I just can’t stop thinking about how he was chopping vegetables (including onions) and then fingered her.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES Isabella Costa | Primo EsI just can’t stop thinking about how he was chopping vegetables (including onions) and then fingered her.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES Isabella Costa | Primo Esposito
SUMMARY From the moment Primo saw Isabella, of the rival crime family Costa, he knew the spirited woman was the one he wanted to marry. He then proceeds to have her kidnapped as the first step of his plan. The Costas and Espositos then reach a tentative agreement of a marriage between Primo and Isabella to remove distrust and unify the families.
The newlyweds struggle to adjust to their new life, Isabella resenting him and Primo impatiently patient with her resentment. Just as they begin to reach a truce, an attempt on Isabella’s life deteriorates their progress.
Underneath all that hatred is an attraction that, try as she might, Isabella cannot ignore. Where attraction leads, desire follows.
REVIEW An arranged marriage plot where both characters do not want to be in their marriage is compelling, but an arranged marriage plot where one of them is so sure they want to be married to the other that they kidnap them? Somehow, even more compelling.
The slowburn of Isabella and Primo’s relationship was perfect. Even after things got physical, there was a one-sided, albeit weakening, hatred on Isabella’s end. Isabella’s refusal to concede and Primo’s adoration—and exasperation—of her antics made for such a fun read. Although at times the development (both progression and regression) was a bit abrupt, overall the relationship plot itself is easily a 5/5.
The external plot— Isabella’s life being threatened— and its resolution disappointed me. Not because of who the antagonist turned out to be, but because I absolutely despise when there is no (or in this case, minimal) foreshadowing. See spoilers at bottom.
Jessica Gadziala is no stranger of creating immersive of underworld organizations and the love stories in them, and while this is my first read of this series, I have no doubt the other books set in this universe will be just as captivating.
OM/OW DRAMA minor OW — (view spoiler)[Primo mentions receiving a blowjob from his housekeeper on the morning of his wedding (before Primo and Isabella officially meet), and she later shows up to try to seduce him and is promptly fired (hide spoiler)] CHEATING none THIRD ACT BREAKUP no ENDING HEA
POV dual / first person SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5 RATING 3.5 / 5
SPOILERS content warning: (view spoiler)[kidnap, attempted rape, murder, and mentions of child abuse (hide spoiler)]
The Third Act Conflict and [REDACTED]’s Betrayal (view spoiler)[Terzo, Primo’s brother, is killed when another ambush occurs at the apartment. Because of this, Primo tries to send Isabella away, but she insists on staying with him as he grieves.
He agrees and leaves his twin half-brothers, Dulles and Dawson, as her primary guards. When Primo is out running errands, the twins send away the other guards and kidnap Isabella.
They explain to Isabella that they planned to send her back to her family, but she started sleeping with Primo, which made her “tainted.” They reveal they were the ones who killed Terzo, and they want to kill Primo next, after he watches them rape and murder Isabella.
Their hatred of Primo stems from their father. He killed the twins ‘ mother and forced them to move in with Primo, Terzo, and Due. They were all horribly abused by their father before he was killed by Primo. The twins think Primo to be as abusive and cruel as him, and they resent their brother for not protecting his siblings, despite being a victim himself.
Primo finds the twins and Isabella in the basement of their family home—where the boys were abused, and he viciously murders them before he frees Isabella.
Tying back to my review, I felt that although the twins had strong motivations, their earlier actions in the novel did not match the extent of their hatred and betrayal.
It was clear they were secretive and hurt from what happened with their mother, but there is no way they hid their hatred of Primo that well, especially paired with the fact they waited so long to enact their revenge.
When they kidnapped Isabella, they didn’t care whether or not Primo found out. Their plan was to make him suffer…but their plan was flakey, at best. (hide spoiler)]
Merged review:
I just can’t stop thinking about how he was chopping vegetables (including onions) and then fingered her.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES Isabella Costa | Primo Esposito
SUMMARY From the moment Primo saw Isabella, of the rival crime family Costa, he knew the spirited woman was the one he wanted to marry. He then proceeds to have her kidnapped as the first step of his plan. The Costas and Espositos then reach a tentative agreement of a marriage between Primo and Isabella to remove distrust and unify the families.
The newlyweds struggle to adjust to their new life, Isabella resenting him and Primo impatiently patient with her resentment. Just as they begin to reach a truce, an attempt on Isabella’s life deteriorates their progress.
