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Crime Lord #1
Crime Lord's Captive
"Come to me, Lyla, and I’ll let your father live."
Three years ago, Lyla Dalton fled from the glittering lights of Las Vegas and the ruthless man who rules the criminal underworld, Gavin Pyre. She created a new identity and has been living a quiet life, but that’s at an end. He’s found her and is bringing her back to where she belongs.
As Lyla navigates through the dark secrets of her past, she’s forced to face a man who won’t accept no for an answer from the woman he still claims as his.
Three years ago, Lyla Dalton fled from the glittering lights of Las Vegas and the ruthless man who rules the criminal underworld, Gavin Pyre. She created a new identity and has been living a quiet life, but that’s at an end. He’s found her and is bringing her back to where she belongs.
As Lyla navigates through the dark secrets of her past, she’s forced to face a man who won’t accept no for an answer from the woman he still claims as his.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2016
2039 people are currently reading
13074 people want to read
About the author
Mia Knight
12 books2,752 followersMia is the author of the Crime Lord and Singed Series. She writes dark, contemporary romances that make you question your beliefs and leave you feeling drained and emotionally bereft. If you like your men dark with questionable morals and a possessive edge, you’ve come to the right place.
When Mia isn’t writing, she’s most likely on a road trip. She loves coffee, daydreaming, and the sound of rain storms. She is constantly shadowed by her dogs who don’t judge her when she laughs and cries with the voices in her head. Mia’s also a notorious hermit so please be patient if she doesn’t get back to you promptly.
You can follow her on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mia-k...
When Mia isn’t writing, she’s most likely on a road trip. She loves coffee, daydreaming, and the sound of rain storms. She is constantly shadowed by her dogs who don’t judge her when she laughs and cries with the voices in her head. Mia’s also a notorious hermit so please be patient if she doesn’t get back to you promptly.
You can follow her on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mia-k...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 978 reviews
March 28, 2018
Fuck it, I've read this so many times now, it deserves an upgrade.
4 Stars 5 Big Ones
I personally really liked this one.
This isn't the best mafia romance I've ever read by any means, but it was decent enough in that aspect. I've read this thing numerous times since my initial review and I just fucking love it. Gavin's violence and involvement in the "underworld" as it is referred to here is not watered down or depicted through rose-colored glasses, which I always appreciate.
Also, I love how Gavin doggedly pursued Lyla after she ran away from him three years before. I loved how possessive he was, how obsessed he was...how just plain OTT alpha crazy he was.
That said, this book will definitely not work for some people. It states pretty explicitly early on that one of the reasons Lyla left is because . I was personally okay with it because 1) It happened off page and before this book started, 2) I was able to buy into the reasons provided .
This one does end on a bit of cliff, but the whole series is already out.
So, onward.
I personally really liked this one.
Also, I love how Gavin doggedly pursued Lyla after she ran away from him three years before. I loved how possessive he was, how obsessed he was...how just plain OTT alpha crazy he was.
That said, this book will definitely not work for some people. It states pretty explicitly early on that one of the reasons Lyla left is because . I was personally okay with it because 1) It happened off page and before this book started, 2) I was able to buy into the reasons provided .
This one does end on a bit of cliff, but the whole series is already out.
So, onward.
September 2, 2017
This is exactly the type of dark, twisted story that I love! It is no mystery that I love taboo stories that feature an over-the-top Alpha and seriously messed up relationships. So, it should come as no surprise that a story about a crime lord who is obsessed with his ex-girlfriend would be right up my alley.
That being said, if you're a person that is easily "triggered" by stories of abuse, then this one will not be for you. Mia Knight does not dance around the subject. She embraces the dark, violent and disturbing nature of this anti-hero. Be forewarned.
Lyla has been living a life on the run for a few years. She was once the girlfriend of a Las Vegas crime lord, blissfully unaware of his philandering ways. That is, until she caught him red-handed. She returned early from a trip and wanted to surprise him. Needless to say, they both got the surprise of a lifetime!
Shortly after catching him buried deep inside of another woman, she witnessed his violent streak first-hand. What she saw was enough to send her running for the hills. No longer could she ignore the violence and danger brewing beneath the surface of the man that she loved. What she saw terrified her.
Lyla ran away, assuming a new identity and starting over. She did her best to create a new life for herself, as unlike her old life as possible. She ditched her designer clothes, heavy make-up and high-profile lifestyle, trading it in for a calm, small-town existence. She has a non-threatening, sweet boyfriend and stability.
Three years into the mundane life that she built, her past comes back to haunt her. Lyla is found and forced to return to the man that she fled from. Once the man of her dreams, Gavin Pyre is now her worst nightmare.
Gavin has spent years searching for the woman that ran from him. He knew that she was upset, but never dreamed that she'd run. He was completely blind-sighted by her actions and has never gotten over it. She has become his obsession. He wants to possess her and punish her for daring to leave him.
Right from the start, this book pulled me in. I couldn't get enough of Gavin and Lyla. Sure, this relationship was all kinds of disturbing and unhealthy...but that's why I loved it!
Let me say again that Gavin was not a "nice" guy. He was abusive, controlling, violent and manipulative. In fact, he might have been a psychopath. Nonetheless, I loved him.
The push and pull between Gavin and Lyla was incredible. She was just resistant enough to keep things interesting, but the attraction was undeniable. This wasn't anything particularly new or original, but it was especially well done. The sexual tension was nearly palpable.
There is a great deal of danger and action as well, as a mob war is brewing. The supporting cast of characters is robust and really helps to build a multi-dimensional storyline. Gavin's father and Lyla's cousin play an especially important role in the events that unfold.
If you enjoy a dark read with a strong anti-hero, then this is a great choice. I devoured this book and dived right into the second one. The book is the first in a trilogy and does end in a huge cliffhanger. I expected that and had the next book queued up and ready to go immediately. Luckily, all of the books have been released, so you won't have to wait to finish them.
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
That being said, if you're a person that is easily "triggered" by stories of abuse, then this one will not be for you. Mia Knight does not dance around the subject. She embraces the dark, violent and disturbing nature of this anti-hero. Be forewarned.
Lyla has been living a life on the run for a few years. She was once the girlfriend of a Las Vegas crime lord, blissfully unaware of his philandering ways. That is, until she caught him red-handed. She returned early from a trip and wanted to surprise him. Needless to say, they both got the surprise of a lifetime!
Shortly after catching him buried deep inside of another woman, she witnessed his violent streak first-hand. What she saw was enough to send her running for the hills. No longer could she ignore the violence and danger brewing beneath the surface of the man that she loved. What she saw terrified her.
Lyla ran away, assuming a new identity and starting over. She did her best to create a new life for herself, as unlike her old life as possible. She ditched her designer clothes, heavy make-up and high-profile lifestyle, trading it in for a calm, small-town existence. She has a non-threatening, sweet boyfriend and stability.
Three years into the mundane life that she built, her past comes back to haunt her. Lyla is found and forced to return to the man that she fled from. Once the man of her dreams, Gavin Pyre is now her worst nightmare.
Gavin has spent years searching for the woman that ran from him. He knew that she was upset, but never dreamed that she'd run. He was completely blind-sighted by her actions and has never gotten over it. She has become his obsession. He wants to possess her and punish her for daring to leave him.
Right from the start, this book pulled me in. I couldn't get enough of Gavin and Lyla. Sure, this relationship was all kinds of disturbing and unhealthy...but that's why I loved it!
Let me say again that Gavin was not a "nice" guy. He was abusive, controlling, violent and manipulative. In fact, he might have been a psychopath. Nonetheless, I loved him.
The push and pull between Gavin and Lyla was incredible. She was just resistant enough to keep things interesting, but the attraction was undeniable. This wasn't anything particularly new or original, but it was especially well done. The sexual tension was nearly palpable.
