Love Over Logic

Desert Monsoon #2

by Diana A. Hicks

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Suspense, Contemporary Romance

317 pages, Paperback

Published November 15, 2018

About the author

Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of contemporary romance that's sometimes dark, sometimes suspenseful, but always steamy. Her upcoming release, Empire of Ache & Ruin coming May 6, 2025!

When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.

Available now:
The Crime Society Series
Lost Raven (FREE)
King of Beasts, Book 1
Queen of Beasts, Book 2

Wolf's Lair (FREE)
Big Bad Wolf, Book 1
Big Bad Red, Book 2
Once Upon a Christmas (FREE)

Dark Beauty (FREE)
Wings of Ruin, Book 1
Wings of Silence, Book 2

Wicked Seduction, Book 1
Wicked Temptation, Book 2
Heartless Vow (FREE)

Steal My Heart Series
Entangle You
Unravel You
Ignite You
Release You

Cole Brothers Series
Unleash You
Defy You
Provoke You
Escape You
Escape My Love (FREE)

Cocky Hero Club
Irresistible Bastard


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Reviews

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well now …. This story just sucked me in and kept me reading way past my bedtime! LOL

I didn’t go into this book with too many expectations since it’s my first read b the author but I gotta say, if I did expect something, she totally would have met them.

There’s a lot of players in this story but not enough to confuse you as a reader. Just enough to keep you paying attention. The chemistry between Dom and Emilia was sizzling from the beginning and it just burned brighter as the story progressed.

As I mentioned, I was wept in and read past my bedtime, so the story-line is quite captivating and on-point. Nothing lagging or not addressed.

I’m looking forward to more from this series and this author!

Copy provided for blog tour review

[Nay Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful romance! Emilia and Dom were layered characters with complicated pasts. I love that this was sort of a second chance romance as they had such an interesting history together.

Emilia is a headstrong lawyer seeking revenge on her cousin's husband. I loved how determined she was even in the face of danger. She was a hard worker, snarky, funny and tried to do what was best for her family. Emilia was an awesome female protagonist. There were definitely times she pissed me off with her stupidity, but I still enjoyed her.

Dom is a dominant lawyer with an assassin's mind. He has a hard past that is catching up to him quickly. He is a quick thinker and a dangerous man in and out of the courtroom. I enjoyed his assertiveness and his sweet side. I loved seeing him deal with his own issues while falling in love.

The romance was beautiful! Almost a second chance romance as they both had history from college. This also had a mix of forbidden romance as they both should have stayed away from each other due to mafia relations. This a slow-burn that made my heart melt. The buildup was perfect and the fall was beautiful!

The mafia aspect was quiet interesting. A lot of betrayal, family hurt and blood to be read. I enjoyed their entanglement with the mafia on both the business and victim end as well as how it all meshed with family relations.

Overall, this was a beautiful written story. I enjoyed the depth of the characters and how they all collided and intertwined. Definitely a beautiful story. Totally recommend.

[Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Love Over Logic” is one of those books that captivates the reader and keeps the attention. I loved every page and every aspect of it.

Emilia and Dom are great characters, well built and with a strong past. Each has a story, but Emilia’s is in te center of attention, and her connections to the mafia. This entire aspect is well built and has a lot of details that makes it even more interesting. We see her stronger than ever and with her mind set on revenge. Any strong woman needs a man by her side to help her achieve her full strength and Dom is than man for her.

The relationship between them starts beautifully and is depicted so well and so in detail. That’s what I loved most about the book. We are presented every side – the romance and the criminal part – and there is little room for confusion But back to the romance – they are so right for one another! Even if they are fully aware of the implications a relationship may have for them both, they slowly come together and accomplish their goals.

The dialogue, the intensity of it all and the emotions I felt while reading it – these are just some of the things that made me like this book and that made me read it with a passion! I am so happy I have another author to add to my list and there is also book 1 in the series which I’ll have to read at some point. In the meantime, 5 stars to “Love Over Logic” J Happy Reading Guys!

[Up All Night With Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
Review by Elizabeth
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books

Love Over Logic will hold you captive from the beginning and not let you go until it is over. Diana Hicks knows how to capture your attention and hold it!

Emilia is all about getting revenge from the man that murdered her father. Said man also left her and her mother for dead and forced them into hiding. Emilia is all grown up now and is ready to get back at the man responsible. Of course, running into her law school crush, Dom, makes things interesting.

Emilia and Dom have fudge hot chemistry. Back in law school, Emilia did not give Dom the time of day. Now that they are older and have crossed paths again, it gets very steamy. Will they be able to set aside their attraction to get revenge? What will come of their relationship? Will they have a shot?

I was captivated from page one with this book. Emilia and Dom each have a story to tell and you will keep turning the pages to find it all out. I highly recommend you pick up this beauty.

**ARC provided for an honest review**

[CI · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just couldn't care enough to finish

First time reading this author, so went by the blurb to rate my potential interest. Unfortunately, by 43% I just couldn't care enough about how they reached their HEA to continue. For high profile lawyers, they ssure spent a lot of the time out of the office and appeared to only have one case going. The background mob stories for both H and h wasn't believable with their behaviours, the secondary characters were dull and the heat between the two - supposedly off the charts - had them making out a few times madly for a minute or two and then going ice cold again.

[Rochelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Desert Monsoon series. Good read. Emilia and Dom knew each other in college and when she came to him for help, he was happy to be able to. Good romance with some drama mixed in.

I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Alis Renzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Io non ero pronta a questa storia. Non me l'aspettavo così piena di montagne russe. Davvero. In questo libro abbiamo complotti, cartelli della droga messicana, la mafia di New York e non c'é mai un attimo di pace per i due protagonisti! E buttiamo nel mezzo anche delle scene di sesso da togliere il fiato e siamo conciati per le feste!

Emilia é un avvocato che si nasconde da anni dal cartello, ma torna "in vita" solo per salvare sua cugina Jess da un matrimonio con uno dei boss, Levi. Che a sua volta é aiutato da Dom, un avvocato bravissimo, ma ex bad boy della mafia newyorkese. E colpo di fortuna o meno i due avvocati si conoscono, e si vogliono/desiderano. Questo li mette nei guai, e le loro storie si intrecciano fino ad arrivare ad un certo punto in cui bisogna scegliere da che parte si trova la propria famiglia e la propria lealtà.
New York o Emilia?
Ecco la scelta che viene fatta a Dom quando suo "padre" Mickey si fa di nuovo vivo dopo 5 anni per riscuotere il suo elemento migliore.
Ritroviamo anche Cole e Valentina del primo libro che aiutano i nostri protagonisti a fare le scelte giuste per non perdere un amore che mette i brividi (in ogni senso)!

Una storia con certi piccoli refusi, ma non si fanno notare troppo. Si può sorvolare.
Ciò su cui non si può sorvalare sono le volte in cui ho avuto paura, e ho sperato non ci scappasse il morto perché sinceramente é tutto molto violento, e non sai mai cosa aspettarti. In fin dei conti tutti hanno un lato buono e cattivo e tu da lettore non sai quale esce, ne quando, ne quanto può essere cattivo/a il personaggio della scena.

---Ad un certo punto fai anche il tifo per il cattivo della situazione! E piangi anche per lui---

E' scritto in modo egreggio e la suspence é da film (e si mi sono immaginata un bel film di spionaggio e mafioso).

Il massimo dei voti per me! e non vedo l'ora di leggere il tre su Nikki!

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Over Logic is the first book that I've read by Diana A. Hicks, and it came out of the gates with a bang, and the excitement never slowed down for even a second. See, Emilia Prado has been dealing with the cartel since they killed her father, forcing her and her mother in hiding, but now that's she's grown up, she's done with the hiding. She's decided that she's going to get her revenge once & for all. Things go sideways when she runs into the man, Dom Moretti, she had a crush on in law school, while being undercover, and whether she likes it or not, they are now in it together. Especially when she has to ask him for his help, or maybe he forces it on her, either way, the stakes have never been higher, and their attraction is definitely going to be a distraction the neither needs at this time. There is so much going on in this story that my heart rate was sky high cover to cover. But I'll start with the crazy chemistry these two had, because it was intense, and with all the danger surrounding them, it didn't take all that long to explode into sexy times that lit the sheets on fire. Then there was that whole cast of secondaries that made up maybe some good, definitely bad, and of course the oh so ugly, which means I was on the edge of my seat the whole time trying to figure out who was who in the grand scheme of things. Obviously, there were twists around EVERY nook & cranny, so my f-bombs were raining down like a hurricane all the way to big finale! Diana A. Hicks knows how to write a story that gets the blood pumping, and I CANNOT WAIT to read more by her in the future! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!

[Randa Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emilia Prado has dreamed of enacting revenge on her father's killer especially since he also left her and her mother for dead. This is also a man who they considered family. Emilia knows that she has a window of opportunity when her cousin, Jess comes to her for a divorce from the said killer. But nothing is easy. Her cousin's husband is still in the cartel. A cartel that wants her dead. To remain alive, she must enlist the help of her law school crush, Dom. 



Dom Moretti kept away from Emilia in law school for a reason. He came to get away from his foster dad and the life he lived there. He had a special skill set that his foster dad loved. Dom hated. He knew that someday his foster dad, Mickey would ask him to return. He wouldn't refuse the man who raised him. Things change for Dom when he moves from New York to Phoenix. The first being his law school crush, Emilia. He heard rumors that she was a cartel princess. That he needed to stay away from her--both for his and her safety. He was trying to get out of that life. But when Emilia asks for his help. He can't say no to her especially after spending time with her and falling in love with her. He has to make some difficult decisions that not only affect him and Emilia but Emilia's mother, cousin, and her cousin's daughter. 

Can he live without the love of his life? How far will his father go to bring back the prodical son? What will happen if the cartel finds out that Emilia is still alive? Is there any way for the two of them to be together through all of the cartel issues and requirements?

[Rune Divina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long story short:

The book was fun! and sexy, yes, but mostly fun because of the characters. So I gave it a 3.2/5 stars.

Short strory long:

First, let’s talk about the story. It was written in fast pace, I truly felt like riding a motorbike in a highway, but I didn’t think that the fast pace was bad. Instead it kept me engaging with the book, it kept me from boredom. Although as in every fast-pace story, I’d like it more if some scenes were more slowly written. As in the moment Dom and Emilia met again, and the moment Dom offered Emilia help.

The story was written from two perspectives, Dom and Emilia, which was fun to read! Because sometimes both person would think exactly the same thing but acted different things. Although most of the point of views consisted on how they wanted each other so badly, which at some point was hot, but then I’d like it more if it consisted more on how conflicted they are about their life. So more views on the plot of the story than each of their hotness.

The story was entertaining though! Love it when they have involved gangsters, guns, and how cool was Emilia in facing them all?? Well, you gotta read the book to find out.

Here’s the thing, I did not read the first book, so I didn’t know what was their history. I only knew they had history together. Nevertheless, I never felt left out during the story, I could easily continue reading this book as if it was the first or even a standalone book. This is something that I regretfully take into consideration in giving the ratings. This is after all a book series.

[Caroline F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, suspenseful and sexy!

"There's a vibrator under your pillow with my name on it. You betcha my ego is loving this."

Emilia Prado has been working towards one thing - revenge. When opportunity knocks, she's full steam ahead. However, she never counted on her old college crush to be thrown into the mix. Or, the intense chemistry between them. Her attraction to him was fierce, but she couldn't afford to let her guard down.

"I want you. And I refuse to give you up again."

Dom Moretti was hot for Emilia from the first time he saw her in college - however, Little Miss Proper didn't want anything to do with him. When a second chance with her presents itself to him, he's not giving her up without a fight, even though a relationship with her might be a lethal mistake.

"There are no more secrets between us. We decide what we do with our lives. So I'm asking again. You and me...why the hell not?"

This story was full of sexual tension and secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will say though that this is a standalone in a series, but I felt I could have benefited from reading the first book, as there was a familiarity with the cameo characters that I felt I had missed out on.

Overall, the story had a strong, gutsy heroine in Emilia, and a commanding but soft-centred hero in Dom. I enjoyed the mafia and the suspense elements. The storyline was great and I was more than satisfied with the conclusion.

[Julia Red Hatter Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Love Over Logic has a way of just feeding you snippets at a time and keeping you begging for more with each page. Dom and Emilia's story will hold you tight and not let go. Emilia has been on the run for the last ten years, she wants to be free. An old college crush comes in and offers her all she's ever wanted, him and freedom. Freedom isn't as easy as Dom and Emilia think it will be. Dom is hiding from his past, his past catches up with him and puts not only him but the woman he's loved since college in the crosshairs.

