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love2read1995's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
the_sassy_bookworm's review against another edition
5.0
CHRIST ON A CRACKER...Two books down, one to go. And this book was just as fantastic as book one. The writing is phenomenal. It is well paced. The plot continues to be crazy engaging with twists and turns galore. Mischa was slightly more palatable in this book. SLIGHTLY (lol) The guy acts like a serious child sometimes, but the character showed growth and that is what you want to happen in any multi book series. The same goes for Ellen. I wasn't sure which way her character was headed after the end of book one. In this book she is a strange mix of weak, yet strong at the same time. I can't wait to see what will happen to these two in the next book. As with the first book there was no OW or OM drama. Last, it all ends on yet another cliffhanger. I will admit I saw it coming, but I am certain with that bomb dropped all hell will break loose in book three. And this reader will be along for the ride.
sammy234's review against another edition
3.0
I really don't know how to rate this book. Some parts of this story were engrossing and beautifully written. And other parts were repetitive and tedious.
zerosixjune's review against another edition
3.0
Again, I didn’t know how to rate this. So I stick with 3/5 stars.
There’s something about this story that intrigued me. The way Mischa always doubts Ellen doesn’t sit right with me. But, I felt that intensity in every course of the story. So far, this story has a lot of unsolved conflicts. Honestly, there’s no character development in this one. I have no idea what’s in Mischa’s mind because there’s no perspective of him. Also, I’m not sure about the setting in this story. Where are they? In what city? It’s my preference, but I like it when a story can create a real vision in my mind about the settings.
There’s something about this story that intrigued me. The way Mischa always doubts Ellen doesn’t sit right with me. But, I felt that intensity in every course of the story. So far, this story has a lot of unsolved conflicts. Honestly, there’s no character development in this one. I have no idea what’s in Mischa’s mind because there’s no perspective of him. Also, I’m not sure about the setting in this story. Where are they? In what city? It’s my preference, but I like it when a story can create a real vision in my mind about the settings.
becsa's review
4.0
Ellen Winthrop believes that her husband Robert has been killed but as long as she plays along with the rules set out by her captor, Mischa Stepanov, a mafia leader, she knows she can survive.
Yet Ellen has many questions about her past and the Winthrop family itself. Will Mischa tell her the truth that she is asking for or will she find that she is still a pawn in a bigger game than she could have ever imagined.
This is such a great series and there are still so many questions and although I am definitely rooting for Ellen, I believe that Mischa really cares for her.
I truly felt bad for Ellen as she learned more about the Winthrop family and what was going on around her. She was so naive and I hated the Winthrop's for everything they did.
I believed Mischa really loved Ellen and that was shown by him constantly rescuing her from whatever situation she ended up in. Although she was still a piece to the puzzle I think that he was dedicated to her and was going to do what he could to protect her and he wanted her to completely love him and not think about Robert. I understand why Mischa needed revenge on the Winthrop's for what they did to his family but I felt like there was so much more there.
There was so much discovered about Ellen's own past and her family line and it was intriguing to see where that placed her.
The bomb that Ellen drops at the end of the book was huge and I can't wait for what happens in the next book and what we discover!!!
Yet Ellen has many questions about her past and the Winthrop family itself. Will Mischa tell her the truth that she is asking for or will she find that she is still a pawn in a bigger game than she could have ever imagined.
This is such a great series and there are still so many questions and although I am definitely rooting for Ellen, I believe that Mischa really cares for her.
I truly felt bad for Ellen as she learned more about the Winthrop family and what was going on around her. She was so naive and I hated the Winthrop's for everything they did.
I believed Mischa really loved Ellen and that was shown by him constantly rescuing her from whatever situation she ended up in. Although she was still a piece to the puzzle I think that he was dedicated to her and was going to do what he could to protect her and he wanted her to completely love him and not think about Robert. I understand why Mischa needed revenge on the Winthrop's for what they did to his family but I felt like there was so much more there.
There was so much discovered about Ellen's own past and her family line and it was intriguing to see where that placed her.
The bomb that Ellen drops at the end of the book was huge and I can't wait for what happens in the next book and what we discover!!!
thesassybookworm's review
5.0
CHRIST ON A CRACKER...Two books down, one to go. And this book was just as fantastic as book one. The writing is phenomenal. It is well paced. The plot continues to be crazy engaging with twists and turns galore. Mischa was slightly more palatable in this book. SLIGHTLY (lol) The guy acts like a serious child sometimes, but the character showed growth and that is what you want to happen in any multi book series. The same goes for Ellen. I wasn't sure which way her character was headed after the end of book one. In this book she is a strange mix of weak, yet strong at the same time. I can't wait to see what will happen to these two in the next book. As with the first book there was no OW or OM drama. Last, it all ends on yet another cliffhanger. I will admit I saw it coming, but I am certain with that bomb dropped all hell will break loose in book three. And this reader will be along for the ride.
swarley's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lunadaea's review
4.0
ARC received in exchanged for an honest review
This book is a dark romance with scenes of explicit sex, mentions of sexual abuse, graphic violence and mentions of physical and psychological abuse that may be unsuitable for some readers. Please take this into consideration before reading.
* * *
Hot off the heels of XV, Lana Sky gives the sequel to her brilliant mafia romance. I jumped straight into VII the second it downloaded to my Kindle and I completely devoured it. It took me about two days to read the whole thing and I can tell you now, it did not disappoint.
Mischa Stepanov is an…interesting character, to say the least. He would have us believe that he is a ruthless, vengeful, vicious monster incapable of any emotion but hate and rage. He uses his past pain as fuel to maintain this persona, because it if breaks, you’ll see the true man underneath. His relationship with Ellen is a good example. With Ellen, he slowly starts to come undone, giving us glimpses of kindness, tenderness, of the man he used to be. It’s those rare instances where we learn about his past, about how he came to be the monster he would have us believe. These moments quickly became my favourite scenes in the book, until he backtracked and clammed up, accusing Ellen of using Jedi mind tricks to get in his head. It’s frustrating to watch, but understandable. He lost one love, so why have another?
Ellen Winthorp, our demure heroine, is demure no more. Her time with Mischa has seen her embrace the part of herself that she kept hidden from her abusive husband, and evolve into a strong woman full of grit. She becomes more than a match for Mischa, proving to him that she’s not the weak, pathetic girl Robert would have her be. Her growth has been a pleasure to watch. In XV, I got the sense that the innocent, helpless act was something that had been drummed into her head so it was the only role she knew how to play. VII gave us the real Ellen, a woman who, despite grim past, has the soul of a fighter. While she doesn’t engage in any real combat, it’s her personal struggles that have her fighting tooth and nail. She is haunted by her mothers mysterious past, taunted by snippets of information dangled in front of her and she’ll do anything to learn the truth.
By the end of this book I was left with more questions than answers. Everything I was led to believe in XV was torn away from me and moulded into half-truths and uncertainty. I found myself doubting the revelations, just in case they were red herrings. I paid close attention to the dialogue in particular, trying to read between the lines for a hint of a real answer. While we do get some answers, pay close attention to anything that could be perceived as one. It’s all there for a reason.
It is without a doubt that I enjoyed VII. It’s fast paced action and tangled web of secrets whisk you away in a whirlwind, blowing through every expectation. It’s one ride you do not want to miss.
4 stars.
This book is a dark romance with scenes of explicit sex, mentions of sexual abuse, graphic violence and mentions of physical and psychological abuse that may be unsuitable for some readers. Please take this into consideration before reading.
* * *
Hot off the heels of XV, Lana Sky gives the sequel to her brilliant mafia romance. I jumped straight into VII the second it downloaded to my Kindle and I completely devoured it. It took me about two days to read the whole thing and I can tell you now, it did not disappoint.
Mischa Stepanov is an…interesting character, to say the least. He would have us believe that he is a ruthless, vengeful, vicious monster incapable of any emotion but hate and rage. He uses his past pain as fuel to maintain this persona, because it if breaks, you’ll see the true man underneath. His relationship with Ellen is a good example. With Ellen, he slowly starts to come undone, giving us glimpses of kindness, tenderness, of the man he used to be. It’s those rare instances where we learn about his past, about how he came to be the monster he would have us believe. These moments quickly became my favourite scenes in the book, until he backtracked and clammed up, accusing Ellen of using Jedi mind tricks to get in his head. It’s frustrating to watch, but understandable. He lost one love, so why have another?
Ellen Winthorp, our demure heroine, is demure no more. Her time with Mischa has seen her embrace the part of herself that she kept hidden from her abusive husband, and evolve into a strong woman full of grit. She becomes more than a match for Mischa, proving to him that she’s not the weak, pathetic girl Robert would have her be. Her growth has been a pleasure to watch. In XV, I got the sense that the innocent, helpless act was something that had been drummed into her head so it was the only role she knew how to play. VII gave us the real Ellen, a woman who, despite grim past, has the soul of a fighter. While she doesn’t engage in any real combat, it’s her personal struggles that have her fighting tooth and nail. She is haunted by her mothers mysterious past, taunted by snippets of information dangled in front of her and she’ll do anything to learn the truth.
By the end of this book I was left with more questions than answers. Everything I was led to believe in XV was torn away from me and moulded into half-truths and uncertainty. I found myself doubting the revelations, just in case they were red herrings. I paid close attention to the dialogue in particular, trying to read between the lines for a hint of a real answer. While we do get some answers, pay close attention to anything that could be perceived as one. It’s all there for a reason.
It is without a doubt that I enjoyed VII. It’s fast paced action and tangled web of secrets whisk you away in a whirlwind, blowing through every expectation. It’s one ride you do not want to miss.
4 stars.