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Irreparable #2
Irreparable Lives
Willow Kensington hasn’t had much say in her life lately. None of her relationships have recovered from the fallout six months ago, and she still finds herself missing Ethan.
After six months without contact, she doubts he’d even want to hear from her. Deciding to find out once and for all, she finally reaches out to the one man she can’t get off her mind.
Private investigator Ethan Wilde’s days of going undercover are long over, but they’ve left his life in shambles. Kicked out of his home by a wife who can no longer look at him, whiskey is his only companion as he mourns the loss of both his former lives—and lives neither.
Until suddenly Willow reaches out to him, and Ethan must decide whether to open the door to the fire that torched his life in the first place, or keep it firmly shut.
**Warning: adult content**
After six months without contact, she doubts he’d even want to hear from her. Deciding to find out once and for all, she finally reaches out to the one man she can’t get off her mind.
Private investigator Ethan Wilde’s days of going undercover are long over, but they’ve left his life in shambles. Kicked out of his home by a wife who can no longer look at him, whiskey is his only companion as he mourns the loss of both his former lives—and lives neither.
Until suddenly Willow reaches out to him, and Ethan must decide whether to open the door to the fire that torched his life in the first place, or keep it firmly shut.
**Warning: adult content**
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2016
33 people are currently reading
442 people want to read
About the author
Sam Mariano
49 books4,845 followersFollow Sam Mariano on Facebook, Instagram (@sammarianobooks), or check out her Blog! If you need to email her, she can be reached at sammarianoauthor@gmail.com (but she is sometimes tardy about checking email. Mateo is very demanding).
Sign up for Sam's mailing list (to stay up to date on current projects--she won't spam you! Only for notification of new releases or book sales.)
All of Sam's books are available on Amazon! (And don't forget to follow Sam's Amazon Author page to get notified about the newest releases.)
Sam Mariano has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She lives in Ohio and has a sweet and wonderful daughter.
Because of You was her first finished story (she started writing it when she was 18) and due to a full-time work and college schedule, it took her years to finish. She has also been telling people for years that there would never be a sequel (sorry, guys!)…which turned out to be a lie.
Sam Mariano is currently working on Dante’s book (if you’re a Morelli reader) and some other WIP.
Feel free to find her on Facebook, Goodreads, or her blog—she loves hearing from readers!
Sign up for Sam's mailing list (to stay up to date on current projects--she won't spam you! Only for notification of new releases or book sales.)
All of Sam's books are available on Amazon! (And don't forget to follow Sam's Amazon Author page to get notified about the newest releases.)
Sam Mariano has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She lives in Ohio and has a sweet and wonderful daughter.
Because of You was her first finished story (she started writing it when she was 18) and due to a full-time work and college schedule, it took her years to finish. She has also been telling people for years that there would never be a sequel (sorry, guys!)…which turned out to be a lie.
Sam Mariano is currently working on Dante’s book (if you’re a Morelli reader) and some other WIP.
Feel free to find her on Facebook, Goodreads, or her blog—she loves hearing from readers!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 13, 2024
This one was tame very tame.
I hate cheating and to me it seemed like Ethan wanted cake and to eat it too. Jerk! Total jerk and the ladies in his life weak totally weak. Now his wife pulled a good one on him, but she upset me too. Willow I have no comments. Nothing nice to say don't say anything.
Yuk!
I hate cheating and to me it seemed like Ethan wanted cake and to eat it too. Jerk! Total jerk and the ladies in his life weak totally weak. Now his wife pulled a good one on him, but she upset me too. Willow I have no comments. Nothing nice to say don't say anything.
Yuk!
March 13, 2021
Did not enjoyed this as much as the first one. Ethan became a mopey undecided weak character. He could decide for 90% of the book what to do. Willow had to push him to make him DO something. Also I just feel like Willow loves him so much but she’ll always be second best to him. He did so many shitty shit to her in this one. Some of them are dealbreakers for me. First hiding her in his best room like some dirty secret when his family dropped by? He only cared about himself at that moment, didn’t care that what an asshole he was and how shitty he made her feel. Then just prioritizing his family over her all the time. Hen the restaurant scene was just a big no for me. If he was a man, he would have made his family leave the restaurant but no again he didn’t care enough about her to worry about her feelings. His priority was to keep his family happy despite how me made her feel at that moment. And he KNEW his wife did it on purpose too. He didn’t even yell at her or defend willow in front of her. At the end he ended things with his wife cause she was having an affair with their other friend, I’m sure if she wanted to get back together he would have agreed. I’m not saying he didn’t care about willow, I’m just saying she will always be second best in his life. I feel bad for her. She really deserves better
July 25, 2016
5/5 stars
This is a case where the sequel is even better than the original. I've been waiting to find out what happened to Willow and Ethan, and I must say, I'm very pleased with the way their story played out.
I love the witty banter between the MCs. The dialogue throughout is realistic and very well done. It also takes the edge off an otherwise very tense storyline.
Willow-For me, she is a very believable character. She is eighteen and she sometimes makes poor choices; other times she seems quite mature for her age. I liked that she stays true to herself throughout the entire book, and that she doesn't let others tell her she's too young to know what she wants or what she should do.
And when she said this, despite the fact that she was playing her parents, I had to cheer a little bit. Because YA/NA characters always know how to delay gratification--not.
what would I have done if they weren't bluffing? i didn't have anywhere else to go or any of my own money. it seemed smartest to roll over, let them think they were winning and start building my escape tunnel with a plastic spoon.
Ethan-For most of the book, I was not team Ethan. I'll admit, I would probably react to Ethan/Willow the way Ashlynn did. I'm a mother of four and it would be very difficult to see anything good coming from this. It's not just about the age thing either. He was still caught up in his sorry excuse for a marriage, and his desire to be a part of his kids' lives. And I get it. But time and again, it was Willow who was sidelined. If Willow was about playing it smart, Ethan was about risk-taking to the extreme. At times it seemed like he was going to wind up in jail, dead, or possibly castrated by any number of adult figures--Willow's dad, his estranged wife, or Ashlynn. The author then rehabbed him in a way that made me change my mind about Ethan/Willow as a couple. Yes, it involved making his ex-wife the bad guy, but hey, she did some crappy things too. She deserves a little of the blame.
I would be remiss if I didn't say something about two stand-up guys in the book--Brian and Aaron. Brian is so chill, and although I'm slightly concerned about his ability to stay sober and actually earn a living, he is the kind of book boyfriend I would like to see more of. Not a jealous rager, but just an all-around good guy. I don't want to see you get hurt--physically or emotionally. I don't want to see you get used, and I feel like maybe you're not looking at things clearly because of your feelings for him. Brian tells Willow to let Ethan know he is only a phone call in case things go south.
Aaron-Willow's boss at the restaurant where she's a server. When Ethan's ex-wife deliberately has Ethan and her family seated in Willow's section, Aaron offers to take their order and let her take a break. That is an offer I would have totally taken him up on. I like that he has her back. I know it's not my business, but you deserve a hell of a lot better than that...I'm your boyfriend's age--you think I haven't seen this shit before?...Parading his wife in front of you--classy. He's a keeper.
I have to commend the author for taking a risk on a type of story that is a hot button issue for a lot of people. Well done! I look forward to reading more from Sam Mariano.
This is a case where the sequel is even better than the original. I've been waiting to find out what happened to Willow and Ethan, and I must say, I'm very pleased with the way their story played out.
