The Mafia Academy series has been so much fun. I flew threw every single one of the previous books in the series in one sitting, and Craving My Rival The Mafia Academy series has been so much fun. I flew threw every single one of the previous books in the series in one sitting, and Craving My Rival was no different. I loved Dante and Polina together! I'm sad to see these stories come to end, but I had a good time while they lasted.
The only thing I'm kind of upset about is unless I'm forgetting something, we never got to see Mira and Marcello ever actually get married. I would have loved a bonus scene with all the couples getting together for it since it was almost like a running joke at how everyone kept getting married before them or even just a mention that they finally did....more
If there's one thing I know before I pick up a Mafia Academy book, it's that I'm going to have a good time! I've read every single one of the books inIf there's one thing I know before I pick up a Mafia Academy book, it's that I'm going to have a good time! I've read every single one of the books in this series in one sitting. They're perfectly paced, and the writing style keeps me entertained and captivated the whole way through. This one was no different!
Gabriele Vitale has intrigued me since book 1. He's been known to save the day a time or two with his insane hacking skills, but he's kind of closed off, so we've never gotten to see much of him aside from that. His love interest, Aria, is the sheltered little sister of Marcello, the head of the Costa crime family. I couldn't wait to see Gabriele and Aria together or how Marcello would react to the pairing, and let's just say, I definitely was not disappointed.
Before I even started reading, I knew Gabriele was going to be the perfect match for Aria. It's been pretty obvious to me from the previous installments that he's a good guy underneath his mysterious, gruff exterior. I love how possessive and protective he is of Aria from the second he lays eyes on her. Marcello couldn't hope for a better man for his baby sister, and I couldn't either.
Aria's curiosity and daring nature is what made this story for me though. I loved every moment from her intrigue and uninhibited dalliance at the sex club to her willingness to try the things Gabriele liked in the bedroom without hesitation. She proved to be a lot less innocent than anyone assumed, and I was here for it!
There's one book left in this series, Craving My Rival, and I can't wait to read it because of who it's about. A Russian bratva princess and and the next in line to run the Accardi Italian crime family?! Yes, please! Enemies to lovers is my shit, so that sounds like nothing but fun to me! Bring on all the angst, P. Rayne! I'm ready!
New Adult mafia romance fans, this one's for you!...more
Somehow, I didn't realize this was going to be a duet, or I probably wouldn't have picked it up. Reading duets rarely turns out well for me. I tend4.5
Somehow, I didn't realize this was going to be a duet, or I probably wouldn't have picked it up. Reading duets rarely turns out well for me. I tend to enjoy the first book only for the second to fail to live up to my expectations. RH duets are even more unlikely to leave me satisfied, because the author has to build and develop relationships between the heroine and several heroes instead of just one, which is a lot to cram into only two books. Thankfully, that was not the case here at all.
The Winter Kissed Kings captivated me just as much as its predecessor. I never felt like Katrina's relationship with Levi, Teo, or Atlas was underdeveloped or rushed. All four of them, having grown up together along with the author giving us flashbacks into their past, helped provide a solid foundation for each of their relationships to build on, which made their love all the more believable and intense.
Not only did I feel satisfied with the romantic relationships in this story, but the friendships were incredibly well done, too. The one between the kings themselves is as beautiful and emotional as their romance with Kat. It warmed my heart to see them all finally together as one, brothers in all the ways that count.
I could never mention friendship in this review without talking about the one between Kat, Inessa, and Anya. They are true ride or dies, and the best friends anyone could ever ask for. I loved witnessing their friendship over both books, and I thought it was extra fucking cool that Anya and Inessa got love interests and happy endings of their own. In order to avoid spoilers, I won't mention their boos by name, but I adore them all as well as the friendships they have with other characters.
As much as I love everything I've mentioned thus far, Katrina coming into her own as queen was the highlight of the story for me. When she started her journey across Aikyam, Kat was a sheltered newbie monarch just trying to hold on to her reign, but over the course of this duet, she became a confident, badass queen more than worthy of her title and the four kingdoms under her rule.
It's so hard for me not to spoil right now by talking about my favorite part of TWKK, so I'm going to wrap this up. Just know, Kat is THAT BITCH! Ivy Fox, bravo on this finale! I enjoyed every second of it.
