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thesassybookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Klara was just five years old when she witnessed her father being labeled a traitor and murdered by a man named Vlad. Brought into his house to be raised as a reminder of his first kill, Klara has always been fascinated by the man she calls "V".
Fifteen years have passed and Klara is now a beautiful 21-year-old woman. Her feisty spirit and regular disobedience have Vlad paying more than a little attention to her. Giving into his attraction for Klara is not something Vlad can allow himself to do.
When Klara takes matters into her own hands those sparks ignite into a raging fire with repercussions that could burn them all.
So WOWZA was this book good. The writing was fantastic. The plot was fast paced and intricate. It was gritty. It was heartbreaking. It was tragic. The characters (both main and secondary) were well developed. The relationship between Vlad and Klara was slowly built up and multi-layered. I loved so many of the secondary characters and I hope we will be seeing more books with them in it. Lastly, the ending GUTTED me...I was bawling my eyes out. WHY Miz Bextor...WHY?!
Two HUGE thumbs up from yours truly!
somanybooksineedmoretime's review against another edition
5.0
Method: ebook
Rating: 5/5 stars
Drama: 3/5
Thoughts: Read this forever ago, enjoyed this read.
mells_view's review against another edition
4.0
I think I like where this is going...
This was a pretty good mafia/organized crime family romance.
There was a bunch of blood and violence. There were some intimate moments between the main love interests, Vlad & Klara. There was also just a lot of story that was started up, and then left to be resolved in the next two books. I'm very interested to see where everything goes because so much could happen.
So much happened in this story itself and this was just the set up. If you're looking for a super deep love connection I wouldn't say that this is it. I was more interested in the feud between the families and the plot going on there. The love story is interesting, it just isn't stand out IMO.
Can I have more Liam? It'd be interesting to see the next bit of the story from his POV. Like from another families side.
katie_83's review against another edition
5.0
Empires and Kings
By A C Bextor
5 stars!
This book was AMAZING!!! I don’t really know what I was expecting when I first read the synopsis for it but it certainly wasn’t what I read. From that very first page I was completely captivated by Klara and Vlad! Should I like Vlad as much as I did? Probably not but I couldn’t help myself from falling completely in love with him! I will admit this is a dark romance story so if you are after a sweet romance you won’t get it here but what you will get is a dark gritty read, full of hot steamy scenes and characters that you can’t help but fall in love with. There are parts of the story which, as I’ve come to expect with some mafia stories, are hard to read but it is a story at the end of the day.
The story ended on a slight cliff-hanger and I am so excited to see where the author will take this storyline next – I also hope we see more from Klara and Vlad even if they don’t appear as main characters in the next story. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I don’t know how I have never come across her work before – it was a seriously brilliant book. The writing was fantastic, it started slow and built really well – it definitely one of those books that creeps up on you and before you know it its over! There were so many twists and turns in this book and a few ‘oh my god’ moments – especially towards the end! I definitely need the next book as soon as possible!!
An absolutely fabulous 5 star read from A C Bextor that I loved every single minute of!!
By A C Bextor
5 stars!
This book was AMAZING!!! I don’t really know what I was expecting when I first read the synopsis for it but it certainly wasn’t what I read. From that very first page I was completely captivated by Klara and Vlad! Should I like Vlad as much as I did? Probably not but I couldn’t help myself from falling completely in love with him! I will admit this is a dark romance story so if you are after a sweet romance you won’t get it here but what you will get is a dark gritty read, full of hot steamy scenes and characters that you can’t help but fall in love with. There are parts of the story which, as I’ve come to expect with some mafia stories, are hard to read but it is a story at the end of the day.
The story ended on a slight cliff-hanger and I am so excited to see where the author will take this storyline next – I also hope we see more from Klara and Vlad even if they don’t appear as main characters in the next story. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I don’t know how I have never come across her work before – it was a seriously brilliant book. The writing was fantastic, it started slow and built really well – it definitely one of those books that creeps up on you and before you know it its over! There were so many twists and turns in this book and a few ‘oh my god’ moments – especially towards the end! I definitely need the next book as soon as possible!!
An absolutely fabulous 5 star read from A C Bextor that I loved every single minute of!!
bwagner's review against another edition
4.0
Kings and Empires (A Mafia Duet Book 1) by AC Baxtor is the first book in her A Mafia Duet series. This is my first story by this author, she had me pulled in from the first word. This is a dark romance that has a few twists and turns that you may not like but they make the story enjoyable. It has lots of suspense, action and romance. I enjoyed this authors writing style and her attention to the details in the mafia world. I also enjoyed her characters as they are connectable and keep you engaged until the last page. They will take you on a journey that will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat one minute and then the next needing ice water. Find out what happens to these characters as they start a dark journey that they may not come back from.
She has been known as the traitor's daughter since the age of five when her father was branded with a Z, beaten and left for dead. This was meant to be a reminder to those around them of what happens when those who threaten the Russia reign. She was left behind and ignored by the Russian leader. Until she grew up and he was no longer able to ignore her. In order for her to survive she had to learn her place inside.
Vlad Zalesky is the Russian leader that is a tyrant to the lost. He has a terror of mass destruction. He is also a tormentor of the weak. There is also something inside him beyond the indifference to him that is appealing to her. She hates him, is afraid of him and only wants to hide from him. But there is something about him that she can't stay away from. He has secrets and she wants to know them. There are decisions that she made that someone has to pay for, but who?
Their relationship is not a typical one. She hate him and is afraid of him but she has seen a different side of him that intrigues her. He has been ignoring her until now he is starting to see the woman she has turned out to be. What will happen when things start heating up with them? This story isn't necessarily about their relationship more of Vlad's role in the mafia. This story has many twists and turns that will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat but yet when it comes to her and Vlad, you will need ice water to cool down. He is a strong, alpha bad boy character. He is nasty, controlling and not a person you should cross. But on the other side of him, he has become very protective over her. With her, we get to see another side of him that heats up the pages. The secondary characters in this story as just as nasty, bad, and you most likely won't like them. But they do make the story flow and keep it going. Her character is sassy, whitey and stubborn. I would have like to see a little more on her in this story or even read more about her story. This story may not be for everyone but if you keep an open mind, I think that you will enjoy this story. Find out what secrets Vlad is keeping and is it possible that they will find their HEA?
This is my first story by AC Baxtor and I know it won't be the last. I enjoy mafia stories, reading about bad boys is a little different then the fairy tale type stories. A mixture is differently good. AC lives in a small town in the Midwest. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading and watching sports teams. She also enjoys fishing, swimming and camping. This is a fast paced story that will hold your attention until the last page. You will need to see what is hiding behind every page. It is a page turner that you will lose yourself in. I highly suggest this story as I know you will want to see what happens with this mafia story as much as I did.
She has been known as the traitor's daughter since the age of five when her father was branded with a Z, beaten and left for dead. This was meant to be a reminder to those around them of what happens when those who threaten the Russia reign. She was left behind and ignored by the Russian leader. Until she grew up and he was no longer able to ignore her. In order for her to survive she had to learn her place inside.
Vlad Zalesky is the Russian leader that is a tyrant to the lost. He has a terror of mass destruction. He is also a tormentor of the weak. There is also something inside him beyond the indifference to him that is appealing to her. She hates him, is afraid of him and only wants to hide from him. But there is something about him that she can't stay away from. He has secrets and she wants to know them. There are decisions that she made that someone has to pay for, but who?
Their relationship is not a typical one. She hate him and is afraid of him but she has seen a different side of him that intrigues her. He has been ignoring her until now he is starting to see the woman she has turned out to be. What will happen when things start heating up with them? This story isn't necessarily about their relationship more of Vlad's role in the mafia. This story has many twists and turns that will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat but yet when it comes to her and Vlad, you will need ice water to cool down. He is a strong, alpha bad boy character. He is nasty, controlling and not a person you should cross. But on the other side of him, he has become very protective over her. With her, we get to see another side of him that heats up the pages. The secondary characters in this story as just as nasty, bad, and you most likely won't like them. But they do make the story flow and keep it going. Her character is sassy, whitey and stubborn. I would have like to see a little more on her in this story or even read more about her story. This story may not be for everyone but if you keep an open mind, I think that you will enjoy this story. Find out what secrets Vlad is keeping and is it possible that they will find their HEA?
