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Santorno #1
The Medicine and the Mob
The Santorno Stories: Book One
Warning: This book contains homosexual relations, crude language and violence.
Stefan Sanders knows two things: He never wants to be like his father. He's going to die if someone doesn't remove the tumor in his head.
Stefan is the son of a notorious and ruthless mobster, which effectively scares off any doctor he'd let anywhere near his brain. Enter pompous, rude Jordan Youngblood, a gifted neurosurgeon who isn't afraid of anyone and loves a good challenge. The doctor is his own biggest fan, and lacks even a passable bedside manner - but if he get's the job done, who is Stefan to complain?
Jordan Youngblood knows one thing: He's never going to get close to a patient again. Ever. That rule works well until Damon Santorno walks into his office. Jordan's a genius, and it doesn't take one to figure out that Damon means business. His son is dying of a brain tumor and even with all his power and money, Damon can't save him. But Jordan can.
With a not-so-gentle nudge from the older Santorno, Jordan agrees to take on Stefan's case. He expects one more notch on his brilliant scalpel, not a dimpled patient who is completely sweet and impossible to avoid. Things get complicated as Jordan strives to save Stefan's life and his own heart.
They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Stefan and Jordan find that there really are plenty of shades of gray between black and white, right and wrong.
Warning: This book contains homosexual relations, crude language and violence.
Stefan Sanders knows two things: He never wants to be like his father. He's going to die if someone doesn't remove the tumor in his head.
Stefan is the son of a notorious and ruthless mobster, which effectively scares off any doctor he'd let anywhere near his brain. Enter pompous, rude Jordan Youngblood, a gifted neurosurgeon who isn't afraid of anyone and loves a good challenge. The doctor is his own biggest fan, and lacks even a passable bedside manner - but if he get's the job done, who is Stefan to complain?
Jordan Youngblood knows one thing: He's never going to get close to a patient again. Ever. That rule works well until Damon Santorno walks into his office. Jordan's a genius, and it doesn't take one to figure out that Damon means business. His son is dying of a brain tumor and even with all his power and money, Damon can't save him. But Jordan can.
With a not-so-gentle nudge from the older Santorno, Jordan agrees to take on Stefan's case. He expects one more notch on his brilliant scalpel, not a dimpled patient who is completely sweet and impossible to avoid. Things get complicated as Jordan strives to save Stefan's life and his own heart.
They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Stefan and Jordan find that there really are plenty of shades of gray between black and white, right and wrong.
217 pages, ebook
First published January 20, 2014
72 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
Sandrine Gasq-Dion
79 books1,345 followersI have been blessed in this life to not only have parents that support me, but kids that do as well. I grew up in a loving but "Old School" French household. My parents worked for the airlines (TWA) so I was able to see a lot of Europe as a kid. I moved to Seattle Washington at the age of 22 and stayed there for twelve years before moving to Alaska for a little over two. Fairbanks, AK was one hell of an experience and I wouldn't hesitate to go back! I spent a little over a year in South Carolina before moving back to Arizona. I then left for Kansas for five years and now reside in Arizona. I've been connected to the military in one way or another for over half my life and wouldn't change a thing about it. Writing has become my full time job and I've never been so happy doing a job I love and being able to do it in my jammies. I plan on writing until I dry up and die. Hopefully, that won't happen soon!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
January 29, 2014
**2.5 Meh Stars**
To say I'm disappointed in this book...would be an understatement. I think, having read all the Assassin/Shifter series and loving them, put my standards high for this book.
The problem, you ask?? Cramping a life time worth of a story into 217 pages, to me...is a BIG no, no!! Seriously people, It was just too much happening...all conveniently shoved into little scenes, with spaces between them...like I wouldn't notice that scene was literally a paragraph!
Add in some short, cut off, extremely 'vague' sex scenes...and you've got yourself one boring read. Usually that doesn't bother me...that being the intimacy going into detail, but in this case it felt too rushed...and I seriously needed some smexy scenes to slow things down.
