BOOK REVIEW — Cruel Money by K.A. Linde

★ Buy Cruel Money (Kindle)

My dream and nightmare stood before me. Clothed like a god walking off of a James Bond set with dark hair and midnight - blue eyes that flickered in the dying embers.


When Gossip Girl and Cruel Intentions collide into one, K.A. Linde brings another addictive, angsty and totally unputdownable book.

Cruel Money takes place 6 years after One Cruel Night, which is what made me so excited about this book and the series.

Natalie is a writer looking for her big break while she house sits for the rich and famous. Living the nomad life and truly enjoying what she does, Natalie is now in the Hamptons house sitting for Mayor Kensington when Penn Kensington, the guy who made her last night in Paris six years ago the most beautiful night of her life and then tarnished it the next day.

Penn, born and brought up on the Upper East Side and with the most elite of the elite, is world's away from Natalie and everything she represents or comes from.
Seeing Natalie at his mother's home was not something he had expected and now he can't get her out of his mind.

The connection between Natalie and Penn burns as bright as it did all those years ago and try as she may, Natalie can't resist Penn. But little does she know about the games and deceit being played by the people she knows, that is hovering in the horizons, bidding their time to reveal themselves.


I turned to face him. Not with tears in my eyes, but anger. No heartbreak, just emptiness. This was the end. It was over. Penn Kensington had done everything he could to ruin what was left of the romantic in my soul.



I loved Natalie and the way she was written. She didn't cower under the rich kids and gave back to them with wit, confidence and smart unfiltered remarks.

Penn... I'm a little on the ledge with him at the moment. I like him, I do, but there were times when I wanted to give him a good shake and bring some sense into him. Though I have to give a special mention to my favourite out of the lot — Lewis. He is a real charmer and genuine and true with Natalie and I would love to see more scenes between the two of them.

I was invested in the story from start to finish. It has angst, drama, deception, seduction, manipulation and lies coated in honey making Penn and Natalie's story equal parts twisted and intriguing.

If you love stories that are dripping in deception and about the glamorous lifestyle of the Upper East Side that hides its deviousness behind fake smiles and glitter then this is it.

I am so so ready for Cruel Fortune which is, unfortunately, releasing sometime in April! (so far... sigh)