Review: Two Guys (The Game Series, #2), by L. P. Lovell and Stevie J. Cole

Two Guys: The Game Series by L.P. Lovell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This series continues to keep me holding my breath. The second serial in a series of seven, ‘Two Guys’ quickly increases the intensity of this story. Already, I’m on the edge of my seat.

Where ‘One Contract’ served to set the stage for things to come, ‘Two Guys’ has Ella plunging head first into their sexual head-games. This is one seriously messed up game and it is just getting started. It is clear that there is much more going on than Tobias and Preston are telling her.

Already, Ella is faced with a huge ethical dilemma. As she completes the “tests” she must make a difficult decision that has significant repercussions, regardless of what she decides. How far would she be willing to go for revenge? What would she do to preserve her dignity? How far is too far?

If this story is just getting started, I can only imagine what’s in store. I will definitely continue this series and will be diving into the third serial immediately. I cannot wait to find out where this game is leading, even as I am afraid to look.

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Review: One Contract (The Game Series, #1), by L. P. Lovell and Stevie J. Cole

One Contract by L.P. Lovell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, this serial was certainly intriguing! The first in a series of seven serials, ‘One Contract’ is attention grabbing and serves to set the stage for things yet to come. It has definitely got my attention. Although this story is just getting started, I’m very curious to see where it will lead. In fact, I know that I will be diving right into the next serial immediately.

The heroine, Ella Taylor, is really in a bad spot. After being dumped by her boyfriend for another woman, she is stuck in an expensive NYC apartment that she cannot afford. To make matters worse, she has lost her job. Facing certain homelessness, she is desperate.

Out of nowhere, she receives an invitation to interview. Despite the unusual manner in which she received this unsolicited request for an interview, she is intrigued. The invitation comes from a well-known billionaire that made his fortune as a result of developing a new social media platform. Without a doubt, she has to land this job.

After a brief initial interview with the billionaire, Tobias Benton, Ella is invited to a second, more personal interview over dinner. What Ella discovers is far more than she bargained for. She’s offered an opportunity that she isn’t in any position to turn down, no matter how uncomfortable it makes her.

Ella is introduced to Preston Lucas, Tobias’ partner. The two men would like for her to play a game with them for the next seven days. If she wins, she’ll get more money than she could possibly earn in years, much less in a week. If she lasts the entire seven days, she’ll still get paid a significant amount. Only if she loses does she leave empty-handed. Sounds easy, right? Wrong.

The two men promise that Ella will not be harmed, but it is clear that there is far more to this game than a little kink. She is expected to submit to them completely. She also isn’t allowed to ask any questions. The only assurance she has is that she won’t be damaged irreparably and that she will be given pleasure beyond anything she’s ever known.

As expected, Ella accepts this unusual proposition after wrestling with her morals. One super-sexy scene, and I’m hooked. I’m dying to know what these two are really up to. It is clear that there is far more at play here than just a kinky sexual fantasy. I’m definitely jumping right into the next serial immediately.

If you’re looking for a quick, steamy, erotic read, then this is a great one. It can easily be read in one sitting. It is the first of seven, but all of the serials have been released so you won’t have to wait before diving into the next one. I enjoyed every minute of this ménage short.

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Review: Irreparable Damage (Irreparable, #1), by Sam Mariano

Irreparable Damage by Sam Mariano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was dark, taboo and offensive. Accordingly, I thought that it was a fantastic read! Not the best dark captivity story out there, but definitely not the worst either. If you enjoy darker stories and don’t shy away from controversial subject matter, then ‘Irreparable Damage’ is worth a read.

The first in a series, this book tells the story of Willow Kensington. Willow is abducted right after her 18th birthday by sex traffickers. Her father is a powerful Mafioso and her captors think that they can use her to get at her father. Innocent Willow is caught in the crosshairs, despite having almost no interaction with her father.

While undercover trying to locate another missing girl, private investigator Ethan Wilde runs across another girl whose picture recently came his way. He hadn’t accepted Willow’s case yet, but fate has their paths crossing. Unfortunately, to maintain his cover he must harm Willow before he can save her.

Following Willow’s rescue, she struggles with the after-effects of her captive experience. Her healing is only made more difficult by the fact that she will not discuss everything that happened to her at the hands of her captors. She is torn by the fact that her rescuer was also the man who committed the worst crimes against her. She won’t condemn him, but she can’t cope either.

Returning to his wife and children, Ethan faces his own demons following his most recent case. He cannot stop thinking about the girl that he assaulted. He wonders how she is doing and whether she hates him. He waits to be held accountable for his crimes, but with each day that passes it becomes increasingly clear that Willow isn’t going to turn him in – no matter how much he deserves it.