I love the witty banter between the MCs. The dialogue throughout is realistic and very well done. It also takes the edge off an otherwise very tense storyline.
Willow-For me, she is a very believable character. She is eighteen and she sometimes makes poor choices; other times she seems quite mature for her age. I liked that she stays true to herself throughout the entire book, and that she doesn't let others tell her she's too young to know what she wants or what she should do.
And when she said this, despite the fact that she was playing her parents, I had to cheer a little bit. Because YA/NA characters always know how to delay gratification--not.
what would I have done if they weren't bluffing? i didn't have anywhere else to go or any of my own money. it seemed smartest to roll over, let them think they were winning and start building my escape tunnel with a plastic spoon.
Ethan-For most of the book, I was not team Ethan. I'll admit, I would probably react to Ethan/Willow the way Ashlynn did. I'm a mother of four and it would be very difficult to see anything good coming from this. It's not just about the age thing either. He was still caught up in his sorry excuse for a marriage, and his desire to be a part of his kids' lives. And I get it. But time and again, it was Willow who was sidelined. If Willow was about playing it smart, Ethan was about risk-taking to the extreme. At times it seemed like he was going to wind up in jail, dead, or possibly castrated by any number of adult figures--Willow's dad, his estranged wife, or Ashlynn. The author then rehabbed him in a way that made me change my mind about Ethan/Willow as a couple. Yes, it involved making his ex-wife the bad guy, but hey, she did some crappy things too. She deserves a little of the blame.
I would be remiss if I didn't say something about two stand-up guys in the book--Brian and Aaron. Brian is so chill, and although I'm slightly concerned about his ability to stay sober and actually earn a living, he is the kind of book boyfriend I would like to see more of. Not a jealous rager, but just an all-around good guy. I don't want to see you get hurt--physically or emotionally. I don't want to see you get used, and I feel like maybe you're not looking at things clearly because of your feelings for him. Brian tells Willow to let Ethan know he is only a phone call in case things go south.
Aaron-Willow's boss at the restaurant where she's a server. When Ethan's ex-wife deliberately has Ethan and her family seated in Willow's section, Aaron offers to take their order and let her take a break. That is an offer I would have totally taken him up on. I like that he has her back. I know it's not my business, but you deserve a hell of a lot better than that...I'm your boyfriend's age--you think I haven't seen this shit before?...Parading his wife in front of you--classy. He's a keeper.
I have to commend the author for taking a risk on a type of story that is a hot button issue for a lot of people. Well done! I look forward to reading more from Sam Mariano.
July 23, 2016
That ending.
Sigh. :)
Definitely more romance in this one than the first book (yay!) and I was pleased with how everything turned out.
Now about Salvatore....? ;)
February 3, 2021
I loved the first book, I know that a lot of people didn't, but I did and I was so curious about how it will end this twisted and dark story and now I'm a little disappointed. This book was ok, but I expected something better. The first book kept me awake but this one made me fall asleep, at least at the beginning.
The book took place 6 months after the events from the final chapter of the first book.
Willow finished high school and trying to get her life back on track after the events from the first book.
I had a lot of expectations from this book but it annoyed me a little. Willow was still a great character, wise beyond her age. Not so confused anymore because of her feelings for the man who she shouldn't be with. But Ethan annoyed me very much, with his indecisive behavior I get why he acted that way, but still, I hated him sometimes because of the way he treated Willow.
The ending was a little rushed to me.
When Ethan finally admitted his feeling was the moment that I waited since book one and that epilogue was just perfect but still I would have liked to know some more about other characters too, some more interactions between certain characters. The author started some interesting storylines that had a lot of potentials but she left them hanging, we never got to know more about it,
So I'm a little disappointed, I was expecting way much more from this book, I had this feeling that the author just wanted to wrap up the story, that we get an ending so she just rushed all the events, but at least we got a HEA and I loved the last two chapters and the epilogue.
Triggers warning:
The book took place 6 months after the events from the final chapter of the first book.
Willow finished high school and trying to get her life back on track after the events from the first book.
I had a lot of expectations from this book but it annoyed me a little. Willow was still a great character, wise beyond her age. Not so confused anymore because of her feelings for the man who she shouldn't be with. But Ethan annoyed me very much, with his indecisive behavior I get why he acted that way, but still, I hated him sometimes because of the way he treated Willow.
The ending was a little rushed to me.
When Ethan finally admitted his feeling was the moment that I waited since book one and that epilogue was just perfect but still I would have liked to know some more about other characters too, some more interactions between certain characters. The author started some interesting storylines that had a lot of potentials but she left them hanging, we never got to know more about it,
So I'm a little disappointed, I was expecting way much more from this book, I had this feeling that the author just wanted to wrap up the story, that we get an ending so she just rushed all the events, but at least we got a HEA and I loved the last two chapters and the epilogue.
Triggers warning:
July 26, 2016
"You're in love," he said, simply.
Crossing her arms, frustrated, she shook her head. "It's not that simple."
"Nothing simple about love," he told her, smirking.
Irreparable Lives is the continuation of Ethan and Willow's story. It has been six months since the end of Irreparable Damages and while Ethan and Willow have been apart, they certainly have not been far from each other’s minds.
Reconnecting after Willow's high school graduation the two jump right back into a relationship but things are far from easy and settled. Willow and Ethan continue to face obstacles- those that they created themselves and those from their families.
I continue to be impressed with author Sam Mariano's ability to write such realistic, compelling characters. There were moments when I both loved and hated Willow and Ethan. Poor decisions were made, emotions ran high and at one point I didn't even know if I even wanted them to work out. Even now a part of me is still not sold on the relationship and if it was the right or wrong thing for them but, I certainly enjoyed the ride.
I know a lot of people waited a long time for this story, wanting closure after the first book and needing to know that everything Willow and Ethan went through was for something. I truly believe it was worth the wait. I love that Sam Mariano did justice to these characters by not turning their story into a cookie cutter romance. She kept true to who both Ethan and Willow are as well as the themes she started in book one - the turmoil, confusion, desire and love were executed so well. There was also some really wonderful and playful banter between several characters that was unexpected yet delightful.
I got a lot out of this series - it certainly made me think. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to find Sam Mariano and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Crossing her arms, frustrated, she shook her head. "It's not that simple."
"Nothing simple about love," he told her, smirking.
Irreparable Lives is the continuation of Ethan and Willow's story. It has been six months since the end of Irreparable Damages and while Ethan and Willow have been apart, they certainly have not been far from each other’s minds.
Reconnecting after Willow's high school graduation the two jump right back into a relationship but things are far from easy and settled. Willow and Ethan continue to face obstacles- those that they created themselves and those from their families.
I continue to be impressed with author Sam Mariano's ability to write such realistic, compelling characters. There were moments when I both loved and hated Willow and Ethan. Poor decisions were made, emotions ran high and at one point I didn't even know if I even wanted them to work out. Even now a part of me is still not sold on the relationship and if it was the right or wrong thing for them but, I certainly enjoyed the ride.
I know a lot of people waited a long time for this story, wanting closure after the first book and needing to know that everything Willow and Ethan went through was for something. I truly believe it was worth the wait. I love that Sam Mariano did justice to these characters by not turning their story into a cookie cutter romance. She kept true to who both Ethan and Willow are as well as the themes she started in book one - the turmoil, confusion, desire and love were executed so well. There was also some really wonderful and playful banter between several characters that was unexpected yet delightful.
