📖Romance Books: reviews and recommendations📖 - Page 18

Originally posted by: EuphoricDamsel

I LIVE FOR TRISTAN AND MORANA TOO!!!! 😭

Cannot wait for you to read Book 4 because I just did a re-read and BOYYYYY do I love Zephyr De La Vega & Alpha MF-ing Villanova SO BEYOND!

There is this ONE SCENE in particular which gave me heart palpitations ALL ALONG.

The revelation in the end of The Emperor must have made you sick, not to mention the reality of the death of Dante's mother. His connection to Alpha came as a surprise but then again all the characters are in some way connected to the main Luna Caine plot and that is why it is mind-blowing. Everyone's involvement is present and important, nothing over the top at all.

When he gets to know what Amara endured something shifts in him, the scene where they loose one child had my heart breaking for Amara. She was taken at the same place, can't even imagine the horror.

The only thing I felt over the top was the sister angle. That felt unnecessary to me, I mean yes ofc everyone knew she was a culprit but the whole shooting thing was something I could have lived without for sure!

The Emperor was just beautifully tragic. They had been through so much and their story came together yet so beautifully. The truth about his mother and aunt was gutwrenching. I hated his father even more. He had a too easy death. He needed to be tortured, maimed, skinned and burned alive. That would have been much more satisfying especially as we learned about Dante's mother and his aunt.

I did really enjoy the Finisher, but I think this book could've been skipped. Other than a revelation of some things, and giving another layer of the syndicate and the mysterious shadowman popping up, it didn't give much or was not neccessarily needed for the next book.

I'm reading the Annihilator and OMG, my heart is in my throat. I knew, I knew who Lylah was once I read the blurb and learning that the Shadowman was going to be her hero had me excited especially when I've come across him on the previous books and was so intrigued. The things Lylah/LC has been through and how the Shadow man was always there. I really wished she hadn't gone through what she did in the last few months. I for sure hope there is detailed punishment for the culprits! I'm on edge, and supposed to be sleeping but I cannot put the book down because I want to read the union between them all! And the revelation about Xander! Like no wonder, Tristan felt such a bond with him. I'm just trying to think how Tristan will react, how Xander will react when everything comes to a head.

In a way I was also sorely disappointed that Dainn, or Shadowman had known about her, keeping an eye on her etc, but he didn't tell Tristan. I've not finished the book yet so I hope there's a good freaking reason other than losing her to Tristan because that is not a freaking reason! He knows how good Tristan is, he knew of Tristan's bond with Dante so he could have and should have plotted something to get her back years ago.

Originally posted by: Queen0fDarkness

The Emperor was just beautifully tragic. They had been through so much and their story came together yet so beautifully. The truth about his mother and aunt was gutwrenching. I hated his father even more. He had a too easy death. He needed to be tortured, maimed, skinned and burned alive. That would have been much more satisfying especially as we learned about Dante's mother and his aunt.

I did really enjoy the Finisher, but I think this book could've been skipped. Other than a revelation of some things, and giving another layer of the syndicate and the mysterious shadowman popping up, it didn't give much or was not neccessarily needed for the next book.

I'm reading the Annihilator and OMG, my heart is in my throat. I knew, I knew who Lylah was once I read the blurb and learning that the Shadowman was going to be her hero had me excited especially when I've come across him on the previous books and was so intrigued. The things Lylah/LC has been through and how the Shadow man was always there. I really wished she hadn't gone through what she did in the last few months. I for sure hope there is detailed punishment for the culprits! I'm on edge, and supposed to be sleeping but I cannot put the book down because I want to read the union between them all! And the revelation about Xander! Like no wonder, Tristan felt such a bond with him. I'm just trying to think how Tristan will react, how Xander will react when everything comes to a head.

In a way I was also sorely disappointed that Dainn, or Shadowman had known about her, keeping an eye on her etc, but he didn't tell Tristan. I've not finished the book yet so I hope there's a good freaking reason other than losing her to Tristan because that is not a freaking reason! He knows how good Tristan is, he knew of Tristan's bond with Dante so he could have and should have plotted something to get her back years ago.

See I LOVE the Finisher because of Zephyr. She owned my heart but also because the tropes in that book are my absolute fav. As far as revelations go I feel the main revelation about Zenith was extremely necessary for upcoming two books because in the next one we get to know how Zenith's escape affected Luna in the worst way possible, not to mention Hector being the monster that he is and getting killed by Dainn later in the book. Hector being close to Alpha for all these years and being a major part of syndicate was a big revelation for him at least.

Book 5 is my LEAST fav of all and yk why - SHADOWMAN.

