The Handler

The Cells of Kalashov #2

by Vi Carter

I'm The Handler for the Bratva Mafia—I TIE UP LOOSE ENDS

Lucca

When a ship transporting seven highly valued assets is attacked and six of them stolen, leaving behind a dead security team and one witness, I'm brought in to handle the situation.

But this isn’t my usual clean-up job.

I'm an assassin, not a detective.

I'm handed a black-haired beauty who spits lies. I need to uncover the truth she is hiding in order to find the other assets.

There's only one problem—HER.

Everything about her calls for me to take her, but she is pure—untouchable.

A highly valued asset to the mafia.

One taste of her could cost me my life.



Evie

I was ten when I was stolen

Snatched by the sea

Taken to a world where virgins are put on pedestals—untouchable

Until they are sold

When six of the girls are taken and our private security team slaughtered, The Handler is called in to find them.

He's dark and dangerous.

Not a man I should trust.

But I have to trust that he can find them, and I'm willing to do anything it takes to get them back.

Once he finds them, I will make sure he sets them free, even if it costs me everything.

Genres: Mafia Romance, Dark Romance, Dark

182 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2023

About the author

When Vi Carter isn’t writing dark romance books that feature the mafia, are filled with suspense, and take you on a fast-paced ride, you can find her reading her favorite authors, baking, taking photos or enjoying long walks in the Irish countryside.

Vi’s biggest selling series, Young Irish Rebels, is available in Audio, English and Dutch.

Married with three children, Vi divides her time between motherhood and all the other hats she wears as an author.

She has declared herself a coffee & chocolate addict! Do not judge. 

Subscribe to Vi’s newsletter for a free book to follow her down a dark path alongside the Mafia!



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Reviews

[annasbook nookk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just finished the handler by Vi Carter, I read it in less than a day.
Such a good read, fast-paced, action packed and steamy.
A dark mafia romance that had my attention from the very start.

Lucca - The Handler gets put on a mission to find 6 missing girls and is given the help of Evie, one of the girls who got left behind. She's untouchable, but Lucca can't stop the attraction he feels all the while fighting the clock to find the girls

Evie was kidnapped and kept under conditions for 8 years until 6 six of the girls go missing, and she is brought into help Lucca who she knows she isn't supposed to like but its impossible - which I don't blame her he is a hot alpha male character.

Can they fight the attraction?
Can Lucca find the missing girls?
Will Evie find her happy ever ending?
Read to find out - I freaking loved this book.

Tropes - alpha male, kidnapping, virgin, mafia.
Triggers - mentions of human trafficking, violence and dub-con

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The story line is good, but I was expecting the H to be super dark and possessive of the h. It missed the mark for super dark, but the possessiveness is there you just have to read between the lines a bit. This is definitely more light gray with some medium gray scenes.

Not much romance either (one scene is dub con and other is all consent) in the book and very little dialogue between the two even though they are together for 95% of the book.

I needed more background detail on Evie on why she is the way she is. For as long as this book was, I was expecting to read all the juicy and dark details. Nothing is mentioned other than one “imperfection” she got as soon as she was captured. Really good background details on the H though.
Ends on a HEA.
Epilogue was nice and brought tears to my eyes.

NOT part of official review - There is a lot of past and present tense verbiage all mixed up, so many random commas, and a ton of run-on sentences. It was extremely difficult to ignore and not make a comment about it. I hope it’s fixed before the book goes live.

ARC copy for honest review.

[Kelly Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!! Another fab Mafia romance from Vi Carter, this whole plot had me hooked from the start.
Lucca was the cold and deadly mafia guy I just love, but beneath it all he did have a heart, it really was perfect the way his and Evie's story played out!!

I just can't wait for more from this author.

I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest review.

[Maria (Ri) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I'm mixed on this story. I found myself liking parts of it and others frustrated me. It wasn't as smoothly transitioned as I would have liked and took me out of the story. However, the storyline was intriguing enough that it kept me reading. It is for that reason that I'm rounding up to 4 stars.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The addition starts with the book covers….yeah…yeah…yeah don’t judge a book by its cover they say ….well we all do it and this one here it is the scratch to your itch or better yet the filling to your oreos! Speaking of filling…..wait, that’s for later. Within the first chapters you get the panoramic view of whom you’re dealing with!
Bad boy….check
Bod boy’s crazy brother/friend…check
Bad boy’s Kryptonie…check ….check and check
By the time you’ve figured out who is who and how much you hate and wish for harm on others or just a wakeup call, you’re already hooked, and you may as well give up the fight and prepare yourself for an all-nighter! You will start it and You will not put it down until the last page has been turned.
Can’t say I didn’t warn you.
(Believe me when I say you won’t put it down until the last page is read…you will find yourself getting upset cause someone called, texted or bothered you while reading this one, you will find yourself up at ungodly hours just to finish it knowing you have to be at work early (like 3am early) the very next day) YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
The The Cells of Kalashov’s second book in the series can be read as standalone books but why when each of these deliciously dark crime families and the queens that bring them to their knees. Evie has been trained to be every man’s dream history is she loved the water loved and one evening she was out swimming when she saw a boat crush and while trying to save another little girl, she is kidnapped groomed be a virginal bride to the highest bidder. On her way to auction with seven of her friends’ guards are killed and everyone was taken except Evie who hid. Lucca a sexy as all get out handler who is called in to investigate but he is an assassin however, his boss makes him handle the investigation. Lucca finds Evie and knows she isn’t telling him the whole truth; he needs her to tell him everything because bodies keep dropping and he needs to get a handle on it. Evie wants to find her friends, her family, and she doesn’t trust Lucca enough to tell him whole truth to protect her, but Luca didn’t play by the rules or at least the rules she was trained with. Luca would catch her in her lies, he was close to figuring out who her parents are all she wants is for them be safe at any costs, she also wants to get her friends back. Will Luca help her, help keep her family safe, and can they find happiness?

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Handler is second book in The Cell of Kalashov series. Lucca is referred to as the handler in the Bratva mafia. He's an assassin who's primary role is to assassinate the enemy. He's the one that they call when they need to tie up loose ends without witnesses. Lucca is cold, calculated, and merciless. He was tasked with a special job that's not in his area of expertise. Igor is a very powerful man in the Bratva and he ran the city with an iron fist. Igor wanted Lucca to investigate the disappearance of six highly valuable assets to the mafia that was being transported on a yacht when they were ambushed, and all the security team were killed leaving one witness who got away and being currently held by him. Lucca's job was to take Evie the only witness and find out what she saw saw and get back the assets. The assets were all virgins women who were abducted from their homes.
Evie was ten years old when she was abducted from the shorelines of Ireland one night trying to save a young girl around the same age as her. As it turns out the girl was running away from human trafficking ring. The call name was Helen she was kill as an example to the others and Evie to her place never to see her home again. These girls were groomed to be sold rich millionaire who bid the highest. Lucca knew that Evie was hiding something and everything that comes out of her mouth was a lie but he was up for the challenge to get the truth. Lucca started his investigation and he soon realized that things weren't adding up with disappearance of the girls and the killings of the security team who were all in one place yacht. Lucca and Evie is attracted to each other but he knows that he can't touch her. As Lucca gets closer to uncovering the mystery of the both of their lives are in danger. He loss men from his team when they broke into his penthouse looking to kill him. He had to take Evie to his home in the country until he figured it out and get some help.
The Handler was intense and captivating. It was filled with drama, kidnapping, surveillance, surprises, carnage, violence, torture, action deception, revelations, and human trafficking. The author have managed to capture story of a man who is broken and takes joy in killing but little Evie mellowed him out. She him out things that he never wanted before. You see Evie thought that Lucca was afraid of Igor and that's was the reason why he didn't wanted to keep her. But Lucca deals with people like Igor because he helps to keep the monster in check. I thoroughly enjoyed this book but I wish that their was an additional epilogue so that I could see what became of their relationship. Additionally, I wanted to know what happen to Lucca sister? Where did he send her? I just can't see him walking and leaving his only family for Evie.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Handler (The Bratva Romance #2)
This book is a Stand alone novel in Vi Carters Dark Mafia Romances. I picked it up and literally could not put it down. I read it straight through. Five starts all the way the the steam that rises off the pages is hot enough to burn.

Lucca is a man with a past, he is a dark hero that will burn the world down to keep his girl safe, and though Evie wasn't his to keep, he decided he was going to keep her. And turned the Bratva Mafia on it's ear to do so.

Evie was a child that loved the water. Once might have called her a selki, had this been a paranormal romance. She was playing one night in the water, and found a girl that needed her help, she tried to help but the that night the water stole her away and turned her over to human traffickers, she was ten. She was cossetted and trained to be the perfect bride for some wealthy buyer. She was kept pure and innocent.

Lucca is called in by his boss, to investigate a ship load of the women Evie lived with that had been kidnapped away. Evie was the only one that had survived. Now Lucca had to cut through her lies and find out the truth and the other 6 women. But once he had Evie under his control his darker nature came out. Lucca feared no one, he worked for his boss because it was convenient, and he needed people like Igor to keep him in check. Now he was didn't want those checks and balances, he wanted Evie, and he would kill his own men to keep her.

Evie knew things, she was well trained for which ever man bought her. But she had experienced nothing. For eight years she had been groomed to be a bought bride. Now she was in the hands of Lucca, a man that didn't play by any rules she knew, and saw through her lies. Now he was too close to figuring out who her parents were, and she had to keep them safe at all costs. But she also had to help get back her sisters that had tried to abandon the night they had been taken.

Can Lucca and Evie find happiness in this dark world they inhabit? Can Lucca let himself feel, just for one person, something that was trained out of him? You have pick up this book and find out. You will not be able to put down this excellently crafted story until the end and then you might take a breath again.

Thank you, Ms. Carter, for sharing your stories and worlds with us.

[Susana Sousa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting!

The Handler is the second installment in The Cells of Kalashov Series and, as it happened with the first book, The Collector, another refreshing take on dark Russian bratva/mafia romance. We had briefly met Lucca in book #1: he's an assassin, he makes problems disappear, he 'handles', with him it's the finale. One thing he does not do is to investigate and that's exactly for what he's called for. Suspicious? You bet. He has to figure out the disappearence of seven girls meant to be sold and his only 'help' is Evie, the one that somewhat got away. This girl, though, is not being forthcoming with information (something expectable) and Lucca will have to work his 'magic' - manipulation - to get through her defenses. And here begins their story. I liked how they connected, a slow-burn with hesitation but with a great dose of attraction. I would've loved for someone who carried the nickname 'The Handler' to be more cold, ruthless and assertive and see his personality melt bit by bit only for the heroine - I felt him desengaged, at times. We had lots of background on him, but almost nothing palpable on Evie and that's why that it was a bit more difficult for me to connect with her character. We gather that the situation these girls were in was different from the usual circumstances enveloping human trafficking an it was something I found very compelling in this tale and would've loved to see more developed.
Nevertheless, it was a well concocted narrative with a solid plotline, intertwining past and present in a very intelligent manner, revealing hints, creating intrigue, keeping the reader guessing and committed. A page turner, for sure.
And I really want more...Nev, maybe?!!!

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions are my own.

[Beverly McCall · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Handler is the second book in Vi Carter’s The Cells of Kalashov series. In it readers meet Evie and Lucca. Lucca is not a new to readers as they met him in The Collector. As the Handler, Lucca is an assassin. However, Igor, a Bratva leader, gives him a different assignment. One that is geared to tracking and finding prey. This is when he finds Evie, a pure maiden, who is destined to the virgin auction. Evie is beautiful and innocent with a strong sense of survival. She yearns for her freedom and to return to her native home in County Claire, Ireland. Lucca and Evie develop strong feelings for each other awakening their potential of falling in love. However, there are undisclosed agents who pursue Evie. Will Evie and Lucca fall in love? Will he be able to keep her alive and out of the virgin auction? How will Lucca handle the betrayal and deceit he encounters to fulfill his mission? You must read this book to find out.

