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readwithsophsx's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Gun violence, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
rebekkamafia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Firstly, this was no bully romance. Nero was promised to be a vicious psychopath, but he actually was pretty soft and sweet (for a mafia romance mmc).
I was expecting the plot lines to be more suspenseful and they had the promise to make an addicting story, but they fell a bit flat. Which on the other hand, made this a cosy and easy read.
Nero was kind of misogynistic and Camille was a typical I’m-not-like-other-girls-character (but more in a way that she was written from that viewpoint and intention, but Cam herself didn’t really have that attitude). The relationship between Nero and Camille developed kind of weirdly, I feel like it didn’t have enough time to develop and suddenly they just were together.
Overall an entertaining, easy and quick read, and pretty much what I hoped for going in!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Gun violence, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Death of parent
alisonmw6's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use and Violence
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent
nineinchnails's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.0
i think because i was so excited for nero’s story i set my expectations too high and got disappointed so it kinda ruined his character for me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, and Abandonment
readbyjaimes's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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
4.0
I will never tire of the Gallos and their antics
I loved Camille and Nero, their bond is so adorable and their love for each other, so true. I LOVED the Aida & Callum cameo.
Excited to meet Simone in Dante’s story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Sexual content
a_libra_library's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
stuffandwhatnot's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Oh I love a heist! Add in fast cars and hot guys and you got yourself a stew goin'. Camille was a very likable heroine, for all her prickliness, and Nero is fully smitten, as he should be. A fun crime adventure with a prickly grumpy/psycho grumpy romance where the stakes aren't quite as high as they were in the last two novels.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Drug use, and Death of parent
apolen's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, and Gun violence
Minor: Murder
darkclouds's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A vast improvement from the first two! Honestly I'm still reeling in surprise by just how much I liked Nero and Camille's relationship. It's the kind of organic, slow build, romantic journey I've been craving to see in books like these. They had a dusting of cheese - just enough to tolerate.
I had faith in Nero. I'm really only ploughing through for Nero and Sebastian but with how the former two books were executed, let's say I was pretty hesitant that the delivery would be nothing but subpar.
Something I've picked up on with Lark's books is that the initial 200 odd pages seem to work out a lot better than the latter half. Almost as though she rushes through when realising there is much to tie up and not enough word count. It's frustrating really because it really does dampen down on the quality in the long run. And then we're left unsatisfied like a cat without it's cream.
To address the pros, as aforementioned, Nero and Camille don't have that instant electric first meeting and attraction runs wild on sight. It's more so a slow burn, working friendship after coincidental meetings that they eventually see each other in a different light. Their baggage holds them back and made them feel so much kosher because each have different coping mechanisms that explains their personality traits. For once, it didn't feel as though the leads were put on a pedestal and glorified to make them seem special. If anything they seemed... real?
Nero really was like a breath of fresh air to the bog standard James Dean bad boy character type. He had surprisingly made moments meaningful with his words that in other books, would usually entail some form of dirty talk or cringey liners. But not him. At least, for the most part.
Anyhow. The cons being I found myself at times, disengaged from the side plots. The cop hounding Camille and the heist we eventually get to. I think the fault lies mostly in the writing style and the inclusions of pop culture references just tank down the enjoyment factor. That and the way things felt rushed after the midway point, the messy "I love you" moments that seems to be a staple... ehhh it could've been better.
I had faith in Nero. I'm really only ploughing through for Nero and Sebastian but with how the former two books were executed, let's say I was pretty hesitant that the delivery would be nothing but subpar.
Something I've picked up on with Lark's books is that the initial 200 odd pages seem to work out a lot better than the latter half. Almost as though she rushes through when realising there is much to tie up and not enough word count. It's frustrating really because it really does dampen down on the quality in the long run. And then we're left unsatisfied like a cat without it's cream.
To address the pros, as aforementioned, Nero and Camille don't have that instant electric first meeting and attraction runs wild on sight. It's more so a slow burn, working friendship after coincidental meetings that they eventually see each other in a different light. Their baggage holds them back and made them feel so much kosher because each have different coping mechanisms that explains their personality traits. For once, it didn't feel as though the leads were put on a pedestal and glorified to make them seem special. If anything they seemed... real?
Nero really was like a breath of fresh air to the bog standard James Dean bad boy character type. He had surprisingly made moments meaningful with his words that in other books, would usually entail some form of dirty talk or cringey liners. But not him. At least, for the most part.
Anyhow. The cons being I found myself at times, disengaged from the side plots. The cop hounding Camille and the heist we eventually get to. I think the fault lies mostly in the writing style and the inclusions of pop culture references just tank down the enjoyment factor. That and the way things felt rushed after the midway point, the messy "I love you" moments that seems to be a staple... ehhh it could've been better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Death of parent
queen_sara's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Violence
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Death of parent