Lauren GilleyCritiques

This one was even better than the first and I LOVED Ava/Mercy's story! Fantastic writing that just sucks you in like quicksand. I can't wait to read the next one. I adored Michael in his dangerous, quiet, book reading, thought provoking ways. I thought Holly was a survivor that needed somebody's help so badly! I enjoyed being there when she found her strength, freedom, and happiness. The entire book was just perfect and I could hardly put it down or stop thinking about it. I was so happy Holly's tormentor's got what was coming to them. Lauren Gilley is now a favorite author.

L G writes fantastically...this one just fell short for some reason. It's difficult to trump Ava/Mercy and Holly/Michael's books. I'm planning to skip over Kev's book for now. I excited to read Ghost and Maggie's book.

If there were halves this one would be 4.5. I loved reading Ghost and Maggie's past history along with the now events. This book was so exciting. I loved learning how some of the brother's got into their Lean Dog's chapter. Ian ended up being a good guy. I feel bad for Vince but what do you do? I would so LOVE a book on Reese.....what a fascinating character!

I really enjoyed this one but couldn't give it a 5 because it just wasn't as good as the first 2 books. I wasn't liking the whole Ian/Tango deal at first but now, I think an Ian/Tango/Jazz relationship would be really steamy. I'm not loving the Tanya surprise at the end of this book.....at all!! I hope she doesn't torture Aidan through his book being such a bitch and all.

I don't usually read novella's...not enough bang for the buck! I am so into this series I was afraid to miss anything important so I made an exception. The truth is I would have been just fine not having read this and it dragged a bit for me. I already have the next book and intend to start reading it tonight.

I feel like I've been on a journey! Yes, this book was long but I felt I got more than my money's worth....highly unusual in this day/time. It does have lots of description but I wasn't bored. I found myself thinking about Mercy & Ava when I was away from them. I wanted to read ahead when I had to put the book down to see what was going to happen. It had all the elements I needed to make it a "favorite". I could relate to their love story as I met my husband when I was fifteen and he was twenty years old. It was a different time back then! We have been married 34 years next month....he was my senior prom date. I'm thankful our parents took it all in stride. A very enjoyable book for me. This review is my honest opinion, I don't know the author, and I did NOT receive a free copy to review.

Well, Gilley outdid herself yet again. It’s my second series (and fifth book) by her, and at this point I’m not even surprised anymore — and neither should you — when I say: I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!

This is my first Gilley rodeo, and I have to say the beginning of her Sons of Rome series was pretty damn impressive. Her writing is beautiful, just stunning, and flows so smoothly, taking you on a ride that’s hard to forget. The wonderfully drawn, flesh-and-blood characters; the bonds between them (and those poor, loyal wolves); the complex, multi-layered plot, expertly combining known historical facts with first-class fantasy/paranormal, nail-biting action and slow-burning romance… ahhh I’m so glad I had some free time on my hands and could focus completely on this story because I just couldn’t put my Kindle down.

I’m grabbing the next book ASAP, because I’ve already become attached to these characters and can’t wait to see what happens next! I have my suspicions/hopes when it comes to Nikita and Sasha, my spidey senses are tingling… (please don’t let me down, Ms Gilley!

These are rather short, so I think I’ll breeze through the whole series in no time.

Here’s what I know:

• Gilley’s amazing when it comes to thinking up outlandish, original plots,
• and worldbuilding,
• as well as writing mouthwatering heroes (and Beck deserves some extra points for getting his girl knives for her birthday

My first Gilley!

This was fantastic, possibly even better than the first book. Which says a lot, because I LOVED the 1942 section of White Wolf so much, and this was firmly set in the present day. I spent hours glued to my Kindle, and couldn't put it down for a minute. I've been lucky to read a LOT of great books in my life, but I can't remember the last time I've been so completely engrossed in a story. It was a bit tiring, actually - this feeling that the shit was about to hit the fan, and fast - but more than that, it was AMAZING.

I loved the new characters, and how all the plot threads came together so beautifully in the end, and the building sense of dread for this upcoming evil... but mostly I just loved Sasha, Nikita, and their new pack. And Val. Val stole the show, as always.

4.5 rounded up to 5

I’m simply amazed by the amount of research that went into writing this book. And while I didn’t particularly care for Mia one way or another — she was a bit too… bland for Val, but then again maybe that’s just what he needed after such a tragic life — and parts of this book turned my stomach (CW: non-con, including child rape; slavery), this whole series is EPIC and deserves all the stars.

One thing that really bothered me, though, was Vlad’s attitude towards Val. On the one hand, he was oh so protective of his little brother (or rather, he just went on and on about that in his own head), but on the other, he was such a callous bastard. I was disgusted by him. Pushing Val away — a little kid! — ‘for his own good,’ leaving him behind so many times, for years, and then calling him a whore — to his face, and to others — and a traitor, for simply staying alive? When Val was the one who never stopped loving his brother, caring about him, wanting to save him! God, I’m still so furious with that bastard I can’t even… And I’m super angry, because otherwise, Vlad’s a well-made character, and I’m curious how he’ll handle the clusterfuck that’s the whole situation with R (and his thing with Adela…), but I can’t forgive him for some of these things, and I don’t know if I can enjoy his story… Unless Gilley works her magic again and makes me change my mind?