There is a great deal of danger and action as well, as a mob war is brewing. The supporting cast of characters is robust and really helps to build a multi-dimensional storyline. Gavin's father and Lyla's cousin play an especially important role in the events that unfold.
If you enjoy a dark read with a strong anti-hero, then this is a great choice. I devoured this book and dived right into the second one. The book is the first in a trilogy and does end in a huge cliffhanger. I expected that and had the next book queued up and ready to go immediately. Luckily, all of the books have been released, so you won't have to wait to finish them.
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
July 10, 2021
– 2.25 stars
Why do I keep reading cheating books hoping that I would suddenly love it by some miracle, when 9.5 out of 10 times, it's just trash. 😪
Gavin's personality gave me the biggest whiplash with his hot and cold attitude. One second he was raping & abusing Lyla when he took her back after three years. He was all
and then a couple of chapters later
Where is the development tho? Why should I believe Gavin that he has been in love with Lyla all this time, even tho he treated her like garbage.
Not to forget every time he mentioned the cheating, he was the biggest clown with his dumb ass reasoning.
LOOOOOOOOOOLLLL!!!! Funniest joke I've heard in a long time!!! 😂
Aha.
Especially this quote in the book should been erased, because ain't nobody wants to know this shiiittt
The only two characters I cared about were Carmen and Manny and when Manny got REDACTED.... I'm throwing hands. All my favorite characters got a date with heaven. I love that for them, but I hate it for me. 😭
I don't care about Gavin nor Lyla really, so reading two more books about them sounds more like torture, but I'm invested in Carmen and I just want that new Crime Lord who did all the things at the end to die a painful death ala Lana Myers style...
┍━━━━━━━━━━━━━┑
CRIME LORD SERIES
#1 Crime Lord's Captive – 2.25 stars
#2 Recaptured by the Crime Lord – 2.5 stars
#3 Once a Crime Lord – 3 stars
#4 Awakened by Sin – 3.5 stars
#4.5 Crime Lord's Paradise – 2 stars
┕━━━━━━━━━━━━━┙
Why do I keep reading cheating books hoping that I would suddenly love it by some miracle, when 9.5 out of 10 times, it's just trash. 😪
Gavin's personality gave me the biggest whiplash with his hot and cold attitude. One second he was raping & abusing Lyla when he took her back after three years. He was all
"You belong to me," he stated without emotion as if she was an object he was claiming ownership of. "You can try to leave me again, I'll hunt you down and make you watch as I slaughter everyone you love. Then, I'll make you pay."
and then a couple of chapters later
"Then I found out no one took you, and you weren't just okay, you were doing fucking fine without me. I hated that. That you could live without me, that you had moved on. I hate it because I can't be without you.
"I never told you I loved you, did I?" Her heart stopped. "I never told you that I would die for you, that I adore everything about you. I can't get enough of you. I never will." His voice was strong and sure. "I'm fucking greedy when it comes to you. I don't want anything between us, even my dad, and that's fucked up. But I don't care. I want you to need me, and you don't. You can live without me. You did it for years."
Where is the development tho? Why should I believe Gavin that he has been in love with Lyla all this time, even tho he treated her like garbage.
Not to forget every time he mentioned the cheating, he was the biggest clown with his dumb ass reasoning.
"I hurt you by having other women. You hurt me by leaving. We're even.
LOOOOOOOOOOLLLL!!!! Funniest joke I've heard in a long time!!! 😂
"I cheated on you because I hate the power you have over me."
Aha.
Especially this quote in the book should been erased, because ain't nobody wants to know this shiiittt
But she had never been completely sure of him, and seeing him eating out one woman while another fucked him and two others licked and kissed his body destroyed her.
The only two characters I cared about were Carmen and Manny and when Manny got REDACTED.... I'm throwing hands. All my favorite characters got a date with heaven. I love that for them, but I hate it for me. 😭
I don't care about Gavin nor Lyla really, so reading two more books about them sounds more like torture, but I'm invested in Carmen and I just want that new Crime Lord who did all the things at the end to die a painful death ala Lana Myers style...
┍━━━━━━━━━━━━━┑
CRIME LORD SERIES
#1 Crime Lord's Captive – 2.25 stars
#2 Recaptured by the Crime Lord – 2.5 stars
#3 Once a Crime Lord – 3 stars
#4 Awakened by Sin – 3.5 stars
#4.5 Crime Lord's Paradise – 2 stars
┕━━━━━━━━━━━━━┙
June 23, 2018
Hero is a disgusting pig and heroine has no self respect.
March 1, 2018
No words.
What a bunch of complete misguided morons in this story...
Yeah, you can guess I hated the main character...why? cause he was a fucking deluded prick...a massive cheater cause well, he could...and his explanation goes like this: he was too young when he was in a relationship with the heroine but he was scared of the "feelings" she evoked in him, so well, he cheated on her, multiple times, with multiple women...for years, until she found out, then ran from him (thank fuck)...but only then, he realized that he really "loved" her and now, well he wants her back...so he blackmails her to guarantee her return to him, as she actually becomes his captive, now...
Really?!
Jesus...
Fuck....
I disliked the heroine too, well not at first though, I actually thought she would make it through, without giving into him, BUT nope, not my luck, cause she turned out to be rather spineless and meek...she only seemingly looks strong, but in fact, she s just stupid...and dick hungry, I guess...so after she spends like 70% of the book yelling 'no', 'let me go', 'i hate you' and what else not, when other vile shit happens to her but not by the hand of the asshole she's not really sure she wants or not...*roll eyes* now, he's not that bad after all, and soon she forgives the shithead for everything she hated him for...cause well, he'll hunt the bad guys...*roll eyes*
I. Don't. Get. It.
Jesus...
Fuck.
And I've read it til the end.
Jesus...
Fuck.
I won't venture into more of this...this...i dont even know what this is...I know what it should have been...but I can't even grasp what this is supposed to be, in fact...
I gave it 1.75 stars simply cause this could have been a quite solid dark read, in some alternate universe, but it's not even a romance...if only the characters were NOT psychotic, immoral idiots with no merit, spineless twats that get high on assholery stupidity and they think they are powerful...
Come to think of it, the characters only seemingly have all the same characteristics you usually find in 'dark' reads but somehow here, I really dont consider them tempting in any way, cause there's no consistency, they are fickle and really not worth mentioning in the dark...
I d like to think this was just a bad day for me cause fuuuuuck if this book ruined any potential fantastic dark read in the future...
What a bunch of complete misguided morons in this story...
Yeah, you can guess I hated the main character...why? cause he was a fucking deluded prick...a massive cheater cause well, he could...and his explanation goes like this: he was too young when he was in a relationship with the heroine but he was scared of the "feelings" she evoked in him, so well, he cheated on her, multiple times, with multiple women...for years, until she found out, then ran from him (thank fuck)...but only then, he realized that he really "loved" her and now, well he wants her back...so he blackmails her to guarantee her return to him, as she actually becomes his captive, now...
Really?!
Jesus...
Fuck....
I disliked the heroine too, well not at first though, I actually thought she would make it through, without giving into him, BUT nope, not my luck, cause she turned out to be rather spineless and meek...she only seemingly looks strong, but in fact, she s just stupid...and dick hungry, I guess...so after she spends like 70% of the book yelling 'no', 'let me go', 'i hate you' and what else not, when other vile shit happens to her but not by the hand of the asshole she's not really sure she wants or not...*roll eyes* now, he's not that bad after all, and soon she forgives the shithead for everything she hated him for...cause well, he'll hunt the bad guys...*roll eyes*
I. Don't. Get. It.
Jesus...
Fuck.
And I've read it til the end.
Jesus...
Fuck.
I won't venture into more of this...this...i dont even know what this is...I know what it should have been...but I can't even grasp what this is supposed to be, in fact...
I gave it 1.75 stars simply cause this could have been a quite solid dark read, in some alternate universe, but it's not even a romance...if only the characters were NOT psychotic, immoral idiots with no merit, spineless twats that get high on assholery stupidity and they think they are powerful...
Come to think of it, the characters only seemingly have all the same characteristics you usually find in 'dark' reads but somehow here, I really dont consider them tempting in any way, cause there's no consistency, they are fickle and really not worth mentioning in the dark...
I d like to think this was just a bad day for me cause fuuuuuck if this book ruined any potential fantastic dark read in the future...
December 19, 2025
downgrading for now
I read this almost 5 years ago 😅. If I were to reread this, it would NOT be rated as high as I rated it in 2021 lol
I will say- Mia Knight’s writing gets me invested. But yeah. It’d be WAAAAAY too hard for me to fully forgive Gavin, even if he completely changed 🤷🏻♀️
I was way too forgiving in 2021 🤡
2021 Review
This book... I almost gave up on this book... finding out that Gavin cheated, even though it was three years ago and we don’t see it happen, was a punch in my stomach… and I didn’t like feeling. However, I’m glad I stuck it through. But, if cheating is a hard limit for you, a trigger, or something you just cannot forgive, no matter how much time has passed, no matter what the circumstances were, no matter anything, then this book isn’t for you.
The book starts off with showing us Lyla’s new life, aka Morgan. She created a new life for herself, took a new identity, met a new man💅, moved in with him, and moved on from her old life💁🏻♀️. We see her with this man and she goes to work; however, when she gets home, there’s a man waiting for her, a man that her ex-lover, Gavin, sent, and he’s forcing her to go back home in order to allow her father to live. So Lyla goes back, but she doesn’t go back without a fight.
The first interactions with Gavin are tough, and I wasn’t liking him. At this point, I was unsure if I wanted to move on or continue reading, because not only was he unfaithful to her in the past, but he was pretty aggressive in a not-sexy way. I should have known that I just needed to keep reading; he was acting this way after the turmoil he felt for the past three years of searching for Lyla. He has been obsessed, miserable, hollow, and actually celibate after she abandons him. He was relentless in searching for her, and she was really smart in completely changing her lifestyle in order to evade him. She assumed she was okay because he could obviously get any woman that he wanted, but he was never okay after she left him, and she obviously didn’t expect that he wanted her back.
Although it might seem like she was giving in because she had to go back, she DID NOT. She came back to save her father because he owed Gavin half a million, but she was no doormat. She was angry, stubborn, prideful, full of conviction of not letting Gavin take over her life and dictating how she needed to feel or what she needed to do. She wasn’t going to roll over and forgive him for what he did in the past, no matter how much time had passed. Not only was she questioning his faithfulness, but she was questioning him as a human. She saw him torture somebody and that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
I need to give a shout-out to MANNY! That man! 🥰❤️Ugh. That man was a true father-figure for Lyla, even though Gavin was his son, he was THERE and PROTECTIVE of Lyla. He was a better father than her actual birth father was to her.
Back to Gavin. He worships the ground that she walks on. He’s determined to show her how much he has changed and how faithful he can be to her, no matter the time, no matter the arguments, no matter the struggles; he’s always going to love her and he’s going to prove this to her every. Single. Day. As time goes on, she starts to believe it. But the major problem in this relationship is his Crime Lord business, the business that isn’t on paper, THAT’S the bigger issue. Yes, the question of his fidelity comes up, a lot, and even when she throws women at him, he proves himself again and again when he deflects and dodges all the bullet she shoots at him. He shows her that she’s the only one for him and that’s NEVER GOING TO CHANGE 🥰. The chemistry, the connection, the smexy times were 🔥. They don’t happen often (because he needs to prove himself and she doesn’t give in easily), but when it does 🥵🔥👏🏻. He’s willing to give it all up for her- but things happen that cause him to go back on his word... and she’s not going to sit idly by anymore.
The CLIFFY!!!! Gahhhhh. I’m so glad I bought book 2!!!
⚠️safety squad⚠️ (based on my memory)
-no sharing
-no cheating in the current book (but the H cheated in the past and she remembers it)
-owd-although not really? The h keeps throwing women at H to force him to cheat so he’s forced to let her go (kind of as a way of saying “see, you can’t be faithful. Let me go). He ignores them or offers them jobs 😬. He knows what she’s doing and isn’t going to fail this test this time
-OM- the h is in a committed, serious relationship with the h when the book opens
-violence/torture/death
I read this almost 5 years ago 😅. If I were to reread this, it would NOT be rated as high as I rated it in 2021 lol
I will say- Mia Knight’s writing gets me invested. But yeah. It’d be WAAAAAY too hard for me to fully forgive Gavin, even if he completely changed 🤷🏻♀️
I was way too forgiving in 2021 🤡
2021 Review
This book... I almost gave up on this book... finding out that Gavin cheated, even though it was three years ago and we don’t see it happen, was a punch in my stomach… and I didn’t like feeling. However, I’m glad I stuck it through. But, if cheating is a hard limit for you, a trigger, or something you just cannot forgive, no matter how much time has passed, no matter what the circumstances were, no matter anything, then this book isn’t for you.
The book starts off with showing us Lyla’s new life, aka Morgan. She created a new life for herself, took a new identity, met a new man💅, moved in with him, and moved on from her old life💁🏻♀️. We see her with this man and she goes to work; however, when she gets home, there’s a man waiting for her, a man that her ex-lover, Gavin, sent, and he’s forcing her to go back home in order to allow her father to live. So Lyla goes back, but she doesn’t go back without a fight.
The first interactions with Gavin are tough, and I wasn’t liking him. At this point, I was unsure if I wanted to move on or continue reading, because not only was he unfaithful to her in the past, but he was pretty aggressive in a not-sexy way. I should have known that I just needed to keep reading; he was acting this way after the turmoil he felt for the past three years of searching for Lyla. He has been obsessed, miserable, hollow, and actually celibate after she abandons him. He was relentless in searching for her, and she was really smart in completely changing her lifestyle in order to evade him. She assumed she was okay because he could obviously get any woman that he wanted, but he was never okay after she left him, and she obviously didn’t expect that he wanted her back.
Although it might seem like she was giving in because she had to go back, she DID NOT. She came back to save her father because he owed Gavin half a million, but she was no doormat. She was angry, stubborn, prideful, full of conviction of not letting Gavin take over her life and dictating how she needed to feel or what she needed to do. She wasn’t going to roll over and forgive him for what he did in the past, no matter how much time had passed. Not only was she questioning his faithfulness, but she was questioning him as a human. She saw him torture somebody and that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
I need to give a shout-out to MANNY! That man! 🥰❤️Ugh. That man was a true father-figure for Lyla, even though Gavin was his son, he was THERE and PROTECTIVE of Lyla. He was a better father than her actual birth father was to her.
Back to Gavin. He worships the ground that she walks on. He’s determined to show her how much he has changed and how faithful he can be to her, no matter the time, no matter the arguments, no matter the struggles; he’s always going to love her and he’s going to prove this to her every. Single. Day. As time goes on, she starts to believe it. But the major problem in this relationship is his Crime Lord business, the business that isn’t on paper, THAT’S the bigger issue. Yes, the question of his fidelity comes up, a lot, and even when she throws women at him, he proves himself again and again when he deflects and dodges all the bullet she shoots at him. He shows her that she’s the only one for him and that’s NEVER GOING TO CHANGE 🥰. The chemistry, the connection, the smexy times were 🔥. They don’t happen often (because he needs to prove himself and she doesn’t give in easily), but when it does 🥵🔥👏🏻. He’s willing to give it all up for her- but things happen that cause him to go back on his word... and she’s not going to sit idly by anymore.
The CLIFFY!!!! Gahhhhh. I’m so glad I bought book 2!!!
