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Temporary Bliss #2
Shadows of The Past I
The second book in the Temporary Bliss series continues the story of Raymond Ward and Aleksandr Petrov.
After life-changing events, Aleksandr Petrov struggles to come to terms with his new reality. Irreparable mistakes have been made, blood has been spilled and there is no taking it back. Now his only way out is to dive deeper into the lies and schemes of the people around him.
The secrets bother him. The uncertainty disturbs him. There is nothing more he wants than unravelling Raymond’s mystery, but the lies run deeper than he could possibly understand.
With Temnota advancing boldly into new territory, they both find themselves on the brink of an unstoppable gang war. As if that wasn’t enough, misunderstandings between Raymond and the leader of Roza aggravate a decade old conflict which shakes the organization to the core.
Aleksandr and Raymond must find their balance and reach an understanding before the shadows of the past can bury them both.
After life-changing events, Aleksandr Petrov struggles to come to terms with his new reality. Irreparable mistakes have been made, blood has been spilled and there is no taking it back. Now his only way out is to dive deeper into the lies and schemes of the people around him.
The secrets bother him. The uncertainty disturbs him. There is nothing more he wants than unravelling Raymond’s mystery, but the lies run deeper than he could possibly understand.
With Temnota advancing boldly into new territory, they both find themselves on the brink of an unstoppable gang war. As if that wasn’t enough, misunderstandings between Raymond and the leader of Roza aggravate a decade old conflict which shakes the organization to the core.
Aleksandr and Raymond must find their balance and reach an understanding before the shadows of the past can bury them both.
Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2021
9 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Alexander Ward
3 books48 followersDescent into Madness available on Amazon - > https://www.amazon.co.uk/Descent-Into...
Shadows of the Past is now available on Amazon -- > https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadows-Past...
Shadows of the Past is now available on Amazon -- > https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadows-Past...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 1, 2021
4.5 Stars
Raymond Ward and Aleksandr Petrov are two of the most tragic and broken characters I’ve read about since, well..., since I’d read their first book, Dead Inside. This second installment picks up right after the first book, and I was excited to finally get some answers. Be warned, for those who like an immediate happy ending, it doesn’t happen. Yes, book one leaves you hanging, and yes, you get some very unexpected questions answered in this book, but no, their story is not yet finished. Unfortunately, it was a long time since I’d read book one, and with all the foreign mafia names, I was struggling to reconnect. So, I had to close it up and do a quick skim / reread of book one. Once I was comfortably back in Romania, the setting for this series, I was able to restart book two and it made for a much better and enjoyable outcome, well, at least for me, Ray and Alek are still a mess.
So, to reiterate something I’d written in my first review of Dead Inside, “harsh, cold, cruel, heartless, helpless, and hopeless”, still holds true in this installment. I was really hoping that Raymond would be a standup guy and save Aleksandr immediately, but hey, the adjectives above tell you that was not the case. As a matter of fact, Raymond became sort a big, tragic character this go round himself, and I was, again, left wondering how in the world this couple, and this series, could possibly end on a high note.
Good news, Aleks is not beaten within an inch of his life all the time anymore. I said, all the time, as he does still spend some time battered and bruised, but he seems to have grown a spine. Make no mistake, he is still a victim, but he definitely reached the end of his rope. Another warning, there are even more triggers for some folks, mainly attempted suicide and a ton of hardcore violence. Be cognizant that this is still not a warm and fuzzy love story, although we get flashes of hope. We also learn more about where Aleks came from and his surprising familial relations. I did not see that coming. Let’s just say, he may have been better off being an orphan.
Even though this is not my typical go-to kind of book, this author’s writing style really calls to me. I am not one to harp on small grammatical or editing errors because so long as they don’t throw me out of the story, they don’t really impact my reading enjoyment. What I will say, this author only has two books to their name and I am completely impressed, even with a few mistakes. With this kind of talent and creative ingenuity, they have a big career ahead of them. Once they get the experience under their belt and tighten up the editing, this author will impress the masses. Or at least the masses that enjoy having tortured protagonists. I, for one, look forward to book three, and whatever else this author decides to grace us with.
Raymond Ward and Aleksandr Petrov are two of the most tragic and broken characters I’ve read about since, well..., since I’d read their first book, Dead Inside. This second installment picks up right after the first book, and I was excited to finally get some answers. Be warned, for those who like an immediate happy ending, it doesn’t happen. Yes, book one leaves you hanging, and yes, you get some very unexpected questions answered in this book, but no, their story is not yet finished. Unfortunately, it was a long time since I’d read book one, and with all the foreign mafia names, I was struggling to reconnect. So, I had to close it up and do a quick skim / reread of book one. Once I was comfortably back in Romania, the setting for this series, I was able to restart book two and it made for a much better and enjoyable outcome, well, at least for me, Ray and Alek are still a mess.
So, to reiterate something I’d written in my first review of Dead Inside, “harsh, cold, cruel, heartless, helpless, and hopeless”, still holds true in this installment. I was really hoping that Raymond would be a standup guy and save Aleksandr immediately, but hey, the adjectives above tell you that was not the case. As a matter of fact, Raymond became sort a big, tragic character this go round himself, and I was, again, left wondering how in the world this couple, and this series, could possibly end on a high note.
Good news, Aleks is not beaten within an inch of his life all the time anymore. I said, all the time, as he does still spend some time battered and bruised, but he seems to have grown a spine. Make no mistake, he is still a victim, but he definitely reached the end of his rope. Another warning, there are even more triggers for some folks, mainly attempted suicide and a ton of hardcore violence. Be cognizant that this is still not a warm and fuzzy love story, although we get flashes of hope. We also learn more about where Aleks came from and his surprising familial relations. I did not see that coming. Let’s just say, he may have been better off being an orphan.
Even though this is not my typical go-to kind of book, this author’s writing style really calls to me. I am not one to harp on small grammatical or editing errors because so long as they don’t throw me out of the story, they don’t really impact my reading enjoyment. What I will say, this author only has two books to their name and I am completely impressed, even with a few mistakes. With this kind of talent and creative ingenuity, they have a big career ahead of them. Once they get the experience under their belt and tighten up the editing, this author will impress the masses. Or at least the masses that enjoy having tortured protagonists. I, for one, look forward to book three, and whatever else this author decides to grace us with.
January 14, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. There is so much suspense that leaves you wanting more. We see the characters develop slowly but painfully. I yelled out loud a few times wanting the characters to just speak to each other. So good. Can’t wait for the next novel to continue this saga.
April 11, 2021
I must confess: I don’t have a favorite character. It might sound strange, but it’s hard to pick a side. This POV technique helps you know the characters so profoundly they become part of your life.
Always wondering what’s next, each chapter leaving you with more questions than answers.
If you’re under the impression everything is unravelling in front of you, mno, no, my dear, you’re about to be mind blown!
The book is filled with mistery, love, hate, more mistery and inexplicable loyalty.
There are puzzles everywhere and no character is left out, no event.
The story weaves between settings, the past and present. There are many opportunities to feel lost.
So dive in! Read this book. And the next one.
2 chapters of "Descent into Madness" are already published on Patreon. (https://www.patreon.com/alexward/posts)
Let's give this artist all the support we can!
Always wondering what’s next, each chapter leaving you with more questions than answers.
If you’re under the impression everything is unravelling in front of you, mno, no, my dear, you’re about to be mind blown!
The book is filled with mistery, love, hate, more mistery and inexplicable loyalty.
There are puzzles everywhere and no character is left out, no event.
The story weaves between settings, the past and present. There are many opportunities to feel lost.
So dive in! Read this book. And the next one.
2 chapters of "Descent into Madness" are already published on Patreon. (https://www.patreon.com/alexward/posts)
Let's give this artist all the support we can!
February 3, 2025
I feel as though we are just running in circles here.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews