What do you think?
Rate this book
Smoke #6
Whiskey Smoke
Wealth, power, and privilege have always been a part of Levi Shephard’s life. However, it comes at a price. The darkness that surrounds being born into a family of organized crime has always kept him at a distance when it came to relationships. He only hooked up with women who understood the game and played along.
Born with a heart defect, Aspen Chance has been sheltered and raised by her religious grandmother. When her grandmother passes away, Aspen is left with no family- except her older sister who her grandmother had believed was headed straight for Hell.
Deep down Aspen hopes to reconnect with her sister while also being given the chance to experience more of life. Leaving the only home, she’d ever known behind she moves to Ocala, Florida to live with her sister. It doesn’t take her long to realize her sister was going to shelter her even more than her grandmother had.
One of the strippers that Levi enjoys occasional hook ups with is killed one night while a fight breaks out in the club. He might not have been able to prevent her death but he could save her younger sister. Aspen was everything her sister had young, naïve, and sheltered. When he realizes she’s also not well and has no one to protect her- he takes on the role.
What he swore was only a friendship in which he would make sure Aspen had everything she needed- he hadn’t expected her to end up sleeping in his bed due to her night terrors, or trusting him when it came to her health care and he sure as hell hadn’t been prepared when she wanted to experience pleasure. Meeting her needs takes on a whole new twisted meaning that he fears could destroy them both.
Born with a heart defect, Aspen Chance has been sheltered and raised by her religious grandmother. When her grandmother passes away, Aspen is left with no family- except her older sister who her grandmother had believed was headed straight for Hell.
Deep down Aspen hopes to reconnect with her sister while also being given the chance to experience more of life. Leaving the only home, she’d ever known behind she moves to Ocala, Florida to live with her sister. It doesn’t take her long to realize her sister was going to shelter her even more than her grandmother had.
One of the strippers that Levi enjoys occasional hook ups with is killed one night while a fight breaks out in the club. He might not have been able to prevent her death but he could save her younger sister. Aspen was everything her sister had young, naïve, and sheltered. When he realizes she’s also not well and has no one to protect her- he takes on the role.
What he swore was only a friendship in which he would make sure Aspen had everything she needed- he hadn’t expected her to end up sleeping in his bed due to her night terrors, or trusting him when it came to her health care and he sure as hell hadn’t been prepared when she wanted to experience pleasure. Meeting her needs takes on a whole new twisted meaning that he fears could destroy them both.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 24, 2023
307 people are currently reading
761 people want to read
About the author
Abbi Glines
121 books86.4k followersAbbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Smoke, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but she now lives in New England and that's as close as it is going to get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, watching Netflix and all the introverted stuff.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
August 24, 2023
I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK!! How does a series keep getting better and better??!! Abbi Glines does it again! Bad boy Levi falling for Virgin Aspen. I felt every emotion reading this book. I smiled, I cried , I was surprised. The spicy scenes were absolutely sexy as sin. I am VERY picky about reading spice .. Abbi wrote these scenes perfectly! Yes ... I have bookmarked these scenes so I can read them over and over again lol. Thank you Abbi for writing this book. It doesn't matter that I didn't cook.dinner for my family, or run my errands, or clean the house today. Nope .... I sat for HOURS on my couch and finished this book. I'm READY for the next one. THIS IS A FIVE STAR MUST READ WITH SUPER SPICE. You won't regret it. Now go read it. You will thank me later. •PS this my first ever review •
October 4, 2023
👵I’m old. This h doesn’t even know about Dawson’s Creek. 👵
😆🙌“Have you, uh … I mean, you have slept with her before.” His knuckles went back down my arm. “No, sweetheart, we never slept.”
For the lovers of ow drama, this book’s for you.
NB to the Safety Gang:
Okay, I like him again.
Her impact on his life is like nothing he’s experienced before.
He has no idea how to deal with all these new feelings.
He’s questioning his own sanity.
The man is obsessed and possessed to the point where he doesn’t even want her working:
“Aspen had wanted to work at the hospital, and I had made it happen even though I didn’t want to share her. Now, she’d worked one fucking day, and there is already some shit looking at her.”
Then, at the turning point, another
I struggle with the OTT dialogue.
It feels unnatural and forced in certain places so that takes away from my enjoyment of their story. The intimate scenes are particularly grating because his verbal reactions to the ow during sex is the same as when he’s with the h.
And the CAPITAL letters and the exclamation marks!
I cringe thinking how this is going to translate to audio.
“In this life, we will live every damn day to the fullest. You’ll be worshipped until the day they put me in the ground.”
He really means that.
He gives her the world; makes all her dreams come true.
Unfortunately, we’re left with unresolved issues about their future in terms of her health and planning a family. I would’ve liked an epilogue many years into the future.
NTS:
a) Neaten review
b) You’re never too old to learn. Yep, mafia bikers are a thing
😆🙌“Have you, uh … I mean, you have slept with her before.” His knuckles went back down my arm. “No, sweetheart, we never slept.”
