ashliesydel's Reviews (1.54k)

 I actually read the blurb for this one and was still not prepared!

This is the first organized crime book by ML Bash that I have read, and she did NOT disappoint.
Knight Barron is turning 25 which means he will enter an arranged marriage which is tradition. Now as a reader this is obviously not my first rodeo when it comes to the arranged marriage troupe, however I was really pleased to see the rules/guidelines/vetting that is put into matching the couple.

Knight's parents went above and beyond to make sure his wife was everything he needed. A partner to be both his peace and motivation.

I adored Novalee. She is hella badass. I can't tell ya'll how many times her reaching for, checking, or pulling out her gun was mentioned. Her gun was her favorite accessory. She did not come to play. Right from the jump I was a fan of her and Knight together. Which is why I stopped and re-read the damn blurb because why would Knight be entertained another woman as indicated in the blurb??

After re-reading the blurb and peeking at other reviews I saw that this is an FFM!!!! WHATTTTTTTTT I was NOT ready for that.

Casmi is married to a POS man who abuses her and crossing the line by disrespecting the Barron Family. She finds herself acquired by the Barron Boys during some family bonding and finds herself with limited choices.

Knight and Nova are her saviors. I thought that I wasn't going to like Casmi being with them because I didn't want to see a broken woman with Stockholm feeling as if she owed them. But ML addressed every single concern I could possibly have. She made sure that Casmi did not have a victim mentality and made it clear that she was not indebted in any way. Her feelings were genuine and far from obligation. Casmi's strength was incredibly admirable in this story.

I loved that while Nova was confident and hella bad ass, her ability to be soft and vulnerable was explored.

Last but not least I appreciated the introspective look on society's views on polyamory and the dynamics of it are discussed beyond the physical relationship.

Overall, this was a fantastic read, I look forward to reading the stories of the other brothers. Knight was top tier, I had no complaints. There is a lot of action and family business. The spice is sprinkled within and it's HOT but this isn't a spicy heavy book. Chapter 20 however deserves a freaking award. 

 I hate miscommunication.

This story follows Alivia and Sloane's Meet Cute. From the beginning these two had good energy. I loved everything about them, until I got pissed off.

Obvi we get our HEA but as a grown ass woman who believes that people should be able to open their mouths and NOT make assumptions, the little bit of "conflict" within this otherwise sweet story rubbed me wrong.

BUT that is a ME issue. It has nothing to do with the writing nor does it take away from the attraction of this couple. I feel like the author did a good job outlining conflict resolution for the readers who lack the emotional intelligence to understand HOW things should be. 

 

I had no idea that I needed this love story.

Keegan and Nour were such an expected couple. I was first introduced to this author under her pen name ML Bash. All the stories under that name have been hella spicy. 

So, imagine my surprise when I switch over to her Kizzie Kollins persona and find that it's a shit ton softer, tame, and vanilla. At least in this book. BUT and it's a big BUT, the level of emotion and complexity that was put into these characters and their story was next level.

Nour is incredibly self-aware, emotionally mature, kind, and stands on business. After recognizing herself sabotaging behavior and seeking counseling she had made the decision to remain celibate. THIS decision while discussed is NOT a major factor in this story. It's not something she or the other party goes back and forth on.

 There is no should we, shouldn't we, bullshit. It's a choice she made, a boundary that was set, and it's respected. What I really liked is due to this decision of no sex, we get a slow burn that shows us intimacy and physical touch outside of the actual act of sex which I really enjoyed.

Keegan's backstory caught me off guard. I was not expecting his heartbreak to be as heavy as it was. I hurt for him, and it gave me so much introspective as to why he turned to alcohol and struggled.

I devoured this story in one sitting and look forward to reading the rest of the books under this pen name.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND 

I was NOT ready for this one. This is the type of book that requires you to charge up all your toys before starting and/or tell your man to be ready when called. 

I was introduced the city of Crescent Falls, the island of Crescent Keys, and the sex club Seventh Heaven while reading the This Ain't Love Series. So going in I had a general idea of the layout of the land. But that's all I was prepared for. 

Our girl Demi is a stripper who is attending a 3-day hedonism retreat at said club. Her intentions are to come out $30k richer than before she went in by any means necessary be it dancing, keeping men company, or tricking. 

Carter is a security business owner who is a vet in the scene. After being point out to Demi that he'd make a good mark she presents herself in a way to gain his attention. 

Problem is she was NOT ready for him and all he has to offer. She ends up being the one turned out and conflicted. 

There is a lot of smut in this. Not just between the two MCs. I think I blushed reading this! It was a lot. Very Spicy, Quick, & Enjoyable Read. 

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

** Follow up story can be found on KU In The Midst of Forever