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All In Duet #1
Even Money
Sometimes it only takes a minute. A connection of eyes across a room, a quickened heartbeat, and everything changes.
I was a cocktail waitress with a fondness for partying and meaningless sex.
He owned half of Vegas, with the reputation to match.
I should have turned away. Instead, I stepped closer.
Then, the lies started.
Rumors spread.
Stalking commenced.
And someone died.
None of it stopped me from falling in love.
I was a cocktail waitress with a fondness for partying and meaningless sex.
He owned half of Vegas, with the reputation to match.
I should have turned away. Instead, I stepped closer.
Then, the lies started.
Rumors spread.
Stalking commenced.
And someone died.
None of it stopped me from falling in love.
Audible Audio
First published June 4, 2018
1262 people are currently reading
6719 people want to read
About the author
Alessandra Torre
51 books16.4k followersAlessandra Torre (AR Torre) is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of twenty-seven romance and suspense novels. In addition to writing, she is the creator of Alessandra Torre Ink - an online community of over 40,000 published and aspiring authors.
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June 9, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2! Even Money, book 1 of 2. Dario Capece’s relentless
“He looked like a night full of filthy, delicious sex, and a string of orgasms that would leave you panting and delirious. He looked untouchable.”
Books in All IN duet should be read in order:
Book 1: Even Money
Book 2: Double Down
Even Money (book 1) is the whirlwind romance between cocktail waitress and college student Bell Hartley and Vegas’ most powerful man, hotelier and businessman Dario Capece.
Their eyes met and held.
Bell knew he was off-limits and Dario should have known better when, for the first time in his life, a woman made him possessive and reckless. Instead they both fall fast and hard.
Neither can walk away.
While they try to keep their hands off each other, all of Vegas is watching. And while they fall into an affair, many are unhappy to see them together. Some will go as far as murder…
A love worth fighting for.
Story is effortlessly told in Alessandra’s signature style mostly from Bell’s POV, but sprinkled in with Dario’s POV in third person. The perfect blend of suspense, intrigue, danger, conspiracy, deception and romance with a to-die-for hero and a heroine who can hold her own. Though their feelings were insta- they took their time seducing each other. The ending was brilliant leading right to book 2, Double Down for the conclusion of their story.
“It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime connection, but everything around us was once-in-a-lifetime levels of fucked up.”
***
Hero: ★★★★★
Heroine: ★★★★★
Plot: ★★★★
Storytelling: ★★★★★
Sexual tension: ★★★★
Sex scenes: ★★★★
Story ending: N/A
******************************************
OVERALL RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Angst: | LOW FOCUS |
Darkness: | LOW FOCUS |
Humor: | LOW FOCUS |
Kink: | LOW FOCUS |
Romance: | HIGH FOCUS |
Sex frequency: | LOW FOCUS |
Suspense: | HIGH FOCUS |
ARC provided to me by author Alessandra Torre in exchange for an honest review.
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July 26, 2019Sneak Peek at Even Money (All In #1):
“You think this is funny?” I threw the bottle of beer without thinking, my arm rearing back, liquid flinging, and when I heaved the glass, it was intended for his head. He ducked to one side, and there was the loud sound of glass breaking. I flinched and didn't look to see the damage.
“I told you before. I needed to know what I was getting into with you.”
“And?” I lifted a hand, gestured to the situation in general, and heard the thick clog of tears in my voice. “I’m a mess. Is that what you wanted? Someone with that in their past?”
“I didn’t expect to find that when I looked into the police records of your town. Fuck, I don’t know what I expected. But when I saw that, read that…” He looked down, considered his words, and then back at me. “I can’t love you and not protect you. I can’t love you and not fight for you.”
The words rocked me. I didn’t move, I stayed strong in my stance, kept my eyes on him, but inside … the words swam through my bloodstream and fortified it. I swallowed. “This fight was already over.”
“It was already over, and you lost.” He pushed off the counter and approached me, my body stiffening as he grew closer, as he pulled at my wrists and drug me away from the fridge and into his chest. “You’re never going to lose again. You’re going to be fucking Queen of this town and anyone who so much as sneezes in your direction will pay hell for it.”
“That’s a nice speech Dario, but it’s all bullshit.” I pulled, and he kept me in place, tight against him, so tight I could feel the throb of his cock when I moved. “Mistresses are never Queens.”
“Don’t call yourself that.” He moved his hands to my waist, gripped and lifted me onto the counter, my balance off, my hands finding his shoulders for support. I looked down at him from my new position and he slid his hands up my legs, sliding the bottom of my sweater dress up, exposing my thighs. “You know you’re more than that.”
He pushed the hem of the dress higher and his eyes dropped. Maybe it was cruel of me to have pulled off my underwear in the car, to have left them in my center console and waltzed into the suite bare and ready for him. Maybe it was cruel. Or maybe, with everything else, he deserved it.
“Fuck.”
I'd waxed, the area smooth, only a thin line of hair just above my clit. He slid his hands higher, until he could reach out one thumb and run it over the sensitive flesh. I spread my thighs wider and he groaned deep in his throat.
“You’re torturing me.”
“Just fuck me. Right here.” I sat back on the counter, my elbows supporting my weight, and opened my legs further, challenging him with my eyes.
“I can’t. You know I can’t.”
“Because you love me.” It wasn’t exactly what he had said, I was taking liberties with his words, but when his eyes met mine, I saw the pull of emotion, there. It didn’t make sense, it was too early, we didn’t know each other well enough, but it was there. I would bet my life on it. "Please. I don't even care about her right now."
His gaze concentrated on my pussy, and he lowered his mouth to the spot, his eyes closing as he ran his tongue along the folds, circled my clit, then gently sucked it as if he was a man desperate of thirst. He dipped his tongue inside of me, his hands biting into my thighs, and I let out a quiet moan as he straightened, his eyes stuck to my open legs.
I spread them wider. “Please.”
Had I ever begged for it before? I don’t think so. I don’t think I have ever needed it like this before. It was a need that hummed through my entire body, one that had my ass gently grinding against the counter the minute his hand settled in between my legs. He pushed a finger inside of me and I almost bucked off the surface. He pushed a second in, and I grabbed at the air, found his tie and yanked the silk-blend fabric toward me.
His lips came down on mine, he curved his fingers inside of me, and I saw stars—the sort that brought orgasms in their wake, the kind that exploded pleasure centers and made me pant against his kiss, a low moan coming from my throat, a raw need crying out from between my legs.
“If I fuck you, I’ll never be able to let you go.”
Want to be notified on release? Click here >>
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“You think this is funny?” I threw the bottle of beer without thinking, my arm rearing back, liquid flinging, and when I heaved the glass, it was intended for his head. He ducked to one side, and there was the loud sound of glass breaking. I flinched and didn't look to see the damage.
“I told you before. I needed to know what I was getting into with you.”
“And?” I lifted a hand, gestured to the situation in general, and heard the thick clog of tears in my voice. “I’m a mess. Is that what you wanted? Someone with that in their past?”
“I didn’t expect to find that when I looked into the police records of your town. Fuck, I don’t know what I expected. But when I saw that, read that…” He looked down, considered his words, and then back at me. “I can’t love you and not protect you. I can’t love you and not fight for you.”
The words rocked me. I didn’t move, I stayed strong in my stance, kept my eyes on him, but inside … the words swam through my bloodstream and fortified it. I swallowed. “This fight was already over.”
“It was already over, and you lost.” He pushed off the counter and approached me, my body stiffening as he grew closer, as he pulled at my wrists and drug me away from the fridge and into his chest. “You’re never going to lose again. You’re going to be fucking Queen of this town and anyone who so much as sneezes in your direction will pay hell for it.”
“That’s a nice speech Dario, but it’s all bullshit.” I pulled, and he kept me in place, tight against him, so tight I could feel the throb of his cock when I moved. “Mistresses are never Queens.”
“Don’t call yourself that.” He moved his hands to my waist, gripped and lifted me onto the counter, my balance off, my hands finding his shoulders for support. I looked down at him from my new position and he slid his hands up my legs, sliding the bottom of my sweater dress up, exposing my thighs. “You know you’re more than that.”
He pushed the hem of the dress higher and his eyes dropped. Maybe it was cruel of me to have pulled off my underwear in the car, to have left them in my center console and waltzed into the suite bare and ready for him. Maybe it was cruel. Or maybe, with everything else, he deserved it.