I just couldn't love this book, or feel any sort of connection or compassion towards the characters. I think I didn't have enough time to really get to know them. It felt like I was watching all the could parts to a movie, and skipping what comes in between.
I really wish I could say anything positive, other than me being a softy for HEA and bits and pieces here and there, that actually made me smile.
Sorry for the negative mates...but I'm actually being positive by being honest. I won't be judging this series or the connected ones, based on this book (and hope you don't either), so I'm definitely continuing on...and hope you guys try Sandrine Gasq-Dion's other books out xx
To say I'm disappointed in this book...would be an understatement. I think, having read all the Assassin/Shifter series and loving them, put my standards high for this book.
The problem, you ask?? Cramping a life time worth of a story into 217 pages, to me...is a BIG no, no!! Seriously people, It was just too much happening...all conveniently shoved into little scenes, with spaces between them...like I wouldn't notice that scene was literally a paragraph!
Add in some short, cut off, extremely 'vague' sex scenes...and you've got yourself one boring read. Usually that doesn't bother me...that being the intimacy going into detail, but in this case it felt too rushed...and I seriously needed some smexy scenes to slow things down.
I just couldn't love this book, or feel any sort of connection or compassion towards the characters. I think I didn't have enough time to really get to know them. It felt like I was watching all the could parts to a movie, and skipping what comes in between.
I really wish I could say anything positive, other than me being a softy for HEA and bits and pieces here and there, that actually made me smile.
Sorry for the negative mates...but I'm actually being positive by being honest. I won't be judging this series or the connected ones, based on this book (and hope you don't either), so I'm definitely continuing on...and hope you guys try Sandrine Gasq-Dion's other books out xx
June 30, 2015
This was so not what I'm used to from this author. Choppy writing, poor characterization, and a lackluster plot put this one on my "books I wish I hadn't read" list. It's a bummer.
July 29, 2016
Things I liked:
-more of the Santorno- Youngblood family and how it all came together from what we've seen in other related books
-I liked Jordan and Stefan.
-I liked the side characters
What I didn't like:
- the editing. the head hopping kills me. I will not lie and say I haven't read multiple books in this series, and I will continue to read them, but sweet baby jebus. You will be reading a scene from one charachter's POV and then boom for three lines it'll be the other character and then right back into the original POV. It gives me a headache.
-So long and drawn out. I liked that we got a lot of details, but this spanned forever and a day. Made it drag on...
-This book felt a little bit like one of her earlier books... not as well written for me.
Will I read her again, yes because these books are like crack and I can't stop, just didn't enjoy this one as much as some of her others.
-more of the Santorno- Youngblood family and how it all came together from what we've seen in other related books
-I liked Jordan and Stefan.
-I liked the side characters
What I didn't like:
- the editing. the head hopping kills me. I will not lie and say I haven't read multiple books in this series, and I will continue to read them, but sweet baby jebus. You will be reading a scene from one charachter's POV and then boom for three lines it'll be the other character and then right back into the original POV. It gives me a headache.
-So long and drawn out. I liked that we got a lot of details, but this spanned forever and a day. Made it drag on...
-This book felt a little bit like one of her earlier books... not as well written for me.
Will I read her again, yes because these books are like crack and I can't stop, just didn't enjoy this one as much as some of her others.
January 26, 2014
Waiting for other reviews on this...I'm pretty sure these guys are in the assassin/shifter books. So was wondering if I needed to finish that whole series to understand who is who?
ETA - 2.5 stars. Enjoyed the beginning, but kinda lost me with waaaay too much plot going on without a pause. (come on, living together, kids, kids growing up all with barely a chapter between them)
Plus I feel like there's just too many secondary characters.
Still not a bad read, but not my favorite by this author.
ETA - 2.5 stars. Enjoyed the beginning, but kinda lost me with waaaay too much plot going on without a pause. (come on, living together, kids, kids growing up all with barely a chapter between them)
Plus I feel like there's just too many secondary characters.
Still not a bad read, but not my favorite by this author.