Now while I loved the writing and the plot, the back and forth between Dom and Emilia got tiring after awhile. Emilia wants Dom but doesn't, Dom wants Emilia but doesn't. Don't get me wrong, I understood they were trying to protect each other, it just got tiring after awhile. I enjoyed their progression into love though, and when they finally realized they couldn't live without each other was a sweet moment.

The action and mystery surrounding the entire story was awesome! I was having a hard time figuring out who was truly good and bad. Dom will steal your heart, he has the whole alpha protector thing down. Emilia's strong and tough personality will have you loving her as well, she takes no shit and doesn't show her fear.

[Bette Stanek · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 bumped to 4 You Can Never Leave Stars. This one has a lot going on:

Cartel/mob competition
Revenge
Finding normal (in several ways)
Loyalty

I’m sure there are more. Anyway, I’m not going to repeat the book’s description, you can read that yourself. What this book does offer is a lot of action that isn’t always pieced together as coherently as it could have been. Sometimes I had to stop and think about what just happened. In that regard, I felt the author could have done better. However, for the most part, this book was better written than Love Over Lattes, the first book in this series. This story flowed better and there were a few surprises. Although Dom and Emilia did not share actual experiences from their pasts, their lives had very similar pasts which created a connection that was above average. They understood one another on a visceral level which made this book more interesting. The story was fast-paced, entertaining, and kept me up late at night reading.

[Diana Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to share Dom's story with you. Yep, he's Cole's lawyer friend from LOVE OVER LATTES.

Stay tuned, cover reveal is next Thursday 9/13!!!

Hopefully, our decision to publish Dom's story first won't confuse readers. A couple of months ago, I had the cover reveal for LOVE OVER TIME, which is Nikki's story. Long story short, my publisher will not be releasing Nikki's book until Spring 2019. Instead, we're releasing LOVE OVER LOGIC in November. Yay! So, Book 3, is now Book 2. And the old Book 2 is now Book3. Book 1 is still Book 1. Who says the publishing world is confusing? Pff...

If you're a blogger, you can sign up to host the cover reveal for LOVE OVER LOGIC (Desert Monsoon, Book #2) here ===> http://xpressobooktours.com/2018/09/0...

Happy Reading!

Diana A. Hicks

[Marie Brown (Marie's Tempting Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie's Tempting Reads ARC Review:

I fell in absolute love and lust with Love Over Logic! It was an absolute thrill to read this. One of the most profound and steamy romances I have read in a while. The characters really popped for me. I liked them a lot and their chemistry toward each other was through the roof and the plot thickened beautifully and the story was just flawless. I was not only impressed with it but it was easy to get lost in the book. I forgot where I was and just immersed myself this story so deep, I didn't want to come out. And to me, that is the best thing a book can do for me.

I want to forget about reality when I read a romance and get consumed by the characters and the sexiness of it all and that is exactly what happened with Love Over Logic. It was brilliant and what I was looking for.

Love Over Logic gets a ALL CONSUMING FIVE SHOOTING STARS!

[K.J. Sweeney · Rating 3 out of 5]

In many ways this is a classic hero tries to sacrifice himself for the woman he loves, while she has to make it clear to him that they are stronger together type of story. Both Emilia and Dom have a past and while he tries to play the gallant hero for her, she knows that it will only really work if he is with her.

There is a lot of action in this story, with both Dom's past and Emilia's coming together to cause them problems and threaten their happiness. I did get a tiny bit lost once or twice, with what was going on, but it didn't really detract from the overall storyline.

If you're like me, more interested in the romance side of things, then you probably won't be disappointed either. Although Emilia and Dom try to resist one another, it isn't long before it becomes clear that they cannot resist one another.

This was a fast-paced, exciting read with lots of romance.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to preface this review by saying that I enjoyed the story, but there were a couple of niggles for me. The first is that there were parts of the story where I felt like I was missing something - almost as if there were elements that were covered in an earlier book.  The second is the on and off again relationship between Emilia and Dom.  It was a layer of frustration to the story that I suspect that was intended, but nevertheless almost became too much.

Those points aside, the relationships between all the characters (including the supporting cast) was a strong underpinning to the overall story arc.  I never felt settled; never felt as if I was confident about what was going to happen next.