Ethan’s guilt transforms into an obsession, masked as concern. Before long, he’s stalking the teen online and “checking up on her”. The lies begin to pile up and he is drifting away from his wife.

Of course, Ethan isn’t the only one that can’t get Willow’s trauma in captivity off their mind. Willow is finding that her nightmares surrounding her assault are turning increasingly erotic. Yep, she’s fantasizing about her assailant. (This is smutty, dark erotica, not non-fiction after all! Know that what you’re signing up for isn’t a harrowing, true-to-life account.)

Willow and Ethan begin meeting up to vent and discuss their feelings about what transpired. It seems that they are the only two people that can relate to one another. Admittedly, I rolled my eyes at the idea of the victim actually consoling the attacker and vice versa. However, even as I was rolling my eyes I was anxiously flipping pages to see where the story would go.

This story was pure, smutty goodness! It was definitely a “guilty pleasure” type of read for me. It was unbelievable, taboo and hot. Clearly, this isn’t a book that you choose for intellectual enlightenment. It was dirty, sexy and fun.

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Review: Damnable Grace (Hades Hangmen, #5), by Tillie Cole

Damnable Grace by Tillie Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like all of the ‘Hades Hangmen’ books, ‘Damnable Grace’ is one that will rip your heart out. This series definitely tackles some offensive and upsetting content. It is not a series that will appeal to many readers because of the tough subject matter.

If you’re like me, and love dark books that push your limits and make you cringe, then ‘Damnable Grace’ is a great one. The fifth book in the series, it centers on Phebe and AK. If you’ve followed this series, you’ll remember AK as the “leader” of the psycho trio. You might also remember Phebe as the beautiful mistress of the “false” prophet who was cast aside for his new, younger mistress.

Phebe had been trained from a very young age to lure men into the cult with sex. She was trained to be a “Sacred Sister”, one of the girls sent out by the cult to recruit, or “fish”, for new male members. She was prized for her sexual allure and was considered to be the best of all the girls. She is used to men using her for their sexual pleasure and has never been valued for anything else. A devout believer, she has only recently begun to question the cult teachings.

When Phebe is sold by Rider’s brother, the “false prophet”, to a leader in the Aryan Brotherhood, Meister, she is in for more suffering than she could have imagined. Meister has been obsessed with Phebe from the first time that he saw her and his cruelty knows no bounds. At his hands, Phebe will endure unthinkable acts and will be left scarred, both physically and emotionally.

AK has not forgotten the beautiful woman that he left behind after the Hangmen raided the cult commune. When he and a few of his brothers are sent in to rescue Phebe from the Aryan Brotherhood’s compound, it was worse than anything that he could have imagined. The heinous abuse taking place at that compound were unthinkable. It was all he could do to maintain composure until he could get Phebe out of there.

In the weeks that followed, both Phebe and AK must come to terms with their pasts. Both have survived cruelty and tragedy. Each of them lives with loss and guilt. These two had a long road ahead of them, but they helped one another heal and face their pasts. Their story was tragic and messy, but beautiful.

It had been quite a while since I’d submersed myself in the world of the Hades Hangmen. So, I was worried that I wouldn’t remember all of the relevant details from the previous books. However, my concerns were completely unwarranted. Ms. Cole provided plenty of reminders throughout to keep me abreast of what was going on and what had passed.

While every Hades Hangmen book has made me cringe at times, none did so more than this one. It was absolutely brutal at times. Child abuse, rape, extreme sexual violence, murder…there was no shortage of depravity in this book.

Of all of the books in this series, I have to say that this one is my least favorite to this point. I enjoyed AK and Phebe’s story, but I wasn’t completely consumed with it like I have been with other books in this series. Even so, it was still a great book.

If you enjoy, dark and gritty stories, I highly recommend this series. Each of these characters has carved out a piece of my heart. They aren’t easy books to read, but they are well worth it.

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Review: The Club (Colombian Cartel, #1), by Suzanne Steele

The Club by Suzanne Steele
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m having a hard time deciding how to rate/review this one. On the one hand, I liked that the author didn’t shy away from dark content. On the other, the author didn’t necessarily weave said content into the story in a logical manner.

Antonio Ramirez is a crime boss of sorts. He owns strip club(s) and rules them with an iron fist. Although the full extent of his criminal dealings isn’t really revealed, it is clear that he is a guy that is feared and respected. His brother is Ricardo Ramirez, an even scarier guy.

