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amanda_reads13's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Lili, the daughter of an Italian monster, is being forced into an arrange marriage to Spider, an Irish mobster. Her aunt Reyna will do anything to protect her neice including taking her place.
Reyna is a complete badass. She isn't called the Black Widow and nicknamed Viper for nothing. She has suffered through an incredibly abusive marriage and when noone would step in to protect her, she took care of it herself. She is fierce, smart, tough, and resilient. She is courageous and fiercely independent. She is a force to be reckoned with. She instantly hates Spider, but is also incredibly attracted to him. She hates that he is going to marry her neice and does not hold back. She throws punch after punch. She has sworn off marriage, but she puts her niece's happiness above her own.
I didn't like Spider much at the start of this book. A 38 year old agreeing to marry an 18 year old? Gross. Also, he was coming off very misogynistic. Then he turned it around. As we learned more about his background, his behaviour starts to make more sense. He agrees to marry Lili because he knows he will never catch feelings for her and it will help his family.
Unfortunately, he is instantly attracted to her aunt Reyna and just cannot stay away. Their chemistry is electric and their banter was very entertaining.
I enjoyed reading about the 4 men trying to coexist when their women were so close and refused to put up with their bullshit. It was pretty funny.
Tropes: Mafia, alpha male, open door, enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, badass FMC
Reyna is a complete badass. She isn't called the Black Widow and nicknamed Viper for nothing. She has suffered through an incredibly abusive marriage and when noone would step in to protect her, she took care of it herself. She is fierce, smart, tough, and resilient. She is courageous and fiercely independent. She is a force to be reckoned with. She instantly hates Spider, but is also incredibly attracted to him. She hates that he is going to marry her neice and does not hold back. She throws punch after punch. She has sworn off marriage, but she puts her niece's happiness above her own.
I didn't like Spider much at the start of this book. A 38 year old agreeing to marry an 18 year old? Gross. Also, he was coming off very misogynistic. Then he turned it around. As we learned more about his background, his behaviour starts to make more sense. He agrees to marry Lili because he knows he will never catch feelings for her and it will help his family.
Unfortunately, he is instantly attracted to her aunt Reyna and just cannot stay away. Their chemistry is electric and their banter was very entertaining.
I enjoyed reading about the 4 men trying to coexist when their women were so close and refused to put up with their bullshit. It was pretty funny.
Tropes: Mafia, alpha male, open door, enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, badass FMC
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Pregnancy
mbro's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse
cocpop_reads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Besides the first book, this is probably my favorite book in the series. I absolutely fell in love with Reyna and Spider:
They were a true enemies to lovers, with insults hurling back and forth along with death threats from the Queen.
But I love that they have good banter with one another, and that they can annoy the other but the love is still there.
The reader learns a lot more about Spider in this book, and meets a boss ass woman who has love for just him.
TW: domestic violence involving Reyna’s ex-husband. Nothing is super detailed about her abuse except when she has her nightmare near the end.
They’re just a great couple with amazing communication. Trust me, this is a couple who might have problems but they’re quickly worked out because Spider has been in therapy and knows talking is key.
Spice scale: 3/5. Let’s just say Reyna has a breeding kink, and Spider is only too happy to fulfill it. But nothing happens between the two until halfway through, and the breeding doesn’t come up until closer to the end.
They were a true enemies to lovers, with insults hurling back and forth along with death threats from the Queen.
But I love that they have good banter with one another, and that they can annoy the other but the love is still there.
The reader learns a lot more about Spider in this book, and meets a boss ass woman who has love for just him.
TW: domestic violence involving Reyna’s ex-husband. Nothing is super detailed about her abuse except when she has her nightmare near the end.
They’re just a great couple with amazing communication. Trust me, this is a couple who might have problems but they’re quickly worked out because Spider has been in therapy and knows talking is key.
Spice scale: 3/5. Let’s just say Reyna has a breeding kink, and Spider is only too happy to fulfill it. But nothing happens between the two until halfway through, and the breeding doesn’t come up until closer to the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Domestic abuse, and Violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
andeng's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mass/school shootings, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy
hschun's review against another edition
It was my fault, too much smut for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
erinmd156's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Gun violence and Pregnancy
nikitanavalkar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
My persistence with this series has paid off at last. That sounds wrong, because by no means were the previous installments of the series bad or anything, but I had several little niggles, especially with the last 2 books. But this. This one was everything I wanted from the rest of the series and more. Some alchemical magic occurred and things just came together perfectly this time around, and made my flipping heart soar.
First of all, let me apologize to Spider aka Homer Quinn for ever doubting him, or JT. That man is a big ol’ teddy bear Viking and it all makes sense now. And it’s a good thing he is, because my girl Reyna deserves nothing less. Because true to her name, she is a gods damned Queen and I’m in incoherent love with her. I loved Nat and Sloane and Riley, but Reyna is my new girl crush. What a boss arse Bitch. Cold as ice, a survivor, a fierce warrior, all round badass. And so delightfully, incredibly violent. Like Spider, I’m dazzled by her, and would let her run me over, poison me, whatever she wishes?
