to give it.
for the rest of my days. But nobody’s promised an infinite number of tomorrows.
Nobody’s promised forever. Sometimes, all we have left is today.
are making it hard for me to live in peace. I’ve got so much blood on my hands
they’ll never be clean, and somebody out there seems to want me to pay for it. Happily Ever After always comes at a
cost, one any real man would be willing to pay. But that doesn’t mean I’m just
going to roll over and accept these consequences.
fought for?
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Robin’s Review
Every time author J.M. Darhower publishes a new novel, I can be sure of this: I’ll be swept away into a world of suspenseful action courtesy of a brilliant imagination and excellent writing. Darhower has a forte for writing stories about the Mafia. She has a gift for sweeping readers away into a world of violence, action and romance. Her antiheroes are dark, they face demons, they are not afraid of taking a life; and yet, readers still find themselves pulling for these men to find peace with the woman of their dreams.
It’s been approximately sixteen months since I read Torture to Her Soul, the 6-star follow-up to Monster in His Eyes. At that time, I believed the Monster in His Eyes series was to be a duology, and therefore complete. I thought both books were outstanding, so imagine my surprise when Darhower recently surprised us with Target on Our Backs! If you’re anything like me, you may struggle to remember what took place in the previous two novels of this series. Well, worry not! Darhower sprinkles a recap of events from Monster in His Eyes and Torture to Her Soul, here and there, within the first few chapters of Target on Our Backs. By the time you have read several chapters of the novel, your memory should be refreshed.
I thought the synopsis of Target on Our Backs seemed vague, but once I was able to read the prologue – once I was able to combine the words of the synopsis with the metaphor written into the prologue, the plot became much clearer to me. Ignazio Vitale contemplates how a power vacuum can occur when a king of a pride of lions is killed. In the absence of the lion king, there is a real struggle for power. Cubs of the dead lion king essentially become targets to lions who seek to become the new king. And with this comes the realization that Naz and his new wife, Karissa, are essentially targets for somebody who is taking advantage of the power vacuum in the Mafia.
Told from the alternating first person points of view of Naz and Karissa, Darhower wastes no time in capturing the attention of her readers, pulling them into this story. The writing is so crisp in Target on Our Backs, and it’s pure Mafia! Anxiety builds with each new chapter while the danger surrounding Naz and Karissa continues to increase. Each time I began a chapter, adrenaline hummed in my blood! I was nervous about what I would be reading next, yet my curiosity and the excellent storytelling drove me onward. Darhower has such powerful writing – I truly have missed it!
Naz showed real character growth in Target on Our Backs. I enjoyed learning more about his background, about his childhood and tempestuous relationship with his father, Giuseppe Vitale. The scenes involving Naz, Giuseppe and Karissa were some of my favorites of this novel. I felt the pacing, the rhythm of this novel, was right on point. It moved quickly, as I stated earlier, with pure anxiety holding me to the pages. We meet an important new character in Target on Our Backs. It’s hard to discern if Lorenzo Gambini is friend or foe, or some of both, but I do know this: I loved his character. Lorenzo is dangerous, intriguing, entertaining and clever on his feet, and I would absolutely love to read more about him!
I’ve taken some time to consider my thoughts about Target on Our Backs, but I’m quite sure it’s deserving of 6 stars! Congratulations to author J.M. Darhower for another fantastic novel! Target on Our Backs has been added to my list of 2016 favorites!
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Monster In His Eyes Series
Monster In His Eyes – Book 1
Ignazio Vitale is not a good man.
I suspect it, the first time I see him, sense the air of danger that surrounds the man. He has a way of commanding attention, of taking control, of knowing what I’m thinking before I even do.
It’s alarming and alluring. It’s dark and deadly. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted but the last thing I truly need. Obsession.
It doesn’t take him long to draw me into his web, charming me into his bed and trapping me in his life, a life I know nothing about until it’s too late. He has secrets, secrets I can’t fathom, secrets that make it so I can’t walk away, no matter how much I beg him to let me go. I see it sometimes in his eyes, a darkness that’s both terrifying and thrilling. He’s a monster, wrapped up in a pretty package, and what I find when I unmask him changes everything.
I want to hate him.
Sometimes, I do.
But it doesn’t stop me from loving him, too.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This book is intended for a mature audience only, due to some dark and erotic content.
Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes
****
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Torture Her Soul
Monster In His Eyes- Book 2
Don’t say it unless you mean it…
It’s a simple concept, one I’ve said time and again, but something people don’t seem to comprehend. You should choose every syllable carefully, because you never know when somebody will hold you to your word.
Somebody like me.
I’m not a good man. I’m not. I know. I have enough darkness inside of me to rid the world of every stitch of light. But there’s one I could never harm, one light I couldn’t bring myself to snuff out.
Karissa.
She thinks I’m a monster, and maybe I am. I taunt her with my touch, get a thrill out of torturing her soul. But I’m not the only one. The world is full of monsters, and I’m not the most dangerous one out there.
Not even close…
God help me, I love her.
I do.
And God help anyone who tries to take her from me.
Buy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / ITunes
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Author Bio:
JM Darhower is the author of countless stories and poems, most of which only she has ever read. She lives in a tiny town in rural North Carolina, where she churns out more words than will ever see the light of day. She has a deep passion for politics and speaking out against human trafficking, and when she isn’t writing she’s usually ranting about those things. Chronic crimper with a vulgar mouth, she admits to having a Twitter addiction. You can find her there.
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads
Shay Savage lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her family and a variety of household pets. She is an accomplished public speaker, and holds the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster from Toastmasters International. When not writing, she enjoys science fiction movies, masquerading as a zombie, is a HUGE Star Wars fan, and member of the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers. When the geek fun runs out, she also loves soccer in any and all forms – especially the Columbus Crew, Arsenal and Bayern Munich – and anxiously awaits the 2014 World Cup. Savage holds a degree in psychology, and she brings a lot of that knowledge into the characters within her stories.
Caroline Kepnes is the author of You and Hidden Bodies. She splits her time between Los Angeles, California and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Lili writes dark, disturbing romance. Her #1 bestselling Gypsy Brothers series was created in a serial format – quick, intense episodes released frequently with some wicked cliffhangers. The Gypsy Brothers series focuses on a morally bankrupt biker gang and the girl who seeks her vengeance upon them. The Cartel series is a prequel trilogy of full-length novels that explores the beginnings of the club, to be released in 2015 by HarperCollins.
About K.A. Tucker:
An investigator’s search for a friend draws her into a world darker than she could have imagined.
Aleatha Romig is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of nearly thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!
About K.A. Tucker:
Saucy Southern Readers 