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Hitman's Captive
“No, princess, I won’t force you – I’m going to make you beg.” Leo I’m a killer for hire. Anonymous and independent. A professional. I’ve spent my life killing men and f*cking women. And I never hesitate to pull the trigger. Until I see her. Seductive innocence. Fire and passion. Curves that make me want to touch and taste and take until there’s nothing left. She’s standing over the wrong man’s body – and looking back at me with terrified eyes. A witness. I should kill her. Fix this f*cking mistake. But for the first time in my life, I can’t. Instead, there’s only one option I'm going on the run, and I’m taking her with me. The sweet heat of her body may be more dangerous to me than any mafia boss ever could be, but when our lips meet …it’s worth every risk. This woman might be the death of me – but first, I’m going to make her scream. Alessa I’m an Italian mafia princess - and my life belongs to my family. Duty. Service. Obedience. That’s all I’ve ever known. So when my father offers my innocence and marriage for a powerful alliance, I’m ready. Until the Russian mafia boss I’m promised to is violently murdered in front of me - and I’m taken as the only witness of a terrifying crime. Kidnapped by a powerful and predatory b*stard who terrifies me one moment…and sets my body on fire the next. I should hate him. I do hate him. And I’m getting out of here – somehow. But…every time he comes close to me, I can’t help but react to that cocky smile. The glint of arrogance in his eyes. His sinfully hot body, tattooed and hard - and so blatantly on offer. I’ve never felt anything like this. Never known anything beyond my father’s strict control. And for the first time, I want something for myself…to let him steal my innocence with every dark, intoxicating promise.
- GenresRomance
250 pages, Paperback
Published June 23, 2016
88 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
Lara Swann
17 books209 followersLara Swann writes hot, sexy romance with a touch of humor and a lot of passion. She has a thing for wounded alpha heroes and the fiery women who steal their hearts.
Her relationships are funny, sexy and spicy, and she gets as many thrills in pitting her characters against each other as she does when they eventually come together in an explosion of heat.
When she isn’t living in one of her many fantasy worlds, she attempts to focus on her respectable day job in a large, too-expensive city and dreams of a lake house in the country.
Sign up to my mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/bILWzD or add me on Facebook!
I do giveaways, cover reveals as well as advanced reader copies, and I'd love to hear from you!
Her relationships are funny, sexy and spicy, and she gets as many thrills in pitting her characters against each other as she does when they eventually come together in an explosion of heat.
When she isn’t living in one of her many fantasy worlds, she attempts to focus on her respectable day job in a large, too-expensive city and dreams of a lake house in the country.
Sign up to my mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/bILWzD or add me on Facebook!
I do giveaways, cover reveals as well as advanced reader copies, and I'd love to hear from you!
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 24, 2017
loved it! this book has everything I wanted to read hooked from the first page an very very hard to put down it surpassed all of my exceptions.
July 18, 2016
This was an excellent book.
The story was a little predictable but still very good.
The story is about a hitman who's been sent to kill a man cheating and instead kill a crime boss head of the mafia, leaving his fiancée mafia princess from a rival family as a witness.
Now, after he messed up the hit,he could not find it in himself to kill her for no good reason. He was not going to complicate the situation by killing another innocent.
This story has lots of fun moments and cute little scenes but mostly it's about survival and discovering the ugly truth.
They are both very strong characters but he was the most surprising with his gentle but firm handling of each curve she throws his way. She is not your typical mafia princess. She is loyal but conflicted.
Now, they have to discover who set him up if they are to have any peace. With both families out for blood, they will need to work fast and keep their heads in the game.
That's all well and good in theory but when passion is a player, keeping their heads, are the least of their concerns because now their hearts are in play as well.
An excellent book and a great read
Another totally safe book here.
Wow I am on a roll.
The story was a little predictable but still very good.
The story is about a hitman who's been sent to kill a man cheating and instead kill a crime boss head of the mafia, leaving his fiancée mafia princess from a rival family as a witness.
Now, after he messed up the hit,he could not find it in himself to kill her for no good reason. He was not going to complicate the situation by killing another innocent.
This story has lots of fun moments and cute little scenes but mostly it's about survival and discovering the ugly truth.
They are both very strong characters but he was the most surprising with his gentle but firm handling of each curve she throws his way. She is not your typical mafia princess. She is loyal but conflicted.
Now, they have to discover who set him up if they are to have any peace. With both families out for blood, they will need to work fast and keep their heads in the game.
That's all well and good in theory but when passion is a player, keeping their heads, are the least of their concerns because now their hearts are in play as well.
An excellent book and a great read
Another totally safe book here.
Wow I am on a roll.
June 24, 2016
ARC for honest review
Leo is a hitman put on a case with little information
Alessa Santini id the princess of the Italian Mafia when her father decides on a marriage alliance for her with the Russian Mafia she knows she has to go through with it for the sake of her family.
what happens when there first meeting is in a hotel and the next minute viktor is dead and she is kidnapped
will Leo realise he has been set up
this book is a fantastic read and has you gripped all the way through
Leo is a hitman put on a case with little information
Alessa Santini id the princess of the Italian Mafia when her father decides on a marriage alliance for her with the Russian Mafia she knows she has to go through with it for the sake of her family.
what happens when there first meeting is in a hotel and the next minute viktor is dead and she is kidnapped
will Leo realise he has been set up
this book is a fantastic read and has you gripped all the way through
July 4, 2016
Unexpected
HITMAN’S CAPTIVE A BAD BOY ROMANCE by Lara Swann
•Unexpected
AUTHOR NOTES****This book contains mature content, including graphic sex. Please do not continue reading if you are under the age of 18 or if this type of content is disturbing to you. NOTE: All characters in the book are 18+ years of age, non-blood related, and all sexual acts are consensual.**
This was my first Lara Swann book, but it won't be my last! It had its hooks in me from the first page, I didn't want to put it down until I got to the last page. You never knew what twist or turn was around the next corner. Lara filled the pages with excitement throughout. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.
