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Crooked Paradise #4
Lethal Empress
Bury the hatchet... in your enemy's heart.
I've reclaimed my throne, and Wylder Noble has demanded his. But war still rages all through Paradise Bend.
It turns out this war involves powers from far beyond our little county. Powers determined to bring the fighting to an end, even if that means painting the streets with blood on both sides.
We have seven days to take down my psychotic stalker and his soldiers before all our lives are forfeit.
The dangerous men who've won my heart and I have never faced a challenge quite like this. Most would say we're not up to it.
But the Nobles are far from noble when it comes to tackling a threat, and Mercy Katz is no kitten. There's nothing more lethal than a creature with claws backed into a corner.
We'll bring our home the peace it deserves by whatever means necessary... or die trying.
*Lethal Empress is the fourth and final book in a new gritty contemporary romance series from bestselling author Eva Chase (writing as Eva Chance) and Harlow King. No major triggers, but be prepared for domineering men who make their own rules, a rebellious heroine who's not afraid to get her hands dirty, and an enemies-to-lovers romance where the girl gets all the guys. It's going to be a wild, bloody ride!*
I've reclaimed my throne, and Wylder Noble has demanded his. But war still rages all through Paradise Bend.
It turns out this war involves powers from far beyond our little county. Powers determined to bring the fighting to an end, even if that means painting the streets with blood on both sides.
We have seven days to take down my psychotic stalker and his soldiers before all our lives are forfeit.
The dangerous men who've won my heart and I have never faced a challenge quite like this. Most would say we're not up to it.
But the Nobles are far from noble when it comes to tackling a threat, and Mercy Katz is no kitten. There's nothing more lethal than a creature with claws backed into a corner.
We'll bring our home the peace it deserves by whatever means necessary... or die trying.
*Lethal Empress is the fourth and final book in a new gritty contemporary romance series from bestselling author Eva Chase (writing as Eva Chance) and Harlow King. No major triggers, but be prepared for domineering men who make their own rules, a rebellious heroine who's not afraid to get her hands dirty, and an enemies-to-lovers romance where the girl gets all the guys. It's going to be a wild, bloody ride!*
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2021
394 people are currently reading
1989 people want to read
About the author
Eva Chance
27 books438 followersEva Chance is a pen name for contemporary romance written by Amazon top 100 bestselling author Eva Chase.
If you love gritty romance, dominant men, and fierce women who never have to choose, look no further.
Eva is a life-long Canadian and lives in Toronto with her husband, kids, and one very snuggly cat. As Eva Chase, she also writes fanasy and paranormal romance.
Fun Facts:
Fave colors: Green, blue, violet
Fave foods: Green curry chicken, California rolls, pizza
Fave vacation spots: Cancun, Japan, Scotland
Fave animals: Dolphin, wolf, raven
Website: https://evachase.com/
If you love gritty romance, dominant men, and fierce women who never have to choose, look no further.
Eva is a life-long Canadian and lives in Toronto with her husband, kids, and one very snuggly cat. As Eva Chase, she also writes fanasy and paranormal romance.
Fun Facts:
Fave colors: Green, blue, violet
Fave foods: Green curry chicken, California rolls, pizza
Fave vacation spots: Cancun, Japan, Scotland
Fave animals: Dolphin, wolf, raven
Website: https://evachase.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
dnf
September 27, 2022I rather not read this book, than read it and go into another reading slump.
Thanks, no thanks.
Thanks, no thanks.
November 9, 2021
well well well. I waited all this time or an anti-climatic ending like that?
Honestly I was a bit bored with the ending of this series and I wish I could say I liked the plot more. But I was just here for the smut.
*shrug*
January 6, 2022
This is definitely all-out war as The Nobles and the Claws prepare to annihilate their enemies and bring order back to the bend. Now with a new mysterious benefactor on board that has given them just seven days to eject the storm’s people and restore order to the bend Mercy and her men put everything they have into achieving their objective even when the odds seem stacked.
Going in with all guns blazing and prepared to even die for there cause this last book is definitely all or nothing. It was a fitting end to the series and managed to wrap it all up nicely. The finish was slightly anti-climatic but this was definitely action-packed throughout. The first two books in the series were better for me but I still mostly enjoyed this and the series as a whole.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
May 15, 2025
This was a good conclusion to the series. There was a lot of action and stakes for our main characters. I love the found family aspect and the relationship dynamics between Mercy and our four guys.
September 28, 2021
Mercy Katz has claimed her throne following her father's death and Wilder is demanding his throne from his father but there is still a war in Paradise Bend involving a central crime gang with one of the lieutenants at the helm - him being Mercy's psychotic stalker. They have been given just seven days to bring it under control and stop the bloodshed even if it might involve a lot more in the short term - failure to stick to that timescale would mean that their own lives are forfeit. Mercy and her dangerous men have never faced a challenge like it before but the Nobles are noble for a reason and Mercy Katz is not just a kitten. Their enemies should realise that there is nothing more lethal than a creature with claws when it has been backed into a corner. So it will be peace by any means necessary or die trying.
This is the final instalment of the series and I will miss it now it's completed. I loved the relationships between Mercy and the four men who she loved. It was great to see them all working together as a team as well as how well Mercy was able to just calm them down so that they were able to get the best results. I loved the surprises from Ezra Noble and how they ended up. He was a very bitter and twisted old man in the end. Well written, easy to read and understand it was very enjoyable. Contains violence and explicit sexual content.
This is the final instalment of the series and I will miss it now it's completed. I loved the relationships between Mercy and the four men who she loved. It was great to see them all working together as a team as well as how well Mercy was able to just calm them down so that they were able to get the best results. I loved the surprises from Ezra Noble and how they ended up. He was a very bitter and twisted old man in the end. Well written, easy to read and understand it was very enjoyable. Contains violence and explicit sexual content.
June 29, 2022
Lethal Empress by Eva Chance and Harlow King is an enemies-to-lovers gang romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Ava Lucas and J.F. Harding. This is the fourth and final book in the Crooked Paradise series.
I was hooked from the first book in the series and couldn't help but binge each book in one sitting. I loved the relationship between Mercy, Wylder, Kaige, Gideon, and Rowan. It was messy but you couldn't help but root for them. I really enjoyed getting all of their points of view throughout the book. It really brought the story to life.
Ava Lucas and J.F. Harding did an amazing job on the narration. They both really know how to bring a story to life. I look forward to listening to more of their work in the future.
If you have the chance, I will highly recommend getting the box set in print to get the extended epilogue that is set 3 years later. It was a great addition to their story and a great set up for Vigilante Kings series that will be featuring Beckett.
