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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
3.5 stars
The Professional is a book I have been wanting to read for awhile snce it was a rec from fellow blogger and I enjoy Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series but I didn't get the book until I heard ladies in Read Me Romance -podcast talking about it.
The Professional is about Natalie, who has been searching for her birth parents. She's working in two (or three?) different jobs on top of her studies to pay for this search. She rarely is interested in guys because she's like she calls herself the manalyst. She could always read men but there's something about Sevastyan that she just can't get a read on. He takes her to Russia to meet her paternal father.
I loved the heroine, maybe even more than hero. Natalie has lived a normal life but she takes everything about this new life so well. She's a virgin but she hasn't been waiting "the one" her whole life. Instead she thinks dating, love, and sex were all overrated.
The romance was angsty. There was a lot hot and cold behavior from the hero. Sevatyan didn't like sharing things, like at all. Natalie took his behavior pretty well considering she had zero tolerance for men and their drama. It was still very enjoyable and I'd suggest giving this book a chance if you're in the mood for something angsty.
I was surprised how much I actually enjoyed heroine's father.
All in all I didn't love the romance but I was still compelled to read it very fast. I mean I almost finished it in one sitting. The Professional made me smile like a crazy person but it also made me cry.
The Professional is a book I have been wanting to read for awhile snce it was a rec from fellow blogger and I enjoy Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series but I didn't get the book until I heard ladies in Read Me Romance -podcast talking about it.
The Professional is about Natalie, who has been searching for her birth parents. She's working in two (or three?) different jobs on top of her studies to pay for this search. She rarely is interested in guys because she's like she calls herself the manalyst. She could always read men but there's something about Sevastyan that she just can't get a read on. He takes her to Russia to meet her paternal father.
I loved the heroine, maybe even more than hero. Natalie has lived a normal life but she takes everything about this new life so well. She's a virgin but she hasn't been waiting "the one" her whole life. Instead she thinks dating, love, and sex were all overrated.
The romance was angsty. There was a lot hot and cold behavior from the hero. Sevatyan didn't like sharing things, like at all. Natalie took his behavior pretty well considering she had zero tolerance for men and their drama. It was still very enjoyable and I'd suggest giving this book a chance if you're in the mood for something angsty.
I was surprised how much I actually enjoyed heroine's father.
All in all I didn't love the romance but I was still compelled to read it very fast. I mean I almost finished it in one sitting. The Professional made me smile like a crazy person but it also made me cry.
I definitely expected more from a Kresley Cole novel...BUT...I know this is her experimenting with a new Romance genre, POV, and narrative style so I'm being more lenient than usual. I will definitely read the next two books in the series to see how she - hopefully - works through the bugs in this first attempt. Based on Jen and Sarah's thoughts on the Fated Mates podcast, I am confident the next two will be nothing short of Kresley masterpieces.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I’m not sure why this was recommended to me because it’s not good. The BDSM is not communicated in the act and does not seem safe at all. The characters are stupid. Natalie seems like an absolute idiot and I don’t even think Sevastian even liked her. So pointless. I’m not reading the rest of these.
Why anyone would want to read badly written Fifty Shades when this book exists is beyond me. Loved it.
One of the best books I've ever read. Exciting from page one. Cannot wait for book 2.
4/5 ⭐️s
Okay, NOW I see why people keep recommending Kresley Cole when I talk about spicy romances.
Okay, NOW I see why people keep recommending Kresley Cole when I talk about spicy romances.
I was gonna rate this at least 4 stars before I read the whole airport/post-airport sex scenes. I was SO FUCKING ANNOYED at the doormatiness of the heroine that I almost stopped reading then and there, even though it was at the 85 or 90% mark, so I had a lot of sunk cost already. That was the only reason I didn't stop. Before that scene, the heroine gave off a vibe that she had a strong enough backbone. I liked that she was unapologetic about her sexuality and needs, like the heroine in the second book(which I had read before reading this one). But NOPE, the way she instantly gave in when he chased her, and instantly started having sex with him, made me literally want to slap her. ENOUGH with the heroines losing their senses when confronted with heroes' magic dicks. She was supposed to be this respectable PhD student who was so pragmatic she didn't lose her virginity to a rando even though she had plenty of opportunity and didn't exactly lack experience either. But THAT SCENE. UGHHHHHHHH. I was just UNSPEAKABLY annoyed throughout the whole scene and it was the only sex scene in this book that I skimmed/basically skipped. Cause kresley cole writes pretty good sex scenes. Huh, who knew? Not me lol.
The heroine, now that I'm objectively thinking about it, had basically zero personality other than being a PhD student/virgin/wannabe BDSM enthusiast. She was lauded throughout the book for being so dedicated and hardworking for pursuing her PhD, yada yada, but most of the book she was basically a live-in mistress for the hero, and I could see none of her hardworking dedication or whatever. The second book's storyline+relationship seemed to progress MUCH better, and the heroine in that one was literally the hero's hired escort for like 90% of the book.
I was totally applauding the heroine for leaving the hero after treating her so shittily, but then basically 2 mins after that she had already given in and had anal sex with him with zero grovelling on his part. Like C'MOOOOON, mixed messages much?! I can't remember the last time a sex scene annoyed me so much. I lost all respect for her instantly. He didn't even have to try to persuade her too much, she was already melting 3 seconds into the scene. This one scene entirely ruined the book for me, because before this the heroine had given off a vibe that she had a strong enough backbone. But NOPE. He has literally *just* ordered her around like a 1950's housewife, and revealed that she knew absolutely nothing about his past, which is why she left him. Yet even though he resolved NOTHING, didn't even apologize, basically dragged her back home, she gave in instantly???? Ughhhhhh.
I knew more about the hero's past from reading book 2 than I did from reading most of book 1. Also, will definitely not be reading book 3. It seems to me that Dylan or Dmitry or whatever his name is, the youngest brother, had the worst hand dealt to him out of all 3. I read the synopsis and it seems he falls for a con artist? Nope, just nope. I never like books where the hero/heroine are literally going through a villainous plot against their respective heroine/hero, and in this case it seems the youngest bro deserves a bit of a break after his whole sexually abused/saw his mom's dead body as a kindergartener history.
The heroine, now that I'm objectively thinking about it, had basically zero personality other than being a PhD student/virgin/wannabe BDSM enthusiast. She was lauded throughout the book for being so dedicated and hardworking for pursuing her PhD, yada yada, but most of the book she was basically a live-in mistress for the hero, and I could see none of her hardworking dedication or whatever. The second book's storyline+relationship seemed to progress MUCH better, and the heroine in that one was literally the hero's hired escort for like 90% of the book.
I was totally applauding the heroine for leaving the hero after treating her so shittily, but then basically 2 mins after that she had already given in and had anal sex with him with zero grovelling on his part. Like C'MOOOOON, mixed messages much?! I can't remember the last time a sex scene annoyed me so much. I lost all respect for her instantly. He didn't even have to try to persuade her too much, she was already melting 3 seconds into the scene. This one scene entirely ruined the book for me, because before this the heroine had given off a vibe that she had a strong enough backbone. But NOPE. He has literally *just* ordered her around like a 1950's housewife, and revealed that she knew absolutely nothing about his past, which is why she left him. Yet even though he resolved NOTHING, didn't even apologize, basically dragged her back home, she gave in instantly???? Ughhhhhh.
I knew more about the hero's past from reading book 2 than I did from reading most of book 1. Also, will definitely not be reading book 3. It seems to me that Dylan or Dmitry or whatever his name is, the youngest brother, had the worst hand dealt to him out of all 3. I read the synopsis and it seems he falls for a con artist? Nope, just nope. I never like books where the hero/heroine are literally going through a villainous plot against their respective heroine/hero, and in this case it seems the youngest bro deserves a bit of a break after his whole sexually abused/saw his mom's dead body as a kindergartener history.
My first venture to Kresley Cole’s written world came with fireworks – and I mean that this slight book exploded in all its erotic glory. Regardless of how I felt for its ending (if I had blue balls, they’ll be violet), it had left me just enough to salivate for the next series of novellas.
Quick Story:
Natalie Porter hired an investigator to find her biological parents. When the PI lost contact, she’d just about lost all hope. But an encounter with the immovable Aleksandr brings about a family history and legacy that she may not be ready for. It turns out that she’s the lone daughter of a powerful Russian mob boss and Aleksandr is his right hand – which means that she’s off limits and vice versa. If word gets out that she’s alive, her father’s enemies will be chomping at the bits to take down the Mafiya boss through a long lost daughter. With her life in danger, she’s whisked away to Russia against her will.
Before they even landed on Russian soil, Aleksandr and Natalie indulged in a game one of them was not ready to finish but will continue until one of them breaks. “Are you ready to play?” seem a little mild of an invitation for what Aleksandr has in mind, though.
My Thoughts:
This book must’ve caught me on a good day because I normally would be rolling my eyes at the copious sprinkles of cheddar in the dialogues and some situations but I have to admit that I ended up enjoying this. Oh heck, who am I kidding? It was the most erotic, non-sex, sex, all right? It was such a tease! The foreplay was just too much of a preamble for the ‘real thing’, and what’s worse? They didn’t even get there. Ugh. It’s the primary reason why I’m jonesing for the next book. I did request it from Net Galley but they didn’t get back to me. Sob.
There is something inherentlydangerous charming about a big bad russkie and Aleksandr fit the fantasy to a T. Surly, possessive, hot and cold and frustrating as hell [see blue balls].
Other than that, there’s not much to say about this book. If you’re looking for some mindless entertainment, well, you’ve come to the right place. It’s funny and sexy.
Quick Story:
Natalie Porter hired an investigator to find her biological parents. When the PI lost contact, she’d just about lost all hope. But an encounter with the immovable Aleksandr brings about a family history and legacy that she may not be ready for. It turns out that she’s the lone daughter of a powerful Russian mob boss and Aleksandr is his right hand – which means that she’s off limits and vice versa. If word gets out that she’s alive, her father’s enemies will be chomping at the bits to take down the Mafiya boss through a long lost daughter. With her life in danger, she’s whisked away to Russia against her will.
Before they even landed on Russian soil, Aleksandr and Natalie indulged in a game one of them was not ready to finish but will continue until one of them breaks. “Are you ready to play?” seem a little mild of an invitation for what Aleksandr has in mind, though.
My Thoughts:
This book must’ve caught me on a good day because I normally would be rolling my eyes at the copious sprinkles of cheddar in the dialogues and some situations but I have to admit that I ended up enjoying this. Oh heck, who am I kidding? It was the most erotic, non-sex, sex, all right? It was such a tease! The foreplay was just too much of a preamble for the ‘real thing’, and what’s worse? They didn’t even get there. Ugh. It’s the primary reason why I’m jonesing for the next book. I did request it from Net Galley but they didn’t get back to me. Sob.
There is something inherently
Other than that, there’s not much to say about this book. If you’re looking for some mindless entertainment, well, you’ve come to the right place. It’s funny and sexy.
This was one of the first mafia romances I read and it started my obsession. This book holds a very special place for me and I absolutely love the story. Highly recommend!