Leo spent his childhood on the streets, waiting, hiding and disappearing which helped him become who he is today. A hitman or rather a killer for hire, assassin or murderer as he preferred to be called. Those who couldn't handle those labels shouldn't be in his line of work. He knew who he was and was damned good at his job! Being a loner made him invaluable to some clients, he could up and go after a hit and leave no one behind that could recognize him. No loose ends, he worked alone and needed no one. Leo'd been in NYC too long and was getting itchy feet, time to move on after this hit. He was hired to kill Martin Feber a financial guru, a boring, straight forward banker, because he'd slept with another man's wife. Leo had gotten the job just a couple of days ago, but this was a quick in-and-out job, Martin was leaving tomorrow. So Leo'd had to rely on other sources for intel, which he didn't usually do. But Martin's just a simple guy, simple job, who should've kept his pants zipped up! The only sticky part of the job was his clients insistence about it looking like a professional hit, but that's what happened when you pissed off enough people in NYC's underworld and they take out a hit on you. Leo preferred to leave it so it'd be hard to trace it back to just one person. Leo hid inside Martin's hotel room waiting for him, he'd been assured Martin wouldn't bring anyone back with him to his hotel room after the bankers conference. Leo used a garrote, which was nice, no noise, no mess and it screamed professional hit. Everything went according to plan, Martin's face matched the photo he'd been given, but something made him uneasy. His final check was always the wallet, checked his credit cards and ID. They all said the same thing.....Viktor Kovalski, Martin Feber wasn't there, but Viktor Kovalski was--- and Kovalski meant major trouble.... The Russian mafia!
Then he noticed her... She's pure beauty, **despite everything that had just gone fucking wrong -for one long moment I was simply stunned as I looked at her. Large dark eyes stared back at me from a face framed by thick, lustrous hair.** **no one had ever managed to disarm me like she did in that brief moment.** **sudden confusion of the situation breaking through my fog of disbelief at how badly my luck had turned. The beginning of panic frayed my nerves, and I felt myself perilously out of control -something I’d never allowed before. But I’d never had a hit go so fucking wrong.** I should kill her, I needed to kill her, but suddenly my mind rebelled against harming someone. I've never dealt with this before, she's a witness that could tie me to killing Viktor -the bratva boss, but I found myself taking her with me. I shouldn't have taken her, she's a distraction I cannot afford. I'm no longer safe, who cares about the incompetent police force. I've got bigger problems with the Russian bratva when they find out! **I could acknowledge that I didn’t know what the hell was going on here -and worse, I felt played** **This whole situation was a nightmare.** I never wanted to kidnap anyone! This wasn't simply mistaken identity, this was Martin's room. Everything was too easy and too neat- until it went to hell. This was a deliberate hit on Viktor Kovalski, it wasn't a casual arrangement either, this took some major planning. Why did I bring her? I should've just killed her, it's going to be one massive headache but it's better than killing her right? That's what I thought until I found out who she really is... **“You don’t know? My name is Alessa Santini. That makes my father Antonio Santini. **“You expect me to believe that Antonio Santini would let his daughter near a Russian mafia boss?” I challenged. Her beautiful eyes flashed again. “He was my fiance -until you murdered him, you cold bastard.” Fuck, I kidnapped an Italian mafia princess!
Alessa waited her whole life for the day her father would decide who she'd marry. She knew it wasn't going to be a fairytale and more than likely she'd have to work on loving or even liking whomever he picked. But it was an alliance for the family, and what I had always prepared for. **I’d dealt with the occasional moments of fear without letting anyone else see them. I was a Santini -and I was determined to represent my family well.**(direct book quote) But how did my virginal night go so terribly wrong. Not only did I walk in and see my fiancé dead on the floor, but now his killer has kidnapped me. I didn't know what to expect tonight, but now it's changed to terror and confusion. **The hard, ripped body I’d felt pressed up against mine had confused me with conflicted emotions -the heat radiating from him made me respond in kind, even as I’d been repulsed by his proximity and wanted nothing more than to push him away. Something about tonight had obviously messed with my mind that I could even have reacted that way. I’d spent so long mentally preparing myself for what I’d hoped would be full of pleasure, that I hadn’t been able to stop wanting it, even after Viktor’s death. And it didn’t help that this was the kind of man I’d fantasized about -apart from the cold-blooded killer part, anyway. He was ruggedly handsome -grim, maybe, with sharp lines across the strong features of his face, but he had the sort of masculinity that set my heart beating out of control in my chest. And the way he looked at me…like he was going to devour me slowly, and leave me begging for more…** What the hell do I do now?
What will happen to Alessa? What will Leo do, where can he go, does he have anyone that'll help him in this type of situation? You'll have to read HITMAN’S CAPTIVE A BAD BOY ROMANCE to find out. But it'll be MORE than worth your time! It gets hotly intense, and there are a lot of surprises along the way. I give Lara 5 stars! Due to sexual content and adult language I recommend this for readers 17 and older. I received this ARC from Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review!
Favorite Passages:
-I could acknowledge that I didn’t know what the hell was going on here -and worse, I felt played.
-I was in way over my head with this. And I couldn’t let that get in the way of everything else I needed to work out.
-Her pretty dark eyes were tempting as a siren, and I couldn’t afford that.
-“I’m the daughter of the Italian mafia -want doesn’t come into it.”
HITMAN’S CAPTIVE A BAD BOY ROMANCE by Lara Swann
•Unexpected
AUTHOR NOTES****This book contains mature content, including graphic sex. Please do not continue reading if you are under the age of 18 or if this type of content is disturbing to you. NOTE: All characters in the book are 18+ years of age, non-blood related, and all sexual acts are consensual.**
This was my first Lara Swann book, but it won't be my last! It had its hooks in me from the first page, I didn't want to put it down until I got to the last page. You never knew what twist or turn was around the next corner. Lara filled the pages with excitement throughout. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.