⚠️safety squad⚠️ (based on my memory)
-no sharing
-no cheating in the current book (but the H cheated in the past and she remembers it)
-owd-although not really? The h keeps throwing women at H to force him to cheat so he’s forced to let her go (kind of as a way of saying “see, you can’t be faithful. Let me go). He ignores them or offers them jobs 😬. He knows what she’s doing and isn’t going to fail this test this time
-OM- the h is in a committed, serious relationship with the h when the book opens
-violence/torture/death
March 12, 2017
DNF @55%
Gavin is an asshole. Nothing he did indicated he truly loved Lyla. He was obsessed. All of the people in Lyla's life were worthless and clearly did not care about her. It didn't matter how poorly Gavin treated her. They insisted he loved her and she should give him another chance. No one gave a shit how Lyla felt about anything.
Honestly I didn't like Lyla much either. She kept insisting she was nothing special and I'd have to agree. At least she tried to stick up for herself. The problem was she didn't know what she really wanted. She wasn't a good judge of character. Her love life drama was ridiculous. The book starts with her living with a boyfriend who she supposedly loves. Other than occasionally thinking that she loves him nothing in her actions indicates she does. It didn't help that every guy Lyla met seemed interested in her. IDK if it was going to become love triangle drama, but I don't care enough to find out.
Gavin is an asshole. Nothing he did indicated he truly loved Lyla. He was obsessed. All of the people in Lyla's life were worthless and clearly did not care about her. It didn't matter how poorly Gavin treated her. They insisted he loved her and she should give him another chance. No one gave a shit how Lyla felt about anything.
Honestly I didn't like Lyla much either. She kept insisting she was nothing special and I'd have to agree. At least she tried to stick up for herself. The problem was she didn't know what she really wanted. She wasn't a good judge of character. Her love life drama was ridiculous. The book starts with her living with a boyfriend who she supposedly loves. Other than occasionally thinking that she loves him nothing in her actions indicates she does. It didn't help that every guy Lyla met seemed interested in her. IDK if it was going to become love triangle drama, but I don't care enough to find out.
December 5, 2016
Holy hell can Mia Knight write! I mean this story was explosive from start to finish. In truth it was the second book, Recaptured by the Crime Lord I had initially started. Between the action and the drama I was ping ponging back and forth playing catch up, just freaking intense. Nevertheless I'm glad I started this series, damn sure was a five star read.
And for the record just so all of you will know Gavin is a domineering, arrogant, selfish asshole. Yes he wins the award, takes the taco! Words alone aren't enough to describe him. When he's bad, he's an utter douche bag but when he's good mmmmmmmm ME- OOOOOW!
October 9, 2018
5 LovemymonsterGavin stars!
Wow wow and wow! Where has this book been all this time?! I love love mafia books but it’s getting harder and harder to find one good ones. This little book blew my mind it had everything I enjoy in a mafia read.
It was captivating and kept me anxiously reading till the end. It had it all, it was fast paced, action packed, with a crazy psycho OTT alpha male, Gavin. Man I loved him! His obsession with our h Layla was out of this world but it was so him. I loved that author kept him true to his personality no matter how OTT it was.
I can’t believe this is just book one! so much happened! So many feelings I feel kinda exhausted but in a good way. This book was not perfect the MC made mistakes both were hardheaded and things were said and done that were not easy to understand. But I feel that for the plot of the story it made sense, especially with the kinda lifestyle they lived.
Loved this book so much I’m actually going for book 2 this a special feat for me I’m the neverfinishsieres kinda reader lol! Can’t wait to see what happens next since this one finishes in a big cliffhanger but thank goodness all books are out.❤️
"My future flows through you, so I'll pay the price, whatever it is to have you."
Wow wow and wow! Where has this book been all this time?! I love love mafia books but it’s getting harder and harder to find one good ones. This little book blew my mind it had everything I enjoy in a mafia read.
It was captivating and kept me anxiously reading till the end. It had it all, it was fast paced, action packed, with a crazy psycho OTT alpha male, Gavin. Man I loved him! His obsession with our h Layla was out of this world but it was so him. I loved that author kept him true to his personality no matter how OTT it was.
I can’t believe this is just book one! so much happened! So many feelings I feel kinda exhausted but in a good way. This book was not perfect the MC made mistakes both were hardheaded and things were said and done that were not easy to understand. But I feel that for the plot of the story it made sense, especially with the kinda lifestyle they lived.
Loved this book so much I’m actually going for book 2 this a special feat for me I’m the neverfinishsieres kinda reader lol! Can’t wait to see what happens next since this one finishes in a big cliffhanger but thank goodness all books are out.❤️
"My future flows through you, so I'll pay the price, whatever it is to have you."
December 24, 2021
WOW, I just absolutely fell in love with this crazy good story!!!
I picked it up as a freebie, and I cannot believe I've had this book sitting and waiting for me to be read for quite some time now. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through and I couldn’t put it down. When I found out about one of the reasons why Lyla was forced to move away from town to get away from the pain Gavin’s actions have caused…. I’m so glad I didn’t give up! This sensitive topic was handled with such care that I immediately felt it wasn't the point of this story at all. It was so much more. This action-packed book full of suspense, angst, drama and hot sex has not only reached my expectations, but also knocked me backwards. I thoroughly enjoyed how beautifully it was put together and I couldn't get enough of Gavin and Lyla.
“I found out no one took you and you weren’t just okay, you were doing fucking fine without me. I hated that. That you could live without me, that you moved on. I hate it because I can’t be without you.” - Gavin
I picked it up as a freebie, and I cannot believe I've had this book sitting and waiting for me to be read for quite some time now. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through and I couldn’t put it down. When I found out about one of the reasons why Lyla was forced to move away from town to get away from the pain Gavin’s actions have caused…. I’m so glad I didn’t give up! This sensitive topic was handled with such care that I immediately felt it wasn't the point of this story at all. It was so much more. This action-packed book full of suspense, angst, drama and hot sex has not only reached my expectations, but also knocked me backwards. I thoroughly enjoyed how beautifully it was put together and I couldn't get enough of Gavin and Lyla.
“I found out no one took you and you weren’t just okay, you were doing fucking fine without me. I hated that. That you could live without me, that you moved on. I hate it because I can’t be without you.” - Gavin
December 4, 2016
I would have rated this higher but I can't tolerate cheating no matter the excuses. The story itself though is engrossing so I read the next one which imo was a lot better and truly showed how needy and desperate Gavin was for the heroine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2020
trigger warning: emotional abuse, physical abuse, rape, transphobia
is it too much to ask for a good mafia book where the hero doesn't cheat, beat, and abuse the heroine? i am sick and tired of this shit.
is it too much to ask for a good mafia book where the hero doesn't cheat, beat, and abuse the heroine? i am sick and tired of this shit.
November 14, 2017
"I hurt you by having other women. You hurt me by leaving. We're even."
"I cheated on you because I hate the power you have over me."
I'm not sure why this isn't the first thing anyone ever says about the book, but the "hero" cheats on the heroine the whole time they're together. Years. YEARS OF CHEATING.
Now, I can handle cheating in a book if it's absolutely crucial to the plot (and well-handled), but this really wasn't. This was literally gratuitous cheating, and who likes GRATUITOUS CHEATING? Most people don't like cheating even when it's the meat and bones of the plot, but to be the sprinkles on the cupcake? I'll take my cupcakes cheat-sprinkle free, thank you very much.
Everyone is Lyla's life is garbage. Including the sorry excuse for a hero.
This isn't a romance to me, this is a depressing recount of an unfortunate woman trapped in a living nightmare with a gross, cheating, abusive bag of dicks, and a whole team of people dedicated to trying to convince her it's love. I love dark romance, I can totally handle some borderline abusive heroes, but Gavin is completely irredeemable to me. I feel sad and dirty and disappointed. Will not be continuing the series.
"I cheated on you because I hate the power you have over me."
I'm not sure why this isn't the first thing anyone ever says about the book, but the "hero" cheats on the heroine the whole time they're together. Years. YEARS OF CHEATING.
Now, I can handle cheating in a book if it's absolutely crucial to the plot (and well-handled), but this really wasn't. This was literally gratuitous cheating, and who likes GRATUITOUS CHEATING? Most people don't like cheating even when it's the meat and bones of the plot, but to be the sprinkles on the cupcake? I'll take my cupcakes cheat-sprinkle free, thank you very much.
Everyone is Lyla's life is garbage. Including the sorry excuse for a hero.
This isn't a romance to me, this is a depressing recount of an unfortunate woman trapped in a living nightmare with a gross, cheating, abusive bag of dicks, and a whole team of people dedicated to trying to convince her it's love. I love dark romance, I can totally handle some borderline abusive heroes, but Gavin is completely irredeemable to me. I feel sad and dirty and disappointed. Will not be continuing the series.
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March 25, 2021
⤅ Pigs are flying... yes, I did just enjoy a cheating romance.
As you'll know if you've read my reviews before, I don't like most types of OW drama and cheating in general is a HARD PASS for me. There are only two other books I can think of where I've enjoyed them, and still reread them, despite cheating: Addison Cain's Born to be Bound and Suzanne Robinson's Lady Gallant. I've not yet reviewed the latter, but there are reasons why I find the cheating semi-bearable in those books.
And now we come... to this one. Well. Lyla Dalton used to be the beloved mistress of Las Vegas's crime lord, Gavin Pyre, who's eight years older than her and first claimed her when she was an 18-year-old secretary working for his father. She lived a pampered and sheltered life until she came home early one night to find him having an orgy with a bunch of other women. That - plus his criminal activities - makes her flee, until he tracks her down three years later and blackmails her into coming back with him. The rest of the book essentially is him trying to make her fall in love with him again while they dodge various rival criminals.
So, let's address the cheating first. How on earth was I okay-ish with it, enough to start reading the next book too? Well, first off the author made it happen off-page. The book is a second-chance romance and though Lyla talks about having seen Gavin like this, we as readers never experience it firsthand. Clever of the author. Although it's not explicitly stated, it's also implied that he spent the three years of her absence celibate.
Secondly, when Lyla runs, she ends up falling in love and living with another boyfriend. Yes!!! Finally, an OM who's a real threat to the hero - not because he's strong or powerful, but because Gavin knows that she fell in love with him thanks to his own actions, and it KILLS him. I genuinely believe that it drove mad, and we do see flashes of that on page. He's always complaining that he spent the three years struggling, being unable to sleep or eat properly, while she was more than happy to move on with her life. This is excellent news from a reader's perspective.
Lyla also spends most of the book very much not in love with Gavin. By no means does she forgive him instantly and fall back at his feet. They have sex, but her heart is pretty much off-limits until the end. Just what I needed.
The technical writing side unfortunately feels a little amateurish; there's a lot of telling rather than showing, and there's almost no situational description whatsoever. At points it reads like a police report. But the story - and characters - are compelling enough to save it.
As you'll know if you've read my reviews before, I don't like most types of OW drama and cheating in general is a HARD PASS for me. There are only two other books I can think of where I've enjoyed them, and still reread them, despite cheating: Addison Cain's Born to be Bound and Suzanne Robinson's Lady Gallant. I've not yet reviewed the latter, but there are reasons why I find the cheating semi-bearable in those books.
And now we come... to this one. Well. Lyla Dalton used to be the beloved mistress of Las Vegas's crime lord, Gavin Pyre, who's eight years older than her and first claimed her when she was an 18-year-old secretary working for his father. She lived a pampered and sheltered life until she came home early one night to find him having an orgy with a bunch of other women. That - plus his criminal activities - makes her flee, until he tracks her down three years later and blackmails her into coming back with him. The rest of the book essentially is him trying to make her fall in love with him again while they dodge various rival criminals.
So, let's address the cheating first. How on earth was I okay-ish with it, enough to start reading the next book too? Well, first off the author made it happen off-page. The book is a second-chance romance and though Lyla talks about having seen Gavin like this, we as readers never experience it firsthand. Clever of the author. Although it's not explicitly stated, it's also implied that he spent the three years of her absence celibate.
Secondly, when Lyla runs, she ends up falling in love and living with another boyfriend. Yes!!! Finally, an OM who's a real threat to the hero - not because he's strong or powerful, but because Gavin knows that she fell in love with him thanks to his own actions, and it KILLS him. I genuinely believe that it drove mad, and we do see flashes of that on page. He's always complaining that he spent the three years struggling, being unable to sleep or eat properly, while she was more than happy to move on with her life. This is excellent news from a reader's perspective.
Lyla also spends most of the book very much not in love with Gavin. By no means does she forgive him instantly and fall back at his feet. They have sex, but her heart is pretty much off-limits until the end. Just what I needed.
The technical writing side unfortunately feels a little amateurish; there's a lot of telling rather than showing, and there's almost no situational description whatsoever. At points it reads like a police report. But the story - and characters - are compelling enough to save it.
April 27, 2018
This one was just missing something for me. Plus I’m not quite sure why I should like the lead male character. I think this story could have benefited greatly from his POV, but we never get his. Also things kind of resolve too quickly. This ends in a cliffhanger of sorts, but all the books are out so if that’s holding you back don’t let it.
April 7, 2021
Romance novel for doormats who take back cheaters. This is a Cheating book DNF at 65%.
Spoilers
The Hero cheated on the h for 4 years while he was sleeping with her daily. They lived together, so we are talking about him fucking hundreds of diff girls, until the day she walked in on him having an orgy at one of his clubs - he was fucking a black girl. He planned this sex party because she was away with her cousin and she finds out about it because she came home early.
The kicker is, she left him NOT because he was a cheater but because she saw him kill someone, before this she was only thinking about leaving- or to give him another chance. Yep another doormats in this book and TSTL too because you didn’t know he kills people when he’s the mafia leader? My main reason for DNF is the doormat h.
He said that he cheated because he could. He thought she would forgive him anything. And you know what, he’s right, because she forgives him after all.
Spoilers
The Hero cheated on the h for 4 years while he was sleeping with her daily. They lived together, so we are talking about him fucking hundreds of diff girls, until the day she walked in on him having an orgy at one of his clubs - he was fucking a black girl. He planned this sex party because she was away with her cousin and she finds out about it because she came home early.
The kicker is, she left him NOT because he was a cheater but because she saw him kill someone, before this she was only thinking about leaving- or to give him another chance. Yep another doormats in this book and TSTL too because you didn’t know he kills people when he’s the mafia leader? My main reason for DNF is the doormat h.
He said that he cheated because he could. He thought she would forgive him anything. And you know what, he’s right, because she forgives him after all.
March 27, 2018
I loved this book! This H has to be one of the most intense, obsessed, OTT jealous/possessive anti-hero's I've ever read. Ms. Knight hits it out of the ball park if you like this type of H. The h was strong and likeable and not a tstl doormat. I loved that she ran from the H because he behaved badly prior to the beginning of the book. (He had to search for her for 3 years!) Ms. Knight did not brush over his bad behavior and all was not forgiven with the simple (& annoying) I'm sorry. There's a lot of well done push/pull between the two & some angst here too. It was great.
However, this book is not for everyone. It's not a "safe" story. If you need that, you'll need to pass. Warnings -
This book was written in 3rd person & the author waaaaaaay overused the main character's name. Every other sentence (it felt like) began with her name or had her name in it. It interfered with my enjoyment of the story. I had to mentally keep correcting this in order to read it. Normally, I wouldn't bother but the story was so awesome that I persevered. I hope the author will either fix this in future books or switch to first person.
