Tempted by Deception Audiobook – Deception Trilogy, Book 2

It was late at night, rain pattering against my bedroom window, when I pressed play on “Tempted by Deception” by Rina Kent—a perfect atmosphere for a story that promised to challenge every comfort zone I thought I had as a romance listener. Having grown up savoring the slow-burn tension of classic love stories, nothing quite prepared me for the brutal honesty and darkness threaded through this conclusion to Kent’s trilogy. As someone who delights in exploring human complexity—both in art and real life—I found myself swept into an experience that was equal parts unsettling and unputdownable.

From the very beginning, this audiobook establishes itself as something more dangerous than your average romance. The relationship between our unnamed protagonist and Adrian Volkov is like watching a storm swirl across the horizon: impossible to ignore and even harder to look away from. There’s no gentle build-up here; instead, we’re thrust into a world where love looks like obsession, power struggles masquerade as passion, and every line between desire and destruction is willfully blurred.

I’m always drawn to books that force me to question what I believe about love—its boundaries, its dangers—and “Tempted by Deception” does just that. It reminded me of times in my own life when infatuation or longing felt almost self-annihilating (albeit on a much less deadly scale), capturing how quickly attraction can turn raw or even ruinous if left unchecked. This book asks hard questions: What are we willing to risk for the people we crave? Where does devotion end and obsession begin?

Rina Kent’s writing style feels fearless—unapologetic in its willingness to show flawed characters with tangled motives. At times it left me uncomfortable… yet somehow more connected to these messy, damaged souls than I expected. The emotional push-pull between Adrian and his wife kept my pulse racing—even when their actions made me want to reach through my headphones with advice or protest! Kent doesn’t offer easy answers; instead she revels in ambiguity, letting us feel both sympathy and repulsion for her leads.

A huge part of why this audiobook works so well lies in the dual narration by Desiree Ketchum and Jason Clarke. Their performances are immersive without feeling melodramatic—a tricky balance given how heightened every interaction becomes in this book. Ketchum’s voice carries all the vulnerability, steeliness, and confusion of a woman fighting not just for survival but for identity inside a consuming relationship; meanwhile Clarke nails Adrian’s icy control laced with moments of genuine yearning (and terrifying unpredictability). Together they breathe painful intimacy into every exchange.

What resonated most deeply with me was not just the erotic charge—the book delivers plenty there—but rather its refusal to glamorize toxicity while still honestly portraying why such entanglements can be so magnetic. By the time it reached its heart-stopping climax, I found myself oddly grateful for literature that refuses neat conclusions—reminding us there can be beauty within brokenness too.

That said, “Tempted by Deception” is definitely not for everyone—or any mood! If you’re sensitive about depictions of toxic dynamics or prefer happily-ever-afters unshadowed by darkness, this may push too far beyond your comfort zone. But if you appreciate fiction willing to dance along sharp edges—and enjoy audiobooks performed with both subtlety and intensity—you’ll find yourself breathless until long after the final chapter ends.