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REVIEW: Take Me Apart by Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow
Vitale Brothers: Take Me Apart – Brea Alepou & Skylar Snow
I have only one goal in life: Become a detective. It’s there, just out of reach, so close I can taste it. When I find out the Vitale family is about to be investigated again, I do what I do best.
Jump in head first.
There’s just one problem; Enzo Vitale. The man is red hot danger, every word a dare from his lips. And I never was one to turn away from a challenge…
But when things get rough, lies reign and deceit is around every corner. I find myself drawn to the one man I should be running from. The criminal whose hands are bathed in blood.
Am I falling for the enemy?
Take Me Apart is a siren song of dark, delicious things, and I’m here for it!
This is the opener for Vitale Brothers, a mafia romance series by Brea Alepou and Skyler Snow. I’ve known Brea Alepou for her poly romances, and this is my first Skyler Snow. They immediately got me hooked on the series.
The premise is similar to my last weeks’ read, Pretty Policeman. Here we have another cop falling for a mafioso in a forbidden love that might just destroy them both. Rookie cop Tex Castor, desperate to become a detective, took it upon himself to investigate the Vitale Family as the short cut to his dreams.
While in a club owned by the mob, Enzo Vitale took one look at Tex, knew he was a cop, but latched on to him anyway. Enzo didn’t tell Tex he knew, and launched into a single minded pursuit of the man. This despite a previous fatally disastrous affair with a guy eerily similar to Tex.
Early on, it’s apparent that Enzo is neurodivergent. It’s never explicitly mentioned, but there were lots of hints, such as his tendency to dissociate or hyper-fixate, as well as his inability to process emotions.
Enzo is described as a non-threatening looking guy with eye glasses and lean build who loves reading, doing projects, and most of all, cleaning. In my head, I pictured him looking like a university professor. He could have been had he not been born a Vitale. Being the younger Vitale and exceptionally adept at torture, he the enforcer and interrogator of the family. This is a neat freak who likes blood and gore.
Tex isn’t TSTL, just a cop with poor impulse control and a reformed drug addict dangerously close to slipping. Torn between his dream of becoming a detective and his growing feelings for the mafioso, Tex is a hot mess with nowhere to go but run, the dork!
Admittedly, the first few chapters were not as riveting as I hoped. Only the enticing performance of Declan Winters kept me going. He’s one of those gifted narrators who could read a grocery list, and I’ll be listening. I highly recommend audiobooking this. He’s the same guy who brought C.S. Poe‘s Magic & Steam series to life.
Things picked up a third way in. Enzo got his claws out and firmly sank them into Tex. I loved his voice!, The narrator gave him this calm, emotionless voice that gets growly when he’s being extra emotional. No wonder Tex can’t keep away!
Enzo is everything here! Dominant, possessive and obsessive, he’s a psychopath, confident in himself and his abilities. He knows what he wants and has no qualms handcuffing the object of his desire to keep it there. The fluffy parts come when he shows his soft side because he’s crazy in love with Tex and would do anything to make him happy.
Meanwhile, Tex needs to make up his mind because he can’t play both sides. I wasn’t impress with our boy stringing Enzo along. I liked him better after he made up his mind. Also, his cat Penelope is a star.
I can’t say the pace is fast, but after moving past the opening chapters, the plot moved in a steady, engaging manner. The authors kept the tension tight and intense most parts of the story. The dysfunctional romance was both frustrating and compelling, cute at certain moments but mostly as deliciously dark as promised.
“From now on, I’m the only one allowed to hurt you or make you cry. Every inch of you belongs to me.” I bit his lip. “Even your life.”
Tex groaned. “Yeah. Where do I sign, Satan?”
The rest of the story gives us violence, graphic torture, domestic abuse, childhood trauma, and betrayal. It’s not pitch black, just dark grey, but reader discretion is advised. The vibe of Vitale Brothers reminded me of my favorite Criminal Delights books. If you like that series, the Vitales will do it for you.
I don’t have a favorite Vitale yet. Each brother is pretty memorable. While Enzo is usually preternaturally calm and expressionless, Giancarlo, a.k.a. Gin, wears his emotions on his sleeve. He’s the easy going playboy who goes beast mode on a hair trigger. Benito is the oldest and the deadliest, and I’m so excited for his book. He’s forced to marry a yakuza boss’s son! What a merger!
Take Me Apart is about a cop following his dream and stumbles into a seductive nightmare he’s helpless to resist. Gritty, violent, wild and all the raw intensity of a monster growling, “MINE!“
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Pieces
Artist: Andrew Belle
Album: Black Bear
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TAKE ME APART: Kindle | Audiobook
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BOOK BLITZ: The Vet’s Shelter Surprise by Elle Douglas (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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BOOK BLAST: Breakfast at Timothy’s by Richard Tyler Jordan (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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COVER REVEAL: Risk the Fall by Riley Hart
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NEW RELEASE: Scandal by T. Ashleigh
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REVIEW: The Necromancer’s Light by Tavia Lark
Radiance: The Necromancer’s Light – Tavia Lark
He’ll die without touch.
As a necromancer, Shae loses a little more of himself every time he uses his magic. Always cold, always touch-starved, the only thing that helps is human contact. But that’s hard to come by when those same dark powers scare everyone away from him. Nobody likes a necromancer.
Especially a paladin of the Radiant Order.
Arthur’s still bitter and broken after his last lover stabbed him in the back, and the last thing he needs is another brush with evil. When he agrees to escort the wandering necromancer north, he’s just doing a public service.
But he never expected Shae to be so clingy. Or distractingly attractive.
Shae has never felt an aura as warm and safe as Arthur’s. He craves the man’s touch—and more. But everyone he’s ever known has left him, and it’s just a matter of time before Arthur leaves him too.
Assuming the soul-stealing monsters don’t kill them first.
The Necromancer’s Light is a gay fantasy romance, with magic, hurt/comfort, and bed sharing for Reasons. First in a series but can be read alone. 56,000 words, HEA guaranteed.
When I was in college, I was introduced to the Dragonlance books, and predictably, I was drawn to the anti-hero Raistlin. His twin was the golden boy, and so blah, I didn’t bother with him (couldn’t even remember the name).
The Necromancer’s Light opens the fantasy series, Radiance by new-to-me author Tavia Lark. The titular character, Shae Nightven, reminded me of Raistlin. Too pale, too thin, and wrestling with the temptation to give himself up totally to dark powers.
Rather than a twin, Shae is paired with golden boy and devout paladin, Arthur Davorin. Happily, Arthur is much more memorable, an all-around sweetheart who couldn’t resist taking care of prickly marshmallow Shae. The book is told in their dual POV.
The plot is a quest to slay the demon that played a pivotal role in Shae’s tragic past. He has to travel north to his hometown. To do this, the necromancer has to employ a bodyguard because he needs human contact to replenish his soul. He hires Arthur, who is currently in exile, as penance for a crime his ex-lover committed against the Order.
There is a play of opposites, as well as themes of religion, betrayal, appearances and building trust. Necromancers acquire their powers by dealing with a demon, while paladins worship the Goddess and her light. People are afraid of necromancers and welcome members of the Radiant Order with open arms.
Shae is dark and perpetually cold because his magic saps his soul. Arthur has an aura that glows as bright as the sun and has the warmth that Shae craves. And Arthur is very much willing to give, which means lotsa bed sharing!
The world-building is executed adequately with minimal info-dumps. However, they only scratched the surface of some elements, such as the Radiant Order, guilds, the lay of the land, pantheons, and the different magic systems. The spot-on pacing and great writing did the trick of keeping me engaged because they kept the momentum going, even with flashbacks and internal dialogues.
LOVED how the romance blossomed! Our golden boy is true as an arrow and kept coming back for his prickly marshmallow. There was one frustrating moment where our necromancer let his insecurities get the better of him, but I totally feel for Shae. Because after a decade of being shunned, double-crossed, and reviled, I’d have massive trust issues too.
Usually the necromancer is the villain, so I am beyond thrilled to peek inside their head and the inner workings of their magic. It’s nasty business, and I hoped Shae washed his hands after. Sadly, there’s no mentioned of this after he stuck his hands inside a week-old corpse. But germs aside, it’s fascinating stuff! And the darkness tempting him makes it even more exciting!
The Necromancer’s Light is a magical adventure, a single-minded quest for atonement, and a sweet hurt-comfort love story between two men with traumatic pasts. All in all, well-written, fun, and cuddly!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Sunshine
Artist: Teenage Wrist
Album: Still Love
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of The Necromancer’s Light. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
THE NECROMANCER’S LIGHT: Kindle | Audiobook
If 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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COVER REVEAL: Scandal by T. Ashleigh
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Man with Sapphire Eyes by Larry Mellman (Excerpt & Giveaway)4
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RELEASE BLITZ: Servants Of The Crown: The Turkish Pretender by Garrick Jones (Excerpt)
