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The Gentlemen #1
Red Handed
“I need her. Name your price.”
At twenty-three, you would think I could say no to being traded to the enemy, but that’s not how life works when you grow up in an organized crime family. I consider myself lucky to have grown up at all.
Ten years ago, my brother was murdered in the gang war that split the city of St. Adrian down the middle. My family took the South Side, and the North Side went to them. The Gentlemen.
Now the leader of the Gentlemen is asking for my help and my father has been nice enough to agree to his terms. In exchange for my sister’s protection, I need to cross the divide and live with the family that killed my brother.
Too bad I’ve never been great at playing nice.
Nico, Beck and Rush are the enemy. The leaders of the Gentlemen. They’re conceited, lying, murderous assholes and they’re the reason I’ve been trained all my life to cheat, steal, and shoot my way to the top.
I’m ready to take them down from the inside. I just hope they don’t get to me first. After all, a truce between two enemies is a promise waiting to be broken.
Red Handed is an enemies to lovers contemporary mafia romance where the female main character will end up with multiple love interests by the end of the series. All the characters are in their mid-twenties. There are dark themes and graphic violence, but no bullying or violence toward the main character. This is book one of three.
At twenty-three, you would think I could say no to being traded to the enemy, but that’s not how life works when you grow up in an organized crime family. I consider myself lucky to have grown up at all.
Ten years ago, my brother was murdered in the gang war that split the city of St. Adrian down the middle. My family took the South Side, and the North Side went to them. The Gentlemen.
Now the leader of the Gentlemen is asking for my help and my father has been nice enough to agree to his terms. In exchange for my sister’s protection, I need to cross the divide and live with the family that killed my brother.
Too bad I’ve never been great at playing nice.
Nico, Beck and Rush are the enemy. The leaders of the Gentlemen. They’re conceited, lying, murderous assholes and they’re the reason I’ve been trained all my life to cheat, steal, and shoot my way to the top.
I’m ready to take them down from the inside. I just hope they don’t get to me first. After all, a truce between two enemies is a promise waiting to be broken.
Red Handed is an enemies to lovers contemporary mafia romance where the female main character will end up with multiple love interests by the end of the series. All the characters are in their mid-twenties. There are dark themes and graphic violence, but no bullying or violence toward the main character. This is book one of three.
Audio CD
Published June 11, 2024
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About the author
Kate King
20 books1,075 followersKate King is an author, coffee addict, and avid reader from Boston, Massachusetts. She lives in a converted church with her husband and two cats, and often writes in cemeteries.
In addition to romance, she writes YA thrillers with a magical twist and wants to publish thirty books before turning thirty.
In addition to romance, she writes YA thrillers with a magical twist and wants to publish thirty books before turning thirty.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 514 reviews
August 28, 2021
4.5 stars!!!
This book was FANTASTIC!!! I loved everything about it. Raegan was a phenomenal FMC. Her whole personality was badass. I felt bad for her at times especially over the whole "Every heir should have a spare." She deserved so much better. I kinda want to see her takeover Mount Summer. Sophie on the other hand was too naive for me. She was ignorant of her sister's treatment. I wished someone would have stuck up for Rae
The guys were great aswell. Beck was my favourite out of the three.
As secrets are shed, especially that last chapter... I can't wait to see what happens in BOOK 2
This book was FANTASTIC!!! I loved everything about it. Raegan was a phenomenal FMC. Her whole personality was badass. I felt bad for her at times especially over the whole "Every heir should have a spare." She deserved so much better. I kinda want to see her takeover Mount Summer. Sophie on the other hand was too naive for me. She was ignorant of her sister's treatment. I wished someone would have stuck up for Rae
The guys were great aswell. Beck was my favourite out of the three.
As secrets are shed, especially that last chapter... I can't wait to see what happens in BOOK 2
August 23, 2021
Any kind of review would give spoilers as everything would be more about feelings than actual facts. I am not one for secrecy and misunderstandings but the authors did a great job at not giving us any kind of answer while letting us see glimpses of the whole picture.
+ I've seen this end coming. It was pretty obvious from the very beginning because it actually made sense.
No, I will not be grateful for the cliffhanger because they make me want to shoot myself in the head. But no, I am not particularly worried about it.
+ I love the guys. All of them. They all had a little personality twist on the basic RH stereotype alpha-holes we come across; the flirty guy was the biggest psycho, the tall and silent closeted teddy bear was a sexy piece of ass, and the grumpy leader was a ball of nerves heading straight to Ulcer Town.
+ And Rae. Raegan was an actual sexy badass, not all talk but no bark, made from the same mold as Hades from Hades and Lips from Hannaford Prep. Her thinking vagina was in the backseat and her hormones weren't guiding the story and leading her along.
The first book was 300+ pages and while it was the perfect length, I cannot help but crave for more. Rae's universe is full of betrayal, secrets, and violence and the biggest of them all is her role in all of that.
I will not be starting a support group for the people who want to throw her parents off a balcony.
> Characters in their twenties
> Cliffhanger
> No MM
> No FF
> Three guys
> Multiple POV
> Who falls first?
Trigger warning:
It's not as dark as it could be because the romance isn't dark. It's not sunshine and rainbows but they all somewhat respect each other, as much as enemy gangs can.
Violence, torture, gang war, prostitution.
August 10, 2021
Didn't care for it
Hard book to rate, although I liked the idea, liked the whole mafia girl who was trained at a young age, I found myself confused when certain issues came up and she had moments of weakness. I had a hard time with her having little freak over being taken, or when she seen the guns, or even having bile in her throat after the bunny dead in the bed? A trained killer/thief/gangster? We have these moments of badassery and sass, then get a girl who all the sudden seems to have to rely on the guys for comfort for things that aren't all that serious honestly if this is just normal and she's already been trained to deal with these kind of scenarios. I couldn't believe at the end she hadn't figured out the whole Sophia thing? Why else would he have her right next door to his room? (Hello) signs have always been there!! I hated how the H took crap from her family, with all the training, with the men looking to her with respect? And yet she's a whipping dog? All in all I just couldn't! These reads like a teeny bopper mafia book.
Hard book to rate, although I liked the idea, liked the whole mafia girl who was trained at a young age, I found myself confused when certain issues came up and she had moments of weakness. I had a hard time with her having little freak over being taken, or when she seen the guns, or even having bile in her throat after the bunny dead in the bed? A trained killer/thief/gangster? We have these moments of badassery and sass, then get a girl who all the sudden seems to have to rely on the guys for comfort for things that aren't all that serious honestly if this is just normal and she's already been trained to deal with these kind of scenarios. I couldn't believe at the end she hadn't figured out the whole Sophia thing? Why else would he have her right next door to his room? (Hello) signs have always been there!! I hated how the H took crap from her family, with all the training, with the men looking to her with respect? And yet she's a whipping dog? All in all I just couldn't! These reads like a teeny bopper mafia book.
July 20, 2023
If you're craving a mafia romance, why-choose book with lots of tension, secrets and a strong protagonist, you've found it.
⇢ What to expect:
∘ Adult Contemporary Romance
∘ Mafia Romance
∘ Rival Families
∘ Badass FMC with secrets & traumatic past
∘ Dark & unhinged MMCs
∘ Multi-POV
∘ Fast-paced
∘ Delicious Banter
∘ Tension & Spice
∘ Secrets and plot-twists
∘ Reverse-Harem (3 love interests)
⇢ Tropes:
∘ Enemies to Lovers
∘ Insta-Lust
∘ Slowburn - who's gonna fall first?
