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Risking It All
Gemma is about to risk it all for the man she loves. Will she survive entering into a life of crime?
Gemma has always been there for Nathan. He's the love of her life and she made a commitment to him, one she'd never consider breaking... until smooth-talking gangster Alfie Watson comes into their lives and changes everything.
Alfie doesn't care about true love – he wants Gemma, and the gangster always gets what he wants. When Nathan ends up owing him money, Alfie gets payback by recruiting Gemma to carry out a jewellery heist. To everyone's surprise, she's a natural. Until Alfie forgives Nathan's debt, she has no choice but to accompany the gangster on more and more daring heists – even though one slip-up could cost her everything.
Nathan might have fallen under Alfie's spell, but it doesn't take long for him to realise that he needs to save Gemma from his own mistakes if their marriage is to have any chance of surviving. But when that means taking on the East End's most notorious gangster at his own game, will he find himself up to the challenge?
Perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Emma Tallon and Jessie Keane.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 12, 2020
244 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Harte
20 books41 followersStephanie Harte was born and raised in North West London.
After leaving school, she trained in Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy at London College of Fashion. Stephanie went on to teach beauty workshops at a specialist residential clinic for children with severe eating disorders for ten years. She also previously worked as a Pharmaceutical Buyer for the NHS and an international medical export company.
While taking a break to raise her two children, Stephanie began writing as a hobby. She signed a contract in March 2019 with Head of Zeus. Stephanie wrote seven crime novels for the publisher before signing a contract with Boldwood Books in June 2023. She is currently writing a new series, The Kennedy Twins. The first book, Double Trouble, will be released on 10th April 2024.
After leaving school, she trained in Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy at London College of Fashion. Stephanie went on to teach beauty workshops at a specialist residential clinic for children with severe eating disorders for ten years. She also previously worked as a Pharmaceutical Buyer for the NHS and an international medical export company.
While taking a break to raise her two children, Stephanie began writing as a hobby. She signed a contract in March 2019 with Head of Zeus. Stephanie wrote seven crime novels for the publisher before signing a contract with Boldwood Books in June 2023. She is currently writing a new series, The Kennedy Twins. The first book, Double Trouble, will be released on 10th April 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 9, 2020
Gemma returns to find her husband Nathan's face covered I blood. He tells her he's borrowed money from Alfie. Gemma is horrified as Alfie has a bad reputation. Then one night, Gemma wakes up to find Alfie and two of his heavies are in her bedroom. Nathan had been forced to give Alfie a key to their house. Nathan's original loan of £500 is now £5,000. Alfie insists that Gemma joins his gang to clear Nathan's debt. Gemma has no choice but to do as Alfie says.
Thenoace flows along nicely most of the time, but every now and then, it gets a bit sluggish. My favourite character was Alfie. Nathan was a bit too week for my liking. This is not as good as the usual gangland novels I've read, but it's still a good read. My first book by this author ut it won't be my last.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Aria and the author Stephanie Harte for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thenoace flows along nicely most of the time, but every now and then, it gets a bit sluggish. My favourite character was Alfie. Nathan was a bit too week for my liking. This is not as good as the usual gangland novels I've read, but it's still a good read. My first book by this author ut it won't be my last.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Aria and the author Stephanie Harte for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2020
3.5☆ A Pacy Gang-Lit Thriller
Risking it All is a Pacy Gang-Lit Thriller.
Nathan is a bit of a chancer so borrowing money from local hardman Alfie Watson to fund another of his hair brained schemes comes as no surprise to wife Gemma
But what does come as a shock is the violent lengths Alfie is willing to go to get his money back, manipulate Gemma and Nathan for his own self gain. Knowing they are forever in his debt.
You see Alfie always gets what he wants, he has a long term score to settle with Nathan's past, and he has a soft spot for Gemma.
So when he forces Gemma to steal a diamond ring by switching it with a fake, he quickly realises she's a natural and Alfie knows he can manipulate her to do his dirty work.
But surely Alfie's luck is due to run out soon?
Can Gemma escape his clutches before she lands herself in some seriously hot water!
Unfortunately for me I just couldn't connect with Nathan. He's character grated on me.
I was getting fed up with the whole way through the story, nathan blamed his shitty behaviour on his dad abandoning him. He came across as a spoilt shit, I didn't like his whiny character at all. If there was less of the mention of his abandonment issues then I would of enjoyed the story so much more.
I did really enjoy reading Risking it All, I liked the little twists that kept me intrigued throughout, although this wasn't a fast pace read, it was gripping, told a story of unconditional love and the lengths you will go to protect someone you love and it had an element of danger and passion.
Risking it all had a great concept, I liked the thrill of the jewelry swaps and the will she, won't she get caught.
Alfie's character really intrigued me and I do hope there is another book about him.
I would definitely read more from Stephanie Harte.
Thank you to Aria fiction for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...
Risking it All is a Pacy Gang-Lit Thriller.
Nathan is a bit of a chancer so borrowing money from local hardman Alfie Watson to fund another of his hair brained schemes comes as no surprise to wife Gemma
But what does come as a shock is the violent lengths Alfie is willing to go to get his money back, manipulate Gemma and Nathan for his own self gain. Knowing they are forever in his debt.
You see Alfie always gets what he wants, he has a long term score to settle with Nathan's past, and he has a soft spot for Gemma.
So when he forces Gemma to steal a diamond ring by switching it with a fake, he quickly realises she's a natural and Alfie knows he can manipulate her to do his dirty work.
But surely Alfie's luck is due to run out soon?
Can Gemma escape his clutches before she lands herself in some seriously hot water!
Unfortunately for me I just couldn't connect with Nathan. He's character grated on me.
I was getting fed up with the whole way through the story, nathan blamed his shitty behaviour on his dad abandoning him. He came across as a spoilt shit, I didn't like his whiny character at all. If there was less of the mention of his abandonment issues then I would of enjoyed the story so much more.
I did really enjoy reading Risking it All, I liked the little twists that kept me intrigued throughout, although this wasn't a fast pace read, it was gripping, told a story of unconditional love and the lengths you will go to protect someone you love and it had an element of danger and passion.
Risking it all had a great concept, I liked the thrill of the jewelry swaps and the will she, won't she get caught.
Alfie's character really intrigued me and I do hope there is another book about him.
I would definitely read more from Stephanie Harte.
Thank you to Aria fiction for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...
March 12, 2020
Risking It All is Ms Harte’s first foray into the thriller genre and she manages to spin a compelling gangland yarn. Gangster and all-round nasty piece of work Alfie Watson is feared by the locals who try to tiptoe around him as much as humanly possible. Unfortunately, some families are in such desperate need of money to live that they go to Alfie who acts as a loan shark type figure as an additional unscrupulous way of lining his pockets. When Gemma returns home to discover her husband, Nathan, bloodied and terrified she knows he’s in trouble. He’s a gambling addict and is forced to admit to his patient wife that he has loaned £500 from Alfie which quickly becomes £10,000 as East Ender Alfie takes advantage of a “client”.
They are soon so far in debt that they haven’t much choice when he recruits Gemma into his gang to pay off Nathan’s debts by committing jewellery store robberies whereby she swaps real jewels in high-end shops for fakes pocketing the genuine articles. Will they ever be free of him? This is a compelling, gritty and exciting gangland tale with engaging characters, both bad and good; I found myself rooting for Gemma and Nathan against the bully Alfie. There are a few twists and surprises and I enjoyed that this was a more nuanced tale of love and an emotional partnership rather than simply being just a captivating rivalry. I look forward to reading more from Harte. Many thanks to Aria for an ARC.
They are soon so far in debt that they haven’t much choice when he recruits Gemma into his gang to pay off Nathan’s debts by committing jewellery store robberies whereby she swaps real jewels in high-end shops for fakes pocketing the genuine articles. Will they ever be free of him? This is a compelling, gritty and exciting gangland tale with engaging characters, both bad and good; I found myself rooting for Gemma and Nathan against the bully Alfie. There are a few twists and surprises and I enjoyed that this was a more nuanced tale of love and an emotional partnership rather than simply being just a captivating rivalry. I look forward to reading more from Harte. Many thanks to Aria for an ARC.
March 17, 2020
This was a fast paced and gripping novel that was a delight to read. The story was about a strong female character Gemma who will do everything possible to help her husband and love of her life, Nathan be free from a malice in their life, and that is Alfie Watson. Due to a gambling debt, Nathan and Gemma’s life had been in chaos losing their home and now involved with a local gangster Alfie who is doubling the payback of the loan. Alfie has them on the palm of his hand, and he has forced Gemma’s hands into helping him in a heist job which Gemma turns out to be quite really good at. Unfortunately, until the debt is fully forgiven, Gemma is indebted to Alfie and the life of crime.
This is a really great read from a new author to me, Stephanie Harte. She is definitely an author to watch. I highly recommend this amazing read I thoroughly enjoyed.
This is a really great read from a new author to me, Stephanie Harte. She is definitely an author to watch. I highly recommend this amazing read I thoroughly enjoyed.
