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Adley Firm #1
Lord of London Town
Cheska Harlow-Wright was born into a life of luxury and privilege. She has never wanted for anything. A comfortable future as a married London socialite
awaits her. But since the age of thirteen, Cheska has harboured a secret—an unshakeable fixation on a boy who could never offer her anything close to comfort. A boy steeped in sin and draped in depravity. A boy born into the possessive embrace of darkness.
When Cheska’s seemingly perfect world is ripped apart by an unknown but deadly enemy, there’s only one person she can run to. One person in the world who has the power to keep her safe. The one person her weak and shattered heart craves.
Arthur Adley. The new head of the most feared crime family in London.
Forced too young to take the helm of the Adley firm, Arthur has become even more ruthless, formidable, and cold than ever before. His enemies are circling, and he must fight—and kill—to maintain his family’s place at the top of the London crime underworld. There is no room for weakness, emotion, or loss of control.
But then Cheska smashes back into his life with the force of a wrecking ball. She has no place in this dark, vicious, and bloodthirsty world. And worse, she is the solitary chink in his impenetrable armour. He’s already pushed her away once, but this time she desperately needs him. She’s broken, lost, and in danger, and he is the only one who can help.
Arthur must protect her. He must destroy those who dare to threaten her, hunt down those who would take what is his. He would raze all of London to the ground to keep her safe… but can he also protect himself?
The infamous Dark Lord of London Town faces his most brutal battle yet—the crippling weight of the past, the unrelenting enemies lurking in the shadows… and the havoc that Cheska’s presence is wreaking on the granite fortress that was once his heart.
awaits her. But since the age of thirteen, Cheska has harboured a secret—an unshakeable fixation on a boy who could never offer her anything close to comfort. A boy steeped in sin and draped in depravity. A boy born into the possessive embrace of darkness.
When Cheska’s seemingly perfect world is ripped apart by an unknown but deadly enemy, there’s only one person she can run to. One person in the world who has the power to keep her safe. The one person her weak and shattered heart craves.
Arthur Adley. The new head of the most feared crime family in London.
Forced too young to take the helm of the Adley firm, Arthur has become even more ruthless, formidable, and cold than ever before. His enemies are circling, and he must fight—and kill—to maintain his family’s place at the top of the London crime underworld. There is no room for weakness, emotion, or loss of control.
But then Cheska smashes back into his life with the force of a wrecking ball. She has no place in this dark, vicious, and bloodthirsty world. And worse, she is the solitary chink in his impenetrable armour. He’s already pushed her away once, but this time she desperately needs him. She’s broken, lost, and in danger, and he is the only one who can help.
Arthur must protect her. He must destroy those who dare to threaten her, hunt down those who would take what is his. He would raze all of London to the ground to keep her safe… but can he also protect himself?
The infamous Dark Lord of London Town faces his most brutal battle yet—the crippling weight of the past, the unrelenting enemies lurking in the shadows… and the havoc that Cheska’s presence is wreaking on the granite fortress that was once his heart.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2020
1965 people are currently reading
12748 people want to read
About the author
Tillie Cole
59 books25.9k followersAmazon & USA Today Best Selling Author, Tillie Cole, is a Northern girl through and through. She originates from a place called Teesside on that little but awesomely sunny (okay I exaggerate) Isle called Great Britain. She was brought up surrounded by her English rose mother -- a farmer's daughter, her crazy Scottish father, a savagely sarcastic sister and a multitude of rescue animals and horses.
Being a scary blend of Scottish and English, Tillie embraces both cultures; her English heritage through her love of HP sauce and freshly made Yorkshire Puddings, and her Scottish which is mostly demonstrated by her frighteningly foul-mouthed episodes of pure rage and her much loved dirty jokes.
Having been born and raised as a Teesside Smoggie, Tillie, at age nineteen, moved forty miles north to the 'Toon', Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, where she attended Newcastle University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts honours degree in Religious Studies. She returned two years later to complete a Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching High School Social Studies. Tillie, regards Newcastle to be a home from home and enjoyed the Newcastle Geordie way of life for seven 'proper mint' and 'lush' years.
One summers day, after finishing reading her thousandth book on her much loved and treasured Kindle, Tillie turned to her husband and declared, "D'you know, I have a great idea for a story. I could write a book." Several months later, after repeating the same tired line at the close of another completed story, she was scolded by her husband to shut up talking about writing a novel and "just bloody do it!" For the first time in eleven years, Tillie actually took his advice (he is still trying to get over the shock) and immediately set off on a crazy journey, delving deep into her fertile imagination.
Tillie, ever since, has written from the heart. She combines her passion for anything camp and glittery with her love of humour and dark brooding men (most often muscled and tattooed – they’re her weakness!). She also has a serious side (believe it or not!) and loves to immerse herself in the complex study of World Religions, History and Cultural Studies and creates fantasy stories that enable her to thread serious issues and topics into her writing -- yep, there's more to this girl than profanity and sparkles!
After six years of teaching high school Social Studies and following her Professional Rugby Player husband around Europe, they have finally given up their nomadic way of life and settled in Calgary, Alberta where Tillie spends most of her days (and many a late night) lost in a writing euphoria or pursuing a dazzling career as a barrel-racing, tasselled-chap wearing, Stetson-sporting cowgirl... Ye-haw!
Being a scary blend of Scottish and English, Tillie embraces both cultures; her English heritage through her love of HP sauce and freshly made Yorkshire Puddings, and her Scottish which is mostly demonstrated by her frighteningly foul-mouthed episodes of pure rage and her much loved dirty jokes.
Having been born and raised as a Teesside Smoggie, Tillie, at age nineteen, moved forty miles north to the 'Toon', Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, where she attended Newcastle University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts honours degree in Religious Studies. She returned two years later to complete a Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching High School Social Studies. Tillie, regards Newcastle to be a home from home and enjoyed the Newcastle Geordie way of life for seven 'proper mint' and 'lush' years.
One summers day, after finishing reading her thousandth book on her much loved and treasured Kindle, Tillie turned to her husband and declared, "D'you know, I have a great idea for a story. I could write a book." Several months later, after repeating the same tired line at the close of another completed story, she was scolded by her husband to shut up talking about writing a novel and "just bloody do it!" For the first time in eleven years, Tillie actually took his advice (he is still trying to get over the shock) and immediately set off on a crazy journey, delving deep into her fertile imagination.
Tillie, ever since, has written from the heart. She combines her passion for anything camp and glittery with her love of humour and dark brooding men (most often muscled and tattooed – they’re her weakness!). She also has a serious side (believe it or not!) and loves to immerse herself in the complex study of World Religions, History and Cultural Studies and creates fantasy stories that enable her to thread serious issues and topics into her writing -- yep, there's more to this girl than profanity and sparkles!
After six years of teaching high school Social Studies and following her Professional Rugby Player husband around Europe, they have finally given up their nomadic way of life and settled in Calgary, Alberta where Tillie spends most of her days (and many a late night) lost in a writing euphoria or pursuing a dazzling career as a barrel-racing, tasselled-chap wearing, Stetson-sporting cowgirl... Ye-haw!
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February 25, 2021
Goodreads really thought they could delete my LoLT review.. joke is on them, because I have most of my reviews saved somewhere.. so just going to repost again. 🤷🏽♀️
***
If this book isn't inspired by peaky blinders, i don't know what is…
Warning: this review contains spoilers, so read with caution.
PLOT
The prologue shows Arthur (13) going with his father to a meeting in the fancy neighborhood London where he meets Cheska for the first time and have some type of connection. Arthur's family is the notorious gang of London and everyone has heard rumors about them.
Fast forward a few years Arthur (18) and his group of friends (Vinnie, Eric, Charlie and Freddie) are in Marbella. Arthur meets Cheska again cause their yacht is right next to Arthur's yacht and they recognise each other. Later when Cheska is outside the club, she's getting jumped by a group of other gangster who tried to rape her. Before something can really happen Arthur sweeps in like a knight in shining armor and rescues Cheska from these gangsters by slitting throat for throat except one. I'm not lying when I say this book is brutal. Arthur tells the leader of the group that he'll let him live if he chops of his own dick. Said guy does it. When he and his chopped off dick (very important information that needed to be highlighted again) go by Arthur, Arthur also slits his throat. Daamn, I feel some Lana Myers vibes here (the badass from the Mindf*ck series, if you haven't read that series yet it's your loss just saying) and I'm here for the violence and mass murdering of rapists.
Cheska is so thankful that she goes to Arthur's yacht the next day and let him f*ck her … i guess that's the best way to show your gratitude lol. Let's not to mention that she has a boyfriend. A girl is fucking ecstatic about the cheating aspect of this book and that girl is not me.
Another time jump later, Arthur (23), his friend and all of their fathers go to a business meeting with the Russians and what happened is the equivalent to the Red Wedding in Game of Thrones. It's a blood bath. After taking his sweet revenge on all the Russians Arthur goes to Oxford to see his fuck buddy Cheska who he's been 'fucking and licking for 5 years'. His words not mine. After going to Cheska one more time before his soul is taken by Satan he has to take over his family firm.
13 months later …
….. while out with her friends, Cheska gets a video where some dude is killing her father and Hugo (her fiancé or i guess now ex-fiancé). Before any of them can call the police, men are marching in the room and killing her friends Freya and Arabella brutally as well. Horrified at the events, Cheska turns to the one guy who can help her.
CHARACTERS
Let's talk about my favourite character… to no one's surprise it's not any of the main characters but VINNIE.
→ Vinnie Edwards ← is the carbon copy of Flame Cade (Soul Unfractured) and honestly? i'm okay with that. These psycho motherf*ckers, who get a hard on when they kill someone, have a very special part of my heart.
Instead of cutting himself like Flame, Vinnie's kink is talking to his soulmate Pearl (Arthur's sister who died along with their mother in a fire in their childhood). The only relationship he has is with this ghost of hers. It's 98% whacked and 2% sweet if you ask me. We support a loyal boyfriend … even though is girlfriend has been dead for years.
He's saying things like..
yeah, how am i suppose to NOT love him? Not possible. He's lowkey cute how he cares about ghost Pearlie 🥺👉👈
I'd would beg for a Vinnie book, but if i'm honest i don't know who can compete against Pearl's ghost .. It's literally asking for heartbreak.
→ Arthur Adley ←
a.k.a. The Dark Lord of London Town
plss, no offence but someone who's name is so similar to the guy he-who-shall-not-be-named a.k.a Lord Voldemort cannot be taken serious (alright only the 'Lord' is the same, but let me have my fun!)
Leaving that aside, Arthur is one capable and ruthless mofo. He proved that with that scene when he killed allt these guys who wanted to rape Cheska without blinking an eye. That was pretty badass! Cool. Calculated. Deadly.
Arthur had so many layers to his person. After his mum and sister's death, he started to close off more and let darkness sink in, but when the Russians attacked his father and killed most of his uncles… that's when Arthur pulled up a wall around his heart and became the cold and merciless gang leader.
