Black Swan Affair

This book was amazing....i had never heard of this author before but i came highly recommended by an author i love so i jumped as the chance. This was enthralling and surprising. I started out wanting a certain ending and soon changed my mind as the story developed. Very good read. I will be inhaling all her books from now on! #addicted

I absolutely loved this book!!! I was team Kael from the start. They love her, she lives them. A choice has to be made, but how do you choose?

This story is in past and present tense. I really never wavered on my choice until the end.

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I loved this book. The twists and turns were delightful. And I loved the dedication. This is definitely a 5 star book. The plot was fantastic and the main characters were well developed. This is my read by this author, and I'm happy to have found her.

Angst Angst and more Angst. Lordy this book was emotional. I have many mixed feelings about this book. There are times when you love all the characters and then most of the time you want to throw them off a cliff or slap them upside the head. Triangles are meant to be angsty, I know that, but this book really tied me up in knots.

Maverick (I love this name for the heroine), and the two Shepard brothers, Kael and Killian. She's best friends with one and is in love with the other. Both love her......but something happens and life isn't how Maverick thought it would be. All three lives are intertwined, brothers married to sisters, both living in the same town, both working for their wives' father.........both brothers still loving one woman and one woman loving one brother. It's ANGSTY to the MAX.

I found myself disliking Maverick for much of the book. She married for the wrong reason and used the love of her best friend, Kael, to propel her to marry him to get back at his brother, Killian, the man she has loved forever. While Kael is perfect and wonderful, Maverick spends time doing "what if". Over time she decided to give Kael her full attention and learn to love him but Killian is never far. We are given multiple POVs and the insight to their past molds the story. These three have known each other forever which makes the story both emotion, heartbreaking and angsty.

The twist at the end, I didn't see coming, but it I really ended up loving. As with any triangle, there is a winner and a loser. Getting to the finish line is exhausting and trying but when the heart finally lets go and loves completely, life can get no better. This book is a standalone and does have a HEA, but be warned, the journey getting there is rocky and rugged.

So, if you love ANGST to the max, can deal with triangles and cheating of the heart, this book is is for you. I must say that I did love the author's writing. This is my first book from her and I look forward to reading more of her work.

There is no better read than a great standalone book and this one goes in my top ten. I usually don't care for stories that take you back and forth in time, however, this is the exception.
Loved it. Recommend it. Enjoy.

After reading the synopsis of this book I was quite skeptical, so I downloaded the sample and it didn't take long for it to catch my attention.

Awesome story that truly touched my heart! Good job K.L. Greig!!

The plot was complex with the whole married the other sister thing. I have to say I really liked this book. I kept wondering where she would go and how I would feel about it. The book had a good pace and I would definitely read another book by this author.

I absolutely loved this book. I fell in love with the characters and was sad to see it end. This is the first book I've read from this author and I can't wait to delve into others. Great writing with unexpected twists. Excellent work!!!

The synopsis and the title of Black Swan Affair provide a good overview of the story, but it turned out to be different from what I imagined. Why Killian married her sister haunted me and there was no way I was going to sleep before I found out the reason. It was 1:30 am when I closed my Kindle, and the next day my head was still buzzing with the story. There were twists in the plot I didn’t see coming, each one causing me to reconsider my thoughts on the characters and the roles they played.
Two brothers have grown up with and developed deep feelings for Maverick DeSoto. She crushed on one brother and friend-zoned the other. Her anger after Killian married her sister out of the blue leaves her gutted and she marries Kael, the brother she had friend-zoned. The romance triangle is pivotal. Maverick’s relationship is hot and steamy but complicated. The angst is tangible and unavoidable social/family occasions had them all walking on egg shells.
The past and present storytelling helps shed light on their friendships and explains why their feelings for each other are so strong. I find going back and forth in time frustrating every time I encounter it. The benefit of depicting the backstory in this fashion is a deeper understanding and a stronger connection to the characters and their situations. Whenever it happens the same feeling overwhelms me, and I just want to remain in either the present or the present. At times I struggled to identify which brother she was with during the flashbacks. Whether reading into the early hours of the morning or the similarities in the brothers was the cause of confusion. The other alternative was the assumption of it being the other brother in particular flashback scenes.
Either brother would have had people considering Maverick a lucky woman. My preference swayed as the plot evolved. Both guys had endearing qualities but Maverick stood out as the character who won my heart. She was a woman caught in the middle but what impressed me was the way she went about moving on with her life. There was no way that there wasn’t going to be a scenario where at one or both of the brothers would have their heart crushed. They were both broody and their presence always dominated a situation.
Black Swan Affair was as dark as it was sweet. Cleverly balanced and succinctly told. Reading this story was a treat. The explanation of the meaning behind the Black Swan was interesting and kept me thinking throughout the chapters. Each chapter has a gorgeous introduction of a penned swan surrounded by calligraphy scrolls. It’s the little extra touches like this that make me smile. It’s an indulgence that adds an air of opulence, reinforcing the care in the presentation of the story.
Another extra I look for in books are the references to songs, food and references to places. Maverick’s reference to the recipe she was experimenting with for her bakery caught my attention. So I checked out what religieuse is and found the recipe for an impressive and yummy dessert. Now this is the sweet I can handle. Discovering new food to share with the family is a way to justify my reading time. Ah, the benefits of reading are endless:)