January 23, 2014
I always wanted to read 'the assassin/shifter' series, and having read this I want to read them even more. A cute and intense read.
3.5stars.
March 19, 2014
When you read a book that has the mob not only as a part of the storyline, but as a part of the title, you have a certain expectation. I expected a little dark, a little twisted, a little violent, maybe even shocking. What I got was fluffy bunnies, rainbows, and unicorns with a very small side of minor, understandable shootings. I feel a little bit like this was bait and switch. I found the dialogue to be a little cliché and at times just cheesy. It also switched POV's very abruptly and without warning which made it hard to follow. I really don't like giving less than 3 stars, but by the end I was completely disengaged. 2.5 disappointed stars
June 19, 2014
This was a really interesting book for me to try to review and rate. As a study in seeing how far an author’s come I find it fascinating, especially having spoken with Sandy about it and knowing how this story came about. It’s very easy to see where her influence came from and it’s very obvious that this was her first book. I am amused that it started out as fan fic for a soap opera. I think a lot of people are mistaken since this book came out so much later in her publishing life, that they don’t realize this was actually the first thing she ever wrote. It was originally written as an online serial and only years later actually published. Because of that I have a little more patience with it than some I think. I enjoy seeing how Jordan and Stefan came together.
Dr. Jordan Youngblood is a board certified genius…well when you have a double certification in oncology and neurosurgery the label of genius only seems fair. After losing a young patient he’d let into his heart Jordan was determined to be nothing less than the best and to not let anyone into his heart again. So far he’s being doing quite well at his goals. He’s a world renowned surgeon know for taking the cases that all other doctors have given up on. When mob boss Damon Santorno walks into his office he refuses to be intimidated by the reputation of the man. His only concern is his patient, not the estranged father who wants to hire him. He’ll take the case, he didn’t expect the sight of a pair of luscious lips and a sweet soul to shake his rock solid foundation.
Stefan Sanders, or Stefano Santorno to his biological father, has been told there’s really nothing that can be done for him. The doctors are too scared of his father to be very aggressive with his tumor and the current treatment certainly isn’t working. When a new doctor arrives and dismisses his current doctors as imbeciles Stefan is intrigued. The stern visage before him is one Stefan is determined to crack. He’s sure there’s more to this young doctor than meets the eye and he’s determined to get him to smile.
At the end of the day I liked the characters here even if I didn’t feel the usual polish to this story. This sketches along the outline of the story and gives you all the pieces, but never really sucked me in deep. Of course there’s plenty of holy crap that happened moments with gun shots and over the top action going on. Still I liked that Stefan wanted to break Jordan out of his shell and see him smile. I enjoyed Jordan loosening up some and becoming a little more human and less of a machine.
There’s a lot of head switching in this story and it’s not the smoothest story telling, but I think a lot of that is due to the early nature of the writing. There’s a melodramatic feel to the desperation between these two and a bit unrealistic cross continent connection between them. I really enjoyed all the secondary characters if it did take me few minutes to work out who they all were. There are a lot of characters in this story, and having read the Assassin/Shifter series I know a lot of them are continuing players down through the years. It does make things both easier and more complicated as you know you’ve heard of someone before and know that they matter, but then you’re picking your brain to decide where they fit in in the future.
I enjoyed this book as it continues to flesh out the world I know and love so well, but it’s not my favorite by any means. Of course the ending rushes through years and years of being together in an epilogue that throws out a bunch of information, even though a lot of it is already know to those of us familiar with this world. This is kind of a throw in the kitchen sink sort of story, . It has everything in it, almost like a checklist, but without the emotional depth and heart felt conversations and connections to elevate it out of the level of fun and into something more.