“Fuck.”
I'd waxed, the area smooth, only a thin line of hair just above my clit. He slid his hands higher, until he could reach out one thumb and run it over the sensitive flesh. I spread my thighs wider and he groaned deep in his throat.
“You’re torturing me.”
“Just fuck me. Right here.” I sat back on the counter, my elbows supporting my weight, and opened my legs further, challenging him with my eyes.
“I can’t. You know I can’t.”
“Because you love me.” It wasn’t exactly what he had said, I was taking liberties with his words, but when his eyes met mine, I saw the pull of emotion, there. It didn’t make sense, it was too early, we didn’t know each other well enough, but it was there. I would bet my life on it. "Please. I don't even care about her right now."
His gaze concentrated on my pussy, and he lowered his mouth to the spot, his eyes closing as he ran his tongue along the folds, circled my clit, then gently sucked it as if he was a man desperate of thirst. He dipped his tongue inside of me, his hands biting into my thighs, and I let out a quiet moan as he straightened, his eyes stuck to my open legs.
I spread them wider. “Please.”
Had I ever begged for it before? I don’t think so. I don’t think I have ever needed it like this before. It was a need that hummed through my entire body, one that had my ass gently grinding against the counter the minute his hand settled in between my legs. He pushed a finger inside of me and I almost bucked off the surface. He pushed a second in, and I grabbed at the air, found his tie and yanked the silk-blend fabric toward me.
His lips came down on mine, he curved his fingers inside of me, and I saw stars—the sort that brought orgasms in their wake, the kind that exploded pleasure centers and made me pant against his kiss, a low moan coming from my throat, a raw need crying out from between my legs.
“If I fuck you, I’ll never be able to let you go.”
Want to be notified on release? Click here >>
https://www.subscribepage.com/allin
June 1, 2018
~WRITING - PLOT - PACE~So honestly, if I had known when I was signing up for this book that the hero was married I probably would have given it a pass. I am not a fan of cheating. But man, that would have been a HUGE mistake on my part because this book turned out to be majorly eccellente. The writing was fantastic. It was very well paced. The plot was super engaging and had me hooked from the getgo. I loved the setting as well. Last, that cliffhanger of an ending...cazzo di inferno. How could you do me this way, Miz Torre!? Book two better release before I am off to Italy for two weeks! *squinty face*
~HERO~
DARIO...Well first, I really needed to do a complete brain bleach because my FIL's name is Dario...and NO, just NO. Carrying on... I adored Dario. He really was perfect hero material. He was sexy. He was sweet. He was caring. He was bada$$. He was enamored with Bell right from the start. I am figuratively salivating in anticipation of watching him exact his revenge in book two.
~HEROINE~
BELL...Bell was just as awesome as Dario. She was feisty. She was strong. She was sweet. She was independent. She was a great friend. I loved how she lead Dario on a merry chase and didn't just fall at his feet. There wasn't anything I didn't like about her character.
~SECONDARY CHARACTERS~
There were so many awesome secondary characters in this one. I LOVED Bell's bosses (and friends), Rick and Lance. I loved Bell's roommates. I even liked her fuck buddy Ian, and Dario's wife Gwen <--- and kudos to this author for not making Dario's wife a crazy bitch!
~HEAT LEVEL~
Low to Medium. There are a handful of spicey scenes in this one, but it is pretty late into the book before this couple has intercourse. I am usually not a fan of slow burn romances, but it worked very well in the instance. Plus, this couple has AMAZING on page chemistry.
~ANGST LEVEL - SEXUAL HISTORIES~
Low. I didn't find this one particularly angsty, to be honest. This couple's attraction was pretty insta (especially on the hero's part). There are a few ups and downs, but for the most part, they stay pretty solid throughout. Neither were virgins. Dario is married, but it is a marriage of convenience. Gwen is his best friend, and they tried once over ten years earlier to make it a physical relationship, but neither were interested in each other that way. He also starts the book with a mistress, and a waitress he f-cks. He ends both relationships when he meets Bell. Bell has a fuckbuddy (Ian), that she does have sex with a few times on page (but it isn't overly detailed). I *think* she actually slept with him once after she meets Dario, but before they become anything. Other than those things, there wasn't any OW or OM drama.
~IN THE END~
I LOVED it completely. From beginning to end this book had me in its grasp. The writing was excellent. It was fast paced. The plot was engaging. The characters, both main and secondary were intriguing and well developed. The chemistry between Dario and Bell was electric. And that ending...OMG...ripped my heart out. I seriously need to get my hands-on book two ASAP! Therefore, yours truly is going to give this one two HUGE thumbs up, and strongly suggest you add it to your TO READ list immediately.
June 5, 2018
I like to think that this is Alessandra Torre’s reaction to readers who think they have this story figured out. To the readers who maybe rolling their eyes thinking it’s just another instant love between a waitress and a Las Vegas mogul. Well that is until they hit the last page.
I’m giving this book 5 Stars because I totally didn’t see the ending coming at all! I should have expected the unexpected when it comes to the brain of the Deanna Madden series!!
"If felt like a once-in-a-lifetime connection, but everything around us was a once-in-a-lifetime levels of fucked up.”
June 11, 2018
4.5 Sizzling Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
WOW what an ending! The ending of this book bumped it up a half star for me, wild! And now all I have to say is... is it June 18 yet? Alessandra Torre I don’t know if I should love you or hate you for this? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?
Bell is a student by day and a cocktail waitress by night...Dario is a casino owner, the king of Vegas, trapped in a very unconventional marriage... both these characters have a complicated past, but when they meet it is Insta lust that rapidly turns into insta love.... I know Insta love not everybody’s favorite, but it was done well in this book... also it’s funny how you forgive some things in a book... Dario did some pretty stalkerish things that I would find quitecreepy in real life, but for whatever reason they did not bother me in this book.... also whether or not he is cheating on his wife it’s kind of a gray area....
This book really did leave me reeling! What is next? There is just so many directions this book can go in... will justice be done? Will all their secrets be revealed? Will Bell and Dario find a happy ending? It’s Vegas baby! So anything can happen!
Absolutely recommend to fans of a darker spicier read, set in the city of sin...
*** many thanks to Alessandra Torre for my copy of this book ***
WOW what an ending! The ending of this book bumped it up a half star for me, wild! And now all I have to say is... is it June 18 yet? Alessandra Torre I don’t know if I should love you or hate you for this? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?
Bell is a student by day and a cocktail waitress by night...Dario is a casino owner, the king of Vegas, trapped in a very unconventional marriage... both these characters have a complicated past, but when they meet it is Insta lust that rapidly turns into insta love.... I know Insta love not everybody’s favorite, but it was done well in this book... also it’s funny how you forgive some things in a book... Dario did some pretty stalkerish things that I would find quitecreepy in real life, but for whatever reason they did not bother me in this book.... also whether or not he is cheating on his wife it’s kind of a gray area....
This book really did leave me reeling! What is next? There is just so many directions this book can go in... will justice be done? Will all their secrets be revealed? Will Bell and Dario find a happy ending? It’s Vegas baby! So anything can happen!
Absolutely recommend to fans of a darker spicier read, set in the city of sin...
*** many thanks to Alessandra Torre for my copy of this book ***
June 1, 2018
Alexandra & Vegas is a lethal combination. She's a master at writing intrigue and hot scintillating sex. What better backdrop than the Sin City itself.
Bell Hartley is working her pretty ass off in High House with Lance & Rick, who're more like friends than bosses. High House is a hidden Gem, an unassuming and unadvertised Casino for High Rollers, Casino owners, politicians and billionaires who prefer low key, high end games away from the eye of competition and paps.
In steps Dario Capece.
vegas was full of sharks and Dario Capece was a killer whale, one who you saw right before getting eaten
He has Bell in his crosshairs now. And what he wants, he goes and gets.
She definitely feels the pull but there's a problem. He's rich, powerful, way out of her league and married !!
It had been sixty seconds of interaction. Less than a commercial break. As short as a hand of blackjack. Forgetting her should be easy. But in sixty seconds, a gun could be fired. A knife thrust. A bomb ignited. Sixty seconds could be nothing, or it could destroy a man.
To Gwen Hawk, beautiful and powerful co owner of his casinos and businesses. More interestingly, she's the daughter of much feared Robert Hawk, a man not to be messed around with.
