Tag Archives: Kristen Luciani

The Truths That Deceive by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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The Truths That Deceive (Obsidian Knights Secret Society #4) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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Add The Truths That Deceive to Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/tttdgr

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 14, 2024

My beautiful captive played the wrong hand when she tried to escape me… My latest assignment should have been easy. Find ex-hacker/rogue CIA agent Calista Price and hand her over to the US government for treason. But Calista is nothing like the desk jockey I expected. She’s a wild card, fiery, seductive, and she feeds into every one of my primal play urges.

Chasing her is addictive. Wrong. She’s young enough to be my daughter, and my mission is to capture her, not ravage her.

None of that stops me from craving her at my deepest levels. Calista infects my blood. She’s got an appetite for the same dirty, twisted games that I do. And she loves being hunted.

But time is short with my shiny new toy. She’s a target for more than just the CIA and others are closing in fast. At the end of the line, there are only two outcomes for Calista.

Prison…or death.

As we fall deeper into our dark, depraved games, I know I can’t give her up. I want all of her – body, mind, and blackened soul that matches my own.

And I’ll destroy anyone who tries to take her from me.

••••••

REVIEW:THE TRUTHS THAT DECEIVE is the fourth instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult OBSIDIAN KNIGHTS SECRET SOCIETY dark, erotic, romance series focusing on a secret society of billionaires and assassins. This is thirty-eight year old, former CIA operative Smith Hunt, and twenty-four year old CIA hacker Calista Hendrix’s story line. THE TRUTHS THAT DECEIVE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary . Smith Hunt is Dakota Hunt’s estranged father (The Desires That Burn).

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including light Dom / sub and graphic violence, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers. The author includes a list of TW in the book.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Calista and Smith) THE TRUTHS THAT DECEIVE focuses on the hunt and take down of our story line heroine. Calista Hendrix is on the run having uncovered some information on the dark web. The CIA believes Calista is a traitor, and Smith Hunt is tasked with bringing her home but all is not as it appears to be when the truth reveals a much darker scenario including a need for vengeance for our story line heroine.

Once again, the world building is comprehensive and intricate. Calista is keeping the truth of her ‘supposed betrayal’ in the hopes of destroying the people who destroyed her life. As Smith struggles to keep Calista under control, our heroine refuses to sit back watching the world go by. At every opportunity Calista attempts an escape, often placing both of their lives in the direct line of fire.

The relationship between Calista and Smith begins as an assignment but Calista refuses to go quietly, and within hours is forcing Smith’s hand. Calista is not naïve to the in which she works and is currently under watch but she refuses to remain safe when the bad guys are always getting away. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic, and provocative but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word liberally throughout.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and questionable secondary and supporting characters including many of whom we met in the previous instalments: Mercer, Orion, Malone, Black Widow and Jones, as well a number of CIA operatives and mentors who actions and roles are ambiguous and dubious.

THE TRUTHS THAT DECEIVE is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, exploitation and trafficking, acceptance and love. The premise is detailed, dark, dramatic and intriguing; the romance is aggressive and steamy; the characters are desperate, determined and energetic.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Secrets That Kill
The Desires That Burn
The Sins That Ruin

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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The Sins That Ruin by Kristen Luciani-review & excerpt tour

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The Sins That Ruin (Obsidian Knights Secret Society #3) by Kristen Luciani-review & excerpt tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date: JUNE 27, 2024

To save her father’s life, she will wear my ring.
Scarlett Hanlon is the epitome of temptation, beautiful chaos wrapped in obsession…and my enemy’s daughter.

Fate offers me a chance to destroy her father and the beautiful and feisty Scarlett is my only way into his inner circle.
 So when she comes to me for help, I give her an ultimatum.

Marry me…or else.



It’s the perfect plan.

I’ll use my fake fiancé as a pawn, a bright and shiny toy that will sweeten my quest for revenge. I will flaunt her, use her, and then break her when the job is done.

But Scarlett isn’t one to be possessed and discarded. She’s got an appetite for my kind of filthy, depraved, and twisted games, making my blood burn hot and setting off all kinds of fires.



When my plans for revenge implode and dark truths are revealed, I realize Scarlett’s the real chaos I crave above all else. But once all sins are revealed, it may be too late for me to save her.

•••••

REVIEW:THE SINS THAT RUIN is the third instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult OBSIDIAN KNIGHTS SECRET SOCIETY dark, erotic romance series focusing on a secret society of billionaires and assassins. This is thirty-three year old businessman Malone West aka JM Malone, and twenty-three year old Scarlett Hanlon’s story line. THE SINS THAT RUIN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary .

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including Dom / sub, bondage and discipline, child trafficking, and graphic violence, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers. The author includes a list of TW in the book.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Malone and Scarlett) THE SINS THAT RUIN follows in the wake of threats against the Hanlon dynasty. In an effort to secure help in ferreting out the threats against the Hanlon family, Scarlett Hanlon is ‘sold’ to Malone West, a man whose dealings are dark and illegal. Posing as Malone’s fake fiancé, Scarlett is paraded through countless illegal dealings and questionable sexual encounters by a man who is using Scarlett to get what he wants but all is not going according to plan when secrets reveal a past connection, a connection that threatens our story line couple. What ensues is the building but tempestuous and questionable relationship between Scarlett and Malone, and the potential fall-out as the truth reveals a deeper betrayal than they could have ever imagined.