For the lovers of ow drama, this book’s for you.
NB to the Safety Gang:
Okay, I like him again.
Her impact on his life is like nothing he’s experienced before.
He has no idea how to deal with all these new feelings.
He’s questioning his own sanity.
The man is obsessed and possessed to the point where he doesn’t even want her working:
“Aspen had wanted to work at the hospital, and I had made it happen even though I didn’t want to share her. Now, she’d worked one fucking day, and there is already some shit looking at her.”
Then, at the turning point, another
I struggle with the OTT dialogue.
It feels unnatural and forced in certain places so that takes away from my enjoyment of their story. The intimate scenes are particularly grating because his verbal reactions to the ow during sex is the same as when he’s with the h.
And the CAPITAL letters and the exclamation marks!
I cringe thinking how this is going to translate to audio.
“In this life, we will live every damn day to the fullest. You’ll be worshipped until the day they put me in the ground.”
He really means that.
He gives her the world; makes all her dreams come true.
Unfortunately, we’re left with unresolved issues about their future in terms of her health and planning a family. I would’ve liked an epilogue many years into the future.
NTS:
a) Neaten review
b) You’re never too old to learn. Yep, mafia bikers are a thing
August 27, 2023
Apart from Trevs book, I'm so sick of these women forgiving these manwhores so easily. Also, there was not really any real connection. Just a lot of toxic behavior that they call love.🙄🙄 And they say that Gages relationship was toxic. Blaise, huck and Levi are the worst partners ever.
August 24, 2023
When these southern mafia boys fall it’s like a ton of bricks!! Possessive , alpha , and kinky as heck.Half the time you want to punch them.
Trinity grinned. “Because they’re all alike. Possessive, twisted, controlling, and we love them.”
Aspen is young and indecent. Someone you want to protect. She’s been sheltered her whole life.
She was vulnerable, and I didn’t want her to confuse my actions for anything more than my wanting to protect her.
Levi is a hardcore bachelor. Absolutely no relationship for him ever. Aspen brings out his possessive side.
Her hands fisted my shirt, and she inhaled deeply, as if she liked smelling me. “Whiskey smoke,” she murmured, then sighed as she drifted off to sleep again.
There road to HEA is filled with ups and downs that will drive you crazy but in the end it’s all worth it.
She needed someone. Those beautiful, sad eyes of hers haunted me.
This series has hooked me so hard I can’t wait for the next book which is Saxon by the way. Finally!!
Trinity grinned. “Because they’re all alike. Possessive, twisted, controlling, and we love them.”
Aspen is young and indecent. Someone you want to protect. She’s been sheltered her whole life.
She was vulnerable, and I didn’t want her to confuse my actions for anything more than my wanting to protect her.
Levi is a hardcore bachelor. Absolutely no relationship for him ever. Aspen brings out his possessive side.
Her hands fisted my shirt, and she inhaled deeply, as if she liked smelling me. “Whiskey smoke,” she murmured, then sighed as she drifted off to sleep again.
There road to HEA is filled with ups and downs that will drive you crazy but in the end it’s all worth it.
She needed someone. Those beautiful, sad eyes of hers haunted me.
This series has hooked me so hard I can’t wait for the next book which is Saxon by the way. Finally!!
December 4, 2025
So far this one is the bad apple in this series.
I'll be short and say that until almost 70% of the book, the "supposedly" MMC was having daily sex with random girls, and we got every single detail in page, while already fooling around and being possessive of the doormat MMF.
I mean... they were sleeping in the same bed, and the poor virgin church girl was having the big O's from the God like manwhore 🙄.
After he had sex, a blowjob (that the poor doormat caught at the end of the act... literally) and a group meal with his fuck buddie and all the gang at the shop, that he realized that he messed up.
Did he grovel, you will ask?
No!
He just said that he couldn't sleep without her, and took her back to his room. Merely a couple of hours after his fuck fest with another woman.
I was done after that, and it was impossible to like anything.
I'm still trying to understand where all the good reviews came from.
Levi was a pig!
I'll be short and say that until almost 70% of the book, the "supposedly" MMC was having daily sex with random girls, and we got every single detail in page, while already fooling around and being possessive of the doormat MMF.
I mean... they were sleeping in the same bed, and the poor virgin church girl was having the big O's from the God like manwhore 🙄.
After he had sex, a blowjob (that the poor doormat caught at the end of the act... literally) and a group meal with his fuck buddie and all the gang at the shop, that he realized that he messed up.
Did he grovel, you will ask?
No!
He just said that he couldn't sleep without her, and took her back to his room. Merely a couple of hours after his fuck fest with another woman.
I was done after that, and it was impossible to like anything.
I'm still trying to understand where all the good reviews came from.
Levi was a pig!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2025
4.25⭐️
December 5, 2024
I couldn’t wait to read Levi’s story and I loved it
Read
August 25, 2023This is the first AG book I’ve read and I am thoroughly disappointed. I don’t like to rate 1 star so this on whose unrated.