What I loved most about Tillie Cole's heros are that they are all these kind of fucked up people being gangsters/mobsters/psychos/bikers etc., but they care A LOT about their families and found brothers/sisters. AND most of all these guys are always trash for their love interest. Like they have no problem sawing off someone's dick and letting it rain blood, but then are the biggest softies when it comes to their women. Love that.
→ Cheska Harlow-Wright ←
a.k.a. The girl I have not much to say about
Tillie Cole tried to change her from her socialite and dutyful daughter to dark queen who reigns besides her dark king, but ultimately her personality felt really flat. I thought she was the blandest character and that even the side characters such as Vinnie, Eric etc outshined her.
I didn't dislike her, but she didn't really any impression on me either and that's kind of worse. If you'd ask me how I would describe Chelska, I would need 5 mins to find an answer cause my mind is blank and after 5 mins I'd say "unintersting" "dull" and "boring".
Cheska and Arthur's background story read pretty much the same. Both lost their families to the same people, this was more Arthur's story than Cheska. Everything was too easy for her to process. It took Arthur YEARS to fight his demons regarding his mum and lil sister death and Cheska loses her father, fiancé and two best friends all in one day . Has like one mental breakdown and that's it. Ehhh I WISHED I HAD HER ATTITUDE.
→ CIGARETTES ←
If you're like 'the fuck?'
Well let me explain. Throughout this book there were so many cigarettes lit that it felt like it became a own character and deserved of its own section. The cig ready at hand everywhere they went.
alright, I'll admit maybe I made this section up to show off more Cillian Murhpy smocking gifs cause i mean ehh look at that man? That role was MADE for him. If this this book is ever made into a movie (i doubt it cause it's too brutal but yk) then Cillian Murphy needs to play Arthur or I riot!
No but seriously do you know how many cigs were lit in this book? 118 times!!! I didn't lie when I said it's a character on its own.
THE ROMANCE
Where was it?
For a good portion of the book (and with that I mean the first 35%) Cheska and Arthur have a loose 'friends-with-benefits' arrangement over the years. They only have s*x and that's it. That's the only scenes we get with them. And then Cheska drops that she's madly in love with him and has been for years and I'm sitting here like Where? When? What? How? WHYYY? I don't get it.
It didn't help their romance that Arthur constantly compared Cheska the 'posh bird' to heroine… opium or other whatever drug he can name. Yes I get it, she's your addiction. Saying it a thousand times doesn't make me believe it any more. So please stop. I know most of Tillie Cole's book there is an instant attraction/connection between the two leads… but in this book she took the insta-love a bit too far without building any sort of emotional connection.
The only one with some sense is Grandma Adley. Someone who finally tells the truth.
All Arthur and Chelsea do is fuck. That's their whole romance.
If you think romance is dead? Then you're absolutely right. Arthur and Cheska killed it.
I just didn't feel any depth in their relationship and their emotions. They went from meeting when they were 13 to straight fuck buddies when they meet again at 18 and then 5 years of this arrangement fading to black to Cheska admitting that she loves Arthur several times. It's not believable. Where is the heart?
OTHER NOTES
🔪 It seems like the other couples are already set if Tillie Cole wants to contine with this family and this world. Seeing how close-knitted the Adley family is, it makes sense to make a series out of it and not only leave it as a standalone
🔪 Eric and Betsy have a lot of potential, but idk if I prefer them more as side characters. I already know that if or when they get a book that their relationship is going to be so toxic and dysfunctional with a lot of mind games that I will get tired of it, but will I read it? For sure
🔪 Charlie and Gene. Has TC written a M/M romance before? That would give her the chance to explore something different.
🔪 Vinnie and ? I have absolutely no idea how a Vinnie book would look like, cause he is still EXTREMELY hung up on Pearl's ghost to say it lighly..…
Okay okay maybe I know how his book could go and who he would end up after just finishing the book.. Hmmm interesting … maybe i need their book after all
Quick summary, if you don't like to read long reviews:
What I liked:
✔️ The story. This book promised to be DARK and IT. DELIVERED. There is more than enough blood and violence and I loved it. Often books are labelled "Dark" because it's mafia but then you don't see anything? No action. Nada. This book is different. But the storyline is very predictable.. It's easy to guess who the villain of the story is and who is behind it… so there are no really interesting twists.
✔️ Also I want to highlight the MAFIA / GANGSTER / UNDERGROUND aspect where WOMEN actually contribute to something and are not only there as trophy wives and to get pregnant! Not looking at certain other mafia books *cough*
✔️ I liked that Arthur was a ruthless leader and didn't shy away to do the dirty work. Even tho I still find the title "Dark Lord of London Town" still ridiculous.. It does fit to be titled as the Dark Lord.
✔️ THE SIDE CHARACTERS and their found family dynamic. I loved Vinnie, Eric, Charlie, Ronnie, Betsyss. They were one fucked up family that had each other backs and I'm a hoe for the found family trope.
What I didn't like:
❌ The romance. It felt stale and very rushed. I, personally, felt like there was not much emotion behind it.
❌ Cheska. Not a bad heroine, but not great either. Very background noise-y to everything else.
❌ The chapters were freaking looooong!!! It took me forever to read one single chapter and I hate long chapters. Pls get rid of them.
Conclusion: Even though there are more things I liked that I disliked, the dislikes in this case have more weight, bc what is a romance book with lacking romance? Not much.
Would I recommend this book?
Yes I still would! I'd def recommend it for all dark romance lovers out there. This book is deliciously dark with a lot of action.
***
If this book isn't inspired by peaky blinders, i don't know what is…
Warning: this review contains spoilers, so read with caution.
"You're all fucking tapped," Ollie snarled, tapping his head. "Fucked in the head."
"A correct assessment," Freddie said, the look in his eyes just fucking daring Ollie to strike.
PLOT
The prologue shows Arthur (13) going with his father to a meeting in the fancy neighborhood London where he meets Cheska for the first time and have some type of connection. Arthur's family is the notorious gang of London and everyone has heard rumors about them.
Fast forward a few years Arthur (18) and his group of friends (Vinnie, Eric, Charlie and Freddie) are in Marbella. Arthur meets Cheska again cause their yacht is right next to Arthur's yacht and they recognise each other. Later when Cheska is outside the club, she's getting jumped by a group of other gangster who tried to rape her. Before something can really happen Arthur sweeps in like a knight in shining armor and rescues Cheska from these gangsters by slitting throat for throat except one. I'm not lying when I say this book is brutal. Arthur tells the leader of the group that he'll let him live if he chops of his own dick. Said guy does it. When he and his chopped off dick (very important information that needed to be highlighted again) go by Arthur, Arthur also slits his throat. Daamn, I feel some Lana Myers vibes here (the badass from the Mindf*ck series, if you haven't read that series yet it's your loss just saying) and I'm here for the violence and mass murdering of rapists.
Cheska is so thankful that she goes to Arthur's yacht the next day and let him f*ck her … i guess that's the best way to show your gratitude lol. Let's not to mention that she has a boyfriend. A girl is fucking ecstatic about the cheating aspect of this book and that girl is not me.
Another time jump later, Arthur (23), his friend and all of their fathers go to a business meeting with the Russians and what happened is the equivalent to the Red Wedding in Game of Thrones. It's a blood bath. After taking his sweet revenge on all the Russians Arthur goes to Oxford to see his fuck buddy Cheska who he's been 'fucking and licking for 5 years'. His words not mine. After going to Cheska one more time before his soul is taken by Satan he has to take over his family firm.
13 months later …
….. while out with her friends, Cheska gets a video where some dude is killing her father and Hugo (her fiancé or i guess now ex-fiancé). Before any of them can call the police, men are marching in the room and killing her friends Freya and Arabella brutally as well. Horrified at the events, Cheska turns to the one guy who can help her.
CHARACTERS
Let's talk about my favourite character… to no one's surprise it's not any of the main characters but VINNIE.
→ Vinnie Edwards ← is the carbon copy of Flame Cade (Soul Unfractured) and honestly? i'm okay with that. These psycho motherf*ckers, who get a hard on when they kill someone, have a very special part of my heart.
He’d kill anyone who threatened this firm in a second, hysterically laughing the entire time. He was also a paranoid schizophrenic and had spent a few years in and out of the loony bin, which had done sweet fuck all but make him more deranged and off-kilter.
Instead of cutting himself like Flame, Vinnie's kink is talking to his soulmate Pearl (Arthur's sister who died along with their mother in a fire in their childhood). The only relationship he has is with this ghost of hers. It's 98% whacked and 2% sweet if you ask me. We support a loyal boyfriend … even though is girlfriend has been dead for years.
He's saying things like..
Vinnie looked beside him. And he smiled, but this wasn’t his manic smile. This was a true smile. One he only ever had for her. “I promise, treasure,” he said again to thin air. “I won’t get hurt. I never get hurt. I never want to see you upset.” My sister. Vinnie hallucinated my sister. Had done since she’d died and her death had worsened his issues.
Vinnie ran a hand down her imaginary face, caressing nothing but empty space . “You always worry about me, Pearlie-girl. But I’d never leave you, just like you’ll never leave me.” For all intents and purposes, Vinnie was in a relationship with my sister’s ghost and had been for years. It was the only relationship he could probably actually ever have.
yeah, how am i suppose to NOT love him? Not possible. He's lowkey cute how he cares about ghost Pearlie 🥺👉👈
I'd would beg for a Vinnie book, but if i'm honest i don't know who can compete against Pearl's ghost .. It's literally asking for heartbreak.
→ Arthur Adley ←
a.k.a. The Dark Lord of London Town
plss, no offence but someone who's name is so similar to the guy he-who-shall-not-be-named a.k.a Lord Voldemort cannot be taken serious (alright only the 'Lord' is the same, but let me have my fun!)
"You're the devil, aren't you? Hell is your domain. You could just walk right in."
Leaving that aside, Arthur is one capable and ruthless mofo. He proved that with that scene when he killed allt these guys who wanted to rape Cheska without blinking an eye. That was pretty badass! Cool. Calculated. Deadly.
Arthur had so many layers to his person. After his mum and sister's death, he started to close off more and let darkness sink in, but when the Russians attacked his father and killed most of his uncles… that's when Arthur pulled up a wall around his heart and became the cold and merciless gang leader.
What I loved most about Tillie Cole's heros are that they are all these kind of fucked up people being gangsters/mobsters/psychos/bikers etc., but they care A LOT about their families and found brothers/sisters. AND most of all these guys are always trash for their love interest. Like they have no problem sawing off someone's dick and letting it rain blood, but then are the biggest softies when it comes to their women. Love that.
→ Cheska Harlow-Wright ←
a.k.a. The girl I have not much to say about
Tillie Cole tried to change her from her socialite and dutyful daughter to dark queen who reigns besides her dark king, but ultimately her personality felt really flat. I thought she was the blandest character and that even the side characters such as Vinnie, Eric etc outshined her.
I didn't dislike her, but she didn't really any impression on me either and that's kind of worse. If you'd ask me how I would describe Chelska, I would need 5 mins to find an answer cause my mind is blank and after 5 mins I'd say "unintersting" "dull" and "boring".
Cheska and Arthur's background story read pretty much the same. Both lost their families to the same people, this was more Arthur's story than Cheska. Everything was too easy for her to process. It took Arthur YEARS to fight his demons regarding his mum and lil sister death and Cheska loses her father, fiancé and two best friends all in one day . Has like one mental breakdown and that's it. Ehhh I WISHED I HAD HER ATTITUDE.
→ CIGARETTES ←
If you're like 'the fuck?'
Well let me explain. Throughout this book there were so many cigarettes lit that it felt like it became a own character and deserved of its own section. The cig ready at hand everywhere they went.
I sparked up a cig, then placed it in Cheska's mouth. She took it from me, and I lit my own.
I pulled out a cig and sparked it up. I took a long drag, trying to listen to whatever was happening inside.
I pulled out a cig and sparked up the bloodstained stick. I took in a long drag and turned to the soldiers and my family.
alright, I'll admit maybe I made this section up to show off more Cillian Murhpy smocking gifs cause i mean ehh look at that man? That role was MADE for him. If this this book is ever made into a movie (i doubt it cause it's too brutal but yk) then Cillian Murphy needs to play Arthur or I riot!
No but seriously do you know how many cigs were lit in this book? 118 times!!! I didn't lie when I said it's a character on its own.
THE ROMANCE
Where was it?
And, despite it all, my stupid self was still madly in love with him.
"I love him," I said again, stronger this time, with more conviction. "I have always loved him. No one else. Only him."
For a good portion of the book (and with that I mean the first 35%) Cheska and Arthur have a loose 'friends-with-benefits' arrangement over the years. They only have s*x and that's it. That's the only scenes we get with them. And then Cheska drops that she's madly in love with him and has been for years and I'm sitting here like Where? When? What? How? WHYYY? I don't get it.
It didn't help their romance that Arthur constantly compared Cheska the 'posh bird' to heroine… opium or other whatever drug he can name. Yes I get it, she's your addiction. Saying it a thousand times doesn't make me believe it any more. So please stop. I know most of Tillie Cole's book there is an instant attraction/connection between the two leads… but in this book she took the insta-love a bit too far without building any sort of emotional connection.
The only one with some sense is Grandma Adley. Someone who finally tells the truth.
She sipped her brandy and let her cigarette burn down in its holder without taking a single drag.
“But tell me, how can you love someone you barely know?”
“I know him.”
“You’ve known him for all of five minutes.”
All Arthur and Chelsea do is fuck. That's their whole romance.
“I want you to make love to me,” I whispered. Arthur stilled . He didn’t look up at me, though I knew he could feel my stare. With my hands on his cheeks, I guided his face to mine. His jaw was tight, eyes void of any emotion.
“I fuck,” he said, his hand leaving my waist and dropping between my legs. He pressed his finger against my clit. I stopped his movements with a grip on his wrist, and he told me, “I fuck and you scream, and that’s how it is.”
If you think romance is dead? Then you're absolutely right. Arthur and Cheska killed it.
I just didn't feel any depth in their relationship and their emotions. They went from meeting when they were 13 to straight fuck buddies when they meet again at 18 and then 5 years of this arrangement fading to black to Cheska admitting that she loves Arthur several times. It's not believable. Where is the heart?
OTHER NOTES
🔪 It seems like the other couples are already set if Tillie Cole wants to contine with this family and this world. Seeing how close-knitted the Adley family is, it makes sense to make a series out of it and not only leave it as a standalone
🔪 Eric and Betsy have a lot of potential, but idk if I prefer them more as side characters. I already know that if or when they get a book that their relationship is going to be so toxic and dysfunctional with a lot of mind games that I will get tired of it, but will I read it? For sure
🔪 Charlie and Gene. Has TC written a M/M romance before? That would give her the chance to explore something different.
🔪 Vinnie and ? I have absolutely no idea how a Vinnie book would look like, cause he is still EXTREMELY hung up on Pearl's ghost to say it lighly..…
Okay okay maybe I know how his book could go and who he would end up after just finishing the book.. Hmmm interesting … maybe i need their book after all
Quick summary, if you don't like to read long reviews:
What I liked:
✔️ The story. This book promised to be DARK and IT. DELIVERED. There is more than enough blood and violence and I loved it. Often books are labelled "Dark" because it's mafia but then you don't see anything? No action. Nada. This book is different. But the storyline is very predictable.. It's easy to guess who the villain of the story is and who is behind it… so there are no really interesting twists.
✔️ Also I want to highlight the MAFIA / GANGSTER / UNDERGROUND aspect where WOMEN actually contribute to something and are not only there as trophy wives and to get pregnant! Not looking at certain other mafia books *cough*
✔️ I liked that Arthur was a ruthless leader and didn't shy away to do the dirty work. Even tho I still find the title "Dark Lord of London Town" still ridiculous.. It does fit to be titled as the Dark Lord.
✔️ THE SIDE CHARACTERS and their found family dynamic. I loved Vinnie, Eric, Charlie, Ronnie, Betsyss. They were one fucked up family that had each other backs and I'm a hoe for the found family trope.
What I didn't like:
❌ The romance. It felt stale and very rushed. I, personally, felt like there was not much emotion behind it.
❌ Cheska. Not a bad heroine, but not great either. Very background noise-y to everything else.
❌ The chapters were freaking looooong!!! It took me forever to read one single chapter and I hate long chapters. Pls get rid of them.
Conclusion: Even though there are more things I liked that I disliked, the dislikes in this case have more weight, bc what is a romance book with lacking romance? Not much.
Would I recommend this book?
Yes I still would! I'd def recommend it for all dark romance lovers out there. This book is deliciously dark with a lot of action.
March 1, 2023
***4.5 STARS***
Arthur: “ I didn’t tell her I loved her or fucking missed her. I protected her, fucked her and made her mine in other ways. That’s what I could give. All I knew how to fucking give.”
WHAT A BOOK! It grabbed me from the first word and did not let go until the last.
Arthur is the Dark Lord of London Town running the largest firm (crime syndication) in the city. He is supported and surrounded by his “family” who will do anything and everything for him. But Arthur is a force to the reckoned with unto himself....dark, dangerous, violent and even animalistic at times as he runs his world with a firm hand.
At the age of thirteen he meets Cheska and he is intrigued by her. She is so different from him. She doesn’t speak with a cockney accent. She is wealthy and posh which is totally opposite of Arthur who is indoctrinated into the firm by his father at a young age. Arthur and Cheska meet again at eighteen and that begins their tumultuous relationship. It is push and pull as Cheska tries to adjust to the world of the man she loves.
Tillie Cole showed again why she is one of the queens of the dark romance. Masterful storytelling of angst and love is wrapped up in this superb book. She has set the stage for further books in the series and talk about twists and turns. I had to grab my seat a few times because the ride took some turns that were totally unexpected.
I highly recommend this book. But know that it is dark and deals with the crime underworld and the violence may be triggering.
Arthur: “ I didn’t tell her I loved her or fucking missed her. I protected her, fucked her and made her mine in other ways. That’s what I could give. All I knew how to fucking give.”
WHAT A BOOK! It grabbed me from the first word and did not let go until the last.
Arthur is the Dark Lord of London Town running the largest firm (crime syndication) in the city. He is supported and surrounded by his “family” who will do anything and everything for him. But Arthur is a force to the reckoned with unto himself....dark, dangerous, violent and even animalistic at times as he runs his world with a firm hand.
At the age of thirteen he meets Cheska and he is intrigued by her. She is so different from him. She doesn’t speak with a cockney accent. She is wealthy and posh which is totally opposite of Arthur who is indoctrinated into the firm by his father at a young age. Arthur and Cheska meet again at eighteen and that begins their tumultuous relationship. It is push and pull as Cheska tries to adjust to the world of the man she loves.
Tillie Cole showed again why she is one of the queens of the dark romance. Masterful storytelling of angst and love is wrapped up in this superb book. She has set the stage for further books in the series and talk about twists and turns. I had to grab my seat a few times because the ride took some turns that were totally unexpected.
I highly recommend this book. But know that it is dark and deals with the crime underworld and the violence may be triggering.
October 21, 2020
WOW!!! What an amazing book! It’s going down as one of my best reads this year! There haven’t been many! This story was dark and twisted!!! It had an intriguing cast of characters that were all unique and just a little f-cked up!!! ( I am being nice!! They were all off the wall crazy but had their own code of honour they lived by!!) I immediately was taken in by this world and once the story began, it literally took me on a ride full of twists and turns that I never saw coming! I’m usually good at guessing the secrets etc... but I can honestly say Tillie Cole did an awesome job at surprising me at every turn!!! Gah! The reveals had me jumping up and down yelling my surprise at my Kindle!😂😂😂
I am not going to say anything about the actual story as I believe readers need to experience this without having any kind of spoilers! Just trust me when I say: if you are a lover of dark reads... then this is a must read!!! If you loved Tillie’s MC series, then you will absolutely fall in love with this book! I can’t wait to see if there will be more stories set in this world! I just have to have Vinnie’s story especially! Lol!
Thank you to my Buddy Reader Steph!! I am sooo glad we read this one together and could share in our excitement and surprise! This goes down as one of our favourites that we have read together this year!💘💘💘
I am not going to say anything about the actual story as I believe readers need to experience this without having any kind of spoilers! Just trust me when I say: if you are a lover of dark reads... then this is a must read!!! If you loved Tillie’s MC series, then you will absolutely fall in love with this book! I can’t wait to see if there will be more stories set in this world! I just have to have Vinnie’s story especially! Lol!
Thank you to my Buddy Reader Steph!! I am sooo glad we read this one together and could share in our excitement and surprise! This goes down as one of our favourites that we have read together this year!💘💘💘
October 19, 2020
"Who was Arthur Adley?"
Lord of London Town is a fast-paced, dark, and delicious contemporary romance from my favorite dark romance queen Tillie Cole. Cheska Harlow-Wright is a posh privileged young lady who has been raised in wealth and the elite of London’s Society. When her dad finds himself in some financial trouble, he takes a loan from the lethal Lord of London Town. Arthur Adley has been raised in the drudges of London where violence and blood reign. When he accompanies his father on a trip to collect a debt he meets the young and beautiful Cheska. Cheska and Arthur come from completely opposite sides of the tracks and yet an instant connection is formed. As the years pass, Arthur becomes the Lord of the underground crime ring and Cheska continues her path to high society success. However, when their paths cross once again, there is no way they can stay away from each other. Can Cheska truly tame the beastly Arthur Adley or will her pure soul be forever tainted by the great dark lord?
"He did more than fuck me; he consumed me, owned me. He wrecked me. He told me he would."Told in multiple POV, Lord of London Town is by far the best read of 2020! With action, suspense, passion, and a truly twisted plot, I was on the edge of my seat the entire read. This is the type of story that draws you in and you cannot put down until you devour every ounce of text. The character development is rich and the world that Ms. Cole has crafted is addictive. Arthur is dark and raw and frankly ruined. Cheska is the complete opposite of him and yet together the two are a perfect match. The strength and vulnerability that exist within Arthur throughout the read was constantly pushing and pulling as Cheska fights for the right to fight for her King! It is very rare that I find myself loving both main characters and in this case, Cheska and Arthur did not disappoint!
