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thebookplatypus91's review against another edition
5.0
“I’m stewing over the fact that I just effectively destroyed my life in New York to chase after a runaway felony fleeing to a country I abhor.”
Oh Elena Lombardi. I think she’s probably one of my favorite female characters that Gianna Darling has ever created. I feel for this character so much. She has always settled as being second best to everyone in her life. She worked her ass off to become a lawyer. Her marriage fell apart. Infertility played a huge role in her life. She was living but she wasn’t LIVING. Until Dante ripped the rug right under her stilettos and lit fire under her. He sees her. He understands her. He devours her. He is madly in love with her.
“I’ve told you, Elena, whatever you and I are made of, it is the same. No one exist for me, but you. No one makes you come alive, but me. “
Elena made the biggest decision of her life to follow Dante and flee the country. But they did not flee to safety. There is a lot of danger that comes with dating a Capo in Italy.
Book one was on the slowish side of drama because it was really about building up the relationship between Elena and Dante. Book two?! Oh it gets ridiculously hot and heavy in the first few chapters between these two. That plane scene?!
Oh Elena Lombardi. I think she’s probably one of my favorite female characters that Gianna Darling has ever created. I feel for this character so much. She has always settled as being second best to everyone in her life. She worked her ass off to become a lawyer. Her marriage fell apart. Infertility played a huge role in her life. She was living but she wasn’t LIVING. Until Dante ripped the rug right under her stilettos and lit fire under her. He sees her. He understands her. He devours her. He is madly in love with her.
“I’ve told you, Elena, whatever you and I are made of, it is the same. No one exist for me, but you. No one makes you come alive, but me. “
Elena made the biggest decision of her life to follow Dante and flee the country. But they did not flee to safety. There is a lot of danger that comes with dating a Capo in Italy.
Book one was on the slowish side of drama because it was really about building up the relationship between Elena and Dante. Book two?! Oh it gets ridiculously hot and heavy in the first few chapters between these two. That plane scene?!
_naouress's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this duet so much. Definitely one of the best book I read this year
naomiloud's review against another edition
4.0
Actually enjoyed following a couple that was already established and in love for a change. Usually I’m all about the tension. I think it was because of Dante’s unwavering devotion he had towards Elena
nurlogy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
neshaisabookworms_book_review's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful
Elena and Dante had a fairytale ending/beginning of their love story. This book was equal parts romance and action. The perfect combination for a mafia romance.
Elena and Dante had a fairytale ending/beginning of their love story. This book was equal parts romance and action. The perfect combination for a mafia romance.
corvinascloud's review
5.0
“this beats for you. it bleeds for you. i am yours. your sword, your champion, your lover, and your home. you don’t understand this yet, but i will never hurt you. i only ever hurt for you because fuck me, you’ve been through too much already. i will only ever hurt those who hurt you because i love you and i won’t let anyone else ever get away with putting pain in your heart without consequences.”
this book was all elena, there's no way around it. whereas the first half of the duet left me feeling like she wasn't given enough, this second one was a love letter to her. from the author, from dante, from everyone in her family, both blood and found. the conclusion to the happily ever after she fought to deserve. she stole the book away, made it her own. that was proven time and time again in the smallest, but most meaningful, of details, she was donna to his capo, his regina but he wasn't king. if "when heroes fall" was her villain origin story, the death of the ice queen, "when villains rise" was her accepting her heroism, the rebirth of the mafia goddess. dante might have saved her at first, but she saved herself in this one. he might have taught her how to love herself, but she taught him new meanings of love. they were one and the same, made of the same thing, made for each other.
the true testament of this story for me is how i dislike duets based on the fact that i believe 9 out of 10 times they can be told in one book so most of the plot is just filler. this is the one exception. there were no plot holes, nothing was mentioned that didn't make sense for the overall arc of the story, everything fit in the bigger picture, including the multiple mentions of the fallen men mc.
this book was all elena, there's no way around it. whereas the first half of the duet left me feeling like she wasn't given enough, this second one was a love letter to her. from the author, from dante, from everyone in her family, both blood and found. the conclusion to the happily ever after she fought to deserve. she stole the book away, made it her own. that was proven time and time again in the smallest, but most meaningful, of details, she was donna to his capo, his regina but he wasn't king. if "when heroes fall" was her villain origin story, the death of the ice queen, "when villains rise" was her accepting her heroism, the rebirth of the mafia goddess. dante might have saved her at first, but she saved herself in this one. he might have taught her how to love herself, but she taught him new meanings of love. they were one and the same, made of the same thing, made for each other.
the true testament of this story for me is how i dislike duets based on the fact that i believe 9 out of 10 times they can be told in one book so most of the plot is just filler. this is the one exception. there were no plot holes, nothing was mentioned that didn't make sense for the overall arc of the story, everything fit in the bigger picture, including the multiple mentions of the fallen men mc.
anzhelikali's review
3.0
Book 1 in the series was amazing, but this one fell flat for me, unfortunately. Kind of felt repetitive at times. Also, there was more telling than showing. So, yeah...
alexandra26's review
The writing style is so pretentious and trying too much that even though I'm somehow invested in the story and I want know how everything ends, it's been a month and I have not returned to this book.
I'm filing it under DNF for now, maybe I'll try to finish it someday.
I'm filing it under DNF for now, maybe I'll try to finish it someday.