I love the obsessive male leads, but things just move too fast relationship-wise. Which leads DNF @ 28%
Sadly, I think I’m just done with this series.
I love the obsessive male leads, but things just move too fast relationship-wise. Which leads to really low stakes and me not caring in moments I am supposed to care.
Also, the chemistry feels forced. Which is a big deal for me. I will read and re-read the crappiest, most shiteously written smut romance over and over again - all day long - if there is amazing chemistry...but the converse is true as well. Nothing sinks a battleship faster for me than a lack of it.
Oh well. Bummer cause the blurb sounded good and I was hopeful the author was on the upswing. But it’s just not doing it for me....more
The explanation for why he even needed to marry her (the reason a marriage will stop this Volkov dude) has not been explained to my satisfactDNF @ 37%
The explanation for why he even needed to marry her (the reason a marriage will stop this Volkov dude) has not been explained to my satisfaction, there’s no decent mafia world building, the hero seems to be easily tricked…I’m bored and life’s just too short. Next....more
This started off pretty decently - if completely contrived - but hey, it's romance, so I accept some ridiculous premises by rote. That said, DNF @ 75%
This started off pretty decently - if completely contrived - but hey, it's romance, so I accept some ridiculous premises by rote. That said, this was moving along okay.
Hattie and Hayes had decent tension going...until they didn't.
It's like once they decided to actually try to be together, Hattie was a born-again virgin and they commenced dry humping for what felt like the next million chapters. It felt like a step back and I was completely bored out of my mind. ...more
I’m in a book slump and struggling to click with anything right now. This has OM/triangle drama I’m not in the mood for, so I’m setting it asDNF @ 11%
I’m in a book slump and struggling to click with anything right now. This has OM/triangle drama I’m not in the mood for, so I’m setting it aside for now.
This just isn’t doing it for me. Madelena is driving me nuts. Her behavior is that of a child throwing tantrums and just isn’t in line with hDNF @ 62%
This just isn’t doing it for me. Madelena is driving me nuts. Her behavior is that of a child throwing tantrums and just isn’t in line with her upbringing and abuse in my opinion. I also feel like Santos is a lame duck mafia head. I obviously haven’t read the whole duet, but the fact that his brother and mother are so clearly working against him is so obvious, it’s ridiculous. Please correct me in the comments if I’m wrong on that.
I don’t like reading mafia/gang books where there is zero circle of trust around the lead. I get that betrayal happens, but I feel like Santos has no one around him. As a result, this feels like it’s lacking all the mafia feels I’m looking for. I also don’t like the whole Alexia element and the photo someone slipped into Madelena’s wedding muff. The setup for long-running miscommunication has been set and it’s just not something I’m in the mood to wade through right now.
Overall…Something is just missing and after glancing at the reviews of a trusted GR friend on this and book two, I don’t feel like investing my time on this when my reading time is so limited right now. Maybe I’ll try this again another time, but it’s just not catching my interest at the moment. ...more
I'm barely into this and both leads have been described as being an "enigma" already. Eye roll.
Also, the main lead states (in what is truly sDNF @ 5%
I'm barely into this and both leads have been described as being an "enigma" already. Eye roll.
Also, the main lead states (in what is truly some of the most cringe first person POV writing EVER (and that's coming from someone with some high cringe tolerance when it comes to my smut, mind you)) that he just wants to go home to his mansion and have a scotch.
And LITERALLY a page later claims he doesn't drink...
Nah, bro. The idea of continuing felt torturous. Not for me....more
This is reading like a YA high school bully romance, which is not what I was expecting or wanting. No fault of the book, but I’m just not intDNF @ 10%
This is reading like a YA high school bully romance, which is not what I was expecting or wanting. No fault of the book, but I’m just not into it. ...more
Just started reading this…and discovered it’s heavily based on current British royalty. I just wasn’t aware it would have a contemporary royaDNF @ 15%
Just started reading this…and discovered it’s heavily based on current British royalty. I just wasn’t aware it would have a contemporary royalty angle and I’m just not interested in that right now. In real life, sure lol…but not in my smut books…not unless it’s about a completely fictional royal family.
Just wanted to throw that out there for people unaware of the premise. Might draw some people toward it more. Or not. Anyway. It was just too obvious this was based on our current UK royals and I didn’t like the vibe in general....more
The writing is decent, but there are too many boring details about mundane activities I’m just not interested in. I can also see the writing DNF @ 31%
The writing is decent, but there are too many boring details about mundane activities I’m just not interested in. I can also see the writing on the wall reference the “origin” story of how both Avery and Cole came to be in the cult. My money says they were kidnapped as kids. Haven’t checked any spoilers yet, but I’m betting I’m right. I’ve read multiple versions of that story before and have no desire to do so again. I thought this would be more about living in a cult and the aftermath of that…not a Grapes of Wrath journey through the woods. Maybe it improves later, I’m just tired of forcing myself to pick this up. Just not for me right now.
***ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***...more
I must have gotten a different book than everyone else, I swear.
It started off fairly strong, but quickly hit the skids. Tatiana's backstory DNF @66%
I must have gotten a different book than everyone else, I swear.
It started off fairly strong, but quickly hit the skids. Tatiana's backstory was precarious and the overall plot was just weak. Add in some poorly done insta-love and zero chemistry between the main couple?
And I'm out.
Huge bummer considering I've enjoyed books from both of these authors before.
I’ve tried getting into this on multiple occasions and it’s just not holding my attention. There is little to no mafia in this mafia book anDNF @ 13 %
I’ve tried getting into this on multiple occasions and it’s just not holding my attention. There is little to no mafia in this mafia book and the constant self-reflective conversations about childhood trauma and spousal abuse just feel forced…and not like conversations real people actually have with each other.
Maybe I will try to pick this up another day, especially since I loved books one and two so much…but I doubt it. I just have no interest....more
I (like many) have a long history with Kristen Ashley. You can go read THIS review if you are interested DNF @ 18%
Well...at least I tried...lol
[image]
I (like many) have a long history with Kristen Ashley. You can go read THIS review if you are interested in more details on that...saga...
Anyway. All I can say is:
I knew better.
But hope is a bitch, ya know? And what can I say?
[image]
And I now remember what I had apparently forgotten.
Outside of the parenthetical ramble-fest that is KA's writing, I mostly just can't take KA's style of heroine anymore. Grown adult women acting like blushing twelve year-olds when the H gives calls them "babe" and/or gives them the slightest bit of attention.
In this one she had to leave the dinner table to go hyperventilate in the bathroom because he was actually flirting with her and OMG, you guys.
[image]
Now I get that some characters (and people IRL) may be shy or have anxiety, what have you. It's not the characterization itself that I don't love. I’m not an asshole. It's the fact that EVERY KA heroine seems to be this way. And I'm over it.
Regardless, it's all good. I still have 55+ past KA's on my kindle (45 of which I really do love) that I can re-read when the mood strikes me. And I will remind myself of this moment when, another three years from now, I start to think a KA sounds good to me.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
It's been a serious minute since I was tempted by a KA new release...but this one might have me. A fake relationship is Val catnip.
I had high hopes for this…the blurb sounded like one of my favorite jam combos (marriage of convenience AND sports), it had high ratings, anDNF @ 75%
I had high hopes for this…the blurb sounded like one of my favorite jam combos (marriage of convenience AND sports), it had high ratings, and it was from an author unknown to me (meaning huge backlist potential).
But alas, I was bored out of my mind.
The writing didn’t grip me at all and the hero was basically running away from the heroine the whole time, despite the fact that there were allusions to previous fox in the henhouse behavior, if you catch my drift. In fact, there was specific mention of him trying to kiss the heroine of a previous series installment…not my favorite thing.
I’ve been trying to read this for over a month now, but just can’t seem to get into it. It’s baffling, actually, as this should be checking aDNF @ 66%
I’ve been trying to read this for over a month now, but just can’t seem to get into it. It’s baffling, actually, as this should be checking all my boxes. I can’t quite figure out why, but I’m just bored. And I don’t really care for “Tessie” and/or the way the story is going. I don’t like how her loyalty and attention is so divided. And at 66% the plot has gone hardly anywhere.
But shrugs, I’m sure this one is just me. Happens.
***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review***...more
I got this far in this very short book and could have easily finished it…but I just found myself completely uninterested in doing so. I didnDNF @ 52%
I got this far in this very short book and could have easily finished it…but I just found myself completely uninterested in doing so. I didn’t feel the connection between them, sadly. I think it was just a miss for me, that’s all. People I usually align with on books like this really enjoyed this one, so I think it’s just me. Ignore this review and grab this book if you are interested in it. ...more
I haven’t been able to buy in to the premise upon which the book is built, so there’s no point in continuing, reallOn Pause @ 23%...for now, anyway...
I haven’t been able to buy in to the premise upon which the book is built, so there’s no point in continuing, really. Which is a bummer. I love AZ and I love bully trope books.
I’m sure it’s not you, it’s me, book. Maybe I’ll try again another day when I'm in a different mood. I can't help but think I might love it on another day....more
I’ve tried reading this twice now and it’s just not gonna happen.
The story...the characters...their inner thoughts and monologues...they areDNF @ 36%
I’ve tried reading this twice now and it’s just not gonna happen.
The story...the characters...their inner thoughts and monologues...they are all over the place and seemingly baseless at times, with nothing rooting them to the ground of the story.
Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️
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