Leo spent his childhood on the streets, waiting, hiding and disappearing which helped him become who he is today. A hitman or rather a killer for hire, assassin or murderer as he preferred to be called. Those who couldn't handle those labels shouldn't be in his line of work. He knew who he was and was damned good at his job! Being a loner made him invaluable to some clients, he could up and go after a hit and leave no one behind that could recognize him. No loose ends, he worked alone and needed no one. Leo'd been in NYC too long and was getting itchy feet, time to move on after this hit. He was hired to kill Martin Feber a financial guru, a boring, straight forward banker, because he'd slept with another man's wife. Leo had gotten the job just a couple of days ago, but this was a quick in-and-out job, Martin was leaving tomorrow. So Leo'd had to rely on other sources for intel, which he didn't usually do. But Martin's just a simple guy, simple job, who should've kept his pants zipped up! The only sticky part of the job was his clients insistence about it looking like a professional hit, but that's what happened when you pissed off enough people in NYC's underworld and they take out a hit on you. Leo preferred to leave it so it'd be hard to trace it back to just one person. Leo hid inside Martin's hotel room waiting for him, he'd been assured Martin wouldn't bring anyone back with him to his hotel room after the bankers conference. Leo used a garrote, which was nice, no noise, no mess and it screamed professional hit. Everything went according to plan, Martin's face matched the photo he'd been given, but something made him uneasy. His final check was always the wallet, checked his credit cards and ID. They all said the same thing.....Viktor Kovalski, Martin Feber wasn't there, but Viktor Kovalski was--- and Kovalski meant major trouble.... The Russian mafia!
Then he noticed her... She's pure beauty, **despite everything that had just gone fucking wrong -for one long moment I was simply stunned as I looked at her. Large dark eyes stared back at me from a face framed by thick, lustrous hair.** **no one had ever managed to disarm me like she did in that brief moment.** **sudden confusion of the situation breaking through my fog of disbelief at how badly my luck had turned. The beginning of panic frayed my nerves, and I felt myself perilously out of control -something I’d never allowed before. But I’d never had a hit go so fucking wrong.** I should kill her, I needed to kill her, but suddenly my mind rebelled against harming someone. I've never dealt with this before, she's a witness that could tie me to killing Viktor -the bratva boss, but I found myself taking her with me. I shouldn't have taken her, she's a distraction I cannot afford. I'm no longer safe, who cares about the incompetent police force. I've got bigger problems with the Russian bratva when they find out! **I could acknowledge that I didn’t know what the hell was going on here -and worse, I felt played** **This whole situation was a nightmare.** I never wanted to kidnap anyone! This wasn't simply mistaken identity, this was Martin's room. Everything was too easy and too neat- until it went to hell. This was a deliberate hit on Viktor Kovalski, it wasn't a casual arrangement either, this took some major planning. Why did I bring her? I should've just killed her, it's going to be one massive headache but it's better than killing her right? That's what I thought until I found out who she really is... **“You don’t know? My name is Alessa Santini. That makes my father Antonio Santini. **“You expect me to believe that Antonio Santini would let his daughter near a Russian mafia boss?” I challenged. Her beautiful eyes flashed again. “He was my fiance -until you murdered him, you cold bastard.” Fuck, I kidnapped an Italian mafia princess!
Alessa waited her whole life for the day her father would decide who she'd marry. She knew it wasn't going to be a fairytale and more than likely she'd have to work on loving or even liking whomever he picked. But it was an alliance for the family, and what I had always prepared for. **I’d dealt with the occasional moments of fear without letting anyone else see them. I was a Santini -and I was determined to represent my family well.**(direct book quote) But how did my virginal night go so terribly wrong. Not only did I walk in and see my fiancé dead on the floor, but now his killer has kidnapped me. I didn't know what to expect tonight, but now it's changed to terror and confusion. **The hard, ripped body I’d felt pressed up against mine had confused me with conflicted emotions -the heat radiating from him made me respond in kind, even as I’d been repulsed by his proximity and wanted nothing more than to push him away. Something about tonight had obviously messed with my mind that I could even have reacted that way. I’d spent so long mentally preparing myself for what I’d hoped would be full of pleasure, that I hadn’t been able to stop wanting it, even after Viktor’s death. And it didn’t help that this was the kind of man I’d fantasized about -apart from the cold-blooded killer part, anyway. He was ruggedly handsome -grim, maybe, with sharp lines across the strong features of his face, but he had the sort of masculinity that set my heart beating out of control in my chest. And the way he looked at me…like he was going to devour me slowly, and leave me begging for more…** What the hell do I do now?
What will happen to Alessa? What will Leo do, where can he go, does he have anyone that'll help him in this type of situation? You'll have to read HITMAN’S CAPTIVE A BAD BOY ROMANCE to find out. But it'll be MORE than worth your time! It gets hotly intense, and there are a lot of surprises along the way. I give Lara 5 stars! Due to sexual content and adult language I recommend this for readers 17 and older. I received this ARC from Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review!
Favorite Passages:
-I could acknowledge that I didn’t know what the hell was going on here -and worse, I felt played.
-I was in way over my head with this. And I couldn’t let that get in the way of everything else I needed to work out.
-Her pretty dark eyes were tempting as a siren, and I couldn’t afford that.
-“I’m the daughter of the Italian mafia -want doesn’t come into it.”
October 24, 2017
Hostage falls for the hitman
Hero, Leo = 4/5
Heroine, Alessa = 4/5
Secondary Characters = 4/5
Chemistry = 3/5
Sex = 3/5
Plot = 4/5
Mystery = 2/5
Action = 4/5
Darkness = 2/5
Humor = 1/5
POV = Dual POV
Stars = 3 ☆ ☆ ☆
This book seems hard for me to review. It was okay for a mafia/hitman book but for a romance it could have been better. It was drawn out in some areas.
Leo, a hitman, kidnaps a mafia princess, Alessa. They pretty much hide out the entire book. Little to no action too. She gives in to his arrogant charm finally towards the end of the book. Her father's people find her and take her home. Leo thinks she left on her own and he finally tries to move on. Alessa finds some disturbing things about her family. Let's just hope she can find Leo first.
The last 15% was probably the best part of the book. It wasn't a horrible read I just didn't connect with it all the way.
