2025/158 | CRYSTAL KASWELL - "DIRTY DEAL"

SYNOPSIS

He'll dig her out of debt... if she submits to his terms.

Kat Wilder is struggling. She waits tables to support her little sister, but the money never goes far enough. She needs help, fast, or she's going to lose their home.

Enter Blake Sterling. The tech billionaire offers Kat a lifeline. A million dollars for her hand in marriage. A million dollars to don designer dresses, smile at paparazzi, stare into his eyes like she's madly in love. As long as she keeps up the ruse, she secures her family's future.

It's a good deal. Even if Blake is arrogant, impossible to read, and insanely handsome. How can someone so cold leave her so hot? When she's with him, she's on fire. There's something about his dirty demands... her body begs her to obey.

She can play his wife. But can she fall into his bed without falling in love with him?

Dirty Deal is a steamy Cinderella story with a demanding alpha hero and an inexperienced yet strong heroine.

READING EXPERIENCE

I didn’t like the writing style of this book. It felt like it was written just for the sake of being a book, without real depth or purpose. Honestly, it was a struggle to finish. I pushed through only because I hate leaving a book unfinished, especially after getting halfway through.

I didn’t like Kat. She’s pushy and demanding, especially when it comes to emotional needs. She already signed a contract, yet still expects more. I get that this is a romance novel and Blake is going to love her back eventually, but still—her constant need for emotional validation is exhausting. Kat doesn’t seem to know her place when emotions are involved. Ironically, she does know her place when it comes to money—she won’t spend on herself just in case she has to return to her old life. But when Blake clearly said he couldn't love her back, why is it so hard for her to accept? A relationship can’t work when it's entirely one-sided.

And don’t even get me started on Blake. He tells her “you’re mine” when he supposedly can’t love her? Seriously? That’s possessive and manipulative. If these two characters existed in real life, they’d be a huge red flag. There’s nothing healthy about a relationship that lacks mutual respect and emotional boundaries.

Speaking of respect—or the lack of it—there’s a scene where Kat and Blake get intimate in the back of a car. Not a private car, mind you, but a taxi. Kat gets high from the thrill while the driver is literally right there. She wonders if the driver gets a kick out of it—did it ever occur to her that he might just be horrified and wondering how many bottles of disinfectant he’ll need to clean the backseat? Disrespectful and gross.

That said, I really liked the other characters. Meryl is sweet, funny, understanding, and grounded. Lizzy is fun, energetic, and fiercely protective of her sister. Fiona, while not always right in her methods, is genuinely trying to help Kat based on her own experiences—though in the end, her efforts are mostly ignored.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this book. It felt like a constant tug-of-war—either she stays with him or she walks away. Just cut it clean already. The dragged-out emotional drama was frustrating and exhausting.

Still, I did appreciate a few quotes from the book:

"They think marriage is about protecting your assets. It’s not. It’s about finding a partner who will hold you up when you need that. It’s about finding someone who you need by your side. Someone who will support you."

"You forget the little things in life. They’re what matters – the taste of a good cup of coffee, the joy of sex with someone you’re mad about – […] Believe me, honey. Life moves so fast. You’ve been busy surviving, I know, but you can’t forget the little things."

 

RATINGS

Hero rating: 3

Heroine rating: 3

Sex scenes rating: 3

Sex scenes frequency: 3

Storyline concept rating: 2

Storytelling skills rating: 3

Story ending rating: 3

Overall rating: 2.5★

Would I recommend this book: No

Would I re-read this book: No

Would I read future books by this author: Maybe