Once again Ms. Carter does a remarkable job penning another riveting Russian Bratva romance. In it, she allows readers to peer into the inner workings of the Bratva to witness the greed and betrayal that lurks in the dark corners of their society. I admire Ms. Carter’s skill in character development. Her lead characters are strong, determined, confident and vulnerable. I enjoyed their growth as the story progressed. I liked the strong dialog. I appreciated the two-person point of view to tell their back stories. Ms. Carter’s use of descriptive language paints vivid scenes. Particularly, two scenes stand out. The first scene is when Evie is first taken. Her realization that she may never see her loving family again. The second is when the Lucca, with the help of his friend and associate Nicolai, rescue the other girls like Evie. These scenes and others contribute to this captivating read. Outstanding job, Ms. Carter.

[Anne Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book is intense thoroughly enjoyed this book
Lucca is best known in the Bratva as "the handler". He is an assassin and he makes people disappear and by disappear I mean permanently.
But now he’s been given a totally different assignment and it involves finding a group of women that have been stolen but one woman was left behind and he’s given Evie to find out what she knows. It is obvious from the beginning that she is innocent in more ways than one and all Lucca needs to do is retrieve the information that she saw and return her as the innocent he was given.
Evie had been taken at the very tender age of 10 from her family and taken to a world that she totally didn’t understand now eight years later she knows that she’s going to be sold to the highest bidder. But when a group of men come in and take the other girls as she hides she know she must do anything to survive. But meeting Lucca is a Whole new ballgame. Can she get Lucca to help her?? Or is she just destined to be sold off?
Wow this is a brilliant fast paced story and you just don’t know what is going to happen next. I really struggled with Lucca to begin with, I tried to get into his head of what he had gone through and the struggles that he had survived but I’m so glad when I got to see a different side of him because I just thought that coldness went right through to his heart. Evie is a Fierce woman underneath it all. But she knows how to handle yourself and boy she knows how to push Lucas buttons. A really really good read thoroughly enjoyed

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[SaucyBishReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucca is know as the Handler and he definitely “handles” situations.

Lucca was trained from a very young age to be strong and merciless. He enjoys his position working for the Bratva. Then one day a Boss needs his help. He’s tasked with taking care of Evie until a bad situation (one Lucca’s never had to handle before) until he can find out the truth and solve this case assigned to him. Evie knows more than she let on and Lucca needs her to open up and tell him the truth to figure out where to start investigating.

Evie was taken from her home at a young age, all by an accident and because of her selfless actions. She has a fire in her, although she has to keep it reigned in because of where she’s been the last 10 years. She accepts what she’s told because there’s no other option for her, or is there? She starts to open up to a Lucca after a few days because she’s hoping she can convince him to help her. When Lucca finds out who’s involved, that was definitely a twist I didn’t see coming.

I love the connection between Lucca and Evie. Lucca has a hardened personality because of his life experiences and Evie had a loving childhood before the turn of events that changed it all for her. I love how cocky Lucca is and how defiant Evie is and how she goads him and how she’s able to actually get through his hardened exterior and under his skin. Evie is afraid yes but the attraction is definitely there!

This book is incredible! Their story drew me in completely and I love the darker storyline. I was happy, sad, it made me laugh and I even cried at the end. This is my favorite book so far in the series!

[themostlovely · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℍ𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕝𝕖𝕣-𝕍𝕚 ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕣

This was another ARC given to me by Vi!

This is a story that I enjoyed, although it wasn’t one of my favourites from Vi’s work thus far. This dark romance does contain some scenes that can be triggering to some, so read this with caution in mind.

Evie was ripped from her home and held against her will, kept for her purity to be sold off to rich men that these women were forced to study during their time in captivity to know about the possible future husbands for each of these women. Lucca, The Handler, has been assigned a case to find these 6 missing girl for the Bratva. Evie was the only witness alive from the kidnapping of these 6 girls. With the objective of returning the girls to Igor, a higher ranking member and boss to Lucca. A wrench is thrown in these plans when he is blown away by the beauty that Evie is, and the lies that she continually spews to Lucca despite him knowing that they are. Her sass and looks only continue to draw him in the more they spend time together throughout the challenge of finding these girls.

