Oh WOW. Initially, I was a little worried that this mafia romance was split into a duet, but the extra page count gave this love story the room it needed to breathe. While trilogies often have a lull in the middle (I hate them!), there's always forward momentum with a duet. This really took the time to delve into the intricacies of having a "regular" small town girl fall in love with a mobster, exploring the strong contrasts between their lives and the people they become in different settings. This installment devoted a significant amount of time to character development, mafia intrigue, and deepening a relationship that started out so light and swoony. I adored the fact that our antihero was steadfast and determined the whole way through - he knew that he'd thrown his girl into a tough situation, but he was sure that they'd make it to the other side. While he kept secrets before, he's an open book now... which could've easily been his downfall. There's angst, tension, suspense, and a romance that simmers in the background until they can repair the nearly irreparable damage done to the heroine's trust. It's a rich, impactful read that EASILY held my interest the whole way through, and I couldn't binge it fast enough. I loved it!
This is the second half of a duet, and it will NOT stand on its own. Be sure to read When He Desires before jumping in. At the end of book one, Nero's deception and Blake's history had caused all sorts of trouble for our couple, culminating in a forced marriage between the once-happy lovers. Reeling from the sudden realization that everything she knew about "Rowan" was a lie, Blake is desperate to get away from Nero. They end up back in New York, where Nero has to deal with the consequences of returning to his old life after faking his death, while Blake has to decide if she can accept the love of a man who lives in the shadows.
The contrasts between the two halves of this love story are stark and enlightening. While the first book is essentially a small town romance with an edge, this is very much a mafia romance. Nero is back on his home turf and in a world that he's familiar with, while Blake is completely out of her element. They were different people when they were falling, and Blake is nowhere near ready to go back to the way things were... even if they could. They're tied to each other now, and she has no choice but to go along for the ride. I was fascinated by the way this book explored the mafia world and how it would seem so foreign and terrifying to anyone who hasn't been exposed to it. This takes some of the themes that are explored in Sands' first series and fully develops them, which was really, really interesting. Underneath it all, we also get the relationship between Nero and Blake. They have very different views of the situation, so there's a ton of tension while they figure things out. I absolutely loved Nero as a love interest, even when he was getting things wrong. You could feel his love for Blake throughout, and I hurt for the two of them. Blake also makes such a compelling lead, because she's someone that readers can relate to. She sees the good in Nero, but that might not be enough to overcome the reality of the situation. It was so incredibly thought-provoking and complex in the best of ways, with a layered storyline that kept me hooked. I devoured the duet over the span of the weekend, and I am confident that I will be left in the biggest book hangover. This was really, really good.
When He Takes: A Dark Mafia Romance (Fallen God Book 2)
4.6 | 3,663 ratings
Price: 5.99
Last update: 12-26-2024
About this item
From the Publisher
Top reviews from the United States
Jeeves Reads RomanceSo good
JJGreat
Ninajewellenjoyed tremendously
O.De La OSo good.....
Brenda RoyerThis Book Has It All
NicoleThe pacing felt slow....
Andrea MarquezDark Romance
Regina