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lmrivas54's review
4.0
In this second book of the duet, Bell and Dario are already a couple, but what makes this book riveting is that they get more involved, more passionate about each other, as they deal with the aftermath of Gwen’s murder. As events occur and their union comes into danger, Dario becomes more devoted than ever to keep Bell safe.
After the murder of Gwen, Dario takes several drastic steps to protect Bell from the authorities and from his father-in-law’s wrath. He’s convinced that the proposed victim was Bell and the murderer killed Gwen by mistake because they are similar in appearance and Gwen was in Bell’s suite. He’s also convinced that his father-in-law is responsible for the actions against Bell.
There’s a real huge production of police and FBI agents, all working together to capture Gwen’s murderer. There’s a psycho killer on the loose and Dario is convinced that they may go after Bell, so he utilizes all his resources to protect her.
The action started a little slowly and mostly dealt with sorrow and guilt. As events develop, the suspense ratches up and the danger to Bell climbs up. Bell and Dario deal all through the book with the guilt that their love affair caused Gwen’s loss. Dario has to deal with the loss of his best friend, a woman he swore to protect; and now he has to protect the woman he loves from an unknown danger. Bell hovers between her typical independent spirit, and her desire to bow to Dario’s need to protect her.
This book was riveting from start to finish. I liked that it started slow and then picked up speed and suspense until I was literally biting my nails and reading. There’s a surprise at the end that didn’t make me so very happy. I felt it was inconclusive and left some plot lines open, unless there’s more related books in the future, in which case I will be a happy reader.
After the murder of Gwen, Dario takes several drastic steps to protect Bell from the authorities and from his father-in-law’s wrath. He’s convinced that the proposed victim was Bell and the murderer killed Gwen by mistake because they are similar in appearance and Gwen was in Bell’s suite. He’s also convinced that his father-in-law is responsible for the actions against Bell.
There’s a real huge production of police and FBI agents, all working together to capture Gwen’s murderer. There’s a psycho killer on the loose and Dario is convinced that they may go after Bell, so he utilizes all his resources to protect her.
The action started a little slowly and mostly dealt with sorrow and guilt. As events develop, the suspense ratches up and the danger to Bell climbs up. Bell and Dario deal all through the book with the guilt that their love affair caused Gwen’s loss. Dario has to deal with the loss of his best friend, a woman he swore to protect; and now he has to protect the woman he loves from an unknown danger. Bell hovers between her typical independent spirit, and her desire to bow to Dario’s need to protect her.
This book was riveting from start to finish. I liked that it started slow and then picked up speed and suspense until I was literally biting my nails and reading. There’s a surprise at the end that didn’t make me so very happy. I felt it was inconclusive and left some plot lines open, unless there’s more related books in the future, in which case I will be a happy reader.
darkness223's review
4.0
This is the second book in the series and must be read after the first as it picks up where that one left off. After reading and enjoying Even Money I was looking forward to reading this one and while overall it was a good 4 star read I did find it to be a little slow in places it did keep picking back up though. If you liked the first book you won't want to miss this one well worth reading
taniamg's review
4.0
After the way Book 1 ended I thought of many scenarios on how what can happen next and how this was going to end. And I’m surprised to say that I didn’t expect the additional suspense and heart racing moments. I was like wow what would so and do do when they find out about this and that.
Bell and Dario love strengthened more in this book. But damn the things they endured and suffered through to be together was making my head spin but it was worth it.
Secrets were revealed and exposed BUT I still think this isn’t over. I’m not going to spoil but towards the ending it gave me a feeling that this wasn’t over. Didn’t seem like closure in my opinion. But this just showed the love Dario had for Bell and the extreme measures he would take for her protection. Bell also isn’t a doormat and she and Dario were perfect for each other. Of course this also had its steamy make my panties wet moment but I still can’t get over the fact that I didn’t feel like this is the end.
Bell and Dario love strengthened more in this book. But damn the things they endured and suffered through to be together was making my head spin but it was worth it.
Secrets were revealed and exposed BUT I still think this isn’t over. I’m not going to spoil but towards the ending it gave me a feeling that this wasn’t over. Didn’t seem like closure in my opinion. But this just showed the love Dario had for Bell and the extreme measures he would take for her protection. Bell also isn’t a doormat and she and Dario were perfect for each other. Of course this also had its steamy make my panties wet moment but I still can’t get over the fact that I didn’t feel like this is the end.
sandralam's review
4.0
**3.5 stars**
I was hoping for more in the epilogue but still enjoyed the book overall.