Good grief this was a good book. I almost passed it by based on the description but am so glad I gave it a try. So well written and unique. Angsty and complicated relationships but really engaging dialogue and storyline and interesting characters. I couldn't put it down. Read it!

Black Swan Affair by KL Kreig
5 stars!!!

“I’m anything but innocent. My soul is lost. My heart cold. I’m a devil in angel’s skin.”

KL Kreig…you minx…this was like nothing I have read of yours. This was an angst fest, an angst fest of epic proportions, an angst fest that had me glued to my kindle from first to last page, an angst fest that gave me palpitations, an angst fest that tugged at every heart string and elicited every emotion, an angst fest that had me in tears yet gave me the smiles, an angst fest that broke my heart. There were no winners in this game. This book damn near killed me and I bloody loved it.

“I’m suffocating. Drowning slowly in heart-wrenching torment and a lifetime of regrets and wrong decisions.”

I adored this book, I loved everything about it but man did it put me through the mill. The anxiety, the frustration, every single conflicting emotion it was damn near exhausting, but what a ride. I couldn’t put this down, from the very beginning KL Kreig draws you into the life of Maverick, Kael and Killian and she makes you feel. This book hurts, this book makes you think, this book consumes you, this book hits you in the heart and doesn’t let you go, this books makes you ask questions, this book rips your heart in half and leaves you wondering if it could ever be whole again. If this is how me, the reader felt, imagine Maverick herself, torn between love and love/lust. The heart wants who the heart but what happens if it wants two when only one is possible?

“Pining after someone’s husband is one thing. Pining after someone’s husband when you’re now married – to his brother – is taking immorality to an entirely new level. But that’s me…”

Kael and Killian are brothers. Maverick has crushed/loved Killian for as long as she can remember but Kael has always been her best friend, her confidante, her soul mate. With flashbacks to their pasts we are treated to the young lives of this threesome as kids, as they turn to teens and adults and the full extent of how their lives and loves cross. Unbeknown to Maverick both brothers love her intensely but her focus is on Killian until she is betrayed in the worst way possible…he married her sister.

“You think you want answers, but sometimes it is the truth that destroys, Small Fry, not the lies…”

Hell bent of revenge Maverick marries his brother Kael and while she loves Kael with her entire being, she isn’t “in love” with him. He knows this, he knows her heart belongs to another but he will do everything he can to make her love him the way he loves her, it was brutal, but falling in love with your best friend is easy…or is it?

“While he was the sun that lit your world, you were the darkness that shadowed mine.”

This book was heart wrenching, my heart was decimated, the emotional impact that KL Kreig managed to deliver through her words was intense, she nailed that character connection. I lived this story, I breathed this story, I bloody felt this story from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. This is not your normal love triangle, this is not cut and dry, this is not black or white…nothing is at it seems, but no matter…emotionally, it still hurt.

“…There just is no me without you. There never has been.”

KL Kreig doesn’t make this easy for you either, by the end of this book I loved both brothers. KL Kreig sucker punches you right up until the end with an impossible decision, my heart couldn’t take it, no matter who lost I would be heartbroken but nothing could have prepared me for the devastation I would feel. While I whole heartedly agree with the decision Maverick made the sense of loss for the one that wasn’t chosen was truly gut wrenching. I cried a freakin’ river, I was despondent, but this is true testament to the incredible writing ability of this author. It is so hard to make you love one man, but to love two, virtually impossible. There is always a front runner, you always pick a favourite and root for them, but for me, this was truly impossible.

