A review by booksabrewin
Shadowed Heart by Candace Wondrak

5.0

Lola had a mission that has made her infamous. She knows that death is the only way to escape her path but she would never take the coward's way out. She chooses to make sure she takes out a few bad men before she kicks off to do society a favor. But one night she goes home with the wrong man and ends up killing the son of a crime boss. When she is captured she thinks that this is the end. She doesn't fear them or what they represent. She welcomes their abuse with a laugh and a teasing remark. She may be crazy but they are the ones who seem fascinated by her. But death doesn't come. She is instead made to be their soldier and bullet fodder in a impending war between families. She can strike at those who stand against them without risking retribution. She is a nobody. And whether the bullet comes from their own guns or the guns of their enemies is of no importance to the Lucianos. But as she spends time in the company of these men they start to crave her brand of crazy. Can the knowledge that she is the younger son's killer keep them away from her?

Lola reminds me of a slightly more sane version of Harley Quinn. She even speaks a bit like her. I have to wonder if the author derived her idea from the character. I absolutely adore Harley so it was no surprise that I was smitten with Lola. She is damaged and broken but she doesn't do the things people expect her to do. They expect her to crack, cry, and beg for mercy instead of leaning into the weapon pointed at her with a challenging grin. The hints of her backstory seem tragic and I can kind of understand why she snapped the way she did and became who she is. It was that fact that made her even more enjoyable. A likeable crazy character is hard to maintain and the author did it beautifully.

As with any Harley Quinn-esk character, there has to be a "Mr. J" who is the other side of her twisted coin. That came in he form of Mad Maddox, the last blood-related Luciano son. He is just as crazy as Lola and he will torture and maim her while also desiring her. He doesn't let down his guard and he doesn't fall into the hearts and rainbows way of appreciating Lola. They are twisted together and make the perfect match.

That is not to say that Sylvester and Viper aren't equally as delectable. Sylvester is the more civilized of the group and would be the most likely to get into all the finer aspects of dating and romance than any of the others. I can see him being the type to spoil her while Maddox will do nothing be deprive her just to make sure she is aware that he still hates her.

Viper is the stoic, strong, caretaker type who will bend to Lola's will when she needs to feel in control.

All the guys are bloodthirsty monsters and Lola started as their pet but as their connections grow, she is quickly shaping into something much more dangerous for all of them.