"I want to ruin you."Overall, Lord of London Town is so much more than an opposites attract trope. This blockbuster read with complex characters has a plot that doesn’t stop until the very last word on the very last page. With passion, intrigue, and suspense, Tillie Cole has once again delivered a perfectly crafted masterpiece and I am DYING FOR MORE!!! Don’t waste another second- everyone needs to meet the great Arthur Adley, Cheska, and the entire London Motley Crue!
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
July 12, 2021
I just can’t with these overly dramatic pseudo-mafia stories. What put me off, however, was the sexualisation of 13/14 yo.
October 15, 2020
This book just took over my whole day and consumed me. I couldn’t stop reading! It was insane. I inhaled this book. I was immersed in this story and its very dark and flawed characters. Lord of London Town was an amazing and kickass gangster/mafia romance. Arthur the head of the Adley firm is a cold blooded and ruthless killer. Due to a horrific loss at the age of thirteen he’s been molded by his father into a man who doesn’t feel. He kills and runs his firm. He cares about his family. The other associates of the firm. That crew was a bag of mixed craziness and yet I couldn’t stop liking them. Especially Vinny.
Cheska and Arthur has history and that turns into an all consuming love and addiction. They come from opposite worlds yet she tries to accept his darkness and his way of life in this cold world of his. She’s such a fabulous heroine and is worthy of being the queen to the Lord or should I say Devil of London. They both evolve throughout this story and I enjoyed every twist and turn. Their chemistry is out of this world. It’s sizzling, rough and so damn hot.
Lord of London Town took me by surprise. I didn’t expect to be so addicted to a story but everything just worked for me. The main and side characters were spectacular. Tillie Cole has created this dark and gritty world to perfection. It was uncomfortable at times but it had to be considered the topics and who the characters were. I just hope there’s more books to come cause these characters still has so much potential. Wow.
5 Embrace The Darkness Stars
Cheska and Arthur has history and that turns into an all consuming love and addiction. They come from opposite worlds yet she tries to accept his darkness and his way of life in this cold world of his. She’s such a fabulous heroine and is worthy of being the queen to the Lord or should I say Devil of London. They both evolve throughout this story and I enjoyed every twist and turn. Their chemistry is out of this world. It’s sizzling, rough and so damn hot.
Lord of London Town took me by surprise. I didn’t expect to be so addicted to a story but everything just worked for me. The main and side characters were spectacular. Tillie Cole has created this dark and gritty world to perfection. It was uncomfortable at times but it had to be considered the topics and who the characters were. I just hope there’s more books to come cause these characters still has so much potential. Wow.
5 Embrace The Darkness Stars
October 9, 2020
I have SOOOOOOOOO MUCH to say about this book!!!!! So much! I’m gathering my thoughts for a full review... but I’ll just say this, ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2020! Hands down! It was absolutely intoxicating! Dark, gritty, violent, fucking filthy-dirty-sexy, and explosively emotional. I am RUINED over these characters, completely obsessed with them! And let me tell you... THIS IS A GUARANTEED BOOK HANGOVER! Just phenomenal!
dnf
November 7, 2020DNF at 33%
Three words: A Massive Disappointment.
Thank you, next.
Three words: A Massive Disappointment.
Thank you, next.
November 21, 2020
Heavy is the head that wears the crown.
Ever read a book and know that it's going to be amazing from the prologue? That was this book!! Arthur Adley captured my heart with very few words and it was all too easy to see why Cheska was fascinated with him.
If I'd never watched Peaky Blinders before, I'd probably never make the comparison, but Arthur and his family, the Adley Firm, reminded me a lot of a modernized version of the Shelbys.
That cool, badass vibe. That ruthless brutality. That honor and respect. That family love. I breathed it, lived it, loved it!
Arthur and Cheska meet when they're 13 years old. She's the daughter of a 'proper' gentleman, raised among the elite, while he is the son of a 'gangster', raised in the streets. She's all about tea and biscuits, balls and galas. He's busy learning the ropes of the business, fighting and shooting his way across the city. They couldn't be more different and yet... they're perfect for each other.
Years pass by, connections grow stronger, and despite the odds. these two became inseparable and indestructible. Unfortunately, the road to their happy ending was paved with blood and betrayal. There's a secret player in town, bent on destroying all of them, and until they figure out who to take out, no one is safe. Good thing Arthur thrives in chaos and wears that crown with pride.
He's a beast. An unbreakable force and someone no one wants to mess with. At least no one who wants to be seen as smart. And Cheska was the dark, broken queen to the dark, broken king. Gah, I loved these two so much!!
I've been intentionally vague with the details of this story. It's something you have to read and I'm not spoiling a dang thing for you. Seriously, there's a reason that Tillie Cole is a true queen of the dark romance genre. She's killed it with every read I've come across and I cannot wait to get my hands on whatever else she has planned for this series.
For this review and more:
Ever read a book and know that it's going to be amazing from the prologue? That was this book!! Arthur Adley captured my heart with very few words and it was all too easy to see why Cheska was fascinated with him.
If I'd never watched Peaky Blinders before, I'd probably never make the comparison, but Arthur and his family, the Adley Firm, reminded me a lot of a modernized version of the Shelbys.
That cool, badass vibe. That ruthless brutality. That honor and respect. That family love. I breathed it, lived it, loved it!
Arthur and Cheska meet when they're 13 years old. She's the daughter of a 'proper' gentleman, raised among the elite, while he is the son of a 'gangster', raised in the streets. She's all about tea and biscuits, balls and galas. He's busy learning the ropes of the business, fighting and shooting his way across the city. They couldn't be more different and yet... they're perfect for each other.
Years pass by, connections grow stronger, and despite the odds. these two became inseparable and indestructible. Unfortunately, the road to their happy ending was paved with blood and betrayal. There's a secret player in town, bent on destroying all of them, and until they figure out who to take out, no one is safe. Good thing Arthur thrives in chaos and wears that crown with pride.
There weren't many people in London who didn't know the Adley family. Knew that we were the London reapers. When we came calling, it was because you'd made a deal with the devil.
He's a beast. An unbreakable force and someone no one wants to mess with. At least no one who wants to be seen as smart. And Cheska was the dark, broken queen to the dark, broken king. Gah, I loved these two so much!!
I've been intentionally vague with the details of this story. It's something you have to read and I'm not spoiling a dang thing for you. Seriously, there's a reason that Tillie Cole is a true queen of the dark romance genre. She's killed it with every read I've come across and I cannot wait to get my hands on whatever else she has planned for this series.
For this review and more:
October 13, 2020
5 DARK STARS
This was fantastic, sigh I mean I didn't expect anything less from Tillie but wow I'm speechless!If you know Tillie Cole's writing be prepared this is going to blow you away!
It was simply fantastic!Tillie Cole delivers a dark , fast paced and captivating story!This is a wild ride, I absolutely loved Cheska!Arthur is so hot, and sexy!Complex characters , and fantastic plot!
I could say more and more for this one but no, I'll leaveit to you!Pick it up you'll not regret it!It was a long time since I read a dark romance!
This was fantastic, sigh I mean I didn't expect anything less from Tillie but wow I'm speechless!If you know Tillie Cole's writing be prepared this is going to blow you away!
It was simply fantastic!Tillie Cole delivers a dark , fast paced and captivating story!This is a wild ride, I absolutely loved Cheska!Arthur is so hot, and sexy!Complex characters , and fantastic plot!
I could say more and more for this one but no, I'll leaveit to you!Pick it up you'll not regret it!It was a long time since I read a dark romance!
October 31, 2020
*****FIVE STARS*****
October 12, 2020
Lord Of London Town was a wickedly dark slow burn romance that had the back drop of a notorious, infamous, down right bone chilling, criminal family.
Criminal
Gangster
Rule breaker
Leader.
Arthur Adley is all of those things and then some. Next in line to take over the bloody throne, this old school gangster plays by his own rules and no one else’s. Thriving on violence and chaos is nothing new for this young future king and nothing is ever going to make him see things differently even if it’s in the form of a brown green eyed brunette who stops him in his tracks.
This story was down right crazy at times and I had no clue what to make of it. One minute I would find myself really liking it, and the next I was ready to call it a day and just be done with it. I didn’t feel any connection with the hero and because of the slow pace in the first half of the book, my enjoyment was hindered at times. I also couldn’t for the life of me keep track with the amount of characters that were in this story. I felt like I needed a legal pad just to remember the names of everyone.
Aside from those things, I did enjoy the darkness that took place in this story. The author did an excellent job of portraying the frustrations and anger with the characters and making their quest for revenge that much gory and entertaining. It was gritty, unforgivable, shock worthy at times, and it made you sit up a little bit straighter. Even though I had a few issues with this book, I still think that it’s worth giving a try. Some of the the things that didn’t work for me, just might be what makes you fall in love with it.
November 7, 2020
Two GR stars, an ok read.
I almost gave up on this. The aggressiveness of Arthur Adley and his psychotics brothers were boring me to death. That attitude seemed too forced. OTT. It was a roll-my-eyes-fest, to be honest.
I couldn't help asking myself several times if the problem was me or this story in particular because I used to love a mafia book. 🤷♀️
Turned out that even the female lead left me down. I think it was lacking character development. I didn't have time to process her changes. It was rushed, from posh girl to mafia queen.
Despite that, I managed to finish it. There were good things. I really like in the end. I just hope te author comes with a reasonable explanation for that in the next book. I also got attached to the other characters, which is a good thing because it means I will read the others.
An OK read overall.
I almost gave up on this. The aggressiveness of Arthur Adley and his psychotics brothers were boring me to death. That attitude seemed too forced. OTT. It was a roll-my-eyes-fest, to be honest.
I couldn't help asking myself several times if the problem was me or this story in particular because I used to love a mafia book. 🤷♀️
Turned out that even the female lead left me down. I think it was lacking character development. I didn't have time to process her changes. It was rushed, from posh girl to mafia queen.
Despite that, I managed to finish it. There were good things. I really like in the end. I just hope te author comes with a reasonable explanation for that in the next book. I also got attached to the other characters, which is a good thing because it means I will read the others.
An OK read overall.
Read
October 13, 2020This was dark. Really dark and too much for me. Dnf @ 23%.
I had my reservations from the start where there was 13 y.o. Arthur who knew Cheska would look even better on her knees... 😲
And as the story progressed, there were a lot of fucking and various harsh scenes (especially the one where Arthur demanded from an attacker to saw off his dick - which he did...).
Too many characters and I had no connection with the heroine.
The author’s writing was fantastic, but this book was just not for me...
I had my reservations from the start where there was 13 y.o. Arthur who knew Cheska would look even better on her knees... 😲
And as the story progressed, there were a lot of fucking and various harsh scenes (especially the one where Arthur demanded from an attacker to saw off his dick - which he did...).
Too many characters and I had no connection with the heroine.
The author’s writing was fantastic, but this book was just not for me...
