Crooked Heart

A Death So Sweet #2

by Candace Wondrak

Blood. Death. Control. A girl with a crooked, vengeful heart like me wasn’t made for a happy ending.

It’s me again. Lola Harding, the Night Slayer, the girl who f*cked up and killed a crime lord’s son. The Lucianos are using me however they like, and that’s fine. It’s kind of fun to never know when you’re going to breathe your last breath.

But… now they know the truth. My truth. My past and how ugly it is. The things that turn girls into their worst nightmares. I’ve seen the devil and smiled.

I’m not afraid. Not of the DeLucas, the blood enemies of the Lucianos. Not of the scheming or the plotting. Put me on a stage and tell me to sing, and I’ll give you the best damn show you’ve ever seen.

I do not fear death. I’ve been waiting for it my entire life. But Maddox, Sylvester, and Viper make my heart feel things it never has before. Cliched? You f*cking bet, but life has a way of laughing at you, giving you the things you never knew you wanted before stealing the rug out from under you.

We’re all on the same wild ride here, and we’re heading towards disaster.

And this time? This time it’ll be my fault.

**Crooked Heart is the second in a planned trilogy. It is an RH/Why Choose series, meaning there are multiple love interests, steamy scenes, and some things you might find triggering: violence, mentions of abuse, etc.**

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Enemies To Lovers, Why Choose, Romance, New Adult, Contemporary

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2021

About the author

Hey guys! I'm a writer, an office worker, a wife, a mother to two dogs and two cats, and half of a strange pair of young adults who flip the houses they're living in with the goal of having no mortgage (so that I can eventually focus on my writing career!). Needless to say, I'm busy.

Still, I somehow find time to write, to read, and to enjoy life. Wish there were more hours in the day, really!

If you're active on Goodreads and have similar interests, friend me. I don't bite. Or if you'd rather follow my reviews, you can do that, too.

Happy reading!

Link to newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dppf_v

Reviews

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
I am obsessed with this series. It's always nice to jump out of your comfort zone and this series will be that for a lot of people. The sick and twisted will eat this shit up with a spoon and be left wanting as I am now. Sure the heroine is a serial killer but she's had a past that led her down this path and it wasn't pretty. Things with her three men are still tense and the possibility of her ultimate END is always on the horizon but this damn girl, she could care less and it's so damn impossible not to admire her in some ways for overcoming so much. Sure she may not have dealt with it in a way many of us any psychologist would approve of but she's made do. In fact she looks forward to the end of her life on this planet that has so wronged her. She fears nothing and it's impossible (at least for me) to not love her take no prisoners attitude and how little she cares about anything but the moment she's in. Having said that she's one scary ass bitch and I wouldn't want to run into her or anyone like her in real life. Then again while not justified, her reasoning for killing is understandable especially in the US where justice for assault victims is rare and few and far between. It's often the woman/victim that is blamed and that's just not OK. The heroine is ballsy, brash and now that she has a badass face mask gifted by her men, it's almost like she's become who she's always meant to be (even with her life on the line). But damn this ending. It was one whammy after another and I did not see it coming. Honestly we were spoiled by the somewhat sedate end of the last one so be forewarned this ones a doozy. Near the end the heroine has taken on a role for the Luciano family and it involves singing at the club owned by their mob enemies, putting her at a greater risk than ever before. Now that she's found a group of men all her own she's ready to be put to use and while I won't even try to argue they have anything like a normal relationship I also can't deny the dark passion simmering between them all, it's romantic in it's own sick and twisted way. For people with such damaged souls, living such insane and dangerous lives I'm crazily happy for them all and honestly I'm just blood thirsty at this point and I'm ready for them to burn down the world, I'll bring the popcorn!