⇢ Trigger warnings: violence, blood, torture
Review to Come
⇢ What to expect:
∘ Adult Contemporary Romance
∘ Mafia Romance
∘ Rival Families
∘ Badass FMC with secrets & traumatic past
∘ Dark & unhinged MMCs
∘ Multi-POV
∘ Fast-paced
∘ Delicious Banter
∘ Tension & Spice
∘ Secrets and plot-twists
∘ Reverse-Harem (3 love interests)
⇢ Tropes:
∘ Enemies to Lovers
∘ Insta-Lust
∘ Slowburn - who's gonna fall first?
⇢ Trigger warnings: violence, blood, torture
Review to Come
August 9, 2021
Red Handed is a delightfully dark reverse harem that kept me entertained til the last page! Reagan, the heroine, is tough, scrappy, and full of sass. She is the daughter of one mafia kingpin, so she has always been a part of the life. The rival family lives on the north side of town and is headed by The Gentlemen.
So, you get this rival families trope, add in lots of violence, steamy hot attraction and you have Red Handed! Reagan is rough around the edges, but likable. Her older sister is a pampered princess who has been sheltered from gang life, where Reagan has been working for her father for years. She is jaded for sure, but it's not a bad thing. Perhaps realistic and skeptical are better ways to describe her.
The Gentlemen are smoking hot. They are the head of the north side gang and agree to a truce with Reagan's family as long as Reagan works for them. She has mad thieving skills and they need to retrieve something. They are alpha to the core, and I appreciated that each of them has a unique personality that makes them perfect for Reagan.
Red Handed has me excited to read more and I am super glad I gave these new to me authors a shot! Readers looking for hot, sexy, and dangerous will love this!
POV: 1st (mostly Reagan)
Tears: no
Trope: mafia, rival families, enemies to lovers
Triggers:
Series/Standalone: series (1st in the series)
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
the Kit Davenport series by Tate James, Den of Vipers by KA Knight...then you will probably like Red Handed!
Red Handed
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See full review on The Book Disciple
March 31, 2023
DNF at 58%. Booktok did me dirty on this one.
July 28, 2022
4.6 stars.
So far I’m really loving these characters.
The FMC is a badass but she’s not completely infallible.
The guys are her enemies, and vice versa, but the only thing to show for it is their bickering, which is more like foreplay than anything else.
The guys are also all psychos but they care for Raegan like she’s one of them.
I’m just really liking this so far and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.
So far I’m really loving these characters.
The FMC is a badass but she’s not completely infallible.
The guys are her enemies, and vice versa, but the only thing to show for it is their bickering, which is more like foreplay than anything else.
The guys are also all psychos but they care for Raegan like she’s one of them.
I’m just really liking this so far and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.
June 27, 2025
What could cause me to read two full books and then want to DNF at 20% into the third book??
Well…… it’s something that plagues a lot of authors these days. They just don’t know when to shut up. I get it – they’re just trying to make money – and that’s why they turn what should be two books into three and fill them with useless shit that they repeat over and over. THIS TRILOGY WAS RUINED BY: the length, repetition, and the lackluster sex. Obviously – this review will have some info on all 3 books, but the 3 stars is for this book only (Book 2 has 2 stars and book 3 has 1 star). Important AUDIO info below.
Raegan O’Rourke (23, thief) is a huge asset to her family’s gun trafficking business, led by her father, Jimmy O’Rourke (leader of the Mount Summer gang). They are forced into a temporary alliance with their sworn enemy, the Esposito crime family, after a new enemy attacks them both. Nico Esposito (26, leader of the “Gentleman”, runs prostitution ring) agrees to bring Raegan and her look alike sister, Sophie, to his hotel where he and his BFFs Beck Bellamy and Rush Rushmore can keep them safe.
After enduring several more attacks, Raegan begins to rely on the guys more and more, and the line between enemies and allies begins to blur from the close proximity.
Spiderwoman, jealousy, mommy issues, vroom vroom, sandwiches, secrets, dancing queen, kidnappings, and a cliffy that even had MY jaw hit the floor.
So… this book wasn’t perfect, but it had me interested and showed a lot of potential. As we got further into the story, it was just a repetition of shoot outs, explosions, car chases, kidnappings, etc. You can only kidnap someone so many times before it loses its shock value. That, plus the lack of “reverse harem” time is what kept me from loving this.
SEX: If you’re going to promise me reverse harm, GIVE me reverse harem. We don’t get anywhere near the harem part until the 3rd book, and you know your girl needs more than that. First time with Guy 1 is at 71%. It’s quick but decent. First time with Guy 2 is at 97% and it was pretty damn hot. No action at all with Guy 3. I’m happy to report Rae is on birth control and no condoms were there to destroy our fun. DON’T YOU FREAKING JUDGE! Sex is so much better without them and this is fiction. FULL SEX: The future sex was also a disappointment.
RAEGAN: Honestly, she’s a pretty good FMC. In this book she cries about the fact she’s the neglected daughter while her sister is the golden child. It gets old, but it doesn’t really carry on to the other books, so I can overlook it. She’s a tough girl and I feel the author gave her the right balance of badass and humility. Oh – FYI – this trilogy is about 80% Rae’s POV.
SOPHIE: She’s not that bad either, despite having a few stupid moments and constantly interrupting sexy scenes. She’s a decent sister. Thing that pissed me off was the author is apparently giving Sophie her own book, and therefore we get Sophie’s POV in books 2 and 3 – which I hate. In book 3 – WE DON’T EVEN GET A CONCLUSION because that all takes part in Sophie’s book (I assume, I don’t plan on reading it).
COOKIES: Good grief. This author included ALL of the “once popular but now annoying” catchphrases. You’ve got: (1) smiles that didn’t reach the eyes, (2) I saw red, (3) breath I didn’t know I was holding, (4) popping the “P”, and finally (5) the cat that ate the canary. On top of all that – the author decided to repeat 15 billion times that Rush has “two-toned eyes”, that Rae carries “baby desert eagles”, and then constantly describes how the guys smell. It’s not really a huge deal, but it’s repeated so often that it’s noticeable and annoying. To me it signals a lack of imagination.
AUDIO: Unfortunately, it’s not a duet. Ada Sinclair narrates for Rae, and she’s actually pretty good. Her voice for Sophie is annoying, but all the other times she’s good. Oliver Highpoint narrates all the guys, and he’s actually got a pretty sexy voice. Book 1 had me on board with the audio. Book 2 had me getting annoyed just because it was so long. Book 3 had me switching to reading so that I could skim instead of DNF’ing.
FAMILY TREE and the SIDE PIECES: I don’t know why I wasted my time, because I don’t recommend the books, but here it is anyway.
Raegan O’Rourke: 23. Thief.
Nicolai “Nico” Esposito: 26. Runs the “Gentleman”. Part of the Esposito crime family. “Rabbit”. Smells like gunpowder and cologne.
Beck Bellamy: Gentlemen. BFF to Nico & Rush. Motorcross. “Little Thief”. Smells like sandalwood.
Sebastian “Rush” Rushmore: Gentlemen. BFF to Nico & Beck. “Firecracker”. Smells like cedar and woodsmoke.
Sophie/Sophia O’Rourke: 24. Story allegedly continued in "Mad as a Hatter", but I don’t plan on reading it.
James “Jimmy” O’Rourke: Father. Leader of Mount Summer mafia-ish gang.
Mary O’Rourke: Rae’s mother.
Marcus O’Rourke: Rae’s brother.
Brian: Head of MS security.
Patrick: MS security.
Kyle: MS security.
Connor Doyle: MS security.
