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madmcginnis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
naughtybookaffair's review against another edition
5.0
This one picks up where the second one left off. You have to read these in order to understand the story between Carter and Aria. Aria and Carter are at a standoff. She tries to do something to Carter that no one has ever dared attempted to do in his own home. But why did she do it? What is going to happen to their relationship? How is this going to change things for everyone involved? What a twist in this storyline. Willow blew me away with this twist. I did not see this one coming at all. But just wow. For Aria to have the strength to do what she does. I cheered for her. I gripped my chair and held on to see what was going to happen. She is finally realizing that she needs to stand up to Carter and not let him walk all over her. But at the same time love him. But is that possible for these two? So many different twists in this storyline. You are gripped by what is happening between Carter and Aria. I absolutely love their storyline. I love the love between them. Their is something strong between them that no one and nothing can break. I cant wait to read the rest and see what happens between these two.
profromance's review against another edition
4.0
Willow Winters’s current book, Breathless, is the latest offering in her Merciless series. This is the third book in a series of four, and it doesn’t disappoint.
The third book follows the fall out from Aria’s decision to save her “family” from Carter and his brother. Carter and Aria have reached a stale-mate in their relationship, as Carter knows that once he kills Aria’s family, she cannot love him. Aria finds herself torn between her loyalty to her family and her love for Carter, which does not diminish in this book. This book ends on a cliffhanger, setting up the final book, Endless.
Characters: 💙💙💙💙
From Merciless, we were interested to the complex characters of Carter and Aria. At the start, even at odds, these two characters have a scorching chemistry. As a tortured soul, Carter seeks love. He needs it to redeem his soul. He believes he has found it in Aria, although he struggles to article his love for her. This causes Aria’s internal struggle. She feels his love, but she is never clear in it. When she chooses to save her family from Carter and his brothers, she knows she is complicating her love for him. While their chemistry still exists in book 3, the strife between the two complicates their lives. This is the main reason I offered only four hearts instead of five. At times, I grow weary of the inner dialogues of Carter and Aria as they repeat their issues over and over again. We know from the first book that either Carter will decide to forgo killing Aria’s father and Nickolai or Aria must realize that her father’s death will be the sacrifice to atone for his past sins with the Cross brothers. In Heartless, neither the characters have come to this conclusion, so they become repetitive in their responses.
Story: 💙💙💙💙
As this is the third book in a four- part series, the story continues following Aria and Carter’s story. There are some serious situations that occur in this book that hurt my heart, some deaths that were unexpected. As I mentioned above, the book ends on a cliffhanger that I can’t wait to read in Endless. I am waiting with bated breath to see how this story resolves.
Sexiness Quotient: 💙💙💙💙
As a dominant, the way Carter possesses Aria’s body is exciting. From the first book, I’ve always been suspicious of their sexual connection because he took her from her family. However, Winters knows how to write their sexual encounters to be incredibly sexy. She spares no sexual act for these two.
Style: 💙💙💙💙
There is something interesting about Winters’s writing. She puts space between her ideas wherein she doesn’t give you every detail or every thought of her characters. She allows you to fill it in for yourself. At times, this can be frustrating because you will read a sentence and wonder more about it, but she has moved on to another idea by the time she realize what she has done. I love that space between words and sentences and ideas. It is her signature.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I think the only reason I held back a star for Breathless has more to do with my want to see the ending of this series. Not that I have become tired of it. Simply, I crave the future for Carter and Aria. Carter has endured so much pain and strife in his life, as has Aria. I would like to see their happy ending, and this book moves us closer to it but still holds it at arm’s length.
The third book follows the fall out from Aria’s decision to save her “family” from Carter and his brother. Carter and Aria have reached a stale-mate in their relationship, as Carter knows that once he kills Aria’s family, she cannot love him. Aria finds herself torn between her loyalty to her family and her love for Carter, which does not diminish in this book. This book ends on a cliffhanger, setting up the final book, Endless.
Characters: 💙💙💙💙
From Merciless, we were interested to the complex characters of Carter and Aria. At the start, even at odds, these two characters have a scorching chemistry. As a tortured soul, Carter seeks love. He needs it to redeem his soul. He believes he has found it in Aria, although he struggles to article his love for her. This causes Aria’s internal struggle. She feels his love, but she is never clear in it. When she chooses to save her family from Carter and his brothers, she knows she is complicating her love for him. While their chemistry still exists in book 3, the strife between the two complicates their lives. This is the main reason I offered only four hearts instead of five. At times, I grow weary of the inner dialogues of Carter and Aria as they repeat their issues over and over again. We know from the first book that either Carter will decide to forgo killing Aria’s father and Nickolai or Aria must realize that her father’s death will be the sacrifice to atone for his past sins with the Cross brothers. In Heartless, neither the characters have come to this conclusion, so they become repetitive in their responses.
