Publishers Weekly
★ 01/25/2021
Lust, infidelity, and revenge drive this downright devilish series launch from Cole (The Hearts We Burn). When chronic cheater and cosmetic surgeon Dorian Graham married his on-again, off-again girlfriend of over 10 years, he vowed to stop his philandering ways—so he’s shocked when his wife offers him a marriage pass as an anniversary present: one night to do whatever he wants with whomever he wants, no questions asked. Shantae Graham doesn’t trust her husband, but she’s always wanted to start a family and live happily ever after with him and hopes the pass will bring them closer together. Unbeknownst to Shantae, Dorian uses his pass to sleep with her flighty estranged sister, Reagan—and when Reagan refuses to let go after just one night, their affair leads Dorian’s life to spiral into chaos as he’s forced to deal with a suicide attempt, an unplanned pregnancy, and threats to his medical practice. There are enough twists and turns to this erotic suspense novel to cause whiplash, and the ending is as surprising as it is satisfying. Sensual and shocking, this is a surefire hit. Agent: Shawanda Williams, N’Tyse Enterprises. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
Paise for The Marriage Pass
"There are enough twists and turns to this erotic suspense novel to cause whiplash, and the ending is as surprising as it is satisfying. Sensual and shocking, this is a surefire hit."
—Publishers Weekly
"Briana Cole weaves another entangled web of marital mayhem. The Marriage Pass takes ‘honor your spouse’ to unconventional heights and forbidden lows in this surefire read. A page turner to the very end!”
—Victoria Christopher Murray, Essence Bestselling Author
Praise for Briana Cole
“Lust, jealousy, betrayal, and desperation to survive drive this dramatic tale that will appeal to fans of contemporary multicultural romance authors De’Nesha Diamond, Victoria Christopher Murray, and Shelly Ellis.”
—Booklist on The Hearts We Burn
“This second installment in Cole's Unconditional series is quite a page turner.”
—Booklist on The Vows We Break
“Briana Cole takes her characters through hell in this book. And this is just exactly what the readers will enjoy! Drama, drama, drama!”
—Cydney Rax on The Wives We Play
“Thrilling, unique, and so addicting! Briana Cole brings a spin to a taboo lifestyle that had me hooked from the first page, and sitting on the edge of my seat, eager to find out what happens next. Debut or not, The Wives We Play is a fantastic, enthralling novel that should not be missed!”
—Shanora Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Mr. Black, on The Wives We Play
“Oh, this book was spicy and dramatic! This was my first read by Briana Cole but it won't be my last.” —RAWSISTAZ on The Wives We Play
Kirkus Reviews
2021-01-27
A couple makes an unorthodox bargain on their first anniversary.
Dorian is a young and successful cosmetic surgeon in Atlanta. He’s been in an on-again, off-again relationship with Shantae for 10 tumultuous years. They’ve suffered their share of problems—his infidelity, her miscarriage, and their struggles with family pressures and expectations—but they finally got married a year ago. Now, Dorian is shocked when Shantae suggests an unusual gift for their first anniversary: a marriage pass, a night where they can each go do whatever they want, no questions, no recriminations, no guilt. He senses a trap but can't resist the idea. Dorian spends his night with Reagan, a bold, beautiful woman who’s always been off-limits because she happens to be Shantae’s younger sister. Although he pledges to keep to the “one night” bargain, he continues his affair with Reagan over the next few months. Dorian feels torn between the two women but can’t commit to ending his marriage. Reagan’s escalating emotional blackmail and increasingly erratic behavior start to frighten him, turning him into the worst version of himself. Cole tries to thread the needle of appealing to multiple genre readers, for the book is a mishmash of erotic romance, suspense, and thriller; however, Dorian is not a strong or interesting enough character to hold it all together. He's a man caught in a melodrama borne of his own selfish, dumb decisions rather than a man caught in a compelling, interesting trap. The late-stage plot twist isn’t enough to salvage the wreckage.
A novel meant to explore trust asks readers to empathize with characters making terrible decisions.