This is my first story by AC Baxtor and I know it won't be the last. I enjoy mafia stories, reading about bad boys is a little different then the fairy tale type stories. A mixture is differently good. AC lives in a small town in the Midwest. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading and watching sports teams. She also enjoys fishing, swimming and camping. This is a fast paced story that will hold your attention until the last page. You will need to see what is hiding behind every page. It is a page turner that you will lose yourself in. I highly suggest this story as I know you will want to see what happens with this mafia story as much as I did.
angelahayes's review against another edition
5.0
5 Stars
Empire and Kings is the first book in the ‘Mafia’ series by A.C Bextor. It is a ‘mafia’ romance which is a little dark, intense, gritty, and has a bit of a ‘forbidden’ romance feel to the story. This is the first time I have read any of Ms. Bextor’s work and I must say I am really impressed. I don’t know why I haven’t heard of her before, because she writes so well, her story was a real page turner and she has a very bold and captivating style. If this book is anything to go by the rest of the series, and her other works, are bound to be brilliant. I am so glad that I discovered this author- she is definitely someone whose work I will look forward to reading more of. I feel a book binging session coming on!
Vlad Zalesky had only just reached manhood when he was forced to take over part of his father’s criminal empire. There is no room for emotion or any kind of weakness in this violent and merciless industry. So, when Vlad discovers a traitor in their midst, he has no choice but to make an example of him and send out a strong message that betrayal will not be tolerated. He also needs to extract information from the traitor, find out who he’s working for or with. This is the night that will be seared into his brain forever. It’s the first time that he’d tortured someone and the first time that he’d ordered a kill. He wasn’t to know that his ‘business meeting’ would be interrupted by the victims 5-year-old daughter, and he can’t help but see his actions and the events of the evening through her wide-eyed innocence- and for one fraction of a second, question the life he’s been born into. But, he still has a job to do and decides to keep the girl, as an extra blow to the traitor.
Klara Koslief is twenty-one years old and has grown up in Vlad’s household ever since the night she discovered the monster in their midst. But, even though her father was a bad man and had betrayed the Zalesky family, Vlad had never treated her badly. She had everything she could ever want, lived an enviable lifestyle and was treated like a member of the family- mothered by Vlad’s sister Faina and become a sister-figure to Vlad’s son Veniamin.
Vlad went out of his way to try to ignore the stubborn and defiant girl who was staying under his roof. But as the years passed and she blossomed into a beautiful, poised and intelligent young woman, Vlad found it more and more difficult to ignore her. He is captivated by her, but refuses to let himself cross the line and take the one skerrick of innocence that she still holds.
Klara, on the other hand, finds her fascination for Vlad only grows stronger over the years- yes, he frightens her but her curiosity to know what makes him tick, overshadows any doubts she may have had. As she matures, she is determined to get through his defences and unravel the puzzle that is Vlad.
But, they are like two magnetic forces caught in a powerful vortex, drawn to each other and unable to pull away. When they finally give in to their desire, it’s in an explosion of passion that leaves them both reeling. But a man in his position makes many enemies and when some of these enemies start crawling out of the woodwork, violence and mayhem ensue. Klara finds herself caught in the cross-hairs and her life is put in peril. Will Vlad find a way to eliminate the enemy and save Klara, or will he end up losing a piece of his heart?
This is such a complex, multi-layered story which was written and orchestrated so brilliantly by Ms. Bextor. The tension, suspense, sizzling chemistry and intensity was beautifully developed and manipulated by the author. She has a real knack for keeping you on the edge of the seat, and devouring every word just to keep up with her scintillating tale.