I HATE THAT GUY.

Sorry to all the fans who see this but nope I don't get this guy. The Xander thing was like a bulb in my head. As soon as that revelation scene started I KNEW Xander is Luna's son, it had to be, but man did the whole running away and giving up her kid and not being able to have any more children hurt bad.

I hate shadowman, he's a whiny b*tch. There I SAID IT. His reasons are so childish and frankly selfish that him staying shut about Luna's real identity and her family makes NO SENSE to me. It's pure selfishness on his part...not to mention him going MIA when she TRULY needed him to save her for reals, from Hector and his sidekicks. No matter what you did after you returned or that you watched it all on recording in order to take out your anger later! He a b*tch.

There's no other reason, even when Luna gets to know and fights him over it he stays put and in his POV (the epilogue) he still says that "Two more days before he has to lose her..." something like that. Which means even after Luna got to know it wasn't until she admitted her love to him that he decided to let her meet Tristan. Makes NO SENSE and so selfish - He KNOWS how Tristan agonises over his sister, he is breathing to find her and hasn't married yet.

ALSO this guy Mr. Dainn, for some reason the spice make my insides crawl with this one. I mean yes some was good but when he started doing things that made Luna remember of her abuse claiming all the while that he was giving her a new experience...NOPE. NOT TAKING IT. That's chaotic and problematic. I don't see the appeal, sure I'd love to read Luna exploring herself and finding herself but here he just took charge out of her hands and kept hovering over taking everything from her, even if it reminded her of her past trauma. No matter what he did to justify it, didn't sit well with me. This was my biggest problem with Book 5.

Rating: 3 stars🌟🌟🌟

Writing: 🌟🌟🌟

Hero: 🌟

Heroine: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Cliffhanger

Genre: Dark obsession romance

Possible Triggers: SA, Stockholm syndrome, stalking, human trafficking, torture, mentions of suicide, attempted suicide and PTSD

POV: Third person

In my mind, this was already 5 stars initially because the previous books were so freaking good! And I had been so excited to read this one. However, I was just so upset and disappointed at how I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the others.

The books and couples tend to get better in a series as it progresses, but I feel this was a miss in this series.

I’ll start off with the positives, Lyla, Luna. I loved her, she was strong and her story in this world was one that I had been looking forward to. I think I’d fallen in love with her since the first book because of how much Tristan loved her. The love he held for his sister was just so powerful and that transferred over here.

Lyla had been through so much; she has been broken yet she was so strong. I really did enjoy reading the scenes of her healing when she was alone, trying to learn what she likes doing, and discovering parts of herself that she never got to explore. Despite everything, you’d think one would become bitter. That was not Lyla. She was gentle and kind. She still loved. I wish we had read more of her healing with a gentler side to the Shadowman than the one that had been portrayed here. The intimate scenes between them and trying to re-create scenes and replacing them with HIM does not make it better. He should’ve shown her another side to intimacy.

Lyla should’ve had the choice. She has never had that since she’d been kidnapped. So she should have had the choice of choosing Shadowman. This decision was made for her by the Shadowman instead. He cocooned her in a palace with him being the one to save and being the only safety net and only when she’d become dependent and fallen in love did he let her know about the fact that she’d had a brother who was searching for her. He didn’t give her information because he used that as leverage to keep her hanging on, but Lyla did ask a really good question. What if she’d held on to life because she had something to look forward to?

Another positive are some of the dialogues and narrative that were really great and I wish I had read a better love story between the two than the one we got. Because these dialogues and narratives were swoon-worthy. I love heroes that are obsessive and will burn down anyone who hurts the heroine.

“If there was any love in this world of mine, Lyla, it would be you.”

“You’re the oxygen that feeds my flames—without you, my existence is questionable.”

“I think I’m in love with you.” He brushed his nose against hers, his eyes soft on her.

“I know that you are.”

Not only did he know she liked the cute bottles, but he was giving her options to try. Again. He was giving her the chance to experiment and see what she liked.

Now coming to Shadowman.

I was sorely disappointed in his character. It did not make sense. He was supposed to be the obsessed, possessive hero who will burn the world down for her. I presumed, he'd be similarly like Dante. You know crazily in love with his obsession and burn everyone who touches her etc. The Shadowman was not even close to any of the other heroes.

When it came to being there when she really needed it, he was not there. Instead, he watched what was uploaded to bait him. He was just unlikeable. The way he dealt with a victim of SA was so not IT. There only thing I liked was the roses and notes he had left for her. I did want to read more of that side and with Lyla we should’ve seen more of that side to him. She comes with a background of trauma, she had been kidnapped when she’d been young and has been through so much so he should’ve handled her with more care. He should’ve helped her heal. The sexual healing was irresponsible and it just didn’t work for me.