******I initially only gave this 4 stars due to the overuse of the mc's name in 3rd person bothering me alot, however, I changed it to 5 stars because I love this book that much!!*****
However, this book is not for everyone. It's not a "safe" story. If you need that, you'll need to pass. Warnings -
This book was written in 3rd person & the author waaaaaaay overused the main character's name. Every other sentence (it felt like) began with her name or had her name in it. It interfered with my enjoyment of the story. I had to mentally keep correcting this in order to read it. Normally, I wouldn't bother but the story was so awesome that I persevered. I hope the author will either fix this in future books or switch to first person.
******I initially only gave this 4 stars due to the overuse of the mc's name in 3rd person bothering me alot, however, I changed it to 5 stars because I love this book that much!!*****
October 8, 2018
Yes, yes, yes!
This is just everything I lurve in a OTT possessive alphahole type of mafia read. And, I LOOOOVE it!
That cliffy ending though...
And, now I need the next book immediately! Like... right fecking now.
This is just everything I lurve in a OTT possessive alphahole type of mafia read. And, I LOOOOVE it!
That cliffy ending though...
And, now I need the next book immediately! Like... right fecking now.
dnf
May 6, 2017Nopes! sorry but i can't stand cheating at all -.-😑
September 27, 2024
The story is ok, a lot of action and surprises with characters well built.
But…
The fmc is weak and pathetic.
Unfortunately
But…
The fmc is weak and pathetic.
Unfortunately
Read
June 4, 2025this could’ve been actually so good (hell i even read some of the second book) if he hadn’t cheated on her left and right in the four years they were together, just once is already unforgivable but the entire fucking time??? 🤨 and she finds out by walking in on AN ORGY of all things.
his excuse was that he was young and stupid (he was almost 30 btw and like 8 yrs older than her) and that he was afraid of the power she had over him and apparently that was good enough for her pathetic ass cause she forgives him after like 1 week of reuniting…
his excuse was that he was young and stupid (he was almost 30 btw and like 8 yrs older than her) and that he was afraid of the power she had over him and apparently that was good enough for her pathetic ass cause she forgives him after like 1 week of reuniting…
December 25, 2022
⭐️ one star -
This is a DNF at about 20% or so, then skimmed to determine that yes, I truly did hate it 💁♀️
I’m writing this review in part to remind myself to steer clear of this author (no matter how tempted I am with the promise of mafia smut), and also because I have something to say about this book and others like it…
This review is more of rant and warning to other evolved women out there. Read-on…
If you already follow me, you may be already used to my occasional ranting 🤣✍️ If you’re new here, well, this is me 💁♀️
1- authors masquerading as American through the use of American cities, names, and ill-conceived American idiosyncrasies through the use of misguided caricatures need to stop this madness
2- authors that are not American, and are using American settings to pull in unsuspecting readers into their own culture need to stop propagandizing their misguided cultural mores of misogyny, abuse of women, and the outdated, archaic notion that women are inherently inferior. Women in the US have fought hard for rights, cultural change, and equality. Don’t spew your crap to our younger generation who may be unwittingly exposed to this old-fashioned baloney - this abhorrent misogyny should stay where it belongs - in the trash
3- this story promotes DOMESTIC VIOLENCE in a very harmful, horrific manner. I am appalled that a book published in 2016 in the US of A is promoting this as copacetic. I am rightfully apprehensive that young women would read this and think that if they are being abused, they would have no
one or nowhere to turn to. *in this story, at about the 18% mark, the h shows her mother her bruises. Her mother’s response is to ask our h what she did to make him mad* I stopped reading right then
⚠️ if you are someone who is experiencing DV, please know that there are people out there that care about you, and that there are resources in place to assist you in getting you to a safe place. Do not hesitate to protect yourself and/or your children. Please do not think that attitudes expressed not so subtly in this book reflect a modern viewpoint nor the modern public mindset. You have a right to be safe in your own life and protected from violence.
⚠️ if you are experiencing DV, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE
This book and this author make me sick. This is not a romance, it’s a story appropriating a culture that promotes the dialogue that women are second class citizens. I, for one, do not want this attitude expressed in books I read, and I certainly don’t want it polluting my own culture and the country where I live. Women here have fought long and hard to do away with this crap.
I’m here to stand up and say I don’t want this trash propagated, and that if you need help, please reach out to the people that are lined up to help you.
You have OPTIONS, and there are LOTS of people out there willing and wanting to help you.
☎️ 1-800- 799-SAFE
This is a DNF at about 20% or so, then skimmed to determine that yes, I truly did hate it 💁♀️
I’m writing this review in part to remind myself to steer clear of this author (no matter how tempted I am with the promise of mafia smut), and also because I have something to say about this book and others like it…
This review is more of rant and warning to other evolved women out there. Read-on…
If you already follow me, you may be already used to my occasional ranting 🤣✍️ If you’re new here, well, this is me 💁♀️
1- authors masquerading as American through the use of American cities, names, and ill-conceived American idiosyncrasies through the use of misguided caricatures need to stop this madness
2- authors that are not American, and are using American settings to pull in unsuspecting readers into their own culture need to stop propagandizing their misguided cultural mores of misogyny, abuse of women, and the outdated, archaic notion that women are inherently inferior. Women in the US have fought hard for rights, cultural change, and equality. Don’t spew your crap to our younger generation who may be unwittingly exposed to this old-fashioned baloney - this abhorrent misogyny should stay where it belongs - in the trash
3- this story promotes DOMESTIC VIOLENCE in a very harmful, horrific manner. I am appalled that a book published in 2016 in the US of A is promoting this as copacetic. I am rightfully apprehensive that young women would read this and think that if they are being abused, they would have no
one or nowhere to turn to. *in this story, at about the 18% mark, the h shows her mother her bruises. Her mother’s response is to ask our h what she did to make him mad* I stopped reading right then
⚠️ if you are someone who is experiencing DV, please know that there are people out there that care about you, and that there are resources in place to assist you in getting you to a safe place. Do not hesitate to protect yourself and/or your children. Please do not think that attitudes expressed not so subtly in this book reflect a modern viewpoint nor the modern public mindset. You have a right to be safe in your own life and protected from violence.
⚠️ if you are experiencing DV, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE
This book and this author make me sick. This is not a romance, it’s a story appropriating a culture that promotes the dialogue that women are second class citizens. I, for one, do not want this attitude expressed in books I read, and I certainly don’t want it polluting my own culture and the country where I live. Women here have fought long and hard to do away with this crap.
I’m here to stand up and say I don’t want this trash propagated, and that if you need help, please reach out to the people that are lined up to help you.
You have OPTIONS, and there are LOTS of people out there willing and wanting to help you.
☎️ 1-800- 799-SAFE
June 28, 2022
5 Captive-ating Stars
Reread June 2022.
This is my third read and not for a moment has it failed to bring me all the feels. I can feel my heart racing wildly the entire time. Gavin just keeps on giving. I hope the author comes back to writing again soon. I love this series so much! And I can't wait for Carmen to get her HEA.
REVIEW
"As the slogan said, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” If only people didn’t take it so literally..."
Holy smokes, Gavin Pyre. I volunteer as captive. He had me at “I can buy, bribe, or steal anything I want.” I was dying for an alpha hero and searched through my GR friends' shelves for a good one. I hit the jackpot. He was described in the 5 Star review as "plain OTT alpha crazy" and that's exactly what he is. Yum.
That review here => Val Shameless ⚓️ Steamy Reads ⚓️'s Reviews
I haven't devoured a good alpha hero since...I'll just say it was long overdue. Gavin checked all my boxes and created some new ones too. No, this isn't for everyone. I can think of a few book friends that would run for the hills from the book description alone. Not me. I LOVE a (well written) possessive, alpha hero. A real alpha; not one that's all bark and no bite. And honestly, I needed a break from the sugarcoated heroes I've been reading lately.
