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RELEASE BLITZ: Reluctantly You by Cora Rose
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COVER REVEAL: The Sinner’s Sanctuary by August Jones
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SERIES REVIEW: Mafia Bound Books 1 & 2 by K.M. Neuhold
Mafia Bound: Deadly Little Sparrow – K.M. Neuhold
Is there such thing as love at first bar fight?
I may be small and pretty, but what I lack in intimidation factor, I make up for in violence.I made a vow five years ago that the motorcycle club responsible for my brother’s death would pay the price, and I’m finally ready to collect. May God have mercy on the men who hurt my brother, because I don’t plan to.
Accidentally breaking the nose of the deadliest man in the city wasn’t my best move. Xaviaro Saviano, trigger man for the Moretti Crime Family… and now my own personal stalker. But if I have to go through him to deliver well-deserved justice, so be it.
As strange as it sounds, Xaviaro seems to want to help me more than he wants to hurt me. I can’t shake the man no matter what I do. Threatening him feels like foreplay, tying him up only turns him on… I could play nice, but that’s never been my strong suit.
I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t starting to grow on me, especially when he calls me his Deadly Little Sparrow from his knees. I’ve never met a man who could handle me, let alone one who can’t stop begging me for more.
Can love and revenge live in the same heart? I guess there’s only one way to find out…
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Submit
Artist: Brek Milo
Album: Submit
Mafia Bound: Beautifully Savage Butterfly by K.M. Neuhold
Being savage in the ring is one thing. The way Elio Moretti craves my violence outside the ring is another.
I feel like I’ve been fighting my whole life, and tapping out has never been an option.
I can live with owing money to the Morettis. I can even live with the constant guilt that my brother is the one paralyzed in a hospital bed while I live his dream. What I can’t live with is Elio Moretti, second in command to the infamous crime family, showing up to all my fights, sitting in the front row, watching me like he can’t look away, and barging into the locker room to patch up my wounds and invade my space.
The Morettis are monsters. Vicious, brutal sociopaths. So, why is Elio so eager to get on his knees for me?
He’s as desperate to give up control as I am to take it, but is giving in to these primal urges enough of a reason to sell my soul?
He claims there are worse people in this city than his family, and the deeper I get dragged into his world, the more true that’s starting to seem. Can I really fall in love with a Mafia underboss? Is it even possible to walk away?
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Blow
Artist: Ghinsu
Album: Blow
Mafia Bound by K.M. Neuhold is a dark, gritty mafia romance series that dares to put mafiosos on their knees.
Deadly Little Sparrow opens the series with a revenge story and an unlikely romance between the avenger and the hitman stalking him. Sparrow, real name unknown, is out to exact vengeance against members of the motorcycle club who abused and murdered his brother.
Xaviaro Saviano, the most notorious hitman of the Moretti Family, spotted him at a bar and, after getting off the wrong foot, began stalking the smaller man. Partly as part of Moretti business crossing with the targeted MC, partly due to his strange but undeniably strong attraction to the deadly little Sparrow.
The plot didn’t delve deeply into the characters’ backstories. There is just enough barebones information to give credence to how Sparrow went from a former billionaire’s son to a highly skilled killer able to take down dangerous men twice his size.
Xaviaro was already established as not only the top hitman but also Enzo Moretti’s best friend and one of the Moretti boss’s inner circle. The thing to know about Xaviaro, he’s feared on the streets, submissive in the sheets. And he was quick to recognize the dominance of the smaller man. Sparrow took unholy glee in topping from the bottom.
The story did its best to be consistently intense. There’s a lot of focus on the kink and while the dynamics were enjoyable, there were moments that I tuned out because they were too blah.
Beautifully Savage Butterfly is Elio Moretti, underboss to the Family, obsessing over undefeated MMA fighter, Orion Barros. Orion couldn’t understand why one of the top Morettis kept coming to his locker room after his fights until Elio showed how willing he was to get down on his knees for him.
The MMA fighter is working overtime to pay Moretti debts and earn money to keep his paraplegic brother, Jack, in a good nursing home. When things took a turn for the worse, Orion had no choice but to make a deal with Elio, something he promised his brother he would never do.
I feel this was better executed than the first story. The backstories were more complete and the various threads were concluded more convincingly, even Jack was given his little HFN. The boss/brat dynamics wasn’t my favorite but Elio and Orion’s chemistry was sizzling!
This was also pretty intense and atmospheric throughout. You could almost smell the blood and sweat, and images of dimly lit alleys and shaky camera shots come to mind.
Another compelling part was the Morettis and Orion working together to stop a child trafficking ring. This was resolved in a suspenseful rescue mission while leaving an opening for future installments.
Mafia Bound is a mixed bag for now, but it’s mostly good. The Morettis as MCs are something I’m really excited about. They are a head-turning bunch, and here are the rest to watch out for:
Salvatore – I bet he’s next. He was tasked to look after the sassy night club dancer/hacker Dante and they played a significant part in the child trafficking investigation
Alessio – guy’s flirty with Dante but it’s mostly harmless. Not much is known about him yet other than he’s part of the inner circle and is a cousin
Enzo – ooh, this one I’m looking forward to the most. The big boss occasionally shows his softer side. There’s a mention of a rival Irish gang leader so hmm….
P.S.
Mafia Bound is best read in order. You can read Deadly Little Sparrow and Beautifully Savage Butterfly as standalones but the Morettis are worth knowing from the beginning.
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DEADLY LITTLE SPARROW: Kindle I Audiobook
BEAUTIFULLY SAVAGE BUTTERFLY: Kindle I AudiobookIf you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
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RELEASE TOUR: The Flower Shop Arrangement by R. Cayden (Excerpt)
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REVIEW: Be Mine, Twisted Valentine by Gianni Holmes
Corrupt Cupid: Be Mine, Twisted Valentine – Gianni Holmes
Fifteen years ago, I helped put my abductor behind bars.
And shunned the events of my traumatic past.
I’ve lived a content life with my wife.
Until the dreaded phone call.Duncan Whittaker’s out on parole.
The first time I confront him, I intend to kill him.
But when we’re face to face, everything changes.
I’m still codependent on him.Duncan’s the only man who’s ever made me feel desire.
He’s also the one who held me captive for almost a year.
Isolated me from others to make me grateful for his presence.
Deprived me of sensation to make me crave his unwanted touch.Duncan Whittaker’s the sadist who broke me in the name of revenge.
Now his twisted obsession is about to ruin my life a second time.
And God help me, but I don’t know how to stop him.
I… may not want to stop him.Be mine, Twisted Valentine is part of a multi-author collab. Ditch the hearts and flowers and step into the dark world of Corrupt Cupid. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not grab each and every deranged romantic tale as you slip into a place where darkness rules?
I thought I had a strong stomach when it came to dark romance. Be Mine, Twisted Valentine, Book 1 of Corrupt Cupid, a multi-author collab, proved me wrong. The opening chapter alone churned my insides with how exceedingly creepy it is inside the mind of Duncan Whittaker.
The story is a Stockholm Syndrome romance between Duncan and his captive, Teddy Scott, son of the police captain who killed Duncan’s younger brother. As revenge, he abducted Teddy and kept him in a white-out room for nine months, deprived of all senses, driving Teddy mad and desperate to feel anything.
Teddy was so desperate that he started making himself bleed so that he could feel something. Duncan tortured the young man and eventually had BDSM sex with him because Teddy responded the most to pain, then later to the few crumbs of kindness and affection the psycho deigned to dole out, so deprived Teddy was.
The story opens with the courtroom scene, Teddy on the witness stand and in Duncan’s POV. His chilling thoughts showed how much power he had on Teddy. He was spectacularly confident of his hold on the young man, and everyone was shocked when Teddy reversed his testimony just because he saw Duncan looking straight at him.
Fifteen years later, Teddy’s carefully constructed ‘normal life’ crumbled when he received a phone call that Duncan Whittaker was out on parole. He grabbed a gun, drove to Duncan’s house, and started stalking his former captor. Meanwhile, Duncan has court orders to stay away from his victim.
I spent the majority of the book disturbed yet riveted. It was a trainwreck I couldn’t look away. I was hella curious how, HOW is this relationship going to work. How is this romance when it’s nothing but insidious lust and the most toxic co-dependency I’ve witness?!
No matter how dark the romance is, for it to work, there should be some kind of redeeming quality, something that would make me root even just a little for both characters. Here, you have to dig extra deep, because the kernel of good is buried under layers and layers of manipulation, denial, and violence.