I got a lot out of this series - it certainly made me think. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to find Sam Mariano and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
October 11, 2024
Everything felt so remarkably mature for such a messy couple. It was nice to see them get messier and then finally grow together as a couple. Ending was a touch unsatisfying because we don’t get many full answers but I feel like that will come in the Morelli series.
And also justice for Brian!!! I want a whole book about him.
And also justice for Brian!!! I want a whole book about him.
October 21, 2021
The MCs were in a difficult situation and had to do what they had to do but... the H's blatant disrespect for his wife and three children when he cheated on them with the h is something I just couldn't accept. I read till the very last expecting him to return to his wife and the h to get back to her ex-boyfriend (who was very supportive of her).
So, it's HEA (for now).
So, it's HEA (for now).
August 18, 2024
stefan was the highlight of this shenanigan
April 5, 2017
I'm going to review both books in this series bc one makes no sense without the other.
Let's start this review by saying i'm confused. About a lot of things. Mostly my own feelings. A large percentage of my issue arises because i came to this book straight from Accidental Witness (just the first book - the second book isn't out yet. DAMNIT!! - that's an unrelated issue). Accidental Witness had me fucked up as a football bat. I left that book half in love with a very very bad man. And completely unsure that love was justified. I still don't know who the hero is - and i don't give a damn. #MateoForever
Anywho, Willow gets kidnapped. Bad things happen. Ethan is involved. And then Willow and Ethan are involved. Nothing is black and white - the grey area of good/bad in all of us is a major theme in this story - one i found enjoyable.
Willow and Ethan don't make sense to me, but that didn't detract from the story as much as i thought it would. To say this is an unconventional love story is putting it uber-mildly. Plus Mariano is showing herself to be a true slowburn queen - even while her characters are gettin it on there's this emotional distance that leaves you waiting for the love. I appreciated that most of the impediments to their relationship came from outside their own heads (one of them was unexpected, dramatic and awsome/awful). I liked Willow for being kinda weird - both in ways you'd anticipate given what happened and others.
At times i wanted to punch both of them in the face (i'm looking at you, Ethan, for like 70% of the second book you freakin indecisive bitch). But the aggravating things they did were reasonable within this created world.
i went into this book hoping for a fix bc i was an addict after Accidental Witness. Instead i got something sweeter, less intense and unexpectedly great in it's own way. I'm going to check out more by this author while i patiently (seriously, i looked for her email today to send her a desperate plea the second Accidental Witness book - it was ugly and going to involve bribery) for more Mateo. <3
Let's start this review by saying i'm confused. About a lot of things. Mostly my own feelings. A large percentage of my issue arises because i came to this book straight from Accidental Witness (just the first book - the second book isn't out yet. DAMNIT!! - that's an unrelated issue). Accidental Witness had me fucked up as a football bat. I left that book half in love with a very very bad man. And completely unsure that love was justified. I still don't know who the hero is - and i don't give a damn. #MateoForever
Anywho, Willow gets kidnapped. Bad things happen. Ethan is involved. And then Willow and Ethan are involved. Nothing is black and white - the grey area of good/bad in all of us is a major theme in this story - one i found enjoyable.
Willow and Ethan don't make sense to me, but that didn't detract from the story as much as i thought it would. To say this is an unconventional love story is putting it uber-mildly. Plus Mariano is showing herself to be a true slowburn queen - even while her characters are gettin it on there's this emotional distance that leaves you waiting for the love. I appreciated that most of the impediments to their relationship came from outside their own heads (one of them was unexpected, dramatic and awsome/awful). I liked Willow for being kinda weird - both in ways you'd anticipate given what happened and others.
At times i wanted to punch both of them in the face (i'm looking at you, Ethan, for like 70% of the second book you freakin indecisive bitch). But the aggravating things they did were reasonable within this created world.
i went into this book hoping for a fix bc i was an addict after Accidental Witness. Instead i got something sweeter, less intense and unexpectedly great in it's own way. I'm going to check out more by this author while i patiently (seriously, i looked for her email today to send her a desperate plea the second Accidental Witness book - it was ugly and going to involve bribery) for more Mateo. <3
July 1, 2018
3 Got to finish the duet Stars
I just had to figure out how it ended. It didn’t have all the bangs and whistles as the first book, but if you are like me and you need to see how it ends, then there you go.
I’m not sure I’m still on board with the whole cheating thing, but that’s what makes the book taboo. I feel like Ethan had a lot of issues in this book and you feel for the guy. He’s not the greatest guy, but he does have heart.
It’s six months later and Willow and Ethan are trying to figure out where they are. Willow to my surprise is in a relationship and that does add some mild tension to the story.
I wouldn’t say this was my favorite book by Sam Marinao, but like I said, I needed to finish the duet and glad I did.
I just had to figure out how it ended. It didn’t have all the bangs and whistles as the first book, but if you are like me and you need to see how it ends, then there you go.
I’m not sure I’m still on board with the whole cheating thing, but that’s what makes the book taboo. I feel like Ethan had a lot of issues in this book and you feel for the guy. He’s not the greatest guy, but he does have heart.
It’s six months later and Willow and Ethan are trying to figure out where they are. Willow to my surprise is in a relationship and that does add some mild tension to the story.
I wouldn’t say this was my favorite book by Sam Marinao, but like I said, I needed to finish the duet and glad I did.
September 8, 2016
I loved the story line of these two books. I love dark or forbidden romances. This is one of the lighter dark reads...but still good. I was a cheerleader for Willow and Ethan from the start. Who cares if it's unconventional...love is messy. It never fits inside a box. The heart and body wants what it wants. At times Ethan killed me with his back amd forth. In the last book, it was Willow how was back and forth. I understand the decisions he had to make... because he had a family...but we could all see it was over. Very happy with the outcome!! Willow and Ethan <3
October 19, 2016
Sam Mariano does it again!
I loved this book! Loved it. I was hooked right from the beginning. I felt so bad for Ethan and I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen.
I love this story because it's so unique. I've seriously read nothing like it and it's so nice to read something different sometimes. And this one was a ride. You could totally see them being pulled in different directions (and to be honest, I wasn't positive how it was going to end!) but I'm so so so happy with the way Willow and Ethan's story turned out. It was perfect.
5 more forbidden stars! :)
February 9, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
April 9, 2022
Review of duet
Ethan is a 32 year old PI married for almost a decade, to his college gf.
They have 3 kids aged between 1 month and 8 years. He’s hardworking, sympathetic and charming. A good husband and a hands-on father. His family means everything to him.
Working undercover on a trafficking case, he’s forced to choose between raping an 18 year old girl or being killed.
Willow is the girl he rapes:
Beautiful, strong and FEISTY, stubborn and broken, confused and vulnerable. She’s dealing with the aftermath of the ordeal in her own way. She has loving moms who would go to the ends of the earth for her.
The Hxh bond over their shared trauma and their relationship grows into a sexual on-off one. Their connection is deep and dark and funny. Sexy and angsty, forbidden and wrong on so many levels. They are drawn to each other despite knowing they can’t be. No commitments are made. She even has a new bf and Ethan’s main aim is to get his family back together because:
It turns out that Willow is the daughter of a mafioso. A particularly vile man whose moral code is non existent. That revenge scene is like nothing I’ve read before, mostly because the Hxh are linked to the Morelli family in the author’s book world. Mostly because it’s a scenario I had never read before and it totally blindsided me. Mostly because, if their lives had gone off course before the kidnapping and rape, it veers completely out of control in ways only this author can plot and execute.
For me, very few writers capture the realness of the physical and emotional violence like Ms Mariano. I was literally there, watching it all unfold. The trafficking, the rape, the guilt, the shame. The breaking of hearts and lives. The wrecking of a marriage and family bonds. The long road to healing and mending and hope for the future. All this is portrayed in such a relatable way that made for a satisfyingly inclusive reading experience.
Amanda, Ethan’s wife, now hates him for not only the choice he made, but also because Willow is still very much a part of his life. She can’t reconcile the Ethan she knows with the man who rapes a teenager. DESPITE the reason that he agreed to the rape (at gunpoint) was because of not wanting his family to suffer without him. I understand her disgust and admire her as a mother but she’s no innocent as she’s now seeing her ex while Ethan is waiting for her to decide to let him back into the family. Her married ex. So her holier than thou persona grated on my nerves.
Eventually Ethan and his wife decide to part ways. Willow follows her dream to New York. Ethan, no alpha, but gorgeous and endearingly bewildered by his obsession of Willow, waits for her to come home. She does and they live happily, apart from their minor connections with the mafia, ever after.
I love catching up with them in the Morelli world. Every glimpse of them is a treasure. I’ve re-read this duet too many times to count yet have never gotten around to reviewing it because I wasn't ready to share them with anyone yet.
NTS
Neaten review; esp tenses
Ethan is a 32 year old PI married for almost a decade, to his college gf.
They have 3 kids aged between 1 month and 8 years. He’s hardworking, sympathetic and charming. A good husband and a hands-on father. His family means everything to him.
Working undercover on a trafficking case, he’s forced to choose between raping an 18 year old girl or being killed.
Willow is the girl he rapes:
Beautiful, strong and FEISTY, stubborn and broken, confused and vulnerable. She’s dealing with the aftermath of the ordeal in her own way. She has loving moms who would go to the ends of the earth for her.
The Hxh bond over their shared trauma and their relationship grows into a sexual on-off one. Their connection is deep and dark and funny. Sexy and angsty, forbidden and wrong on so many levels. They are drawn to each other despite knowing they can’t be. No commitments are made. She even has a new bf and Ethan’s main aim is to get his family back together because:
It turns out that Willow is the daughter of a mafioso. A particularly vile man whose moral code is non existent. That revenge scene is like nothing I’ve read before, mostly because the Hxh are linked to the Morelli family in the author’s book world. Mostly because it’s a scenario I had never read before and it totally blindsided me. Mostly because, if their lives had gone off course before the kidnapping and rape, it veers completely out of control in ways only this author can plot and execute.
For me, very few writers capture the realness of the physical and emotional violence like Ms Mariano. I was literally there, watching it all unfold. The trafficking, the rape, the guilt, the shame. The breaking of hearts and lives. The wrecking of a marriage and family bonds. The long road to healing and mending and hope for the future. All this is portrayed in such a relatable way that made for a satisfyingly inclusive reading experience.
Amanda, Ethan’s wife, now hates him for not only the choice he made, but also because Willow is still very much a part of his life. She can’t reconcile the Ethan she knows with the man who rapes a teenager. DESPITE the reason that he agreed to the rape (at gunpoint) was because of not wanting his family to suffer without him. I understand her disgust and admire her as a mother but she’s no innocent as she’s now seeing her ex while Ethan is waiting for her to decide to let him back into the family. Her married ex. So her holier than thou persona grated on my nerves.
Eventually Ethan and his wife decide to part ways. Willow follows her dream to New York. Ethan, no alpha, but gorgeous and endearingly bewildered by his obsession of Willow, waits for her to come home. She does and they live happily, apart from their minor connections with the mafia, ever after.
I love catching up with them in the Morelli world. Every glimpse of them is a treasure. I’ve re-read this duet too many times to count yet have never gotten around to reviewing it because I wasn't ready to share them with anyone yet.
NTS
Neaten review; esp tenses
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2024
It was truly boring. I liked the first book of the series. I thought the cheating aspect that many have denounced on review, made it realistic. I'm not sure how so many relationships fail d/t cheating when so few people cheat. It must be the same cheaters moving from one book relationship to another. I digress.
Where book one held my interest I fell asleep during the hottest part of this book. Just didn't seem as thrilling to read about recovering from horrendous events as it was to read about those events. That's life. Everyone craning their necks to see the wrecks that happen along the roads.
I did enjoy the age gap but I found the MMC to be too apologetic. He was violated in the first book. As a woman it's difficult to accept that. However he was forced at gun point and that is a violation of his person. I felt it was too important for the author and at least some characters not to come to that conclusion.
The MMC was further emasculated by being sorry and accepting blame for not only that event but
e v e r y t h I n g! Sorry 10 times just becomes, "I did it and now I don't want to keep hashing it out or whatever." The MFC was victimized then even said at some point it was "easier to roll over" to get through issues with her parents. Well that would make her a "unicorn" teen. And if you argue that establishes how mature she was I would argue that no truly well and mature person would sit under someone else's thumb. 18 is a difficult age but by and large the age where independence is sought with zeal.
I found these characteristics in the MC's so incredibly outside of any reference other than fiction that I could not get into this book.
My absolute greatest point of contention was the book lacking imagination. It was a "sold" book for the author; it was an extension of the previous book; it was a bridge between two books and it was a failure. There is no story being created. It seemed more like a bunch of facts on a PowerPoint.
Where book one held my interest I fell asleep during the hottest part of this book. Just didn't seem as thrilling to read about recovering from horrendous events as it was to read about those events. That's life. Everyone craning their necks to see the wrecks that happen along the roads.
I did enjoy the age gap but I found the MMC to be too apologetic. He was violated in the first book. As a woman it's difficult to accept that. However he was forced at gun point and that is a violation of his person. I felt it was too important for the author and at least some characters not to come to that conclusion.
The MMC was further emasculated by being sorry and accepting blame for not only that event but
e v e r y t h I n g! Sorry 10 times just becomes, "I did it and now I don't want to keep hashing it out or whatever." The MFC was victimized then even said at some point it was "easier to roll over" to get through issues with her parents. Well that would make her a "unicorn" teen. And if you argue that establishes how mature she was I would argue that no truly well and mature person would sit under someone else's thumb. 18 is a difficult age but by and large the age where independence is sought with zeal.
I found these characteristics in the MC's so incredibly outside of any reference other than fiction that I could not get into this book.
My absolute greatest point of contention was the book lacking imagination. It was a "sold" book for the author; it was an extension of the previous book; it was a bridge between two books and it was a failure. There is no story being created. It seemed more like a bunch of facts on a PowerPoint.
June 30, 2018
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the first book because I couldn’t really connect and feel what the characters were going through, but I had hopes for this book. Sadly, while I liked it, I was left with more questions then answers.
Some slight spoilers a head.
I felt like things with Ethan’s wife were still unresolved. We got some answers but at the same time after that scene her and the kids just poof, they were gone. I didn’t like that. I wanted to see more of him being a father and then working things out.
Brian was another thing that just poof! Was gone! I am pretty mad about that aspect. He was a great character and while he was secondary I still feel like the author just left me hanging with that. I mean he stuck his neck out for Willow and I get that they were ex’s at that point but friends above that. And he was never really mentioned again after he helped her.
