VERY WICKED BEGINNINGS BY ILSA MADDEN MILLS

Very Wicked Beginnings

Briarcrest Academy 1.5

By Ilsa Madden-Mills

Release Date:  May 12, 2014

All May proceeds will be donated to the Keith Milano Memorial Fund for Suicide Prevention...

Girls say I’m a walking, talking sex god. Guys call me Hollywood because my life is golden.

It’s not.

But, ESPN did rank me as a four-star recruit, calling me one of the best defensive players since Briarcrest Academy opened its esteemed doors. So yeah, with football and a stellar GPA, my future seemed good.

Then Dovey Beckham shows up in her short skirts and ballet shoes. Driving me insane. Making me want to beg for her attention.

But that wouldn’t happen, because Cuba Hudson didn’t beg for
anything.

She walked around BA like she owned the place, and most days she looked right through me…the one girl I couldn’t have.
So, of course, I made it my mission to claim her, to put her notch on my bedpost.

Because no girl can resist the Heartbreaker of BA.

Welcome to Briarcrest Academy, where wicked love begins…and ends.

 

  

5 smooches

“I didn’t like what I’d become, but here’s the thing, I’d do anything to make the memories get the fuck out of my head.”

VWB is a beautifully written novella introducing you to the damaged side of Cuba. We got a little taste of him in VBT and as far as I was concerned it wasn’t a very good taste. I was sure it was impossible to like him and Ilsa had me scurrrrred that I would not be able to connect with him in this book. However, by the time I finished this little novella, Cuba had won me over.

“Her destruction had all began with me. I lay my head by hers and… shit… I fucking cried, hating myself for the thing I’d done.”

Cuba has a painful past and his present isn’t all sunshine and rainbows either. He is dealing with a ton of guilt in the only way he knows how... by distracting himself with lots of girls. But when he sees Dovey Beckham it is like a shock to his system. For once, he thinks he could want more.

“She was funny, and I liked how she was kinda distrustful of me. Because it meant she was smart too.”

Dovey is a scholarship student at Briarcrest Academy intent on dancing her way out of the projects. Of course she is attracted to the hottest guy at BA, but she too has a lot on her plate and can’t afford to be his latest distraction.

“We have a connection. I knew it the moment I sat down with you. You want to resist me, that’s fine. I like it. It’s like foreplay.”

Very Wicked Beginnings leads perfectly into Very Wicked Things. It gives you a little behind the scenes look at how Cuba and Dovey got started and really sets you up for the complicated young man that is Cuba Hudson.

5 Wicked Smooches

Very Wicked Beginnings is the prequel novella to Very Wicked Things featuring football star 

Cuba Hudson 

who we first met in Very Bad Things (Book 1 of the Briarcrest Academy series) and ballerina

Dovey Beckham. 

 It's their junior year at Briarcrest Academy .... a prestigious high school for Dallas' elite. The novella details their first meeting and a bit of the "woo-ing" Cuba does to try to convince her to give him the time of day.  This all leads into Very Wicked Things.

Even though Dovey has been at Briarcrest, it isn't until now that Cuba notices her. She is at ballet practice and her grace and beauty (and lithe ballerina body) catch Cuba's eye.  Dovey catches him watching her but dismisses the possibilty that THE Cuba "Hollywood" Hudson could be interested in her.

No one ever see the scholarship girl from Ratcliffe.- Dovey

Even though Cuba comes across as the perfect all-American guy, we get glimpses of Cuba's struggles, something happened four years ago that haunts him to this day, and quickly realize his perfect life is a farce.

Because no matter who people think you are, no one really knows what's underneath.- Cuba

Dovey has big dreams .... dreams that get her out of the Ratcliffe slums ... dreams that don't include getting involved with the boys from her school, especially gorgeous, charming man whore Cuba Hudson.  Cuba is determined though, and even though Dovey tries to feign disinterest, Cuba is relentless in his pursuit.

We have a connection.  I knew it the moment I sat down with you.  You want to resist me, that's fine.  I like it.  It's like foreplay. - Cuba

For the first time ever, Cuba imagines being in a relationship, not just a one-night stand.  But is Dovey ready to give him a chance?  

And so begins some very wicked things ...

WOW!  This novella GRABBED a hold of me from the first page.  Both Cuba and Dovey are flawed and damaged and I couldn't help but fall in love.  Cuba is a sweet talker and I love the banter between him and Dovey .... a novella is NOT enough of these two!  Thank goodness their story continues in Very Wicked Things!

Ilsa Madden-Mills writes about strong heroines and sexy alpha males that sometimes you just want to slap.

She spends her days with two small kids, a neurotic cat, and her Viking husband. She collects magnets and rarely cooks except to bake her own pretzels.

When she’s not typing away at a story, you can find her drinking too much Diet Coke, jamming out to Pink, or checking on her carefully maintained chocolate stash.

She loves to hear from fans and fellow authors. Drop her a line on the contact page.

Facebook  |  Amazon  |  Goodreads