Hero, Leo = 4/5
Heroine, Alessa = 4/5
Secondary Characters = 4/5
Chemistry = 3/5
Sex = 3/5
Plot = 4/5
Mystery = 2/5
Action = 4/5
Darkness = 2/5
Humor = 1/5
POV = Dual POV
Stars = 3 ☆ ☆ ☆
This book seems hard for me to review. It was okay for a mafia/hitman book but for a romance it could have been better. It was drawn out in some areas.
Leo, a hitman, kidnaps a mafia princess, Alessa. They pretty much hide out the entire book. Little to no action too. She gives in to his arrogant charm finally towards the end of the book. Her father's people find her and take her home. Leo thinks she left on her own and he finally tries to move on. Alessa finds some disturbing things about her family. Let's just hope she can find Leo first.
The last 15% was probably the best part of the book. It wasn't a horrible read I just didn't connect with it all the way.
June 24, 2016
As a proud Abibliophobiac, I read anything and everything. I am often laughed at because I go from one side of the spectrum to the other quickly. For example in a matter of days I read a cookbook (tested too!), a book about coping with death, to a book about meditation. How did I round out those? I read a paranormal thriller and a political suspense one too. I know, odd tastes right? But, it helps me to appreciate all that I do read even more. Each book I read doesn’t blend into the next one, looking similar or making me question the validity of some of it. If I keep abibliophobiac mind busy, then I don’t have to worry about what to read next. I often play, “book roulette” in fact on my kindle. I swipe the screen and stop it. Whatever book I land on, I read it. I know, I’m nuts.
Over the weekend I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to read Hitman’s Captive or a romantic comedy/mystery. Since I was at odds in my decisions I played my usual game and jumped right into the chaotic, suspenseful, erotic, story about Leo and his mafia princess captive. Lara drops you right into the scene where Leo is doing something he’s been trained to do so well. He’s a hired hit man picking up another quick hit before he goes into the wind again. There is a reason he works alone. Because you can’t trust anyone to watch your back for you. It’s been his style for so long and he is usually a lot better about the details. He slipped on this one though! He let himself be rushed and now he’ll have to pay the price.
Alessa has been waiting most of her life to be treated like a woman instead of the stereotypical spoiled princess of the Italian mafia. She has been taught her whole life how she would be sacrificing herself for the better good of the “family”. Her father would be picking her husband for her and she is to shut up and deal with it. Alessa doesn’t mind too much since she knows this is what is expected. She loves her family and would do anything for them. Even giving up her life and her virginity to a man she doesn’t know. The day that she meets him, her world blows up.
Leo finishes the hit before he realizes there is a witness to what he just did. Instead of doing what he has always done and finished off the job, he hesitates and takes Alessa as his captive. He has no idea what was stopping him. Whether it was the instant connection, her lush beauty or the strength she shows him in her actions. Whatever reason he does it, he can’t turn back now. Alessa just wants to get out alive and back home to her family. She knows her dad will find her, if she can just figure out a way to tip them off.
Leo goes on the run and figuring out his escape plan since the man he just killed? His name is not the one that he was provided with for the hit. Instead, he’s a big time player in the mob world and his death has marked Leo for assassination. He hits the road with Alessa and takes a crazy amount of turns and disasters in the process that bring them perilously close to being found, killed, and tortured. With all that fear going on, neither one would expect the sexual tension between them would erupt in a way Alessa never knew was possible. The more time they are together trying to figure out who set Leo up, the closer they get and the hotter the steam becomes!
Neither one of them ever expected for life to change as drastically and traumatically like it did. Who the hell is telling the truth? How set him up? Who wanted either one of them dead enough to cause a war among the different factions? That’s a puzzle they have to find all the pieces of together before it’s too late.
Leo learns it���s ok to care about someone. To let yourself go and to trust. No matter how hard his life has made him, he finally sees true bravery and affection in Alessa. Can he show her that and make her understand he’s not a monster?
Alessa has stepped and seen how strong she really is. She’s faced uncertain tragedies over and over on this trip, but she keeps going. She realizes that she’s been underestimated by everyone she’s ever encountered, including her father. Can she show Leo that she is worth more than just arm candy?
It’s an intriguing path Lara shares with us in this book. There is the part of you that kind of feels like you should be appalled by the fact that he’s a hired hit man and technically “the bad guy”. But then the other part of you says, “Holy hell he’s hot!”. Never mind that you automatically may think with a roll of your eyes that Alessa is going to be portrayed as any other spoiled brat. But, the fact that she’s not and how loyal she is, is pretty awesome. Over all I think it was a well thought out and intriguing book. I found the twists with the factions of mafia being so close in area to each other and how they make it work. Or not work I guess you could say. I did receive this from Hidden Gems as an advanced copy so that I could review it honestly.
Positives:
I liked both Leo and Alessa from the beginning. They are such polar opposites in some ways, yet possess a few similar traits. They definitely fit the whole “opposites attract” scenario. Lara did an awesome job with their dynamic.
It was interesting the amount of detail that was put into the description of their surrounding areas and the snippets of information she dropped that set you on the track to figure out exactly who was the real bad guy.
Negatives:
There are parts where it really dragged for me. Those were usually the parts where Leo was too full of himself around Alessa where he acts as though he knows what she is planning.
I would have liked to have learned more about their history with their families. Just a little more to make it all come together a bit more.
If you like sexy bad guys, strong, stunning princess’ then go check this one out! It’s a good suspenseful erotic romance that will have you anxious to find out how it ends.
Over the weekend I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to read Hitman’s Captive or a romantic comedy/mystery. Since I was at odds in my decisions I played my usual game and jumped right into the chaotic, suspenseful, erotic, story about Leo and his mafia princess captive. Lara drops you right into the scene where Leo is doing something he’s been trained to do so well. He’s a hired hit man picking up another quick hit before he goes into the wind again. There is a reason he works alone. Because you can’t trust anyone to watch your back for you. It’s been his style for so long and he is usually a lot better about the details. He slipped on this one though! He let himself be rushed and now he’ll have to pay the price.
