allisonbree's reviews
119 reviews

Coveting the Mafia King's Sister by P. Rayne

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I received a free, advanced copy of this book for reviewing purposes. Thank you to the author, P. Rayne, and to Valentine PR for including me in this release!

Coveting the Mafia King's Sister is book #3 in the Mafia Academy series by P. Rayne. We've covered the east coast, and now we are onto the west, starting with the Vitale Family in the northwest territory.

Gabriele Vitale has made appearances in both of the previous books, so he's not a completely new character. Gabriele is always in his room, doing 'things' on the elaborate computer setup he smuggles in and out of the school each year. Which makes sense given that his family specializes in securities fraud and cyber-warfare.

And then there's Aria Costa, Marcello's little sister. Aria begins her first year at Sicuro Academy and is paired with Gabriele at her orientation. And, she immediately makes it known that she finds him attractive. But, he makes it clear nothing will ever happen between them. Yet when someone sends an incriminating photo to Aria, Gabriele doesn't hesitate to jump in and help her.

That being said, I did enjoy the book. I'm not sure how I wold rank it compared to the first two books in the series, but when the final book comes out, I'll have a ranking of all four stories. But overall, I would give this book a solid 3.5/5 stars. If you've enjoyed the other books in the Mafia Academy series, I'd say this is a must-read. Gabriele's a mystery in the other books. And this one reveals a lot about him and the dynamics of the Vitale family.

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Cinder by Chelle Bliss

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

**I received a free, advanced copy of this book for reviewing purposes. Thank you to the author, Chelle Bliss, and to Valentine PR for including me in this release!**

Olive has returned to her hometown to look at the grad school she'll be attending in the fall. She runs into Asher and his grandmother, who invite her to join them at a family party that night. As soon as the grandmother calls her "kalamata," I knew I'd love the characters. And I read the entire book straight through in one sitting.

Olive and Asher jump into their new relationship almost immediately. But at the same time, it takes a long time for them to reach a mutual understanding when it comes to the seriousness of their relationship. And that's mainly because Oliver is hesitant to fully give in to her feelings. After all, she knows he was not a one-woman man before now, and her older brother has always hated him to the point of him telling Olive to stay away.

I really enjoyed this book. But, I do think I wasn't able to enjoy it to the fullest because I've never read any books from the series. I think if I had, I wouldn't have struggled to keep all of the characters straight, and probably would've enjoyed seeing little peeks at the lives of previous main characters. This may not be true in this instance, but for me it has been way in every series I've read that is structured like this. So I think it's a safe bet. That being said, you can absolutely enjoy the book as a standalone.

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Beneath the Ice by L.A. Cotton

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I received a free, advanced copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

We first met Connor in Break the Ice. He is the lovable defenseman, a roommate of Austin, and bonds instantly with Rory when she arrives. He and his girlfriend, Ella, are a constant presence in both Rory and Noah's story, and Harper and Mason's in book 2. They're the solid couple. Together for a year, deeply in love, and always there for their friends. Connor has signed with the Flyers, and Ella is going to move with him once they graduate and he begins his NHL career.

Because they are introduced as unit and are always depicted as living their own happily ever after, I knew this book would be a doozy.

As gut-wrenching as it was, I did 'like' reading about his time in the hospital from Connor's eyes. In On Thin Ice, Noah talked about Connor's injury and makes it seem like the doctor's couldn't decide what to do. But after reading Connor's side of things, the reality was that Connor couldn't decide what to do and his father's presence only confused him more. It's a minor thing, but that detail does track with Connor shutting everyone out.

This book isn't my favorite out of the series. But I still absolutely loved it. There was so much more to Connor and Ella's relationship then what we see in the other books. Most books cover a couple finding one another, not an already solid couple facing major challenges and overcoming them to have their future together. It was a change of pace I didn't know I needed or wanted. And that alone, makes this book a standout.

A Little Twist by Tia Louise

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

*I received a free, advanced copy of this book for reviewing purposes.*

Tia Louise's newest release, A Little Twist, is the second book in her Be Still series. This time, we follow the second Stone brother, Alex and his new live-in nanny, Cassidy. This book is filled with the characters we met in A Little Taste, and is for anyone that loves stories of childhood crushes turned real love.

Alex Stone, younger brother of Aiden Stone from *A Little Taste,* is a billionaire, workaholic, and single-dad to daughter Penelope. When his mother goes on a trip to Italy, he's finds himself in need of a nanny, and Cass is the perfect option. She immediately finds her place in his home and Penelope adores her, and Alex finds himself falling for Cass even more than he already has.

Cassidy Dixon is strong-willed and still looking to find her place in the world. After her mother left her to be raised by her aunt, her sense of self-worth is practically non-existent. Needing a place to stay and not wanting to move back in with her aunt, she agrees to become a live-in nanny for Alex. Suddenly, she finds herself being called 'Mama Cass,' and the attraction between her and Alex is undeniable.

The angst and longing were on point. I love the opening of the book when they were kids and share their first kiss, and I love when that conversation is mirrored later in the book. The chemistry between Cass and Alex only gets stronger as you read, as does the bonds they create in their new family of three.

*Read my full review at allisonbree.com!

Make Me Yours by Melanie Harlow

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced