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Dark Verse #1
The Predator
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object in the field of death?
In the dark underbelly of the mob, Tristan Caine has been an anomaly. As the only non-blooded member in the high circle of the Tenebrae Outfit, he is an enigma to all - his skills unparalleled, his morality questionable, and his motives unknown. He is lethal and he knows it.
As does Morana Vitalio, the genius extraordinaire daughter of the rival family. What Caine does with weapons, Morana does with computers. When a twenty-year old mystery resurfaces, Morana infiltrates Caine's house, intent on killing him, unaware of a tie that binds them together. Hate, heat, and history clash together with unexpected sparks.
But something bigger, something worse is happening in their world. And despite their animosity, only they can fight it down.
In the dark underbelly of the mob, Tristan Caine has been an anomaly. As the only non-blooded member in the high circle of the Tenebrae Outfit, he is an enigma to all - his skills unparalleled, his morality questionable, and his motives unknown. He is lethal and he knows it.
As does Morana Vitalio, the genius extraordinaire daughter of the rival family. What Caine does with weapons, Morana does with computers. When a twenty-year old mystery resurfaces, Morana infiltrates Caine's house, intent on killing him, unaware of a tie that binds them together. Hate, heat, and history clash together with unexpected sparks.
But something bigger, something worse is happening in their world. And despite their animosity, only they can fight it down.
318 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2020
About the author
RuNyx
15 books17.7k followersRuNyx is a New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of romance. Her stories range across subgenres from dark contemporary to gothic to historical to fantasy and more, and are currently being translated into over 10 languages.
Her pen name has a very special meaning to her. When she's not writing, she's reading, traveling, meditating, daydreaming, and most of all, procrastinating.
Join her newsletter tribe for all updates and stalk her on her social media.
Website ➡️ https://runyxwrites.com
Newsletter ➡️ https://runyx.myflodesk.com/newsletter
Instagram ➡️ instagram.com/authorrunyx
Reader Group ➡️ facebook.com/groups/runyx
Her pen name has a very special meaning to her. When she's not writing, she's reading, traveling, meditating, daydreaming, and most of all, procrastinating.
Join her newsletter tribe for all updates and stalk her on her social media.
Website ➡️ https://runyxwrites.com
Newsletter ➡️ https://runyx.myflodesk.com/newsletter
Instagram ➡️ instagram.com/authorrunyx
Reader Group ➡️ facebook.com/groups/runyx
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 14,099 reviews
January 5, 2023
– 2.4 stars
What this book has:
💫 a heroine in a mafia setting with a brain
💫 a heroine who is not just waiting for her father to arrrange a marriage for her
💫 a dark hair, blue eyed hero with BDE
💫 a hero who doesn't speak much
💫 enemies-to-lovers
What this book also has:
📌 3rd POV
📌 endless monologues
📌 staring so MUCH STARING 👁👄👁
📌 SILENCE
📌 guns and violence
📌 did I already mentioned staring? if not, yeah, a lot of staring 👁👄👁
📌 blue eyes
📌 a motorcycle
📌 the words "TRISTAN CAINE" (219 times to be exact)
📌 a voice of whiskey and sin (that was not used nearly enough)
📌 I wanna do this review for The Predator justice so I gotta mention once again the eye staring contest Tristan and Morana had going on throughout this whole book 👁👄👁
📌 no talk, only stares 👁👄👁
Not to compliment myself, but I think I did a good job of summarizing The Predator. If something is missing from that list, my DM's are wide open for suggestions. 😇
Basically this whole book in a nutshell:
Morana Vitalio: Stop staring.
Tristan Caine: No.
I wanted to say that reading this book was such a great experience, but just looking at the rating, that would be a big lie. It was painful af. The first 40% of this book were hands down a solid 1.5 stars rating from me. The monlogues, the eye starring, the silence I hated everything about it. It was so mind-numbing. The voices in my fucking head talked more than the characters in this whole book. 😭💀
Tristan had the potential to be up there with all the great heroes. Is there anything this man can't do? But due to the writing I couldn't care enough about him. Same applies for Morana. For the first 40% I was just begging for someone to end my misery (I'm dramatic ik just let me 🤡🤚) that by the time when something interesting between the main character happened I was like
Tristan fucking Morana in the restroom while her father's men are standing behind the door calling out to her? Yeah, even I can admit that scene was something. If I had to choose my favorite scenes from this book, then it probably that one or the Tristan & Morana rain kiss in the last chapter. That were the scenes were I was mourning this couple potential, cause they could have slapped so hard and end all other mafia couples, but nah sorry missed that mark with all the staring instead of talking.
Ugh. See? R.I.P. the potential of that man. I'm mourning. Honestly, I wish I could love him more, but the way this book was written destroyed everything and was so boring. 😭
There was actually an interesting flashback scene between Tristan and Morana that I somewhat enjoyed, until I got to the point where it was revealed why Tristan hates Morana that much. And oh boy.. oh hell. Here is my reaction:
I really wanted to put a sweet TristanMorana quote here, but all my highlights are 90% from them staring at each other across the room while crickets are chirping in the background or 10% fucking. That's it. 😬
Conclusion
The first half was pretty much a disaster, the second half was somehow better, but I still don't care enough. Usually I'm all about the side characters, but even Dante and Amara didn't do anything for me, because I'm already dreading how the writing is going to be 💀 I'm still going to read the next books, but for now I need a break. 🏃🏻♀️
┍━━━━━━━━━━━━━┑
DARK VERSE SERIES
#1 The Predator – 2.4 stars
#2 The Reaper – tbr
#3 The Emperor – tbr
#4 The Finisher – tbr
#5 The Annihilator – tbr
┕━━━━━━━━━━━━━┙
What this book has:
💫 a heroine in a mafia setting with a brain
💫 a heroine who is not just waiting for her father to arrrange a marriage for her
💫 a dark hair, blue eyed hero with BDE
💫 a hero who doesn't speak much
💫 enemies-to-lovers
What this book also has:
📌 3rd POV
📌 endless monologues
📌 staring so MUCH STARING 👁👄👁
📌 SILENCE
📌 guns and violence
📌 did I already mentioned staring? if not, yeah, a lot of staring 👁👄👁
📌 blue eyes
📌 a motorcycle
📌 the words "TRISTAN CAINE" (219 times to be exact)
📌 a voice of whiskey and sin (that was not used nearly enough)
📌 I wanna do this review for The Predator justice so I gotta mention once again the eye staring contest Tristan and Morana had going on throughout this whole book 👁👄👁
📌 no talk, only stares 👁👄👁
Not to compliment myself, but I think I did a good job of summarizing The Predator. If something is missing from that list, my DM's are wide open for suggestions. 😇
A staredown. She didn't remove her eyes from his, and he didn't remove his from hers, neither willing to look away first.
Basically this whole book in a nutshell:
Morana Vitalio: Stop staring.
Tristan Caine: No.
I wanted to say that reading this book was such a great experience, but just looking at the rating, that would be a big lie. It was painful af. The first 40% of this book were hands down a solid 1.5 stars rating from me. The monlogues, the eye starring, the silence I hated everything about it. It was so mind-numbing. The voices in my fucking head talked more than the characters in this whole book. 😭💀
Tristan had the potential to be up there with all the great heroes. Is there anything this man can't do? But due to the writing I couldn't care enough about him. Same applies for Morana. For the first 40% I was just begging for someone to end my misery (I'm dramatic ik just let me 🤡🤚) that by the time when something interesting between the main character happened I was like
Tristan fucking Morana in the restroom while her father's men are standing behind the door calling out to her? Yeah, even I can admit that scene was something. If I had to choose my favorite scenes from this book, then it probably that one or the Tristan & Morana rain kiss in the last chapter. That were the scenes were I was mourning this couple potential, cause they could have slapped so hard and end all other mafia couples, but nah sorry missed that mark with all the staring instead of talking.
"Next time, I'm going to see how loud you can scream, Ms. Vitalio. I'm going to make you so sore you won't know if it's from the screaming or the fucking."
Ugh. See? R.I.P. the potential of that man. I'm mourning. Honestly, I wish I could love him more, but the way this book was written destroyed everything and was so boring. 😭
There was actually an interesting flashback scene between Tristan and Morana that I somewhat enjoyed, until I got to the point where it was revealed why Tristan hates Morana that much. And oh boy.. oh hell. Here is my reaction:
He stilled even more, impossibly.
She stilled even more, reflexively.
The air between them stilled, dangerously.
I really wanted to put a sweet TristanMorana quote here, but all my highlights are 90% from them staring at each other across the room while crickets are chirping in the background or 10% fucking. That's it. 😬
Conclusion
The first half was pretty much a disaster, the second half was somehow better, but I still don't care enough. Usually I'm all about the side characters, but even Dante and Amara didn't do anything for me, because I'm already dreading how the writing is going to be 💀 I'm still going to read the next books, but for now I need a break. 🏃🏻♀️
┍━━━━━━━━━━━━━┑
DARK VERSE SERIES
#1 The Predator – 2.4 stars
#2 The Reaper – tbr
#3 The Emperor – tbr
#4 The Finisher – tbr
#5 The Annihilator – tbr
┕━━━━━━━━━━━━━┙
October 20, 2024
#2 Reread - Oct 2024 - ೃ⁀➷ 5 stars *ੈ✩‧₊˚
"I decide when you die."
"You're crazy."
"No. I'm fucking crazy."
TristanMorana and me are tethered 🔐💋
⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
It’s time for that reread 🙂↕️🙂↕️
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
#𝟭 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 - 𝗡𝗼𝘃 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 - ೃ⁀➷ 𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀
OMG OMG THAT LAST CHAPTER WAS BOMB.
It’s been a MINUTE since I stayed up till 3 am to read a book. 𝐎𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐙𝐈𝐍𝐆. It gave me EVERYTHING I had no idea was missing from my life. I can see myself rereading this every month or some shit. Like it was that good.
It came to a point where I wanted to start the book again just so I could relive their first encounter forever. Bc my god, I WAS NOT EXPECTING IT. AT ALL.
𝐎𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐝 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫. There were so many times when I couldn’t predict what the characters would do and that’s something I truly ADORE.
Okay, I have to say that it was the third pov that kinda made me waver a little since I just got disconnected sometimes when there were too many she said, he said. Also there wasn’t much ✨romance✨ (and when I say romance I mean emotional connection) but that’s part of the story and hopefully I’ll get that in the next book. And the writing was sometimes corny but whatever bc 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐎 𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐆𝐎𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐓.
𝗠𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝗜’𝗺 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁 😃
𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚 was chef's kiss. 𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. She gave herself time to process and basically gave herself interventions lmao. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐋. I loved her the entire time and it's so hard to find a book where I love the FMCS too.
𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 was a tough nut to crack and srsly I’ve still not got him figured out. 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐌𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 He had more personality in the texts than IRL bro he never even spoke much 😩
Ngl him staring had me a little like okay dude LMFAO 💀 but then I found out why and I was like damn okay I'll allow it.
𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐄𝐗𝐂𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐌𝐄? Each character was so FIIIINEEEE. 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗲 💅
pls, what is in their water bc 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄??!! 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣.
𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝. Her backstory? Ugh, I wanted to cry. I love her sm.
𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐒 𝐒𝐊𝐀𝐉𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐎 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃!!
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Best believe I’m licking those DanteAmara crumbs off the table. 𝐈 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄! I can’t wait for shit to hit the fan with them sksjdkdhk
𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀: 🎧
Russian roulette - Rihanna
Devil in a dress - Rhea Raj
Wish I never - kehlani
I’m yours - Isabel LaRosa
Proud - SoMo
Bite - EMM
Villain - Julia Wolf
Talking in your sleep - DREAMDNVR
Down - Simon ft. Trella
Man's world - Nova Miller
Nights - Adrian Daniel
Peachy - EMM
Antihero - AViVa
Body - purpleheart ft. Adrian Daniel
Hate you but I don’t - Sophia Gripari
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
"𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗲."
…"𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜," he remarked evenly,
~SJSVEUKENSKSN IM SCREAMINGGG
"𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂! 𝗪𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸!"
𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐲’𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐞.
~Lmfaoo 💀
"𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲."
"𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗲."
~SCREAMMMM
"𝗡𝘂𝗵-𝘂𝗵. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂,𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿."
He stilled, his gaze intensifying. "𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀."
~HAHAHHAHA I'M CACKLING.
‘Even as she steadied herself, 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤, 𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙠.’
~THIS ugh the neck holding just makes me go feral
𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲.
"𝙄 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨."
~ help. pls.
“𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂,”
~THE LATTER PLS TY
“𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱.”
~pls stop bc this shit is hurting me
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀:
The devils night series - Penelope Douglas
***
I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF EVERYONE TEASING ME WITH THIS SERIES SO… it’s finally happening.
***
I’m seeing this EVERYWHERE on my feed!!
Should I or should I??
"I decide when you die."
"You're crazy."
"No. I'm fucking crazy."
TristanMorana and me are tethered 🔐💋
⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
It’s time for that reread 🙂↕️🙂↕️
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
#𝟭 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 - 𝗡𝗼𝘃 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 - ೃ⁀➷ 𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀
OMG OMG THAT LAST CHAPTER WAS BOMB.
It’s been a MINUTE since I stayed up till 3 am to read a book. 𝐎𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐙𝐈𝐍𝐆. It gave me EVERYTHING I had no idea was missing from my life. I can see myself rereading this every month or some shit. Like it was that good.
It came to a point where I wanted to start the book again just so I could relive their first encounter forever. Bc my god, I WAS NOT EXPECTING IT. AT ALL.
𝐎𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐝 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫. There were so many times when I couldn’t predict what the characters would do and that’s something I truly ADORE.
Okay, I have to say that it was the third pov that kinda made me waver a little since I just got disconnected sometimes when there were too many she said, he said. Also there wasn’t much ✨romance✨ (and when I say romance I mean emotional connection) but that’s part of the story and hopefully I’ll get that in the next book. And the writing was sometimes corny but whatever bc 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐎 𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐆𝐎𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐓.
𝗠𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝗜’𝗺 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁 😃
𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚 was chef's kiss. 𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. She gave herself time to process and basically gave herself interventions lmao. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐋. I loved her the entire time and it's so hard to find a book where I love the FMCS too.
𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 was a tough nut to crack and srsly I’ve still not got him figured out. 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐌𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 He had more personality in the texts than IRL bro he never even spoke much 😩
Ngl him staring had me a little like okay dude LMFAO 💀 but then I found out why and I was like damn okay I'll allow it.
𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐄𝐗𝐂𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐌𝐄? Each character was so FIIIINEEEE. 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗲 💅
pls, what is in their water bc 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄??!! 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣.
𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝. Her backstory? Ugh, I wanted to cry. I love her sm.
𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐒 𝐒𝐊𝐀𝐉𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐎 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃!!
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Best believe I’m licking those DanteAmara crumbs off the table. 𝐈 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄! I can’t wait for shit to hit the fan with them sksjdkdhk
𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀: 🎧
Russian roulette - Rihanna
Devil in a dress - Rhea Raj
Wish I never - kehlani
I’m yours - Isabel LaRosa
Proud - SoMo
Bite - EMM
Villain - Julia Wolf
Talking in your sleep - DREAMDNVR
Down - Simon ft. Trella
Man's world - Nova Miller
Nights - Adrian Daniel
Peachy - EMM
Antihero - AViVa
Body - purpleheart ft. Adrian Daniel
Hate you but I don’t - Sophia Gripari
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
"𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗲."
…"𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜," he remarked evenly,
~SJSVEUKENSKSN IM SCREAMINGGG
"𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂! 𝗪𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸!"
𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐲’𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐞.
~Lmfaoo 💀
"𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲."
"𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗲."
~SCREAMMMM
"𝗡𝘂𝗵-𝘂𝗵. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂,𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿."
He stilled, his gaze intensifying. "𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀."
~HAHAHHAHA I'M CACKLING.
‘Even as she steadied herself, 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤, 𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙠.’
~THIS ugh the neck holding just makes me go feral
𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲.
"𝙄 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨."
~ help. pls.
“𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂,”
~THE LATTER PLS TY
“𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱.”
~pls stop bc this shit is hurting me
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀:
The devils night series - Penelope Douglas
***
I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF EVERYONE TEASING ME WITH THIS SERIES SO… it’s finally happening.
***
I’m seeing this EVERYWHERE on my feed!!
Should I or should I??
September 16, 2022
i read this in one sitting and now i’m a changed woman. you don’t know what enemies to even more enemies to enemies with benefits to enemies that still aren’t lovers is until you read this masterpiece. i read this in less that 24hrs and now my skin is glowing.
this shit changed my hair color. the slow burn, longing, and copious amounts of staring made me feel like someone pushed me onto incoming traffic. and i loved every bit of it. i finished it and suddenly a cliff appeared in front of me.
Tristian and Morana are two characters that i’m deadly afraid of yet two characters i’d let take me any which way. their tension made me want to jump off the golden gate bridge, throw a toaster into a bath tub, and jump into it. my body folded like an origami with that bathroom and shower scene. anyways can’t wait to read the sequel next.
this shit changed my hair color. the slow burn, longing, and copious amounts of staring made me feel like someone pushed me onto incoming traffic. and i loved every bit of it. i finished it and suddenly a cliff appeared in front of me.
Tristian and Morana are two characters that i’m deadly afraid of yet two characters i’d let take me any which way. their tension made me want to jump off the golden gate bridge, throw a toaster into a bath tub, and jump into it. my body folded like an origami with that bathroom and shower scene. anyways can’t wait to read the sequel next.
March 1, 2024
I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. This is one of my first mafia romances and I'm obsessed. The characters are *actual* enemies to lovers which I LOVE. The first chapter literally starts with Morana trying to kill Tristan. *swoon*😅
BUT I also love that it's not a toxic or morally grey romance. This book is definitely a dark romance because the mafia world is dark but Tristan and Morana have such good hearts.
BUT I also love that it's not a toxic or morally grey romance. This book is definitely a dark romance because the mafia world is dark but Tristan and Morana have such good hearts.
December 22, 2024
4.75!
Reread #2
"You ever put a leash on me, I’ll fucking strangle you with it."
I have to say this book was the perfect start. It's categorized as a dark romance and when I think of dark romances usually all the come into my mind are fucked extra smutty books but this really changed my perception of them. This one was heavy on the plot and it made it so well balanced with smut. This planned and executed really well, it was clear that the author knew what she was doing because this series is a hit. It's also so gripping because its not easy for me to reread book and I sometimes get drawn away but the hold that this had on me was mind-blowing because I had to force myself to stop and you know its a good book when you to force yourself to stop. Runyx made this series so special.
"Tristan Caine terrified her, but it wasn't because of the death he was bringing her slowly, the death he would bring her one day, the death he raised in her. No. It was the life."
It's the way this series is written. Runyx has this amazing writing style that brings out so many emotions of characters in different ways that hit so hard in all the right places and I feel like that should really be appreciated and truth be told this series is very underrated when you compare it to other dark romances when it's clearly very superior to them. It's not even that!! its the way she marketed these book sm the way she gives us more insight on her stories and tells us canon things that draw us even more to the characters like during this reread I felt so much closer to the bond that Tristan and Morana had with their vehicles and also Its just the way the chapters are long but they dont feel long at all. It's also third person and I love that but the way she wrote it feels like first person because its overall just so well done. I do think many people dont like this book as much as the others but this just has a special place in my heart because I never ever feel this way with the characters and the world that she has created.
"He'd had her pinned against the wall with her own knives at her throat."
Let's talk a little about the tropes 🙈
It had so many blushworthy forced proximity scenes.
So much mutual pining.
Knife to the throat scenes.
It's a perfectly executed enemies to lovers.
Very hot constant staring.
Who did this to you?.
She falls for him first but he falls for her harder
Protective MMC.
Badass FMC
Found Family
"Tristan Caine was toast. But he was one smooth toast."
Tristan is one of the MMC that had me in a chokehold form the start to the finish. He was such a complex, mysterious character that I honestly was very intrigued by, his mysterious nature and his clouded past had me wanting to know more about him, turned into learning more about him which led to me falling deeply in love with his character. Him riding a bike did not make hisi case because that shit was 🥵. Also his outfits were so good??? Like man's fashion is truly classy. Also when he calls Morana wildcat 🙈🥵 the nickname slapped. I fely so sad for him and I wanted ot give him the biggest hug becuase he was just a kid, he deserves so much better. I loved how he cared for Morana with his subtle touches and the way it was showed in this book was beautiful also the part where he would ask if he had hurt her had me scremaing. Also him climbing a wall to meet her?? Amazing!! I like his character even more in the second book and I felt a void without his pov through out the series so im very excited for the syndicator.
"One day, I'm going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise."
Morana is hands down the sexiest dark romance female lead right after Amara and Lana Myers. She was so hot and her being a hacker did help her case, Why she really intrigued me was because I'm also in that field in a way. Her character arc and her journey was very well expressed and her relationship with Tristan was so awesome. Her snarky attitude and her smartness is what differentiates her from everyone else and it was just something to root for. I like how she did not back down and stood up for herself, I think dark romances have really lowered the standards for female characters so I liked seeing them being raised. Morana's point of views are so well written, its basically told from her point of views throughout and the things she does and say and thinks made it all so much more interesting. I was fully invested istg.
"When it comes to death, you are mine"
This was definitely dark and the romance was very angsty and spicy so I think that was done very well. To make the book perfectly smutty and keep the romance enjoyable with teasing. Heartwrenching scenes and interactions between them that will read so good. The scene in the bathroom?? I was sweating just reading that. The banter that they both said, the way they both communicated with their eyes. How they refused to believe the tension between them but it just built it up more? There are so many scenes that these two share that I am in love with.
"A small part of Morana could not help but admire that lethal, powerful grace."
Side characters: As of now there were only two prominent ones Dante and amara and I love them so much amd ok their book is the best so I'm looking forward to rereading it and honestly I loved their interactions and Dante was just so perfect his wit really brought out the life in this book. Amara and her friendship with Morana was also one of the things that I liked
Scenes that I loved:
`Morana and tristans bike scene
`The bathroon scene
`tristan climbing up the wall
` the scene where its raining and morana is looking out the window
` the flashbacks
Overall, its a very well written dark romance novel!!
~~
TristanMorana, they can never keep me away from you for that long 🙏🏻
Reread#2 in preparation for the syndicator 🤭 I AM SO EXCITED!! 🙂↕️
• Buddy reread with Roxy 🙂↕️
1st read: 4.5 stars
Reread#1: 5 stars
Reread#2: 4.75 stars
Reread #2
"You ever put a leash on me, I’ll fucking strangle you with it."
I have to say this book was the perfect start. It's categorized as a dark romance and when I think of dark romances usually all the come into my mind are fucked extra smutty books but this really changed my perception of them. This one was heavy on the plot and it made it so well balanced with smut. This planned and executed really well, it was clear that the author knew what she was doing because this series is a hit. It's also so gripping because its not easy for me to reread book and I sometimes get drawn away but the hold that this had on me was mind-blowing because I had to force myself to stop and you know its a good book when you to force yourself to stop. Runyx made this series so special.
"Tristan Caine terrified her, but it wasn't because of the death he was bringing her slowly, the death he would bring her one day, the death he raised in her. No. It was the life."
It's the way this series is written. Runyx has this amazing writing style that brings out so many emotions of characters in different ways that hit so hard in all the right places and I feel like that should really be appreciated and truth be told this series is very underrated when you compare it to other dark romances when it's clearly very superior to them. It's not even that!! its the way she marketed these book sm the way she gives us more insight on her stories and tells us canon things that draw us even more to the characters like during this reread I felt so much closer to the bond that Tristan and Morana had with their vehicles and also Its just the way the chapters are long but they dont feel long at all. It's also third person and I love that but the way she wrote it feels like first person because its overall just so well done. I do think many people dont like this book as much as the others but this just has a special place in my heart because I never ever feel this way with the characters and the world that she has created.
"He'd had her pinned against the wall with her own knives at her throat."
Let's talk a little about the tropes 🙈
It had so many blushworthy forced proximity scenes.
So much mutual pining.
Knife to the throat scenes.
It's a perfectly executed enemies to lovers.
Very hot constant staring.
Who did this to you?.
She falls for him first but he falls for her harder
Protective MMC.
Badass FMC
Found Family
"Tristan Caine was toast. But he was one smooth toast."
Tristan is one of the MMC that had me in a chokehold form the start to the finish. He was such a complex, mysterious character that I honestly was very intrigued by, his mysterious nature and his clouded past had me wanting to know more about him, turned into learning more about him which led to me falling deeply in love with his character. Him riding a bike did not make hisi case because that shit was 🥵. Also his outfits were so good??? Like man's fashion is truly classy. Also when he calls Morana wildcat 🙈🥵 the nickname slapped. I fely so sad for him and I wanted ot give him the biggest hug becuase he was just a kid, he deserves so much better. I loved how he cared for Morana with his subtle touches and the way it was showed in this book was beautiful also the part where he would ask if he had hurt her had me scremaing. Also him climbing a wall to meet her?? Amazing!! I like his character even more in the second book and I felt a void without his pov through out the series so im very excited for the syndicator.
"One day, I'm going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise."
Morana is hands down the sexiest dark romance female lead right after Amara and Lana Myers. She was so hot and her being a hacker did help her case, Why she really intrigued me was because I'm also in that field in a way. Her character arc and her journey was very well expressed and her relationship with Tristan was so awesome. Her snarky attitude and her smartness is what differentiates her from everyone else and it was just something to root for. I like how she did not back down and stood up for herself, I think dark romances have really lowered the standards for female characters so I liked seeing them being raised. Morana's point of views are so well written, its basically told from her point of views throughout and the things she does and say and thinks made it all so much more interesting. I was fully invested istg.
"When it comes to death, you are mine"
This was definitely dark and the romance was very angsty and spicy so I think that was done very well. To make the book perfectly smutty and keep the romance enjoyable with teasing. Heartwrenching scenes and interactions between them that will read so good. The scene in the bathroom?? I was sweating just reading that. The banter that they both said, the way they both communicated with their eyes. How they refused to believe the tension between them but it just built it up more? There are so many scenes that these two share that I am in love with.
"A small part of Morana could not help but admire that lethal, powerful grace."
Side characters: As of now there were only two prominent ones Dante and amara and I love them so much amd ok their book is the best so I'm looking forward to rereading it and honestly I loved their interactions and Dante was just so perfect his wit really brought out the life in this book. Amara and her friendship with Morana was also one of the things that I liked
Scenes that I loved:
`Morana and tristans bike scene
`The bathroon scene
`tristan climbing up the wall
` the scene where its raining and morana is looking out the window
` the flashbacks
Overall, its a very well written dark romance novel!!
~~
TristanMorana, they can never keep me away from you for that long 🙏🏻
Reread#2 in preparation for the syndicator 🤭 I AM SO EXCITED!! 🙂↕️
• Buddy reread with Roxy 🙂↕️
1st read: 4.5 stars
Reread#1: 5 stars
Reread#2: 4.75 stars
October 17, 2024
5/5 ★’s
⁀➷ ❝𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔, 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕? 𝒘𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒕.❞
tristan caine…prey on ME. don’t threaten me with a good time🙂↔️
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
"no one else gets to kill you, ms. vitalio," he spoke quietly. "the last face you see before you die will be mine. when it comes to death, you're mine."
if you want a true ENEMIES to lovers book that gives exactly what it’s supposed to give…this is the one. getting out of a long reading slump has never felt so good. please bear with me as i haven’t written a review in two months😣
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
❥ 𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈/𝒶𝑒𝓈𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓉𝒾𝒸:
➺ dark mafia romance (search triggers!)
➺ enemies to lovers
➺ forbidden love
➺ morally grey mmc
➺ badass fmc
➺ touch her, you die
❥ 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒾 𝓅𝓁𝑜𝓉 𝓈𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎:
morana vitalio is a very smart and dangerous woman determined to find out the truth about a 20 year old mystery that resurfaced. this mystery leads her straight to tristan caine, one of the most feared men in the enemy’s mafia. she’s intent on killing him, but after trying and failing she quickly comes to realize that he’s an important piece of the puzzle. what happens when two worlds filled with so much hate, collide?
❥ 𝓂𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈:
i absolutely loved this book. one of the best enemies to lovers i’ve ever read. when book 1 is them as enemies and just based off the end you know book 2 will be them as lovers. literal chef’s kiss. the slow burn…the fucking TENSION. i still feel hot from reading it. there’s nothing better than sexual tension between two people who actually hate each other. ate it up. the plot was so so so entertaining…the mystery mixed in with it all? yes. it keeps you hooked and on the edge of your seat. AND IT MADE ME CRY!? the entire package, this book isn’t missing a thing😭i read this because it was a short dark romance to get out of my slump. i did not expect to fall in love with this universe and i can’t wait to continue because that ENDING!? let me just say🫦
❥ 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔/𝓅𝒶𝒸𝒾𝓃𝑔:
was the writing perfect? absolutely not. idk if it’s just my copy of the book, but there were so many typos. they were very easy to correct in my head, but that’s really my only complaint about the book. not a big enough of one to drop a star, but i just had to mention that😩it’s written in third person…we all know how i feel about third person and guys, i’m gonna have to stop hating on it after this series because wow. it truly depends on who writes it tho and runyx did it so well. was i craving dual pov so bad? yes, but it honestly made me feel more of the enemies aspect since you’re only reading one pov. it was sooo fast paced! i swear once i hit the 50 page mark, i blinked and was at the end. i can’t even remember how long the chapters were, but once you start this book…i promise you won’t want to stop.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
”death isn’t the main course, sweetheart. it’s the dessert. never make the mistake of thinking you know me. it might just prove to be your last.”
morana stepped into his personal space. “never make the mistake of thinking you scare me. it will be your last.”
❥ 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝒶𝓃𝒶 𝓋𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓁𝒾𝑜
⁀➷ she’d been raised around sharks. and she’d learned not to bleed.
she’s such a badass fmc. i feel so honored that one of my besties told me i remind her of morana🤭she wears glasses too guys, my twin i fear🙂↕️there wasn’t a single thing i didn’t like about her. quite honestly perfect. she’s so smart, she didn’t let anyone push her around or walk all over her, she said what was on her mind, she’s honest with everyone, she’s so brave, etc etc. i love her BADDDD. fmc’s in dark romances are annoying sometimes, but she never gave off those vibes. the way she feels so alone in the world tho😔i can’t wait to watch that change, just know a lot of tears will be shed🥺
she cried because she had no one to give her a shoulder and hold her as she cried, because she had to wrap her arms around herself.
╰┈➤i’d hug her for hours pls😔
❥ 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃 𝒸𝒶𝒾𝓃𝑒
⁀➷ tristan ‘the predator’ caine. they called him the predator. his reputation preceded him. he rarely went on the hunt but when he did, it was over.
this man screams sex appeal, i’m so down bad. everything about him… scars and all 😫although, reading about how he got those scars absolutely killed me inside. i don’t even want to talk bout it. i love that this man is feared by everyone…even men who are running the mob he’s a part of. that to me is sooo🤭🫦🦋the way he carries himself, very attractive.
❥ 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝓂𝑜𝓇𝒶𝓃𝒶
╭──────༺♡༻──────╮
𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈:
𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄
0:14 ─|──────── 4:28
↻ ◁ 𝕀𝕀 ▷ ↺
𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆: ■■■■■□□□
╰──────༺♡༻──────╯
”one day, i’m going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir, i promise.”
”you assume i have a heart, wildcat.”
the tension between these two made me feel how a chase atlantic song makes me feel. pls, the chase atlantic girlies get it😩i be getting butterflies and the feelings are sooo intense, i be going FERAL. i will never get over how well the enemies to lovers trope was written. they went from hating each other, to hating each other more, to hate fucking, to STILL hating each other like…and even with all the hate, they have these precious moments and i absolutely LIVED for them.
his hand closed around her neck, in that hold she’d come to recognize, firm but not tight, as his lips moved right next to her ear. “did you feel me inside you the next day?”
╰┈➤🫦🫦🫦the way he would grab and hold her neck…she wore his hand around her neck like it was her favorite piece of jewelry please.
”he couldn’t keep his eyes off you.”
╰┈➤he would always stare at her and she would always be able to feel his eyes on her especially when she wasn’t looking.
tristan caine: i told you i wasn’t a gentleman that very first night.
me: yes, you did. it’s a good thing i’m not into gentlemen. gentlemen can’t handle me.
tristan caine: i don’t think anyone can handle you. not if you don’t want to be handled.
╰┈➤THEIR TEXT MESSAGES TO EACH OTHER, mwah! perfection. i still feel hot from their tension. the fire is still burning😩i’m so happy the next book is theirs too because i need more.
❥ 𝓈𝒾𝒹𝑒 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈:
i can sense the found family. please, i need it!! my favorite trope🙂↕️i love all these characters so bad already.
➸ dante maroni:
this MAN omg. he won me over so quick like i need to get to his book so bad. the small little friendship he’s forming with morana is everything🥹he’s so polite, but such a terrifying man at the same time. also he’s taller than tristan pls i was like OH??
”who did this?”
╰┈➤absolutely feral. pls run me over with your car.
➸ amara rossi:
the SWEETEST angel oh my god. when i found out a little bit of her past…instant tears. i was not expecting to cry while reading this book but😔she has the kindest and purest soul. her soft spoken voice and the reasoning behind it, i simply can’t. i feel like dante and amara definitely have something and i can’t wait to read about it🤭her friendship with morana. love love love it sm.
”just give me a call if you need me.”
╰┈➤she’s too kind for this world.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
❥ 𝒻𝒶𝓋𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈:
”did i hurt you?”
the question, asked in that low, rough tone, caught her off guard.
”why do you care?”
silence. he stood exactly where he’d been.
”did i hurt you?”
low. rough. again.
”you did shoot me,” morana pointed out with a lightness she didn’t feel.
before she could take another breath, he was suddenly beside her, his finger on her chin, the calloused edges pressing into her, his hold firm but gentle as he turned her face to him.
morana blinked up at his sleep-deprived, yet magnificent blue eyes boring down into her, his adam’s apple bobbing once as he swallowed in her peripheral vision.
”did i hurt you?” he asked again, his voice barely a whisper, his breath warm on her face as his eyes scanned hers.
╰┈➤the deeper meaning behind his question got me😩😩omg
”i never thought he’d be as he is with you.”
”how is he with me?”
”alive.”
╰┈➤i cried.
in that moment, the enemy had done what no one had ever tired to do for her.
he had made her feel a little less lonely.
╰┈➤them sitting in silence watching the rain out of big windows that gave them a view of the city…one of my favorite moments.
”i prefer you blonde.”
”i prefer your gone.”
╰┈➤can you hear me screaming?
❥ 𝒻𝒶𝓋𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝓆𝓊𝑜𝓉𝑒𝓈:
➛ ”i dare you to show him even half the wildcat you are.”
➛ ”next time, i’m going to see how loud you can scream, ms. vitalio. i’m going to make you so sore you won’t know if it’s from the screaming or the fucking.” i-😩
➛ ”i get my mouth on you, and you’ll never be the same.”
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏, 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒖𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒋���𝒘.
that kiss made me see stars. i had to put my book down and catch my breath. the way he traced the gun from her jaw, down her neck, and finally to her heart because he refused to touch her with his hands. this man is so fine🙂↕️onto book 2!
⁀➷ ❝𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔, 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕? 𝒘𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒕.❞
tristan caine…prey on ME. don’t threaten me with a good time🙂↔️
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
𝓼𝓹𝓸𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀
"no one else gets to kill you, ms. vitalio," he spoke quietly. "the last face you see before you die will be mine. when it comes to death, you're mine."
if you want a true ENEMIES to lovers book that gives exactly what it’s supposed to give…this is the one. getting out of a long reading slump has never felt so good. please bear with me as i haven’t written a review in two months😣
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
❥ 𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈/𝒶𝑒𝓈𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓉𝒾𝒸:
➺ dark mafia romance (search triggers!)
➺ enemies to lovers
➺ forbidden love
➺ morally grey mmc
➺ badass fmc
➺ touch her, you die
❥ 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒾 𝓅𝓁𝑜𝓉 𝓈𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎:
morana vitalio is a very smart and dangerous woman determined to find out the truth about a 20 year old mystery that resurfaced. this mystery leads her straight to tristan caine, one of the most feared men in the enemy’s mafia. she’s intent on killing him, but after trying and failing she quickly comes to realize that he’s an important piece of the puzzle. what happens when two worlds filled with so much hate, collide?
❥ 𝓂𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈:
i absolutely loved this book. one of the best enemies to lovers i’ve ever read. when book 1 is them as enemies and just based off the end you know book 2 will be them as lovers. literal chef’s kiss. the slow burn…the fucking TENSION. i still feel hot from reading it. there’s nothing better than sexual tension between two people who actually hate each other. ate it up. the plot was so so so entertaining…the mystery mixed in with it all? yes. it keeps you hooked and on the edge of your seat. AND IT MADE ME CRY!? the entire package, this book isn’t missing a thing😭i read this because it was a short dark romance to get out of my slump. i did not expect to fall in love with this universe and i can’t wait to continue because that ENDING!? let me just say🫦
❥ 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔/𝓅𝒶𝒸𝒾𝓃𝑔:
was the writing perfect? absolutely not. idk if it’s just my copy of the book, but there were so many typos. they were very easy to correct in my head, but that’s really my only complaint about the book. not a big enough of one to drop a star, but i just had to mention that😩it’s written in third person…we all know how i feel about third person and guys, i’m gonna have to stop hating on it after this series because wow. it truly depends on who writes it tho and runyx did it so well. was i craving dual pov so bad? yes, but it honestly made me feel more of the enemies aspect since you’re only reading one pov. it was sooo fast paced! i swear once i hit the 50 page mark, i blinked and was at the end. i can’t even remember how long the chapters were, but once you start this book…i promise you won’t want to stop.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
”death isn’t the main course, sweetheart. it’s the dessert. never make the mistake of thinking you know me. it might just prove to be your last.”
morana stepped into his personal space. “never make the mistake of thinking you scare me. it will be your last.”
❥ 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝒶𝓃𝒶 𝓋𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓁𝒾𝑜
⁀➷ she’d been raised around sharks. and she’d learned not to bleed.
she’s such a badass fmc. i feel so honored that one of my besties told me i remind her of morana🤭she wears glasses too guys, my twin i fear🙂↕️there wasn’t a single thing i didn’t like about her. quite honestly perfect. she’s so smart, she didn’t let anyone push her around or walk all over her, she said what was on her mind, she’s honest with everyone, she’s so brave, etc etc. i love her BADDDD. fmc’s in dark romances are annoying sometimes, but she never gave off those vibes. the way she feels so alone in the world tho😔i can’t wait to watch that change, just know a lot of tears will be shed🥺
she cried because she had no one to give her a shoulder and hold her as she cried, because she had to wrap her arms around herself.
╰┈➤i’d hug her for hours pls😔
❥ 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃 𝒸𝒶𝒾𝓃𝑒
⁀➷ tristan ‘the predator’ caine. they called him the predator. his reputation preceded him. he rarely went on the hunt but when he did, it was over.
this man screams sex appeal, i’m so down bad. everything about him… scars and all 😫although, reading about how he got those scars absolutely killed me inside. i don’t even want to talk bout it. i love that this man is feared by everyone…even men who are running the mob he’s a part of. that to me is sooo🤭🫦🦋the way he carries himself, very attractive.
❥ 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝓂𝑜𝓇𝒶𝓃𝒶
╭──────༺♡༻──────╮
𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈:
𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄
0:14 ─|──────── 4:28
↻ ◁ 𝕀𝕀 ▷ ↺
𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆: ■■■■■□□□
╰──────༺♡༻──────╯
”one day, i’m going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir, i promise.”
”you assume i have a heart, wildcat.”
the tension between these two made me feel how a chase atlantic song makes me feel. pls, the chase atlantic girlies get it😩i be getting butterflies and the feelings are sooo intense, i be going FERAL. i will never get over how well the enemies to lovers trope was written. they went from hating each other, to hating each other more, to hate fucking, to STILL hating each other like…and even with all the hate, they have these precious moments and i absolutely LIVED for them.
his hand closed around her neck, in that hold she’d come to recognize, firm but not tight, as his lips moved right next to her ear. “did you feel me inside you the next day?”
╰┈➤🫦🫦🫦the way he would grab and hold her neck…she wore his hand around her neck like it was her favorite piece of jewelry please.
”he couldn’t keep his eyes off you.”
╰┈➤he would always stare at her and she would always be able to feel his eyes on her especially when she wasn’t looking.
tristan caine: i told you i wasn’t a gentleman that very first night.
me: yes, you did. it’s a good thing i’m not into gentlemen. gentlemen can’t handle me.
tristan caine: i don’t think anyone can handle you. not if you don’t want to be handled.
╰┈➤THEIR TEXT MESSAGES TO EACH OTHER, mwah! perfection. i still feel hot from their tension. the fire is still burning😩i’m so happy the next book is theirs too because i need more.
❥ 𝓈𝒾𝒹𝑒 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈:
i can sense the found family. please, i need it!! my favorite trope🙂↕️i love all these characters so bad already.
➸ dante maroni:
this MAN omg. he won me over so quick like i need to get to his book so bad. the small little friendship he’s forming with morana is everything🥹he’s so polite, but such a terrifying man at the same time. also he’s taller than tristan pls i was like OH??
”who did this?”
╰┈➤absolutely feral. pls run me over with your car.
➸ amara rossi:
the SWEETEST angel oh my god. when i found out a little bit of her past…instant tears. i was not expecting to cry while reading this book but😔she has the kindest and purest soul. her soft spoken voice and the reasoning behind it, i simply can’t. i feel like dante and amara definitely have something and i can’t wait to read about it🤭her friendship with morana. love love love it sm.
”just give me a call if you need me.”
╰┈➤she’s too kind for this world.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
❥ 𝒻𝒶𝓋𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈:
”did i hurt you?”
the question, asked in that low, rough tone, caught her off guard.
”why do you care?”
silence. he stood exactly where he’d been.
”did i hurt you?”
low. rough. again.
”you did shoot me,” morana pointed out with a lightness she didn’t feel.
before she could take another breath, he was suddenly beside her, his finger on her chin, the calloused edges pressing into her, his hold firm but gentle as he turned her face to him.
morana blinked up at his sleep-deprived, yet magnificent blue eyes boring down into her, his adam’s apple bobbing once as he swallowed in her peripheral vision.
”did i hurt you?” he asked again, his voice barely a whisper, his breath warm on her face as his eyes scanned hers.
╰┈➤the deeper meaning behind his question got me😩😩omg
”i never thought he’d be as he is with you.”
”how is he with me?”
”alive.”
╰┈➤i cried.
in that moment, the enemy had done what no one had ever tired to do for her.
he had made her feel a little less lonely.
╰┈➤them sitting in silence watching the rain out of big windows that gave them a view of the city…one of my favorite moments.
”i prefer you blonde.”
”i prefer your gone.”
╰┈➤can you hear me screaming?
❥ 𝒻𝒶𝓋𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝓆𝓊𝑜𝓉𝑒𝓈:
➛ ”i dare you to show him even half the wildcat you are.”
➛ ”next time, i’m going to see how loud you can scream, ms. vitalio. i’m going to make you so sore you won’t know if it’s from the screaming or the fucking.” i-😩
➛ ”i get my mouth on you, and you’ll never be the same.”
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏, 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒖𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒋���𝒘.
that kiss made me see stars. i had to put my book down and catch my breath. the way he traced the gun from her jaw, down her neck, and finally to her heart because he refused to touch her with his hands. this man is so fine🙂↕️onto book 2!
July 4, 2024
➳
4/5 stars
"Don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt"
Well, i have had this series for some time now but it never really piqued my interest but after one of my good friend spoke so highly of it i finally decided to give it go and let me tell u it didn't disappoint. Although the writing was typically lousy and boring but i can ignore it because the characters were soo good and the storyline was excellently executed. The plot was pretty interesting as well and kept me wanting to read it more and more.
So in this captivating narrative, we're immersed in the world of two influential families, the Vitalios and the Maronis. Morana Vitalio, Gabriel Vitalio's daughter, is a computer expert who has created some codes, which found in the wrong hands could cause a war between the two families. Enter Tristan Caine, also known as 'The Predator,' a protege of Lorenzo Maroni. As Morana and Tristan uncover the truth behind the theft, they realize they're pawns in a larger game. Together, they form an unlikely alliance to retrieve the stolen codes and prevent potential harm to both of the families.
Although the pacing of book was very good and kept me intrested because something was happening all the time but the writing was lousy, bland and repetitive, there were countless mentions of his whiskey and sin voice and also his blue eyes and with every single mention i wanted to throw my book because it became way too much like once or twice would've been tolerable but it was literally more than twenty times and this might be the only reason im not rating it five stars because good writing literally matters to me the most. This book is considered dark romance although i couldn't feel the romance at all but man the sexual tension between them was off the charts ngl i could literally feel it through the pages.
╰┈➤ Tristan Caine
This guy embodied all the classic traits of a dark romance lead: mysterious, brooding, and haunted by a troubled past. As I delved into his backstory, I couldn't help but feel a wave of sympathy wash over me. His struggles and hardships gave context to his guarded demeanor and quiet disposition. It became clear why he was so hesitant to trust or open up to others. In the end, I found myself rooting for him to find the closure and peace he so rightfully deserves.
"They called him the predator. His reputation preceded him. He rarely went on hunt but when he did, it was over.”
╰┈➤ Morana Vitalio
Morana stands out as one of the most memorable female leads I've come across. She embodies beauty, intelligence, and a fierce determination that commands respect. What truly captured my attention were her sharp wit and fearless demeanor—her snarky comments added a delightful flair to her character. However, there were moments when her reactions felt a bit exaggerated, especially when she couldn't resist his intense gaze. Despite this, her intelligence and unwavering resolve remained admirable throughout the story.
Morana's upbringing in a mafia family shaped her into a strong and independent woman from the start. Despite being surrounded by dangerous men, she fiercely fought for her freedom—a refreshing departure from the typical portrayal of women in mafia romances as submissive and doormat types.
"She'd been raised around sharks. And she’d learned not to bleed"
Despite being constantly surrounded by people, Morana experienced deep loneliness, with no one truly there for her when she needed support the most. It was heartbreaking to see her endure so much hardship when she deserved nothing but love and understanding.
"She cried because she had no one to give her a shoulder and hold her as she cried, because she had to wrap her arms around herself”
What actually disgusted me the most was morana's shitty father istg that man was such a fucked up piece of shit. He basically always prostituted and humiliated his own daughter in front of other men like I can't imagine a dad not snapping the neck of the man who tried to touch his daughter in a wrong way but this man he literally sat there when some other man tried to touch his own daughter and then proceeded to be an ass about it and let's not even forget about him fucking throwing her down the stairs just because he was angry istg she could've died but he gave no fucks about her, istg such a terrible piece of shit.
It's undeniable that this book was a captivating read from start to finish, keeping me hooked with every turn of the page. And let's talk about that iconic rain scene! Despite not fully understanding the hype beforehand, experiencing it firsthand had me completely swept away. It was steamy and intense in all the right ways, leaving me absolutely hooked.
"He devoured her in the rain, with his gun beneath her jaw."
°˖➴ "Overall, if you're craving a gripping read that will captivate you from start to finish, look no further. Dive into this book and let yourself get lost in its compelling storyline. Enjoyy!!" 💌
౨ৎ QUOTES ✧˖°.
⚘ "No one else gets to kill you, Ms Vitalio, the last face you see before you die will be mine. When it comes to death, you're mine."
⚘ "Death isn't the main course, sweetheart. It's the dessert. Never make the mistake of thinking you know me. It might just prove to be your last”
“—Never make the mistake of thinking you scare me." “It might be your last"
⚘ "The man who'd claimed her death had given her a glimpse of life by doing something he probably didn't even realize he'd done. In that moment, the enemy had done what no one had ever even tried to do for her. He had made her feel a little less lonely."
⚘ "We've been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio. I'll be honest now. I despise you but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system."
⚘ "One day, I'm going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise.”
"You assume I have a heart, wildcat.”
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
꒰🌷⊹ ࣪ pre-read review ᯓᡣ𐭩
Well, this book have been side-eyeing me from my shelf since ages and i think it's finally the time to pick it up, soo hope it delivers!!!! 😙💗
"Don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt"
Well, i have had this series for some time now but it never really piqued my interest but after one of my good friend spoke so highly of it i finally decided to give it go and let me tell u it didn't disappoint. Although the writing was typically lousy and boring but i can ignore it because the characters were soo good and the storyline was excellently executed. The plot was pretty interesting as well and kept me wanting to read it more and more.
So in this captivating narrative, we're immersed in the world of two influential families, the Vitalios and the Maronis. Morana Vitalio, Gabriel Vitalio's daughter, is a computer expert who has created some codes, which found in the wrong hands could cause a war between the two families. Enter Tristan Caine, also known as 'The Predator,' a protege of Lorenzo Maroni. As Morana and Tristan uncover the truth behind the theft, they realize they're pawns in a larger game. Together, they form an unlikely alliance to retrieve the stolen codes and prevent potential harm to both of the families.
Although the pacing of book was very good and kept me intrested because something was happening all the time but the writing was lousy, bland and repetitive, there were countless mentions of his whiskey and sin voice and also his blue eyes and with every single mention i wanted to throw my book because it became way too much like once or twice would've been tolerable but it was literally more than twenty times and this might be the only reason im not rating it five stars because good writing literally matters to me the most. This book is considered dark romance although i couldn't feel the romance at all but man the sexual tension between them was off the charts ngl i could literally feel it through the pages.
╰┈➤ Tristan Caine
This guy embodied all the classic traits of a dark romance lead: mysterious, brooding, and haunted by a troubled past. As I delved into his backstory, I couldn't help but feel a wave of sympathy wash over me. His struggles and hardships gave context to his guarded demeanor and quiet disposition. It became clear why he was so hesitant to trust or open up to others. In the end, I found myself rooting for him to find the closure and peace he so rightfully deserves.
"They called him the predator. His reputation preceded him. He rarely went on hunt but when he did, it was over.”
╰┈➤ Morana Vitalio
Morana stands out as one of the most memorable female leads I've come across. She embodies beauty, intelligence, and a fierce determination that commands respect. What truly captured my attention were her sharp wit and fearless demeanor—her snarky comments added a delightful flair to her character. However, there were moments when her reactions felt a bit exaggerated, especially when she couldn't resist his intense gaze. Despite this, her intelligence and unwavering resolve remained admirable throughout the story.
Morana's upbringing in a mafia family shaped her into a strong and independent woman from the start. Despite being surrounded by dangerous men, she fiercely fought for her freedom—a refreshing departure from the typical portrayal of women in mafia romances as submissive and doormat types.
"She'd been raised around sharks. And she’d learned not to bleed"
Despite being constantly surrounded by people, Morana experienced deep loneliness, with no one truly there for her when she needed support the most. It was heartbreaking to see her endure so much hardship when she deserved nothing but love and understanding.
"She cried because she had no one to give her a shoulder and hold her as she cried, because she had to wrap her arms around herself”
What actually disgusted me the most was morana's shitty father istg that man was such a fucked up piece of shit. He basically always prostituted and humiliated his own daughter in front of other men like I can't imagine a dad not snapping the neck of the man who tried to touch his daughter in a wrong way but this man he literally sat there when some other man tried to touch his own daughter and then proceeded to be an ass about it and let's not even forget about him fucking throwing her down the stairs just because he was angry istg she could've died but he gave no fucks about her, istg such a terrible piece of shit.
It's undeniable that this book was a captivating read from start to finish, keeping me hooked with every turn of the page. And let's talk about that iconic rain scene! Despite not fully understanding the hype beforehand, experiencing it firsthand had me completely swept away. It was steamy and intense in all the right ways, leaving me absolutely hooked.
"He devoured her in the rain, with his gun beneath her jaw."
°˖➴ "Overall, if you're craving a gripping read that will captivate you from start to finish, look no further. Dive into this book and let yourself get lost in its compelling storyline. Enjoyy!!" 💌
౨ৎ QUOTES ✧˖°.
⚘ "No one else gets to kill you, Ms Vitalio, the last face you see before you die will be mine. When it comes to death, you're mine."
⚘ "Death isn't the main course, sweetheart. It's the dessert. Never make the mistake of thinking you know me. It might just prove to be your last”
“—Never make the mistake of thinking you scare me." “It might be your last"
⚘ "The man who'd claimed her death had given her a glimpse of life by doing something he probably didn't even realize he'd done. In that moment, the enemy had done what no one had ever even tried to do for her. He had made her feel a little less lonely."
⚘ "We've been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio. I'll be honest now. I despise you but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system."
⚘ "One day, I'm going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise.”
"You assume I have a heart, wildcat.”
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
꒰🌷⊹ ࣪ pre-read review ᯓᡣ𐭩
Well, this book have been side-eyeing me from my shelf since ages and i think it's finally the time to pick it up, soo hope it delivers!!!! 😙💗
December 13, 2024
5 stars <𝟑
i'm so obsessed with TristanMorana, it's not even a joke atp. I keep reading this duet again and again or reading scenes because I WANT MORE! when i first read it, i thought it was overhyped, but my judgment was soooo wrong.
this book has a knack for making me cry, scream, and feel so damn good, and i enjoy each and every second of reading it. if you ask me about the best enemies-to-lovers book, it's THIS ONE for me. not the 'i hate you because you're mean' but the actual 'fuck you, i want to kill you' one.
Tristan & Morana are such well-written characters, you CAN'T help but fall in love. shame to my past self, who thought i'd never touch this book again. AS IF 😭
i love this book to death now
reading it for the first time, you'll think, what's Tristan Caine's problem with Morana? He threatens to kill her and HATE her sfm, but yet his gaze heats up when she's within his vicinity. their intense staring - too much staring if i say so - made this even hotter.
they had a lot of sexual tension which was making me scream,
well, that- they did. IT WAS THE HOTTEST SCENE IN THIS BOOK UGHHHHHH. like Runyx had no right to write such a hot bathroom fuck. tbh i didn't even see it coming.
“We've been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio," he murmured. "I'll be honest now. I despise you, but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system.”
Alexa, play 'one of your girls' by The Weeknd.
- push me and choke me 'til I pass out 🧎♀️
“You owe me,” he repeated.
Her lips twisted. "What the hell for?"
“For your life,” he stated. "Anyone but me and you would not have been breathing.”
first time reading me: cocky much? 😒
now: ummm- 🫣🥹🥰
"Except the fact that I didn't even know you existed." - tristan after stalking Morana for years.
⌞Morana Vitalio⌝
ᯓ 24
ꨄ︎ Morana is such a badass and mature character. she never once got scared of him and always pushed him. not that Tristan ever forced her much. their dynamic is so cute, even though he's THE ENEMY, he was way too respectful 😭✋🏻 whatever Runyx was thinking while writing this book, i support.
⌞Tristan Caine⌝
ᯓ 28
“You ever put a leash on me, I’ll fucking strangle you with it.”
ꨄ︎ he suffered so much that i'll always cry for him. if only he was talkative, it would've been over for me. I'm seriously way too close to combusting most of the time because THE MOUTH OF THIS MAN!!!!!! 😩 his text messages, his dirty talking, and his possessive scenes ugh, i'm just so freaking down bad for Tristan Caine. My man 🥰✋🏻
“Next time, I’m going to see how loud you can scream, Ms. Vitalio. I’m going to make you so sore you won’t know if it’s from the screaming or the fucking.”
“I don’t know whether to snap your neck or fuck the life out of you.”
feminism is seriously out of my body wherever tristan is concerned. i don't know how Morana stood still while he said THESE THINGS to her. i would neverrrr.
⌞ ABOUT THE BOOK ⌝
ᯤ it's really addicting, and if you're not reading it because of the 'third person's pov', you're missing out. it bothered me at first too, but now i don't really care. the characters are the greenest red flags you'll ever meet. it was fast-paced in the start, but kinda became slow in the middle, but the middle had some of the best scenes. On first read, it'll be a bit confusing because you'll always be left wondering, why is Tristan being LIKE THAT? but always give it a second go, because it'll be a much better experience.
it doesn't have Tristan's pov, but after chapter 9's part 2, you can read this bonus scene in his pov. it's the pre-bathroom scene, and it was like a lil blessing 🥹
“She wanted him inside her.” – us morana, us.
update 15/11/24: the author kinda ruined their hea, but they got married and morana is pregnant! I'm so happy for my babies 💕🥹
⌞ ratings ⌝
• The Predator – 5 stars
• The Reaper – 5 stars
• The Emperor – 3.75 stars
• The Finisher – 3.5 stars
• The Annihilator – 3.75 stars
• The Syndicater – 3 stars
i'm so obsessed with TristanMorana, it's not even a joke atp. I keep reading this duet again and again or reading scenes because I WANT MORE! when i first read it, i thought it was overhyped, but my judgment was soooo wrong.
“Don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt.”
this book has a knack for making me cry, scream, and feel so damn good, and i enjoy each and every second of reading it. if you ask me about the best enemies-to-lovers book, it's THIS ONE for me. not the 'i hate you because you're mean' but the actual 'fuck you, i want to kill you' one.
Tristan & Morana are such well-written characters, you CAN'T help but fall in love. shame to my past self, who thought i'd never touch this book again. AS IF 😭
i love this book to death now
reading it for the first time, you'll think, what's Tristan Caine's problem with Morana? He threatens to kill her and HATE her sfm, but yet his gaze heats up when she's within his vicinity. their intense staring - too much staring if i say so - made this even hotter.
they had a lot of sexual tension which was making me scream,
well, that- they did. IT WAS THE HOTTEST SCENE IN THIS BOOK UGHHHHHH. like Runyx had no right to write such a hot bathroom fuck. tbh i didn't even see it coming.
“We've been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio," he murmured. "I'll be honest now. I despise you, but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system.”
Alexa, play 'one of your girls' by The Weeknd.
- push me and choke me 'til I pass out 🧎♀️
“You owe me,” he repeated.
Her lips twisted. "What the hell for?"
“For your life,” he stated. "Anyone but me and you would not have been breathing.”
first time reading me: cocky much? 😒
now: ummm- 🫣🥹🥰
"Except the fact that I didn't even know you existed." - tristan after stalking Morana for years.
⌞Morana Vitalio⌝
ᯓ 24
“Never make the mistake of thinking you scare me. It will be your last.”
ꨄ︎ Morana is such a badass and mature character. she never once got scared of him and always pushed him. not that Tristan ever forced her much. their dynamic is so cute, even though he's THE ENEMY, he was way too respectful 😭✋🏻 whatever Runyx was thinking while writing this book, i support.
⌞Tristan Caine⌝
ᯓ 28
“You ever put a leash on me, I’ll fucking strangle you with it.”
ꨄ︎ he suffered so much that i'll always cry for him. if only he was talkative, it would've been over for me. I'm seriously way too close to combusting most of the time because THE MOUTH OF THIS MAN!!!!!! 😩 his text messages, his dirty talking, and his possessive scenes ugh, i'm just so freaking down bad for Tristan Caine. My man 🥰✋🏻
“Next time, I’m going to see how loud you can scream, Ms. Vitalio. I’m going to make you so sore you won’t know if it’s from the screaming or the fucking.”
“I don’t know whether to snap your neck or fuck the life out of you.”
feminism is seriously out of my body wherever tristan is concerned. i don't know how Morana stood still while he said THESE THINGS to her. i would neverrrr.
⌞ ABOUT THE BOOK ⌝
ᯤ it's really addicting, and if you're not reading it because of the 'third person's pov', you're missing out. it bothered me at first too, but now i don't really care. the characters are the greenest red flags you'll ever meet. it was fast-paced in the start, but kinda became slow in the middle, but the middle had some of the best scenes. On first read, it'll be a bit confusing because you'll always be left wondering, why is Tristan being LIKE THAT? but always give it a second go, because it'll be a much better experience.
it doesn't have Tristan's pov, but after chapter 9's part 2, you can read this bonus scene in his pov. it's the pre-bathroom scene, and it was like a lil blessing 🥹
“She wanted him inside her.” – us morana, us.
update 15/11/24: the author kinda ruined their hea, but they got married and morana is pregnant! I'm so happy for my babies 💕🥹
⌞ ratings ⌝
• The Predator – 5 stars
• The Reaper – 5 stars
• The Emperor – 3.75 stars
• The Finisher – 3.5 stars
• The Annihilator – 3.75 stars
• The Syndicater – 3 stars
August 11, 2024
there’s just something about men who don’t talk that is 🫦
———
bismillah..
———
bismillah..
October 15, 2024
"Don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt."
This book is just so good 😩🔥 It literally had me screaming, giggling, and crying in the ending chapters. It has angst, staring, hatred, tension, attraction, mystery and a very heartbreaking past. This is exactly how Enemies to Lovers books are suppose to be written. The starting was amazing, Morana planning to kill Tristan in his own house 💅 and the ending was painful 😭
The book is written in third pov but it was really easy for me adapt to it. The story was fast paced but also a little slow I don't know how to explain that. I love RuNyx's beatiful and exquisite writing and the third pov brings more life to this book.
Its dark and gore. But I am a sucker for dark romances. So here I am 😌 It was perfect although there were long narrations and less dialogue but I get that in the end why Tristan speak so less to everyone. Its because of his past and how those people treated him when he was young. He was traumatised. Ahhh those people😠 I want to kill them😤🔪
And yess there is lots of staring... like literally lots and lots of staring 👁👁 and it is the only thing that bothered me in this book. They both just couldn't keep their eyes away from each other. It was good in the start because it made all the tension between them looks hot but then sometimes it was just too much. But still the sexual tension between Tristan and Morana were hot ❤️🔥
✦ Tristan "The Predator" Caine
He had been through hell. Everyone around him thought he was a monster but they never really thought that he was just a small boy, an innocent boy, who was just trying to protect someone. It was hard when I was reading about his past. I was a sobbing mess while reading that chapter. He deserves everything. He deserves Morana because she is the only one who makes him feel alive, when he had been dead inside for over twenty years. He deserves Dante and Amara because they are the only family he has. I love him sm. I just wish he gets his closure and the love he deserves. I want Morana and Tristan to be happy and in love. He is the king of silent kings and those who thinks he is not attractive just because he doesn't speak much I am ready to fight them 🤺
Also Tristan has more personality when he is speaking to Morana on texts then he is speaking with her face to face. (It was kinda relatable though 🤣)
AND TRISTAN CAINE IS AN AMAZING COOK!? CAN THIS MAN GET ANY MORE PERFECT 🤤🔥
✦ Morana Vitalio "The nerdy IT girl"
omg she is just amazing. She is intelligent, passionate, strong, fierce and independent. I love her so much. All her life she just wanted her freedom and love and a few friends. I don't know how horribly her father treated her that she is even scared of making friends. But I am glad she found Amara, Dante and Tristan. Even though they are her father's enemy yet they all protected her and made her feel safe and happy.
✦ Dante Maroni: Have I told you that This Man IS A Fucking Gentleman. I can't wait to read his book. And the way he talks is just🤌🤭
✦ Amara: she is a friend in need, always ready to be there for you when you need her. She is so sweet. I love her. And I know her past will shatter my heart into million pieces 💔
Also the tension between Dante and Amara was delicious. I know their book is gonna be amazing and heartbreaking
➙ Tristan and Morana's relationship
They both have such an electric chemistry 🔥And the way they both are so hot and scumpdiddlyumptious. Their first encounter was iconic. Morana Vitalio trying to kill 'The Predator' with a knife at his throat 🧎♀️ I knew they are going to be my favourite from that moment. The enemies to lovers trope, the tension, the staring everything was amazing and I loved it.
And that KISS IN THE RAIN 😭🤌💖 AHH THE BEST BEST SCENE OF THIS BOOK. It is literally the best and the most beautiful kiss scene I have ever read. Hands down. It was painful, beautiful and comforting. That scene literally had me screaming and crying.
THE ENDING Don't talk me to me about that 😭💔 I am still in Pain. LOTS OF PAIN. For Tristan, for Morana and what they both had to deal with at such a young age 😭 They both deserve all the happiness in this world and I will do anything to protect my precious beautiful idiots 😭💘
— Favourite Quotes —
➸ "We've been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio," he murmured. "I'll be honest now. I despise you but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system."
➸ "Apparently, you're not out of my system, Ms. Vitalio."
➸ "No one else gets to kill you, Ms. Vitalio," he spoke quietly. "The last face you see before you die will be mine. When it comes to death, you're mine."
➸ "The man who'd claimed her death had given her a glimpse of life by doing something he probably didn't even realize he'd done.
In that moment, the enemy had done what no one had ever even tried to do for her.
He had made her feel a little less lonely."
➸ "I don't want to fix him. I want to fix me. And he's the only thing that seems to be working."
➸ "He kissed her – without his tongue, without his hands, without his body. Just his lips – soft, firm, present – on hers. It was the most beautiful kiss she could have ever dreamed of, the most untainted she’d ever imagined from him, with a softness she’d not thought him capable of. With his intensity, with his blazing eyes, the silent promises had been of devouring. This wasn’t devouring. This was savoring."
I really can't wait to read more of this series and to unravel all the mystery!
➛ Second read: October 2024 — 5 stars
➛ First read: January 2023 — 5 stars
This book is just so good 😩🔥 It literally had me screaming, giggling, and crying in the ending chapters. It has angst, staring, hatred, tension, attraction, mystery and a very heartbreaking past. This is exactly how Enemies to Lovers books are suppose to be written. The starting was amazing, Morana planning to kill Tristan in his own house 💅 and the ending was painful 😭
The book is written in third pov but it was really easy for me adapt to it. The story was fast paced but also a little slow I don't know how to explain that. I love RuNyx's beatiful and exquisite writing and the third pov brings more life to this book.
Its dark and gore. But I am a sucker for dark romances. So here I am 😌 It was perfect although there were long narrations and less dialogue but I get that in the end why Tristan speak so less to everyone. Its because of his past and how those people treated him when he was young. He was traumatised. Ahhh those people😠 I want to kill them😤🔪
And yess there is lots of staring... like literally lots and lots of staring 👁👁 and it is the only thing that bothered me in this book. They both just couldn't keep their eyes away from each other. It was good in the start because it made all the tension between them looks hot but then sometimes it was just too much. But still the sexual tension between Tristan and Morana were hot ❤️🔥
✦ Tristan "The Predator" Caine
He had been through hell. Everyone around him thought he was a monster but they never really thought that he was just a small boy, an innocent boy, who was just trying to protect someone. It was hard when I was reading about his past. I was a sobbing mess while reading that chapter. He deserves everything. He deserves Morana because she is the only one who makes him feel alive, when he had been dead inside for over twenty years. He deserves Dante and Amara because they are the only family he has. I love him sm. I just wish he gets his closure and the love he deserves. I want Morana and Tristan to be happy and in love. He is the king of silent kings and those who thinks he is not attractive just because he doesn't speak much I am ready to fight them 🤺
Also Tristan has more personality when he is speaking to Morana on texts then he is speaking with her face to face. (It was kinda relatable though 🤣)
AND TRISTAN CAINE IS AN AMAZING COOK!? CAN THIS MAN GET ANY MORE PERFECT 🤤🔥
✦ Morana Vitalio "The nerdy IT girl"
omg she is just amazing. She is intelligent, passionate, strong, fierce and independent. I love her so much. All her life she just wanted her freedom and love and a few friends. I don't know how horribly her father treated her that she is even scared of making friends. But I am glad she found Amara, Dante and Tristan. Even though they are her father's enemy yet they all protected her and made her feel safe and happy.
✦ Dante Maroni: Have I told you that This Man IS A Fucking Gentleman. I can't wait to read his book. And the way he talks is just🤌🤭
✦ Amara: she is a friend in need, always ready to be there for you when you need her. She is so sweet. I love her. And I know her past will shatter my heart into million pieces 💔
Also the tension between Dante and Amara was delicious. I know their book is gonna be amazing and heartbreaking
➙ Tristan and Morana's relationship
They both have such an electric chemistry 🔥And the way they both are so hot and scumpdiddlyumptious. Their first encounter was iconic. Morana Vitalio trying to kill 'The Predator' with a knife at his throat 🧎♀️ I knew they are going to be my favourite from that moment. The enemies to lovers trope, the tension, the staring everything was amazing and I loved it.
And that KISS IN THE RAIN 😭🤌💖 AHH THE BEST BEST SCENE OF THIS BOOK. It is literally the best and the most beautiful kiss scene I have ever read. Hands down. It was painful, beautiful and comforting. That scene literally had me screaming and crying.
THE ENDING Don't talk me to me about that 😭💔 I am still in Pain. LOTS OF PAIN. For Tristan, for Morana and what they both had to deal with at such a young age 😭 They both deserve all the happiness in this world and I will do anything to protect my precious beautiful idiots 😭💘
— Favourite Quotes —
➸ "We've been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio," he murmured. "I'll be honest now. I despise you but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system."
➸ "Apparently, you're not out of my system, Ms. Vitalio."
➸ "No one else gets to kill you, Ms. Vitalio," he spoke quietly. "The last face you see before you die will be mine. When it comes to death, you're mine."
➸ "The man who'd claimed her death had given her a glimpse of life by doing something he probably didn't even realize he'd done.
In that moment, the enemy had done what no one had ever even tried to do for her.
He had made her feel a little less lonely."
➸ "I don't want to fix him. I want to fix me. And he's the only thing that seems to be working."
➸ "He kissed her – without his tongue, without his hands, without his body. Just his lips – soft, firm, present – on hers. It was the most beautiful kiss she could have ever dreamed of, the most untainted she’d ever imagined from him, with a softness she’d not thought him capable of. With his intensity, with his blazing eyes, the silent promises had been of devouring. This wasn’t devouring. This was savoring."
I really can't wait to read more of this series and to unravel all the mystery!
➛ Second read: October 2024 — 5 stars
➛ First read: January 2023 — 5 stars
October 30, 2023
While an entertaining and binge worthy read, it had some flaws which I can't overlook, as they made a direct impact on my enjoyment levels.
✅What I liked-
1. Romance- The chemistry between Tristan and Morana is so good. I liked how it wasn't insta lovey and it gradually intensified and developed. The two had such good moments together, I was giggling and blushing. The spice was hot.
2. Characters- Tristan and his mysterious persona kept me engaged. I wanted to find out the reason for his hate and I was not disappointed. I loved how he carried himself, the man exudes power and he knows it. Morana was interesting, I liked her complexities with her father. But at the same time, she was dumb af for someone who's supposed to be smart.
3. First half- The thing about codes was an interesting storyline and to see it get abandoned so quickly in the second half was a buzzkill.
4. Amara and Dante- Look, I liked Tristan and Morana but I know for a fact I'll love Amara and Dante more. In the few scenes they have together, there's already far more chemistry between them and I know it's gonna be angsty. I need more of them.
5. That kiss in the rain- Hello?? I swooned.
❌What I didn't like-
1. Second half- The execution of the plot became messy and weak. It wasn't as enjoyable as the first half. It was underwhelming and seemed like the codes were forgotten altogether.
2. His blue eyes. Magnificent blue. Striking blue. Fierce blue eyes. x100 times.
3. His whiskey and sin voice. x2000 times.
Am sorry but I can't stand repetition. I got the first ten thousand times.
Am invested in the story and the world created so will continue with the series.
~•~•~
Am finally in the mood for this. LET'S GOOOO!!
✅What I liked-
1. Romance- The chemistry between Tristan and Morana is so good. I liked how it wasn't insta lovey and it gradually intensified and developed. The two had such good moments together, I was giggling and blushing. The spice was hot.
2. Characters- Tristan and his mysterious persona kept me engaged. I wanted to find out the reason for his hate and I was not disappointed. I loved how he carried himself, the man exudes power and he knows it. Morana was interesting, I liked her complexities with her father. But at the same time, she was dumb af for someone who's supposed to be smart.
3. First half- The thing about codes was an interesting storyline and to see it get abandoned so quickly in the second half was a buzzkill.
4. Amara and Dante- Look, I liked Tristan and Morana but I know for a fact I'll love Amara and Dante more. In the few scenes they have together, there's already far more chemistry between them and I know it's gonna be angsty. I need more of them.
5. That kiss in the rain- Hello?? I swooned.
❌What I didn't like-
1. Second half- The execution of the plot became messy and weak. It wasn't as enjoyable as the first half. It was underwhelming and seemed like the codes were forgotten altogether.
2. His blue eyes. Magnificent blue. Striking blue. Fierce blue eyes. x100 times.
3. His whiskey and sin voice. x2000 times.
Am sorry but I can't stand repetition. I got the first ten thousand times.
Am invested in the story and the world created so will continue with the series.
~•~•~
Am finally in the mood for this. LET'S GOOOO!!
February 4, 2024
—— 4 ✰ stars.
“Don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt”
・❥・ Mood of the book:
: ̗̀➛ Russian Roulette by Rihanna
: ̗̀➛ Die For You by The Weekend
: ̗̀➛ Love Runs Out by Martin Garrix, G-Eazy & Sasha Alex Sloan
: ̗̀➛ Sweet Little Lies by Bülow
OK OK OK OKKKKKKK!!! JUMPS EXCITELY!!! Before starting I must clarify that I am not a romance girly, and even less a dark romance girly, so my opinion may not entirely coincide with other people who read dark romances regulary. I also don't know the level of "dark" this romance has, so SORRY IN ADVANCE!!
I am pleasantly surprised with this book, I did not have many expectations because it was a dark romance, but it has completely exceeded them, the plot has kept me super interested and wanting to read more and more, yesterday I had to stop myself because It was 4 in the morning and I had 2 chapters left but my eyes were literally closing. I must also say that the 4✰ stars are subjective, I think that objectively the book may deserve 3.5✰ , but I had such a good time and it got me out of a slump!! So, fuck it and 4✰ stars for this book.
We follow two families, the Vitalio's and the Maroni's, our female main character, Morana Vitalio, Gabriel Vitalio's daughter, is a computer expert and has created some codes, which found in the wrong hands could cause a war between the two families. Those codes are stolen, when Morana tracks them, they lead him to Tristan Caine, also known as “The Predator”, Lorenzo Maroni's protege. But they both quickly realize that someone is trying to frame Tristan unfairly and they will be forced to team up.
The pacing of the book is very good, it's fast, things are happening almost all the time and it keeps you 100% interested in what will happen next. Now, the writing, although it is simple and easy, it did seem somewhat repetitive and erratic, but I can understand it since, being from Morana's point of view, her mind works like that. BUT, I WANTED TO THROW THE KINDLE EVERY TIME HE REPEATED “WISKHEY AND SIN.” GIRL. WE GOT IT THE FIRST 50 TIMES, NO NEED FOR A 51.
Now I will talk a little about romance and smut, if you are not comfortable with this, you can skip to the characters area, lets be responsible readers.
The romance did not convince me much, it seemed to me that there was more sexual tension than anything else, it is true that, after understanding certain things towards the end of the book, Tristan's behavior can be understood a little more, but the Morana's is a bit... weird lmao. He basically dedicated himself to observing her, the whole book was a staring competition, I'm worried about his vision, should I give Tristan some glasses?
About the smut, i found it.. weirdly hot? LMAO. Like I didn't even know how to feel about it half of the time, since he said things like “I don't know whether to snap your neck or fuck the life out of you” AND I WAS LIKE SIR???
🕸✘𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓪 𝓥𝓲𝓽𝓪𝓵𝓲𝓸✘🕸 She is a total badass, a strong and independent woman from beginning to end, who has had to grow up surrounded by horrors and has still managed to be so amazing. She is snarky as fuck and doesn't take anyone's shit, but she is very lonely. DID I MENTION SHE IS SO FUCKING INTELLIGENT?? Cleans intense drooling. I really loved her.
“She'd been raised around sharks. And she’d learned not to bleed”
“She cried because she had no one to give her a shoulder and hold her as she cried, because she had to wrap her arms around herself”
“I don't think anyone can handle you. “Not if you don’t want to be handled”
🕸✘𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷 𝓒𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓮✘🕸 He must have had 20 dialogues during the entire book, but… mmm well! He stares a lot!! Ok ok poor Tristan, let's stop bullying him. He is a very mysterious character, you never know what he is thinking or what his next move is going to be. he has the traumatized vibe and in some parts I really felt sorry and sad for him, he is also very lonely. He deserves a hug.
“They called him the predator. His reputation preceded him. He rarely went on hunt but when he did, it was over.”
“Damn it, the man was a book of blank pages written in invisible ink that she had no idea how to discover”
🕸✘𝓓𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓮 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓲✘🕸 We didn't get much of him but I'm so excited for that!! I can't say a lot about him, but I really really liked him!!
🕸✘𝓐𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓪 𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓼𝓲���🕸MY BABY. She was truly a friend to both Morana and Tristan and she deserves the world.
“In another life, in another world, she could actually have been friends with Amara. But she wasn't in another life or in another world. This was her reality. And her reality was alone.”
I will definitely continue with the series, especially because the plot is super interesting, I don't know if I will venture into more dark romance for now but if you have any good recs that will not traumatize me, let me know!! I hope to read The Reaper very soon!!
“I prefer you blonde”
“--Death isn't the main course, sweetheart. It's the dessert. Never make the mistake of thinking you know me. It might just prove to be your last” “—Never make the mistake of thinking you scare me. “It might be your last”
“One would think that people with too much red on their lives would avoid that color. Instead, they seemed to bask in it.”
“No one else gets to kill you, Ms Vitalio, the last face you see before you die will be mine. When it comes to death, you're mine.
“In that moment, the man who'd claimed her death had given her a glimpse of life by doing something he probably didn't even realize he'd done.”
“Just because she’d lost everything known to her didn’t mean she couldn’t find something beautiful in the unknown.”
I want to comment on a couple of things with spoilers, read at your own risk:
Ok, Tristan's story was super sad, my eyes were full of tears when I read his point of view when he was 8 years old, the love he had for his sister, life is so unfair I swear to god. He was just a little boy, and he should have been helped, not isolated. AAAA PAIN!!!
Morana's father really disgusts me, the way he basically prostituted and humiliated his daughter? Immediate castration. And let's not even talk about when he threw her down the stairs.
The rain scene at the end was super intense, THEY FINALLY KISSED, I WAS SCREAMING. He made a decision and I need the second book to discover who the fuck stole the codes and what the fuck is happening, AND WHO IS THE REAPER??? So many unanswered questions.
END OF SPOILERS.
Thank you so much if you read until here. Thank you siff, for doing such an amazing review that convinced me to read this, I love you so much.
Dark Verse series:
╰┈➤ The Reaper, 4.5✰ stars.
╰┈➤ The Emperor, 4.5✰ stars.
╰┈➤ The Finisher, 4✰ stars.
╰┈➤The Annihilator , 3✰ stars.
➙ old updates
AAAAA ok RTC!!!
nov 2: let’s read our first dark romance wish me luck 🫶🏼🥹
“Don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt”
・❥・ Mood of the book:
: ̗̀➛ Russian Roulette by Rihanna
: ̗̀➛ Die For You by The Weekend
: ̗̀➛ Love Runs Out by Martin Garrix, G-Eazy & Sasha Alex Sloan
: ̗̀➛ Sweet Little Lies by Bülow
OK OK OK OKKKKKKK!!! JUMPS EXCITELY!!! Before starting I must clarify that I am not a romance girly, and even less a dark romance girly, so my opinion may not entirely coincide with other people who read dark romances regulary. I also don't know the level of "dark" this romance has, so SORRY IN ADVANCE!!
I am pleasantly surprised with this book, I did not have many expectations because it was a dark romance, but it has completely exceeded them, the plot has kept me super interested and wanting to read more and more, yesterday I had to stop myself because It was 4 in the morning and I had 2 chapters left but my eyes were literally closing. I must also say that the 4✰ stars are subjective, I think that objectively the book may deserve 3.5✰ , but I had such a good time and it got me out of a slump!! So, fuck it and 4✰ stars for this book.
┏━✦❘༻𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽༺❘✦━━┓
We follow two families, the Vitalio's and the Maroni's, our female main character, Morana Vitalio, Gabriel Vitalio's daughter, is a computer expert and has created some codes, which found in the wrong hands could cause a war between the two families. Those codes are stolen, when Morana tracks them, they lead him to Tristan Caine, also known as “The Predator”, Lorenzo Maroni's protege. But they both quickly realize that someone is trying to frame Tristan unfairly and they will be forced to team up.
┏━✦❘༻𝓹𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝔀𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰༺❘✦━━┓
The pacing of the book is very good, it's fast, things are happening almost all the time and it keeps you 100% interested in what will happen next. Now, the writing, although it is simple and easy, it did seem somewhat repetitive and erratic, but I can understand it since, being from Morana's point of view, her mind works like that. BUT, I WANTED TO THROW THE KINDLE EVERY TIME HE REPEATED “WISKHEY AND SIN.” GIRL. WE GOT IT THE FIRST 50 TIMES, NO NEED FOR A 51.
Now I will talk a little about romance and smut, if you are not comfortable with this, you can skip to the characters area, lets be responsible readers.
The romance did not convince me much, it seemed to me that there was more sexual tension than anything else, it is true that, after understanding certain things towards the end of the book, Tristan's behavior can be understood a little more, but the Morana's is a bit... weird lmao. He basically dedicated himself to observing her, the whole book was a staring competition, I'm worried about his vision, should I give Tristan some glasses?
About the smut, i found it.. weirdly hot? LMAO. Like I didn't even know how to feel about it half of the time, since he said things like “I don't know whether to snap your neck or fuck the life out of you” AND I WAS LIKE SIR???
┏━✦❘༻𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼༺❘✦━━┓
🕸✘𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓪 𝓥𝓲𝓽𝓪𝓵𝓲𝓸✘🕸 She is a total badass, a strong and independent woman from beginning to end, who has had to grow up surrounded by horrors and has still managed to be so amazing. She is snarky as fuck and doesn't take anyone's shit, but she is very lonely. DID I MENTION SHE IS SO FUCKING INTELLIGENT?? Cleans intense drooling. I really loved her.
“She'd been raised around sharks. And she’d learned not to bleed”
“She cried because she had no one to give her a shoulder and hold her as she cried, because she had to wrap her arms around herself”
“I don't think anyone can handle you. “Not if you don’t want to be handled”
🕸✘𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷 𝓒𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓮✘🕸 He must have had 20 dialogues during the entire book, but… mmm well! He stares a lot!! Ok ok poor Tristan, let's stop bullying him. He is a very mysterious character, you never know what he is thinking or what his next move is going to be. he has the traumatized vibe and in some parts I really felt sorry and sad for him, he is also very lonely. He deserves a hug.
“They called him the predator. His reputation preceded him. He rarely went on hunt but when he did, it was over.”
“Damn it, the man was a book of blank pages written in invisible ink that she had no idea how to discover”
🕸✘𝓓𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓮 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓲✘🕸 We didn't get much of him but I'm so excited for that!! I can't say a lot about him, but I really really liked him!!
🕸✘𝓐𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓪 𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓼𝓲���🕸MY BABY. She was truly a friend to both Morana and Tristan and she deserves the world.
“In another life, in another world, she could actually have been friends with Amara. But she wasn't in another life or in another world. This was her reality. And her reality was alone.”
I will definitely continue with the series, especially because the plot is super interesting, I don't know if I will venture into more dark romance for now but if you have any good recs that will not traumatize me, let me know!! I hope to read The Reaper very soon!!
┏━✦❘༻𝓺𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝓘 𝓮𝓷𝓳𝓸𝔂𝓮𝓭༺❘✦━━┓
“I prefer you blonde”
“--Death isn't the main course, sweetheart. It's the dessert. Never make the mistake of thinking you know me. It might just prove to be your last” “—Never make the mistake of thinking you scare me. “It might be your last”
“One would think that people with too much red on their lives would avoid that color. Instead, they seemed to bask in it.”
“No one else gets to kill you, Ms Vitalio, the last face you see before you die will be mine. When it comes to death, you're mine.
“In that moment, the man who'd claimed her death had given her a glimpse of life by doing something he probably didn't even realize he'd done.”
“Just because she’d lost everything known to her didn’t mean she couldn’t find something beautiful in the unknown.”
I want to comment on a couple of things with spoilers, read at your own risk:
Ok, Tristan's story was super sad, my eyes were full of tears when I read his point of view when he was 8 years old, the love he had for his sister, life is so unfair I swear to god. He was just a little boy, and he should have been helped, not isolated. AAAA PAIN!!!
Morana's father really disgusts me, the way he basically prostituted and humiliated his daughter? Immediate castration. And let's not even talk about when he threw her down the stairs.
The rain scene at the end was super intense, THEY FINALLY KISSED, I WAS SCREAMING. He made a decision and I need the second book to discover who the fuck stole the codes and what the fuck is happening, AND WHO IS THE REAPER??? So many unanswered questions.
END OF SPOILERS.
Thank you so much if you read until here. Thank you siff, for doing such an amazing review that convinced me to read this, I love you so much.
Dark Verse series:
╰┈➤ The Reaper, 4.5✰ stars.
╰┈➤ The Emperor, 4.5✰ stars.
╰┈➤ The Finisher, 4✰ stars.
╰┈➤The Annihilator , 3✰ stars.
➙ old updates
AAAAA ok RTC!!!
nov 2: let’s read our first dark romance wish me luck 🫶🏼🥹
December 2, 2024
~ 4.25 ☆
I'll cook, I will clean, I will make sure dinner's always on the table (except I will be dinner). It should’ve been me… To start off with, I folded throughout this entire book🙈. This was some intense, gorillalicious, shirt-ripping, bone-shaking, panties-dropping levels of hot all in one.🔥 The way this book popped off from start to finish?!? You haven't felt the chaos of enemies, to something more, to a whole mess, and still not lovers, then to lovers until you read this book.
Morena your honor I love you! Morena is a 10/10 baddie. Her character growth and development were a pleasure to read about. She always says it like it is, no sugarcoating, no BS. I love that about her.
Tristen Cane, that Mfer and his staring got me going, grrrr!😡😤 the words he was saying to Mornana!! ''Next time, I’m going to see how loud you can scream, Ms. Vitalio. I’m going to make you so sore you won’t know if it’s from the screaming or the fucking.''bro i was blushing for hours on end!!-😫 . Not even a guillotine could've pried my mouth off him, um, anyways...
Now, let's delve into the structure and context of the book as a whole. I did a reread to see if my opinion would change after the first time. Surprisingly, although I had more fun on this reread, I still stand by my previous thoughts about the book :
↳ The writing was definitely not perfect, it needs a lot of work/editing and listen i'm not a literary expert because for me personally, the style of writing isn't that important as long as I enjoy the book, but the writing was atrocious and the fact that it was also written in third-person POV did not sit well with me
↳ it was repetitive at times; I don't need to know his eyes are blue and his voice is whisky sin like 110 times runxy !😭
Other than those complaints I mentioned earlier, they didn’t stop me from enjoying the book. I loved reading it again to refresh my memory, especially since the next book is coming out real soon.
I'll cook, I will clean, I will make sure dinner's always on the table (except I will be dinner). It should’ve been me… To start off with, I folded throughout this entire book🙈. This was some intense, gorillalicious, shirt-ripping, bone-shaking, panties-dropping levels of hot all in one.🔥 The way this book popped off from start to finish?!? You haven't felt the chaos of enemies, to something more, to a whole mess, and still not lovers, then to lovers until you read this book.
Morena your honor I love you! Morena is a 10/10 baddie. Her character growth and development were a pleasure to read about. She always says it like it is, no sugarcoating, no BS. I love that about her.
Tristen Cane, that Mfer and his staring got me going, grrrr!😡😤 the words he was saying to Mornana!! ''Next time, I’m going to see how loud you can scream, Ms. Vitalio. I’m going to make you so sore you won’t know if it’s from the screaming or the fucking.''bro i was blushing for hours on end!!-😫 . Not even a guillotine could've pried my mouth off him, um, anyways...
Now, let's delve into the structure and context of the book as a whole. I did a reread to see if my opinion would change after the first time. Surprisingly, although I had more fun on this reread, I still stand by my previous thoughts about the book :
↳ The writing was definitely not perfect, it needs a lot of work/editing and listen i'm not a literary expert because for me personally, the style of writing isn't that important as long as I enjoy the book, but the writing was atrocious and the fact that it was also written in third-person POV did not sit well with me
↳ it was repetitive at times; I don't need to know his eyes are blue and his voice is whisky sin like 110 times runxy !😭
Other than those complaints I mentioned earlier, they didn’t stop me from enjoying the book. I loved reading it again to refresh my memory, especially since the next book is coming out real soon.
June 5, 2023
2.75 stars
lol (mostly) all they did was stare at each other, and you call that a romance?!?!? ugh, puh-leasseee. was it why it was called ‘The Predator’ - cause they ALWAYS followed each other with their eyes, sometimes they barked, and a couple times they actually bit (read: fucked)???
im mostly annoyed by the lack of dialogues. they came few and far between with long narratives that were mostly overwrought with grammatical errors, misspellings, and repetitive descriptions. i get that the author was trying to build suspense and tension.
it worked the first few times. but if she hadnt done it through bad writing, i wouldnt have felt compelled to skip - which i ultimately did. the mystery was intriguing, and some of the actions were epic. but the romance was lackluster, and the sex was... *crickets*
this guy’s default mode was silent - even when he was doing the nasty. only it wasnt nasty at all bcs there was no dirty talk and no touching - apart from their connecting ‘channels’. idk if i want to read the next book, but theres a small part of me thats also curious to know more.
lol (mostly) all they did was stare at each other, and you call that a romance?!?!? ugh, puh-leasseee. was it why it was called ‘The Predator’ - cause they ALWAYS followed each other with their eyes, sometimes they barked, and a couple times they actually bit (read: fucked)???
im mostly annoyed by the lack of dialogues. they came few and far between with long narratives that were mostly overwrought with grammatical errors, misspellings, and repetitive descriptions. i get that the author was trying to build suspense and tension.
it worked the first few times. but if she hadnt done it through bad writing, i wouldnt have felt compelled to skip - which i ultimately did. the mystery was intriguing, and some of the actions were epic. but the romance was lackluster, and the sex was... *crickets*
this guy’s default mode was silent - even when he was doing the nasty. only it wasnt nasty at all bcs there was no dirty talk and no touching - apart from their connecting ‘channels’. idk if i want to read the next book, but theres a small part of me thats also curious to know more.
October 17, 2024
3 Stars - Not that bad, but super repetitive. FRTC Shortly.
➽──────────────❥
How we got here...
Bruna: "Bestie, you're going to read the Darkverse series, right? You know the 6th one is coming out soon?"
Me: *Looks at the endless TBR pile* "Fkk it, I might have a little bit of time - fomo is raging a little bit anyway."
Please don't disappoint! 😩🙏
➽──────────────❥
How we got here...
Bruna: "Bestie, you're going to read the Darkverse series, right? You know the 6th one is coming out soon?"
Me: *Looks at the endless TBR pile* "Fkk it, I might have a little bit of time - fomo is raging a little bit anyway."
Please don't disappoint! 😩🙏
September 7, 2024
Re-read #2 (9/5/2024) 4.5 Stars.
The tension between these two had been keeping me on the edge of my seat. Also, even knowing it’s going to happen, the kiss in the rain scene got me screaming and swooning so hard. Like yessss!!
4.5 stars
This series is going to be my newest obsession. I can feel it!!
I enjoyed this one so much and I was so invested in the story. From the full of action plot. To the actual enemies to lovers plot line. To Tristan who was and I quote; “A walking, talking Mission Impossible, that's what he was.” I just really really liked him. He definitely goes to the list of my -favourite toxic book boyfriends I never want to meet in real life- (or maybe I do?). He rides a motorcycle in a way that got me speechless. He climb walls. He’s the perfect example of actions speak louder than words!! The man doesn’t talk much, but everything he did for her??
I like Morana as well; her smart mouth, her genuineness, and how she stood her ground. She wasn’t a pushover or a weak heroine.
Those two definitely gave me power couple vibes and the sexual tension was so freaking crazy!! And their chemistry was just so freaking explosive. I have a tiny problem with the amount of staring they did tho. No couple stare at each other that much! There were a lot of scenes with them making eye contact and just staring at each other that at some point I was like, are we done?? The inner monologues were kinda long and too much as well. But overall I really enjoyed this.
The last chapter was so good that I’m jumping into the next book immediately! It felt like I’ve been waiting for that scene for so long, I literally screamed!
#1 The Predator - 4.5 stars
#2 The Reaper - 4.75 stars
#3 The Emperor - 4.5 stars
Song recommendation:
Secrets and lies by Ruelle
Like that by Bea Miller
Bravado by Lorde
The tension between these two had been keeping me on the edge of my seat. Also, even knowing it’s going to happen, the kiss in the rain scene got me screaming and swooning so hard. Like yessss!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4.5 stars
This series is going to be my newest obsession. I can feel it!!
I enjoyed this one so much and I was so invested in the story. From the full of action plot. To the actual enemies to lovers plot line. To Tristan who was and I quote; “A walking, talking Mission Impossible, that's what he was.” I just really really liked him. He definitely goes to the list of my -favourite toxic book boyfriends I never want to meet in real life- (or maybe I do?). He rides a motorcycle in a way that got me speechless. He climb walls. He’s the perfect example of actions speak louder than words!! The man doesn’t talk much, but everything he did for her??
I like Morana as well; her smart mouth, her genuineness, and how she stood her ground. She wasn’t a pushover or a weak heroine.
'Apparently, you're not out of my system, Ms. Vitalio.'
Those two definitely gave me power couple vibes and the sexual tension was so freaking crazy!! And their chemistry was just so freaking explosive. I have a tiny problem with the amount of staring they did tho. No couple stare at each other that much! There were a lot of scenes with them making eye contact and just staring at each other that at some point I was like, are we done?? The inner monologues were kinda long and too much as well. But overall I really enjoyed this.
The last chapter was so good that I’m jumping into the next book immediately! It felt like I’ve been waiting for that scene for so long, I literally screamed!
#1 The Predator - 4.5 stars
#2 The Reaper - 4.75 stars
#3 The Emperor - 4.5 stars
Song recommendation:
Secrets and lies by Ruelle
Like that by Bea Miller
Bravado by Lorde
June 21, 2024
5 ⭐️ I AM ABOUT TO DEVOUR THE REST OF THE SERIES BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN BLINK 💁🏼♀️this unlocked a new era
September 6, 2024
“Don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt."
If tension could cut? It would bleed tristan and morana because I could never maintain the intense eye contact that was going on between them lol talk about next level sexual tension 🤭
I was entirely hooked on everything that added to the plot here when it came to the romance, crime, mystery and action. Even in the middle, where the changing dynamic of the characters was emphasized on. I should add how I’m not a fan of third POV or long chapters but i didn’t mind it here
if you like a brooding enigmatic mmc, whose actions speak louder than their words, with blue eyes and whose voice is said to be of whiskey and sin (as morana likes to say), then —Tristan is your man. his sense of resistance yet vulnerability given his tragic backstory was notable through said actions. He’s for sure down bad for Morana but he was limited in being able to express that
morana and her moments of defiance with Tristan and anyone (though reckless at times), assertiveness, and how genuine and valid her worries and doubts felt about everything, all contributed to my enjoyment of her character arc. could say I almost adored her and see the potential for that to grow. Some things were repeated a few times, however it didn’t bother me having already known. the author also stresses this early on and attributes it to her high IQ.
tristan & morana these two had almost little dialogue and far too many gazes, but I fully understood how that spoke for them. their moments of searing tension and angst were actively felt with this sense of animosity yet the lines were blurred, and I ATE ALL THAT UP 😮💨 I thought they matched each other’s energy in the masks they wore to ensure their survival well—until it started to slowly slip. booked felt like each others equals tbh. I can’t wait to see their relationship develop further as we got the enemies turning into lovers by the end 😩
dante & amara i need to know more about both of them. Amara seemed like the kindest soul and I liked the possibility of her and morana being friends 🥺 I also felt the allure with Dante with how protective him and Tristan are.
I wish I could say more but I'm trying to remain as vague aside can. However, tristan’s reason was a surprise, even though I was right about certain connections. and that moment at the end in the rain with that kiss was EVERYTHING. omg. needless to say, I see the potential of this being an addictive series for me. I could see why some love and aren’t fond of this as it isn’t without its faults, but I personally was soo invested in the characters and their stories. it was something different that I needed and I can’t wait for more.
Some quotes
“One day, I am going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise.”
“In that moment, the enemy had done what no one had ever even tried to do for her. He had made her feel a little less lonely.”
“I warned you not to think, for one second, that you know me." “And I warned you not to think, for one second, that you scare me," she reminded him in the same whisper.”
"I don't know whether to snap your neck or fuck the life out of you," 🫠
“No one gets to kill you Ms. Vitalio. The last face you see before you die will be mine. When it comes to death, you’re mine.”
“Tristan Caine terrified her, but it wasn't because of the death he was bringing her slowly, the death he would bring her one day, the death he raised in her. No. It was the life.”
“That’s why I don’t believe he can truly ever hurt you. Because after tasting life, you don’t really ever let it go, do you?”
“He felt so deeply, he didn’t let himself feel. He felt so deeply he feared his own reactions to it.”
“Tristan Caine: Apparently, you're not out of my system, Ms. Vitalio.”
-
it’s about time I started this so let’s goo
February 29, 2024
“In that moment, the man who'd claimed her death had given her a glimpse of life by doing something he probably didn't even realize he'd done.”
★ 4 stars
Enemies to lovers and they are actually enemies? SOLD.
This was such a fun read, it's been awhile since I enjoyed a mafia series despite me loving them, it's really hard to find one that isn't overdone. Every time my feminism goes out the window for a morally grey man🧎♀️
Morana Vitalio is a strong heroine. I loved that the author gave her a fiery strong personality and didn't make her like every other docile mafia princess. She's a coder and she is constantly doing badass things she shouldn't be. She answers to no one.
“She'd been raised around sharks. And she'd learned not to bleed.”
Tristan Cane... where do I begin and how do I get him stalking me outside my window?
“Don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt.”
The ending took my by surprise and I loved the cliffhanger. I'm curious how there story will continue in the next book. I will definitely be continuing the series because it seems it will only improve.
Overall I was unsure about this at the start as it's a slow burn, for a relatively short book, however, I'm glad their story is written over two books so it didn't feel rushed. The writing is okay, a little repetitive at times but the tension and chemistry is what made this book an exciting read. This had an interesting plot that kept my attention and I didn't find it overly predictable. While there was some spicy/steamy scenes, it's didn't consume the whole book (probably 3 scenes max) and there was a lot more offered by this book than just smut which appealed to me.
I can't wait to continue and see more about Amara and Dante, because that woman is an angel and deserves the world and Dante is a snack 🍩💅
Thanks my love giuls for buddy reading this with me, I had sm fun 💖
Quotes
“One day, I'm going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise.”
"You assume I have a heart, wildcat.”
“Death isn't the main course, sweetheart. It's the dessert. Never make the mistake of thinking you know me. It might just prove to be your last.”
“Never make the mistake of thinking you scare me. “It might be your last.”
“No one else gets to kill you, Ms Vitalio. The last face you see before you die will be mine. When it comes to death, you're mine.”
“We've been honest so far, Ms Vitalio, I'll be honest now. I despise you but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system.”
“I'm a territorial man. And this has been mine since the moment you locked that bathroom door.”😮💨
⎯⎯ ୨ Pre-review: ୧ ⎯⎯
I'm in the market for a new mafia book boyfriend 👀 br with my boo giuls 💖✨
November 20, 2024
“We've been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio. I'll be honest now. I despise you but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system.”
4 🌟’s
♦️playlist♦️
╰➤ scatterbrain by emei
╰➤ radioactive by imagine dragons
╰➤ counting stars by OneRepublic
╰➤ in your eyes by the weekend
♦️tropes♦️
▪︎mafia aesthetic
▪︎enemies to lovers
▪︎i will kill anyone who tries to harm her
▪︎i will hunt you down to the ends of the earth
♦️plot♦️
the story is told from two viewpoints, Morona Vitalio and Tristan Cain “the predator”. Morona is a computer expert that creates codes so when her codes are stolen she goes on a mission to find them which leads her to Tristan and his “group"---- Dante and Amara. With Tristan being framed, Morona decides to put her hatred aside and help him which leads to an unexpected romance.
♦️my thoughts♦️
the highly requested review that everyone has been waiting for is here!! yes ik one dark window got more results than this but I have to find my copy for that review so I thought why not finish up my predator review for everyone who asked for it, so here you are lovelies 😘 I have to say I was probably the last person on the planet to read this book! and it definitely delivered i was in awe i love the characters the plot the enemies to lovers romance ALL OF IT! im not usually into calm mafia romances but this was just chefs kiss and I feel like they just kept everything short and sweet!!
♦️writing♦️
I loved how straight to the point everything was. I hate when books take like five chapters to describe one minor plot. and I'm not usually a backstories type of person but the backstories made sense and they didn't confuse me at all bc I've read somewhere they try to do backstories for present events and it's a whole mess! so I will say ruynx you did good 🤌
♦️characters♦️
♤morona♤
absolute queen fr! finally they're giving females more agency…eventho they like to call it “guy jobs” which is stupid bc there is no reason for a job to be considered a male job! but here she is defying all the odds by being the computer hacking queen!!!👑🎀 I love how she isn't scared of tristan. girl is acting like she's immune to his charms eventhk girl u and I both know u like him 🤭
♤tristan aka “the predator”♤
he's giving selwyn kane from the “Legendborn series” 🤭 at first I didn't like him bc of how annoying he was. he was so closed off and so quiet it was also kinda giving aaron warner vibes whenever kenji was talking to him 😂 but once bro opened up to morona and morona only I was a goner, in love, obsessed, all of the above! 😍
I was definitely more curious about his backstory too and his connection to morona and I will say ‘the reaper’ definitely didn't disappoint! ALSO BRO COOKS!!! I WANTED TO GET SUCKED INTO THE BOOK RIGHT THEN AND THERE LIKE BRO COOKS!!! if that isn't the selling point idk what is! and yes how could I not mentioned the voice of “whiskey and sin” which is actually what took off a star for me bc I can only handle them repeating something so many times before I get annoyed and want to rip the page out 🙃
♤dante♤
he is so fine like im definitely obsessed! I loved his friendship with morona. and whatever was happening with him and amara at the time had me glued to my seat I was there for any crumbs about their romance. and tho u could never tell that dante and tristan are close (probably bc tristan is just being tristan) i could see the “brotherly bond” ❤
♤amara♤
lowkey love morona but Amara became my favorite the moment they mentioned her! she was giving aoife molloy vibes from the boys of tommen series and I was here for it! 🥰 dante is a lucky man!!
♦️best couple moments♦️
♤HE COOKS!
♤tristan arranging for her to have her car fixed
♤his voice of whiskey and sin
╰┈➤mentioned 1x before it got annoying)
♤he beat up her father for her
♤the master…. scene w/him watching
♤them riding the motorcycle
♦️romance♦️
2.5/5 🔥
only bc I felt like this was meant to be more of an introduction to the series with the main characters and not as focused on the romance but I could definitely dense it there! the smut was okay i did LOVE how honest tristan was 🤭 did i say that with a little too much enthusiasm probably but atp all the men in the series are fine so why tf not?!
♦️favorite quotes & scenes♦️
♤“There are places on your body that I know. Places you don't know. Places where I can shoot and harm and you won't die. Death isn't the main course, sweetheart. It's dessert.” (tristan)
♤“Never make the mistake of thinking you scare me. It will be your last.” (morona)
♤“We've been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio. I'll be honest now. I despise you but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system.” (tristan)
╰┈➤ don't u just love how honest he is 🤭
♤“Next time i'm gonna see how loud you can scream, Ms. Vitalio. I'm gonna make you so sore you won't know if its from the screaming or fucking.” (tristan)
♤“I don't know whether to snap your neck or fuck the life out of you.” (Tristan)
╰┈➤ she said he made her want to lay back on the counter (but like girl u and me both 😋)
♤“This body belongs to me, Ms. Vitalio.”
“This body is mine.”
“I'm a territorial man. And this has been mine since the moment you locked the bathroom door.”
“That was one time.”
“Then let's make it a second, shall we?”
♤“I get my mouth on you, you'll never be the same.” (Tristan)
♤Tristan: I think my guards are afraid of you.
Morona: They should be. After all, I just blew up a car and killed two men in cold blood.
╰┈➤ their phone convos 😍
♦️last thoughts♦️
yall weren't lying about this series! I was already ready for dante and amara's book! but getting to read another book with morona and tristan had me giggling and kicking my feet bc they are just goals!!! ♥️♥️♥️
4 🌟’s
♦️playlist♦️
╰➤ scatterbrain by emei
╰➤ radioactive by imagine dragons
╰➤ counting stars by OneRepublic
╰➤ in your eyes by the weekend
♦️tropes♦️
▪︎mafia aesthetic
▪︎enemies to lovers
▪︎i will kill anyone who tries to harm her
▪︎i will hunt you down to the ends of the earth
♦️plot♦️
the story is told from two viewpoints, Morona Vitalio and Tristan Cain “the predator”. Morona is a computer expert that creates codes so when her codes are stolen she goes on a mission to find them which leads her to Tristan and his “group"---- Dante and Amara. With Tristan being framed, Morona decides to put her hatred aside and help him which leads to an unexpected romance.
♦️my thoughts♦️
the highly requested review that everyone has been waiting for is here!! yes ik one dark window got more results than this but I have to find my copy for that review so I thought why not finish up my predator review for everyone who asked for it, so here you are lovelies 😘 I have to say I was probably the last person on the planet to read this book! and it definitely delivered i was in awe i love the characters the plot the enemies to lovers romance ALL OF IT! im not usually into calm mafia romances but this was just chefs kiss and I feel like they just kept everything short and sweet!!
♦️writing♦️
I loved how straight to the point everything was. I hate when books take like five chapters to describe one minor plot. and I'm not usually a backstories type of person but the backstories made sense and they didn't confuse me at all bc I've read somewhere they try to do backstories for present events and it's a whole mess! so I will say ruynx you did good 🤌
♦️characters♦️
♤morona♤
absolute queen fr! finally they're giving females more agency…eventho they like to call it “guy jobs” which is stupid bc there is no reason for a job to be considered a male job! but here she is defying all the odds by being the computer hacking queen!!!👑🎀 I love how she isn't scared of tristan. girl is acting like she's immune to his charms eventhk girl u and I both know u like him 🤭
♤tristan aka “the predator”♤
he's giving selwyn kane from the “Legendborn series” 🤭 at first I didn't like him bc of how annoying he was. he was so closed off and so quiet it was also kinda giving aaron warner vibes whenever kenji was talking to him 😂 but once bro opened up to morona and morona only I was a goner, in love, obsessed, all of the above! 😍
I was definitely more curious about his backstory too and his connection to morona and I will say ‘the reaper’ definitely didn't disappoint! ALSO BRO COOKS!!! I WANTED TO GET SUCKED INTO THE BOOK RIGHT THEN AND THERE LIKE BRO COOKS!!! if that isn't the selling point idk what is! and yes how could I not mentioned the voice of “whiskey and sin” which is actually what took off a star for me bc I can only handle them repeating something so many times before I get annoyed and want to rip the page out 🙃
♤dante♤
he is so fine like im definitely obsessed! I loved his friendship with morona. and whatever was happening with him and amara at the time had me glued to my seat I was there for any crumbs about their romance. and tho u could never tell that dante and tristan are close (probably bc tristan is just being tristan) i could see the “brotherly bond” ❤
♤amara♤
lowkey love morona but Amara became my favorite the moment they mentioned her! she was giving aoife molloy vibes from the boys of tommen series and I was here for it! 🥰 dante is a lucky man!!
♦️best couple moments♦️
♤HE COOKS!
♤tristan arranging for her to have her car fixed
♤his voice of whiskey and sin
╰┈➤mentioned 1x before it got annoying)
♤he beat up her father for her
♤the master…. scene w/him watching
♤them riding the motorcycle
♦️romance♦️
2.5/5 🔥
only bc I felt like this was meant to be more of an introduction to the series with the main characters and not as focused on the romance but I could definitely dense it there! the smut was okay i did LOVE how honest tristan was 🤭 did i say that with a little too much enthusiasm probably but atp all the men in the series are fine so why tf not?!
♦️favorite quotes & scenes♦️
♤“There are places on your body that I know. Places you don't know. Places where I can shoot and harm and you won't die. Death isn't the main course, sweetheart. It's dessert.” (tristan)
♤“Never make the mistake of thinking you scare me. It will be your last.” (morona)
♤“We've been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio. I'll be honest now. I despise you but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system.” (tristan)
╰┈➤ don't u just love how honest he is 🤭
♤“Next time i'm gonna see how loud you can scream, Ms. Vitalio. I'm gonna make you so sore you won't know if its from the screaming or fucking.” (tristan)
♤“I don't know whether to snap your neck or fuck the life out of you.” (Tristan)
╰┈➤ she said he made her want to lay back on the counter (but like girl u and me both 😋)
♤“This body belongs to me, Ms. Vitalio.”
“This body is mine.”
“I'm a territorial man. And this has been mine since the moment you locked the bathroom door.”
“That was one time.”
“Then let's make it a second, shall we?”
♤“I get my mouth on you, you'll never be the same.” (Tristan)
♤Tristan: I think my guards are afraid of you.
Morona: They should be. After all, I just blew up a car and killed two men in cold blood.
╰┈➤ their phone convos 😍
♦️last thoughts♦️
yall weren't lying about this series! I was already ready for dante and amara's book! but getting to read another book with morona and tristan had me giggling and kicking my feet bc they are just goals!!! ♥️♥️♥️
July 6, 2023
breaks into his house and threatens to kill him gf, kisses her in the rain with his gun under her jaw bf
November 1, 2023
#2 read - october 2023 ➵ 4 stars
this series just has a special place in my heart istg, i honestly think it’s my comfort dark romance series ! i’ll never get over it, and i’m still impatiently waiting for 6th book to come out, and it feels like forever. i love every single mc character in this series, and TRUST me that’s hard to find. well obviously i have my favourites which is; dante and amara from the third book, my precious babies <3 but i won’t lie, tristan and morana’s story is just absolutely amazing. this book is mostly an into to the whole world, some of the characters, etc. tristan and morana’s story will continue in “the reaper” the second book.
okay but can i just say i forgot the major plot twist in the end, how tf could i forget that ? y’all should’ve seen my face lmao. ! now that we’re already talking about the plots in this series(i’m not gonna spoil anything dw), but can we just appreciate that all the plots in this series actually PLOTS ! i remember reading it for the first time, with my jaw permanently on the floor throughout this whole series. just trust me on this one, and read it ! if you don’t like this series, it’s because there’s something wrong with you, i’m kidding y’all are perfect no matter what, but yk what i mean ;)
side note; i’d recommend going into this series blind, without searching anything up about it on ig, tiktok, goodreads etc. and i’d recommend not looking into the other books and only focusing on the book you’re at in the series. it gets you the full experience, which i highly recommend ! that is also why i’m not giving a summary, just read the back of the book, and you should be good <3
characters:
morana vitalio / wildcat
total girlboss. i love morana’s character so much, she’s such a fucking badass istg. at this point i don’t know if i wanna be her, or be with her ! she has attitude, self-respect, independence, intelligence, etc. plus are y’all ready ? she absolutely wiped the floor with tristan’s ass once, it’ll never not be iconic istg ! her story is and gets so interesting, it’s like when you think you’ve got it all figured out, and then woops gets smacked in the face with a major plot twist.
tristan caine
this man doesn’t talk much, but when he does >>> even though i’m a dante girl through and through, there’s just something about tristan. idk exactly what it is, his character just has this mysterious, traumatized, kinda vibe and it just works for him idk how to explain smh. tristan’s story never fails to make me sob, and it’s not even done yet. honestly tho, i just really wanna give this man a hug ! he deserves some love <3
can we just appreciate morana and tristan’s first interaction ? i’ll never get over that. their first interaction fits perfectly to their characters, and i absolutely love it ! plus morana and tristan are so chase atlantic coded omfg, i was listening to my chase atlantic playlist while reading this, and oh my, i would definitely recommend doing that, it was just absolutely perfect.
favorite moments:
“One day, I’m going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise.”
“You assume I have a heart, wildcat?”
“Mind that mouth of yours, wildcat.”
“We have unfinished business, Ms. Vitalio.”
“I’m done with the codes.”
“I’m not talking about the codes.”
“Did I hurt you?”
“Why do you care?”
“Did I hurt you.”
tropes; mafia romance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, found family, and fierce fmc x biker mmc
------
pre-review:
rereading cuz i miss dante, so why not just take the whole series again 🤷🏻♀️
#1 read - april 2023 ➵ 4 stars
“𝙉𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙈𝙨. 𝙑𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙤. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝, 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚.”
this series just has a special place in my heart istg, i honestly think it’s my comfort dark romance series ! i’ll never get over it, and i’m still impatiently waiting for 6th book to come out, and it feels like forever. i love every single mc character in this series, and TRUST me that’s hard to find. well obviously i have my favourites which is; dante and amara from the third book, my precious babies <3 but i won’t lie, tristan and morana’s story is just absolutely amazing. this book is mostly an into to the whole world, some of the characters, etc. tristan and morana’s story will continue in “the reaper” the second book.
okay but can i just say i forgot the major plot twist in the end, how tf could i forget that ? y’all should’ve seen my face lmao. ! now that we’re already talking about the plots in this series
side note; i’d recommend going into this series blind, without searching anything up about it on ig, tiktok, goodreads etc. and i’d recommend not looking into the other books and only focusing on the book you’re at in the series. it gets you the full experience, which i highly recommend ! that is also why i’m not giving a summary, just read the back of the book, and you should be good <3
characters:
morana vitalio / wildcat
total girlboss. i love morana’s character so much, she’s such a fucking badass istg. at this point i don’t know if i wanna be her, or be with her ! she has attitude, self-respect, independence, intelligence, etc. plus are y’all ready ? she absolutely wiped the floor with tristan’s ass once, it’ll never not be iconic istg ! her story is and gets so interesting, it’s like when you think you’ve got it all figured out, and then woops gets smacked in the face with a major plot twist.
“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙙.”
tristan caine
this man doesn’t talk much, but when he does >>> even though i’m a dante girl through and through, there’s just something about tristan. idk exactly what it is, his character just has this mysterious, traumatized, kinda vibe and it just works for him idk how to explain smh. tristan’s story never fails to make me sob, and it’s not even done yet. honestly tho, i just really wanna give this man a hug ! he deserves some love <3
“𝙃𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙨𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡.”
can we just appreciate morana and tristan’s first interaction ? i’ll never get over that. their first interaction fits perfectly to their characters, and i absolutely love it ! plus morana and tristan are so chase atlantic coded omfg, i was listening to my chase atlantic playlist while reading this, and oh my, i would definitely recommend doing that, it was just absolutely perfect.
favorite moments:
“One day, I’m going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise.”
“You assume I have a heart, wildcat?”
“Mind that mouth of yours, wildcat.”
“We have unfinished business, Ms. Vitalio.”
“I’m done with the codes.”
“I’m not talking about the codes.”
“Did I hurt you?”
“Why do you care?”
“Did I hurt you.”
tropes; mafia romance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, found family, and fierce fmc x biker mmc
------
pre-review:
rereading cuz i miss dante, so why not just take the whole series again 🤷🏻♀️
#1 read - april 2023 ➵ 4 stars
December 5, 2024
IN TRISTAN I THRUST🤚🏻
1st Read 5★
1st Re-read 5★
"You ever put a leash on me, I’ll fucking strangle you with it." Choke me da-
Y'all i have made some pick up lines for him lmao they're gonna sound so dumb but it's ok 😮💨
"I am going to enjoy collecting that debt very much."
Is he a banker 💼??? Because i want to take debt from him too...
"There is a wall right there. There is even a car. Pin me down and 'invade my territory'."
Am I a nail📍??? Because i want him to pin me to the the nearest wall...
Aesthetics
🔪🩸💸🍷⛓️👩🏻💻👠♛·𝕸𝖆𝖋𝖎𝖆·♛💄🤵🏻❤️🩹⚰️☠️🚨🏍
Tropes
※Mafia
※True Enemies to lovers
※Possessive mmc
※Touch her ndie
※Twisted past
※She's the only one for him
※Badass fmc
※Plot
※Spice
※Found family
Now let's start with characters☝🏻
🏍🔪☠️🩸 𝕋ℝ𝕀𝕊𝕋𝔸ℕ ℂ𝔸𝕀ℕ𝔼 He's just aaaahhh he's so FINE asf *full stop* I'm mostly like dark romance and no cringe that's impossible but this book THIS MAN proved me wrong in 19835467 languages
"The Predator.
Always the hunter, never the hunted. He could not be hunted. He could not be tamed. He could not be destroyed."
☑his so less dialogues(prolly having double meaning) but still *swoons*
☑his texts *fans*
☑his PERSONALITY *faints*
☑his style(Excuseeeee me like Tristan caine in SUIT but Tristan caine in CARGO PANTS my weak point BYE) and don't you forget the UNBUTTONED JEANS *ahem*
☑his bike riding skills *rides*no idea his bike or him
☑his chicken steak (yeah i ate it)
☑and we all know Tristan caine FLIRTING is hot but TRISTAN CAINE IN ACTION *just shoot me*
☑his big rugged callous hands *handshakes*
No need to mention his eyes and voice it is engraved in our mind atp hihi...
☑his heart *bear hugs him*
☑his past *gives him my hearteu*
"As lonely as all of us are, he’s the loneliest of us all."
👩🏻💻💻🖱️📱 𝕄𝕆ℝ𝔸ℕ𝔸 is me I'M MORANA and i don't like to blow my own trumpet ok I'm a humble b*tch hihi sorry...Ok so if Tristan SLAYED, Morana SLAYED THE HOUSE BOOTS DOWN HOUSTON I'M DECEASED like her comebacks *notes on my copy for future use* how she made Tristan speechless their banter uffff if Tristan coming at her 10x she is gonna come back 1000x how she faced her by-name father and and of course her other perspectives of the things in her life were also so relatable...and also don't forget her curiosity or bravery she literally didn't stop or give up regarding anything
NOW THAT'S THE KIND OF STRONG MATURE FMC I WANT IN NOVELS idk what happens to them in dark romances lmao
Plot runyx invented plot in dark romance for me i still remember how i read it the first time so f*cking intrigued i was...(PS i couldn't sleep at night thinking abt Tristan's past the first time hihi guess i was too young for that sh*t 😭)
Chemistry Even rutherford is confused lmao ik you'll be like there aren't even much convo bw them but it's like quality over quantity for me and the characters are written so good even if it's 3rd pov...but didn't feel like i was missing smth(and ofc we got the Reaper too)
Also the affect they had on each other how Tristan's emotions were always there with her *reminds me of Twisted emotions novel aaaan* and how morana's emotions became sm more strong with Tristan by her side AND MORONA FROM TRISTAN POV WHEN SHE WAS A BABY IS LITERALLY THE CUTEST F*CKING THING I'VE EVER READ...
Writing i loved the writing the first time i read it bcz i was new to novels at that time so it was perfect for me but yeah this time i think it is a little repetitive and typos are there too...
also my first time experience can't be beat it was perfecto...maybe it was bcz this time i literally remembered every scene but still i enjoyed it...
"I prefer you blond." "I prefer you gone."
EeeeeMOTIONAL DAMAGE🩴
"Death isn't the main course, sweetheart. It's the dessert."
Don't worry guys he's talking about foreplay 🙂
"he's an honorable asshole."~Amara
Yeah gurl He's a necessary evil 😌
"Whoever the rider was, she was rooting for him." Gurl why u exposing me like that😔
Tristan: want a ride
Me: yes
*Hands me a helmet*
Me: huh who was talking about the bike 🤨
"Tristan 'The Predator' Caine cooked. Would wonders never cease?"
Nuh uh_he's the eighth wonder of the world🙂↔️
"Mind that mouth of yours, wildcat,"
MeeeeeOOOWWW 😽
"Doesn't matter. I get my mouth on you, and you'll never be the same."
Facts 📝
"Me: Planning to make me go somewhere, Mr. Caine?
Tristan Caine: On the contrary, I’m planning to make you come somewhere, Ms. Vitalio. 5 minutes."
Tristan proving us dirty minded in 19835467 languages 🗿
“I don’t know whether to snap your neck or fuck the life out of you,”
both a) and b) sir 🫡 ik the pleasure would be worth it
"Somehow, someway, he’d found her place."
Gurl he always been your stalker you just didn't know it 😇
Now the other characters in my pov
𝔻𝔸ℕ𝕋𝔼 𝕄𝔸ℝ𝕆ℕ𝕀 *mwahs* he is literally the sweetest,polite,and handsomest person for me he literally just nods and i want to just evaporate...brooo whyyyy sooo like this if the heir of a mafily family huh 😩
“Wh-what happened then?"
“Dante happened.” 😎🤏🏻
𝔸𝕄𝔸ℝ𝔸 SHE IS THE QUEEN...bravest,prettiest,politest...I love her soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo f*cking much it hurts ❤🩹 i think i never loved an fmc thaaaat much (from the books I've read ofc) except 𝕃𝕌ℕ𝔸 and Kiara from Twisted Emotion
𝕃𝕌ℕ𝔸 EVERY TIME SHE WAS DISCUSSED HERE MY HEARTEU BROKE into f*cking million gazillion pieces...I WANTED TO BAWL MY EYES OUT aaaaaaaaan AND AS IK HOW STRONG SHE IS IN THE ANNIHILATOR here's my heart 🫀 on platter for her ik she'll keep it safe...
𝔻𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕖 𝕟 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕒 plus 𝕋𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟 𝕟 𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕒 friendships...Dante and Morana friendship is just chef's kiss (PS Dante can make a cat his friend lmao he's just so shweet) but Tristan and Amara friend ship is so unique in their own way...the way she gives him advice and Tristan how he protected her...protects her* and talks to her in his own way she's like a sister to her after luna and of course dante is a brother to morona she never had so the found family is just so *mwah*
Favorite scenes
Are you kidding me all the scenes were perfecto from them breaking into each other's room to window scene to bathroom ones to bike ride to casino scene to last him touching her car God who knew such a small gesture would have that much effect and the spice there were 3 scenes and all of them were perfect i loved how after all these scenes you're not going to be sated bcz bro they haven't even touch each other ifykyk so inshort the Tension between them was more than a stretched rubber band...she didn't rush things and gave everything a great mafia romance should've...plot, action,spice with tension...*standing ovation*
Quotes that made me feel like my throat was wrapped by a barbed wire and made me want to rip my heart for Tristan...
➢He’d given up everything so she could live.
Saving her had destroyed him.
➢“You were just a child,” “So was he, Morana. We all forgot that so was he.” ( GOD JUST TAKE THIS PAIN AWAY AAAAAN )
➢He wasn’t nothing.He felt.He felt so deeply he didn’t let himself feel.
➢He’d lived for her life. He’d held on to his life for hers.
And ofc at last i present to you my dumb theory
HER EYES : "clear hazel eyes with flecks of green..."
HIS ROOM : "Done in browns and tones of greens..."
Now it's officially a law bcz baby Tristan said
"It was her eyes. Big, pretty eyes the color of wheat and grass mixed together."
Bye this user is officially dead 🪦
________________________
/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿💥FINALLY I'M STARTING TO RE-READ even if I'm still in a book pmuls (brooklyn 99 ref.) but God clearly wants me to reread it bcz
First the Syndicater's release date got postponed...
Second I HEARD TRISTAN'S GOING TO HAVE A BUZZ CUT *faints* (say no more It's a f*cking sign b*tch🤚🏻)
Edit: Y'all guess what??? I GOT A BUDDY READ PARTNER 🥳 Honestly, yeah.
Happy 1st buddy read to us...I'm shoo happyyy...👻
Edit: Another buddy read partner afy 🙃
Mom I'm famous 🤭
1st Read 5★
1st Re-read 5★
"You ever put a leash on me, I’ll fucking strangle you with it." Choke me da-
Y'all i have made some pick up lines for him lmao they're gonna sound so dumb but it's ok 😮💨
"I am going to enjoy collecting that debt very much."
Is he a banker 💼??? Because i want to take debt from him too...
"There is a wall right there. There is even a car. Pin me down and 'invade my territory'."
Am I a nail📍??? Because i want him to pin me to the the nearest wall...
Aesthetics
🔪🩸💸🍷⛓️👩🏻💻👠♛·𝕸𝖆𝖋𝖎𝖆·♛💄🤵🏻❤️🩹⚰️☠️🚨🏍
Tropes
※Mafia
※True Enemies to lovers
※Possessive mmc
※Touch her n
※Twisted past
※She's the only one for him
※Badass fmc
※Plot
※Spice
※Found family
Now let's start with characters☝🏻
🏍🔪☠️🩸 𝕋ℝ𝕀𝕊𝕋𝔸ℕ ℂ𝔸𝕀ℕ𝔼 He's just aaaahhh he's so FINE asf *full stop* I'm mostly like dark romance and no cringe that's impossible but this book THIS MAN proved me wrong in 19835467 languages
"The Predator.
Always the hunter, never the hunted. He could not be hunted. He could not be tamed. He could not be destroyed."
☑his so less dialogues(prolly having double meaning) but still *swoons*
☑his texts *fans*
☑his PERSONALITY *faints*
☑his style(Excuseeeee me like Tristan caine in SUIT but Tristan caine in CARGO PANTS my weak point BYE) and don't you forget the UNBUTTONED JEANS *ahem*
☑his bike riding skills *rides*
☑his chicken steak (yeah i ate it)
☑and we all know Tristan caine FLIRTING is hot but TRISTAN CAINE IN ACTION *just shoot me*
☑his big rugged callous hands *handshakes*
No need to mention his eyes and voice it is engraved in our mind atp hihi...
☑his heart *bear hugs him*
☑his past *gives him my hearteu*
"As lonely as all of us are, he’s the loneliest of us all."
👩🏻💻💻🖱️📱 𝕄𝕆ℝ𝔸ℕ𝔸 is me I'M MORANA and i don't like to blow my own trumpet ok I'm a humble b*tch hihi sorry...Ok so if Tristan SLAYED, Morana SLAYED THE HOUSE BOOTS DOWN HOUSTON I'M DECEASED like her comebacks *notes on my copy for future use* how she made Tristan speechless their banter uffff if Tristan coming at her 10x she is gonna come back 1000x how she faced her by-name father and and of course her other perspectives of the things in her life were also so relatable...and also don't forget her curiosity or bravery she literally didn't stop or give up regarding anything
NOW THAT'S THE KIND OF STRONG MATURE FMC I WANT IN NOVELS idk what happens to them in dark romances lmao
Plot runyx invented plot in dark romance for me i still remember how i read it the first time so f*cking intrigued i was...(PS i couldn't sleep at night thinking abt Tristan's past the first time hihi guess i was too young for that sh*t 😭)
Chemistry Even rutherford is confused lmao ik you'll be like there aren't even much convo bw them but it's like quality over quantity for me and the characters are written so good even if it's 3rd pov...but didn't feel like i was missing smth(and ofc we got the Reaper too)
Also the affect they had on each other how Tristan's emotions were always there with her *reminds me of Twisted emotions novel aaaan* and how morana's emotions became sm more strong with Tristan by her side AND MORONA FROM TRISTAN POV WHEN SHE WAS A BABY IS LITERALLY THE CUTEST F*CKING THING I'VE EVER READ...
Writing i loved the writing the first time i read it bcz i was new to novels at that time so it was perfect for me but yeah this time i think it is a little repetitive and typos are there too...
also my first time experience can't be beat it was perfecto...maybe it was bcz this time i literally remembered every scene but still i enjoyed it...
"I prefer you blond." "I prefer you gone."
EeeeeMOTIONAL DAMAGE🩴
"Death isn't the main course, sweetheart. It's the dessert."
Don't worry guys he's talking about foreplay 🙂
"he's an honorable asshole."~Amara
Yeah gurl He's a necessary evil 😌
"Whoever the rider was, she was rooting for him." Gurl why u exposing me like that😔
Tristan: want a ride
Me: yes
*Hands me a helmet*
Me: huh who was talking about the bike 🤨
"Tristan 'The Predator' Caine cooked. Would wonders never cease?"
Nuh uh_he's the eighth wonder of the world🙂↔️
"Mind that mouth of yours, wildcat,"
MeeeeeOOOWWW 😽
"Doesn't matter. I get my mouth on you, and you'll never be the same."
Facts 📝
"Me: Planning to make me go somewhere, Mr. Caine?
Tristan Caine: On the contrary, I’m planning to make you come somewhere, Ms. Vitalio. 5 minutes."
Tristan proving us dirty minded in 19835467 languages 🗿
“I don’t know whether to snap your neck or fuck the life out of you,”
both a) and b) sir 🫡 ik the pleasure would be worth it
"Somehow, someway, he’d found her place."
Gurl he always been your stalker you just didn't know it 😇
Now the other characters in my pov
𝔻𝔸ℕ𝕋𝔼 𝕄𝔸ℝ𝕆ℕ𝕀 *mwahs* he is literally the sweetest,polite,and handsomest person for me he literally just nods and i want to just evaporate...brooo whyyyy sooo like this if the heir of a mafily family huh 😩
“Wh-what happened then?"
“Dante happened.” 😎🤏🏻
𝔸𝕄𝔸ℝ𝔸 SHE IS THE QUEEN...bravest,prettiest,politest...I love her soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo f*cking much it hurts ❤🩹 i think i never loved an fmc thaaaat much (from the books I've read ofc) except 𝕃𝕌ℕ𝔸 and Kiara from Twisted Emotion
𝕃𝕌ℕ𝔸 EVERY TIME SHE WAS DISCUSSED HERE MY HEARTEU BROKE into f*cking million gazillion pieces...I WANTED TO BAWL MY EYES OUT aaaaaaaaan AND AS IK HOW STRONG SHE IS IN THE ANNIHILATOR here's my heart 🫀 on platter for her ik she'll keep it safe...
𝔻𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕖 𝕟 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕒 plus 𝕋𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟 𝕟 𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕒 friendships...Dante and Morana friendship is just chef's kiss (PS Dante can make a cat his friend lmao he's just so shweet) but Tristan and Amara friend ship is so unique in their own way...the way she gives him advice and Tristan how he protected her...protects her* and talks to her in his own way she's like a sister to her after luna and of course dante is a brother to morona she never had so the found family is just so *mwah*
Favorite scenes
Are you kidding me all the scenes were perfecto from them breaking into each other's room to window scene to bathroom ones to bike ride to casino scene to last him touching her car God who knew such a small gesture would have that much effect and the spice there were 3 scenes and all of them were perfect i loved how after all these scenes you're not going to be sated bcz bro they haven't even touch each other ifykyk so inshort the Tension between them was more than a stretched rubber band...she didn't rush things and gave everything a great mafia romance should've...plot, action,spice with tension...*standing ovation*
Quotes that made me feel like my throat was wrapped by a barbed wire and made me want to rip my heart for Tristan...
➢He’d given up everything so she could live.
Saving her had destroyed him.
➢“You were just a child,” “So was he, Morana. We all forgot that so was he.” ( GOD JUST TAKE THIS PAIN AWAY AAAAAN )
➢He wasn’t nothing.He felt.He felt so deeply he didn’t let himself feel.
➢He’d lived for her life. He’d held on to his life for hers.
And ofc at last i present to you my dumb theory
HER EYES : "clear hazel eyes with flecks of green..."
HIS ROOM : "Done in browns and tones of greens..."
Now it's officially a law bcz baby Tristan said
"It was her eyes. Big, pretty eyes the color of wheat and grass mixed together."
Bye this user is officially dead 🪦
________________________
/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿💥FINALLY I'M STARTING TO RE-READ even if I'm still in a book pmuls (brooklyn 99 ref.) but God clearly wants me to reread it bcz
First the Syndicater's release date got postponed...
Second I HEARD TRISTAN'S GOING TO HAVE A BUZZ CUT *faints* (say no more It's a f*cking sign b*tch🤚🏻)
Edit: Y'all guess what??? I GOT A BUDDY READ PARTNER 🥳 Honestly, yeah.
Happy 1st buddy read to us...I'm shoo happyyy...👻
Edit: Another buddy read partner afy 🙃
Mom I'm famous 🤭
November 16, 2024
Ahh this book was so good and i can’t wait to continue the series soon.
— review to come
𖥔 ࣪ ˖🍓Pre-read ᯓᡣ𐭩
My friends have been trying to get me to read this for ages and I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. I don´t know why it took me so long to pick it up, but It´s time to hop on and see if it´s worth the hype it gets. lets just hope for the best🤞🏼👀 Br with Lulu 💓
— review to come
𖥔 ࣪ ˖🍓Pre-read ᯓᡣ𐭩
My friends have been trying to get me to read this for ages and I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. I don´t know why it took me so long to pick it up, but It´s time to hop on and see if it´s worth the hype it gets. lets just hope for the best🤞🏼👀 Br with Lulu 💓
January 10, 2020
If I have to read one more time about magnificent, or firce blue eyes I'll burn the book. She wrote about main character blue eyes over 70 times in the book. Just enough already. This was so painful to read..
August 20, 2023
this could have been so much better, so much more interesting, if it was a bit tragic.
think: moana wants to kill triscuit, but she can’t. fate and his possessiveness brings them together and over time, they become close. they fall in love. he doesn’t have weaknesses, except for her. we see her struggle with her emotions and how to reconcile her need for revenge with her new and real love for him. as the reader, we don’t know what she chooses. we assume she chose love, because wouldn’t you? then she shoots him while they’re asleep in his bed.
it’s tragic, it’s confusing and messy and almost ridiculous. her long-harbored vengeance pulled at her new need for love and affection until she was so confused and violence won out like it always does in the end.
or maybe, the whole book goes on as it does now: they hate each other, then kind of fall for each other, but his history keeps them on a precipice. she finds out, confronts him about it, and he gets to choose. will he kill her, like he’s always planned, always relied on, or will he move forward, perhaps with her? they stand together in the gloom, the rain drops down her face and he kisses her for the first time, caressing her face with the loaded gun. the tension and indecision is palpable, then boom- she crumples forward into his arms before falling to the floor a corpse.
he almost had it all, but humans don’t always want to be happy, can’t accept that. he’d grown his resentment from a seedling to a tree that started in hate of her but now only serves to hinder his own efforts at happiness. humans are emotional and rash and triscuit spends the rest of his life trying to sate his anger and understand why he shot her. maybe he becomes a serial killer, wouldn’t that be the most interesting character arc!
of course, that doesn’t happen. no, they’re too busy being kind of in love and definitely in lust but not happy and never communicative enough to have any dimensionality.
anyways,
moana (morana) is annoying to no end, the perfect example of trying to make a fmc independent and interesting and admirable and absolutely failing.
triscuit (tristan) is slightly less annoying only because he has no personality to begin with except anger, blue eyes, and a voice of whiskey and sin. *please read that in a condescending moira rose impression, because that is how i wrote it*
the writing is uninteresting, kind of confusing, EXTREMELY REPETITIVE (no, her apparent “genius iq” is not an excuse for that WHEN IT ISNT EVEN FIRST PERSON), and there’s so little dialogue (because they’re always fucking staring and breathing at each other) that it often gets boring and feels overly descriptive.
i am also an unapologetic lover of 3rd person pov, and while this was in third person, it felt overly personal and should have been in first person.
not to mention- SHE ISNT EVEN THAT SMART?? I HAVE SEEN 0 EVIDENCE FOR THIS AND AM HAVING AN EXTREMELY HARD TIME BELIEVING HER STATUS AS A CERTIFIED GENIUS.
am i going to read the next book?
probably.
also buddy read with aliki, sorry i left you behind babe!
think: moana wants to kill triscuit, but she can’t. fate and his possessiveness brings them together and over time, they become close. they fall in love. he doesn’t have weaknesses, except for her. we see her struggle with her emotions and how to reconcile her need for revenge with her new and real love for him. as the reader, we don’t know what she chooses. we assume she chose love, because wouldn’t you? then she shoots him while they’re asleep in his bed.
it’s tragic, it’s confusing and messy and almost ridiculous. her long-harbored vengeance pulled at her new need for love and affection until she was so confused and violence won out like it always does in the end.
or maybe, the whole book goes on as it does now: they hate each other, then kind of fall for each other, but his history keeps them on a precipice. she finds out, confronts him about it, and he gets to choose. will he kill her, like he’s always planned, always relied on, or will he move forward, perhaps with her? they stand together in the gloom, the rain drops down her face and he kisses her for the first time, caressing her face with the loaded gun. the tension and indecision is palpable, then boom- she crumples forward into his arms before falling to the floor a corpse.
he almost had it all, but humans don’t always want to be happy, can’t accept that. he’d grown his resentment from a seedling to a tree that started in hate of her but now only serves to hinder his own efforts at happiness. humans are emotional and rash and triscuit spends the rest of his life trying to sate his anger and understand why he shot her. maybe he becomes a serial killer, wouldn’t that be the most interesting character arc!
of course, that doesn’t happen. no, they’re too busy being kind of in love and definitely in lust but not happy and never communicative enough to have any dimensionality.
anyways,
moana (morana) is annoying to no end, the perfect example of trying to make a fmc independent and interesting and admirable and absolutely failing.
triscuit (tristan) is slightly less annoying only because he has no personality to begin with except anger, blue eyes, and a voice of whiskey and sin. *please read that in a condescending moira rose impression, because that is how i wrote it*
the writing is uninteresting, kind of confusing, EXTREMELY REPETITIVE (no, her apparent “genius iq” is not an excuse for that WHEN IT ISNT EVEN FIRST PERSON), and there’s so little dialogue (because they’re always fucking staring and breathing at each other) that it often gets boring and feels overly descriptive.
i am also an unapologetic lover of 3rd person pov, and while this was in third person, it felt overly personal and should have been in first person.
not to mention- SHE ISNT EVEN THAT SMART?? I HAVE SEEN 0 EVIDENCE FOR THIS AND AM HAVING AN EXTREMELY HARD TIME BELIEVING HER STATUS AS A CERTIFIED GENIUS.
am i going to read the next book?
probably.
also buddy read with aliki, sorry i left you behind babe!
June 8, 2023
HEEELLLPPP I LOVED THISS AAAHHHHHH
THE KNIFE TO THE THROAT VIBES >>>>>>>
i’m a changed woman! i’ll die when i read the rest!
THE KNIFE TO THE THROAT VIBES >>>>>>>
i’m a changed woman! i’ll die when i read the rest!
June 11, 2024
Tristan. Caine. what have you done to me? 🛐 you ruined all book boyfriends and dark romance books for me😩💖
I haven't been the same since I read this book last year. I haven’t found another dark romance that could top this one. You guys have no idea how many times I’ve reread this book and the second one🛐💗
➴ Tristan Caine? perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ Morana Vitalio? perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ the writing? I was skeptical because it’s in the third person but reading this book turns out to be the best decision ever. Again, perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ the mafia trope? perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ the plot? perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ the side characters? perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ the tension? at the maximum capacity. Boom, perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ enemies to lovers trope? this book has the best enemies to lovers I’ve read. So, perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
❥ quotes that had me giggling, screaming, blushing, and kicking my feet 💕
.*⁀➴ “One day, I’m going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise.” 🛐 slayyy queen 💅🏼
.*⁀➴ “No one else gets to kill you, Ms. Vitalio. When it comes to death, you’re mine.” 🖤 *kicking my feet*
.*⁀➴ “We’ve been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio. I’ll be honest now. I despise you but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system.” sirrrr🛐
.*⁀➴ “Tristan Caine had made her safe for both nights that she’d been in his territory, both times when she’d been at her most vulnerable. He could have taken advantage. He could have turned her over to her father. He could have simply refused to take her in. But he hadn’t. He’d sat down with her in silence and watched the rain that first time. He’d run her a bath and given her clothes and fed her this second time. He’d gotten her car repaired and refused his own summons to Tenebrae. And he’d punched her father in the face. She didn’t even know who he was anymore. She didn’t know who she was with him.” ❤️🩹❤️🩹
.*⁀➴ “Don’t you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt.” 🔥 then hunt me, please 🛐😭🤣
.*⁀➴ “Doesn’t matter. I get my mouth on you, and you’ll never be the same.” 😮💨 such a humble man, right? 🛐
.*⁀➴ “She’d chosen to not betray him to these people. He’d chosen not to let her die.” 💖
.*⁀➴ “As of tonight, her life was his. He’d given up everything so she could live. Her life was his.” 🤍
.*⁀➴ “Where. Is. She?” 💗 *hyperventilating* 🛐
.*⁀➴ “She needed him to choose her like he’d chosen her years ago. She needed him to choose her- because after the day she’d had, her father trying to kill her like her life was worthless, she needed him to choose her, not for her life, but herself.” 😭 *crying with her*
.*⁀➴ “He kissed her for long, long moments- as chaste as kisses could be, yet she felt it down to her soul. And then, she felt the cool tip of his gun stroking over her face, the metal kissing her wet skin from temple to jaw.” ❤️🔥 AHHHH WHAT
.*⁀➴ “She’d wanted something. He’d given it to her, in a way only he could. He’d not uttered a word. But he’d made his choice. So had she.” 😭 SCREAMINGGG! he chose her 🛐💘
Anyways, I’m obsessed with this book and this couple as you can see 🛐💜
I haven't been the same since I read this book last year. I haven’t found another dark romance that could top this one. You guys have no idea how many times I’ve reread this book and the second one🛐💗
➴ Tristan Caine? perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ Morana Vitalio? perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ the writing? I was skeptical because it’s in the third person but reading this book turns out to be the best decision ever. Again, perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ the mafia trope? perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ the plot? perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ the side characters? perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ the tension? at the maximum capacity. Boom, perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
➴ enemies to lovers trope? this book has the best enemies to lovers I’ve read. So, perfection ˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹
❥ quotes that had me giggling, screaming, blushing, and kicking my feet 💕
.*⁀➴ “One day, I’m going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise.” 🛐 slayyy queen 💅🏼
.*⁀➴ “No one else gets to kill you, Ms. Vitalio. When it comes to death, you’re mine.” 🖤 *kicking my feet*
.*⁀➴ “We’ve been honest so far, Ms. Vitalio. I’ll be honest now. I despise you but I want you. Fuck it, I do. And I want you out of my system.” sirrrr🛐
.*⁀➴ “Tristan Caine had made her safe for both nights that she’d been in his territory, both times when she’d been at her most vulnerable. He could have taken advantage. He could have turned her over to her father. He could have simply refused to take her in. But he hadn’t. He’d sat down with her in silence and watched the rain that first time. He’d run her a bath and given her clothes and fed her this second time. He’d gotten her car repaired and refused his own summons to Tenebrae. And he’d punched her father in the face. She didn’t even know who he was anymore. She didn’t know who she was with him.” ❤️🩹❤️🩹
.*⁀➴ “Don’t you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt.” 🔥 then hunt me, please 🛐😭🤣
.*⁀➴ “Doesn’t matter. I get my mouth on you, and you’ll never be the same.” 😮💨 such a humble man, right? 🛐
.*⁀➴ “She’d chosen to not betray him to these people. He’d chosen not to let her die.” 💖
.*⁀➴ “As of tonight, her life was his. He’d given up everything so she could live. Her life was his.” 🤍
.*⁀➴ “Where. Is. She?” 💗 *hyperventilating* 🛐
.*⁀➴ “She needed him to choose her like he’d chosen her years ago. She needed him to choose her- because after the day she’d had, her father trying to kill her like her life was worthless, she needed him to choose her, not for her life, but herself.” 😭 *crying with her*
.*⁀➴ “He kissed her for long, long moments- as chaste as kisses could be, yet she felt it down to her soul. And then, she felt the cool tip of his gun stroking over her face, the metal kissing her wet skin from temple to jaw.” ❤️🔥 AHHHH WHAT
.*⁀➴ “She’d wanted something. He’d given it to her, in a way only he could. He’d not uttered a word. But he’d made his choice. So had she.” 😭 SCREAMINGGG! he chose her 🛐💘
Anyways, I’m obsessed with this book and this couple as you can see 🛐💜
August 4, 2024
ೃ⁀➷ 2.7 stars
I do get the hype for the book and I see why people like it.
I did like the plot and I LOVED the characters, I was intrigued by them and their story specifically Amara’s story.
The book is in 3rd person and I don’t really enjoy reading in 3rd person but it was tolerable, what wasn’t tolerable was the amount of descriptions in the book, oh god, I was exhausted of reading that much unnecessary description. For me it felt like descriptions were 96% of the book and then only 4% of dialogue, no one was talking, almost all the scenes between Tristan and Morana were them staring at each other. I had to skim through the last 20% because it was tiring to read all of that.
If there’s one thing that I hate in books it’s when it gets too repetitive, this one was SO repetitive, I get it, Tristan eyes are blue, blue and his voice is like whiskey and sin , don’t need to mention that all the time.
I don’t really think I’m going to read the rest of the books in the series unless it gets better¿?
Overall, I loved the characters hated the writing style. If you haven’t read it, don’t pay attention to what I just said and read it.👍🏻 you might like it.
________________________________
pre-read
Everyone seems to love this series, I’m excited to read it!!!
I do get the hype for the book and I see why people like it.
I did like the plot and I LOVED the characters, I was intrigued by them and their story specifically Amara’s story.
The book is in 3rd person and I don’t really enjoy reading in 3rd person but it was tolerable, what wasn’t tolerable was the amount of descriptions in the book, oh god, I was exhausted of reading that much unnecessary description. For me it felt like descriptions were 96% of the book and then only 4% of dialogue, no one was talking, almost all the scenes between Tristan and Morana were them staring at each other. I had to skim through the last 20% because it was tiring to read all of that.
If there’s one thing that I hate in books it’s when it gets too repetitive, this one was SO repetitive, I get it, Tristan eyes are blue, blue and his voice is like whiskey and sin , don’t need to mention that all the time.
I don’t really think I’m going to read the rest of the books in the series unless it gets better¿?
Overall, I loved the characters hated the writing style. If you haven’t read it, don’t pay attention to what I just said and read it.👍🏻 you might like it.
________________________________
pre-read
Everyone seems to love this series, I’m excited to read it!!!
May 6, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
alexa, play “this is the hunt” by ruelle ⚔️
⚠️ warning: this book changes brain chemistry!!! ⚠️
i am actually writing this review from room 143 of the mental asylum… yeah i was brought there since i became delirious after finishing this book 🤕
this book was CRAZY: the plot twists, characters, tensions - everything was MINDBLOWING.. and omfg the tension between tristan & morana?? UNMATCHED. you don’t know enemies-to-lovers until you’ve read this book fr 🥲 lately the enemies-to-lovers trope books have basically been ~2 minutes of rivalry and then they somehow like each other~ or ~not actually enemies~, but this book RLY ENEMIED IN THE ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS. ugh i could cut the tension with a freakin 10 inch knife omfgggg
++ idc if the author kept repeating tristan’s “whisky and sin” aura,, i ate it up regardless🧎♀️
⸝⸝ ꒰ CHARACTERS ⛓️ㆍ₊⊹
↪︎ tristan caine
。°˖ ʚ ✶ “if voices could be drinks, his was a centuries-old vintage whiskey, rolling off the tongue, down the throat, leaving a trail of fire inside, making every cell in the body aware that it had been consumed.” (ugh i just love how this is written sm omg)
as annie said, “he can do anything to me” ,, & i agree. tristan just gimme one chance 🧎♀️
i didn’t realize i had a thing for bikers until i read about tristan caine. the way he fights on his bike ohhhhh im so floored for this man 🫠✋ ugh every word that comes out of this mouth had me on the FLOOR. he’s got such a mysterious + traumatizing vibe to him, i wanna learn more T–T && his past literally BROKE ME 3 i wanna give this man a hugggg :((
“doesn't matter. i get my mouth on you, and you'll never be the same.” SIR??? DO U WANNA GET WIFED UP?? (let it be known that if a man irl says this to me, i’m calling security and speeding so far away,, but its ok coming from tristan’s mouth only ✋)
↪︎ morana vitalio
。°˖ ʚ ✶ “she'd been raised around sharks. and she’d learned not to bleed”
i LOVE her character. i haven’t read many mafia-related books but i rly wish all fmc’s are like her bc she was just so AWESOME to read. she’s independent + extremely fiesty, and she stands her ground & fights. and her attitude >>>> HOT HOT HOTTT 😫😖 i actually respect her sm for holding back with tristan for so long bc,, if i were her, the minute i saw tristan getting on the bike i’d just crumple right there and die. she’s such a strong soldier 🫡🫡🫡
↪︎ dante maroni && amara rossi
there’s not much to dante as of now but OMGGG i can’t wait for his books. i just know i’m gonna adore him smmm T–T and omg amara, she’s my bsf for LIFE. i respect her smsmmm she’s gone thru sm but look how tough she is 🫡 i rly rly hope amara & morana grow even closer in the future books bc i SMELL HOT GIRL FRIENDSHIPPP 🤞🤞
⸝⸝ ꒰ FINAL THOUGHTS ⛓️ㆍ₊⊹
can we talk about the KISS SCENE. IN. THE. RAIN. holy cow istg i was literally on the edge of my bed, frantically texting annie “MF THEY HAVENT EVEN KISSED AND ITS THE LAST CHAPTER WTFF” ughhh i was literally pulling my hair and then. the holy kiss scene happens. that quite literally changed my life. my skin is clear, my hair is glowing, i am a new person now.
–– “he devoured her in the rain, with his gun beneath her jaw. he devoured her while tasting like the whiskey and sin she heard in his voice.” :: THE THINGS THIS QUOTE DOES TO ME 😖😖😖 i am a mess bc of tristanmorana.
+ the only reason i gave this a 4.5 is bc the first couple chapters were a bit slow, but it was just so amazing after chapter 6 👩🏼🍳💋 i cannot WAITTT to start book 2 ;–;
⸝⸝ ꒰ FAVORITE QUOTES ⛓️ㆍ₊⊹
she knew he would destroy her, but not today. today, for the first time, she got to be no one but a girl on the back of a man's motorcycle, if even for a moment. today, for the first time, she was just a woman with no past and no future, just this endless road with this man, this freedom, and this life.
“i see how he looks at you. despite knowing about you all my life, i never thought he'd be as he is with you.”
“how is he with me?”
“alive.”
“no one else gets to kill you, ms. Vitalio. the last face you see before you die will be mine. when it comes to death, you're mine.”
---
pre-review: GOODBYE THIS WAS SO FREAKIN GOOD,, YALL WERE SO RIGHT AB THIS 😮💨😫🥲😖🫠 tristanmarano for life u guys ✋✊✊ (still settling on the rating omfg aaahhh)
rtc~~!! (i've got sm to say- 🤭🤭)
---
pre-read: trying out smth new hehe~~
(&& ty annie for recommending this to meee <33)
“don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? we like the hunt.”
alexa, play “this is the hunt” by ruelle ⚔️
⚠️ warning: this book changes brain chemistry!!! ⚠️
i am actually writing this review from room 143 of the mental asylum… yeah i was brought there since i became delirious after finishing this book 🤕
this book was CRAZY: the plot twists, characters, tensions - everything was MINDBLOWING.. and omfg the tension between tristan & morana?? UNMATCHED. you don’t know enemies-to-lovers until you’ve read this book fr 🥲 lately the enemies-to-lovers trope books have basically been ~2 minutes of rivalry and then they somehow like each other~ or ~not actually enemies~, but this book RLY ENEMIED IN THE ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS. ugh i could cut the tension with a freakin 10 inch knife omfgggg
++ idc if the author kept repeating tristan’s “whisky and sin” aura,, i ate it up regardless🧎♀️
⸝⸝ ꒰ CHARACTERS ⛓️ㆍ₊⊹
↪︎ tristan caine
。°˖ ʚ ✶ “if voices could be drinks, his was a centuries-old vintage whiskey, rolling off the tongue, down the throat, leaving a trail of fire inside, making every cell in the body aware that it had been consumed.” (ugh i just love how this is written sm omg)
as annie said, “he can do anything to me” ,, & i agree. tristan just gimme one chance 🧎♀️
i didn’t realize i had a thing for bikers until i read about tristan caine. the way he fights on his bike ohhhhh im so floored for this man 🫠✋ ugh every word that comes out of this mouth had me on the FLOOR. he’s got such a mysterious + traumatizing vibe to him, i wanna learn more T–T && his past literally BROKE ME 3 i wanna give this man a hugggg :((
“doesn't matter. i get my mouth on you, and you'll never be the same.” SIR??? DO U WANNA GET WIFED UP?? (let it be known that if a man irl says this to me, i’m calling security and speeding so far away,, but its ok coming from tristan’s mouth only ✋)
↪︎ morana vitalio
。°˖ ʚ ✶ “she'd been raised around sharks. and she’d learned not to bleed”
i LOVE her character. i haven’t read many mafia-related books but i rly wish all fmc’s are like her bc she was just so AWESOME to read. she’s independent + extremely fiesty, and she stands her ground & fights. and her attitude >>>> HOT HOT HOTTT 😫😖 i actually respect her sm for holding back with tristan for so long bc,, if i were her, the minute i saw tristan getting on the bike i’d just crumple right there and die. she’s such a strong soldier 🫡🫡🫡
↪︎ dante maroni && amara rossi
there’s not much to dante as of now but OMGGG i can’t wait for his books. i just know i’m gonna adore him smmm T–T and omg amara, she’s my bsf for LIFE. i respect her smsmmm she’s gone thru sm but look how tough she is 🫡 i rly rly hope amara & morana grow even closer in the future books bc i SMELL HOT GIRL FRIENDSHIPPP 🤞🤞
⸝⸝ ꒰ FINAL THOUGHTS ⛓️ㆍ₊⊹
can we talk about the KISS SCENE. IN. THE. RAIN. holy cow istg i was literally on the edge of my bed, frantically texting annie “MF THEY HAVENT EVEN KISSED AND ITS THE LAST CHAPTER WTFF” ughhh i was literally pulling my hair and then. the holy kiss scene happens. that quite literally changed my life. my skin is clear, my hair is glowing, i am a new person now.
–– “he devoured her in the rain, with his gun beneath her jaw. he devoured her while tasting like the whiskey and sin she heard in his voice.” :: THE THINGS THIS QUOTE DOES TO ME 😖😖😖 i am a mess bc of tristanmorana.
+ the only reason i gave this a 4.5 is bc the first couple chapters were a bit slow, but it was just so amazing after chapter 6 👩🏼🍳💋 i cannot WAITTT to start book 2 ;–;
⸝⸝ ꒰ FAVORITE QUOTES ⛓️ㆍ₊⊹
she knew he would destroy her, but not today. today, for the first time, she got to be no one but a girl on the back of a man's motorcycle, if even for a moment. today, for the first time, she was just a woman with no past and no future, just this endless road with this man, this freedom, and this life.
“i see how he looks at you. despite knowing about you all my life, i never thought he'd be as he is with you.”
“how is he with me?”
“alive.”
“no one else gets to kill you, ms. Vitalio. the last face you see before you die will be mine. when it comes to death, you're mine.”
---
pre-review: GOODBYE THIS WAS SO FREAKIN GOOD,, YALL WERE SO RIGHT AB THIS 😮💨😫🥲😖🫠 tristanmarano for life u guys ✋✊✊ (still settling on the rating omfg aaahhh)
rtc~~!! (i've got sm to say- 🤭🤭)
---
pre-read: trying out smth new hehe~~
(&& ty annie for recommending this to meee <33)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 14,099 reviews