zellapaige's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
First, I hated the way this book ended. Detested the way it ended. Do not expect a HEA of even a HFN expect anger.
However, I think Zoe might be my favorite “romance” book heroine ever. She is unapologetic, knows exactly what she wants, and is going to get it. She won’t just attempt to get what she wants, she WILL get what she wants. I don’t know that I have ever read a woman who is so certain of want she wants and needs, it was striking. She isn’t a heroine I particularly relate to (she is so much more obsessed with image and self care than I can even attempt to understand), but she is a heroine I deeply respect. And big strong brutish Alfonso is not the lurking hero you expect, but he is the hero Zoe deserves.
This book is way way more kinky than the previous books. The mild exhibitionism of the last book is full blown possibly illegal fetish in this one. The elements of control play from the first books are complete power exchange in this one. And the strong bad boy mafia men of the first books are flipped on the head for Zoe’s submissive and masochistic Alfonso.
*Spoiler Alert* No only does this book end with the lives of two characters hanging in the balance, but it also ends with both Zoe and Alfonso’s unresolved emotions. Alfonso is sold on Zoe (he was a goner the moment she revealed his masochistic nature to him), but is willing to let her go if she wants that. And Zoe is convinced that Alfonso is nothing more than a fling.
This would be a straight 5/5 book if it had anything resembling a happy ending.
However, I think Zoe might be my favorite “romance” book heroine ever. She is unapologetic, knows exactly what she wants, and is going to get it. She won’t just attempt to get what she wants, she WILL get what she wants. I don’t know that I have ever read a woman who is so certain of want she wants and needs, it was striking. She isn’t a heroine I particularly relate to (she is so much more obsessed with image and self care than I can even attempt to understand), but she is a heroine I deeply respect. And big strong brutish Alfonso is not the lurking hero you expect, but he is the hero Zoe deserves.
This book is way way more kinky than the previous books. The mild exhibitionism of the last book is full blown possibly illegal fetish in this one. The elements of control play from the first books are complete power exchange in this one. And the strong bad boy mafia men of the first books are flipped on the head for Zoe’s submissive and masochistic Alfonso.
*Spoiler Alert* No only does this book end with the lives of two characters hanging in the balance, but it also ends with both Zoe and Alfonso’s unresolved emotions. Alfonso is sold on Zoe (he was a goner the moment she revealed his masochistic nature to him), but is willing to let her go if she wants that. And Zoe is convinced that Alfonso is nothing more than a fling.
This would be a straight 5/5 book if it had anything resembling a happy ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Pregnancy
The leading man has dealt with his masochism, by putting himself in dangerous scenarios intended to cause himself harm. So there is a lot of that. Borderline self harm, but I didn’t tag it that, because the motivation feels different. But it might cause the same self harm triggers.
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