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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Plot Rating: 🔐🔐🔐🔐
Character Rating: 🖼️🖼️🖼️🖼️
Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️
Emotions: 😂🥵🫠🤭🫶🥰🥵😣😟❤️
POV: Dual
✨Tropes✨
🌹Mafia Romance
🌹Down bad Hero
🌹Fierce Heroine
🌹Secret Relationship
Quick synopsis: Natalie’s fiancé David disappeared five years ago on the eve of their wedding. She had no closure and has battle depression since unable to move on. When her new mysterious neighbour Kage sparks life in her again she is helpless to resist. Natalie and Kage are attracted to each other at first site. Though Natalie is still damaged by her past and Kage is not the kind of guy who pushes too far when a woman is not ready. Though he makes a decision to put her under his protection even though it is dangerous for both of them if his boss finds out he didn't get the job done.
<b><blockquote>"Why would you trust me with something like that?"
"Because I want you to trust me."
"Why?"
"Because I want you. And I suspect getting to have you requires a certain level of trust. I can tell you're not the type who sleeps around. Next question."
God, my heart is beating so, so fast. So fast I can barely breathe.
Also, I think I might have whiplash.
I say, "Are you always this ...
"Direct? Yes."
"I was going to say contradictory. Yesterday it seemed like you hated me. I'm still not sure you don't."
His voice drops. "Yesterday you weren't under my protection.
Now you are."
His eyes are hypnotic. His voice is hypnotic. This man is putting me under a spell. "I'm pretty sure I have no idea what you're talking about."
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you believe you're safe with me."</blockquote></b>
✨Hero✨<b>Kage Portnov</b> is a dangerous man and is in town to take care of loose ends in the form of Natalie Peterson. However, when he sees her and she is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, he is conflicted. He buys the house next door to hers and sets out to learn more about her and becomes hooked.
🍌 I fucking love this man 🫶🥰🩷🫠 Kage was just so perfect - he could be soft and swoony then dominant then flirty. I ATE it up 😍
<b><blockquote> "I'm late for work."
"You don't have to work anymore, if you don't want to" I laugh. "Oh, really? Did I win the lottery or something?" He chuckles. "Or something. You won me."
Wait. He's actually serious. I stop laughing and frown. "Let me get this straight. You're telling me that after sleeping with me once, you're willing to support me financially from now on?"
"Of course."
"Don't make it sound so reasonable!"
"Why not? It is."
"No, it's absolutely not."
"You're mine now. It's my duty and pleasure to take care of you." Who talks like that? What's happening? "Give me a sec. My head is spinning."
"I'm not saying you should quit your job. I'm just saying you could. Money will no longer be a concern for you."</blockquote></b>
✨Heroine✨ <b>Natalie Peterson</b> has spent the last five years in depression. Never finding out what happened to her fiance has damaged her on my wedding day has haunted her. When she sees Kage for the first time, something reignites in her. She finds herself wanting him and thinking about him.
🍒 I really liked Natalie. She wasn’t a pushover and she gave it back to him.
<b><blockquote>”You never put your house on the market."
"No."
"You said you'd put it on the market within a few weeks after you left."
"Yes."
"What happened?"
His voice drops. "You happened."</blockquote></b>
💋👑<i>Nicknames</i>👑💋
💍Baby
<b><blockquote>"I'm not the girl who jumps into bed with strangers.
Especially not ones who are leaving town in a few days."
Still behind me, he moves closer and puts his mouth near my ear. In a voice like velvet, he says, "I want to taste every inch of you.
I want to hear you scream my name. I want to make you come so hard you forget your own. I don't have time to fuck around— excuse the pun—with the kind of wooing I'd usually do to win you, so that's why I'm being so blunt.
"Ask me to leave you alone and you have my word I will. But until I hear that, I have to tell you, Natalie, that I want to fuck your sweet cunt and your perfect ass and your luscious mouth and anything else you'll let me fuck, because you are the single most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life." He inhales deeply against my neck.
I almost collapse into the street.</blockquote></b>
What I thought: <i>I had so much fun with this! I loved Kage and Natalie together 🤩✨🥰</i>
I completely bought into the attraction between Kage and Natalie. I felt their connection and chemistry. It was entertaining with all of the mafia drama. Intrigued to continue the series.
Fuck me I love Kage so much! Um why is Kage my perfect man 🥰🫠🥵🤭🫶🦋🩷 like him flirting with her over the phone was just making me blush
<b><blockquote> The playfulness in his voice makes me cock my head. "Are you
flirting with me?"
"You sound as surprised as I did when I found out you bake
cookies."
"I's just that you change moods like I change shoes. I've never met someone who could go from smoldering to silly so fast."
"Silly?" He sounds disgusted. "I've never been silly in my life."
"Too macho, huh?"
"Way too macho. As you can tell."