Underneath all that hatred is an attraction that, try as she might, Isabella cannot ignore. Where attraction leads, desire follows.
REVIEW An arranged marriage plot where both characters do not want to be in their marriage is compelling, but an arranged marriage plot where one of them is so sure they want to be married to the other that they kidnap them? Somehow, even more compelling.
The slowburn of Isabella and Primo’s relationship was perfect. Even after things got physical, there was a one-sided, albeit weakening, hatred on Isabella’s end. Isabella’s refusal to concede and Primo’s adoration—and exasperation—of her antics made for such a fun read. Although at times the development (both progression and regression) was a bit abrupt, overall the relationship plot itself is easily a 5/5.
The external plot— Isabella’s life being threatened— and its resolution disappointed me. Not because of who the antagonist turned out to be, but because I absolutely despise when there is no (or in this case, minimal) foreshadowing. See spoilers at bottom.
Jessica Gadziala is no stranger of creating immersive of underworld organizations and the love stories in them, and while this is my first read of this series, I have no doubt the other books set in this universe will be just as captivating.
OM/OW DRAMA minor OW — (view spoiler)[Primo mentions receiving a blowjob from his housekeeper on the morning of his wedding (before Primo and Isabella officially meet), and she later shows up to try to seduce him and is promptly fired (hide spoiler)] CHEATING none THIRD ACT BREAKUP no ENDING HEA
POV dual / first person SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5 RATING 3.5 / 5
SPOILERS content warning: (view spoiler)[kidnap, attempted rape, murder, and mentions of child abuse (hide spoiler)]
The Third Act Conflict and [REDACTED]’s Betrayal (view spoiler)[Terzo, Primo’s brother, is killed when another ambush occurs at the apartment. Because of this, Primo tries to send Isabella away, but she insists on staying with him as he grieves.
He agrees and leaves his twin half-brothers, Dulles and Dawson, as her primary guards. When Primo is out running errands, the twins send away the other guards and kidnap Isabella.
They explain to Isabella that they planned to send her back to her family, but she started sleeping with Primo, which made her “tainted.” They reveal they were the ones who killed Terzo, and they want to kill Primo next, after he watches them rape and murder Isabella.
Their hatred of Primo stems from their father. He killed the twins ‘ mother and forced them to move in with Primo, Terzo, and Due. They were all horribly abused by their father before he was killed by Primo. The twins think Primo to be as abusive and cruel as him, and they resent their brother for not protecting his siblings, despite being a victim himself.
Primo finds the twins and Isabella in the basement of their family home—where the boys were abused, and he viciously murders them before he frees Isabella.
Tying back to my review, I felt that although the twins had strong motivations, their earlier actions in the novel did not match the extent of their hatred and betrayal.
It was clear they were secretive and hurt from what happened with their mother, but there is no way they hid their hatred of Primo that well, especially paired with the fact they waited so long to enact their revenge.
When they kidnapped Isabella, they didn’t care whether or not Primo found out. Their plan was to make him suffer…but their plan was flakey, at best. (hide spoiler)]...more
so refreshing to see that the “not like other girls” trope is alive and well in these woke times /s
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Vasilisa Petrova (23) so refreshing to see that the “not like other girls” trope is alive and well in these woke times /s
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Vasilisa Petrova (23) | Rafael De Santi (39)
FEATURES ∘ mafia/bratva romance ∘ age gap ∘ beauty and the beast ∘ casual kidnapping ∘ instalove ∘ saved her as a child (never interacted after that until meeting again)
REVIEW Listen, I had fun reading this. I’m about to go into a mini rant session, but do not let that distract you from the fact that I devoured this book.
First and foremost: I hate next generation books. They always manage to bastardize the characters we know by making them known only as quirky parents. In my mind, characters are frozen in time, so to see them in the future void of their charm outside of being parents is not appealing to me. For that reason, the plot was already working against itself.
I knew it was a next gen series before I started, so perhaps it’s unfair of me to penalize it. I really did go in with an open mind. And then came the instalove. I know from reading the previous series that the MMCs tend to fall hard and fast for no apparent reason. It shouldn’t have been surprising, but to see Rafael fall so fast for someone he was set on killing was a let-down. I would’ve loved to see him take more time to warm up to Vasilisa before he became obsessed with her.
However, what annoyed me the most in this book was Vasilisa. I didn’t hate her in the slightest. It’s just that I cannot feel bad for someone whose main struggle in life is they are too beautiful. Vasilisa constantly talked about how men only liked her for how she looked—and I understand why that would be annoying—but truthfully, I did not care. We also know that she grew up rich and relatively spoiled (not a bad thing), so her refusing Rafael’s money and being showered in expensive gifts from him does not pack the same punch as it would if she were poor. (Side note: this is another reason second gen stories have to work harder. Angst coming from loving parents and financial security is not powerful in the slightest.)
With all that being said, Neva Altaj writes in an engrossing way. Despite all of my complaints, I barely put the book down. I did enjoy Vasilisa’s sassiness and Rafael’s dramatic possessiveness. These books have all been page-turners, regardless of how I felt about the characters and/or plot.
OW/OM DRAMA OW — Rafael has a brief explicit scene with another woman in the beginning; she comes back briefly shortly after but isn’t heard from again CHEATING none THIRD ACT BREAKUP yes — a “if you love her, let her go” type thing ENDING HEA — one month later epilogue
POV dual / first person SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5 RATING 3.5 / 5...more
Emerie’s solutions to solving problems are…interesting, to say the least.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Emerie (27) | Ingram (?)
FEATURES ∘ monster romancEmerie’s solutions to solving problems are…interesting, to say the least.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Emerie (27) | Ingram (?)
FEATURES ∘ monster romance ∘ mmc held captive (with help of fmc) ∘ fmc frees mmc ∘ sweet, curious mmc ∘ tough, brave fmc
REVIEW If there’s one universal rule of romance novels, it’s that the couples end up together and live in their happily ever after (or happily for now). To be able to write a romance book where the reader knows that is the case, yet still feels uncertainty about it takes a skilled hand.
I felt a heaviness while reading this. The grief the characters go through, both for their lost loved ones and for the pieces they’ve lost of themselves because of it, is so well-written and heartbreaking. These two souls found each other and helped heal each other, while also acknowledging that the pain will never be gone.
That being said, there were many hair-twirling, bright-red-blushing, can’t-stop-giggling moments. Both Emerie and Ingram were such delightful characters, even if they were wildly different. Their charms as characters made their charm as a couple that much greater.
This series has truly solidified itself with each addition. Each duskwalker is so unique, yet equally lovable. There’s always more to learn about the world, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
OW/OM DRAMA OM — Emerie is dating someone else in the beginning of the book, and there is an explicit scene between them; they break up before Emerie and Ingram get together CHEATING none THIRD ACT BREAKUP no ENDING HEA — near future epilogue
POV dual / third person SPICE LEVEL 4.5 / 5 RATING 5 / 5
SPOILERS I sought spoilers and couldn’t find what happened at the end. I was getting stressed and needed to know what happened, so if you’re like me:
Ingram’s Twin’s Fate (view spoiler)[Aleron dies in the beginning after bejng overrun by demons. Throughout the novel, Ingram insists he’ll bring him back.
Ingram doesn’t succeed, but he does find him, where it’s hinted Aleron will make a return at some point (along with Emerie’s adoptive brother Gideon, as the next book is about them) (hide spoiler)]
The Demon King (view spoiler)[Lindiwe, the Owl Witch, comes up with a plan for Emerie to kill Jabez, meaning she will lose her life in the process.
After Emerie throws the sun stone and dies, Weldir (father of the duskwalkers) reveals he does not know what came of the demon king, as Jabez’s soul did not come to Weldir to be consumed, yet his magic and being is gone from the castle where he resided. It is possible his soul was destroyed by the blast, but there really is no guarantee. (hide spoiler)]...more
I thought, “This is book 4. Alison Aimes is not going to shock me with a foreshadowed plot twist again.” Well, aren’t I a fool because she did! MULTIPI thought, “This is book 4. Alison Aimes is not going to shock me with a foreshadowed plot twist again.” Well, aren’t I a fool because she did! MULTIPLE TIMES!
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Scarlett (25) | Damien Skolov (22)
FEATURES ∘ sci-fi mafia romance ∘ omegaverse ∘ second chance ∘ fated mates ∘ lovers to enemies to lovers ∘ fmc sort of held prisoner by mmc ∘ dual virgins ...more
That grovel scene really did something for me, and I will accept no less from future books I read.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Tesstala “Tess” “TessieThat grovel scene really did something for me, and I will accept no less from future books I read.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Tesstala “Tess” “Tessie” (~24) | Maxheim Skolov (26)
FEATURES ∘ sci-if mafia romance ∘ omegaverse ∘ fated mates ∘ he saves her from captivity ∘ him on his knees begging for forgiveness
REVIEW I love a matebond, especially when the MMC is so quick to accept it. He was ready to die to protect her from day one, and I was giggling about it.
