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A review by loverofromance
Deviant Hacker by Maggie Cole
4.0
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
First Impressions
Deviant Hacker is the ninth installment of the Mafia Wars series and in this book we have Declan’s story and this is one that I didn’t know too much and to be honest I hadn’t heard too much about but with certain events leading up to it, I had a guess that this one would be a kidnapping set up. Ironically we haven’t had too many of those in this series which in some ways has kinda surprised me. I do like that Maggie Cole has a whole group of tropes and set ups that she has worked with on this series and I never know what she will use from one story to the next. I really liked this one, its not my favorite set up and most of that is due to the kidnapping scenario that is used in the book, it just isn’t my favorite but I did think that the way it was done was quite an interesting dynamic but Maggie Cole definitely made it work in the way that it needed to.
Summary
Declan O’Malley has been on the hunt for the hacker who has put their family at risk at them losing millions and the only reason that they have kept Jack Christan alive as long as they had and now they know that all of their plans could go down the drain if its not handled carefully. When Declan who is a machine on the computer, is able to track down the hacker, he finds the hacker and kidnaps the culprit and takes the hacker to his basement, only shocked to realize its a woman, and not just any woman, a beautiful angel, one that he saw at his family’s pub one night and they had a connection but nothing more happened but now he needs to know why his angel is trying to destroy his family. At first he binds her in a cold cell, and will keep her his captive until she tells him the truth, there is a powerful chemistry between them, and Declan is determined to get her submission but when he finds the truth and realizes his angel intentions, he will have to work back into her good graces and prove that he will always protect her and cherish her….
What I Loved
I really found this one to be quite interesting and I didn’t know what to make of the kidnapping dynamic, it definitely has its darker elements obviously due to the set of circumstances and you can see how there is such a divide between our hero and heroine. My heart just broke for Simona, as you can see that she is an innocent and is an innocent caught in the middle of this war. I found it quite interesting to see this captor/captive situation would last and I wasn’t always a fan of Declan and how he handled the situation with Simona. You can see how torn he is at times, but he is also loyal to his family and you see how divided he is and not just by all the events leading up to this moment, but also that Simona doesn’t fit the profile of someone out to destroy them. She is completely honest in everything that she does. I really found her to be so fresh and spirited but I also understand her reactions and her ways of submitting to Declan and knowing when to fight her battles. I loved the balance of fire and submissive nature she has. Once we get past the captor/captive scenario and where they are working together and rebuilding levels of trust in their relationship , then that is where this book really begins to shine and where the hero becomes redeemable for me because you definitely see how he has to prove himself and allow compromise into the relationship. Even though the first half was a struggle, the later part of the story definitely made up for it.
What I Struggled With
I really struggled with the first half, and I didn’t care for some of the actions that Declan take again Simona at times, and while I understood it, I also saw Simona as being innocent so it was this inner battle in wanting this tension of the set up to be over and for them to work past it. I do think it got dragged out a little bit more than made sense at least for me.
Overall View
I found Deviant Hacker to be a stunning and riveting read that is a great addition to this power-packed series that has easily won my heart! It’s a story that will push your boundaries, have you stretching limits, and opening up to new possibilities.
Trigger Warnings:
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
“You want me to fight for you? I will. I’m not going to back down about this.”
First Impressions
Deviant Hacker is the ninth installment of the Mafia Wars series and in this book we have Declan’s story and this is one that I didn’t know too much and to be honest I hadn’t heard too much about but with certain events leading up to it, I had a guess that this one would be a kidnapping set up. Ironically we haven’t had too many of those in this series which in some ways has kinda surprised me. I do like that Maggie Cole has a whole group of tropes and set ups that she has worked with on this series and I never know what she will use from one story to the next. I really liked this one, its not my favorite set up and most of that is due to the kidnapping scenario that is used in the book, it just isn’t my favorite but I did think that the way it was done was quite an interesting dynamic but Maggie Cole definitely made it work in the way that it needed to.
Summary
Declan O’Malley has been on the hunt for the hacker who has put their family at risk at them losing millions and the only reason that they have kept Jack Christan alive as long as they had and now they know that all of their plans could go down the drain if its not handled carefully. When Declan who is a machine on the computer, is able to track down the hacker, he finds the hacker and kidnaps the culprit and takes the hacker to his basement, only shocked to realize its a woman, and not just any woman, a beautiful angel, one that he saw at his family’s pub one night and they had a connection but nothing more happened but now he needs to know why his angel is trying to destroy his family. At first he binds her in a cold cell, and will keep her his captive until she tells him the truth, there is a powerful chemistry between them, and Declan is determined to get her submission but when he finds the truth and realizes his angel intentions, he will have to work back into her good graces and prove that he will always protect her and cherish her….
“I haven’t let you go. You’re here because you insisted you need this right now. Don’t confuse it with the truth. We will be together again, angel.”
What I Loved
I really found this one to be quite interesting and I didn’t know what to make of the kidnapping dynamic, it definitely has its darker elements obviously due to the set of circumstances and you can see how there is such a divide between our hero and heroine. My heart just broke for Simona, as you can see that she is an innocent and is an innocent caught in the middle of this war. I found it quite interesting to see this captor/captive situation would last and I wasn’t always a fan of Declan and how he handled the situation with Simona. You can see how torn he is at times, but he is also loyal to his family and you see how divided he is and not just by all the events leading up to this moment, but also that Simona doesn’t fit the profile of someone out to destroy them. She is completely honest in everything that she does. I really found her to be so fresh and spirited but I also understand her reactions and her ways of submitting to Declan and knowing when to fight her battles. I loved the balance of fire and submissive nature she has. Once we get past the captor/captive scenario and where they are working together and rebuilding levels of trust in their relationship , then that is where this book really begins to shine and where the hero becomes redeemable for me because you definitely see how he has to prove himself and allow compromise into the relationship. Even though the first half was a struggle, the later part of the story definitely made up for it.
What I Struggled With
I really struggled with the first half, and I didn’t care for some of the actions that Declan take again Simona at times, and while I understood it, I also saw Simona as being innocent so it was this inner battle in wanting this tension of the set up to be over and for them to work past it. I do think it got dragged out a little bit more than made sense at least for me.
Overall View
I found Deviant Hacker to be a stunning and riveting read that is a great addition to this power-packed series that has easily won my heart! It’s a story that will push your boundaries, have you stretching limits, and opening up to new possibilities.
“Every ounce of what I feel for you, you feel for me. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be here. You’re sugar and I’m hot water. We’ve been stirred and shaken. There’s no more you or me. It’s us.”
Trigger Warnings:
Spoiler
Kidnapping, Torture, Violence