I would recommend this series if you like enemies-to-lover romance, contemporary romance, reverse harem romances or gang romances.
I was hooked from the first book in the series and couldn't help but binge each book in one sitting. I loved the relationship between Mercy, Wylder, Kaige, Gideon, and Rowan. It was messy but you couldn't help but root for them. I really enjoyed getting all of their points of view throughout the book. It really brought the story to life.
Ava Lucas and J.F. Harding did an amazing job on the narration. They both really know how to bring a story to life. I look forward to listening to more of their work in the future.
If you have the chance, I will highly recommend getting the box set in print to get the extended epilogue that is set 3 years later. It was a great addition to their story and a great set up for Vigilante Kings series that will be featuring Beckett.
I would recommend this series if you like enemies-to-lover romance, contemporary romance, reverse harem romances or gang romances.
October 1, 2021
4.5/5 ⭐️ • 5/5 🔥
Gah! I loved this series so much and as happy as I am for these characters to be able to move on, I’m sad it’s over.
The character development was 👌🏼 The plot, the action, chemistry, just all of it was amazing. I’m so happy with how things turned out (even if we did have some major OMG moments throughout the book!).
I did feel like somethings that happened seemed more like filler than really anything important, but I ain’t mad over it. I would’ve loved to have an extended epilogue or just a look into their futures too.
Gah! I loved this series so much and as happy as I am for these characters to be able to move on, I’m sad it’s over.
The character development was 👌🏼 The plot, the action, chemistry, just all of it was amazing. I’m so happy with how things turned out (even if we did have some major OMG moments throughout the book!).
I did feel like somethings that happened seemed more like filler than really anything important, but I ain’t mad over it. I would’ve loved to have an extended epilogue or just a look into their futures too.
October 18, 2022
This took me quite a while to get through, but I did it! 👏🏻 An okay wrap up to the whole series. I was a little bummed with Rowan’s part overall in the end… and the final showdowns with Storm and Xavier I think were a little rushed. There’s this series long buildup to these final showdowns, and they kind of played out exactly how the rest did. I don’t know, I expected just a little bit more from that. But, as a whole, definitely enjoyed this series!
November 17, 2024
2.75 ⭐️
This was the most repetitive series I think I’ve read to date, there is nothing that I hate more than a series that could have been a duet that’s dragged out. I loved Mercy, she was awesome but the guys? They were man children and the relationship didn’t seem balanced enough to work. There were 2 group scenes in 4 books and both were more “train like” then actually “group” the constant production of condoms everywhere was even more hilarious to me. The fact that Rowan was missing for a good portion of the last book was also annoying. They also brought up the fact that Cage or Gage whatever his name was constantly slamming his fist into his hand, they mentioned this so many times. As far as RH mafia series go there are better ones with more spice and better plot, the villains were annoying and long winded and I think Ezra might of been the final ugh moment with how we went out. It’s not the worst I’ve ever read but definitely tiresome and boring towards the 3rd and final book.
This was the most repetitive series I think I’ve read to date, there is nothing that I hate more than a series that could have been a duet that’s dragged out. I loved Mercy, she was awesome but the guys? They were man children and the relationship didn’t seem balanced enough to work. There were 2 group scenes in 4 books and both were more “train like” then actually “group” the constant production of condoms everywhere was even more hilarious to me. The fact that Rowan was missing for a good portion of the last book was also annoying. They also brought up the fact that Cage or Gage whatever his name was constantly slamming his fist into his hand, they mentioned this so many times. As far as RH mafia series go there are better ones with more spice and better plot, the villains were annoying and long winded and I think Ezra might of been the final ugh moment with how we went out. It’s not the worst I’ve ever read but definitely tiresome and boring towards the 3rd and final book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2023
Reading the book as the completed series book but felt each part needed their own rating
1.5/5⭐️
This one flopped, the last three books did well setting up the series and actually had me reasonably hooked but this one, oh jeez did it not deliver.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
~ The Plot ~
As I said above the other three books did well building up the plot and making it seem like it was going to be a good ending, but as that percent was getting nearer I knew it wasn’t going to happen, first off the big bad crime lord just walks away? Just is like yep cool I’m out? Fuck off! Then the ‘massive battle’ against the insane Xavier? Electrocution and pummelled. It just felt as if these were just cop outs, the plot felt rushed and the details just seemed to be bland. Things were all way too convenient and consequences didn’t exist.
I struggled to actually finish this, the last part actually took me a week to read (a long time for me) and I even gave up on the second epilogue (yep there’s two) but I was that done I just wanted it to end.
~ The Characters ~
Honestly Mercy kinda lost me in this book, she was a bad ass, doesn’t take shit character which I liked but this part she just felt empty, she didn’t seem to develop and just kept looping back on past shit so it got boring to read.
All the boys were just boring this part, nothing really happened and the scenes with them were just meh… the ‘I love you’ parts just were cringe (don’t get me started on the damn hospital) they felt like they were thrown in at the end and didn’t really fit the scenes they were in. A lot of the spice felt forced or an afterthought, it was thrown in there at times most people would not be horny, or just completely random.
Rowan however… I have no words, everything that happened to him, about him just annoyed me beyond belief, the hospital scene really annoys me and the fact he wasn’t really even in this book at all cause of the coma… it felt like a cop out.
After all the work the first 3 parts built up this last one was just disappointing, everything felt rushed yet so damn slow at the same time. The moments you thought would have turned out really cool and be action packed weren’t. It just felt like the author just gave up with the series and write it to get it over with…
1.5/5⭐️
This one flopped, the last three books did well setting up the series and actually had me reasonably hooked but this one, oh jeez did it not deliver.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
~ The Plot ~
As I said above the other three books did well building up the plot and making it seem like it was going to be a good ending, but as that percent was getting nearer I knew it wasn’t going to happen, first off the big bad crime lord just walks away? Just is like yep cool I’m out? Fuck off! Then the ‘massive battle’ against the insane Xavier? Electrocution and pummelled. It just felt as if these were just cop outs, the plot felt rushed and the details just seemed to be bland. Things were all way too convenient and consequences didn’t exist.
I struggled to actually finish this, the last part actually took me a week to read (a long time for me) and I even gave up on the second epilogue (yep there’s two) but I was that done I just wanted it to end.
~ The Characters ~
Honestly Mercy kinda lost me in this book, she was a bad ass, doesn’t take shit character which I liked but this part she just felt empty, she didn’t seem to develop and just kept looping back on past shit so it got boring to read.
All the boys were just boring this part, nothing really happened and the scenes with them were just meh… the ‘I love you’ parts just were cringe (don’t get me started on the damn hospital) they felt like they were thrown in at the end and didn’t really fit the scenes they were in. A lot of the spice felt forced or an afterthought, it was thrown in there at times most people would not be horny, or just completely random.
