Is this book reminscent of Den of Vipers? Yes. Do I care? Absolutely not.
Genevieve is the perfect jewel with a rough past. She grew up poor, a friendIs this book reminscent of Den of Vipers? Yes. Do I care? Absolutely not.
Genevieve is the perfect jewel with a rough past. She grew up poor, a friend of hunger, and worked her way to the top in a real American Dream way. But she never seemed to shine bright enough for the Elite, a rich world that eats you up and spits you out in pieces. When her fiancé turns out to be just as bad as the rest, Genevieve conveniently gets scooped up by four Robin Hoods who planned to steal from her - but end up stealing her instead.
It’s definitely a DARK ROMANCE, and the initial start of each of the four relationships are not healthy. This is my dream reading material, but I get it might not be for everyone. It’s giving ✨Stockholm Syndrome.✨
Genevieve starts off as a spitfire and becomes a lot more submissive as time goes on. Which is fine, if I had four hot, bossy men around I probably would let them push me around a bit. Oops. She regains some of her fight and becomes their equal, and ya know, good for her.
The love interests were really the icing on this delectable cake for me. Sure, they’re not unique and they fit a pretty typical why choose format, but this girly doesn’t care. Gage, the mean one, is literally so drool worthy I had to stop myself from skipping to the next scene he was in. Eric is the pretty playboy who actually wants to settle down and dance around the living room. Booker is the charming cowboy with some military trauma. And Archer, tough ole Archer, is the resistant leader who is always in control… until he’s not.
Was this the best piece of literature I’ve ever read? No. Was it everything I hoped for and more when I picked up this book? Yes. K. A. Knight could give me thirteen books with the same premise and stock characters and I’d probably eat them all up. ...more
I ADORED this book, until the FMC throws a phone at the MMC and it’s just brushed aside. I wish I could ignore it, but any hint at domestic violence iI ADORED this book, until the FMC throws a phone at the MMC and it’s just brushed aside. I wish I could ignore it, but any hint at domestic violence is a big no for me, so it docked two stars. I haven’t seen any other reviews mention this, so I wanted to put it front and center in my review.
In this rivals to lovers standalone novel, Sophia Sterling and Weston Lockwood’s families are fighting over the majority share of a long-standing, elegant hotel called the Countess. Sophia and Weston have had a lust-hate relationship for most of their lives, and are surprised to find out they each will be representing their families in overseeing the Countess until a private auction for the majority rights occurs. Their tension working with each other naturally results in some steamy “hate” sex, which keeps them close while they realize some feelings may come along with their sexual relationship.
Okay, I want to clarify that this book is more rivals to lovers than enemies to lovers. I don’t think it should be marketed as such because it really is misleading. They barely hate each other, and spend more time convincing themselves and readers that they’re having hate sex when they really are just bantering. Sure, Weston is a pompous jerk sometimes, but it’s so surface level that it’s obviously an act.
However, I loveee Weston. His pining after Sophia, even when he’s in the wrong, is so sweet. Not to mention is dominant side in the bedroom and his overcoming of alcoholism. He is just such a deep and well rounded character! Sophia is okay, I honestly have a love-hate relationship with her. But it’s fine, their relationship and chemistry works. Obviously, as I said before, I was really put off by her physically throwing a phone at his head hard enough to crack the screen. Weston is initially mad but thinks he’s in the wrong due to some omitted information, and it’s essentially just chalked up to “heat of the moment anger.” But that is very much NOT how you react to upsetting news and you do not ever inflict intentional physical damage on your partner, just because you don’t like that they have to say. That’s domestic violence. It really did not sit well with me, and I was disenchanted with Sophia honestly for the rest of the novel. This seemed on par with the verbal abuse from Sophia’s father that also was left unaddressed.
Otherwise, I always enjoy Vi Keeland’s writing style and her plot building. It’s dynamic and fun, with a good balance of the spice and storyline. I also loved the voice actors for this audiobook, which can sometimes be hit or miss for me.
If this review and rating were just about Weston, I’d give it 5 stars. Alas, I cannot live in a perfect little Weston bubble. ...more
This book slowly crept up on me, just like the slow-burn romance.