Duncan is still as manipulative and unrepentant of the abuse he had done. He’s cold and brutally direct. He says exactly what he means, so at least, he can claim he doesn’t lie. Once in a while, we glimpse a softer side, a tiny, tiny kindness, some niggle of conscience that shows he got a heart somewhere deep down.
Duncan voices things Teddy is too afraid to admit to himself. He confides that he himself is bewildered by this magnetic pull towards Teddy, his pet, likening it to a disease that took hold and spread like cancer that consumed his entire being.
Teddy, oh boy, the man is a mess! A tiresome one too. Teddy says one thing and does the opposite, always in denial but acting otherwise. Goes to Duncan’s house then does his hairpulling routine after having sex with Duncan. Then sneaks out of his house in the middle of the night, leaving his pregnant wife, for more of the same.
One thing I liked about him is that he is fiercely protective of Cassie. The cheating disaster of a husband that he is, he actually shot Duncan when the man threatened her.
Cassie drops her own bomb near the end. I already had my suspicions, and it’s just another proof of the lengths Duncan will go to for his pet.
Just when I was about to lose hope of these two ever getting their shit together, Duncan started making certain decisions. I wouldn’t say things became swoony, this story will never be squees and fluff. But it was a genuine effort to redeem himself.
Teddy too, resolved his internal conflict and blurted out his truths. And just like that, everything clicked! It was completely fucked up but it worked! I heartily applaud the author for taking a huge risk with this story and it is a risk that paid off big time!
Be Mine, Twisted Valentine is a game of revenge, obsession, and dare we say, love in all its twisted glory. Deep, dark, and all-consuming.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Twisted By Design
Artist: Sum 41
Album: 13 Voices
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BE MINE, TWISTED VALENTINE: Kindle I Audiobook
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COVER REVEAL: For The Night by Cara Dee
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AUDIO RELEASE: Lucky Shot by Crea Reitan
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RELEASE BLITZ: Stick Lessons by Crea Reitan
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AUDIO RELEASE: For Your Heart by Crea Reitan
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REVIEW: Gentlemen Prefer Villains by C. Rochelle
Villainous Things: Gentlemen Prefer Villains – C. Rochelle
Simon
I needed to get the hell out of Big City.
The only reason I was living in this American wasteland was because my mother insisted I reconcile with my estranged father. That the idea came to her while drunk on the French bubbly should have been my sign to stay right where I belonged.
Anywhere but here. Certainly somewhere more fabulous.
When an international job opportunity arises, I jump on board. It’s just a bonus that I’ll be traveling with the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome.
Make that muscular, morally gray, and hopefully, my next conquest.
What’s a casual fling between coworkers, after all? I’m ready for my next big adventure—far from Big City—so if whatever we’re up to is vaguely illegal, I’ll simply turn the other cheek.
It’s not like some superhero is going to swoop in and stop a couple of humans like us.
Wolfgang
I may have orchestrated my villainous parents’ deaths, but that doesn’t mean the crushing weight of my responsibilities is easy to bear.
My sister was the only one of my siblings who knew how badly they treated me. The only one I told how much I despise my powers. Now she’s on the run—leaving me to carry this alone.
But then I meet him. I may have hired Simon Alarie as my assistant, but it’s instantly apparent he’s much more than that. He’s not only intelligent and business savvy, but fiercely loyal, and the tastiest—most forbidden—little thing I’ve ever seen.
Nothing can come of it. Because if I touch him, he dies.
That doesn’t stop me from claiming him as mine. Whether or not this normie knows it, every inch of him—every breath he takes—belongs to me. And anyone who thinks otherwise will meet the Hand of Death.
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Gentlemen Prefer Villains is an MM romance between a villain and a “normie.” Our men find other men in tight supersuits incredibly attractive. Sometimes, they keep these supersuits on while engaging in explicit extracurricular activities with each other (and sometimes they even use bad words!). This is not your kid’s superhero book. This is Sin City and The Boys having a love child with extra spicy Spideypool and is meant for 18+ adults who can handle such things.