Rowan however… I have no words, everything that happened to him, about him just annoyed me beyond belief, the hospital scene really annoys me and the fact he wasn’t really even in this book at all cause of the coma… it felt like a cop out.
After all the work the first 3 parts built up this last one was just disappointing, everything felt rushed yet so damn slow at the same time. The moments you thought would have turned out really cool and be action packed weren’t. It just felt like the author just gave up with the series and write it to get it over with…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2022
⏱ 4h30
se alguém me perguntasse por que eu li quatro livros dessa série, eu não saberia responder
Li por que sou ridícula? Não tenho o que fazer?
Sei lá
Os 2 primeiros são melhorzinhos, mas esses 2 últimos quase me mataram de tédio. Especialmente o 3 (uma perca de tempo)
O que eu gosto é que o HR é bem tranquilo, não tem briga de ego, os caras são super de boas quanto a isso, o que me agrada demais. Em geral, os pp são bem legalzinhos. Queria apenas que não se levasse tão a sério.
Foi ok ler, mas daqui uma semana não vou lembrar nem o nome da protagonista.
se alguém me perguntasse por que eu li quatro livros dessa série, eu não saberia responder
Li por que sou ridícula? Não tenho o que fazer?
Sei lá
Os 2 primeiros são melhorzinhos, mas esses 2 últimos quase me mataram de tédio. Especialmente o 3 (uma perca de tempo)
O que eu gosto é que o HR é bem tranquilo, não tem briga de ego, os caras são super de boas quanto a isso, o que me agrada demais. Em geral, os pp são bem legalzinhos. Queria apenas que não se levasse tão a sério.
Foi ok ler, mas daqui uma semana não vou lembrar nem o nome da protagonista.
April 14, 2025
why choose? Mafia Romance
Ok this is the final book in this series, an I thought it was terrific. I like the Why Choose? Story line and I like that Mercy has four men. There is a lot of action and several smutty scenes with some of them with Mercy and several of her guys at once. Highly recommended
Ok this is the final book in this series, an I thought it was terrific. I like the Why Choose? Story line and I like that Mercy has four men. There is a lot of action and several smutty scenes with some of them with Mercy and several of her guys at once. Highly recommended
January 15, 2022
Really enjoyed this series! Sad that it’s over now! Loved how it all played out! Questions were answered, would have liked an epilogue just to bring it to an end a little more but overall loved it. I think Rowan and Wylder ended up being my top fave men 🙌🏽
October 1, 2024
This book feels like a Disney channel show. Like sure it's entertaining. But does it also have super simple dialogue, unrealistic situations, and feels kind of cheesy? Yes. That's exactly how this book felt.
June 6, 2024
Actual Rating: 3.5
December 29, 2022
Recommend: Yes
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️
Age recommendation: 18-30+ Years
World: One Mortal World
Plot:
Book 4 takes off with them waking up in a place with a man who says he is part of an higher power group who run everything and everyone. He gives them 1 week to get rid of the gangs int he town before eh steps in and levels them all. They agree and stage many interactions with the enemy. Xavier is so unhinged with his obsession with Mercy he keeps showing to kill her. She finds out he was in love with her mum, and cause her mum was killed by her dad he blames her for it. In the last attempt they use the bosses son to secure the enemy’s withdrawal from the city. Xavier refuses to leave and goes on rampage, they end up killing him. When they get back to mansion Ezra loses his shit and tires to kill Mercy. Mercy and Wylder both shoot him dead at the same time. Wylder takes over at the head of the nobles and Mercy becomes the Queen of the Claws in the bend.
My feelings:
So this book finished so quickly I didn’t know what to do. There was so much action for 80% of it, then they kill Xavier and then Ezra then bam book is over. No HEA or anything to suggest much at all. I felt like I needed better round up in the end there. Like maybe 1 year later with her happy and living with them all?? Or not together anymore or something. I felt the ending sucked. All the action was great! I loved that side of it all, but the ending just left me wanting a hell of a lot more.
“I opened the urn’s lid and shook the gray dust of my father’s ashes into the base of the pit. Then I helped Jenner heave the tub closer. Together, we poured the cement into the hollow. The gray sludge swallowed up my father’s last remains and crept up the sides of the pit. We had a little more than enough to fill it to the lip where the slab would sit. The other men shoved the slab back into place where it would bind with the new cement. Then Jenner sealed the edges with the last few dribbles from the tub. He smoothed the stuff out with a scraper, and just like that, the floor looked seamless, as if there’d never been anything cut out of it.”
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️
Age recommendation: 18-30+ Years
World: One Mortal World
Plot:
Book 4 takes off with them waking up in a place with a man who says he is part of an higher power group who run everything and everyone. He gives them 1 week to get rid of the gangs int he town before eh steps in and levels them all. They agree and stage many interactions with the enemy. Xavier is so unhinged with his obsession with Mercy he keeps showing to kill her. She finds out he was in love with her mum, and cause her mum was killed by her dad he blames her for it. In the last attempt they use the bosses son to secure the enemy’s withdrawal from the city. Xavier refuses to leave and goes on rampage, they end up killing him. When they get back to mansion Ezra loses his shit and tires to kill Mercy. Mercy and Wylder both shoot him dead at the same time. Wylder takes over at the head of the nobles and Mercy becomes the Queen of the Claws in the bend.
My feelings:
So this book finished so quickly I didn’t know what to do. There was so much action for 80% of it, then they kill Xavier and then Ezra then bam book is over. No HEA or anything to suggest much at all. I felt like I needed better round up in the end there. Like maybe 1 year later with her happy and living with them all?? Or not together anymore or something. I felt the ending sucked. All the action was great! I loved that side of it all, but the ending just left me wanting a hell of a lot more.
“I opened the urn’s lid and shook the gray dust of my father’s ashes into the base of the pit. Then I helped Jenner heave the tub closer. Together, we poured the cement into the hollow. The gray sludge swallowed up my father’s last remains and crept up the sides of the pit. We had a little more than enough to fill it to the lip where the slab would sit. The other men shoved the slab back into place where it would bind with the new cement. Then Jenner sealed the edges with the last few dribbles from the tub. He smoothed the stuff out with a scraper, and just like that, the floor looked seamless, as if there’d never been anything cut out of it.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2022
Book 3 & 4 should have been 1 book
This series started off so strong in the first 2 books. Unfortunately it was almost a DNF for me because I quickly got bored by the plot that just slowed to a snails pace and repetitive action scenes and spicy/steamy scenes that just started feeling like a way to drag out the story longer (I like these type of scenes, but also need more of a plot that continues to move forward). Dialogue/thoughts also became more repetitive. By the middle of book 3 I had really lost my interest in the story and characters, but I kept going in hopes it would get back to the faster paced/tighter story style that I loved in the first two books, but it didn't.
