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noa_ashley_'s reviews
510 reviews
His Enforcer by Cora Rose
4.0
"I knew it that night and I know it now. Only this time, I have him. He’s not fighting it." - Luca
“Come back, Luca. You’re safe. You can come back now.” - Viktor
I love that even though this is a mafia Serie, the characters can still wear what they want and like who they want. It is a safe space where they are accepted for who they are. I think that this is also my favorite book in the serie at the moment. My favorite side characters are still Teddy (Teddy better get a book, I need to know everything he knows about everyone) and Bane! Can't wait to read Bane's book, especially after this cliffhanger! He is just so Bane. There is nobody like him.
Viktor: “Since when have you ever danced?”
Bane: “I watch videos and practice. The people in the basement think I’m very good.”
I also loved reading the characters that already have books, from a different perspective. I think that I like Anthony more now, he is calmer or at least I had a different opinion about him in his book. I'm also glad that they still talk about Laura (Anthony's late wife), she was a part of their (Antony & Luca) lives.
Anthony: "I think you two can help one another heal."
There was a lot of denial in this book from Viktor and Luca, they didn't want to like each other and for a while it felt like a game to them. Thankfully Anthony had conversations with both Luca and Viktor. The romance started romancing in the second half of the book and the timing felt right. Luca was really trying to show Viktor that he wanted more, it even surprised me that he had a sweet and gentle side, it was hard for him to show that side but it was worth it. It was beautiful that Anthony could help Luca with that and they just wanted the best for each other after losing Laura.
"We were just kids. We did what we had to, to survive." - Viktor
I'm glad that they have each other and that they can help each other heal and that they have this found family.
I received an ARC copy of this book.
“Come back, Luca. You’re safe. You can come back now.” - Viktor
I love that even though this is a mafia Serie, the characters can still wear what they want and like who they want. It is a safe space where they are accepted for who they are. I think that this is also my favorite book in the serie at the moment. My favorite side characters are still Teddy (Teddy better get a book, I need to know everything he knows about everyone) and Bane! Can't wait to read Bane's book, especially after this cliffhanger! He is just so Bane. There is nobody like him.
Viktor: “Since when have you ever danced?”
Bane: “I watch videos and practice. The people in the basement think I’m very good.”
I also loved reading the characters that already have books, from a different perspective. I think that I like Anthony more now, he is calmer or at least I had a different opinion about him in his book. I'm also glad that they still talk about Laura (Anthony's late wife), she was a part of their (Antony & Luca) lives.
Anthony: "I think you two can help one another heal."
There was a lot of denial in this book from Viktor and Luca, they didn't want to like each other and for a while it felt like a game to them. Thankfully Anthony had conversations with both Luca and Viktor. The romance started romancing in the second half of the book and the timing felt right. Luca was really trying to show Viktor that he wanted more, it even surprised me that he had a sweet and gentle side, it was hard for him to show that side but it was worth it. It was beautiful that Anthony could help Luca with that and they just wanted the best for each other after losing Laura.
"We were just kids. We did what we had to, to survive." - Viktor
I'm glad that they have each other and that they can help each other heal and that they have this found family.
I received an ARC copy of this book.
Ruin My Life by Julia E. McColgan
5.0
“You understand me in a way no one else does. I recognized it the moment we met. It’s time you accept that I understand you too." - Remy
"Even after finding out what I've... been through, he still wants me. He loves me." - Win
This book has 2 time-lines in both POV'S. The POV's in the past are mostly from years ago, where their friendship turned into a relationship and that happens between them and in their own lives. The other POV is in the present, where Remy is trying to forgive Winnie after they haven't seen each other for years. This book has a mystery element because the reader is trying to figure out what happened all those years ago. I really loved that part, it made the book hard to put down. I JUST NEEDED TO KNOW, most of the chapters are short as well.