I enjoyed reading this for the sake of my knowledge of the series and my love of Sandy’s books. I forgive a lot knowing this isn’t really a new book, but is instead a return to what got her started in the first place. I’ll keep reading any future books in the series so that I can fill in all my gaps, but Assassin/Shifters will probably always come first in my estimation. :D
Dr. Jordan Youngblood is a board certified genius…well when you have a double certification in oncology and neurosurgery the label of genius only seems fair. After losing a young patient he’d let into his heart Jordan was determined to be nothing less than the best and to not let anyone into his heart again. So far he’s being doing quite well at his goals. He’s a world renowned surgeon know for taking the cases that all other doctors have given up on. When mob boss Damon Santorno walks into his office he refuses to be intimidated by the reputation of the man. His only concern is his patient, not the estranged father who wants to hire him. He’ll take the case, he didn’t expect the sight of a pair of luscious lips and a sweet soul to shake his rock solid foundation.
Stefan Sanders, or Stefano Santorno to his biological father, has been told there’s really nothing that can be done for him. The doctors are too scared of his father to be very aggressive with his tumor and the current treatment certainly isn’t working. When a new doctor arrives and dismisses his current doctors as imbeciles Stefan is intrigued. The stern visage before him is one Stefan is determined to crack. He’s sure there’s more to this young doctor than meets the eye and he’s determined to get him to smile.
At the end of the day I liked the characters here even if I didn’t feel the usual polish to this story. This sketches along the outline of the story and gives you all the pieces, but never really sucked me in deep. Of course there’s plenty of holy crap that happened moments with gun shots and over the top action going on. Still I liked that Stefan wanted to break Jordan out of his shell and see him smile. I enjoyed Jordan loosening up some and becoming a little more human and less of a machine.
There’s a lot of head switching in this story and it’s not the smoothest story telling, but I think a lot of that is due to the early nature of the writing. There’s a melodramatic feel to the desperation between these two and a bit unrealistic cross continent connection between them. I really enjoyed all the secondary characters if it did take me few minutes to work out who they all were. There are a lot of characters in this story, and having read the Assassin/Shifter series I know a lot of them are continuing players down through the years. It does make things both easier and more complicated as you know you’ve heard of someone before and know that they matter, but then you’re picking your brain to decide where they fit in in the future.
I enjoyed this book as it continues to flesh out the world I know and love so well, but it’s not my favorite by any means. Of course the ending rushes through years and years of being together in an epilogue that throws out a bunch of information, even though a lot of it is already know to those of us familiar with this world. This is kind of a throw in the kitchen sink sort of story, . It has everything in it, almost like a checklist, but without the emotional depth and heart felt conversations and connections to elevate it out of the level of fun and into something more.
I enjoyed reading this for the sake of my knowledge of the series and my love of Sandy’s books. I forgive a lot knowing this isn’t really a new book, but is instead a return to what got her started in the first place. I’ll keep reading any future books in the series so that I can fill in all my gaps, but Assassin/Shifters will probably always come first in my estimation. :D
February 19, 2014
Well, finally some original story during this period of the assassins-shifters world.(^_^;)>
and backed to mortal guys (laugh).
This book is about the -how come- of Stefan Santorno & Jordan Youngblood.
The story is good and all characters are great.
You may feel..wow..what a fast pace!! (cause I did too) but you will got the answer why at the end.
I'm happy to be able to access to almost of the main events in this couple life.
However, I felt the seams during the events were not that smooth.
Also the way they are too easy to jump at the conclusion..given the status and the career of them, they should be better in analysis. And even I finished the book I still cannot feel how Stefan become the 'notorious' head of the Italian Mob (laugh). May be some more stories are needed...(^_^;)
and that's the reason I gave it 4 stars.
PS: After finished the book, why did my favourite character become Demon???? (laugh)
and backed to mortal guys (laugh).
This book is about the -how come- of Stefan Santorno & Jordan Youngblood.
The story is good and all characters are great.
You may feel..wow..what a fast pace!! (cause I did too) but you will got the answer why at the end.
I'm happy to be able to access to almost of the main events in this couple life.
However, I felt the seams during the events were not that smooth.
Also the way they are too easy to jump at the conclusion..given the status and the career of them, they should be better in analysis. And even I finished the book I still cannot feel how Stefan become the 'notorious' head of the Italian Mob (laugh). May be some more stories are needed...(^_^;)
and that's the reason I gave it 4 stars.
