Synopsis

Risky Assets, the sequel to Trading Secrets in Eckles’s series featuring financier Celeste Donovan, is brimming with mystery and failed alliances. Celeste appears to have everything a modern woman dreams of—a doting fiancé, a penthouse apartment, and a supermodel’s physique with a mathematician’s mind. But all that glitters is not gold.

A high-powered finance executive with a dark past, she has experienced unspeakable loss at the hand of her abusive ex, Omar. She has healed from the trauma now and is ready to move on as one of the world’s richest women and settle back into her glamorous jet-setting lifestyle.

As Celeste sets out to plan her future, she realizes she cannot live the rest of her life in fear that Omar will strike again. She vows to get rid of him and anyone else who stands in the way of the happy ending she’s fighting for. Her plans become complicated after discovering that Omar has become an agent of the US government. When her friends approach her to finally join forces with them and rogue federal agents, she’s boxed into a corner.

Now Celeste is living with secrets so tortured that if discovered, they could destroy what she’s so carefully built. Will she be successful in making the world a safer place? Or will her appetite for vengeance jeopardize it all?

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Review

It has been a few years since I read the first book in this series, but I recall enjoying it, so I was eager to see where Celeste took the story in this installment.

While I couldn’t relate to the character in terms of her wealth and that world, I did find that her character was seeking to uncover the truth, and also to “punish” those who got in her way, especially when it came to Omar. I could admire her drive to right the wrongs in her world. I appreciated her ambition, as well.

I did wonder, as I read the book, if something was up with her fiancé, Theodore. While nothing is revealed in this novel, there are hints of possible undercurrents in his behavior. I hope to learn more about his activities in the next book. Something doesn’t add up, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. At least not yet!

This novel moved at a slower pace than I expected, but that gave me time to get to know the characters a little better. We gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts, motivations, and desires. I felt like I had a deeper insight into Celeste, even if I couldn’t fathom that world! That is the beauty of novels: we can learn more about worlds that are foreign to us.

I have the third book to read, so watch for a review in the coming days on the saga continuations of Celeste and her crew.

We give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

Rachael Eckles is the author of the award-winning Celeste Donovan series, a genre-defying blend of high-stakes thriller and romantic suspense. An Indiana native, Rachael lives in New York City, where she writes about powerful female protagonists and runs her publishing company, Aphrodite Books, dedicated to amplifying the voices of women authors and supporting non-profits that empower women and girls globally.

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