Merciless Vows (Blood and Thorns 1) by Faith Summers-Review tour
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 21, 2021
When I was sixteen a gypsy fortune teller told me my future held darkness and death.
She was right.
But what she didn’t tell me was the devil himself would rise from hell in the form of Lucca Dyshekov and take everything from me with a gun held to my head.
He’s the Bratva assassin they all call Merciless.
On our wedding day, he taught me real monsters aren’t the ones who hide in the dark.
They’re the ones who stare you in the face and steal your soul.
On a quest for revenge, he takes me and unearths secrets from the past that will cause a war.When death lies on the horizon the enemy of my enemy becomes my friend.
In this instance he’s my husband.The real question is when he finishes uncovering the truth, will he keep me or kill me.
••••••
REVIEW:MERCILESS VOWS is the first instalment in Faith Summers’ (aka Khardine Gray) contemporary, adult BLOOD AND THORNS erotic, dark, Mafia romance duet focusing on soon to be twenty-five year old Italian Mafia princess Aria De Marchi, and twenty-eight year old, Bratva assassin Lucca Dyshekov.
WARNING: Due to the graphic nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Aria and Lucca) using present day and memories from the past, MERCILESS VOWS follows the enemies to lovers relationship between soon to be twenty-five year old Italian Mafia princess Aria De Marchi, and twenty-eight year old, Bratva assassin Lucca Dyshekov. Two and half years earlier Aria De Marchi lost her mother, and she herself almost died, leaving our heroine in a coma for close to six months. Upon awakening, Aria is suffering with retrograde amnesia, and presently is unable to remember any of her earlier life. Sold to Lucca Dyshekov for sins of the father, Aria soon discovers there is more to her history, family and new life than she could have ever imagined. Both hating and growing to love our story line anti-hero, Aria slowly begins to recover her memories, memories that threaten everything she ever knew about her life, years ago. What ensues is the building but acrimonious relationship between Aria and Lucca, and the potential fall-out as Lucca is targeted, and betrayal rides high on the list of suspects.
Aria De Marchi doesn’t remember anything prior to her ‘accident’ almost three years earlier. The death of her mother weighs heavily on her mind but her father’s sins are about to place Aria in the direct line of fire, as she becomes a pawn in a bigger game of the Mafia vs the Russian mob. Lucca Dyshekov lost his entire family years before, but the death of a friend pushes Lucca over the edge. When Lucca gets information about his past, from the Mexican Cartel, Lucca sets out to take down the people responsible but betrayal from within finds Lucca fighting for his life.
The relationship between Lucca and Aria begins as a business arrangement, payment for sin, by our heroine’s father. Aria is an innocent, and knows nothing about her father’s life, but with the return of her memories, Ari begins to suspect that her father is not who he pretends to be. Lucca struggles with both his attraction to, and need to destroy our story line heroine but as their relationship grows, Aria’s love for Lucca is tested when Lucca discovers the truth. The $ex scenes are dramatic and intense, and not without some question of consent.
We are introduced to Aria’s father Raphael De Marchi; Lucca’s foster-father, of a sorts, Damien Mikhailov; Pakhan Grigori Ivanov; Lucca’s right hand man ad security specialist Jon, and Alexei; psychiatrist Dr. Belmont; as well as Lucca’s housekeeper Marylin.
MERCILESS VOWS is a story of betrayal and vengeance; family and deceit; secrets, lies, brutality and the truth. The premise is dark and gritty; the romance is aggressive and intoxicating; the characters are broken, powerful and hostile. MERCILESS VOWS ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
The way he looks at me makes me uncomfortable. It’s with an air of fascination that makes me wonder if it was he I lost my virginity to.
Annoyingly, the thought sends a shiver of arousal through me, and the weight pulls on my core.
There’s an attraction between us I don’t want to accept, especially after last night. And this morning.
Yet, as I stare at him, I can’t help but wonder how we would have met if my father didn’t know I knew him.
How close were we?
I have so many questions, ones I feel he won’t answer,
“Go on, Printsessa,” he urges with a cocky smile that should be as illegal as he is. “Ask me. I don’t want my bride’s head to explode with all those questions she has swirling around in there.”
Him calling me his bride makes me cringe.
“Why do you want to marry me? What sort of business benefit is there in marrying me?”
“Business benefit?” He inclines his head, and his hair drifts over his shoulder. The fading sunlight captures the lighter hints of brown in the dark mass of wild hair.
“You don’t love me, so don’t play with me. Tell me the truth. You’re marrying a woman who has no memories beyond the last two and a half years. I think I deserve some explanation.”
He looks like he’s considering it. When he sets his shoulders back, my hopes rise.
“You fit in with my plans,” he answers.
“What plans?”
“Those don’t concern you.”
“How don’t they concern me? You have access to my whole life. This is wrong. You know it is.”
“Right and wrong are shades of gray that people manipulate to take whatever form they want. This is mine.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want to marry you.”
“You don’t have a choice, and if I were you, I wouldn’t create problems. Your father wasn’t joking when he told you to do as you’re told. You need to. If you don’t create problems, you won’t have a problem with me.”
He touches my cheek, and my body instantly betrays me.
The memory of his face comes into my mind, along with a kiss—the one from last night and another from before. That was the one I dreamt about.
“Where do I know you from?”
“I told you, you shouldn’t try and remember me.”
“Why? You’re the only thing I remember,” I confess, and as the words leave my lips, I regret it. I don’t think I should have told him that.
“Is that so? How unfortunate for you.” He backs away.
“You said you wouldn’t hurt me.”
“I guess I must have lied.”
Faith Summers is the Dark Contemporary Romance pen name of USA Today Bestselling Author, Khardine Gray.
Warning !! Expect wild romance stories of the scorching hot variety and deliciously dark romance with the kind of alpha male bad boys best reserved for your fantasies.
Dive in and enjoy her naughty page-turners.
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Great review, Sandy. Looks tense and dark. Thanks.
Great review, Sandy. I like the premise of this. Thanks.
Terrific review, Sandy. Looks very good. Thanks.
Terrific review, thanks Sandy
Thanks for another wonderful review and excerpt.
Very nice review and excerpt, thanks.
very nice review, sandy. thanks.
Looks great, thanks for the excerpt Sandy
Great review, Sandy. Looks very good. Thanks.
Fantastic review and excerpt, thanks Sandy
Very nice review, Sandy. Sounds interesting.
Thanks for the great review & excerpt Sandy.