Hunter Fitzpatrick is the prince of an oil empire with the family issues to match. HThis book slowly crept up on me, just like the slow-burn romance.
Hunter Fitzpatrick is the prince of an oil empire with the family issues to match. He's the infamous playboy, one who doesn't care to cover up his tracks. When his sex tape is leaked, an uptight Olympic prospect, Sailor Brennan, gets hired as a glorified nanny to keep him out of trouble. Unfortunately she is not as immune to his charms as everyone hoped.
I was convinced I was going to hate this book about 100 pages in. While the voice actor was HOT, I could just not find Hunter appealing. He was crude in literally every way. Obviously it was a defense mechanism, but I just felt no attachment. Swing to the opposite side of the pendulum and Sailor was just unbearable. Like girl, I may be the one reading books all the time but you need to get a life. Anyways, about halfway in and I realized I was actually smiling. The two of them were making me giddy and it crept on me so quickly I was genuinely caught off guard.
I guess I finally know what a slow-burn entails. The slow enemies to lovers plot felt like a genuine slow-burn, enemies to lovers. It progressed so well that I got sucked right in and also was feeling like they were my enemies. Oops. ...more
An amalgamation of popular tropes in a high fantasy setting.
Keera is a Halfling forced to serve a cruel king, King Aemon, as all female* Halflings areAn amalgamation of popular tropes in a high fantasy setting.
Keera is a Halfling forced to serve a cruel king, King Aemon, as all female* Halflings are. As the King’s Blade, which basically just translates to a skilled General, Keera runs the Arsenal and all of the King’s Shades, or the Halfling soldiers. She functions as an assassin for the King as well. Keera hides her grief over her role and her hatred for the King by drinking, biding her time until she can seek revenge. Keera is sent to kill the elusive Shadow, a mysterious rebel who is undermining the King at every turn and likely working with the Elves. Who knew that the Shadow would be sooo swoon-worthy *gasp!*
This was a fun read! While the content and writing style aren't unique, I think there is a lot of appetite for the tropes and magic system right now. The Elves' relationship with the Mortals, the forced proximity of "enemies," and the morally gray characters are familiar, yet the added depth of addiction and the main characters actually fighting on the same side were enticing enough to keep me reading.
The romance is fairly PG and sweet once they overcome the distrust of each other. There IS the only one bed trope soooo.
If you're looking for something new and refreshing, I'm not sure you'll find what you're looking for. If you're looking for more of your faves, give this a try!
*The book uses this terminology to describe the Elves and Halflings....more
It takes a lot for a mafia romance to surprise me (and yet I'm still obsessed with every mafia romance book I read), but this book did it.
Fallon runsIt takes a lot for a mafia romance to surprise me (and yet I'm still obsessed with every mafia romance book I read), but this book did it.
Fallon runs her own vet clinic; Dominic runs his own mafia clan. It's a good thing they have sooo much in common, because they're arranged to be married, and the clock is ticking. Fallon's father is the corrupt chief of police, and she soon learns the danger being his daughter and the future wife of a Luca entails. Fallon has to also brace herself against enemies who are quickly closing in on her home - and Dom, who is quickly closing in on her heart.
Fallon is just like a Lindt chocolate, hard on the outside, soft on the inside. One of my favorite parts about her is that the author chose not to make her an invincible woman. So often female main characters are expected to be flawless, and while I love me some strong women, it's nice to see different facets of women that still make awesome main characters. None of this to say that Fallon isn't strong in some ways, but she doesn't just dumbly run into battle when she's never been in a fight before. She usually has more biting words to say than actual bite. And I love it, it felt realistic to me! This realness and not otherworldly bravery helped me relate to her in a much more personal way.
The chemistry between Fallon and Dom is nothing short of a love potion. This slow burn, "enemies" to lovers had me under a spell. It was one of the first mafia romance novels I read where the love interest genuinely did not want the main character from first sight. I loved seeing the transformation from being a hardened Don who denies feelings for anyone and anything, to having a soft spot for this feisty girl who drove him wild. And Fallon, she really tried her hardest to fight it too. But alas, love always wins. The arranged marriage, that neither of them wanted, was a nice twist. And because it gave me something new and still nice and spicy, it earned that final star in my book that shows a novel stood out from the rest.
Bravo, can't wait for the rest of the series.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*...more
The conclusion to one of my childhood favorites has my heart swelling with nostalgia. I just love this series so much, and I'm so glad I reminded myseThe conclusion to one of my childhood favorites has my heart swelling with nostalgia. I just love this series so much, and I'm so glad I reminded myself of one of the series that made me obsessed with fantasy worlds.
Once again, Loki just reminds me how I developed my taste for book boyfriends. It's a curse to be attracted to the sarcastic bad boy who has a soft spot for his one love. There's so much depth to his character, and I loved listening to them fall in love (again, for like the fifth time...).
Wendy grew up so much in this book and became a much more familiar and relatable heroine for me. She was strong and compassionate, and honestly deserved the happily ever after.
Shhh I'm not crying, that's just the rain outside....more
Staying on the nostalgia train rereading this series through audiobooks, choo choo!
I forgot how much better the second book was from the first to be Staying on the nostalgia train rereading this series through audiobooks, choo choo!
I forgot how much better the second book was from the first to be honest. Most importantly... Loki! I genuinely thing Loki's character formed my entire type when I was an impressionable teen because I literally live for the sarcastic and roguish characters. Nowww it all makes sense.
One thing I noticed in the audiobook that was definitely not in the eBooks I read when I was younger, was Tove's sexuality! I absolutely adored that addition to the story, and I think it brings so much more life and understanding to his character.
Just everything about this book brought that little heartache that comes with reading something that was meaningful to you when you were younger. I still love it just as much. ...more
I thought Willow Winters was going to save us with a cliffhanger, but really, she just gave us a whole novel of cliff diving.
The war continues, and AI thought Willow Winters was going to save us with a cliffhanger, but really, she just gave us a whole novel of cliff diving.
The war continues, and Aria has thrust herself out of the shadows and right into it. The strength she has grown into is so exhilarating to read, to watch her struggle with love and hate while she finally accepts that the dark life of crime has always surrounded her. She isn't the helpless daughter anymore, she has power, and she damn well uses it. Not that Carter is happy about how she decides to use the strength that he loves so much, but Carter is rarely happy about things anyways.
I wish this series never ended so I could read it forever. The suspense, the sex, the twisted love. Everything Willow Winters touches turns to gold, with inlaid black obsidian of course....more
Perhaps my rating is a bit biased for this novella because I relate so hard to Sadie, but you know what, who cares.
Sadie the environmental engineer tPerhaps my rating is a bit biased for this novella because I relate so hard to Sadie, but you know what, who cares.
Sadie the environmental engineer takes on her arch nemesis and previous crush, Erik the hot and broody civil engineer who has a lot of pull at his rival company.
Let me preface, like I do for every single review I write for Ali Hazelwood books, that I hate, hate, hate the miscommunication trope. It settles into the marrow of my bones and slowly rots away at everything that makes me who I am. But you know what, this one was fairly understandable. And perhaps, again, I'm giving Sadie a pass because I am also a woman environmental engineer and I see myself in her. Either way, prepare yourself for a big ole misunderstanding.
The way Erik is just this hot Viking of a man really sealed the deal for me. He was the only book boyfriend I declared from the series of novellas, and in my opinion, the best of the three. He's firm, not just with those muscles, but with what he wants. And that's Sadie. So what if they're trapped in an elevator? Maybe he secretly got his handy dandy tools out and made that happen. Either way, he made me swoon until I forgot about my hatred for the shall not be named trope....more
Oooooh baby this is not a book you'll want to skip if you love dark romance. Check trigger warnings and buckle your seat belt.
Remedy was abused as a cOooooh baby this is not a book you'll want to skip if you love dark romance. Check trigger warnings and buckle your seat belt.
Remedy was abused as a child and needs rough sex to heal - and love, yet everyone in her life thinks she's troubled and needs to be fixed. Until Cash, that is. The dominant, mysterious, and harsh lover who puts Remedy in her place - where she wants to be. The only problem is...Cash is secretly a serial killer. Remedy has her own demons, but is she the remedy for a living, breathing demon?