Winnie has always been alone with his own thoughts and struggles. He didn't let anyone in, a part of that is because he wants to protect Remy. They are both scared to be a burden, so they didn't talk about that, for a while. It's also clear that nobody asked Winnie the right questions or treated him with care, so many people have failed him from such a young age, he never learned how to talk about his feelings. That makes it hard for him to open up and be honest. It was all too much for him and he became an addict. But he decided to do things differently and got his second chance with Remy. They are both so brave and strong. I'm glad that he found the violin again. Music is a form of therapy for Win.
"It's hard for me to...accept comfort when I don't think I deserve it." - Win
Remy has depression and although his parents try to help or understand him, they still see him (for the most part) as the diagnosis and forget to see Remy as a person. Win helped them realize that. Everyone has their own struggles and Remy and Win are both broken boys, they've hurt each other in the past and are really trying to not do that in the present as well. Remy struggled a lot and Win helped him, and I'm glad that Remy also was able to do the same for Win later on. Win being a st@lker (LIGHT st@lking) that brought Remy food and loves his cat (Mitz) and then decide this all would've been better if he gave Remy a choice, really showed how much Win needed Remy to survive. It's a great emotional book, with great conversations, and deeper meaning! Oh and I thought part 1 was sad, and then there was part 2.... Crying! I'm really excited for Andrea's book (Remy's best friend), I'm glad that she was always there to help Remy.
This book feels so real, my heart really broke but was put back together in the end. I'm glad that Winnie has justice and that Remy helped him enjoy the parts that deeply traumatized him. It was written with a lot of care. PTSD is not something that just goes away, every situation is different even if you've done the same thing with good experience again and again, you never know when it triggers you and that was realistic. Depression is something that they both have. They understand each other and they are healing together, they have always been in each other's minds. ALWAYS!
Win: "The brain is like any other organ. It can get sick."
Remy: You mean... you brain is sick too? He nods against me.
The writing was very beautiful and felt so real, definitely an author I want to read more from. I just feel so emotionally connected to the characters. They really are perfect for each other! They did it!!! Make sure to check the trigger warnings!
- Second Chance MM Romance
- Kissing Scars
- Nightmares
- A Cat (Mitz)
- Making sure the other eats
- Letters and text messages
- 2 time-lines, both POV'S
- Heavy on the mental health trope
- Winnie: Gray eyes, tattoos, piercings, eyeliner
- Remy: Hazel eyes, wears glasses (sometimes)
I received an ARC copy of this book from the author, thank you so much!!!
Restorations by N. Brown
4.0
"You’re living in the past. You’re afraid to let yourself be too happy. You’re afraid to tell me you love me." - Vivienne
"I’ve never felt so helpless. Knowing I should push her away, but also knowing that I don’t want to." - Asher
This is Asher and Vivienne their second book (first one is: Restrictions). It is strongly recommended reading this Serie in order. This Serie is about the Sterling Family finding love while grieving.
Everyone feels guilty about what happened to their loved one. Especially Asher has a very hard time allowing himself to be happy, he was struggling with that a lot and because of that, he pushed people away and hurt them. Everyone handles grief in different ways and does that in their own time.
"With the Sterlings, it’s never easy, but we get there."
Vivienne is an amazing person and mother to Sebastian. Bash is the sunshine of the family and I'm really glad that the family is healing for themselves and each other. This serie is also very toxic, after a long time Asher & Vivienne learned how to talk and break the toxic cycle. The epilogue made me cry, their proces felt very realistic. Their loved one that passed away would have wanted their family to find love and be happy. They deserve that.
"No matter how many seats we add to the table, there will always be an empty space."
It's really good to read about the other family members too, after already have their books. They grew up so much! There are also some much needed conversations in this book too, that definitely gave Asher & Vivienne courage to have those conversations themselves as well and to finally be together. It took a lot of time but they got there in the end.
This book is republished under the name N. Brown (Nicole Dykes her pen name). I received an ARC copy of this book.