“He’s the one who has always walked beside me. Selflessly. Silently. Steadfastly. Without exception. Without expectations.”

This book is truly unforgettable, this is a book that has plagued my thoughts and feelings for days, this is a book that has left me an emotional wreck even days after reading. Now as I try and formulate my review those feelings have been brought to the fore once again and once again I have tears. This was the ULTIMATE love triangle, the love triangle that has torn me apart the most, this is the love triangle to end all love triangles. Even if you don’t read love triangles, you need to read this one, this is HOW IT IS DONE. Now I am begging and pleading, I need more, the “loser” needs a book, I need that HEA for him, I need to know he is okay. My heart cannot be repaired until I have read it…KL Krieg, I beg you…the journey cannot end here.

“It was utterly unforgettable…”

The synopsis and the title of Black Swan Affair provide a good overview of the story, but it turned out to be different from what I imagined. Why Killian married her sister haunted me and there was no way I was going to sleep before I found out the reason. It was 1:30 am when I closed my Kindle, and the next day my head was still buzzing with the story. There were twists in the plot I didn’t see coming, each one causing me to reconsider my thoughts on the characters and the roles they played.
Two brothers have grown up with and developed deep feelings for Maverick DeSoto. She crushed on one brother and friend-zoned the other. Her anger after Killian married her sister out of the blue leaves her gutted and she marries Kael, the brother she had friend-zoned. The romance triangle is pivotal. Maverick’s relationship is hot and steamy but complicated. The angst is tangible and unavoidable social/family occasions had them all walking on egg shells.
The past and present storytelling helps shed light on their friendships and explains why their feelings for each other are so strong. I find going back and forth in time frustrating every time I encounter it. The benefit of depicting the backstory in this fashion is a deeper understanding and a stronger connection to the characters and their situations. Whenever it happens the same feeling overwhelms me, and I just want to remain in either the present or the present. At times I struggled to identify which brother she was with during the flashbacks. Whether reading into the early hours of the morning or the similarities in the brothers was the cause of confusion. The other alternative was the assumption of it being the other brother in particular flashback scenes.
Either brother would have had people considering Maverick a lucky woman. My preference swayed as the plot evolved. Both guys had endearing qualities but Maverick stood out as the character who won my heart. She was a woman caught in the middle but what impressed me was the way she went about moving on with her life. There was no way that there wasn’t going to be a scenario where at one or both of the brothers would have their heart crushed. They were both broody and their presence always dominated a situation.
Black Swan Affair was as dark as it was sweet. Cleverly balanced and succinctly told. Reading this story was a treat. The explanation of the meaning behind the Black Swan was interesting and kept me thinking throughout the chapters. Each chapter has a gorgeous introduction of a penned swan surrounded by calligraphy scrolls. It’s the little extra touches like this that make me smile. It’s an indulgence that adds an air of opulence, reinforcing the care in the presentation of the story.
Another extra I look for in books are the references to songs, food and references to places. Maverick’s reference to the recipe she was experimenting with for her bakery caught my attention. So I checked out what religieuse is and found the recipe for an impressive and yummy dessert. Now this is the sweet I can handle. Discovering new food to share with the family is a way to justify my reading time. Ah, the benefits of reading are endless:)

Good grief this was a good book. I almost passed it by based on the description but am so glad I gave it a try. So well written and unique. Angsty and complicated relationships but really engaging dialogue and storyline and interesting characters. I couldn't put it down. Read it!

Black Swan Affair by KL Kreig
5 stars!!!

“I’m anything but innocent. My soul is lost. My heart cold. I’m a devil in angel’s skin.”

KL Kreig…you minx…this was like nothing I have read of yours. This was an angst fest, an angst fest of epic proportions, an angst fest that had me glued to my kindle from first to last page, an angst fest that gave me palpitations, an angst fest that tugged at every heart string and elicited every emotion, an angst fest that had me in tears yet gave me the smiles, an angst fest that broke my heart. There were no winners in this game. This book damn near killed me and I bloody loved it.

