Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I knew this story would be intense. I knew to expect a whole lot of heat and extreme sexual situations. This book has all of what I was expecting, but the strength of the emotions was a bit unexpected for me. Natalie and Sevastyan couldn’t stay away from each other if they tried. On all levels, these two are connected.
While there is plenty of angst and emotion, there is also humor sprinkled throughout. This is a dark story, so it helped to have a reprieve from that darkness once in a while. Because Natalie is adopted and had been searching for her birth parents, there is a vein of hope throughout the story when it comes to her and her birth father. There is also a hopefulness to the relationship between Natalie’s birth father and Sevastyan. It’s a very sweet and touching relationship.
It was refreshing to have Natalie admit that it’s not a great thing for a woman to try to fix a man when there are so many other men in the world that don’t need so much work. She has to decide if the relationship she envisions with him is worth the work she will need to put in. Sevastyan has to learn that to love someone is not to keep them in a cage. But how can he let go of the overwhelming need to protect what he loves? These two have a lot to work through.
I’m not much for mafia stories as a whole. I’ve read some I’ve really loved, but it’s not a sub-genre I’m generally drawn to. I dove into this story because it is the next in order of the Kresley Cole books being read and discussed on the first season of the podcast Fated Mates. I knew I’d be in good hands, and I was right. The author has a knack of getting her readers to care deeply for her characters, no matter how broken and scarred their souls are.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Kidnapping, Murder
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Damaged Mafia billionaire finds virgin bride.
I was wary yet anticipating reading this book. I had read numerous mixed reviews, but couldn't help buying #1 and #2 on a random B&N trip. With most things that require an opinion, I decided to see what this book was about and see what I thought on my own.
Sevastyan is by far one of the most intimidating alphas I've ever met. Why is that? He's not just a dominant man, but also a trained assassin. He has spent the majority of his life killing, and doesn't hesitate to do so in his adult life either.
Natalie, the curvaceous redhead PhD student in the middle of nowhere Nebraska meets Sevastyan in a crowded bar. She has her own ambitions, and none of them include a man. When it turns out Sevastyan is working for her long-lost father, breaks into her house, and steals her away to Russia, her life turns into a whirl-wind.
He's ordered to guard and protect her life, and she's intrigued and beyond curious about this pent-up, closed off, angry man in her father's life. Needless to say, the two push each other's buttons past the point of tolerable.
Sevastyan honestly made me a bit nervous from time-to-time. I knew he had reasons for his brooding attitude, but I didn't know how far back into his past his bad blood ran. Once they have a relationship, Natalie does what she can to understand him, while also getting him to open up to her and break his walls to bits. Their attempt at compromise is a constant one step forward and two steps back process that nearly destroys them.
Sevastyan is by far one of the most intimidating alphas I've ever met. Why is that? He's not just a dominant man, but also a trained assassin. He has spent the majority of his life killing, and doesn't hesitate to do so in his adult life either.
Natalie, the curvaceous redhead PhD student in the middle of nowhere Nebraska meets Sevastyan in a crowded bar. She has her own ambitions, and none of them include a man. When it turns out Sevastyan is working for her long-lost father, breaks into her house, and steals her away to Russia, her life turns into a whirl-wind.
He's ordered to guard and protect her life, and she's intrigued and beyond curious about this pent-up, closed off, angry man in her father's life. Needless to say, the two push each other's buttons past the point of tolerable.
Sevastyan honestly made me a bit nervous from time-to-time. I knew he had reasons for his brooding attitude, but I didn't know how far back into his past his bad blood ran. Once they have a relationship, Natalie does what she can to understand him, while also getting him to open up to her and break his walls to bits. Their attempt at compromise is a constant one step forward and two steps back process that nearly destroys them.
Just not for me, but not bad. I think I'll just stick to her paranormal romance. Those are almost all 5 star reads.
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. I'never even come close to toppling my all time favorite read, Knight by Kristen Ashley, but Sevastyan has pushed Knight over just a little, with absolutely no remorse showing in his golden eyes, to sit up there with him on my perfectly-perfect-unattainable-hero make believe shelf. He's left me feeling so much but having few words to describe. let's just say he's pushed absolutely every one of my buttons. Tall, serious, tortured, dark smoldering looks, dominant alpha, BDSM dominant, powerful position, damaged, accent, secretive, aloof, arrogant. Gah I feel like he deserves a shelf all his own!
Kresley Cole you are a genius! What have you done to me?!
Kresley Cole you are a genius! What have you done to me?!
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Similar to the other book I read in this series (oops to reading out of order, I guess), this has good writing, and an interesting premise/love interest, and I like the author's writing style, mostly. I recognize the broody/angry appeal the damaged guy with a heart of gold has, but I really don't enjoy romance where when one partner is angry/enraged about something, and they still hook up. Cole makes a point of having both characters talk about how, even angry, the guy won't go too far and would never hurt the woman here, but it's still clear that both partners are angry with one another for different reasons (and the guy is SUPER angry)-resulting in a scene that's less hot and more squicky.
I also enjoy the women in these books, because they feel so realistic: knowing what they like, while also being conflicted sometimes, making decisions about their relationships based on their own needs, having other women for friends, not written as out of control jealous while still feeling possessive of their partners. Just super likeable and flawed and normal sounding (if still romance novel pretty with "flaws" that wouldn't be flaws in anyone but a romance heroine). I'll probably read the other book in this series too, I think.
Update: On rereading, I found the romance more squicky and the leading man less likeable. Still nowhere near as bad as 50 Shades, but for me this series is best enjoyed as the romance novel version of an action movie: cheesy, unrealistic, shiny, and kind of fun.
I also enjoy the women in these books, because they feel so realistic: knowing what they like, while also being conflicted sometimes, making decisions about their relationships based on their own needs, having other women for friends, not written as out of control jealous while still feeling possessive of their partners. Just super likeable and flawed and normal sounding (if still romance novel pretty with "flaws" that wouldn't be flaws in anyone but a romance heroine). I'll probably read the other book in this series too, I think.
Update: On rereading, I found the romance more squicky and the leading man less likeable. Still nowhere near as bad as 50 Shades, but for me this series is best enjoyed as the romance novel version of an action movie: cheesy, unrealistic, shiny, and kind of fun.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content