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PROMO BLITZ: His Forbidden Obsession by Silvia Violet
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REVIEW: His Reluctant Savior by Courtney W. Dixon
The District: His Reluctant Savior – Courtney W. Dixon
PLEASE READ THE BLURB AND WARNINGS IF YOU’RE SENSITIVE TO TRIGGERS! And please, please be careful of spoilers and giving away endings of books. Use spoiler tags.
I have a second chance to right wrongs, even if it means I’ll lose my family and life.
Sid Virgil
FBI analyst Dalton Reed’s name is on my hit list, but I know I won’t do it. Though I haven’t seen Dalton in twenty-seven years, we have a history together. He saved my life many years ago, and he doesn’t even realize it. Now, it’s my turn to save him and his young son. Saving Dalton puts my life at risk with my assassin family, but I owe it to him, and I owe it to myself.
Dalton Reed
Sid, goddamn, Virgil. I haven’t seen him in twenty-seven years, and I now find him standing between me and my escape. He insists he wants to help me, but I know he was sent to kill me. I don’t trust him. He was a bastard to me growing up as a teen, and I’m sure he’s a bastard now. He’s a killer. But I’m being hunted, and I have no choice but to let Sid help. My son is all that matters.
Can these two men see beyond their past to save Dalton before it’s too late? Can Sid’s family forgive him for his betrayal?
Reading in order will add more pleasure to the reading experience since some of the books end in a series cliffhanger. But they can technically be read as standalones.
Criminal Activity, Loss of Parents (off page), Sexual Assault (on page) of a Minor, Drugging Minors, SA by a Family Member, PTSD, Loss of Spouse, Torture, Murder, Murder of a Family Member, Organized Crime, Pedophilia, Forced Suicide, Mentions of Child Sex Trafficking (side character), Alcohol Consumption, Violence, Explicit Language, Sex.
Last we know of Sid Virgil, in the cliffhanger of The District Book 2, His Bane, he went rogue and betrayed his found family of queer assassins. Sully was raging to skin him alive, with Malik barely able to hold on to his beloved psychopath’s leash.
His Reluctant Savior follows Sid and single dad/FBI agent Dalton Reed as they dodge hitmen, The District boys, and fellow feds. There’s a hit on Dalton’s head after he submitted crucial evidence against the Speaker of the House, only to find out his boss was the Speaker’s friend.
But why would Sid risk everything, even his family and the trust they built for years, for a fed?
Like the rest of the series, Sid’s backstory is dark and tragic, suffering sexual abuse from his uncle since he was very young. It’s not as graphic or disturbing as Book 1, His Death Bringer, but do heed the TWs.
During high school, Sid was a moody troublemaker and treated Dalton, the star quarterback and all-around sweetheart, terribly, even though he was really crushing hard on the golden boy. A fateful night with Dalton at a party changed everything for Sid, though they never saw each other again after that. He never forgot what Dalton did for him.
When adult Sid and Dalton met again, there were sparks between them that quickly ignited into a full-blown inferno. I love the contrast in their personalities: Sid is the bad boy, always making jokes even in life-or-death situations, while Dalton is the concerned dad type—an overthinking boy scout who prefers to do everything by the book.
Trust is key to survival, with Dalton knowing Sid is a killer hired to kill him, and not fully understanding why the man is helping him, but having no choice with his son’s life on the line and bad guys hot on their heels. Also, not trusting Sid 100% didn’t stop Dalt from eagerly jumping into bed with Sid.
The best part is Easton, Sid’s 17-year-old protege and sociopath, who’s obsessively attached to Sid, the father figure in his life. East helped save their asses, and I loved his relationship with Owen, Dalton’s 5-year-old son. The birthday scene was adorable, and it made me eager for Easton’s book.
Meeting the family was also my favorite part. Sid bringing his Boy Scout to The District HQ, a.k.a. throwing him to the wolves, was hilarious and as tense as wild animals circling each other. Dalton might be by the book, but I loved how he shook things up in The District. There were shocking but fitting additions to the family. It’s also a fantastic resolution to their situation.
The story was intriguing, and I loved the connections between Sid and Dalton across past and present. However, I felt it lacked the oomph of Books 1 and 2. The ending scene was unfortunately anticlimactic, although it provided the best solution to protect Dalton and Owen.
Overall, His Reluctant Savior is a story of second chances, trust, and finding the good in a person. It’s a suspenseful chase, a steamy reunion, and an intense shake-up of a crazy family of killers who will always have each other’s backs, no matter what.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Good In Me
Artist: Andy Grammar
Album: Monster (Deluxe)P.S.
The District is best read in order.
His Death Bringer brought together the sweet and innocent with the dark and deadly.
His Bane is a clash of wills, power, and control between a feral psychopath and his closeted mentor.
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HIS RELUCTANT SAVIOR: Kindle | Audiobook
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REVIEW: His Death Bringer by Courtney W. Dixon
The District: His Death Bringer – Courtney W. Dixon
PLEASE READ THE BLURB AND WARNINGS IF YOU’RE SENSITIVE TO TRIGGERS! And please, please be careful of spoilers and giving away endings of books. Use spoiler tags.
He calls me his dark angel, but I’m merely a killer. A bringer of death.
Luca Davenport
He is my angel, sent to be my death bringer to save me from my tormentors and betrayers—those who sold me into slavery when I was only eight years old. Angel came in with guns blazing and black wings that were made to crush his enemies and envelope me in love. He belongs to me and I belong to him. We are destined. After he saves me from my captors, we hunt down the remaining men who had abused me for eleven years to make them pay in blood.
Dante Varga
He is a broken boy of no more than nineteen. He sees me as an angel, but I’m simply a killer. An assassin for hire. I can’t save him. I can’t take care of him. There’s no room left in my dying soul to care about someone. Not anymore. But I can’t turn him away either. I should kill him. He’s a witness. But I feel compelled to protect him at all costs. Saving him will either shatter the ice around my heart or destroy me. Either way, Luca is dangerous.
Reading in order will add more pleasure to the reading experience since some of the books end in a series cliffhanger. But they can technically be read as standalones.
CW: graphic violence, murder, rape, torture, human trafficking, explicit content
** Note: This book has been re-edited in December of 2024. Several grammatical errors have been fixed and some scenes have been adjusted for sensitivity issues. If you download this book before then, these changes will not be available on your Kindle. But you can get it updated. **
His Death Bringer is the stirring opener of The District, an assassin, found family series by new-to-me author Courtney W. Dixon.
The first thing you need to know is that the book is quite dark, so you must heed the content warnings. It stars Luca Davenport, taken when he was eight years old and subjected to horrific abuse as a sex slave for 11 years. Luca mentions the tortures he experienced, and it’s so stomach-churning I had to put the book down several times.
He was accidentally rescued by Dante Varga when the assassin was sent to kill all the evil men from the crime family who held Luca captive. Dante had no idea the young man was there when he went about his mission. Luca immediately fell in love with his rescuer, called Dante his “dark angel” and hired the assassin to punish all the bad men who hurt him.
Luca is 19 years old and remains childlike since his captors restricted his education. He also has a streak of ingenuity, is surprisingly insightful, and so resilient he survived and wreaked his vengeance. With Dante’s help, he learned to fight, protect himself, and take control of his life.
Dante doesn’t know what to do with Luca, isn’t equipped to deal with trauma, and doesn’t have space in his life for another broken soul as he is just as fractured himself. It was cute how he tried so hard to resist Luca and before he knew it, the younger man not only stole his heart, he was helping put the pieces back together, too.
With all the violence and dark themes, the relationship between Dante and Luca is sweet and tender. The hurt-comfort worked its magic to warm hearts and heal souls through trust, patience, and a whole lot of TLC’s. Realistically, though, it would have been best if Luca had professional help to deal with his trauma.
Cleo, Dante’s Cane Corso and bestest girl, stole the show as Luca’s emotional support dog and fiercest protector. Dante’s District brothers came through with no hesitations, rallying behind him and Luca with guns blazing.
The District is a found family of assassins-for-hire led by Sid Virgil and Malek Amin. The most intriguing member is Sullivan, the resident psychopath who’s lusting after Malek. The older man has his steel walls up, so I’m excited to see how Sully breaks through in the next book.
His Death Bringer is a story of survival and healing. It’s a young man’s journey to reclaim control of his life with the help of a dark angel seeking retribution. Overall, the journey is daunting, the revenge sweet, the feels intense, and the HEA so damn worth it!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Angel
Artist: Alice Phoebe Lou
Album: Shelter
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HIS DEATH BRINGER: Kindle | Audiobook
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REVIEW: Devilish by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine
Devilish – Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine
In a world where everything is within his grasp, love is the only thing that’s ever eluded him.
Lucien Vale is temptation incarnate. Devilishly charming, wickedly confident, and sinfully sexy, he rules Manhattan’s most elite clubs, indulging the city’s darkest desires with a knowing smirk and a whisper of seduction. He’s built an empire, played the game to perfection, and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty when it serves the greater good.
But love? That’s always been just out of reach.
Then he sees Kai Daniels—a man too raw, too vulnerable, and too damn captivating to ignore—being used by someone who doesn’t deserve him. And Lucien doesn’t hesitate. He steps in, knowing full well that some things aren’t meant to be owned.
But Kai’s past isn’t ready to let him go. His tormentor is powerful, relentless, and determined to make them both pay. As the stakes rise, Lucien is forced to become the man he’s kept buried—the one who doesn’t just play the game but makes sure his enemies never play again.
Now, with danger closing in and their connection burning hotter than ever, Lucien and Kai must decide if they’re willing to risk everything for a love that was never part of the plan.
* * * * * *
Devilish can be read as a standalone novel in the Park Avenue Kings world, but for maximum enjoyment, read after Savage.
Devilish is the second book of Park Avenue Kings, a billionaire secret society romance by bestselling author duo Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine.
Our King this week is Lucien Vale, owner of a multinational sex club empire and secretly longing for that perfect sub to complete his life. One night in his club, he spotted a young man, Kai, mishandled by a wannabe dom and swooped in to rescue him. Learning Kai had nowhere to go, he offered to let him stay in his penthouse, no strings attached.
I initially dismissed this book as a hurdle to overcome before Alesso and Father Vitale’s book. The way his character was presented in the first book, Savage, it would seem Lucien is an over-sexed lothario ready to debaucher any pretty young thing in his wake. It didn’t help that the authors dressed him in silk shirts with too many buttons open, which screams tacky and sleazy.
Boy, was I wrong!
Lucien turned out to be quite angelic. He likes taking care of people and is a natural provider. He instinctively knew how to put the skittish Kai at ease, catering to the younger man’s needs and protecting Kai, who’s a victim of human trafficking, from his abusive owner. And without asking for anything in return.
The first parts of the book were cute and fluffy. Lucien is surprisingly cultured and well-read, often regaling Kai with obscure trivia. His house rivals a museum crammed with precious art and artifacts. He whisked Kai to Monaco for protection and entertained him with stargazing. And you know what they say when a boy shows you the stars…
So yeah, Lucien won me over. Green flags all the way!
Kai is sweet and playful, with a submissive side that fulfills the dom in Lucien. Homeless at 15 and a survivor at 23, Kai still has an innocent air about him. I loved how he embraced learning everything he could about the wider world. It’s fun listening to him banter with Lucien. Our boy can sass with the best of them.
The romance is slow-burn and achingly tender. It was a beautiful meeting of souls where the dom with a heart of gold found his perfect sub who loved and trusted him completely.
BDSM isn’t my jam, so my asexual ass found the detailed account of their BDSM scenes tedious and boring. One thing is certain: Lucien always treats Kai like the treasure he is.
My complaint is that we need more scenes featuring the Kings because most of their appearances are too brief. We are teased with each King’s quirks but honestly I think their brotherhood would be more memorable and dynamic if it’s not treated as a mere device to group a bunch of attractive but deadly billionaires together.
The secret society part drew me the most and just like Savage, I wish the books were more mission-focused rather than romance-focused. Seriously, a missed opportunity especially when you have a powerful and highly-specialized group such as the Kings.
Overall, Devilish is a charming portrait of an ideal dom/sub relationship. Equal parts sweet and spicy, sometimes fierce, sometimes gentle, always wholehearted.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Constellations
Artist: Tokyo Shoegazer
Album: Moonworld PlaygroundP.S.
Park Avenue Kings books can be read as standalones but meeting each King is a pleasure.