This novel is a quick and steamy read, although the storyline could’ve been more in depth to help people connect to why Evie is the way she is, and what made Lucca want to become The Handler.

𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Carol 27 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Handler is a man with a formidable reputation and a knack for making bodies disappear. Its odd then, that he’d be tasked to find several missing assets. Faced with a lack of evidence and an uncooperative witness, has he been set up to fail before he’s even started? And if so, by whom?

I admired Evie’s determination to get Lucca on her side, despite her naïve thinking on what might motivate him. She truly got what she deserved after poking the bear and taunting him to react. And react he did! I enjoyed the appearance of Nicholai, from the first book, 'The Collector'. His close relationship with Lucca lead to some humorous moments.

It's a quick read, that, like it’s predecessor, contains plenty of intimidation, torture, and violence. There’s also some conflict, anguish, secrets, treachery and danger along with explicit sexual encounters – including one with questionable consent. I enjoyed the mystery that gradually unfolded along with the drama and suspense that accompanied it, but felt there was an unresolved issue still remaining when all was said and done.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Lucca is The Handler for the Bravata. He makes people disappear. His boss gives him the job of tracking down missing assets. Out of seven only one remains and was a witness. Evie was taken from her home at the age of eight to be auctioned.

Make no mistake Lucca is not a nice guy. He is very successful as an assassin. He is very cold in everything he does especially when dealing with Evie. He is attracted to her but it will be his death if he touches her. Evie is attracted to Lucca as well. She can feel his power and strength and hopes he will release her.

While I enjoyed how the story played out I am not sure I would consider it a romance. The conversations between Lucca and Evie didn't reveal any caring. Lucca is not very likeable and Evie doesn't feel like a victim but more like a spoiled brat. I feel like some of their backstories were only hinted at and not fully revealed. I would like to reread the story with some of this filled in. The story is full of mystery and action with violence and I did want to get to the end to get the answers.

[Jeanne Jabour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each Novel Gets Hotter and Better!!
Vi Carter’s novels keep getting better and steamier, every time I read one! Her characters Lucca and Evie have chemistry between them that was electric and beyond hot with a physical attraction that propels them into recklessness that could not be controlled. Juxtapose these really hot scenes against one of the most beautifully written and tenderest acts of selflessness by Lucca that I have ever read. He risked his future with Evie to bring her past into the present. All that came before was written with equal skill; Ms. Carter brought these characters to life and created a love story for the ages with this tale. The characters are so compelling, their experiences, like life, shaped their futures for better or worse (Lucca's childhood at the camp and Evie's years in captivity). Along with these really hot scenes was some of the best writing I have read in a while. So many emotions hit me and her words moved me when I read of Lucca and Evie’s childhoods. Their story will be with me forever. You must read this book!

[Marlene Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie was taken from her home when she was a girl. She saw a boat hit a rocky shore and went to look, seeing a girl about her age in the boat...but on trying to rescue her, she was taken by traffickers. She was raised and groomed to be a virginal bride to a man who bought her...Evie was one of seven young women on a yacht heading for an auction when all the security guards were killed and young women taken, except for Evie who hid...Lucca, the Handler was called in to investigate, but he is an assassin, although Igor insists even though Lucca reminds him that is not his skill set...so he investigates, finds Evie lying about some of facts, but finds guards were drugged, throats slit and cocaine on board in crates, and people with knowledge of events keep getting killed...so you will need to read this thriller to see what happens...I voluntarily read this book through an Advanced Reader Copy.

[Terri Zumbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another dark heart

Lucca has been training to be a mafia assassin since he was 6. Now he is the chief assassin - THE HANDLER. His dark, emotionless heart was forged from the time he was a boy creating a man with the ultimate in control and skill. His loyalty to the Bratva is unwavering no matter the circumstances.

He is given a task that involves him getting important information from Evie who has had a twisted childhood herself. What results is a story that involves subterfuge, betrayal, kidnapping, quite a few sliced throats, trafficking virgins, and the slow erosion of Lucca’s armor.

