Tag Archives: mafia romance review

5 stars, Book Review

Carver by KL Donn Review

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newarcbannerblurb4e513-kl2bdonn2bcarver2b1

I saw her.
She’s mine.
NOTHING
Will stop me.
**Warning**
The Adair Empire is a dark and graphic romance that will push your buttons, and maybe your boundaries. Each book contains a new couple but ends with a plot cliff-hanger.
— Goodreads — Amazon — Kobo — Bookbub — Barnes & Nobles —

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Krystal is a proud Canadian girl, hailing from Sherwood Park, Alberta. She has a strong dislike for the winter, and a love spring. Married to her husband Steve, for 13 years, they have 4 beautiful red headed spawns ranging in ages 5-12. She has a strong love of coffee, sarcasm, and wine. (Not necessarily in that order either.)
Krystal loves to write about instalove between couples looking for love. She has a passion for contemporary romance and springs into menage as often as she can. Currently, she is working on 2 new series, the Adair Empire a darker, dirtier, and grittier series than what her readers are used to, but boy has she had a ton of fun writing them. The What Happens When series will begin with Anonymous Bride series will begin with Anonymous Bride and continue with untraditional love stories. Bringing you all the good feels, a ton of love, and maybe – if you’re lucky 😉 a surprise baby or two!
With the exception of Anonymous Bride, and Until Arsen you’ll be able to find all her books on all platforms!

reviewcarver3

Ah KL Donn, How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. (Warning: This review contains no spoilers but it does contain squealing fangirling).

I’ve made no bones about my total love and adoration for this series, and each book gets better and better. It started with King, where you weren’t quite sure what you were getting yourself into, then we got something darker in Luther (I’m going to reiterate everytime I do a review for this series: Luther’s mine kthxbye), we got bloody in Castiel, wicked in Atticus, and then we got psychotic in Carver. By the time King was over, I was hooked, and now I’m addicted. I’m not sure what Grasping for Air will bring, but I am SO READY/HERE FOR IT.

So let’s go over all the reasons I love Carver, my little sociopath, and Meadow’s story.

One– His absolute obsession with Meadow knows no bounds, yet he tries to respect her wants and wishes- even when he doesn’t agree with them.
Two– He has absolutely no idea what it means to be with a woman, and what would scare a woman or not, and yet he tries to do everything possible to make Meadow want him (and if that doesn’t just break your heart you are heartless.)
Three– Meadow is not born into the life, is not strong like the other women in the series are, yet she accepts Carver and all of his psychotic tendencies, though it takes her a minute.
Four– These two are special to each other, for special reasons, and it’s literally the greatest thing ever.
Five– THE DRAMA. What the heck was all of that???
Six– I question KL Donn and her mental state, but I thank her for it because everything about this bloody masterpiece was so amazing.
Seven– I don’t know how to stay true to a psychopath is possible, but KL matched up a psycho and basically a cute little bunny, and made you want to wrap them in a blanket and keep them safe forever so no one can ever hurt them again.

What do I hate about this? HOW DARE YOU LEAVE ME LIKE THIS. I know there’s a warning about a cliffhanger, but when you read it you’re going to be like WTF. KL is evil, evil genius? Maybe. Anyways, I can’t wait for Grasping for Air, though I’m probably gonna cry because that means my Adair boys are done and I’m not sure I’m mentally capable of accepting this.  I’ll probably just ignore the fact that it’s over and reread it a bunch of times. That’s not crazy, right?

Anyways, this bloody, twisted empire quickly became one of my all time favorites. Luther will always be my love, but I absolutely adore Carver. I love how perfectly Carver and Meadow balance each other out. I love that Meadow has some growing to do without Carver, but it really sucks ass. I love that Meadow is the only one that could ever put Carver in his place, yet she probably never would. And I love how Carver doesn’t understand most things, but his connection to Meadow is so deep, he knows what she needs.

I’m shutting up now, I swear.

Go get this series!!

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**All images are from freeimages.com and all fonts are from CreativeMarket.com. For more info on the fonts and images used, please email caitscreatures@gmail.com**
4 stars, Book Review

Sleight of Hand by BJ Bentley Review!

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newarcbannerblurbsleightofhandBERTIE

I grew up on the streets, a product of someone else’s bad choices.
I clawed, fought, and stole in order to survive.
You’d think growing up that way would make me tough. Make me hard.
Truth was, I wanted to do good.
But doing good brought me something very, very bad.