February 7, 2020
Gemma and Nathan are childhood sweethearts. They love each other dearly. One day Gemma comes home to find Nathan with blood on his face but also on the walls. Gemma knows that he may be in trouble as Nathan has a gambling problem. He is always losing money, they lost their home and had to go and live and work with Nathan’s mother Rosa at their restaurant.
Gemma finds out that Nathan has borrowed money from local gangster and nasty piece of work Alfie. Nathan borrowed £500 but when they try and pay it back the amount doubles to Gemma’s dismay. Then Alfie asks tells them to help pay back the money Gemma must do a job for him. Steal some jewelry but thinking that one job is enough to pay back the money. Alfie threatens them and they start a life on the run spanning over Europe. Living a life of luxury as they go.
This is the first book from Stephanie Harte and this will not be my last. I love a good gangland crime novel and this one doesn’t disappoint. This is a gripping page turner, great characters and story line. I highly recommend
Gemma finds out that Nathan has borrowed money from local gangster and nasty piece of work Alfie. Nathan borrowed £500 but when they try and pay it back the amount doubles to Gemma’s dismay. Then Alfie asks tells them to help pay back the money Gemma must do a job for him. Steal some jewelry but thinking that one job is enough to pay back the money. Alfie threatens them and they start a life on the run spanning over Europe. Living a life of luxury as they go.
This is the first book from Stephanie Harte and this will not be my last. I love a good gangland crime novel and this one doesn’t disappoint. This is a gripping page turner, great characters and story line. I highly recommend
March 28, 2020
Dark, gritty and addictive, Stephanie Harte’s Risking It All is a fantastic debut East End thriller readers will not want to miss.
Gemma has been head over heels in love with Nathan for as long as she can remember. There is absolutely nothing Gemma wouldn’t do for the man she loves and nothing and nobody is going to come between her and the man she adores. But Gemma hadn’t counted on vicious villain Alfie Watson, the smooth-talking gangster who comes into all of their lives and ends up shaking the foundations of their existence forever. A man who always gets what he wants, Alfie has set his sights on Gemma and whatever the gangster wants, he always gets – regardless of the cost or the consequences.
When Nathan ends up owning Alfie money, he seizes his chance. Recruiting Gemma to carry out a jewellery heist, Alfie ends up pleasantly surprised when he realises that his reluctant recruit is actually pretty adept at carrying out his nefarious jobs. With Alfie’s debts still weighing heavily upon her shoulders, Gemma finds herself thrust knee deep into the criminal underworld and with no other choice available to her, ends up accompanying Alfie on his heists on a regular basis. As the jobs begin to get more and more daring, the stakes have never been higher and Gemma finds herself having to keep her wits about her and not slip up because one mistake is all it takes and she could end up losing everything which she holds dear to her heart.
Realising that he needs to rescue his wife from the clutches of this evil gangster who has taken over their lives, Nathan finds himself having to step up to save Gemma from ending up mired even deeper into this dark and dangerous world which he has reluctantly dragged them into. With his marriage in danger and Gemma’s freedom in jeopardy, Nathan needs to take on the East End’s most powerful gangster. But is he up to the challenge? Or is Nathan about to take on more than he could possibly ever handle?
Gangland thriller fans are going to love Stephanie Harte’s fantastic Risking It All. A high stakes, nail-biting and action-packed chiller that will go down a treat with fans of Kimberley Chambers and Mandasue Heller, Risking It All is a heart-pounding roller coaster ride that grabs readers by the throat from page one and keeps them absolutely riveted to the page until the very last word.
Fast-paced, terrifying and compulsively readable, Risking It All heralds the arrival of a new star in gangland thrillers: Stephanie Harte.
Gemma has been head over heels in love with Nathan for as long as she can remember. There is absolutely nothing Gemma wouldn’t do for the man she loves and nothing and nobody is going to come between her and the man she adores. But Gemma hadn’t counted on vicious villain Alfie Watson, the smooth-talking gangster who comes into all of their lives and ends up shaking the foundations of their existence forever. A man who always gets what he wants, Alfie has set his sights on Gemma and whatever the gangster wants, he always gets – regardless of the cost or the consequences.
When Nathan ends up owning Alfie money, he seizes his chance. Recruiting Gemma to carry out a jewellery heist, Alfie ends up pleasantly surprised when he realises that his reluctant recruit is actually pretty adept at carrying out his nefarious jobs. With Alfie’s debts still weighing heavily upon her shoulders, Gemma finds herself thrust knee deep into the criminal underworld and with no other choice available to her, ends up accompanying Alfie on his heists on a regular basis. As the jobs begin to get more and more daring, the stakes have never been higher and Gemma finds herself having to keep her wits about her and not slip up because one mistake is all it takes and she could end up losing everything which she holds dear to her heart.
