Review: Black Skies Riviera by Catherine Wiltcher

June 8, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

BLACK SKIES RIVIERA
Series: Cristo Sinners #1
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Author: Catherine Wiltcher
Release Date: April 19, 2020

An arranged marriage mafia romance where love is a debt no sinner can pay…

Issa Dubova is the queen of cloudy diamonds:
A Bratva princess.
My reluctant new wife.
A pretty bargain in exchange for the names of the men who killed my father.

I’m a black suit of spades:
Determined to bury both her and my demons.
I never asked to see the shape of her heart.
I never asked for her to fill the blank spaces of mine.

But the mafia wants her secrets.
I’m not the first she betrayed.
And Issa? Sweet, not-so-innocent Issa?
She’s now a debt no sinner can pay.

Black Skies Riviera is a heart-stopping, enemies to lovers romance with NO cliff-hanger and a guaranteed HEA. For mature readers only.

AMAZON 

Mine.” He groans it into the kiss, and I swallow down every drop of his possession like it’s my favorite poison.

This book has been on my TBR since release. I’ve been itching to read it but also putting it off. I tend to stay away from books with Russian speaking characters because if I get one more dose of google translate, I may lose it. I’m nitpicky, ok? And it’s a rare occurrence when a foreign language is done correct and not half assed in an indie published book. Le sigh. Let’s just say I have PTSD when it comes to this. But I digress. After a week of struggling through indecisive readerdosis (that’s the medical diagnosis for can’t pick a fucking book to save my life”), I settled on this one. And was immediately hooked!

With his broad shoulders, solid muscularity, and black ink crawling out from underneath the cuff of one wrist, he looks like a fallen angel on a trajectory straight to hell.

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my absolute favorite stories. So any book with a nod to it will immediately hold my attention.

Fourteen years of anger and revenge driven planning. An arranged marriage of power and deception. A seemingly innocent Bratva princess and the fixer for the mob who picks no side but the one that brings him money. Yes please and thank you.

This was a story that was full of twists and turns, and while the ending was a touch predictable, it still had me at the edge of my seat.

Aiden is a ruthless business man with ties to everyone and no one. He’s given fourteen years of his life to man who helped solidify him into the brilliant criminal his is today for the promise of revenge. Two names. Two names that have kept him going and are now just one grasp away…but come with a new caveat. A marriage he doesn’t want to a woman he doesn’t know.

Issa has grown up in glass cage and had it shared when she finds out the man her father really is; the brutal head of the Bratva and a cold blooded killer. But she’ll do anything to protect her sister and her secret, even if it means paying the price of her sister’s disappearance with a marriage to a man she never saw coming.

I was immediately sucked into the story, though I did feel in times the pacing was a touch off. It was ether too quick or too slow and descriptive. But the story telling itself was gripping and well written, so it didn’t bother me much. The romance was deliciously wicked and I loved seeing the layers peeled back on both Aiden and Issa. There’s some secondary characters mentioned who I will be immediately grabbing the books for The Santiago Trilogy and A London Villain.

Sadly for the little Russian there was here, it was incorrect, though in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t bother me much because at least it was close enough. I’m just being nitpicky and it won’t even faze most readers.

If you like deliciously layered dark mafia romance, you need to read this one. I for one will be immediately grabbing the majority of this author’s backlist.

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Review: Delighted by Lexi Blake

June 7, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

DELIGHTED
Series: Masters & Mercenaries #24
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: June 7, 2022

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake comes a new story in her Masters and Mercenaries series…

Brian “Boomer” Ward believes in sheltering strays. After all, the men and women of McKay-Taggart made him family when he had none. So when the kid next door needs help one night, he thinks nothing of protecting her until her mom gets home. But when he meets Daphne Carlton, the thoughts hit him hard. She’s stunning and hardworking and obviously in need of someone to put her first. It doesn’t hurt that she’s as sweet as the cupcakes she bakes.

Daphne Carlton’s life revolves around two things—her kid and her business. Daphne’s Delights is her dream—to take the recipes of her childhood and share them with the world. Her daughter, Lou, is the best kid she could have hoped for. Lula’s got a genius-level intelligence and a heart of gold. But she also has two grandparents who control her access to private school and the fortune her father left behind. They’re impossible to please, and Daphne worries that one wrong move on her part could cost her daughter the life she deserves.