The plot from Ruthless King is extended into this one, but it’s not until the end that it advances. While a lot happened in the novel action-wise, the overarching plot moved at a snail’s pace. Since so much of the angst hinged on this, it made the story feel dragged out and repetitive.
The building of the story and development of the relationship was nicely done and made for a compelling read. I will be starting the next book here shortly and then the next and then—
OW/OM DRAMA minor OM — Maxheim is jealous of an alpha who is friends with Tess; while the OM has feelings, she never has CHEATING none THIRD ACT BREAKUP not really but there is tension that is promptly communicated through ENDING HEA — epilogue in different POV but is set shortly in the future
POV dual / third person SPICE LEVEL 4.5 / 5 RATING 4 / 5...more
Someone tell Sikthand you do NOT need to be cruel to be kind.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Sophia (?) | Sikthand (?)
FEATURES ∘ alien / human romance ∘ roSomeone tell Sikthand you do NOT need to be cruel to be kind.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Sophia (?) | Sikthand (?)
FEATURES ∘ alien / human romance ∘ royal mmc ∘ fmc held hostage (safely) ∘ fated mates ∘ arranged marriage ∘ angst/trust issues GALORE
REVIEW I’ve been waiting for a new Cleclanians novel for forever, so I downloaded this one as quickly as possible. It did NOT disappoint.
Sikthand was a compelling main character, and even though his (arguably understandable) actions irritated me sometimes, his reactions and obsession with Sophia had me giggling.
We’re missing a huge chunk of Sophia’s backstory, and I can’t remember if it’s discussed in earlier books or not. She mentions not seeing her father in over twenty years, but the reasoning is never explained. Her love and loyalty to Sikthand was admirable, and I adored watching her gain conviction and confidence.
The conclusion was a bit abrupt. We didn’t get to see Sophia and Sikthand together without the hint of distrust that plagued their relationship or without one of them holding back. They resolve their issues, and then BOOM—epilogue. It was a cute, albeit brief, epilogue though.
Nonetheless, I’m fully invested in this world. I’ll read about any of this complicated world and the alien men with their thick (but lovable) skulls any time, any place. If Victoria Aveline could clone herself a hundred times so she could work on a hundred stories at once, that’d be great. Thanks!
OW/OM DRAMA minor OM & OW — both Sikthand and Sophia lightly flirt with other people, mostly to make the other jealous (before they’re together & when they’re denying feelings) | past OW — Sikthand has been hurt before and it’s lead to some serious trust issues CHEATING none THIRD ACT BREAKUP no, but they also aren’t even really together by the third act ENDING HEA — near future epilogue
POV dual / third person SPICE LEVEL 3.5 / 5 RATING 4 / 5...more
Since I’ve only seen Peter Pan one time, I would come across names or situations and be like, “I’m definitely missing an Easter egg right now.”
MAIN CHSince I’ve only seen Peter Pan one time, I would come across names or situations and be like, “I’m definitely missing an Easter egg right now.”
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Wendy Michaels (20-21) | James “Hook” Barrie (26)
FEATURES ∘ dark contemporary romance ∘ Peter Pan reimagining ∘ revenge through an enemy’s daughter ∘ fmc held captive by mmc
REVIEW For the first half of the book, I was on the edge of my seat thinking, “How is he going to reveal himself to her?” Only for it to all be THROWN AWAY.
Hook suddenly decides Wendy’s been deceiving him. Then he goes about it the worst possible way. It was such a sudden shift that the rest of the book’s pacing suffered for it.
When he realizes she’s innocent, he does…nothing. I wanted him on his knees APOLOGIZING, or, you know, at the very least ACKNOWLEDGE his mistake, but he didn’t. And Wendy didn’t make him work for anything either. I just wanted one little, tiny grovel scene, and I would’ve loved this book.
The reveals were foreshadowed nicely (even if them being revealed in succession at the end was kind of corny). There needed to be more tender/sentimental moments between Hook and Wendy before we got to the climax, but the action was well-written and heart-wrenching.
I flew through Hooked in a matter of hours. I will be continuing the series happily, especially since I took a peek at the future retellings (reimaginings?). I cannot wait for what’s to come.
OW/OM DRAMAOW — a waitress at Hook’s bar gives him head after he meets Wendy CHEATING none THIRD ACT BREAKUP no, but there is technically a brief separation earlier on ENDING HEA — two years later epilogue
POV dual / first person SPICE LEVEL 4.5 / 5 RATING 4 / 5...more
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Ella (20) | Thorsen (~30)
FEATURES ∘ dark romance ∘ Cinderella retelling (duh) ∘ grumI see a Cinderella retelling, I read it.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Ella (20) | Thorsen (~30)
FEATURES ∘ dark romance ∘ Cinderella retelling (duh) ∘ grumpy/emotionally guarded mmc ∘ royal mmc ∘ fmc kidnapped by mmc ∘ contractual agreement
REVIEW I’m no stranger to dark romances, but it would appear I have a line, and Stealing Cinderella crossed it.
Thorsen was physically abusive, plain and simple. I’m not going to pretend to understand the nuances of bdsm, but multiple times, he restrains or hurts Ella in anger. His intention is to cause her pain—not for her pleasure, only for his. At one point, he terrorizes her with her fear of fire. The descriptions of the scenes make it seem like they are not good experiences for Ella, despite her “body betrayal.” Only after the candle incident does she tell him that he needs to listen to her limits. Side note: that’s the only time there was clear communication between the two.
His past (and present), while tragic and heartbreaking, does not provide a good enough excuse for his behavior. He goes too far and then thinks affection and self-hatred will grant him her forgiveness.
Thorsen’s character aside, I found the story to be a page-turner. The subplots and the scheming of side characters made for an interesting read. There was plenty of drama, and I never knew what would happen next.
Sometimes details slipped through the cracks. For example, Ella has jobs hemming or repairing clothes, but it’s almost never mentioned again. There were sick puppies in the beginning, but we don’t know what came of them. We hear only that her dress was destroyed by her stepsisters, but we didn’t see it making it. My biggest qualm: Charlotte, Ella’s super generous rich friend paid for an expensive ticket to meet a prince, yet she couldn’t pay to save the sanctuary?
There were times I really liked this book, but they were overshadowed by the moments I absolutely detested. It wasn’t for me, but it almost was.
OW/OM DRAMA sort of OM — Thorsen’s and his twin brother Calder usually share women, so Calder was under the impression it was business as usual with Ella. There is a brief explicit scene with the three of them, and Calder performs oral sex on Ella, but Thorsen stops him before it goes further | OW — Thorsen is forced to go on dates with Ella’s stepsister, and Ella believes the two are engaged after her stepsister taunts her CHEATING no, but see above THIRD ACT BREAKUP yes — reconciliation via a dramatic event ENDING HEA — 5 years later epilogue
POV dual / first person SPICE LEVEL 4.5 / 5 RATING 2 / 5...more
In the short time I’ve read the series, these books have become so dear to me.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Lazarus Gaumond (early 20s) | Death/ThanatoIn the short time I’ve read the series, these books have become so dear to me.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES Lazarus Gaumond (early 20s) | Death/Thanatos (old)
FEATURES ∘ fantasy romance ∘ apocalypse ∘ enemies to lovers (literally killing each other) ∘ fmc held captive ∘ opposites ∘ inhuman mmc ∘ zombies of the skeletal variety
REVIEW Death was somehow the most and least human. He didn’t understand their suffering, their joy, or even their vices. He had the unique predicament of serving his duty for years. Yes, the other brothers had too, but with Death, his existence relies on life, and as such, he viewed it differently.
Lazarus’s sparring with Death in the beginning was so refreshing, and it encapsulated the best that enemies to lovers has to offer. Sure, they killed each other, but it was never personal. Combine that with the anticipation and excitement of seeing each other again, even if it is to fight? That’s chemistry, baby.
The Ben plot was a little bit unexpected and disjointed. After Lazarus and Death reunite, it took a minute for their dynamic to shift back to what it was. It slowed down the novel, but it quickly regained its footing.
Finally getting to see all four horsemen interact was everything I ever wanted. I loved their bantering how through it all, they kept their unique personalities.
Laura Thalassa created an extraordinary story with this series. I’m sad it’s over but am overjoyed to have experienced it. I will be rereading this book series in the future.
OW/OM DRAMA none CHEATING no THIRD ACT BREAKUP it’s complicated — if you know the series, you know the horsemen struggle with their duty and their humanity ENDING bittersweet HEA — they live a full life together and then they reunite
POV singular (fmc); brief additional pov by mmc / first person SPICE LEVEL 5 / 5 RATING 5 / 5...more
readabookonce
>
Books:
captivity
(40)
