All In

Starred review from March 14, 2016
This passionate love story set in the cutthroat world of big business and venture capital was a bestseller in its native Sweden, and it’s easy to see why: Ahrnstedt easily draws the reader in from the beginning. Notorious Stockholm-based corporate raider David Hammar rose from humble beginnings to become the “baddest big boy of the financial world.” Now he’s prepping the final stages of a plot that will seal the downfall of one of the most powerful financial dynasties in Sweden: the De la Grip family and their megacorporation, Investum. But David doesn’t count on falling for Natalia De la Grip, the brilliant but unappreciated daughter of his enemy. Drawn together by sexual sparks and their mutual outsider status, the two become lovers, despite the secrets between them. As the final stages of David’s plot are revealed, he must decide whether revenge is worth losing the woman he loves, while Natalia chooses between pride and her heart’s desire. Ahrnstedt neatly balances lusty romance and the tensions of corporate scheming at the highest level. Fans of strong women and powerful men will gladly buy stock in this story. Agent: Anna Frankl, Nordin Agency (Sweden).

May 1, 2016
In this English translation of a Swedish bestseller, a venture capitalist plans a hostile takeover of his enemy's business but dreams of a merger with the patriarch's daughter. A countess by birth, Natalia De la Grip might be the only member of her family who doesn't work at Investum--she's the chink in the De la Grip family's armor, or so thinks David Hammar when he invites her to lunch to pump her for information. Though her bigoted father disapproves of women in leadership roles, Natalia hopes to one day earn a seat on the board of his company, and she won't betray her father's trust. But the powerful chemistry between Natalia and David leaves both of them vulnerable. If David backs out now, he'll never get revenge on the men who ruined his life years ago; if he continues with his plan, he risks losing the woman he loves. Natalia accepts that a broken heart might be the cost of doing business with a self-made but notoriously manipulative investor, but what she doesn't know about David's past could destroy her future. David's duplicity is shocking as he circles the De la Grips and their cronies, pulling them in like fish in a net just when Natalia needs him most. Naive but fiercely independent, Natalia commands respect as her loyalties are put to the test. With bold prose, Ahrnstedt and translator Chace capture the glamour of the Swedish countryside and the beautiful people who live there--such as Natalia's friend Asa, who has "curves that would make a twisty, turny Italian mountain road seem straight and uneventful"--while exposing the cracks in their cold, businesslike exteriors.The stakes are high and the heels are higher--a stylish tale of corruption, revenge, and hard-won love.

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