Realising that he needs to rescue his wife from the clutches of this evil gangster who has taken over their lives, Nathan finds himself having to step up to save Gemma from ending up mired even deeper into this dark and dangerous world which he has reluctantly dragged them into. With his marriage in danger and Gemma’s freedom in jeopardy, Nathan needs to take on the East End’s most powerful gangster. But is he up to the challenge? Or is Nathan about to take on more than he could possibly ever handle?
Gangland thriller fans are going to love Stephanie Harte’s fantastic Risking It All. A high stakes, nail-biting and action-packed chiller that will go down a treat with fans of Kimberley Chambers and Mandasue Heller, Risking It All is a heart-pounding roller coaster ride that grabs readers by the throat from page one and keeps them absolutely riveted to the page until the very last word.
Fast-paced, terrifying and compulsively readable, Risking It All heralds the arrival of a new star in gangland thrillers: Stephanie Harte.
August 22, 2020
Brilliant read
Gemma Stone husband Nathan owes money to gangster Alfie Watson, and he means big business.
Five grand is at stake and more.
And Alfie Watson wants to do a deal to settle that, that also includes Gemma.
It was turning into a living nightmare, the man is pure evil.
The Stone's and the Watson's have unfinished business to settle.
Wow this is so different to my usual crime read.
Face pace, you don't know what's coming next.
At first I hated Alfie Watson, then I grew to love him after reading the meaning of the story.
My first read by this author and I certainly look forward to more.
LOVED IT.
Gemma Stone husband Nathan owes money to gangster Alfie Watson, and he means big business.
Five grand is at stake and more.
And Alfie Watson wants to do a deal to settle that, that also includes Gemma.
It was turning into a living nightmare, the man is pure evil.
The Stone's and the Watson's have unfinished business to settle.
Wow this is so different to my usual crime read.
Face pace, you don't know what's coming next.
At first I hated Alfie Watson, then I grew to love him after reading the meaning of the story.
My first read by this author and I certainly look forward to more.
LOVED IT.
March 13, 2020
This is my first but certainly not my last read by this author. If you enjoy gangland crime then you will love this story.
Nathan owes gangster Alfie a lot of money. His wife Gemma is caught up in it but she will do anything to save her husband.
I thought this was a great read. I can’t wait to read from her.
Nathan owes gangster Alfie a lot of money. His wife Gemma is caught up in it but she will do anything to save her husband.
I thought this was a great read. I can’t wait to read from her.
March 8, 2020
Having read Ms Hartes previous books I was delighted to hear that she has a new book coming out. When I read the blurb I realised that this book was a totally different genre to this authors previous books and I was very excited to have the opportunity to read it. This book is an excellent gangland crime thriller. It is fast paced and will keep you gripped right up until the final page. I highly recommend this book .
March 22, 2020
I read the synopsis for 'Risking It All' and it certainly sounded like just my kind of read. Stephanie Harte is being compared to Jessie Keane, Kimberley Chambers and Emma Tallon. As I am a huge fan of Jessie, Kimberley and Emma, I just knew that I was going to be in for a treat with 'Risking It All'. I wasn't wrong either because I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Risking It All' but more about that in a bit.
I took to Gemma from the first time I met her as it were. She is married to Nathan and to be fair she has put up with a hell of a lot from him over the years and she has forgiven him more than the average woman would. To be fair, I can sort of understand where Nathan is coming from when he wants to escape the poverty of his childhood. That said he makes some pretty dire judgment calls and he ends up in serious hot water with Alfie, the local gangster. Inevitably Gemma ends up having to work to pay Nathan's 'debt' off. I just kept wanting to jump inside the pages of the book to give Nathan a darn good slap with a wet flip flop or a wet fish- whichever hurt the most. I felt sorry for Gemma for all the crap that Nathan has put her through and at times I just wanted to give her a hug.
It didn't take me long at all to get into this story. In fact by the time I got to the end of the synopsis alone, I knew that I would find it nigh on impossible to put the book to one side for any length of time. I had to read this book in binges rather than in one long continuous reading spree but for me, this only served to enhance my enjoyment of the book. If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the book. I totally immersed myself in the story to the extent that I was able to shut out all distractions so that I could solely focus on the story and on the story alone. I lost all track of time, whilst I was reading this book and I was staggered to realise that I had been reading for over an hour when I first looked up to check the time.
