It all started with a lie that ruined Luca Gallo’s reputation so when Donata Salvatore ends up in his classroom again, it’s the perfect chance for revenge. He’ll teach her a lesson she’ll never forget.
Wicked Knight: King Duet Book 1
Crime Society Book 7
Diana A. Hicks
Audio Release: October 28, 2024
I want my happily-ever-after…
He wants revenge.
It all started with a lie. When I was in high school, I ruined Mr. Gallo’s reputation.
Now I’m in his classroom again. I’m older and most definitely over him.
Except, Professor Gallo isn’t over me.
Does the grumpy and hot-as-hell college professor have reason to hate me? Yes.
Does he intend to punish me for what I did to him years ago? Also yes.
Professor Luca Gallo has a lesson for me that I’m sure I will never forget.
Authors Note: Wicked Knight is book one in the Knight Duet, featuring Luca Gallo and Donata Salvatore. It is a standalone teacher-student romance set in The Society World.
Goodreads TBR → https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/105732713-wicked-knight
🎤Narrated by Ryan Hudson & Angelina Rocca
Start listening today!
➡️https://www.audible.com/pd/Wicked-Knight-Audiobook/B0DHY8SZ8Y
Wicked Knight by Diana A. Hicks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
🎧🎧AUDIOBOO REVIEW🎧🎧
🎤NARRATION ⇒ Angelina Rocca nailed Donata’s character exactly as I’d pictured her, and she even enhanced her at times. It’s a really great audiobook experience! Ryan Hudson did an excellent job as a narrator, but I needed Luca to have more grit to his voice. Ryan is a great male narrator, but he didn’t have the range I needed for Luca. Obviously, this is just an opinion, because everyone’s ears are different (lol) so it is what it is. I still enjoyed the heck out of this story via audio!
📖STORY ⇒ A whole bunch of years ago, I started the Crime Society series and truth be told, I honestly have no clue why I didn’t continue! I had a lot of questions back then about The Society and ya’ll know how I am, right? If I’d had the time, I would have gone back to the duets before this one in a hot second. But I did not LOL But I will! ASAP!
I like that Luca & Donata’s journey kept building until the very end. Layers upon layers were unfolded in their story as we moved forward in the story, and I was hooked and captivated enough to listen in one swoop! Okay, two swoops LOL (but I listened while I was allegedly working the next day after starting the previous evening, so I think it’s one swoop!).
So, these two have history and it is not the pleasant type of history. There are obstacles to overcome and past circumstances that need to be made right before anything of meaning can happen between these two and I love that Diana took the time to build that and made sure to unfold all of it. That’s the main reason the story felt like it was building from the very beginning. The story has the usual outside forces doing the things they do which again, is part of what keeps the reader invested in what’s to come.
There are a whole bunch of “truth bombs” exploding here and there and some twists and definitely some turns (lol) and again, totally invested because, what is even happening right now?… and I just got sucked into it all! I’m really looking forward to seeing where this story goes because if it’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s gonna pretzel and I like the sound of that!
Sidebar: Using the tagline student/teacher can be misleading and I didn’t like that one bit. Yeah, she’s a student and he’s a professor but we all know what that tagline normally *screams* and this ain’t it. *shrug* I really dislike misleading marketing.
EXCERPT
Copyright 2024, Diana A. Hicks
I shut the door behind me with shaky hands. Now that I was here, my anger had subsided, and I couldn’t remember what had possessed me to come and argue with Professor Gallo about my grade.
Slowly, I lifted my gaze and wiped my palms on my skirt. I had expected him to be glowering at me as he liked to do. But instead, he was focused on the papers in front of him.
Had I misheard him? Maybe he hadn’t been talking to me when he said the word enter. Did I just barge in on him in his own office…again? Well, this time it was different.
Before, when I was fifteen, I had been determined to hand in my v-card. This time, it was about something way more important. My academic career at Columbia.
“Don’t linger. What do you want?” He asked, without looking up from his reading.
“Um.” I glanced around his big office to calm down.
Guest professors seemed to get the red-carpet treatment. My chemistry professor shared an office with another colleague, and that room wasn’t even as big as this one.
There was something old school and manly about the space. Had Luca brought in all the leather furniture and books? He even had a reading nook facing the window, with a view of a hidden courtyard beyond it. This was, for sure, all his stuff, neatly organized and strategically placed.
Did this mean he was planning to stay beyond his temporary assignment? Butterflies flapped wildly in my belly. I still had two more years of undergrad. It would be nice to have him so close by.
I inched closer to peek at whatever had his full attention. Who the hell was Ava Conti? And why did he have a picture of her? For some stupid reason my chest hurt. That voice in my head that always made me do crazy things to get his attention got louder. I clearly saw myself swiping all the papers off his desk and throwing myself at him.
Wait. No, I couldn’t do that. I glanced up and met his angry gaze. How long had I been standing here like an idiot, ogling his office and all his things?
“Um.” He rose to his feet. “It’s not an actual sentence, Ms. Salvatore.”
Oh, so he did remember me.
“I meant, I came to talk about my grade. There seems to be a mistake.” I stood a little taller.
“A mistake? What kind of mistake?” He prowled around his desk.
He was definitely taller than I remembered. I peeked at him through my eyelashes. Then glanced down. Shit. I already knew that didn’t work on him. To add to my nerves, he reached for my top with those long fingers. I held my breath as he fastened the top two buttons on my blouse.
Oh no, I wasn’t trying to seduce him. Did he think that? Well, if he did. This was a clear no. He had no interest in seeing any part of me.
“Try again.” He took in a deep breath as if he was running out of patience.
“You gave me an F.” I jutted out my chin with determination.
“I know I did.” He perched himself on the edge of the desk with his legs extended out in front of him. “Are you here to give me a recount of all the grades I’ve handed out today, Ms. Salvatore?
Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of steamy romantic suspense and science-fiction romance.
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.
Praise for Diana A. Hicks:
“Hicks’ first installment of her Desert Monsoon series is confident and assured with strong storytelling, nuanced characters, and a dynamic blend of romance and suspense…A sexy and irresistible tale for fans of contemporary romance.” – Kirkus Reviews
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