ALEKSANDER

You could say I had it all. Money. Respect. Women.
The fear of those beneath me.
I had everything I wanted.
But I had an obsession that became a need.
I knew what I needed, and what I needed was her.

Aleksander Magnus is one-third of the Syndicate. A criminal CEO who thrives on control. So, when he meets Bertie, his sparrow, will he give in to the desire to cage his little bird, or will he open his heart and allow them both to fly free?

— Goodreads — Amazon — Barnes & Nobles —

author29136192_175603263078789_8700093008424468480_nFrom her Amazon: I’m a psychic medium, romance author, and cat mom. I shamelessly based my character, Sabrina Rhodes, on myself (write what you know, and all that.) Weaknesses include alpha males and badass babes.
The Intuitive series is a collection of rom-com novellas, and I’m also working on a full-length dark romance novel.
I’m very active on social media, so feel free to stalk me! (Please stalk me, this is a cry for attention.)
Follow me!

—  Facebook — Twitter —  Instagram —  Website — Amazon—  BookBub  —reviewsleightofhand1

Alright, ok, I can totally write this review and not fan girl too much. Right? Right. Ok. Here goes nothin’.

ALEKSANDER is the devil and I freaking love it. He may not be your typical mafioso, but he is definitely uber powerful in his business. We met him in Finders Keepers, and if you read it, you know there were some super trigger warnings. Now, there aren’t really triggers in this book (maybe? everyone’s are different), but it really depends on your definition of safe. Aleks isn’t one to believe in that love at first sight, junk. And he’s not going to let a little girl that he wants more than anything, come in between him and his empire.

*snort*

Roberta, BERTIE, is a strong independent who don’t need no man, and she doesn’t want one. And she’s so good at her job, she sends Aleks on a merry little chase. (Yes, the Aleks that’s all “I’m a big CEO, I don’t want love” Aleks.) She is sassy and fierce, and she’s smart as hell. She’s good at running, hiding, stealing, and eating pie (trust me, that’s important). She is a hell of a survivor, and learned early on she could only count on herself. But something in her says to go to Aleksander, and she firmly shuts that down in her head.

These two burn up the sheets as much as they burn the world. I love BJ Bentley’s heroines because they’re not weak damsels in distress. Bertie makes sure to mark her territory (Aleks) as much as Aleks does the same. Neither are afraid of pleasure, and Aleks teaches Bertie new ways to explore her own pleasure, and the pain/pleasure combo. There are some Dom/sub vibes in here. Aleks isn’t making Bertie kneel whenever he enters the room or anything, but there is a definite box their relationship is in.

At first, because Bertie is Bertie, she resists the kind of pleasure Aleks can give her by owning every inch of her, but it just added to the dynamics of their relationship. They are both possessive of the other, which translates into some really sexy times in the sheets… and out of them.

And good lord the drama! Bertie, just like Charlotte once did, gets herself into some nasty situations. Lucky for her, she’s not part of the family, and nobody messes with the family (get it?!). Aleks fell down the same rabbit hole that Jensen did, and fell in love with a woman not afraid to get dirty. I actually think it’s a necessity for me to have an epilogue or novella somewhere to show how these women are changing the Syndicate because I guarantee they help the guys… not that the guys want their girls doing any work.

Ok, I’m getting a little talkative, and at this point I don’t know what to say other than READ THE BOOK YOU WILL LOVE IT.  You may hate Aleks sometimes, and wonder what the heck Bertie is doing, but BJ Bentley keeps true to who her characters are. This work, this series so far, is authentic and bloody and I love it. I cannot wait to see what the series brings because I need it!

sleightofhand24star

4 stars, Book Review

Staying in Vegas by Sam Mariano Review

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newarcbannerblurbstayinginvegasYou don’t want to miss what happens in Vegas…

When I met Rafe Morelli, he didn’t look like the biggest mistake I’d ever make; he seemed closer to the crime family version of Prince Charming. Charismatic, beautiful, and attentive—with an intoxicating air of power—Rafe was the stuff of my darkest fantasies.

What we had should have been a simple fling, no-strings-attached. My hot weekend with the sexy, dominant Vegas boss—a harmless memory to replay once I returned to my quiet, predictable life.

