I knew I would probably like this book too much before I even started reading it and then I did and I was 50% done and then the next day it was finished. I could barely put it down. I didn't want it to end, I really didn't.

The FMC made me just cry on more then one occasion, the world around her HURT. it physically hurt me and I felt like a younger version of me understood her on a level that I wasn't expecting, and .. in the end I just wanted more time with them. with Lowe and Misery.

I hate reading books in a series. I hate it. I saw a line from this book on the social media's and had to read it and now I'm so fucking mad that I have to wait to read the next. Fuck. Fucking ass

I ate this book up. I hesitated to start it thinking I wouldn't like it or that the RH or WC stuff was not for me, let alone I'd not really read the mafia stuff yet but fuck.

I thought for sure I'd struggle with Desiel and omg he's my second favorite next to Garrett. I enjoyed this book so much.

This was recommended after a social media post that looked interesting. I had just read another RH/WC mafia based one that I loved to death and thought that this looking interesting but, as someone that left HS almost 30 years ago I wasn't sure I'd like it. But the line I read had my move it right to the top of my TBR and get into it and fuck I'm glad I did.

My favorite trope, a sunshine character. The absolute sunshineist sunshine character is Vincent. I loved him but now I love all of them. The town is so... 1990s? Like I remember how it was when being a non-straight kid felt at that time, it triggered some pretty nasty feelings as I read it and while maybe cliche I fell into it.

Sometimes I want to just be able to hate a bunch of ignorant fuckheads and man this book gives me that and some nice smutty scenes and a little bit of character development.

I really enjoyed this, I immediately bought the second.

I came at this after a DNF on another popular series and I thought I'd like it but probably not as much as others I have read. This book was a Rollercoaster. I stopped listening to TS TTPD because I needed to focus. The second half of the book had me screaming. Screaming. I has pissed at characters, not pissed at others, then pissed again. I look forward to the next book but JFC.

Also. Royal/Reign/Ryann? I laughed. I just fucking laughed.

I enjoyed the second part, I sort of wish it had been all one book. This second one felt way, way shorter. Was it? Maybe I just ate it up?
I loved the spice level, I liked the portrayal or the roleplay and other things. There are things I wish got wrapped up, but didn't. Overall I really enjoyed it and now I know I want more WC and RH in my life.

I'm going to mark this with spoilers, but still. spoilers.

First: The whole "she's the best person to hold a gun thats ever held a gun" thing was weird. So weird. Like there was no reason for her to be that good. She could have been good and them all impressed without it being so fucking over the top. She hit every target? Even the ones that were impossible to see.. with a handgun? Right fine whatever. It's supposed to be empowering, I understand. Up until that point I was annoyed with minor character things, but this took me right out of the book. I stopped reading and ranted to my friend about this bit before continuing.
First part B: Why. WHY. WHY the fuck did we have to show off her gun skills in the middle of the think with Leo and Saul? Like it was weird spot to show off. ESPECIALLY OUTSIDE A GALA WHERE WE TALK NOT A FEW PAGES AGO ABOUT HOW WE WANTED TO NOT CAUSE A RUCKUS. YES LETS JUST SHOOT AT SOME BULLSHIT

Second: The FMC and the MMC are horrible communicators. So bad I kept having to go back and reread their conversations because I HAD NO IDEA WHY WE WERE FIGHTING. If that was the intention, cool. it worked. For example, he comes back from going to confront her father all pissed off. They are fighting but not fighting?! that whole scene I understood that he felt like she'd betrayed him and she was thinking he was going to kill her but WHY? Yeah he's a mobster but she fucking knew that? Yes trauma makes you do weird shit but he hadn't once like betrayed her at this point. Then the over reaction of her park after that... WHY THE FUCK YOU KEEPING WEAPONS IN THE TODDLERS CLOSET?!

Third: The AirBNB/house rental thing. I'm sorry. WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK? You and Aria are great 'hackers' but you don't do a quick google search on the places your HIGH PROFILE PEOPLE are going? Like your brother was just jumped outside a club. Yeah, you are strong man who can handle yourself but even Aria knew something was 'wrong' with the family and y'all didn't fucking do a google search? Often in books 'hackers' is like an ambiguous term that includes a person that gathers information and I really hate that because it's generally not true but in other spots in their book they show both Aria and Aleks doing intel gathering. So this weird fucking think pissed me off so much.

The gun thing is one thing, I'll let a lot of shit go if I like the book. The AirBNB and the gun thing were too fucking much. too fucking much.

It felt like a part of a book. Over really fast and ok but.. not? It adjust felt kinda flat, it felt like nothing was resolved.
Also the whole, break the girl thing was.. meh. I started rushing through expecting SOMEONE to show up and correct those boys but no.

I felt unsatisfied after reading it, but it did scratch an itch. I don't think I'll read the others

A day later and I'm more angry about the book. It felt like a sample of a book, like a prequal chapter, not a real book. There was all this extra stuff, that I'm sure was to setup more for the rest of the books but like.. the only thing that was resolved as the fucking and even then.. it wasn't nearly spicy enough for have so little other content.

Thankfully it was on KU, if I had spent money on this book I probably would have been very disappointed.