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courtneylleon's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lucy145's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
minisoph's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
maxine22's review against another edition
4.0
It’s an enemies to lovers mafia romance….need I say more
colourful_kenyan's review against another edition
3.0
*2.75 Stars*
I thought for a moment it would've been about royalty but I guess I enjoy mafia too. The mafia parts are a little mild and not the main focus of the book.
Aida is young and reckless while Cal is old- in Aida's eyes- and frigid. They get off on the wrong foot from their first meeting but are forced to get married when their fathers decide to put centuries worth of feud behind them.
-I love seeing family dynamics shown in books or novels. Interactions between the fam and the MCs is sth I always give credit. I liked how Aida interacted with her brothers. They were very supportive and different. It did not feel like they were a carbon copy of each other. Cal's interactions with his family are a reflection of his personality.
-With both POVs, it was great to see what the other character was thinking. The narrators honestly made this more enjoyable. They did a great job.
-I liked that we got little history lessons here and there about both families.
What I did not really enjoy
- The way we are pushed back in time. Like in the first chapter we meet Aida and we follow her short arson stunt but the next chapter does not begin from where we left off. Rather, as I was forced to endure Cal's time before the fire before being yet again thrust into the fire scene. I wish the author found another way of telling us what was happening at the party rather than having to go back in time because it just disoriented me.
-I liked their interactions but they were a little shallow. I found that I hated how they avoided to communicate yet are adults. I hate the miscommunication trope. It frustrates me beyond measure.
A good example would be that if my boyfriend meets his ex, I would like to know how that went. No matter how much it will hurt to tell me, I'd rather hear it from my partner than from friends or anyone else. I'd also hate it if my boyfriend spied on me which is what Cal does rather than talk to her.
-I could see why Cal liked Aida but not the other way other than the great sex he gave and commanded her ass around.
-I'm not the greatest fan of violence so watch out for that if you are skimish.
-The villain in the book barely raised the stakes.
I thought for a moment it would've been about royalty but I guess I enjoy mafia too. The mafia parts are a little mild and not the main focus of the book.
Aida is young and reckless while Cal is old- in Aida's eyes- and frigid. They get off on the wrong foot from their first meeting but are forced to get married when their fathers decide to put centuries worth of feud behind them.
-I love seeing family dynamics shown in books or novels. Interactions between the fam and the MCs is sth I always give credit. I liked how Aida interacted with her brothers. They were very supportive and different. It did not feel like they were a carbon copy of each other. Cal's interactions with his family are a reflection of his personality.
-With both POVs, it was great to see what the other character was thinking. The narrators honestly made this more enjoyable. They did a great job.
-I liked that we got little history lessons here and there about both families.
What I did not really enjoy
- The way we are pushed back in time. Like in the first chapter we meet Aida and we follow her short arson stunt but the next chapter does not begin from where we left off. Rather, as I was forced to endure Cal's time before the fire before being yet again thrust into the fire scene. I wish the author found another way of telling us what was happening at the party rather than having to go back in time because it just disoriented me.
-I liked their interactions but they were a little shallow. I found that I hated how they avoided to communicate yet are adults. I hate the miscommunication trope. It frustrates me beyond measure.
Spoiler
A good example would be that if my boyfriend meets his ex, I would like to know how that went. No matter how much it will hurt to tell me, I'd rather hear it from my partner than from friends or anyone else. I'd also hate it if my boyfriend spied on me which is what Cal does rather than talk to her.
-I could see why Cal liked Aida but not the other way other than the great sex he gave and commanded her ass around.
-I'm not the greatest fan of violence so watch out for that if you are skimish.
-The villain in the book barely raised the stakes.
Spoiler
Also, the Butcher being murdered and us not seeing anything is very anti-climatic and robs the reader of drama that would have raised the low stakes. It also seems that this was done with the intention of setting the scene for the next book.artsyjonesie's review against another edition
I apparently don’t like mafia romance. Not a fan.
shansreads's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5