“What’s mine is off limits. You’re mine. And people need to understand the consequences of what that means.”
Well, hello there Nero. This was my first book by S.J. Tilly, but I can assure you it will not be my last. I already have King locked and loaded on my Kindle, and I can’t wait to dive in. But first! Let’s get down and dirty with Nero. This was such a good book. It had all the tropes I love: the overbearing MC. The slightly damaged FMC. The danger. The intrigue. The jealousy. The public s3x! Gah! Get me a triple serving of that next time. So 🔥.
Nero is the head of his own criminal empire. Smart. Elusive, and with a huge target on his back. He never wants to give his enemies a reason to see him as weak. It’s only by chance that he meets Payton Vawdrey when he climbs through her second-storey patio door to escape the cops. It’s a meeting that changes both of their lives, and sparks an insatiable obsession for Nero.
Nero is a real mix of contradictions. He’s gruff and hard-headed, yet when it comes to Payton, he melts. It’s not in the things he says. Rather it’s the way he treats her, and the decisions he makes. He always has her safety at the forefront of his mind.
Payton is broken. There’s no other way to describe her. After surviving a horrible childhood, she barely thrives as an adult, holding down a job at a coffee shop that barely keeps her head above water. Her apartment is run down, she can barely afford the essentials and her self-worth is in the toilet. That’s what makes Nero’s appearance in her life so life-changing. She doesn’t want to depend on him, but his love language is definitely providing for those he loves.
The overall pacing was great. I never felt like things were taking too long. The characters were real, flawed and gritty. When things got steamy, they got STEAMY. My only questionable moment was when there was some virgin backdoor action happening without any foreplay or additional lube. It read hot, but the believability of that encounter took some of the shine off.
Am I hooked on this series? You bet your ass I am. *thrusts out arms* S.J. just stick your brain in my vein and I’ll consume your books intravenously.
K xx