Roxanne is a cage fighter. Along with her best friend, she has profited from throwing matches. When they get caught trying to scam Ricardo, he takes the women as payment. Roxanne is shipped off to marry Antonio, a gift from his brother. Meanwhile, her best friend is forced to marry Ricardo.

Of course, Roxanne is a virgin and is extremely surprised to be attracted to Antonio. That explains the pleasure and orgasms that she has while enduring the gentlest rape in history. Did I mention that she’s a closet masochist that ends up enjoying his sadistic tastes? (Yes, I’m rolling my eyes.)

One night is all it takes and he’s in love. She holds out a little longer, but can’t fight the attraction that she feels for Antonio while trying to maintain her righteous hate for her new husband. Eventually, she admits what was apparent from the start and quits trying to escape Antonio…or his spankings.

More often than not, this story left me feeling confused and wondering if I’d missed a few pages somewhere to explain exactly how the story arrived at a certain point. The characters’ emotional responses seemed contrived, rushed and, at times, ridiculous given the situation. It was hard to connect with the story when you can’t believe the responses of the characters to the given situations.

For example, with little more than a flip of the page, the hero goes from loathing the heroine that has been forced upon him by his brother to being completely obsessed and in love with her. Hmm… A few more conversations between the two might’ve helped to sell that a little better. It just didn’t work for me.

The short length of this story is a large part of the problem. There was way to much going on to cover in a short novella. If this novella had been fleshed out and made into a full-length novel, it would have been much better and wouldn’t have felt so forced.

Captivity, forced marriages, dubious consent and other dark themes are amongst my favorites…but they take time to craft into a story that is believable. It takes a lot of build-up to illustrate the gradual evolution of those relationships in order to sell it to the reader. That didn’t happen with this story. Instead, it felt forced and a bit “smutty”, lacking the emotional depth and connection that a story like this usually evokes.

Overall, I give this one 2 1/2 stars. It had potential, but was poorly executed. Instead of being a dark captivity story that tugs at your heart and makes you squirm in your seat, this story will make your eyes roll and might even make you laugh.

I’m slightly curious about the best friend and brother’s story, but probably won’t go there because I’m worried it’ll end up being just like this one. Maybe I’ll try another one of this author’s works sometime in the future. For now, this author’s style just doesn’t seem to match up with my tastes.

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Review: Empires and Kings (A Mafia Series, #1), by A. C. Bextor

Empires and Kings by A.C. Bextor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you like Mafia-themed romances, then you’ll probably enjoy this one. It was one of the recommendations that popped up when browsing Kindle Unlimited, based upon my Amazon purchase history. In the past, I’ve not had much luck with the computer-generated “recommendations”. However, this time the computer finally got it right!

‘Empires and Kings’ is the first book in A. C. Bextor’s ‘A Mafia Series’. Right from the start, I was captivated by this story. The circumstances of these characters’ lives was brutal and tragic. This is certainly a romanticized account of organized crime, yet the author doesn’t entirely shy away from some of the hard truths.

As a young Vlad Zalesky rises through the ranks of his father’s criminal empire, he is forced to become a man of violence. The night that he kills tortures and orders his first kill, he can no longer hide from the darkness that lives within him. When he comes face to face with the young daughter of the traitor, he is forced to see himself through her innocent eyes.

Nonetheless, Vlad must stay the course. To send a message to any others that might dare to cross him or his organization, he decides to keep the girl. The traitor dies thinking that his daughter will be forced to spend her life working in one of the organizations’ many houses of prostitution.

Klara has lived with Vlad since that horrible night, when she stumbled upon the murder of her father as a young girl. Despite the fact that her father was a traitor, Vlad has allowed Klara to grow up in his mansion and have a privileged life. She is more like part of the family than a prisoner, babied by Vlad’s sister and a sort of sister to his son.

For the most part, Vlad has ignored the girl living under his roof. Of course, now that she is growing into a young woman he is having a harder time dismissing the beautiful Klara. He wants her badly, but doesn’t want to steal the last bit of innocence that she possesses.

Eventually, Vlad and Klara cross that line and their relationship changes. No surprise there. After all, if they didn’t find there way to each other there wouldn’t be much of a romance here.

Along the way, there is plenty of angst and drama. Vlad is a complete Alpha-male a**hole and I loved him for it. (I’m sick like that.) He does plenty of infuriating things along the way that will have you wanting to strangle him.

Klara is the stereotypical innocent virgin. Know that going into this story. If that trope irritates you, then you will be seriously peeved with this book. I happen to love it, as cliché as it may be. So this story worked for me.