Her heart, desperate for affection from him, wanted nothing more than to believe them, to believe the narrative he was spinning for her. But she had dealt with him for too long, she knew he was a master of manipulation and he knew which strings to pull for her, since she was an easy puppet.

He was also too selfish. He knew how crazily Tristan was searching for his sister and how she had a family who could’ve been there for her, but he didn’t take that into account. Instead, like a selfish prick, he dropped morsels of hints to Morana to figure out and coming a step closer to Lyla. He had known about her for 6 years and not once in those 6 years had he tried to save her. He’s the Shadowman, the untouchable, he’d known dark secrets about the syndicate, and knew how they operated. He was the one who’d come close to them and even killed some of them, yet somehow he couldn’t take her away until she’d been violated and broken beyond repair. It does not make sense.

“Touch her and you die,” he remarked quietly. “Touch her worse, die worse. It’s a simple thing, isn’t it? I don’t know why you didn’t understand it.”

These dialogues were what I wanted. I wanted him to come for her before she was tormented and broken. He just should have been there. And the fact that there's no actual reasoning as to why he couldn't be there didn't make sense. The few dialogues that were sprinkled across the book was fantastic. I just wish this couple had worked for me and the Shadowman was created better.

The story had so much potential, I was so excited for this because all the books, the relationships that developed through the series were all because of Luna Caine. This one had so much third person pov narrative rather than scenes and dialogues, so I felt it had dragged and it took me 5 days to complete rather than the 1-2 days that it takes.

I wanted to read the union between Luna, Tristan and Xander. I hope the final book comes out soon. I do want to see Tristan beat the living shit out of Shadowman because that is the least he deserved. He knew the power Tristan, Dante and even Alessandro/Alpha held and instead of taking their help to storm the castle and bring down the empire, he watched and bided his time. The 3 stars rating is just for Lyla.

Where she loved him with all her light, he possessed her with all his shadows.

“I had this house built for you. You'll always have a place to go that is only yours.”

“If you ever choose another, make sure you kill me first. Because I—” he bent to whisper against her lips “—will annihilate the fcking world before I let you go.”

Rating: 2.5 🌟🌟🌟

Writing: 🌟🌟🌟

Hero: 🌟🌟

Heroine: 🌟🌟

Spice: 1 🌶️

HEA

Trope: Marriage of convenience

***

It was a first for me author. Quite a few have raved about this in a few book groups so I thought I’ll see what the hype is.

In my opinion it is overhyped. The writing is average and the plot was kinda boring for me hence it took me 6 freaking days because I stopped and ended up reading another book. Neither characters were here nor there for me. They were one dimensional and there was nothing really to like about either of them.

Not sure why this is considered smut or even Mafia because there’s no focus on any of it. The spice scene is a half a page of him pounding into her and that’s it 😂

As this was surrounding Bratva, I was expecting more scenes about the operations and how Roman runs his empire given he’s the Pakhan. There’s very little of anything to do with the Bratva/Mafia.

It focuses on the h worrying about him when he leaves or him being in his office then skips to scenes of h being in the kitchen or eating 🙄

I had been looking forward to a great series after finishing the Dark Verse series by Runyx but this was a disappointment.

There was hint of an arranged marriage trope for the second one in the series, and I am torn about giving the second a chance because authors usually tend to improve in their second or third books. I just don’t want to end up wasting time if it’s going to be a disappointment like this one.

Blurb:

Fabiano was raised to follow in his father’s footsteps as Consigliere of the Chicago Outfit – until the man abandons him. Left to fend for himself, Fabiano is forced to fight for a place in the mafia world. As a ruthless street fighter, he quickly earns his place as the new Enforcer of the Las Vegas Camorra – a man to fear. Leona wants to build a decent life for herself, away from her drug-addicted mother.

But soon she catches the attention of a dangerous man – Fabiano Scuderi. Staying out of trouble and living a normal life are near impossible with a man like him. Leona knows she needs to avoid Fabiano, but men like him aren’t easy to shake off. They always get what they want.

Fabiano cares about only one thing: the Camorra. But his attraction to Leona soon puts his unwavering loyalty to the test.

Is Leona worth risking everything he’s fought for, and ultimately his life?

Review

Rating: 3.75 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Hero: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Heroine: 🌟🌟🌟

Spice: 3 🌶️

HFN

I’m so glad I waited a couple of years to start this series because I would’ve probably disliked especially after finishing the born in blood chronicles.

Fabi is all grown up, I don’t remember much other than a few snippets of Fabiano when he was young. Thankfully, my forgetfulness made it easier for me to read Fabiano as an adult or else I wouldn’t have enjoyed it.

Fabiano being 19, being Reno’s right hand and enforcer seemed a little too young. He’s still developing and brains are fully developed from the ages of 25+ so it seemed a little moronic to have a 19 year old being an enforcer and being right hand etc etc.

I understand that he was inducted young and had gone through a lot over the years but he’s still a young adult. He was also sweet, it reminded me of the young Fabiano who loved his sisters. I did like Fabiano, he was really loyal to Remo. I just wish he didn’t pay much mind to thinking about what would Remo think or do or whatever. He had Remo in his mind and seemingly second guessing himself too much. I understood where his loyalty for Remo comes from and why he’d never betray Remo and would die for him but this was repeated many times that it’d become repetitive and I ended up skimming through some scenes.

Leona was okay, I didn’t like her much. I appreciated that she did want to do something with her life and was going to work to earn the money to go college.

However, she was utterly ungrateful and despite how shitty her parents were, especially her father. He wanted to sell her, allow her to be used for payment for his gambling, even sent her to the lion’s den. And Fabiano protected her and killed her father only to be ungrateful to him for protecting her. What was despicable was her considering the punishment of Soto SAing her was better than her dad being killed and Fabiano protecting her. I hated that she’d compared both.

Also the desire to make something for herself ended up with her being a kept woman and dependent on Fabiano. I wanted to see her independent, continuing to work someplace else rather than Roger’s place.

It was a quick read though, made it easier because of Fabiano so that made it okay for me to read and enjoy.

I’m so looking forward to the other books, especially Remo and Nino.

Before you start this series, it’s highly recommended the Born in Blood Chronicles are read first!! They can be read as standalone but it is so much better reading each book in the series.

Originally posted by: EuphoricDamsel

I have to ask this!

Is anyone here a Rina Kent fan???

She is SO POPULAR and her Royal Elite series is so popular I want to try anything of hers!

But am confused where to start.

I was recommended this series too but havent started it.😆

Hey FF, come and give your review

Book Title: Archer's Voice

Author: Mia Sheridan

Year Published: 2014

Genre/s: Contemporary M/F Romance

Narrative type: First-person alternating PoVs

Trope/s: Disabled MMC, kindred spirits, damaged MCs, small-town romance

Trigger/s: Character death (s), violence, abuse, PTSD, mention of rape, infidelity

Maturity Rating: Adult

Personal rating : 4/ 5

Synposis:

When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.

Archer's Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love.

Review: I loved this one! I've read too many romances lately and don't have the patience to write a long review so all the ones following this one are gonna be short too! 😆

I did have some issues with it - mainly towards the end when Archer for all his great love for Bree simply ghosts her. Didn't buy that although the author wanted us to believe that he needed to 'find himself' before committing to her. I get that he was slightly co-dependent but even so ..you don't do that to someone you love. Other than these small niggles, this book is great. Archer was such a rootable character and so was Bree. They have both been through so much and so young! I hated all the people around them that treated them so badly and yeah, I don't think I want to read Travis' book because he was a complete d*ck. How do you treat someone in your family like that? Someone who has already lost so much and is living an isolated existence just because the girl you like likes him? Such an a***ole move!

The book is very very angsty, a real tissue depleter 😆 (I'm forgetting the word for this)

While I don't like a lot of angst just for angst's sake, I'm glad this one didn't drag it out although it did make me sick with pain for them. Archer and Bree actually healed each other and that was beautiful. I loved the representation of Archer being disabled - he cannot speak. I loved that Bree needs him as much as he needs her.

It took me a while to get into this book and the PoV was entirely Bree's for the most part with a few glimpses of Archer & I wish it was more equally divided. Also, what was the point of having an epilogue with Archer's PoV of the scene before they first kiss? It seemed totally out of place and jarring.

Also, the writing could have been better but whatever- the author managed to strike the right emotions and that allowed me to overlook some of it and that's what matters (to me at least).

Originally posted by: LizzieBennet

Book Title: Archer's Voice

Author: Mia Sheridan

Year Published: 2014

Genre/s: Contemporary M/F Romance

Trope/s: Disabled MMC, kindred spirits, damaged MCs, small-town romance

Trigger/s: Character death (s), violence, abuse, PTSD, mention of rape, infidelity

Maturity Rating: Adult

Personal rating : 4/ 5

Synposis:

When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.

Archer's Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love.