The Villainous Things series contains standalone books (each with HEAs) that feature interconnected characters and an overarching plot. You should read them in order (starting with Not All Himbos Wear Capes)
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IF YOU LOVE (full list of CW/TW coming soon to the authors’ webpage)
• Superheroes/villains (and the “normies” who love them)
• Big skerry boss + his sassy li’l assistant (SIZE DIFFERENCE)
• Mafia vibes
• Touch Him & Perish vibes too
• Casual psychopaths with mutual obsession
• SO MUCH TENSION
• Leather
• Extra spicy extracurricular activities
• Naughty dark humor + sweary dialogue
• MM romance (in case you missed that part)
• A James Bond meets Catch Me If You Can international romp
Then shake your martini and power up!
It boils down to this: I loved the book, I didn’t like Simon.
Gentlemen Prefer Villains, Book 2 of Villainous Things, picks up after the events of Not All Himbos Wear Capes. Violencia is missing, and Wolfgang, now head of the Suarez family and currently using his civilian identity, is looking for a personal assistant to help look for his sister.
Simon Alarie, spoiled son of a serial gold digger, is being interviewed. Wolfgang walks in to gauge his reaction since the notorious villain is used to being feared even out of uniform. To his surprise, not only Simon didn’t show any signs of fear, he outrageously flirted with him. He was hired on the spot.
This is why I didn’t warm up to Simon. He was so annoying!!! Too pushy and rude!! And being spoiled, he started bossing Wolfie around, thinking the bigger man was a bodyguard. I didn’t like Wolfie being bossed around, not even if Wolfie claimed to like it.
Wolfgang was the most enigmatic Suarez in Not All Himbos Wear Capes and one of the most powerful villains in Big City. He can absorb the power of any supe he touches or the lifeforce of a normie. One touch means instant death. No one has voluntarily touched Wolfie since he accidentally killed his nanny as a toddler.
He was raised as a weapon by his abusive parents. As a child, his father, Apocalypto Man, ordered him to run while he hunted him in the middle of the Argentinian forest. If Wolfie is caught, he’d be killed. He was only eight years old then. This is only one of the many “trainings” he had to endure.
As the Hand of Death, Wolfie killed whoever his parents wanted dead. As the eldest Suarez sibling, he did all he could so that his siblings were spared a similar fate. Wolfie is a born protector and carer.
So I wasn’t thrilled about him being bossed around. After a lifetime of taking orders, I wanted him in charge.
As the story progresses, it becomes more apparent that Simon is a psychopath. His dynamics with Wolfie are pretty similar to Julian Castellani and Leo Bernardi (His Fatal Love). Murder husbands is a favorite trope, and I wanted to like Simon, but I’m sorry, the man lacked Julian’s charm.
The closest thing I came to liking Simon was when he went beast mode and bit everyone’s head off when Wolfie went missing. At least we know this bratty psycho will burn the world for his man. Wolfie deserves that level of devotion.
The world-building in Villainous Things gives us enough details to imagine the scenarios, but it’s not as tightly constructed or as richly conceived as the more hardcore superhero stories. The series tends to focus more on sexy times, particularly the BDSM aspect. I’m not a fan of BDSM, so I’m neutral about the couples.
Part of the plot is a fascinating glimpse of supe history, going back thousands of years. I hope it will be explored further because it would give the series a rich lore that could spawn more stories. It also helps with the world-building.
My favorite part is The Rabble, as Wolfie calls the Suarez group chat. Xander is The Mouthy One, and Butch is The Token Hero. The twins, Andre and Gabriel, are Thing One and Thing Two, while Baltazar is The Dumb One. The sibling interactions are hilarious, and I think it’s a missed opportunity not to have them together in more scenes, ala war room scenes in Necessary Evils.
The most poignant part is Wolfie’s relationship with V. She’s closest to him, his sounding board, and the only one who knew about the abuse he suffered. Not knowing what state he will find V in or that he might be forced to kill her, since V’s berserker power makes her both deadly and also susceptible to other’s control.
I am aware I am reading Gentlemen Prefer Villains wrong. The book is all about bratty, bossy, and BDSM, while I wanted supe lore, sibling banter, and superhuman fight scenes. Still, I got enough of the parts I wanted that I am looking forward to the next Suarez, which is Balti!
Overall, gentlemanly villains are much preferred!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Villain
Artist: Missio
Album: VillainP.S.
Villainous Things should be read in order. Watch The Mouthy One and The Token Hero shake things up in Big City and in the bedroom in Not All Himbos Wear Capes.
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GENTLEMEN PREFER VILLAINS: Kindle | Audiobook
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