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rihoward's review against another edition
5.0
I am not sure how she did it but this author brought the devil to his knees. By the devil, I mean Luciano Salvatore. From the very first book, there was something about this character that I wanted to know more about. Was he repugnant and morally bankrupt so much of this series? ABSOLUTELY. However, there would just be little glimpses that showed there was more at work here. I wanted his book, but I have to say, I was a little worried that there would be no way that this author could come up with a way to make him redeemable. I was wrong. Not only did she do it she knocked this one out of the park and made him my favorite of the series.
This doesn't start out as good, as there is a darkness at play here, yet, to be fair, all of the stories have a darkness to them. However, this one really starts out rough but what else was to be expected since it starred Luciano. I liked watching this shift as Luci was discovering that he needed more. The author showed his changes and his "remorse" in his own way. Whether it was just in a little gesture of rubbing his hand over his chest to communicate with his son, to putting his family and their need for protection to the side, or his friends. It all started to prove that I had been right all along. There was a heart in this monster of a man and it grew.
That is not to say that he still didn't have his ruthless side. Goodness, gracious, did he ever. The author kept him true to his nature for the majority of the time and didn't stray too far that it would be unbelievable. I appreciated that. This is a tale about the grittier side of mafia life so it needed that. I liked that the author created a female that was strong, juxtaposed with fearful. She held her own against Luci and there aren't that many, males or females, that can say that.
I hope it is safe from the epilogue to say that there will be another story because I am not ready to let these characters go. I still would love a story about Ivan too. Basically, I will just take anything and everything that this author writes.
This doesn't start out as good, as there is a darkness at play here, yet, to be fair, all of the stories have a darkness to them. However, this one really starts out rough but what else was to be expected since it starred Luciano. I liked watching this shift as Luci was discovering that he needed more. The author showed his changes and his "remorse" in his own way. Whether it was just in a little gesture of rubbing his hand over his chest to communicate with his son, to putting his family and their need for protection to the side, or his friends. It all started to prove that I had been right all along. There was a heart in this monster of a man and it grew.
That is not to say that he still didn't have his ruthless side. Goodness, gracious, did he ever. The author kept him true to his nature for the majority of the time and didn't stray too far that it would be unbelievable. I appreciated that. This is a tale about the grittier side of mafia life so it needed that. I liked that the author created a female that was strong, juxtaposed with fearful. She held her own against Luci and there aren't that many, males or females, that can say that.
I hope it is safe from the epilogue to say that there will be another story because I am not ready to let these characters go. I still would love a story about Ivan too. Basically, I will just take anything and everything that this author writes.
mikkifaye's review
5.0
This is an amazing book! I had almost given up in the first couple of chapters, but I'm so glad I kept reading! There are very strong characters! Extreme situations, but extremely well written. Now I need to go read the previous ones!
mom2three's review
5.0
Holy Freak! TW are real with this one and shouldn't be ignored. That being said, I freaking loved this story. Its was distrubingly dark. Dark in the way that my stomach felt hollow and I had to put it down a few times to catch my breath. I also was so drawn to it that I couldn't walk away. I had to know how it was going to end. It's not an easy read, it's actually one of the darkest books i've read in a while, but worth every second for those who can handle the dark. I haven't read the other books in the series, but I had no problem understanding what was happening. I am hooked now and will be reading the series in order ASAP.
lifeinthebooklane's review
5.0
An amazing, amazing conclusion to this fabulous series. I'm just a little sad that it's all over.
Once I picked this up and started reading, I just didn't want to put this book down. Nicolina Martin has created such a sinister, terrifying man in Luciano Salvatore and yet somehow I still wanted him to get his HEA with Chloe.
This couple have intense chemistry, a passion that is scorching hot and violently explosive. I thought Chloe was a naive fool at first, but as we unpeel her many layers we find a woman strong enough to withstand the tour de force that is Salvatore. Theirs is a relationship that is created from so many wrongs, one that skirts the line of abuse and falls frequently into dub-con. A connection crafted by threat, manipulation and battles of will.
Salvatore is not a good man, he is used to taking what he wants and he thrives on fear, especially Chloe's fear. Despite how scared she may be, Chloe is one tough cookie and eventually, he realises just what a treasure she could be. Of course, he's a foolish man, used to getting his way and not having to explain himself to anyone, so this leads to him unintentionally hurting Chloe far too often. Add in the troubles brought to her door by his day job and the result is that this couple have a lot of crap to wade through.