Giovanna Esposito: Nico’s mother.
Riccardo Esposito: Nico’s uncle. Head of Esposito crime family.
Lorenzo Esposito: Nico’s uncle.
Dante Esposito: Nico’s brother.
Alessandro Esposito: Nico’s father.
Anthony: Gentlemen enforcer.
Rick: Gentlemen.
Enzo: Gentlemen.
Emilio: Gentlemen
Mark: Gentlemen.
Tom: Gentlemen?
Jared: Gentlemen?
Madame Cosette: Runs brothel for the Espositos’.
Missy: Prostitute.
Cherry: Prostitute.
Honey: Prostitute.
Destiny: Prostitute.
Mercedes “Sadie” Hill: Motorcross.
Lars: Realtor.
The Hatter: Leader of the Trilogy.
Carson: Trilogy.
Viktor: Trilogy.
Well…… it’s something that plagues a lot of authors these days. They just don’t know when to shut up. I get it – they’re just trying to make money – and that’s why they turn what should be two books into three and fill them with useless shit that they repeat over and over. THIS TRILOGY WAS RUINED BY: the length, repetition, and the lackluster sex. Obviously – this review will have some info on all 3 books, but the 3 stars is for this book only (Book 2 has 2 stars and book 3 has 1 star). Important AUDIO info below.
A Gentlemen who now stared at me like I was the devil incarnate. Good. I needed to be reminded of exactly who we were to each other. Enemies. This wasn’t some Romeo and Juliet shit. We weren’t about to switch sides and become martyrs all because of one dance. No matter how soul-shattering it was.
Raegan O’Rourke (23, thief) is a huge asset to her family’s gun trafficking business, led by her father, Jimmy O’Rourke (leader of the Mount Summer gang). They are forced into a temporary alliance with their sworn enemy, the Esposito crime family, after a new enemy attacks them both. Nico Esposito (26, leader of the “Gentleman”, runs prostitution ring) agrees to bring Raegan and her look alike sister, Sophie, to his hotel where he and his BFFs Beck Bellamy and Rush Rushmore can keep them safe.
After enduring several more attacks, Raegan begins to rely on the guys more and more, and the line between enemies and allies begins to blur from the close proximity.
Spiderwoman, jealousy, mommy issues, vroom vroom, sandwiches, secrets, dancing queen, kidnappings, and a cliffy that even had MY jaw hit the floor.
Who even was I right now? I kept blurring the lines further and acting like these guys weren’t from the opposite side of a generations old feud. A feud that had literally killed hundreds of people…….. This was temporary. We were enemies. Why did that suddenly feel so wrong?
So… this book wasn’t perfect, but it had me interested and showed a lot of potential. As we got further into the story, it was just a repetition of shoot outs, explosions, car chases, kidnappings, etc. You can only kidnap someone so many times before it loses its shock value. That, plus the lack of “reverse harem” time is what kept me from loving this.
SEX: If you’re going to promise me reverse harm, GIVE me reverse harem. We don’t get anywhere near the harem part until the 3rd book, and you know your girl needs more than that. First time with Guy 1 is at 71%. It’s quick but decent. First time with Guy 2 is at 97% and it was pretty damn hot. No action at all with Guy 3. I’m happy to report Rae is on birth control and no condoms were there to destroy our fun. DON’T YOU FREAKING JUDGE! Sex is so much better without them and this is fiction. FULL SEX: The future sex was also a disappointment.
RAEGAN: Honestly, she’s a pretty good FMC. In this book she cries about the fact she’s the neglected daughter while her sister is the golden child. It gets old, but it doesn’t really carry on to the other books, so I can overlook it. She’s a tough girl and I feel the author gave her the right balance of badass and humility. Oh – FYI – this trilogy is about 80% Rae’s POV.
SOPHIE: She’s not that bad either, despite having a few stupid moments and constantly interrupting sexy scenes. She’s a decent sister. Thing that pissed me off was the author is apparently giving Sophie her own book, and therefore we get Sophie’s POV in books 2 and 3 – which I hate. In book 3 – WE DON’T EVEN GET A CONCLUSION because that all takes part in Sophie’s book (I assume, I don’t plan on reading it).
COOKIES: Good grief. This author included ALL of the “once popular but now annoying” catchphrases. You’ve got: (1) smiles that didn’t reach the eyes, (2) I saw red, (3) breath I didn’t know I was holding, (4) popping the “P”, and finally (5) the cat that ate the canary. On top of all that – the author decided to repeat 15 billion times that Rush has “two-toned eyes”, that Rae carries “baby desert eagles”, and then constantly describes how the guys smell. It’s not really a huge deal, but it’s repeated so often that it’s noticeable and annoying. To me it signals a lack of imagination.
AUDIO: Unfortunately, it’s not a duet. Ada Sinclair narrates for Rae, and she’s actually pretty good. Her voice for Sophie is annoying, but all the other times she’s good. Oliver Highpoint narrates all the guys, and he’s actually got a pretty sexy voice. Book 1 had me on board with the audio. Book 2 had me getting annoyed just because it was so long. Book 3 had me switching to reading so that I could skim instead of DNF’ing.
FAMILY TREE and the SIDE PIECES: I don’t know why I wasted my time, because I don’t recommend the books, but here it is anyway.
Raegan O’Rourke: 23. Thief.
Nicolai “Nico” Esposito: 26. Runs the “Gentleman”. Part of the Esposito crime family. “Rabbit”. Smells like gunpowder and cologne.
Beck Bellamy: Gentlemen. BFF to Nico & Rush. Motorcross. “Little Thief”. Smells like sandalwood.
Sebastian “Rush” Rushmore: Gentlemen. BFF to Nico & Beck. “Firecracker”. Smells like cedar and woodsmoke.
Sophie/Sophia O’Rourke: 24. Story allegedly continued in "Mad as a Hatter", but I don’t plan on reading it.
James “Jimmy” O’Rourke: Father. Leader of Mount Summer mafia-ish gang.
Mary O’Rourke: Rae’s mother.
Marcus O’Rourke: Rae’s brother.
Brian: Head of MS security.
Patrick: MS security.
Kyle: MS security.
Connor Doyle: MS security.
Giovanna Esposito: Nico’s mother.
Riccardo Esposito: Nico’s uncle. Head of Esposito crime family.
Lorenzo Esposito: Nico’s uncle.
Dante Esposito: Nico’s brother.
Alessandro Esposito: Nico’s father.
Anthony: Gentlemen enforcer.
Rick: Gentlemen.
Enzo: Gentlemen.
Emilio: Gentlemen
Mark: Gentlemen.
Tom: Gentlemen?
Jared: Gentlemen?
Madame Cosette: Runs brothel for the Espositos’.
Missy: Prostitute.
Cherry: Prostitute.
Honey: Prostitute.
Destiny: Prostitute.
Mercedes “Sadie” Hill: Motorcross.
Lars: Realtor.
The Hatter: Leader of the Trilogy.
Carson: Trilogy.
Viktor: Trilogy.
July 11, 2021
Red Handed was an enjoyable read laced with sexual tension, humor, action, and suspense. I couldn't get enough of this book! I felt so drawn to each of these characters right off the bat. Playful Beck, peacekeeper Rush, and grumpy Nico all made it so easy to fall in love with them. Raegan's strength and power were both shocking and admirable. Not gonna lie, I lowkey highkey have a woman crush on her.
This book didn't feel like it was written by two authors. Everything flowed perfectly well together and had me so hyper-focused! The humor was entertaining, and the darker sides of this book had me on the edge of my seat. I can't forget to mention how much I loved the brotherhood between our three leading men and the chemistry they each have with Rae. Lines were crossed and rules were definitely broken.
