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mbfeeney's review
5.0
The sequel to Sempre leaves a funny taste in your mouth when you finish it. That taste my friends, is despair. Despair that the story is completed.
*** I received a copy of this book from Netgalley is exchange for an honest review***
***First, I need to apologise as this review should have been posted on 20th December as it was part of a blog tour, but a) that was my birthday and b) i was sick and it completely slipped my mind with christmas etc... so, better late than never, right?***
As mentioned in my review of the 1st book, I was a HUGE fan of the original fanfiction version of this story, and never once felt disappointed by the published version. This fact remains true with this second book.
Once again, the pace is rapid without rushing the reader to keep up as haven and Carmine deal with the changes to their lives, particularly Carmine now being part of La Famiglia. Even though they are parted, we still get the story from both sides, and it's heartbreaking knowing how much they struggle to be without the other. This is reinfoced with the POVs from both Corrado and Vincent who believe that Haven and Carmine being apart is the best thing all round.
Usually, sequels tend to be a bit lacking, but Redemption never falls flat or losing that special something. Even though I knew the story from the EP days, I still found myself biting my lip in anticipation and fear.
Darhower certainly has an amazing way with words and is definitely an author I will put what i'm doing down to read!
*** I received a copy of this book from Netgalley is exchange for an honest review***
***First, I need to apologise as this review should have been posted on 20th December as it was part of a blog tour, but a) that was my birthday and b) i was sick and it completely slipped my mind with christmas etc... so, better late than never, right?***
As mentioned in my review of the 1st book, I was a HUGE fan of the original fanfiction version of this story, and never once felt disappointed by the published version. This fact remains true with this second book.
Once again, the pace is rapid without rushing the reader to keep up as haven and Carmine deal with the changes to their lives, particularly Carmine now being part of La Famiglia. Even though they are parted, we still get the story from both sides, and it's heartbreaking knowing how much they struggle to be without the other. This is reinfoced with the POVs from both Corrado and Vincent who believe that Haven and Carmine being apart is the best thing all round.
Usually, sequels tend to be a bit lacking, but Redemption never falls flat or losing that special something. Even though I knew the story from the EP days, I still found myself biting my lip in anticipation and fear.
Darhower certainly has an amazing way with words and is definitely an author I will put what i'm doing down to read!
suzysuzy34's review
5.0
Perfect ending to the series. Lots of tears for Vincent, but I kinda figured out that’s the way the story would go. Loved the ending with little Maura.
kjayne_books's review
3.0
Just as tragic as the first book. I liked the story but was plagued by melancholy for most of the read.
penelopesb's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful <3
J.M Darhower, you are a genius. Today in my country, May 25th is the day where a few people decided Spain no longer owned us, that we should be able to have our own goverment, our own laws, our own people and stop being just some random land they possesed but no longer cared about. Argentina was somehow a slave. Spanish are not bad people, at all. I love them. But that doesnt erase the fact that they owned us a long time ago. 203 ago, a bunch of believers decide enough was enough and cry out loud the first yell of freedom. "El primer grito de libertad", we call it. The emancipation proclamation came six years later, but that first yell was the hopefull one.
Reading your work, thinking about all the people out there being enslaved, all the heatred our world is enduring... the fact that my closest friends are free but doesnt use their freedom to do anything worth of... That makes me wanna be a better person, to honor the memories of people that were real slaves like Haven and Maura, and find their way out of it. This makes me want to hug and love all the angry people out there who thinks that freedom is lie your way through things in order to get what you want. Like Maura said, Ama ridi sogna - e vai dormire.
Your work is beautiful. I love every word of the fanfic and then the books. The characters you creaed are trully amazing. Congratulations girl!
J.M Darhower, you are a genius. Today in my country, May 25th is the day where a few people decided Spain no longer owned us, that we should be able to have our own goverment, our own laws, our own people and stop being just some random land they possesed but no longer cared about. Argentina was somehow a slave. Spanish are not bad people, at all. I love them. But that doesnt erase the fact that they owned us a long time ago. 203 ago, a bunch of believers decide enough was enough and cry out loud the first yell of freedom. "El primer grito de libertad", we call it. The emancipation proclamation came six years later, but that first yell was the hopefull one.
Reading your work, thinking about all the people out there being enslaved, all the heatred our world is enduring... the fact that my closest friends are free but doesnt use their freedom to do anything worth of... That makes me wanna be a better person, to honor the memories of people that were real slaves like Haven and Maura, and find their way out of it. This makes me want to hug and love all the angry people out there who thinks that freedom is lie your way through things in order to get what you want. Like Maura said, Ama ridi sogna - e vai dormire.
