Review of Nico by Sarah Castille

by April | Nov 14, 2017 | Book Reviews

Nico

by Sarah Castille
ISBN: 9781250104045
Series: Ruin & Revenge,
Published by St. Martin's Press on December 6th 2016
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Suspense
Pages: 350
Buy on Amazon//Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

A dangerous proposal

In Nico, the first book in the Ruin & Revenge series by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Castille, Las Vegas Mafia boss, Nico Toscani, is used to getting what he wants, whether it is having the City of Sin under his rule or a beautiful woman in his bed. But when he meets his match in the gorgeous, headstrong Mia Cordano, the daughter of a rival crime lord, all bets are off. . .

Sexy computer hacker, Mia, struggles to break free of her ruthless father’s Mafia ties...but she can’t resist the powerful and seductive Nico, who will stop at nothing to possess her. With their families locked in a brutal war for control of the city, Mia and Nico enter into a forbidden game. Will they surrender to the passion that burns between them—and risk tearing apart their families? Or will Nico be forced to betray the only woman who sets his blood on fire?

Review of Nico by Sarah Castille

Review by: April Hughes

This novel is ADDICTING!

Nico is the first novel in the Ruin and Revenge series by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Castille. The story follows Mia Cordano, the daughter of a violent and immoral mafia boss in Las Vegas. Unlike most of her family, Mia doe not condone the actions of her father and seeks to build a life away from that of crime. So, she becomes a hacker and starts up a business testing security systems for various legitimate and legal organizations. It is during one of these security testings that Mia meets Nico Toscani, a mafia boss for the Toscani family. Unfortunately, despite the sparks that fly between them, Mia and Nico’s families are warring due to the murder of Nico’s father.

This story may have a Romeo and Juliet feel to it, but this novel is far from that. Both main characters are strong and competent, and rather than become overwhelmed by all the obstacles stacked against them, they overcome them with clinical and strategic planning and foresight. Nico and Mia have astounding chemistry that you can practically feel leaping off the pages. Their ability to reach into the heart (metaphorically speaking, of course) of one another and see past all the hardships placed on them by their families, makes them extraordinarily compatible.

It was a thrilling journey to be sucked into the insidious underworld of the infamously glamorous Las Vegas. I have always been a fan of mafia-based stories, and was blow away by how detailed and knowledgeable the author was on the subject. The mafia families in this series are gritty, dark, sensual, dangerous, and operating from the murky gray area of right and wrong. The characters were “real” and struggled with numerous moral dilemmas.

I finished this story in less than a day. I mentally devoured it. Any spare moment that I had was filled with me snatching this book up and sticking my nose in it.

And why did there have to be an excerpt of the next novel Luca at the end?? Ugh! Now I’m going to obsess until I get my hands on him…I mean it…the book *cough*. **UPDATE** See my Review of Luca here

See Next

Review of “Full Contact” by Sarah Castille

Review of “Against the Ropes” by Sarah Castille

Pick up a copy of Nico on Amazon

View on Amazon

Review of Wilde in Love by Eloisa James

by April | Nov 13, 2017 | Book Reviews

Wilde in Love

by Eloisa James
ISBN: 9780062389480
Published by HarperCollins on October 31st 2017
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Regency, General
Pages: 416
Buy on Amazon//Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

One of Cosmopolitan's Best Books of 2017!

Lord Alaric Wilde, son of the Duke of Lindow, is the most celebrated man in England, revered for his dangerous adventures and rakish good looks. Arriving home from years abroad, he has no idea of his own celebrity until his boat is met by mobs of screaming ladies. Alaric escapes to his father’s castle, but just as he grasps that he’s not only famous but notorious, he encounters the very private, very witty, Miss Willa Ffynche.

Willa presents the façade of a serene young lady to the world. Her love of books and bawdy jokes is purely for the delight of her intimate friends. She wants nothing to do with a man whose private life is splashed over every newspaper.

Alaric has never met a woman he wanted for his own . . . until he meets Willa. He’s never lost a battle.

But a spirited woman like Willa isn’t going to make it easy. . . .

The first book in Eloisa James’s dazzling new series set in the Georgian period glows with her trademark wit and sexy charm—and introduces a large, eccentric family. Readers will love the Wildes of Lindow Castle!

Wilde in Love Review

Wilde in Love is the first book in The Wildes of Lindow Castle series by New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James. After exploring and adventuring abroad, Lord Alaric Wilde returns home to England to discover that he has become quite the celebrity. The novels he penned about his journey managed to draw the attention of a vast majority of the female populace. Unfortunately, the one woman to draw his undivided and appreciative attention does not look upon him kindly. On the contrary, Willa Ffynche has little interest in Lord Alaric Wilde or his novels. She makes this abundantly clear frequently throughout the story, which only manages to deepen Alaric’s interest in her.

The story is set in the late 18^th century on Alaric’s family’s country estate known as Lindow Castle, which sits close to a bog that claimed the life of his older brother. Willa, along with her close friend Lavinia, attend a house party on the estate for about a fortnight. This offers ample opportunity for both Alaric and Willa to exchange inappropriate puns, witty remarks, and to discover that there is a great deal of chemistry to be acknowledged between them.

I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of 18^th century fashion and the comical dialogue between the numerous different house guests. Willa’s friend Lavinia added a lot of humor to the story, especially with her ongoing feud with Alaric’s close friend Parth. I found myself chuckling a few different times at the antics of these two (I’m keeping my fingers crossed that their dislike of one another will change into something a bit more pleasant in a later novel).

The addition of the deranged character Prudence, a missionary’s daughter, added a great deal of drama and suspense to the story. The strained relationship between Alaric’s brother North and his fiancé also added a bit of intrigue. With such an interesting mix of characters, a perfect setting, an ominous bog, humor, and strong chemistry between Alaric and Willa, I would say that Wilde in Love is a new favorite historical romance of mine. I cannot wait to see what stories unfold within the Wilde family and I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment.

And thanks to Willa Ffynche…I now want a pet skunk named Sweetpea. Lovely.

Be sure to check out my other reviews here!

Check out “Wilde in Love” on Amazon below!

View on Amazon

Review of “Against the Ropes” by Sarah Castille

by April | Oct 27, 2017 | Book Reviews

Against the Ropes

by Sarah Castille
Series: Redemption #1
Also in this series: Full Contact
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on 2013
Genres: Fiction, Erotica, General, Romance, Contemporary
Pages: 349
Buy on Amazon//Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

"Fifty Shades of Grey meets Fight Club."-RT Book Reviews

A Publishers Weekly TOP 10 Romance for Fall

He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more...

Makayla never thought she'd set foot in an elite mixed martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it's these guys. Then again, at her first sight of the club's owner, she's the one feeling breathless.

The man they call Torment is all sleek muscle and restrained power. Whether it's in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when a soft touch is required and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he's about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined...

Redemption SeriesAgainst the Ropes In Your Corner Full ContactFighting Attraction (coming Spring 2017)

More praise for Against the Ropes: "Smart, sharp, sizzling and deliciously sexy."-Alison Kent, bestselling author of Unbreakable

Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille

Review of “Against the Ropes” by Sarah Castille

Review by: April Hughes

I mentally DEVOURED this novel…

Max Huntington, known in the underground fight world as “Torment”, is a millionaire business man by day and an intense, well-known fighter by night. When Makayla, a trained medic, first meets Torment- those sparks fly! Heck, they do more than that- they SIZZLE and burn! I can still remember how my heart thumped in tandem to Makayla’s daring entrance into that fight ring in the club Redemption. That moment displayed just how courageous she can be, and just how much of a challenge Torment was going to find her.

From there, the book falls into a progression of intense, hot encounters for our two main characters. However, there is more to our characters than just their inability to resist one another and their susceptibility to the others attraction. We learn that Makayla struggles daily with crippling financial issues, uncertainty about her future and goals, and troubling childhood memories. Torment also struggles with guilt from a tragic event in his teen years and a disconnect with his family. Both characters ghosts cause a lot of conflict during their passionate, tumultuous relationship.

I greatly enjoyed watching them navigate unfamiliar emotions and deal with their pasts together. I also took delight in reading about the other members of Redemption. In fact, by the end of the book, I found that I couldn’t wait to see what this group was going to do next! I cannot wait to pick up the second book in the series and continue indulging in a novel filled with alpha, tattooed fighters and strong, challenging women!

Check out New York Times bestselling author Sarah Castille’s Redemption series today!

You can pick up your copy on Amazon Here.

See my review of “Full Contact” by Sarah Castille here!

Also, Check out my other reviews Here.

Review of Tormentor Mine by Anna Zaires

by April | Oct 9, 2017 | Book Reviews

Tormentor Mine (Tormentor Mine #1)

by Anna ZairesDima Zales
Published by Mozaika LLC on March 28th 2017
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Suspense, Action & Adventure, New Adult, General
Pages: 560
Buy on Amazon//Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

A new dark romance from New York Times bestseller Anna Zaires

He came to me in the night, a cruel, darkly handsome stranger from the most dangerous corners of Russia. He tormented me and destroyed me, ripping apart my world in his quest for vengeance.

Now he's back, but he’s no longer after my secrets.

The man who stars in my nightmares wants me.

Tormentor Mine by Anna Zaires

Tormentor Mine is the first book in a series by New York Times bestselling author Anna Zaires. I will warn you that there are some situations in the book that might be somewhat disturbing to some. For example, you will often ask yourself as you read through whether the heroine, Sara, truly cares for the love interest Peter because of the way he “takes care of her” or because she might be suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. To be honest, by the end of the novel I wasn’t quite sure myself.

The story starts off with Peter’s quest for vengeance. Sara happened to be an innocent bystander who had the misfortune of being married to a man Peter is determined to kill. Peter attacks Sara in her home and basically tortures the information of her husband’s whereabouts from her. The methods he used to extract this information is reflective of his experiences working in Russia’s special forces. I found myself outraged and horrified for her. I don’t blame her for unwittingly disclosing the information (he did waterboard her, tie her to a chair, and then drug her after all) which resulted in the death of her husband. We do later learn of Sara’s now deceased husband’s actions which led to Peter’s vengeance.

This is the first romance novel I have read where the heroine suffers from PTSD, anxiety, and panic attacks due to the harrowing actions of the love interest. After attacking Sara, Peter finds himself thinking of her. He then decides it would be a great idea to set cameras up all over her house and have people follow her every move. His interest slowly grows into obsession, until finally he decides to play house with Sara. Peter forces Sara to endure his presence, despite her knowing he had tortured her and killed her husband (which she suffers a tremendous amount of guilt for).

This story is seriously unconventional and if you’re not into the whole stalking, obsessing, torture, or psychological, and seriously twisted form of “love” found in this novel, then it might not be for you. However, if you’re wanting to read something completely different from the mainstream love story, then this one will be perfect for you. I will admit to being intrigued by the concept, shocked by the situations presented in the story, and intrigued by both the main characters. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be in Sara’s situation. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be loved by someone as intense, dominant, and somewhat scary like Peter.

Finally, Tormentor Mine was well written and the characters provided enough depth that you enjoyed getting into their heads a little. Anna Zaires certainly knows how to leave the reader gasping at the cliffhanger! Ah! Now I’m going to have to pre-order the next one so I can see where the hell Sara is being taken now. The second novel in the Tormentor Mine series, Obsession Mine, is scheduled to be released on November 14^th, 2017.

Like this review of Tormentor Mine by Anna Zaires? Checkout my other reviews here!

You can get this book instantly for the Kindle on Amazon for $4.99.

Review of Full Contact by Sarah Castille

by April | Oct 4, 2017 | Book Reviews

Full Contact

by Sarah Castille
ISBN: 9781402296260
Series: Redemption #3
Also in this series: Against the Ropes
on 2015
Genres: Fiction, Erotica, General, Romance, Contemporary
Pages: 296
Buy on Amazon//Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

"Fifty Shades of Grey meets Fight Club."-RT Book Reviews on Against the Ropes

Ray wraps his arms around me and holds me tight as if something terrible has happened and he doesn't want to let me go.

Full Contact. This is how Ray speaks when his emotions overwhelm him. I melt into his stillness. His body is hot and hard, his breath warm on my neck. He smells of leather and sweat, sex and sin. Nothing can tear me away.

When you can't resist the one person who could destroy you... Sia O'Donnell can't help but push the limits. She secretly attends every underground MMA fight featuring The Predator, the undisputed champion. When he stalks his prey in the ring, Sia is mesmerized. He is dominant and dangerous and every instinct tells her to run.

Every beautiful thing Ray "The Predator" touches he knows he'll eventually destroy. Soft, sweet and innocent, Sia is the light to Ray's darkness-and completely irresistible. From the moment he lays eyes on her, he knows he's going to have to put his dark past behind him to win her body and soul.

Redemption Series Against the Ropes In Your Corner Full Contact Fighting Attraction (coming Spring 2017)

Praise for Sarah Castille's Redemption series: "Smart, sharp, sizzling and deliciously sexy."-Alison Kent, bestselling author of Unbreakable"Powerful. Gritty. And sexy beyond belief. Sarah is a true master!"-Opal Carew, New York Times bestselling author of His to Claim

Review of Full Contact by Sarah Castille

Full Contact is the third book in a series written by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Sarah Castille. Full contact follows the character Ray, A.K.A Predator, an underground fighter/private investigator, and Sia- a tattoo artist with a tortured past and a longing to be free from it. Both characters are strongly developed and just sizzle with chemistry on the pages. The Predator exudes dominance and strength, which is just what Sia needs in order to face a past she has been trying so hard to move on from and is failing at.

We eventually learn about the Predator’s ghosts from his past and his inability to move forward. Between his and Sia’s burgeoning love and Sia’s attempts at help him, the Predator also finds himself in the position of wanting to move past his own tragedies. With two strong, tortured, main characters the story finds itself riddled with passion, tragedy, grief, and joy…a veritable mix of unexpected moments. Like that scene in the alleyway beneath a deluge of rain…oh my.

From the gritty atmosphere of abandoned warehouses for underground fight clubs, to the aesthetically-appealing tattoo parlors, and the occasional bar and club, these characters will take you on a passionate journey through a darker landscape. After reading this novel you won’t be able to look at a painting easel or an ice cube the same way again…

You can get this book instantly for the Kindle on Amazon for $1.25 here.

« Older Entries

Next Entries »

Hi there!

I discovered my love of reading at an early age and spent a great deal of my time devouring novels from mysteries like Nancy Drew, whimsical fantasies like Harry Potter, and eventually the turbulent and passionate stories in the romance genre, I found myself engrossed in a completely different world than this one. I believe it is through my experiences and the books I read, that I have developed a keen interest in a myriad of things. For that reason, The Vagaries of Us represents multiple areas of interest

More About Me

Review of Nico by Sarah Castille