I'm super excited to read the second book and find out what happens next after that shocking cliffhanger. 😱
This book didn't feel like it was written by two authors. Everything flowed perfectly well together and had me so hyper-focused! The humor was entertaining, and the darker sides of this book had me on the edge of my seat. I can't forget to mention how much I loved the brotherhood between our three leading men and the chemistry they each have with Rae. Lines were crossed and rules were definitely broken.
I'm super excited to read the second book and find out what happens next after that shocking cliffhanger. 😱
October 8, 2023
DNF at 73%.
Ngl I was little apprehensive to read, because I didn’t really like the cover. It gave bad-casting, shirtless man vibes. You know the ones when the guy in the book is like 22, but the guy on the cover has 2 kids and a mortgage. This cover just didn’t feel like it fit with the synopsis. But in keeping with the well known saying I gave it a go.
It’s a slow burn … Despite one kiss at the start it is most definitely a slow burn. I felt myself skimming a lot of it. There was definitely action with shoot outs and kidnappings, but it all seemed a little repetitive to me.
Ngl I was little apprehensive to read, because I didn’t really like the cover. It gave bad-casting, shirtless man vibes. You know the ones when the guy in the book is like 22, but the guy on the cover has 2 kids and a mortgage. This cover just didn’t feel like it fit with the synopsis. But in keeping with the well known saying I gave it a go.
It’s a slow burn … Despite one kiss at the start it is most definitely a slow burn. I felt myself skimming a lot of it. There was definitely action with shoot outs and kidnappings, but it all seemed a little repetitive to me.
January 15, 2022
I was told to read Red Handed by a friend because it was my sort of book and damn she wasn’t lying.
If you love RH, Gangs and rival families then this is the book for you!
I had no idea what I was getting into with this book but let me tell you, I binged it! Couldn’t put it down! Rae is one of the most kick ass heroines I’ve ever read and I’m 100% in love with her.
The guys, Nico, Rush and Beck are from the rival gang and let me tell you when these alpha guys tried to boss Rae around, that girl met them toe to toe every time and I was here for it!
Now let’s just talk about that cliffhanger.
WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS THAT
I DID NOT see any of that coming and I love when I’m blindsided.
Please be aware of triggers. There is a lot of extreme violence and graphic torture in this book.
Now onto book 2!
If you love RH, Gangs and rival families then this is the book for you!
I had no idea what I was getting into with this book but let me tell you, I binged it! Couldn’t put it down! Rae is one of the most kick ass heroines I’ve ever read and I’m 100% in love with her.
The guys, Nico, Rush and Beck are from the rival gang and let me tell you when these alpha guys tried to boss Rae around, that girl met them toe to toe every time and I was here for it!
Now let’s just talk about that cliffhanger.
WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS THAT
I DID NOT see any of that coming and I love when I’m blindsided.
Please be aware of triggers. There is a lot of extreme violence and graphic torture in this book.
Now onto book 2!
July 20, 2021
Fast paced, action packed and wholly entertaining, Red Handed is just a friggin' fun read.
This book has anything you could possibly want: smooth and fluent writing, a fantastic storyline, great characters, deadpan humor, quick rapport, intense action and sizzling hot steam.
Rae is my new girl-crush. She is EVERYTHING, with her strong and competent, take no prisoners cynical attitude, her bad*ss skills and her all around amazing self, I am truly obsessed.
The guys are the perfect mix of bossy and protective alpha, broody and slightly unhinged - the perfect combination for the ultimate bad boys.
Bottom line: I loved this book. I can't wait for the next one!
5 stars and a baby dessert eagle
This book has anything you could possibly want: smooth and fluent writing, a fantastic storyline, great characters, deadpan humor, quick rapport, intense action and sizzling hot steam.
Rae is my new girl-crush. She is EVERYTHING, with her strong and competent, take no prisoners cynical attitude, her bad*ss skills and her all around amazing self, I am truly obsessed.
The guys are the perfect mix of bossy and protective alpha, broody and slightly unhinged - the perfect combination for the ultimate bad boys.
Bottom line: I loved this book. I can't wait for the next one!
5 stars and a baby dessert eagle
August 2, 2024
2.75⭐️
Eh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
There’s absolutely nothing special about this book.
More notes to come xx
Eh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
There’s absolutely nothing special about this book.
More notes to come xx
August 21, 2022
Okay, so this was really good and an enjoyable start to the series. It had all the fun tropes I need from a why choose mafia romance - a strong and snarky fmc, hot men, a bit of mystery and great action.
Red Handed is book one of three in the now completed The Gentlemen series. The fmc Raegan, thief and gang leader's daughter, has been sent on a job that puts her face-to-face with their enemy. There’s an attack and explosions, and before she knows it, Rae finds herself living with The Gentlemen - the rival gang responsible for her brother's death.
Yes, the plot is nothing new and I can't lie; some of the world-building was cheesy as fuck - The Gentlemen, The Trilogy, The Hatter - there have to be better names, but overall I thought this was a great quick read.
Reagan is a fun main character. She's badass but also mysterious. She isn't forthcoming with all her skills, so it's fun to see her surprise the guys as they learn more about her and what she can do, e.g. kick their ass.
There are three guys; Nico, the psycho demanding boss, Beck, the lovable blonde rogue with hidden darkness, and Rush, the strong but sweet at times protector. I actually can’t pick a favourite; I loved them all. I'd say this is medium burn, with great spice in the second half.
The cliffhanger was obvious, but I'm looking forward to starting the next book.
Red Handed is book one of three in the now completed The Gentlemen series. The fmc Raegan, thief and gang leader's daughter, has been sent on a job that puts her face-to-face with their enemy. There’s an attack and explosions, and before she knows it, Rae finds herself living with The Gentlemen - the rival gang responsible for her brother's death.
Yes, the plot is nothing new and I can't lie; some of the world-building was cheesy as fuck - The Gentlemen, The Trilogy, The Hatter - there have to be better names, but overall I thought this was a great quick read.
Reagan is a fun main character. She's badass but also mysterious. She isn't forthcoming with all her skills, so it's fun to see her surprise the guys as they learn more about her and what she can do, e.g. kick their ass.
There are three guys; Nico, the psycho demanding boss, Beck, the lovable blonde rogue with hidden darkness, and Rush, the strong but sweet at times protector. I actually can’t pick a favourite; I loved them all. I'd say this is medium burn, with great spice in the second half.
The cliffhanger was obvious, but I'm looking forward to starting the next book.
August 10, 2021
Y'all!! My heart is still pounding from that ending. I need the next book, like, yesterday!
So, I wouldn't normally pick up a mafia book, but this one was recommended on a post I was scrolling through and it caught my eye. I clicked the link to read the blurb and the rest is history. I'm obsessed! If you're like me, and not all that interested in "mafia" books but like "gang" books (I honestly don't know the difference) like Madison Kate, Sainthood Series, or Hades, then definitely check this out!!! You won't be disappointed!
I devoured this book within a day. I couldn't put it down. It was action-packed, fast-paced, with crazy-hot chemistry between the characters.
Let me break it down for ya.
-Enemies to lovers: And true enemies too. Not that "I hate you over some silly reason" type of enemy. These guys actually have a legit reason to hate one another and it makes the push/pull (sexual tension) between them that much more intense and steamy if you know what I mean.
- Reverse harem: Need I say more?!