PS: After finished the book, why did my favourite character become Demon???? (laugh)
July 22, 2016
All the tropes I don't like in books: insta-love, sickly sweet fluff, angst-no angst, more fluff, love all around, more fluff,all while there is nonstop non-action with a thousand bland secondary characters. And FLUFF.
July 5, 2015
I really feel bad giving this a two star rating but it truly is just an ok read for me. I liked the characters but other than the opening scene with Charlie my emotions were never touched.
July 16, 2014
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
This is something a bit different from Sandrine.
Stefan Saunders is the estranged son of the notorious mob leader Damon Santorno. He has spent his life making sure he behaves nothing like his father but that life now seems to be coming to an end. He has an aggressive brain tumour and the doctors have all but given up hope, mainly in fear of what may happen if their patient was to die on the operating table. Damon Santorno, they all presume, would be quick and vicious to act.
Jordan Youngblood has an ego the size of a small house but it is not undeserved. He is brave where other surgeons show fear and he has made it a life mission to be the very best. No surprise then, when a desperate Damon asks him to take on his son as a patient in a last ditch attempt to save his life. The ‘request’ is more of a demand but Jordan is intrigued more than fearful.
Jordan is immediately taken by Stefan but keeps his mask on and presents himself with his usual cold humour. He gives new meaning to the word aloof but Stefan is not easily deterred. Stefan of course makes a full recovery and the two men form a friendship of sorts.
Jordan lives in fear of losing people he cares about so his mantra is to not start caring. Stefan chases him pretty hard once his health has recovered and although Jordan is equally attracted he makes things difficult with his hot and cold attitude. There is quite a bit of starting and stopping with their relationship until Jordan has to face the fact that he may have fallen in love.
With a deranged parent of a lost patient and old family feuds their life is never dull and quite often extremely dangerous. It seems like they just get over one crisis when another one pops up and they are thrown back into mayhem. Stefan fears becoming like his father whilst Jordan fears losing Stefan. I thought this book may have had a darker story line with the mob involved but it is more a story covering their lives and a sweet, sometimes infuriating, love story.
This is something a bit different from Sandrine.
Stefan Saunders is the estranged son of the notorious mob leader Damon Santorno. He has spent his life making sure he behaves nothing like his father but that life now seems to be coming to an end. He has an aggressive brain tumour and the doctors have all but given up hope, mainly in fear of what may happen if their patient was to die on the operating table. Damon Santorno, they all presume, would be quick and vicious to act.
Jordan Youngblood has an ego the size of a small house but it is not undeserved. He is brave where other surgeons show fear and he has made it a life mission to be the very best. No surprise then, when a desperate Damon asks him to take on his son as a patient in a last ditch attempt to save his life. The ‘request’ is more of a demand but Jordan is intrigued more than fearful.
Jordan is immediately taken by Stefan but keeps his mask on and presents himself with his usual cold humour. He gives new meaning to the word aloof but Stefan is not easily deterred. Stefan of course makes a full recovery and the two men form a friendship of sorts.
Jordan lives in fear of losing people he cares about so his mantra is to not start caring. Stefan chases him pretty hard once his health has recovered and although Jordan is equally attracted he makes things difficult with his hot and cold attitude. There is quite a bit of starting and stopping with their relationship until Jordan has to face the fact that he may have fallen in love.
With a deranged parent of a lost patient and old family feuds their life is never dull and quite often extremely dangerous. It seems like they just get over one crisis when another one pops up and they are thrown back into mayhem. Stefan fears becoming like his father whilst Jordan fears losing Stefan. I thought this book may have had a darker story line with the mob involved but it is more a story covering their lives and a sweet, sometimes infuriating, love story.
August 9, 2016
Love Jordan and Stefan
I read this book a while back and forgot just how much I adored these two guys. This one revolved around two characters that you'd never in a million years consider as a couple.