Dear author, why? Just why? We have 2023 and I STILL have to read this crap?
The young, beautiful and innocent h who (not so secretly) pines after the H, all the while of course getting ZERO action while the Hero boinks everything that moves while lusting after the h. Of course she even has to witness a few hook ups of his…very nice. Is this really a female author?
Dear romance authors, please do better!
Dear author, why? Just why? We have 2023 and I STILL have to read this crap?
The young, beautiful and innocent h who (not so secretly) pines after the H, all the while of course getting ZERO action while the Hero boinks everything that moves while lusting after the h. Of course she even has to witness a few hook ups of his…very nice. Is this really a female author?
Dear romance authors, please do better!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2023
3.5 stars. The book was good. But what bothered me was that Aspen has a major medical condition and it was merely glossed over. No explanations,, treatments, prognosis, nothing. It was just stated and quickly forgotten about. I liked the characters and couldn’t wait to read about Levi. But it just fell slightly short for me.
December 28, 2024
this was charlie hunnam fanfic when he was filming
SOA and gearing up to star in fifty shades of grey (basically all of my fantasies)
SOA and gearing up to star in fifty shades of grey (basically all of my fantasies)
September 22, 2024
Slightly better than the prior book, but Levi was disappointing as was the FMC which I did not like at all. There's definitely a theme. All, but one have been virgins. They're in need of being saved somehow. Levi and Aspen were not convincing at all as a couple. Same as Trev and Gypsi. The FMC's decision making seems to be getting worse with each book. Levi's supposed to be dominating and likes to be called daddy. Aspen is supposed to be submissive but her character was just boring. Honestly Blaise and Huck's book's are the best so far, and Blaise is still the best out of the MMCs line up. He's hot AF to be honest. It just feels with each new book the author is trying too hard to make them badass and obsessive, but it's coming off cringy. The FMC's are bland as well with I think Trinity being the best one so far. Also, they act like children. Not really appealing. I don't mind a doormat, but when she's too meek and childish it get's annoying. Hoping Sax's book turns it around, and also Kye's, but we'll see I guess. I'm also getting confused with the ages. I'm sure Blaise and his group were around 25 or 26 at the beginning of the series, but they seem to have aged overnight. People calling them old men. I'm confused 🤔
September 17, 2023
Ugh, this series is starting to fall apart for me. I haven’t felt the connection between the characters in the last two books at all. The plot in this one was thin and boring.
Read
August 26, 2023Potential spoilers ahead! And even though I didn't finish this book, I hope people read it and give their honest comments.
What is it with authors these days?! They write a ruff, tough, borderline psychopath guy who kills/hurts people for fun but the moment he see a hymen, it's full speed, screeching-like-a-little-girl run for the hills???!! How does that make sense?! Oh, wait! Silly me - it's loooove! 🙄
This book starts somewhat well, with the potential to be an interesting love story. But then romance leaves the building and it's full on porn. No, not erotica, P*RN! Which is fine of course but it's not a good porn. Yes, a few of the spicy scenes were ok but then the 'plot' around them kind of made them cringey....
Cringey! Yes, that would be a good word to describe the guy's sexscapades. The way he uses other women because he can't stick it in the one he wants... 🤨 His logic: if he does the nasty with someone else, he can cuddles with his 'little' girl. And the girl is more than happy to oblige (even though minutes ago she didn't want to be in the same space with him). Simply because he took his shirt off and doesn't anymore smell like he sexually entertained another woman (with his dong that is, not the shirt)!
Honestly, not knowing that Kye character all that well, half way through the book I kept hoping by some magical powers that Aspen will end up with him and not with what's-his-name! It felt like Kye had more respect for her than her love interest. Maybe that Kye guy will get his own book and maybe it won't be as disappointing as this one (or the previous one)... 🤞
What is it with authors these days?! They write a ruff, tough, borderline psychopath guy who kills/hurts people for fun but the moment he see a hymen, it's full speed, screeching-like-a-little-girl run for the hills???!! How does that make sense?! Oh, wait! Silly me - it's loooove! 🙄
This book starts somewhat well, with the potential to be an interesting love story. But then romance leaves the building and it's full on porn. No, not erotica, P*RN! Which is fine of course but it's not a good porn. Yes, a few of the spicy scenes were ok but then the 'plot' around them kind of made them cringey....
Cringey! Yes, that would be a good word to describe the guy's sexscapades. The way he uses other women because he can't stick it in the one he wants... 🤨 His logic: if he does the nasty with someone else, he can cuddles with his 'little' girl. And the girl is more than happy to oblige (even though minutes ago she didn't want to be in the same space with him). Simply because he took his shirt off and doesn't anymore smell like he sexually entertained another woman (with his dong that is, not the shirt)!
Honestly, not knowing that Kye character all that well, half way through the book I kept hoping by some magical powers that Aspen will end up with him and not with what's-his-name! It felt like Kye had more respect for her than her love interest. Maybe that Kye guy will get his own book and maybe it won't be as disappointing as this one (or the previous one)... 🤞
September 30, 2023
Abbi Glines really loves adding OW drama in this series. I would have given this 4 stars if Levi wasn’t constantly going to other women throughout the book.