[Montana Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uhm hi, therapy for one please 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m going to review this series as a whole, because I just don’t think there’s a way not to. Wowowowowow. I’ve read stories with a “morally grey demented psycho killer” too many times to count.. but LOLA?! holy shit. The girl loves blood. There were parts that are just meant to turn your stomach. However, as we read, most monsters aren’t born they’re made and made she was. The story is unique to one’s I’ve read before. I liked the writing style, it felt like the characters were literally having a full conversation with you the reader. You got to be inside Lola’s crazed serial killer mind, and what a dark place it was. It won’t be for everyone. But yep… it was for me. And finding out there there is a-whole-nother trilogy in the makes for what happens after these three?! Sign me up I’m ready!

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this as much as the first book, but it did have a fast pace and some fun steamy scenes. I didn't think this one showed Lola's crazy side as much and I missed that. It was nice to see her falling for the guys and starting to care about something after so many years of shutting off her emotions. The three guys are pretty different from each other and I like how their personalities fit with hers.

I thought the plot didn't move much in this one. The ending had a lot going on, but most of the story seemed a bit stagnant. After some of the things that went down with Lola and her men, I think the finale will be a lot more exciting with more of scary Lola coming to play.

[Crazydutchbooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crooked Heart, part two of a death so sweet.

It starts right where we left of.
I’m a bit sad Lola didn’t see she was being played. I think it was pretty obvious.
Nor where she as badass towards the end as I expected her to be.
But it still was a good read and I suppose it does make the plot more interesting.
The set up for the last part says it all.
Boldly, assertive, badass Lola is coming back.
Unless the cliffhanger ruins it all?

[dais · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy fuck this is incredible.
Lola’s life is a clusterfuck of epic bloody proportions and I am HOOKED.
I don’t ever want this to end.

[Danni (bookswithdanni) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ 4 Stars ⭐

~~RTC~~

[Jeanny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is big on monologues & cliffhanger endings. I hope she kills her brother in the most gruesome way. It’d be wonderful if she inherits the money as well.

[Ivana lexy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the first book but this didn’t hit the mark, she wasn’t interesting in this book, she was kinda whiny. Her character was amazing in book one, totally kickass. The thing I hate is when authors make the mc have permanent damage from the villains. It also makes no sense that the parents hated the mc so much after they loved her before the brother came along. They’re not psychopaths who just turn off their feelings. They could have stopped the rape if they wanted to, instead of taking her for abortions and making her sterile for no apparent reason. They made her sterile so their son could continue raping her while they helped him by removing inconveniences like her womb. That’s just unbelievable considering they didn’t hate her when she was an only child. Also if there’s any sort of a happy ending for this clusterfuck, this is a mafia family, it’s like a requirement for them to have heirs, I’m not sure all these guys will be just ok with having no heirs and dying without leaving a legacy. Call me crazy but a few years in, the novelty will wear off. Even if the brother dies, he’ll leave a reminder that he damaged her physically forever. I can’t stand that shit. I was scheming to see if there was a fix for that and it wasn’t even relevant, something that changes someone’s entire future shouldn’t just be used as a shock value. The author clearly wanted to show why she’s so messed up and clearly went to far, cause the parents helping their son with even the surgery and doing nothing makes no sense that things changed just because the brother came along. Shit like this drives me crazy that’s why I think this is my last book by this author, even the revenge on the brother won’t be satisfying, his death won’t change the permanent damage done.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bring on the twists!!

Like in true Candace fashion, she threw us all a curve ball within this dark mafia romance. The twists just keep coming and kept me on my toes. Lola is doing her best to play the part the Luciano’s want but another player has thrown a wrench into it all. Now there is a new threat to Lola and the Luciano’s.

The dark themes is still just has prevalent in this book as the first book so keep that in mind if that isn’t something you enjoy. There is rape in this book but it isn’t described which softens the blow quite a bit. You know it is coming but the act isn’t detailed at all.

I have read pretty much all of Candace’s books and while she leaves little cliffhangers here and there, this one was a big one!! Luckily, the final book is already scheduled to be released only 31 days after this book’s release!! So if you are one who doesn’t like to read a series until it is finished (🙋🏼‍♀️guilty) the rapid release of this series has me reading it as the books go live. This isn’t an author who will let a series have years in between books.