After finishing all 4 books... while I would still give book 1 and 2 a 5 star rating, book 3 and 4 should have been more fine tuned and combined into one book. I ended up skimming most of book 3 and 4 (and I am not typically a skim reader).
I had so been looking forward to recommending this series to my book friends after it started off so well, but unfortunately it fell into what I have noticed more and more authors have been doing.... dragging out a series with unnecessary filler that is repetitive or drags a plot down after the first or second book in order to get more books in a series so they make more money. I get that financial gain is a big deal, but this type of strategy can also mean losing readers because not everyone is willing to even skim read once things hit that dragging point.
If you like the pacing and didn't find a lot of unnecessary fillers in kings of quarantine series, then definitely shouldn't have issues with the pacing or repetitive stuff in this series (I had issues with the overly drawn out story in that series too... a good series that had potential to be GREAT if it had tightened up the story by eliminating unnecessary parts that contributed nothing except making the story drag).
This series started off so strong in the first 2 books. Unfortunately it was almost a DNF for me because I quickly got bored by the plot that just slowed to a snails pace and repetitive action scenes and spicy/steamy scenes that just started feeling like a way to drag out the story longer (I like these type of scenes, but also need more of a plot that continues to move forward). Dialogue/thoughts also became more repetitive. By the middle of book 3 I had really lost my interest in the story and characters, but I kept going in hopes it would get back to the faster paced/tighter story style that I loved in the first two books, but it didn't.
After finishing all 4 books... while I would still give book 1 and 2 a 5 star rating, book 3 and 4 should have been more fine tuned and combined into one book. I ended up skimming most of book 3 and 4 (and I am not typically a skim reader).
I had so been looking forward to recommending this series to my book friends after it started off so well, but unfortunately it fell into what I have noticed more and more authors have been doing.... dragging out a series with unnecessary filler that is repetitive or drags a plot down after the first or second book in order to get more books in a series so they make more money. I get that financial gain is a big deal, but this type of strategy can also mean losing readers because not everyone is willing to even skim read once things hit that dragging point.
If you like the pacing and didn't find a lot of unnecessary fillers in kings of quarantine series, then definitely shouldn't have issues with the pacing or repetitive stuff in this series (I had issues with the overly drawn out story in that series too... a good series that had potential to be GREAT if it had tightened up the story by eliminating unnecessary parts that contributed nothing except making the story drag).
December 28, 2022
3.5 stars to wrap up the series.
Honestly, I didn't want to read this book after not particularly enjoying the first three. But then I felt silly having put in so much sunk cost into the first three, and not even knowing how it wrapped up, so I grabbed it and settled in.
This was probably the best book the series, because the pacing was a little faster and stuff actually happened. I'm still not convinced that I actually like all the characters. I have to say, after being beaten over the head every other paragraph with the fact that the FMC is always carrying a little token around with her, the fact that it DIDN'T end up being the villains tracking device is wild. Even more wild is that she ultimately just tossed it away. Why did you make me read 1700000 sentences about this dumb token for it to mean literally nothing in the end?!
Anyway.....this entire series was just fine. It was a super disappointment to me after I loved the author's Chaos Crew series to the end of the earth. (All four books rated five stars). I saw someone mention in the reviews for the second or third book that this is a good "mafia-lite" series to recommend, and I probably agree with that. There's no major darkness to it, the spice scenes are spicy but not wild, and the politics are simple enough that it's easy to pick up/put down/mostly ignore.
Honestly, I didn't want to read this book after not particularly enjoying the first three. But then I felt silly having put in so much sunk cost into the first three, and not even knowing how it wrapped up, so I grabbed it and settled in.
This was probably the best book the series, because the pacing was a little faster and stuff actually happened. I'm still not convinced that I actually like all the characters. I have to say, after being beaten over the head every other paragraph with the fact that the FMC is always carrying a little token around with her, the fact that it DIDN'T end up being the villains tracking device is wild. Even more wild is that she ultimately just tossed it away. Why did you make me read 1700000 sentences about this dumb token for it to mean literally nothing in the end?!
Anyway.....this entire series was just fine. It was a super disappointment to me after I loved the author's Chaos Crew series to the end of the earth. (All four books rated five stars). I saw someone mention in the reviews for the second or third book that this is a good "mafia-lite" series to recommend, and I probably agree with that. There's no major darkness to it, the spice scenes are spicy but not wild, and the politics are simple enough that it's easy to pick up/put down/mostly ignore.
August 22, 2022
Alright you can read my reviews of the previous books but this series started out pretty promising. Had the revenge aspect, basic tropes for this type of book overall not bad. Then the last 3 books just DRAGGED on.
This one just seemed like every chapter was on repeat without much actually occurring. They then defeat the big bad Xavier and only take 2 seconds to take Ezra out? When Ezra had been a huge problem for them to this point?
If you loved the girl so much why did you not shoot your dad when he sent her to the "rape date" or when he kicked her out and she was hiding in safe houses being attacked. Or for gods sake why not kill the guy when he was actively working against you.? You kill him because he got wasted and had a gun being threatening? I was just over it by this point in the book...
This one just seemed like every chapter was on repeat without much actually occurring. They then defeat the big bad Xavier and only take 2 seconds to take Ezra out? When Ezra had been a huge problem for them to this point?
If you loved the girl so much why did you not shoot your dad when he sent her to the "rape date" or when he kicked her out and she was hiding in safe houses being attacked. Or for gods sake why not kill the guy when he was actively working against you.? You kill him because he got wasted and had a gun being threatening? I was just over it by this point in the book...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2024
2.5 stars
- FMC: Mercy
- MMC's: Wylder, Kaige, Gideon, Rowan
- POVs Included: Multiple POVs (Mercy, Wylder, Gideon, Rowan, Kaige)
- Book Playlist (Crooked Paradise Book SeriesPlaylist)
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SUMMARY: (SPOILER WARNING)
After Mercy and her guys are drugged, they wake up in the clutches of a man nicknamed The Long Night. He reveals that he is one of thirteen men known as The Devil's Dozen who are the true kings of the underground. All the gangs throughout the world fall under their powers and Paradise City is The Long Night's territory.
The Storm and The Red Shark are two other men from the exclusive group. And The Long Night wants them out of his territory. So he gives Mercy and her guys an ultimatum -- get rid of them within the week or he will take all of the Nobles and the Claws out for good.