In the meantime, FINALLY, Nikita and Sashka’s story! I missed my boys so much. ❤️

I love this series. But where’s the fifth book?

And we have another cliffie! Even more dramatic than the first one, too. It’s a good thing this series is finished.

I like this new and improved Beck, but he’s such an asshole to Lance (who’s such a sweetheart, and too good for Rose and Beck both). Not that I blame him, but still… I’m really curious how Gilley will resolve that conflict.

I needed this novella ever since Francis’ crush on Tristan hard-ass Mayweather had been revealed some time ago.

There was a bit too much fire and brimstone talk in this final installment, but overall, it was a good ending.

I won’t lie, this was not my favorite series by Gilley (see reason above), however I still liked a lot of things about it! Both Beck and Lance were delicious, and amazing in their own ways — Beck was a bad boy (and we don’t realize just how bad until the very end of this series), and Lance was so good and steadfast, a total sweetheart (who didn’t know what hit him

This was so good I want to cry!

There are some spoilers in this review. If you haven’t read this book yet, and want to do it, watch out. They’re hidden and I’ve made them as vague as possible, but I had some things to say.

Well. Fearless was one wordy motherfucker of a book. First volume in a series? This read like a complete series on its own (and had me just as — if not more — invested)! And there are eight more full-length novels, plus some short stories? *faints from excitement*

Okay, seriously now. This book was a rollercoaster ride in the best sense of the word. Gilley’s one of my favorite authors, and she was in fine form when she wrote this; I can only hope the rest of the series is this good. The characters, the romance, the plot, the action — all the important things that make up a story were on point here. The writing… this was Gilley at her finest, I think. I mean, who else could describe a freaking swamp, down to these minute, mundane details, in such a poetic way? The woman is a genius.

Now, I’m not saying this was perfect. The good parts were SO FREAKING GOOD it hurt, but then came the (few) not-so-good parts that threw me off and, imo, disturbed the flow as well as my overall enjoyment of this story.

⚠️Here come the spoilers.⚠️

Starting with a minor niggle — Ronnie. He was a dummy character, a plot device if ever there was one. I have zero problems with cheating if it doesn’t involve the main couple, and little more if it does, as long as I know where the things are heading, so it’s not even about that, but goddamn, I hated how Ava treated the guy! I know Gilley needed Ronnie’s character, but couldn’t she make that ‘relationship’ just a little more believable, just for a while? There was no spark, no chemistry, no friendship not to mention ‘love’ there. None. Zero. And Ava brought him home? To meet her family and club? Wtf?? And then she — and everyone else — insulted him repeatedly, out loud and in their thoughts, from the very beginning. I liked him just about as much as they did, and I get it, he didn’t belong — so then, why the fuck bring him there?? Not ONE scene in here made them seem like a couple. Total waste of pages (A LOT of pages, too!), in my opinion.

My biggest problem, though, the one that blew my mind and one I had the most trouble getting over was that first pregnancy. Ava was supposedly such a smart girl, didn’t she have a biology class at school? I understand slipping one time, getting swept up in the moment (just kidding, I don’t, it’s not the eighties ffs), but having regular unprotected sex, and then being surprised by the outcome? Wtf?? And Mercy… a sexually active man who gets around, and he doesn’t use condoms? Wtf??!

Sorry, Lauren — I love you, but this one SUCKED.

I won’t even attempt to write a proper review, since it would devolve into a rant anyway. Because this book? It pissed me off like nobody’s business. It’s pissing me off right now.

Saying that the second volume of the Dartmoor series turned out to be a disappointment would be a huge understatement. Compared to book 1, this read like a filler, and a bad one at that. There was very little actual plot development when it came to the MC itself, the main focus was on the romance (which I found in turn icky and ridiculous, by the way), the backstories of the h and H (OTT to the extreme), and general domestic bliss, with itty-bitty plot crumbs hinting at some future happenings sprinkled throughout. (Tango

This was so good! SO GOOD!

4.5

[General spoilers ahead. Mostly rambling and chaotic fangirl thoughts. ‘Review’ might not make sense unless you’ve read all 4 volumes.]

I loved this new addition to my second favorite Gilley series.

The book dropped out of nowhere in the middle of my work week — and we need to have words about this, Miss Gilley! Kindly notify your readers about things like that, so they’re prepared next time, yeah? — but did that stop me? No! I’d been whipping out my Kindle at every possible moment for the last three days, more or less ignoring everything else. This series is highly addictive, I’m telling you.

Time of death 23%

I don’t think I’ll ever get back to this series. It’s just too much for me. There’s too many babies already, and everyone’s constantly fawning over them, and thinking about ‘siring’ more kids every ten minutes or so; all that talk about setting up house bored me to tears; there was SO much hyper-masculine posturing in the 60 or so pages I managed to read that I just can’t bring myself to read on. I don’t know why it hadn’t bothered me in book 1 — I’d been in a mood, I guess. That bit about all the old ladies being branded with their husbands’ names just broke this camel’s back.

Not for me.

Wow. I absolutely love Holly and Michael together. I can't imagine anyone more perfect for each other. Loved it!