- Badass heroine: Like super badass (probably almost a little over-the-top but whatever, I love Rae. She's strong, sexy, snarky, and just super likable. Oh, and she's also a thief. :)
I can't really say that I liked her sister though, and only time will tell on how I feel about her. She seemed a little sus to me, always hiding away in her room with her yogalates...
-HOTT gang guys: So, the harem consists of three guys. Beck is the sweet, funny one who also tortures people. Rush is the calmer, quieter one, who's covered in tattoos (yum). And Nico... *sighs* Nico is the alpha dog, breaking-shit-all-the-time, grumpy asshole one. God love him.
I liked all the guys and would probably rate their characters a 4/5.
- A slow burn that hurts so good: I'm not actually a fan of slow burn (I want my smut and I want it now, ya know?), but the chemistry between these four was SCORCHING! The flirting with Beck... the push and pull between her and Nico and Rush... it all made for a great and toe-curling read.
And when things did finally heat up... Whew!
-Fast paced/easy to read: Like I said before, I read this in a day. My husband kept mean-mugging me while I was curled up on the couch, like "are you going to do anything today?" Bruh, I'm reading AND washing/drying clothes. I got this! *Restarts dryer for the fourth time.*
Also, I want to add that I really enjoyed the writing. This was my first book by these two authors, and I was very impressed. The writing and the storyline had kind of a Tate James feel to it but has its own unique plot and twists that have me super invested and anxious for the next installment.
So, that was everything I loved. There were a couple of things I didn't necessarily like that I'll mention below, but it's just for the sake of ranting and not enough to deduct a start over.
Also, might be kind of spoiler-y, so read at your own risk:
This book ends on a cliffhanger that had my anxiety raging like you wouldn't believe. I saw it coming in the beginning, and was kind of hoping it wouldn't go that route, but it did and so now I'm just hoping that it gets resolved before anything has to come of it. (If that makes any sense... I'm trying to be vague here, guys. Work with me!)
There's something the guys aren't telling Rae, and it's somewhat obvious, but no one ever brings it up (or Beck and Rush just put it on Nico to tell her) and when Rae finally does talk to Nico about it, he says he'll answer her questions after they complete a certain mission. Well...they finish the mission, and then she conveniently never asks again. Arghh!! (She's also hiding something that I'm sure will come back to bite her in the ass but at least she attempted to tell someone. She just kept on getting interrupted!)
I think what made the ending even worse/more anxiety-ridden for me though was that moment right before the cliffhanger with Rae and Nico -that hot, heart-skipping, gut-twisting moment- because I knew shit was about to hit the fan and he had me all up in my feels with his sorry self. He deserves an ass-whoopin' for not telling her sooner, and I hope Rae serves him up a good one in the next book. Give him hell, girl! (But then live happily ever after together, kay!?)
***
Okay, so... there you have it. Go read this book!
So, I wouldn't normally pick up a mafia book, but this one was recommended on a post I was scrolling through and it caught my eye. I clicked the link to read the blurb and the rest is history. I'm obsessed! If you're like me, and not all that interested in "mafia" books but like "gang" books (I honestly don't know the difference) like Madison Kate, Sainthood Series, or Hades, then definitely check this out!!! You won't be disappointed!
I devoured this book within a day. I couldn't put it down. It was action-packed, fast-paced, with crazy-hot chemistry between the characters.
Let me break it down for ya.
-Enemies to lovers: And true enemies too. Not that "I hate you over some silly reason" type of enemy. These guys actually have a legit reason to hate one another and it makes the push/pull (sexual tension) between them that much more intense and steamy if you know what I mean.
- Reverse harem: Need I say more?!
- Badass heroine: Like super badass (probably almost a little over-the-top but whatever, I love Rae. She's strong, sexy, snarky, and just super likable. Oh, and she's also a thief. :)
I can't really say that I liked her sister though, and only time will tell on how I feel about her. She seemed a little sus to me, always hiding away in her room with her yogalates...
-HOTT gang guys: So, the harem consists of three guys. Beck is the sweet, funny one who also tortures people. Rush is the calmer, quieter one, who's covered in tattoos (yum). And Nico... *sighs* Nico is the alpha dog, breaking-shit-all-the-time, grumpy asshole one. God love him.
I liked all the guys and would probably rate their characters a 4/5.
- A slow burn that hurts so good: I'm not actually a fan of slow burn (I want my smut and I want it now, ya know?), but the chemistry between these four was SCORCHING! The flirting with Beck... the push and pull between her and Nico and Rush... it all made for a great and toe-curling read.
And when things did finally heat up... Whew!
-Fast paced/easy to read: Like I said before, I read this in a day. My husband kept mean-mugging me while I was curled up on the couch, like "are you going to do anything today?" Bruh, I'm reading AND washing/drying clothes. I got this! *Restarts dryer for the fourth time.*
Also, I want to add that I really enjoyed the writing. This was my first book by these two authors, and I was very impressed. The writing and the storyline had kind of a Tate James feel to it but has its own unique plot and twists that have me super invested and anxious for the next installment.
So, that was everything I loved. There were a couple of things I didn't necessarily like that I'll mention below, but it's just for the sake of ranting and not enough to deduct a start over.
Also, might be kind of spoiler-y, so read at your own risk:
This book ends on a cliffhanger that had my anxiety raging like you wouldn't believe. I saw it coming in the beginning, and was kind of hoping it wouldn't go that route, but it did and so now I'm just hoping that it gets resolved before anything has to come of it. (If that makes any sense... I'm trying to be vague here, guys. Work with me!)
There's something the guys aren't telling Rae, and it's somewhat obvious, but no one ever brings it up (or Beck and Rush just put it on Nico to tell her) and when Rae finally does talk to Nico about it, he says he'll answer her questions after they complete a certain mission. Well...they finish the mission, and then she conveniently never asks again. Arghh!! (She's also hiding something that I'm sure will come back to bite her in the ass but at least she attempted to tell someone. She just kept on getting interrupted!)
I think what made the ending even worse/more anxiety-ridden for me though was that moment right before the cliffhanger with Rae and Nico -that hot, heart-skipping, gut-twisting moment- because I knew shit was about to hit the fan and he had me all up in my feels with his sorry self. He deserves an ass-whoopin' for not telling her sooner, and I hope Rae serves him up a good one in the next book. Give him hell, girl! (But then live happily ever after together, kay!?)
***
Okay, so... there you have it. Go read this book!
May 4, 2024
4.25⭐️
2.5🌶️
Oh my GOD. I loved this book!! I can’t even form a coherent thought to write a full review but the LAST LINE!? Are you kidding me???? I gasped so fucking loud, I think I’ve woken my entire street.
The only thing that stopped me from giving it 5 stars was that there were quite a few spelling errors and the syntax was off at points, meaning some sentences didn’t flow too well and came across a little stilted and awkward.
I can’t wait to read the second book.
2.5🌶️
Oh my GOD. I loved this book!! I can’t even form a coherent thought to write a full review but the LAST LINE!? Are you kidding me???? I gasped so fucking loud, I think I’ve woken my entire street.
The only thing that stopped me from giving it 5 stars was that there were quite a few spelling errors and the syntax was off at points, meaning some sentences didn’t flow too well and came across a little stilted and awkward.
I can’t wait to read the second book.
December 27, 2022
4.75 stars, .25 taken off onlyyyy due to some spelling errors that annoyed me lol.
But HOLY SHIT what an incredible story. And that cliffhanger?! I had a feeling, but it still shocked me to my core.
I love Raegan so much. What a badass. And the tension between the three guys?! The perfect mix of angst and plot. *chefs kiss*
But HOLY SHIT what an incredible story. And that cliffhanger?! I had a feeling, but it still shocked me to my core.
