Niki (mustreadalltheromance)'s Reviews > Villain I'd Like to F...

Lady Viper and the Bastard by Eva Leigh
When Violet, aka Lady Viper, and Ian Molineaux learn they have been enlisted to break apart the same couple, the two decide, albeit reluctantly, to work together to achieve their shared goal a bit quicker. Each is surprised to find the other to be a match for their ruthless reputation both in and out of bed, but the passion evoked by the enmity between them cannot be denied.

I'm so surprised by how much I loved this novella. Sure, Violet and Ian were a bit ruthless but they were also desperately concealing good hearts longing for love and they tried to use their villainous reputations to help the downtrodden. These two were a perfect match and it was pretty adorable seeing them cautiously open up to one another and establish a relationship that worked for them. I also loved the fact that they each fought for the other in their own way and learned how to communicate in a healthy way that neither of them had previously experienced.

Seven Sinful Nights by Nicola Davidson
Notorious illegitimate son of a nobleman and owner of one of London's most cutthroat gambling establishments, Blake Evans is jaded and ruthless and has a zero tolerance policy for aristocrats who are unlucky enough to find themselves in his debt. When one such indebted duke offers up a night with his sister in law, the Dowager Duchess of Tolwick in exchange for forgiveness of his debt, Blake raises the stakes. To meet the debt, he requires seven nights with the widow submitting to his every desire. To his shock, the lady agrees. Even more surprising is how well Stella fits with Blake and how little he wants to let her go when their time together is finished.

Despite its rather villainous hero, this was a very cute story. I loved that Stella met Blake with a fire he was wholly unprepared for and these two wound up being a good match, despite all the reasons it would seem that wouldn't belong together. It was actually really sweet to see Blake coping with developing feelings and bringing himself to admit them aloud as Stella would settle for nothing less. I also really loved that we got a satisfyingly permanent ending for these two, but it was still unconventional in a way that totally fit them.

The Gangster's Prize by Joanna Shupe
Isabelle Kelly is trapped in a gilded cage in her father's uptown house, told to stay there and keep out of trouble lest she damage his political career or his reputation for crusading to rid the city of violent gangs. She obeys like a dutiful daughter, but when her father goes missing, Isabelle has an excellent idea of who the culprit is and seeks him out herself.

Billy Baxter is the leader of the infamous Hell's Kitchen gang and he knows how to get what he wants. He's long had his eye on the angelic Miss Kelly and now that she's made her way to his world, he intends to make her his.

Baxter was the ultimate bad boy hero but I utterly adored him. It was vastly amusing to me how quickly Isabelle wrapped him around her finger and his reaction to her calling him by his true given name of William was surprisingly endearing and humanizing. She completely wrecked him and his being so far gone on her, willing to do anything to prove himself to her, even though he'd hidden things from her made it impossible not to root for him. His devotion to her was complete and once he revealed his truths, his actions made more sense and just made him into the ultimate protective hero, which is something I'm a sucker for. The only thing I didn't much care for was Isabelle's reaction. Though she was justified in her upset, I think she punished Bax a bit too long and it made me question the depth of her feelings for him, in addition to tearing down his villainous façade quite a bit with how elaborately he pined for her. Otherwise, this was an excellent novella that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The Bootlegger's Bounty by Adriana Herrera
When it becomes clear to Rosalia Ferrer that her brother is unstable and a threat to her safety, she ceases the first chance she has to leave her island and follow her dream of going to New York and finding a place as a jazz singer. Unfortunately her plan quickly hits a snag and she is forced to put her fate in the hands of a ruthless man known as the Rogue of Rum Row, but Rosalia is prepared to do anything necessary to get what she wants.

Camden McCollough has been rum running for ten years and is just about to complete his final job. He just has to keep his unexpected stowaway from getting them both killed and he may be able to retire with the girl and the goods.

This was an mmf story with a very unusual threesome but they all brought something different and vital to the relationship. Rosalia, Vincenzo, and Camden all carried scars and pain from their varied but traumatic pasts and they were able to find comfort and peace together. Cam was tired of the ruthlessness and lack of peace after ten years of rum running and wanting an out, a way to make a new life for himself, but unable to see beyond the obvious to grasp the nuanced obstacles in his way. Rosalia and Enzo showed him potential issues he might face and helped him surmount them, bringing out a softer side of him that was very endearing since he was otherwise incredibly surly and full of anger. In turn, Cam provided the safety and structure both Rosi and Enzo craved and they were extremely hot together, with chemistry that fairly leapt off the page. I loved the fast pace of their relationship and how Enzo was the one who was bold enough to go after what he wanted and bring them together. We got a low angst yet still exciting, sexy novella, with a satisfying HEA that I loved.