Savage is about the Shadow King and his meet-mysterious with an intrepid journalist.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Devilish. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
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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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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REVIEW: Paid In Full by Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow
Vitale Brothers: Paid in Full – Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow
I’m used to my life being insanity. A family of a-holes, being locked up, and a few loose screws? Yeah anyone would go crazy. (Not that I am. I’m different, that’s all). My brothers say I’m the loose canon of the family. The truth is that I’m the life of the party!
The party comes to a screeching halt when I meet Ash. Shy, younger, virgin. He’s everything I’m not attracted to. Give me an experienced partner anyday.
But there’s something about him that makes me want to keep him. Maybe I want to stoke that fire I see in his eyes. Or maybe I’m just lonelier than I thought.
Either way, he’s mine. Nobody, and I mean nobody, will take Ash away from me.
(Blurb may change)
Gritty M/M romance.
Look at that cover and know that it is perfect. Wait till you get to the part why!
Paid in Full is the second book of Vitale Brothers, a mafia romance series that stays true to its gritty promises. This stars Giancarlo Vitale, a.k.a. Gin, the next older brother to Enzo, the youngest and MC of Take Me Apart.
While Enzo’s appeal lies in his eerie calmness and neat freak ways, Gin is the ex-con, the wild child, the life of the party, and the insatiable playboy who can charm the pants and panties off anyone. For some reason, the narrator, Declan Winters, gave him an accent (Bostonian? New York? Not sure) while his brothers speak in what to me is the standard American accent (sorry, not an accent expert). It might be confusing at first, but I loved how it suits Gin’s personality to a T.
Initially, I considered the second book kind of a necessary hurdle to get to Benito’s book, which I am super excited about. But Gin and Ash surprised me, and I was completely hooked from the get go!
The opening chapters immediately grabbed interest with Gin at a black market auction masquerading as a charity event. Up for auction is the wide-eyed, virgin son of a man who owes the Vitales money. Just to teach him a lesson, Gin bought Ash and let Ash’s abusive father pay the price to cover what he owed.
Ash didn’t know what to do with his new owner because, frankly, the guy is crazy! The least he expected was an offer to let him buy his freedom through sex. But first, Gin has to teach him how. Our boy is a fast learner!
Ash has been through the wringer, enduring beatings, forced to watch other people being abused as psychological torture, and always been told he was good for nothing so he might as well be sold as a slave. Most of the sexual abuses weren’t graphic and are off-page, but the violence and torture are on-page (check the trigger warnings).
Here comes Gin, an unlikely comfort and a giver of tough love who challenges Ash to be angry, to stand up for himself, to be himself. He is exactly what Ash needs. The best part is when Ash harnesses his big dick energy, and yes, you can take that literally, and unleashes his inner beast.
I totally didn’t see this dynamic coming, but OMG, they’re fantastic! Gin and Ash were fun and amusing together. Gin is full of stupid jokes and dumb ideas. He made me laugh! He’s big, dominant and possessive, and lets Ash go to town on his ass. Ash is an endearing cinnamon roll, innocent as a puppy, as Gin likes to call him, and always eager to please. Then a switch flicks, and our boy is in control!
One of Gin’s ideas:
“Gin, I’m ready to go.”
“I can practically see a tail wagging.” Gin’s dark brown eyes lit up. “Ash, pull your pants down and wag your dick for me.”
“What? No.”
It’s not all fun and games. There are demons to conquer. Blackmailing fathers, evil human traffickers, PTSD, panic attacks, and massive trust issues create conflict and drive wedges, leading to one of the most heart-breaking scenes in the series. That’s why the cover slays!
Paid in Full is a story of dysfunctional families, complicated relationships, unspeakable crimes and invaluable lessons on how to grow a spine. The uncommon dynamics, the humor and heart-warming moments balance out the darker, bloodier scenes. Overall, intense, wild, and totally worth it!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Worth the Fight
Artist: Broods
Album: ConsciousP.S.
Vitale Brothers books can be read as standalones but why miss out on the Vitale charms? Let Enzo Vitale show you how to own a cop and keep him too in Take Me Apart.
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PAID IN FULL: Kindle | Audiobook
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Trusting Tennyson by K.D. Ellis (Excerpt & Giveaway)
