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polarisdot's review against another edition
4.0
This book outshined the first one by a long shot, and I found myself genuinely captivated by it. Dante, despite his oddities, struck a chord with me because of the rawness of his emotions and the depth of his struggle to move on from his late wife. Valentina, on the other hand, was a source of constant irritation, not due to any fault of the author's writing, but rather because of how effectively she was portrayed. Dante's journey to heal was hindered by her insistence on pushing him forward before he was truly ready, disregarding the fact that grief knows no timetable. It was frustrating to see her expect him to embrace her, especially when he wasn't in love with her, even after she became pregnant. Despite my mixed feelings about certain characters, I remain thoroughly invested in this series and I’m pouring out excitement to continue reading further.
Additionally, I strongly felt that the story would have benefited from a dual point of view. Experiencing Dante's grief firsthand and understanding his feelings towards Valentina's unwelcome initial advances would have added depth and complexity to the narrative. It would have allowed readers to empathize with Dante on a deeper level and provided insight into the dynamics of their relationship from both perspectives. Valentina crossed so many boundaries that I felt hurt Dante but it was never expressed completely because we only got her point of view.
Each book feels distinct yet connected, offering a captivating and compelling narrative that keeps me eagerly turning the pages, the books do not feel like I’m reading the same thing over and over again and I love that, the book absolutely deserves the 4 stars I gave it and the only thing keeping it from having five stars was the lack of a dual point of view.
Additionally, I strongly felt that the story would have benefited from a dual point of view. Experiencing Dante's grief firsthand and understanding his feelings towards Valentina's unwelcome initial advances would have added depth and complexity to the narrative. It would have allowed readers to empathize with Dante on a deeper level and provided insight into the dynamics of their relationship from both perspectives. Valentina crossed so many boundaries that I felt hurt Dante but it was never expressed completely because we only got her point of view.
Each book feels distinct yet connected, offering a captivating and compelling narrative that keeps me eagerly turning the pages, the books do not feel like I’m reading the same thing over and over again and I love that, the book absolutely deserves the 4 stars I gave it and the only thing keeping it from having five stars was the lack of a dual point of view.
cobaltbookshelf's review against another edition
1.0
Total and complete indifference.
Book starts with Valentina only wanting to sleep with Dante like where is her personality.
Dante iceberg is warmer, them together is just sexual with out emotions.
Hopefully Gianna book will be better.
Book starts with Valentina only wanting to sleep with Dante like where is her personality.
Dante iceberg is warmer, them together is just sexual with out emotions.
Hopefully Gianna book will be better.
jankimanani's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 ⭐️
“You’re so busy honoring her memory and protecting the image of her you have in your mind that you don’t realize how badly you’re treating me. You lost your first wife through no fault of your own, but you will be losing me because you can’t let go of her.”
the way he treated her so horribly throughout the first half of the book makes me so upset. i love them a lot but i find it infuriating how they’ve gone through and overcame so much together and he’s still never said ‘i love you’ to her. anyways i’m gonna read bound by past now.
I LOVE BIBIANA AND VAL!!!!!!! queens bestie goals i would’ve done the same for kallie
“You’re so busy honoring her memory and protecting the image of her you have in your mind that you don’t realize how badly you’re treating me. You lost your first wife through no fault of your own, but you will be losing me because you can’t let go of her.”
the way he treated her so horribly throughout the first half of the book makes me so upset. i love them a lot but i find it infuriating how they’ve gone through and overcame so much together and he’s still never said ‘i love you’ to her. anyways i’m gonna read bound by past now.
I LOVE BIBIANA AND VAL!!!!!!! queens bestie goals i would’ve done the same for kallie
gardenfairyreads's review against another edition
2.0
why does it seem like dante literally doesn't even love valentina
denissereads's review against another edition
5.0
This book made me go crazy, I finished it in record time because I enjoyed it so much! I loved the way the main characters were with each other, and the fact that they were a team and helped each other when in need made me love them more. I’m not going to spoiler the story, but I’ll say that even though they had their problems in communication somehow, from my point of view, they were respectful of the other no matter what. Valentina was a stubborn woman and Dante as cold as you can get. But still you could see how they just work as a couple.
Overall, this story had my undivided attention and I loved it, so obviously I recommend it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars because finally the woman had courage and had her own believes that she fought for it.
sofia_santana's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
taries's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
uehfiwo's review against another edition
4.0
It was pretty good but the story felt out of place. Valentina and Dante felt like such minor characters from the first book. I wasn’t that invested in their relationship but was looking for the connection to the characters from the main family.
cecilielaugesen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
My main problem with this was Valentina… She was annoying, frustrating, insensitive and delusional.
1. Married a guy she KNEW was gay, because she thought SHE could turn him not gay anymore.
2. Is furious with Dante and keeps saying there is something wrong with him because he can’t just get over his dead wife whom he loved deeply. Again because now he has her, so he really shouldn’t keep dwelling on the dead love of his.
1. Married a guy she KNEW was gay, because she thought SHE could turn him not gay anymore.
2. Is furious with Dante and keeps saying there is something wrong with him because he can’t just get over his dead wife whom he loved deeply. Again because now he has her, so he really shouldn’t keep dwelling on the dead love of his.
3. ALL she thinks about and talks about for the better part of the book is sex. Especially when talking to her best friend who is actively being raped and beaten, Valentine is constantly whining that Dante won’t touch her.
4. She’s oblivious to the (mafia) world around her. But apparently she is so much better and smarter than everyone else, so it doesn’t matter. And while she borderline looks down on all the other women being abused(again because she thinks she’s too strong to let a man abuse her) she caves to Dante SO easily, like????
5. She is very resentful, she has the WORST life ever because she was married to a (gay) man who didn’t love her. - I know that’s not the ideal situation, but again she thinks she has it harder than everyone else, and it’s just not fair….
6. She led them into an ambush, and then SHE is mad that he won’t just forgive her. Without her doing anything whatsoever to earn forgiveness, besides trying to seduce him and have sex.
7. She was a lot more tolerable towards the end, but it felt like it came out of nowhere with no actual character development.
7. She was a lot more tolerable towards the end, but it felt like it came out of nowhere with no actual character development.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Gun violence, Sexism, Murder, Gaslighting, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Infertility