I love Raegan so much. What a badass. And the tension between the three guys?! The perfect mix of angst and plot. *chefs kiss*
October 19, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
omg that ending… I audibly gasped 😂
omg that ending… I audibly gasped 😂
November 14, 2024
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody but make it a mafia romance
November 28, 2022
— 𝟑.𝟕𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
◦•●◉✿ 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 ✿◉●•◦
𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐢 𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨 (H), ran the Gentlemen, one of the largest and longest running criminal organizations on the East Coast. When he discovers that 𝐑𝐚𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐎’𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞 (h), can easily sneak into his hotel, he realizes that her skills might come in handy despite being from a rival gang. He negotiates a deal with her father, the crime lord from the South Side to move his daughters into his hotel until he retrieves a laptop that was stolen with important information. Also to keep them safe from the danger of The Trilogy, a large street gang from the southern part of the state, that have grown enough to recruit in St. Adrian and start buying up properties on the East End. Despite the divide between the North and South sides, the two decide to form a temporary alliance till they can take down the threat, however, Rae’s feelings for them threaten her priorities.
◦•●◉✿𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 + 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ✿◉●•◦
FIRST OFF, the ending didn’t catch me off guard because this series reminded me so much of Madison Kate that the secret had to be similar — and I WAS CORRECT. STILL, I was not disappointed at all because it’s going to give us groveling Nico and perhaps Rae is going to betray them for omitting the truth… give me all the drama.
She is the perfect FMC and a complete badass, she knows how to defend herself 100% and she’s so impressive. The guys underestimated her so many times and she showed them AGAIN AND AGAIN that she’s not some damsel in distress, I was like go off!!! She was killing it during every scene and it was really refreshing to see a character that doesn’t let the MMCs rescue her in every situation, she was like I got this 📸. Rae is my girlfriend now actually, can’t wait for her revenge era on the guys because they didn’t confide in her 🫣.
Beck and The Little Thief ❤️🩹, their relationship was very flirty and full of banter because he’s the lighthearted one of the group. Unless he’s torturing someone, you can count call on Beck to make jokes and ease the tension in the room. He truly doesn’t care that she’s the “enemy” and makes his attraction towards her obvious and he’s not afraid to show her that he doesn’t care what side she comes from. He is also there in an instant to protect her, even if it means putting himself in harms way. I love him a lot and he really knows how to piss of Nico which makes him even funnier, but at the end of the day there’s so much more to his character and I can’t wait to learn more about his backstory.
Rush and his Firecracker 🧨 , so he’s more serious and acts like the mediator but this man is so clearly infatuated with her. He wants to draw the line and set boundaries because he knows she’s the enemy but ends up letting his guard down. I love how he tried so hard to act
cold and indifferent but that flopped because he wanted to protect her so badly. He didn’t quite understand what he was feeling but he knew he would never want her in harms way. Rush is definitely always trying to avoid drama but he was the first one to act on his feelings and initiate something with her, so I guess that makes him very brave because he had to deal with Nico’s wrath after. I love him though, he’s very flirty too and I’m like okay ILY 🤍.
Nicolai and his Rabbit 🐇 , he is the one in charge and always keeps his distance. He only made ONE move and that was at the end of the book because everything was going to shit. He was always moody and angry with her all the time but I think it was just sexual frustration because he didn’t want to accept that he had feelings for the enemy 😭 like he wasn’t slick AT ALL. He helped her stay calm during a panic attack and then pretended like it bothered him, like sir you climbed in the bed so she could look at you and stay calm.. be serious 🧐 you like her 🤭. He’s such a menace and throws a tantrum whenever things don’t go his way and he gets overwhelmed, but I love him too. He’s not terrible and I love how Rae always shuts him down and is the first person to talk back to him. She’s not afraid of him at all (as she should), my girl ❣️. I cant wait for the aftermath of THIS and finding out he’s married to her sister???? ooop
As for all of them together, we’ll see if the sharing will come later on because we saw ONE scene between Rush, Beck and Rae as Nico watched. The tension was there and I was living for it ❤️🔥.
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥, I have to admit I didn’t think I would love this because I went in blind but I’m so happy that I picked this up because this is definitely a memorable read + characters.
◦•●◉✿ 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 ✿◉●•◦
𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐢 𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨 (H), ran the Gentlemen, one of the largest and longest running criminal organizations on the East Coast. When he discovers that 𝐑𝐚𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐎’𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞 (h), can easily sneak into his hotel, he realizes that her skills might come in handy despite being from a rival gang. He negotiates a deal with her father, the crime lord from the South Side to move his daughters into his hotel until he retrieves a laptop that was stolen with important information. Also to keep them safe from the danger of The Trilogy, a large street gang from the southern part of the state, that have grown enough to recruit in St. Adrian and start buying up properties on the East End. Despite the divide between the North and South sides, the two decide to form a temporary alliance till they can take down the threat, however, Rae’s feelings for them threaten her priorities.
◦•●◉✿𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 + 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ✿◉●•◦
FIRST OFF, the ending didn’t catch me off guard because this series reminded me so much of Madison Kate that the secret had to be similar — and I WAS CORRECT. STILL, I was not disappointed at all because it’s going to give us groveling Nico and perhaps Rae is going to betray them for omitting the truth… give me all the drama.
She is the perfect FMC and a complete badass, she knows how to defend herself 100% and she’s so impressive. The guys underestimated her so many times and she showed them AGAIN AND AGAIN that she’s not some damsel in distress, I was like go off!!! She was killing it during every scene and it was really refreshing to see a character that doesn’t let the MMCs rescue her in every situation, she was like I got this 📸. Rae is my girlfriend now actually, can’t wait for her revenge era on the guys because they didn’t confide in her 🫣.
Beck and The Little Thief ❤️🩹, their relationship was very flirty and full of banter because he’s the lighthearted one of the group. Unless he’s torturing someone, you can count call on Beck to make jokes and ease the tension in the room. He truly doesn’t care that she’s the “enemy” and makes his attraction towards her obvious and he’s not afraid to show her that he doesn’t care what side she comes from. He is also there in an instant to protect her, even if it means putting himself in harms way. I love him a lot and he really knows how to piss of Nico which makes him even funnier, but at the end of the day there’s so much more to his character and I can’t wait to learn more about his backstory.
Rush and his Firecracker 🧨 , so he’s more serious and acts like the mediator but this man is so clearly infatuated with her. He wants to draw the line and set boundaries because he knows she’s the enemy but ends up letting his guard down. I love how he tried so hard to act
cold and indifferent but that flopped because he wanted to protect her so badly. He didn’t quite understand what he was feeling but he knew he would never want her in harms way. Rush is definitely always trying to avoid drama but he was the first one to act on his feelings and initiate something with her, so I guess that makes him very brave because he had to deal with Nico’s wrath after. I love him though, he’s very flirty too and I’m like okay ILY 🤍.
Nicolai and his Rabbit 🐇 , he is the one in charge and always keeps his distance. He only made ONE move and that was at the end of the book because everything was going to shit. He was always moody and angry with her all the time but I think it was just sexual frustration because he didn’t want to accept that he had feelings for the enemy 😭 like he wasn’t slick AT ALL. He helped her stay calm during a panic attack and then pretended like it bothered him, like sir you climbed in the bed so she could look at you and stay calm.. be serious 🧐 you like her 🤭. He’s such a menace and throws a tantrum whenever things don’t go his way and he gets overwhelmed, but I love him too. He’s not terrible and I love how Rae always shuts him down and is the first person to talk back to him. She’s not afraid of him at all (as she should), my girl ❣️. I cant wait for the aftermath of THIS and finding out he’s married to her sister???? ooop
As for all of them together, we’ll see if the sharing will come later on because we saw ONE scene between Rush, Beck and Rae as Nico watched. The tension was there and I was living for it ❤️🔥.
