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Showing posts with label mafia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mafia. Show all posts

21 May 2014

Review: The Professional: Part 3 by Kresley Cole

Author: Kresley Cole
Publication Date: January 20, 2014
Publisher: Pocket Star
Genre: Adult Contemporary Erotic Romance
Find It: GoodreadsAmazonB&NKobo
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.



Visit the author online at kresleycole.comFacebook and follow her on Twitter @kresleycole

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01 November 2011

Short Story Review: Happily Never After by Jeaniene Frost




Happily Never After (Night Huntress #1.5) by Jeaniene Frost
Publication date: 19 July 2011 (first published 28 May 2008) by Harper Collins

Category: Adult Paranormal Romance
Keywords: Paranormal romance, vampires, mafia, wedding
Format: eBook (Originally appeared in Weddings From Hell anthology)


Thuy's synopsis:

Happily Never After is a fun short story set in the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost. The novella originally appeared in Weddings From Hell anthology but is now available separately as an eBook (price at this time of this review is $1.99). The book takes place between books 1 and 2 of the Cat & Bones series. Bones makes a brief appearance, but this story isn’t about him. The main story is about Isabella (Isa) Spaga and her reluctance engagement to a wannabe mobster in order to save her brother’s life. Isa’s grandmother, an old friend of Bones’s, calls on him to help Isa out. Busy himself tracking someone down, Bones calls on his friend Chance to sort out the situation. Chance and Isa are attracted to each other from the start and sparks fly.

Thuy's review:

I really enjoyed this novella from Jeaniene Frost. I pretty much love anything Cat and Bones and this story was a fun look into the world from the eyes of new characters. If anything I wish it had been a little bit longer. It would have been nice to get a little more back story on Chance’s history with Bones. I don’t recall Chance from any of the other books but it could be that he only had a brief appearance that I just can’t remember.

Isa, our heroine, is quite a spitfire. She runs her own restaurant and is independent and strong. Even though she’s pretending to marry a domineering mobster, she manages to hold her own against his blackmail tactics in order to buy time for her brother. The attraction between Isa and Chance is almost immediate. Chance hasn’t felt this way about anyone in a long time and he determinedly goes after Isa. He’s also is super sexy and protective and it’s cute to watch him fret over whether or not Isa will freak out about him being a vampire.

The mobster cliches are hilarious. I chuckled reading the cheesy dialogue. And Granny – I love her! She’s so funny and has had such a fascinating life. I loved hearing about her times with Bones and her dry wit. I wish I had a grandma like her. It would certainly make my life more interesting. The book also had a surprise ending that I didn’t expect.

This novella is a fast, entertaining peek into the Night Huntress universe. You don’t need to be fan of the series to enjoy it but the series is awesome, so you should totally read it. :)




Visit the author online at www.jeanienefrost.com or follow @Jeaniene_Frost on Twitter