Story: 💙💙💙💙
As this is the third book in a four- part series, the story continues following Aria and Carter’s story. There are some serious situations that occur in this book that hurt my heart, some deaths that were unexpected. As I mentioned above, the book ends on a cliffhanger that I can’t wait to read in Endless. I am waiting with bated breath to see how this story resolves.
Sexiness Quotient: 💙💙💙💙
As a dominant, the way Carter possesses Aria’s body is exciting. From the first book, I’ve always been suspicious of their sexual connection because he took her from her family. However, Winters knows how to write their sexual encounters to be incredibly sexy. She spares no sexual act for these two.
Style: 💙💙💙💙
There is something interesting about Winters’s writing. She puts space between her ideas wherein she doesn’t give you every detail or every thought of her characters. She allows you to fill it in for yourself. At times, this can be frustrating because you will read a sentence and wonder more about it, but she has moved on to another idea by the time she realize what she has done. I love that space between words and sentences and ideas. It is her signature.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I think the only reason I held back a star for Breathless has more to do with my want to see the ending of this series. Not that I have become tired of it. Simply, I crave the future for Carter and Aria. Carter has endured so much pain and strife in his life, as has Aria. I would like to see their happy ending, and this book moves us closer to it but still holds it at arm’s length.
janekeats's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
pranlyhfml's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
ale_irigoyen's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was BORING. Nothing happened until the very end, much like book two in the series. The spice was scarcely there! I'll finish the series since there's one last book left, but the series keeps disappointing me...
lucyspooner66's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
stucknbooks14's review against another edition
3.0
Please make yourself aware of the reasons this author is problematic. I will no longer be reading, sharing, or promoting any of their books.
I was recommended All He'll Ever Be, and I started reading it before realizing it was actually 4 separate books of the Merciless series. And so I want to review it as four separate pieces.
I took a star away from this one for selfish reasons. I was angry the entire book. I wanted it to end just so I could get to the next part and be less angry. (I fear that I won't be less angry though) The war that was coming, oh it definitely arrived, it full force. So much conflict. I wanted to violently shake Aria. What goes on in that selfish, naive head of hers?! I've never considered Carter a villain, he's Aria's anti-hero. But she, she is his villain. She is his undoing. And not in the romantic way either. Breathless did give me one of the hottest sex scenes I've ever read, and it wasn't even a full sex scene!
My Favorite Quotes:
•'It's all going to crumble. All because of her. I would have done anything for her.'
•"Make sure they all know she chose to stay. She chose Carter."
•'At this moment, I feel he truly hates me. And that’s what breaks me. Because no matter what he did to me, I never hated him.'
•"You’re making it impossible for us to be together."
•'My little songbird is playing the part of the queen. And what a queen she would make.'
•"I don’t want to hear you talk about the woman you love, not in that context."
•"I miss you." "I need you."
•'Before he commands me to, I raise my arms above my head and to the headboard made of thin planks.'
•"I wouldn’t be the person I am without you."
•'I know for as long as I live, I’ll remember it all.'
•"Hold him as tight as you can, or he’ll die."
7/10 Dirty Birdy
8/10 Mafia Romance
8/10 Series
I was recommended All He'll Ever Be, and I started reading it before realizing it was actually 4 separate books of the Merciless series. And so I want to review it as four separate pieces.
I took a star away from this one for selfish reasons. I was angry the entire book. I wanted it to end just so I could get to the next part and be less angry. (I fear that I won't be less angry though) The war that was coming, oh it definitely arrived, it full force. So much conflict. I wanted to violently shake Aria. What goes on in that selfish, naive head of hers?! I've never considered Carter a villain, he's Aria's anti-hero. But she, she is his villain. She is his undoing. And not in the romantic way either. Breathless did give me one of the hottest sex scenes I've ever read, and it wasn't even a full sex scene!
My Favorite Quotes:
•'It's all going to crumble. All because of her. I would have done anything for her.'
•"Make sure they all know she chose to stay. She chose Carter."
•'At this moment, I feel he truly hates me. And that’s what breaks me. Because no matter what he did to me, I never hated him.'
•"You’re making it impossible for us to be together."
•'My little songbird is playing the part of the queen. And what a queen she would make.'
•"I don’t want to hear you talk about the woman you love, not in that context."
•"I miss you." "I need you."
•'Before he commands me to, I raise my arms above my head and to the headboard made of thin planks.'
•"I wouldn’t be the person I am without you."
•'I know for as long as I live, I’ll remember it all.'
•"Hold him as tight as you can, or he’ll die."
7/10 Dirty Birdy
8/10 Mafia Romance
8/10 Series