Alessa has been waiting most of her life to be treated like a woman instead of the stereotypical spoiled princess of the Italian mafia. She has been taught her whole life how she would be sacrificing herself for the better good of the “family”. Her father would be picking her husband for her and she is to shut up and deal with it. Alessa doesn’t mind too much since she knows this is what is expected. She loves her family and would do anything for them. Even giving up her life and her virginity to a man she doesn’t know. The day that she meets him, her world blows up.
Leo finishes the hit before he realizes there is a witness to what he just did. Instead of doing what he has always done and finished off the job, he hesitates and takes Alessa as his captive. He has no idea what was stopping him. Whether it was the instant connection, her lush beauty or the strength she shows him in her actions. Whatever reason he does it, he can’t turn back now. Alessa just wants to get out alive and back home to her family. She knows her dad will find her, if she can just figure out a way to tip them off.
Leo goes on the run and figuring out his escape plan since the man he just killed? His name is not the one that he was provided with for the hit. Instead, he’s a big time player in the mob world and his death has marked Leo for assassination. He hits the road with Alessa and takes a crazy amount of turns and disasters in the process that bring them perilously close to being found, killed, and tortured. With all that fear going on, neither one would expect the sexual tension between them would erupt in a way Alessa never knew was possible. The more time they are together trying to figure out who set Leo up, the closer they get and the hotter the steam becomes!
Neither one of them ever expected for life to change as drastically and traumatically like it did. Who the hell is telling the truth? How set him up? Who wanted either one of them dead enough to cause a war among the different factions? That’s a puzzle they have to find all the pieces of together before it’s too late.
Leo learns it���s ok to care about someone. To let yourself go and to trust. No matter how hard his life has made him, he finally sees true bravery and affection in Alessa. Can he show her that and make her understand he’s not a monster?
Alessa has stepped and seen how strong she really is. She’s faced uncertain tragedies over and over on this trip, but she keeps going. She realizes that she’s been underestimated by everyone she’s ever encountered, including her father. Can she show Leo that she is worth more than just arm candy?
It’s an intriguing path Lara shares with us in this book. There is the part of you that kind of feels like you should be appalled by the fact that he’s a hired hit man and technically “the bad guy”. But then the other part of you says, “Holy hell he’s hot!”. Never mind that you automatically may think with a roll of your eyes that Alessa is going to be portrayed as any other spoiled brat. But, the fact that she’s not and how loyal she is, is pretty awesome. Over all I think it was a well thought out and intriguing book. I found the twists with the factions of mafia being so close in area to each other and how they make it work. Or not work I guess you could say. I did receive this from Hidden Gems as an advanced copy so that I could review it honestly.
Positives:
I liked both Leo and Alessa from the beginning. They are such polar opposites in some ways, yet possess a few similar traits. They definitely fit the whole “opposites attract” scenario. Lara did an awesome job with their dynamic.
It was interesting the amount of detail that was put into the description of their surrounding areas and the snippets of information she dropped that set you on the track to figure out exactly who was the real bad guy.
Negatives:
There are parts where it really dragged for me. Those were usually the parts where Leo was too full of himself around Alessa where he acts as though he knows what she is planning.
I would have liked to have learned more about their history with their families. Just a little more to make it all come together a bit more.
If you like sexy bad guys, strong, stunning princess’ then go check this one out! It’s a good suspenseful erotic romance that will have you anxious to find out how it ends.
December 10, 2017
I have found a new author!
I read Hitman’s Captive first. I would love to have Leo kidnap me. This book was so good and unexpected. Leo does a hit and was set up. He kidnaps the mafia princess. It gets good from there. Leo is an alpha gorgeous guy whose heart gets captured by his fiery “prisoner “. Loved this book
Next a free story Hard a Military Stepbrother Romance. This book grabbed me from the prologue and I couldn’t stop until I finished it. I went through every emotion in this book. I was angry Seth, heartbroken hoping for his Bella between Seth and her cold father. This book put me through every emotion. A beautiful love story full of love emotion heartache and hopefully redemption? You will have to read this story of love and second chance at finding their soulmate.
I read Hitman’s Captive first. I would love to have Leo kidnap me. This book was so good and unexpected. Leo does a hit and was set up. He kidnaps the mafia princess. It gets good from there. Leo is an alpha gorgeous guy whose heart gets captured by his fiery “prisoner “. Loved this book
Next a free story Hard a Military Stepbrother Romance. This book grabbed me from the prologue and I couldn’t stop until I finished it. I went through every emotion in this book. I was angry Seth, heartbroken hoping for his Bella between Seth and her cold father. This book put me through every emotion. A beautiful love story full of love emotion heartache and hopefully redemption? You will have to read this story of love and second chance at finding their soulmate.
October 18, 2017
♥️
I can’t believe it took me so long to read this book! It was amazing. The bonus book was brilliant as well. So ouch romance my heart couldn’t take it. I would re read it all over again in a heartbeat. 💗
I can’t believe it took me so long to read this book! It was amazing. The bonus book was brilliant as well. So ouch romance my heart couldn’t take it. I would re read it all over again in a heartbeat. 💗
June 24, 2016
If you love books about mafia bad boys that take what they want including their women, this book is definitely for you! Leo, even though not apart of it, is a hitman often hired by the mafia. In this case he's hired by someone wanting to take out the man that his wife had an affair with. Straight forward, easy hit. He waits patiently, his target approaches, he takes him out. Only there's a niggling little feeling that something is off, which he confirms when he checks the target's wallet--it's the wrong person. Looking up from the body on the floor that is the wrong person, he sees a woman standing over him that also isn't supposed to be there. Can you say hell in a hand basket? Never having been in this situation before, he grabs the girl and walks away.
Alessa can't believe what she just walked in on--a man crouched over the body of her fiancee. Now she's forced to go with him as his captive. She was supposed to marry the dead man in exchange for an alliance between her Italian mafia father and her fiancee's Russian mafia. But seeing as that duty has been stripped away, she's unsure of anything but the need to escape. Only problem is, the more time she spends with Leo, the more his cocky arrogance does something instead of annoying her--it begins to set her blood on fire. But will this good little mafia princess be able to place duty above her own desires? Hmm....
The great thing about being an ARC reader is the ability to continuously read books that you know you will love. Lara Swann has a way of getting you to fall in love with her arrogant bad boys and wishing you were the heroine in her stories. Maybe not the type of heroine that is controlled by the mafia, but definitely the type that is controlled and dominated by a hot, hot, hot man. I loved how Leo constantly tries to get under Alessa's skin by teasing her with all the things he could do to her sexually, and how Alessa isn't afraid to fight for what she wants, or what she thinks she wants. I had to laugh at the part that leads her to finally giving into her desire for Leo--when you read it you'll understand why (and quite possibly be looking for your significant other too). Besides the chemistry from the two main characters, the suspense of them having to be on the run from two warring mafia factions will keep you on the edge of your seat. Another great read from Lara!
**I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
Alessa can't believe what she just walked in on--a man crouched over the body of her fiancee. Now she's forced to go with him as his captive. She was supposed to marry the dead man in exchange for an alliance between her Italian mafia father and her fiancee's Russian mafia. But seeing as that duty has been stripped away, she's unsure of anything but the need to escape. Only problem is, the more time she spends with Leo, the more his cocky arrogance does something instead of annoying her--it begins to set her blood on fire. But will this good little mafia princess be able to place duty above her own desires? Hmm....
The great thing about being an ARC reader is the ability to continuously read books that you know you will love. Lara Swann has a way of getting you to fall in love with her arrogant bad boys and wishing you were the heroine in her stories. Maybe not the type of heroine that is controlled by the mafia, but definitely the type that is controlled and dominated by a hot, hot, hot man. I loved how Leo constantly tries to get under Alessa's skin by teasing her with all the things he could do to her sexually, and how Alessa isn't afraid to fight for what she wants, or what she thinks she wants. I had to laugh at the part that leads her to finally giving into her desire for Leo--when you read it you'll understand why (and quite possibly be looking for your significant other too). Besides the chemistry from the two main characters, the suspense of them having to be on the run from two warring mafia factions will keep you on the edge of your seat. Another great read from Lara!
**I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
June 23, 2016
I really enjoyed this story! The characters are great. Leo is a damaged man, but not too damaged. He has just always been on his own and never really had a support system or person and so has the mentality of going alone. Alessa has been taught that she is there to support the family and do what they need, pretty much to obey the men. Since this is the way that's she's been raised she's never really thought about anything else. Leo comes into her life and changes everything. Leo is set up to kill a Bratva boss, that he thinks is just some financial guy. He was also supposed to kill the witness but something won't let him and instead he takes Alessa hostage. At first he has no idea who she is but when he finds out he doesn't let that change his plans. I loved how they built their relationship. Yes, she is a hostage but Leo never forces her or pushes her sexually really. He turns her on but always makes sure that she knows she has a choice and that it will be her choice. I liked that aspect of it. Leo has made his word believable because he follows through with what he says when he makes those promises. I love the fact that we get to see Alessa come out of her shell and show her attitude and personality that she didn't get to in her old life. I love that Leo enjoys it, even when he doesn't want her to know that. These were all things that made me love these characters and root for them the whole time. There's some action in this book but it's more intrigue as they try and stay hidden and find out who set Leo up. This was a really well written story that will hold your attention. I had to find out what was going to happen next. The sex is explicit and fairly frequent. The story has a great pace. I really enjoyed reading it.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2016
I received the ARC for an honest review.
This book drew me in immediately. I thought I had figured out a few things as I was reading but was surprised by the actual outcome.
Alessa is a Mafia princess who has been trained that family comes first and she must do as they wish. Her future husband is chosen for her, someone who has the right connections to help her family. A Russian Bratva.
Leo is a hired hitman who has be paid to kill what he believes is a man who slept with another man's wife. Unbeknownst to him it is a "hit" against a very powerful person and his life is now in jeopardy. On top of that there is a witness. Leo cannot kill her so he kidnaps her.
Leo and Alessa begin a journey that makes each of them question their lives in different ways and brings them together. Alessa's character becomes strong and fiesty. She realizes that this may be the only chance she gets to do things she wants as opposed to what her father and family ask of her.
Leo can't believe that he is letting a female rule his actions. He is a trained killer and yet he cannot bring himself to kill her.
As their journey continues Alessa lets Leo see that relying on others is not something to fear and to realize that he does have a friend that has cared about him for a long time, just as Leo cares about him. It is Leo's family.
Alessa learns that it is OK to stand on your own feet. To want things and still be faithful to the family.
When a turn of events shows Leo and Alessa that the lives they thought they wanted and the people they thought they knew are not what they appear they reach out for each other.
This was the first book I have read by this author and felt that her writing style was easy to read. The book contained romance, suspense, adventure and the bad boy alpha male with the good girl who tames him.
This book drew me in immediately. I thought I had figured out a few things as I was reading but was surprised by the actual outcome.
Alessa is a Mafia princess who has been trained that family comes first and she must do as they wish. Her future husband is chosen for her, someone who has the right connections to help her family. A Russian Bratva.
Leo is a hired hitman who has be paid to kill what he believes is a man who slept with another man's wife. Unbeknownst to him it is a "hit" against a very powerful person and his life is now in jeopardy. On top of that there is a witness. Leo cannot kill her so he kidnaps her.
Leo and Alessa begin a journey that makes each of them question their lives in different ways and brings them together. Alessa's character becomes strong and fiesty. She realizes that this may be the only chance she gets to do things she wants as opposed to what her father and family ask of her.
Leo can't believe that he is letting a female rule his actions. He is a trained killer and yet he cannot bring himself to kill her.
As their journey continues Alessa lets Leo see that relying on others is not something to fear and to realize that he does have a friend that has cared about him for a long time, just as Leo cares about him. It is Leo's family.
Alessa learns that it is OK to stand on your own feet. To want things and still be faithful to the family.
When a turn of events shows Leo and Alessa that the lives they thought they wanted and the people they thought they knew are not what they appear they reach out for each other.
This was the first book I have read by this author and felt that her writing style was easy to read. The book contained romance, suspense, adventure and the bad boy alpha male with the good girl who tames him.
June 23, 2016
Aleesa is a mafia Princess and her father is a very well known Mafia Boss, Aleesa always knew that one day her father would pick a husband for her to Marry, but she didnt know that the day they meet that he would be murdered, and she would be kidnapped and her life changed forever. Leo is a hitman that has always pretty much been on his own, he has his Mentor but that is pretty much it. When he takes Aleesa things in him start to change, not only are they running from who might be after them but he starts to have feelings for a Woman, which has never happened before.
What I enjoyed most about Hitmans Captive is watching a Woman who has been told how to act, dress, live etc for her whole life suddenly be free of that even tho she isnt really free when being kidnapped, but all of a sudden she is doing stuff she has never done in her life and enjoying this for herself before she goes back home. Leo is also learning about himself in a way he never thought would ever happen, falling in love and being confused about it at every turn but finally figuring out that there can be happiness in the world he just has to accept it.
This book was Amazing. Every page was filled full of Entertainment. This story is Mafia with quite a bit of twists and turns, a hit gone way wrong, taking a woman and kidnapping her, both have this chemistry and attraction for each other but knowing with their situation that it is so very wrong, dangerous moments between Mafia on both her side and the side she was supposed to Marry into when it comes into both her and Leo's safety, A love story. If you like stories like this, then Hitman's Captive is a must!!
What I enjoyed most about Hitmans Captive is watching a Woman who has been told how to act, dress, live etc for her whole life suddenly be free of that even tho she isnt really free when being kidnapped, but all of a sudden she is doing stuff she has never done in her life and enjoying this for herself before she goes back home. Leo is also learning about himself in a way he never thought would ever happen, falling in love and being confused about it at every turn but finally figuring out that there can be happiness in the world he just has to accept it.
This book was Amazing. Every page was filled full of Entertainment. This story is Mafia with quite a bit of twists and turns, a hit gone way wrong, taking a woman and kidnapping her, both have this chemistry and attraction for each other but knowing with their situation that it is so very wrong, dangerous moments between Mafia on both her side and the side she was supposed to Marry into when it comes into both her and Leo's safety, A love story. If you like stories like this, then Hitman's Captive is a must!!
June 23, 2016
There are certain themes that just grab me hard. Hitman and an innocent woman he won't kill. Because he looks into her soulful eyes and he just can't pull the trigger. Come on, I'm melting already. Ok, this is fantasy, all right? Real life circumstances like these and I would go mad.
However, a romance with this premise is so white-hot exciting that I jumped at the chance to read it and I waited for it with panting breath.
This story has some good planning and thought put into it. The hitman finds himself in the middle of a set-up and he has to pull all his contacts to find out why he's killed the wrong man. In the meantime, he's on the run with a beautiful mafia princess that doesn't make things any easier.
The double POV only enhances a very good writing style. Both characters feel real enough with Leo having a harsh background and no warmth in his life while Alessa has never known any freedom at all. They have to hide and escape dangers, but the real action is happening between them. Despite the impossible odds, this wild attraction fires up and scorches everything in its path.
It's quite romantic actually. He's good at his job, cold and professional, but tender and concerned about his captive. The passionate scenes are wonderful to read and feel. I liked how they open up to each other and also a couple of effective surprises in the end.
I'm very satisfied with the story in general and with its smart, sexy and very romantic ending.
However, a romance with this premise is so white-hot exciting that I jumped at the chance to read it and I waited for it with panting breath.
This story has some good planning and thought put into it. The hitman finds himself in the middle of a set-up and he has to pull all his contacts to find out why he's killed the wrong man. In the meantime, he's on the run with a beautiful mafia princess that doesn't make things any easier.
The double POV only enhances a very good writing style. Both characters feel real enough with Leo having a harsh background and no warmth in his life while Alessa has never known any freedom at all. They have to hide and escape dangers, but the real action is happening between them. Despite the impossible odds, this wild attraction fires up and scorches everything in its path.
It's quite romantic actually. He's good at his job, cold and professional, but tender and concerned about his captive. The passionate scenes are wonderful to read and feel. I liked how they open up to each other and also a couple of effective surprises in the end.
I'm very satisfied with the story in general and with its smart, sexy and very romantic ending.
June 23, 2016
Leo is a Hitman hired to eliminate some ordinary nobody. After the deed is done, things begin to go terribly wrong for Leo. To verify the identity of his kill, he discovers he just killed the Boss of the Russian Mafia. To make matters worse, there is a witness, a beautiful woman that he cannot force himself to silence. So without thinking it through, he kidnaps her. Later, he learns she is the daughter of the Boss of the Italian Mafia. Leo has been set up and now has two vicious Mafia families gunning for him. While Leo questions his sanity in bringing the woman along, innocent Alessa struggles with her confused emotions: fear that she must escape alive, frustration she lost her opportunity to trade in her v-card with the now deceased Russian and at the same time, trying to understand why she feels so drawn to Leo as a man. Leo must find who set him up and in the meantime, keep a low profile and remain out of sight. This adventure is exciting, suspenseful, intense, mysterious and remarkable with a story of the mob politics and mystery and the romantic, passionate angle between Leo & Alessa. I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. It is an amazing detective/crime story as well as a love story. Five stars.
June 24, 2016
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
Alessa is an Italian Mafia Princess set up to marry the bass of the Russian mob to form an alliance. Leo is a hitman, hired to kill some no name banker. The no-name banker turns out to be none other than Alessa's fiance and she is a witness. Instead of doing the obvious and killing her, Leo takes her with him. Alessa is pampered and accustomed to putting the family first. Leo is cocky and void of all connections. The sparks fly instantly and the inner dialog is witty.
This was actually the first book I've read about anything mafia related and I really enjoyed it. The author has mastered the art of showing as opposed to telling and kept me hooked from page one. The plot twist was well timed (even though I did suspect it) and the characters were developed with precision. The naughty scenes were VERY naughty and the main characters' chemistry is off the charts.
