The Exception by Vi Keeland

Narrated by Sebastian York and Andi Arndt in Duet

Stand-alone. Contemporary romance with kink.

I received a complimentary copy for review. This post contains affiliate links.

“I have been trying to keep the hell away from you since I walked out of the bar that first night, but yet here I am, breaking all my own rules.”
“Every rule needs an exception. In fact, my mother has a saying. Rules keep your life organized, but it’s the exceptions that make life more interesting.”

SUCKED IN IMMEDIATELY. Within the first three minutes of starting The Exception by Vi Keeland, I was hooked. It had been a long time since I’d read a billionaire dominant romance, and this book reminded me exactly why I used to love them so much. From the very beginning, the tension and banter were electric, and I got that giddy feeling you get when you know you’ve found a good one.

“Good girl.”
His voice was a deep, throaty rasp.
“Just like that.”

Sutton and Jagger first meet on a dating app, and when they meet in person, the misunderstanding becomes obvious. Sutton accidentally signed up for an app geared toward the BDSM community. She just wants to lose her V-card, which is something I normally hate in romances, while Jagger is looking for an experienced submissive. They part ways, but neither can stop thinking about the other.

Then Sutton shows up for her new internship on Monday morning… and of course, Jagger is the CEO. While he may be looking for something very different, he can’t stop obsessing over Sutton. And since he has access to all the cameras in the building, he definitely indulges that obsession.

While Jagger seems stoic, controlled, firm, and unfeeling, it’s more about his need for control in his life than in the bedroom, (though there too, and it is HOT.) I loved learning how his background molded him. But it’s his character growth that really stole my heart. The Exception is more about the characters than the plot, and I just loved getting to know them.

“It was very sweet of you to do all that.”
He frowned. “What did I tell you about thinking I’m sweet?”
In the last hour, he had kissed my forehead, helped me pick out what to wear to dinner, and told me I was beautiful five times. People aren’t who they tell you they are. They’re who they show you to be. I kept my mouth shut.

Jagger is deliciously protective and possessive. Sure, in real life he would be creepy as hell, but in romance land that obsessive, stalker-adjacent behavior is hot. Sutton balances him perfectly. She’s smart, independent, and able to hold her own with him. I also loved her gay best friend, Miles. He adds just the right amount of humor to break up all the sexual tension, and he’s the kind of best friend we’d all want.

Jagger is a man who normally has absolute control over everything in his life. Sutton is his exception, and I loved watching her push him, challenge him, and force him to open up and be vulnerable.

“Christ…” He looked down at me, his eyes caressing my face, his hand firm around my throat. “You look so beautiful right now. You look like mine.”
“I am yours. I have been since the first day we met.”

The Narration:

If you listen to audiobooks, I highly recommend this one in audio. Sebastian York and Andi Arndt have always had incredible chemistry, and the duet narration only amplifies it. Don’t let the opening moments throw you off when Sebastian is voicing Miles instead of Jagger. Once he settles into Jagger, it’s game over. Sebastian York as a dominant does something to me, and this performance absolutely delivers.

The Down & Dirty:

The Exception was special. It was so well written and compelling that I devoured it in a single day. I can see how some readers might push back on the slight throwback to the Fifty Shades era, but honestly, it was exactly what I needed. It brought me right back to what I loved about spicy romance when it was new to me. Jagger and Sutton weren’t just hot together, they were compelling, layered, and impossible to stop reading about.

If you start The Exception at night, be prepared to lose sleep, because it’s addictive in the best way.