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denevay_y's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I don’t even know where to begin processing this book. This book literally kept me hooked from the beginning to the end, no exceptions.
The suspense was eating me alive up until the very end and I literally DEVOURED every chapter. And now I just HAVE to know what’s going to happen next.
The storytelling was amazing, the tensions and spice 🌶️ were my anchor in every plot twist, and believe me when I say, there were so many plot twists.
I loved Nora’s character development. We meet her as a girl shackled by the life she is forced to live in her gilded cage, desperate to get free. Yet everything seems to be against her. Every new piece of information intent on damning her, shaking the ground structure she lived her whole life on. And we get to experience and feel with her everything this journey throws at her – the difficulty of accepting the horrors of her previous life, of living in this new reality her life has become after discovering the truth.
The romance was very contradictory, and yet I loved every second of it. Nora and August both have demons of their own, but will this be enough to stand in their way and drive them apart? Their relationship brings an exciting element to the gripping crime storyline, with each interaction between them feeling like a spark about to catch fire. 🔥
The first book created a detailed picture of the life, relationships and surroundings of the characters, but I NEED the second book and I need answers.
Themes & Highlights:
- Mafia/cartel setting 🔪
- Morally gray 🥵
- Slow Burn 🌶️
- Touch her and die 💀
- Forbidden romance ❤️🔥
- One bed 😏
- Forced proximity
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Self harm, and Death of parent
Minor: Trafficking, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
lore_and_books's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Whoa. What a great read. Every time I thought I knew what was coming, I was wrong. The suspense, the twists, the tension, the secrets, the world of crime — it was all so engrossing. The setting is dark, but the romance aspect itself is not particularly dark. Perhaps this is obvious given the setting, but I still think it’s important to mention; there are many CWs. The author makes these all available in the back of the book.
After losing her parents at a young age, Nora is raised by her godfather who is a crime lord. He is controlling and protective, keeping Nora heavily guarded at all times. Enter: the new head of security. From the moment they meet, their magnetic pull to each other is hard to resist, as much as they know they shouldn’t act on it. When Nora and August are forced to flee the city, Nora struggles with knowing who she can trust. Faced with confronting her role in her godfather’s criminal empire, complicated feelings for August, and secrets that crumble everything she’s ever known — can Nora finally leave this life behind?
I really liked the formatting of the book: several chapters in Nora’s POV, and then several in August’s, rather than switching back and forth every chapter. I feel like it really let me see inside each character more and understand their actions and motivations better.
Read if you like:
- forbidden romance (he’s her bodyguard)
- forced proximity
- suspense
- criminal world setting
- touch her and regret it
This is Book 1 of a duet, and does end on a cliffhanger.
After losing her parents at a young age, Nora is raised by her godfather who is a crime lord. He is controlling and protective, keeping Nora heavily guarded at all times. Enter: the new head of security. From the moment they meet, their magnetic pull to each other is hard to resist, as much as they know they shouldn’t act on it. When Nora and August are forced to flee the city, Nora struggles with knowing who she can trust. Faced with confronting her role in her godfather’s criminal empire, complicated feelings for August, and secrets that crumble everything she’s ever known — can Nora finally leave this life behind?
I really liked the formatting of the book: several chapters in Nora’s POV, and then several in August’s, rather than switching back and forth every chapter. I feel like it really let me see inside each character more and understand their actions and motivations better.
Read if you like:
- forbidden romance (he’s her bodyguard)
- forced proximity
- suspense
- criminal world setting
- touch her and regret it
This is Book 1 of a duet, and does end on a cliffhanger.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol