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Red Lights, Black Hearts
Darkness can be stained by light. Light can outshine the darkest of corners.
When Samantha hits rock bottom, she escapes her old life and buys a one-way ticket to Amsterdam. She begins anew, hidden among the shadows, only standing out when the spotlight hits her in her window in the Red Light District.
Samantha uses her body to forget her broken past and create a barrier between her and anyone who might breech her solitude.
When one man continues to visit her, paying for her time and attention, instead of her body, he brings out emotions in Samantha that she tries to keep buried.
In this journey of self-discovery, Samantha must decide if she wants to continue hiding behind the glass of falsehood or discover the light she carries within and finally begin to heal.
When Samantha hits rock bottom, she escapes her old life and buys a one-way ticket to Amsterdam. She begins anew, hidden among the shadows, only standing out when the spotlight hits her in her window in the Red Light District.
Samantha uses her body to forget her broken past and create a barrier between her and anyone who might breech her solitude.
When one man continues to visit her, paying for her time and attention, instead of her body, he brings out emotions in Samantha that she tries to keep buried.
In this journey of self-discovery, Samantha must decide if she wants to continue hiding behind the glass of falsehood or discover the light she carries within and finally begin to heal.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2016
20 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 31, 2017
I have never highlighted so many lines in my life!!! I LOVED this story. I found myself connecting in so many ways with Sam about just LIFE and things so many of us have gone through. This is so much more than the cover leads you to believe. A MUST read!! This was my first book by Fabiola but not my last. I will be following her on all outlets. Thank you Stephanie from Stephs Rom Book Talk(youtube) for doing a review on this, you always have the best content and recommends for us!!
July 15, 2016
Prepare to be blown away. Max, where have you been all my life? Fabiola has delivered a must read for the summer. Your summer is not complete until you let this book take you to a place you never expected and a place you will relive for a very long time.
Sam is working in the red light district in Amesterdam, a place she never saw herself ending up. She goes through the motions of exsisting, she doesn't feel that is not part of the plan. She uses men and sex as a release that's what men are something she uses. She gets her fill, they get theirs and everyone is happy. Righ?
Max, oh wow, he comes into her room and wants nothing physical from her he simply wants...her. The man is asking for too much because she only does physical. No need to get to know people, they become attached and feelings develop. Well, he keeps coming back just to talk. She never opens up.
The man is persistent if anything. He won't go away, he's on a mission to get to know her. Little by little the walls begin to crumble. The story turns into a beautiful story of love, filled with emotion and words that will grab your heart and soul. Max is the perfect man, he has the right words, the right touch and has a way of liberating and freeing Sam from her chains.
The book doesn't end how I wanted it to. But it is the absolute perfect ending. Fabiola has a way with words, a way to pull us into her stories. I hope everyone finds their sun/moon, just like Sam and Max.
Sam is working in the red light district in Amesterdam, a place she never saw herself ending up. She goes through the motions of exsisting, she doesn't feel that is not part of the plan. She uses men and sex as a release that's what men are something she uses. She gets her fill, they get theirs and everyone is happy. Righ?
Max, oh wow, he comes into her room and wants nothing physical from her he simply wants...her. The man is asking for too much because she only does physical. No need to get to know people, they become attached and feelings develop. Well, he keeps coming back just to talk. She never opens up.
The man is persistent if anything. He won't go away, he's on a mission to get to know her. Little by little the walls begin to crumble. The story turns into a beautiful story of love, filled with emotion and words that will grab your heart and soul. Max is the perfect man, he has the right words, the right touch and has a way of liberating and freeing Sam from her chains.
The book doesn't end how I wanted it to. But it is the absolute perfect ending. Fabiola has a way with words, a way to pull us into her stories. I hope everyone finds their sun/moon, just like Sam and Max.
September 11, 2016
3.5 Stars
First off, I want to thank Fabiola for giving me this book. She did not ask for a review but I review everything I read.
Red lights black hearts is has an interesting premise but I couldn't really get into the story. The main character is broken and is hell bent on controlling her life with the very thing that was taken from her. While working in the infamous red light district, she meets a tenacious man. He is convinced that he can heal her and take her away from her current life.
This book is deep and dark. The kind of dark that makes you think about your life and question your decisions.
Personally, this book was too hard for me to get into. There are a lot of heavy duty quotes that disrupted the flow of the story. Deep thinkers and poets will enjoy the emotional rollercoaster that Fabiola weaved into this story.
First off, I want to thank Fabiola for giving me this book. She did not ask for a review but I review everything I read.
Red lights black hearts is has an interesting premise but I couldn't really get into the story. The main character is broken and is hell bent on controlling her life with the very thing that was taken from her. While working in the infamous red light district, she meets a tenacious man. He is convinced that he can heal her and take her away from her current life.
This book is deep and dark. The kind of dark that makes you think about your life and question your decisions.
Personally, this book was too hard for me to get into. There are a lot of heavy duty quotes that disrupted the flow of the story. Deep thinkers and poets will enjoy the emotional rollercoaster that Fabiola weaved into this story.
August 2, 2018
A wonderful story about forgiveness! Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. I became invested in Samantha’s journey and I wanted the best for her.
Max’s character was there to give Sam a nudge, but in the end it was Samantha that had to make the choices to live her life, love herself, and choose to forgive. I was sad that they had to part ways, but I knew that was how this story needed to end and the author wrote the story so well.
This book is dark, raw, and honest, and the light shines through to give us a story of love and forgiveness! A definite must read!
Max’s character was there to give Sam a nudge, but in the end it was Samantha that had to make the choices to live her life, love herself, and choose to forgive. I was sad that they had to part ways, but I knew that was how this story needed to end and the author wrote the story so well.
This book is dark, raw, and honest, and the light shines through to give us a story of love and forgiveness! A definite must read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2017
So full of emotion by the end of this book!! I stand by the words that I gave Fabiola Franciso a few days ago when she asked her readers for two words that describe this book: Heartfelt and beautiful! I am also adding raw, soul searching, and moving. This book is so much more than a romance!! I can't wait for Twisted in You even though Sam is a secondary character, I need to know more!! Please watch the video review to see more thoughts on this book.
Provided as an ARC for a voluntary and honest review.
This specific video review: https://youtu.be/NvSaM3nxNz8
For other video book reviews check out my YouTube Channel Steph’s Rom Book Talk
https://www.youtube.com/c/stephanieun...
Provided as an ARC for a voluntary and honest review.
This specific video review: https://youtu.be/NvSaM3nxNz8
For other video book reviews check out my YouTube Channel Steph’s Rom Book Talk
https://www.youtube.com/c/stephanieun...
March 8, 2018
Red Lights, Black Hearts – By Fabiola Francisco
I was given an ARC in exchange of an honest opinion; first I’d like Fabiola for giving me a chance to be part of the release and review team for such an amazing book. I’ve recently discovered Fabiola and her books, and so far, she hasn’t disappointed.
There are no words to express what this book meant to me. “Red Lights, Black Hears” completely owned me.
This book tells the story of Samantha, a woman that has become so dark in the inside, that’s no longer able to see the light. She carries her past and others on her shoulders; and even when she lives in the present, all that she sees is that past and that’s where she lives.
All the pain, heartache and bad experiences she’s been through, molded her into an empty shell; she doesn’t live, she just merely exist.
Behind a glass wall she hides, behind a set of lingerie she tries to gain and keep the control she lost before. Samantha is a like a doll locked in a glass house; but not a real house, the glass house she’s locked in, is inside her own mind.
She’s a dark heart and soul, or at least that’s what she sees every time her own reflection appears in a mirror. But even in the darkest souls and hearts a ray of light can appear, and even when you refuse to accept it, that ray will be strong enough to illuminate your entire soul.
Max is that ray of light that breaks through the tinted walls of Samantha’s doll house. He forces himself into her life, making her see what she can’t or won’t.
It has been said that souls are split in two and sent to earth to roam freely, until one of those half finds the other to become one. Well, Sam and Mx are those two half, one is dark, twisted and sad; while the other is so full of light that blinds you. Max is the yang to Sam’s yin. Without her knowing, she complements him and vice versa.
I don’t want to spoil the story, because there are so many topics to talk about that there’s not a review long enough that could possibly make this book any justice.
If I’m being honest, which I always intend to be, Samantha’s story touched my soul, so many of her thoughts are my own, that at times was scary to read them.
We all have light and dark within us, that’s how we have been created, but is up to us which one we choose to live with. This is exactly the point showed in this book.
And as I said to Fabiola, I appreciate that through this story I can understand I’m not a lost cause.
Please, don’t think it twice, grab this book read it, analyze it and let it sink inside you. You won’t regret it.
I was given an ARC in exchange of an honest opinion; first I’d like Fabiola for giving me a chance to be part of the release and review team for such an amazing book. I’ve recently discovered Fabiola and her books, and so far, she hasn’t disappointed.
There are no words to express what this book meant to me. “Red Lights, Black Hears” completely owned me.
This book tells the story of Samantha, a woman that has become so dark in the inside, that’s no longer able to see the light. She carries her past and others on her shoulders; and even when she lives in the present, all that she sees is that past and that’s where she lives.
All the pain, heartache and bad experiences she’s been through, molded her into an empty shell; she doesn’t live, she just merely exist.
Behind a glass wall she hides, behind a set of lingerie she tries to gain and keep the control she lost before. Samantha is a like a doll locked in a glass house; but not a real house, the glass house she’s locked in, is inside her own mind.
She’s a dark heart and soul, or at least that’s what she sees every time her own reflection appears in a mirror. But even in the darkest souls and hearts a ray of light can appear, and even when you refuse to accept it, that ray will be strong enough to illuminate your entire soul.
Max is that ray of light that breaks through the tinted walls of Samantha’s doll house. He forces himself into her life, making her see what she can’t or won’t.
It has been said that souls are split in two and sent to earth to roam freely, until one of those half finds the other to become one. Well, Sam and Mx are those two half, one is dark, twisted and sad; while the other is so full of light that blinds you. Max is the yang to Sam’s yin. Without her knowing, she complements him and vice versa.
I don’t want to spoil the story, because there are so many topics to talk about that there’s not a review long enough that could possibly make this book any justice.
If I’m being honest, which I always intend to be, Samantha’s story touched my soul, so many of her thoughts are my own, that at times was scary to read them.
We all have light and dark within us, that’s how we have been created, but is up to us which one we choose to live with. This is exactly the point showed in this book.
And as I said to Fabiola, I appreciate that through this story I can understand I’m not a lost cause.
Please, don’t think it twice, grab this book read it, analyze it and let it sink inside you. You won’t regret it.
September 12, 2018
What an amazing book! This story is such an inspiring experience. This is about Sam. She works in Red Light District in Amsterdam. She dances in the window and lures the men in. Once they are alone with her she is in control. And she gets strength from this. In her reality, in her past, she wasn't in control. Family lied to her. Family abandoned her. Someone that was supposed to love and protect her did the opposite and made love something distasteful to her. So she mistakes controlling men's pleasure as happiness. She lives a life with no personal relationships, except for Bale who works the door for her. He isn't a stranger to pain either. Then she meets Max. He sees her in the window and sees more than a beautiful and seductive woman. He visits her every chance he gets. But he isn't her usual customer. He pays. But just to talk to her. To get to know her. Sam at first is annoyed with him but she starts to look forward to his visits. And slowly but surely he starts to affect her and change her life.
This book is a must a read. There are so many quotes that everyone can live by in this book. This story has something everyone needs. Whether it be a story about healing, tragedy, strength, romance, forgiveness, anger, self discovery... This book has it all. And I guarantee after you read it you will be a changed person. You will look at your life different. I love books that do this. So read this book and let Sam's story engulf you.
This book is a must a read. There are so many quotes that everyone can live by in this book. This story has something everyone needs. Whether it be a story about healing, tragedy, strength, romance, forgiveness, anger, self discovery... This book has it all. And I guarantee after you read it you will be a changed person. You will look at your life different. I love books that do this. So read this book and let Sam's story engulf you.
July 8, 2018
Red Lights, Black Hearts was a dark, yet powerful story. I am all about the happy endings with marriages and babies etc. LOL This book was not that but I loved it all the more! This book really helped remind me that you don't need a man always. It was amazing to see a story that didn't have the typical happy ending but yet it did because Sam came out stronger then ever and truly healed from her demons. Max helped her see she was more then what she thought and deserved way more then what she had. He helped her find the light through all of the dark.
I really loved this one and appreciate Fabiola all the more for being able to write an amazing book that didn't just have the "typical happy ending".
I really loved this one and appreciate Fabiola all the more for being able to write an amazing book that didn't just have the "typical happy ending".
March 24, 2018
Beautiful words, poetic writing. This book is a testament of Sam’s(the main character) healing. She explored the depths of her suffering, and learned with the help of Max and his philosophical words how to love herself again. How to build herself again.
The book started off kinda steamy, but then it tapered off into therapeutic conversations between Sam and Max. At least that’s how I saw it. He was her main support system throughout the book. Sam didn’t want Max, she needed him. Overall, a neat story about redemption and healing.
The book started off kinda steamy, but then it tapered off into therapeutic conversations between Sam and Max. At least that’s how I saw it. He was her main support system throughout the book. Sam didn’t want Max, she needed him. Overall, a neat story about redemption and healing.
March 28, 2018
Eye opening read.
Sam had so much weight and darkness on her shoulders. It weighed her down and made her a shell of the person she used to be.I loved how Max was able to slowly start to chisel away at some of Sam's demons. Max had so many ways of helping Sam find herself again. I was not anticipating the book to end the way it did. But this was your normal romance book either.
Sam had so much weight and darkness on her shoulders. It weighed her down and made her a shell of the person she used to be.I loved how Max was able to slowly start to chisel away at some of Sam's demons. Max had so many ways of helping Sam find herself again. I was not anticipating the book to end the way it did. But this was your normal romance book either.
August 8, 2018
As I started to read this book, I have to be honest, My first impressions of Samantha were that she was a bit of a heartless prostitute, and even though I enjoy dark reads etc, i wasn’t sure this would be a book for me. Well OMG was i wrong or what !!!!! If ever i was to be reminded not to judge a book by its cover, Samantha and Max just kicked my butt into place !!
Having survived a horrendous back ground, Samantha is now successfully working the Red Light District of Amsterdam. She keeps to herself, and enjoys the power she has over the tricks that are lured into her “Office” for a closed curtain on the window session. She gets off on the power she has over their pleasure. She is surviving and coping with life, having her emotions on lockdown determined never feel or show them again. Yes she has a chip on her shoulder, but the more i got to know her, the more I could empathise with everything she was feeling and thought. Max is a man just like all the rest, when he visits her room, but it soon becomes obvious, he’s different. This is a Love story and love isn’t always pretty or easy. Sometimes it just takes one person to reach you on that inner level where it counts. Just one person to help you regain parts of yourself that you thought were dead. One person to show you that even though you are living, that you actually aren’t. Their journey is painful at times, yet it gives so much hope, its uplifting yet it brings the tears !!
Max was one darned special man, he knew how to reach the darkest deepest depths, without invasion. This is a love that grew and developed in the most beautiful way. Two souls that unite in one battle. but can it end with a happy ever after? This author broke my heart, but how this book ends is the right way !! This is a book that has you questioning yourself over and over again and will leave its mark. Sometimes in life and love we have to take a chance !! I am so glad i did with this book and I am even happier that Samantha did with Max !!!
Having survived a horrendous back ground, Samantha is now successfully working the Red Light District of Amsterdam. She keeps to herself, and enjoys the power she has over the tricks that are lured into her “Office” for a closed curtain on the window session. She gets off on the power she has over their pleasure. She is surviving and coping with life, having her emotions on lockdown determined never feel or show them again. Yes she has a chip on her shoulder, but the more i got to know her, the more I could empathise with everything she was feeling and thought. Max is a man just like all the rest, when he visits her room, but it soon becomes obvious, he’s different. This is a Love story and love isn’t always pretty or easy. Sometimes it just takes one person to reach you on that inner level where it counts. Just one person to help you regain parts of yourself that you thought were dead. One person to show you that even though you are living, that you actually aren’t. Their journey is painful at times, yet it gives so much hope, its uplifting yet it brings the tears !!
Max was one darned special man, he knew how to reach the darkest deepest depths, without invasion. This is a love that grew and developed in the most beautiful way. Two souls that unite in one battle. but can it end with a happy ever after? This author broke my heart, but how this book ends is the right way !! This is a book that has you questioning yourself over and over again and will leave its mark. Sometimes in life and love we have to take a chance !! I am so glad i did with this book and I am even happier that Samantha did with Max !!!
December 16, 2019
I absolutely loved this book! The inspiration behind the authors real life vacation truly put a creative spin on such a beautifully written portrayal of needing to control your damaged past and how quickly we form connections with those we least likely expect. The poetic writing was a bit tiresome in the beginning however, it fit the story oh so perfectly.
July 6, 2016
Five incredible stars! Ms. Francisco has outdone herself with this latest work. It is dark, raw and gritty, but also illuminating, hopeful and joyful.
When the book begins, we don't even know our heroine's name. We quickly learn, however, that she is a prostitute in Amsterdam's Red Light District. Some might think she's not all that likeable, with her obsessive need for control over everything. I liked this intriguing woman right away. We soon learn our heroine's name -- Sam.
Sam is a woman who lets no one into her life. She is a Red Light District girl. Period. She even says, "People like me are meant to stay in the dimness of purgatory." Yes, she is a woman completely closed off.
Enter Max, our hero. He arrives seemingly out of nowhere and commences efforts to convince Sam she is so much more. Bit by bit he chips away at the wall Sam has built around herself, determined to make her start really living again. Despite her many protests, Max will not go away and persists. He is determined to help Sam, no easy task. Sam's past is very dark, and events that occurred, in both childhood and adulthood, have shaped the person she is now.
Max proves to be as tough as any wall Sam has built around herself. There are dramatic and tough moments between them, but also funny and loving ones. Slowly Max draws Sam out into the world of the living. I loved Max's ways. The manner in which he stood by Sam is beautiful. He is her sun and Sam is his moon.
I have never highlighted so many passages in a book. The author's words resonated with me and are still running through my head. Every word felt like it was written with such care.
Don't miss this book. There is not a traditional HEA, but that really isn't the point of this story. I will admit that I was left wanting to read more about Sam, Max & company. Who knows? Perhaps the author will indulge us ...
When the book begins, we don't even know our heroine's name. We quickly learn, however, that she is a prostitute in Amsterdam's Red Light District. Some might think she's not all that likeable, with her obsessive need for control over everything. I liked this intriguing woman right away. We soon learn our heroine's name -- Sam.
Sam is a woman who lets no one into her life. She is a Red Light District girl. Period. She even says, "People like me are meant to stay in the dimness of purgatory." Yes, she is a woman completely closed off.
Enter Max, our hero. He arrives seemingly out of nowhere and commences efforts to convince Sam she is so much more. Bit by bit he chips away at the wall Sam has built around herself, determined to make her start really living again. Despite her many protests, Max will not go away and persists. He is determined to help Sam, no easy task. Sam's past is very dark, and events that occurred, in both childhood and adulthood, have shaped the person she is now.
Max proves to be as tough as any wall Sam has built around herself. There are dramatic and tough moments between them, but also funny and loving ones. Slowly Max draws Sam out into the world of the living. I loved Max's ways. The manner in which he stood by Sam is beautiful. He is her sun and Sam is his moon.
I have never highlighted so many passages in a book. The author's words resonated with me and are still running through my head. Every word felt like it was written with such care.
Don't miss this book. There is not a traditional HEA, but that really isn't the point of this story. I will admit that I was left wanting to read more about Sam, Max & company. Who knows? Perhaps the author will indulge us ...
July 10, 2016
Originally posted at
Red Lights, Black Hearts is a novel beyond this world!
The words that brings out the emotions of the characters’…
The sentences that tells the tragedy and stories of Samantha and those around her…
Fabiola Francisco is an author whose writing will pull you in so fast and deep…you would not be able to put down her novels once you started reading it!
In her latest novel, she has written more than just the sweetest romance between her characters, but also something so beautifully tragic, one would feel so much sadness and hopefulness for the characters!
The way Miss Fabiola writes in Red Lights, Black Hearts, on Samantha’s feelings, it was almost as if I was her. It felt as if I was Sam, and I was feeling her grey emotions, her detachment to this world. Everything inside this novel feels so real.
Samantha is every man’s dream, sexy, cold and a person who needs control. Yet, the one thing she promised herself she would never do again happened, and that broke the walls she had been building when she arrived in Amsterdam.
Sam truly is one of the most complex, yet, she is also one of the simplest character I have read in any novels. It physically hurts me to see Sam’s inner battle.
Something about the writing in this novel feels so real it hurts.
This novel is a beautiful surprise, and I love the endings in most of the novels I read, but for Red Lights, Black Hearts?
It. Was. Perfect.
This novel has the most unexpected, and perfect ending of one finding herself with some help from a person who broke her facade, releasing herself, and healing from her past.
This novel is highly recommended for everyone! Red Lights, Black Hearts is truly a very unique novel!
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
Red Lights, Black Hearts is a novel beyond this world!
The words that brings out the emotions of the characters’…
The sentences that tells the tragedy and stories of Samantha and those around her…
Fabiola Francisco is an author whose writing will pull you in so fast and deep…you would not be able to put down her novels once you started reading it!
In her latest novel, she has written more than just the sweetest romance between her characters, but also something so beautifully tragic, one would feel so much sadness and hopefulness for the characters!
The way Miss Fabiola writes in Red Lights, Black Hearts, on Samantha’s feelings, it was almost as if I was her. It felt as if I was Sam, and I was feeling her grey emotions, her detachment to this world. Everything inside this novel feels so real.
Samantha is every man’s dream, sexy, cold and a person who needs control. Yet, the one thing she promised herself she would never do again happened, and that broke the walls she had been building when she arrived in Amsterdam.
Sam truly is one of the most complex, yet, she is also one of the simplest character I have read in any novels. It physically hurts me to see Sam’s inner battle.
Something about the writing in this novel feels so real it hurts.
This novel is a beautiful surprise, and I love the endings in most of the novels I read, but for Red Lights, Black Hearts?
It. Was. Perfect.
This novel has the most unexpected, and perfect ending of one finding herself with some help from a person who broke her facade, releasing herself, and healing from her past.
This novel is highly recommended for everyone! Red Lights, Black Hearts is truly a very unique novel!
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
July 17, 2016
This book is awesome! I absolutely loved this book and it has quickly become one of my top reads for 2016! I will honestly admit that I find it hard to get into books that involve prostitutes. I don’t have anything against these characters, nor do I judge them. I just find them hard to connect with. I don’t know why or how, but Sam wormed her way into my heart and I found an understanding of her and her life. For that reason and that reason alone,.. I applaud Fabiola Francisco. To be able to have readers connect with and understand their characters 100% is an amazing talent to have.
When ‘’Red lights, black hearts’’ start, we do not know the lead characters names. We soon find out that she is a prostitute in the Red light district – Amsterdam and that her name is Sam. Sam has her heart highly guarded by walls that she has surrounded her heart with.
Sam loves control. She has a real need for total control over every aspect of her life.
Then Max enters her life. Max tries to convince Sam that she could do so much better for herself. He starts to crack the walls around Sam’s heart. Sam doesn’t like Max slowly worming his way into her heart so she continues to try and push Max away. She continuously tells him to leave her alone, but Max is persistent and wants to help Sam.
He doesn’t want Sam to let her dark past define her future. Will Max break through Sam’s walls? Will he make Sam see she deserves to live fully, farther then lock her heart away?
I absolutely adore Max, I loved that he wasn’t giving up on Sam. He wasn’t going to go down without a fight, even though Sam Is stubborn and her walls are titanium built. (Strong)
I am trying to be vague; I don’t want to give anything away. Red lights, Black hearts, is awesome and it totally earned the five stars that I am giving it.
When ‘’Red lights, black hearts’’ start, we do not know the lead characters names. We soon find out that she is a prostitute in the Red light district – Amsterdam and that her name is Sam. Sam has her heart highly guarded by walls that she has surrounded her heart with.
Sam loves control. She has a real need for total control over every aspect of her life.
Then Max enters her life. Max tries to convince Sam that she could do so much better for herself. He starts to crack the walls around Sam’s heart. Sam doesn’t like Max slowly worming his way into her heart so she continues to try and push Max away. She continuously tells him to leave her alone, but Max is persistent and wants to help Sam.
He doesn’t want Sam to let her dark past define her future. Will Max break through Sam’s walls? Will he make Sam see she deserves to live fully, farther then lock her heart away?
I absolutely adore Max, I loved that he wasn’t giving up on Sam. He wasn’t going to go down without a fight, even though Sam Is stubborn and her walls are titanium built. (Strong)
I am trying to be vague; I don’t want to give anything away. Red lights, Black hearts, is awesome and it totally earned the five stars that I am giving it.
July 18, 2016
This book…wow. You will not get a light & fluffy love story. You will not get a typical romance all wrapped up in a pretty little bow. This one will reach deep inside you and grip your heart. Get ready for a bumpy ride.
Sam has moved to Amsterdam to run away from her past. There, she can be someone else – someone who is in control – walls are up, heart is cold & black as coal. She hides behind the glass in the red light district – luring men in, using them, then spitting them out. She uses indifference as a shield… It’s easier that way. Easier than dealing with feelings.
“Inside a coal is a diamond, something precious and rare. Could there be some beauty left in my heart deep with the hard shell of my chest?”
Max…he is Sam’s light in her world of darkness. He is exactly what Sam needs, although she fights it as much as she can. Being the patient and caring person he is, he slowly brings her out of her shell, makes her start feeling again, and helps her find the girl who she used to be.
“I am a fire that burns, but can he be the water that extinguishes me?”
This story is beautifully-written. So poetic, so deep – filled with so much passion, you will feel every ounce of pain, every single emotion. Some moments are intense, some are touching, and some will leave you breathless. I highlighted so many parts in this book because as I read them, they reached deep down in my soul. Fabulous book!
Sam has moved to Amsterdam to run away from her past. There, she can be someone else – someone who is in control – walls are up, heart is cold & black as coal. She hides behind the glass in the red light district – luring men in, using them, then spitting them out. She uses indifference as a shield… It’s easier that way. Easier than dealing with feelings.
“Inside a coal is a diamond, something precious and rare. Could there be some beauty left in my heart deep with the hard shell of my chest?”
Max…he is Sam’s light in her world of darkness. He is exactly what Sam needs, although she fights it as much as she can. Being the patient and caring person he is, he slowly brings her out of her shell, makes her start feeling again, and helps her find the girl who she used to be.
“I am a fire that burns, but can he be the water that extinguishes me?”
This story is beautifully-written. So poetic, so deep – filled with so much passion, you will feel every ounce of pain, every single emotion. Some moments are intense, some are touching, and some will leave you breathless. I highlighted so many parts in this book because as I read them, they reached deep down in my soul. Fabulous book!
July 18, 2016
Red Lights, Black Hearts is beautifully dark, but there is light and it's amazing! Fabiola Francisco brings a breath of fresh air with this one. This is without a doubt one of my top reads for 2016.
Favorite quote
"How long does happiness last?"
"However long we allow it to."
Let me just say for starters, I RARELY cry when reading books, but the last few chapters of Red Lights, Black Hearts had me shedding tears. Not an ugly cry, but rather tears of "Wow, that was so beautiful."
Thisbook... novel is poetic, deeply moving, smartly written, and incredibly thoughtful. Sam is one of the most complex characters I've read, yet she is easy to understand. Despite her profession, readers will most certainly connect with the woman Sam is. She is a lost soul. And who hasn't been lost a time or two?
Max, oh Max. Let's just say he is her person. He never gave up on Sam, and he was without question - determined! I loved their chats, I loved their relationship, and I understood the journey they took together.
Red Lights, Black Hearts will grip your soul and take you through an emotionally dark story, but it wraps up so beautifully.
"As soon as I found love for myself, I found my truth. The beauty I had hidden."
Five Hope and Truth Stars!
Favorite quote
"How long does happiness last?"
"However long we allow it to."
Let me just say for starters, I RARELY cry when reading books, but the last few chapters of Red Lights, Black Hearts had me shedding tears. Not an ugly cry, but rather tears of "Wow, that was so beautiful."
This
Max, oh Max. Let's just say he is her person. He never gave up on Sam, and he was without question - determined! I loved their chats, I loved their relationship, and I understood the journey they took together.
Red Lights, Black Hearts will grip your soul and take you through an emotionally dark story, but it wraps up so beautifully.
"As soon as I found love for myself, I found my truth. The beauty I had hidden."
Five Hope and Truth Stars!
December 30, 2016
She hides behind the glass, providing what is asked and taking at the same time. She doesn't look too close because she doesn't want them to see, until Max. He wants to see what she doesn't want to share. He can reach into that place she has hidden. He is philosopher and counselor as he draws her out. She doesn't want to feel but she can't resist. He is the sun to her moon.
This isn't a love story. It isn't pretty. It is reflective. It is hard. It is sweet. It is sexy. Samantha has hidden for years and now she can hide no longer. It is time to heal. It is time to forgive. It is time to remember. Then there's Max. He wont let her hide any longer. He keeps on digging and wont stop.
An emotional introspective read with a dark path. This isn't the HEA you expect but it is an ending. Love these characters and the flow of the story. It is so not what I expected but most definitely worth the read.
This isn't a love story. It isn't pretty. It is reflective. It is hard. It is sweet. It is sexy. Samantha has hidden for years and now she can hide no longer. It is time to heal. It is time to forgive. It is time to remember. Then there's Max. He wont let her hide any longer. He keeps on digging and wont stop.
An emotional introspective read with a dark path. This isn't the HEA you expect but it is an ending. Love these characters and the flow of the story. It is so not what I expected but most definitely worth the read.
August 23, 2016
Yet another deep thought-provoking novel by Fabiola Francisco. Each and every book by her has me stepping into territory that I normally don't venture into. She touches on themes and topics that are slightly taboo, at least to me.
Sam is a complex character. She wants to just live her life the way she's been living it the last few years in Amsterdam. That is until Max finds her in her red light district window.
Fabiola's prose in this book is very different than her other books. It is not a book you can read all at once; you must slowly devour it, let it seep into your pores and find peace in your soul. The imagery also makes me want to take a trip to Amsterdam and emerge myself in the places Sam and Max visited.
This is a book that will stay with me and I will venture back to more than once.
Sam is a complex character. She wants to just live her life the way she's been living it the last few years in Amsterdam. That is until Max finds her in her red light district window.
Fabiola's prose in this book is very different than her other books. It is not a book you can read all at once; you must slowly devour it, let it seep into your pores and find peace in your soul. The imagery also makes me want to take a trip to Amsterdam and emerge myself in the places Sam and Max visited.
This is a book that will stay with me and I will venture back to more than once.
July 23, 2016
This book totally took me by surprise, after reading the synopsis I assumed this might have been an erotic romance. Knowing the book was about a prostitute dancing in a window in Amsterdam's red light district, I was completely proven wrong.
What we have here is a deep and philosophical story about a woman rediscovering herself. She had buried her past so deep and hid behind her window. It isn't until she meets the mysterious Max that she starts to question the path she has taken.
I found the first half of this book very bity, it didn't seem to flow, however the second half I found that I wanted to know what happen. This could reflect Sam's life, in the second half of the book her life is smoother.
I really enjoyed the journey and discovery that Sam went on, and the ending is not what you would expect!
What we have here is a deep and philosophical story about a woman rediscovering herself. She had buried her past so deep and hid behind her window. It isn't until she meets the mysterious Max that she starts to question the path she has taken.
I found the first half of this book very bity, it didn't seem to flow, however the second half I found that I wanted to know what happen. This could reflect Sam's life, in the second half of the book her life is smoother.
I really enjoyed the journey and discovery that Sam went on, and the ending is not what you would expect!
consider-later
June 20, 2016
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July 20, 2016
This book just blew me away.. it was so dark, but at the same time there was so much light.. of course it helped that it was beautifully written.. the heroine didn't have a great start in life, but despise being so full of demons and not being able to find the light shinning through, the hero gives her back the light she was missing in the most unexpected way.. I loved this book from cover to cover and I can't wait what comes next from this author..
March 27, 2017
These are my Happily Ever After Novel Thoughts...
Sam is such a broken soul it was hard for me to connect, but this was still a beautiful story.
A story of self discovery with a sideline of romance, Sam learns all things happen for a reason, whether good or bad. Our souls search out their mates and there are more than one mate for each soul. Each mate is something different for that time of life.
I liked this story and Samantha's road to self discovery and her Happily Ever After.
Sam is such a broken soul it was hard for me to connect, but this was still a beautiful story.
A story of self discovery with a sideline of romance, Sam learns all things happen for a reason, whether good or bad. Our souls search out their mates and there are more than one mate for each soul. Each mate is something different for that time of life.
I liked this story and Samantha's road to self discovery and her Happily Ever After.
July 4, 2017
I love fabiola's books, she is one of my favourite authors.
I love this book, it's a very heavy book, it's a very heavy book and very thought provoking.
It's not a book I would normally read but thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the ending.
I love this book, it's a very heavy book, it's a very heavy book and very thought provoking.
It's not a book I would normally read but thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the ending.
July 8, 2016
BOOM!!!!
So unlike anything Fabiola has written before, I was blown away.
So unlike anything Fabiola has written before, I was blown away.
July 22, 2016
Absolutely loved this book!!!!
Fabiola really pulls you in the story right off! Such raw emotions! One of the best books I've read this year.
Fabiola really pulls you in the story right off! Such raw emotions! One of the best books I've read this year.
September 29, 2018
What a winding tale weaved... Intense.
Having just finished this, I’m still absorbing the tale that was shared within these pages. Intense. Eye-opening. Introspective. The inside look of a victim and her journey back to the life she was meant to live, taking back her power, becoming the strong woman she is. While I desperately wanted more with Max, I know that that wouldn’t work into the destined path for Sam.
Fabiola has such a wide variety of stories, and each one will affect you in an elemental way. Definite recommendation.
Having just finished this, I’m still absorbing the tale that was shared within these pages. Intense. Eye-opening. Introspective. The inside look of a victim and her journey back to the life she was meant to live, taking back her power, becoming the strong woman she is. While I desperately wanted more with Max, I know that that wouldn’t work into the destined path for Sam.
Fabiola has such a wide variety of stories, and each one will affect you in an elemental way. Definite recommendation.
April 19, 2020
I truly don’t think I will ever find the right words to say what this books means to me. I am not Samantha, but I feel like her, I think many can feel like her. Many want to believe like she didn’t want to believe. Fight against ourselves, we all do it and then someone comes to show us, that one person, Max. Where can I find a Max? Soulmates. If you don’t believe in fate and the universe and what it already knows about your life and people who play a part in it, you will by the time you finish this book.
This is one book that will stay with me forever.
This is one book that will stay with me forever.
September 16, 2018
So many mixed feelings after finishing this book. I struggled when I first started because it wasn’t what I expected. I’m so glad after finishing that I continued reading because it was worth it. Fabiola Francisco takes you along the struggle of everything that Sam goes through trying to find herself again. It’s deep and soul searching and by the end you will feel apart of Sam’s journey.
January 13, 2019
So many mixed feelings after finishing this book. I struggled when I first started because it wasn’t what I expected. I’m so glad after finishing that I continued reading because it was worth it. Fabiola Francisco takes you along the struggle of everything that Sam goes through trying to find herself again. It’s deep and soul searching and by the end you will feel apart of Sam’s journey.
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