The world building follows several paths as Malone and several members of the Obsidian Knights struggle to uncover the truth but the deeper they dig, the darker the results, and Scarlett’s cousin Amelia is about to fall victim to the ultimate betrayal.

The combative relationship between Scarlett and Malone begins as an arranged and forced fake engagement in which Malone is often cruel and demanding of our story line heroine. Malone refuses to reveal the truth about his work, his life, and his need for Scarlett, and in this, Scarlett is unable to truth the man with whom she is falling in love. The $ex scenes are intense, and provocative, and not without some questionable consent.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters, most of whom are problematic, controversial and bordering on sociopathic. We are introduced to Scarlett’s father Dale Hanlon, her uncle Grant, her cousin Amelia as well as the return of fellow Knights Mercer, Orion, Jones and Smith. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE SINS THAT RUIN is another dark, intense, dramatic and heart breaking story of power and control, violence and invasion, secrets and lies, dysfunctional family values, acceptance, forgiveness and love. The premise is raw and tragic; the romance is erotic and provoking; the characters are determined, aggressive and quarrelsome.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Secrets That Kill
The Desires That Burn

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

SCARLETT HANLON DOESN’T BELONG.
That much is obvious.
Orchid Lane is hard-core BDSM, leather, chains, and latex. Piercings everywhere. Whips and Saint Andrew’s crosses. And she…Christ, she’s no breath of spring, either.
No, she’s something else entirely, born of a different part of hell. Temptation wrapped in an air of innocence no doubt carefully curated from the moment she was born, the type where the girl’s been kept under the right kind of shelter where she’s groomed for the right role.
The kind of girl who’s usually bartered for something by whoever controls her.
In this case, her fuck of a father.
Her river of thick black waves stands out, shining and loose, not twisted up or slicked back and made for a man to manipulate her head, to angle it just how he might want it.
Even the red dress that skims her curves is seductive in the hint at what lies beneath. And it works. It’s a turn-on over all the naked and tightly bound flesh surrounding her. Right now, her back’s to me, but I can imagine her eyes as she takes everything in. Wide, probably more than a little shocked.
She’s not even in the heart of the place. Where she’s standing is surface-level respectable, at least for this club. The BDSM crosses and whips are part of the décor. The music’s got a deep, hypnotic beat. The steel and wood bar in the center of the space is crowded by those dressed for hard play in the lower levels, along with those who like to dabble, and others… the ones looking for thrills.
No, she’s not even in the heart of Orchid Lane but—I’ve read her history, seen her pictures—someone like Scarlett, with her pampered upbringing, should be running screaming, horrified, from this place.
Something electric like excitement spins down my spine.
Because I don’t think she will.
And that… fuck, I can use that.
I watch her through the cameras in my office, not bothering to switch angles as I tap a ringed hand on the back of the black velvet low-slung sofa.
Scarlett fucking Hanlon, daughter of the mark, one half of Hanlon Shipping, whose inner circles I’m looking to infiltrate for a client seedier than most. The pay’s huge and it came to me through the Obsidian Knights. It’s a job I’d have taken on regardless, just to get to her father, but the fat paycheck and white-hot daughter only make my objective more delicious.

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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The Desires That Burn by Kristen Luciani-Review & Excerpt tour

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The Desires That Burn (Obsidian Knights Secret Society 2) by Kristen Luciani-review & excerpt tour

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Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 18, 2024

I have a weakness for bad boys…and my latest obsession? My father’s best friend.Gorgeous and powerful. Ruthless and deadly. Orion is the threat of death wrapped in a 6’5 tattooed package of filthy intent. He’s my new bodyguard. And my father’s trusted friend and hired gun. Lines quickly blur when he shows up to rescue me from a depraved group called the Collectors. My Internet fame got me caught in their dark and twisted crosshairs. Orion is the only one who can save me. But his method of protection quickly turns into something much more carnal when I call him Daddy.

He demands everything from me. My obedience. My submission. My body. He calls me young and spoiled, swearing he wants nothing to do with me beyond this job. Yet I’m the only one who can make him lose the control he hangs onto so tightly. Each minute we’re together makes him forget why my father sent him. Obligation turns into scorching hot passion that flares out of control. He makes my blood burn hot and passions run wild. Even though we have no future beyond this mission, we can’t stay away from each other. I want him to make me his, to claim me, to own me in every way. But when the Collectors close in to expose my biggest weakness, I have no choice but to go to them. To save my Daddy Orion. The question is, will he be able to save me?