Corrupting the Innocent is the first book I've been able to read since I've been in this godforsaken book slump I'm in, and for that alone, it deserveCorrupting the Innocent is the first book I've been able to read since I've been in this godforsaken book slump I'm in, and for that alone, it deserves a gold medal! P. Rayne has an amazing writing style that pulls you in from the first page and holds your attention until the last. Just like with the first book in this series, I tore through the current installment in one sitting, and I had a great time doing it!
Sofia has been pining away after her best friend's brother for years without anyone's knowledge, so when said brother is promised to marry another, she's devastated and doomed to suffer her heartbreak in silence. Antonio has never thought of Sofia as anything other than his little sister's friend until the day she opens her dorm room door in a sexy pajama set that gains his full attention for the first time.
Regardless of whatever feelings begin stirring in his heart or his pants, Sofia is off limits to him. Not only is Antonio engaged to be married, but if Sofia is caught with him, she'll be ruined. He won't risk destroying her in that way, and she refuses to be anyone's mistress.
Corrupting the Innocent is exactly what I needed to jump start my reading life! Sofia and Antonio's romance is forbidden, complicated, angsty, and delicious. Just the way I like it! This story gave me everything I needed when I needed it most, so thank you, P. Rayne. I owe you one!
If you enjoyed Vow of Revenge, don't hesitate to pick up this book. It's a great follow up to it's predecessor involving characters that probably peaked your interest the first time around. Sofia and Antonio's story is a fast paced read with spice, mystery, murder, and suspense, all things guaranteed to make your little mafia romance loving heart happy!
New adult and mafia romance fans, this one's for you!...more
I'm a huge new adult romance fan, but most of the ones I read are drama filled, gritty, toxic, RH, bully, or dark. Save One Thing is none of those. ItI'm a huge new adult romance fan, but most of the ones I read are drama filled, gritty, toxic, RH, bully, or dark. Save One Thing is none of those. It's a sweet, slowburn romance set in a boarding school between a boy whose last name is on the front door along with half of the buildings all over town and a girl attending high school on a field hockey scholarship. Though it's not what I expected, I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Beckett and Luciana are absolutely adorable together. They're each other's first love, and it's as cute as it sounds. Neither have ever been in a relationship before, and everything they do together is new and exciting.
Despite being from two different worlds, they relate to one another in ways they never have been able to with anyone else. Their connection is anything but shallow, and their interactions had me clutching my heart more than a time or two. Like with any first relationship, they stumble a little along the way, but never for long.
Beckett and Luciana's friends are around throughout the entirety of the book, and J. Wolf did a good job of making me interested in each one of them. Similarly, Beckett and Luciana's siblings and their respective other halves are also present. Their books already exist, and I'm definitely going to go check them out once I'm finished with this review.
New adult fans that enjoy sweet, low angst romance, this one's for you!...more
Savannah Shaw and Levi Cooper have my whole fucking heart! I'm a sucker for the childhood friends to lovers trope, especially when it's a second chancSavannah Shaw and Levi Cooper have my whole fucking heart! I'm a sucker for the childhood friends to lovers trope, especially when it's a second chance romance, and this was no exception. Savannah and Levi's story is told during three time periods: 15 years old, 18 years old, and present day, and I loved reading about every point on their timeline. Every single second of their romance was heartbreaking and beautiful all at once.
Savannah grew up with a drug addicted mother whose boyfriend beat the shit out of her on a regular basis, and Levi was raised in a house with parents that used religion as a weapon and warped it however they wanted to fit their agenda. Neither have it easy, but with Savannah's life being in danger, Levi does whatever he can to keep her safe despite his parents forbidding him from having anything to do with her.
How was I supposed to be anything but 100 percent emotionally invested and completely consumed by a love story that starts like this one? I simply had no choice in the matter, and for these two, the hits just keep on coming, so it became an absolute impossibility for me to put the book down and walk away from Savannah and Levi. Throw in the twists, turns, and smoking hot sex scenes, and I was a goner.