The issues from the first book with the bad guy getting away and showing up by calling Ethan’s house none the less then he’s brought up in this book and nothing was resolved....... I know the author has another series and I’m sure that because they were brought up in this book all the answers I’m seeking will possibly be in there but I don’t want to have to invest time into more books hoping to get resolution.
That’s just the tips of the ice burg for me when I comes to what doesn’t work for me with this book. I hate leaving low reviews, and normally I wouldn’t but I guess I’m just angry that so many thing were so unresolved for me. The author has great ideas that kept me intrigued. I can’t say wether I will read more from this author or not. 2 stars #2OCCJD
Some slight spoilers a head.
I felt like things with Ethan’s wife were still unresolved. We got some answers but at the same time after that scene her and the kids just poof, they were gone. I didn’t like that. I wanted to see more of him being a father and then working things out.
Brian was another thing that just poof! Was gone! I am pretty mad about that aspect. He was a great character and while he was secondary I still feel like the author just left me hanging with that. I mean he stuck his neck out for Willow and I get that they were ex’s at that point but friends above that. And he was never really mentioned again after he helped her.
The issues from the first book with the bad guy getting away and showing up by calling Ethan’s house none the less then he’s brought up in this book and nothing was resolved....... I know the author has another series and I’m sure that because they were brought up in this book all the answers I’m seeking will possibly be in there but I don’t want to have to invest time into more books hoping to get resolution.
That’s just the tips of the ice burg for me when I comes to what doesn’t work for me with this book. I hate leaving low reviews, and normally I wouldn’t but I guess I’m just angry that so many thing were so unresolved for me. The author has great ideas that kept me intrigued. I can’t say wether I will read more from this author or not. 2 stars #2OCCJD
May 18, 2017
The second book follows the first seamlessly, very good written, very believable characters with lots of flaws but strength too. Is their relationship unhealthy? Oh yes, it is. Is it destructive? Sure. Are they good for each other? Oh hell, yes. They are cheating. They are fighting. They are struggling. But love is what love is and I couldn't but root for them.
And once again the author made me question my beliefs. Made me think about myself and realize that I am not as tolerant as I like to believe I am. Because she made it crystal clear: What you do with your life is your thing. No matter what others think. Especially if you are a survivor. And it's true, if you want to hate the one who hurt you, you're entitled to do that. If you want to forgive him, it's your right. And if you want to live with him and love him, that is totally up to you. It's your life, it's your body, it's your decision. And noone should try to tell you what to do, how to feel, how to cope. Shame you or lecture you or rant at you (as I am prone to do sometimes, shame on me). You are not to blame for what happened and you are the one in control of your happy ending. It's up to you what you do. You and only you. And I wish you the best. And them - coming back to the story. I loved the end and I never thought I would.
And in my heart of hearts now I spin a story for his little daughter. So she finds a way to cope with what she had to see and now live through and find strength and happiness. Which I am sure she found.
Great story. Riles you up and makes you think. I loved it.
And once again the author made me question my beliefs. Made me think about myself and realize that I am not as tolerant as I like to believe I am. Because she made it crystal clear: What you do with your life is your thing. No matter what others think. Especially if you are a survivor. And it's true, if you want to hate the one who hurt you, you're entitled to do that. If you want to forgive him, it's your right. And if you want to live with him and love him, that is totally up to you. It's your life, it's your body, it's your decision. And noone should try to tell you what to do, how to feel, how to cope. Shame you or lecture you or rant at you (as I am prone to do sometimes, shame on me). You are not to blame for what happened and you are the one in control of your happy ending. It's up to you what you do. You and only you. And I wish you the best. And them - coming back to the story. I loved the end and I never thought I would.
And in my heart of hearts now I spin a story for his little daughter. So she finds a way to cope with what she had to see and now live through and find strength and happiness. Which I am sure she found.
Great story. Riles you up and makes you think. I loved it.
July 7, 2018
4.5 stars This story was painful. It was also poignant and beautiful. I started reading it because it was recommended in order to not ruin some spoilers from the Mateo series. I was expecting it to be more crime/Mafia centered. It wasn't. Just a few hints here air there. Instead, it was a story that reminded me that like a flower growing out of a crack in the concrete so can love. It just has to have the will and tenacity to do it. In this portion of the duet is when there is finally more interaction with the Morelli clan. I can see why now that this was recommended to read before going on with the rest of that series because it makes sense when you are reading it. You also have an idea of who the people are in that series. It enhances the story. You would still know what is going on in because the author is amazing and doesn't leave you hanging but it gives the introduction and appearance of these characters more meaning.
I read it as a box set but will put the review up on the single books too.
I read it as a box set but will put the review up on the single books too.
February 19, 2022
I had to see if it was possible for Willow and Ethan to find a way to fit themselves in each other's lives because the odds were completely stacked against them to the degree of a square peg doesn't align with a round hole kind of way. Or perhaps they would go their separate ways and live fully despite the circumstances of their past. The general vibe of this one matches the last book. I couldn't get enthusiastic about either one of them or care if they could work out being a couple or not. The emotions and intensity were lacking. There are some good scenes where things get hashed out, but there's also threads that aren't well elaborated in order to give a clearer picture of where everything stands given the outcome for the main couple. Despite overcoming the odds and obstacles, I mostly felt indifferent about it all when I finished.
October 23, 2016
This picks up after the first book leaves off, and it showcases the fallout from all the dark, forbidden, taboo choices made in Book 1. Still raw, emotional, both characters battle with what they have done. Couldn't put it down any faster than the first, but again, don't even bother picking it up if you have triggers of any sort. I love that the author pushes the envelope with every possible subject that you wouldn't typically see in romance. But then I'm a glutton for punishment, and love watching characters at their lowest. I thank the Author for providing a copy of the box set for review, and will thoroughly enjoy reading more of her work!
~~~~Erika Book Haven Book Blog
~~~~Erika Book Haven Book Blog
August 29, 2016
Part 2 is another great read following on with Willow and Ethan's story.
While they are both getting on with their lives Ethan more miserable well considering what he's lost. When Willow gets in touch after her graduation they agree to meet up and old sparks fly really this book is more to do with are they gonna make it together and how?
We meet Sal, Willows step brother in this book with him and Ethan now working together I think it would make another great book.
I did really enjoy both books but as they say each to their own!
While they are both getting on with their lives Ethan more miserable well considering what he's lost. When Willow gets in touch after her graduation they agree to meet up and old sparks fly really this book is more to do with are they gonna make it together and how?
We meet Sal, Willows step brother in this book with him and Ethan now working together I think it would make another great book.
I did really enjoy both books but as they say each to their own!
January 13, 2021
This duet is really just dipping it’s toes into dark romance I guess. Where the characters are still good people, put into horrible situations. It doesn’t quite work as well as her other books which just go all in and make the characters bad people. I feel like it ends up making the story less compelling. I did like these two though, they were weirdly sweet together.
May 10, 2022
Ethan sucks. that’s my review. the end.