[Tonya Kayumova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Read

The perfect pace for 2nd in series. Leaves on a crazy cliffhanger so be ready to dive right into book 3!

[Amy Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relatable trauma and survival mechanisms

I can relate to Lola. This book though fictional has much basis in reality. Lola's greatest fear of being helpless is one i share with her. I love Lola's character because she is a fighter. She like many of us does what she has to to survive. She's the perfect example of how trauma at an early age molds you and completely transform your brain and ultimately your life trajectory. It's life altering and not everyone has the strength to keep living afterwards. Lola is a warrior with great strength and doesn't even know it. She - like many survivors who wish they could rid the world of sex predators - gets to be an avenging angel because she is ultimately a fictional character in a book. But i can live through her and cheer her on for doing what i can't.

[Valkyrie ✨]

DNF @ 45%

Life’s too short to keep reading a book that feels more like a chore than a pleasure.

[C. Erani Kole · Rating 3 out of 5]

fast but dragged… and drama!

It’s a 2.5 but rounded up because of the drama.

This was fast. And dragged at the same time. If you like being lost in characters’ minds while they talk and contemplate and yap about everything that could happen, you’ll love this a lot. There was more internal plotting and reflecting on already reiterated things than actual talking, and I am a reader who thrives on stories unfolding via conversation. InterACTion. I don’t wanna sit in someone’s mind to get the story, you know? So I’m thinking the writing just isn’t for me.

But oh, the story is so fascinating. And entertaining. I have to know what will happen next. I am also that kind of reader.

The guys had longer to transition between hate and love and I liked it more here than in the first book, where it felt rushed. I also enjoyed the way the author presented Lola at times. She was vulnerable and honestly didn’t know the meaning of love with the kind of trauma she had. So I like that she truly questioned things. It made things make more sense.

Overall that was a dirty cliffhanger to make and I’m totally reading the third book.

[Daisy Sauceda · Rating 4 out of 5]

So we pick up where we left off from book one. This one starts off with a bang. So we find out how she got the scar and more about her. All I can say is this explains her behavior. Does it change the boys feelings? Do they still hate her for what she did to their little brother? It seems like this was a significant shift to their dynamic in this book. Yes it gets hotter and crazier. Can she control her emotions and pay attention to what is going on. We don't see the betrayals until it is too late. Things are ramping up and starting to get ugly. We meet some new players and they want her and the guys out of the way. How will this go? Well we are left wondering what she has planned for these people who are trying to use her. Again this is a great book with action and finding out who is behind what. If she is going to die by the hands of Richard this time around.

[Tiffany Copple · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for Crooked Heart by Candace Wondrak. This is book two in the A Death So Sweet Series. “I Liked their brand of crazy. Maddox’s darkness, Sylvester’s calculated obsession, even Vipers unwavering loyalty.” The guys were instantly drawn to Lola even if they hated her in book one but in this book it becomes somewhat deeper once they learn about her past and what she has overcome, also the reason she became the Night Slayer. This draws them to her even more. I love these four together and I mean I am a sucker for a good reverse harem and this one is terrific. I love how they do not try to change Lola and her brand of crazy. They like her crazy and they embrace it. She enjoys them for who they are also. I have been pulled into the darkness of this series and I do not want to find the light.

