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mayankamal18's review
4.0
This was a wild ride.
The pace is much better than that in the first book, and while the relationship is slightly more developed, it's still a little lackluster. Very insta-love type of thing and a lot of trauma bonding, which the author seems to be aware of and addresses.
My one true issue however was the internalized misogyny and what's with the obsession with virginity? I get it's mafia romance and there's a focus on "purity" but it could have been presented in a better way that doesn't leave a bad taste in your mouth. This was prevalent in the first book too.
Regarding the internalized misogyny, that was apparent at the beginning of the book with the nanny tutor lady and then the description of how Catalina covers up and doesn't "dress like other girls"... Which is unfortunate, because Catalina was a nun in a convent, this train of thought could have been used purposefully to show her character development from a judgy person after her discharge from the convent and show how living there affected her, and then her life outside of church and her growth to a less judgy person by the end of the story.
The pace is much better than that in the first book, and while the relationship is slightly more developed, it's still a little lackluster. Very insta-love type of thing and a lot of trauma bonding, which the author seems to be aware of and addresses.
My one true issue however was the internalized misogyny and what's with the obsession with virginity? I get it's mafia romance and there's a focus on "purity" but it could have been presented in a better way that doesn't leave a bad taste in your mouth. This was prevalent in the first book too.
Regarding the internalized misogyny, that was apparent at the beginning of the book with the nanny tutor lady and then the description of how Catalina covers up and doesn't "dress like other girls"... Which is unfortunate, because Catalina was a nun in a convent, this train of thought could have been used purposefully to show her character development from a judgy person after her discharge from the convent and show how living there affected her, and then her life outside of church and her growth to a less judgy person by the end of the story.
venusreadsromance's review
1.0
Just no . No t
There was a million better ways for this book to end without the main character being her rapist . Absolutely not . Just no
There was a million better ways for this book to end without the main character being her rapist . Absolutely not . Just no
bookswithjen's review
5.0
This books was insane but also i didnt expect the plot twist. I love when an author can make me gasp and clutch my imaginary pearls
suzeseu's review
5.0
Marcelo and Lina
So good! I adore Veronica Lancet and her morally dark heroes.
Marcello has always been drawn to Lina and when the opportunity arises to marry her, he selfishly takes it. They have a history that she knows nothing about, and if she finds out it will surely end them.
If you love obsessed, corrupt and broken heroes and the women who love them, who are strong for them - then you’ll love this series.
Check the triggers, though, because this series is dark.
So good! I adore Veronica Lancet and her morally dark heroes.
Marcello has always been drawn to Lina and when the opportunity arises to marry her, he selfishly takes it. They have a history that she knows nothing about, and if she finds out it will surely end them.
If you love obsessed, corrupt and broken heroes and the women who love them, who are strong for them - then you’ll love this series.
Check the triggers, though, because this series is dark.
daninyx_reads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
rate: ★★★☆
spice: ★
Though I've read alot of crazy books with broken men, I haven't read about anyone quite like Marcello. He truly is a broken man. It doesn't bother me because I'm drawn to the emotional part of it. The decision to include both points of view for this story was wise because it allows you to fully understand the character traits and the overarching plot.
It's enjoyable to watch Marcello and Catalina change, and the story is well worth reading. I have nothing negative to say about Catalina. She isn’t striking or formidable, but it's also not insignificant. Reading about these characters together is amazing.
"𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐈𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞..." 𝐇𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝. "𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞," 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐛, "𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮."
This book is good, but it's way too dark. I don't often come across books with this many engaging elements. This book is fuelled by 2 different timelines filling in information drom both past and present. It is truly miraculous that Marcello is so "normal" given his "upbringing" and parents. The rape of Lina, as narrated by Marcello, is the darkest scene in the book. The way his father was. I truly need some time to process it. However, I really liked the parts in the book where Lina and Marcello were together; they learned everything from each other and grew closer over time.
Thou not my fav in the series. I love it no less.
spice: ★
Though I've read alot of crazy books with broken men, I haven't read about anyone quite like Marcello. He truly is a broken man. It doesn't bother me because I'm drawn to the emotional part of it. The decision to include both points of view for this story was wise because it allows you to fully understand the character traits and the overarching plot.
