Scan barcode
darkness223's review
4.0
I just love a good dark romance and this one was a super read. Lux is the Queen of Miami and Roman is determined to destroy her and her empire. This book will suck you in and not let you go right until the very end. The chemistry between them was off the charts even though they did nothing but clash with each other. A really good read I would definitely recommend giving it a go
rihoward's review against another edition
5.0
I have never been one for the loss of words. Expressing myself via writing has always been easier for me, especially when it comes to literature. Yet, I face quite the conundrum here, because this author has left me with a million thoughts and no idea how to go about expressing them.
Who would have known that not long ago that I would interact with an author in a party room on Facebook and not only would I find a new favorite author but I would get to experience watching her grow into her talent? I sure didn't. However, grow she did.
This book was a long time coming. I know many people were frustrated but not as frustrated as she was. She demands perfection and has a specific way that she wants her stories told and it isn't as much as how she wants to tell the stories but rather how the characters are demanding their stories be told. She is the vessel that pens their voice. Which when it comes down to it is the very reason that I fell in love with her writing style.
I can continue to repeat time and time again, that she writes with a certain cadence that is uniquely hers (she does), or that I love her stylistic choices (I TOTALLY do), or that she makes unique characters that are always light juxtaposed with dark (A million times yes) but that might get redundant so instead the bottom line is this; she writes with a passion that connects to my soul and makes me turn off all outside distractions. I turn off my phone, pour a glass of wine, and settle in because I know she is going to take me on a journey where anything other than her words holds little importance in my life. I become consumed in her world and therein lies the beauty of reading as a whole but also the magic that this author holds.
I am not one to give spoilers or even a recap of the book. Instead, I like to draw in on what a book makes me feel. What I will say is that Lux Mercier and Roman King are life. The way they wage war on each other with their actions and their words were fire. I couldn't help but have several moments where I caught myself smiling like a Cheshire cat myself. It was delicious. The opening scene...HOLY cow. That build up did me in for the rest of the book. I FELT the energy permeating off of them as if they were gasoline and just waiting for the match to have them ignite. There is steam, (sweet holy titfire) is there steam, there is deceit, and there is suspense.
There is an amazing playlist, in fact before each chapter she puts the recommended song so that the reader can experience the mood of the chapter. All of the characters, main and secondary, are amazing. I want, no I need (not going to lie) Suki and Stryker's story. They were all well developed and were fleshed out to make sure that the storyline was cohesive. The storyline itself was unique and definitely not a cookie cutter romance. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough while at the same time I dreaded it because I knew that it would be that much closer to an end that I didn't want to see because I LOVED these characters and this story. This is a darker romance. It deals with some uncomfortable issues and unsavory parts of society, yet the author did a great job at making it part of the story and dealing with the aftermath. It wasn't included just to embellish the story but rather enhanced the story.
Once upon a time, I wanted to write a book. Until I started reading for fun instead of what was required for my degree. I quickly realized that my lane of writing is academic or nonfiction because I most certainly cannot do what she does because anything this author writes is magic in my eyes. She is a unicorn and one I will gladly leave it to her to write all of my heroes, anti-heroes, and feisty kick-butt heroines because I know she will do them the justice that I never could. Definitely going in my favorites of 2019.
Now, in hindsight, I guess my earlier statement of being at a loss for words was not correct as I see the length of this review. I still stand by it though because I am not sure if this review even does this book justice.
Who would have known that not long ago that I would interact with an author in a party room on Facebook and not only would I find a new favorite author but I would get to experience watching her grow into her talent? I sure didn't. However, grow she did.
This book was a long time coming. I know many people were frustrated but not as frustrated as she was. She demands perfection and has a specific way that she wants her stories told and it isn't as much as how she wants to tell the stories but rather how the characters are demanding their stories be told. She is the vessel that pens their voice. Which when it comes down to it is the very reason that I fell in love with her writing style.
I can continue to repeat time and time again, that she writes with a certain cadence that is uniquely hers (she does), or that I love her stylistic choices (I TOTALLY do), or that she makes unique characters that are always light juxtaposed with dark (A million times yes) but that might get redundant so instead the bottom line is this; she writes with a passion that connects to my soul and makes me turn off all outside distractions. I turn off my phone, pour a glass of wine, and settle in because I know she is going to take me on a journey where anything other than her words holds little importance in my life. I become consumed in her world and therein lies the beauty of reading as a whole but also the magic that this author holds.
I am not one to give spoilers or even a recap of the book. Instead, I like to draw in on what a book makes me feel. What I will say is that Lux Mercier and Roman King are life. The way they wage war on each other with their actions and their words were fire. I couldn't help but have several moments where I caught myself smiling like a Cheshire cat myself. It was delicious. The opening scene...HOLY cow. That build up did me in for the rest of the book. I FELT the energy permeating off of them as if they were gasoline and just waiting for the match to have them ignite. There is steam, (sweet holy titfire) is there steam, there is deceit, and there is suspense.
There is an amazing playlist, in fact before each chapter she puts the recommended song so that the reader can experience the mood of the chapter. All of the characters, main and secondary, are amazing. I want, no I need (not going to lie) Suki and Stryker's story. They were all well developed and were fleshed out to make sure that the storyline was cohesive. The storyline itself was unique and definitely not a cookie cutter romance. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough while at the same time I dreaded it because I knew that it would be that much closer to an end that I didn't want to see because I LOVED these characters and this story. This is a darker romance. It deals with some uncomfortable issues and unsavory parts of society, yet the author did a great job at making it part of the story and dealing with the aftermath. It wasn't included just to embellish the story but rather enhanced the story.
Once upon a time, I wanted to write a book. Until I started reading for fun instead of what was required for my degree. I quickly realized that my lane of writing is academic or nonfiction because I most certainly cannot do what she does because anything this author writes is magic in my eyes. She is a unicorn and one I will gladly leave it to her to write all of my heroes, anti-heroes, and feisty kick-butt heroines because I know she will do them the justice that I never could. Definitely going in my favorites of 2019.
Now, in hindsight, I guess my earlier statement of being at a loss for words was not correct as I see the length of this review. I still stand by it though because I am not sure if this review even does this book justice.
williebenz's review
4.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is sexy, angsty and has you on the edge of your seat. The playlist is a perfect match to this Joker-Harley Quinn romance.
This book is sexy, angsty and has you on the edge of your seat. The playlist is a perfect match to this Joker-Harley Quinn romance.
nastja_m's review
I'm sorry, but not for me.
Nothing in this story is believable.
It's clunky, not at all sexy, and kind of boring.
Nothing in this story is believable.
It's clunky, not at all sexy, and kind of boring.
forestfae0307's review
3.0
It was ok but like the back story was weak af. Lux is not drug lord material at all she is a doormat. Literary they talk about how ruthless she is but not at all. She lets everyone walk all over her and is a wreck. The one murder I got to she was all scandalized over. Not to mention for “the queen of Miami” she is like a mouse letting someone else do everything letting him do whatever I was very disappointed in this book.
dark_syde_books's review
5.0
I had been salivating about the release of this book for a long time...and that was based off of the cover alone. Once I finally got my hands on it, I couldn't put it down. There is just enough background given about Lux and Roman in the beginning to make you love to hate these two people. Then comes the build up of the tension between these two - sexual and otherwise - and by the time they explode my adrenaline was so pumped up and my emotions were so scrambled that I couldn't help but love their story. The secondary characters were absolutely amazing and everyone in the story contributed to the actual storyline, so the author definitely doesn't take you down some rabbit hole you can't get out of. And then of course there's subtle teasers towards the end that made me thirsty for the next story. All in all...great read, 5 stars for everything from story to characters to visuals to just about damn everything!
(Disclaimer and all that legal jazz - I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.)
(Disclaimer and all that legal jazz - I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.)
xatanika's review against another edition
1.0
The synopsis sounded really good and the cover is amazing. However, I did not fall in love with this story.
Lux does not have a drug lord vibe; I have no idea how she became the Queen of Miami. She let's everyone walk all over her.
The scenes with Lux and Roman were the best. The chemistry between the two of them is undeniable. But the story is drawn out and I kept getting bored waiting for something significant to happen.
I read to 31% and then jumped to 85%. Volatile Obsessions was going to be a DNF for me but I wanted to see if there was some kind of redeeming conclusion. There was but I'm still mad at the weakness Lux showed when she was supposed to be this strong motivated woman.
Lux does not have a drug lord vibe; I have no idea how she became the Queen of Miami. She let's everyone walk all over her.
The scenes with Lux and Roman were the best. The chemistry between the two of them is undeniable. But the story is drawn out and I kept getting bored waiting for something significant to happen.
I read to 31% and then jumped to 85%. Volatile Obsessions was going to be a DNF for me but I wanted to see if there was some kind of redeeming conclusion. There was but I'm still mad at the weakness Lux showed when she was supposed to be this strong motivated woman.
kellyg_5013's review
4.0
Wow! Action packed craziness!!! Lux and Rome 😍 .... I loved them! So so much! And there was such a great story with them. Once you thought you knew what was happening.... You found out that you didn't. These characters were so easy to get into. The whole cast were very interesting and I loved hearing about them. This was definitely a book with people I would love to read more about. It may have taken Dee a while to come out with this book, but it was absolutely worth the wait. I very much look forward to seeing what else she's got in store for us!!