Wow! I’m not really sure where to start. I’ve been reading books by A E Ryecart for a while now and I think her writing just keeps getting better and better. Perilous Hearts is the 3rd book in the Deviant Hearts series but it can be read as a standalone with no problem. You won’t feel lost at all if you haven’t read the first two books but I do highly recommend them as they are such great stories.

Perilous Hearts is a great psychological and suspenseful thriller. While you might guess who the bad guy is fairly easily, the thing this made this such and edge of my seat book for me was not being able to guess what he was going to do next.The story is also a great friends-to-lovers one – which is one of my favorite romance tropes. Jamie and Ed have been best friends for years but never crossed the line to become lovers; one of them always seemed to be in a relationship when the other was free or else they’d sworn off of relationships all together in favor of just not involving their hearts.

When things start going bad for Jamie, Ed wants to protect him at all costs and he finally comes to realize how much he wants to be more than just friends. Jamie has always wanted to be more than friends but the timing was never right. Now he is leaning on Ed more and more as it becomes apparent that someone is after him and trying to drive him out of his mind.

While I was reading Perilous Hearts I wished so much that I could read it straight through. Unfortunately, real life just wouldn’t allow me to do that so it took me a couple of days to finish it. When I was able to settle down and read, I didn’t want to stop. The story was gripping and just wouldn’t let me go. I knew that there would be an HEA for Jamie and Ed but the author sure put this reader through the ringer to get me there – in the best way, of course. I can’t wait to see what A E Ryecart comes up with next.

Reviews for A E Ryecart

♥ Amazon US/KU ♥ Amazon CA ♥ Amazon UK ♥

“I like what you’ve done here. Redecorating and wiping away all traces.”
“It was long overdue.”
“It was.”
So much truth, in those two little words. There was nothing I could say and silence settled in around us.
“I just wish you’d told me earlier what was going on.”
Ed’s voice was tight and hard as though he’d had to force the words out. His deep blue eyes bored into mine, and I couldn’t drag my gaze away.
“Why, Jamie? Why didn’t you say anything to me? I could have dealt with it – with him – and stopped everything from escalating. Don’t ever hold back on me like that again.”
“I—” Shame filled me and I looked away, no longer able to hold Ed’s steady gaze.
Had I really thought I could deal with Callum and everything he was doing to me? The drugs, the intimidation, the men he was fucking and not bothering to hide from me. Little by little, drip by drip, Callum had made me feel worthless, and that what he was doing was somehow my fault. But hadn’t I allowed him to treat me like that? Hadn’t I, in some way, been complicit?
I jumped, the sear of electricity shooting through my nerves as Ed trailed his fingers along my forearm. I swallowed down the hard, dry lump lodged in my throat.
“I—I didn’t want you to think I was weak and stupid, even though that’s what I was.”
“What?” Ed sat up straight, his face fighting shock, anger and indignation. “You think I would blameyou in some way? I’d never, ever do that. You’re not responsible for him and how he was, and don’t even begin to think you are. Hey, look at me.”
I could feel the heat and pull of Ed’s gaze, and there was nothing I could do to resist. Ed tilted his head, just a little, and the ghost of a smile sat on his lips. He spoke, and his voice lost its edge as it became quieter, deeper.
“Did you think I’d shake my head and walk away? That I’d leave you to struggle?”
“No, but. . .” But what? I was floundering, sinking into the depths of Ed’s unwavering gaze. “You and Callum,” I croaked, “things were always tense between you. I wanted to keep some kind of, I don’t know, peace I suppose.”
“Peace? Between me and Callum?” Ed shook his head. “There was no peace. I hated him from the very beginning, and it wasn’t long before I had him worked out for the user and parasite he was. He had just enough going on in his vicious little brain to know I’d figured him out. But that wasn’t all, it wasn’t even the main part of it.”
“I don’t understand.” The words were a lie. I understood perfectly.
“Don’t you? We were jealous of each other. Right from the start we were at war.”
Ed’s eyes held my own, never, never before so serious and focused. Focused on me. If the world around us stopped spinning I wouldn’t have cared, because in that moment we were the only world that mattered.
I tilted my head as Ed leaned into me, his breath warm, damp and just a moment from my lips. In some tiny, dark corner of my mind a little voice whispered we were crossing a line which could never be uncrossed. I didn’t care. I closed my eyes as my mind shut down and my body took over, ready for the kiss that would alter the course of my life and seal my fate.
A heavy crash, and the angry, loud creak of floorboards. My eyes flew open, both of us jerking backwards, away from the kiss that would have changed everything forever.
We stared at the ceiling, open mouthed and wide-eyed, as the lightshade swung from side to side.

Deviant Hearts Series

♥ Amazon US ♥ Amazon CA ♥ Amazon UK ♥