[KitKat821 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my little black heart is loving all of the twists, turns, and games. The cliffhanger at the end, holy fuc&. I wasn’t quite expecting that. The deeper, hidden connections between the families become more clear, and also why a single decision Lola makes creates a maelstrom and the start of the war. Be warned and check your triggers, for this book is fairly dark….but also funny and sweet at moments. The three guys are driving me up a wall with their hot/cold treatments of Lola and they either need to man up and get over her decision to kill Mario the rapist or kill her. I’m looking forward to a few more bloody deaths of some bad, bad people that totally deserve it in the next book. Fingers crossed for a HEA, can’t wait.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candace has me in a chokehold with this series. I love Lola, Maddox, and Viper. Sylvester is okay, but he needs just a little bit more of something. I thought everything was going to go well until the last freaking 3 chapters. I didn't think Tony betraying the Lucianos would matter much. Boy, was I wrong since the little snake was working with Bianca, AKA, the Bloody Princess. Stupid ass bitch boy. I can't wait for Lola to get her hands on him. However, I am so excited to see the battle between Bianca and Lola. It should be an epic one (obviously Im rooting for Lola). Especially if Lola ever manages to get back to the Lucianos and tell them what's going on. However, before she can do that, she has to deal with her douchbag brother. How the hell is he even their?? Ugh!

[Stacy VJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

You’re killing me with these books…..there’s enough to keep you reading but lord have mercy, the internal dialogue goes on & on.

It’s written in multiple POV which is great HOWEVER what one person says, the next 2 repeat…..lots of filler & not enough description when it comes to sex & let’s face it, that’s what we are here for.

I love Lola’s mouth & what she comes out with….

“I mean, variety was the spice of life, wasn’t it? A thick dick, a long dick, a tatted dick, a shaved dick…”

But she’s starting to really annoy me now.


It’s such a shame that the potential of this book is missed by a long shot, I will continue because I’m invested now.

[Frrni · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5


I'm hoping for more action but the book drags in the middle and some are predictable so overall is okay. The last 3 chapter ohh it grasp my interest at last we meet Bianca again and know her motives and to add it interesting? We meet Aiden Harding the epitome of Lola's nightmare. Oh Lola is badass she doesn't cower before her enemies. I love her acceptance abt her feelings towards Sylvester,Maddox and Viper and vice versa. Although they are still conflicted abt their feelings but they rather accept it because they know what the hearts want.

[Dania · Rating 3 out of 5]

BUAA, vaya drama que hay en estos libros, me encanta.

La autora acumuló todos los conflictos para el final. Pobre Lola, si ya esta loca imagínate como debe estar ahora luego de ser secuestrada, violada, amenazada y encontrándose con la persona dueña de sus pesadillas, que lamentablemente es su hermano. Nada que decir, solo que estoy ansiosa por continuar leyendo esta trilogía.

[MC · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 / 5.0 Not as good as the first book but they are really just one text.

These books aren’t contained into three parts, they are one book broken into three acts, so really this second act isn’t as strong as the first, but it sets the stage for the last act, so is necessary. How about that run on sentence?

Until Next Time,
MC

[aru · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was boring at least until the last 20% of it where the plot picks up. It's full of Lola being wishy washy and ranting :T

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

5-בכי-בלי-הפסקה-כוכבים⭐

[Noa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Improvement from the last book in my opinion
Imagine if you will if Jim from The Office was a female serial killer in a why choose romance you get this book basically

[Arielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I enjoyed the hell out of this book. Idk what that says about me but.... do I care? Nah. But holy cliff hanger... starting book 3 ASAP rocky.

[Books A-Brewin' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lola finally reveals to the Lucianos every dirty detail of her past in all it's glory and none of them feel anything but rage towards the family who let such terrible things happen to her under their roof. Her telling them about her past has caused a plethora of conflicted emotions to spring up within the Lucianos' family ranks, but it explains a lot about Lola's need for retribution against men who take advantage of women when they are vulnerable.

While they wage war with their emotions the Luciano boys put Lola to work scouting out one of the new bars the DeLuca family have just opened. Putting her in for audition once they hear her voice and know their enemies would be foolish to not make her their singer. While singing only conjures up images of the life Lola left behind she's willing to do what she can for the men she has come to develop feelings for. Even if that something is slipping something in the drink of the leader of their enemy. Little did Lola know that that one simple act was going to be a catalyst for her newfound family's downfall in the midst of a traitor.