As Daphne and Boomer find themselves getting closer, outside forces put pressure on the new couple. But if they make it through the storm, love will just be the icing on the cake because family is the real prize.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

AMAZON

If you love a dominant cinnamon roll hero, you need Boomer in your life! I fell so hard for this man, and I didn’t think that was possible.

Truth be told, cinnamon rolls aren’t usually my thing. But I’ve absolutely adored Boomer as a secondary character, so I knew I’d need his book. And as a main character? This man was everything! I loved him so hard. This big, tough military man with a heart of gold who rescues animals was just impossible not to love.

Boomer has so many things going for him, yet he doesn’t think much of himself. And when it comes to his brainy, single mother neighbor? Well, she’s beautiful and everything he wants, but he knows he’s not smart enough for someone as intellectual as her. And the neighbor? Well, she would never think someone as devastatingly handsome as Boomer would be interested in her. They make quite the pair.

Daphne’s daughter was such a wonderful secondary character. Stuck in the middle between her domineering grandparents and her mother who revolves her world around you is no easy place for a young girl to be. And when there’s danger, her animal loving neighbor seems like the perfect one to go to for help. Daphne has been trying to make a life for herself and her daughter following her husband’s death. His pretentious and super controlling mother don’t exactly see eye to eye with her.

This was a super cute and steamy novella with plenty of action and spice to make for a read in one sitting sort of read. It hit the spot nicely to tide me over until the next Masters installment and highly recommend for anyone looking for something short but super satisfying.

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Review: My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey

June 6, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

MY KILLER VACATION
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: June 6, 2022

An all-new, spicy murder mystery from Tessa Bailey, New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer…

It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation in sweet, sunny Cape Cod—just me and my beloved brother—but discovering a corpse in our rental house really throws a wrench into our tanning schedule. Now a rude, crude bounty hunter has arrived on the back of his motorcycle to catch the killer and refuses to believe I can be helpful, despite countless hours of true crime podcast listening. Not to mention a fulfilling teaching career of wrangling second graders.

A brash bounty hunter and an energetic elementary schoolteacher: the murder-solving team no one asked for, but thanks to these pesky attempts on my life, we’re stuck together, come hell or high tide.

I’m just here to do a job, not babysit an amateur sleuth. Although…it is becoming less and less of a hardship to have her around. Sure, she’s stubborn, distracting and can’t stay out of harm’s way. She’s also brave and beautiful and reminds me of the home I left behind three years ago. In other words, the painful hunger and protectiveness she is waking up in me is a threat to my peace of mind. Before I sink any deeper into this dangerous attraction, I need to solve this murder and get back on the road. But will fate take her from me before I realize the road has been leading to her all along?

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And I’m done. I’m fucking done. I might be dominating her, but she’s owning me.

Tessa Bailey books are like a combination of your favorite ice cream mixed with your favorite alcoholic drink. They’re a comfort but with a kick. A nice little zing that’s just the perfect amount of heat for your palate. And this girl? I live for her books.

What I love most about Tessa is while she has her signature dirty talking alpha thing, her books never feel formulaic. And as a reader who has read every single one of her books, that’s saying something. But I digress.

First there was some kissing….
Then we broke up even though we were never dating in the first place. We’ve been ending our non-existent relationship since we met, actually. It’s kind of our thing.”

My Killer Vacation was the perfect campy romance read with a mix of humor, sizzling romance, and murder mystery. It has a dirty talking tatted bounty hunter who likes it rough and dirty and has a heart of gold and a sweet elementary school teacher who looks innocent but secretly wants it rough. God but I lived for this combo.

Go to your meeting. I’ll meet you afterward.” She grins at me. “We can get ice cream.”
I snort. “Do I look like the kind of guy who goes on ice cream dates, half pint?”
“No…I guess you don’t.”
We walk in silence for a few seconds. “What flavor are you getting?”

The last thing anyone wants to discover on the vacation that they’ve been saving for forever and are finally on…a dead body. Suffice it to say Taylor and her brother didn’t see that coming on their anticipated vacation in Cape Cod.

I haven’t met a Tessa heroine who I didn’t adore, and Taylor was no exception. I loved her quirky personality and curious nature, and I especially loved the relationship she has with her brother.

When the gruff and tatted bounty hunter comes roaring in on his bike to assist with the investigation of the murder, he doesn’t expect the tiny little school teacher to insert herself in the middle of it. But while he may act all grumpy and annoyed, he can’t stay away from her.