••••

REVIEW:THE DESIRES THAT BURN is the second instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary adult OBSIDIAN KNIGHTS SECRET SOCIETY dark, erotic, romance series focusing on a secret society of billionaires and assassins. This is former US Special Forces/ assassin for hire Jaxson ‘Orion’ Carter, and twenty year old social media influencer Dakota Hunt’s story line. THE DESIRES THAT BURN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary .

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including Daddy-kink, Dom / sub and graphic violence, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers. The author includes a list of TW in the book.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Orion and Dakota) THE DESIRES THAT BURN follows in the wake of the abduction of our story line heroine. Dakota Hunt is a social media influencer but her naivety is about to place her in the direct line of fire. Believing she has been invited to an exclusive party, our heroine’s ongoing naivety is a bitter pill to swallow. Assigned to rescue our story line heroine from a sex trafficking ring, Obsidian Knight Jaxson ‘Orion’ Carter finds himself on the defensive when he discovers Dakota’s connections to the Obsidian Knights, and his unwanted attraction to a much younger woman who is everything our hero needs and more. What ensues is the building but unconventional daddy/baby girl , Dom/sub relationship between Dakota and Orion, and the potential fall-out as Orion believes himself unworthy of love, and their time together comes to a close.

The world building is detailed and complex as the Obsidian Knights including Mercer and Smith push the proverbial buttons of our story line hero .Orion is a bit of a lone wolf, a rogue with a dark past, but a man who is struggling with his place in the Society. Obedience is rare, and his need to protect Dakota is in opposition to the orders from the people at the top.

The relationship between Dakota and Orion begins as a rescue but a rescue that becomes more dangerous with every move. A pretend Dom/sub relationship in an effort to escape becomes the catalyst that catches the eye of the people in charge.The $ex scenes are erotic, provocative and controversial including Daddy kink, Dom/sub, questionable consent

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including fellow Knights Mercer and Smith, Dakota’s friend Harley, as well as a number of deviant billionaires and businessmen. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE DESIRES THAT BURN is a dark, dramatic and intense story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, violence and aggression, acceptance and love. The premise is gritty and raw; the alternative romance is contentious ; the characters are desperate and charismatic.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one THE SECRETS THAT KILL

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Keep reading for a look inside The Desires That Burn!

I rise slowly, and then I look up.
It’s him. The man who caught my attention on the deck. Up close, he’s older than I thought… or maybe it’s his eyes that are old, like they’ve lived through different lifetimes and personally visited hell. They’re eyes that have stories most don’t want to know, but for some odd reason, I do.
For the first time I wish my talents lay in paint and brush rather than the ability to turn found objects into art.
“I thought I was alone,” I say, the words tumbling from my lips. “I’m Dakota.”
He doesn’t answer. His intense, hard gaze moves over me like he’s grazing my skin. He’s so tall, and I’m not exactly short at five foot seven, but somehow, I feel like I’m barely a foot off the ground. I swallow hard as he moves closer, reaching over the polished wood of the bar for a bottle of rum.
And though he doesn’t touch me, the whisper of air on my bare arm tingles like he licked my skin.
He opens the bottle and silently, I hand him a glass. The clear liquid fills the glass. Then he nods to the one in my hand.
“Jesus,” he mutters. The voice low, rough like gravel, the kind of voice I didn’t know I liked, the kind of voice that finds its way down deep into my soul. “Are you even old enough to fucking drink?”
“Most men here try to ply with me booze, not talk me out of it.” Another mess of words. I shrug. “Age is just a number.”
He raises a brow. I edge out from behind the bar, aware I’m wearing a skimpy bikini Amelia insisted on giving to me. It came in a cute little lacquered bag with the tags still on it, tags she ripped off before I could see the cost. I’m wearing a white gauze lounge top over the suit, and I suddenly feel completely underdressed, like I’ve just stepped into a boudoir.
The man doesn’t comment on it; he doesn’t have to. The dark light in his eyes pulls me to him, makes me want to ask what I should wear because the expression is one of both desire and disapproval. I’m a little shocked by my reaction to him, by my wanting to please him. That’s new.
I start to down my drink when he grabs my wrist.
It’s like the singe of a wild flame, that touch. His hand is huge, tattooed with something that covers the top completely and disappears up his wrist and into his shirt. From the quick glimpse, I think it’s a snarling, fang-baring snake or dragon or beast.
There are thick silver rings on his fingers. The one on his middle finger has a square black stone in the center, and the one on his thumb is inscribed. It doesn’t look like it should belong, but it does, the way he doesn’t seem to fit the vibe on the yacht, yet somehow… he makes it all his own.
“Do you like that? Men ogling, plying you with drinks?”
I swallow. He’s twisting the meaning of the words into something dirty, and a low throb of want that connects to an innate need to suddenly please undulates through me. Because I want to say I’m not the kind of girl he implies that I am.
“I just meant I can drink if I want.” I glare, my words laced with annoyance.
The slightly sullen note hangs in the air, and the look on his face is stern, almost savage, like a predator who needs to eat.
I’m not sure I like him.
But he’s beyond hot.
“You don’t need a drink,” he says.
“Neither do you.”
That earns a very slight smile. “But, little girl, I’m of age.”
Because I’ve had a couple of drinks on an empty stomach, and the courage of booze races through my veins, heating them, I slide a hand up over his chest and oh my God, it is a wall of solid, ripped muscle. I edge closer and press against him.
“I’m not a little girl, I’m not sixteen. In fact…” I don’t have to like him to flirt or to give in to the need to touch that pulsates through me. Test the boundaries. After all, there’s no one here to judge. Except for him. “I’m old enough.”
“I see.” His eyes glitter and then he moves. Fast.
My drink is pulled from my hand and set down, and then I’m flush against him, sandwiched between him and the wall.
He leans in, his tongue tracing the skin of my throat, and then he lifts his head. I’m boneless, a vortex of need that sucks all attention right to the spot where his tongue grazed.
A throbbing sensation hums between my thighs.
And I can barely breathe.
“Be very careful who you say that to,” he says. “Because a lot of the people on this overgrown boat won’t fucking stop there.”
“And you?” I whisper. “Where will you stop?”
“Playing with fire will get you the fuck burned.” He slides a large roughened palm against my cheek.
The heat of his touch burns deliciously deep.
The man licks me again, stopping at my pulse point. He sucks, making a moan slip from my lips.
He narrows his eyes at me, his lips twisting.
“Go. Now. Before…” He releases me and steps back, fire raging in his heavy gaze. “Something happens.”
I suck in a breath, my shoulders trembling. Then I cross the room, twist the door handle, and run like hell just as he commanded me to.