And together, these two are a five alarm inferno. I mean hooeeey…things were getting set ablaze and kindles were getting melted and my soul burned to ash with their chemistry. If the dirty talk didn’t do me in, which it most certainly did, they have a mutual praise kink, and I never knew I needed to see it? While the banter was never a problem of this series, it gets better here? Like, how is it even possible, JT? I’ll tell you how, with Rey’s viperous tongue and Quinn’s short fuse, their tension frequently explodes into lethal and comical verbal sparring before it becomes more. And after. Also, both of them being such feral alphas results in some very interesting erotic encounters. Gosh, someone get me a tall drink of ice cold water please!
Moving on, I enjoyed the background action plot this time and how it somehow felt seamless with the romance, as well as Rey’s mom who was one of the highlights for me. It does get slightly corny at the end, but I enjoy my corn at the end of series, and it was super fun to visit with the couples once again. Have I, wait for it, found my favorite mafia romance? Gasp.
First of all, let me apologize to Spider aka Homer Quinn for ever doubting him, or JT. That man is a big ol’ teddy bear Viking and it all makes sense now. And it’s a good thing he is, because my girl Reyna deserves nothing less. Because true to her name, she is a gods damned Queen and I’m in incoherent love with her. I loved Nat and Sloane and Riley, but Reyna is my new girl crush. What a boss arse Bitch. Cold as ice, a survivor, a fierce warrior, all round badass. And so delightfully, incredibly violent. Like Spider, I’m dazzled by her, and would let her run me over, poison me, whatever she wishes?
And together, these two are a five alarm inferno. I mean hooeeey…things were getting set ablaze and kindles were getting melted and my soul burned to ash with their chemistry. If the dirty talk didn’t do me in, which it most certainly did, they have a mutual praise kink, and I never knew I needed to see it? While the banter was never a problem of this series, it gets better here? Like, how is it even possible, JT? I’ll tell you how, with Rey’s viperous tongue and Quinn’s short fuse, their tension frequently explodes into lethal and comical verbal sparring before it becomes more. And after. Also, both of them being such feral alphas results in some very interesting erotic encounters. Gosh, someone get me a tall drink of ice cold water please!
Moving on, I enjoyed the background action plot this time and how it somehow felt seamless with the romance, as well as Rey’s mom who was one of the highlights for me. It does get slightly corny at the end, but I enjoy my corn at the end of series, and it was super fun to visit with the couples once again. Have I, wait for it, found my favorite mafia romance? Gasp.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual violence
TW: severe domestic abuse in the past with frequent flashbacks. Spider’s past is also very dark, and even though the recounting is brief and not super descriptive, it’s a lot. And of course, general violent unaliving and mention of other mafia activities.kodafaith's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was hesitant to read a book about Spider after how he acted in book 3 but I was pleasantly surprised. His personality seemed a little off from what we had seen before but I just chalked it up to what Rey brings out in him.
While this one felt really instalovey just like the first book, I didn’t mind it as much as with that one. For these characters and their pasts it just makes sense for them to love this deep and quickly.
I don’t know how I feel about the ending just yet, it seemed a little too clean for a mafia world but it was good!
While this one felt really instalovey just like the first book, I didn’t mind it as much as with that one. For these characters and their pasts it just makes sense for them to love this deep and quickly.
I don’t know how I feel about the ending just yet, it seemed a little too clean for a mafia world but it was good!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Gun violence, and Death
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Trafficking
ladysadiereads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
3.0
Two and a Half Rounded to Three
This is the final Queens and Monsters books and it was… good? I don’t know honestly. For 50% of the book the MMC and the FMC detest each other and are downright mean. The twist in the middle was predictable and I called it on page one which lead to a rather boring overarching story that seemed to detract from the relationship between Spider and Reyna. And by the end of the book it is almost entirely from Reyna’s POV and Spider seems like a side character. Spider is a delightfully feral hero for those that like such things and more than once I actually laughed when he was bring OTT.
Their relationship in bed is great and there is a solid series of intimate moments that I wanted further explored where they talked as partners and actually had a civil conversation. This only made me want more and left me disappointed though.
This is the final Queens and Monsters books and it was… good? I don’t know honestly. For 50% of the book the MMC and the FMC detest each other and are downright mean. The twist in the middle was predictable and I called it on page one which lead to a rather boring overarching story that seemed to detract from the relationship between Spider and Reyna. And by the end of the book it is almost entirely from Reyna’s POV and Spider seems like a side character. Spider is a delightfully feral hero for those that like such things and more than once I actually laughed when he was bring OTT.
Their relationship in bed is great and there is a solid series of intimate moments that I wanted further explored where they talked as partners and actually had a civil conversation. This only made me want more and left me disappointed though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, and Domestic abuse
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