I was hoping for more in the epilogue but still enjoyed the book overall.
booklovershangout's review against another edition
4.0
What a great conclusion. I absolutely loved this duet. It was full of suspense and angst and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire read. I still want to read more about these characters. I could not put this book down. I was completely held in this world by the twists and the sexiness and wondering would happen next. I love Alessandra's work and I am always ready to read what she has in store next.
rihoward's review
5.0
5 stars
Well, I never saw the twists and turns coming in this book. The author took me on one crazy ride. This plot was phenomenal. There was even that unknown factor of what could happen in the future.
The characters were fantastic. Not just Dario and Bell but the secondary ones as well. I'm a little partial to a certain Cajun. If love to hear his story.
This diet was so different than the first I had read from this author. I'm not surprised though. It just reconfirmed my belief that she's gifted and a master storyteller.
Well, I never saw the twists and turns coming in this book. The author took me on one crazy ride. This plot was phenomenal. There was even that unknown factor of what could happen in the future.
The characters were fantastic. Not just Dario and Bell but the secondary ones as well. I'm a little partial to a certain Cajun. If love to hear his story.
This diet was so different than the first I had read from this author. I'm not surprised though. It just reconfirmed my belief that she's gifted and a master storyteller.
gracereadsforlove's review against another edition
3.0
Not on par with other A. Torre books. I can't remember why Dario loves Bell. She doesn't really have any quality that stands out for me.
meggie82461's review
4.0
4 stars for this duet!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I can’t love you and not protect you. I can’t love you and not fight for you.”
This was a sexy, suspenseful, and romantic read. I'd read a couple AT books, so when I saw this duet was on KU, I jumped right in. I'm glad I did; the plot was suspenseful and all the characters-even the secondary ones- were likable and unique. The story seemed to be told mostly from Bell’s POV, with Dario contributing at times as well as a few other people. Was this a case of insta-love? Yeah, probably, but I feel like it is possible that sometimes, you just know. However, it was Dario that stole the show for me.
I hadn’t lived much. Done much. I didn’t know much, but I knew that our connection wasn’t normal. It was two planets colliding. Explosions. A black hole that pulled you in, regardless of the danger. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime connection, but everything around us was once-in-a-lifetime levels of fucked up.
Dario and Bell meet when she's waitressing at an independent casino in Las Vegas. As a lot of reviewers have noted, Dario is married when him and Bell meet. If you want to know those dynamics, here ya go, but they're integral to the plot so I'm tagging them as a spoiler.. They embark on a whirlwind of both an emotional and a sexual relationship, but their bonds are tested at every corner. They always prevail, though, and Dario gets dreamier with each page. He's possessive and a bit spoiled, but underneath it all, he's actually a very good person. He's also a beast in the sack, which totally helps. I loved how he worshipped Bell at every turn. I also loved how he allowed himself to be vulnerable, how he'd lay all his cards on the table. The man knows what he wants, and I found it both sexy and sweet.
Ten thousand cocktail waitresses in this town and he had to meet the one that might break him.
He was too everything—a black hole that could suck me in without even feeling the crush of my soul.
Yes, Bell can be a bit annoying and stubborn, but she's young. She also has trauma in her past that made her life an endless string of temporary relationships. Dario bulldozes through and decimates her walls, and I commend the effort she put into navigating her feelings for him in a healthy way. She handles all the roadblocks fairly well, all things considered. She has a strong sense of self, which I liked. She also wasn't easily taken with all his glamour. She wasn't perfect, but she stood by her man, and at the end of the day, that was enough for me.
The stronger the fear grew, the stronger the love became. His only option was to remove all risks. Keep her safe, treat her like a queen, win her heart. Go all in, and hope that luck, for just this one time, was in his favor.
Now, the plot. I personally thought that while the overall storyline was somewhat predictable, the twists themselves weren't. There was a character in the first book that I found quite interesting, but I assumed they would become a "villain." That didn't happen, which relieved me. It wasn't so much that I was surprised about things that happened, but I was shocked by the timing of certain events. It kept me on my toes and I liked that. I also really liked certain secondary characters, especially Bell's roommates and bosses. They provided badly needed comic relief, and I'm glad certain scenes didn't end up discarded! That being said, sometimes the swiftly moving timeline and all the action overshadowed Bell and Dario's relationship. I would've liked more time to just experience them together without all the bullshit. That's often a complaint of mine, so clearly, that's easier said than done. Readers want action, after all. Still, I wanted more of "peacetime" Belario :-) Also, some of the plot had holes, and the resolution regarding a certain character definitely wasn't enough for me.
He’d never had a woman so responsive, so engaged. When she was touched, she bloomed. When he fucked her, she was a rabid animal. When he made love to her, she melted.
Yes, there are triggers. Yes, the overall plot isn't hard to predict. Yes, it is love at first sight. Yes, he's a married man. None of those things bothered me, though, and I had a lot of fun reading a book with intense danger interwoven with romance and the glitz and glamour of Vegas!