"I’ve never felt so helpless. Knowing I should push her away, but also knowing that I don’t want to." - Asher
This is Asher and Vivienne their second book (first one is: Restrictions). It is strongly recommended reading this Serie in order. This Serie is about the Sterling Family finding love while grieving.
Everyone feels guilty about what happened to their loved one. Especially Asher has a very hard time allowing himself to be happy, he was struggling with that a lot and because of that, he pushed people away and hurt them. Everyone handles grief in different ways and does that in their own time.
"With the Sterlings, it’s never easy, but we get there."
Vivienne is an amazing person and mother to Sebastian. Bash is the sunshine of the family and I'm really glad that the family is healing for themselves and each other. This serie is also very toxic, after a long time Asher & Vivienne learned how to talk and break the toxic cycle. The epilogue made me cry, their proces felt very realistic. Their loved one that passed away would have wanted their family to find love and be happy. They deserve that.
"No matter how many seats we add to the table, there will always be an empty space."
It's really good to read about the other family members too, after already have their books. They grew up so much! There are also some much needed conversations in this book too, that definitely gave Asher & Vivienne courage to have those conversations themselves as well and to finally be together. It took a lot of time but they got there in the end.
This book is republished under the name N. Brown (Nicole Dykes her pen name). I received an ARC copy of this book.
His Reluctant Savior by Courtney W. Dixon
4.0
"He was the sunshine while I was the shadow. No amount of darkness seemed to dull him throughout the years, not even with the death of his husband." - Sid
"Who would ever believe this criminal, this k!ller could be tender and gentle? You’d never imagine such a man would want to hold and snuggle with his partner." - Dalton
I'm really glad that Sid and Dalton got their second chance. Sid bullied Dalton in high school and that was explained very early in the book, it really helped me see how much they care about each other, even 27 years later.
Sid explained what he's been through and his triggers. Dalton was aware of Sid's boundaries and was very respectful. Dalton trusted him enough to also explain why people are after him. Dalton had a hard time seeing Sid as a person, in the beginning. He mostly saw him as a k!ller while he's also a person. Sid saw Dalton's name in a file and went after him to protect him and Dalton's son Owen. I really enjoyed the moments between Easton and Sid. Sid really tried to show Easton that he will always have a part in Sid's life. I'm so excited to read more about Easton and his side of their connection, he is very loyal and protective in his own way.
I also loved that Sid gave Dalton a place to talk about his deceased husband, Matt. Matt will always be a part of Dalton. It's very thoughtful that he asked about him and gave Dalton that safe feeling to do that. Sid is just really sweet and loyal to the people he cares about. He did betray his family but he didn't see another way. This story takes place in a different setting then the other books and I liked that change.
The District is a dark romance serie where queer people are hired to take out bad people, they make the world a little bit safer in their own way. Along the way they found their family in each other.
I received an ARC copy of this book
Wicked Confessions by Crea Reitan
5.0
"Maybe the scariest thing that can ever happen to a person is falling in love." - Edin
I love this book so much! Edin is a single dad. His daughter Mo (Morgan), always worries about him, she just feels way to much responsibility for a child. This is because of how her mom treated her and her dad and she saw more of her dad struggling with his mental health then he had thought. She is very protective over her dad so that meant that Elijah really had to work for it. She has everyone wrapped around her finger.
Mo: “Promise you’ll take care of my dad?”
Elijah: “I will do anything at all to take care of your dad, Mo. Anything.”
Edin has his best friend Dak and River (sparrow), he asked them for help, years ago (in book one: "Rumor has it" which ended 3 years before this book started). Elijah was always there for Edin and eventually Edin let him in. This all was with a lot respect and it felt right. Edin has commitment issues and Elijah never pressured him in giving them a label. Eventually Elijah realized that life isn't all about being a dad. ALSO HIS BI-AWAKENING MOMENT!!! Elijah just really made Edin touch starved or maybe Edin has always been touch starved and is Elijah the one that makes him feel safe enough to show that side of himself. Their relationship is so healthy and genuinely it's everything that they both deserve. Elijah is an amazing (step) dad to Mo. Their little family is everything! Also Edin accepting Zeke as a part of Elijah and Elijah accepting Mo as a part of Edin!!! I stared crying around chapter 30, all the way until the last page. 5 stars! This book has everything that I love and need in a book.
I love that the characters Crea writes can be vulnerable around each other and ask for hugs and cuddles from their friends without judgement. Everyone needs love and to be taken care of sometimes. This book also has some of the most beautiful hurt/comfort chapters.
I received an ARC copy of this book.
I love this book so much! Edin is a single dad. His daughter Mo (Morgan), always worries about him, she just feels way to much responsibility for a child. This is because of how her mom treated her and her dad and she saw more of her dad struggling with his mental health then he had thought. She is very protective over her dad so that meant that Elijah really had to work for it. She has everyone wrapped around her finger.
Mo: “Promise you’ll take care of my dad?”
Elijah: “I will do anything at all to take care of your dad, Mo. Anything.”
Edin has his best friend Dak and River (sparrow), he asked them for help, years ago (in book one: "Rumor has it" which ended 3 years before this book started). Elijah was always there for Edin and eventually Edin let him in. This all was with a lot respect and it felt right. Edin has commitment issues and Elijah never pressured him in giving them a label. Eventually Elijah realized that life isn't all about being a dad. ALSO HIS BI-AWAKENING MOMENT!!! Elijah just really made Edin touch starved or maybe Edin has always been touch starved and is Elijah the one that makes him feel safe enough to show that side of himself. Their relationship is so healthy and genuinely it's everything that they both deserve. Elijah is an amazing (step) dad to Mo. Their little family is everything! Also Edin accepting Zeke as a part of Elijah and Elijah accepting Mo as a part of Edin!!! I stared crying around chapter 30, all the way until the last page. 5 stars! This book has everything that I love and need in a book.
I love that the characters Crea writes can be vulnerable around each other and ask for hugs and cuddles from their friends without judgement. Everyone needs love and to be taken care of sometimes. This book also has some of the most beautiful hurt/comfort chapters.
I received an ARC copy of this book.
Restrained by N. Brown
4.0
"You love so deeply and just want everyone to be okay. You’re one of the strongest, most loyal people I’ve ever known, and more people should be like you." - Hayden
"He kisses me, pulling my body to his, making me feel safe and protected in a way I've never felt and didn’t even know I wanted until now." - Lola
Lola is the sibling with the last amount of drama at least until she started seeing Hayden. But would it really be a Sterling without chaos. Lola is the oldest sibling, the one that is always taking care of everyone and I'm glad that she has found love for herself. This serie deals with grief. A family member past away and this serie is about grieving that person and finding love. Hayden is so sweet and caring, they are so good to each other. Both of them have their own traumas and past. They talk about that because they want to understand each other. This is the first book in the Serie where it just felt right from the start for me, their relationship isn't toxic it's just the people around them that have to figure their own problems out and that has affect on Lola & Hayden. I'm glad that Hayden knows how amazing she is. She's been my favorite Sterling from the start.
“Life is painful. Love is even more painful.” - Vivienne
“I need this. I can’t live like this anymore. I’m drowning.” - Asher
It was also good to read about Asher and Vivienne's situation from a different perspective and I love Sebastian (Vivienne's son), I'm glad that they (the Sterling Family) are working on themselves because Sebastian deserves to grown up with people that treat each other with genuine love and are the best versions of themselves. He is the sunshine in the family.
This book is republished under the name N. Brown (Nicole Dykes her pen name). I received an ARC copy of this book.