Dr. Jordan Youngblood is a brilliant neuro-surgeon summoned by mob boss, Damon Santorno, to save his estranged son, Stefano. Jordan Youngblood is the next Dr. Gregory House—cynical, obnoxious, sarcastic, and brilliant. While he's got Stefan(o) in his care, these two fall hard. This story is so much more than your average romance. From Sicily to Fort Worth, Texas, the two of them are caught up in one adventure after another as they take on a mob kidnapping, a couple of gunshot wounds, rekindling family ties, and covering each other's asses (literally) , all the while finding humor, love, lust, and a future filled with more than they could ask for. This book positively has it all. You know 'that' book? The one you don't want to put down? Yeah, this is it. I highly recommend this one—absolutely a five star read for me.
I read this book a while back and forgot just how much I adored these two guys. This one revolved around two characters that you'd never in a million years consider as a couple.
Dr. Jordan Youngblood is a brilliant neuro-surgeon summoned by mob boss, Damon Santorno, to save his estranged son, Stefano. Jordan Youngblood is the next Dr. Gregory House—cynical, obnoxious, sarcastic, and brilliant. While he's got Stefan(o) in his care, these two fall hard. This story is so much more than your average romance. From Sicily to Fort Worth, Texas, the two of them are caught up in one adventure after another as they take on a mob kidnapping, a couple of gunshot wounds, rekindling family ties, and covering each other's asses (literally) , all the while finding humor, love, lust, and a future filled with more than they could ask for. This book positively has it all. You know 'that' book? The one you don't want to put down? Yeah, this is it. I highly recommend this one—absolutely a five star read for me.
January 29, 2014
DNF @ pg. 160. I struggled with this book. The saying "trainwreck" fits here because I didn't want to keep reading but I didn't want to give up either.The dialog and POV change multiple times in each paragraph, making it nearly impossible to understand who is saying what.
I liked the characters in this book, and the premise could have made it a great read but unfortunately that is not the case here. I felt like this story was all over the place. The author tried to pack too many story lines into one novel. The "mob" aspect is touched on in the beginning and then really doesn't come back into play until the last 3rd. I don't feel like the blurb really encompasses what the book is about since it really isn't a main focus in the story.
I did honestly enjoy the characters, so I plan to give this author another try. Maybe this book did not work as well as some of the others.
I liked the characters in this book, and the premise could have made it a great read but unfortunately that is not the case here. I felt like this story was all over the place. The author tried to pack too many story lines into one novel. The "mob" aspect is touched on in the beginning and then really doesn't come back into play until the last 3rd. I don't feel like the blurb really encompasses what the book is about since it really isn't a main focus in the story.
I did honestly enjoy the characters, so I plan to give this author another try. Maybe this book did not work as well as some of the others.
February 8, 2014
Once again author Sandrine Gasq-Dion has hit a home run with this new series. Best known for her award winning Assassin/Shifter series, this story of the begging of the Santorno family only adds to enrich and deepen the readers enjoyment of her other body of works; but at the same time having more than enough legs to stand on it's own.
The tender, evolving love story between Jordon Youngblood and Stefan Santorno is one that is rich with emotions, filled with adventure and packed with enough romance to appel to a wide variety of readers. The way that Ms. Gasq-Dion builds the story and all the while keeping control of the worlds she weaves is amazing!
It doesn't matter if you have read her other series or if you have just discovered this amazing author you will enjoy this verbal ride with all the ups, downs and roller-coaster of emotions, and by the end be squelling to go again.
The tender, evolving love story between Jordon Youngblood and Stefan Santorno is one that is rich with emotions, filled with adventure and packed with enough romance to appel to a wide variety of readers. The way that Ms. Gasq-Dion builds the story and all the while keeping control of the worlds she weaves is amazing!
It doesn't matter if you have read her other series or if you have just discovered this amazing author you will enjoy this verbal ride with all the ups, downs and roller-coaster of emotions, and by the end be squelling to go again.
October 6, 2014
This book was so below what I expected, it's staggering. It had a high enough rating that I expected at least some writing standards, but if I didn't know better, I'd have thought this was someone's first attempt at writing. The POV hopping was sudden enough and frequent enough to give me literary whiplash, and on its own would have been enough for me to rank this very low.
But on top of that, the whole thing was written as if a fictional fast-forward button was being pressed. No time was taken to draw in tension or allow for emotional reaction. It made it impossible have any type of response since we moved on so quickly that I wasn't able to process what had just happened. No need to skim; the writer did it for you.
But on top of that, the whole thing was written as if a fictional fast-forward button was being pressed. No time was taken to draw in tension or allow for emotional reaction. It made it impossible have any type of response since we moved on so quickly that I wasn't able to process what had just happened. No need to skim; the writer did it for you.
January 24, 2014
I really like the Assassin/Shifter series. This is a spinoff of that. I wanted to love it, but it was just ok. It didn't flow like the other books and I felt like it could have been half as long as it was. I like that I have some background info on characters that have been mentioned in the A/S series. I will continue to read the A/S and 12 Olympians series. But I'll probably skip this one.
February 1, 2015
I know going in what kind of book I'm getting and this one wasn't one of my favorites. It seemed a bit too over the top mushy with too many things going on for just one book. Brain tumors, shootings, kidnappings, mob retaliations...enough for 3 books! That's not to say I didn't enjoy it because I did, just not as much as some of her other books.
January 18, 2015
The low rating is because I think I was expecting more action and more connections to "The Mob".
It was the story of how Dr Youngblood met Damon Santorno's son Stefan and the love that developed between them. The focus is more on the men's relationship than any events involving them. The Mob connection is there but is was in the background.
It was the story of how Dr Youngblood met Damon Santorno's son Stefan and the love that developed between them. The focus is more on the men's relationship than any events involving them. The Mob connection is there but is was in the background.
July 1, 2015
Does anyone else think this sounds like the plotline from As the World Turns (Reed and Luke)? I love me soap opera fic...but jerky doctors were never my thing. Will wait for further reviews.
November 16, 2025
• 04/08/15 (read)
• 01/04/16 (read)
• 08/11/25 (read)
___________________________
Stefano Santorno
Jordan Youngblood
• 01/04/16 (read)
• 08/11/25 (read)
___________________________
Stefano Santorno
Jordan Youngblood
October 28, 2017
This was painful
The writing style takes some getting used to but it was so emotionless that I was not able to finish it. Everything happened way way to quickly and while skimming the rest of the book I found that it didn't get any better. This read like one big joke.
Props to the author for trying though. The idea behind this series is good. It just needs a really good editor and trustworthy beta readers.
The writing style takes some getting used to but it was so emotionless that I was not able to finish it. Everything happened way way to quickly and while skimming the rest of the book I found that it didn't get any better. This read like one big joke.
Props to the author for trying though. The idea behind this series is good. It just needs a really good editor and trustworthy beta readers.
November 7, 2016
It's okay. Knowing that it was the author's first book, even though it was published later, and that it's loosely based on the soap As The World Turns, goes a long way to explaining that.
It's the introduction to the Santorno mob readers of the assassin shifter series have come to know but it's all a bit too twee and has huge time jumps to be a good read.
It's the introduction to the Santorno mob readers of the assassin shifter series have come to know but it's all a bit too twee and has huge time jumps to be a good read.
August 4, 2017
Brilliant
Hated it at the hospital after the bridge. Love it when they were caught in lovers lane. This book collection make you laugh out loud. Cry a river of tears. Breaks your heart and mends it all in one. And I haven't even finished the book yet DAM its sooooo good. A must read.
Hated it at the hospital after the bridge. Love it when they were caught in lovers lane. This book collection make you laugh out loud. Cry a river of tears. Breaks your heart and mends it all in one. And I haven't even finished the book yet DAM its sooooo good. A must read.
January 30, 2020
I loved it
I have read all of this author Santorno books and I was so waiting for a book where Nik and Colin would be married. I had waited and then it dawned on me it had been two years since the last book I had read. It broke my heart when I read that this author has passed away because she had so many more books in the Youngblood-santorno stories to write.
I have read all of this author Santorno books and I was so waiting for a book where Nik and Colin would be married. I had waited and then it dawned on me it had been two years since the last book I had read. It broke my heart when I read that this author has passed away because she had so many more books in the Youngblood-santorno stories to write.
February 14, 2020
Realmente no recuerdo cuándo empecé a leer este libro, lo que sí sé es que no me gustó.
Nunca pude acabarlo.
Lo lamento, pero no me sentí apeada a ningún personaje, el epílogo fue más largo que toda la historia principal.
Realmente es un no-no para mí.
Nunca pude acabarlo.
Lo lamento, pero no me sentí apeada a ningún personaje, el epílogo fue más largo que toda la historia principal.
Realmente es un no-no para mí.
July 12, 2017
Awesome start to the series. Fell in love with these two and can't wait to see what they do next.
November 30, 2019
Awesome!!
Loved this author. May she Rest In Peace. Rereading both series. Can’t get enough. Off to the next book. Yum!
Loved this author. May she Rest In Peace. Rereading both series. Can’t get enough. Off to the next book. Yum!
January 19, 2020
Santorno stories 1
The start of a great series sees Dr Jordan Youngblood tasked by a mobster to save his estranged son from a brain tumour
The start of a great series sees Dr Jordan Youngblood tasked by a mobster to save his estranged son from a brain tumour
December 10, 2020
I loved this book as I do all of her series
July 4, 2017
Going into this read, I had no background information surrounding the story and how it came to be written. This was a story written early in the author’s career and released later on, which explains a lot. I might consider a re-read if this was to be re-done and polished up. The basis of the story seemed a fairly solid one, plus, I’m partial to gang related action. As it stands, there were too many inconsistencies, plot holes, and typos. It was an ok read; I wasn’t a fan of most of it but there were certainly parts I loved.
Re Stefan and Jordan, I just couldn’t get a good read on them. There were moments when I thought I knew them but then they would say or do something that digressed from the image I have of them in my head.
Re Morgan, I don’t understand his connection with Stefan. His character is neither here nor there. His infatuation with Stefan seemed pointless to the plot and/or characterisation. Also, if he was suppose to mean so much to Stefan, their friendship/relationship should have been characterised earlier on in the story. Instead, for the majority of the book, I got the impression that Stefan neither thought that much of him nor cared.
I felt like I didn’t really know the characters at all; it was very much akin to Jordan forgetting names.
The pace of the story was all over the place, at times it slowed so much as it was bogged down with detail. Other times, things escalated too quickly or the moment was fleeting. Halfway into the read I considered DNF’g but soldiered on. I was told the later installations are an improvement. Luckily, the last third of the book was a vast improvement to the rest.
Reads like a serial (makes sense, since it originally was written as such) and I think it should have been marketed as such or as a volume that consisted of shorts rather than a novel. Consequently, it was like reading in fast forward, which got tiresome and left me feeling detached from the story and the characters.
Re Stefan and Jordan, I just couldn’t get a good read on them. There were moments when I thought I knew them but then they would say or do something that digressed from the image I have of them in my head.
Re Morgan, I don’t understand his connection with Stefan. His character is neither here nor there. His infatuation with Stefan seemed pointless to the plot and/or characterisation. Also, if he was suppose to mean so much to Stefan, their friendship/relationship should have been characterised earlier on in the story. Instead, for the majority of the book, I got the impression that Stefan neither thought that much of him nor cared.
I felt like I didn’t really know the characters at all; it was very much akin to Jordan forgetting names.
The pace of the story was all over the place, at times it slowed so much as it was bogged down with detail. Other times, things escalated too quickly or the moment was fleeting. Halfway into the read I considered DNF’g but soldiered on. I was told the later installations are an improvement. Luckily, the last third of the book was a vast improvement to the rest.
Reads like a serial (makes sense, since it originally was written as such) and I think it should have been marketed as such or as a volume that consisted of shorts rather than a novel. Consequently, it was like reading in fast forward, which got tiresome and left me feeling detached from the story and the characters.
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