This book is captivating, mesmerising, heart-wrenching and soul-destroying. It stomps on your emotions repeatedly but those last few chapters? They will melt your heart and more than make up for the difficult journey it took to get there.
Once I picked this up and started reading, I just didn't want to put this book down. Nicolina Martin has created such a sinister, terrifying man in Luciano Salvatore and yet somehow I still wanted him to get his HEA with Chloe.
This couple have intense chemistry, a passion that is scorching hot and violently explosive. I thought Chloe was a naive fool at first, but as we unpeel her many layers we find a woman strong enough to withstand the tour de force that is Salvatore. Theirs is a relationship that is created from so many wrongs, one that skirts the line of abuse and falls frequently into dub-con. A connection crafted by threat, manipulation and battles of will.
Salvatore is not a good man, he is used to taking what he wants and he thrives on fear, especially Chloe's fear. Despite how scared she may be, Chloe is one tough cookie and eventually, he realises just what a treasure she could be. Of course, he's a foolish man, used to getting his way and not having to explain himself to anyone, so this leads to him unintentionally hurting Chloe far too often. Add in the troubles brought to her door by his day job and the result is that this couple have a lot of crap to wade through.
This book is captivating, mesmerising, heart-wrenching and soul-destroying. It stomps on your emotions repeatedly but those last few chapters? They will melt your heart and more than make up for the difficult journey it took to get there.
sonialusiveira's review against another edition
Dnf at around chapter 5. Just can't stand the heroine. There's a saying that there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity and this heroine clearly thought she was brave while actually just being plain stupid. After she got a visit from the enforcer who beat her up to a pulp, she went to pay Salvatore, the boss who now wants her dead, without thinking about any consequences.
whisperedsigh's review against another edition
5.0
NOW THIS IS WHAT WE CALL DARK!
It did not shy away on the pain and darkness on this book, I picked it up due to a reddit dark romance sub and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! I was hooked. This is a last book of the series, but I think it can be read standalone as I have understood all regardless if the characters from previous books, now I will probably read them all. Found a new fave dark author.
This book had a lot of trigger warnings and content warnings to be honest. I can't put into words how shocked I am, I had read a lot of dark romances but never like the MMC really getting the FMC rough, I've read a lot if kidnapping and tortures but nothing like this? There is strong sense of depraveness and man man man, how he fell, and groveled, did not shy away from his true self, he's still dark and ruthless, and the author did not do that usual redemption arc in book where the MMC completely changes. in this book, he still the feared Capo. And i like how realistic it is with the FMC, she never was swayed to forgive everyone even the MMC, but sometimes the heart wants what it wants, maybe big on stockholm and how he really created her to crave depravity like that, but she was headstrong till the end, and i liked that there was still one he did not take even tho he absofuvkinglutely can.
KUDOS! now one of my fave dark reads.
---
• " The cause of so much pain, to me and to others, but also giving me a sense of belonging I’ve never had before.
I can’t change this man. He is who he is."
• "Luciano Salvatore, you are sin incarnated."
It did not shy away on the pain and darkness on this book, I picked it up due to a reddit dark romance sub and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! I was hooked. This is a last book of the series, but I think it can be read standalone as I have understood all regardless if the characters from previous books, now I will probably read them all. Found a new fave dark author.
This book had a lot of trigger warnings and content warnings to be honest. I can't put into words how shocked I am, I had read a lot of dark romances but never like the MMC really getting the FMC rough, I've read a lot if kidnapping and tortures but nothing like this? There is strong sense of depraveness and man man man, how he fell, and groveled, did not shy away from his true self, he's still dark and ruthless, and the author did not do that usual redemption arc in book where the MMC completely changes. in this book, he still the feared Capo. And i like how realistic it is with the FMC, she never was swayed to forgive everyone even the MMC, but sometimes the heart wants what it wants, maybe big on stockholm and how he really created her to crave depravity like that, but she was headstrong till the end, and i liked that there was still one he did not take even tho he absofuvkinglutely can.
KUDOS! now one of my fave dark reads.
---
• " The cause of so much pain, to me and to others, but also giving me a sense of belonging I’ve never had before.
I can’t change this man. He is who he is."
• "Luciano Salvatore, you are sin incarnated."
whisperedsigh's review
5.0
NOW THIS IS WHAT WE CALL DARK!
It did not shy away on the pain and darkness on this book, I picked it up due to a reddit dark romance sub and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! I was hooked. This is a last book of the series, but I think it can be read standalone as I have understood all regardless if the characters from previous books, now I will probably read them all. Found a new fave dark author.
This book had a lot of trigger warnings and content warnings to be honest. I can't put into words how shocked I am, I had read a lot of dark romances but never like the MMC really getting the FMC rough, I've read a lot if kidnapping and tortures but nothing like this? There is strong sense of depraveness and man man man, how he fell, and groveled, did not shy away from his true self, he's still dark and ruthless, and the author did not do that usual redemption arc in book where the MMC completely changes. in this book, he still the feared Capo. And i like how realistic it is with the FMC, she never was swayed to forgive everyone even the MMC, but sometimes the heart wants what it wants, maybe big on stockholm and how he really created her to crave depravity like that, but she was headstrong till the end, and i liked that there was still one he did not take even tho he absofuvkinglutely can.
KUDOS! now one of my fave dark reads.
---
• " The cause of so much pain, to me and to others, but also giving me a sense of belonging I’ve never had before.
I can’t change this man. He is who he is."
• "Luciano Salvatore, you are sin incarnated."
It did not shy away on the pain and darkness on this book, I picked it up due to a reddit dark romance sub and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! I was hooked. This is a last book of the series, but I think it can be read standalone as I have understood all regardless if the characters from previous books, now I will probably read them all. Found a new fave dark author.
This book had a lot of trigger warnings and content warnings to be honest. I can't put into words how shocked I am, I had read a lot of dark romances but never like the MMC really getting the FMC rough, I've read a lot if kidnapping and tortures but nothing like this? There is strong sense of depraveness and man man man, how he fell, and groveled, did not shy away from his true self, he's still dark and ruthless, and the author did not do that usual redemption arc in book where the MMC completely changes. in this book, he still the feared Capo. And i like how realistic it is with the FMC, she never was swayed to forgive everyone even the MMC, but sometimes the heart wants what it wants, maybe big on stockholm and how he really created her to crave depravity like that, but she was headstrong till the end, and i liked that there was still one he did not take even tho he absofuvkinglutely can.
KUDOS! now one of my fave dark reads.
---
• " The cause of so much pain, to me and to others, but also giving me a sense of belonging I’ve never had before.
I can’t change this man. He is who he is."
• "Luciano Salvatore, you are sin incarnated."
halffast's review
4.0
A violent mob boss forces a dangerous Dom/sub relationship on his defiant female hostage.
Loved the character development in this book. Luciano is every inch a sinister, unremorseful mafioso and an extreme sadist in the bedroom. He's tired of one-off encounters with women and after meeting headstrong Chloe, he spontaneously decides to make her his full-time submissive. Does he get her consent? Give her a safety word? Of course not, this is dark romance and Luciano is as anti-hero as they come. He's also almost comically bad at being a Dom, and he inflicts a lot of physical and mental damage on Chloe before coming to his senses. Some things happen in his professional and personal life that make him rethink how he's treated her, and a softer, more vulnerable side to his character emerges. Chloe doesn't go through as dramatic of an evolution as Luci, but her arc is still really satisfying as she stands up to him and carves out a place for herself by his side. I haven't read any of the other books in this series and it worked fine as a standalone.
Loved the character development in this book. Luciano is every inch a sinister, unremorseful mafioso and an extreme sadist in the bedroom. He's tired of one-off encounters with women and after meeting headstrong Chloe, he spontaneously decides to make her his full-time submissive. Does he get her consent? Give her a safety word? Of course not, this is dark romance and Luciano is as anti-hero as they come. He's also almost comically bad at being a Dom, and he inflicts a lot of physical and mental damage on Chloe before coming to his senses. Some things happen in his professional and personal life that make him rethink how he's treated her, and a softer, more vulnerable side to his character emerges. Chloe doesn't go through as dramatic of an evolution as Luci, but her arc is still really satisfying as she stands up to him and carves out a place for herself by his side. I haven't read any of the other books in this series and it worked fine as a standalone.
wilko's review
5.0
It is hard to believe it is the end of the series as I have become soo addicted to it. Thankfully it finished with the perfect book and you will want to binge read the whole series again once you finish. Luciano and Chloe are great characters who allow you to love, hate or be annoyed with as well as fear for them, you wonder if they are strong enough within themselves as well as for each other especially when Luciano's world starts to fall apart. You will go through very strong feeling as you read this book whether they be wanting to cry, scream, hide, hate, cringe, sadness and hope as it is written like you are immersed in that works which is what makes this book and entire series addictive.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.