When I tell you that I adored this book, I mean I adored this book. The humor, the banter, the steam. Everything. Even Taylor’s penchant of getting into ridiculous trouble because she wants to solve the murder didn’t bother me. And I’d normally dub her as TSTL. Yet she was nothing short of perfectly endearing.

And the ending and that epilogue? All of the swoons! And if Tessa doesn’t immediately give us a story for the brother and his best friend? I’m starting a riot!

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Review: Lovely Bad Things by Trisha Wolfe

June 5, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

LOVELY BAD THINGS
Series: Hollows Rowe #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Trisha Wolfe
Release Date: May 31, 2022

He’s the devil. And she’s his wicked game.

Halen:
They say eyes are the windows to the soul—but when he looks at me through hues of slate-green and flaring blue embers, I’m terrified of what’s watching me from behind his clashing gaze, something primal and feverish that threatens to melt me like fire in ice.

I fear falling into Kallum Locke’s pitch-black soul.

But after I’m called to a crime scene to investigate the most gruesome act of violence to descend on the legendary town of Hollow’s Row, I have no choice but to turn to Kallum, to the man I had locked away in an asylum for the criminally insane.

He’s the leading expert on all things Nietzsche and occult. And now, to get answers, I’m forced to make a deal with the devil himself.

Kallum:
Really, eyes are the windows to the soul? Then I wonder what little Halen St. James thinks of all the cryptic eyes watching her in the killing fields… I wonder if the hairs on her delicate nape lifted away, if a thrilling shiver raced over her soft skin. She’s desperate for the answer, and she’ll do anything to uncover it—even make a deal with me, dangling freedom like bait on a hook.

But she’s far more tempting to sink my teeth into than any lure.

And the pain will taste twice as sweet.

AMAZON 

It’s the lovely bad things that steal into our thoughts in the middle of the night and tempt us across the line between good and evil. Those torturously beautiful sins that provoke our deepest, most deviant desires. It feeds us in the dark, stoking a frail flame into an inferno we can no longer resist. She is my flame. And I am all but pleading for my muse to burn me alive.


Holy. Effing. Mindf*ck. This book! What did I just read?!

The devil is in the details, and the details are inside that devil’s head. And I’m about to throw the doors of hell wide open to let him roam free.

A criminal profiler and a sociopath serial killer? This is the type of psychological thriller dark romance my dreams are made of and no one does it quite like Trisha Wolfe. I mean, if you know, you know. And if you don’t know, read Born, Darkly immediately. But I digress.

The abyss looked at me the day Kallum first laid eyes on me and, if I’m not careful, he’ll pull me right into the pitch-black void of his soul.

This is a story in which you won’t see up from down. It’s so full of twists and turns that it leaves you reeling at the edge of your seat with a head of questions. Holy WOW!

That is his sinful seduction. And my sin is the desire to be seduced. His evil calls to mine.

On the hunt for a dangerous serial killer, Halen is desperate for answers. So desperate, that she’ll request the assistance of an even more dangerous killer who she was responsible for putting behind bars six months ago.

Kallum Locke is a dangerous sort of genius. This is a man whose darkness is a deep abyss full of secrets, but his allure is even deeper. And the further they get into the investigation, the deeper into his void he pulls Halen.

Oh, god…”
“I will make you see god for damn sure.”


What I love about this story is how complex it was. This is not just a hunt for a serial killer, it’s so much more. There’s philosophy and the occult, and it’s as fascinating as it is frustratingly confusing.

I’m okay with being her sickness. I can even be her antidote.

The way it’s written reminded me a little of the movie Memento, and holy sh*t, I was so here for it. With every new detail that gets unearthed, you get deeper and deeper into this f*cked up story. And every single time you feel like you have it figured out, a new twist gets thrown in that has you questioning everything. I’m so desperate for the next book, I don’t even know what to do with myself!!

USA Today bestselling romantic thriller author Trisha Wolfe. From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up imaginary worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her imaginary worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.

Be the first to hear about new releases and sales by signing up for Trisha Wolfe's Newsletter below. Want even more special insider sneak peeks? Join Trisha’s Facebook readers group, The Lair, and get access to book teasers, giveaways, and live chats.