As I said, this is not for the faint-hearted. In addition to our hero's crazy possessive nature, the book has strong language, violence and sexual content. But if you don't mind the dark stuff, I highly recommend this one. I promise, our antihero is worth it.
Gavin, welcome to my Top Book Boyfriends shelf.
Note:
Book 1 ends in a cliffhanger so I'm off to book 2!
Update
Review Book 2: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Book 3: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Reread June 2022.
This is my third read and not for a moment has it failed to bring me all the feels. I can feel my heart racing wildly the entire time. Gavin just keeps on giving. I hope the author comes back to writing again soon. I love this series so much! And I can't wait for Carmen to get her HEA.
REVIEW
"As the slogan said, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” If only people didn’t take it so literally..."
Holy smokes, Gavin Pyre. I volunteer as captive. He had me at “I can buy, bribe, or steal anything I want.” I was dying for an alpha hero and searched through my GR friends' shelves for a good one. I hit the jackpot. He was described in the 5 Star review as "plain OTT alpha crazy" and that's exactly what he is. Yum.
That review here => Val Shameless ⚓️ Steamy Reads ⚓️'s Reviews
I haven't devoured a good alpha hero since...I'll just say it was long overdue. Gavin checked all my boxes and created some new ones too. No, this isn't for everyone. I can think of a few book friends that would run for the hills from the book description alone. Not me. I LOVE a (well written) possessive, alpha hero. A real alpha; not one that's all bark and no bite. And honestly, I needed a break from the sugarcoated heroes I've been reading lately.
As I said, this is not for the faint-hearted. In addition to our hero's crazy possessive nature, the book has strong language, violence and sexual content. But if you don't mind the dark stuff, I highly recommend this one. I promise, our antihero is worth it.
Gavin, welcome to my Top Book Boyfriends shelf.
Note:
Book 1 ends in a cliffhanger so I'm off to book 2!
Update
Review Book 2: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Book 3: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
January 17, 2020
Deeply dark and disturbing is the best way I know to open this review.
Quiet a complex character and one which I feel there is much left to be learned is Lyla (FMC). She thought she had it all until excessive cheating and murder made her go on the run. Three years she managed to avoid Gavin (MC), but as always time had run out. Lyla's past and present suck, for the lack of a better word. She is a survivor no doubt. However, by the cliffy ending I do start greatly questioning her judgment.
Not a fan of Gavin. Complete controlling appendage head. Truly can not stand him, if you are seeking for redeeming qualities in book 1 for Gavin you will not find them. However, as you can see from my rating it suited the storyline. He is in a bad situation of his own creating which he promises to remove himself from. Yet, excuse after excuse he keeps going back on his word making me feel that he is still the manipulative liar Lyla has thought.
You definitely need to be in the mind set for a dark read to start this. If you are then you will truly enjoy the well laid out storyline. Not typically something I grab on purpose but it paid off this time...I am enthralled.
Looking forward to book 2!
Happy reading! DD
Quiet a complex character and one which I feel there is much left to be learned is Lyla (FMC). She thought she had it all until excessive cheating and murder made her go on the run. Three years she managed to avoid Gavin (MC), but as always time had run out. Lyla's past and present suck, for the lack of a better word. She is a survivor no doubt. However, by the cliffy ending I do start greatly questioning her judgment.
Not a fan of Gavin. Complete controlling appendage head. Truly can not stand him, if you are seeking for redeeming qualities in book 1 for Gavin you will not find them. However, as you can see from my rating it suited the storyline. He is in a bad situation of his own creating which he promises to remove himself from. Yet, excuse after excuse he keeps going back on his word making me feel that he is still the manipulative liar Lyla has thought.
You definitely need to be in the mind set for a dark read to start this. If you are then you will truly enjoy the well laid out storyline. Not typically something I grab on purpose but it paid off this time...I am enthralled.
Looking forward to book 2!
Happy reading! DD
August 15, 2018
Holy Cow!! This was utterly fantastic! I was so sucked into this book. I loved the writing and the character are amazing! I just love Lyla & Gavin<3 *A MUST READ!!!*
April 21, 2018
EDIT 1/19/18
I hate this book.....I did a reread and I have no idea why???
This guy is fuckn insane. He abuses her , cheats on her , reason for cheating -he doesn't want her to have power over him 🙄🙄🙄 wtf??
When i get angry , like really frustrated that's when I know I hate a book.
It's too much for me..she caught him in an ORGY !!! And then she gets wet when she sees him ughhhh girl please...this guy fuckn bruised you and when he apologizes all you do is say okay!
And don't get me started on the fuckn H's Dad, ok he wasn't bad per se... it's just that he had to put a gun on the h's freakn head to make the H realize how fuckn horrible he was being.
h is a stupid ass doormat and I want to kick her...ugh disgusting.
Why did I give a good review? because I liked how the series ends, I did a general review but now that I think about it. This SUCKS DONKEY BALLS!!!
(I don't know why I like that phrase 🐴)
Just no if your like me and hates cheating, doormat heroines , skip this book and move to the second or third book those were ok.
The MC become likable.
Whew just needed to get that out.
😁
------------------------------------------------------------------
So I have read the whole series, and I didn't like the H in the beginning, it was a case of I grew to kind of like him.
The h, I liked her way more than the H.
The only reason I liked this book is because i felt the heroine got some retribution over the H.
As a whole the series has some good drama but I am pretty sure LV doesn't have only gorgeous women so that got a bit annoying.
The h evolved to be this badass chick who could shoot with a gun and got a whole lot of manicures and pedicures (tbh I actually liked that :)) The series as a whole is OTT, there is a mystery and it took me some time to realise who the mystery guy was.
Would it be a reread - naah
It's a 3/5 for the entire series
I hate this book.....I did a reread and I have no idea why???
This guy is fuckn insane. He abuses her , cheats on her , reason for cheating -he doesn't want her to have power over him 🙄🙄🙄 wtf??
When i get angry , like really frustrated that's when I know I hate a book.
It's too much for me..she caught him in an ORGY !!! And then she gets wet when she sees him ughhhh girl please...this guy fuckn bruised you and when he apologizes all you do is say okay!
And don't get me started on the fuckn H's Dad, ok he wasn't bad per se... it's just that he had to put a gun on the h's freakn head to make the H realize how fuckn horrible he was being.
h is a stupid ass doormat and I want to kick her...ugh disgusting.
Why did I give a good review? because I liked how the series ends, I did a general review but now that I think about it. This SUCKS DONKEY BALLS!!!
(I don't know why I like that phrase 🐴)
Just no if your like me and hates cheating, doormat heroines , skip this book and move to the second or third book those were ok.
The MC become likable.
Whew just needed to get that out.
😁
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So I have read the whole series, and I didn't like the H in the beginning, it was a case of I grew to kind of like him.
The h, I liked her way more than the H.
The only reason I liked this book is because i felt the heroine got some retribution over the H.
As a whole the series has some good drama but I am pretty sure LV doesn't have only gorgeous women so that got a bit annoying.
The h evolved to be this badass chick who could shoot with a gun and got a whole lot of manicures and pedicures (tbh I actually liked that :)) The series as a whole is OTT, there is a mystery and it took me some time to realise who the mystery guy was.
Would it be a reread - naah
It's a 3/5 for the entire series
October 9, 2018
I did it. I finished it. Can't believe I made it.
First of all, the writing style: incredibly childish, it was like reading a high school girl diary.
Second: the cheating part was not even the real issue here, the 2 characters are so immature and imbeciles that I found myself laughing out loud a few times.
Third: our "Hero" in the reviews is described as crazy, obsessed, possessive, blah blah blah. What I think? He is a petulant child with daddy issues. Our heroine? A shame for the female population.
Needless to say I won't touch the other books even with disposable gloves.
First of all, the writing style: incredibly childish, it was like reading a high school girl diary.
