Book Review: At Any Price by Brenna Aubrey

Title: At Any Price (Gaming the System #1)
by: Brenna Aubrey
Published: Jan 13, 2014
Source: Purchased by Me
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Achievement Unlocked: Geek Virgin

When Mia Strong, proud geek-girl and popular gaming blogger, auctions off her virginity online, she knows she'll make waves. But what she will not be making is a love connection. Her rules are set in stone: One night. No further contact.

It's a desperate step, but it's the only way she can go to medical school and pay her mother's mounting hospital bills.

Difficulty Level: Millionaire CEO

Adam Drake, the enigmatic auction winner, is a software prodigy who made his first million at seventeen. Now, in his mid-twenties, he's sexy, driven and--as CEO of his own gaming company--he's used to making the rules. Before Mia knows what's happening, he's found the loophole in the rules of her auction. Every stipulation she's made to protect her heart gets tossed by the wayside.

She can't tell if he's playing her...or if he's playing for keeps.

This New Adult book is intended for readers over the age of 18 due to adult language, sexual content and adult situations.

Thoughts On The Novel:

So in reading the synopsis of this novel, I felt a slight connection to it. My husband and I are really into gaming. So I thought, Hey! I might be able to connect with the characters a little more!" - Then I find out that Mia is a blogger and it was like SCORE! Literally this novel was written for someone like me - and the many others around the world who can relate.

Here is a novel about someone who knows what she wants and is about to do one of the most unthinkable things to accomplish it. Mia is strong, driven and so far beyond independent that I don't think she would be able to depend on someone if her life counted on it. She is loving, with a kind heart and the most generous person I have read about in while. Do not let that fool you thought. Under all of that - she will throw you to the wolves with a quickness should you make her feel as though you are anything less that what she though you were. To me, that is one of the best qualities of someone holding the heroine title in a novel. I need to know that this woman can live her life without a man, should it come to it. Nothing bores me more than a novel about a woman who "cannot even" unless there is a male involved.

“I’m sorry if my bluntness has offended you. I assumed that a woman who has placed herself on the block like you have would be comfortable with straight talk.” I laughed.

“Oh, is that what that was? I just thought you were being an asshat.”

Adam is a CEO and a young one at that. He built his company on his dream and he is making it work for him. When testing his own game out as an unknown player he stumbles across Mia's group playing this game. Before he knows it, he is looking forward to the times he gets to spend with these players in the game. None of them know it is him of course, so the connections made are pure. He is known as his character name and he has never once spoken in voice, just texting in the game. When Mia tells him her plan to help her get ahead and to cover her medical school cost - he about loses his mind. Then, without her knowing - he finds a way to make sure she stays safe; as well as making sure he gets to meet the girl he has been falling for all this time. Despite everything being thrown at him and the life he had growing up - Adam is not a "bad boy". He may seem that way to the naked eye, but he is so much more underneath.

I honestly do not know what I expected reading this novel - but I was completely blown away. It was an effortless flow from beginning to end. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the secondary characters as well. Heath is a riot and I look forward to learning a little more about him as well. I was not expecting the family aspect I found in this novel either, but I feel like it gave the book a little extra something that made it seem that much more real. I was blindsided a time or two about things I THOUGHT I knew were going on - but it was a good blindside, as I was completely glad I was wrong or mistaken! The tears were real in this one a few times. I might be a slight sissy with a big emotional issue - but I loved it all the same.

“Fuck you, Adam Drake,” I hissed. “I never asked for you to come into my life and arrange things. I never needed you to save me!”

“No. Probably you didn’t,” he said so quietly I could barely hear him over the raging, wild twister of emotions swirling inside of me. “But I sure needed you to save me.”

What I love most about this novel is that it is not an insta-love novel. We get to follow Mia and Adam throughout their entire love story. You may THINK you will know how this novel ends, but I can promise you - you won't see what is coming next. Just to let you know ladies - you are going to need an extra pair of panties for these amazingly written, insanely graphic scenes between the two. They honestly make the book so much better. From start to finish this novel kept me on my toes. I wanted to know more with each turn of the page. I wanted SO MUCH to feel this story as I was reading it and I was not disappointed. Slowly, with each novel written that I come across by Aubrey - I am turning into even more of a fan. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves romance with a side of wet panties and a page or two of throat punches galore.

Broken Soul Rating

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