Connect with Trisha Wolfe:

linktr.ee/trisha_wolfe

 

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Review: One For The Money by Skye Warren

June 2, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

ONE FOR THE MONEY
Series: Book #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Skye Warren
Release Date: May 31, 2022

Finn Hughes knows about secrets. His family is as wealthy as the Rockefellers. And as powerful as the Kennedys. No one knows that the men in his line have a debilitating, early-onset illness. He’s managed the business from a young age while his father served as the figurehead. All the while knowing there’s a ticking clock on his ability to lead.

Eva Morelli is the oldest daughter. The responsible one. The caring one. The one who doesn’t have time for her own interests.

Especially not her interest in the charismatic, mysterious Finn Hughes.

A fake relationship is the answer to both their problems.

It will keep the swarming society mothers from throwing their daughters at him.

And it will keep Eva’s mother from bothering her about marriage.

Then the fake relationship starts to feel real.

But there’s no chance for them. No hope for a woman who’s had her heart broken. And no future for a man whose fate was decided long ago.

AMAZON | KOBO | IBOOKS | B&N

In the faint moonlight, Eva gazes up at me. She looks exhilarated, fully alive, and breathtakingly beautiful. It makes me want to corrupt her in every way I can imagine.

If you’ve read books in the Midnight Dynasty world, then you’re already familiar with Eva Morelli. And if you haven’t been introduced to this world yet, you must, it’s absolutely addictive. I suggest start with her best friend and brother Leo in Beast of Bishop’s Landing for the best insight to Eva. Because let me tell you, ever since that book, I’ve been dying to get my hands on her story. This is a woman with some dark secrets and I couldn’t wait to peel back the layers.

Eva is the oldest Morelli sister, the backbone of the Morelli household, the stable one. She’s also not looking to be married off, but as the oldest sister at 33, she’s basically almost past her prime by the society standards. She doesn’t see herself as the beautiful or interesting sister, so when the enigmatic Finn Hughes suddenly sets his eyes on her, she can’t imagine why.

The Hughes are an infamous family by their own right in the society. The family is connected to the Constantines via Finn’s mother, whose sister Caroline married Lane. They’re also friends with the Morellis. So when Finn pays attention to Eva, her mother couldn’t be more thrilled.

But Finn, while wildly attracted to Eva, also has his own reason for pursuing her.

You’re a thirty-three-year-old woman. Of course you’ve had sex. Lots of sex. I’m not one of those uptight assholes who can’t stand to be compared to other men.”
“Lots is a little much.”
“But don’t worry. I’m not afraid of competition. When you scream my name it won’t be because I was first. It will be because I was best.”

He’s not looking for marriage either, and his scars run almost as deep as his dark secrets. The arrangement is simple; they’ll pretend to date to get their families off their backs. But you know what they say about intentions.

This is a super emotional romance full of family secrets and drama, and I couldn’t get enough of it. Finn is a broken man, but given what he hides, I understand it. He pursues Eva with a single minded intent but Eva is no easy conquest. I loved their dynamic and the way they heal each other but still hold themselves back.

I do want to make it clear that this is not a standalone. I’m not sure if it’ll be a duet or a trilogy either? I wish it was made clearer on Goodreads, but it is what it is. What I do know is duet or trilogy, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next installment.

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Review: Her Rebellion by Natasha Knight & A Zavarelli

May 24, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

HER REBELLION
Series: THE RITE TRILOGY #2
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance/Secret Society/Captive Romance
Author: Natasha Knight & A Zavarelli
Release Date: May 24, 2022

I am a Sovereign Son. A king within The Society.

With a look I send men to their knees.

Yet she stands tall against me, taunting me with her rebellion.

But we all have rules we must live by.

Even me.

And I have broken the most sacred.
I took her to my bed.

I claimed that which did not belong to me.

And now that the beast within has had a taste, it wants more.

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Start the trilogy with HIS RULE #1!!!

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How does this feel?” He cups the back of my head and kisses me, melting some of my resolve. “How does it feel every time you steal a piece of my soul like the little thief you are?”

What is it about this IVI world that’s just completely enraptured me? It’s archaic, brutal, and completely addictive. And this book? I loved it even more than the first book.

I took you because I couldn’t help myself.” The confession spills free on a ragged breath. “Because you are so goddamn addictive, you’ve fucking cursed me the way you curse all men, little monster.”

It’s interesting considering how much I hated the seemingly spoiled and vapid Mercedes in the The Society Trilogy how much I love her in this one. This is a woman with many layers, and the more that are peeled back, the more captivated you are by her. This is also a woman who’s been through hell and back, and lost none of her strength for it.

This second installment begins right where book one ended, and the long road to recovery that Mercedes has after her coming face to face with Judge’s past. Judge, who is seemingly calculated and reserved, has his composure crumple. Where in book one he was determined to stay away from Mercedes and drive a wedge between them, in this one he can’t stay away from her. But he knows it’ can only be temporary and eventually Mercedes will have to marry the appropriate society husband. But he doesn’t understand yet why the mere thought of it sends him spiraling.

There’s so many twists and turns which kept me at the edge of my seat. Some predictable, and some I never saw coming. And that ending? I can’t even. I need answers and the conclusion like YESTERDAY!

About A. Zavarelli:

A. Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.

When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.

Connect w/A. Zavarelli: 

Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Mailing List | Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Bookbub

About Natasha Knight:

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.

Connect w/Natasha: 

Website | Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter |  Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon  | NL Signup

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Review: June First by Jennifer Hartmann

May 17, 2022 by ·

JUNE FIRST
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Forbidden/Taboo
Author: Jennifer Hartmann
Release Date: May 17, 2022

Want to know what happens to a man who barely claws his way out of a tragedy, only to fall right into the arms of the one girl in the world he can never have?

Another tragedy, that’s what.

When I was six years old, my father made a choice that altered the course of my entire life.
Because of what he did, the only girl I ever loved became the only girl I couldn’t have.

In a lot of ways, I did have her…
I had her first steps, her first words, her first smile. I had her milestones, her heartbreaks, her dreams. I had her heart so woven in with mine, I didn’t know where she ended, and I began.
Only, as the years pressed on, lines became blurred—and the blurrier the line, the easier it is to cross.

They say tragedy comes in threes.
For me, that was true.
The first one changed me, the second one broke me, and the third one healed me.

But at the center of all that tragedy… there is a love story.
And at the center of that love story,
There is June.

** Forbidden/taboo relationship, please read with caution **

AMAZON 

June. My sweetest blessing and greatest sin.

June First was a riveting, poignant, and unforgettable blend of emotion and and a one in a lifetime love. It was one of the most unique stories I’ve read in a long while, and one that is likely to stay with me for quite some time.

She claimed me like the sunrise claims the morning sky with lightness and blush, promise and wonder. She claimed me like a cyclone, funneling through a quiet town, taking no prisoners.

My biggest recommendation for you is to go into this book absolutely blind. The blurb sounds vague and give you a little and nothing, but trust me, you don’t want more detail.

This is a taboo/forbidden romance, but not in the predictable way. It was unique in all of the best ways. A relationship like this would be almost impossible to pull off without making it almost cringey or have an ick factor. Yet Jennifer Hartmann did it flawlessly.

The story itself is a bit lengthy in parts, with many details and pivotal moments that span years in the life of June and Brant. It spanned their highest highs and lowest lows. At times the details felt slow paced, but I can’t think of one page that could have been removed, so there’s that.

I laughed, I sobbed, I swooned. I fell so hard for this beautiful romance. And it was beautiful. It was imperfect and painful, and gut wrenching in parts. And it was completely unforgettable. The secondary characters who stole and broke my heart. The love that bloomed in tragedy. The story that I’ll never forget.

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: Pageant by Lilith Vincent

May 11, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

PAGEANT
Series: Pageant #1
Genre: Dark Mafia Reverse Harem Romance
Author: Lilith Vincent
Release Date: May 11, 2022


One woman. Three mafia men. A twisted marriage game…
 
The dangerous life I escaped has seized hold of me again. Three men have snatched my freedom and they’re playing a twisted game of power, hearts, and blood.
 
My captors glitter like diamonds in the dark, each one more handsome and ruthless than the last. Konstantin, the scarred and heartless ringleader, and mastermind of my fate. Elyah, the demon from my past who once craved me and now covets my demise. Kirill, a bloodthirsty maniac with depraved needs who thrives on misery and mayhem.
 
Sixteen women are forced to compete in their twisted pageant, and one by one we’re eliminated until there’s only one jewel left. My captors’ desire burns as hard as their cruelty, but the true torment only begins when the pageant ends.
 
Heavy is the crown that glitters on the winner’s head.
 
Author’s note: Pageant (Pageant, 1) is the first book in a Russian mafia reverse harem duet and ends on a cliffhanger. The heroes only have hearts, eyes and dicks for the heroine. It contains captive themes, violence, and a Why Choose romance with ruthlessly possessive men. The story is dark and potentially triggering, so please read responsibly.
 
