Sadie Kincaid: The Auction

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239453876

Imogen never had a choice with how her life has gone her parents lost their lives when she was young after her father "betrayed" the "brotherhood" a secret society of wealthy men who do depraved things including collect women to auction off to the highest bidder.  Her grandfather trying to spare her life talks the brotherhood into allowing him to keep and raise his grand daughter to the age of 21 where he willingly will hand her over to the brotherhood to auction off.

Imogen is naive in... pretty much everything she lived a very sheltered life at her wealthy grandfather's estate where she was not allowed to watch tv, listen to music, leave the estate grounds or have any friends her own age, she was tutored at home and had "training" by a housekeeper on what to expect to happen after she was given over for the auction.

Lincoln is a scarred and very reclusive billionaire he keeps to himself, he doesn't get out much and most people don't know the true him... in fact the real him "died" years ago in an accident.  While he actually might be the monster that most people believe him to be he has his reasons and he's finally found what he's been looking for... Imogen.  He does it to protect her and takes her to his home going against what he should do by setting her up in another safe location.  

Imogen after finding out who her highest bidder was should be scared... even she has heard about how dangerous he is... but if this is the case when she's taken to his off the grid home in the middle of no where why does she feel so safe... and even more so why does she feel even safer in his arms.  Once all she thought of was surviving long enough to find a way to escape but soon she's feeling there is no where she'd rather be.  

*Dark Romance *Beauty and the Beast vibes  *touch her and 💀 *ALC  *2026 read  

*Masked MMC  *Forbidden romance  *Age gap  *sassy FMC  *spice *secret society

*Trigger warnings --> check them  *gothic mansion  *many Secrets (MMC) *hidden identity  *Netgalley

Thoughts:

Imogen is a sweet but sheltered girl who has spent most of her life fearful raised to believe that when she's turned over to "the brotherhood" she will be living in terrible conditions... and for most of the girls in this auction that is the case, she's been taught to be obedient and to do whatever the "buyer" wants... but Lincoln is unexpected she doesn't feel like an object that is owned he makes her feel special, cared for, maybe even loved. 

Lincoln is a hardened man once a part of the very brotherhood he is looking to take down he now has big goals and they arn't what most people think, he never wanted to have to keep Imogen safe by "buying" her from the auction but if that's what keeps her safe he's fine with that (kind of).  He's torn with his growing feelings towards Imogen considering who he is to her and his past.  

Lincoln tries to keep himself distanced from Imogen as best he can often taking many "work" related trips and leaving her on her own with his friend and butler Pierre who was also wronged by the brotherhood and develops a friendship with our FMC.  It's nice to see Imogen step out of her comfort zones of being submissive throughout the book and even get a bit on the sassy side towards the end.

While I didn't dislike the story and found it enjoyable enough to keep listening I never felt a true connection with Imogen who was so sheltered she was almost childlike at times and it got old kind of quick she didn't know who Bruce Springteen was and spent many days watching the marvel movies with Pierre and only wanted plain oatmeal because "it's nutritious".  Lincoln is as I previously said hiding so many secrets that we only get to know him on a surface level and I get that his cause is kind of "noble" but tell your girl already!!  It also didn't help that we as the reader were constantly reminded of how wrong Lincoln feels his changed relationship status with Imogen is.  

Lincoln was out of the house a lot on his secret missions where he is trying to find and "take care of" members of the brotherhood and other missions.  It seemed to me for a majority of the book Imogen had a better relationship with the butler... but she was super drawn to the hot older brooding man and once the spice happened it was all the time and some of the stuff was a bit over the top for me... especially the tampon situation 😬

I do plan to read the next in the series and hopefully we will get more backstory on Lincoln and the brotherhood in the next one and I need to know what happens next since it ends in a cliffhanger.