Between Never and Forever is my third read from Brit Benson, and I think it's safe to say now that's she's moving onto my list of autobuy authors. If you're an angst whore like myself, I seriously recommend you check her out. She's satisfied my craving every single time I've opened one of her books, and that is the highest compliment coming from me.
There is so much more I want to say about this story. In fact, I planned to, but I don't want to spoil the ride for anyone else for the sole enjoyment of purging all my thoughts onto the page. Just take my word for it. This is a great fucking book. Read it!
Angsty, second chance romance fans, this one's for you! ...more
I haven't read Piper Rayne for years. Not because I don't enjoy their writing, because I definitely do. They were one of my earliest discoveries when I haven't read Piper Rayne for years. Not because I don't enjoy their writing, because I definitely do. They were one of my earliest discoveries when I first started out reading the romance genre. Eventually, I became more attracted to subgenres they didn't write in like mafia, dark, fantasy, etc., so I just naturally gravitated away from their books for those reasons. Despite that, I've never forgotten how much I enjoyed their stories in those early days of discovering my favorite genre, so when I saw that they'd started writing mafia romance, I jumped in with both feet immediately!
Vow of Revenge was the most fun I've had reading a mafia romance in a hot minute. It's set in a "mafia academy", and while that may be wildly unrealistic, it's one of my favorite things to read about. I'm a huge mafia and new adult romance fan. This series is like two of my favorite worlds colliding in the most perfect way.
I devoured Marcelo and Mirabella's story! I literally couldn't get enough. When I reached the end, I sincerely felt sad that it was over. I could read about them just doing random shit forever. I adore them and their relationship dynamic.
Mirabella is a mafia princess expected to marry her betrothed, pop out a few of his kids, keep his house, spend his money, cook his food, and ride his cock when he comes home at night, and while she might be okay with being a wife and mother one day, Mirabella wants more than anything to be her husband's equal. She has no interest in being a housewife or serving as subservient arm candy to her husband. Mirabella wants a hands on role in the mafia. She's highly skilled in her own right and is determined to get what she wants no matter what others may have planned for her.
Marcelo is the new head of his family after his father was killed in an explosion that nearly ended his own life as well. He's at the academy to try to find the scum that attempted to terminate his family line. Mirabella isn't exactly thrilled to see him alive and well, but she's gorgeous and promised to him, and he has every intention of making her his wife...whether she likes it or not.
Mirabella and Marcelo are fire together! If you know me, you know I'm an angst whore at my core. I live for that shit, but the way Mirabella and Marcelo couldn't fight their attraction from pretty much day one was absolutely everything. They both melted and bent for each other the more they got to know one another, and it was beautiful to witness.
Vow of Revenge isn't as dark or gritty as a lot of the mafia romance I read, but I didn't care one bit. It's such a good fucking time that I didn't miss any of the blood, trauma, and torture that usually does it for me, and I don't think you will either. Mirabella and Marcelo's story is perfection. I can't wait for more people to experience it!
I have every intention of reading as many books as the authors decide to release in this series. Their writing style is incredible, and they already have me invested in the character's stories to come. I need Antonio and Sofia's book yesterday! Not to mention, Dante, Gabriele, and whoever they decide to pair them up with. I'm invested, hooked, ready, and waiting for the next installment.
A. Zavarelli is one of my favorite authors, and this book is a perfect example of why. Contempt was nothing that I expected and everything I didn't4.5
A. Zavarelli is one of my favorite authors, and this book is a perfect example of why. Contempt was nothing that I expected and everything I didn't know I needed! It grabbed me from the beginning and held on tight until the end.
If you want the best reading experience possible, do yourself a favor, and go into this one blind. The smallest of details can spoil the whole thing, and a lot of what made this book for me was not knowing what was going to happen next. This isn't a cookie cutter romance. There's a lot going on here, but it all works together perfectly to bring you an entertaining, intriguing, angsty, emotional romance.
The love this story centers around is complex, complicated, painful, and beautiful. Get ready for the backstories of these characters to have you raging, clutching your heart, and shedding tears. If you're anything like me, you won't be able to stop reading once you start, so make sure you don't begin right before bed unless you're willing to forgo your sleep for the night.