'Risking It All' is well written. Stephanie certainly knows how to start the story with a bang. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained the pace throughout. Stephanie grabbed my attention from the start and she drew me into the story. The story is well plotted and well thought out with several twists and turns throughout the course of the story. Some of them I saw coming and some of them I didn't. Stephanie uses such graphic and realistic descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Risking It All' and I would recommend it to other readers. Stephanie Harte is being compared to Jessie Keane, Kimberley Chambers and Emma Tallon and in my opinion she is just as good an author as the three aforementioned ladies. I will definitely be reading more of Stephanie's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Bok Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I took to Gemma from the first time I met her as it were. She is married to Nathan and to be fair she has put up with a hell of a lot from him over the years and she has forgiven him more than the average woman would. To be fair, I can sort of understand where Nathan is coming from when he wants to escape the poverty of his childhood. That said he makes some pretty dire judgment calls and he ends up in serious hot water with Alfie, the local gangster. Inevitably Gemma ends up having to work to pay Nathan's 'debt' off. I just kept wanting to jump inside the pages of the book to give Nathan a darn good slap with a wet flip flop or a wet fish- whichever hurt the most. I felt sorry for Gemma for all the crap that Nathan has put her through and at times I just wanted to give her a hug.
It didn't take me long at all to get into this story. In fact by the time I got to the end of the synopsis alone, I knew that I would find it nigh on impossible to put the book to one side for any length of time. I had to read this book in binges rather than in one long continuous reading spree but for me, this only served to enhance my enjoyment of the book. If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the book. I totally immersed myself in the story to the extent that I was able to shut out all distractions so that I could solely focus on the story and on the story alone. I lost all track of time, whilst I was reading this book and I was staggered to realise that I had been reading for over an hour when I first looked up to check the time.
'Risking It All' is well written. Stephanie certainly knows how to start the story with a bang. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained the pace throughout. Stephanie grabbed my attention from the start and she drew me into the story. The story is well plotted and well thought out with several twists and turns throughout the course of the story. Some of them I saw coming and some of them I didn't. Stephanie uses such graphic and realistic descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Risking It All' and I would recommend it to other readers. Stephanie Harte is being compared to Jessie Keane, Kimberley Chambers and Emma Tallon and in my opinion she is just as good an author as the three aforementioned ladies. I will definitely be reading more of Stephanie's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Bok Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
April 29, 2020
This starts well. Gemma discovers her husband, Nathan, has borrowed £500 from Alfie Watson, renowned for being a psychopathic gangster, the situation spirals from bad to worse as the debt increases to £5k and then 10k. I really felt for this couple, though not the first time has Nathan jeopardised their finances with his reckless 'get rich quick' schemes. This is something else though and as Alfie's grip on the couple tightens, their lives become a living hell. It doesn't take long for him to take a shine to Gemma either, recruiting her to go 'shopping' for him, where in the blink of an eye, she is transformed into a jewel thief. Both end up officially 'working for Alfie.' Thus as each piece of jewellery spirals in value, it incurs a higher and higher risk. It's good storyline but drags in places and I found myself getting bored, hoping for a new twist as chapter after chapter, the same storyline kept repeating itself. Nathan I found a weak character, continually blaming the lack of a father figure and growing up in relative 'poverty' for his insatiable lust for money. It was quite pathetic really. Gemma though, I liked, a stronger, feisty character but I did not warm to Alfie who came across as a cold ruthless control freak, a puppet master, used to getting his own way. I am happy to say that at 65% I got back into it and enjoyed the rest of the book. So I'm glad I stuck with it. Overall an easy read, exciting, good dynamics and well developed characters. Added to the action, I especially loved the journey across Europe from Nice, Cannes and Monaco to the Italian Alps, beautiful descriptions that evoked some fond memories of my own.
May 25, 2020
Risking It All
an addictive new crime saga series perfect for fans of Martina Cole
by Stephanie Harte
Aria
General Fiction (Adult)
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 12 Mar 2020
I am reviewing a copy of Risking It All through Aria and Netgalley:
Gemma is about to risk everything for the man she loves. But will she even survive entering into a life of crime.
Alfie could careless about true love. What he wants is Gemma, and as a gangster he always gets what he wants. Alfie gets payback by recruiting Gemma to carry out a Jewelry Heist. It takes everyone by surprise to discover she is a natural. But she has no choice but to accompany Alfie on more heists until he forgives Nathan’s debt. But one slip up could cost her everything.
