REVIEW: Big Ben by Nana Malone

In Big Ben (See No Evil Trilogy #1) by Nana Malone, Billionaire Ben Covington is a member of the Elite, a group of powerful men who rule society and even parts of the government, unbeknownst to most people. Building his business with his friends East, Drew, and Bridge who are known as The London Lords, Ben has been biding his time until he can get revenge for the death of his best friend ten years ago. And that time is now. He’s being pushed to figure out a plan along with his friends to remove one of the Elite from power. A dangerous task. But just when Ben sets the plan into motion, in walks another complication: Olivia “Livy” Ashong.

‘Nothing about the woman was ever straightforward. And she was sitting there with a soft smile, smelling like temptation and every bad decision I’d ever made.’

Livy can’t believe her luck. She somehow gets stuck in a closet as she was trying for some moments alone during a party–and ends up getting an obviously built, dirty-mouthed guy jumping in the closet with her. After some memorable moments with the suave stranger, Livy is shocked to find out he slipped her a flash drive. The problems only increase when she realizes Ben has not only got her in over her head with his sneaky plans, but he also owns the new business she’s working for. With Livy’s own personal life about ready to implode, she doesn’t need Ben to speed things along. But then there’s the attraction between them. And that’s something she doesn’t know if they’ll be able to ignore for too long.

“I’m yours.”
“I know. Since I saw you in that closet, you’ve been mine. You just didn’t know it yet.”
He was right. I hadn’t known it.

Big Ben was a steamy, suspenseful romance that will whip readers into a frenzy and leave them wanting oh so much more. But honestly, that’s exactly what I expect from the wonderful Nana Malone.

‘For ten years I’d been blind.
But that was over now. And there was a reckoning coming.’

I’m not even really sure where to begin, there was so much that happened–and so much that I liked!–about Big Ben. I guess first of all, you know a Nana Malone book is going to have a hot-as-sin hero, which is just what we had with Ben Covington. He was a bit posh and had an arrogance to him that was equal parts charming and exasperating for our heroine Livy. Much to our entertainment. Ben was naughty in all the right ways as well as he was simply a nice, standup guy. And we got to see that naughtiness immediately. He and Livy had what I would call more of a meet-sexy instead of a meet-cute, involving a few unexpected scintillating minutes in a closet all cozied up. *fans face*

It was interesting to have a rather cloak and dagger type of plot going on while Ben and Livy were slowly falling for each other–and while she was finding her own footing after a couple of life-changing events happened. I really adored Livy. She was caught in a no-win situation. But she still had some sass to her and kept on plugging away, day by day, trying to piece her life back together. I liked Livy and Ben together. They had some, ahem, lively conversations (read: arguments) that made me laugh and hope they would finally just give in to their smoking hot attraction. But it was complicated. Between Livy’s personal life and Ben and his likable friends’ plans to take down a bad guy in their clandestine group of the Elite, there was a lot to sort through.

Note: Big Ben ends in a cliffhanger, for those readers who like to know ahead of time. Book two in the trilogy, The Benefactor, is scheduled for release in early June 2020.

The decadent characters, that gorgeous cover, and the twisting, almost James Bondish storyline made Big Ben a sinfully delicious romp across Europe. I can only hope book two will be as exciting as this introduction to Ben Covington’s world was.

Book Info:

Publication: Published April 21st 2020 | Sankofa Girl | See No Evil Trilogy #1

It began with betrayal.
And ended in murder.

She was never supposed to cross my path.
She was never supposed to know about the Currency of Secrets or the Oaths of Blood.

But like a thief in the night, she stole my soul even if she wasn’t mine to possess.

As a member of the Elite, I live by simple tenets. A gentleman above all. Private matters stay private. Secrets whispered are never revealed. Enemies and friends are of the same coin. And power is king.

My so-called brothers killed my friend. I intend to make them pay. And before it’s over, I’ll bend all the rules of morality, decency and legality. I will borrow and steal to set the scales right. But begging–begging, you can forget about.

My name is Ben Covington and I know my sins.