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥, I have to admit I didn’t think I would love this because I went in blind but I’m so happy that I picked this up because this is definitely a memorable read + characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2021
Rating : 3,5/5 ... not very original but I had a good time. Nico made it work for me ...
Review : This is a good mafia harem story if you like them. Raegan is the daughter of one of the biggest gang leader in the city. Their mortal enemy are the Gentlemen. But one day everything changes when Raegan must work with the Gentlemen for her sister's protection.
What I didn't like :
→ Too much lust too fast (#slowburnteam) : Raegan is a badass but she lusts too fast for the Gentlemen. And I could say the same thing for Beck and Rush (The gentlemen). For 2 those two, it's almost instant love... I mean, Am I crazy to ask a FMC to not fall for her brother's killers (well technically they didn't kill him) in the first half of the book ?
So the love story was too fast for me. It feels more like lust than love.
What I liked :
→ I really liked the fact that this book had a lot of twist and turns. The last twist was predictable but awesome.
→ I love Nico, he's my kind of MC. A real protective asshole + a complex man. I loved his character. I wished the 2 other gentlemen were like him. He is also the only one that doesn't act on his feelings for Raegan. I want more Nico.
Conclusion : This read will not be one of my favorites but I had a good time. If you like mafia books, you will have a good time but it will not blow you away.
Review : This is a good mafia harem story if you like them. Raegan is the daughter of one of the biggest gang leader in the city. Their mortal enemy are the Gentlemen. But one day everything changes when Raegan must work with the Gentlemen for her sister's protection.
What I didn't like :
→ Too much lust too fast (#slowburnteam) : Raegan is a badass but she lusts too fast for the Gentlemen. And I could say the same thing for Beck and Rush (The gentlemen). For 2 those two, it's almost instant love... I mean, Am I crazy to ask a FMC to not fall for her brother's killers (well technically they didn't kill him) in the first half of the book ?
So the love story was too fast for me. It feels more like lust than love.
What I liked :
→ I really liked the fact that this book had a lot of twist and turns. The last twist was predictable but awesome.
→ I love Nico, he's my kind of MC. A real protective asshole + a complex man. I loved his character. I wished the 2 other gentlemen were like him. He is also the only one that doesn't act on his feelings for Raegan. I want more Nico.
Conclusion : This read will not be one of my favorites but I had a good time. If you like mafia books, you will have a good time but it will not blow you away.
August 5, 2021
When I first saw the trailer on TikTok for this book and found out it was dark enemies to lovers RH I knew instantly I have to read this! I mean could you ask for any better tropes rolled into one book!! What I didn’t realize was that I was going to be getting one of the best books of 2021! Reagan is my complete girl crush she is a badass strong independent and can handle anything thrown at her! Everything I want in my FMC. Each one of our guys brings something different to the relationship but all of them with our girl makes them the complete package. These authors seriously had me on the edge of my seat and captivated from beginning to end and let’s not even talk about that freaking cliffy!!! I seriously don’t know what feelings I should have that’s for sure. Talk about book hanger for days!! I am dying to get my hands on book 2 because I need some serious answers. Absolute must read!!!
August 6, 2021
Reagan is a thief which we find out from the first chapter and i very heated exchange with Beck. She is also a much more complicated and multi-facted character than that. Shes is a much underestimated by everyone thinking that shes just the spare compared to her sister who is the heir and will take over from their mob boss father. Under all that wit and wise cracks is a woman used by her family but has a heart of gold, is fiercely loyal and has plenty of mad skills.
I loved the dynamic between Rae, Nico, Beck and Rush. Nico and Rae have this love/hate relationship. Beck is a sweet, sexy man with dark undercurrents and Rush is insular but Rae seems to peel back his layers. Its a cracking read with plenty of plot twists and turns, a bit dark, laughs and steam. A bit of everything. My god that ending made my jaw dropped it was that good. Im dying to get my hands on the next book now
I loved the dynamic between Rae, Nico, Beck and Rush. Nico and Rae have this love/hate relationship. Beck is a sweet, sexy man with dark undercurrents and Rush is insular but Rae seems to peel back his layers. Its a cracking read with plenty of plot twists and turns, a bit dark, laughs and steam. A bit of everything. My god that ending made my jaw dropped it was that good. Im dying to get my hands on the next book now
October 14, 2024
Writing style is frequently poor & doesn’t flow. There are many grammatical errors, mismatched words, and the story is extremely predictable beyond the trope it’s attempting to adhere to.
Plus, the FMC characterization bounces around too frequently to be taken seriously. The effort to make her well rounded ironically fell flat.
She’s a badass trained killer who steps in the line of gunfire, later shaking like a leaf hiding until someone can save her from a similar scenario.
She can do intense hand to hand combat practice with an audience for hours, but just prepares to accept defeat when she’s in a situation, that she’s undoubtedly trained for, with her hands literally tied… in front of her. ?
She enjoys seeing men who intended her harm all tortured & gory, but gets the vapors at the sight of a mutilated animal sent as a threat? Give me a break, I thought. So, I did.
I took a day to read another book to give my brain a break and couldn’t remember the difference between two of the guys when I begrudgingly powered onward in this story a day later.
24 hours! That’s how unremarkable these characters are.
I can only hope luck finds me able to forget I read it at all, and that it finds you in time to stop you from reading it in the first place.
Plus, the FMC characterization bounces around too frequently to be taken seriously. The effort to make her well rounded ironically fell flat.
She’s a badass trained killer who steps in the line of gunfire, later shaking like a leaf hiding until someone can save her from a similar scenario.
She can do intense hand to hand combat practice with an audience for hours, but just prepares to accept defeat when she’s in a situation, that she’s undoubtedly trained for, with her hands literally tied… in front of her. ?
She enjoys seeing men who intended her harm all tortured & gory, but gets the vapors at the sight of a mutilated animal sent as a threat? Give me a break, I thought. So, I did.
I took a day to read another book to give my brain a break and couldn’t remember the difference between two of the guys when I begrudgingly powered onward in this story a day later.
24 hours! That’s how unremarkable these characters are.
I can only hope luck finds me able to forget I read it at all, and that it finds you in time to stop you from reading it in the first place.
July 8, 2021
First, this is my favorite trope. Dark enemies to lovers reverse harem? Sign me up! So I’ve read A LOT of these type books. Some great, some not so much. That being said, I absolutely LOVED this book! It’s in my top reads of 2021. The storyline is fantastic. Reagan is everything I want in a fmc. She is competent and strong and can handle herself. Not wishy-washy or whiny or weak. The men are everything I love in my book bad boys: hot alpha-holes that are protective, broody, and a little psycho.
Written from multiple POV, we get insight into everyone’s thoughts but the main focus is Reagan’s POV. Also, there is the perfect amount of detail. There’s enough to be completely immersed in their world but it’s not wordy or repetitive like some RH books can get. The story is constantly moving, which makes it an effortless read. I had a hard time putting this book down!
This is a slow burn, but it burns so good! It is well worth the wait. There is a cliffhanger, but again, it is so very worth going ahead and reading even if you have to wait for the next book. I can’t wait to read what happens next!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Written from multiple POV, we get insight into everyone’s thoughts but the main focus is Reagan’s POV. Also, there is the perfect amount of detail. There’s enough to be completely immersed in their world but it’s not wordy or repetitive like some RH books can get. The story is constantly moving, which makes it an effortless read. I had a hard time putting this book down!
This is a slow burn, but it burns so good! It is well worth the wait. There is a cliffhanger, but again, it is so very worth going ahead and reading even if you have to wait for the next book. I can’t wait to read what happens next!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 6, 2021
5/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶
Mafia E2L (that will eventually lead to RH)
1 girl (Raegan), 3 guys (Nico, Beck, Rush)
Multiple POV (main one being Raegan)
This book was EVERYTHING I want in a Mafia E2L (leading up to RH)!
Raegan is a spitfire, badass daughter of the leader of Mount Summer (Irish Mafia),
While Nico, Beck and Rush are leaders of The Gentleman and let me tell you these guys are drool worthy!
The plot was exceptional with just the right amount of action and mystery to keep me craving for more. The character development was excellent and the 🌶 was so good that I can't wait for book 2 to get MORE of it! The cliffhanger has me dying for the second book to come out!
3/5 🌶
Mafia E2L (that will eventually lead to RH)
1 girl (Raegan), 3 guys (Nico, Beck, Rush)
Multiple POV (main one being Raegan)
This book was EVERYTHING I want in a Mafia E2L (leading up to RH)!
Raegan is a spitfire, badass daughter of the leader of Mount Summer (Irish Mafia),
While Nico, Beck and Rush are leaders of The Gentleman and let me tell you these guys are drool worthy!
The plot was exceptional with just the right amount of action and mystery to keep me craving for more. The character development was excellent and the 🌶 was so good that I can't wait for book 2 to get MORE of it! The cliffhanger has me dying for the second book to come out!
January 2, 2025
This book was terrible and I hated it the whole time. The only thoughts I have are 😡🤬😡🤬😡🤬😡🤬 so no eloquent review here.
On second thought, here are some of my comments from my buddy read with friends:
So I've finished the first 5 chapters, and I gotta say, I HATE IT HERE. I hate Raegan. So much. She's such a fucking dummy. And she's not good at her job.
This whole book feels like a more terrible version of Den of Vipers.
100 pages in, and yes, I'm still miserable. 🤗 I never understood the Anti Insta-Lust Girlies until this book. Because if these mfs stopped being horny for 7 seconds, so much could get done. And for all this horny, WHERE IS THE SMUT? If you're going to suck this much and be this horny, I want backs broken. Guts rearranged. Orifices stuffed. Otherwise, give me likeable characters and decent writing. Oh, and maybe A FUCKING PLOT.
On second thought, here are some of my comments from my buddy read with friends:
July 30, 2023
meh
Had a really hard time getting through this. Almost DNF’d a few times. I just didn’t care about anyone. Even the cliffhanger, I was thinking - figured something like that was the deal- and could care less.
Had a really hard time getting through this. Almost DNF’d a few times. I just didn’t care about anyone. Even the cliffhanger, I was thinking - figured something like that was the deal- and could care less.
October 15, 2021
This book...
I saw this on KU a while ago and disregarded it for whatever reason. I think it may have been the whole mafia trope? I honestly can't remember. But, I decided to try a sample and ...
I feel like lately I've picking all the wrong books and I'm perpetually disappointed. Not with this book. I'm only about 35% through, and
Anyways.. lemme finish this up real quick ...
**Update**
Finished reading this, and just like I thought when I started, I loved it.
Raegan is the best kind of h. She's strong, sassy, can take care of herself, and has all kinds of tricks up her sleeve.
After a new gang tries to move into their town, her father's gang and their rivals enter into a tenuous alliance that ends up with her and her sister living with the Gentlemen. While they are there, she is supposed to help Nico, the head of the Gentlemen, get something back that has been stolen by this new gang in town. Lines are blurred and her enemies aren't her enemies anymore.
There isn't a part of this book that I disliked. I loved that Raegan's vagina didn't dictate her actions in this book... she wasn't ruled by "hormones" or her "traitorous body" or any of that other crap. She acknowledges her attraction to the guys while also recognizing that they are her enemies and battles with herself internally over that little tidbit. This isn't an "oh he's so pretty so lets throw all rational thinking out the window" kind of h.
I really liked that there was a lot of showing and less telling in this book. We aren't just told that Raegan is a badass gang leader, she proves it to us throughout the book. I really liked towards the end when
I liked the guys. I can't pick one out that I liked more than the others. They were all distinct - Nico is the broody/rage-y one; Rush is the caretaker/protective one; and Beck is the slightly psycho/silly one. All of their chemistry was there. Even though Nico and Raegan are pretty much in denial throughout the book, it was obvious that they are inevitable.
This book was well written, well thought out, and easy to read. It is longer, but I didn't even realize it because it wasn't long just for the sake of being long. There weren't pages of filler where nothing happened and it wasn't relevant to the story nor were there excessive descriptions of things that I could care less about.
I definitely will be continuing this series. I'm mad at myself for reading it so quickly. I kept telling myself to pause and pick it back up closer to when the 2nd book is released later this month, but I just couldn't. Also, I need to know what happens next. That ending, while I pretty much predicted it at about 40% in, has me itching for the next book.
Anyhoo, I can see this writing duo becoming a favorite of mine. I'm really looking forward to see what else they come up with.
I saw this on KU a while ago and disregarded it for whatever reason. I think it may have been the whole mafia trope? I honestly can't remember. But, I decided to try a sample and ...
I feel like lately I've picking all the wrong books and I'm perpetually disappointed. Not with this book. I'm only about 35% through, and
Anyways.. lemme finish this up real quick ...
**Update**
Finished reading this, and just like I thought when I started, I loved it.
Raegan is the best kind of h. She's strong, sassy, can take care of herself, and has all kinds of tricks up her sleeve.
After a new gang tries to move into their town, her father's gang and their rivals enter into a tenuous alliance that ends up with her and her sister living with the Gentlemen. While they are there, she is supposed to help Nico, the head of the Gentlemen, get something back that has been stolen by this new gang in town. Lines are blurred and her enemies aren't her enemies anymore.
There isn't a part of this book that I disliked. I loved that Raegan's vagina didn't dictate her actions in this book... she wasn't ruled by "hormones" or her "traitorous body" or any of that other crap. She acknowledges her attraction to the guys while also recognizing that they are her enemies and battles with herself internally over that little tidbit. This isn't an "oh he's so pretty so lets throw all rational thinking out the window" kind of h.
I really liked that there was a lot of showing and less telling in this book. We aren't just told that Raegan is a badass gang leader, she proves it to us throughout the book. I really liked towards the end when
I liked the guys. I can't pick one out that I liked more than the others. They were all distinct - Nico is the broody/rage-y one; Rush is the caretaker/protective one; and Beck is the slightly psycho/silly one. All of their chemistry was there. Even though Nico and Raegan are pretty much in denial throughout the book, it was obvious that they are inevitable.
This book was well written, well thought out, and easy to read. It is longer, but I didn't even realize it because it wasn't long just for the sake of being long. There weren't pages of filler where nothing happened and it wasn't relevant to the story nor were there excessive descriptions of things that I could care less about.
I definitely will be continuing this series. I'm mad at myself for reading it so quickly. I kept telling myself to pause and pick it back up closer to when the 2nd book is released later this month, but I just couldn't. Also, I need to know what happens next. That ending, while I pretty much predicted it at about 40% in, has me itching for the next book.
Anyhoo, I can see this writing duo becoming a favorite of mine. I'm really looking forward to see what else they come up with.
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