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spic_ylibrarian's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This book just didn’t hit for me, I’m usually all in for a sexually confident fmc but Sasha just didn’t cut it for me & Luca was bland at best 🤷🏻♀️
rosanarainhart's review
5.0
What do I say?! This was amazing, wonderful, heart-tugging and smile inducing!
romancebookloverinseattle's review
4.0
This was a fantastic story. By the end of it, I was turning pages, just wanting to see how everything would turn out, not wanting to put it down at all. The beginning was a rough start. Sasha is a very confident woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid of being up front about it. Her last relationship was a toxic one, so she is only interested in casual, no strings relationships. Luca, her one night stand from a wedding, knows what he wants and that's Sasha. This threw a bit of the standard stereotypes in romance on their head. I don't mind my heroines like that, but I'd rather those things be discovered throughout the course of the story but in the beginning it felt slightly forced. However, as you move through the story, those traits feel less forced as she became more of a rounded character and she see some of her vulnerabilities come out. I became incredibly invested in her and seeing what would happen next, and by the end I couldn't put this book down!
I will also note I was delighted to find that even though it is a trilogy, and there are unresolved things occurring within book, this did not at all feel like a cliffhanger. I'm hoping the second book isn't far off - can't wait to read it!
I will also note I was delighted to find that even though it is a trilogy, and there are unresolved things occurring within book, this did not at all feel like a cliffhanger. I'm hoping the second book isn't far off - can't wait to read it!
mikrh_snobara's review
4.0
4/5 Because I'm Greek and I don't like that the Greeks are the bad guys. Other than that it was pretty good.
linnybelle's review
3.0
An interesting take on a mob romance. I mostly enjoyed the characters and liked seeing their relationship change. I appreciated the curvy, confident, bisexual heroine and the cinnamon roll male hero.
taycrots's review
3.0
━━ ⋆¸* ★ 3 stars
⋆¸* burlesque themes? win. bisexual rep? a win. look at her and die? triple win. cinnamon roll mafia man???? horny
⋆¸* the way he consistently pursues her after a one night stand will not be funny with the way she leaves pretty much naked because he ruined her dress.
⋆¸* HE CRIES?
⋆¸* burlesque themes? win. bisexual rep? a win. look at her and die? triple win. cinnamon roll mafia man???? horny
⋆¸* the way he consistently pursues her after a one night stand will not be funny with the way she leaves pretty much naked because he ruined her dress.
⋆¸* HE CRIES?
sarah_thebooknerd's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Fat Representation: very body neutral fat positive.
Queer rep: Sasha is bisexual
I really enjoyed this one- mafia romances are not my normal go to romances because I struggle with the misogyny within the men. In this one Luca is a total cinnamon roll and I loved that he is in touch with his emotions, sweet and just adorable in all ways when it comes to how he treats and loves Sasha.
Sasha is strong, fierce and a little flawed and we support women’s wrongs and she sometimes comes across more as the one in control and not caring but she does and seeing her be vulnerable with Luca was awesome.
The book reads like a mafia mystery in a way because she is learning that Luca is in the mafia after she fell for him and there is a lot of back and forth with these two when it comes to the mafia aspect of them being able to be together. This is the first book in the series with this couple and I legit just went and bought the other 2 because I need to know what happens.
Queer rep: Sasha is bisexual
I really enjoyed this one- mafia romances are not my normal go to romances because I struggle with the misogyny within the men. In this one Luca is a total cinnamon roll and I loved that he is in touch with his emotions, sweet and just adorable in all ways when it comes to how he treats and loves Sasha.
Sasha is strong, fierce and a little flawed and we support women’s wrongs and she sometimes comes across more as the one in control and not caring but she does and seeing her be vulnerable with Luca was awesome.
The book reads like a mafia mystery in a way because she is learning that Luca is in the mafia after she fell for him and there is a lot of back and forth with these two when it comes to the mafia aspect of them being able to be together. This is the first book in the series with this couple and I legit just went and bought the other 2 because I need to know what happens.
safulton's review
5.0
I need more
So good. So so so good. I need more asap. I also want a story with Ashley, Malcom and Axel.
So good. So so so good. I need more asap. I also want a story with Ashley, Malcom and Axel.
undrcvrbookahlc's review
3.0
While I enjoyed this a lot and it was very well written, I found myself a little bored with how redundant it became. Sasha and Luca are in love with each other and all is fine and dandy until Sasha catches Luca in a lie. We don't find out what that lie was until many, many chapters later. During the buildup prior to the breakup (sorry mild spoiler), Sasha and Luca had a handful of domestic issues that arose that I found extremely relatable. It gave a level of authenticity to this story that really immersed you into the plot. Working late, moving in together, lull in sex life, etc... These are the things that I really thought brought a certain realness to the story.
After the "lie," we go around and around in time jumps (a few weeks, a year later, etc.) where Sasha is running to Luca basically begging him to be with her and he refuses for whatever reason (we don't know at the time). Granted, she has the respect for herself that when he tells her that he loves her but can't be with her, she walks away. But then she'll see him again however long later and ask him to be with her AGAIN and he denies her AGAIN. Like I said, it got a little redundant.
I don't like OM/OW drama so I was disappointed that during one of the time jumps where it cuts to a year later, Sasha mentions that she's been with many people in order to sate her physical desires, however none were as fulfilling as Luca. While this technically isn't cheating and is very realistic in terms of a breakup, I still don't like that we know she was with someone else when she was technically still in love with him. I'm not sure if we are given info on if Luca sleeps with anyone else during this time. There was plenty of mutual pining and angst during this time but I feel like a handful of the interactions could've been cut because they were so similar. There was also some OW issues when Luca announces his engagement to a rival mafia princess near the end of the book. This gets wrapped up strangely and quickly though so it was a weird plot point to include. Overall a decent story but I'm not sure I would purchase the next book. If it was on KU I would probably read.
After the "lie," we go around and around in time jumps (a few weeks, a year later, etc.) where Sasha is running to Luca basically begging him to be with her and he refuses for whatever reason (we don't know at the time). Granted, she has the respect for herself that when he tells her that he loves her but can't be with her, she walks away. But then she'll see him again however long later and ask him to be with her AGAIN and he denies her AGAIN. Like I said, it got a little redundant.
I don't like OM/OW drama so I was disappointed that during one of the time jumps where it cuts to a year later, Sasha mentions that she's been with many people in order to sate her physical desires, however none were as fulfilling as Luca. While this technically isn't cheating and is very realistic in terms of a breakup, I still don't like that we know she was with someone else when she was technically still in love with him. I'm not sure if we are given info on if Luca sleeps with anyone else during this time. There was plenty of mutual pining and angst during this time but I feel like a handful of the interactions could've been cut because they were so similar. There was also some OW issues when Luca announces his engagement to a rival mafia princess near the end of the book. This gets wrapped up strangely and quickly though so it was a weird plot point to include. Overall a decent story but I'm not sure I would purchase the next book. If it was on KU I would probably read.
ddanddauthor's review
5.0
I was so happy to see queer representation in this book in more ways than just the MC; but the MC being queer and her queer identity not being erased just because the love interest is a man. Not only that but a curvy woman, a confident and strong woman. This book was absolutely deliciously sexy and exciting, but my favorite part is the representation of someone like me along side a killer plot.
*I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest review.*
*I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest review.*