Robert Hawk, a billionaire with as many demons as dollars and the recklessness to turn those demons lose without provocation
Bell wants to stay away, to protect her heart and her life, but their pull is much stronger and Dario has her hooked!
Some things in the story were like wowza! some simpler and few were mismatching.
The frustration of Dario being stuck in a situation of not his choosing, his craving for Bell and his need to control his surroundings are all penned well by Alessandra
he was in one hell of a situation - pulled in different directions by 2 incredible women. One held his heart and his cock in her delicate grasp, the other held his heart and his past in her fist
The buildup of dread and danger was pulse throbbing, sexual chemistry was shooting off the thermometer, there's few tender hearted moments as well and then there's a murder.
All in a pot boiler, bubbling and frothing to be blown up in the next book
4 Babysitter stars
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Bell Hartley is working her pretty ass off in High House with Lance & Rick, who're more like friends than bosses. High House is a hidden Gem, an unassuming and unadvertised Casino for High Rollers, Casino owners, politicians and billionaires who prefer low key, high end games away from the eye of competition and paps.
In steps Dario Capece.
vegas was full of sharks and Dario Capece was a killer whale, one who you saw right before getting eaten
He has Bell in his crosshairs now. And what he wants, he goes and gets.
She definitely feels the pull but there's a problem. He's rich, powerful, way out of her league and married !!
It had been sixty seconds of interaction. Less than a commercial break. As short as a hand of blackjack. Forgetting her should be easy. But in sixty seconds, a gun could be fired. A knife thrust. A bomb ignited. Sixty seconds could be nothing, or it could destroy a man.
To Gwen Hawk, beautiful and powerful co owner of his casinos and businesses. More interestingly, she's the daughter of much feared Robert Hawk, a man not to be messed around with.
Robert Hawk, a billionaire with as many demons as dollars and the recklessness to turn those demons lose without provocation
Bell wants to stay away, to protect her heart and her life, but their pull is much stronger and Dario has her hooked!
Some things in the story were like wowza! some simpler and few were mismatching.
The frustration of Dario being stuck in a situation of not his choosing, his craving for Bell and his need to control his surroundings are all penned well by Alessandra
he was in one hell of a situation - pulled in different directions by 2 incredible women. One held his heart and his cock in her delicate grasp, the other held his heart and his past in her fist
The buildup of dread and danger was pulse throbbing, sexual chemistry was shooting off the thermometer, there's few tender hearted moments as well and then there's a murder.
All in a pot boiler, bubbling and frothing to be blown up in the next book
4 Babysitter stars
#BookBistroBlogApproved
Follow us on :
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April 17, 2021
Just - WOW!
Sizzling hot chemistry! Bell was the dynamite that would ultimately detonate a Vegas casino empire.
Dario is a White Knight, caught between two desperate women who need him: one to love her, the other to save her life.
I barely wanted to take the time to write this review - I just want to download the sequel so that I could relieve the torture of suspense from that jaw dropping cliffhanger!
Sizzling hot chemistry! Bell was the dynamite that would ultimately detonate a Vegas casino empire.
Dario is a White Knight, caught between two desperate women who need him: one to love her, the other to save her life.
I barely wanted to take the time to write this review - I just want to download the sequel so that I could relieve the torture of suspense from that jaw dropping cliffhanger!
June 4, 2018
LIVE AMAZON https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DH6TF6W/...
5 stars
Such an amazing and brilliant story!I was hooked, everything about Even Money was amazing!It was fast paced the story addictive and the characters well developed!
Dario and Bell's romance was passionate,sensual,super hot,intense and erotic!They have an amazing chemistry, I could feel their connection!There is also angst to keep you on the edge all the time with these two!
I'm looking forward for the next book and see what will happen!This is a must read, for me is one of my favorites by her!
5 stars
Such an amazing and brilliant story!I was hooked, everything about Even Money was amazing!It was fast paced the story addictive and the characters well developed!
Dario and Bell's romance was passionate,sensual,super hot,intense and erotic!They have an amazing chemistry, I could feel their connection!There is also angst to keep you on the edge all the time with these two!
I'm looking forward for the next book and see what will happen!This is a must read, for me is one of my favorites by her!
June 1, 2018
Loved this book! It has romance, flirts with sex, danger, intrigue, mystery, gore and so much more. Dario and Bell are so hot together! I enjoyed the sassy heroine and Dario was a welcome surprise of a bad guy hero.
The author did an amazing job creating this scenario. Alessandra Torre has a great way of telling a story. The only real problem I had with this book was that I wasn't completely sold on these two as a couple. I liked their connection but... I'm waiting for more.
There are several plot twists and turns. Besides the unconvincing romance, the story spoke to me. I did like how the book ended, it sets up the second book, which I plan on getting, so I can get some more Dario! If you like your heroines feisty and your heroes strong and caring, you’ll love this book!
In short:
Hero 5/5 | Heroine 5/5 | Plot (Point, Originality) 5/5 | Writing Style 4/5 | Steam 3/5 | Romance 3/5 | Angst-Suspense 4/5 | Darkness 3/5 | Humor 2/5 | Secondary Characters 4/5 | Drama-Conflict 4/5 | Mystery 2/5 | Twists 4/5 | Pacing Steady | Action 4/5
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
The author did an amazing job creating this scenario. Alessandra Torre has a great way of telling a story. The only real problem I had with this book was that I wasn't completely sold on these two as a couple. I liked their connection but... I'm waiting for more.
There are several plot twists and turns. Besides the unconvincing romance, the story spoke to me. I did like how the book ended, it sets up the second book, which I plan on getting, so I can get some more Dario! If you like your heroines feisty and your heroes strong and caring, you’ll love this book!
In short:
Hero 5/5 | Heroine 5/5 | Plot (Point, Originality) 5/5 | Writing Style 4/5 | Steam 3/5 | Romance 3/5 | Angst-Suspense 4/5 | Darkness 3/5 | Humor 2/5 | Secondary Characters 4/5 | Drama-Conflict 4/5 | Mystery 2/5 | Twists 4/5 | Pacing Steady | Action 4/5
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2018
O U T N O W
What did I just read?!! Was my first thought as I finished, 'Even Money,' it was a first class reading treat! Those last few pages….. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. If you want to know what THAT is than pick up this book right now. 'Even Money,' sees Alessandra Torre going right back to her suspenseful writing roots all wrapped up in a delicious HOT romance.
A cocktail waitress and the most powerful man in Vegas with heavy responsibilities to match. Secrets, lies, death, and love all weaved into a prose that is both vivid and fluid. Written with a mixed narrative style, first person when from the perspective of Bell, the heroine at the heart of the story, switching to third person narrative at all other times, a technique I have seen this author use before and one that works perfectly for a story like this allowing the reader to learn things about various characters, situations, and moments in time that aid the suspenseful development whilst maintaining the flow and tone of the story.
The suspense element is skilfully layered into the narrative so that it made my heart rate rise, had me on the edge of my seat but equally did not distract me from the main course of the story which is the sizzling hot chemistry and the perfectly developed relationship of the male and female protagonists. They danced their way around undeniable attraction, an attraction that is convincingly shown to the reader. Their relationship may be one of an instant connection but I totally bought into their connection, believed it and wanted them to act on their feelings which is testament to the writing power of this author.
There isn’t anything about, 'Even Money,' that I didn’t enjoy. Fast paced, high drama, very sexy and sensual with great leading characters who had amazing chemistry and engaged my attention, my belief and my heart from the very beginning. It kept me firmly on my toes in terms of making me think about the story and I simply cannot wait for the next part which thankfully is coming towards the end of this month.... I need to know what happens next!
#oneclick E V E N M O N E Y ==> http://www.alessandratorre.com/all-in/
Advance copy received
Graphics created by me with stock pics I purchased and one photo by Michał Parzuchowski from Unsplash **
What did I just read?!! Was my first thought as I finished, 'Even Money,' it was a first class reading treat! Those last few pages….. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. If you want to know what THAT is than pick up this book right now. 'Even Money,' sees Alessandra Torre going right back to her suspenseful writing roots all wrapped up in a delicious HOT romance.
