Reviews

Crooked Heart by Candace Wondrak

marisakucha's review

4.0

I am absolutely loving Lola’s story. She is such a character. I like that she is beginning to humanize more in this book, even if she doesn’t want to. The trials and tribulations she has gone through and continues to encounter further strengthen her.

Additional layers have been added to the plot and betrayals and revelations we didn’t see coming occurred. The ending, while not a massive cliffhanger, left me wondering what will happen next.

kristen_joele's review

2.0

Gave #2 in this series a shot

lunadxll's review

3.0

3.5 ✨ slow start but second half was great

felyn's review

dark sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

e_dav_29's review

4.0

So dark!

I'm both loving and hating the ending. I want to read the next one now! Poor Lola and the guys can't get a break.

cortneycmartin20's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

jojo17's review

2.0

After reading the first book I had no interest in continuing the series. But... the ending of the first book was just catchy enough to stick with me until my will broke down and it was late and I needed something to read so here we are.

The MC comes across as if the author was trying too hard to make her damaged and crazy, but there's a reason so it's okay. Nope. Being blonde and broken is not an excuse and her psychosis was not growth or overcoming her past. The dynamics were all over the place. The only one I could appreciate was Roman and his staunch refusal of the MC because someone was using their brain when it came to her.

His refusal and disinterest in this MC is the only reason I picked up [b:Voyeur|55664068|Voyeur (Voyeur, #1)|Candace Wondrak|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1602625101l/55664068._SY75_.jpg|86801792].

diloretobeth89's review

5.0

Loved it

Amazing!!!! I can't wait for book three. This book kept me .o. The edge nog my seat, and I was thoroughly enraptured by it

booksabrewin's review

4.0

Lola finally reveals to the Lucianos every dirty detail of her past in all it's glory and none of them feel anything but rage towards the family who let such terrible things happen to her under their roof. Her telling them about her past has caused a plethora of conflicted emotions to spring up within the Lucianos' family ranks, but it explains a lot about Lola's need for retribution against men who take advantage of women when they are vulnerable.

While they wage war with their emotions the Luciano boys put Lola to work scouting out one of the new bars the DeLuca family have just opened. Putting her in for audition once they hear her voice and know their enemies would be foolish to not make her their singer. While singing only conjures up images of the life Lola left behind she's willing to do what she can for the men she has come to develop feelings for. Even if that something is slipping something in the drink of the leader of their enemy. Little did Lola know that that one simple act was going to be a catalyst for her newfound family's downfall in the midst of a traitor.

Add to that the fact that man of Lola's nightmares, her abuser and little brother, show up in town determined to bring her back into the fold and home to their macabre and twisted existence. Aiden is the one man who can make Lola feel like the scared little girl she once was rather than the predator of predators that she has become. Can she find a way to stop a war between the Lucianos and DeLucas as well as navigate her feelings for her men while having her abuser breathing down her neck? No pressure.

I liked that in this book we didn't just get to see the crazy side of Lola. We got to see the why of it. Why she is the way she is and why she took up the mission to kill predatory men. It was a deep dive into the woman's psyche and I found myself nodding along with her when she gave explanations for the reason she did the thing she did. I could understand it. Sometimes things happen that simply break a person irreparable. Lola isn't crazy, she's broken. And I watched as piece by piece the men in her life shoved her back together the best way they could: through acceptance.

The traitor to the Luciano family was so obvious to me. I pegged him as a snake from the moment he first graced the pages of the first book. There had to be a reason that Maddox reacted so strongly to him where he didn't with any of the others. Maybe even Maddox had a feeling something was off about the guy but had no way of knowing how right he was. I really hate that Lola got blamed for following the traitor's directive when she had not been told nor given any reason to doubt him. I really hope he gets what is coming to him though.

This book was the great middle bit to a great trilogy. The first story was all fire, heat, and excitement and this one got to the heart of the matter by making the characters focus on more than their hatred for Marco's killer and the sex they can't seem to stop themselves from engaging in. They got to know Lola and she them and they were able to form the bonds they would need for the story to truly be one to sink your teeth into and make you hungry for more.

melissaulv's review

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5