ADDITIONAL CONTENT WARNING: There is an on-page miscarriage in Chapter Four. This book contains captivity, mild torture, dubcon, gun play, knife play, group sex scenes and other deviant sexual activities (Bonus downloadable content: non-con somnophilia, non-con drug use)
 

AMAZON 
Free in Kindle Unlimited 
 
ALSO AVAILABLE 
Contestant – a FREE prologue novella 
Download here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/pnm7hm58b6 
 
COMING SOON 
#2 Crowned – Releasing September 30
AMAZON 

She can have my entire soul. Every last drop of me.

Well now, this was a doozy. And here I am, desperate for more. Am I sorry?? Not even a little.

If you know me or follow my reviews, you already know I love the f*cked up ones. And it doesn’t get more f*cked up than these three. Elyah, Kirill, and Kostya was like the unholy trifecta and I was here for every depraved moment of it.

Now going into this book, as with most dark romance, suspend your disbelief. I had to turn off the logical part of my brain that questioned a woman running from her past, ‘hiding’ in plain sight as a runway fashion model. But then, I just couldn’t care less because the story completely sucked me in.

I love when a story catches me off guard and manages to surprise me, and this one did that and more. Lilia was this perfect mix of unpredictable and fierce, and she still caught me by surprise at the end in all the best ways. Here’s a woman who gets captured by three psychopaths and forced to participate in a barbaric pageant of a completion that none of the women truly want to win. The crown to belong to the men. But unlike the other women in captivity, she refuses to bow down. She’ll go down swinging, even if it costs her everything. She’s survived hell before, and she’ll do it again. What she doesn’t expect is that blast from her past to be one of her three captors and for his fierce hatred of her.

The history between Elyah and Lilia is an interesting one that skated almost a bit on the insta love scale for me, which isn’t usually my favorite. But the dynamics of their present was enough to buffer that for me. I did find their back and forth to be quite sudden, but it didn’t bother me because the other two men added enough spice to keep it lively.

This book is dark, brutal, and downright depraved. And this girl? Gobbled it right up!

Lilith Vincent is a steamy mafia reverse harem writer who believes in living on the wild side! Why choose one when you could choose them all.
 
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/lilithvincent
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilithvincentauthor
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/649473483113116
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lilithvincentauthor

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#DGRFave & Review: Brutal Vows by J.T. Geissinger

May 2, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

BRUTAL VOWS
Series: Queens & Monsters #4
Genre: Mafia Romance
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Release Date: April 28, 2022

An Irish mobster with a brutal grudge.
An Italian mafia princess with a dark secret.
Two enemy empires joined in sacred marriage vows.
Let the hating games begin.

Reyna

If this arrogant Irish mobster my brother sold my niece to thinks I’m going to play nice over this arranged marriage BS, he should think again.
I don’t care if this match with the Mob will make my brother capo of the Five Families.
I don’t care how much money, territory, or power it will gain us.
I especially don’t care that the Irishman is the sexiest man I’ve ever seen.
I won’t allow my innocent niece to suffer the same way I did.
Even if I have to kill him.

Spider

I’m supposed to marry sweet, beautiful Lili. So why can’t I stop thinking about her swamp witch of an aunt?
Reyna who hates me. Reyna who challenges me. Reyna with the guts of a Viking, the body of a fertility goddess, and the attitude of a feral cat.
Nothing good can come of what I’m feeling for a woman who’s not the one in the wedding contract I signed.
A woman I want so much, I’ll have to burn the whole world down to get.
If she doesn’t kill me first.

AMAZON

He’s a riptide and I’m swimming far out in dangerous waters, getting pulled under fast no matter how hard I fight to stay afloat.

This book was hands down. MY. TOP. FAVORITE. IN. THIS. SERIES. And quite frankly one of my top reads of the year. OMG. This banter. It was finger licking good! UTTERLY DELICIOUS!

She glares at me. “Your charm could sweep a girl right off her feet, you know that?”
“Wait till you see my cock. Then you’ll really be swooning.”

Did I mention the banter?

Careful. You’re dangerously close to breaking your promise about your temper already.”
“That’s because you could turn Father Christmas into the Grinch, woman.”
“What did I tell you about using the word ‘woman’ as a pejorative?”
“Something I couldn’t hear over how loud your resting bitch face was screaming.”

