moj8668's review
5.0
I don't even know where to begin!
I have to admit - the idea of a political intrigue story combined with a romance had me a little skeptical at first. And while this first book in the series focuses mostly on the relationship between Caroline and Jack (mostly in the form of flashbacks) the politics side of the story is very clearly laid out even though the reader doesn't necessarily have all of the "how did we end up here" details.
I loved the characters. As someone who doesn't fit neatly into either of the two major political parties, I closely identified with Caroline in all of the passages where she was discussing her politics and ideals. And her grief over the loss of her husband was so beautifully conveyed in the story.
I don't remember the last time I rooted SO HARD for a couple to make it work. And London definitely knows how to create a cliffhanger that leaves the reader stunned and wanting to start on the next book in the series RIGHT AWAY!!
Cecilia London has a new ardent fan in me and I can't wait to finish the series!
I have to admit - the idea of a political intrigue story combined with a romance had me a little skeptical at first. And while this first book in the series focuses mostly on the relationship between Caroline and Jack (mostly in the form of flashbacks) the politics side of the story is very clearly laid out even though the reader doesn't necessarily have all of the "how did we end up here" details.
I loved the characters. As someone who doesn't fit neatly into either of the two major political parties, I closely identified with Caroline in all of the passages where she was discussing her politics and ideals. And her grief over the loss of her husband was so beautifully conveyed in the story.
I don't remember the last time I rooted SO HARD for a couple to make it work. And London definitely knows how to create a cliffhanger that leaves the reader stunned and wanting to start on the next book in the series RIGHT AWAY!!
Cecilia London has a new ardent fan in me and I can't wait to finish the series!
alleskelle's review
Not giving this one any rating...yet.
I truly enjoyed it but will give it a proper review after reading the whole trilogy.
With that being said, I'm fell in love with the easy friends to lovers going on and truly enjoyed this author's writing. She did a terrific job hooking me right in with an intriguing prologue and very good dialogues.
Now diving into book 2 because I need answers!!!
Arc offered in exchange for an honest review
More reviews and book talk at :
I truly enjoyed it but will give it a proper review after reading the whole trilogy.
With that being said, I'm fell in love with the easy friends to lovers going on and truly enjoyed this author's writing. She did a terrific job hooking me right in with an intriguing prologue and very good dialogues.
Now diving into book 2 because I need answers!!!
Arc offered in exchange for an honest review
More reviews and book talk at :
angelahayes's review
4.0
This was a really breathtaking saga! I got swept away with the story and couldn't come up for air till I had finished every last word!
pavi_fictionalworm's review
5.0
There are some books that you JUST KNOW are going to tear you apart - as a reader it becomes second nature to guess those books - and that's the first thought that came to me when I read this blurb.
In her own words, the authors told me that EVERY SINGLE BOOK in this Saga (a total of 6 books) will end in a cliffhanger - BUT I wouldn't mind the cliffhangers - And she was SOO RIGHT!
Too bad it took me so long to get started on this Saga - time enough for my photo to appear in the thesaurus against the definition and example of "MORON" (don't believe me? Read this saga and THEN argue with me!)
“I discovered that you aren’t compensating for anything with your giant house and fancy cars.”
He looked down at the bulge in his groin, bringing her hand down to touch it. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Two politicians on opposite sides - the billionaire playboy John Montgomery McIntyre, Jack aka Monty and widow Caroline Joan Gerard aka Punky - did NOT have a great start together. But they do however have a connection after the rocky start.
This first part in the 6 book saga is slow to start, it has to be but it's also a story told in current events spaced with flashbacks and a mystery that hooks you without even realizing it - because YOU know that there is something worse coming for these characters that you are just starting to fall for.
This installment is more of a slow burn romance punctuated with a bit of politics ( more often than not, dirty!) - but don't let the term "political mystery" dissuade you from trying this saga - not only is it well written (the first book definitely is!) but it is also genre-spanning - as in everyone from a dystopian fan to a literature fan to a romance fan will find something to enjoy and that is a feat I hope to see as well delivered as it was in this installment!
I know this review is vague - I know there isn't much I could say about this that could peak your interest, so I am just going to eave with the question that plagued my mind from the first page of this book -
If you knew what was coming for you. If you knew that you would end up in a world of hurt, would you make the same decisions you made? Would you still fall in love? Would you still believe?
"Just hold on to me."
"Always."
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nbiblioholic's review
5.0
OH WOW!!
All of the reviews I've read (and thank you GR friends for all the wonderful reviews that helped to prepare me for this saga) DID NOT prepare me for this introduction to the Bellator Saga. I don't think I've read anything like it and it was more than a welcome surprise.
I really liked how the author set me up to experience a roller coaster ride worth of emotions. From one chapter to the next, I didn't know what to expect. It was impossible to predict the direction that the author was going to lead me.
Told in flashbacks, I fell in love with Jack right along with Caroline. It was sweet. It was fun. It was divine.
I love you Silver Fox!!
And just when I got comfortable in lovey-dovey-land, the rug was pulled right from under me. The suspenseful part of the plot kept slapping me upside my head. Gut-wrenching, heart-pounding suspense. I thought this was an incredibly creative way of flexing one's writing chops. I was constantly on edge, wary of getting too cozy with any scene.
I am so excited to start [b:Conscience|25894503|Conscience (Bellator Saga, #2)|Cecilia London|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1456860109s/25894503.jpg|45158193] and thankfully I have the boxed set!
XO
All of the reviews I've read (and thank you GR friends for all the wonderful reviews that helped to prepare me for this saga) DID NOT prepare me for this introduction to the Bellator Saga. I don't think I've read anything like it and it was more than a welcome surprise.
I really liked how the author set me up to experience a roller coaster ride worth of emotions. From one chapter to the next, I didn't know what to expect. It was impossible to predict the direction that the author was going to lead me.
Told in flashbacks, I fell in love with Jack right along with Caroline. It was sweet. It was fun. It was divine.
I love you Silver Fox!!
And just when I got comfortable in lovey-dovey-land, the rug was pulled right from under me. The suspenseful part of the plot kept slapping me upside my head. Gut-wrenching, heart-pounding suspense. I thought this was an incredibly creative way of flexing one's writing chops. I was constantly on edge, wary of getting too cozy with any scene.
I am so excited to start [b:Conscience|25894503|Conscience (Bellator Saga, #2)|Cecilia London|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1456860109s/25894503.jpg|45158193] and thankfully I have the boxed set!
XO
nadenetotallyaddictedtoreading's review
4.0
The funny thing was that I had purchased this book long before now, but had forgotten all about it until it was assigned to me as part of the Quirky Blind Date with a book program. If it wasn’t for this, it would probably still be sitting on my TBR list.
When I read the blurb I realised that I was about to be plunged in the US political arena. The closest I have ever come to this scenario is in watching the television drama Scandal. As such I was expecting intrigue and drama. I know nothing about American politics, so I knew I would have some challenges with the terms used. Google became my very best friend while reading this book.
The book started out on a high, with an exciting and thrilling prologue. So far the book was living up to some of my expectations. However, as the story progressed, I slowly lost that high. The intrigue I was looking for was not there, but there was drama galore. What kept me turning the pages of this book was the budding romance between the main characters. At first, I wondered how the prologue tied with this aspect of the story. As I progressed through the book, I recognized that the author’s intention was to have her readers understand what led to the heart-pounding scene at the start of the book.
The story moved between the past and present, with the main focus being on the Jack and Caroline’s romance. During this time, I was curious about the events that were currently transpiring. I was eager to uncover who wanted to destroy Caroline and Jack and why they were dubbed traitors by the US governments. However, this was not made clear and I was left with more questions than before I started the book.
I was fascinated with Jack and Caroline. Here we have two people on the opposite sides of the political spectrum finding love with each other. Their differences lay not only in their political aspirations but also in the way they lived their lives. Jack was a billionaire playboy who worked his way into the political arena and had high aspirations. Caroline is a widow trying her best to raise her two daughters. She was still grieving the loss of her husband and she had no interest in moving beyond being a congresswoman. The thing that they had most in common was that neither was looking for s relationship. However, fate had different plans for these two.
Their chemistry was intense. This was no instant love connection. They started out as enemies and slowly developed a friendship, one that would evolve into something more meaningful. I loved the attention the author gave to this aspect of the story. It made it easy for me to relate to them both. Their romance was refreshing and their connection was palpable. As a result, I understood I was able to understand why Caroline made the decision she did at the start of the book.
This book was a challenge for me in a good way. It made me think and I learned some interesting terms in the process. I found myself revisiting certain scenes in my head. The last couple of chapters were emotional. You that moment when you are about to take a seat, only to realise when it’s too late that the chair is not behind you? Well, that’s how I felt where the last couple of chapters were concerned.
I enjoyed this installment, which in my opinion is a great start to the Bellator saga. Looking forward to continuing the series.
When I read the blurb I realised that I was about to be plunged in the US political arena. The closest I have ever come to this scenario is in watching the television drama Scandal. As such I was expecting intrigue and drama. I know nothing about American politics, so I knew I would have some challenges with the terms used. Google became my very best friend while reading this book.
The book started out on a high, with an exciting and thrilling prologue. So far the book was living up to some of my expectations. However, as the story progressed, I slowly lost that high. The intrigue I was looking for was not there, but there was drama galore. What kept me turning the pages of this book was the budding romance between the main characters. At first, I wondered how the prologue tied with this aspect of the story. As I progressed through the book, I recognized that the author’s intention was to have her readers understand what led to the heart-pounding scene at the start of the book.
The story moved between the past and present, with the main focus being on the Jack and Caroline’s romance. During this time, I was curious about the events that were currently transpiring. I was eager to uncover who wanted to destroy Caroline and Jack and why they were dubbed traitors by the US governments. However, this was not made clear and I was left with more questions than before I started the book.
I was fascinated with Jack and Caroline. Here we have two people on the opposite sides of the political spectrum finding love with each other. Their differences lay not only in their political aspirations but also in the way they lived their lives. Jack was a billionaire playboy who worked his way into the political arena and had high aspirations. Caroline is a widow trying her best to raise her two daughters. She was still grieving the loss of her husband and she had no interest in moving beyond being a congresswoman. The thing that they had most in common was that neither was looking for s relationship. However, fate had different plans for these two.
Their chemistry was intense. This was no instant love connection. They started out as enemies and slowly developed a friendship, one that would evolve into something more meaningful. I loved the attention the author gave to this aspect of the story. It made it easy for me to relate to them both. Their romance was refreshing and their connection was palpable. As a result, I understood I was able to understand why Caroline made the decision she did at the start of the book.
This book was a challenge for me in a good way. It made me think and I learned some interesting terms in the process. I found myself revisiting certain scenes in my head. The last couple of chapters were emotional. You that moment when you are about to take a seat, only to realise when it’s too late that the chair is not behind you? Well, that’s how I felt where the last couple of chapters were concerned.
I enjoyed this installment, which in my opinion is a great start to the Bellator saga. Looking forward to continuing the series.
raitalle's review
3.0
Really the only reason this is a three star and not a four star book (for me) is that it's much more of a romance than the political dystopian thriller I was expecting when I started it. It's not that I don't enjoy romance novels (I do, which you can see from my other read books), but the bits of present-day dystopia/thriller that we got were such a tease! I really wanted to know how we had gotten there, while London took her time showing us the development of Caroline and Jack's relationship. The more I read about them, the more I wanted to know what was going to happen to them to get them to where we see them at the beginning of the book, which really I suppose says good things about London's writing, haha. I do definitely plan on continuing the series, because I want to know!