Protective male, innocent yet feisty female, and getting help from his prison friend (and one of my favorite mafia characters) Nikolai, The Collector, makes this a fabulous addition to this series. Loved the ending!

I received an advance copy of this book. This is my voluntary review.

[Leanne Bryson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not often I give back-to-back books in a series 5 stars, but The Handler from The Cells of Kalashov series by Vi Carter grabbed me from the beginning, held on tight till the very, very end. Lucca is a dark man with an ugly past who has been training since childhood to be a Bratva assassin. As an adult, he has become the Handler, just as his title he handles problems. Evie is a problem, kidnapped as a child and groomed to be someones virgin toy, all she has known for 10 years is pain, fear, and trauma. Now, she is the only witness to what happened to the other girls being held and who did it. Lucca has been tasked with finding out what happened, but he can't shake this connection to Evie nor Evie to him. The book is fast paced, dark, twisted, steamy, action packed, and more. I loved thees characters, I loved this book, and I can't wait for more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our heroine is the only survivor of a brutal kidnap plot and our hero has to step in to clean things up. But neither party is what they seem and they have very little time to learn to trust each other if they want to rescue the others.

This is book two of the series, but it is written as a standalone. All the essential bits are covered.

This is a dark romantic suspense story with a Russian mafia background. The story is well written and very engaging, drawing you into the story early on. The characters are well developed and each has their own secrets which both help and hinder the action. I rather liked both our hero and heroine and really enjoyed the interplay between them. There is also plenty of action and steam which definitely keeps things exciting. Overall, a highly enjoyable story and I look forward to reading more in the series.

Highly recommended

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes

[Brandi-Lynn Weiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Conclusion….⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The conclusion to The Cells of Kalashov series was excellent!
Book 2 in the series is about Lucca, AKA the Handler. He’s tasked with interrogating Evie, who was kidnapped at 10 and held for being auctioned off. At 18 she escaped and was captured and given to Lucca to be interrogated for info about what she knew of the other girls that were being held with her. She was originally supposed to be given back Igor, but once Lucca has her he decides he’s keeping her.
Like the first book it’s a quick read, which I normally don’t do, but after reading the first book I was excited to read Lucca’s story! And it was so worth it. I normally find shorter books, (anything under 250/300 pages) to quick & lacking of story depth. They’re just too quick for me. But it’s not the case with these books.
I’m new to Vi Carter, only reading a couple of her books so far, this is the 4th. But I can’t wait to read more!!

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 in the cells of Kalashov series. Evie was 10 when she was taken away to be kept and sold for her purity, but when 6 other girls go missing and she is the only witness Evie is  to Lucca, the Handler. Known for his skills in disposing of bodies Lucca is tasked with finding the missing girls for his boss Igor. A simple task he thinks till he meets Evie who sends his mind for a spin! Forbidden to eachother their attraction simmers but with Evies constant lies and Luccas temper flairing can they deny their feelings any more? Is this one task the Handler can't deliver on? Or is this Task more than meets the eye?
Vi Carter draws you in with dark twisting stories and keeps your attention through out with well developed characters and detailed scenes! Filled with drama, suspense, action, violence, 1 dub-con scene, secrets and lies and more! Not to be missed!

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in The Cells of Kalashov series with the first book bring The Collector which I enjoyed. The bratva is well know as the Russian Mafia but this is a new take on the Bratva. We first met Lucca in The Collector. Lucca is a handler - an assassin and problem solver and he doesn’t loose time checking things out, he just makes them disappear. He’s told to find out what happened to seven girls that disappeared. They were meant to be sold and his only clue is the one that got away, Evie. She is not being ho est about what happened to them, of course, she’s trying to protect them from Lucca so Lucca figures he’ll manipulate the truth from her. This is how their story starts and it’s good I was so hoping he wasn’t going to start torturing her.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shifty Bugger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book it was great, the story was written well and the characters were interesting. This story was about Lucca (The Handler) and Evie. Lucca was brought up with the mafia and became the best assassin for them and when he was asked to find six girls that have gone missing and the people that were transporting them were killed. Evie was one of the girls that was getting transported, she escaped and no-one realised. She had been kidnapped at the age of ten years old, she kept an eye on the girls. The girls are all virgin being trafficking to the highest bidder. Lucca finally found Evie and found her lies needed to be stopped so he can find the other girls. The chemistry between them was hot and deliciously intense.

I received this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sara Marquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m torn between The Collector and The Handler? At the moment I very much liked it better?

There are many twists in this story but it all comes together. Poor Evie is taken at a young age and will be auctioned off with other girls that were taken. But someone steals them from Igor.

Lucca, The Handler is tasked with finding the other girls taken. Evie was hidden and then found, Lucca will keep her for interrogation with hopes of finding the girls. But, as expected Lucca is developing feelings and the mystery that is Evie. They are drawn to each other and it’s getting harder for both to resist each other.

As Lucca gets closer to finding the girls he discovers Igor is behind the disappearance of the girls. Will Lucca find them in time? What will happen to the girls? Will Evie ever return home? Will her parents be alive?

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucca is known by many names, handler, assassin, Cleaner but detective is something he never claimed to be put since it is now part of his job, I guess you can call him that as well. When he is given a job to track down a missing shipment of 6 very valuable women, he finds himself totally enraptured by the one girl who wasn't taken. He senses that she is hiding important information that could help him find the missing women but she doesn't trust him and he can't seem to keep his hands off her. Can she bring herself to trust a man when all she has know since being kidnapped at age 6 is not to trust men. A dark mafia story just like I like them.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Opasan Ouprie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book two in this series called The Cells of Kalashov. I was thinking this story would be a bit more than what it was. It wasn't as dark as you would think. This story could have gone in a few directions, but this way was great. This guy that they sent to do the job has to add yet another title to his job description now. What is that on the papers when you start a new job? Any other thing that is asked of you, basically. But I did like how he could see right through her lies he was very good at reading her. With her being trained (Stockholm Syndrome) she isn't so trusting which is to be expected. Will she ever be able to trust him?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ellen Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story.
When 10yr old Evie tries to save a young girl in the sea the last thing she expected was to wake up terrified to find out she had been kidnapped & taken away from her family. Then 8yrs later Lucca is given the job by Igor of getting Evie to find the other 6 missing girls & giving them back to him to be sold but Lucca has trouble controlling his feelings for Evie.
This story has hot sexual tension, danger, sick evil mafia men, secrets, fear, forbidden feelings & hope, there was so much going on I couldn't put it down desperate to know if they saved the girls & what was in store for Evie & Lucca.
I loved this story

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patricia C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing and exhilarating!

This book centers around human trafficking and one girls fight to free the captive women. Evie was kidnapped while trying to rescue another girl. She was ten and enjoying a night swim when she saw the girl in distressed. The Handler (Lucca) was hired to find the girls who were stolen from the ship. Lucca was fascinated with Evie and decided to help her by rescuing the stolen women. He along with The Collector (Nicholai) rescued and sent them home to their families. Evie desire was to go home and see her parents and he made that happen because he loved her. Beautiful story and I recommend buying this book. Hats off to the author Vi Carter.

[Sylvie Rochon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love Vi Carter's take on mafia stories every book and situation is unique but there is always a suspenseful, dangerous, and steamy element that makes it interesting. Lucca is the handler in this Bratva. Which means he handles people, or assassinate them. Evie is the only witness to a kidnapping/murder of 6 traffiqued girls. Lucca is tasked with finding the girls, with the help of Evie. To be returned to his boss Igor. But things aren't what they seem and this quickly becomes something else, as is the relationship between Lucca and Evie.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Theresa Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

By saving a little girl like her Evie had been taken with her, now after 8 years she was ready along with the others to go to auction to be sold to a rich man who wanted an untouched virgin. When things go wrong the Handler is called, that's why Lucca is looking at Igor wondering why he has been called in to investigate, to take Evie and find out what happened to the girls and how she got away. Wow not what I was expecting, this has an edge and an angle that spins everything around, who to trust who to kill and that only part of it, yes yes yes give me more. I voluntarily reviewed this book.