Overall, Contempt is an intense, forbidden, second chance romance that you don't want to miss. It's full of drama, tragedy, frustration, and mystery. Trying to figure out what's going on and what happened in the past is all part of the fun, so like I said before, don't read reviews, just open the book, and enjoy the ride.
Forbidden and second chance romance fans, this one's for you!...more
Well, damn. I've never read an Elizabeth O'Roark book before last night, and if this one is any indication, I've been missing out! The Summer We Fell Well, damn. I've never read an Elizabeth O'Roark book before last night, and if this one is any indication, I've been missing out! The Summer We Fell is everything my little angst whore heart could have hoped for!
If you've followed me for a while now, you may have noticed that 2023 hasn't been the best reading year for me thus far. This book alone has been worth all of the disappointments! It's going to be on my favorite reads of the year list. No question! I've been searching for a book with this level of angst and emotional torment for a hot minute, and I finally found it with Luke and Juliet.
The Summer We Fell is full of tragedy, heartbreak, sacrifice, longing, lust, and never-ending, soulmate-level love. My heart will never forget it. Having said that, this book won't be for everyone. There is cheating involved in this story, though the hero and heroine don't cheat on each other. If that's not your shit, you may want to avoid this one.
I loved every second of this story, so if I went into depth on my feelings on every character I wanted to, this review would be a whole ass book. For that reason, I'm choosing to just shine a light on my favorite one, Luke. Luke is a hero that melted my heart over and over again. I loved him from the moment he appeared on the page. Everything he did and said, from the words he used to describe Juliet to the way he beat the shit out of anyone that hurt her, had my heart pitter pattering all over the place. Luke sees Juliet in a way that nobody else does, and it's obvious they're meant to be right from the start.
Though I love all of the major characters in this story, I didn't always agree with everything they did, said, and went along with, but at the end of the day, we're all human, and life isn't easy. It's full of hard times and tough decisions. Humans make mistakes, even when they're trying to do the right thing. Some of those mistakes can have consequences they may regret forever, but at the end of the day, everyone is responsible for their reactions to whatever life throws at them.
My heart broke for Juliet, Luke, Donna, and Danny. I cried for each one of them. None of them were perfect, but all of them loved each other in different ways. I wish each of them could've gotten the ending I wanted for them. Despite that, I love The Summer We Fell just as it is. It deserves every single one of the five stars I'm giving it. Elizabeth O'Roark has a new fan in me, and I can't wait to tackle her backlist for more of this magic.
*Please check trigger warnings from someone else, who is way better at identifying them than I am, because there are definitely some to be aware of....more
I've been in love with Adara and Evren since A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows, and they've only gotten more amazing since!
Adara has grown so much f3.75
I've been in love with Adara and Evren since A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows, and they've only gotten more amazing since!
Adara has grown so much from the girl she was when we first met her. She's a force to be reckoned with that doesn't need a prince to save her and has proven herself worthy of the crown and adoration of the kingdom.
Evren has continued to be the strong, swoony, sexy af hero I lost my mind over from the moment he appeared on the page. He's a born ruler that puts his people and his lady above himself and is prepared to fight and die for them if need be. He'll forever be my favorite part of this series.
A Kingdom of Venom and Vows is a solid conclusion to the Stars and Shadows series. That being said, the last part of the story unfolded in a way that was unexpected for me, and I didn't quite understand some of the choices the author made. Spoilers prevent me from explaining that statement further, but don't worry, Adara and Thalia get their moments to shine. If you're a fan of their friendship, you're in for a real treat!
It seems evident from some of the events in this book and the Sorin POV chapter that Thalia will be getting her own story next. If she's a favorite character of yours, you'll enjoy this finale all the more! Holly Renee delivered a fast paced, satisfying ending to the Stars and Shadows series, and I can't wait to see what else she gives us from this incredible world.
Lately, I've been struggling to find a book that completely captivates me from start to finish. That all changed with this first half of The Winter4.5
Lately, I've been struggling to find a book that completely captivates me from start to finish. That all changed with this first half of The Winter Queen Duet. The Frost Touched Queen surpassed all my expectations!
It's childhood best friends to enemies to lovers, and if you know me at all, you know I'm a sucker for that shit! The history between each of the characters, the emotional bond, the angst, the heartbreak, and everything else that makes that trope amazing are present and accounted for.
