Greer Rivers

In this beautifully dark tale, we get a retelling of the Phantom of The Opera that is full of mystery, steam, and emotions so real. I devoured this in one setting because from the beginning it draws the readers in with so much intensity that you want to see what will happen. Scarlett suffers with a disorder, and it spirals her out of control, but a year later she has learned what she can and can’t do to help herself. She knows her limits, takes care of herself, yet she still has moments where things can spiral. Her disorder was handled beautifully because it showed us how real it is and those who have it deal with daily, it was heartbreaking at times yet the strength she showed was inspirational. Scarlett has an admirer that leaves her letters and music. This admirer gives her hope on a day-to-day basis and makes her feel, but she has never seen him so is he real or in her head? One incident led to this man to make his appearance and we meet the Phantom. What I loved about this retelling was we get the classic story with some amazing New Orleans twists and mafia undertones. Our Phantom is dark twisted and delicious. He is protective of those he loves and would do anything for his Scarlett, but will his aggressive tendencies to be with her push her away? Scarlett and Sol have this intense connection that is visceral and beautiful, yet can Scarlett fully trust him, or will she push him away when things become too much? Will Sol see that he doesn’t have to hide from Scarlett the monster he is or will he continue to live in the darkness with his demons? I can’t explain how much I enjoyed this book, but it was truly great with action, suspense, steam, and all the feelings mixed.… (mere)

This story was a pick from the Dark Romance Book Club that I am a part of and I just had a blast with this one here. It was so amazing and its also my first book that I discovered that has a "Phantom of the Opera" feel to the story in the retelling. So if you are a fan of the movie or musical, then I highly recommend this one to you. It was so delicious in how it had all these small connections to the story itself that I just loved so dearly. This is a mafia romance, so it definitely has some darker elements as the hero is a stalker of sorts and is head of the mafia on this one. Our heroine is a singer and learning her craft. Its set in New Orleans (Which is one of my favorite settings for romance but most especially for gothic feeling stories). I think what I loved most about this one was our characters discovering a deeper connection with each other. I instantly fell deep in love with this author's writing style and the way in which she really grabs at your attention. And the mafia side of the story was so different but very cool. I really enjoyed the way the "mafia" elements were incorporated into this one. I also just loved the music feel to the story and the development for both characters there. We also have some diversity representation on this one as the hero is highly scarred and was tortured and our heroine is suffering from mental illness with bi polar disorder. And I felt like the author really showcased these so well in such a real way.

Overall I fell hard for this story and if you love a good retelling then I highly recommend you grab this one right up!!… (mere)

OOOOO WEEEE did this have me turning the page AND drooling! This one really had me going, let me tell you that.

Greer Rivers did a phenomenal job with character development, intertwining storylines/plots, and flawless POV changes each chapter. I fell in LOVE with the main characters by the end of the book...even the not so "good" characters. This book kept me engaged and at times, got my heart racing. I lived for the second-chance at romance for Jason and Jules. I felt my heart ache, break, and heal all at once through this journey with Jason and Jules.

We can't forget about the chills, nausea, and anger I experienced with poor Ellie, Sasha and fellow victims/survivors. Rivers did an immaculate job with detailing one of the many experiences human trafficking victims have without giving too many gruesome details. Far too often, books will dive far too deep into detail to get the "message across." Rivers brought so much awareness in this riveting fictional story without bringing too many dark details/depictions.

The writing style also made it effortless to read through this book. I adored the steamy/sexy scenes with the right amount of ooo-la-la and romance. It was not overbearing or, for the most part, cliche. As much as I enjoyed the sex scenes, the part that really solidified this book for me is the fact that book can stand alone and impress an audience without them.

I felt the roller coaster of emotions in this book. Greer Rivers, you pulled at ALL the strings and I'm so happy that you did.

This was my first steamy/crime book and it will not be my last. I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone. BRB while I go purchase and start the second book in this series.… (mere)