Second: the cheating part was not even the real issue here, the 2 characters are so immature and imbeciles that I found myself laughing out loud a few times.
Third: our "Hero" in the reviews is described as crazy, obsessed, possessive, blah blah blah. What I think? He is a petulant child with daddy issues. Our heroine? A shame for the female population.
Needless to say I won't touch the other books even with disposable gloves.
April 3, 2018
Crime Lord's Captive was good then it was weird then it was bad then it was roll-my-eyes-three-times bad then it was infuriating then it was over and I just want to read the next one. That's about it.
Warning, this is a not a spoiler-free review. Read at your own risks.
I don't know how to react to this book exactly. It started out good albeit a little over the top but I enjoy that especially in this kind setting—mafia/crime lord. I can't say I loved anything about this book though because I didn't, I found myself rolling my eyes at some scenes, both main characters pissed me off, it was TOO over the top, if that's even a thing.
I'm all for the alpha male type of hero, bad guy, killing people, tough, taking what he wants, big asshole, you know the whole thing but Gavin was the douchey version. This guy is such a moron, the way he treats Lyla is beyond me, he doesn't give one little shit about her if you ask me. He pretends to love her beyond reasons, he tracks her down after three years of her leaving and hiding from him, he threatens her father to death for her to remain with him then from that point on he's all loving and 'we're getting married', 'I'll stop running the underground' and then one bad thing happens and he goes back to no marriage, no quitting killing people and ignoring Lyla, the woman he's supposedly madly in love with.
He doesn't even go to the hospital to see her when she's in a freaking coma because she got stabbed several times, the only time he goes is to ask her if she knows who did it and that's it. Nothing else. He just leaves. Please, don't get me started. You don't even need to get me started actually, I DON'T BUY IT. It's bullshit, you can't just be stalker-ishly in love with a woman and ignore her when she almost dies. His behavior was a mystery to me and not in a good way. I'm over him.
Lyla wasn't much better. Is stupid girly girl of the year award a thing? Because she'd win it. This woman ran from Gavin because he cheated on her several times, she didn't know he was a crime lord so when she figured it out she left and hid from him for three years, then one day he finds her and she goes back. This I get because he didn't really give her a choice but then her behavior the rest of the book was just ludicrous. She almost instantly fell back for him, after the way he treated her, no thank you. She was too naive for my taste, girl you're not thinking clearly. The guy you're with is the big bad crime lord of Las Vegas and what? You think he's going to stop everything for you? You think nothing bad will ever happen to you?
The worst of the worst was her relationship with Gavin's dad, Manny. What.In.The.Actual.Fuck. I am sorry for everyone who found their relationship sweet and loving but no. It felt way too weird for me, like he was (not so) secretly in love with her, the guy basically believed she was a reincarnation of his dead wife and she believed him. SHE BELIEVED HIM. The way she was with him didn't feel fatherly or daughterly to me, it simply felt wrong. They were always touching and hugging, Lyla putting her head in his lap in bed, like no, why, just stop. The whole thing felt twisted and I did not like it.
You're probably asking yourself: then why do you want to read the next one? Well because this one ends on a damn cliffhanger and I hate, hate, hate those. I just want to know how this is going to develop and how the author is going to give them a HEA because I don't see anything good happening with that ending but I'll still read it because I like to torture myself like that.
Warning, this is a not a spoiler-free review. Read at your own risks.
I don't know how to react to this book exactly. It started out good albeit a little over the top but I enjoy that especially in this kind setting—mafia/crime lord. I can't say I loved anything about this book though because I didn't, I found myself rolling my eyes at some scenes, both main characters pissed me off, it was TOO over the top, if that's even a thing.
I'm all for the alpha male type of hero, bad guy, killing people, tough, taking what he wants, big asshole, you know the whole thing but Gavin was the douchey version. This guy is such a moron, the way he treats Lyla is beyond me, he doesn't give one little shit about her if you ask me. He pretends to love her beyond reasons, he tracks her down after three years of her leaving and hiding from him, he threatens her father to death for her to remain with him then from that point on he's all loving and 'we're getting married', 'I'll stop running the underground' and then one bad thing happens and he goes back to no marriage, no quitting killing people and ignoring Lyla, the woman he's supposedly madly in love with.
He doesn't even go to the hospital to see her when she's in a freaking coma because she got stabbed several times, the only time he goes is to ask her if she knows who did it and that's it. Nothing else. He just leaves. Please, don't get me started. You don't even need to get me started actually, I DON'T BUY IT. It's bullshit, you can't just be stalker-ishly in love with a woman and ignore her when she almost dies. His behavior was a mystery to me and not in a good way. I'm over him.
Lyla wasn't much better. Is stupid girly girl of the year award a thing? Because she'd win it. This woman ran from Gavin because he cheated on her several times, she didn't know he was a crime lord so when she figured it out she left and hid from him for three years, then one day he finds her and she goes back. This I get because he didn't really give her a choice but then her behavior the rest of the book was just ludicrous. She almost instantly fell back for him, after the way he treated her, no thank you. She was too naive for my taste, girl you're not thinking clearly. The guy you're with is the big bad crime lord of Las Vegas and what? You think he's going to stop everything for you? You think nothing bad will ever happen to you?
The worst of the worst was her relationship with Gavin's dad, Manny. What.In.The.Actual.Fuck. I am sorry for everyone who found their relationship sweet and loving but no. It felt way too weird for me, like he was (not so) secretly in love with her, the guy basically believed she was a reincarnation of his dead wife and she believed him. SHE BELIEVED HIM. The way she was with him didn't feel fatherly or daughterly to me, it simply felt wrong. They were always touching and hugging, Lyla putting her head in his lap in bed, like no, why, just stop. The whole thing felt twisted and I did not like it.
You're probably asking yourself: then why do you want to read the next one? Well because this one ends on a damn cliffhanger and I hate, hate, hate those. I just want to know how this is going to develop and how the author is going to give them a HEA because I don't see anything good happening with that ending but I'll still read it because I like to torture myself like that.
June 21, 2021
Lyla Dalton has been running from Gavin Pyre for three years. She loved him but being involve in a mafia and did something unforgivable, she wants out. However, Gavin is determined to bring her back to his life and found her.
There are a lot of things Lyla and Gavin need to work out especially their relationship. Lyla lost her trust on him and Gavin will do everything to redeem himself and prove she's the only one for him. Honestly, I am questioning my morals for Gavin. I like and hate him at the same time? He needs to work on his anger issues. He's overly protective to his woman, almost possessive. I grin every time Lyla calls out his bullshit.
Crime Lord's Captive is so good and entertaining! With the events going on, it was intense and action packed especially the last 20% of the book. It went batshit crazy and I can’t with that cliffhanger. The most annoying part of this book was Carmen. I swear Lyla’s cousin is so loud and attention seeker. I can’t help rolling my eyes. Like girl stfu.
Thank you Lacey for recommending this book!
There are a lot of things Lyla and Gavin need to work out especially their relationship. Lyla lost her trust on him and Gavin will do everything to redeem himself and prove she's the only one for him. Honestly, I am questioning my morals for Gavin. I like and hate him at the same time? He needs to work on his anger issues. He's overly protective to his woman, almost possessive. I grin every time Lyla calls out his bullshit.
Crime Lord's Captive is so good and entertaining! With the events going on, it was intense and action packed especially the last 20% of the book. It went batshit crazy and I can’t with that cliffhanger. The most annoying part of this book was Carmen. I swear Lyla’s cousin is so loud and attention seeker. I can’t help rolling my eyes. Like girl stfu.
Thank you Lacey for recommending this book!
Read
October 12, 2022pure masochism on my part, don't read this book. fuck you gavin, you lame brainless cheating pathetic soulless turd nugget.
my toxic trait? reading the next book because I can't stand cliffhangers.
my toxic trait? reading the next book because I can't stand cliffhangers.
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