One tiny hitch in that plan: a panty-melting memory isn’t all he left behind. Now the stakes have changed, and I’m faced with a potentially life-altering decision. Do I stay away and enjoy my status as the only woman in known history who has played in the Morelli flames without getting burned, or do I risk everything and step back into the fire?

BOOK 1 OF 3 IN THE VEGAS MORELLI TRILOGY.

This trilogy can be read even if you haven’t read the original Morelli family series, but as it takes place AFTER that series, there will be Morelli family series spoilers. Two of the main characters from this trilogy were introduced in the original Morelli series. If you want to read the original series and experience it without spoilers, you may want to start there (with Accidental Witness).
Like the original Morelli family series, this trilogy is a continuing story following the same characters, NOT three separate-couple standalones.

— Goodreads — Amazon —

authorsammarianoFollow Sam Mariano on Facebook or check out her Blog! (She also recently opened an Instagram, sammarianobooks, if you’d like to follow there.) If you need to email her, she can be reached at sammarianoauthor@gmail.com (but she is sometimes tardy about checking email. Mateo is very demanding).

Sign up for Sam’s mailing list (to stay up to date on current projects–she won’t spam you! Only for notification of new releases or book sales.)

Because of You, Irreparable Damage, The Morelli Family Series, and Staying in Vegas are now available on Amazon! (And don’t forget to follow Sam’s Amazon Author page to get the newest releases.)

Sam Mariano has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She lives in Ohio and has a sweet and wonderful daughter.
Because of You was her first finished story (she started writing it when she was 18) and due to a full-time work and college schedule, it took her years to finish. She has also been telling people for years that there would never be a sequel (sorry, guys!)…which turned out to be a lie.
Sam Mariano is currently working on the sequels to Irreparable Damage and Because of You.
Feel free to find her on Facebook, Goodreads, or her blog—she loves hearing from readers!reviewstayinginvegas2

Staying in Vegas was my first dip into the Morelli family and Sam Mariano. Although I am probably going to go back and read the Morelli family series from the beginning (especially Mateo because he seems scary and ruthless and my kinda guy!), I had no trouble keeping up with Rafe and Laurel’s story. Well, Rafe, Laurel, and Sin’s story. The first book in the probably dramatic trilogy constituted more of Laurel and Sin’s relationship than Rafe and Laurel’s.

After reading this book, and then trolling the reviews on Goodreads, there’s one thing we can all agree on about this book: keep an open mind. There’s some definite Dom/sub vibes happening, though because I’ve never read one of Sam’s books I couldn’t tell you how far those are going to go. The ultimate, descriptive love triangle is happening, between Laurel Sin and Rafe that makes me want to hate Laurel.

I hate love triangles, and this one went beyond “I like two guys.” Rafe messes up, REALLY badly, and Sin swoops in like a kidnapping savior. Rafe then realizes he messed up when he thinks Sin is sleeping with Laurel. It’s a triangle that makes me anxious in every way possible. And I wanted to hate Laurel so much for seeming wishy-washy. I wanted to hate Rafe for not swooping in sooner. I wanted to hate them both and throw the book!

But I. Just. Couldn’t.

I understood why Laurel was feeling the way she was, and I understood why Rafe was a major jackass. I understood so much, that all I could do was hope and pray for Rafe and Laurel to get together sooner rather than later. There is a part of me (the part that’s consumed by anxiety over THAT CLIFFHANGER and also the dynamic between Rafe, Sin and Laurel), that wants to skip the rest of the series and just go read the other Morelli books, forever forgetting about this triangle. You know what though? I probably won’t, because as much as Sam caused me pain with this story, I LOVED IT.

stayinginvegas34star

**images used are from http://www.freeimages.com and all fonts are licensed, bought from http://www.creativemarket.com. For more info on the fonts used please contact me at caitscreatures@gmail.com**

5 stars, Book Review, Release Blitz!

BLOOD & SECRETS IS LIVE! (also a giveaway)

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Title: Blood & Secrets: 1

Series: The Calvetti Crime Family #1

Author: Rose Harper
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: May 1, 2018
Blurb

I’m dangerous.
Calculated. Bloodthirsty.