Despite the fact that Nathan may have fallen under Alfie’s spell it doesn't take long for him to realise that he needs to save Gemma from his own mistakes if their marriage is to have any chance of surviving. When this means taking on the East End's most notorious gangster at his own game, will he find himself up to the challenge?
I give Risking it All five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
an addictive new crime saga series perfect for fans of Martina Cole
by Stephanie Harte
Aria
General Fiction (Adult)
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 12 Mar 2020
I am reviewing a copy of Risking It All through Aria and Netgalley:
Gemma is about to risk everything for the man she loves. But will she even survive entering into a life of crime.
Alfie could careless about true love. What he wants is Gemma, and as a gangster he always gets what he wants. Alfie gets payback by recruiting Gemma to carry out a Jewelry Heist. It takes everyone by surprise to discover she is a natural. But she has no choice but to accompany Alfie on more heists until he forgives Nathan’s debt. But one slip up could cost her everything.
Despite the fact that Nathan may have fallen under Alfie’s spell it doesn't take long for him to realise that he needs to save Gemma from his own mistakes if their marriage is to have any chance of surviving. When this means taking on the East End's most notorious gangster at his own game, will he find himself up to the challenge?
I give Risking it All five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
April 18, 2021
This was good start full of will he or won’t he let us go. I liked the element of International theft in this book and the scenic views depicted of Europe.
I liked that it was written in the first person so we as readers got to see how the lead characters of Gemma, Nathan and Alfie thought. I loved the character of Archie - a gangster who fell in love and tries everything to win his love over. I thought the character of Nathan was thoughtfully created as he shows the emotional strains of being brought up in a single parent home. Gemma is a strong character and again Stephanie depicts what is it like living in a family where you feel you are not enough.
I loved Stephanie covered emotional issues and cant wait to start reading Tangled Lives.
I liked that it was written in the first person so we as readers got to see how the lead characters of Gemma, Nathan and Alfie thought. I loved the character of Archie - a gangster who fell in love and tries everything to win his love over. I thought the character of Nathan was thoughtfully created as he shows the emotional strains of being brought up in a single parent home. Gemma is a strong character and again Stephanie depicts what is it like living in a family where you feel you are not enough.
I loved Stephanie covered emotional issues and cant wait to start reading Tangled Lives.
January 31, 2022
Seriously? This is the worst female lead stereotype I've read in years. So totally 1970s stereotyped, it made me furious. The male lead is another ridiculous stereotype, a moron, a gambling addict who refuses to be helped in any way and trashes his wife's life completely. It's so bad I had to keep reading it to see what idiotic thing would happen next. Thank goodness I only paid 99 cents for it.
PROBABLE SPOILER. A woman whose husband is so stupid he loses their home, their car and everything they own then borrows more money from a known crime boss. The boss then beats up the husband and blackmails the wife into becoming an international jewel thief to protect hubby. She then has sex with the crime boss. SHE then begs her HUSBAND to forgive HER!! From there it's all downhill...
PROBABLE SPOILER. A woman whose husband is so stupid he loses their home, their car and everything they own then borrows more money from a known crime boss. The boss then beats up the husband and blackmails the wife into becoming an international jewel thief to protect hubby. She then has sex with the crime boss. SHE then begs her HUSBAND to forgive HER!! From there it's all downhill...
March 19, 2020
Gemma loves her husband with all his faults, she knows theirs is not a happy marriage since they have fought so many times that she is not scared of anything, until Alfie. Alfie is a “business man” who wants his money back and every day that the returning is delayed the taxes grow, how will Gemma and Nathan’s love and life survive this kind of pressure without risking it all?
This had been a complicated read, it doesn’t fit in only one category or emotion, it’s a twisted and dark read about marriage, gangs and sacrifice. What would you do for your marriage and the love of your life? Would you follow them till the end of the world knowing that their flaws will risk all you have, even your life? I’ll admit that I don’t think I will. For the first moment Gemma seems to be a brave and intelligent woman with her husband Nathan being her weakness. He is a gambler and is not ready to admit it or heal, that’s how all this story will begin. He is in high debt with a dangerous shark who will ask for more money than he will ever have. So, Gemma and Nathan will have to follow all Alfie’s rules and instructions if they don’t want to be killed. I could understand Gemma’s following situation if Nathan was more approachable, but I never felt any deep emotions from him, only the need to play and not be killed. That’s mainly why I have biased feelings about this book, the atmosphere and pressure of the story is amazing, but I don’t fully understand Gemma’s decisions, I would had left Nathan a long time ago, I don’t think he is capable of stop playing.