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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The Secrets That Kill by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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The Secrets That Kill (Obsidian Knights Secret Society 1) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 15, 2024

When your best friend’s sister becomes your obsession…
When a complicated assassination job comes my way, I finally get the chance to get my revenge on the woman who put me behind bars.

My best friend’s younger sister.

Sweet, naïve, and innocent, Ivy becomes the unsuspecting accomplice in a cruel and twisted game that will destroy her as well as my target.

Only one thing threatens my plan. She makes my blood burn hot, setting off all kinds of fires. One taste, and I’m addicted to the forbidden. Each depraved act draws us further into a dark, sex-soaked world where my objective for revenge becomes blurred by obsession for the girl who ruined me.

She thinks she knows betrayal. She has no idea.

And as Ivy falls deeper under my spell, she doesn’t know that the dark secrets of my past are about to shatter her dreams for the future.

••••••

REVIEW:THE SECRETS THAT KILL is the first instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary adult OBSIDIAN KNIGHTS SECRET SOCIETY dark, erotic, romance series focusing on a secret society of billionaires and assassins. This is billionaire Mercer Vale, and twenty-three year old, college student Ivy Gardner.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including graphic scenes of BDSM and Dom/sub scenarios, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Mercer and Ivy ) THE SECRETS THAT KILL follows the unconventional and questionable relationship between our story line couple. Mercer Vale blames Ivy Gardner for the implosion of his life, years before. Demanding payment for sins of the past, Mercer takes control of Ivy’s life, forcing our heroine into a world she knows nothing about. As Mercer’s submissive, Ivy is about to become a pawn in a dangerous game of murder and vengeance wherein years of betrayal culminate in the ultimate showdown, and consent is questionable at every turn.

The world building is complex and gritty. Power and vengeance are the focus for one man who is struggling for control of his life. His need to avenge is bred from years of trauma and abuse, and Ivy will become a victim of revenge, jealousy and obsession.

The relationship between Ivy and Mercer is atypical and forced. Ivy will become Mercer’s captive, a sexual slave, a submissive to be used when and how Mercer demands. Consent is questionable from the outset but Ivy will succumb to Mercer’s needs and demands, often instigating and pushing Mercer to the edge of control. The $ex scenes are aggressive, intense and provocative.

There is a large ensemble cast of questionable, controversial and dark characters. We are introduced to a secret society whose members are cruel, and their actions are heinous.

THE SECRETS THAT KILL is a dark story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, domination and submission, acceptance and love. The premise is dark, dramatic and tragic; the characters are desperate and contentious.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

The moment she walks into the party, the air pressure changes.
It becomes thicker, alight with all the dark fucking possibilities that come along with her.
I know, because I can think of things so depraved, twisted, and thrilling even the unrepentant in Hell’s depths would moan with pleasure.
I know, because I’ve done many of those things.
She sets off a vibrating edge, a sliver of excitement. The air sings when she’s near.
I can use that.
And I’m going to.
Just not yet.
Because the wait brings the pitch up to a sweeter level.
I’m also busy watching a dead man walking.
Right now, the poison’s destroyed his liver and kidneys, unraveling his DNA. He’s dead. It just hasn’t come full circle. Even if he was rushed to a hospital, he’d still end up dying.
I spent a long time devising the poison. Tasteless, odorless. Untraceable. Death cap mushrooms are a marvel, my favorite weapon when I’m not working with guns or knives.
But poisons take time. The right approach, the right formula, the right administration. And then they require time to work. Get one thing wrong, rush a step, and it all crumbles.
Patience, they say, is a virtue. And I play that game like a prodigy.
Stone-cold. A killer. These are me. I’m also rich as fuck. So rich my past can’t touch me. That long and scarred path that stretches as far back as I can remember might not have ever been paved with gold, but tools? Things that have enabled me to become who I am? This version of Mercer Vale?
Fuck yes.
Logan Cooke begins to sweat. There’s a flicker of light in his eyes, a sign of things not quite right. But nobody notices.
And no one will.
The people surrounding me are off their tits and balls on coke and drunk on thirty-dollar artisanal cocktails. Not one of them is going to notice until Cooke hits the floor.
I lean against the wall in the shadowy corner of Seven7Seven, a trendy faux secret spot in Tribeca complete with an entry password and a non-descript flight of stairs. They lead to the graffitied door, which opens into a long, tall, black velvet-lined hall that opens up to the bronze door of Seven7Seven’s dark, glamorous interior.
This is the height of the below-Fourteenth Street crowd’s pomposity. As one of the silent, hidden owners, Seven7Seven makes me a shit ton of money, and I can keep an eye on movers and shakers of all kinds.
Some of them I can use.
Some of them I might need to dispose of.
The Barnes and Noble and Japanese convenience store on the ground level don’t even hint at what’s up here. A person has to book a spot weeks in advance or receive a special invite. The place is well-known to its very specific target audience, and entry is highly coveted.
I settle back in the shadows and observe.
I don’t need to be here. Cooke’s demise is a done deal, and glitterati parties are not my fucking jam. With the next job I decided to take on? Let’s just say there are other avenues to get what I need. But there’s a certain symmetry, an air of fate about doing it this way.
Not real fate. This is crafted down to the finest detail of the evening, complete with her arrival on the dot. But like all good artists, it’s going to appear seamless, effortless. A natural occurrence, just like fate. And when she realizes there isn’t a drop of serendipity or chance of any kind involved, her real fate, her future, finite as it is, will be sealed.
But I still refuse to look at Ivy Gardner. Not yet.
I want to time everything perfectly. Cooke, my revenge, my next project⁠—

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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Lethal Lover (Vengeful Villains 7) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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Lethal Lover (Vengeful Villains 7) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 14, 2023

A gorgeous, arrogant, and brazen mafia enforcer from New York is about to become my new partner…and fake husband.
For years, I’ve hunted the man who broke my family and killed my parents.
We’re finally in the same city and this time, he won’t escape.
Nothing will come between me and the justice I crave.
Nothing…except a cocky, reckless, and utterly gorgeous mafia enforcer from New York.

When Quinn Mulligan shows up in Las Vegas on the run from a ruthless drug kingpin, I know I need to avoid him at all costs.
He’s a whirlwind of chaos, and there’s no way I’m going to let Mr. Tie Me Up and Pin Me Down derail my plans to take down my enemy.
Except the only way to get close is through membership to a very exclusive night club,
And membership requires wedding bands.

It’s the worst possible match.
We’re complete opposites in every way.
I think…and he doesn’t.
He infuriates me with the wildly dangerous streak that jeopardizes our mission.
But his sinful good looks, bad boy attitude, and fierce loyalty to the people he cares about are electrifying.

The harder I fight him, the more devious he becomes.
My mind knows he’s dangerous, not only to my objective but to my heart.
That still doesn’t stop my body from craving his rough touch and filthy promises.

Until I realize that he, like everyone, has secrets…
And sometimes, the ones who claim to love you most are the real villains in the story.

•••••

REVIEW:LETHAL LOVER is the seventh instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult VENGEFUL VILLAINS dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is twenty-four year old, Irish Mafia member Quinn Mulligan,and twenty-three year old, Russian Bratva assassin Valentina Malikov’s story line. LETHAL LOVER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading book one TWISTED TYRANT for a bit of backstory and cohesion where Valentina’s story begins.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Valentina and Quinn) using present day and memories from the past, LETHAL LOVER follows the hunt for a killer. Valentina Maliko lost everything the day a member of the Russian Bratva took aim at her family and the people she loved. In the ensuing times, Valentine would find herself training as an elite assassin, a job her family knows nothing about but her quest to take down the man she blames for destroying her life is about to get more complicated when she is forced into an arranged marriage, in an effort to infiltrate a human trafficking ring, where it all began. Enter Quinn Mulligan, the black sheep of the Mulligan family but a man who knows more about Valentina than she could have ever imagined. What ensues is the fake relationship/marriage of convenience between Quinn and Valentina, and the potential fall-out as Valentine is determined to end the man who shattered her life.

The world building continues to focus on the Russian Bratva, Irish Mob, Columbian and Mexican Cartels, as the ongoing war between ruling factions. For as long as she can remember Valentina has been a target in her father’s rise to the top but never expected to be betrayed by someone close. Reluctantly working with Quinn Mulligan, Valentina suspects they have been thrown into the lion’s den, never expecting to come home.

The relationship between Quinn and Valentina begins acrimoniously. Valentina wants nothing to do with our story line hero, and Quinn suspects it is only a matter of time before his numerous screw-ups, get him killed. Having made himself a target of the Cartel, Quinn Is biding his time, protecting the woman with whom he will fall in love. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate.