A cocktail waitress and the most powerful man in Vegas with heavy responsibilities to match. Secrets, lies, death, and love all weaved into a prose that is both vivid and fluid. Written with a mixed narrative style, first person when from the perspective of Bell, the heroine at the heart of the story, switching to third person narrative at all other times, a technique I have seen this author use before and one that works perfectly for a story like this allowing the reader to learn things about various characters, situations, and moments in time that aid the suspenseful development whilst maintaining the flow and tone of the story.
The suspense element is skilfully layered into the narrative so that it made my heart rate rise, had me on the edge of my seat but equally did not distract me from the main course of the story which is the sizzling hot chemistry and the perfectly developed relationship of the male and female protagonists. They danced their way around undeniable attraction, an attraction that is convincingly shown to the reader. Their relationship may be one of an instant connection but I totally bought into their connection, believed it and wanted them to act on their feelings which is testament to the writing power of this author.
There isn’t anything about, 'Even Money,' that I didn’t enjoy. Fast paced, high drama, very sexy and sensual with great leading characters who had amazing chemistry and engaged my attention, my belief and my heart from the very beginning. It kept me firmly on my toes in terms of making me think about the story and I simply cannot wait for the next part which thankfully is coming towards the end of this month.... I need to know what happens next!
#oneclick E V E N M O N E Y ==> http://www.alessandratorre.com/all-in/
Advance copy received
Graphics created by me with stock pics I purchased and one photo by Michał Parzuchowski from Unsplash **
June 14, 2018
*ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
Having a traumatic past doesn't stop Bell Hartley to give up on her life. She is a college student by day and a cocktail waitress by night. It's tough especially if some clients are pervert and disrespectful. With Rick and Lance around, owners of The Mirage, ensure her safety and constantly watch her back. I love Bell's friendship with them, they're like the brothers she never had. As for relationships, Bell has no time for committment and settles only in a no-strings-attached relationship.
When one of the most powerful men in Sin City visited The Mirage, Bell felt an instant attraction to Dario Capece. The problem is, he's married. The feeling was mutual because Dario was enticed by Bell's beauty and sass. He begins to pursue her until she gives into him. These two are like fireworks and I like their chemistry. However, this secret affair puts Bell's life in danger and it's a game he must play carefully.
Even Money is seductively thrilling. The story was complex, plot driven and character driven. I'm so enticed by its premise and the protagonists are strong and daring. Dario Capece and Bell Hartley's forbidden romance ignited with sexual tension. However, I can't help feeling anxious for them. The last chapters are intense and THAT ENDING got me screaming! HOLY CRAP. I'M FLOORED. It was very unpredictable and a genius game changer. This is why cliffhangers are lethal, I'm dying to read the finale. I can't wait to see how this goes.
Final rating: 4.5 /5 stars
Having a traumatic past doesn't stop Bell Hartley to give up on her life. She is a college student by day and a cocktail waitress by night. It's tough especially if some clients are pervert and disrespectful. With Rick and Lance around, owners of The Mirage, ensure her safety and constantly watch her back. I love Bell's friendship with them, they're like the brothers she never had. As for relationships, Bell has no time for committment and settles only in a no-strings-attached relationship.
When one of the most powerful men in Sin City visited The Mirage, Bell felt an instant attraction to Dario Capece. The problem is, he's married. The feeling was mutual because Dario was enticed by Bell's beauty and sass. He begins to pursue her until she gives into him. These two are like fireworks and I like their chemistry. However, this secret affair puts Bell's life in danger and it's a game he must play carefully.
Even Money is seductively thrilling. The story was complex, plot driven and character driven. I'm so enticed by its premise and the protagonists are strong and daring. Dario Capece and Bell Hartley's forbidden romance ignited with sexual tension. However, I can't help feeling anxious for them. The last chapters are intense and THAT ENDING got me screaming! HOLY CRAP. I'M FLOORED. It was very unpredictable and a genius game changer. This is why cliffhangers are lethal, I'm dying to read the finale. I can't wait to see how this goes.
Final rating: 4.5 /5 stars
July 7, 2018
2.5 “Plot over romance” Stars
➽ FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED:
Disclaimer: Copy provided by the author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warning: Rape.
Hooked but not invested.
I will start by saying Even Money had an incredible amount of potential, the world created by the author was full of possibilities and mysteries, I was sucked in. We got this underground casino, were famous and rich people go to play, I really wanted to see more of that. Our characters are unconventional and unlikable, but mysterious and intriguing. The writing was easy but with some striking sentences. A weird marriage arrangement that had me fascinated. It really had so much potential, my problem was I couldn't connect.
The plot was what made me keep reading, there were turns I didn’t see coming, and the Vegas setting gave it more darkness. I was hooked to know who was following our characters, how the psycho man was really, what did the marriage entitle. The suspense and thrilling touches were definitely there, and I highly enjoyed them. This was one of those weird cases were I didn't care about the romance but fully invested in the plot of the story. I was gripped, but not fully. I do want to know how the story is continued in the next book because that ending was mind-boggling.
But the characters were not something I fully enjoyed:
Bell has a rough past that has made her very cautious of giving away her heart and ignited her need to feel in power, two character traits I loved. Yet, my first introduction to her was she fucking with her professor, I was weird out, especially because it was portrayed as something so normal. And I got the feeling the author really wanted to make her tough, so every now and then she would refuse to what Dario was giving but after like 2 reconsiderations she accepted, and to me, that was just waste of time. I just couldn’t connect fully to her. I liked her toughness but it went away pretty easily.
Dario, is all in all kind of a good guy portraying a rich dangerous shark, but with the twist that he is actually open about having feelings, a plus. What I didn’t love much was his douchery and blindness of how luxury can kind of buy people. He pretty much gave our main girl a full on suite to be his mistress after like 2 meetings. He cut his phone and had her followed and all that, yes for her protection but still creepy. Like I want authors to understand this could possibly be passable if it was done after some time in the relationship, perhaps a mini-discussion with the girl, but not after 2 encounters. Still, I feel this is a personal reading taste, so probably there are people who will enjoy those things.
Also the insta-love syndrome. You could possibly argue that it was lust in one look, but to be honest it was not. Dario our main guy after sixty seconds of looking at Bell, our heroine, decided it was fine to do a background check and had her stalked. I hate rich dudes that believe they can do whatever they want just because they have power. But is not complete lust, we really don’t have full on sex until well past 80%, and our main guy after 3 encounters with very few words in between already feels is something different that she could steal his heart. Our main girl also professes to be emotionless and just looking for sex, but one look to that man and she already knew she could fall for him, weird. And perhaps I could have roll with it but I couldn’t form a connection to either of them. At the end of the day the romance for me felt just like a fly bothering me from a great meal otherwise.
And finally that feeling of just following the story from and above stand-point but not being able to reach inside. Perhaps it had to with the narration, it felt quite impersonal.
In conclusion, I feel this book could be enjoyable for romance readers who love alphas and rich, controlling dudes. Also if you don’t mind the romance and want a cool underground Vegas mystery, try it. Sadly, this was my first Alessandra Torre’s read, and I am quite disappointed. I do want to try her other works, so if you are a big fan of the author please tell me which book should I pick up next.
💭Pre-reading thoughts:
🎰 Another book set in Las Vegas, apparently I can't get enough.
“It had been sixty seconds of interaction. Less than a commercial break. As short as a hand of blackjack. Forgetting her should be easy. But in sixty seconds, a gun could be fired. A knife thrust. A bomb ignited. Sixty seconds could be nothing, or it could destroy a man.”
➽ FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED:
Disclaimer: Copy provided by the author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warning: Rape.
Hooked but not invested.
I will start by saying Even Money had an incredible amount of potential, the world created by the author was full of possibilities and mysteries, I was sucked in. We got this underground casino, were famous and rich people go to play, I really wanted to see more of that. Our characters are unconventional and unlikable, but mysterious and intriguing. The writing was easy but with some striking sentences. A weird marriage arrangement that had me fascinated. It really had so much potential, my problem was I couldn't connect.
The plot was what made me keep reading, there were turns I didn’t see coming, and the Vegas setting gave it more darkness. I was hooked to know who was following our characters, how the psycho man was really, what did the marriage entitle. The suspense and thrilling touches were definitely there, and I highly enjoyed them. This was one of those weird cases were I didn't care about the romance but fully invested in the plot of the story. I was gripped, but not fully. I do want to know how the story is continued in the next book because that ending was mind-boggling.
But the characters were not something I fully enjoyed:
Bell has a rough past that has made her very cautious of giving away her heart and ignited her need to feel in power, two character traits I loved. Yet, my first introduction to her was she fucking with her professor, I was weird out, especially because it was portrayed as something so normal. And I got the feeling the author really wanted to make her tough, so every now and then she would refuse to what Dario was giving but after like 2 reconsiderations she accepted, and to me, that was just waste of time. I just couldn’t connect fully to her. I liked her toughness but it went away pretty easily.
Dario, is all in all kind of a good guy portraying a rich dangerous shark, but with the twist that he is actually open about having feelings, a plus. What I didn’t love much was his douchery and blindness of how luxury can kind of buy people. He pretty much gave our main girl a full on suite to be his mistress after like 2 meetings. He cut his phone and had her followed and all that, yes for her protection but still creepy. Like I want authors to understand this could possibly be passable if it was done after some time in the relationship, perhaps a mini-discussion with the girl, but not after 2 encounters. Still, I feel this is a personal reading taste, so probably there are people who will enjoy those things.
Also the insta-love syndrome. You could possibly argue that it was lust in one look, but to be honest it was not. Dario our main guy after sixty seconds of looking at Bell, our heroine, decided it was fine to do a background check and had her stalked. I hate rich dudes that believe they can do whatever they want just because they have power. But is not complete lust, we really don’t have full on sex until well past 80%, and our main guy after 3 encounters with very few words in between already feels is something different that she could steal his heart. Our main girl also professes to be emotionless and just looking for sex, but one look to that man and she already knew she could fall for him, weird. And perhaps I could have roll with it but I couldn’t form a connection to either of them. At the end of the day the romance for me felt just like a fly bothering me from a great meal otherwise.
And finally that feeling of just following the story from and above stand-point but not being able to reach inside. Perhaps it had to with the narration, it felt quite impersonal.
In conclusion, I feel this book could be enjoyable for romance readers who love alphas and rich, controlling dudes. Also if you don’t mind the romance and want a cool underground Vegas mystery, try it. Sadly, this was my first Alessandra Torre’s read, and I am quite disappointed. I do want to try her other works, so if you are a big fan of the author please tell me which book should I pick up next.
💭Pre-reading thoughts:
🎰 Another book set in Las Vegas, apparently I can't get enough.
September 1, 2019
4 All or Nothing for Love Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free-NO BETTING, only 99 Cents!!!
When you pick up an Alessandra Torre book, it is like spinning the roulette wheel and knowing your number will turn up...Never mind the genre, never mind the setting or the cast of characters...You will be guaranteed a winning run of luck.
Because Torre is a master... she crafts and woos at the same time. She will weave a tale, taking you from the first moments of recognition. The knowing something is happening, to where you are settled into a rhythm...an understanding of where these characters are. Their past, their present and the wish and hopes of a future.
Oh, she will surround them with more than a love story... she will give them friends, enemies and second thoughts about what is happening. She will give hope for a possible love but there will be something dark... ugly which must be settled.
Oh, and don't forget all the amazing chemistry she will create... these two people we are focused on will fight this draw... only to make it hotter, more intense when they cannot resist anymore. You can think up all the labels you want for the type of sensual writing Torre does and you won't have enough descriptions because, with Torre, it is never just physical. No, we all know the mind is the epicenter of all things sensual... and Torre knows the right combination to unlock everyone's guarded safe...
Even Money is a duet and Torre has left us with perfectly dastardly cliffy...But Torre is also not a sadist...at least not this time. Double Down, the conclusion is out. So I am off to see where Alessandra will lead me...because you know I will follow.
Rolling the Dice (All In Duet, #0.5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Even Money (All In Duet, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Double Down (All In Duet, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A gifted copy was provided by Select Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * Spoiler Free-NO BETTING, only 99 Cents!!!
When you pick up an Alessandra Torre book, it is like spinning the roulette wheel and knowing your number will turn up...Never mind the genre, never mind the setting or the cast of characters...You will be guaranteed a winning run of luck.
Because Torre is a master... she crafts and woos at the same time. She will weave a tale, taking you from the first moments of recognition. The knowing something is happening, to where you are settled into a rhythm...an understanding of where these characters are. Their past, their present and the wish and hopes of a future.
Oh, she will surround them with more than a love story... she will give them friends, enemies and second thoughts about what is happening. She will give hope for a possible love but there will be something dark... ugly which must be settled.
Oh, and don't forget all the amazing chemistry she will create... these two people we are focused on will fight this draw... only to make it hotter, more intense when they cannot resist anymore. You can think up all the labels you want for the type of sensual writing Torre does and you won't have enough descriptions because, with Torre, it is never just physical. No, we all know the mind is the epicenter of all things sensual... and Torre knows the right combination to unlock everyone's guarded safe...
Even Money is a duet and Torre has left us with perfectly dastardly cliffy...But Torre is also not a sadist...at least not this time. Double Down, the conclusion is out. So I am off to see where Alessandra will lead me...because you know I will follow.
Rolling the Dice (All In Duet, #0.5)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Even Money (All In Duet, #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Double Down (All In Duet, #2)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A gifted copy was provided by Select Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
June 19, 2018
3.75 stars.
It was good, but this is an uneasy read for me.
The hero is a married guy, about 40’s and had a MOC with his wife, they had been together for 13 years. They tried to be a normal couple but it wasn’t working. Now the wife had a loving lover while he had a series of mistresses. There is a reason why they’re married, not a love match thought! 😂
The heroine wasn’t an innocent girl, she had a tragic past which made her the way she is now. But for her age, early 20? She is quite mature and when the first time she met the H, she had a hot fuck buddy, her Stats Professor! 😘😂
I like it that the hero stopped all his connection with his mistresses immediately, but the heroine still continue with hers until she know of his marriage situation, because she didn’t want to get involved with a married guy but he keep chasing her and thinking about divorcing his wife too, however the wife doesn’t want to give up her comfortable lifestyle 😬.
So, the romance is good but with a cliffhanger ending 🤨.
It was good, but this is an uneasy read for me.
The hero is a married guy, about 40’s and had a MOC with his wife, they had been together for 13 years. They tried to be a normal couple but it wasn’t working. Now the wife had a loving lover while he had a series of mistresses. There is a reason why they’re married, not a love match thought! 😂
The heroine wasn’t an innocent girl, she had a tragic past which made her the way she is now. But for her age, early 20? She is quite mature and when the first time she met the H, she had a hot fuck buddy, her Stats Professor! 😘😂
I like it that the hero stopped all his connection with his mistresses immediately, but the heroine still continue with hers until she know of his marriage situation, because she didn’t want to get involved with a married guy but he keep chasing her and thinking about divorcing his wife too, however the wife doesn’t want to give up her comfortable lifestyle 😬.
So, the romance is good but with a cliffhanger ending 🤨.
June 5, 2018
Okay, before you even start reading this book there are two things you should know. First, you may want to hold off until a weekend because you will not want to put this down. Secondly, it is part of a duet and does have a freaking heart pounding cliff hanger so if you are not a fan of those then you have been warned.
As soon as I began to read this book I had a feeling it was gonna be good, it was a given that it would be amazing just because Alessandra writes incredible stories but it was the characters that really pulled me in.
The story is set in Las Vegas, the city of sin. Bell works as a waitress at a small casino owned by her close friends. She is a student by day and has a pretty good life. She has been through some serious shit but come through the other side relatively unscathed. Apart from her need for no strings sex only and definitely no dating, relationships and never love.
Dario first lays eyes on Bell when he walks into the casino she works at. Their eyes meet and the connection is something he cannot stop thinking about. It was only several seconds and he meets many people on any given day but for some reason Bell is someone he cannot forget. He wants to know more about this beautiful woman.
When Dario starts showing an interest in Bell she is initially very skeptical but there is this ridiculous pull between them. She knows he is married so a no strings thing could be on the table there but she also knows how powerful he is in Vegas. Then there is his father in law who is an extremely dangerous man and that in itself is a reason to stay away from him.
‘I had to remember our differences. I was nobody and he was somebody. I was single and he was married. I was too young and naïve, and he was too old and…’
Bell finds herself giving into the pull that is Dario and in doing so unknowingly puts herself in potential danger. There is always someone watching and despite Dario & Gwen being able to hide some things from her father, not everything goes by unnoticed. Dario finds himself taking risks and doing things he never has before. His marriage to Gwen is solid but lately it feels like the ground is shaking and it all began will the moment he met Bell.
This was a thrilling, sexy, intense, fast paced, danger laced read. At the end I was left feeling shocked and incredibly sad. Now I just need to see what the heck is going to happen because the outfall is going to have serious consequences on everyone.
‘He was too everything – a black hole that could suck me in without even feeling the crush of my soul.’
As soon as I began to read this book I had a feeling it was gonna be good, it was a given that it would be amazing just because Alessandra writes incredible stories but it was the characters that really pulled me in.
The story is set in Las Vegas, the city of sin. Bell works as a waitress at a small casino owned by her close friends. She is a student by day and has a pretty good life. She has been through some serious shit but come through the other side relatively unscathed. Apart from her need for no strings sex only and definitely no dating, relationships and never love.
Dario first lays eyes on Bell when he walks into the casino she works at. Their eyes meet and the connection is something he cannot stop thinking about. It was only several seconds and he meets many people on any given day but for some reason Bell is someone he cannot forget. He wants to know more about this beautiful woman.
When Dario starts showing an interest in Bell she is initially very skeptical but there is this ridiculous pull between them. She knows he is married so a no strings thing could be on the table there but she also knows how powerful he is in Vegas. Then there is his father in law who is an extremely dangerous man and that in itself is a reason to stay away from him.
‘I had to remember our differences. I was nobody and he was somebody. I was single and he was married. I was too young and naïve, and he was too old and…’
Bell finds herself giving into the pull that is Dario and in doing so unknowingly puts herself in potential danger. There is always someone watching and despite Dario & Gwen being able to hide some things from her father, not everything goes by unnoticed. Dario finds himself taking risks and doing things he never has before. His marriage to Gwen is solid but lately it feels like the ground is shaking and it all began will the moment he met Bell.
This was a thrilling, sexy, intense, fast paced, danger laced read. At the end I was left feeling shocked and incredibly sad. Now I just need to see what the heck is going to happen because the outfall is going to have serious consequences on everyone.
‘He was too everything – a black hole that could suck me in without even feeling the crush of my soul.’
June 11, 2018
4.5 Stars!!!
“If you walk away, I’ll spend the next few decades fighting to forget you.”
Ahhh, I loved this. You can never go wrong with an Alessandra Torre book! Never! This was such classic Alessandra. Sexy, intriguing, hot, mysterious and dangerous. It will keep you in your toes and definitely guessing. And when you think you have it all figured out, nope, you're wrong.
I loved the entire Vegas set-up, Alessandra is just great at storytelling. I also loved the kick ass heroine and the super hot but bad boy hero Dario. This story will keep you on your toes and guessing the entire time, which I loved.
I don't want to spoil anything, or go into details, but there are various twists and turns in this story, which are the perfect set-up for the next book, which is the conclusion of the story. I completely recommend you go in blind, because that way you'll enjoy the story more. I do have to warn you that this ends in a big cliffy. Like, oh crap, I didn't see that one coming cliffy, ok. But no worries, the next book is right around the corner. I absolutely recommend this one!
“If you walk away, I’ll spend the next few decades fighting to forget you.”
Ahhh, I loved this. You can never go wrong with an Alessandra Torre book! Never! This was such classic Alessandra. Sexy, intriguing, hot, mysterious and dangerous. It will keep you in your toes and definitely guessing. And when you think you have it all figured out, nope, you're wrong.
I loved the entire Vegas set-up, Alessandra is just great at storytelling. I also loved the kick ass heroine and the super hot but bad boy hero Dario. This story will keep you on your toes and guessing the entire time, which I loved.
I don't want to spoil anything, or go into details, but there are various twists and turns in this story, which are the perfect set-up for the next book, which is the conclusion of the story. I completely recommend you go in blind, because that way you'll enjoy the story more. I do have to warn you that this ends in a big cliffy. Like, oh crap, I didn't see that one coming cliffy, ok. But no worries, the next book is right around the corner. I absolutely recommend this one!
June 22, 2018
Holy crap! That ending and cliffy..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Damn, this book was something else. I had forgotten how intense the author writes. It had been quite a while since I’ve read a book by her. And, oh my goodness, this story immediately grabbed you and completely sucks you in.
It is full of anticipation, intensity, and writing so deep you can feel it in your soul. The hot sexual push and pull between these two characters is so raw and desperate. It gives you the major feels.
And that ending.. omg! I cannot wait until part two. Yes, this is a two part story with a cliffhanger. But when this woman writes it, I’m all in.
* copy received for review consideration
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Damn, this book was something else. I had forgotten how intense the author writes. It had been quite a while since I’ve read a book by her. And, oh my goodness, this story immediately grabbed you and completely sucks you in.
It is full of anticipation, intensity, and writing so deep you can feel it in your soul. The hot sexual push and pull between these two characters is so raw and desperate. It gives you the major feels.
And that ending.. omg! I cannot wait until part two. Yes, this is a two part story with a cliffhanger. But when this woman writes it, I’m all in.
* copy received for review consideration
June 4, 2018
Ominous, dramatic, and risqué!
Even Money is an edgy, sultry thrill ride that takes you on a journey into the life of Bell Hartley, a feisty college-student and casino waitress who finds herself inadvertently caught up in all the power, corruption, and violence of sin city when the dangerous, commanding, married Dario Capece sweeps her off her feet.
The prose is dark and seductive. The characters are consumed, possessive, and impulsive. And the well-paced, suspenseful plot is filled to the brim with twists, turns, surprises, depravity, sex and murder.
Overall, Even Money is another tense, intriguing, salacious tale by Torre that has just the right amount of romance and mystery to keep you invested and engaged from start to finish and a cliffhanger ending that will have you counting down the days until Double Down, All In Duet #2, releases in the later part of June.
Thank you to Alessandra Torre for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Even Money is an edgy, sultry thrill ride that takes you on a journey into the life of Bell Hartley, a feisty college-student and casino waitress who finds herself inadvertently caught up in all the power, corruption, and violence of sin city when the dangerous, commanding, married Dario Capece sweeps her off her feet.
The prose is dark and seductive. The characters are consumed, possessive, and impulsive. And the well-paced, suspenseful plot is filled to the brim with twists, turns, surprises, depravity, sex and murder.
Overall, Even Money is another tense, intriguing, salacious tale by Torre that has just the right amount of romance and mystery to keep you invested and engaged from start to finish and a cliffhanger ending that will have you counting down the days until Double Down, All In Duet #2, releases in the later part of June.
Thank you to Alessandra Torre for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
June 16, 2018
Holy Wow! This book captured me from page one and by the time I reached the end I was a balled up mess of nerves.
Working for friends who feel like family at an underground casino, Bell meets the man who basically owns Vegas. The chemistry and attraction to Dario is immediate despite the fact that few words are spoken. When it comes to light that he is having her followed, he uses it to push open the door and enter her life in a substantial way.
Dario is instantly attracted to Bell and unable to get her off his mind. With stalker like actions, he sets out to learn everything he can about her. Once he accomplishes his goals he is completely trapped. His desire for her has now put Bell and his wife in danger and any decision he makes will only compound the problem. But he can’t let her go.
I loved Dario’s obsessive tendencies in regards to Bell, his need to protect and provide for her. However, she’s a strong independent woman who has survived a nightmare and refuses to yield to his demanding ways. (Be assured, this trait does not lead to any too stupid to live moments.) Bell has no intention of getting into a relationship with anyone but she finds herself unable to stop the pull that Dario has on her heart. I enjoyed watching her slowly accept that what she felt for Dario was love.
Together, this couple move through some rocky places as Bell is reluctant due to his marriage and Dario is intent on keeping her safe. The pull toward each other overcomes all their obstacles. Along the way, we occasionally get another point of view in the story. This one is dark and sinister and ratchets up the angst each time they pop up. There is evil here and it’s only a matter of time before it rears its ugly head.
This had a great pace to it that never got too wordy. The secondary characters were wonderful and the steam between the hero and heroine was scorching. Yes, it’s true, Dario is married. However, his wife is his best friend and the marriage was arranged for purposes other than love. While his wife is in love with another man, he has arrangements with two women.
This ends in a huge cliffhanger! I’m talking HUGE! Thank goodness the next book, Double Down is releasing in a few days.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Multi POV
Safe
Triggers
Working for friends who feel like family at an underground casino, Bell meets the man who basically owns Vegas. The chemistry and attraction to Dario is immediate despite the fact that few words are spoken. When it comes to light that he is having her followed, he uses it to push open the door and enter her life in a substantial way.
Dario is instantly attracted to Bell and unable to get her off his mind. With stalker like actions, he sets out to learn everything he can about her. Once he accomplishes his goals he is completely trapped. His desire for her has now put Bell and his wife in danger and any decision he makes will only compound the problem. But he can’t let her go.
I loved Dario’s obsessive tendencies in regards to Bell, his need to protect and provide for her. However, she’s a strong independent woman who has survived a nightmare and refuses to yield to his demanding ways. (Be assured, this trait does not lead to any too stupid to live moments.) Bell has no intention of getting into a relationship with anyone but she finds herself unable to stop the pull that Dario has on her heart. I enjoyed watching her slowly accept that what she felt for Dario was love.
Together, this couple move through some rocky places as Bell is reluctant due to his marriage and Dario is intent on keeping her safe. The pull toward each other overcomes all their obstacles. Along the way, we occasionally get another point of view in the story. This one is dark and sinister and ratchets up the angst each time they pop up. There is evil here and it’s only a matter of time before it rears its ugly head.
This had a great pace to it that never got too wordy. The secondary characters were wonderful and the steam between the hero and heroine was scorching. Yes, it’s true, Dario is married. However, his wife is his best friend and the marriage was arranged for purposes other than love. While his wife is in love with another man, he has arrangements with two women.
This ends in a huge cliffhanger! I’m talking HUGE! Thank goodness the next book, Double Down is releasing in a few days.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Multi POV
Safe
Triggers
June 2, 2018
EVEN MONEY was one of those books that completely absorbed me from beginning to end. I couldn't put it down. The crafting of these intensely flawed and emotional characters blew me away with every page. And the ending of this Book 1 in a duet? Perfectly done! I am on the edge of my seat for the conclusion to Dario and Bell's story. This is a tale that will stick with me for a long time. ★★★★★5 MASTERFUL STARS!★★★★★
Raine Miller
NYT Bestselling Author
Raine Miller
NYT Bestselling Author
June 4, 2018
Alessandra Torre has always managed to grab her readers in every story. Whether it’s a heart pounding cliff hanger, a corrupted plot twist, or just a heartbreaking love story, she gets your attention every time. Even though this story didn’t manage to wow me like her others, you can never take away the fact that her words and her style, has us coming back for more.
Belle Hartley practically seen it all in her time in Vegas. From gambling, to drugs, sex and money, there’s nothing or no one in this town that could shock her. At least that what she thinks until she meets the infamous Dario Capece. When your world has been nothing more than forbidden, what’s a little bit more danger?
Dario Capece is the king of Vegas and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Money, status, women, and one of the most biggest personal contracts that has catapulted him into legendary history. Life as he knows it right now is more than good but who would want that when you can have extraordinary? Its going to take one cocktail waitress to turn his life upside down for better or worse. How far is Dario willing to go to be with a woman like Belle?
I initially loved the premise of the story and if I’m being honest, I fell in love with Dario’s character. He had this allure about him that made you want to be in his presence at all times and there was this underlying danger about him. I really liked his character and I think that if we were shown a little bit more of his dark side, I would’ve in love even more.
Aside from the fact that I couldn’t really connect with Belle and I guessed the plot twist towards the end, I’m still anxious to see what’s going to happen in part 2. Will Dario and Belle survive these dramatic turn of events? Or will there be a new key player in the game?
June 12, 2018
This is a tough one. Alessandra Torre has been a solid one click for me now for ages. I've thoroughly enjoyed almost all of her books. The last 6 in a row I've universally liked or loved. But Even Money didn't jive well with me.
I think first and foremost it had an insta-love love story that I just didn't find believable. It felt too fast and too forced. I didn't end up caring enough about the characters maybe because there wasn't enough build up in the love story. It felt too shallow.
There was a dark undercurrent to the storyline that finally surfaced right at the very end but it wasn't enough for me. Bummed that I didn't love it more.
I think first and foremost it had an insta-love love story that I just didn't find believable. It felt too fast and too forced. I didn't end up caring enough about the characters maybe because there wasn't enough build up in the love story. It felt too shallow.
There was a dark undercurrent to the storyline that finally surfaced right at the very end but it wasn't enough for me. Bummed that I didn't love it more.
June 13, 2018
Even Money is the first installment in Alessandra Torre's adult romance duet titled: All In. It introduces the characters, develops the various relationships, sets the insta-love in full swing, and ends on an epic cliffhanger that had my jaw dropped. The ending took what was initially a 3-star read (IMO) and bumped it up to 4 for me personally. I'm excited to see where Torre decides to take this story.
The All In duet consists of the following installments as of June 2018:
#1-Even Money
#2-Double Down
Thank you to the following for permitting me access to an advance reader's copy (ARC) of Even Money. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing.
Source: NetGalley
Author: Alessandra Torre
Publisher: Select Publishing
Genres: Erotica, Romance
Pub Date: June 4, 2018
The All In duet consists of the following installments as of June 2018:
#1-Even Money
#2-Double Down
Thank you to the following for permitting me access to an advance reader's copy (ARC) of Even Money. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing.
Source: NetGalley
Author: Alessandra Torre
Publisher: Select Publishing
Genres: Erotica, Romance
Pub Date: June 4, 2018
June 4, 2018
"She was a liability, and he was the king of this town."
Dario Capece was caught between two lands–two women–the one he promised to protect and the one his heart desired. Bell Hartley was just a cocktail waitress that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A connection of eyes across a room changed everything, but was their love worth fighting for?
With its addicting Vegas atmosphere, suspenseful plot, characters that I rooted for no matter how forbidden they were together, steamy moments that had my uterus fanning itself, and an enticing writing style, Even Money lured me into its grip and kept me there. I couldn't breathe until the very end, just for the author to make me stop breathing all over again.
Not even the most powerful man in Vegas can afford to get distracted by a cocktail waitress without paying the consequences.
Can't wait for Double Down!!!
You can find me here: INSTAGRAM
November 5, 2019
Bell is working as a waitress at the most exclusive private/underground casino in Las Vegas. The House. She makes good money and she's happy with her two bosses. She also goes to school by day and has a purely physical affair with her prof. She doesn't do commitment! Ever since things happened to her when she was only 15, she needs to be in control of those kind of situations.
Enter Dario.
Ten years ago he married into the city's biggest Vegas casino family. And after working hard and investing very well, he's now the biggest guy in town!
And he's looking into buying or partnering with The House. But Lance and Rick are not interested.
And while Dario is at The House, he sees Bell. It wasn't more than 60 seconds and a few words, but he can't forget her. It's almost an obsession.
But he's married and she doesn't do serious.
What will happen with those two?
And if all their problems weren't already enough ... there's also Dario's mega-psycho father-in-law ...
════════════════════════
Well, that was really amazing!
The first couple of pages I wasn't really sure about things. Not sure if I liked Bell, the situation, the writing. BUT - I really started to love it after a few pages. It's a really amazing story. Lots of sexiness and Las Vegasness and heat and sparks and crime and lies and danger and mystery. And lots of pain and sorrow in both our darling's past.
The only thing I wasn't 100% in love with... Dario is a bit too old for me. Or rather for Bell. He's in his mid to late thirties. BUT you don't really notice it. He has the body of a 25-year-old! ☺
What more can I say?
Amazing Sexy Suspense Las Vegas Love Story- I can't wait to get my hands on book #2 !!
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June 1, 2018
5 “Insta” Stars
Leave it to Alessandra Torre to suck me in again. Dangling a sexy alpha hero and a spitfire heroine in Sin City, this story read super fast and had a deliciously wicked ending.
Dario Capece.......his name alone sounds fierce, powerful and sexy. He’s the man of Las Vegas. People both respect and fear him. And he’s married.
Bell Hartley......a cocktail waitress whose beautiful and sassy. But she hasn’t had an easy life and she doesn’t do relationships.
But.....“Of all the gin joints in all the towns...” “I didn’t plan to walk into yours,” Dario and Bell have an intense combustible attraction. Both feel the electricity. It’s a No Win situation for either but their connection can’t be denied. They take their attraction slow.....it’s a push and pull but the pull is magnetic.