September 25, 2024
I had a tough time with this one - I tried, I really, really tried. Sam Mariano is brilliant at making the reader like highly unlikeable characters; sadly it did not work for me in this case. These are really two selfish narcissists destroying lives without a 2nd thought.... Yah - I mean can't expect much from an 18 year old brain, but still. You know what you are doing is wrong, you know the damage it can cause to children, not to mention other people. Destroy a family, with zero remorse. How do you throw away your family without a 2nd thought? Not talking about after the fact, talking about going there in the first place, KNOWING the damage/potential repercussions and yet not caring at all.
This dude wanted to have the cake & eat it too. It really, REALLY pissed me off that Willow got angry at him when his wife showed up unexpectedly with the kids and he hid her in the bedroom. Girl - you are the hoe in this scenario, she is the WIFE and you are the side piece. You caused this situation, and yet you act like the offended party? Girl bye. She knew he was married and had a family when she deliberately went after him. It is heart breaking, because the story from the wife's perspective - would be gut-wrenching, heart breaking and horrific. I don't think either of these d**che canoes deserved a happy ending whatsoever. I may be biased because - reasons but I know in real life, the fallout from a situation like this is the equivalent of dropping a nuke on your family. Hiroshima. And the pain and destruction is really - there's no excuse for that. I also didn't like that the author tried to make the wife a cheater as well - what was that about? So now we want to vilify the victim in order to justify your HEA with two assholes?
There was one moment in the book where I literally wanted to unalive the MMC - I'm talking RAGE, wanted to throw the tablet across the room, almost DNF. There's a point in the book where he tells his wife (paraphrasing) "oh well Willow got over what I did to her soo... so what - so you're telling the wife that you betrayed and cheated on that she should take pointers from your 18 yr. old hoe???!! Yeah, the wife that was almost murdered along with her little girl in your own home but your 18 yr old hoe's TRAUMA is waaaay more important than the trauma your wife and kids endured at the hands of said 18 yr. old's father? So, maybe Willow can give his wife pointers on how to build a bridge and get over it?! So are you implying that what you did to Willow was worse and she got over it, why don't you??! So - that sounds like a personal problem and tough shit - don't know what to tell ya, but you should just get over the shit.???!!
Nope. Could he be any more of an insensitive, piece of shit, lying prick? This involves a level of betrayal and deceit that is disgusting. So - his wife should get over his affair with an 18 year old that he continues to pursue, because the 18 year old forgave him??!! That was the proverbial nail in the coffin for this character and this book TBH. That was a rage moment for me because who the fuck says that to the person you just LITERALLY DESTROYED???!!! - Could the author make him any more disgusting? Unlikeable? Could you make him any MORE of a d-bag? because if that was her intent - mission accomplished and job well done. How in the actual blue f**K does anyone to root for an HEA for this guy?
To be fair, I knew what I was reading going in and I was hoping that I would still like it. Didn't work for me - not enough repercussions for the two of them. Not even close. They just you know - fuck his wife and kids up and they just go on as a happy couple like they didn't just leave a path of destruction and pain in their wake.... Sigh - will never understand or agree with this type of situation. It would be different if the marriage circumstances were different. Sending the message that "oh the grass IS greener" is kinda bullshit. Ok - done with my rant.
This dude wanted to have the cake & eat it too. It really, REALLY pissed me off that Willow got angry at him when his wife showed up unexpectedly with the kids and he hid her in the bedroom. Girl - you are the hoe in this scenario, she is the WIFE and you are the side piece. You caused this situation, and yet you act like the offended party? Girl bye. She knew he was married and had a family when she deliberately went after him. It is heart breaking, because the story from the wife's perspective - would be gut-wrenching, heart breaking and horrific. I don't think either of these d**che canoes deserved a happy ending whatsoever. I may be biased because - reasons but I know in real life, the fallout from a situation like this is the equivalent of dropping a nuke on your family. Hiroshima. And the pain and destruction is really - there's no excuse for that. I also didn't like that the author tried to make the wife a cheater as well - what was that about? So now we want to vilify the victim in order to justify your HEA with two assholes?
There was one moment in the book where I literally wanted to unalive the MMC - I'm talking RAGE, wanted to throw the tablet across the room, almost DNF. There's a point in the book where he tells his wife (paraphrasing) "oh well Willow got over what I did to her soo... so what - so you're telling the wife that you betrayed and cheated on that she should take pointers from your 18 yr. old hoe???!! Yeah, the wife that was almost murdered along with her little girl in your own home but your 18 yr old hoe's TRAUMA is waaaay more important than the trauma your wife and kids endured at the hands of said 18 yr. old's father? So, maybe Willow can give his wife pointers on how to build a bridge and get over it?! So are you implying that what you did to Willow was worse and she got over it, why don't you??! So - that sounds like a personal problem and tough shit - don't know what to tell ya, but you should just get over the shit.???!!
Nope. Could he be any more of an insensitive, piece of shit, lying prick? This involves a level of betrayal and deceit that is disgusting. So - his wife should get over his affair with an 18 year old that he continues to pursue, because the 18 year old forgave him??!! That was the proverbial nail in the coffin for this character and this book TBH. That was a rage moment for me because who the fuck says that to the person you just LITERALLY DESTROYED???!!! - Could the author make him any more disgusting? Unlikeable? Could you make him any MORE of a d-bag? because if that was her intent - mission accomplished and job well done. How in the actual blue f**K does anyone to root for an HEA for this guy?
To be fair, I knew what I was reading going in and I was hoping that I would still like it. Didn't work for me - not enough repercussions for the two of them. Not even close. They just you know - fuck his wife and kids up and they just go on as a happy couple like they didn't just leave a path of destruction and pain in their wake.... Sigh - will never understand or agree with this type of situation. It would be different if the marriage circumstances were different. Sending the message that "oh the grass IS greener" is kinda bullshit. Ok - done with my rant.
April 24, 2025
Irreparable Lives by Sam Mariano
“𝐼’𝓂 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒹𝓊𝓂𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝒾𝓂 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊. 𝐼𝓉’𝓈 𝓅𝓊𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻𝒾𝓈𝒽, 𝐼 𝒶𝓈𝓈𝓊𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓉 𝑜𝓃 𝒽𝒾𝓂, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝓊𝒸𝓀 𝓂𝑒 𝓈𝑒𝓃𝓈𝑒𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓈; 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃’𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑜𝓉𝒽, 𝓈𝑜 𝐼 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝒶 𝒸𝒽𝑜𝒾𝒸𝑒.”
“𝐼 𝒽𝑜𝓅𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝒾𝑔𝓃𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝓈𝒾𝓉𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓃𝑒𝓍𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒷𝑜𝓎𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓃𝑜𝓌.”
“𝐻𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓈𝑜 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁. 𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓈—𝒶𝓉 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓉, 𝒶𝓈 𝓂𝓊𝒸𝒽 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒶𝓈 𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃.”
“𝒴𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓂𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓌, 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉’𝓈 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓂𝒶𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈.”
“𝐼 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒷𝑜𝒹𝓎. 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓃 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝒾𝓃𝒸𝒽 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊.”
“𝒲𝒽𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝐼 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝑒𝓇𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝑜𝓇 𝓃𝑜𝓉, 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓌.”
“𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝐼 𝒽𝑒𝓁𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒. 𝒲𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓀𝒾𝓈𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒. 𝒲𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒾𝑜𝒹, 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓈𝑒𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝒷𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓂𝓃𝑒𝒹. 𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈… 𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝓇𝑜𝑜𝓉.”