Now their crew is running out of time and out of ideas. They have to take down The Storm (and Xavier) for good.
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REVIEW:
This series started off strong. The first two books were great. The last book started losing momentum, and this one just kind of dragged to the finish line.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly the problem. Because the plot is decently entertaining and the characters are pretty likable. There's also plenty of action that you'd think the book would be a winner.
But for some reason this series was really missing that special touch. That extra oomph that really set it apart. Everything is just...bland. It's not bad, but just not very special either.
The characters, while likable, are also rather boring. At first glance they are interesting, and they have their moments. But mostly they just sort of blended together and didn't really stand out, personality-wise.
The steam is very lacking. It's there, we do get some sex scenes and some group scenes, and it's great she includes them. But they aren't very interesting. Just kind of mediocre.
And then there's the lackluster gang activity.
Despite being in, you know, gangs, Mercy and her guys are adamantly against drugs and violence. I mean, I get what the author is doing. These are the "good" bad guys. But it feels unlikely that they are all so "good" when they are literally gang leaders. I think writing them in a more gritty fashion would've gone a long way towards making them more interesting characters.
And going along with their "softness" is the fact that they ultimately took down the Storm -- this big bad villain -- by talking to him. Yep, they had a conversation and convinced him that Paradise City isn't worth his time and resources. And the Storm guy is all like, "you know, now that you mention it, I agree" and he pulls all his guys out of there. Seriously? How fucking lame of a way to "take down" the rival gang. This is so unbelievably unrealistic, not to mention boring.
There are other problems with these supposed gangs too....
The fact that the Claws are so quick to follow Mercy is unlikely. Gangs are very much a man's world and it's unlikely that she would get undisputed support from all of them so easily.
And then there's Ezra, the (now-ex) leader of the Nobles. How has this guy even ended up as a leader of such a "powerful" gang? He's a complete idiot, constantly ignoring threats and hyper-focusing on his son's relationship with Mercy for some reason. We are never told what exactly his problem is with Mercy, and honestly his animosity towards her makes absolutely no sense. If anything he should be happy for the alliance. I don't get it.
My last issue with the book are several plot holes that are hard to ignore.
The most glaring one to me is that the first several books indicate that there is a spy in their midst feeding information to Xavier. Yes, we find out one of Axel's lackeys was a spy. But he wasn't close enough to their inner circle to have given him some of the info he had. I really thought it would be Anthea -- and what a twist that would've been. But it wasn't her, and it wasn't anyone. We never find out who was leaking that information. I guess we are supposed to believe it was that other random guy who was never even privy to some of the info Xavier got his hands on. Okay.
Lastly, The Long Night claims that they (The Devil's Dozen) don't get directly involved with the gangs but work silently in the background. This seems to be true in the case of Ezra because he was clueless about all of that. But what about the fact that Mercy's dad (who is leader of an even smaller gang than Ezra) was in direct contact with the Red Shark? And Colt (who was the leader of the Steel Knights) was in contact with the Storm? So none of this actually checks out. It sounds like the only one who didn't know about them was Ezra.
Overall this is a hard one to review. I didn't hate the series, but I did find it lacking in a lot of areas. Which is actually pretty consistent with how I've felt about other works by this author. She's a very middle of the road author me. She has great ideas and storylines, but not the strongest execution all around.
- FMC: Mercy
- MMC's: Wylder, Kaige, Gideon, Rowan
- POVs Included: Multiple POVs (Mercy, Wylder, Gideon, Rowan, Kaige)
- Book Playlist (Crooked Paradise Book SeriesPlaylist)
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
SUMMARY: (SPOILER WARNING)
After Mercy and her guys are drugged, they wake up in the clutches of a man nicknamed The Long Night. He reveals that he is one of thirteen men known as The Devil's Dozen who are the true kings of the underground. All the gangs throughout the world fall under their powers and Paradise City is The Long Night's territory.
The Storm and The Red Shark are two other men from the exclusive group. And The Long Night wants them out of his territory. So he gives Mercy and her guys an ultimatum -- get rid of them within the week or he will take all of the Nobles and the Claws out for good.
Now their crew is running out of time and out of ideas. They have to take down The Storm (and Xavier) for good.
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
REVIEW:
This series started off strong. The first two books were great. The last book started losing momentum, and this one just kind of dragged to the finish line.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly the problem. Because the plot is decently entertaining and the characters are pretty likable. There's also plenty of action that you'd think the book would be a winner.
But for some reason this series was really missing that special touch. That extra oomph that really set it apart. Everything is just...bland. It's not bad, but just not very special either.
The characters, while likable, are also rather boring. At first glance they are interesting, and they have their moments. But mostly they just sort of blended together and didn't really stand out, personality-wise.
The steam is very lacking. It's there, we do get some sex scenes and some group scenes, and it's great she includes them. But they aren't very interesting. Just kind of mediocre.
And then there's the lackluster gang activity.
Despite being in, you know, gangs, Mercy and her guys are adamantly against drugs and violence. I mean, I get what the author is doing. These are the "good" bad guys. But it feels unlikely that they are all so "good" when they are literally gang leaders. I think writing them in a more gritty fashion would've gone a long way towards making them more interesting characters.
And going along with their "softness" is the fact that they ultimately took down the Storm -- this big bad villain -- by talking to him. Yep, they had a conversation and convinced him that Paradise City isn't worth his time and resources. And the Storm guy is all like, "you know, now that you mention it, I agree" and he pulls all his guys out of there. Seriously? How fucking lame of a way to "take down" the rival gang. This is so unbelievably unrealistic, not to mention boring.
There are other problems with these supposed gangs too....
The fact that the Claws are so quick to follow Mercy is unlikely. Gangs are very much a man's world and it's unlikely that she would get undisputed support from all of them so easily.
And then there's Ezra, the (now-ex) leader of the Nobles. How has this guy even ended up as a leader of such a "powerful" gang? He's a complete idiot, constantly ignoring threats and hyper-focusing on his son's relationship with Mercy for some reason. We are never told what exactly his problem is with Mercy, and honestly his animosity towards her makes absolutely no sense. If anything he should be happy for the alliance. I don't get it.
My last issue with the book are several plot holes that are hard to ignore.
The most glaring one to me is that the first several books indicate that there is a spy in their midst feeding information to Xavier. Yes, we find out one of Axel's lackeys was a spy. But he wasn't close enough to their inner circle to have given him some of the info he had. I really thought it would be Anthea -- and what a twist that would've been. But it wasn't her, and it wasn't anyone. We never find out who was leaking that information. I guess we are supposed to believe it was that other random guy who was never even privy to some of the info Xavier got his hands on. Okay.
