J.T. Geissinger

Brutal Vows

An Irish mobster with a brutal grudge.
An Italian mafia princess with a dark secret.
Two enemy empires joined in sacred marriage vows.
Let the hating games begin.

Monserrat Navarro 

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
 


  
    I think you’re a brilliant golden sun in a sky that’s only ever known the black and starless night.
  




  First Impressions

Brutal Vows is the finale in the Queens and Monsters series by j.T. Geissinger. This is a book that has been building throughout the series, as our hero, “Spider” has been in the series leading up to this one and so it was such fun to finally get his book to be written. This is also a book that has been making the rounds among every facet of the community and it has been so fun to see all the excitement for this book that readers are experiencing. I have to say after reading it, its highly warranted as this book is a even match for all of the others. What is so unique about this series is that each book is just as good as the next one and every single installment is so well balanced. The author has really come into her prime of writing with this series. I have never seen such solid writing from an author or in a series, its so rare. There will always be one book that is missing something or is lackluster, but that definitely isn’t the case with this one at all. I am honestly humbled to have been able to read this one, as its such a unique story and I can’t wait to see where this author takes the world that she has been creating from Killian’s book. I will say that I have a feeling the adventure is just beginning and I am buckled in, ready for this journey that Geissinger is taking her readers on.


  
    After what I’ve been through, the devil himself could show up demanding my soul, and I’d tell him to kiss my sweet ass and fuck off back to hell 
  



  Summary

So the story begins with an arranged marriage that is a contract between Spider and Lilli. They are both from two mobster families, the Irish and the Italians and this will form a bond to bring peace to both families. Reyna is Lili’s aunt, and is rumored to be known as the “Black Widow” who is claimed to have killed her husband even though there is no evidence of that. Reyna knows how innocent her niece is and refuses to let an innocent sweet girl marry such a ruthless stranger. But when her brother breaks his promise and lets the marriage go forward, Reyna is infuriated until her brother finds Lilli in a compromising situation on her wedding day with the man she loves. So Reyna offers herself to marry Spider. Spider and Reyna have this intense attraction with each other and while there is mistrust and a hate between them, there is also a sizzling chemistry that neither can resist. But soon both of them realize that there is no hate between them but an intense love worth fighting for. However, there are some truths to be revealed and a destiny that awaits them both that neither of them could have prepared for. Will Reyna and Spider embrace the love between them and their destiny?


  
    You’re a privilege I don’t deserve, but I’m going to spend the rest of both our lives trying to be worthy of you.
  



  What I Loved

This book, I don’t even have the right words to describe my love for this beautiful story that just captivated me from the very beginning, I was so nervous to pick this one up here, just because of all the hype surrounding it. Of course, I trust Geissinger to write a great book. But I never know when to trust a book that is so hyped. However, I can say that this book is worth ALL of the hype that it has and much more, I am not sure if it’s better than the other books for me, books two and three, especially are just so special for me. I will say though that this enemy to lovers marriage of convenience totally worked for me and more. The chemistry between these two is on fire despite how much they fight like cats and dogs and I am being sincere there. They don’t like each other at all, or maybe it’s more a high distrust of each other’s intentions. But both are completely wrong about their perception of the other and it becomes pretty clear this is the case even though neither of them wants to fully admit what they are feeling for each other. It was quite interesting to see how these two begin their marriage and see with each chapter, how they connect even deeper and let go of their mistrust and learn to open themselves to each other with vulnerabilities. We see their relationship begin to turn and really delve deeper and they have such strong personalities but they are such a solid match. I just loved the praise kink in this book and we see it on both sides. The way that they start to worship each other in these small moments are the whip cream of the romance. The steamy moments between these two is just on point and this author really knows how to write her steam that is so flawless in her stories. The writing is highly addictive and you will struggle putting this one down, the author really is a gem in engaging her readers with writing that will charm you all the way through.


  In all my thirty-three years, I’ve never known what it’s like to find shelter from the storms that always followed me. I’ve been lost at sea for so long, I thought that’s what it meant to be living. It isn’t until now, with a glimpse of a golden-haired man waving at me from shore in the distance, that I realize the storms might be behind me. My sails are full, the seas are smooth, and the wind at my back is soft and easy.



  What I Struggled With

I wan’t a huge fan of some elements of the ending, but everything else was pure perfection!


  Overall View

Brutal Vows is an intense tale of a sensual mafia dance, its story takes you through adventure, laughs galore, steam warm enough to curl your toes, and all the warm fuzzies to heat up the soul! ABSOLUTELY STUNNING OF A READ!


  
    It’s soft, deep, and everything I could ever ask for. It feels like a promise made, a promise stronger than any signature on a legal document or vow spoken in front of four hundred witnesses in a church. It feels like a field of flowers opening their buds to the sun after a long winter. It feels like coming home.
  



  Trigger Warnings: 

(view spoiler)[Domestic Violence, Gun Violence, Death (hide spoiler)]

Ann Sabu

Shay

Brutal Vows is a mob/mafia story that follows Reyna as she tries to save her niece from an arranged marriage to Spider. Spider's looking for a marriage where feeling won't be a problem, so he wants to marry someone he could never be attracted to. These two ended up being so good! This is a slow burn, but at the same time, I feel like it wasn't long enough. So we get the wedding about 50% in the book, but I wish the banter could've lasted a little bit more, and I also wish there were a little bit more criminal activities. I also went into this one blind. I didn't know anything other than the cover looked good and what the synopsis said because this was one of the Kindle Unlimited books I read. So I didn't realize this book was part of a series until the very end, when all of the couples go on vacation together, and we see the first three couples from the first books. So they can be read as standalones. I just feel like some small details might've been missed since I didn't read them in order. But overall, it was a good book, and I loved watching it play out. 