Review: The Professional: Part 3 by Kresley Cole

Title: The Professional: Part 3

Author: Kresley Cole
Publication Date: January 20, 2014
Publisher: Pocket Star
Genre: Adult Contemporary Erotic Romance
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Kobo
Source: Purchased

Are you ready to play?

Yet all is not as it seems. To remove Natalie from an enemy's reach, Sevastyan spirits her into hiding. From an opulent palace in Russia to the decadent playgrounds of the mega-wealthy in Paris, the two lovers will discover that even their darkest - and most forbidden - fantasies can come true  cover that even their darkest—and most forbidden—fantasies can come true.

The final installment of The Professional finds Natalie and Sevastyan at a crossroads in their relationship. Their courtship was brief and intense but now it's time to see if they physical connection can translate into something more lasting. Sevastyan is intent on hiding his part from Natalie, but Natalie knows that they cannot move forward without knowing all of each other.

This book started with a lot of promise for me. I really liked Sevastyan and Natalie, two very different people who found a way to connect. However, as the story went on, I felt like their characters actually regressed rather than moving forward. Sevastyan continues to close himself off from Natalie, pushing her away even while he asks her to stay. I really did not like his behavior at the airport. It was mean and manipulative and it would have served him right it Natalie had left him there. One of the big reasons that Sevastyan is so closed off is because he is hiding his deep, dark past Natalie. However, by the time his past is revealed I found myself wondering what the big deal was. Knowing who he is and what he does now, I don't think Natalie expected him to have some idyllic childhood and I was expecting a lot worse. The introduction of his mysterious brother was interesting but again, fell a little flat. After hiding his existence from Natalie for so long, I expected him to be a

I also hated how Natalie ended up blaming herself for Sevastyan's inability to open up. Suddenly it was her fault for not being patient enough and understanding. I am not sure how she came to that conclusion but I call BS. The independent woman that Natalie started out as was nowhere to be found by the end of the book.

I also found the resolution of Natalie’s family ties to mob a little unbelievable. Maybe I am just a realist but it seems like it would take longer than a few weeks to undo a lifetime of mob dealings. It did wrap things up nicely for Natalie and Sevastyan though and let them go about their lives spending mob money guilt free.

As a fan of Cole’s Poison Princess series, I had high hopes for this book. The world building and character development in that series shows what the author is capable of. However, those qualities are not as apparent in this book and was left feeling a bit let down. 

Overall this book gets a 2.5 rating from me. I really enjoyed Part 1 but the lack of character development made the book less enjoyable in the later installments. If you're interested, definitely give it a go. While this isn’t my favorite Kresley Cole book, The Professional is still a fun read, with plenty of hot sex and daring escapes to keep things interesting. 

Also, check out my reviews for Part 1 and Part 2 of The Professional.

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Visit the author online at kresleycole.com, Facebook and follow her on Twitter @kresleycole

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