It has a fast pace and is strewn with surprises and some shocking twists, which only enhance the exciting atmosphere of the whole book.
I was hooked from the beginning till the end, and read it all in one sitting.
This may have been the first book I read by this author, but it most certainly won’t be the last.
Thank you, Ms. Bextor!
Empire and Kings is the first book in the ‘Mafia’ series by A.C Bextor. It is a ‘mafia’ romance which is a little dark, intense, gritty, and has a bit of a ‘forbidden’ romance feel to the story. This is the first time I have read any of Ms. Bextor’s work and I must say I am really impressed. I don’t know why I haven’t heard of her before, because she writes so well, her story was a real page turner and she has a very bold and captivating style. If this book is anything to go by the rest of the series, and her other works, are bound to be brilliant. I am so glad that I discovered this author- she is definitely someone whose work I will look forward to reading more of. I feel a book binging session coming on!
Vlad Zalesky had only just reached manhood when he was forced to take over part of his father’s criminal empire. There is no room for emotion or any kind of weakness in this violent and merciless industry. So, when Vlad discovers a traitor in their midst, he has no choice but to make an example of him and send out a strong message that betrayal will not be tolerated. He also needs to extract information from the traitor, find out who he’s working for or with. This is the night that will be seared into his brain forever. It’s the first time that he’d tortured someone and the first time that he’d ordered a kill. He wasn’t to know that his ‘business meeting’ would be interrupted by the victims 5-year-old daughter, and he can’t help but see his actions and the events of the evening through her wide-eyed innocence- and for one fraction of a second, question the life he’s been born into. But, he still has a job to do and decides to keep the girl, as an extra blow to the traitor.
Klara Koslief is twenty-one years old and has grown up in Vlad’s household ever since the night she discovered the monster in their midst. But, even though her father was a bad man and had betrayed the Zalesky family, Vlad had never treated her badly. She had everything she could ever want, lived an enviable lifestyle and was treated like a member of the family- mothered by Vlad’s sister Faina and become a sister-figure to Vlad’s son Veniamin.
Vlad went out of his way to try to ignore the stubborn and defiant girl who was staying under his roof. But as the years passed and she blossomed into a beautiful, poised and intelligent young woman, Vlad found it more and more difficult to ignore her. He is captivated by her, but refuses to let himself cross the line and take the one skerrick of innocence that she still holds.
Klara, on the other hand, finds her fascination for Vlad only grows stronger over the years- yes, he frightens her but her curiosity to know what makes him tick, overshadows any doubts she may have had. As she matures, she is determined to get through his defences and unravel the puzzle that is Vlad.
But, they are like two magnetic forces caught in a powerful vortex, drawn to each other and unable to pull away. When they finally give in to their desire, it’s in an explosion of passion that leaves them both reeling. But a man in his position makes many enemies and when some of these enemies start crawling out of the woodwork, violence and mayhem ensue. Klara finds herself caught in the cross-hairs and her life is put in peril. Will Vlad find a way to eliminate the enemy and save Klara, or will he end up losing a piece of his heart?
This is such a complex, multi-layered story which was written and orchestrated so brilliantly by Ms. Bextor. The tension, suspense, sizzling chemistry and intensity was beautifully developed and manipulated by the author. She has a real knack for keeping you on the edge of the seat, and devouring every word just to keep up with her scintillating tale.
It has a fast pace and is strewn with surprises and some shocking twists, which only enhance the exciting atmosphere of the whole book.
I was hooked from the beginning till the end, and read it all in one sitting.
This may have been the first book I read by this author, but it most certainly won’t be the last.
Thank you, Ms. Bextor!
kirchersmiles's review against another edition
5.0
Empires and Kings (A Mafia Duet Book 1) by A.C. Bextor
5 Stars
Oh My!! Did that just happen? This book ended and I wasn't even close to being ready for it to end.. Need book 2 like right now!!