Was he sweet and a nice guy to Aspen towards the end? Yes, but it doesn’t make up for his back and forth and continuous scenes with him and other women.
Sidenote, I’m kind over the virgin with the manwhore trope.
Saxon’s book is next and I’m lowering the hell out of my expectations. While I believe he actually deserves to find his person, I feel like that’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Was he sweet and a nice guy to Aspen towards the end? Yes, but it doesn’t make up for his back and forth and continuous scenes with him and other women.
Sidenote, I’m kind over the virgin with the manwhore trope.
Saxon’s book is next and I’m lowering the hell out of my expectations. While I believe he actually deserves to find his person, I feel like that’s going to be a bumpy ride.
September 4, 2023
ugh Dnf spoiler alert
Ridiculous, aspen was a complete doormat. Dnf after 67 percent when he slept with someone else she catches him and then sleeps with him the same night like everything is fine. Very disappointing I was looking forward to this book
Ridiculous, aspen was a complete doormat. Dnf after 67 percent when he slept with someone else she catches him and then sleeps with him the same night like everything is fine. Very disappointing I was looking forward to this book
September 13, 2023
Boring
I don’t think I will purchase another book in this series. I thought the previous book was bad, this one is worse. Why are all her heroines always weak and spineless? There was no chemistry between the H and h. I expected more, it was just boring.
I don’t think I will purchase another book in this series. I thought the previous book was bad, this one is worse. Why are all her heroines always weak and spineless? There was no chemistry between the H and h. I expected more, it was just boring.
August 31, 2023
The Smoke series continues with Levi's story - Whiskey Smoke. There is no shortage of steam, secrets, mystery and the down & dirty! Whiskey Smoke is full of crazy alpha, possessive, kinky southern mafia men. When they fall it is fast, hard and so funny to see! There is no shortage of sexy times. Each one has their own brand of crazy and baggage.
“I’ve found you’ve trigger a beast inside of me, demanding to own you.”
Levi and Aspen are polar opposites. Levi is full of kink and has certain needs. Aspen has been sheltered her whole life. Levi never thought he would want to care for someone. He was definitely rough around the edges. Levi fell so hard that he never saw it coming. Their story if filled with firsts and lots of twists. The build up to the sexy time is H.O.T - get out the fire extinguisher!
I was struggling. This was new to me. Whatever f@cking thing she’s awoke in me wasn’t doing great with taking her in public.
Loving the Smoke series! Abbi Glines is cranking out the books in this series. It has been fun anticipating the next story. I can not wait to read Saxton's story coming soon!!!!!
#AuthorAbbiGlines #Smokeshow #Fireball #SmokeBomb #WhiskeySmoke #HotAndSteamy #LeviAndAspen #SmokeSeries #Romance #Mafia
“I’ve found you’ve trigger a beast inside of me, demanding to own you.”
Levi and Aspen are polar opposites. Levi is full of kink and has certain needs. Aspen has been sheltered her whole life. Levi never thought he would want to care for someone. He was definitely rough around the edges. Levi fell so hard that he never saw it coming. Their story if filled with firsts and lots of twists. The build up to the sexy time is H.O.T - get out the fire extinguisher!
I was struggling. This was new to me. Whatever f@cking thing she’s awoke in me wasn’t doing great with taking her in public.
Loving the Smoke series! Abbi Glines is cranking out the books in this series. It has been fun anticipating the next story. I can not wait to read Saxton's story coming soon!!!!!
#AuthorAbbiGlines #Smokeshow #Fireball #SmokeBomb #WhiskeySmoke #HotAndSteamy #LeviAndAspen #SmokeSeries #Romance #Mafia
August 27, 2023
“Too young, too sweet, too fragile, and I had some insane claim on her in my head that made no sense.”
In book six of the Smoke series by Abbi Glines, Whiskey Smoke delivers a possessive alpha who is taken at first sight by the woman of his dreams, only to learn that she is a delicate innocent. And when Levi’s kink keeps him on the cusp of being more than a protector towards Aspen, fate temps the hand of the two becoming more.
Overall, this rating is for continued unique world-building, plot lines, and use of dual point of views. Whiskey Smoke is a quick to burn, fun read, especially if you enjoy the alpha only-mine-to-touch vibes topped by the virginal firsts are tropes that hook you in. And since this a mafia romance with a southern twist, all the spice and sizzle are off the charts! I hope we learn more about the couple in subsequent releases. If you have not read, or already joined the southern mafia fan club, you need to read this series! And I am eagerly awaiting to find out what happens next with the dark-haired beauty that tempts Saxon in Smokin’ Hot, book 7.
In book six of the Smoke series by Abbi Glines, Whiskey Smoke delivers a possessive alpha who is taken at first sight by the woman of his dreams, only to learn that she is a delicate innocent. And when Levi’s kink keeps him on the cusp of being more than a protector towards Aspen, fate temps the hand of the two becoming more.