Your work is beautiful. I love every word of the fanfic and then the books. The characters you creaed are trully amazing. Congratulations girl!
ipariszara's review
3.0
bruh the way i screamed during that one scene and had to reread it like a gazillion times to see if my eyes weren't deceiving me and he was still alive smh
yashiras_archive's review
5.0
I'm such an emotional wreck as I write this. This book was beyond AMAZING! The first book had me feeling many things but this one.. Wow.. My heart is waving a white flag.
I have no words, so many things were going on and then finding out the truth behind a certain situation.. Wow.. Still trying to let this book sink in.
Carmine and Haven.. There goes my heart. Thinking back to their first encounter then to how this book ends makes me want to hug them and cry. They grew up, changed, went through struggles.. But their love was stronger than anything.
Corrado.. THAT MAN! Lord. Let's just say I'm pretty excited to get to his book. Celia and him made me swoon!
Life with the Mafia was an interesting one, intense but interesting. It was definitely a difficult ride for Carmine, seeing how it changed him.
I'll stop here, I don't want to ruin anything. Just know that Sempre and Sempre Redemption were worth the read. I cried a few times. Half the time because it was sad and the other half because I just didn't know what to feel. I'm in love with these books, everything about them was flawless. What am I suppose to do now?
Just read these, okay?
I have no words, so many things were going on and then finding out the truth behind a certain situation.. Wow.. Still trying to let this book sink in.
Carmine and Haven.. There goes my heart. Thinking back to their first encounter then to how this book ends makes me want to hug them and cry. They grew up, changed, went through struggles.. But their love was stronger than anything.
Corrado.. THAT MAN! Lord. Let's just say I'm pretty excited to get to his book. Celia and him made me swoon!
Life with the Mafia was an interesting one, intense but interesting. It was definitely a difficult ride for Carmine, seeing how it changed him.
I'll stop here, I don't want to ruin anything. Just know that Sempre and Sempre Redemption were worth the read. I cried a few times. Half the time because it was sad and the other half because I just didn't know what to feel. I'm in love with these books, everything about them was flawless. What am I suppose to do now?
Just read these, okay?
stumpfed's review
3.0
I was hoping for more from Carmine and Haven. I hung in for some huge moments and was sort of let down.
thebooktrollop's review
4.0
I spent days inside the minds of these characters. I read Sempre and then immediately dove into Sempre: Redemption... I couldn't get enough of these characters. They were so raw, edgy, dark and damn delicious!!
I easily gave Sempre FIVE stars... How could I not?? I mean the mafia, dangerous men, and a hot son with anger issues but who also had a tortured side that just made me swoon all over the effing place? Then a house slave who needed to find herself in order to figure out what her likes/dislikes were, experience the real world and not be scared of getting beat for stupid reasons... It was just an amazing story that I absolutely LOVED.
SO moving on to Redemption I was so curious to where this story was going to go other than the obvious of Carmine being turned into a little minion for the Mafia and trying to earn his title of Mafia Prince but what I got was soooo much more than I thought and also a lot of what I didn't want either.
The characters were still the same. Carmine and his very eclectic mouth was still entertaining and swoon-worthy. I mean the way he cussed just sent flutters all over my dirty, dirty mind..
Haven was the one person I was most curious about in this sequel. I wanted to see where the author took her. She definitely expanded her character, let her experience the outside world... umm do some other stuff and I was interested but at the same time I was mad...
Here is where there is going to be spoilers because I have decided I cannot give this review without giving away something...
So the author breaks Carmine and Haven up because Carmine is trying to save her from the same fate that his mom suffered. I found this admirable and I loved that he was protecting her and at the same time letting Haven figure herself out. I mean she went from being a slave, to a sort of housekeeper then to Carmine's love interest then to Carmine's girlfriend. She did things with Carmine and experienced new things with him but there was no way she would have been able to find herself-her true self- without experiencing life on her own, first. So I did LOVE that BUT at the same time I thought the author dragged it out too long. I was anxious for them to reunite and it didn't happen for a LONG time, which mad me sad and it got to be redundant after a while.
Now, since I am spoiling things I might as well keep going and say the next thing that I love/hated was...
She effing killed Vincent!! Ahhhh What? NOOO!! That was my initial reaction...
Then I thought about it and I think she might have done this for a reason. I could totally be wrong, though. I am not her and don't know what was going through her mind but this is what I think...