But, yes, there’s a but, the story is addictive and dark, you can feel the tension and fear on your skin all the time and you’ll have to read the story to decide what would you do in Gemma’s case, follow the love of your life or try to stay alive?
Ready for Risking It All?
This had been a complicated read, it doesn’t fit in only one category or emotion, it’s a twisted and dark read about marriage, gangs and sacrifice. What would you do for your marriage and the love of your life? Would you follow them till the end of the world knowing that their flaws will risk all you have, even your life? I’ll admit that I don’t think I will. For the first moment Gemma seems to be a brave and intelligent woman with her husband Nathan being her weakness. He is a gambler and is not ready to admit it or heal, that’s how all this story will begin. He is in high debt with a dangerous shark who will ask for more money than he will ever have. So, Gemma and Nathan will have to follow all Alfie’s rules and instructions if they don’t want to be killed. I could understand Gemma’s following situation if Nathan was more approachable, but I never felt any deep emotions from him, only the need to play and not be killed. That’s mainly why I have biased feelings about this book, the atmosphere and pressure of the story is amazing, but I don’t fully understand Gemma’s decisions, I would had left Nathan a long time ago, I don’t think he is capable of stop playing.
But, yes, there’s a but, the story is addictive and dark, you can feel the tension and fear on your skin all the time and you’ll have to read the story to decide what would you do in Gemma’s case, follow the love of your life or try to stay alive?
Ready for Risking It All?
May 28, 2020
Risking it all by Stephanie Harte.
Gemma has always been there for Nathan. He's the love of her life and she made a commitment to him, one she'd never consider breaking... until smooth-talking gangster Alfie Watson comes into their lives and changes everything...
A very good read. Good story.Some good characters although I didn't like Alfie at all. He was slimy. I liked Gemma and how she was straight with Alfie. I wasn't sure if I liked Nathan. 4*.
Gemma has always been there for Nathan. He's the love of her life and she made a commitment to him, one she'd never consider breaking... until smooth-talking gangster Alfie Watson comes into their lives and changes everything...
A very good read. Good story.Some good characters although I didn't like Alfie at all. He was slimy. I liked Gemma and how she was straight with Alfie. I wasn't sure if I liked Nathan. 4*.
October 10, 2021
Brilliant book
This is the first book by Stephanie Harte I've read and I loved i Nathan borrowed £500 of Alfie a loan shark with no chance of paying it back because Alfie kept adding interest a that Nathan ended up paying thousands of pounds. Alfie kidnapped Nathan and his wife Gemma.they were made to commit robberies from high class jewellers. They went on the run from country to country absolutely loved this book
This is the first book by Stephanie Harte I've read and I loved i Nathan borrowed £500 of Alfie a loan shark with no chance of paying it back because Alfie kept adding interest a that Nathan ended up paying thousands of pounds. Alfie kidnapped Nathan and his wife Gemma.they were made to commit robberies from high class jewellers. They went on the run from country to country absolutely loved this book
March 11, 2020
This is the first book I have read from this author Stephanie Harte and it won't be the last. "Risking It All" by Stephanie was a cracker of a Book.
I was gripped from the first few pages and didn't want to go to sleep until I finished it..............Before I knew it, I had finished and the birds were singing outside my window. So be warned don't start this book before you go to bed!!!!!
What would you do for loVe?
Gemma and Nathan have been childhood sweethearts and now married. They love each other so much, Everything seems to perfect but is it? Gemma comes home, only to find blood on the wall of their home and blood on Nathan's face!
Nathan is a gambler and it has always been problem with money, he never wins and only loose's.....but he tells Gemma he has a plan that will make him rich!!!! She's always stuck by his side, even when he lost everything, their home etc. They had to move and work for Nathan's mother Rosa at their restaurant. This was hard for Gemma, especially as she had a great job that she loved and a group of good friends.
Nathan had borrowed some money from a local gangster called Alfie, he is a nasty piece of work. Gemma found out it was £500. Nathan has no way of finding this money quickly.
Whilst trying to find this amount of money the clock is ticking...............the amount of money he owed was growing bigger by the minute!
When Nathan gets the money together and goes and pay Alfie the £500 back Nathan is informed it has doubled! Nathan is in shock and has no way of repaying Alfie back the money now!!!!
The tables turn and Alfie now wants Nathan's wife to do a job for him! Gemma has to steal some jewelry for him. But, Gemma has never done anything like this in her life. She has to act quickly and do this job for him. When Gemma steals the jewelry for Alfie, she thinks its over.