Overall, this rating is for continued unique world-building, plot lines, and use of dual point of views. Whiskey Smoke is a quick to burn, fun read, especially if you enjoy the alpha only-mine-to-touch vibes topped by the virginal firsts are tropes that hook you in. And since this a mafia romance with a southern twist, all the spice and sizzle are off the charts! I hope we learn more about the couple in subsequent releases. If you have not read, or already joined the southern mafia fan club, you need to read this series! And I am eagerly awaiting to find out what happens next with the dark-haired beauty that tempts Saxon in Smokin’ Hot, book 7.
March 8, 2025
3.5 Stars —
Well hot damn. I knew I was gonna love me some Levi. He was so incredibly sweet to Aspen, such a different person with her, and I loved that. Still a possessive badass who would kill for her, but also just so damn soft when it came to her. That said… I almost wish we got to see a little more of his crazy side (what can I say, these books have me feeling a little deranged and feral LMFAO). Wink wink. Give me more of these mafia men right now. Onto the next book!
Well hot damn. I knew I was gonna love me some Levi. He was so incredibly sweet to Aspen, such a different person with her, and I loved that. Still a possessive badass who would kill for her, but also just so damn soft when it came to her. That said… I almost wish we got to see a little more of his crazy side (what can I say, these books have me feeling a little deranged and feral LMFAO). Wink wink. Give me more of these mafia men right now. Onto the next book!
March 8, 2025
All the Mafia men I can handle and I still need more!! Levi is the complete package. Crazy in bed, possessive, obsessed, territorial and a killer; but with Aspen he is soft, kind, loving, sweet and smooth. Aspen is so innocent and he just wants to take care of her no matter the cost. She changed his entire outlook on life. The ending was so absolutely sweet, it had me smiling so big. I love these books! On to the next!!
July 7, 2024
It was a chore to finish the book. The relationship between the MCs were so bad.
August 31, 2024
This was spicy I feel like I probably should’ve read these in order but I’ll get back to it. This Fmc is a Virginia slim MY MAN WHAT ARE YA DOING THIS OS GOING TO BE HOTTTTT GOSH SO GOOD
July 11, 2024
These men in these books. I swear one book makes you feel like that guy will never fall in love but when they do they move mountains.
July 14, 2024
Rating 2.5 but not rounding up. I first read Smokeshow and fireball the duet that starts this series. I enjoyed those books review to come. So based on that I decided to continue even though I was not sure with how the other guys spoke of women and how much fucking around the other guys were doing acting in the first two books. While the author can write and spin a story there are things I really disliked in all of the books that followed but even more so in this one.
We have Levi the MMC who has been shown in previous books to be an extreme male who loves to fuck around with women lots of women. He likes to share to fuck in front of others and he loves spanking and REALLY loves to use his belt. We have the shy virgin MFC Aspen who is described to be like a China doll with a heart problem and is all kinds of sweet and just the kindest demure woman ever. Her sister was a stripper who Levi had “partied” with and died. In a nutshell Aspen comes under the protection of Levi. Now Aspen and Levi are half in love from the beginning. Although Levi is too dense to realize it and just thinks he is attracted.
So Levi starts doing sexual things with Aspen but he is still getting blowjobs etc from others. It all comes to a head (lol) when Levi wants to fuck and calls a FB to come over and proceeds to fuck her and they have a fuckfest. Unknown to Levi Aspen comes along with the gang for supper and hears the tail end of his session. Not only that to add insult the OW who is not bad by the way she had no clue about Aspen, comes out and starts to take part in the meal gets a plate sits with Levi. Aspen is devastated and thinks that she meant nothing to Levi and that he would never give up women to be with just her. I would have been more worried about getting an STI instead.
So Levi gets called out by his friend (all of his friends are pissed) that this happened. Levi’s internal thoughts oh he did nothing wrong they are not together he feels bad about hurting her feelings but not bad about fucking the girl. That is how it comes across he would have went on that way fucking others with no care thinking he had a right to do so they were not in a relationship. So this is one major issue that ticks me off. Levi had big feelings for Aspen and had started a sexual relationship with her (not quite sex) but they had done things and he knew that Aspen being so innocent was going to associate and have feelings actually had feelings for him. He still fucked around and had this big fuck session pretty far in their developing relationship. From other books in this series it seems like the author takes the stand that no matter what feelings have developed what they have done sexually it’s not cheating until the mains have sex and the male states you are mine! I find this a grey area. It can work while I still dislike it sometimes it does fit make sense. Here it does not.
Here is why: while whenever the MMC fucks other after meeting MFC is distasteful disrespectful to MFC and OW who is being used as either a substitute or just to get their rocks off because they are frustrated by MFC which means the OW is being used. There is a difference in two people scratching an itch vs being used as a replacement for another. In this story we are far in the development of their relationship they both clearly care for each other. Everyone can see it. Levi is JP of Aspen. In this case while they may not have had the talk this was cheating. The OW figured out something was up and called Levi out when leaving to not call her again unless he was single. He thinks he is but does not argue with her and that’s because he knows deep down she is right he is not single. So that whole scene was disrespectful and made me think of Levi not in a great light. Is he really that dense or is he wanting to just continue to fuck everything so he is purposely not thinking of Aspen.
Now second issue is Aspens response. She is upset makes a few comments and tells Levi she is staying in her own room and yes folks she had been sleeping in the bed with Levi in his room (yep no relationship lol). Levi proceeds to steamroll over her and takes her back to his room. They talk he agrees to not fuck anyone else while he is fucking her. Oh how nice of him. They don’t talk about STI’s she does not request that he be tested before they start. This is after just hours earlier she hears him coming down the OW’s throat and knows they fucked. They proceed to fuck around hours again hours after he was with the OW. It’s like she just forgets and lets go. It was gross and disgusting.
All this did for me was get grossed out and left me with serious doubts on Levi’s ability to stay faithful, his actual love for Aspen and that he did not deserve her. There should have been a realization by Levi that he did cheat that what he and Aspen had was a relationship that he did in fact cheat. Aspen should have stood up for herself more and refused to start anything further until he showed some change and clean STI results. The fact that she caved hours after the OW had me thinking of her as a weak no spine immature woman that I was unsure how she could handle Levi long term. She agreed to have sex thinking it was temporary until he got bored with her. He tells her for all intents and purposes that he will end their relationship when he is done either her. She blindly trusts him to be faithful and just will accept that he is done whenever he decides to be.
So they start moving forward. They have sex and Levi is even more obsessed which I did enjoy but again I was still grossed out by the cheating and the going past it so quickly. Aspen gets kidnapped Levi saves her and shocker realizes that he loves her. Tells her asks her to marry him. HEA.
These guys are not smart. They are users. They don’t treat their “love” right in the beginning. There is no real grovel and the females all cave quickly. Out of these books Levi’s story could have been great. There was a lot of potential diving into why he was like he was. Having him not be able to go through with fucking the OW would have been a great development of his character. Him realizing it was wrong instead of multiple people pointing it out after he already fucked OW. Him only agreeing not to fuck others because Aspen wanted to have sex and eventually would have with someone else if he did not agree to only be with her. That really did not make me feel like there was any deep change or self awareness by Levi. Aspen giving in so quickly also a lost opportunity to have her develop into a strong female. She should have stood up for herself as soon as he touched her for the first time.
Writing was good but it did not read as a romance to me more of an immature man child being given stipulations to commit to a woman so no one else can have her. This one missed the mark for me.
We have Levi the MMC who has been shown in previous books to be an extreme male who loves to fuck around with women lots of women. He likes to share to fuck in front of others and he loves spanking and REALLY loves to use his belt. We have the shy virgin MFC Aspen who is described to be like a China doll with a heart problem and is all kinds of sweet and just the kindest demure woman ever. Her sister was a stripper who Levi had “partied” with and died. In a nutshell Aspen comes under the protection of Levi. Now Aspen and Levi are half in love from the beginning. Although Levi is too dense to realize it and just thinks he is attracted.
So Levi starts doing sexual things with Aspen but he is still getting blowjobs etc from others. It all comes to a head (lol) when Levi wants to fuck and calls a FB to come over and proceeds to fuck her and they have a fuckfest. Unknown to Levi Aspen comes along with the gang for supper and hears the tail end of his session. Not only that to add insult the OW who is not bad by the way she had no clue about Aspen, comes out and starts to take part in the meal gets a plate sits with Levi. Aspen is devastated and thinks that she meant nothing to Levi and that he would never give up women to be with just her. I would have been more worried about getting an STI instead.
So Levi gets called out by his friend (all of his friends are pissed) that this happened. Levi’s internal thoughts oh he did nothing wrong they are not together he feels bad about hurting her feelings but not bad about fucking the girl. That is how it comes across he would have went on that way fucking others with no care thinking he had a right to do so they were not in a relationship. So this is one major issue that ticks me off. Levi had big feelings for Aspen and had started a sexual relationship with her (not quite sex) but they had done things and he knew that Aspen being so innocent was going to associate and have feelings actually had feelings for him. He still fucked around and had this big fuck session pretty far in their developing relationship. From other books in this series it seems like the author takes the stand that no matter what feelings have developed what they have done sexually it’s not cheating until the mains have sex and the male states you are mine! I find this a grey area. It can work while I still dislike it sometimes it does fit make sense. Here it does not.
Here is why: while whenever the MMC fucks other after meeting MFC is distasteful disrespectful to MFC and OW who is being used as either a substitute or just to get their rocks off because they are frustrated by MFC which means the OW is being used. There is a difference in two people scratching an itch vs being used as a replacement for another. In this story we are far in the development of their relationship they both clearly care for each other. Everyone can see it. Levi is JP of Aspen. In this case while they may not have had the talk this was cheating. The OW figured out something was up and called Levi out when leaving to not call her again unless he was single. He thinks he is but does not argue with her and that’s because he knows deep down she is right he is not single. So that whole scene was disrespectful and made me think of Levi not in a great light. Is he really that dense or is he wanting to just continue to fuck everything so he is purposely not thinking of Aspen.
