The Marriage Pass

Starred review from January 25, 2021
Lust, infidelity, and revenge drive this downright devilish series launch from Cole (The Hearts We Burn). When chronic cheater and cosmetic surgeon Dorian Graham married his on-again, off-again girlfriend of over 10 years, he vowed to stop his philandering ways—so he’s shocked when his wife offers him a marriage pass as an anniversary present: one night to do whatever he wants with whomever he wants, no questions asked. Shantae Graham doesn’t trust her husband, but she’s always wanted to start a family and live happily ever after with him and hopes the pass will bring them closer together. Unbeknownst to Shantae, Dorian uses his pass to sleep with her flighty estranged sister, Reagan—and when Reagan refuses to let go after just one night, their affair leads Dorian’s life to spiral into chaos as he’s forced to deal with a suicide attempt, an unplanned pregnancy, and threats to his medical practice. There are enough twists and turns to this erotic suspense novel to cause whiplash, and the ending is as surprising as it is satisfying. Sensual and shocking, this is a surefire hit. Agent: Shawanda Williams, N’Tyse Enterprises.

February 1, 2021
Fatal Attraction seems to have inspired Cole's (The Hearts We Burn, 2020) tale about a nonmonogamous relationship poised for disaster. Sophisticated banker Shantae and her libidinous, cosmetic-surgeon husband, Dorian, appear to be a steadfast Atlanta power couple, but, in her desperation for a baby, Shantae is willing to look the other way and gives reluctant-to-be-a-dad Dorian a "hall pass" on their anniversary, allowing them both one night to stray, no questions asked. Dorian, a recovering serial cheater, has been lusting after his beautiful sister-in-law, Reagan, and now he's been given the chance of a lifetime to fulfill his most taboo fantasy, as long as he doesn't get caught. Greedy and manipulative Reagan doesn't care who knows, and her strained relationship with her family and unstable mental health give this jealous sister the perfect opportunity to take Dorian for everything he's worth. Cole's latest is similar to novels by Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley, and will please readers who enjoy multicultural, suspenseful romance spiked with a dramatic edge of sin, sex, and betrayal.

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February 15, 2021
A couple makes an unorthodox bargain on their first anniversary. Dorian is a young and successful cosmetic surgeon in Atlanta. He's been in an on-again, off-again relationship with Shantae for 10 tumultuous years. They've suffered their share of problems--his infidelity, her miscarriage, and their struggles with family pressures and expectations--but they finally got married a year ago. Now, Dorian is shocked when Shantae suggests an unusual gift for their first anniversary: a marriage pass, a night where they can each go do whatever they want, no questions, no recriminations, no guilt. He senses a trap but can't resist the idea. Dorian spends his night with Reagan, a bold, beautiful woman who's always been off-limits because she happens to be Shantae's younger sister. Although he pledges to keep to the "one night" bargain, he continues his affair with Reagan over the next few months. Dorian feels torn between the two women but can't commit to ending his marriage. Reagan's escalating emotional blackmail and increasingly erratic behavior start to frighten him, turning him into the worst version of himself. Cole tries to thread the needle of appealing to multiple genre readers, for the book is a mishmash of erotic romance, suspense, and thriller; however, Dorian is not a strong or interesting enough character to hold it all together. He's a man caught in a melodrama borne of his own selfish, dumb decisions rather than a man caught in a compelling, interesting trap. The late-stage plot twist isn't enough to salvage the wreckage. A novel meant to explore trust asks readers to empathize with characters making terrible decisions.

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