he needs to forgive himself.

Omigoodness! You know, I've read and reviewed nearly everything Huss has written and it was starting to get difficult to come up with something fresh to say about her work. I mean, she gives good stories...good characters. And then. And then she gives me a break. She decides to collaborate with Johnathan McClain. And y'all. The result is going to have me waxing poetic!

In this first installment in The Original Sin series we're introduced to Maddie (aka Scarlett) and Tyler (aka Ford Aston). As an aside, I loved the nod to Huss' Rook & Ronin series.) Maddie is sort of down on her luck, working as a stripper to make ends meet while trying to her her latest business venture off the ground. Problem is, she's in debt to a kingpin, her strip club boss doesn't like her much, and she has some sort of anniversary looming that she can barely hold herself together just thinking about. Tyler on the other hand, is rich beyond his wildest dreams but is carrying a huge stone around his neck. He seems to believe he gets people killed. In fact, he's been dreaming about his own personal angel. And then he meets her.

Honestly, I don't know all the details of how Huss and McClain went about writing this story from dual POVs but what I do know is that each character has a distinct voice and the story flows together seamlessly. Tyler - he keeps a running dialog in his head and I kinda feel like it might represent what Huss' mind looks like but still... Another thing I know? I'm captivated. I love their separate stories and I adore how their stories converge. I knew the thing they had in common - I don't think it was meant to be a secret - but I was shocked to discover the real reason behind Maddie's fall down the rabbit hole. And I was even more shocked at the reaction both Maddie and Tyler have to the reveal. Add to that the movie references and I have to mention it again - Tyler's internal dialog which is reminiscent of Vince Vaughn's character's rapid-fire speech in the movie Swingers which makes you question his sanity, as well as Maddie's internal dialog where she rationalizes every decision she makes in a clear attempt to prove, if only to herself, she's not crazy - it all made for compelling reading. 

These two have some serious issues. You want to fix them, starting by giving them the hugs they so clearly need. And you want to get to the root of their issues, help them be whole and happy. Because fate certainly seems to be at work here bringing them together. 

Great character development, a solid plot line, and enough little reveals to keep me riveted, Sin with Me has me charmed and anxious for the next installment.