In the third kiss, he owned me, the contact deepening, a delicate play between two mouths born for each other, one where arousal flared, breaths quickened, and our hands tightened and traveled, first needy, then frantic.
The story has twists and turns. The authors incorporates them and spins them in major ways. There is some mystery, intrigue, and lots of sexual tension. The intensity of Bell and Dario’s relationship is marred by several factors and those factors makes for a wickedly wonderful read. And that ending.......pure Alessandra Torre!!! I know I’m counting the days till the next book!!
*advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
Leave it to Alessandra Torre to suck me in again. Dangling a sexy alpha hero and a spitfire heroine in Sin City, this story read super fast and had a deliciously wicked ending.
Dario Capece.......his name alone sounds fierce, powerful and sexy. He’s the man of Las Vegas. People both respect and fear him. And he’s married.
Bell Hartley......a cocktail waitress whose beautiful and sassy. But she hasn’t had an easy life and she doesn’t do relationships.
But.....“Of all the gin joints in all the towns...” “I didn’t plan to walk into yours,” Dario and Bell have an intense combustible attraction. Both feel the electricity. It’s a No Win situation for either but their connection can’t be denied. They take their attraction slow.....it’s a push and pull but the pull is magnetic.
In the third kiss, he owned me, the contact deepening, a delicate play between two mouths born for each other, one where arousal flared, breaths quickened, and our hands tightened and traveled, first needy, then frantic.
The story has twists and turns. The authors incorporates them and spins them in major ways. There is some mystery, intrigue, and lots of sexual tension. The intensity of Bell and Dario’s relationship is marred by several factors and those factors makes for a wickedly wonderful read. And that ending.......pure Alessandra Torre!!! I know I’m counting the days till the next book!!
*advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
June 21, 2018
Wowzers!!!
Oh My Goodness. This is amazing. I genuinely enjoyed this one for its
Suspense. Excitement. Seductiveness.
The Hero is delicious and had me swooning all kinds...The Heroine was smart, fun and honest. I loved her. A woman who knows what she wants.
The buildup was soo good AND the ENDING....has me like what-da-freaken-uh-Nooo-Shit-FUCK!!!!!
I NEED book 2.
Oh My Goodness. This is amazing. I genuinely enjoyed this one for its
Suspense. Excitement. Seductiveness.
The Hero is delicious and had me swooning all kinds...The Heroine was smart, fun and honest. I loved her. A woman who knows what she wants.
The buildup was soo good AND the ENDING....has me like what-da-freaken-uh-Nooo-Shit-FUCK!!!!!
I NEED book 2.
June 3, 2018
3.75 messy stars
Full review NOW, before the release date, on June 4, 2018.
Bell Hartley is a Las Vegas coctail waitress in a casino called The House, working for Lance & Rick, her bosses/friends and living in a house with several roomates...she seems carefree but she careful to steer clear of any emotional relationships with men. She has sex and stays true to that fact letting the men know where they stand from the start.
Until, one day, she meets a tall, dark & dangerous businessman Dario Capece and they share an instant strong pull.
And he's the man who gets what he wants, and she might be the one person who can shatter everything that he has built for himself...under the carefully planned and orchestrated facade...which makes Dario unavailable...in the eyes of public
It's a risky deal...it's forbidden and a bit scary...it's a new and unknown field for them both...it involves the very thing they both stay away and fight against- eelings ...
But there's a much dangerous agenda with highly dangerous people involved and nothing is really the way you percieve, and nothing is clearly as it seems at first sight...
And the dangerous game has just begun with the high stakes no one could have intercepted...
Alessandra Torre swims in the suspenseful waters naturally like a true predator...pulling you irrevokably in and never letting you go from its clutches and that part of the story worked phenomenally for me BUT unfortunatelly, I had issues with the 'insta' connection between the main characters.
And the way their 'forbidden' relationship was described felt somewhat 'cheap' presenting them both immoral and weak against the 'animalistic' desires and chemistry...simply by shrugging away the call of reason...cause hey, if there s an itch, one should cratch it, right?!
Well, not really...here, it just felt lame-ish and weak...and I couldnt just accept the fact that the basic needs whould come first against reason and moral codes...just so the itch could be scratched...
But it is what it is...and inspite this issues, I actually want to see where Ms. Torre will take her readers in the next sequel...
Full review NOW, before the release date, on June 4, 2018.
Bell Hartley is a Las Vegas coctail waitress in a casino called The House, working for Lance & Rick, her bosses/friends and living in a house with several roomates...she seems carefree but she careful to steer clear of any emotional relationships with men. She has sex and stays true to that fact letting the men know where they stand from the start.
Until, one day, she meets a tall, dark & dangerous businessman Dario Capece and they share an instant strong pull.
And he's the man who gets what he wants, and she might be the one person who can shatter everything that he has built for himself...under the carefully planned and orchestrated facade...which makes Dario unavailable...in the eyes of public
It's a risky deal...it's forbidden and a bit scary...it's a new and unknown field for them both...it involves the very thing they both stay away and fight against- eelings ...
But there's a much dangerous agenda with highly dangerous people involved and nothing is really the way you percieve, and nothing is clearly as it seems at first sight...
And the dangerous game has just begun with the high stakes no one could have intercepted...
Alessandra Torre swims in the suspenseful waters naturally like a true predator...pulling you irrevokably in and never letting you go from its clutches and that part of the story worked phenomenally for me BUT unfortunatelly, I had issues with the 'insta' connection between the main characters.
And the way their 'forbidden' relationship was described felt somewhat 'cheap' presenting them both immoral and weak against the 'animalistic' desires and chemistry...simply by shrugging away the call of reason...cause hey, if there s an itch, one should cratch it, right?!
Well, not really...here, it just felt lame-ish and weak...and I couldnt just accept the fact that the basic needs whould come first against reason and moral codes...just so the itch could be scratched...
But it is what it is...and inspite this issues, I actually want to see where Ms. Torre will take her readers in the next sequel...
June 15, 2018
What a fantastic read! I'm so glad that I have the habit of just diving into books with little to no knowledge. I would have regretted passing on this book because if I had known the hero was married, I don't think I would have given this one a chance.
Cheating is such a grey area for people so I will say that for me, I did not view this couple as cheating. The marriage is a business relationship but a whole lot more complicated than that. That complication as well as Dario and Bell's relationship is what had me riveted to this book.
Dario is a very powerful man in Vegas. One you don't want to mess with. With just one look at Bell, he switches his laser sharp focus onto her with an intensity that makes it impossible to say no to. For such a powerful man, he's never met someone who could so easily disrupt the fragile balance of his marriage, his job and his life.
Bell is just one tiny fish in the big vast ocean full of sharks. She's focused on her job and her studies. She doesn't do relationship, only casual hookups. Due to what she suffered at 15, she's never been tempted to risk more than her body to a man. Until Dario. The one man she's willing to risk it all is unattainable.
There were so many things about this book that grabbed my attention. Dario's power and the way he pursued Bell. The way Bell stood up for herself even when she wanted to cave. The wife. The father-in-law. Claudia. You know it's all going to crumble down but you don't know how. It sucked me in and left me hanging in the end. I loved every minute of it. ARC provided by NetGalley.
Cheating is such a grey area for people so I will say that for me, I did not view this couple as cheating. The marriage is a business relationship but a whole lot more complicated than that. That complication as well as Dario and Bell's relationship is what had me riveted to this book.
Dario is a very powerful man in Vegas. One you don't want to mess with. With just one look at Bell, he switches his laser sharp focus onto her with an intensity that makes it impossible to say no to. For such a powerful man, he's never met someone who could so easily disrupt the fragile balance of his marriage, his job and his life.
Bell is just one tiny fish in the big vast ocean full of sharks. She's focused on her job and her studies. She doesn't do relationship, only casual hookups. Due to what she suffered at 15, she's never been tempted to risk more than her body to a man. Until Dario. The one man she's willing to risk it all is unattainable.
There were so many things about this book that grabbed my attention. Dario's power and the way he pursued Bell. The way Bell stood up for herself even when she wanted to cave. The wife. The father-in-law. Claudia. You know it's all going to crumble down but you don't know how. It sucked me in and left me hanging in the end. I loved every minute of it. ARC provided by NetGalley.
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