Alessa is an Italian Mafia Princess set up to marry the bass of the Russian mob to form an alliance. Leo is a hitman, hired to kill some no name banker. The no-name banker turns out to be none other than Alessa's fiance and she is a witness. Instead of doing the obvious and killing her, Leo takes her with him. Alessa is pampered and accustomed to putting the family first. Leo is cocky and void of all connections. The sparks fly instantly and the inner dialog is witty.
This was actually the first book I've read about anything mafia related and I really enjoyed it. The author has mastered the art of showing as opposed to telling and kept me hooked from page one. The plot twist was well timed (even though I did suspect it) and the characters were developed with precision. The naughty scenes were VERY naughty and the main characters' chemistry is off the charts.
July 8, 2016
Leo is a Hitman, hired to kill a man that slept with a business associates wife, everything is going to plan until he looks at the id and realizes that he's killed the head of the Russian mafia, and now also has a witness to his crime, a witness he should eliminate. Alessa was to be an offering to the head of the Russians as a wife to forge an alliance, but when her fiancé is killed in front of her and she is taken hostage, she fears that she will be killed, or forced to do things she doesn't want. The longer they're together, the more they feel for each other.
The characters were charming, and I enjoyed their interactions, watching them grow and realize what's important to them. There was a good ending to the story, and the bonus story was a nice extra.
The characters were charming, and I enjoyed their interactions, watching them grow and realize what's important to them. There was a good ending to the story, and the bonus story was a nice extra.
April 1, 2024
Hitmans Captive, A Bad boy romance by Lara Swann. Leo a hitman for hire, Alessa a mafia daughter princess. The hit goes wrong. She is kidnapped. The front cover muscly torso. This book does not disappoint if its what you are after. Is there sex. Yes lots. A really enjoyable read. Page turner of their emotions. Predictable most probably. A great guilty pleasure of a story. Lots of pleasure. Its a bonk buster eventually. A different story to my usual murder death thrillers. Give it a try. Not for the naive. A happy ending most likely. Kindle 4*.
October 12, 2016
Leo was given a hit to carry out with very little information. He carries it out but there's a catch Alessa Santini sees him do it. She's an Italian mafia princess who was promised to the Russian that Leo just killed. He takes her heart stage until he can figure out how this went so wrong. They fall in love and in the end they manage to find a way to stay together. A really good book.
June 24, 2016
One hell of an intense ARC!
I really liked this read. It was one that kept me on edge until the very end.
Thank you Lara Swann for not only writing a great book but for allowing me to review it as well..
I really liked this read. It was one that kept me on edge until the very end.
Thank you Lara Swann for not only writing a great book but for allowing me to review it as well..
July 3, 2016
Stockholm syndrome.
I really liked this book. Yes the heroine fell for her kiddnapper but it was all good. There were many twist and turns to this story. Then several surprises. I highly recommend this book as a good read. SQ
I really liked this book. Yes the heroine fell for her kiddnapper but it was all good. There were many twist and turns to this story. Then several surprises. I highly recommend this book as a good read. SQ
July 29, 2016
I liked this book a lot but it lacked substance. I needed more on the mob, more badassery from leo. It felt like all they did was wait. and the meeting ended way too early.
July 29, 2016
Dnf'd early. No substance more erotica/mommy porn. Didn't like heroine. Hero was stupid for a hitman....no research before killing his targets...pansy
August 5, 2016
Great stories to read
Both books were one's I could not put down. I stayed up all night to finish them . you need to read them
Both books were one's I could not put down. I stayed up all night to finish them . you need to read them
April 17, 2017
Step off
This book contains two unrelated stories for the price of one. In this case, it wasn't a good deal. One is a mafia romance and the other is a stepbrother romance. "Hard" is the stepbrother romance which is not a preferred genre for me. The story was mundane, tedious, juvenile, and unnecessarily descriptive. The story should have been 100 to 150 pages rather than 555 pages. Sheltered rich girl (Bella) raised by her father gives her virginity to fellow high school student (Seth) who was raised on the other side of the tracks by a single mother. Three years later they learn that their parents are going to get married. The story centers around the hero and heroine with the secondary caretakers have one percent of the dialogue. There are lengthy sex scenes, repetitive dialogues, and one dimensional characters.
"Hitman's Captive" is a much more interesting read with better characters and conflicts. A hitman is set up with the wrong information on his mark resulting in him killing a mafia boss instead of financial guru. The act is witnessed by a mafia princess. Instead of killing the witness, he kidnaps her. The reader gets a romance, mystery, action, thriller tale as the hitman tries to sort out his options.
I rate "Hitman's Captive" a 3.5 and "Hard" a 0 because I resent it. "Hitman Captive" could have benefited from another 100 to 150 more pages of mafia action.
This book contains two unrelated stories for the price of one. In this case, it wasn't a good deal. One is a mafia romance and the other is a stepbrother romance. "Hard" is the stepbrother romance which is not a preferred genre for me. The story was mundane, tedious, juvenile, and unnecessarily descriptive. The story should have been 100 to 150 pages rather than 555 pages. Sheltered rich girl (Bella) raised by her father gives her virginity to fellow high school student (Seth) who was raised on the other side of the tracks by a single mother. Three years later they learn that their parents are going to get married. The story centers around the hero and heroine with the secondary caretakers have one percent of the dialogue. There are lengthy sex scenes, repetitive dialogues, and one dimensional characters.
"Hitman's Captive" is a much more interesting read with better characters and conflicts. A hitman is set up with the wrong information on his mark resulting in him killing a mafia boss instead of financial guru. The act is witnessed by a mafia princess. Instead of killing the witness, he kidnaps her. The reader gets a romance, mystery, action, thriller tale as the hitman tries to sort out his options.
I rate "Hitman's Captive" a 3.5 and "Hard" a 0 because I resent it. "Hitman Captive" could have benefited from another 100 to 150 more pages of mafia action.
Want to read
October 14, 2017FREE on Amazon today (10/14/2017)!
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