“𝐻𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝑜𝓊𝓃𝓉 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓀𝒾𝓈𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒹𝑜 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝒽𝑒𝓇, 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒽𝑒𝓇. 𝐻𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝓁𝒶𝒾𝓂 𝒽𝑒𝓇, 𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓀 𝒽𝑒𝓇, 𝑔𝓇𝑒𝑒𝒹𝒾𝓁𝓎 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓈𝒽𝑒’𝒹 𝑔𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝓂.”
~Review for duet ~
1. Irreparable Damage
2. Irreparable Lives
In true Sam fashion it was morally questionable, incredibly forbidden, angsty and questionable at times. But definitely unforgettable. This wasn’t what I expected but I still enjoyed it.
Willows feelings for Ethan are conflicted. She knows she shouldn’t want him, rely on him . But she can’t help it . No matter how bad it was, it wasn’t completely his fault, they were both victims (Check TWs). They were in a bad situation. They survived . Only he knows how that felt . At first he just wanted to do anything to help her, but even he couldn’t deny the truth . She’s drawn to him , she finds comfort in him by their shared tragedy.
They’re real. They make bad decisions . They found peace with eachother because they were both haunted by their shared nightmare. No matter how wrong it was, it just felt right. They couldn’t deny their attraction to eachother and somehow that just made it so easy to cross the line no matter the consequences.
I actually loved willow, even though she went through so much she was still so resilient. Okay maybe relying on Ethan wasn’t the ideal coping mechanism but in her head it made sense .
Ethan made it so hard to hate him, underneath everything he truly cared for willow and did not want to hurt her. Even when he thought that saving her would get him killed he did it anyway.
Tropes
* Age gap 18 & 32
* Forbidden Romance
* Taboo
* Kidnapping and Captivity
* Angsty
* Non con
* Cheating
* Messy and Blurred Lines Crossed
* Dark Erotica
Songs
* We hug now by Sydney Rose
* Wildflower by Billie Eilish
* I love you, I’m sorry by Gracie Abrams
* I miss you, I’m sorry by Gracie Abrams
* Sad girl by Lana Del Rey
* We can’t be friends by Ariana Grande
* Again by Noah Cyrus
* Right where you left me by Taylor Swift
* Silence by Marshmallow & Khalid
“𝐼’𝓂 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒹𝓊𝓂𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝒾𝓂 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊. 𝐼𝓉’𝓈 𝓅𝓊𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻𝒾𝓈𝒽, 𝐼 𝒶𝓈𝓈𝓊𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓉 𝑜𝓃 𝒽𝒾𝓂, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝓊𝒸𝓀 𝓂𝑒 𝓈𝑒𝓃𝓈𝑒𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓈; 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃’𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑜𝓉𝒽, 𝓈𝑜 𝐼 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝒶 𝒸𝒽𝑜𝒾𝒸𝑒.”
“𝐼 𝒽𝑜𝓅𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝒾𝑔𝓃𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝓈𝒾𝓉𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓃𝑒𝓍𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒷𝑜𝓎𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓃𝑜𝓌.”
“𝐻𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓈𝑜 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁. 𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓈—𝒶𝓉 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓉, 𝒶𝓈 𝓂𝓊𝒸𝒽 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒶𝓈 𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃.”
“𝒴𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓂𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓌, 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉’𝓈 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓂𝒶𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈.”
“𝐼 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒷𝑜𝒹𝓎. 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓃 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝒾𝓃𝒸𝒽 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊.”
“𝒲𝒽𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝐼 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝑒𝓇𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝑜𝓇 𝓃𝑜𝓉, 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓌.”
“𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝐼 𝒽𝑒𝓁𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒. 𝒲𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓀𝒾𝓈𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒. 𝒲𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒾𝑜𝒹, 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓈𝑒𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝒷𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓂𝓃𝑒𝒹. 𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈… 𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝓇𝑜𝑜𝓉.”
“𝐻𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝑜𝓊𝓃𝓉 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓀𝒾𝓈𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒹𝑜 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝒽𝑒𝓇, 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒽𝑒𝓇. 𝐻𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝓁𝒶𝒾𝓂 𝒽𝑒𝓇, 𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓀 𝒽𝑒𝓇, 𝑔𝓇𝑒𝑒𝒹𝒾𝓁𝓎 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓈𝒽𝑒’𝒹 𝑔𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝓂.”
~Review for duet ~
1. Irreparable Damage
2. Irreparable Lives
In true Sam fashion it was morally questionable, incredibly forbidden, angsty and questionable at times. But definitely unforgettable. This wasn’t what I expected but I still enjoyed it.
Willows feelings for Ethan are conflicted. She knows she shouldn’t want him, rely on him . But she can’t help it . No matter how bad it was, it wasn’t completely his fault, they were both victims (Check TWs). They were in a bad situation. They survived . Only he knows how that felt . At first he just wanted to do anything to help her, but even he couldn’t deny the truth . She’s drawn to him , she finds comfort in him by their shared tragedy.
They’re real. They make bad decisions . They found peace with eachother because they were both haunted by their shared nightmare. No matter how wrong it was, it just felt right. They couldn’t deny their attraction to eachother and somehow that just made it so easy to cross the line no matter the consequences.
I actually loved willow, even though she went through so much she was still so resilient. Okay maybe relying on Ethan wasn’t the ideal coping mechanism but in her head it made sense .
Ethan made it so hard to hate him, underneath everything he truly cared for willow and did not want to hurt her. Even when he thought that saving her would get him killed he did it anyway.
Tropes
* Age gap 18 & 32
* Forbidden Romance
* Taboo
* Kidnapping and Captivity
* Angsty
* Non con
* Cheating
* Messy and Blurred Lines Crossed
* Dark Erotica
Songs
* We hug now by Sydney Rose
* Wildflower by Billie Eilish
* I love you, I’m sorry by Gracie Abrams
* I miss you, I’m sorry by Gracie Abrams
* Sad girl by Lana Del Rey
* We can’t be friends by Ariana Grande
* Again by Noah Cyrus
* Right where you left me by Taylor Swift
* Silence by Marshmallow & Khalid
July 18, 2023
I've just read this series because of potential spoiler for book 3 in Morelli series and I could live without this honestly. I had expectations for this story and it was interesting beginning but these characters... i didn't like them at all.
She is so naive and immature, not learning anything from her mistakes. He was passive and I have this feeling that he's with her just because she's only available option. There's no love or respect at all. His declaration of love is so unexpecting and false in my opinion.
Although I don't like cheating, I could give a chance with these circumstamces but this affair was too long for no reason. He didn't choose her at all, and honestly I would rather read his and Amanda come back story. I have feeling it would be more honest than this. In the beginning he said that he loved Amanda and his family but there's no mention about that later or how he stopped loving her.
Also, the end where Willow isn't sure he's comming to get her in the airport and after that he proposed... no comment.
One more thing, in the first book I expected more 'uncomfortable' scenes, more struggles for her sexuality, but no. After first kiss it was all normal, except 2 scenes later in the book wich doesn't have much sense. It would be super interesting story if she had fear and problems in the beginning of their relationship. But with bland character as Ethan, even with that plot, I don't think he would be willing to wait or help her much as expected.
This story had potential but it's big disappointment for me.
She is so naive and immature, not learning anything from her mistakes. He was passive and I have this feeling that he's with her just because she's only available option. There's no love or respect at all. His declaration of love is so unexpecting and false in my opinion.
Although I don't like cheating, I could give a chance with these circumstamces but this affair was too long for no reason. He didn't choose her at all, and honestly I would rather read his and Amanda come back story. I have feeling it would be more honest than this. In the beginning he said that he loved Amanda and his family but there's no mention about that later or how he stopped loving her.
Also, the end where Willow isn't sure he's comming to get her in the airport and after that he proposed... no comment.
One more thing, in the first book I expected more 'uncomfortable' scenes, more struggles for her sexuality, but no. After first kiss it was all normal, except 2 scenes later in the book wich doesn't have much sense. It would be super interesting story if she had fear and problems in the beginning of their relationship. But with bland character as Ethan, even with that plot, I don't think he would be willing to wait or help her much as expected.
This story had potential but it's big disappointment for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2024
A Gut-Wrenching Exploration of Love and Redemption
This book picks up where the previous installment left off, with Ethan and Willow severed from each other for four long months. Willow has begun to heal, but Ethan's world is crumbling around him. His downward spiral into depression is both heart-wrenching and frustrating, making me question whether he was truly worthy of Willow's love.
Ethan's journey is a complex exploration of guilt, shame, and redemption. His struggles to reconnect with his children and come to terms with his past mistakes are palpable. However, it's his treatment of Willow that had me siding against him for a significant portion of the book. Let's just say Ethan had some serious apologizing to do.
Fortunately, Ethan's past heroics in the Morelli family series had earned him some brownie points. His trespasses were eventually forgiven, and he slowly began to redeem himself in my eyes.
On the other hand, Willow stole the show. Her strength, resilience, and determination had me rooting for her from the very beginning. Her character development was phenomenal, and I appreciated how she never lost sight of her own needs and desires.
This book is a gut-wrenching exploration of love, redemption, and personal growth. With its complex characters, emotional plot twists, and heartfelt moments, this book will leave you breathless and eager for more.
I really don’t want it to end …
This book picks up where the previous installment left off, with Ethan and Willow severed from each other for four long months. Willow has begun to heal, but Ethan's world is crumbling around him. His downward spiral into depression is both heart-wrenching and frustrating, making me question whether he was truly worthy of Willow's love.
Ethan's journey is a complex exploration of guilt, shame, and redemption. His struggles to reconnect with his children and come to terms with his past mistakes are palpable. However, it's his treatment of Willow that had me siding against him for a significant portion of the book. Let's just say Ethan had some serious apologizing to do.
Fortunately, Ethan's past heroics in the Morelli family series had earned him some brownie points. His trespasses were eventually forgiven, and he slowly began to redeem himself in my eyes.
On the other hand, Willow stole the show. Her strength, resilience, and determination had me rooting for her from the very beginning. Her character development was phenomenal, and I appreciated how she never lost sight of her own needs and desires.
This book is a gut-wrenching exploration of love, redemption, and personal growth. With its complex characters, emotional plot twists, and heartfelt moments, this book will leave you breathless and eager for more.
I really don’t want it to end …
August 12, 2024
4 ⭐
Book 2 is mainly Ethan trying to clean up the mess he made of his life.
It's not so big on trauma or suspense. Ethan needs to choose whether he will commit fully to Willow or go back to his wife because Willow can't take the back and forth anymore yet his wife can't make up her mind whether she can forgive him and move on or whether they just need to get a divorce.
It was devastating to see how Ethan's wife struggled to forgive him for something he will never forgive himself for, yet Willow had no issue forgiving him. She experienced the worst moment of her life with him, during his worst moment of his life and she still loved him no matter what!
Ethan really struggled with losing his family and was scared to let go of his marriage, yet you could see his love for Willow... He wanted to brighten her world and take away all her sorrow... But adding to that, he hated what he had done to her and he hated himself for his actions... Having Willow care for him and love him, amid being part of what he hated most of himself, she honestly helped him just as much as he helped her.
I wish we got some scenes of Willow with Ethan's kids... She made Alison a necklace and she cared so much, but we never saw them together. Being a dad is also very important to Ethan so I wished we saw more of how he integrated his life with Willow with his kids.
Loved the fact that Ethan remained single over the 6 months between book 1 and 2!!! It honestly just made his feelings for the women in his life that much more significant and I loved it.
The ups and downs in this book were not as traumatic as book 1, but it was still emotionally draining for Ethan because no matter what, he loses some part of his life that is important to him. I loved that Willow called him on it and forced him to make a choice.
Honestly loved this duet!!!
Book 2 is mainly Ethan trying to clean up the mess he made of his life.
It's not so big on trauma or suspense. Ethan needs to choose whether he will commit fully to Willow or go back to his wife because Willow can't take the back and forth anymore yet his wife can't make up her mind whether she can forgive him and move on or whether they just need to get a divorce.
It was devastating to see how Ethan's wife struggled to forgive him for something he will never forgive himself for, yet Willow had no issue forgiving him. She experienced the worst moment of her life with him, during his worst moment of his life and she still loved him no matter what!
Ethan really struggled with losing his family and was scared to let go of his marriage, yet you could see his love for Willow... He wanted to brighten her world and take away all her sorrow... But adding to that, he hated what he had done to her and he hated himself for his actions... Having Willow care for him and love him, amid being part of what he hated most of himself, she honestly helped him just as much as he helped her.
I wish we got some scenes of Willow with Ethan's kids... She made Alison a necklace and she cared so much, but we never saw them together. Being a dad is also very important to Ethan so I wished we saw more of how he integrated his life with Willow with his kids.
Loved the fact that Ethan remained single over the 6 months between book 1 and 2!!! It honestly just made his feelings for the women in his life that much more significant and I loved it.
The ups and downs in this book were not as traumatic as book 1, but it was still emotionally draining for Ethan because no matter what, he loses some part of his life that is important to him. I loved that Willow called him on it and forced him to make a choice.
Honestly loved this duet!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2024
She got kidnapped.
He was posing as a bad guy.
He had to r*pe her or his head got shot at.
He fixed things and got her home safely.
She was torn between seeing him as a bad or a good man.
She had nightmares and kept on going back to him cause he kinda understands her.
They kissed.
She knows he’s married and have 3 kids.
They fucked.
No one knows.
Then the wife knows and they got separated.
He tried to fix things but she was held prisoner cause her parents found out.
6 months passed and she found him again.
But she’s in a relationship.
He’s a bit miserable but clueless what to do.
She broke up with her boyfriend and got together with him cause they both cannot stand away from each other.
His kids are and the wife are still around and she felt like his second best.
Then she got offered for internship at NY. should she go?
Confronted him what she was feeling.
He kept on being miserable saying she shouldn’t be just with him.
She couldn’t take it anymore and lashed out that he needed to choose, divorce and move on with her or get back to being the husband and father.
He saw a clarity and chose her.
The end.
He was posing as a bad guy.
He had to r*pe her or his head got shot at.
He fixed things and got her home safely.
She was torn between seeing him as a bad or a good man.
She had nightmares and kept on going back to him cause he kinda understands her.
They kissed.
She knows he’s married and have 3 kids.
They fucked.
No one knows.
Then the wife knows and they got separated.
He tried to fix things but she was held prisoner cause her parents found out.
6 months passed and she found him again.
But she’s in a relationship.
He’s a bit miserable but clueless what to do.
She broke up with her boyfriend and got together with him cause they both cannot stand away from each other.
His kids are and the wife are still around and she felt like his second best.
Then she got offered for internship at NY. should she go?
Confronted him what she was feeling.
He kept on being miserable saying she shouldn’t be just with him.
She couldn’t take it anymore and lashed out that he needed to choose, divorce and move on with her or get back to being the husband and father.
He saw a clarity and chose her.
The end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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