The debt has been paid! But Alfie has another job for her..............Alfie threatens them and their lives are about to change, they start a life on the run travelling all over Europe, whilst living the life of luxury the debt that started off at £500 is getting bigger.............and they can not see anyway out of this debt.
Are they going to get caught???
Well, you will need to buy the book to find out........However, I highly recommend "Risking it all" I did I didn't get any sleep that night, but worth it!!! I loved this book!!!
I love a good gangland crime novel and this one doesn’t disappoint.
I was gripped from the first few pages and didn't want to go to sleep until I finished it..............Before I knew it, I had finished and the birds were singing outside my window. So be warned don't start this book before you go to bed!!!!!
What would you do for loVe?
Gemma and Nathan have been childhood sweethearts and now married. They love each other so much, Everything seems to perfect but is it? Gemma comes home, only to find blood on the wall of their home and blood on Nathan's face!
Nathan is a gambler and it has always been problem with money, he never wins and only loose's.....but he tells Gemma he has a plan that will make him rich!!!! She's always stuck by his side, even when he lost everything, their home etc. They had to move and work for Nathan's mother Rosa at their restaurant. This was hard for Gemma, especially as she had a great job that she loved and a group of good friends.
Nathan had borrowed some money from a local gangster called Alfie, he is a nasty piece of work. Gemma found out it was £500. Nathan has no way of finding this money quickly.
Whilst trying to find this amount of money the clock is ticking...............the amount of money he owed was growing bigger by the minute!
When Nathan gets the money together and goes and pay Alfie the £500 back Nathan is informed it has doubled! Nathan is in shock and has no way of repaying Alfie back the money now!!!!
The tables turn and Alfie now wants Nathan's wife to do a job for him! Gemma has to steal some jewelry for him. But, Gemma has never done anything like this in her life. She has to act quickly and do this job for him. When Gemma steals the jewelry for Alfie, she thinks its over.
The debt has been paid! But Alfie has another job for her..............Alfie threatens them and their lives are about to change, they start a life on the run travelling all over Europe, whilst living the life of luxury the debt that started off at £500 is getting bigger.............and they can not see anyway out of this debt.
Are they going to get caught???
Well, you will need to buy the book to find out........However, I highly recommend "Risking it all" I did I didn't get any sleep that night, but worth it!!! I loved this book!!!
I love a good gangland crime novel and this one doesn’t disappoint.
August 27, 2020
Not for me
I'm sorry to say I found the storyline very unbelievable and I know the books fiction but it was just to far fetched for me. How anyone could be so gullible and stupid to such a degree was beyond me. I wish the author much success in her upcoming career.
I'm sorry to say I found the storyline very unbelievable and I know the books fiction but it was just to far fetched for me. How anyone could be so gullible and stupid to such a degree was beyond me. I wish the author much success in her upcoming career.
April 7, 2020
Really enjoyed this book. If u love crime drama and are a fan of Kimberley Chambers, Martina Cole or Willow Rose this is for u. Will be reading more of her books.
May 27, 2020
Great book
June 16, 2020
Good book
I enjoyed this ,to begin with I wasnt too sure bus as I read on I enjoyed the story,great storyline
I enjoyed this ,to begin with I wasnt too sure bus as I read on I enjoyed the story,great storyline
June 17, 2020
A bit boring
A long drawn out story and it didn’t keep my concentration for long wouldn’t recommend this to any of my friends
A long drawn out story and it didn’t keep my concentration for long wouldn’t recommend this to any of my friends
August 16, 2020
Boring
I think this book is the worst I have ever read,it is boring and utterly unbelievable at times,I will never buy a book by this author,she is a disaster to read
I think this book is the worst I have ever read,it is boring and utterly unbelievable at times,I will never buy a book by this author,she is a disaster to read
October 11, 2020
Good read
Not really a fan of chapters about people and their thoughts etc., but this book worked. Interesting story, holds your attention.
Not really a fan of chapters about people and their thoughts etc., but this book worked. Interesting story, holds your attention.
February 12, 2021
DNF Awful
February 24, 2021
Great read
I wasn’t sure about this book at first but it grew in me and in the end I couldn’t put it down. Can’t wait to see what happens in the next series.
I wasn’t sure about this book at first but it grew in me and in the end I couldn’t put it down. Can’t wait to see what happens in the next series.
August 15, 2021
1st time reading this author's work ...Not 100% sure as it took me awhile to finish
September 16, 2021
Book
Very gud read couldn't put it down would recommend everyone reads this book enjoyed it very much can't wait to read more of the books
Very gud read couldn't put it down would recommend everyone reads this book enjoyed it very much can't wait to read more of the books
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