You know that expression we see all the time in romance books, ‘You’ve ruined me for other men’? That’s exactly how I felt after reading this book. Kele, I feel like this book completely ruined for every other book, and believe I say this in the most adulatory way.
First of all, it’s been almost one week since I’ve finished it and I still feel book hungover (there are very few books I can say the same thing about), and while reading it, I had to pause several times, to take a breather, for THE FIRST TIME EVER, not because I was bored or tired of the story, but because my heart was literally hurting for these characters, especially Tino, and I needed a moment to ground and remind myself that it is fiction. That’s how EXTRAORDINARY Kele Moon’s writing is, she really makes us share these moments, scenes and feelings with the MCs. And this is not even counting the times I found myself crying while reading it. So unless you want people to thinks you are going crazy or being hormonal, I advise you not to read the book in public. Yes, it’s an emotional heavy story, but it’s so very much more than that.
I can honestly say that, after this read, I can’t really set this book in my usual parameters, because it’s most definitely NOT a safe read, (it has to many triggers for that) but that didn’t hurt the book in my eyes. You can imagine how good of a book it is if it made me forgo my usual safety/spoilerish quirks.
And for that reason this won’t be my typical review, because, for the very first time, I don’t want to spoiler it. Believe me when I say that if I were to reveal the ‘safety’ triggers I would destroy the story for you guys.
Half of the richness of this book is on the unveiling of the events, and the journey on itself. The other half comes from pure Kele Moon gift. It may seem like an exaggeration, but there is no other way to explain it because it’s the deceivingly natural result of her extensive research (underworld, dance, language, cultures), realness and rawness of her characters, and incredible scene setting, that really make her writing unique. In my opinion, she is one of the most talented romance writers of our generation, and I can’t wait for everyone of you to enjoy her gift and realize that.
This book is the third book of the Untamed Hearts series (Spinoff of the Battered Hearts Series), and the first of the two parts of Tino, Valentino Moretti’s story.
After reading both series, I knew that this series was getting a darker setting, we are, after all, getting more and more into the mafia’s underworld, to whom these men, unfortunately, will be forever linked by their name, Moretti.
The attempted murder of Brianna, by order of the head of the Moretti family, is the trigger for the cataclysm of events that will occur from this point forward, because for Tino, she is the one thing they were forbidden to touch.
But before we can embark on these events Kele takes us to the Moretti brothers’ past, from the event that changed these siblings lives forever, Romeo’s arrest. And this is the core of the book, the beginning of Tino’s life as we know it and all the events that transformed him in the man he is in the present, the Enforcer.
His stolen childhood by abuse and neglect are truly heartbreaking, and without a doubt some of the most emotional moments I have ever read. Even so, a faint trace of hope always seemed present, something to hold on to…
“This is Neverland. The rest of the world doesn’t exist anymore. The sooner you forget it, the easier it’ll be,” Carlo said softly. “Learn to fight your own battles. We have to be better than them. Stronger. Faster. Smarter. Lost Boys have to fly.”
Tino shows us the true meaning of unmeasurable love, loyalty and sacrifice for his siblings. He will, literally, do anything for his brothers and sister.
But there isn’t only sadness, we get see when Tino and Brianna first meeting, and their bond developing throughout the years. Their love is a force of nature,
Together, they were like a firework.
Beautiful in the night.
A dusty smear of ash in the morning when reality crashed in and ruined the high. They just weren’t ever meant to be more than one brief, amazing explosion of memories that should’ve been enough to sustain them.
But it hadn’t been.
Not even close.
Tino even shows us that his love for Brianna goes one step further, because he worships her. She is lifeline throughout all sacrifices. She is everything to him.
Brianna was a strong and loyal character. She was always there, to support and love him, no matter what. She was everything he needed.
Let’s talk about their chemistry together, because, my friends, if there is one thing that Kele know how to do perfectly, is create some nuclear, of the charts, chemistry. When these two where in the same room it was palpable, and when touching, whether it was dancing or kissing, it exploded, and nobody else existed for them. And the sex scenes, boy oh boy, let’s just say they are need-a-cold-shower-after HOT.
It wasn’t the easiest road for them, as we see, but by the end of this part, even though it’s not a HEA, it’s also not, in my eyes, a cliffhanger. We can anticipate what will happen next, but it doesn’t make you want to scream and throw you e-reader at the wall! LOL
That said, I can’t wait to put my greedy hands on the second part of this story, so please Kele, don’t make us wait to long…Pretty please… (*cue puppy eyes*)
And I can’t finish without saying….TINO, YOU MATTER!!!
ARC kindly provided by the author via Loose ID Publishing
in exchange for an honest review