“I can’t love you and not protect you. I can’t love you and not fight for you.”
This was a sexy, suspenseful, and romantic read. I'd read a couple AT books, so when I saw this duet was on KU, I jumped right in. I'm glad I did; the plot was suspenseful and all the characters-even the secondary ones- were likable and unique. The story seemed to be told mostly from Bell’s POV, with Dario contributing at times as well as a few other people. Was this a case of insta-love? Yeah, probably, but I feel like it is possible that sometimes, you just know. However, it was Dario that stole the show for me.
I hadn’t lived much. Done much. I didn’t know much, but I knew that our connection wasn’t normal. It was two planets colliding. Explosions. A black hole that pulled you in, regardless of the danger. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime connection, but everything around us was once-in-a-lifetime levels of fucked up.
Dario and Bell meet when she's waitressing at an independent casino in Las Vegas. As a lot of reviewers have noted, Dario is married when him and Bell meet. If you want to know those dynamics, here ya go, but they're integral to the plot so I'm tagging them as a spoiler.
Spoiler
His wife is his business partner and best friend. They had only a brief sexual relationship a decade earlier, and also, she has a lover of her own. Dario's reasons for marrying Gwen are twofold: materialistic and noble, as he inherits an empire while also keeping her safe from her psychopathic fatherTen thousand cocktail waitresses in this town and he had to meet the one that might break him.
He was too everything—a black hole that could suck me in without even feeling the crush of my soul.
Yes, Bell can be a bit annoying and stubborn, but she's young. She also has trauma in her past that made her life an endless string of temporary relationships. Dario bulldozes through and decimates her walls, and I commend the effort she put into navigating her feelings for him in a healthy way. She handles all the roadblocks fairly well, all things considered. She has a strong sense of self, which I liked. She also wasn't easily taken with all his glamour. She wasn't perfect, but she stood by her man, and at the end of the day, that was enough for me.
The stronger the fear grew, the stronger the love became. His only option was to remove all risks. Keep her safe, treat her like a queen, win her heart. Go all in, and hope that luck, for just this one time, was in his favor.
Now, the plot. I personally thought that while the overall storyline was somewhat predictable, the twists themselves weren't. There was a character in the first book that I found quite interesting, but I assumed they would become a "villain." That didn't happen, which relieved me. It wasn't so much that I was surprised about things that happened, but I was shocked by the timing of certain events. It kept me on my toes and I liked that. I also really liked certain secondary characters, especially Bell's roommates and bosses. They provided badly needed comic relief, and I'm glad certain scenes didn't end up discarded! That being said, sometimes the swiftly moving timeline and all the action overshadowed Bell and Dario's relationship. I would've liked more time to just experience them together without all the bullshit. That's often a complaint of mine, so clearly, that's easier said than done. Readers want action, after all. Still, I wanted more of "peacetime" Belario :-) Also, some of the plot had holes, and the resolution regarding a certain character definitely wasn't enough for me.
He’d never had a woman so responsive, so engaged. When she was touched, she bloomed. When he fucked her, she was a rabid animal. When he made love to her, she melted.
Yes, there are triggers. Yes, the overall plot isn't hard to predict. Yes, it is love at first sight. Yes, he's a married man. None of those things bothered me, though, and I had a lot of fun reading a book with intense danger interwoven with romance and the glitz and glamour of Vegas!
cala_p's review against another edition
4.0
The conclusion to the All In Duet is awesome!! I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one because the first one was very much ‘what will happen with them?!’
It is very much a conclusion to the Robert problem, the Claudia problem, and their relationship problems. Once everything has been taken care of, they are free to be together with one another. Going back to my review of the first book, where I drew a few parallels to 50 Shades, this one as well is in his protectiveness of her. He is insitaiting a team of bodygaurd for her to watch over her silently. Difference is here she very much stands up for herself and demands that he not do that. They comprimise, that he will, but she can not know they are watching nearby and they must not be seen. So when she begins school, she can do so without being watched.
Overall, I found myself loving this duet. They are such a good read with that edge-of-your-seat feeling to it.
It is very much a conclusion to the Robert problem, the Claudia problem, and their relationship problems. Once everything has been taken care of, they are free to be together with one another. Going back to my review of the first book, where I drew a few parallels to 50 Shades, this one as well is in his protectiveness of her. He is insitaiting a team of bodygaurd for her to watch over her silently. Difference is here she very much stands up for herself and demands that he not do that. They comprimise, that he will, but she can not know they are watching nearby and they must not be seen. So when she begins school, she can do so without being watched.
Overall, I found myself loving this duet. They are such a good read with that edge-of-your-seat feeling to it.