Lastly, The Long Night claims that they (The Devil's Dozen) don't get directly involved with the gangs but work silently in the background. This seems to be true in the case of Ezra because he was clueless about all of that. But what about the fact that Mercy's dad (who is leader of an even smaller gang than Ezra) was in direct contact with the Red Shark? And Colt (who was the leader of the Steel Knights) was in contact with the Storm? So none of this actually checks out. It sounds like the only one who didn't know about them was Ezra.
Overall this is a hard one to review. I didn't hate the series, but I did find it lacking in a lot of areas. Which is actually pretty consistent with how I've felt about other works by this author. She's a very middle of the road author me. She has great ideas and storylines, but not the strongest execution all around.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2025
3 stars
Very anticlimactic. Mercy and the boys are supposed to be these badass characters but all they seem to do is barely escape with their lives. And they didn’t even really defeat the Storm. I thought there was going to be this whole epic showdown where they slaughtered the Storm’s army but nope. They literally just confronted the Storm with the help of his son Beckett and got the Storm to call off his men. Disappointing.
I love Beckett. I was really scared that he would end up dead before the end of the book but he survived and I was so happy. Beckett’s a sweetheart. I know there’s another series where he’s one of the main characters but I don’t know if I’ll read it. I love him but I don’t know if I want to read another series by this author.
Okay, it’s official. Xavier is an insane psycho. His reason for going after Mercy is bullshit. It doesn’t make sense. Also, I don’t know how I feel about Kaige killing him. It would have been more satisfying for Mercy to kill Xavier considering he was tormenting her.
Rowan was basically useless for the second half of the book. He was out of commission and yeah, I understand that he nearly died but still, what the heck??? I did like how all the guys were pretty mature about saying “I love you” though. Usually in the other books I read, it takes the characters forever to say that and there is always so much drama. It was short and sweet in this book, which was nice.
Ezra’s character went to shit in this book. I thought he would warm up to Mercy but then he just sort of spirals into insanity and tries to kill her. He’s a horrible father. What was the point of his character? Wylder was basically running everything at this point. Ezra should have died a lot sooner.
All in all, this book was average compared to the previous ones. I got pretty bored halfway through when no real progress was being made. Very disappointing and anticlimactic.
Very anticlimactic. Mercy and the boys are supposed to be these badass characters but all they seem to do is barely escape with their lives. And they didn’t even really defeat the Storm. I thought there was going to be this whole epic showdown where they slaughtered the Storm’s army but nope. They literally just confronted the Storm with the help of his son Beckett and got the Storm to call off his men. Disappointing.
I love Beckett. I was really scared that he would end up dead before the end of the book but he survived and I was so happy. Beckett’s a sweetheart. I know there’s another series where he’s one of the main characters but I don’t know if I’ll read it. I love him but I don’t know if I want to read another series by this author.
Okay, it’s official. Xavier is an insane psycho. His reason for going after Mercy is bullshit. It doesn’t make sense. Also, I don’t know how I feel about Kaige killing him. It would have been more satisfying for Mercy to kill Xavier considering he was tormenting her.
Rowan was basically useless for the second half of the book. He was out of commission and yeah, I understand that he nearly died but still, what the heck??? I did like how all the guys were pretty mature about saying “I love you” though. Usually in the other books I read, it takes the characters forever to say that and there is always so much drama. It was short and sweet in this book, which was nice.
Ezra’s character went to shit in this book. I thought he would warm up to Mercy but then he just sort of spirals into insanity and tries to kill her. He’s a horrible father. What was the point of his character? Wylder was basically running everything at this point. Ezra should have died a lot sooner.
All in all, this book was average compared to the previous ones. I got pretty bored halfway through when no real progress was being made. Very disappointing and anticlimactic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2022
Lethal Empress is the final book in the Crooked Paradise, and it all comes down to this. Mercy Katz has been through a lot recently. From the slaughter of her family, to the destruction of her home town, betrayal, deadly alliances, and some mysterious power players. A psychopath is playing a dangerous game and is hellbent on destroying the Bend in the process. Mercy and her boys have one last shot to stop the Storm from taking over and stop Xavier from causing absolutely mayhem before they lose every thing.
Mercy is now in charge of the Claws and have an official alliance with Wylder Noble. The guys and Mercy have bonded and formed a serious relationship with each other, they have each other's backs, trust one another explicitly, and is determined to save the home they all love.
The guys believe in Mercy and give her room to be who she is, the truly see her and value her beyond belief while Mercy brings a new light into their lives. They balance each other out and have a good relationship.
The story was high octane with a lot of exciting things happening but the flow was good and everything made sense. A lot of things were unexpected and went a totally different way than I expected somethings ended exactly how I thought they would. Wylder had to face a lot of facts about his dad in this and Mercy had to deal with the things that she discovered about her family's past. This story really gave a hard look at family, how what they do effects others, how far others are willing to go for them and so much more.
Lethal Empress was exciting. I really enjoyed getting to know Mercy and the guys and while I didn't find the ending perfect I am glad that they have their HFN.
Mercy is now in charge of the Claws and have an official alliance with Wylder Noble. The guys and Mercy have bonded and formed a serious relationship with each other, they have each other's backs, trust one another explicitly, and is determined to save the home they all love.
The guys believe in Mercy and give her room to be who she is, the truly see her and value her beyond belief while Mercy brings a new light into their lives. They balance each other out and have a good relationship.
The story was high octane with a lot of exciting things happening but the flow was good and everything made sense. A lot of things were unexpected and went a totally different way than I expected somethings ended exactly how I thought they would. Wylder had to face a lot of facts about his dad in this and Mercy had to deal with the things that she discovered about her family's past. This story really gave a hard look at family, how what they do effects others, how far others are willing to go for them and so much more.
Lethal Empress was exciting. I really enjoyed getting to know Mercy and the guys and while I didn't find the ending perfect I am glad that they have their HFN.
December 29, 2024
A Predictable but Emotional Finale
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥
📚E-BOOK📚&🎧AUDIO🎧
Lethal Empress picks up exactly where the previous book left off, throwing us right back into the chaos of Paradise Bend. As the final installment of the Crooked Paradise series, it delivers a solid conclusion, though one that was unfortunately quite predictable. The ending was visible from a mile away, which took some of the excitement out of the journey.
That said, the writing is strong, and what truly stands out is the dynamic between Mercy, Wylder, Kaige, Gideon, and Rowan. Their messy, complex relationship is the heart of the story, and I found myself rooting for them despite the mayhem surrounding them. I particularly loved how we got all of their points of view throughout the book—it made the story feel alive and personal.