There is a large ensemble cast of powerful and dangerous secondary and supporting characters, many of whom we have met in the previous instalments. Not everyone will survive; betrayal comes at a cost; family and friendships becomes an issue of trust.

LETHAL LOVER is another story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, murder and assassination, acceptance, forgiveness and love. The premise is dark, gritty and dramatic; the romance is provocative and seductive; the characters are desperate, determined and charismatic.

 

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Twisted Tyrant
Dirty Devil
Cruel Captor
Dark Deviant
Merciless Monster
Seductive Sadist

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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Seductive Sadist (Vengeful Villains 6) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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Seductive Sadist (Vengeful Villains 6) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 15, 2023

She is the white dove to my gilded cage.

Skyla St. James, my ex-best friend’s sister and the girl I’ve been secretly obsessed with for the past four years. One hot night and one forbidden taste turned me into an addict in need of my next fix. But underworld rules trump emotion. And the family always reigns.

So I used her, manipulated her to do my will, and took her virginity in the process. Then I disappeared from her life…until the night before her wedding to my family’s enemy. I never wanted a wife. And she doesn’t deserve a ruthless killer for a husband. But life doesn’t ever go as planned. I should be a famous quarterback in the NFL, not a bratva enforcer. I wanted to escape this darkness forever, but my ex-best friend made sure that would never happen when he sabotaged me in the final play of our championship game. All the scouts scattered like cockroaches when an injury took me out of the game forever.

Now I’m bitter, angry, and back for revenge. Kidnapping Skyla before she marries my arch rival will give me back the control I lost four years ago on that football field. Except making her my captive isn’t enough to get me the respect and power I crave. I need to marry her. One simple “I do” I can save my family’s livelihood and win the war against our enemies. But I didn’t count on the others who want retribution for her father’s crimes. So now, my objective has changed. I need to keep my bride-to-be alive and protect her from everyone who wants her dead.

They won’t stop. They will find her. And when they do, they will find out just how vicious I am and how far I’ll go to protect my little dove. If they touch her, they will suffer and die.

Nobody will claim what’s mine.

••••••

REVIEW:SEDUCTIVE SADIST is the sixth instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult VENGEFUL VILLAINS dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is Skyla St. James and Zakhar ‘Zak’ Malikov’s story line. SEDUCTIVE SADIST can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise there WILL be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Zak and Skyla) SEDUCTIVE SADIST follows in the wake of the almost wedding for Skyla St James, and the man to whom she was sold. Years earlier, Skyla fell in love with her brother’s best friend Zak Malikov but one night together found Skyla on the receiving end of rejection and betrayal, and the fall-out would destroy Zak’s football career. Fast forward to present day, Zak now works as a soldier for his brother Luka, the new head of the Malikov crime family, a position Zak has never wanted, and had no desire to learn but when his leg was shattered ending any chance at a professional football career, Zak found himself struggling to get his life under control. With the upcoming arranged marriage of Skyla St. James to a member of a rival crime family, Zak is desperate to ‘kidnap’ the woman he still loves but a woman who despises our hero for sins of the past. On the run with the man that she hates, Skyla has been targeted as payment for a debt, and battles between head and heart distrusting the man who is saving her life. What ensues is the acrimonious and hate filled second chance relationship between Skyla and Zak, and the potential fall-out as Skyla’s attempts at escape only compound the threats of everyone involved.

The relationships between Skyla and Zak is one of second chances but Skyla’s hatred towards Zak is compounded by Zak’s hatred for the St. James family. Skyla’s twin brother, and Zak’s best friend Kylian destroyed any hope for Zak’s future in the NFL, and the list of sins between the two families continues to grow. Zak had only ever wanted to play football-leave the crime world behind but a moment of vengeance ended any and all hopes for Zak, his future and the woman he once loved. Skyla would never forgive Zak for destroying her heart; the ensuing humiliation; all of which landed her as fodder for the dangerous game her father was playing. Rekindling her relationship with Zak was next-level madness but Zak would be the only person able to save our heroine not only from herself but from the people desperate enough to try and take down an entire criminal enterprise. The $ex scenes are dark, dramatic, and intense, and not without some questionable scenarios and a perceived lack of consent. I struggled to see past the anger and vitriol between our story line couple- Skyla was always pushing the line between hatred and love, a line that crossed towards hatred most of the time.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and powerful secondary and supporting characters including Zak’s brothers Luca and his wife Natasha, Nikolai and Kenzie; their sister Valentina; Skyla’s sister Laney, brother Kylian, and their parents Amelia and Stuart St. James. The requisite evil has many faces including Nathan Van Dyne, and Skyla’s intended fiance Tyson.