The perfect
motherfucking trifecta of crazy.
The name’s Mateo
Calvetti, and Brooklyn belongs to me.
My reach knows no
bounds, and I always get what I want.
Including the
little gem currently twisting my insides.
She’s been promised
to me since birth.
Nothing anyone says
will change that.
She will be mine,
whether she wants it or not.
I’m going to own
her. Consume her. Fuck, I may even keep her.
Yet, something
comes to light I never expected in my wildest dreams.
Blood, secrets, and
lies all fall around my feet.
Carina Ricci isn’t
what she claims to be.
It appears she’s
just as fucked up as me.
Come on, baby,
let’s make them scream.
Let’s show them
what happens when you anger a King and his Queen.

 

Purchase Links

 

99c for a limited time
 
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

 

Free in Kindle Unlimited

 

Author Bio
Rose Harper is a mother of two, avid coffee drinker, and
thrives on bringing tantalizing, downright shiver inducing books for her
readers to devour. She’s a lover of dark, sizzling passion, and mystery filled
stories with twists and turns you never see coming, yet leave you wanting more.
Author Links

 

4.5 Stars, Book Review

Look at your newest mafia obsession.

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newarcbannerblurbbloodandsecretsTake a walk on the wild side with Blood and Secrets. Lovers of Meghan March’s Mount series, Amo Jones’ Devils Own Series and The Elite Kings Club, and Tillie Cole’s Scared Souls series will lose themselves in this story of all-consuming passion, vengence, and dark dealings.

Don’t miss the first installment in a deliciously, seductive new series from author Rose Harper.

I’m dangerous. Calculated. Bloodthirsty.
The perfect motherfucking trifecta of crazy.

The name’s Mateo Calvetti, and Brooklyn belongs to me.
My reach knows no bounds, and I always get what I want.
Including the little gem currently twisting my insides.

She’s been promised to me since birth.
Nothing anyone says will change that.
She will be mine, whether she wants it or not.
I’m going to own her. Consume her. Fuck, I may even keep her.

Yet, something comes to light I never expected in my wildest dreams.
Blood, secrets, and lies all fall around my feet.
Carina Ricci isn’t what she claims to be.
It appears she’s just as fucked up as me.

Come on, baby, let’s make them scream.
Let’s show them what happens when you anger a King and his Queen.

This is volume 1 in Blood and Secrets, and is not suitable for anyone under 18. Some portions of this will be hard to read, so be warned before continuing onward. If you do decide to read, Blood and Secrets #1, just remember: The author is not responsible for any kindle’s being set ablaze from the raw passion and heated moments between a king and his queen.
Release Date: May 1st, 2018

Goodreads — Amazon (Coming Soon)

author29261298_155041311980631_2937846471862517760_n

 Goodreads — Facebook

reviewbloodandsecrets1

I broke my rule again. I fell in love with a book I know I shouldn’t– this book comes with major trigger warnings in case you (like me) didn’t really read the blurb. We all know by know I suck at reading warnings… One of the things I hate in books is abuse of any sort… Yet I want- nay need to see Carina put Mateo, and the freaking world, in it’s place.

Carina is being severely abused by her parents- they why isn’t revealed until the very end and HOLY PLOT TWIST. She has been promised to Mateo, the new boss for the Calvetti family. Even he isn’t sure why the mouse has been promised to him. He was promised a strong woman, a queen, but what he got was a broken woman. Since he has to marry her, he keeps his mistress.

Jerk.

Carina is from another mafia family, that was supposed to have been “trained” to be Mateo’s wife. Mateo takes her from her family when he hears from his informants she’s been in hell instead of training. This hell has broken her- temporarily- and he is furious. Although she’s supposed to listen to whatever Mateo says, she lashes out. This results in abuse (ugh). Not much, but still enough to make me want to shoot Mateo myself.

So why did I keep reading? Because Rose Harper drew me in from the beginning. I love a good mafia/dark romance, and I was so entranced by the characters, the dynamics between Carina, Mateo, and the guards, that I wanted to see what happened. And now I have to WAIT for the next book because apparently authors like to torture me with cliffhangers… KIDDING (maybe).

I know nothing about the mafia, or crime at all except what I watch on Gangland (yes- I’m a dork in case this hasn’t been established by my previous reviews), but this book seemed so real. Although I hated the way Mateo treated Carina, hence my 4.5 star review despite this book being so awesome, Rose Harper kept me entranced and captivated. I cannot WAIT for the next book. And you need to read this book so I can talk about it with someone. Because it is that good.

By the way, I only have two quotes for this review, instead of my usual three, because anything else would have given away plot lines and it was soooo hard to pick the ones I did.

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