Alright ma'am! Wasn't quite sure what I was getting into with this read, but you knocked it out of the park!
Sienna, a starving artist, was making it do what it do, dancing until things got better. But she would never be able to rise above, as her no good ass cousin never had her portion of the rent or bill money, so she was forced to make ish shake. Now I immediately felt some ish was off with Zyon, because she was the one lacking, but always expected Sienna to pick up her slack. 😤 We never heard about her going to work, so what the hell was she doing? Sienna is about her paper, so when she has an opportunity to attend a gala where the ballers will be, she jumps on it. At said gala while sitting at the bar, she is approached by a handsome businessman with an edge to him, that offers her a proposition.
Ahsan, the man with a plan. With his thirty-fifth birthday soon approaching he is ready to get out the game. Money and creating his legacy are the only things that matter to him. When he meets Sienna at the bar the night of the gala, he knew there was something different about her, and he wanted to see what was up. The arrangement in the beginning was all for Sienna's sake, as she needed the money, but after one night Ahsan was already all in.
I loved the ease in which Ahsan and Sienna got to know each other, when it was all supposed to be a ruse. However, they both quickly realized that feelings were growing fast, and neither was ready to admit it. They enjoyed each other's company and pretended that what they were feeling wasn't real.
What the hell is up with Jules? I believe she is going to be a problem! And Rico, where the hell is he? What was his involvement with the shooting? Why is Demario saying that Sienna owes him? What is that about? What is Zyon's part in all this, as I know her devious ass is up to something.
I hope that Amir's read is next, and that we get some answers. Great read. 👍🏾👍🏾
This wasn’t the worse story but it wasn’t the best. I don’t like when we’re introduced to a ex or former partner half way through the story because then when they come in with made up drama it feels forced. Like maybe a lil more background than the few short sentences we got about Demario would make him seem more villainous and less annoying. I also don’t have anything against the hooker trope but I just hate when they say it’s just for money yet they get what they need and still do some money hungry BS. Like she could’ve been re-enrolled in school, got her money and moved out of that home. It made no sense that she barely stayed there and left her money in a shoe box under the bed. Like BFFR you work in the clubs with your cousin but she steady missing the rent? Like girl get that leech away from you. Then at this point any private party in urban media I expect some dangerous or deadly to occur. That was too cliche for me but I also don’t even get why she went. I just feel like the whole pretty woman love for sale trope went on too long and was pointless cus they both knew it was more to it. Overall I wish the author would’ve built up more drama between Demario the cousin and miss girl, because all of it fell short. Like the situations felt like all it took was some common sense and everything could’ve been avoided. Amir was ANNOYING like you in jail getting caught up with your girlfriend but you think you a business mogul like the fake growth we experienced wasn’t enough for me. He still seemed dumb and impulsive. The ending was very abrupt and lack luster to me
Loved this book! The way Ashan & Sienna met I didn’t expect their relationship to flourish into such a cute love story! He was exactly what she needed & vice versa!
Something about Zyon’s loyalty to Demario was unsettling! I don’t think she can be trusted!
Jules was so jealous that Ashan fell for Sienna the way he did! She’s definitely going to be a problem!
The end felt a little rushed, I wanted to know more after the text Jules sent Ashan & what exactly Demario is up to! But I see this is the first book of a series about the Paton brothers so I’m sure we’ll find out more in book 2! Overall a great read!
I enjoy a good kingpin storyline. There were parts that were more enjoyable than the rest. Some of the transition’s within the story were off to me. I feel like it ends with a lot of questions unanswered, not sure if it was on purpose or not. Not sure the title even matches the true plot exactly. I can see the potential in the writing though.
I liked this fake relationship story but I felt like something was missing. Ahsan and Sienna seemed to have a natural chemistry upon first meeting but it still felt like there were things that happened between them. I did like that they were able to find genuine happiness with each other despite their fake dating beginning and that they each felt safe with the other.
I also felt like there may have been some stuff that happened off page that should have been fleshed out on page. One thing was this weird energy from Jules because she was beyond delusional and it made me wonder if her and Ahsan had ever interacted outside of her being his assistant and her acting like a scorned lover after he rejected her seemed so left field. I also had questions about why Sienna had so much animosity towards her ex and wondered if something more than him being locked up and not approving of her dancing happened between them because her animosity didn't seem to really add up. Lastly I felt the issue of the shooter was left unresolved partially and I hope it gets resolved in the future Patton family books.
All in all, if you like the fake dating trope, this story was pretty good.
Ahsan was a perfect balance of gangsta and gentleman. I loved the relationship he had with his brothers. Sienna did what she needed to do to survive, even though I didn’t agree with her going to that party. I also felt like she was taking too long to admit her feelings, but I understood her apprehension. That cousin of hers was trash, and I had feeling she was on some sneaky stuff. I felt the chemistry between Ahsan and Sienna. I can’t wait to read more about the brothers.
Ahsan is ready to go legit, he has his plan and has stuck to it so far. Sienna is a hustler baby, she’s down on her luck, but not quite a damsel in distress. These two meet by chance and knock each other clean off their squares. It’s him falling first for me, the way he ambushed her date. ☺️ It’s the baseball field date for me 🏟️⚾️ It’s the 12 dozen roses for me 🌹
While it wasn’t a cliffhanger, it left a lot of questions for the second part. What is Jules up too? Why does Demario feel Sienna owes him? Ummm Zyon are you plotting on your cousin?
I hope XL gets a book! Running to Amir’s story now.
I mean its a cute quick read but the issues that was going on made it seen like its more to the story then "the end." I was expecting "to be continued," not sure how I feel and if I want to go to the next book if it doesn't continue where it left off to answer my questions.
So MUCH unresolved drama in this one. I didn’t like that the ex wasn’t introduced until half way through the story….. that being said I felt the problems in the storyline was that everything felt forced and made up to make the story longer… idk I don’t think I will continue this series.
Now what was the point of mentioning this ex if we not unaliving him?! Just seems like the author forgot to close some things! What happened to her cousin, WHO ROBBED THEM?! And WTF is her cousin so close to her ex 🧐
This is one of those books where I didn’t not like it but I didn’t like it either. There was always something going on! So we start with Sienna who is a dancer struggling to make ends meet. She’s really an artist but had to drop out of school because she couldn’t afford to not work and working late with morning classes wasn’t something she could sustain. She decides to try brung an escort to make rent and hits payday on the first night. Ahsan is a drug lord that wants to go legit. With his 35th birthday looming, he’s got plans to kea e the business to his family so that he can go 100% legal. Having a partner to attend formal gatherings would help. When his date to an event doesn’t stick around when he’s 2 hours late, Sienna catches his eye and they make an arrangement. It works out well and soon they’re one night event moves onto to something a bit more formal. It’s very “Pretty Woman” vibes for sure. Except, there are so many dude stories and shenanigans to keep track of. We have a side bet, a “loyal”assistant that’s hiding something, an ex boyfriend who was also a drug dealer and is in jail, a scheming cousin/roommate…and I’m sure there are other things that I missed. Needless to say, you can get a little lost in trying to determine what to pay attention to vs forget. The book ends with an HEA but I really feel like it’s more a HFN as there are some many things unanswered. However, I will not read book 2 to read about the resolutions.
This was my third attempt to read a book by K. L. Hall and my expectations were low. The first two books I read had tropes I usually enjoy but the writing style wasn’t for me. The same can’t be said for this book. I enjoyed the trope and reading Ahsan and Sienna’s story.
Sienna was very loyal and aspirational, and Ahsan was a very headstrong and romantic character. Towards the end Ahsan described himself as having self-control, and I was like “let’s add lack of self-awareness to your adjectives because you don’t know how to control yourself sir.”
Ahsan and Sienna also had great chemistry right off the bat. I think them getting to know each other at the gala was my favorite scene between them. They had a good balance between flirting and banter.
“Make Mine A Gangsta” doesn’t end on a cliffhanger per se, but it left me with a few questions that I assume will be answered in the following books.
Aside from that, the beginning has a lot of descriptive paragraphs that I skipped. K. L. Hall does a great job painting the scene for readers, but I’m a reader who doesn’t care😂 Just tell me they stood outside on the porch at dusk. I don’t need to know the colors in the sky and what the leaves looked like or the weather felt like or whatever lol.
And for shits and giggles, here are two words used to describe Ahsan’s dick that made me laugh: snake, pickle 😂
This book was a chaotic mix of random events that never connected, and nothing made sense. I was confused more times than I can count.
We meet the FMC, who drops out of school due to money issues, becomes a stripper, and lives with her cousin (who can’t pay rent). She decides to try “private events” for extra cash, learns they involve selling the box, says she’s not into that… then changes her mind a chapter later. In walks the MMC, pays her $1,000 for a night, and clearly wants to spoil her but she’d rather sell herself to randoms than pretend to be his girlfriend? It literally takes a near death experience for her to consider it.
She’s naive, conceited, doesn’t listen, and is hands-down one of the most annoying characters I’ve ever read. The side characters? Equally frustrating. We have the immature brother mad people think he’s immature (while acting immature), a jealous secretary trying to sabotage the relationship, a robbery subplot with no resolution, and an abrupt ending where we don’t even know if she said yes to his proposal.
Loose ends everywhere: the mayor deal? Dropped. The ex-boyfriend fresh out of prison? Pops up randomly and never meets the MMC. It felt like a teenager’s first attempt at writing romance just tossing ideas together and hoping it works. Six hours of my life I won’t get back.
Ahsan & Sienna have a dope vibe! Every scene with just the two of them was always intimate & sweet. They set their “ruse rules” & couldn’t fight their attraction to each other. & I couldn’t help but enjoy the ride. Ahsan gave “don’t play with me/I don’t play about her” energy & I LOVED it. He just oozes BDE & it was a perfect match for Sienna’s BPW energy. lol their chemistry was 👩🏾🍳😘
my favorite quote: “You can’t tell me how to make my money, and you definitely can’t tell me how to spend it. If I wanna ball out on you, Sienna, I’ll very well fucking do that shit.”
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Fake Dating, Rich AF MMC who likes to spend his money on FMC. There was a good serving of Kingpin Activities with a beautiful garnish of Spice.
I am looking forward to the conclusion of rollover drama with Rico, Demario & Jules.
I’m excited to see where Amir takes us in his book. I look forward to his growth & perspective. These Patton Brothers are no joke, I’m low key hooked.
Baby I ate this book up! It may have started with a proposition in a hotel bar, but it always gave my man my man energy. This what the ladies mean when we say we want him holy, hood but full of good lol. Sienna, was a struggling artist with a foul family. I loved her ambition, hustle and ability to stay on track with her goals. From the beginning I didn’t like her cousin. Sienna was about her money as she should have been. The gala with the right baller changed her life. Ahsan, was that man, I don’t care if he crashed out a time or two. The bet was just his way of getting what he truly wanted. Now I do have some questions lol. What happened with Jules? Demario said he gave up his freedom for her, ummmmm how? I feel like Zyon is at the root of all of this evil. Any who going to read book two now lol.
New to me author I liked this story. Always a fan of fake dating. Left on a cliffhanger??? Which i don’t mind but so many things happened towards the end of the book. All of it was kind of bypassed to focus on giving the characters a HEA, which i love a good HEA, but the way the story was going and the conflict buildup i don’t think it was needed yet. Especially seeing this is a book one. Like nothing was resolved. What happened with the cousin, the EX, the shooter, the disloyal workers, the assistant? I think we could’ve dragged out the HEA. This is a 3.25⭐️ I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see what happens. Also if my suspicions about the characters given to us in book one were right.
I can appreciate an ambitious man, who learns that success means balance.
When he saw Sienna, he immediately knew she would change his life. Neither one of them were banking on love, but dove head first into the experience of each other.
Ahsan is a kingpin ready for legitimacy. Sienna is ready to soar as an upcoming artist. Each having to deal with unfortunate skeletons and loss. Grief is heavy, but love is greater.
There were moments when I cursed for their equal parts of stupidity. Men kill me. Ahsan saw through Jules but was oblivious to her jealousy and advances. Sienna refused to take a hint and leave her cousin behind. That was their downfall.
Make Mine a Gangsta is my first read from K.L. Hall and all I can say is WHAAAAATTTT? Ahsan is a man who set a plan for various milestones in his life because at some point you have to decide whether or not you’ll give your life to the streets forever. Trying to go legit will always reveal the snakes. On the other hand, you have Sienna who is trying to make it and has set a plan for herself but of course there are barriers. When push comes to shove, you’ll make something shake and that is just what Sienna did. Make Mine a Gangsta is all about expecting the unexpected, falling in love, setting boundaries, and cutting that grass to reveal the snakes.
Asham was definitely a gangsta for sure but definitely in a different way. He had his plan set out and stuck to it. What he didn't plan was meeting and falling for Sienna. Sienna definitely has her art vibe going in the way she is just chill. When she is not stressed about one thing or another her vibe is crazy. I can say they mesh well together. Now they have some unfinished business but I feel like they can truly make something happen. I definitely would have liked to read about Sienna's first show though. Overall great read
Love Has Finally Come At Last for Sienna and Ahsan
When a one night stand turns into a beautiful love story!!!… I love me some Sienna and Ahsan!!!…There is ALWAYS something beautiful about a man that spks life into you!!!…When he hears your goals and encourages you to reach them!!!… I love how Sienna knew that Ahsan was her safe place and she was there for him after the loss of his granny, even though his brother was giving her grief!!!… I can’t wait to see what happens with Amir!!!… That cousin of Sienna and her ex has some real shady things going on for real!!!…
I liked the book. I was invested in Ashan and Sienna going beyond a "business proposition," but I felt there was a lot left undone with their story. Not to give anything away, but it felt rushed as soon as things became official. Maybe things will play out in future books, but at the end, there were several unfinished situations regarding them and then an abrupt ending. Do I recommend this book...yes! I'm going straight to the next one and hopefully it's redeeming in the way this one ended. Happy Reading.💋
great story. first book in the Patton Brothers series. this is Ahsan and Sienna story. Ahsan is a kingpin that's trying to go legit. Sienna is a struggling artist who makes ends meet by stripping. she has a trifling cousin that I'm certain means her harm. Sienna's ex is in jail.
Ahsan and Sienna embark on a fake relationship, a la Pretty Women. As fake becomes real, many people work to keep Ahsan and Sienna apart. friends become enemies. entertaining read. can't wait to read next installment.
Ahsan was not looking for love or a relationship but meeting Sienna at the bar in the hotel where the gala was being held ..... Whew Chile the chemistry was hott and heavy, Sienna didn't know that she had met the one but he needed a favor and she agreed to it not realizing that they would fall in love with other. Jules please get her cause she is doing some foul mess, Sienna's ex do what you need to I'm sick of him and her cousin. I love your books
I enjoyed this book and would recommend to others! There has to be at least one more book! There were too many loose ends, which is good as tar as I'm concern, though I loved the outcome for Sienna and Ahsan, but there's more to be heard from them, like marriage and baby! Then Jules is a loose cannon, trying to cause havoc, Amir need to find the other snake and then there's Sienna's Ex and her senses cousin, Zyon! Finally I want to see more of XL & Amir!
Okay the storyline and characters were good but I have questions: What happened with Jules and Sienna’s ex? Only stated that they met at the warehouse to discuss them. Did they ever find the other guy that robbed and shot him? Was her cousin in a relationship with Sienna ex or was it just a thing of loyalty. It seemed suspect to me. Why did her ex feel like she owed him for the years he spent locked up?
It wasn’t bad. I just feel like the fake relationship felt off. Granted it was fake but it never gave that. It was always real and they were only faking for one person. I still thought their love was beautiful. I hated how Sienna didn’t stand up to her cousin and was footing bills. Like she didn’t care for you if she was making you take extra work at the strip to cover her portion. Idk Ahsan was a dream.
Page-turner at its finest… Sienna saw an opportunity and seized the moment… Ahsan’s lateness caused him to meet his future… Was Sienna set up by her cousin and co-workers…
Will there be a book 2? What happened to Zyon and Sienna’s ex D? Was D the mastermind? Will the missing worker surface? What about Jules and her jealousy?
This was a good book but a lot was left unsolved like who shot him, will the ex boyfriend be a problem, what did the assistant mean but the threat like whattt. I’m not sure if there’s a book two, it’s still a good read just a lot left unanswered. The ending seemed kind of rushed
This wss such a beautiful love story with such a lovely ending. Nothing better than a gangsta with a solid plan and a great head on his shoulders. Ashan was everything a girl could ask for and so much more. K.L. Hall crafted the beginning of a great story. I'm excited to read the next book!