It's enjoyable to watch Marcello and Catalina change, and the story is well worth reading. I have nothing negative to say about Catalina. She isn’t striking or formidable, but it's also not insignificant. Reading about these characters together is amazing.
"𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐈𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞..." 𝐇𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝. "𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞," 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐛, "𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮."
This book is good, but it's way too dark. I don't often come across books with this many engaging elements. This book is fuelled by 2 different timelines filling in information drom both past and present. It is truly miraculous that Marcello is so "normal" given his "upbringing" and parents. The rape of Lina, as narrated by Marcello, is the darkest scene in the book. The way his father was. I truly need some time to process it. However, I really liked the parts in the book where Lina and Marcello were together; they learned everything from each other and grew closer over time.
Thou not my fav in the series. I love it no less.
daniwho's review
2.0
Wieder ein Dark Romance und dieses Mal Mafia Romance Versuch für mich und naja…
Der Anfang war guuuuut!!
Und im Prinzip mochte ich die Geschichte auch.
Schreibstil war auch nicht der schlechteste.
Aber… natürlich gibt es ein aber…..
Man hat von der Entwicklung nichts/sehr wenig mitbekommen.
Zuerst darf sie ihn nicht berühren bla bla bla.
Und plötzlich ist alles anders und die zwei sind am knutschen ohne Pause.
Hat man von der Wende in ihm was mitbekommen???
Nein.
Denn der gute Herr wollte doch nur eine Ehe auf dem Papier….. aber gefühlt 10 Tage in der Ehe ist das auch dahin.
Die Rückblenden zu der Zeit mit seinem Dad waren teils unangenehm zu lesen. Aber durch die Triggerwarnungen am Anfang sollten die meisten darauf vorbereitet sein.
Kam glaub ich auch nichts vor, was nicht auf der TW Liste stand.
Ich hatte dann schon eine Vermutung was ihre Vergangenheit anging und ich habe es absolut gehasst, dass ich Recht hatte. Fand das so ne unnötige Wendung um Drama zu erzeugen.
Da hätte es 101927371 andere Möglichkeiten gegeben um zwischen den Beiden „Drama“ zu erzeugen.
Ich habs absolut gehasst und war an dem Punkt dann auch echt enttäuscht, dass das passiert ist
Alles in allem werd ich die Reihe nicht weiterlesen.
Würde aber vielleicht ein anderes Buch der Autorin lesen.
Hätte man die Entwicklung und die Chemie zwischen den Zwei mehr mitbekommen, dann hätte es mir viel besser gefallen. Aber insta love und so ein Kack „Plottwist“ sind einfach nicht mein Fall.
Der Anfang war guuuuut!!
Und im Prinzip mochte ich die Geschichte auch.
Schreibstil war auch nicht der schlechteste.
Aber… natürlich gibt es ein aber…..
Man hat von der Entwicklung nichts/sehr wenig mitbekommen.
Zuerst darf sie ihn nicht berühren bla bla bla.
Und plötzlich ist alles anders und die zwei sind am knutschen ohne Pause.
Hat man von der Wende in ihm was mitbekommen???
Nein.
Denn der gute Herr wollte doch nur eine Ehe auf dem Papier….. aber gefühlt 10 Tage in der Ehe ist das auch dahin.
Die Rückblenden zu der Zeit mit seinem Dad waren teils unangenehm zu lesen. Aber durch die Triggerwarnungen am Anfang sollten die meisten darauf vorbereitet sein.
Kam glaub ich auch nichts vor, was nicht auf der TW Liste stand.
Ich hatte dann schon eine Vermutung was ihre Vergangenheit anging und ich habe es absolut gehasst, dass ich Recht hatte. Fand das so ne unnötige Wendung um Drama zu erzeugen.
Da hätte es 101927371 andere Möglichkeiten gegeben um zwischen den Beiden „Drama“ zu erzeugen.
Ich habs absolut gehasst und war an dem Punkt dann auch echt enttäuscht, dass das passiert ist
Alles in allem werd ich die Reihe nicht weiterlesen.
Würde aber vielleicht ein anderes Buch der Autorin lesen.
Hätte man die Entwicklung und die Chemie zwischen den Zwei mehr mitbekommen, dann hätte es mir viel besser gefallen. Aber insta love und so ein Kack „Plottwist“ sind einfach nicht mein Fall.