I have to laugh, because he's flirting with me again. A lighthearted Kage is not something I expected. "Youre in a good mood today."
"You called. You asked me out on a date. You're obviously help-
less against my many, many charms—"
"Let's not get carried away."
"—which means my plan is working perfectly."
"What plan is that?"
He does another about-face, going from playful to scorchingly sexy as quick as two fingers snapping. He growls, "Making you mine." </blockquote></b>
✨Favourite scenes✨
🔑Kage inviting her over to his table at dinner and telling her he wants her 🥵🫠
🔑Kage scaring Chris off and them saying goodbye 🤭
🔑Kage coming back in December and telling her he wants her 🫶🤭🫠🥵
🔑Natalie asking him on a date and Kage flirting over the phone
🔑Them fucking for the first time
🔑Him spanking her
🔑Kage finding her in Panama
🔑Kage already owning a ring and looking into getting his vasectomy reversed
<b><blockquote>"How long will you be here?"
"A few days. I need to kiss you."
"No." It's faint and not altogether convincing.
"Then come sit on my lap and let me finger fuck you while I feed you dinner."</blockquote></b> 🥵
✨What I liked✨
💵Kage
<b><blockquote>He growls, "Interrupt me again and I'll take you over my knee right here and spank that perfect ass of yours until you're screaming."</blockquote></b>
💫Quotes💫
"I'm scared."
"I won't hurt you, sweetheart. I promise."
"No, I mean ... I'm scared that I'll like it." Holding my gaze, he says, "You will."
<b><blockquote> "But you're going to have to make the first move.
I blink so slowly, I'm sure it looks comical. "Wait. What?"
"You heard me."
"You don't consider everything you've said to me since I opened
the door to be making the first move?"
An amused smile curves his lips. "Fair enough. Youll have to make the second move, then. I won't pressure you. I'll be on your timetable, not mine."
"It?"
"Us."
He says it like it's an absolute. An inevitability. As if he's been to the future and had a good look around, and now is back here just waiting for me to get on board with the program. </blockquote></b>
"You're adorable when you're angry."
you know."
"Don't make me kick you in the shin. I've got a temper just so you know”
Leaning down to brace his arms on the table on either side of my body, Kage gazes deeply into my eyes.
"Good. I want you to speak your mind with me. Tell me when I'm out of line. Kick my ass if I need it. Because one thing i can guarantee you is that I'm not an easy man. I'm definitely gonna piss you off."
I smile sweetly at him. "Really? Shocking."
"Smartass."
"One hundred percent. I guess that's something you should know about me. Also, since were being so open and whatnot, I'm not sure how I feel about the whole take you over my knee thing. I don't like the idea of being spanked."
"What if I could guarantee you'd like it?"
<b><blockquote>”I’m not a patient man. But that's not your problem. If you ask me to leave you alone, I'll honor that request."</blockquote></b>
"All right, Ms. Peterson. I accept your offer for a date. What time are you picking me up?"
"Me? Pick you up? Wait—"
"Youre right, I should drive. People who burn cookies so badly can't be trusted behind the wheel of a car."
I laugh. "Oh, so you want me to communicate with you? Here's where I tell you not to be a chauvinistic jerk."
"You weren't kidding about missing that day in etiquette class."
"I missed the one about not being a wisecracking little smart
aleck, too."
Once again, he pulls a one-eighty, going from light to dark like
quicksilver.
"Don't worry," he says in a hard, dominant voice. "I'll correct that bad behavior. I'll correct it over and over again with the palm of my hand on your naked ass until you're writhing on my lap and begging me to let you come."
Then he tells me he'll pick me up at six and hangs up on me.
DNF @13%. Didn't like the instalust like at least give the plot a chance to develop. The MMC gave me the ick with his hot and cold behavior. Not a fan of either narrator. Someone save me from this dnf spiral.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Excellent start to this mafia series ... Spice 3.5
July 2023:
I still loved this book. There are some amazing lines. I love JT's style. I am bumping this up to a full 5.
April 2022:
4.5 stars
I still loved this book. There are some amazing lines. I love JT's style. I am bumping this up to a full 5.
April 2022:
4.5 stars
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bonus points for decent smut. I enjoyed that she spanks him. The girls are funny but the guys are so boring.
I'll keep going for the story and smut but I'm not invested in any of these characters.
I'll keep going for the story and smut but I'm not invested in any of these characters.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Kage, Kage, Kage. He will forever be my favorite in this series. AND THE TWISTS. I literally could not put this down. I LOVE THIS COUPLE SO MUCH
update: I just listened to the audiobook, and I will need to take 4-6 business days to get over Kage's voice in this. 🫠
update: I just listened to the audiobook, and I will need to take 4-6 business days to get over Kage's voice in this. 🫠
dark
emotional
sad
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:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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