Review: I loved this one! I've read too many romances lately and don't have the patience to write a long review so all the ones following this one are gonna be short too! 😆

I did have some issues with it - mainly towards the end when Archer for all his great love for Bree simply ghosts her. Didn't buy that although the author wanted us to believe that he needed to 'find himself' before committing to her. I get that he was slightly co-dependent but even so ..you don't do that to someone you love. Other than these small niggles, this book is great. Archer was such a rootable character and so was Bree. They have both been through so much and so young! I hated all the people around them that treated them so badly and yeah, I don't think I want to read Travis' book because he was a complete d*ck. How do you treat someone in your family like that? Someone who has already lost so much and is living an isolated existence just because the girl you like likes him? Such an a***ole move!

The book is very very angsty, a real tissue depleter 😆 (I'm forgetting the word for this)

While I don't like a lot of angst just for angst's sake, I'm glad this one didn't drag it out although it did make me sick with pain for them. Archer and Bree actually healed each other and that was beautiful. I loved the representation of Archer being disabled - he cannot speak. I loved that Bree needs him as much as he needs her.

It took me a while to get into this book and the PoV was entirely Bree's for the most part with a few glimpses of Archer & I wish it was more equally divided. Also, what was the point of having an epilogue with Archer's PoV of the scene before they first kiss? It seemed totally out of place and jarring.

Also, the writing could have been better but whatever- the author managed to strike the right emotions and that allowed me to overlook some of it and that's what matters (to me at least).

I have heard a lot about this book! Is it a series?

Also I have some other books by this author...Midnight Lily looked interesting too

Originally posted by: la_Reine

I have heard a lot about this book! Is it a series?

Also I have some other books by this author...Midnight Lily looked interesting too

I really liked Archer's Voice. Not sure how Mia Sheridan's other works are and not sure I want to try them right now. 😳 Perhaps you can read this one and let me know how it is? 😳

Book Title: Kiss an angel

Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Year published: 1996

Genre: Contemporary M/F Romance

Trope/s: Forced marriage/ Forced proximity/ Fish out of water/ Grumpy-Sunshine

Narrative Type: Linear, third-person alternating PoVs (with some parts told from ancillary characters' PoVs as well)

Trigger Warnings: I got a hint of non-consent. Animal cruelty.

Maturity Rating: Adult

Personal Rating: 3/5

Synopsis:

Pretty, flighty Daisy Devreaux can either go to jail or marry the mystery man her father has chosen for her. Arranged marriages don't happen in the modern world, so how did the irrepressible Daisy find herself in this fix?

Alex Markov, as humorless as he is deadly handsome, has no intention of playing the loving bridegroom to a spoiled little feather-head with champagne tastes. He drags Daisy from her uptown life to a broken down traveling circus and sets out to tame her to his ways.

But this man without a soul has met his match in a woman who's nothing but heart. Before long, passion will send them flying sky-high without a safety net... risking it all in search of a love that will last forever.

Review: I don't know how I feel about this one. Truly. I tried really hard to like it, but therein lies the key- I had to try. It did not come easily. And that's mostly because of Alex. Daisy is a doll. She's really an angel and at the end of it I did not feel she deserved Alex. She should have someone better.

I do love SEP's writing- it's rich and clever and her way with words is exemplary. I cannot find a thing wrong with it. But her characters are another story. Perhaps it's because I've been reading too many contemporary fics (meaning written in the 2010s) that her books may be a little outdated & felt more like a typical bodice ripper with the brooding alpha hero who sucks at communicating. Alex is a b**tard overall. I hated that he did not respect her PoV that sex was something sacred between and man and a woman and (kinda) pushed her into it when she was clearly unsure. And then of course, she was swept away and that non-consent is never brought up again. But later, after their misunderstanding when he grovels (very minimally) and brings her back and professes undying love for her, and she's the one that needs healing, the sex then is just ugh! Why did we even need it at that point? Did he think the only way he could win her back was through his d**k? 🤢 The things he puts her through, all because of his opinion that she's spoiled and frivolous and flighty! It enraged me. Also, I wanted to shake Daisy and ask her why does she love him? There's some cute banter and some hilarious scenarios as well with the animals but then in a romance, I expect to like the ML and FL and want to root for their HeA. I did not find that happening here. I only wanted them together because Daisy loved Alex & I wanted her to be happy.

And then the side plots with Sheba and the rest- I really couldn't care less about them.

Honestly, I'm giving this the rating it gets only for Daisy and her bonding with Sinjun (the Tiger) and Tater (the baby elephant). I loved that almost telepathy thing she has going with Sinjun. It's so well-written it brought me to tears at one point. And the way Tater lets her curl up between his legs and puts his trunk on her? I could not stop awwing at the sheer mushiness of it!