Review ~ At Any Price ~ Brenna Aubrey #RAREParis

At Any Price by Brenna Aubrey
Series: Gaming the System #1
Published by Silver Griffon Associates on January 13, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Pages: 391
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Freebie

Achievement Unlocked: Geek Virgin

When Mia Strong, proud geek-girl and popular gaming blogger, auctions off her virginity online, she knows she'll make waves. But what she will not be making is a love connection. Her rules are set in stone: One night. No further contact.

It's a desperate step, but it's the only way she can go to medical school and pay her mother's mounting hospital bills.

Difficulty Level: Millionaire CEO

Adam Drake, the enigmatic auction winner, is a software prodigy who made his first million at seventeen. Now, in his mid-twenties, he's sexy, driven and--as CEO of his own gaming company--he's used to making the rules. Before Mia knows what's happening, he's found the loophole in the rules of her auction. Every stipulation she's made to protect her heart gets tossed by the wayside.

She can't tell if he's playing her...or if he's playing for keeps.

At Any Price took on a trope that’s not a favorite of mine – a girl selling her virginity – but put an interesting spin on it. Then BAubrey created a cast of characters I enjoyed and invested in as well as delivered a story with a romance that was entertaining.

Mia is a student, hoping to go to medical school, but needing some extra funding. To make ends meet, she works at a hospital but she’s also a blogger. She reviews games – one game in particular – on her blog and makes money from ads. So in her spare time, she’s a gamer. I liked Mia although she frustrated me at times. She’s a girl who lives by a code and she’s someone you’d want as a friend. She’s smart and sets high-reaching goals for herself. But she’s lacking confidence and that stems from several things.

Adam, the winning contestant in Mia’s virginity auction, started out as rather enigmatic. I couldn’t get a read on him at first but I felt he was a good guy. He’s super intelligent and wealthy, having designed the game Mia and her friends play. He’s hiding some things, has a few demons, but the more I got to know him, the more I liked him.

There was some angst as Mia and Adam got close, mostly thanks to Mia’s demons. However, there were also times I wanted to smack Adam for how he handling things. But honestly, both Mia’s and Adam’s behavior, their hangups and trust issues, all made sense as related to their pasts. I admired how BAubrey took on the events and issues both Mia and Adam were dealing with. When I took a step back I could see how their pasts were affecting their presents and possibly their futures. It was realistic even if it irritated me at times.

I enjoyed At Any Price so much and I was both thrilled to find this gem and saddened I’d let it languish for so long. BAubrey delivered a story that I engaged in despite knowing nothing of the gaming world and the story using a trope I don’t like that much. I appreciated the character development and growth. And I liked the secondary characters too. At Any Price was a surprise and I’m happy I picked it from the list of books I owned by RAREParis authors. Meeting BAubrey in Paris was a treat! And I’m eager to continue Mia and Adam’s story.

*Note: At Any Price is the first in a series but it ends in such a way that leaves the reader satisfied.

 

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