Scan barcode
tweetatweet1's review against another edition
4.0
I was really enjoying where this was going but then they went to the sex club and now I’m confused. what happened to his tendencies? Who killed the girl in Emmanuels case? Toward the end it finally picked back up. I do want to read about Birdie and Ace.
meggie82461's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
”Have you ever wished that something was a dream?”
"Every day of my life."
This review might be kind of a mess. Usually, when I rate a book four stars, that's me issuing a blanket "above average" statement. This is not that kind of four-star rating. Elements of this book were 5+ stars, but I've come to the conclusion that for whatever reason, I seem to personally suffer from some sort of problem with this particular author. There's little doubt that she's full of both talent and fresh ideas, but when it comes her characters- well, her heroes, really- I still feel like I have no idea who they actually are. It's not a "her" thing, it's a me thing. Regardless, a hero can make or break a story for me, so when I feel like I can't flesh him out, the story just can't be perfect to me. That being said, this author knows how to write the shit out of a story, and I enjoyed this one more than the other one of hers I read. Also, despite the fact that I didn't ever feel like I fully knew Lucian, I loved the things I did know for sure. Most importantly, though, I have little doubt that the majority of my GR friends will approve of this story, especially the ones that have loved A Zavarelli's books in the past. The sex was HOT and the palpable chemistry between the MCs was scorching in a way that still stayed true to the events during and before the story.
She still smelled of coconut oil and sunshine. Paradise, if there was such a place. It was ironic, considering she had been forged in the depths of hell.
Standing in front of me, in the form of a beautiful woman, was a girl who never got to be.
Gypsy Blue was a very sympathetic heroine whom I struggled with at first, but ultimately grew to really like. When she and Lucian cross paths in the present, she's supporting herself and her little sister by running cons on unsuspecting rich and powerful men. She's a beautiful young woman who thinks the world owes her something after her harrowing childhood, and from where I was sitting, I didn't blame her for thinking that way. That along with the fact that I have some of my own disdain for the kind of men she targeted meant that I never really looked at her in a negative light. At times, I almost wished that she was a worse person, because then I could maybe understand why Lucian made the choices he did. Eventually, though, I started to realize that no matter what I thought of her, it's still not healthy to live a life that is rooted in the traumatic events of your past. Gypsy did need to grow enough to start looking ahead, and her journey in doing so was both relatable and touching. Thankfully, she held on to the aspects of her personality that I loved from the beginning while also slowly shedding the overbearing weight of her traumatic childhood.
I wanted to protect this girl, but I couldn’t deny the urge inside me that wanted to ruin her too.
For years, every hour had been gray. I'd lived under a cloud of perpetual rain until she came along, and now my life was filled with color. A storm of passionate red. She was changing the landscape of my life, and I didn't like it.
As I've made clear, I don't really know how to describe Lucian West. I also resented the idea that Gypsy simply needed a man to guide her, especially after what they had done to her in the past. I also found some of Lucian's decisions and actions to be mean-spirited and selfish, which seemed hypocritical when I considered what he thought of her character. I know Lucian was meant to be an enigma, and that's fine, but I still couldn't really make sense of him. That being said, I absolutely understood- and agreed with- his core belief system, which was one aspect of him that was very clearly presented. That ended up being a game-changer, because it was a big enough thing to allow me to believe in him, even if I didn't always agree with his methods. Additionally, there's no doubt those methods were effective. Since they both had to come to terms with the way their pasts had shaped them, their relationship was more of a slow burn. I did love the progression of it because if it had happened any differently (read: quicker), I wouldn't have found it plausible. I also really did love the way he loved Gypsy, even if there was a disconnect between that and his actions. I still think he was unknowingly hypocritical and not entirely self-aware, but nonetheless, he proved himself to be exactly what Gypsy needed in her life.
"You're psychotic."
"Maybe." He offered me a grim smile. "Or maybe I'm the best thing that ever happened to you."
I've been intentionally vague about the plot, so I know this review will make more sense to people that have already read it. If you haven't, just know there are triggers, as well as some plot holes and twists that didn't always work for me. However, I remained interested the entire way through. I would consider the story "average" on the light/dark scale, because while it had a dark undercurrent throughout, the main themes were those of redemption, hope, and faith. I also didn't have problems with the side characters like I did with the main ones, because while it was fairly transparent that the author was setting up future stories, they were still interesting, multi-faceted, and organic to the story being told. The last thing I wanted to note was that the author was brave to take on some serious, heavy issues while weaving Gypsy and Lucian's story, and she did so believably and respectfully.
I was prepared to let Gypsy know from the start how this game would be played. Only one set of rules existed, and they were mine.
"I want every beautiful piece of you, pet. Even the filthy ones."
She trembled, and it triggered an image of me baptizing her naked form in this holy water, only to desecrate her afterward like the true heathen I was.
I wanted to taste the tears she cried for me while I fucked her so hard she wouldn't be able to sit down for a week.
Lucian was a lot of things I didn't like, but he was also a protector. An alpha. A guardian.
Now she knew that I never needed her pain, only her surrender.
I didn't care if it was wrong anymore. I wanted to be inside her every second that I could until all my seconds were gone.
”Have you ever wished that something was a dream?”
"Every day of my life."
This review might be kind of a mess. Usually, when I rate a book four stars, that's me issuing a blanket "above average" statement. This is not that kind of four-star rating. Elements of this book were 5+ stars, but I've come to the conclusion that for whatever reason, I seem to personally suffer from some sort of problem with this particular author. There's little doubt that she's full of both talent and fresh ideas, but when it comes her characters- well, her heroes, really- I still feel like I have no idea who they actually are. It's not a "her" thing, it's a me thing. Regardless, a hero can make or break a story for me, so when I feel like I can't flesh him out, the story just can't be perfect to me. That being said, this author knows how to write the shit out of a story, and I enjoyed this one more than the other one of hers I read. Also, despite the fact that I didn't ever feel like I fully knew Lucian, I loved the things I did know for sure. Most importantly, though, I have little doubt that the majority of my GR friends will approve of this story, especially the ones that have loved A Zavarelli's books in the past. The sex was HOT and the palpable chemistry between the MCs was scorching in a way that still stayed true to the events during and before the story.
She still smelled of coconut oil and sunshine. Paradise, if there was such a place. It was ironic, considering she had been forged in the depths of hell.
Standing in front of me, in the form of a beautiful woman, was a girl who never got to be.
Gypsy Blue was a very sympathetic heroine whom I struggled with at first, but ultimately grew to really like. When she and Lucian cross paths in the present, she's supporting herself and her little sister by running cons on unsuspecting rich and powerful men. She's a beautiful young woman who thinks the world owes her something after her harrowing childhood, and from where I was sitting, I didn't blame her for thinking that way. That along with the fact that I have some of my own disdain for the kind of men she targeted meant that I never really looked at her in a negative light. At times, I almost wished that she was a worse person, because then I could maybe understand why Lucian made the choices he did. Eventually, though, I started to realize that no matter what I thought of her, it's still not healthy to live a life that is rooted in the traumatic events of your past. Gypsy did need to grow enough to start looking ahead, and her journey in doing so was both relatable and touching. Thankfully, she held on to the aspects of her personality that I loved from the beginning while also slowly shedding the overbearing weight of her traumatic childhood.
I wanted to protect this girl, but I couldn’t deny the urge inside me that wanted to ruin her too.
For years, every hour had been gray. I'd lived under a cloud of perpetual rain until she came along, and now my life was filled with color. A storm of passionate red. She was changing the landscape of my life, and I didn't like it.
As I've made clear, I don't really know how to describe Lucian West. I also resented the idea that Gypsy simply needed a man to guide her, especially after what they had done to her in the past. I also found some of Lucian's decisions and actions to be mean-spirited and selfish, which seemed hypocritical when I considered what he thought of her character. I know Lucian was meant to be an enigma, and that's fine, but I still couldn't really make sense of him. That being said, I absolutely understood- and agreed with- his core belief system, which was one aspect of him that was very clearly presented. That ended up being a game-changer, because it was a big enough thing to allow me to believe in him, even if I didn't always agree with his methods. Additionally, there's no doubt those methods were effective. Since they both had to come to terms with the way their pasts had shaped them, their relationship was more of a slow burn. I did love the progression of it because if it had happened any differently (read: quicker), I wouldn't have found it plausible. I also really did love the way he loved Gypsy, even if there was a disconnect between that and his actions. I still think he was unknowingly hypocritical and not entirely self-aware, but nonetheless, he proved himself to be exactly what Gypsy needed in her life.
"You're psychotic."
"Maybe." He offered me a grim smile. "Or maybe I'm the best thing that ever happened to you."
I've been intentionally vague about the plot, so I know this review will make more sense to people that have already read it. If you haven't, just know there are triggers, as well as some plot holes and twists that didn't always work for me. However, I remained interested the entire way through. I would consider the story "average" on the light/dark scale, because while it had a dark undercurrent throughout, the main themes were those of redemption, hope, and faith. I also didn't have problems with the side characters like I did with the main ones, because while it was fairly transparent that the author was setting up future stories, they were still interesting, multi-faceted, and organic to the story being told. The last thing I wanted to note was that the author was brave to take on some serious, heavy issues while weaving Gypsy and Lucian's story, and she did so believably and respectfully.
I was prepared to let Gypsy know from the start how this game would be played. Only one set of rules existed, and they were mine.
"I want every beautiful piece of you, pet. Even the filthy ones."
She trembled, and it triggered an image of me baptizing her naked form in this holy water, only to desecrate her afterward like the true heathen I was.
I wanted to taste the tears she cried for me while I fucked her so hard she wouldn't be able to sit down for a week.
Lucian was a lot of things I didn't like, but he was also a protector. An alpha. A guardian.
Now she knew that I never needed her pain, only her surrender.
I didn't care if it was wrong anymore. I wanted to be inside her every second that I could until all my seconds were gone.
annan0710's review against another edition
2.0
2.25-2.5ish stars. i think i lost all hope in A. Zavarelli being a favorite author of mine. i loved Crow and Reaper from the Boston Underground Series but this book? a whole mess. i am very mad because this book messed with my feelings so spoilers and profanities ahead but i’ll try to keep it at a minimum.
since the beginning, the dynamic between the two main characters were off. H was trying to fix h, forcing her to adopt habits of frugalness. H did not let her touch any of her clothes she bought but made her wear cheap and basic clothing (which i wouldn’t be mad about the price of clothes but H made her change her ways to basically teach her a lesson.) H acted like a dad to her. with the 17 year age gap between them, i felt like i was witnessing an incestuous relationship. H was making her sit in a CORNER as a time out when she was rude. H took away her phone and quote-on-quote “grounded” her, not letting her go out, giving her a bedtime and taking away her stuff. H treated her like a literal child, like HIS child and it just made me sick to my stomach
that lasted for about 30-45% of the book, but once it got passed that, it was better. the connection was better when H didn’t treat h like his child and actually treated her like an adult. the spicy scenes were okay, they seemed to be getting along better and it was cute at times. i liked that H opened up to h about his life and trusted her enough to know his secrets but he failed to mention his deteriorating health due to his cancer.
then because of his cancer, H died in the hospital and h never got to say she loves him and that she is pregnant. at this point of the book, i was SOBBING. i’m a sensitive soul so just by reading about death, i automatically sob. i was crying so much, like tears running down my face just because of the thought of h having to raise this baby by herself and the H not wanting to progress his medical treatment for his cancer because he wanted to die to be reunited with his dead son (who died years ago before he met h). basically choosing his dead son over his wife and unborn baby (even though he didn’t know about the h’s pregnancy, it still hurt me ok?) i literally cried so much and just reading about h mourning the lost of the love of her life was torturous to read because i always cry if i read about death. at this point, i was questioning A. Zavarelli because she never writes about sad stories. she doesn’t write about death... and there was another like 30% of the book left. there was still so many chapters left so i kind of thought to myself, H couldn’t be dead, right?
well, i was correct. H did not die. apparently someone tried to kill him in the hospital so he went into hiding. FOR 6 WHOLE FUCKING MONTHS. then H comes back when h is 8 months pregnant with his child and H accuses h of trying to MURDER HIM. but of course she didn’t because she mourned his death so immensely. apparently someone set h up to make it seem like h tried to kill her own husband, H. i just hated how H did not believe her when she said she didn’t try to murder him. like EXCUSE ME, she’s 8 months pregnant, carrying your child, but you don’t believe her when she says she didn’t try to kill you? puh-PLEASE. blah blah blah, we find out it’s not h that tried to kill H but instead it was H’s close friend. blah.
i was just furious because this book messed w my feelings so much. i grieved H with the h, i felt her pain and sobbed because i felt so bad for her since all the characters i read feel like real people to me. i kind of already knew in the back of my mind that H was still alive because this was not A Zavarelli’s writing if she wrote a sob story.
the ending was okay, it was pretty cute. H finally decided to go on chemo for his cancer and made a full recovery. i was seriously iffy about this book since there was just too many things that honestly did not flow well and was weird to me. all-in-all i think this is the last A. Zavarelli book for me...
since the beginning, the dynamic between the two main characters were off. H was trying to fix h, forcing her to adopt habits of frugalness. H did not let her touch any of her clothes she bought but made her wear cheap and basic clothing (which i wouldn’t be mad about the price of clothes but H made her change her ways to basically teach her a lesson.) H acted like a dad to her. with the 17 year age gap between them, i felt like i was witnessing an incestuous relationship. H was making her sit in a CORNER as a time out when she was rude. H took away her phone and quote-on-quote “grounded” her, not letting her go out, giving her a bedtime and taking away her stuff. H treated her like a literal child, like HIS child and it just made me sick to my stomach
that lasted for about 30-45% of the book, but once it got passed that, it was better. the connection was better when H didn’t treat h like his child and actually treated her like an adult. the spicy scenes were okay, they seemed to be getting along better and it was cute at times. i liked that H opened up to h about his life and trusted her enough to know his secrets but he failed to mention his deteriorating health due to his cancer.
then because of his cancer, H died in the hospital and h never got to say she loves him and that she is pregnant. at this point of the book, i was SOBBING. i’m a sensitive soul so just by reading about death, i automatically sob. i was crying so much, like tears running down my face just because of the thought of h having to raise this baby by herself and the H not wanting to progress his medical treatment for his cancer because he wanted to die to be reunited with his dead son (who died years ago before he met h). basically choosing his dead son over his wife and unborn baby (even though he didn’t know about the h’s pregnancy, it still hurt me ok?) i literally cried so much and just reading about h mourning the lost of the love of her life was torturous to read because i always cry if i read about death. at this point, i was questioning A. Zavarelli because she never writes about sad stories. she doesn’t write about death... and there was another like 30% of the book left. there was still so many chapters left so i kind of thought to myself, H couldn’t be dead, right?
well, i was correct. H did not die. apparently someone tried to kill him in the hospital so he went into hiding. FOR 6 WHOLE FUCKING MONTHS. then H comes back when h is 8 months pregnant with his child and H accuses h of trying to MURDER HIM. but of course she didn’t because she mourned his death so immensely. apparently someone set h up to make it seem like h tried to kill her own husband, H. i just hated how H did not believe her when she said she didn’t try to murder him. like EXCUSE ME, she’s 8 months pregnant, carrying your child, but you don’t believe her when she says she didn’t try to kill you? puh-PLEASE. blah blah blah, we find out it’s not h that tried to kill H but instead it was H’s close friend. blah.
i was just furious because this book messed w my feelings so much. i grieved H with the h, i felt her pain and sobbed because i felt so bad for her since all the characters i read feel like real people to me. i kind of already knew in the back of my mind that H was still alive because this was not A Zavarelli’s writing if she wrote a sob story.
the ending was okay, it was pretty cute. H finally decided to go on chemo for his cancer and made a full recovery. i was seriously iffy about this book since there was just too many things that honestly did not flow well and was weird to me. all-in-all i think this is the last A. Zavarelli book for me...
bobsvoid's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this.
Age gap? Check.
Fake relationship/arranged? Check.
Enemies to lovers? Check.
I don't mind gritty books. Not only did this not work, but there were some awful stuff. Some scenes are grey areas, but all I saw was abuse. I'm not going to shame someones sexual kinks, but if someone says STOP, you stop.
The only reason this is two stars instead of one is because the writing was good.
Age gap? Check.
Fake relationship/arranged? Check.
Enemies to lovers? Check.
I don't mind gritty books. Not only did this not work, but there were some awful stuff. Some scenes are grey areas, but all I saw was abuse. I'm not going to shame someones sexual kinks, but if someone says STOP, you stop.
The only reason this is two stars instead of one is because the writing was good.
2jam4u's review against another edition
1.0
Yo fuck this book
I know I hate captivity stories but I feel like I should have had more warning that this was essentially a kidnapping/BDSM/let me be your father situation. If I’d known that I absolutely would never had read.
Like actually what the fuck. This man has only punished her and treated her really poorly (he fully assaulted her..) only tells her is that she’s awful and somehow gaslight her into thinking she’s hurting Lucian by not seeing him as a saint. That it’s her fault she’s getting punished. Bullshit.
Not to mention I’m sick of these stories where a girl is supposed to be this badass super smart renegade that gets immediately bested by this stupid cold man. Dumb!
Fuck this guy I’m quitting at 50%. I’m only sorry I’m missing out on him (what I can only assume) dying lol because he’s a piece of shit.
I know I hate captivity stories but I feel like I should have had more warning that this was essentially a kidnapping/BDSM/let me be your father situation. If I’d known that I absolutely would never had read.
Like actually what the fuck. This man has only punished her and treated her really poorly (he fully assaulted her..) only tells her is that she’s awful and somehow gaslight her into thinking she’s hurting Lucian by not seeing him as a saint. That it’s her fault she’s getting punished. Bullshit.
Not to mention I’m sick of these stories where a girl is supposed to be this badass super smart renegade that gets immediately bested by this stupid cold man. Dumb!
Fuck this guy I’m quitting at 50%. I’m only sorry I’m missing out on him (what I can only assume) dying lol because he’s a piece of shit.
ammee411's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
2.0
Meh, not going to read the rest of the series. Really only the last 20% was interesting
mariannareads's review against another edition
2.0
I got tired but I don't want not to DNF it. It was ok but I'm not going to pick the next book either.
aprillivings's review against another edition
5.0
I flipping LOVE this book!!! The love story is amazing and raw and gritty. I wanted to crawl inside these characters and live them.