For me, it was those things combined, that made this tale.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t tell you how much I loved this book! It had plenty of drama and a great story. It kept me guessing what would happen next. The cast of characters was really great, even the secondary ones stood out to me. Love Over Logic was truly like an action movie.

Also, can I just say Emilia and Dom forever!! Emilia was a strong woman, who wasn’t going to be the damsel in distress at any cost. She could stand on her own two feet, which I respected. Dom wanted a better life that didn’t revolve around the mob. He wanted to be the good guy, helping people on the right side of the law. I really wanted these two to be together and I honestly wasn’t sure if it was going to happen by the end of this book.

This book is a definite READ on my list. Diana A. Hicks hit a home run with this one!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but did feel like it had a bit more violence in it than I initially expected, although I shouldn't have been surprised when the opening description stated "former mafia hitman" for Dom. The characters were deep and well developed and I thought the author did a good job of moving the story along at a good pace. Goodreads considers this a Cole Brothers book 0 whereas Amazon lists it as Book 1 in the Cole Brothers series. I felt that this Goodreads designation is more appropriate since we really don't get to see any of the Cole brothers until the latter part of the story. Emilia and Dom both come from an unusual background and really have more in common than most people do which added another layer to the interesting mix of characters.

[Kari Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the past ten years Emilia has been trying to live under the radar and not attract the attention of the people that murdered her father until she is unable to ignore a plea from a family member. Now hiding is no longer her game plan, vengeance is.

Dom is a lawyer with a dark past. When Emilia, his college crush, approaches him for help he is unable to say no and is determined to keep her protect her but can he protect her from his past as well?

I enjoyed both these characters as Emilia is fierce and determined while Dom is an alpha protector with a sensitive side. The combination of suspense, twists and romance will have you invested in their happy ever after.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a giveaway ARC program. It was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. A small part of me felt like I had missed out by not reading the book prior to this one. That said, this can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.
This is the story of Emilia and Dom who are reunited when Emilia needs his help. Since they knew each other in school, it works a bit as a second chance story. They are both compelling yet flawed characters. The organized crime aspect added to the suspense and drama.

[2OCC Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love over logic was an interesting storyline with plenty of drama, angst and romance throughout the story. I found that there was suspense throughout the story with a mafia theme as well. This was. A really good combination as it made the story that much more interesting. The story had a strong heroine that was bent on revenge Emilia and an alpha male for a hero. This was an enjoyable story that keeps me entertained throughout the story.

[Becky Wise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Love Over Logic. It's finally Dom's turn at love. You know him as Derek Cole's right hand man if you've read the first book and it's continuation. If not then you will love Dom and his chemistry with Emilia. Emilia is one tough cookie and she knows the way of the mafia life. I love how that understanding of mafia living brings Dom and Emilia closer. This book is hot and will keep you on your toes. I loved every moment of this one.

[Lynnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story with a real plot and it flowed well. I love the characters and the story lines were no too far fetched. When someone was shot, they stayed down and so forth. However, with all the good, I still felt like something was missing. It was long enough, but I felt like the depth could have been developed more. It was still lacking.

[Marc F Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful romance

I liked the 2 main characters, and how their relationship developed. There was some suspense and it was fun trying to figure out how all the pieces of the puzzle would fit together. I wish the supporting characters (there were quite a few of them) were better fleshed out.

[Cindy Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was fantastic!
It grabbed me from the start! I couldn’t put it down! Don and Emilia were great together! Their story was emotionally packed filled with drama, suspense, action, twists and turns, danger, and amazing chemistry! I absolutely loved Ignite You! Read it and you won’t be disappointed!

[Jennifer Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sophisticated thriller, not to be missed! I love a good organized crime tale...this one hit the mark, and then some! Hicks’s hero and heroine come into the story with a lot of heart and soul, creating fireworks when they’re brought together. I was drawn in from the start and couldn’t put it down!

[Gladys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It is an intense, emotional and fast paced read. Dom and Emilia relationship was complex and I liked their chemistry. The story was entertaining and offered up lots of drama and suspense. This is my independent, frank review.

[Anita (Hearts and Whodunits) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great mafia romantic thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed the edge of your seat action and the non-stop suspense. The main characters were engaging and flawed. The love between them was very evident and beautiful. I can't wait to read another book from this author.

[Kelly - Words We Love By · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to Come