I don't even know where to begin with this review, I loved this book so so much, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Her story building started on page 1 and never stopped climbing. The flow was perfect and a lot of times when I have read any kind of mafia stories I end up lost because there are so many people in play and so much going on. With everything going on in this story I never had to go back to figure out what was happening or who was who. This author kept all the details clear and so very easy to follow.
As hard and cold as Vlad seems on the outside, I loved when this book showed his POV and showed what was inside, and as wrong as it may seem, Klara being in this family always seemed right. I loved her strength and her defying side, I love that as scared as she was a lot of the time, she never backed down.
The unanswered questions and hints of what is to come in the future of this family, left me with so much excitement to read the next in this series and also to check out everything else this author has available. I'm so curious about so many of the people in this book, but I think right now my biggest curiosity lies with who is Elevent? It kind of seems like there's a lot more there then what we know.
This is my first book by this author but will most definitely not be my last.
Loved Loved Loved it!!!
5 Stars
Oh My!! Did that just happen? This book ended and I wasn't even close to being ready for it to end.. Need book 2 like right now!!
I don't even know where to begin with this review, I loved this book so so much, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Her story building started on page 1 and never stopped climbing. The flow was perfect and a lot of times when I have read any kind of mafia stories I end up lost because there are so many people in play and so much going on. With everything going on in this story I never had to go back to figure out what was happening or who was who. This author kept all the details clear and so very easy to follow.
As hard and cold as Vlad seems on the outside, I loved when this book showed his POV and showed what was inside, and as wrong as it may seem, Klara being in this family always seemed right. I loved her strength and her defying side, I love that as scared as she was a lot of the time, she never backed down.
The unanswered questions and hints of what is to come in the future of this family, left me with so much excitement to read the next in this series and also to check out everything else this author has available. I'm so curious about so many of the people in this book, but I think right now my biggest curiosity lies with who is Elevent? It kind of seems like there's a lot more there then what we know.
This is my first book by this author but will most definitely not be my last.
Loved Loved Loved it!!!
rooskie87's review against another edition
4.0
Empires and Kings by A.C. Bextor
4 stars
Wow!! Not what i was expecting at all. Empires and Kings is my first read by A.C. Vector and I have to say I really enjoyed her writing. It was a little slow to start, but it did pick up and really got into the story. Of course with any mafia type story, there are things that happen that of course we'd never condone in real life, but in books we know some behaviors are expected. I didn't fall fast for the characters but they wormed their way in slowly!
Vlad was delivering punishment to a traitor when the traitors young daughter runs onto the scene. Vlad keeps her and she Lives with him even now 15 years later. Vlad was of course cold and calculated but he seemed to have a deeper layer to him we get to see throughout the book.
Klara was taken after her father was killed and has lived with her captor ever since. As the relationship she fights against begins to develop, we see her struggles and of course the actions of Vlad that made me cringe.
For a darker read I enjoyed this as it wasnt all glitter and rainbows. I wasnt ready for it to end the way it did though so I hope to see more of these two, at least a little bit.
4 stars
Wow!! Not what i was expecting at all. Empires and Kings is my first read by A.C. Vector and I have to say I really enjoyed her writing. It was a little slow to start, but it did pick up and really got into the story. Of course with any mafia type story, there are things that happen that of course we'd never condone in real life, but in books we know some behaviors are expected. I didn't fall fast for the characters but they wormed their way in slowly!
Vlad was delivering punishment to a traitor when the traitors young daughter runs onto the scene. Vlad keeps her and she Lives with him even now 15 years later. Vlad was of course cold and calculated but he seemed to have a deeper layer to him we get to see throughout the book.
Klara was taken after her father was killed and has lived with her captor ever since. As the relationship she fights against begins to develop, we see her struggles and of course the actions of Vlad that made me cringe.
For a darker read I enjoyed this as it wasnt all glitter and rainbows. I wasnt ready for it to end the way it did though so I hope to see more of these two, at least a little bit.
jessicafarthing's review against another edition
5.0
This is my first book by this author and I have to say I really love it! I'm a sucker for Russian mob and Vlad does not disappoint!