There are plenty of disturbing scenarios presented as well. I read a lot of dark stories and didn’t find anything to be too graphic, but I have a high tolerance for dark content. If you are easily “triggered”, then I’d steer clear of this one.

I enjoyed the many layers that were presented in this book. The characters were complex and intriguing. I found myself completely absorbed in this story from start to finish.

My only complaint is that there were a few times when I thought the author tried to venture into “dark” territory, only to chicken out. That is a big peeve of mine. I think if an author is going to write a dark story they should embrace the dark side and not be afraid to take it all the way.

One scene, in particular, had the potential to be a really pivotal dark scene, but it ended up being underwhelming. The author did a spectacular job of building suspense and pulling emotions from readers, only to not carry out the scene, having Vlad fail to carry through with the threatened action against Klara. After waiting for what was bound to be an emotional and traumatic event, I was left feeling a little ripped off. Then, it was hard for me to buy all of the coldness and turmoil that followed when Vlad didn’t even do what he set out to do.

Overall, this was a great read for me. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series when it is released. There were a few things that I would’ve changed, but I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. If you like stories that have a little dark content, or if Mafia books are your thing, then you won’t be disappointed with this one.

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Review: Entrapment (Infidelity, #4), by Aleatha Romig

Entrapment by Aleatha Romig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Intense

The fourth book in the ‘Infidelity’ series, ‘Entrapment’ serves to build tension and keep you on the edge of your seat. With only one book remaining in the series, this books paves the way for what is bound to be an explosive ending. Of course, you’ll be left hanging for a while longer, dying to know what fate awaits Alex and Nox, until the last book is released. Surely, you didn’t think your questions would be answered yet.

Picking up where the last book left off, Alex is back under the control of the diabolical trio–Alton, Suzanna and Bryce. Every move she makes is watched and her free will has been forfeited. The constant threat of having her mother harmed or being denied access to her mother is used to keep her in line.

Meanwhile, Nox and his father team up to try and rescue the women that they love from their house of horrors. Despite their troubled history, they have finally found some common ground and put their differences aside temporarily. It was nice to see the father-son duo working together for a change.

While I found Alex’s choices to be pretty frustrating in this book, I can see that the groundwork has been laid for an amazing finale. I spent a lot of time wanting to shake some sense into Alex this time around, much like Nox, I’m sure. Time after time, she placed herself in increasingly compromising positions. It was like she lost all sense of self-preservation.

Chelsea plays a more pivotal role in this installment as well. Her character really kept me engaged in the story. It was clear that she was suffering even more than Alex. Yet, she hung around out of a sense of loyalty to her best friend, despite being treated horribly. I gained a whole new respect for Chelsea.

Bryce also showed his true colors in this book. We’ve seen glimpses of his arrogant, ill-tempered behavior before, but now we’re given the whole, ugly truth. He is a psychopath!

When he was in a scene, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. This guy is a violent predator that gets off on humiliation and domination. Rest assured that Bryce probably has a string of victims everywhere he’s traveled.

Oren and Adelaide’s history continues to be revealed little by little. I enjoyed every little crumb of their story that was thrown my way. Poor Adelaide deserves to have someone watching out for her for a change.

Patrick also plays a crucial role in this book. I just love his character. Like Chelsea, he proves to be a loyal friend to Alex. His mother also stepped up to help out in this book, which was a nice twist.

While I loved the way everything seems to be coming together and building up to a big ending, I have to admit that I’m ready to see this series come to a close. With each book, this story gets more complicated and convoluted. I’ve enjoyed it, but I’m ready to see things come to a close.

The things that Alex and her mother have endured for the sake of money, all while claiming not to care about the money, is ridiculous. Why they just haven’t given Alton the middle finger and walked away is beyond me. It is kind of unbelievable, especially when they’ve both had incredibly wealthy men that have wanted to play knight in shining armor. I just don’t get it.

Overall, I thought this was another great addition to the series. In spite of my few reservations, I continue to enjoy this series. After the huge cliffhanger that this book ended with, I am dying to see how everything ends.

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Review: Fidelity (Infidelity, #5), by Aleatha Romig

Fidelity by Aleatha Romig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Aleatha Romig is one of my all-time favorite authors. She has a way of pulling me into her stories and keeping me utterly captivated from start to finish. I am addicted to her special brand of antiheroes. Nobody can craft a guy that you love to hate and hate to love quite like her.

It goes without saying that I devoured every word of the ‘Infidelity’ series. I loved the taboo and twisted circumstances that surrounded Nox and Charli throughout this series. They were nothing, if not complicated.

