Sacrifice of the Pawn: Spin-Off of The Surrender Trilogy (Surrender Games Book 1) by Lydia Michaels

Isadora Patras had grown before her time.  Her mother died when she was a teenager, and her billionaire/mogul father all but abandoned her and her two younger siblings. He kept them monetarily, but in the absence of a true parent for her brother and sister, Isadora stepped into that role. A role that cost her a normal life of a young lady. 

Instead of college and parties, she cared for her siblings and made sure their needs were met first, without daring to dream of a life for herself. 

"Her wings had been clipped the day her father left and she feared she'd eventually be left all alone in an empty nest, too afraid to fly after her own dreams--whatever they might be."

When her brother leaves for college and her sister starts becoming more independent, things change for Isadora. 

Someone that had been there all along takes on a new role in her life. That someone is her father's work associate/friend, Sawyer. This changes everything for Isadora. 

Here's the blurb from Amazon:

Sacrifice of the Pawn (Surrender Games 1) Surrender Games follows the emotionally charged and highly erotic contemporary romance saga, The Surrender Trilogy. Isadora Patras has sacrificed years raising her younger siblings, Lucian and Antoinette. As her brother and sister grow more independent, she feels her purpose is lost. Aching to do something selfish and hungry for a taste of the forbidden, she takes a lover—her father’s protégé and trusted family friend, Sawyer Bishop. In a secret affair trust is tested, respect is bartered, and reputations are on the line. Sawyer has always been Isadora’s mentor, but now it’s her move. She’s through being a pawn and ready to demand the respect of a Queen.

What I really loved about this book was the growth of the characters. They went through realistic changes over the passing of time, some for the better, some not. There were no over night changes, and the story's span of over a decade spaced it well. 

What I wished were different about this book was that it has a cliffhanger ending... and the prologue is kind of cliff-hanger-y too, as we don't know how it connects. One would have to read the next book to find out what happens. 

But I will. 

Because I really loved this book. It had my attention from start to finish, and I read it practically straight through. 

Thank you to Lydia Michaels! I won this Kindle copy in a contest, and I am so grateful to have been given the chance to read it. This was my first book by this author, and I am off to read my next! 

4/5 Stars

(would have been 5 if not for the unanswered prologue and cliffhanger)