Cruel Marriage

4.25stars-emotional and edgy

4.25 stars--THE BREAKING SEASON is the third instalment in KA Linde’s contemporary, adult SEASONS erotic, romances series focusing on a group of connected, powerful and well-to-do friends in the Upper East Side of New York City.. This is businessman Camden Percy, and socialite Katherine Van Pelt’s story line. THE BREAKING SEASON can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order as their story has been building for several instalments. SEASONS is a spin off from the author’s CRUEL Trilogy where we are first introduced to the players and manipulators of the rich and powerful on the Upper East Side.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Camden and Katherine) THE BREAKING SEASON follows the acrimonious relationship between businessman Camden Percy, and socialite Katherine Van Pelt. Camden Percy and Katherine Van Pelt are a married couple. Katherine’s father destroyed his family, and in the ensuing aftermath Camden offered Katherine a contract to save face, and prevent the family from falling from disgrace but Katherine’s struggling relationship with Camden is fraught with anger, miscommunication, jealousy, and perceived betrayal including the possibility of infidelity in body and heart. With their one year anniversary on the horizon, Camden demands Katherine honor the terms of their contract but not all is well in Katherine’s life. As Camden continues to do battle with his father at work, Katherine’s emotional and physical health slowly spirals out of control. What ensues is the tempestuous and heart breaking relationship between Camden and Katherine, and the potential fall-out as the sins of the father begin to pull Camden under, and Katherine struggles with issues of control.

Katherine and Camden’s marriage of convenience is a bone of contention between one another and their friends. Katherine has been miserable since her father’s destruction of the family’s finances, and Camden’s love for Katherine is masked by the anger and frustrations of a man who refuses to give in or give up. The bitter altercations and accusations are heart breaking and painful. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and familiar secondary and supporting characters including all of the previous story line couples: Sam and Larkin (The Lying Season), Anna English and Court Kensington (The Hating Season) , Penn Kensington and his wife Natalie ; Whitley Bowen, Gavin King, Robert Dawson, : Camden’s sisters Candice and Harmony, and their father Carlyle, as well as Katherine’s mother, and Camden’s ex Fiona.

THE BREAKING SEASON is an intense story of family, friendships, betrayal and trust. The emotional premise is edgy ; the characters are wounded, sassy, spirited and lost; the romance is provocative seductive yet tender.