That being said, this series was not my favorite of Ms. Romig’s series. While I love the way she takes the time out to develop her characters and the storyline, at times that meant that the story seemed to move at a snail’s pace. There were several times when I found myself questioning the necessity of some of the redundant details while reading this series. Book 4, in particular, seemed to have several slow spots for me.

The fifth, and final, book in the series, ‘Fidelity’ ties up all of the loose ends. I wasn’t left with any lingering questions. I also felt quite satisfied with the way everything worked out, which was a far cry from how unsettled I felt at the end of the last book.

As expected, Nox and Charli, aka Alex, are a huge part of this book. However, I found myself equally intrigued with Oren and Adelaide’s story. Some of the supporting characters seemed to become a more important part of the story this time around, giving way to some new questions. I wonder if any of them will get their own spin-off books.

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Fidelity’. It was a fantastic conclusion to a great series. As much as I enjoyed this series, I have to say that I’m glad to take a break from the Montagues, Fitzgeralds, Demetris and Spencers. It was nice to see things eventually work themselves out, but it was definitely exhausting.

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Review: Deception (Infidelity, #3), by Aleatha Romig

Deception by Aleatha Romig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this third book in the ‘Infidelity’ series, Alexandria’s life continues to prove to be ever more complicated than imagined. Betrayal after betrayal comes to light, revealing a complex web of deceit. The manipulations and lies are everywhere, with her own family seemingly controlling things from afar.

Despite a few rough patches, this book shows Nox and Charli settling into a more stable relationship. However, secrets revealed about Nox’s business affairs may prove to haunt them yet. It seems that his life is not entirely his own, much like Charli’s.

What made this book memorable to me was the history between Oren and Adelaide. As their past relationship was unveiled in small pieces interspersed among the present-day viewpoints, I found myself having to fight the urge to skip ahead until the next tidbit of their story was told. I was, and still am, dying to learn the full extent of what transpired between them.

Adelaide also proved to be the most interesting character for me in the present-day storyline as well. Finally, she is growing a spine and setting out to right some wrongs. Aside from her past with Oren, more details are provided about her past at Montague Manor, which provide more insight. She’s finally trying to fight back, even if doing so places her in grave danger.

Like each of the earlier books in this series, ‘Deception’ ends with a cliffhanger. Ms. Romig has dropped a big bomb and we’ll have to wait until September to see where she’s going to take us. With Alex back Under the influence of her crazy stepfather, there’s no telling what’s to come.

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Review: Cunning (Infidelity, #2), by Aleatha Romig

Cunning by Aleatha Romig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Picking up where the first book left off, Nox now “owns” Alex for a year. Gone is the considerate man she was falling in love with in Del Mar, replaced by a cold, shut-off stranger, determined to degrade and punish her. Alex is determined to make it through this year and to leave him wanting her when their time is up.

As Alex and Nox’s story unfolds, they begin to reconnect again. Nox has some serious control and trust issues to work through. Meanwhile, Alex’s past refuses to go away and she has yet to explain everything about who she is to Nox.

When Alex’s best friend and roommate is attacked, they take a trip back to San Francisco. While there, Alex is confronted with some abhorrent accusations about Nox. Being far from forthcoming about his deceased wife, Nox inadvertently causes Alex’s suspicions to mount.

Flashing back in time, the story of Alex’s mother, Adelaide, unfolds. It seems that her relationship with Alex’s step-father, Alton, is more miserable than it first seemed. I actually felt bad for Adelaide as she recounted the events that led up to her marriage to Alton.

Talk about cold and calculating! This family is more screwed up than I could have imagined. It seems that Alex has more weight on her shoulders than she ever could have known.

Little by little, the mysteries surrounding Alex and Nox are beginning to be exposed. I enjoyed this chapter in their evolving story, but have to admit that I didn’t love it as much as I expected to. I expected some darkness and a twisted, disturbed anti-hero in Nox, reminiscent of Tony Rawlings. It didn’t happen. This book felt like it provided the necessary background information for things to come, but never really built to a climax for me.

Usually, Ms. Romig has me on the edge of my seat. This time around, the story seemed kind of “flat” for me. I kept waiting for something big to happen, but it never came. There was a bit of a twist at the end, but I’m sure it will be explained as a play on words in the next book.

Overall, I give it a solid 4 stars. Despite my gripes, Ms. Romig still writes a fantastic story. At her worst, her books are still far superior to most of the books I read. I’ll definitely be continuing this series. I only hope that the next book is a little more eventful. So many seeds have been planted now and I’m dying to see what becomes of them.

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