Add to that the fact that man of Lola's nightmares, her abuser and little brother, show up in town determined to bring her back into the fold and home to their macabre and twisted existence. Aiden is the one man who can make Lola feel like the scared little girl she once was rather than the predator of predators that she has become. Can she find a way to stop a war between the Lucianos and DeLucas as well as navigate her feelings for her men while having her abuser breathing down her neck? No pressure.

I liked that in this book we didn't just get to see the crazy side of Lola. We got to see the why of it. Why she is the way she is and why she took up the mission to kill predatory men. It was a deep dive into the woman's psyche and I found myself nodding along with her when she gave explanations for the reason she did the thing she did. I could understand it. Sometimes things happen that simply break a person irreparable. Lola isn't crazy, she's broken. And I watched as piece by piece the men in her life shoved her back together the best way they could: through acceptance.

The traitor to the Luciano family was so obvious to me. I pegged him as a snake from the moment he first graced the pages of the first book. There had to be a reason that Maddox reacted so strongly to him where he didn't with any of the others. Maybe even Maddox had a feeling something was off about the guy but had no way of knowing how right he was. I really hate that Lola got blamed for following the traitor's directive when she had not been told nor given any reason to doubt him. I really hope he gets what is coming to him though.

This book was the great middle bit to a great trilogy. The first story was all fire, heat, and excitement and this one got to the heart of the matter by making the characters focus on more than their hatred for Marco's killer and the sex they can't seem to stop themselves from engaging in. They got to know Lola and she them and they were able to form the bonds they would need for the story to truly be one to sink your teeth into and make you hungry for more.

[Paloma · Rating 2 out of 5]

**Same review as book 1**

The premise of this book got me intrigued: it’s a RH with the girl being a badass killer and the guys are the brothers of one her victims.
I read book 1 and I’m sad to say book 3 will be a DNF for me I’m afraid. While Lola has a lot and I mean A LOT of ramblings that turn into chapters, her relationship with the boys are weird to say the least and for some reason they don’t connect except when it comes to sex.
Plus there are a few gaps like why does Viper and his twin brother have a life debt with the Lucianos? What happened to their mother? (Which we discover a bit in book 3) but I digress... Lola Harding is a serial killer and due to her sad and tragic past, she avenges womenkind by murdering men that don’t know what consent is. In one of those killing sprees, she murders Mario Luciano aka Dickless. Little does she doesn’t know that the Lucianos are a big deal in town and control part of the city but instead of avenging Mario and killing her, one of the remaining brothers decides that she must use her skill until she’s no longer necessary.
She is monitored 24/7 and being a gorgeous girl, they all find her appealing.

Since this is the first book I read of this author, I can’t say for sure but I think there are characters that allude to other series since they are mentioned a lot and in a way that makes you think we should know the ins and outs of their relationship (also RH). You can get through the story without this background of course but I think Candace should put a disclaimer somewhere so new readers would be aware of this.

So far, Lola has sex with Viper, Maddox and Sylvester and while it can be ok (I’ve read better scenes so it didn’t do much for me I’m afraid), one of the other characters, Tony, which you are iffy about turns into a big pile of shit by not only betraying the Lucianos but also raping Lola.

By up to the end, we know what series of events led to Lola becoming a serial killer and who her first victims were. I gotta say, I was not expecting that but this time, warnings were made as it can trigger some people. I know it did me which I totally own as not being biased to continuing reading it until we got to book 3 where her abuser aka baby brother found her.

I really couldn’t read book 3 after that, it was too much for me and if you don’t mind this level of dark, keep reading.

[aida · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m a SUCKER for a dark romance, a SUCKER for mafia romances, and the world’s BIGGEST SUCKER for reverse harem. So, obviously, this series really called out to me.

Let me also mention that I have this absolutely awful quality of not letting myself DNF books because I feel like I just need to push through so that;
1.) I can form a proper opinion.
2.) I need to know what happens otherwise it’s going to bother me, no matter how bad the book may be.

Well, this was the case with this series. I really wish I could go back and DNF. But I can’t.

