Author: J.T. Geissinger
Genre: Romance
Published on: July 26, 2018, self-published
After meeting Tabitha “Tabby” West in Wicked Beautiful, I felt eager to read her story. She was a prominent supporting character and is now a protagonist. I liked Tabby a lot mostly because she’s a tech genius. Tabby is so wickedly intelligent (couldn’t resist) she graduated from MIT at an age most other people are starting high school. I’m really into smart women--especially tech-wise--like Daisy Johnson or Caitlin Snow. Wicked Sexy takes place three years after the first book. Tabby’s love interest is Connor Hughes. He’s a whiz at technology as well…though not as much as Tabitha.
Tabby and Connor met while their respective bosses were at odds with each other. They both served as the go-to tech people. Connor even has his own elite private security company. He tried to uncover info on Tabby’s boss, and it didn’t end well. Tabby wasn’t just a tech whiz: she was the notorious hacker called Polaroid. Her security software fried Connor’s custom system, which drove him nuts. When Connor found out Tabby was his rival, he was incredulous. Connor couldn’t fathom how such a petite girl could best him.
In this book, you get to know Connor and Tabby much better than in Wicked Beautiful. I admit it surprised me just how weird and abrasive Tabby is. This was apparent before, but now it’s a lot more obvious. Tabby is absolutely obsessed with Hello Kitty (to the extent it became her hacker signature) and dresses like she only shops at Hot Topic. As for Connor, he’s more than the bouncer type he seems like at first. He’s a righteous guy with little experience talking to women. Connor isn’t sure how to deal with his strong attraction to Tabby at first. It doesn’t help that she pretty much hates him.
What’s brought Tabby and Connor back together after years apart? It has to do with a special mission. Connor’s security company, Metrix, got an urgent contract. He believes Tabby is the person best suited for the job. She shuts him down at first, and even snaps at his client! This last part really shocked me. Tabby pretty much fangirled when she learned who Connor’s client was. After their interview, she did a full one-eighty. Tabby relents as soon as she learns who’s attacking Connor’s client’s systems.
You soon find out Tabby and Connor aren’t the only tech experts brought in for the case. Connor’s client reached out to the FBI, and they sent a large team. A major thing to note is that there’s not a single woman in this task force. This makes what happens next even more stunning. Tabby shows off her tech skills, leaving everyone baffled. It was so much like Beth Harmon single-handedly beating a classroomful of chess pros at once. To me, it broke the suspense of disbelief a fair bit. Those are FBI cybersecurity experts, not high school tech support wannabes. Tabby is extremely skilled, but that much?
It’s soon evident why Connor wanted Tabby on the team so badly. The hacker that broke into his client’s servers is just as proficient as Tabby. Those that know about this guy know him as Maelstr0m. Tabby reveals she knows his true identity. It’s nothing to go on, though; Maelstr0m has wiped every trace of his old existence. He’s also got a reputation for being ruthless and is not above killing. Maelstr0m is undoubtedly the world’s most dangerous black hat hacker. He felt a bit like a Bond villain at times. Catching him will be an arduous task. Tabby has a risky plan, though.
Wicked Sexy ended up being an entertaining read. While Tabby is not my kind of girl, she’s still intriguing. Tabby’s incredible tech skills make her more appealing in my opinion, too. At least she worked well as a protagonist. Connor was okay; he just seems a lot like other male protagonists I’ve read about. Among the few things that set him apart is that he’s gruff and that he’s rather clueless about women. Connor does own one of the best private security firms, which is nothing to scoff at. The struggle in Wicked Sexy was thrilling. It was my favorite part of this book. Rather than fistfights, the characters engage in cyber-battles. I find that fascinating. If you’re a techie like me, you’ll really like this book.
Tabby and Connor met while their respective bosses were at odds with each other. They both served as the go-to tech people. Connor even has his own elite private security company. He tried to uncover info on Tabby’s boss, and it didn’t end well. Tabby wasn’t just a tech whiz: she was the notorious hacker called Polaroid. Her security software fried Connor’s custom system, which drove him nuts. When Connor found out Tabby was his rival, he was incredulous. Connor couldn’t fathom how such a petite girl could best him.
In this book, you get to know Connor and Tabby much better than in Wicked Beautiful. I admit it surprised me just how weird and abrasive Tabby is. This was apparent before, but now it’s a lot more obvious. Tabby is absolutely obsessed with Hello Kitty (to the extent it became her hacker signature) and dresses like she only shops at Hot Topic. As for Connor, he’s more than the bouncer type he seems like at first. He’s a righteous guy with little experience talking to women. Connor isn’t sure how to deal with his strong attraction to Tabby at first. It doesn’t help that she pretty much hates him.
What’s brought Tabby and Connor back together after years apart? It has to do with a special mission. Connor’s security company, Metrix, got an urgent contract. He believes Tabby is the person best suited for the job. She shuts him down at first, and even snaps at his client! This last part really shocked me. Tabby pretty much fangirled when she learned who Connor’s client was. After their interview, she did a full one-eighty. Tabby relents as soon as she learns who’s attacking Connor’s client’s systems.
You soon find out Tabby and Connor aren’t the only tech experts brought in for the case. Connor’s client reached out to the FBI, and they sent a large team. A major thing to note is that there’s not a single woman in this task force. This makes what happens next even more stunning. Tabby shows off her tech skills, leaving everyone baffled. It was so much like Beth Harmon single-handedly beating a classroomful of chess pros at once. To me, it broke the suspense of disbelief a fair bit. Those are FBI cybersecurity experts, not high school tech support wannabes. Tabby is extremely skilled, but that much?
It’s soon evident why Connor wanted Tabby on the team so badly. The hacker that broke into his client’s servers is just as proficient as Tabby. Those that know about this guy know him as Maelstr0m. Tabby reveals she knows his true identity. It’s nothing to go on, though; Maelstr0m has wiped every trace of his old existence. He’s also got a reputation for being ruthless and is not above killing. Maelstr0m is undoubtedly the world’s most dangerous black hat hacker. He felt a bit like a Bond villain at times. Catching him will be an arduous task. Tabby has a risky plan, though.
Wicked Sexy ended up being an entertaining read. While Tabby is not my kind of girl, she’s still intriguing. Tabby’s incredible tech skills make her more appealing in my opinion, too. At least she worked well as a protagonist. Connor was okay; he just seems a lot like other male protagonists I’ve read about. Among the few things that set him apart is that he’s gruff and that he’s rather clueless about women. Connor does own one of the best private security firms, which is nothing to scoff at. The struggle in Wicked Sexy was thrilling. It was my favorite part of this book. Rather than fistfights, the characters engage in cyber-battles. I find that fascinating. If you’re a techie like me, you’ll really like this book.
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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