Now second issue is Aspens response. She is upset makes a few comments and tells Levi she is staying in her own room and yes folks she had been sleeping in the bed with Levi in his room (yep no relationship lol). Levi proceeds to steamroll over her and takes her back to his room. They talk he agrees to not fuck anyone else while he is fucking her. Oh how nice of him. They don’t talk about STI’s she does not request that he be tested before they start. This is after just hours earlier she hears him coming down the OW’s throat and knows they fucked. They proceed to fuck around hours again hours after he was with the OW. It’s like she just forgets and lets go. It was gross and disgusting.
All this did for me was get grossed out and left me with serious doubts on Levi’s ability to stay faithful, his actual love for Aspen and that he did not deserve her. There should have been a realization by Levi that he did cheat that what he and Aspen had was a relationship that he did in fact cheat. Aspen should have stood up for herself more and refused to start anything further until he showed some change and clean STI results. The fact that she caved hours after the OW had me thinking of her as a weak no spine immature woman that I was unsure how she could handle Levi long term. She agreed to have sex thinking it was temporary until he got bored with her. He tells her for all intents and purposes that he will end their relationship when he is done either her. She blindly trusts him to be faithful and just will accept that he is done whenever he decides to be.
So they start moving forward. They have sex and Levi is even more obsessed which I did enjoy but again I was still grossed out by the cheating and the going past it so quickly. Aspen gets kidnapped Levi saves her and shocker realizes that he loves her. Tells her asks her to marry him. HEA.
These guys are not smart. They are users. They don’t treat their “love” right in the beginning. There is no real grovel and the females all cave quickly. Out of these books Levi’s story could have been great. There was a lot of potential diving into why he was like he was. Having him not be able to go through with fucking the OW would have been a great development of his character. Him realizing it was wrong instead of multiple people pointing it out after he already fucked OW. Him only agreeing not to fuck others because Aspen wanted to have sex and eventually would have with someone else if he did not agree to only be with her. That really did not make me feel like there was any deep change or self awareness by Levi. Aspen giving in so quickly also a lost opportunity to have her develop into a strong female. She should have stood up for herself as soon as he touched her for the first time.
Writing was good but it did not read as a romance to me more of an immature man child being given stipulations to commit to a woman so no one else can have her. This one missed the mark for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2023
this lead is one abbi was hyping up for a while - because he has a beard and a spanking fetish. imo that's almost the most insulting thing about this whole series, that it edges on kinky without being so at all. like, if i wrote 40 versions of basically the same story with trauma and flavours of the same spicy vanilla man, i'd probably want to switch it up by the sixth book in a 10-book series wrote and published in less than a year. let's see some swinging, some public kinks, anything really. give me a lead who isn't a virginal near child who is so pure she didn't even use a tampon before meeting her one true love. the age difference/grooming/toxic masculinity controlling kink isn't as alt as abbi thinks it is, it's the dominant form of relationship standard set by the patriarchy.
so if we don't get super spicy spice, maybe we'll get more answers on this whole mafia thing! this story stars one of the characters the others push off their mafia dealings to handle while the lead can focus on his sex life. he should be the epicentre of mafia action. this book even starts off with an intriguing clash of MCs and the mafia, with a gang fueled death of the lead 'female's' sister. you'd think they want to solve that? well, they don't. they just shrug it off as gang business and carry on. then that gang business comes back to be important when there's another kidnapping (because none of these men can commit until their 'female' is kidnapped). then they all live happily ever after because this is the southern mafia where they do vaguely violent and illegal things but make enough money that it's acceptable activity, not like those racially charged gangs who do illegal and immoral things like sell drugs to teenagers, those people don't even get sexy books let alone happy endings!
so if we don't get super spicy spice, maybe we'll get more answers on this whole mafia thing! this story stars one of the characters the others push off their mafia dealings to handle while the lead can focus on his sex life. he should be the epicentre of mafia action. this book even starts off with an intriguing clash of MCs and the mafia, with a gang fueled death of the lead 'female's' sister. you'd think they want to solve that? well, they don't. they just shrug it off as gang business and carry on. then that gang business comes back to be important when there's another kidnapping (because none of these men can commit until their 'female' is kidnapped). then they all live happily ever after because this is the southern mafia where they do vaguely violent and illegal things but make enough money that it's acceptable activity, not like those racially charged gangs who do illegal and immoral things like sell drugs to teenagers, those people don't even get sexy books let alone happy endings!
April 15, 2025
2.5 stars
Levi Shepard is from one of the oldest families of this Southern mafia world, headed by the Hughes.
He is just as unhinged as the average new generation are, headed by Blaise Hughes.