October 12, 2020
4 stars
The first book I read by Tillie was our beloved dark Hangmen. I’ve since devoured everything she’s written, and whilst I’ve mostly loved everything, dark romance is where Tillie excels.
Last night I told myself I was going to “read a couple of chapters” and well, we all know how that goes…
It’s hard to write my thoughts and keep this review spoiler free so I’ll focus on what we already know. Arthur Adley, or Artie, is an old school East End Gangster, he’s down and dirty Bethnal Green through and through. I know some are wondering if he’s like a southern Tommy Shelby, but honestly, I pictured Ronnie Kray (obviously, Tom Hardy’s version of Ronnie, mind). Cheska is a Chelsea girl (posh) and pure in Artie’s mind. He tries to resist her but their pull to each other is magnetic and Cheska’s heart belongs with Arthur in the dark underworld.
Now, there are a lot of characters in this and a lot to digest, but despite this, Tillie’s created a brilliant new underworld in the heart of the East End of London and I fackin’ laved it! This is currently a standalone but this book brings us some incredible new (and some old 😉) characters, and the ending paves way for another potentially great series, each member of The Adley Firm has great potential - so fingers crossed. I have to admit, for a moment I was feeling a little disappointed at how smoothly this book seemed to be concluding, when suddenly, we’re hit with a plot twist that I did not see coming.
Lastly, I personally loved the slang glossary that Tillie includes at the start for those outside the UK, honestly reading it made me giggle. It reads like a conversation between me and my friends and I realise just how odd us ‘birds’ must sound to others who are not familiar with our lingo!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The first book I read by Tillie was our beloved dark Hangmen. I’ve since devoured everything she’s written, and whilst I’ve mostly loved everything, dark romance is where Tillie excels.
Last night I told myself I was going to “read a couple of chapters” and well, we all know how that goes…
It’s hard to write my thoughts and keep this review spoiler free so I’ll focus on what we already know. Arthur Adley, or Artie, is an old school East End Gangster, he’s down and dirty Bethnal Green through and through. I know some are wondering if he’s like a southern Tommy Shelby, but honestly, I pictured Ronnie Kray (obviously, Tom Hardy’s version of Ronnie, mind). Cheska is a Chelsea girl (posh) and pure in Artie’s mind. He tries to resist her but their pull to each other is magnetic and Cheska’s heart belongs with Arthur in the dark underworld.
Now, there are a lot of characters in this and a lot to digest, but despite this, Tillie’s created a brilliant new underworld in the heart of the East End of London and I fackin’ laved it! This is currently a standalone but this book brings us some incredible new (and some old 😉) characters, and the ending paves way for another potentially great series, each member of The Adley Firm has great potential - so fingers crossed. I have to admit, for a moment I was feeling a little disappointed at how smoothly this book seemed to be concluding, when suddenly, we’re hit with a plot twist that I did not see coming.
Lastly, I personally loved the slang glossary that Tillie includes at the start for those outside the UK, honestly reading it made me giggle. It reads like a conversation between me and my friends and I realise just how odd us ‘birds’ must sound to others who are not familiar with our lingo!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2020
*** 4.5 estrelas***
** Arc received in exchange for an honest review **
[...]
O plot twist foi sensacional, e por mais que durante a leitura a gente desconfie de uma coisa ou outra, nada prepara a gente para o que realmente acontece, é como se a autora colocasse um plot dentro do outro, quando eu achava que nada mais poderia acontecer era dá uma reviravolta no enredo que vai deixar qualquer leitor louco por um outro livro desse universo.
Lord of London Town não é o livro mais pesado da autora, mas ainda tem a assinatura da Tillie na escrita e ainda assim a autora te prende do início ao fim e você termina com aquela necessidade de outro livro. Tillie é uma das minha autora favoritas e minha rainha do dark romance, e esse livro veio para me provar isso mais uma vez.
Resenha completa
no instagram
** Arc received in exchange for an honest review **
[...]
O plot twist foi sensacional, e por mais que durante a leitura a gente desconfie de uma coisa ou outra, nada prepara a gente para o que realmente acontece, é como se a autora colocasse um plot dentro do outro, quando eu achava que nada mais poderia acontecer era dá uma reviravolta no enredo que vai deixar qualquer leitor louco por um outro livro desse universo.
Lord of London Town não é o livro mais pesado da autora, mas ainda tem a assinatura da Tillie na escrita e ainda assim a autora te prende do início ao fim e você termina com aquela necessidade de outro livro. Tillie é uma das minha autora favoritas e minha rainha do dark romance, e esse livro veio para me provar isso mais uma vez.
Resenha completa
no instagram
October 13, 2020
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
- 3.5 stars -
"I'm your tainted, sullied, and corrupted queen."
Tillie Cole is one of my favorite authors, and I especially enjoy her darker romance novels. Lord of London Town was a great book in this subgenre. The two main characters Arthur and Cheska first meet when they are thirteen and then again when they are around eighteen. Over the next few years they aren't able to let go of each other. Arthur is part of the Adley firm (London crime family) and Cheska is a London socialite. These two in theory wouldn't go together, but opposites attract and good girls do like bad boys. I admired Cheska's bravery and determination. Arthur did his best to push her away by showing the dark side of his business and life. And it was pretty dark and brutal at times, and I honestly don't know if I could deal with it. However, Cheska saw a different side of Arthur that he buried very deep inside of him. Love equals weakness in Arthur's world. But Cheska was more than ready to fight for him.
"Try your best to destroy me, Arthur. Try your best to break me apart. But I'll still be here when you're exhausted, my claws sunk deeply into your flesh as you drag us both to hell."
I was invested and looked forward to seeing how the story would develop. I loved the dynamic of the characters in the Adley firm, but I didn't feel like I spend enough time to relate and fully care for them. The story felt slow at times, and I didn't feel that a lot was going on then. The second half of the story mainly took place inside Arthur's home, which didn't excite me a lot. And resulted in me disconnecting from the story a bit. I wanted a bit more action and suspense, which we got a taste of in this book. I think (and hope) that will pick up in the next story. I thought Arthur and Cheska were a great couple and I saw growth in both of them, both as individuals and as a couple. Overall I enjoyed this dark romance. There were a couple of twists that surprised me, and some of them I had predicted. The London setting was refreshing and I hope the other characters will get their own books.
- 3.5 stars -
"I'm your tainted, sullied, and corrupted queen."
Tillie Cole is one of my favorite authors, and I especially enjoy her darker romance novels. Lord of London Town was a great book in this subgenre. The two main characters Arthur and Cheska first meet when they are thirteen and then again when they are around eighteen. Over the next few years they aren't able to let go of each other. Arthur is part of the Adley firm (London crime family) and Cheska is a London socialite. These two in theory wouldn't go together, but opposites attract and good girls do like bad boys. I admired Cheska's bravery and determination. Arthur did his best to push her away by showing the dark side of his business and life. And it was pretty dark and brutal at times, and I honestly don't know if I could deal with it. However, Cheska saw a different side of Arthur that he buried very deep inside of him. Love equals weakness in Arthur's world. But Cheska was more than ready to fight for him.
"Try your best to destroy me, Arthur. Try your best to break me apart. But I'll still be here when you're exhausted, my claws sunk deeply into your flesh as you drag us both to hell."
I was invested and looked forward to seeing how the story would develop. I loved the dynamic of the characters in the Adley firm, but I didn't feel like I spend enough time to relate and fully care for them. The story felt slow at times, and I didn't feel that a lot was going on then. The second half of the story mainly took place inside Arthur's home, which didn't excite me a lot. And resulted in me disconnecting from the story a bit. I wanted a bit more action and suspense, which we got a taste of in this book. I think (and hope) that will pick up in the next story. I thought Arthur and Cheska were a great couple and I saw growth in both of them, both as individuals and as a couple. Overall I enjoyed this dark romance. There were a couple of twists that surprised me, and some of them I had predicted. The London setting was refreshing and I hope the other characters will get their own books.
September 18, 2021
“I want the king of my dark-hearted nightmares.”
Soooo, I know Tillie fans stan the Hades Hangmen series, but this book right here is by far my favorite TC read to date.
I'm such a sucker for mafia romance, but I'm also extremely picky and tend to DNF mafia romances often. I guess I just find some to be too...cheesy? But when it's done right, when it's dark and atmospheric and intriguing, I will give up my days and nights to get lost in that world. And that's how Lord of London Town was for me: Consuming. Compulsive. Addictive.
Lord of London Town has opposites-attract deliciousness with a possessive, partly psycho alpha and a posh, upper-class heroine. A fabulous London setting and the found family trope that makes you love this messed up Mafia syndicate despite their shady/violent behavior. A few 🤯 moments and a wholeeee lot of steam.
“I am your queen. And you are my king. Your dark kingdom is now ours.” I removed my bloodied hand from his chest and drew a cross over my heart with my finger. “Forever.”
Like with any mafia romance, be mindful of triggers. This is a dark romance, and some scenes are very graphic. For me, this was more a dark grey than full on black, but for others, there may be things that occur in this story that will be a hard limit.
Arthur Adley, you sexy, complicated man, you've officially been added to my Top Book Boyfriend list. Congrats. 💋
•Instagram 💋•
Soooo, I know Tillie fans stan the Hades Hangmen series, but this book right here is by far my favorite TC read to date.
I'm such a sucker for mafia romance, but I'm also extremely picky and tend to DNF mafia romances often. I guess I just find some to be too...cheesy? But when it's done right, when it's dark and atmospheric and intriguing, I will give up my days and nights to get lost in that world. And that's how Lord of London Town was for me: Consuming. Compulsive. Addictive.
Lord of London Town has opposites-attract deliciousness with a possessive, partly psycho alpha and a posh, upper-class heroine. A fabulous London setting and the found family trope that makes you love this messed up Mafia syndicate despite their shady/violent behavior. A few 🤯 moments and a wholeeee lot of steam.
“I am your queen. And you are my king. Your dark kingdom is now ours.” I removed my bloodied hand from his chest and drew a cross over my heart with my finger. “Forever.”
Like with any mafia romance, be mindful of triggers. This is a dark romance, and some scenes are very graphic. For me, this was more a dark grey than full on black, but for others, there may be things that occur in this story that will be a hard limit.
Arthur Adley, you sexy, complicated man, you've officially been added to my Top Book Boyfriend list. Congrats. 💋
•Instagram 💋•
July 21, 2021
This book was so ratchet man. I’m not being classist either bc he was a poor kid from Bethnal Green and she was rich Chelsea girl and they’re BOTH musty 😭🤢
The east-end cockney accents and dialogue were cringe enough to damage my psyche.
“Geezer, bird, luv, posh pussy, wankstain” 😅😬
I was shocked the author was from the UK because it came off as those wanna-be try hard British books by an American author (sorry but you know what I mean. 😶)
Everything is so dramatic and just eugh. 😩
“I am your queen. And you are my king. Your dark kingdom is now ours.”
All this king-queen talk. Please shut up, you’re from Chelsea. Low it, this isn’t a monarchy.
By 10% I was skimming because of second-hand embarrassment. By 40% I DNF’d.