This book blew me away. Yes, it is very, very dark and there are many components of this twisted romance that should stay in fiction. That being said, the writing, the characters, the chemistry, the back stories, the POC representation, the twists, everything was so cruelly beautiful. This is the story of the rebirth of Bonnie and Clyde as if told from their perspective. It's fascinating to read the dual-perspective motivations that mirrored each other in so many ways, yet differed enough to continually bring tension. The violence in this story almost feels surreal, which to me shows how brilliant the author is. We cannot truly comprehend the perspective of a psychopath without being one ourselves, and yet, I felt like I did.
I wish I had constructive criticism for the author, but I can think of nothing other than a few grammar mistakes I found ("queue" vs. "cue"). Obviously this type of story will not be for every reader, and that's okay! For a dark romance lover who uses these stories to heal and as a form of escapism, who is fine with fiction being darker than what should be romanticized in real life, this book was absolutely perfect for me. I can't say I want Cash as a partner, but boy does he have a piece of the shadowy side of my heart. Honestly, Remedy does too.
I literally did not put this book down once, watching the sky turn dark outside as my lovely Remedy let her inner darkness shine too.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*...more
It's what you'd expect from a cute novella, with a little hint of spice. There's not really anything unique or spellbinding about it, but it gives youIt's what you'd expect from a cute novella, with a little hint of spice. There's not really anything unique or spellbinding about it, but it gives you what is promised.
Mara, an environmental engineer, inherits a house from her boss and close friend when she dies. Liam, a corporate lawyer for a giant oil company, already lives in said house. Cue drama of two sworn enemies - profession and house-wise, anyways. But alas, he is oh so hot and dreamy, and she is so cute and bubbly.
I do really like Ali Hazelwood's writing style, it feels very personal and it makes the stories more attainable. And of course, we love women in STEM. Being an environmental engineer myself, I was super excited for that inclusion in Mara's character. Especially when she didn't compromise her environmentalism and beliefs when faced with a hot guy.
Regardless of that, Mara annoyed me. Like really annoyed me. It felt like she was forcing quirkiness to be cute, and immediately jumped to some self-deprecating thought that her earlobe looked weird or that her hair was a mess whenever Liam looked at her. For a women in STEM who supposedly has a tough skin, and for someone so smart and confident when it came to a professional setting, this was a bit off-putting for me. I did love her and Liam's connection, and Liam definitely qualifies as a book boyfriend of mine now, but still. Come on Mara.
Back to Ali Hazelwood's style, she loves the miscommunication trope. It drives me absolutely crazy and I don't know why I keep putting myself through this. JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER. Stop interrupting each other? You're adults, you're professionals, do you just do that constantly in your professional life and normal social life? Probably not. So stop doing that with each other? It's so frustrating when half the plot relies on miscommunication.
Oh, and one more thing... this really bothered me... why are we pretending that a house of that size is quaint? It's in DC, do you know how expensive property is? Have you seen the housing market? ...more
This book delivered the heat and suspense. So much so that I literally just stared at the last sentence If I was wearing boots I'd be shaking in them.
This book delivered the heat and suspense. So much so that I literally just stared at the last sentence for a good five minutes after I finished trying to figure out how to process the cliffhanger. Sure, I have the second book, but this book was just a beautiful whirlwind! A good cliffhanger leaves you in limbo even if you can keep reading right away.
Aria finds herself falling deeper and deeper into Carter's arms, an oh so strong trap that she knows she will never be able to escape from once she truly falls. Yet here she is, torn between her family and the dangerous man she can't get enough of. This book sees the escalation of the war, and it is intense.
This book flowed better than Merciless in my opinion, and I was done before I could even process what was happening to my heart. I guess I am just a sucker for the villain after all....more
In this dark retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Aria falls prey to one of the most powerful men in the city, Carter CrosHate sin, but love the sinner.
In this dark retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Aria falls prey to one of the most powerful men in the city, Carter Cross. He is possessive, dangerous, and - obviously - handsome. While I'm not sure I'm adding Carter to my book boyfriend list (he's scary, okay?) there is just something so darkly sexy about him, he's addicting to read about. He is more of a beast than the Beast, truth be told.
Most of this book this first book is about breaking Aria down so that she will submit to Carter. So if you don't like anything even suggesting forced sex, bow out now. I absolutely do not want to hear about Stockholm syndrome when I read reviews of books like this one. I will shout this to the skies for eternity if I have to, but dark romance is supposed to be dark, not real. Yes, how Carter treats Aria is possessively aggressive. He literally admits to forcing her to submit. Aria and readers are allowed to enjoy that. I totally understand if that isn't your thing, but Willow Winters is not shy about the trigger warnings for this book. If questionable consent in books is not your thing, this is definitely not the book for you. If you don't mind it, you will likely devour this book in a sitting.
The writing is effortless as always, but the style in this series has started out a bit different than the rest. Not only is it deliciously dark, it reads with a stronger inner dialogue than some of her other books that I have read, which adds to the intense dom/sub relationship forming. I loved it, and I am so glad I purchased the whole series at the same time so that I don't have to wait to binge it all.
Chef's kiss with a cheeky wink on this one, Willow....more
This book literally KO'ed me, twisted my little dark heart, and trampled all over it.
MK is probably the luckiest girl (fictionally) alive. Archer is This book literally KO'ed me, twisted my little dark heart, and trampled all over it.
MK is probably the luckiest girl (fictionally) alive. Archer is a delicious bundle of grumpy fury. Steel is the constant lethal smirk. And Kody, oh Kody, my sweet, cheeky prince. I loved how their relationships all progressed at a different pace with MK and that it was totally okay for her to love them differently. Why-choose novels often force the MC to equally split her affections between their love interests. But thankfully MK can have all the angst and all the boys.
Oh- and the voice actors in the audiobook absolutely killed this, I think I swooned over Lucas Webley's every word....more
This collection is like the most delightful paint sampler. You have the pale rose paint: the sweet small town romance that has some hidden spice you wThis collection is like the most delightful paint sampler. You have the pale rose paint: the sweet small town romance that has some hidden spice you won't expect! Then you have the darker rouge: the hints of mafia and mysterious men with dark secrets. But don't worry, any fears can be assuaged with lots of spicy alone time. And finally, you have the red hot red. Red blended with lots of dark, Willow Winter's specialty. This sampler will solve your book slump and give you oh so many options to choose from. If you've read most of her books, the extended epilogues will give you plenty to satiate your appetite while giving you a few newbies.
And Miss Willow, I definitely need more of Belle and Calum.
*I received a free eARC of this collection from the author in exchange for an honest review.* ...more
What an absolute roller coaster of a second book. I loved every second of its dark loops and wicked drops.
After Sailor found out about her pregnancy What an absolute roller coaster of a second book. I loved every second of its dark loops and wicked drops.
After Sailor found out about her pregnancy and walked away from Keir, she thought she escaped him forever. Keir storms back into her life, all bull in China shop, to reclaim his woman. Or, to just make her more miserable and make sure no one else can have her. Either way, he's back, and let's just say any semblance of trust they had before is now on very, very thin ice. Sailor wavers between being the most badass woman on the planet, to being unsure and unraveled in his presence. Keir did that to her, but they find strength together in their absolute (hot) mess of a relationship. Drama ensues, including the reappearance of the most annoying woman ever to walk this fictional planet (not Sailor).
I wavered on my rating for this book because I have such strong feelings about this duet. In many ways, it felt like the extreme of passion, both hate and overwhelming love. But in the end, I had to give it 5 stars because it really left an impact on me. I devoured this duet, and this book gave me SUCH relief after the killer cliffhanger that my desperation can only call for a max rating.
I will say, there is a certain beauty in how toxic Keir and Sailor's love is for each other. The way Sailor brings some humanity to a man that seems incapable of it, to the way Keir encourages Sailor's hidden violent tendencies. Together, they actually make the perfect pair. Not to say I'd every want to be in this kind of relationship, and Keir is most surely not a book boyfriend of mine, but Smith's world is just so utterly addicting.