"He kisses me, pulling my body to his, making me feel safe and protected in a way I've never felt and didn’t even know I wanted until now." - Lola
Lola is the sibling with the last amount of drama at least until she started seeing Hayden. But would it really be a Sterling without chaos. Lola is the oldest sibling, the one that is always taking care of everyone and I'm glad that she has found love for herself. This serie deals with grief. A family member past away and this serie is about grieving that person and finding love. Hayden is so sweet and caring, they are so good to each other. Both of them have their own traumas and past. They talk about that because they want to understand each other. This is the first book in the Serie where it just felt right from the start for me, their relationship isn't toxic it's just the people around them that have to figure their own problems out and that has affect on Lola & Hayden. I'm glad that Hayden knows how amazing she is. She's been my favorite Sterling from the start.
“Life is painful. Love is even more painful.” - Vivienne
“I need this. I can’t live like this anymore. I’m drowning.” - Asher
It was also good to read about Asher and Vivienne's situation from a different perspective and I love Sebastian (Vivienne's son), I'm glad that they (the Sterling Family) are working on themselves because Sebastian deserves to grown up with people that treat each other with genuine love and are the best versions of themselves. He is the sunshine in the family.
This book is republished under the name N. Brown (Nicole Dykes her pen name). I received an ARC copy of this book.
His Bane by Courtney W. Dixon
3.0
"We were only here because Sully had shattered my carefully constructed walls. In reality, he owned me." - Malik
"I tried to love him. Maybe I did, but I didn’t know what it felt like to love someone." - Sully
In this second book in The serie, Malik and Sid started "District." This book has time jumps and in the first book of the serie 'His Death Bringer' this company already exists.
There is a lot of manipulation from both sides, pushing each other and a lot of self-hate from Malik. They just used each other over and over again. There is an age gap that's nearly 20 years. Malik takes Sully in when Sully is 16 years old. Sully has always wanted Malik (from very early in the book) and he got what he wanted a few years later on a night that Malik was very vulnerable. It was on a day that (a few decades age) was very traumatizing for Malik and every year on that day, it all comes back to him. Malik feels guilty and he feels like he doesn't deserve love or to enjoy himself because of what happened, and of course because of the betrayal part of this book. They are together (together = spicy time) every year on that exact day, that is the only day Malik allowed himself to be with Sully. For a VERY long time.
I really tried to love this book but the lack of talking and understanding (how can you understand each other if you don't try to talk?) annoyed me a lot. They just wasted all those years because they thought that they knew what the other wanted and needed. I understand that talking is difficult but they didn't even try to just expected the other to know, especially Malik. In my opinion Malik didn't give Sully a way to form connections with other people because he wanted to protect him but in reality maybe it was just so that Sully only had Malik to turn to (Malik did this from the start! Since that Sully was 16 years).
Malik: “I’m not denying you. I’m denying myself. You know this.”
Sully: “No, you deny me by denying yourself. We both want this.”
It isn't weird that Sully wanted Malik since basically the start of living with him, he never formed a healthy relationship with an adult and was never treated with respect. Sully is a psychopath and he manipulates people, yes but how can he be better or try to be better, if he had never seen a healthy relationship between people?? People have always failed him. He was trying but I feel like Malik couldn't look further then the fact that Sully is a psychopath. Malik was hurting for so long and he made it everyone's problem.
3 stars, because the lack of communication was getting annoying and it took so long for Malik to say that he wanted (for example) cuddles while he has been the one that always said that it was just spicy time. How could Sully possibly know that things were different IF THEY DON'T TALK. It felt a bit boring and was dragging at times but this is Sully and Malik’s story and there were also parts that I did enjoy. Sully deserves better and I definitely liked him more, it's not his fault that the situations he was in, made him this way. Malik constantly reminded Sully of a person that Sully couldn't keep safe in conversations to make sure that Sully still had "empathy" and doesn't see that it is cruel and hurtful? But it is okay that Malik doesn't want to talk about his traumas?? That is just very weird to me. Sully is constantly reminded of that person even without Malik to bring it up. Malik his way of treating Sully was the biggest reason why I couldn't give it more than 3 stars.
The District is a dark romance serie where queer people are hired to take out bad people, they make the world a little bit safer in their own way. Along the way they found their family in each other.
Rumor Has It by Crea Reitan
3.0
"I love this version of masculinity where you’re allowed to grow up acknowledging that you love your friends and men also have emotions they’re not afraid of." - Dak
"There’s still so much more to learn. It’s Dak who’s teaching me." - Sparrow (Rivier)
“It’s a window into exploring your sexuality while giving you whatever excuse you need to justify it. Easy cash. Competition to be the best. To prove you’re not gay. Say what you want as the reason you went, but the fact is, if you weren’t interested or curious, you wouldn’t show up.” - This is exactly what Rumor is, a safe space to explore with a camera and money attached to it. Dak went there because he was invited, he explored with Sparrow (River) and had his bi-awakening moment on camera. Growing up Dak saw a lot of different kinds of people and relationships. I really hoped that Dak could've talked about his feelings sooner. Even talking about his friends took some time. I think that I liked the side characters more then the main characters in this book.
This book talks about problems within the LGBTQIA+ community and so much more. I really love that part of the book because it opens up important conversations and it makes you think about the other side of everything. That really make you think about it. Sparrow was also part of the problem (In my opinion) eventhough Stephen was the biggest problem in the book. I'm glad that his Sparrow's friends could talk to him about that, he really needed to see things in a different way. Ezlo is my favorite (side) character in this Serie at the moment. This book opened up a lot of conversation and I really loved that part of the book. I just didn't love the way things were going between Sparrow and Dak. I wished they could've talked more so they would understand each other better, sooner instead of thinking and worrying about it. Because it really wasn't about the fact that Dak was 5 years younger (Dak 20, River 25), it was so much more than that and it took Sparrow a long time to realize that. It made the book a bit slow.
"There’s still so much more to learn. It’s Dak who’s teaching me." - Sparrow (Rivier)
“It’s a window into exploring your sexuality while giving you whatever excuse you need to justify it. Easy cash. Competition to be the best. To prove you’re not gay. Say what you want as the reason you went, but the fact is, if you weren’t interested or curious, you wouldn’t show up.” - This is exactly what Rumor is, a safe space to explore with a camera and money attached to it. Dak went there because he was invited, he explored with Sparrow (River) and had his bi-awakening moment on camera. Growing up Dak saw a lot of different kinds of people and relationships. I really hoped that Dak could've talked about his feelings sooner. Even talking about his friends took some time. I think that I liked the side characters more then the main characters in this book.
This book talks about problems within the LGBTQIA+ community and so much more. I really love that part of the book because it opens up important conversations and it makes you think about the other side of everything. That really make you think about it. Sparrow was also part of the problem (In my opinion) eventhough Stephen was the biggest problem in the book. I'm glad that his Sparrow's friends could talk to him about that, he really needed to see things in a different way. Ezlo is my favorite (side) character in this Serie at the moment. This book opened up a lot of conversation and I really loved that part of the book. I just didn't love the way things were going between Sparrow and Dak. I wished they could've talked more so they would understand each other better, sooner instead of thinking and worrying about it. Because it really wasn't about the fact that Dak was 5 years younger (Dak 20, River 25), it was so much more than that and it took Sparrow a long time to realize that. It made the book a bit slow.
In Plain Sight by Willow Dixon
4.0
"You’re gorgeous, Luka. And I don’t just mean your looks. All of you is beautiful." - Zander
"Zander was an incredibly handsome man, but his looks were only a small part of what made him beautiful." - Luka
This book was so sweet, they understand each other so well. They can fully be themselves with each other and that is for both a new feeling. Zander & Luka are both anxious around people /crowed places, they help each other in those situations. Luka struggled a lot with his mental health, he overthinks a lot about basically everything. Zander is very good at reassuring him and knowing what he things and how he can help him. They talked a lot about their struggles. They were even talking (anonymous) about their feelings on the k!nky app, if they weren't sending spicy texts or calls. I loved how confident Zander was on the app and in their spicy times. He just knew how to make Luka feel good and safe with reminding him that they could stop at any moment. Luka could really relax in those moments, there was a lot going on in his mind and Zander could take him out of that place.
