Wow! I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. Recommended to me, I was excited until I realized it wasn’t a typical historical nor youWow! I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. Recommended to me, I was excited until I realized it wasn’t a typical historical nor your standard contemporary. I’ve never been a fan of anything set in the 1900’s. Until now.
Evony along with a group of other residents of East Berlin are thwarted when they try to escape. Expecting to be sent to a prison for traitors where she will be tortured and tormented, she is shaken, scared and unsure when her captor, Reinhardt Volker – the Midnight Hunter, takes her to his home instead. This man is not known for his kind ways. He has a reputation and the stony cold look upon his face doesn’t help her to think he has anything but evil in plan for her.
Reinhardt was a scary dude going into this story. His character is multi-faceted and we are gradually allowed to see who he really is as one layer at a time is revealed. I love when a hero will do absolutely anything for his woman and despite who he was, Reinhardt was prepared to do so for Evony.
Evony is a strong, smart heroine who is determined to gain her freedom. She never relented when it came to standing up to the hero if though she knew he could dispose of her in the blink of an eye. So many of their interactions left me breathless, afraid she might have pushed him too far this time.
From the beginning this author pulled me into the desperate darkness that living in the shadow of the wall in East Berlin was like. Living far from that shadow I recall cold war talk and never really understanding what that meant but this book shines a whole new light on it from the inside of characters who were living through it. The author’s acknowledgements at the end caused me to choke up because I remember watching the wall come down and while it didn’t affect me directly in my day to day life…it affected the world I live in.
This is my first book by this author and I will most definitely be checking out her backlist!
Dual POV – mostly heroine Safe – no ow/om drama No apparent triggers
Merged review:
Wow! I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. Recommended to me, I was excited until I realized it wasn’t a typical historical nor your standard contemporary. I’ve never been a fan of anything set in the 1900’s. Until now.
Evony along with a group of other residents of East Berlin are thwarted when they try to escape. Expecting to be sent to a prison for traitors where she will be tortured and tormented, she is shaken, scared and unsure when her captor, Reinhardt Volker – the Midnight Hunter, takes her to his home instead. This man is not known for his kind ways. He has a reputation and the stony cold look upon his face doesn’t help her to think he has anything but evil in plan for her.
Reinhardt was a scary dude going into this story. His character is multi-faceted and we are gradually allowed to see who he really is as one layer at a time is revealed. I love when a hero will do absolutely anything for his woman and despite who he was, Reinhardt was prepared to do so for Evony.
Evony is a strong, smart heroine who is determined to gain her freedom. She never relented when it came to standing up to the hero if though she knew he could dispose of her in the blink of an eye. So many of their interactions left me breathless, afraid she might have pushed him too far this time.
From the beginning this author pulled me into the desperate darkness that living in the shadow of the wall in East Berlin was like. Living far from that shadow I recall cold war talk and never really understanding what that meant but this book shines a whole new light on it from the inside of characters who were living through it. The author’s acknowledgements at the end caused me to choke up because I remember watching the wall come down and while it didn’t affect me directly in my day to day life…it affected the world I live in.
This is my first book by this author and I will most definitely be checking out her backlist!
Dual POV – mostly heroine Safe – no ow/om drama No apparent triggers...more
I always enjoy Ms. Bloom. Her voice pulled me into the story and her performance kept me engaged. She made these charaAudiobook: Narrator - C.J. Bloom
I always enjoy Ms. Bloom. Her voice pulled me into the story and her performance kept me engaged. She made these characters come alive.
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This was a dark and intense journey filled with suspense as the heroine’s family promises her to a rival family’s son. The perfect mafia princess set up and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next with each turn of the page.
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Alina might have been a “princess” but her hopes and dreams were far from the life her family lived. I loved the real her as well as what she does to relax when needed. She was a bit unique in that regard. As things began to take a darker turn in her life, I felt her anxiety and her struggle. Holy heck, this author knows how to frame the darkness without pushing things too far.
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Things were told completely in the heroine’s point of view so it left me guessing as to what Alexei’s true intentions, his thoughts, and his ultimate goal and the reason behind it, was. His character was shrouded in mystery and definitely hidden in the shadows. When he finally shared a bit of his side, I was thunderstruck by it all. Definitely worth reading just to get to that point!
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This is a bit of a slow burn but the chemistry between this hero and heroine is undeniable throughout the story. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a little darkness with their romance. You’re going to love Alexei!
