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NOTE: This series is very dark and can have
negative triggers for readers. If you
have issues with abusive and degrading situations in the story lines you will not
like these books.
This is a very quick read and a prequel to the series
Stripped by Skye Warren. We are
introduced to two sisters, Clara a young 15 year old and her older sister
Honor. These two girls are the daughter
of a mafia mob boss who is losing control of his territory.
This story’s focus is Clara who is in love with Giovanni a
man she can’t have because of the structure of her father’s organization. Regardless Giovanna protects her as best as
he can.
I’m not a big fan of novels that focus on teens but I really
connect with these young lovers. I think
it is because of the life she lives she is a little more mature than a normal
fifteen year old and Giovanni is so sweet and loving. The characters are realistic and in
danger. The book is fast past with one
suspenseful event coming on the heels of another.
The book is very effective pulling me into the characters
and the story that will follow in the next book.
4 STAMPS
****************
Love the Way
You Lie
This book picks up with Honor and Clara on the run. The star of this book is Honor (Honey)
Morelli. She is working as a
stripper/dancer/hooker in a club that is a big dive with the hope that she will
stay hidden from her father. Enter Kip a
very mysterious man who makes Honey anxious because he is so dark and dangerous. He is also sexy and connects with Honey.
I am a little disappointed with this story. I thought I was going to learn more about
Clara and what happened to Giovanni instead we get mostly Honor. I like that Honor tries to protect Clara and
willing to do anything to keep her out of danger. I never really understood why stripping is
her only option. It didn’t completely
fit with the woman that we met in the prequel.
There are some really great sex scenes. It is the sex between Kip and Honor that really
gives me hope that they are going to sink into my heart. It is when they are close in a sexual way
that gives the reader a glimpse into what might happen by the end.
The story is built on a lot of secrets to reveal, a lot of
twists, and betrayal (real and imagined).
It is a dark story that I normally like but I had a hard time really
feeling something for Honor. I continue
to read because I want to care but it took over half the book before I got
there. By the end of the book I like
both Honor and Kip and I want them happy.
The writing is very good.
The bad guys are real villains.
If a bad guy is in the story sell his badness and Ms. Warren does
that. Of course she does throw in a few
redeeming characteristics for Ivan and Blue.
Ms. Warren knows how to write but I really kept reading in hopes of
finding a little tidbit about Gio and he wasn’t even mentioned. The story does give me hope that the next
book in the series will give an update on Clara and/or Gio.
If you like dark, mafia themed stories you will like this
one.
3.5 STAMPS
****************
Better When It Hurts is labeled book two of the Stripped series
but it is really book 3 if you count the prequel. I actually like this story better than the
previous book and I really didn’t expect to.
Blue Eastman is the nasty bouncer that we met in Love the Way You Lie. When I
finished book 1 I kind of believed that Blue could be a good guy in disguise so
I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Lola is also a hard character from the previous book. However, I find myself sympathizing with
her.
Lola/Hannah Bowman is a damaged soul. She is a great character. Flaws galore but underneath she has a big
heart, a strong woman, and a survivor.
Blue is angry with Lola.
They were in foster care together and Lola betrayed him. It is her lie that sent him away. Blue doesn’t understand it and Lola doesn’t
share the reason for the lie until close to the end of the book.
I like Blue once I understand his background and his
angry. Blue is often so cruel it is hard
to read but his story is gripping. I
couldn’t put the book down even when it hurt and made me so angry with
him. It was the small revelations of his
true heart that makes him bearable.
Don’t get me wrong even though we see his heart he is still a mean
character.
I am a fan of second chance romances so the fact that I
continued to read for the hope of an HEA the stripper industry is brutal. The book doesn’t glamorize it into a Pretty
Woman story. No this shows the real
danger and rock bottom that women hit to get into this business.
The story is well written, the characters nicely developed
and, when the flashbacks occur, they show history that is essential to the
characters development. I like the story
and recommend it to readers who can tolerate dark romance with a lot of abuse
and humiliation. A gripping story.
4 STAMPS
****************
This is a riveting series.
Some books hold the reader’s attention a little more than others but the
series in total is very well written. The characters are not people that you
will normally find in romance novels. They aren't always easy to love but they all have redeeming qualities that are interesting. If
you like mafia themed and/or very dark subjects you will like this series.
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