So I’m going to keep my review short, and I’ll be using this review to cover all of the books in the series because I can’t be bothered to write one for each book. Probably spoilers ahead.

1.) This plot ends up being so dumb. She’s a serial killer who preys on men who hurt women, but she kills the Luciano brother without any actual proof that he hurts women. Just an absolutely idiot assumption that he does because he left the club with her.
2.) The fact that Maddox & Sylvester ever even forgive her or move past her killing their brother is beyond me, and I don’t think it makes sense.
3.) Tony is a GODDAMN MACGUFFIN!!!!! He serves NO purpose in the story other than to betray. We never even fully understand what his role with the Lucianos was; why was he so involved with them? We also don’t get a good idea of why he betrayed them. AND WORST OF ALL, it is HEAVILY implied that he sexually assaults Lola and she never even tells her guys about it? Even when they’re going to kill him. Like…. Wouldn’t that be something she mentioned?
4.) The whole crap storyline with her creepy brother is dumb and it’s meant to be the reason Lola is a serial killer, but it pans out to be so unsatisfying. He is made to basically be the devil for what he did to her but when it comes time for him to waltz back into the story, he’s not any real threat and they remove him from the story so fast.
5.) I hate Big Mike’s character. Is he part of the harem? Why the hell do we have this loose end with him all throughout and it’s never fully taken care of? It’s dumb and he shouldn’t even be in the book because he doesn’t matter.

Ugh… Honestly, even just going through all of this and writing about it is pissing me off because this series was bad and I never should have finished it.
All of these books are like a 1.5/5. Goodbye.

[Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come out come out wherever you are

Oh Lola. This book takes off right where book 1 ended. Lola is at a crossroads. She’s finding she actually has feelings for all Mad Maddox 🤤, Sylvester and Viper. Her heart is beating again for the first time since she can even remember. Do they feel the same? They mention it to themselves and to some others but never to her. Ever. The guys are all still getting over the fact that she murdered their little brother.

Then the backstabbing happens and what Lola thought would only help the family has fractured it even more. She is met by the Bloddy Princess 👑 who offers her an ultimatum she must decide in 1 weeks time that regardless will take her life. That ending - pshhhhh you saw it happening at some point but you didn’t know when. It was that crazy dundundunnnnnn endings.
———
First off, I love stories like this? Does that make me crazy? Maybe. 🤷🏼‍♀️ The deceit and forbidden love and overall craziness of the FMC is everything. Lola is such a hardcore MF that takes no disrespect and then when faced with certain challenges she learns to realize that she may no longer want to head on by herself.

I am super stoaked for book 3! I can’t wait to see what happens. Like with this book where we saw a lot of character growth with Lola, I’m hoping to see that with her guys in book 3!

*Overall 4/5
*Heat? 4/5
*First person POV - main characters
*Fast burn
*HEA? Nope!

[Mel G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a chaotic but definitely entertaining read, to say the least.

It was certainly a whirlwind of an experience reading from Lola’s POV, she’s so unpredictable and rash. I absolutely can’t relate to her but her bravery, persistence, and confidence (okay, arrogance) make her a more likeable character IMO.

One of my fave parts was when she meets Daddy Richie and he throws her around like he’s about to end her life for what she did; I was like uh… okay I’m kinda here for this and I would literally die for a twist such as Richard in her little harem.
*swoon* ..a girl can truly dream.
“”It would be a pity to destroy something as beautiful as you,” Richard whispered, his jaw setting as his hand fell away from my face.
“But I’ve done worse, and I’ll do worse yet before death takes me.””

We had some interesting developments on the relationship front. Things are getting really serious and I’m wondering how it’s all going to play out when she’s supposed to die in the end…
I already know she’s going to redeem her way out of it though!

That cliffhanger!!!
Bloody hell that truly gave me heart palpitations.
I’m literally terrified to start this last book but I’m intrigued to see how it comes to a close.

~3.5~