Vincent was a broken man, a very broken man. He lost something very important to him and he was never the same after it happened. This murder/suicide was the catalyst that needed to happen in order for everything else to fall in place so the rest of the story could end happily. And honestly I might be the ONLY person who thinks this but I believe Vincent is where he needs to be, he's up there (or down there depending on your beliefs) with his soulmate... they are reunited and he is whole again. Yeah he left his children but I don't think he could be happier than he is right now...
Ok now enough of the spoils.
So there were things I loved and hated in this book. Certain parts dragged and other parts I couldn't get enough of.
I cried... Oh lord did I cry... not in parts that most people would have. I didn't cry when they were all at the boss' house and that crazy shit went down, I was at peace with what I knew was going to happen. The part I bawled like a baby was the note Vincent left Haven... Dear God, I don't know why that part effected me more than any other but I was in tears and eventually had to put my Kindle down to collect myself!
The only thing I wish there was more of, was Dominic. He needed to be in the story more than he was. I missed him =( haha
I was back and forth with what I wanted to rate this book and I think I will say it was a solid 4/5 but for an author to confuse me on what exactly I want to rate a book, says a lot!! Kudos Mrs. Darhower ;)..
I easily gave Sempre FIVE stars... How could I not?? I mean the mafia, dangerous men, and a hot son with anger issues but who also had a tortured side that just made me swoon all over the effing place? Then a house slave who needed to find herself in order to figure out what her likes/dislikes were, experience the real world and not be scared of getting beat for stupid reasons... It was just an amazing story that I absolutely LOVED.
SO moving on to Redemption I was so curious to where this story was going to go other than the obvious of Carmine being turned into a little minion for the Mafia and trying to earn his title of Mafia Prince but what I got was soooo much more than I thought and also a lot of what I didn't want either.
The characters were still the same. Carmine and his very eclectic mouth was still entertaining and swoon-worthy. I mean the way he cussed just sent flutters all over my dirty, dirty mind..
Haven was the one person I was most curious about in this sequel. I wanted to see where the author took her. She definitely expanded her character, let her experience the outside world... umm do some other stuff and I was interested but at the same time I was mad...
Spoiler
*If you have not read this book then skip to after the red font so I don't ruin anything for you*Here is where there is going to be spoilers because I have decided I cannot give this review without giving away something...
So the author breaks Carmine and Haven up because Carmine is trying to save her from the same fate that his mom suffered. I found this admirable and I loved that he was protecting her and at the same time letting Haven figure herself out. I mean she went from being a slave, to a sort of housekeeper then to Carmine's love interest then to Carmine's girlfriend. She did things with Carmine and experienced new things with him but there was no way she would have been able to find herself-her true self- without experiencing life on her own, first. So I did LOVE that BUT at the same time I thought the author dragged it out too long. I was anxious for them to reunite and it didn't happen for a LONG time, which mad me sad and it got to be redundant after a while.
Now, since I am spoiling things I might as well keep going and say the next thing that I love/hated was...
She effing killed Vincent!! Ahhhh What? NOOO!! That was my initial reaction...
Then I thought about it and I think she might have done this for a reason. I could totally be wrong, though. I am not her and don't know what was going through her mind but this is what I think...
Vincent was a broken man, a very broken man. He lost something very important to him and he was never the same after it happened. This murder/suicide was the catalyst that needed to happen in order for everything else to fall in place so the rest of the story could end happily. And honestly I might be the ONLY person who thinks this but I believe Vincent is where he needs to be, he's up there (or down there depending on your beliefs) with his soulmate... they are reunited and he is whole again. Yeah he left his children but I don't think he could be happier than he is right now...
Ok now enough of the spoils.
So there were things I loved and hated in this book. Certain parts dragged and other parts I couldn't get enough of.
I cried... Oh lord did I cry... not in parts that most people would have. I didn't cry when they were all at the boss' house and that crazy shit went down, I was at peace with what I knew was going to happen. The part I bawled like a baby was the note Vincent left Haven... Dear God, I don't know why that part effected me more than any other but I was in tears and eventually had to put my Kindle down to collect myself!
The only thing I wish there was more of, was Dominic. He needed to be in the story more than he was. I missed him =( haha
I was back and forth with what I wanted to rate this book and I think I will say it was a solid 4/5 but for an author to confuse me on what exactly I want to rate a book, says a lot!! Kudos Mrs. Darhower ;)..
lisabean's review
5.0
It's been pure nostalgia diving into the world of Carmine and Haven again - I've missed them. It's been good to be back <3