“I’m suffocating. Drowning slowly in heart-wrenching torment and a lifetime of regrets and wrong decisions.”

I adored this book, I loved everything about it but man did it put me through the mill. The anxiety, the frustration, every single conflicting emotion it was damn near exhausting, but what a ride. I couldn’t put this down, from the very beginning KL Kreig draws you into the life of Maverick, Kael and Killian and she makes you feel. This book hurts, this book makes you think, this book consumes you, this book hits you in the heart and doesn’t let you go, this books makes you ask questions, this book rips your heart in half and leaves you wondering if it could ever be whole again. If this is how me, the reader felt, imagine Maverick herself, torn between love and love/lust. The heart wants who the heart but what happens if it wants two when only one is possible?

“Pining after someone’s husband is one thing. Pining after someone’s husband when you’re now married – to his brother – is taking immorality to an entirely new level. But that’s me…”

Kael and Killian are brothers. Maverick has crushed/loved Killian for as long as she can remember but Kael has always been her best friend, her confidante, her soul mate. With flashbacks to their pasts we are treated to the young lives of this threesome as kids, as they turn to teens and adults and the full extent of how their lives and loves cross. Unbeknown to Maverick both brothers love her intensely but her focus is on Killian until she is betrayed in the worst way possible…he married her sister.

“You think you want answers, but sometimes it is the truth that destroys, Small Fry, not the lies…”

Hell bent of revenge Maverick marries his brother Kael and while she loves Kael with her entire being, she isn’t “in love” with him. He knows this, he knows her heart belongs to another but he will do everything he can to make her love him the way he loves her, it was brutal, but falling in love with your best friend is easy…or is it?

“While he was the sun that lit your world, you were the darkness that shadowed mine.”

This book was heart wrenching, my heart was decimated, the emotional impact that KL Kreig managed to deliver through her words was intense, she nailed that character connection. I lived this story, I breathed this story, I bloody felt this story from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. This is not your normal love triangle, this is not cut and dry, this is not black or white…nothing is at it seems, but no matter…emotionally, it still hurt.

“…There just is no me without you. There never has been.”

KL Kreig doesn’t make this easy for you either, by the end of this book I loved both brothers. KL Kreig sucker punches you right up until the end with an impossible decision, my heart couldn’t take it, no matter who lost I would be heartbroken but nothing could have prepared me for the devastation I would feel. While I whole heartedly agree with the decision Maverick made the sense of loss for the one that wasn’t chosen was truly gut wrenching. I cried a freakin’ river, I was despondent, but this is true testament to the incredible writing ability of this author. It is so hard to make you love one man, but to love two, virtually impossible. There is always a front runner, you always pick a favourite and root for them, but for me, this was truly impossible.

“He’s the one who has always walked beside me. Selflessly. Silently. Steadfastly. Without exception. Without expectations.”

This book is truly unforgettable, this is a book that has plagued my thoughts and feelings for days, this is a book that has left me an emotional wreck even days after reading. Now as I try and formulate my review those feelings have been brought to the fore once again and once again I have tears. This was the ULTIMATE love triangle, the love triangle that has torn me apart the most, this is the love triangle to end all love triangles. Even if you don’t read love triangles, you need to read this one, this is HOW IT IS DONE. Now I am begging and pleading, I need more, the “loser” needs a book, I need that HEA for him, I need to know he is okay. My heart cannot be repaired until I have read it…KL Krieg, I beg you…the journey cannot end here.

“It was utterly unforgettable…”

Shame on me for not writing a review sooner. When I finished the book, I was in complete awe. I completely loved this book so much, it made me do something I have never done in my life. I saw the back page with an email address that said "I love emails!" and actually wrote an email to K.L. Kreig. I HAD to express my love for the book to her (and she wrote back in 10 minutes!).
I was a little scared to read this book since I was hearing a lot of chatter about it. I tried to ignore everything about it, so I could enjoy it and it was worth it.
The story is told in multiple POVs - I've read books with multiple POVs where it felt like the same voice for each character. This is definitely not the case here. Each POV had a distinct voice where you feel exactly what each character is feeling in that moment. Perfection!
I struggle with writing reviews that don't give too much away.
The story revolves around Maverick and her relationship with brothers Killian & Kael. Maverick has loved both brothers for as long as she remembers but fell in love with Killian. There is so much to their story, so many lies to each other and themselves.
Trust me, this is an amazing story. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars.
K.L. Kreig is a new author for me but now I want to read everything she's written!

Flawless.
No forced phrases. No awkward references. No skimming over poor grammar, punctuation and spelling errors.
Twists & turns that kept me enthralled.
An ending that left me satisfied.
Loved it!!

Raw, loving, painful love story. Couldn't put it down. Lies, deceit from family created this crazy triangle of love. Throughout the book the emotion is raw and soul shaking.
My first read with K.L. Kreig. I'm hooked!!

This book was everything!! One of those books you can't put down even if you have a million things to do but all you can think about doing is reading this book!! Trust me you won't regret purchasing this one!!!

Small town, 2 brothers (Kael & Killian) in love with the same woman (Maverick). One brother, Kael, has been her best friend forever, the other brother, Killian, has been the man she has lusted after for as long as she can remember. Kael is steady and always there. Killian drifts in and out of her life.

I love it when I find a book that I have trouble putting down and can't wait to finish but also don't want to end. The Black Swan Affair falls into that category - a rare gem. Beautifully written; fantastic romantic story. Lots of hot sex, too. I really loved this story.

The book is POV and jumps around, aka, each chapter is a different time period but the chapters aren't in order. That may annoy some people. I did find a couple of times I went back to the beginning of the chapter to remind myself when this particular chapter was happening. There is always something happening in the story and I didn't feel a bit of boredom. I did get a few surprises and I didn't see a few things coming. I found the "big reveal" was pretty surprising. I literally found myself saying "Holy Sh*t" as I read one part. I really didn't see it coming. I felt these characters had real emotions and I felt for what they were going through. I understand that Maverick felt Killian was the one for her but I didn't understand how she could feel the same about him after he up and married her sister and broke her heart. But, no matter how much she tried to stay away from him, they were like magnets to each other. Kael is a character who is easy to love. He will do anything for Maverick and I hated that she put him through hell because of her love for Killian. There were a few times I wanted to smack Maverick and tell her to wise up but that added to the story.

I loved the ending - perfect. I am going to see what else this author has written. I really liked her writing style.

Black Swan Affair. Emotional, angsty, haunting, riveting. This was kind of an emotional roller coaster for me. I couldn't put this book down. What happens when two men love the same woman? As I read through this book, I swear my heart went through all sorts of stages. Grief, sadness, happiness... It was almost like the 5 stages of grief, but in a good way.

K.L. did a fantastic job in creating characters that were flawed, but memorable. I'm deliberately trying to be vague so that I don't give up too much of the story.The characters are quite complex, and though it doesn't make sense in the beginning why these characters make the choices they do, as you read along, things become clearer. Maverick, the main character, is conflicted between loving the man who steals her breath away (Killian), and loving the man who has always been there for her (Kael). Her journey to self discovery is a painful one, and it is filled with twists and turns that make you want to lend your shoulder to her for her to cry on.

All in all, this book captured my heart, and I loved it despite the twists and turns. I laughed a little, sniffled a lot (no I was not crying... ok maybe a little) and loved the flaws that make Maverick, Killian, and Kael human. We would do anything for love, even sometimes if it means that we have to make choices that hurt our souls.

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS - Maverick deals with the heartache of losing the brother she loves by marrying the other brother, a boy she has been best friends with forever. Once we get past Maverick's self-loathing, we find Killian tempting her & constantly hanging around & touching her - not fair after how he's treated her! What makes this book shine is how her new husband Kael woos her, tries desperately to make Maverick love him the way he loves her. Who wouldn't want a man to pull out all the stops for her? In bed he goes the extra mile - he's hot & dirty & gorgeous! But it is his overall sweet attitude that made me swoon at least a million times. Kael isn't shy about spilling his heart at Maverick's feet: "While he was the sun that lit your world, you were the darkness that shadowed mine." Kael follows Maverick when they were younger & finds her feeding two beautiful swans - from then on she is Swan to him. In the end both brothers let her down & now Maverick is faced with an overwhelming decision to make. I know who I longed for her to pick but really she had to follow her heart just like Kael advises her to do: "Follow your heart, and if that leads you back to me, know that I will spend every one of my days smothering you with love." A beautiful story about true love!