In his story, his woman is very vulnerable due to her extra naivety and her a medical condition, so there was a question mark on the way Levi handles her throughout my reading of this story, because "delicate," Levi is definitely not.
This story wasn't the worst but compared to others in this Southern mafia world and series, it gets the least marks from me.
Sure, all of these books feature mafia men who are twisted with their possession and control over their women, and OTT, unhinged, with way they go about "keeping her." And sure, the smut is on high, but my ratings go up by how far I think the plot goes that comes with it.
So in this one, there is a link to the ongoing overall plot to this mafia and their enemies/conflicts, but Levi and his Aspen, uniquely, on their own get a lesser story, imho.
Welcome to the Southern Mafia, people! The Smoke series is set in Florida, the original birthplace and headquarters of this mafia alliance, lead by the Hughes family. Yet, this mafia has branches in Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, which have their own series and features other powerful families as well.
My binge continues...
Hapy Reading.
Levi Shepard is from one of the oldest families of this Southern mafia world, headed by the Hughes.
He is just as unhinged as the average new generation are, headed by Blaise Hughes.
In his story, his woman is very vulnerable due to her extra naivety and her a medical condition, so there was a question mark on the way Levi handles her throughout my reading of this story, because "delicate," Levi is definitely not.
This story wasn't the worst but compared to others in this Southern mafia world and series, it gets the least marks from me.
Sure, all of these books feature mafia men who are twisted with their possession and control over their women, and OTT, unhinged, with way they go about "keeping her." And sure, the smut is on high, but my ratings go up by how far I think the plot goes that comes with it.
So in this one, there is a link to the ongoing overall plot to this mafia and their enemies/conflicts, but Levi and his Aspen, uniquely, on their own get a lesser story, imho.
Welcome to the Southern Mafia, people! The Smoke series is set in Florida, the original birthplace and headquarters of this mafia alliance, lead by the Hughes family. Yet, this mafia has branches in Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, which have their own series and features other powerful families as well.
My binge continues...
Hapy Reading.
February 24, 2024
Ehhh..not my fav of the series.
This was my least favorite so far. I had such high hopes for Levi but he was nothing like I expected. There were moments when he shined as a character but they aren't enough to make him the character he could of been. The whole first half of the book he was a replica of his dad who he didnt want to be like. And I feel like this author missed a bunch of opportunities with Aspens character. Shes introduced as naive innocent 20 year old with a heart condition. You would expect there to be more info on whats going on with her heart.. Twice its said her doctor wants to meet with her and neither time is there any kind of follow up. Levi worries some about her heart but still there zero info in that aspect.
There are sooo many moments that if built on could make this a 5 star but it seems like maybe the author was rushed and just wanted to get this book out asap...unfortunately that makes it only a 3 star for me.
This was my least favorite so far. I had such high hopes for Levi but he was nothing like I expected. There were moments when he shined as a character but they aren't enough to make him the character he could of been. The whole first half of the book he was a replica of his dad who he didnt want to be like. And I feel like this author missed a bunch of opportunities with Aspens character. Shes introduced as naive innocent 20 year old with a heart condition. You would expect there to be more info on whats going on with her heart.. Twice its said her doctor wants to meet with her and neither time is there any kind of follow up. Levi worries some about her heart but still there zero info in that aspect.
There are sooo many moments that if built on could make this a 5 star but it seems like maybe the author was rushed and just wanted to get this book out asap...unfortunately that makes it only a 3 star for me.
June 21, 2024
I had such high hopes for this book and it gave me such an ick as I was reading it. Look, to me there is a problem if during the duration of the book, the "Hero" is having sex with other girls more often than he is with the main girl. And this main girl is such a doormat that she will let him be intimate with her, the same day he was intimate with another girl and she accidently walked in on them. THis isn't even at the beginning of the book either, this is near the 70% mark. I'm sorry but I just felt so gross during this whole book especially since LEVI was a frickin hypocrite. I can deal with possessiveness if its mutual but this "man" would say that Aspen is not allowed to be with anyone else while still having sex with as many other women as he liked. NO THANK YOU! I can't stress enough how much it physically sicken me to read this.
August 30, 2023
No cliffhanger, this can be read as a standalone. The reader might enjoy knowing the backstory of the other characters mentioned; but, it’s not necessary to understand this book. There is marginally less profanity in this one than in Book 5. I gave 0.5 Stars for the parts when Levi wasn’t acting like an Alpha-A$$ and 0.5 Stars for the parts when Aspen remembered she had a backbone. Without leaving spoilers, this book was written in the same predictable format as the previous 5 books in the series.
June 17, 2024
2 stars
Glines writing toxic masculinity and their love interests that don't give a shit about it.
Trigger Warnings: death of a sibling, kidnapping, murder, death, violence, gunshots, gun violence, and physical assault
Glines writing toxic masculinity and their love interests that don't give a shit about it.
Trigger Warnings: death of a sibling, kidnapping, murder, death, violence, gunshots, gun violence, and physical assault
Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews