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Review: Thrive by Krista & Becca Ritchie

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Thrive by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Thrive by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Series: Addicted #2.5 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 18th 2014
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Two years will change them forever.

When rumors spread like wildfire—like having three-ways with her boyfriend’s rock climbing brother—Lily Calloway spirals into a dark place. Her bedroom. Loren Hale is more confident and determined to keep their sex life private, even from their friends, and he helps Lily in the only way he knows how. But how much love is too much?

Their lives are filmed, watched, and criticized. And through it all, Lily and Loren have to face enemies they never thought they’d see, demons they don’t know if they should bury, and setbacks they didn’t think they’d meet. Not this soon.

And one rumor could be too much for them to handle. It will test their greatest limitations, and if they don’t hold onto each other, someone is going to drown.

A full-length New Adult Romance that bridges the gap between the second and third books. Thrive must be read before Addicted After All if you have not read the Calloway Sisters spin-off series.

Lily and Lo are BAAAACK!!!

Thrive is yet another fabulous, intense, and thrilling installment in the Addicted series, a series that I’m so utterly and ridiculously in love with. Each book in the series (and the spinoffs) is so exceptionally well written, and I really just can’t get enough of the characters. And Thrive is just as brilliant as the previous books, if not more so. I loved every single part of this book–I could totally gush all day about Thrive! It’s made me fall even more in love with all of the characters (who knew that was even possible?) and left me with such a warm, gooey feeling in my heart. So for all you Addicted series fans, Thrive should not be missed!!

“We’re going to have our happy ending. It just may take us awhile to get there.”

First off, Thrive takes place a little before Kiss the Sky all the way through a little after Hothouse Flower, so for those who haven’t read the spinoffs but plan to, you shouldn’t read Thrive just yet, because it WILL spoil the plots for KTS and HF. And if you’re worried that Thrive will be just a retelling of KTS and HF, let me assure you that it’s NOT! There’s so much new material and nothing felt repetitive.

Thrive is a huge game changer in the series. It’s dense–it’s a fairly big book packed with almost two and a half years worth of stuff that happens in the Addicted series world. But luckily, Krista & Becca Ritchie are superhuman ridiculously talented and managed to make the book perfectly paced and perfectly, well, perfect. We’re back to Lily and Lo’s POVs, which I’ve missed so much. Lily is honestly the most adorable narrator ever–it’s so cute that nearly everything is a sexual innuendo to her. And I love, absolutely loooove, how much stronger Lily grows in Thrive. The two and a half years will test Lily’s strength, but she’ll come out on top. Lo though, is the one who breaks my heart. His voice is blunt and harsh and raw, and my heart was literally aching for him throughout the book. He has so much hatred and self-loathing, I just wanted to tuck him close to me and hug him (which he would definitely not approve of). But Lo does have his strengths, and he too grows into them. Lily and Lo definitely do not have an easy road ahead of them–they have so many challenges ahead of them, but with each other, they can handle anything on their road to recovery.

“How do you know that I’m strong enough?”
“Because you’re better now,” he said, almost convincing me. “And you have me–sober me. I’ll make sure you don’t spiral out of control.” His voice lowered, and his forehead touched mine. “I don’t want to live if you’re not living with me.”

The thing about Lily and Lo, the thing that sets them apart from the others and makes them my favorite couple ever, is the fact that they are committed to each other 100%. Before, they were each others’ enablers, but now, they are each others’ greatest motivators. Lily is recovering from her sex addiction for Lo and Lo is recovering from his alcoholism for Lily, and I honestly think that that’s one of the most beautiful things about their unconventional relationship.  They love each other unconditionally and without hesitation and this comes across so clearly in Thrive. I am in love and in awe of their romance that is just so perfectly imperfect.

Very softly, he says, “I wouldn’t be here without you.” It is bigger than an I love you. It is a declaration that solidifies what I’ve known for so long.
We aren’t connected by our addictions.
But by our childhood. Souls fused together from the very, very start.

Thrive is split into three parts, and in each part there are different events (some we have seen, but most we haven’t seen before) that shape Lily and Lo’s progression. There are the high days where we get to laugh with the characters and get warm, fuzzy feelings from how much Lily and Lo, Rose and Connor, and Daisy and Ryke have become so important to each other. You just know how much everyone loves each other, despite how much they make fun of each other. The Addicted series has one of the best cast of characters I’ve ever read–each relationship is distinct and unique, each character is an integral part of the group, and each character is unforgettable. (And I just have to say, I love Lo, but omg CONNOR!!! Connor is fantastic in Thrive!)

But even with all the laughs and giggles, there are still the low, low days where every minute of every day is a struggle for Lo and Lily. This couple has been through so much that it seems like a never-ending battle for them. They have to battle their addictions, battle the media that won’t give them any privacy after Lily’s sex addiction was revealed, and they even have to battle their family and friends. And no, they don’t end up winning all of their battles, but at the end of the day, no matter how much they’ve been tested, no matter how much they’ve been poked and prodded, Lily and Lo still have each other. They will always have each other.

“The world is never going to understand us,” he tells me, his eyes so impassioned that I can’t look away. “But it doesn’t matter, Lil. We have each other, and I get your pain, I understand how badly it hurst, so I need you to block out the other people today, okay? They don’t exist in our world.”

Thrive is one beautifully told story that is both gut-wrenching and heartwarming. You will laugh with the characters, you’ll cry with the characters, and most of all, you’ll fall in love with them all over again. It’s a phenomenal book that had me hooked from start to finish. I’m seriously addicted to this series ;).

Our love is rare. It’s one I can’t abandon, even if I tried. When she screams, an identical one rips through me. When she cries, my world rains with grief. When she loves, I truly, truly fly.
I have never wanted anyone else but Lily.

5 hearts for Lily and Lo! I love them to death!

5 hearts
lacey

It’s not necessary to read the spinoffs, but I highly, highly recommend reading them! So here is the complete Addicted series reading order, including the Calloway Sisters spinoff series!

Reading Order: Addicted/Calloway Sisters series

Addicted to You by Krista & Becca Ritchie Ricochet by Krista & Becca Ritchie Addicted for Now by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Kiss the Sky by Krista & Becca Ritchie Hothouse Flower by Krista & Becca Ritchie Thrive by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Addicted After All by Krista & Becca Ritchie Fuel the Fire by Krista & Becca Ritchie Long Way Down by Krista & Becca Ritchie Some Kind of Perfect by Krista & Becca Ritchie

#1 ~ Addicted to You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Ricochet: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Addicted for Now: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.1 (Calloway Sisters #1) ~ Kiss the Sky: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.2 (Calloway Sisters #2) ~ Hothouse Flower: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Thrive: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Addicted After All: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.1 (Calloway Sisters #3) ~ Fuel the Fire: My Review •˜ Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.2 (Calloway Sisters #4) ~ Long Way Down: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.5 (Calloway Sisters #4.5) ~ Some Kind of Perfect: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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Review: The Wild Side by R.K. Lilley

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The Wild Side by R.K. Lilley

The Wild Side by R.K. Lilley
Series: The Wild Side #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: May 20th 2014
Purchase: Ebook

ARE YOU READY TO TAKE A WALK?

Alasdair Masters is in a rut. He just hit forty, has been nearly celibate for the past year, and his life has turned into a daily sequence of lonely patterns that revolve around avoiding human contact.

His tidy life is turned on its head when a hot young blonde at the gym that’s been pseudo-stalking him decides to rock his world. A very young blonde. Way, way too young for him. The problem is, he can’t seem to tell her no, and she just keeps coming back for more.

It doesn’t help that he’s ninety percent sure she’s a criminal, and still, he can’t seem to turn her down. What is a dull introvert to do when a chaotic cyclone that oozes sexuality comes twisting into his life?

At first, he thinks she’ll give him a heart attack, but after his twenty-year marriage ended a year ago, he’s been a little lost, and when she comes crashing into his life, he realizes that he’s never felt more alive.

Is a walk on the wild side just what he needs to get his on track or a disaster in the making? Is it possible for someone that much younger to be just what he needs, or is she a fortune hunter, as everyone keeps telling him? Is it his hormones telling him that the mysterious younger woman is the one, or could it be more?

I’m not the biggest fan of serials, but every once in a while I’ll try them out. They’re usually a hit or miss for me, but fortunately, I enjoyed The Wild Side so freaking much!! It was funny, it was sexy, and it was outrageously scandalous! I don’t think I’ve read a book that made me blush so much!

This raunchy book is definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s erotica to the max. It’s hot and wild and sensual and all-around one of the sexiest books I’ve ever read (but it’s not the sexiest book–the top spot for that belongs to Double Time). So sex is like, the main ingredient in The Wild Side–it’s what brings together 40-year-old Alasdair and 24-year-old Iris, after all. The age gap was honestly the thing that drew me into this book in the first place. An older man and a much younger woman? Uh, yeah, I definitely had to check this book out.

Alasdair, or Dair, is a… different sort of hero. Iris is a different sort of heroine as well, and it was refreshing to read about characters who were like nothing I’ve read before. Dair is a successful author who was recently divorced. He’s the type of guy who doesn’t go looking for trouble, but trouble certainly finds him at his gym in the form of a gorgeous 24-year-old woman.

She was young.
I was old.
She was wild.
I was tame.

I really liked Dair for most of the book. I didn’t expect this, but Dair is so funny! The book is told solely in Dair’s POV, and his narration is fantastic. He’s got this sarcastic, blunt, sort of resigned way of thinking, and I loved it. He made me laugh quite a bit, because he’s so utterly baffled by the fact that Iris wants him. He thinks of himself as an old, slightly creepy man for wanting someone so out of his league.

She sat beside me, our hips touching. She patted my knee and went to town on the Popsicle like she was giving me the show of my life.
“Jesus,” I muttered as it disappeared completely into her mouth.
I was so outclassed here.

But the body wants what the body wants, and Dair and Iris embark on a sexual relationship, despite the fact that Dair honestly knows absolutely nothing about Iris. Her character is mysterious, and everything about her is hidden. We don’t know who she is, what she does, or if she genuinely wants to be with Dair (though I got the feeling she genuinely did want to be with him). She doesn’t open up, no matter what Dair does. I was okay with not knowing much about Iris, because all in good time, right? So as a serial, the pacing of this first part of the story is good, but I definitely need some answers in the next book.

The best part about Dair, what drew me to his character, a 40-year-old man who I normally wouldn’t be able to connect with, was his need of a connection. Ever since his divorce, he’s been quiet and reclusive. He doesn’t really have a purpose in life anymore–all he does is do stuff as an author and go to the gym. It’s not a very glamorous life. But Iris is able to wake Dair up–awaken his life and his sexuality.

The point was that this beautiful woman would let me take her every way I could think of, and I relished that.
Loved it. Needed it.
She made me feel so desirable, when I’d felt so unwanted for so long.

So all in all, this was a mind boggling book (with tons of hot sex). I expected some answers and only got more questions (which I’m hoping will be answered soon!!). I had expectations after reading the blurb, and The Wild Side certainly didn’t disappoint. It’s a fast read with never a dull moment–I did mention how ridiculously sexy this book is, right? The song Drunk in Love by Beyoncé ft. Jay Z is featured a few times throughout the book, and the song is pretty much a perfect match with the story. This book had me hooked and fascinated from the first page, and I could never predict what would happen next. So if you’re planning on reading The Wild Side (which you should!), be prepared for a wild ride.

4 hearts!

4-hearts

lacey

Reading Order: The Wild Side series

The Wild Side by R.K. Lilley Iris by R.K. Lilley Dair by R.K. Lilley

#1 ~ The Wild Side: Ebook • Goodreads
#2 ~ Iris: Ebook • Goodreads
#3 ~ Dair: Ebook • Goodreads

Review: Donners of the Dead by Karina Halle

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by

Donners of the Dead by Karina Halle

Donners of the Dead by Karina Halle
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: February 22nd 2014
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

A note about this book: Donners of the Dead is set in 1851 – couples were often thrust into marriage together with short courtships, racism was widespread and not overly frowned upon, and women had little to no rights. What wouldn’t fly in today’s day and age was unfortunately the norm back then – it is worth keeping that in mind when reading this book.

Jake McGraw was unlike anyone I’d ever known. He was brash, rude, unapologetic and arrogant; chauvinistic, close-minded, and terribly stubborn. He was built like a tree, tall with a hard chest and wide shoulders and hands that looked like they could wrestle a bear. He was a cigar-chomping, scruffy-faced, beast of a man. I was pretty sure I hated him. And I know he hated me. But among the flesh-eating monsters in these snow-capped mountains, he was the only thing keeping me alive 

The year is 1851 and pioneers in search of California gold are still afraid to travel on the same route as the tragic Donner party did years before. When the last wagon train to go into the Sierra Nevada mountains fails to arrive at their destination, Eve Smith, an 18-year old half-native girl with immense tracking skills is brought along with the search party, headed by an enigmatic former Texas Ranger, Jake McGraw.

What they find deep in the dangerous snow-covered terrain is a terrifying consequence of cannibalism, giving new meaning to the term “monster.” While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.

***This is NOT New Adult***

A warning to those who are a bit iffy on creepy stuff–DO NOT READ THIS AT NIGHT. I repeat–DO NOT READ THIS AT NIGHT. This book will freak you the eff out. It’s got guts and blood and gore and tons more… Donners of the Dead was one hell of a book to read.

I usually stay away from anything horror. I don’t read gory books, and I sure as hell never even watch scary movies. But this was Karina Halle, so of course I had to read it! And the synopsis was completely intriguing as well. So I set aside my fears, and I ended up really enjoyed Donners of the Dead. It’s personally not my favorite of Karina’s books (hello, Mateo!), but for fans of the author, I’d say to give this book a try.

Donners of the Dead is really like nothing I’ve ever read, never mind that I don’t read horror. It’s the fact that this book has got everything in it–it’s part horror, part romance, part suspense, and part western. How many of you can say you’ve ever read a book that’s like zombies meets the wild, wild west? And what’s even better is that Karina Halle does a fantastic job blending these different genres together.

Donners of the Dead is a twisted, sinister tale based off of the famous Donner Party story. It’s set in the mid-1800s, and we have our heroine Eve who is half white and half Native American. Because of her mixed heritage, Eve is not respected in her community, and she is thrown to the wolves by her family when a search party arrives and wants Eve to help them track some people. Eve absolutely doesn’t want to go–it’s incredibly dangerous, but her uncle forces her to go anyway. I had a hard time connecting with Eve throughout the book, but I could easily admire her for her bravery in going through with being the tracker for the search group. She’s not a delicate girl–she’s headstrong and tenacious throughout the journey.

The search party consists of a variety of men, some of whom gave Eve, and me, the creeps. But then there’s Jake McGraw, the former Texas Ranger. He’s very much a man’s man–he’s big, burly, smart, harsh, and very good with a gun. But he’s got a strong prejudice against Eve, and this means it’s hate at first sight for Jake and Eve. They do NOT get along at all when they first meet, but sometime along their treacherous journey the two of them develop feelings for each other. I actually really enjoyed the pace of their relationship. It wasn’t too fast or too slow, and the romance balanced perfectly with the horror aspect of the book. That being said, even though I really liked the sexual tension between Eve and Jake, their chemistry didn’t make me feel for them. I wish I could have connected with the characters more, but I at least appreciated Jake once he started showing his feelings and being all romantic. 😉

What really got my heart pounding though, was the creep factor in this book. The stuff Karina Halle comes up with is seriously the stuff of nightmares. Okay, so it wasn’t exactly SCARY, but just majorly CREEPY. I literally had to put the book down several times to calm myself down and look over my shoulder to see if anything was there….

Karina Halle rocks at writing–she made the horror come to life in this book! I can always count on enjoying the writing and the storytelling when it comes to Karina. So even though the story wasn’t the best, the writing and storytelling was compelling enough to make up for it. I didn’t LOVE the book, but I definitely enjoyed myself while reading. Karina Halle fans should definitely give Donners of the Dead a try!

3.5 hearts!

3.5-hearts

lacey

Blog Tour + Review & Giveaway: Overwhelmed by You by Nashoda Rose

Posted in 4 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by

Overwhelmed by You tour banner

Book Title: Overwhelmed by You
Author: Nashoda Rose
Series: Tear Asunder #2 (full reading order below)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 25, 2014
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Add to Goodreads

Love is ugly and secrets will destroy you.

KAT

I don’t beg.

I don’t cry.

And I don’t give second chances.

Ream, the lead guitarist of the rock band Tear Asunder, deserves a gold medal for best dick move ever when he ran the moment he discovered my secret after two days of hot sex. Then he brings some chick to my coming home party from the hospital—after being shot.

I hate him.

Until …

Ream’s six foot two frame unfolds out of the car after being gone on tour for eight months. I stared. And in my defense, any girl would stare. It would almost be rude not to because Ream was the type of guy who stood out. Not because he was loud and obnoxious. No, it was because he was the complete opposite. Subtle and dangerously quiet. If he spoke, you’d better hope he liked you because otherwise you’d be falling at his feet begging for mercy. Except me … I don’t beg—ever.

But when our eyes locked, it was Ream’s steady confidence that had my nerves shooting off like jet sprinklers.

Then…

Ream told me he didn’t need a second chance because he was still working on his first.

REAM

Sex is ugly. It’s using someone for your own narcissistic pleasure. I did it and I hated it—until her. She was unfuckinexpected. Then I had to wreck our beginning with my screwed up past.

I don’t deserve her, but I’m selfish and I’m taking her anyway. This is who I am and it’s too late to change me.

*Warning contains violence, sexual content, and coarse language. Mature audiences 18+*

A contemporary romance with lots of angst and a taste of dark.

Purchase:
Amazon US • Amazon UK • iTunes

review

Oh myyy!!! Overwhelmed by You is one hell of an intense book! Although I already expected that after reading the previous books in the Tear Asunder series, and I wasn’t disappointed! This next book of the series is packed with passion, angst, and action. There was never a dull moment for me while reading it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it all!

Kat and Ream were friends once, until they hooked up one time and it all fell apart. Kat was already wary of starting something more than friendship with Ream, and after the fallout, she never wanted to trust Ream again. Two years later, Ream is back in her life, and this time, he wants her back. Woot! I just love second chance romances, and especially heroes who go after what they want–and in this case, it’s the girl. There’s a fierce intensity to Ream, and he focuses it ALL on Kat and getting her back–her heart, her trust, her body, everything.

“I’m not letting you go. I can’t do it anymore.”
This time I used my palms against his abdomen and pushed. He loosened his hold, but just enough so I could meet his eyes. “Ream, it won’t work. It’s too late.”
His eyes flashed with something that I didn’t recognize. “This wasn’t a discussion.”

Can you say alpha male??? Ream is seriously one of the top alpha males I’ve ever read–when he wants something, there’s literally nothing that can stand in his way from getting it. He’s protective, possessive, sensual, raw, and sexy, but he’s also hiding something painful from his past from Kat. He may be reassured, dominating, and collected on the outside, but within there are some serious demons that need exorcising.

Kat is able to go head to head with Ream (although sometimes it’s Ream’s way or the highway, which frustrated Kat–and me–a bit, but ehh, he’s an alpha male, so what can you do?) and she fights her attraction with him. Ream broke her trust, and she’s not about to go handing it back to him so easily. I really liked Kat’s character. She’s funny, stubborn, and all-around a tough girl with a vulnerable side that made connect with her. She was a bit too stubborn at times–most of the book is her fighting against her being with Ream, and all I wanted to do was shake her and say “You two are meant for each other! Stop fighting it!” But Ream, being the determined and unrelenting man that he is, is not deterred from his goal.

I spent eight months wishing I wasn’t on tour so I could be with you. Now, I’m back and the only way I’m running again is toward you.” He lowered his voice, and the gravelly, deep tone drummed into my chest. “Fight me all you want, Kat. I’m going to keep coming.”

Ream had the determined alpha male thing down to perfection.

But there’s so much more than just winning Kat’s heart back for Ream to do. His past is coming back to haunt him, and he needs to find a way to deal with it so it doesn’t drive him and Kat apart. Add some suspense and action into this book, and you have the perfect blend of romance and thrills! I’d definitely recommend this for fans of the series–you won’t be disappointed with Kat and Ream’s story!

4 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: Tear Asunder series

 
  

#0.5 ~ With You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1 ~ Torn from You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Overwhelmed by You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Shattered by You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Kept from You: Goodreads (Dec. 5, 2016)

about the author

Nashoda Rose

Nashoda Rose lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave. Her novella “With You” is the first in the Tear Asunder series, followed by the novel “Torn from You” and “Overwhelmed by You”.

When she isn’t writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dog at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers on Facebook and chatting about her addiction—books.

Facebook • Twitter • Website • Goodreads

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2 signed of Overwhelmed by You paperbacks (open internationally)

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Release Day Review: Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by

Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower

Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower
Series: Monster in His Eyes #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 28th 2014
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Ignazio Vitale is not a good man.

I suspect it, the first time I see him, sense the air of danger that surrounds the man. He has a way of commanding attention, of taking control, of knowing what I’m thinking before I even do.

It’s alarming and alluring. It’s dark and deadly. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted but the last thing I truly need. Obsession.

It doesn’t take him long to draw me into his web, charming me into his bed and trapping me in his life, a life I know nothing about until it’s too late. He has secrets, secrets I can’t fathom, secrets that make it so I can’t walk away, no matter how much I beg him to let me go. I see it sometimes in his eyes, a darkness that’s both terrifying and thrilling. He’s a monster, wrapped up in a pretty package, and what I find when I unmask him changes everything.

I want to hate him.

Sometimes, I do.

But it doesn’t stop me from loving him, too.

This book blew. MY. MIND!!!!! I still can’t wrap my head around Monster in His Eyes–it was nothing like I ever expected, and I LOVED it! It’s intense, raw, suspenseful, gorgeously written, and so freaking goooood!!!

We have our heroine, Karissa, an 18-year-old freshman at NYU who’s just a normal girl trying to distance herself from her overbearing mom. She’s getting through her first year of college–she’s normal, relatable, and I easily connected with her as the heroine. J.M. Darhower portrays her perfectly as a college girl, but the story really only picks up when Karissa meets Ignazio “Naz” Vitale. Ignazio Vitale, who is 36, intense, and holds so much raw confidence and power in himself that Karissa never stood a chance against him.

Karissa is wary of Naz, and rightly so. Here’s a guy who’s gorgeous, rich, and twice her age, and he’s pursuing her? But there’s something so tempting, so invigorating, so thrilling about Naz that Karissa can’t stay away. Naz even warns Karissa to stay away from him but…

“I thought I could play with you a bit, and let you go, but once I had you, Karissa, I had to keep you. I couldn’t walk away.”

As Karissa starts falling for this man, a man she really knows nothing about, it’s all very romantic, but I could never get that feeling–the chills-up-your-spine kind of feeling–out of my mind. There was always something more to Naz, something dark and dangerous, and I never forgot it, and neither does Karissa. I honestly didn’t know what to think about Naz. Did I think he was too old for Karissa? Yes, but I could deal with that. Did I fall for him? Maybe a liiitle bit–he’s insanely sensual and passionate, but I just couldn’t ignore the warning bells ringing in my head. Because there’s no doubt that Naz is very dark and very, very dangerous.

And when his eyes cut my way, and I see the darkness on the surface, I’m reminded that this man hangs out with monsters.
And one might even exist inside of him.

Ignazio Vitale is one very intriguing man, and J.M. Darhower has written him so very, very perfectly. I swooned and I gasped, and I felt an incredibly wide range of emotions because of him. He’s such a thrilling character to read about, especially from Karissa’s POV. The author’s writing is brilliant, and I don’t think I’ve ever been more fascinated in and intrigued with a character than I am about Naz.

He lives in his own little world, where he’s the king, and I’m more than happy to be his minion… although, when he looks at me, flashing that dimple, I feel like nothing less than his queen.

Naz is addictive and powerful, sweeping Karissa off her feet and carrying her into his world, but it’s not exactly a HEA for them. There are dark twists and turns in this book, things that were jaw-dropping and had me reeling. Fans of suspense will not be disappointed.

I honestly couldn’t get enough of Karissa and Naz’s story. I never wanted it to end, and now I’m pretty much dying for book 2, Torture in Her Soul!! Monster in His Eyes is a fascinating, fantastic book that had me hooked from the start. So go READ IT!!

4.5 hearts
lacey

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Monster in His Eyes series

Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower Torture to Her Soul by J.M. Darhower Target on Our Backs by J.M. Darhower

#1 ~ Monster in His Eyes: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Torture to Her Soul: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Target on Our Backs: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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