Tuesday, December 2, 2014

End Game ( A Dark Romance) By: Vanessa Waltz

End Game is a standalone novel and book 3 in the Vittorio Crime Family Series. This is a dark romance with very adult themes including erotica, bdsm, violence and abuse if you are a person who does not like to read about the above themes then this novel isn’t for you. This is a full novel no cliffhanger and includes a HEA.

Joe DiFiore is an ex-capo now soldier/enforcer for the Vittorio Crime Family. Every day feels like complete darkness for him. He is the walking dead, no hope, no reason to smile or live. Which makes him all the more dangerous. Joe is numb battling the demons surrounding his sister’s death his only need for life is revenge until her…..
Marisa Toffoli has been taught that family is everything. Her father Dominic has put is life into the family business Worlds Casino. Double dealing and cheating his way to the top Dominic has found himself in business with some very unsavory characters involved in the mob. Through some very unforeseen circumstances Marisa, her siblings Nathan and Jessica find themselves in control of the business with Marisa being the primary stock holder. Little does she know that heavy is the head that wears the crown.
Marisa has a very colorful personality which is quite the opposite over her drab business persona. Growing up with a physically abusive brother and self-absorbed sister in her adult life Marisa still lives out her childhood. She has no friends or social life it’s no wonder she lives so much in her head. Fuzzy sleepers and cartoons on Sunday morning make her smile until darkness in the form of mob enforcer Joe shows at her door step. On his last leg Joe has no choice but to take the job of guarding Marissa. Not only does Joe guard her body but he rules her heart and soul as well.
The chemistry between these two characters is palpable. There is no slow build up once these two interact it’s like igniting a flame. Joe is attracted to Marissa but he doesn’t know that once he has been with her once would never be enough. He is Alpha-Dom hotness and makes sure that Marissa knows he is boss. Clinging to each other in the need to feel these two embark on a world wind romance. Although Joe can be a jerk to Marissa at times when she really needs him he is there to help even if it costs his life. This story is a very dark romance but what I love is that the author focuses on the mob aspect of the story as well. It’s a great balance between Joe the lover and Joe the enforcer. At about 46% of the book there is a twist and from there the plot keeps thickening.
Marisa can be very frustrating especially the situation dealing with her brother but when it comes to Joe she is very much his equal. At times I wished Marisa would have put up some resistance she was a doormat. For someone who wasn’t that sexual experienced she lets go of all inhibitions when it comes to Joe. Or maybe she just wants to feel something anything from the existence that is her life.
Quote from book: “All men are beautiful I'm the dark. It's only when the lights go on, that the superficial judgment’s begin." I though this quote was very poignant in the fact that once the lights come on all secrets are revealed and once they are there is no going back. Both Joe & Marisa have to learn to let go and trust each other. Being hurt and losing someone you love the first time is hard but can these two learn to love again? Through flashbacks of Marisa’s childhood readers get more insight into the trauma she has experienced as a child. These flashbacks are very important to the story because through this trauma Marisa has to overcome a lot of demons some she has been battling all her life. She has to learn to lean on someone else and Joe has to learn to let go. What I love about Joe is that although he is a soldier we get to see the cracks in him. The characters were very well developed.

We do get to see characters like Vincent and Adriana from the first 2 Crime stories make an appearance in this book. I am advocating for Vincent to get another book!!! This is a very detailed and through story that will have you at times frustrated and hot because the sex scenes are so explicit. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and would recommend it. Please judge this book for yourself and not based on this one review.

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