There’s a moment in this book that brought me to tears—ugly crying, to be precise. If you know, you know. I don’t want to spoil anything, but this emotional punch was a highlight of the story.
On the downside, I wish we had more closure. An epilogue or additional scenes to tie everything together would have been the cherry on top.
Overall, while the predictability of the plot was a letdown, the messy romance, gripping action, and emotional moments make *Lethal Empress* a satisfying, if not perfect, finale. If you’ve followed the series this far, you won’t want to miss how it all ends.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥
📚E-BOOK📚&🎧AUDIO🎧
Lethal Empress picks up exactly where the previous book left off, throwing us right back into the chaos of Paradise Bend. As the final installment of the Crooked Paradise series, it delivers a solid conclusion, though one that was unfortunately quite predictable. The ending was visible from a mile away, which took some of the excitement out of the journey.
That said, the writing is strong, and what truly stands out is the dynamic between Mercy, Wylder, Kaige, Gideon, and Rowan. Their messy, complex relationship is the heart of the story, and I found myself rooting for them despite the mayhem surrounding them. I particularly loved how we got all of their points of view throughout the book—it made the story feel alive and personal.
There’s a moment in this book that brought me to tears—ugly crying, to be precise. If you know, you know. I don’t want to spoil anything, but this emotional punch was a highlight of the story.
On the downside, I wish we had more closure. An epilogue or additional scenes to tie everything together would have been the cherry on top.
Overall, while the predictability of the plot was a letdown, the messy romance, gripping action, and emotional moments make *Lethal Empress* a satisfying, if not perfect, finale. If you’ve followed the series this far, you won’t want to miss how it all ends.
January 30, 2022
I was not disappointed at all with the way Eva and Harlow ended there first contemporary RH series! I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen next. I loved how the big baddie was taken down, loved the strategy behind it. I was devastated when one of my favs gets dealt the deal he does but I knew the authors would bring it home fabulously. Appreciated Ezra getting the karmic justice he deserved and loved the side characters even more in this book than the others. We get to learn more about Mercy's family and some of the other characters walls come crumbling down more, it was great to see them be there for each other ❤️ I hope these authors can continue with this world, especially with how they left things and the threat of the other higher up puppeteers (we only met a couple in this one!) would make for some fun spinoffs with cameos by these guys, just saying 🤣
Narration was good, I felt the anguish with Mercy and Rowan when they were in that bad situation and the subsequent aftermath. The anger from some of the side characters after the Nobles and Mercy turn the tide on them. The craziness that ensued at the end, another good job by both narrators to bring the story to life and make us feel all the emotions we were supposed to.
Can't wait to listen to more from this duo (authors and narrators!) 😊
Narration was good, I felt the anguish with Mercy and Rowan when they were in that bad situation and the subsequent aftermath. The anger from some of the side characters after the Nobles and Mercy turn the tide on them. The craziness that ensued at the end, another good job by both narrators to bring the story to life and make us feel all the emotions we were supposed to.
Can't wait to listen to more from this duo (authors and narrators!) 😊
October 28, 2022
I'm kind of disappointed.
It started out great, huge potential. I was hooked from the first pages, but then it just dragged on and on when I feel like it could've been settled in two books tops. I couldn't wait to finish this series just so I could be done with it. Usually when I really enjoy a book I'm sad when it comes to an end but with this one I was actually relieved. Came very close to dnf, I took a break from it for a few weeks but then I needed an excuse to procrastinate from doing a project and so I though I might as well finish it because I was still curious on how it would end. Thinking back, I would've rather done my project instead.
This next part will contain a few spoilers!!!
It started out great, huge potential. I was hooked from the first pages, but then it just dragged on and on when I feel like it could've been settled in two books tops. I couldn't wait to finish this series just so I could be done with it. Usually when I really enjoy a book I'm sad when it comes to an end but with this one I was actually relieved. Came very close to dnf, I took a break from it for a few weeks but then I needed an excuse to procrastinate from doing a project and so I though I might as well finish it because I was still curious on how it would end. Thinking back, I would've rather done my project instead.
This next part will contain a few spoilers!!!
June 28, 2023
A pretty lackluster 3*
Since I have this series as a compilation/omnibus, I read all the books back to back. So, I’ll just review them in the same manner; as a single entity. (All the books end on cliffhangers until the end, anyhow. So, it’s really one story in the end.) And I was pretty meh on that one story if I’m honest. I’ll say upfront that the writing and editing are fine. I was just incredibly bored. There is a lot of filler, and by the third book (when a frankly unbelievably unbelievable twist allows them to win against incredible odds), I was skimming. I think this might have made a really good duet. But stretching it out to a 1000-page quartet thinned the plot to the point of transparency.
I did like that the men in the group were not all physically prime. Gideon’s inclusion was especially nice, as was Rowen’s softer, artistic side. But the villains were cliched, the plot dragged and became predictable (except for the Hail Mary/deus ex machina solution that miraculously presented itself when needed most and makes no sense in context—didn’t see that coming for obvious reasons), and the
All in all, I don’t regret reading it, but I’m really glad to be finished with it finally.
Since I have this series as a compilation/omnibus, I read all the books back to back. So, I’ll just review them in the same manner; as a single entity. (All the books end on cliffhangers until the end, anyhow. So, it’s really one story in the end.) And I was pretty meh on that one story if I’m honest. I’ll say upfront that the writing and editing are fine. I was just incredibly bored. There is a lot of filler, and by the third book (when a frankly unbelievably unbelievable twist allows them to win against incredible odds), I was skimming. I think this might have made a really good duet. But stretching it out to a 1000-page quartet thinned the plot to the point of transparency.
I did like that the men in the group were not all physically prime. Gideon’s inclusion was especially nice, as was Rowen’s softer, artistic side. But the villains were cliched, the plot dragged and became predictable (except for the Hail Mary/deus ex machina solution that miraculously presented itself when needed most and makes no sense in context—didn’t see that coming for obvious reasons), and the
All in all, I don’t regret reading it, but I’m really glad to be finished with it finally.
October 4, 2021
What an ending!
It can sometimes be bittersweet when you know a series is coming to an end. This one delivers a fitting end to a series I have loved and intend to read again.
It picks up right after the end of book 3. We learn there is so much more going on than ever realized. We get answers but also a daunting timeline. New allies and enemies, hard part is telling them apart.
I have continued to love these characters. Their love of their friends and their home makes them the most powerful protectors of the Bend. The question is if it will be enough to overcome the gauntlet before them.
The violence escalates as both sides try their hardest to bring the showdown to an end in their favor. Mercy is able to sneek in some downtime with her men to remind them all what is at stake and what they are fighting to preserve.
They all have weaknesses that both show up and are overcome as they group relies on each other.
A thrilling read until the very end. A wonderful wrap up give a sense of life after the dust has settled.
A series I that will definitely be on my reread pile.
I received an advanced copy of this story and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
It can sometimes be bittersweet when you know a series is coming to an end. This one delivers a fitting end to a series I have loved and intend to read again.
It picks up right after the end of book 3. We learn there is so much more going on than ever realized. We get answers but also a daunting timeline. New allies and enemies, hard part is telling them apart.
I have continued to love these characters. Their love of their friends and their home makes them the most powerful protectors of the Bend. The question is if it will be enough to overcome the gauntlet before them.
The violence escalates as both sides try their hardest to bring the showdown to an end in their favor. Mercy is able to sneek in some downtime with her men to remind them all what is at stake and what they are fighting to preserve.
They all have weaknesses that both show up and are overcome as they group relies on each other.
A thrilling read until the very end. A wonderful wrap up give a sense of life after the dust has settled.
A series I that will definitely be on my reread pile.
I received an advanced copy of this story and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
October 13, 2025
2.5 stars ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ Lethal Empires☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★
⁺₊★·.´🎧✩°｡ 0:56 ──♡───── 3:32 ⁺₊🎧★·.·´
🎶 “Long may you reign. You're an animal. You are bloodthirsty” 🎶
She has reclaimed her throne and Wylder Noble wants his, but Paradise Bend is still burning. Outside powers are dragging the war into their streets and they have seven days to stop her psychotic stalker and his army before everyone dies. The dangerous men who have won her heart stand with her, but this is a fight unlike any they have faced.
—*•.¸♡ ★·.·☾ ﾟ｡´THOUGHTS ﾟ☁︎｡`·.·★ ♡¸.•*⋆—
I honestly wouldn’t be able to recall a single detail about this book in a few months—it all happened so fast. One minute Roland - Wylder’s brother is killed and his head is sent in a box, then suddenly Mercy’s taking over and feeling like a true leader. Next thing you know, Gideon’s kidnapped, there’s a tracker on Xavier, Cage is beating Xavier to a pulp until he’s barely recognizable, and then Mercy and Wylder team up to kill Ezra. And just like that—it’s over.
—*•.¸♡ ★·.·☾ ﾟ｡´OVERALLﾟ☁︎｡`·.·★ ♡¸.•*⋆—
It all felt rushed, like the story was sprinting to the finish line without letting any of the big moments actually land.
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ Lethal Empires☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★
⁺₊★·.´🎧✩°｡ 0:56 ──♡───── 3:32 ⁺₊🎧★·.·´
🎶 “Long may you reign. You're an animal. You are bloodthirsty” 🎶
She has reclaimed her throne and Wylder Noble wants his, but Paradise Bend is still burning. Outside powers are dragging the war into their streets and they have seven days to stop her psychotic stalker and his army before everyone dies. The dangerous men who have won her heart stand with her, but this is a fight unlike any they have faced.
—*•.¸♡ ★·.·☾ ﾟ｡´THOUGHTS ﾟ☁︎｡`·.·★ ♡¸.•*⋆—
I honestly wouldn’t be able to recall a single detail about this book in a few months—it all happened so fast. One minute Roland - Wylder’s brother is killed and his head is sent in a box, then suddenly Mercy’s taking over and feeling like a true leader. Next thing you know, Gideon’s kidnapped, there’s a tracker on Xavier, Cage is beating Xavier to a pulp until he’s barely recognizable, and then Mercy and Wylder team up to kill Ezra. And just like that—it’s over.
—*•.¸♡ ★·.·☾ ﾟ｡´OVERALLﾟ☁︎｡`·.·★ ♡¸.•*⋆—
It all felt rushed, like the story was sprinting to the finish line without letting any of the big moments actually land.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2021
Violent, bloody gang war
This is the final book in this series, I loved the plot and the characters. There was nonstop action and a twisting plot. I love to see strong and independent heroines and Mercy did not disappoint. There also was plenty of hot steam throughout the book. The guys too were more than you could ask for, ruthless, loyal and romantic at heart.
In this gang war it seems that things just kept escalating and they discovered there are always bigger fish out there. And then with the added timelines getting tight there was plenty of suspense that kept me gripped to the story to the very end.
I thought the logistics with all of the violence going on in Paradise Bend were a little lacking. It seems like there would have been not only the local police but state or federal law enforcement jumping into action with not only the amount of violence going on in the town but also the length of time it was going on. But it seemed that just the local gangs were tasked with getting control of the intruders and the violence. But it is fiction after all and it was well worth the read. I received this book for free and voluntarily reviewed.
This is the final book in this series, I loved the plot and the characters. There was nonstop action and a twisting plot. I love to see strong and independent heroines and Mercy did not disappoint. There also was plenty of hot steam throughout the book. The guys too were more than you could ask for, ruthless, loyal and romantic at heart.
In this gang war it seems that things just kept escalating and they discovered there are always bigger fish out there. And then with the added timelines getting tight there was plenty of suspense that kept me gripped to the story to the very end.
I thought the logistics with all of the violence going on in Paradise Bend were a little lacking. It seems like there would have been not only the local police but state or federal law enforcement jumping into action with not only the amount of violence going on in the town but also the length of time it was going on. But it seemed that just the local gangs were tasked with getting control of the intruders and the violence. But it is fiction after all and it was well worth the read. I received this book for free and voluntarily reviewed.
April 25, 2022
I listened to the Audible version of this book. Mercy Katz and her lovers were all hit with drugged darts at the end of the last book. So, where were they when they came back to consciousness? Obviously, they weren't grabbed by the Storm's men or they wouldn't have woken up at all. But is the man who abducted them any better? He is giving then one week to get rid of the Storm's men from their county or else he will step in and kill them all and do it himself. If they don't take the deal he'll just start with them. So, a lose-lose proposition. They haven't had much luck to this point at besting Xavier. One step forward, two steps back. His latest gambit was to send Wylder's brother's dead body to the Noble mansion. How do you beat someone like this?
Needless to say, they take the deal. Now they just have to figure out how to do the nearly impossible in a week's time. Fortunately, they will gain an unexpected ally who will feed them inside information. But there are still plenty of battles to come and they may not all make it through.
I was given a copy of this book by the author. My review is voluntary.
Needless to say, they take the deal. Now they just have to figure out how to do the nearly impossible in a week's time. Fortunately, they will gain an unexpected ally who will feed them inside information. But there are still plenty of battles to come and they may not all make it through.
I was given a copy of this book by the author. My review is voluntary.
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