I don’t know if this makes any sense, but the feeling I got from reading this book is stinky cigarettes, musty trash, and fish.
I hope everyone else that read it though enjoyed it. ✌️
Safe: no. Lmao. Sis felt no guilt for cheating on her bf/fiancé for five years with the hero. The first time she sees him he was fingering some random OW - but she does have a bf. Like I said, some trashy ass characters
The east-end cockney accents and dialogue were cringe enough to damage my psyche.
“Geezer, bird, luv, posh pussy, wankstain” 😅😬
I was shocked the author was from the UK because it came off as those wanna-be try hard British books by an American author (sorry but you know what I mean. 😶)
Everything is so dramatic and just eugh. 😩
“I am your queen. And you are my king. Your dark kingdom is now ours.”
All this king-queen talk. Please shut up, you’re from Chelsea. Low it, this isn’t a monarchy.
By 10% I was skimming because of second-hand embarrassment. By 40% I DNF’d.
I don’t know if this makes any sense, but the feeling I got from reading this book is stinky cigarettes, musty trash, and fish.
I hope everyone else that read it though enjoyed it. ✌️
Safe: no. Lmao. Sis felt no guilt for cheating on her bf/fiancé for five years with the hero. The first time she sees him he was fingering some random OW - but she does have a bf. Like I said, some trashy ass characters
October 11, 2020
5 stars!
Damn, this book is amazing! Dark, gritty, intense and all-consuming, I could not put this book down, and now that I’ve finished it, I can’t stop thinking about it. A delicious anti-hero, a strong and determined heroine, an exciting story full of surprises set within the raw violence of the London underbelly, and a passionate, epic love story that completely captured my heart, this book has it all, and I freaking loved it! It’s a fave for 2020.
This book will not be for everybody. Set in the world of crime, the death and violence is extreme, and it’s right there on the page in raw, excruciating detail. Kind of stomach-turning in parts, but it certainly sets the scene. On the Tillie Cole scale of dark reads, I would put this on the same level as the Hades Hangmen series – dark, but not completely horrifying, and with enough moments of humour, heart and romance to give the story lots of soul.
Arthur Adley is the only son of the head of London’s most infamous crime families, raised in a world where murder and violence is not only expected, it’s encouraged. When he is forced to step up and take the reigns earlier than he ever expected, he is a young man full of rage, ruthless and cold, and determined to destroy his enemies.
Cheska Harlow-Wright was born into privilege, expected to be a social princess and marry well. But deep down, she wants so much more. She craves the darkness, she wants to feel, and she wants to live her life on her own terms, with the man who makes her burn.
Arthur and Cheska meet as 13 years olds. That meeting has an effect on both of them, one that is explored further when they meet again at 18. It’s an unspoken thing, but the connection between them is undeniable. So, when Cheska’s life is upended and she finds herself in danger, it’s Arthur that she runs to, knowing that he will protect her.
Arthur rules his world with utter control, but he is in no way prepared for Cheska to literally come crashing back into his life. She makes him feel, and for a man whose well of grief and anger is locked down tight so that it doesn’t swallow him whole, that’s not a good thing. But here she is, the wealthy princess wanting nothing more than to be dragged into the darkness with him.
This is the kind of book that you just need to dive in and experience. It’s a wild trip from start to finish, full of twists and turns, and things I never saw coming, and I was captivated the whole way through. The way the characters are introduced, their lives and complicated history, and all that unfolds between them in the present all blends together to create a fantastic dynamic that is explored in detail as Arthur and Cheska’s lives collide.
The romance is intense, honest, real, and so freaking passionate. The sexy time is off the freaking charts, but it’s the emotion that sucked me in, and I rode the ups and downs with them as they fought so damn hard for their happy ending. It's dramatic and heartfelt, with just the right amount of angst, and it's functional - within the realms of their extreme world. They have realistic struggles to work through, and it’s all handled so well. Cheska’s strength is awe-inspiring as she fights to stand by her man, and Arthur’s newfound vulnerabilities are blended fantastically with his harsh brutality. I was swept up in the emotion of it all and I just loved watching them find their way forward together.
But danger is still lurking, and the threat is more deadly than ever before. Now, with so much to lose, Arthur is prepared to walk into hell itself to protect what’s his, and neither they, nor the reader, has any idea what’s coming for them.
Holy shit, this book had my heart pounding, and had me gasping and yelling out loud as it all unfolded - unexpected and shocking in so many ways. The thrilling suspense and action is blended wonderfully with the romance, and the dynamics with Arthur’s ‘family’ round out the awesome. His loyal crew are a big part of the story, each very different with their own unique parts to play, and I loved getting to know them. And with setups there for their own stories, I am beyond excited at the possibilities.
The book ends in a good place, but there is more story to be told, and I am here for it!
Tillie proves again that she is one of the masters of dark romance, and I couldn’t have loved this book more.
5 stars!
P.S. I just have to say that the cover of this book perfectly captures the mood and tone of the story. It’s absolutely stunning, and I couldn’t help but stare at it as I read. Pure perfection.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Damn, this book is amazing! Dark, gritty, intense and all-consuming, I could not put this book down, and now that I’ve finished it, I can’t stop thinking about it. A delicious anti-hero, a strong and determined heroine, an exciting story full of surprises set within the raw violence of the London underbelly, and a passionate, epic love story that completely captured my heart, this book has it all, and I freaking loved it! It’s a fave for 2020.
This book will not be for everybody. Set in the world of crime, the death and violence is extreme, and it’s right there on the page in raw, excruciating detail. Kind of stomach-turning in parts, but it certainly sets the scene. On the Tillie Cole scale of dark reads, I would put this on the same level as the Hades Hangmen series – dark, but not completely horrifying, and with enough moments of humour, heart and romance to give the story lots of soul.
Arthur Adley is the only son of the head of London’s most infamous crime families, raised in a world where murder and violence is not only expected, it’s encouraged. When he is forced to step up and take the reigns earlier than he ever expected, he is a young man full of rage, ruthless and cold, and determined to destroy his enemies.
Cheska Harlow-Wright was born into privilege, expected to be a social princess and marry well. But deep down, she wants so much more. She craves the darkness, she wants to feel, and she wants to live her life on her own terms, with the man who makes her burn.
Devil. That seemed a good title for Arthur. Most people were terrified of him. He was unapproachable, with eyes that could cut you where you stood. And he had the allure of Satan too. A magnet to sin and temptation, stirring wants and desires inside of me that were anything but chaste and holy. And if the rumours were true, he had the evilness of the dark lord too.
Arthur and Cheska meet as 13 years olds. That meeting has an effect on both of them, one that is explored further when they meet again at 18. It’s an unspoken thing, but the connection between them is undeniable. So, when Cheska’s life is upended and she finds herself in danger, it’s Arthur that she runs to, knowing that he will protect her.
Arthur rules his world with utter control, but he is in no way prepared for Cheska to literally come crashing back into his life. She makes him feel, and for a man whose well of grief and anger is locked down tight so that it doesn’t swallow him whole, that’s not a good thing. But here she is, the wealthy princess wanting nothing more than to be dragged into the darkness with him.
I loved him. I loved Arthur more than life itself. His darkness and his lifestyle meant nothing compared to that. I loved him despite the malice in his soul. I loved him because of it.
This is the kind of book that you just need to dive in and experience. It’s a wild trip from start to finish, full of twists and turns, and things I never saw coming, and I was captivated the whole way through. The way the characters are introduced, their lives and complicated history, and all that unfolds between them in the present all blends together to create a fantastic dynamic that is explored in detail as Arthur and Cheska’s lives collide.
“Try your best to destroy me, Arthur. Try your best to break me apart. But I’ll still be here when you’re exhausted, my claws sunk deeply into your flesh as you drag us both to hell.”
“I won’t let you go,” he warned..
The romance is intense, honest, real, and so freaking passionate. The sexy time is off the freaking charts, but it’s the emotion that sucked me in, and I rode the ups and downs with them as they fought so damn hard for their happy ending. It's dramatic and heartfelt, with just the right amount of angst, and it's functional - within the realms of their extreme world. They have realistic struggles to work through, and it’s all handled so well. Cheska’s strength is awe-inspiring as she fights to stand by her man, and Arthur’s newfound vulnerabilities are blended fantastically with his harsh brutality. I was swept up in the emotion of it all and I just loved watching them find their way forward together.
“You made me feel again. After so fucking long. After the blood and the death and all the dark thoughts …” I squeezed my eyes shut. “You made me fucking feel.”
“I am your queen. And you are my king. Your dark kingdom is now ours.”
But danger is still lurking, and the threat is more deadly than ever before. Now, with so much to lose, Arthur is prepared to walk into hell itself to protect what’s his, and neither they, nor the reader, has any idea what’s coming for them.
“They have no idea what the fuck they’ve just started. They’ve opened the gates of hell, and the fucking devil and his demons are now leading the charge.”
Holy shit, this book had my heart pounding, and had me gasping and yelling out loud as it all unfolded - unexpected and shocking in so many ways. The thrilling suspense and action is blended wonderfully with the romance, and the dynamics with Arthur’s ‘family’ round out the awesome. His loyal crew are a big part of the story, each very different with their own unique parts to play, and I loved getting to know them. And with setups there for their own stories, I am beyond excited at the possibilities.
The book ends in a good place, but there is more story to be told, and I am here for it!
We were here. Together. He had let me breach his high, impenetrable walls. I knew it would take time to hammer through the rest. But I wasn’t fazed by the task. I was inspired. To know all of this man. To have him love me and let me see his soul.
It was worth it all.
Tillie proves again that she is one of the masters of dark romance, and I couldn’t have loved this book more.
5 stars!
P.S. I just have to say that the cover of this book perfectly captures the mood and tone of the story. It’s absolutely stunning, and I couldn’t help but stare at it as I read. Pure perfection.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2020
‘Devil. That seemed a good title for Arthur. Most people were terrified of him. He was unapproachable, with eyes that would cut you where you stood. And he had the allure of Satan too. A magnet to sin and temptation, stirring wants and desires inside of me that were anything but chaste and holy. And if the rumours were true, he had the evilness of the dark lord too.’
Wicked and seductively dark, violent emotional and passionate. This is Tillie Cole at her very best. Then again, when is this Author not at her best? Honestly, it is not often we come across a writer like Tillie Cole. An Author who literally can write anything she puts her pen to. Every trope and genre, Tillie Cole nails it. She’s not scared of branching out, she literally has no limitations! Tillie Cole wows us again and again. Lord of London Town is one of THE BEST books we’ve read in 2020 , no hesitation!
‘He had saved me. He had avenged me. And he had killed for me.’
Arthur Adley stole our hearts…and our knickers. This man embodied that arrogant, possessive, fucked up but completely lovable anti-hero we crave and fall in love with. Think Peaky Blinders and Guy Ritchie’s London gangster movies and you know just who Arthur Adley is and what he represents. He is who he is and makes no excuses for it. Just how we love our antiheroes to be – unrepentant but with that appealing vulnerability brought out and healed by the right woman. Cheska Harlow-Wright the posh Chelsea girl is this woman and she too stole our hearts. Arthur and Cheska had undeniable chemistry, a passionate connection and a beautifully poetic meeting of souls. It was a heady love affair set in bloody violence.
“My biggest fear, my only fucking fear in this whole shitshow of a world, is you being taken away from me.”
Lord of London Town read like a movie; we saw it play out before our eyes as we inhaled the words unable to stop…unwilling to stop. It was wickedly brilliant. All the characters were compelling in their own unique way; the story like nothing we’ve read before. Unique and addictive. Violent and erotic. We couldn’t look away and we didn’t want to. Standing ovation once again for the Queen of Dark Romance. There truly is no more accolades we can throw at her, Tillie Cole has left us speechless once again! We now dare her to write a paranormal because we just know she’ll nail that too!
“If you walk by my side, you can never ever fucking leave.”
‘I needed his ruination. It was only fair – he already had mine.’
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December 30, 2020
My first read by Tillie Cole and man did I pick a great one to start with!
This was a dark and fast paced read. I was nervous with the page count being high that I might get bored and skim pages, but that never happened. I was completely engrossed in the book.
The villains abound, but they are so dark and yummy that you just love them and embrace their crazy. Arthur was something else. He was void of most emotions.. except for hate and destruction. He only knows violence and family. He was a unshakeable force and domineered with a mighty tongue and extra sharp knife. You did not want to cross him. Most likely you wouldn't live to tell anyone about it. He and his family were feared by all.
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚. 𝑲𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔. 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇.
That is until one Cheska Harlow-Wright enters his sight. One posh girl from the other side of town. At just 13 years old they were drawn to each other and that connection never wavered. She was a forbidden fruit and should have been off limits, but when you are an Adley you get what you want. Forbidden or not.
𝑰’𝒅 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔.
Yes, he was so filled with darkness, but he had cracks of light that would shine through for just one person...
“𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔.”
Her light was just as dark... she just concealed it better.
They were a match made in darkness. They were made for each other.
This story was filled with suspense and steam... I loved the plot and all the secondary characters (and there were LOTS of them)... Can't wait to see what will happen now with the Adley family since lies and secrets were unveiled and there are new enemies to contend with.
This was a dark and fast paced read. I was nervous with the page count being high that I might get bored and skim pages, but that never happened. I was completely engrossed in the book.
The villains abound, but they are so dark and yummy that you just love them and embrace their crazy. Arthur was something else. He was void of most emotions.. except for hate and destruction. He only knows violence and family. He was a unshakeable force and domineered with a mighty tongue and extra sharp knife. You did not want to cross him. Most likely you wouldn't live to tell anyone about it. He and his family were feared by all.
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚. 𝑲𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔. 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇.
That is until one Cheska Harlow-Wright enters his sight. One posh girl from the other side of town. At just 13 years old they were drawn to each other and that connection never wavered. She was a forbidden fruit and should have been off limits, but when you are an Adley you get what you want. Forbidden or not.
𝑰’𝒅 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔.
Yes, he was so filled with darkness, but he had cracks of light that would shine through for just one person...
“𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔.”
Her light was just as dark... she just concealed it better.
They were a match made in darkness. They were made for each other.
This story was filled with suspense and steam... I loved the plot and all the secondary characters (and there were LOTS of them)... Can't wait to see what will happen now with the Adley family since lies and secrets were unveiled and there are new enemies to contend with.
October 10, 2020
A pulse racing, jarring ride into Gruesomeville. A certifiabley insane thriller, that'll leave you gasping for more. You'll be surprised by the emotions and angst it hides beneath all the mayhem and turbulence. Indelible characters put through unmentionable trauma, you'll end up hating some, loving some, but craving them ALL!!
This book BELONGS to Arthur Adley. End of the Teflon coated, president of Club Nutjob Murderers Lord Of London Town
The sheer Audacity of his persona, layering and hiding his vulnerability deep inside, just takes your breath away.
"He was unapproachable, with eyes that could cut you where you stood. And he had the allure of Satan too. A magnet to sin and temptation, stirring wants and desires inside of me that were anything but chaste and holy. And if the rumours were true, he had the evilness of the dark lord too."
In another world you'd end up hating him, but Tillie makes it such that not only I felt a deep physical craving for him, I was begging for his attention, his look, his half smile. One of the most intriguing and most disturbed character I've read recently. I'll even go out on a limb and say, he's also one of the most unfortunate character ever written.
"Murderer. The Bethnal Green Brute. The Devil himself. Or, as he was more widely known, the Dark Lord of London Town"
This East End Gangster never got a break to just stop and breathe. The raining punches on his heart and gut made him harden his Armour and pretty soon it envelops and locks his personality behind highest walls.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Posh Princess of Chelsea Park, poised Cheska Harlow-Wright, heir to multi million empire of Harlow Biscuits.
The most uneven coupling of lovers of unequal status, could've ended up being cheesy or uncomfortable to digest, but look at the genius of story writing of Cole, it felt like the most perfect and natural thing for them to come together and fit like pieces of puzzle clicking together!
"We were a fucked-up dance of needs and pain and wants. And only we two knew the choreography."
They're surrounded by the most twisted individuals. violent, delusional and gore-craving monstrous brothers & sisters, but their undying loyalty and dependability is unquestionable and undeniable.
I hope each and everyone gets their own book down the line.
"Can you love a Broken Queen"?
"Can you love a Broken King"?
I've fallen in love with both and now I'm infected!!
4.5 stars for Cocktail Of Deadly Sins
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This book BELONGS to Arthur Adley. End of the Teflon coated, president of Club Nutjob Murderers Lord Of London Town
The sheer Audacity of his persona, layering and hiding his vulnerability deep inside, just takes your breath away.
"He was unapproachable, with eyes that could cut you where you stood. And he had the allure of Satan too. A magnet to sin and temptation, stirring wants and desires inside of me that were anything but chaste and holy. And if the rumours were true, he had the evilness of the dark lord too."
In another world you'd end up hating him, but Tillie makes it such that not only I felt a deep physical craving for him, I was begging for his attention, his look, his half smile. One of the most intriguing and most disturbed character I've read recently. I'll even go out on a limb and say, he's also one of the most unfortunate character ever written.
"Murderer. The Bethnal Green Brute. The Devil himself. Or, as he was more widely known, the Dark Lord of London Town"
This East End Gangster never got a break to just stop and breathe. The raining punches on his heart and gut made him harden his Armour and pretty soon it envelops and locks his personality behind highest walls.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Posh Princess of Chelsea Park, poised Cheska Harlow-Wright, heir to multi million empire of Harlow Biscuits.
The most uneven coupling of lovers of unequal status, could've ended up being cheesy or uncomfortable to digest, but look at the genius of story writing of Cole, it felt like the most perfect and natural thing for them to come together and fit like pieces of puzzle clicking together!
"We were a fucked-up dance of needs and pain and wants. And only we two knew the choreography."
They're surrounded by the most twisted individuals. violent, delusional and gore-craving monstrous brothers & sisters, but their undying loyalty and dependability is unquestionable and undeniable.
I hope each and everyone gets their own book down the line.
"Can you love a Broken Queen"?
"Can you love a Broken King"?
I've fallen in love with both and now I'm infected!!
4.5 stars for Cocktail Of Deadly Sins
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
December 10, 2020
If I read this 4 years ago it would’ve been a definite 5 stars. Like no doubt. But alas, there’s some things I just can’t cope with anymore when I’m reading:
1. The heroine did nothing for me. Watching a plant grow is more appealing.
2. WHY SO MANY F-BOMBS!!!! Seriously the f-bombs was it’s own character. Just like the cigarettes... it showed up in every sentence. EVERY. SINGLE. SENTENCE (there were 2 f-words in one sentence sometimes. I kid you not). Now I’m not some holier than thou can’t take a curse word sort of lady but this was too much. If you don’t believe me then watch this..... Arthur is mentioned 744 times in the book. Cheska is mentioned 477 times. Mind you these two are the hero and heroine. Guess how many times the word f*ck shows up? Over 1,000+. My kindle literally couldn’t even count the exact amount! Does anyone feel my pain?! Can anyone see me??!! K moving on.
3. I was being told repeatedly how devilish, evil and satanic Arthur was. After the 10th time I started rolling my eyes.
4. Peaky Blinders. Need I say more?
This didn’t work for me, but a lot of my GR friends loved it! I’d recommend giving this a try for those dark romance lovers and Tillie Cole fans.
Also I stopped at 54% but if you managed to read this review this far please don’t tell anybody I didn’t finish a Tillie Cole book!😩🤫
1. The heroine did nothing for me. Watching a plant grow is more appealing.
2. WHY SO MANY F-BOMBS!!!! Seriously the f-bombs was it’s own character. Just like the cigarettes... it showed up in every sentence. EVERY. SINGLE. SENTENCE (there were 2 f-words in one sentence sometimes. I kid you not). Now I’m not some holier than thou can’t take a curse word sort of lady but this was too much. If you don’t believe me then watch this..... Arthur is mentioned 744 times in the book. Cheska is mentioned 477 times. Mind you these two are the hero and heroine. Guess how many times the word f*ck shows up? Over 1,000+. My kindle literally couldn’t even count the exact amount! Does anyone feel my pain?! Can anyone see me??!! K moving on.
3. I was being told repeatedly how devilish, evil and satanic Arthur was. After the 10th time I started rolling my eyes.
4. Peaky Blinders. Need I say more?
This didn’t work for me, but a lot of my GR friends loved it! I’d recommend giving this a try for those dark romance lovers and Tillie Cole fans.
Also I stopped at 54% but if you managed to read this review this far please don’t tell anybody I didn’t finish a Tillie Cole book!😩🤫
October 17, 2020
“I’d fucking stolen her from the light and made her mine in the darkness.”
Embrace the darkness!!!
I loved this book...
Embrace the darkness!!!
I loved this book...
October 10, 2020
FIve stars for this dark and suspenseful, forbidden romance that will suck you in and even when at its darkest, you will be pulling for the “bad” guys. There are no heroes in this story, only villains who will have you embracing their darkness. I’m hoping this is only the beginning because I was addicted once I read the prologue.
They met at thirteen just briefly, but neither ever forgot. At eighteen they found one another again and the recognition was immediate. This would be their beginning. It won’t be easy because their lives are world’s apart but when they are together, the rest disappears.
Arthur walks on the dark side. His business deals in the illegal. His friends are his family. They were all groomed their whole lives to take over Adley Firm. Being at the top means you have enemies. Arthur will be forced to take the helm when a deal goes bad and now the target is on his back.
Cheska is from a wealthy, elite family. The uppercrust of England society. Her life is all planned out. A great education, then a chosen husband and life as a society lady. She knows it’s her future, yet she can’t help but want something else.
Too many complications will tear them apart. However, when Cheska finds herself running for her life, the person she runs to is Arthur. He is her safe place. He will always protect her with his life. Now they will have to find the truth and Cheska will have to fight for her place by his side.
