Reviews

Merciless by Willow Winters

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thindbooks's review against another edition

3.0

This story follows Aria who is stolen by Carter and tried to get her to fall in love with him. I’m all for a mafia romance book but I have to say that this book kind of laid flat for me. I have to say that there wasn’t much of a strong storyline in this book. The whole time it was just Carter persuading Aria to get on her knees of him. The pacing is very fast and this book is short so it’s an easy book to finish. This book is told from dual povs of both Aria and Carter.

Aria is taken to Carter’s prison cell and she is told to surrender. I was hoping for Aria to be strong but I have to say that she was a weak character and didn’t show much development at all. I was hoping she would learn to fight or something in that area. Then we have Carter and usually I like my mafia men but he’s a very cruel man. I don’t understand his obsession with Aria and I don’t think we will find out much until the next book. There are some side characters in this book but none who played major roles for their positions. The romance is very spicy and is a dominant / sub romance which is very dark so I recommend reading trigger warnings.

The ending ended with a cliffhanger and I would most likely be reading the next book just to find out what happens next. I do have to say that I’m a bit disappointed of this mafia story but I guess everyone’s perspective of the mafia is different.

*this book was sent from Verve Romance to give an honest review in return*

wri316's review against another edition

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4.0

If you are triggered by Stockholm syndrome type books, this is not for you. It is dark and there is a high level on non consent. If you like that or can get past that then you will like this one.

Carter is head of a drug cartel and Aria is the daughter of a rival drug lord. Aria is kidnapped by a third group and Carter "rescues" her from them. By kidnap, I mean he puts her in a cage and proceeds to spend several days/weeks breaking her will.

I liked the story itself and the ending, whoa. I didn't see that coming! The characters are very well written. All of the flaws are brilliantly described and by the end, you understand why each character is the way they are.

I do recommend the book and I do want to read the next book, Heartless.

narmas's review against another edition

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dark sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

528's review against another edition

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1.0

I couldnt Finish it.
I sometimes like to read a good written dark romance but this was just dark without any romance.

He just kidnapped her to brake her and traines her to be his slave.
No feeling no love no anything.
Nothing than his wants and her giving in and obeying because of the terror of being sent back to a monster of her past and the threat of being put back in the cell in which he kept her the first weeks.
Stockholm syndrome sold as romance.🆘

The only acceptable ending for this book would be if she killed him in the end.☠️

The writing was good though.✅

Content Warnings

kerithesmutslut's review against another edition

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3.0

Ok so I’m giving it 3 stars but I still don’t really know how to rate this book.

First I will say I loved the writing style, the pacing, and the overall writing by this author.

My issue with this book is that it’s not a romance. Even my dark romances you get the feeling the hero really likes the heroine, even if he goes about it completely wrong. In this book there is no love connection.

This is complete Stockholm syndrome for the heroine, and the hero literally treats her worse than a dog. I don’t get the real reason he feels like he needs to break her either, and some of the scenes people found hot, I was literally in tears because of how angry I was. I didn’t find this book hot or exciting. I found this story incredibly sad and heartbreaking.

However I really did enjoy the writing style. Willow grabbed my attention from the first page, and I didn’t want to put the book down.

I still don’t know how to feel about this book, or if 3 stars is really an accurate rating, but it’s been 3 days since I’ve read it, and I’m no closer to figuring out my feelings, so I’m going to stick with this rating... maybe it will change if I read the other books in the series.

books_and_lilly's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

🪐️ RATING: 4⭐ / 5⭐
🪐️ SPICE: 4🌶 / 5🌶

🪐️ Cititi "trigger warnings" inainte de a citii aceasta carte ca sa stiti in ce "va bagati". Dar a fost surprinzator de buna. O carte bine scrisa. Deranjanta in unele momente, dar avem lista de TW, si daca nu e pentru tine, nu o citii.
🪐️ Dar, wow! Chiar nu ma asteptam sa imi placa această carte, pentru ca nu sunt atrasa de genul acesta de lectura. Dar spre surprinderea mea am inceput-o si am dat-o gata in 3 ore. Nu am putut sa o las din mana.
🪐️ E o •mafia spicy romance• in care un clan rapeste fata unui alt conducator de clan, si incearca sa o faca sa se supuna lui. Am citit descrierea si m-am gandit ca e ceva banal plin de smut. Dar autoarea m-a surprins cat de bine a scris-o si intr-un mod destul de ciudat, mi-a placut dinamica dintre personaje.
🪐️ De la mine 4⭐ si sper ca volumul 2 sa fie la fel de bun.