Executive Liaison by Anna Stone and Hildred Billings is the steamy second book in the Black Diamond series.
Isabel Diaz is thrilled with her post-college life though, to her, relationships have always been elusive. She’s decided to put herself out there on a dating app called Darkest Desires. She has an amazing job heading the graphic design department at an up-and-coming Seattle startup.
When the startup is sold and business tycoon, Scarlett Black takes over as CEO, Isabel finds something mysterious about the ruthless older woman.
Scarlett Black has it all. The oldest daughter of one of Seattle’s wealthiest families, she’s been groomed to take over the family company upon her father’s retirement. Yet her picture-perfect life isn’t exactly what it appears to be. At night, she escapes her real life to play the part of Dominique, her alter ego.
When Scarlett meets a woman on Darkest Desires, she is immediately captivated and things quickly heat up between them. Anonymity keeps Scarlett from realizing her new liaison is with her young employee, Isabel.
Tensions rise in the office as things their sensual fling increases. It’s only a matter of time before their real identities expose both women and force them to confront their true feelings.
Writing
Anna Stone and Hildred Billings have teamed up again with book two in the Black Diamond series. While it is part of a series, it could be read as a standalone but I’d recommend reading The Girlfriend Arrangement first. In Executive Liaison we are immersed in the world of the eldest sister, Scarlett, the golden child in the Black family and heir to the family empire. Scarlett is a multilayered character whose alter ego, Dominique plays such an important role in who she is as a whole person. Our authors have also done a wonderful job creating and executing a neurodivergent character, Isabel. The dialogue is engaging and the descriptive details are on point.
Narration
Every time I listen to an Abby Craden narrated tale, my admiration for her talent grows. With Executive Decision, she’s taken Scarlett and Isabel’s story and brought it to life. Through her tone and inflection, I could feel their happiness as well as their pain. Her ability to create and maintain characters’ voices throughout a story is incomparable. I was swept into the story with the first paragraph and held until the final word.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
As the golden child, Scarlett has had so much pressure thrust upon her. She’s a pleaser and has followed her parents’ wishes throughout her life but there’s more to her than meets the eye. When she meets a woman with the online handle, BeautifulDreamer, she is immediately captivated. Scarlett knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to get it.
Isabel is young and relatively inexperienced in the ways of the world. And while she’s looking for a lover who she can submit to completely in the bedroom, she’s not a meek and mild little flower. While she has an even temperament and thinks before she speaks, she does have a fiery spirit and isn’t afraid to go toe to toe with Scarlett on multiple occasions and Scarlett calls her, “strong but beautifully vulnerable”. That dichotomy makes her a really compelling character.
When Isabel and Scarlett’s true identities are revealed and they have a moment in the Black Diamond lobby, I literally swooned. The vulnerability they show with one another through face-to-face conversations that are built on the conversations they had through the app really helps to strengthen their bond and solidifies how perfect they are for one another.
Yes, their romance happens fast but that’s due to Scarlett’s no-nonsense and matter-of-fact attitude. Plus, who doesn’t love a steamy whirlwind romance?
Heads Up
Their story contains BDSM elements that could put some readers off.
The Conclusion
This second book in the Black Diamond Series doesn’t disappoint! A delightful ice queen, age gap romance featuring some kink is always a good time! Isabel and Scarlett were perfect for one another from the first moment they “met” as Beauty and Dominique. Their vulnerabilities were handled with care and their chemistry was smoking hot! Add in Abby Craden’s narration and you have a real winner on your hands!
Excerpt from Executive Liaison by Anna Stone and Hildred Billings
“Hello?” A head poked through the door. “You sent for me?”
“You must be Isabel,” Scarlett said, pasting on her most genial smile as she motioned to the chair before her desk. “Come in. Have a seat. I’m just introducing myself to the department heads. You know, getting to know everyone and exchanging some ideas…”
The door opened fully. In stepped a young woman Scarlett swore she hadn’t seen in the office a few hours ago.
She definitely would have remembered Isabel Diaz.
No one in Scarlett’s life knew of her sapphic predilections. Her attraction to women was something she kept under lock and key. She had an openly lesbian sister, and even Parker didn’t know that Scarlett often went to sleep thinking about the perfect woman to round out her life.
And here that woman was, having stepped right out of her dreams.
She was feminine and petite, almost dainty. Not in a way that was proper or affected, but in a way that sparked something deep and primal within Scarlett. Her own feminine presentation meant she often had to fight to be taken seriously, to not be seen as weak in a male dominated world. She practically salivated at the thought of being the strong, confident partner of someone looking for a Mistress to serve and belong to.
Were there gender stereotypes at play? She didn’t care. She wanted what she wanted.
And it was right in front of her, dressed in a floaty white blouse and a flirtatiously frilly skirt that showed off graceful bronze legs… Scarlett shook herself. She didn’t need this. Not her perfect woman walking into her office on the first day of her new and extremely important job.
“Hi.” Isabel almost spilled into the chair as she attempted to pull it away from the desk. As her long black hair flipped up into her face and her ankles wobbled in her flats, Scarlett was forced to look away. Partly out of politeness, but also because it would look unprofessional to leap up and catch the delicate beauty in her arms.
Isabel collected herself, sitting firmly in the chair. With flushed cheeks, she rearranged her hair and covered the hint of cleavage peeking from her blouse, her short nails the same alluring shade of pink as her lips. Hadn’t Scarlett fantasized about kissing lips just like those before? Isabel straightened her shoulders and sat up as tall as she could. “I’m Isabel.”
Get It Online
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Series: Black Diamond
The Girlfriend Arrangement
Executive Liaison
Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 979-8802229743
Publisher: Indie Author
Audiobook Publisher: Tantor Audio
Narrator: Abby Craden
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Note: I received a free review copy of Executive Liaison by Anna Stone and Hildred Billings. No money was exchanged for this review. When you use our links to buy we get a small commission which supports the running of this site