So many twists I never saw coming! A connection that was forged as children but would only be acted upon once they were adults. A future for them seemed impossible but staying apart actually was impossible.
Arthur was alpha male perfection. His darkness was part of him, but his love for Cheska was his redemption. Cheska was what he always needed to re-discover his humanity and revive his dead heart. I am intrigued by Arthur’s “brothers” and “sisters” and I am keeping my fingers crossed for more of them. All these characters had great depth and scars that scream they have a story that needs to be told.
The author gave us a dark romance with enviable love, a cast of characters I need more of, and a story I couldn’t put down.
They met at thirteen just briefly, but neither ever forgot. At eighteen they found one another again and the recognition was immediate. This would be their beginning. It won’t be easy because their lives are world’s apart but when they are together, the rest disappears.
Arthur walks on the dark side. His business deals in the illegal. His friends are his family. They were all groomed their whole lives to take over Adley Firm. Being at the top means you have enemies. Arthur will be forced to take the helm when a deal goes bad and now the target is on his back.
Cheska is from a wealthy, elite family. The uppercrust of England society. Her life is all planned out. A great education, then a chosen husband and life as a society lady. She knows it’s her future, yet she can’t help but want something else.
Too many complications will tear them apart. However, when Cheska finds herself running for her life, the person she runs to is Arthur. He is her safe place. He will always protect her with his life. Now they will have to find the truth and Cheska will have to fight for her place by his side.
So many twists I never saw coming! A connection that was forged as children but would only be acted upon once they were adults. A future for them seemed impossible but staying apart actually was impossible.
Arthur was alpha male perfection. His darkness was part of him, but his love for Cheska was his redemption. Cheska was what he always needed to re-discover his humanity and revive his dead heart. I am intrigued by Arthur’s “brothers” and “sisters” and I am keeping my fingers crossed for more of them. All these characters had great depth and scars that scream they have a story that needs to be told.
The author gave us a dark romance with enviable love, a cast of characters I need more of, and a story I couldn’t put down.
October 11, 2020
"I am your queen. And you are my king. Your dark kingdom is now ours."
trigger warning: graphic violence, sexual assault, mentions of self-harm.
“Lord of London Town” is a dark romance about arthur adley (H), the head of a crime family in london, and cheska harlow-wright (h), the rich daughter of a famous executive. even though this wasn’t a perfect book, i still enjoyed the experience and i think this could become a great series someday.
WHAT I LIKED
- pacing: with the exception of the first 10%, i loved how fast paced “lord of london town” was. although the huge mystery was kinda predictable and i wasn’t invested in the main characters, i still couldn’t put the book down. the way tillie writes captures your attention in such a way that you can't help but turn the pages as fast as you can.
- side characters: charlie, gene, eric, vinnie, betsy, vera and ronnie were my favorite thing about this book! in the beginning it was a little hard to keep track of that many side characters, but it got easier as the story progressed. i liked their personalities a lot and their group dynamic was just on point. i especially loved how the girls were just as important as the guys were and that they didn't mind getting their hands dirty. i think all these characters have a lot of potential and i'd honestly love to read a book about each one of them.
- cliffhanger: to keep this review spoiler free, i'm just going to say that i loved how this book ended and that i hope tillie keeps writing books in this world because i'm super curious to see what's going to happen next.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
- predictability: i found out who was trying to destroy the adley firm during the first few chapters, so the fact that one of the most dangerous crime families in europe had a hard time connecting the dots was just baffling and annoying. i get that the author wanted to add this "mystery" vibe to the story, but it didn't work because it was predictable af. the longer it took for the main characters to find out who their enemy was, the dumber they looked to me.
- romance: arthur and cheska's meetings when they were 13 and 18 were amazing and very interesting. their lives were completely different, but somehow they just clicked. however, when their relationship really started, arthur and cheska became... boring. there was no real development to their romance, so i couldn't care less about it. they had like 2 meaningful conversations and the rest was all sex. i love smut as much as the next person, but i can't stand it when authors think sex equals love. no ma'aam, using sex as a way to develop your character's relationship especially when the sex scenes all look the same just ain't it.
- similarities with hades hangman: if you ignore the fact that this is a book about a crime family in london and that the romance wasn't all that good, "lord of london town" could have easily been book #9 in the hades hangman series. i know all underground families have the same energy, but it bothered me how nothing in this book felt original when compared to tillie's most famous series.
first of all, let's talk about vinnie. every time he appeared i was singing tswift's lyrics "i think i've seen this film before" because he was almost a carbon copy of flame. the only real difference between them is that the love of vinnie's life is a ghost that he spends all his time talking to.
besides that, arthur considers the guys who work with him "brothers" and he calls his house a "church". whenever he said "let's go to church" i thought he was going to start a hangman reunion ngl. last, but not least, tillie also added a human trafficking plot to this book, which is also a huge plot in the HH series. here’s to hoping that the next books will be more different.
*ARC provided by the author and Ardent Prose PR in exchange for an honest review*
trigger warning: graphic violence, sexual assault, mentions of self-harm.
“Lord of London Town” is a dark romance about arthur adley (H), the head of a crime family in london, and cheska harlow-wright (h), the rich daughter of a famous executive. even though this wasn’t a perfect book, i still enjoyed the experience and i think this could become a great series someday.
WHAT I LIKED
- pacing: with the exception of the first 10%, i loved how fast paced “lord of london town” was. although the huge mystery was kinda predictable and i wasn’t invested in the main characters, i still couldn’t put the book down. the way tillie writes captures your attention in such a way that you can't help but turn the pages as fast as you can.
- side characters: charlie, gene, eric, vinnie, betsy, vera and ronnie were my favorite thing about this book! in the beginning it was a little hard to keep track of that many side characters, but it got easier as the story progressed. i liked their personalities a lot and their group dynamic was just on point. i especially loved how the girls were just as important as the guys were and that they didn't mind getting their hands dirty. i think all these characters have a lot of potential and i'd honestly love to read a book about each one of them.
- cliffhanger: to keep this review spoiler free, i'm just going to say that i loved how this book ended and that i hope tillie keeps writing books in this world because i'm super curious to see what's going to happen next.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
- predictability: i found out who was trying to destroy the adley firm during the first few chapters, so the fact that one of the most dangerous crime families in europe had a hard time connecting the dots was just baffling and annoying. i get that the author wanted to add this "mystery" vibe to the story, but it didn't work because it was predictable af. the longer it took for the main characters to find out who their enemy was, the dumber they looked to me.
- romance: arthur and cheska's meetings when they were 13 and 18 were amazing and very interesting. their lives were completely different, but somehow they just clicked. however, when their relationship really started, arthur and cheska became... boring. there was no real development to their romance, so i couldn't care less about it. they had like 2 meaningful conversations and the rest was all sex. i love smut as much as the next person, but i can't stand it when authors think sex equals love. no ma'aam, using sex as a way to develop your character's relationship especially when the sex scenes all look the same just ain't it.
- similarities with hades hangman: if you ignore the fact that this is a book about a crime family in london and that the romance wasn't all that good, "lord of london town" could have easily been book #9 in the hades hangman series. i know all underground families have the same energy, but it bothered me how nothing in this book felt original when compared to tillie's most famous series.
first of all, let's talk about vinnie. every time he appeared i was singing tswift's lyrics "i think i've seen this film before" because he was almost a carbon copy of flame. the only real difference between them is that the love of vinnie's life is a ghost that he spends all his time talking to.
besides that, arthur considers the guys who work with him "brothers" and he calls his house a "church". whenever he said "let's go to church" i thought he was going to start a hangman reunion ngl. last, but not least, tillie also added a human trafficking plot to this book, which is also a huge plot in the HH series. here’s to hoping that the next books will be more different.
*ARC provided by the author and Ardent Prose PR in exchange for an honest review*
February 3, 2022
ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS
Devil. That seemed a good title for Arthur. Most people were terrified of him. He was unapproachable, with eyes that could cut you where you stood. And he had the allure of Satan too. A magnet to sin and temptation, stirring wants and desires inside of me that were anything but chaste and holy. And if the rumor's were true, he had the evilness of the dark lord too."
Well Tillie seriously wasn't kidding when she said that this book was going to be Dark! It had that delicious darkness that had me gulping back shudders and enjoying it too at the same time! That twist … Ughh!! I am dead , god I need someone to revive me!!! I can't recover from that twist!!!! Absolutely mind blowing!
This author has always been my top one click ones and Just like always she comes up with the best Dark Romance novels!! A true queen of MindFuck Romance! Arthur Adley is one hot twisted SOB that I swooned over soo bad!
The book starts with Arthur being 18 and visiting one of his father's colleague at his house. His father goes away to talk with the man , leaving Arthur in a room to stare at the painting. They were family Portraits. The girl in those photos , caught his eye and he couldn't look away. That is until he heard sound from his back and turned to see the same girl behind him. She was like an angel , so innocent and pure and he was the epitome of Darkness.
Cheska Harlow was the princess of her house. Arthur was her exact opposite. Shrouded in darkness , he was the one human who didn't have a tell. It was like the man was devoid of emotions. From his Huge Tattoos, grey eyes covered with black rimmed glasses and Black hair , he was the Devil Incarnate. And she couldn't be more fascinated. That was their first meeting. From the years that followed they me once or twice , that is until one night , Arthur's whole world imploded.
In his moment of Darkness , he went for her. She was the one in whose arms he found solace. The only one in front of whom he could confess his emotions and his turmoil. Now it was Authur's turn to reign on his father's throne. And for that , he had to kill the version of him which felt even the tiniest bit of emotions. When he left her that night , it was the last time he saw her and he wasn't the same Arthur. The previous Arthur was dead and it was time for the new Devil to Take his throne.
Years passed and Cheska still remembered the boy whom she fell in love with. The one who discarded her without another thought. That is until her whole imploded. There was only man who could protect her and probably bring her back to life. The Lord of London Town. The devil himself. Arthur Adley. If she thought that he was cold before. Then that was nothing compared to what he had become now. But she still loved him . Even with her broken battered heart , she still loved the devil.
I loved the way these two characters , broken beyond repair , found solace in each other at their darkest times! The way the storyline is molded had me in awe of the author. The side characters were absolutely amazing and in typical Tillie fashion this author has left me literally begging her to give us the stories of the other characters too! Those small crumbs of hints that she dropped about their maybe- upcoming story was not at all enough to satisfy me!!!!!
But let me warn you , this book was by far one of the darkest book that I have ever read! There were so many brutal scenes and I am still reeling from a few scenes. That is what made this book so special. This one is a literal must read for all the hardcore dark Romance lovers! If you would like to get your mind fucked in the best way possible and there is no other author , more fit than Tillie Cole! I love this author for giving us such an amazing heart-wrenching story of two broken characters that I love from the bottom of my heart's! But yeah, maybe it is still not too late to beg her for the stories of other characters… maybe she will have mercy on our souls😭❤️.
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May 6, 2020Dark Romance!!!!!!!
February 25, 2021
Goodreads erased my review and I don’t remember how much stars I gave this :( But I think it was like 4.25 stars... when I read this again, I’ll write a new review!!!
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