They are both still in the closet (for a big part of the book) and I'm glad that Willow wrote that with their ages (Luka 26, Zander 29) because everyone does things in their own time. I really loved reading about Zander's friendship with his ex wife. I had a harder time reading about Luka and his friends, I know that people can change but it's just sad that some people have to know a queer person in order to (finally) respect them. It just hurts that people still get treated this way and I appreciate that it was written in this book, it's sadly still reality. I really love this found family serie and reading how different all the books are. I'm glad they have a safe work place to come back to.
I received an ARC copy of this book.
"Zander was an incredibly handsome man, but his looks were only a small part of what made him beautiful." - Luka
This book was so sweet, they understand each other so well. They can fully be themselves with each other and that is for both a new feeling. Zander & Luka are both anxious around people /crowed places, they help each other in those situations. Luka struggled a lot with his mental health, he overthinks a lot about basically everything. Zander is very good at reassuring him and knowing what he things and how he can help him. They talked a lot about their struggles. They were even talking (anonymous) about their feelings on the k!nky app, if they weren't sending spicy texts or calls. I loved how confident Zander was on the app and in their spicy times. He just knew how to make Luka feel good and safe with reminding him that they could stop at any moment. Luka could really relax in those moments, there was a lot going on in his mind and Zander could take him out of that place.
They are both still in the closet (for a big part of the book) and I'm glad that Willow wrote that with their ages (Luka 26, Zander 29) because everyone does things in their own time. I really loved reading about Zander's friendship with his ex wife. I had a harder time reading about Luka and his friends, I know that people can change but it's just sad that some people have to know a queer person in order to (finally) respect them. It just hurts that people still get treated this way and I appreciate that it was written in this book, it's sadly still reality. I really love this found family serie and reading how different all the books are. I'm glad they have a safe work place to come back to.
I received an ARC copy of this book.
His Death Bringer by Courtney W. Dixon
4.0
"Angel was my wounded warrior. Each scar was from the battles he had lost and won. He may have bled and hurt, but he came back stronger and was a man I looked up to. " - Luca
"I wasn’t an angel. He was. The one sent to heal me." - Dante
To be completely honest, I didn't know what to think about Dante until later in the book. He was very confused about his feelings, and he gave mixed signals to Luca. After they had conversations about Dante's past and Luca explained that he didn't want to leave, something changed between them. Dante is just so sweet and caring, he didn't allow himself to be like that because of his past and work. Also I love Cleo the dog. Dogs are amazing, she protected Luca from the start, she was always around him, trying to comfort him, when he had nightmares or when his feelings were to much for him to handle.
I really love that Dante gave Luca full control during their first spicy time. I think that was healing for Luca. There are flashbacks throughout this book from both Dante and Luca their past and traumas. Dante safed Luca's life in the beginning of this book and from that moment, Luca trusted Dante, he felt safe around him, he knew that Dante wouldn't hurt him that he was different from all the men that hurt him for 11 years. Luca was also very scared that Dante would leave him, because he gave him his freedom back and he just loves him unconditionally because of it. They had a lot of conversations about that because Dante didn't understand how he could fully trust him after what he's been through, Dante was scared that Luca would see him as those men or that he would trigger him. There is an age gap of 10 years (Luca 19, Dante 29). Courtney wrote this story with a lot of care, every story is different, everyone reacted differently and that is okay. Sometimes you just don't understand someone's feelings or behaviors but you just have to trust the person that THEY know their own feelings. That is a message what was brought up a lot in this book and it was written beautifully!
The District is a dark romance serie that follows queer people that are hired to take out bad people, they make the world a little bit safer in their own way. Along the way they found their family in each other. Full of hurt/comfort and found family.