Katrina has three childhood loves (now kings), but we only truly spend time with two of them in this book. They're both strong and broken in their own ways. There are flashbacks peppered throughout the book that give us glimpses into their past, and I loved discovering more about their relationships with each other as well as Katrina as the story progressed.
Katrina is a sheltered, privileged, former princess/newly crowned queen, but unbeknownst to her at the start of her journey, her blinders are about to be ripped off. She gets raw dogged with a hefty dose of reality. No lube. Instead of refusing to accept the upsetting truth she discovers, she vows to correct the wrongs of her father, and I appreciated seeing her continously grow both as a person and ruler throughout the story. There were times where she frustrated me, but she always made things right in the end.
Levi had my heart immediately. A gentleman, an exceptional king, a warrior, an incredible lover, and an all around phenomenal, honorable human being? What's not to love? Even when he "didn't like" Katrina, he would get all growly and protective if anyone dared say an unkind word about her. I challenge anyone not to be head over heels for him by the end of the first half of this book. It's an impossibility!
I was terrified I wouldn't want another hero for Katrina after I met Levi, but Teo's charm and unwavering love and affection for her won me over. That coupled with his emotional trauma, deep rooted sense of guilt, and self loathing made it hard for me to do anything but love and feel for the southern king. Him being a freak in the sheets definitely didn't hurt either.
Levi and Teo actually both share trauma from a specific event in their past. They were on different sides of it, but it destroyed them both nonetheless. Prepare yourself, because it's pretty horrifying, especially when you consider their ages and all the parties involved. Picturing it made me sick to my stomach.
If you're like me, you're always wondering about the steam in any romance you read. Is there any? Is it good? Is it frequent? Well, don't worry y'all, because the author did not disappoint in that area at all! Get your fans, ice water, and dry panties ready, because this shit is spicy! The sex is hot, kinky, and plentiful! You won't be disappointed.
The Frost Touched Queen is a fantastic start to The Winter Queen Duet. It's intriguing, sexy, angsty, emotional, and exactly what I was hoping for. It's my favorite read from Ivy Fox yet, and I couldn't be more excited to see what she has in store for us next!
I sincerely don't know where to begin with this review. The author has me feeling all kinds of strong emotions right now. I'm frustrated, angry, hu3.5
I sincerely don't know where to begin with this review. The author has me feeling all kinds of strong emotions right now. I'm frustrated, angry, hurt, invested, intrigued, and aggravated. I finished this entire book in one sitting, and I would have went straight into the next book if it was available. I can't wait to see what happens next. That being said, I'm not currently a fan of the heroine or one of the heroes. A lot of the strong emotions I felt weren't good ones, and I don't enjoy one of the romantic connections yet.
Luckily for me, I'm not a reader that has to love everything about a book to enjoy it overall. I'm a wait and see kind of chick, especially when it comes to a first book in a series. I enjoy a story with significant character growth and relationships that develop and evolve over time. I don't want everything to be the same in the end as it was in the beginning. Because of that, I'm patiently waiting to see what the author has in store for us next, how she's going to change my mind on certain characters, and how she's going to sell me on their romance. I have faith that the majority of my opinions will be completely transformed by the time I finish reading the next installment in this series.
A character I hope I don't change my opinion on is Ridge. Being the slightly unhinged dark romance reader that I am, I'm a sucker for a weirdo antihero, and Rachel Leigh delivered on that big time with his character! Sure, he's violent, merciless, and creepy af at times, but he's also loyal to a fault, protective, caring, romantic, and sweet. IMHO, at this point in time, I don't think Riley deserves him! Call me crazy if you want, but those are my sincere feelings.
Despite the extremely small amount of time we spent getting to know Lev in this book, I already love him, too. How could I not when almost everything that came out of his mouth was exactly what I was thinking? I am Lev. He is me. That's all I'm going to say about that.
Dark romance and RH fans, this one's for you!
*We Will Reign is set in the same world as The Bastards of Boulder Cove series. If you haven't already, I recommend reading that series before you dive into this one. Riley is Scar's best friend, so Scar and her guys appear throughout the story.*...more
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