Give me more dark and dirty please, I can't wait for Lucas's story. ...more
Enrico is seriously flames emoji, 100 emoji, flames emoji!
Enrico Andretta, a dominant Mafia boss with a penchant for pretty things, decides he just mEnrico is seriously flames emoji, 100 emoji, flames emoji!
Enrico Andretta, a dominant Mafia boss with a penchant for pretty things, decides he just must have the sassy doctor, Chloe Levine, after meeting her at her hospital. Due to her unprofessional outburst, Enrico convinces Chloe to sign a contract that gives herself and all of her time to the domineering Andretta for a whole year. She soon finds out just how dangerous this man is. Much to her horror, she likes it. *Cue drama, violence, and spice.*
Georgia Wolf's debut novel does not disappoint! It is everything I love about the Mafia romance genre. Dark, broody, sexy villain turned lover. Sassy, smart, secretly dirty protagonist. It has the owned and passionate hate tropes, as well as aspects of the captured trope. And, must I say, the spicy scenes are so clever and yummy. This was a better version of 365 Days in my opinion.
I could not put this book down and I am oh so excited for the other Andretta brothers' stories!
*I received this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
This book felt like a fantasy that I would dream up, where all of the details are not fully fleshed out.
Roxanne suddenly finds herself in a differentThis book felt like a fantasy that I would dream up, where all of the details are not fully fleshed out.
Roxanne suddenly finds herself in a different time period far, far away from home. In Ancient Persia, she finds out she has unknowingly been sold to the King, Ochus, and now has to grapple with how to pass her time in this past without causing ripples in the timeline. The story is a dual-perspective, which I always love.
I like Roxanne and Ochus as characters, and I think they were pretty round protagonists. I will say, I think the thing that needs the biggest change in this book is the dialogue (both outer and inner). This would fix a lot of the issues I found while reading and often distracting from the solid plot idea. For example, the swear words and lingo the Ancient Persians used... I am not entirely convinced they would say the word "ass," or "kitten" when talking to a significant other. The inner dialogue, especially Roxanne's, also felt a little childish. The frequent references to Dorothy of Oz and the strange simile of Indiana Jones during the sex scenes stole my attention, and unfortunately, not in the best way.
The other wives simply disappeared after awhile, and I wish I had been able to see more of them! Astrid was great and sassy. In this regard, I think a few plot aspects could be better called out. This includes describing how the time travel actually worked (later, of course) and more about the Gods of Ancient Persia. Because this is a culture Cavilich is writing about and is likely not a part of, I would be very careful with research and bringing that research up thoroughly in the novel. This also includes staying away from words like "exotic."
I liked the idea of this book, and I think it has potential, but it needs a bit more work for it to be a higher rating for me....more
Where is book 2? No, seriously, where is it? I need it.
This book was every bit messed up, twisted, dark, and intense. And I loved every single secondWhere is book 2? No, seriously, where is it? I need it.
This book was every bit messed up, twisted, dark, and intense. And I loved every single second of it. The main character was such a badass that she made the scariest badass in New York bleed.
I absolutely adore Sailor. She is a bad girl gone good girl... gone bad girl again. Her husband, Dillan, also fondly known as the biggest douchebag of the century, is in debt to the Mafia and sells Sailor as a way to buy him some time while he finds the money to pay off his debts. She finds out just how awful he is pretty quickly, but is thrust into the hands of a perhaps worse but oh so delicious man, who happens to be the Mafia boss. Keir is a dreamboat, if your dreams are a dark and dangerous, that is. This man doesn't have weak spots, and he always gets what he wants. Spoiler alert (not really): he wants Sailor. Surprisingly for him, he doesn't just want her once. This is uncharted territory (ha ha get it, sailor, uncharted...).
I really have nothing bad to say about this book. I devoured it. As long as you read the trigger warnings and don't mind some dark romance, you will also devour it.
That is all. Now please, I promise I will keep it a secret, where is book 2? The cliffhanger absolutely destroyed me, I need to know what happens. November 16th is so close but so painfully far away... send help....more
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