The Kids of the District series is "A Flawless contemporary romance."

Reading the Kids of the District series feels like gorging on a deliciously scrumptious cake, despite knowing it's gonna be bad and hurt you irrevocably in the end, you just cannot help yourself from devouring it. Like an addict, you keep coming back to satiate the need to escape into the district.

I honestly do not know what "evil genius mastermind" class Nicci Harris took but I need to book a spot because this series is deceptively clever. The build-up of Cassidy and Max's relationship is a refined agony, honed throughout the previous book and unleashed with a ferocity only Nicci could create.

Nicci Harris has created something powerfully dark and mesmerizing within the district that is equal parts exciting and disturbing. She shines in crafting novels that toe the line between dark and dangerous, and sweet and sexy, which culminates into a deliciously sinful story of passion, truth, and acceptance.

The characters are charismatic with bold personalities that tug at your heartstrings. I quite enjoyed the contrast between Cassidy, the district's sweetheart, and the total alpha male vibe from the district's most notorious bad boy Max Butcher. "The Duet" is good girl meets bad boy, District style and I loved every minute of it.

Max is the quintessential bad boy mafia- alpha hole and while I loved how raw and carnal his character was, my favorite moments were the quiet spaces in between, where he allowed himself to be vulnerable (or at least attempted to) for Cassidy.

Exhibit A- "I want to fck that sorrow out of her Her sorrow makes me want to set the earth on fire."

Exhibit B- "I may not be able to give her a fairy-tale. But she gives me a break from this nightmare."

I enjoyed the complexity of Cassidy's character and the tremendous growth she's made throughout the series. The district's darling has seen the seedy underbelly of Max's reality and the dark encounters threaten to consume her entirely. As she picks up the broken puzzle pieces of her life and begins arranging them, Cassidy truly begins to mature and I couldn't help but tear up to see my little girl all grown up.

I relish the elevated romance within The Duet as the lines between love, desire, and obsession begin to blur creating an eruption of forbidden passion and ecstasy. Max and Cassidy's relationship is the type of love story that you love to hate, innately they know its bad for them, but like a slut for punishment, they pursue it anyway because in the immortal words of Cassidy, "avoiding conflict to prevent a battle, can often start a war on your heart."

The story-building and writing is sharp with just the right amount of humor to balance out the dastardly setting that is the district. As with her previous book, Nicci Harris focuses strongly on the theme of family. Her depiction of the mafia and the commitments and struggles of those "in" the lifestyle are raw and honest.

Oh Nicci Nicci Nicci, just when I thought my poor heart couldn't take another beating you reached through the pages, ripped it out, and ran it through the grinder shredding me completely.

I mean, holy f**king plot twist! The last couple of chapters honestly floored me with an overwhelming surge of emotions. Cosa Nostra is the epitome of exquisite torture and I am unashamed to admit that I ugly cried. While I finally got my answers from book one, I couldn't help the crushing sense of finality that comes with the end.

In true Nicci fashion, she doesn't give you the ending you've been dreaming about and wishing on a star for, oh no, that would be too humane, instead, she serves it up true District style with an intricately woven finale that is equal parts raw, messy complicated and oddly fulfilling.

The Kids of the District is not your average story, but then as a reader, do you really want that?

I would recommend this series for those who enjoy dark, contemporary romance with a twist. Thanks to the author for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review