Only the Devil

The Sinful State Series, Book 2

De: Isabel Jolie

Narrado por: Mollie Stark, Michael Gallagher

I've survived combat zones and classified missions.
But watching her walk into danger? That might kill me.

The assignment seemed straightforward: pose as a dutiful boyfriend while she infiltrates a finance mogul’s operation. Keep her safe. Keep my distance. Get the evidence and get out.

Simple, until the mogul hired me as his personal security.

Now I have a front-row seat to his empire of greed—and his predatory interest in the brilliant woman I'm supposed to be pretending to love. Every day I watch him dangle millions in front of her like bait, testing her limits, pushing her boundaries.

The problem? My feelings for Daisy stopped being pretend the moment she treated me like I was more than just another soldier following orders.

She thinks she can handle Sterling's world. She thinks she can resist the temptation of life-changing money. But I don’t trust wealth and power. And when bodies start dropping and cryptocurrency millions vanish overnight, I realize we're not just hunting a white-collar criminal.

We're trapped in his web.

Daisy's got secrets she won't share and a past that makes her desperate enough to risk everything for justice. Sterling's got enough money to buy loyalty, silence, and alibis. And me? I've got a heart condition that ended my military career and feelings for a woman who might be playing a deeper game than either of us signed up for.

In a world where everyone has their price, I've found the one thing I won't sell: her safety.

Even if it costs me everything.

Only the Devil is the second standalone novel in the explosive Sinful State series, where wealth, power, and desire collide in the shadows. Return to the world of the elite KOAN Security Group in this romantic suspense thriller that proves not all fortunes are made in heaven.

©2025 Isabel Jolie (P)2025 Blue Nose Publishing, Isabel Jolie

Loved the suspense

I was hooked from the very start with the build up and the suspense of this story, loving that from the start Daisy and Jake skirted their way around their feelings for each other.
This started as a slow burn and became so much more with Jake falling hard for Daisy, I found I really enjoyed their interactions and banter.
With a mystery to uncover both have their work cut out for them in trying to unravel all they come across as the story heats up.
I loved the unknown element, the sleuthing plus the danger and I enjoyed all of the characters that appeared in this story.
When it counts can Jake protect Daisy from the evil that is coming for them?
I happily listened along to the audiobook that was performed in duet by Mollie Stark & Michael Gallagher.
They were the perfect pairing and made this a great listening experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed both the story and narration.

Romance & Intrigue

I was as entertained by this story as much as the first one in the series. This story was based on one of my favorite tropes that of a fake relationship. I admired Daisy as she was determined to find justice. I liked Jake who had sorrow because of the ending of his military career, but he wanted to excel in keeping Daisy safe. My attention was kept by all the twists and turns, and I appreciated the flashes of humor provided by the witty remarks between the characters. I enjoyed the dual narrations provided by Mollie Stark and Michael Gallagher as their performances enhanced the story's entertainment. I was given an advanced listener's copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.

JAKE AND DAISY, MURDER, SUSPENSE

Book 2 in The Sinful State Series.

Performed in duet by Mollie Stark and Michael Gallagher

Daisy goes undercover to investigate a scam financial business. Jake had been hired to protect her.

Some twists I did not see coming, I really enjoyed the story

The performances from Mollie Stark Michael Gallagher were excellent. Michael is a new narrator to me and I look forward to hearing more from him.

Enjoyed this one!

Book two of The Sinful State Series, Only the Devil by Isabel Jolie, grabbed my attention from the get go. Not one to pickup partway through a series, I didn’t feel this negatively impacted my enjoyment of Daisy and Jake’s story.

Now finding his way in the civilian world, since his recent medical discharge from the Navy. Jake lands a position with KOAN, a security firm. Many military veterans struggle when faced with civvy life. I liked how Jake was able to find his role within KOAN and still have the camaraderie of a team, and to utilise the skills he acquired from his Navy service.

Jake is tasked with providing protective detail for programmer Daisy, a tiny yet fierce woman who has taken it upon herself to investigate dodgy, fraudulent dealings targeting veterans and retirees. Daisy is determined to get answers especially since the mysterious death of someone close to her was targeted in these financial scams.

I was impressed at how quickly I was drawn into this story. Isabel continued to build the intrigue and suspense throughout. Teamed with the performances by Mollie Stark and Michael Gallagher, this audiobook was a joy to listen to.The ability of Mollie and Michael to give distinguishable character voices, are so very suited to each character! Loved their take, on all the different personalities.

Thank you Isabel for an intriguingly engaging story. I will now go visit with book one. To Blue Nose Audio, thank you for this incredibly entertaining advanced listener copy.

So good!!

Fake dating
Revenge
Forced proximity
Suspense
Dual POV - 1st Person

Duet narration - Molly Stark & Michael Gallagher
I love Molly Staros narration and pair her with the sweet but sexy voice of Michael Gallagher and you have one hell of an audiobook!

Daisy is a strong, independent, and fierce FMC. Going undercover at a company on her own trying to discover their less than honorable business dealings.

Jake is a former SEAL turned security since being discharged from the Navy due to health reasons. He gets assigned to watch over Daisy.

The attraction between these two is evident right off the bat. I enjoyed their playful and sassy banter. Through forced proximity these two develop a bond that quickly turns into deep feelings and spicy moments.

This is my first book by Isabel Jolie and I found her writing to be captivating and deeply entertaining.