Because oh my GAWD the banter!

His voice low, he says, “I’ve been thinking.” “Really? Did you borrow someone else’s brain?” “Very funny, viper.”

Who would have thought that a man who was mostly unassuming until Savage Hearts would come in to steel the show like this? And here I thought no one could top Declan for me!

But you know what I love the most about this series? The sassy, spitfire heroines. And Reyna? How could one possibly top the sassy that was Sloane? With the black freaking widow! MY GOD. This woman was everything. A cosa nostra widow, who holds down the family while making her brother think she does. The woman who lived through hell and rose out of the ashes a fierce warrior who has no desire to rely on a man, god forbid ever marry one. So when her beloved niece gets arranged to wed a Irishman, she has some opinions about it. And the immediate chemistry between her and the man her niece is betrothed to? Highly inconvenient.

You bring out the bastard in me. Now let’s see if I can get you to do something with that mouth other than slice me to ribbons.”

I had no idea how the author would bring these two together, but it was the most satisfying thing I’ve ever read. Their chemistry, their banter, their BANTER. MY GOD THEIR BANTER. I lived for it.

THIS is the kind of heroine I love to read about. A woman with a set of brass ones that gives men a run for their money. And a hero who would burn down the world for her. I. AM. OBSESSED.

If you haven’t read this series, you haven’t lived. And if you haven’t read this book, I don’t even want to talk to you. I question your life choices.

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Review: His Rule by Natasha Knight & A Zavarelli

April 26, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

HIS RULE
Series: THE RITE TRILOGY #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Natasha Knight & A Zavarelli
Release Date: April 26, 2022

I live in a world where secrecy reigns.

A Society rooted in power, wealth, and long-held dynasties.

Where men are Kings, and women are pawns.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamt of escaping the shackles of my expectations.

But it can only ever be a dream.

I made a fatal mistake, and those shackles became a cage.

Now I’m trapped in a war with a man who controls my every move.

He’s my brother’s best friend.

My enemy, my tormentor, and my solace.

His words have the power to wound me.

His touch just might break me.

But this is his kingdom, and as long as I’m here I only have one choice.

I’ll play by his rules.

AMAZON | KOBO | IBOOKS | B&N | GOOGLE PLAY

Her Rebellion #2 releases on May 24 & Their Reign #3 releases on June 21!!! 

 

Stop fighting me,” I tell Mercedes. “I will never stop fighting you.” “Then you will never stop losing.”

I feel like I have waited forever for this story. FOREVER I tells you. And to finally have it in my grabby little hands is the most bittersweet satisfaction ever. Bittersweet because to be left with that cliff dang near killed me. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s talk His Rule.

The mere second that Judge appeared on the pages of The Society Trilogy, I was intrigued. When we saw the sparks fly between him and Santiago’s sister, Mercedes, I was hooked. Mercedes was a character who was hard to love in the trilogy. She was standoffish, mean, cold, yet fierce. She loves her family and she’ll do everything for them. Until her decisions and choices take a deadly turn and she brings consequences to her brother’s door that he can’t forgive her for. The punishment? Bring her to Judge’s command.

Enough!” he roars, the blistering heat of his anger searing my lips. “You watch your goddamn mouth, Mercedes. I’m not going to tell you again.”
“Is that an order, your honor?” I purr against him. “What will your verdict be if I don’t?”

Judge is the man the society turns to in situations like this. He’s known for his ruthless justice and ability and what better man to put Mercedes under. This book really peeled back the layers on all things Mercedes and showed her human side. We get to see what makes this woman tick and why she is how she is. And with each new revelation, I found myself more endeared to her and understanding her better. She loves her brother beyond reason, but she’s also not the spoiled little debutant either. She won’t bend to Judge’s rule that easy. And I loved watching her give as good as she gets. And trust me, this woman gets a lot.

In true Zavarelli and Knight fashion, they give just enough to hook you while leaving you begging for more. For every answer we get, we have a hundred more questions. This book was just as deliciously dark and twisted as The Society Trilogy and I can’t wait to see what the next installment brings. And if you haven’t read The Society Trilogy yet, I highly recommend you read it before this trilogy to appreciated all the nuances that much more.

About A. Zavarelli:

A. Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.

When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.

Connect w/A. Zavarelli: 

Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Mailing List | Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Bookbub

About Natasha Knight:

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.

Connect w/Natasha: 

Website | Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter |  Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon  | NL Signup

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