SEDUCTIVE SADIST is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, mistrust and acceptance, forgiveness and love. The premise is dark, gritty, raw and disturbing thus may be upsetting to some readers; the romance is negligible -the couple are always at one another’s throats; the characters are broken, desperate and determined.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Twisted Tyrant
Dirty Devil
Cruel Captor
Dark Deviant
Merciless Monster

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/ Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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Merciless Monster / Dark Deviant by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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Merciless Monster / Dark Deviant by Kristen Luciani-review tour

 

 

DARK DEVIANT
(Vengeful Villains 5)
by Kristen Luciani
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic,dark, Mafia romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 6, 2023

Too much booze and a laundry list of regrets landed me in bed with a gorgeous blonde halfway around the world.
It was a one-night stand gone very wrong, plagued by deadly secrets and deceit.
I was never supposed to see her again.
But the curves of her body, fierce glow of her eyes, and mouth that begged for more made her impossible to forget.
And now, two and a half years later, she’s staring into the barrel of my gun.

Her brothers came to Miami for revenge…against me.
But they hit the wrong target, killing my mother instead.
Now our families are at war,
And justice can only be served through death.
Her death.

But she has a secret, too…a baby girl who looks just like me.
So my plans changed.
Killing her was my mission.
Kidnapping her is my compromise.

As the days pass, my need to possess her consumes me more than my need for revenge.
Punishing her defiance becomes my obsession.
My smart-mouthed vixen resists at every turn, igniting my anger…
And desire.

But when my beautiful captive commits the worst betrayal of all, I have a choice to make…
Kill the mother of my child for her lies or ruin her life forever by marrying her?

••••••

REVIEW:DARK DEVIANT is the fifth instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult VENGEFUL VILLAINS dark, erotic, Mafia romance series focusing on the Malikov Bratva. This is Danil Malikov, and pianist Larysa Moroz’s story line. DARK DEVIANT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is an ongoing plot line throughout.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Larysa and Danil) DARK DEVIANT follows in the wake of a one night stand. Approximately two and a half years earlier Larysa got some bad news, ended up in a hotel room with a stranger, only to be awoken by even more devastating news, and ghosted the man she would never forget. Fast forward to present day wherein Larysa and her family have been targeted by the Malikov Bratva for the sins of someone else. The Malikov Bratva and the Moroz family are at war, a war that is quickly spiralling out of control. Larysa Moroz is a pawn between the two warring families by it is her two year old daughter Daniela that may be the biggest loser of them all. As Danil battle between head and heart discovering he had a daughter with his one night stand, the larger issue is that two warring families are now connected by a two year old child, and another family has taken aim at everyone involved. What ensues is the building but acrimonious relationship between Danil and Larysa, and the potential fall-out as betrayal, vengeance and greed are at the heart of a war that should have never been.

The relationship between Danil and Larysa begins as a one night stand but Danil has no idea as to our heroine’s identity. Fast forward to present day, the Malikov Bratva believe the Moroz family are guilty of killing their beloved mother, and the Moroz family believe the Malikov’s are trying to destroy them all. Larysa is about to become fodder in a war not of her making, a war that is predicated upon secrets and lies, and a need for control. The $ex scenes are aggressive and intense, and not without some issues of questionable consent.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic, and powerful secondary and supporting characters including many of whom we have met in the previous story lines. Not everyone will survive.

DARK DEVIANT is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, greed and deceit, family and relationships, acceptance and love. The fast paced premise is intriguing, raw and gritty; the characters are animated and impassioned; the romance is dramatic and tragic.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Twisted Tyrant
Dirty Devil
Cruel Captor
Merciless Monster (see below)

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

______

MERCILESS MONSTER
(Vengeful Villains 4)
by Kristen Luciani
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic,dark, Mafia romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 26, 2023

She is his desire.
His corruption.
When my business partner asked me to host an event at my club,
I didn’t expect his daughter to show up in a bikini straddling a motorcycle.
Her seductive gaze taunted me,
Her sinful body screamed of sex and sin.

He warned me to stay far away from her, and
Said he’d kill anyone who touched her.
Then he committed the worst betrayal against me,
Throwing his only daughter straight into the flames.

So I got my revenge
And kidnapped the gorgeous biker princess,
The forbidden fruit I was ordered to avoid.

Now she’s a pawn in our vicious power play,
A plaything to be used for my wants, my needs, and my pleasure.

But Alexis is defiant and reckless…dangerous and vengeful.
I punish her at every turn,
Stripping her of her innocence every time I spank her bright red.
She will learn her place.
And she will obey.

Because this beautiful captive is mine…
To possess,
To break,
And to marry.
Consequences…and her father…be damned.

••••••••

REVIEW: MERCILESS MONSTER is the fourth instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult VENGEFUL VILLAINS dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is Taras Malikov, and motorcycle mechanic/model Alexis Tretiak’s story line. MERCILESS MONSTER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is an ongoing plot line throughout.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Taras and Alexis) MERCILESS MONSTER follows in the wake of the destruction of Taras Malikov’s nightclub and the disappearance of Alexis’ father Vlad Tretiak, the president of the Iron Rebels MC. Alexis Tretiak’s star is on the rise, and a photoshoot at Taras’ nightclub Karma, ends in a shootout, several minutes after exits with a cryptic message. Believing he has been set up, Taras Malikov takes Alexis Tretiak hostage, in an effort to draw out the people responsible. Claiming Alexis as his own; as his property to do what he wants and he pleases, the enemies to lovers relationship focuses on the unequal balance of power between Alexis and Taras, and the violent need of Taras to take control of the woman with whom he will fall in love, but someone else is working behind the scenes, setting a plan into motion, a plan to take down the Malikov family, and Vlad Tretiak’s reign at the top. What ensues is the building but aggressive relationship between Taras and Alexis, and the potential fall-out as Alexis struggles to trust the man with whom she is falling in love.

The relationship between Alexis and Taras is an enemies to lovers predicated upon issues of trust, and a need for revenge. Taras’ sister is still missing, having fled an arranged marriage to a man she didn’t love, and the attack on the nightclub brings the focus back to Taras’ missing sister. Using Alexis as a pawn and a bargaining chip between the Mafia and the Iron Rebels MC, Taras finds himself out numbered and out gunned when the real power demands reparations for sins of the past. The $ex scenes are aggressive, violent and not without some issues of questionable consent.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Taras’ brothers: Luka and Natasha: Nikolai and Kenzie: Tori and Konstantin; Zak and Danil: Alexis’ father Vlad Tretiak; Iron Rebels MC VP Hockley, Shane, and mechanic BJ. The requisite evil has many faces.

MERCILESS MONSTER is a dark and gritty story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, family and relationships, forgiveness and love. The premise is graphic and complex; the romance is contentious ; the characters are powerful, struggling, broken and determined.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/ Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

 

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CRUEL CAPTOR (Vengeful Villains 3) by Kristen Luciani-a review

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CRUEL CAPTOR (Vengeful Villains 3) by Kristen Luciani-Review tour

 

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 11, 2022

She is his wrath.
His vengeance…
I kidnapped my enemy’s sister on his wedding day,
And put my ring on her finger
As punishment for a twisted plot that killed my father.

The Malikov Bratva stole everything from me.
Now it’s time to take it all back,
And my gorgeous captive holds the key to my future.

But Tori is fierce, ruthless, and vengeful.
She fights me like a hellcat,
Always resisting her fate,
And disobeying my strict rules.

I punish her defiance at every turn,
Unable to resist making her the star of my dark and devious games.
The more she struggles,
The more powerful I become.

I ruined her life to possess her.
And I will destroy anyone who tries to take her from me.
She is my pawn.
My life.
My wife.

•••••

REVIEW: CRUEL CAPTOR is the third instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult VENGEFUL VILLAINS dark, erotic, Bratva romance series. This is twenty-five year old, Bratva princess/ romance writer Viktorya ‘Tori’ Malikov, and disgraced Bratva enforcer/heir Konstantin Romanov aka Mikhail Federov’s story line. CRUEL CAPTOR can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is an ongoing story line throughout.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Tori and Konstantin/Mikhail CRUEL CAPTOR follows in the aftermath of the collapse of the Federov Bratva empire. Mikhail Federov demands revenge, retribution and reprisal in the wake of betrayal by, and the murder of his abusive father, a murder that set into motion the downfall of the Federov empire. Seeking vengeance Mikhail, now known as Konstantin Romanov kidnaps Viktorya Malikov, with the intention of claiming our heroine as his wife but all does not go according to plan when a feisty and well-trained Tori continues to battle the man with whom she will fall in love. There are more than two families warring for control of the once powerful Federvo Bratva, pitting the Malikov crime family against everyone involved. What ensues is the acrimonious but building relationship between Tori and Konstantin, and the potential fall-out as betrayal from within sets into motion a potential war from all sides.

The relationship between Tori and Konstantin is an enemies to lovers; a forced proximity relationship in which Tori is quick to find herself falling for her sexy captor. Tori is well trained in the ability to protect herself but no training is going to protect her heart against the man with whom she will fall in love. Konstantin Romanov seeks only revenge against the family that destroyed what was left of his organization, an organization that quickly collapsed with the death of his father, and a betrayal of trust. Marrying Tori means a second chance at power and control but there is someone else waiting to assume a position at the top. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense.

The secondary and supporting characters include Konstantin’s brother Gregor, and their head of security Lev, as well as the return of Alek Severinov, Nik, Luka and Taras Malikov. The requisite evil is familiar.

CRUEL CAPTOR is a story of betrayal and vengeance, submission and acceptance, death and destruction, power and control. The premise is dark and dramatic; the romance turbulent and hot; the characters are broken, dynamic and struggling to survive. CRUEL CAPTOR ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Twisted Tyrant
Dirty Devil

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube

Kristen Luciani is a self-proclaimed momtrepreneur, beauty product junkie, and USA Today bestselling romance author with a penchant for stilettos, Silicon Valley, plunging necklines and grapefruit martinis.  As a deep-rooted romantic who prefers juicy drama to fill the lives of anyone other than her, she tried her hand at creating a world of enchantment, sensuality, and intrigue, finally uncovering her true passion. No pun intended…

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