Cliffhanger Heroine POV Safe (view spoiler)[no ow drama; no real drama by om but the H handles anyone that might even think about making a move on the h; h virgin; H not a manwhore - celibate (hide spoiler)] Triggers (view spoiler)[stalker; violent murder on page; addiction to pain pills (hide spoiler)] Steam (view spoiler)[ 5 /5; explicit; no condoms (hide spoiler)]...more
This was deliciously hot, filled with danger and drama, and heartbreakingly angsty at times.
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Picking up where the first book ended, I was immediThis was deliciously hot, filled with danger and drama, and heartbreakingly angsty at times.
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Picking up where the first book ended, I was immediately thrown into the turmoil that Kate was dealing with. Her internal fight against the control Alex was asserting had me in a mess of emotions. I totally understood her feelings and yet I could see his side of things as well. It was a crazy ride of give and take where control was concerned.
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I couldn’t help but love Alex. Yes, he was extremely overbearing, but the situation he found them in and his feelings for Kate ignited a fierce fire within him to protect her at all costs. He was definitely an alpha lord where she was concerned and I loved how he could be domineering one moment and sweet and gentle the next.
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For a good portion of this story, it is an emotional battle between this hero and heroine. The angst had me on edge. Then things took a turn and I was on edge for a whole new reason. I couldn’t get to the end fast enough. I needed this couple to have their happy ever after and I needed to know what that was going to look like for them. Then these amazing authors gave me the sweetest epilogue ever and I was finally able to breathe again.
Oh. My. Gawd!!!! Could there be a more griping cliffhanger than this?! Gah! Charmaine Pauls is a cruel devil and I love her for it!
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I loved the Oh. My. Gawd!!!! Could there be a more griping cliffhanger than this?! Gah! Charmaine Pauls is a cruel devil and I love her for it!
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I loved the way Ian was obsessed with making Cas his and keeping her. He’s a wonderful anti-hero with a strong protective streak. However, he was never so over the top that he didn’t relent when it came to freedoms that Cas needed. With every new thing that was revealed about him, I fell more in love with him.
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While Cas made a few decisions that had my gut in knots, I understood where she was coming from. She’s an extremely strong, brave heroine that never wavered on what she wanted from Ian and made sure he understood where she was coming from.
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While Ian and Cas are working through their issues within their relationship, I was falling in love with not only everything about them, but their locale. It felt as though the location was as much a character in this story as the hero and heroine. Add in a bit of jealousy, danger and drama and that knot in my gut consumed me. Which of course all led to that amazingly cruel and heartless cliffhanger. Thank goodness the next book is releasing soon!
Dual POV Safe (view spoiler)[no ow/om drama; there is some moments of jealousy due to miscommunication but it does not consume the story and there are no om/ow involved in these incidents; (hide spoiler)] Triggers (view spoiler)[after a condom breaks, H tells h that the morning after pill is not available in their village and too much time would have passed before it could be shipped to them (hide spoiler)] ...more
This hero has my brain all twisted inside. He’s the type of anti-hero that keeps you on edge. You’re never sure what line he’s going to cross and whenThis hero has my brain all twisted inside. He’s the type of anti-hero that keeps you on edge. You’re never sure what line he’s going to cross and when he does cross a line, you’re constantly wondering if there’s something else at play. At least that’s how Maxime affected me. His total possessiveness concerning the heroine, Zoe, fed my romantic heart, even as the darkness within him drove the angst up.
This is slow where action is concerned, but it’s rich in character development as the storyline is laid out and everyone involved takes their place. The relationship between Maxime and Zoe is fraught with tension that I felt in every word and action making it almost impossible to set this book aside for any reason.
This ends in a whopping cliffhanger that I knew was coming, but I was still shocked when I got to it. Thank goodness this author is planning to release the remaining two books of this trilogy rather quickly.
Dual POV Not completely dark, but darker than what I would consider lite Safe (view spoiler)[no om drama; h is virgin - 21 yrs old; no ow drama at this point but the ow is the H’s cook although it’s been some time since they hooked up; while H has been made out to be a manwhore, he doesn’t do relationships as far as I can tell (hide spoiler)] Triggers (view spoiler)[H forces h to have oral sex with him; H has sex with her without preparing her and while this didn’t feel like rape to me, other readers may see it as such (hide spoiler)] ...more
Holy heck! What an amazing beginning to this new series!
This story has undertones of, yes, treachery, so deeply woven into Tanner’s character that I cHoly heck! What an amazing beginning to this new series!
This story has undertones of, yes, treachery, so deeply woven into Tanner’s character that I could taste it through the author’s words. He is scary good at being intimidating and I might not have been able to connect with him except for having his point of view at times. Those moments didn’t share any true secrets, that I could tell, but they reveal the layers that make up the man. I stand in awe at how Ms. White can create an antihero that, on the surface, has no redeeming qualities and yet they steal my heart every time. Even when in Tanner’s point of view, he’s not warm and cuddly, caring or kind. And that’s what makes this magic.
’Tanner Caine is just one of the deceptive and tantalizing demons waiting to be summoned at the crossroads. He is an underground giant forged in fire and stamped with the Devil’s personal seal of approval. He is a man barely challenged and a barrier never crossed. He is also a specimen of the male form that is a siren song to the unlucky women who run across him.’
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The dynamic between Luca and Tanner is that of bully and bullied. However, Luca doesn’t yield to his heavy manipulations. She’s not a whiny college girl caught up in something she’s too weak to deal with. Instead, she’s fierce and defiant, and without realizing it, she challenges Tanner all along the way. I loved her uniqueness as a heroine because like this hero, she is far from one dimensional.
Despite this being a prequel, this was rich with layer after layer of actions and reactions that I fear, yes fear, this is Lily White afterall, will wreak havoc on Luca in the years to come. Repercussions are a done deal when one gets involved with Tanner Caine and I suspect the next book is going to take her, and us, on one wild ride.
Dual POV Safe (view spoiler)[the H is with ow (on his lap, dancing for him, stripping for him while the h is in the room but before the h/H hookup) but no detailed scenes of him having sex with them; H has j/p behavior the more he pulls h into his web; h not a virgin; H is a manwhore; h is dating om I don’t believe they’ve had sex yet as they are new (hide spoiler)] Triggers (view spoiler)[marijuana usage (hide spoiler)] ...more
After several recommendations to read omegaverse, I tried another series - forcing myself to read the first three books and then just gave up. It wasnAfter several recommendations to read omegaverse, I tried another series - forcing myself to read the first three books and then just gave up. It wasn’t for me. However, when this one was introduced in a reader group I decided to give it one more try. I still have mixed emotions about this troupe.
’Breeders choose, and whether he wanted a bride-mate or not, Sasha had chosen him.’
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I’m uncertain if this has more books to come, but most of this was world building, written completely in the heroine’s point of view with an epilogue in the hero’s. There was very little actual interaction between Kane and Sasha and that disappointed me. I never had a chance to really get to see this couple as a couple or to work out any issues they might have. This is all about Sasha and her journey into maturity.
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While the epilogue certainly shines the light on Kane’s jealous actions, there were not many scenes that highlighted this behavior. He was protective, of that there is never a doubt. I wish I could have experienced more of him. I think I would have been completely in love with this if I had. Once this couple comes together, it’s raw, dirty and intense!
Overall, this was an interesting read and I might try another book if this is a series, but I don’t feel driven to do so.
Heroine POV - Hero POV in epilogue Safe (view spoiler)[H is with several other women at the same time (harem) while h watches (he’s unaware she is watching) - this takes place before the h’s first change into womanhood and the H considers her still a child yet in epilogue it’s obvious he was attracted to her from the very beginning - he is not with ow after this incident; h is 18 yrs old - virgin (hide spoiler)] Triggers (view spoiler)[violence; slavery; rape but not to h and not on page - no details (hide spoiler)] ...more
Wow! Talk about gut wrenching! This book tore through me in every way possible!
’When you can’t love, you hate. When you can’t have, you want. And wWow! Talk about gut wrenching! This book tore through me in every way possible!
’When you can’t love, you hate. When you can’t have, you want. And when the truth is too painful to admit, you lie - just like we always had done.’
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As teenagers, Lisbeth was the spoiled princess with Callan as her servant boy. She used him for her enjoyment and discarded him just as quickly. Callan, on the other hand, was entranced with her, despite the abuse he suffered at her will. But a brutal night and a decade later, things have drastically changed and now the power belongs to Callan.
’My hatred of her was a war cry in my head, but I made a mistake when I touched her. I made a mistake when I stared into a set of angry blue eyes and accepted the challenge of taming her.’
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I have to admit, there were certain aspects of this story that I’m not a particular fan of but I’m a lenient reader and continued through some of the rougher parts and holy heck! All of it, the darkest dark, the sweetest light and everything in between, shone within Callan and Lisbeth and the relationship that they built.
It took some time for me to fully connect with Lisbeth but when I did, I totally understood where she was in life and her past and present motivations. She was one tough heroine but she needed to be because that was what life demanded in the past as well as the present.
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Callan was fierce, intimidating in every way, and darkly scary...and I loved him because of it! He had a past that formed the man he was and yet he’s more than what he seems on the surface. When it came time to protect, he protected with every cell of his body.
’When we were apart, all I felt was anger, but when we were together, all I wanted was to show her body what it does to me. To tempt and tease her with the truth of a hatred that walked the same line as love.
And such a fine line it was. The two halves blending until black and white no longer existed, just an aggravating shade of grey that crept in like smoke to distort and disguise everything around me.’
Together, this couple were explosive! They were not sweet doe eyed lovers, they were rough and violent, claiming and demanding in their own ways. Every page cranked the angst up higher as they battled out their issues between themselves.
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This is a lengthier book with a touch of mystery along with a few characters that helped to lighten this read, a bit. It’s a heavy story, with dark actions that kept me feeling like the next thing around the corner was going to be even darker. It was like watching a movie with my eyes peeking above the covers. Except it was raw and sexy, brutal and honest.
If you like to be tantalized by dark romance, this is a perfect choice.
Dual POV Safe (view spoiler)[h not a virgin; H has a woman his is with pretty regularly so he’s not made out to be a manwhore; after h/H are reunited, h watches ow perform an act on H - H sees her watching; normally, I don’t mention condoms but this stood out to me so I’ll mention it here - none were used but initially he pulled out - no conversation about protection (hide spoiler)] Triggers (view spoiler)[BDSM but not in the traditional cookie cutter way; humiliation; abuse (hide spoiler)] ...more
This story left me with such a rush of emotions I’m a bit of a mess.
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I loved both Leanne and Cal so much. They were highly dysfunctional but theThis story left me with such a rush of emotions I’m a bit of a mess.
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I loved both Leanne and Cal so much. They were highly dysfunctional but then again they have a shared history of pain that has caused them to be so. Bouncing back and forth from antagonistic to teasing, all of it laced with searing chemistry, this couple has had quite the journey. Watching them both slowly come to realize the problem, individually, and work towards correcting the problem was beautiful.
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This is a rather high angst read but it’s softened with witty banter and fun secondary characters. Despite their on again/off again relationship, this actually is a slow burn. One of the issues I had with the previous book was a lack of the hero’s point of view. While we only get a few chapters with Cal, it was enough for me to know exactly what he felt, how heartbroken he was, and how determined he was to win Leanne back, showcasing what a truly great hero he was.
I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to dig into the next book in this new series.
Dual POV Safe (view spoiler)[ H is jealous of a few of the men in the h’s life - his jealousy previously caused a separation; H kissed ow to make h jealous during their first breakup; h/H both celibate during each of their separations - 3 ½ years with 3 times they’ve tried to make it work but failed; h not a virgin; H not a manwhore (hide spoiler)] Triggers (view spoiler)[miscarriage (hide spoiler)] ...more
Audiobook: Narrators - Kelsey Navarro & James Anderson Foster
This was a very interesting narration as both the hero and heroine have strong accents. IAudiobook: Narrators - Kelsey Navarro & James Anderson Foster
This was a very interesting narration as both the hero and heroine have strong accents. Initially, I struggled with it because the accent was off a bit, too strong and not really consistent. However, I slowed the speed down, and really focused on what was being said and suddenly I was completely enthralled with this story. I soon cranked the speed back up and it was as if I had been listening to these narrators and their performed accents forever. This ended up being a very enjoyable audio.
Stealing Cinderella was a darkly compelling story for me. It was raw and gritty and skirted on the edges of consent which heightened my anticipation of what was going to happen and how these characters were going to act and in turn, react. I’ve read dark romance before and yet this time I found myself holding my breath, wondering if this hero was going to cross the line. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but I will say that I loved all the angst and turmoil this book stirred in me. And in the end I absolutely LOVED this hero and all his brokenness.
Dual POV Safe (view spoiler)[h is a virgin; H’s brother shares women with him, always. It’s the only way the H has sex; ow drama does cause separation between h/H; H does not cheat and is not interested in ow although his father is forcing him to date ow; H’s brother offers h an ecstasy pill and she willingly takes it - she then allows the brother to perform a sexual act on her while she is making out with the H - however, the H becomes upset and h realizes H didn’t want to share her with brother (hide spoiler)] Triggers (view spoiler)[no rape; this involves what I consider dubious consent - the h is not willing but soon becomes willing as the H continues to stroke and touch etc; BDSM without safe word - h likes what H does until one time and he eventually stopped and realized there was a problem - emotional distress related (hide spoiler)] ...more