Rina Kent

We started with death and blood. We started with games and carnal pleasure. Adrian and I shouldn't have been together. He's wrong. I'm wrong. What we have is the epitome disaster. Yet, it's impossible to stop. My husband will either destroy me or I'll destroy him.

Deception Trilogy #2

Tempted by Deception

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

Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️

Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂

This is the second installment, but you need to read the first book for many things in this installment to make sense. This is a trilogy of plot complexities and character dynamics that I wasn't even expecting. I will say that this installment is the origins between Adrian and Lia. And it was really fascinating to see how they journey goes from when they actually first meet and the revelations that are unveiled at the end of book one. Rina Kent really blew me away with this one, I did enjoy this installment a bit more than the first book. And the author really elevated this couple in so many moments. But boy do they go through the wringer because the relationship angst in this one is unreal.

I think what impressed me the most with this one was how well-layered this story turns out to be. I honestly wasn't expecting it to have this type of depth to it and one of my favorite things about reading is reading an author you think you know what to expect and then she turns your world upside down. There is so much going on with this book and Adrian is not a simple alpha male. He is a thinker and researcher and he doesn't know how to deal with someone to love. He is really great with his son, but when it comes to romantic relationships, he definitely has a more challenging time. Seeing our characters find each other and figure out what their relationship is can be pretty combative at times, and sometimes I don't know I felt the BDSM was a bit too strong, but these moments were really important because that is where the emotional intimacy really builds in these scenes. I really adored these characters and even though they are all over the place, they have such real connection that you just want to cheer them on with and it really tore through my emotions. So heartfelt.

So this style of BDSM isn't really my thing, it really should be better developed. Sadism isn't something you can just easily place into a story and I do wish it was more fleshed out to be honest. And I do wish that we saw a bit more of sweet vulnerable moments between these two here.

Tempted by Deception is a fascinating story that captured my heart and only added more mystery to what is being built for the finale!

Sub Genre: Romantic Suspense, Dark Romance

Themes: Angst, Tear Jerker, Kids/Children Involved, Danger Elements

Tropes: Forced Relationship, Forced Proximity

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.

Lover of Romance 

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

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨.25


First Impressions
This is the second installment, but you need to read the first book for many things in this installment to make sense. This is a trilogy of plot complexities and character dynamics that I wasn't even expecting. I will say that this installment is the origins between Adrian and Lia. And it was really fascinating to see how they journey goes from when they actually first meet and the revelations that are unveiled at the end of book one. Rina Kent really blew me away with this one, I did enjoy this installment a bit more than the first book. And the author really elevated this couple in so many moments. But boy do they go through the wringer because the relationship angst in this one is unreal.

What I Loved
I think what impressed me the most with this one was how well-layered this story turns out to be. I honestly wasn't expecting it to have this type of depth to it and one of my favorite things about reading is reading an author you think you know what to expect and then she turns your world upside down. There is so much going on with this book and Adrian is not a simple alpha male. He is a thinker and researcher and he doesn't know how to deal with someone to love. He is really great with his son, but when it comes to romantic relationships, he definitely has a more challenging time. Seeing our characters find each other and figure out what their relationship is can be pretty combative at times, and sometimes I don't know I felt the BDSM was a bit too strong, but these moments were really important because that is where the emotional intimacy really builds in these scenes. I really adored these characters and even though they are all over the place, they have such real connection that you just want to cheer them on with and it really tore through my emotions. So heartfelt.

What I Struggled With
So this style of BDSM isn't really my thing, it really should be better developed. Sadism isn't something you can just easily place into a story and I do wish it was more fleshed out to be honest. And I do wish that we saw a bit more of sweet vulnerable moments between these two here.

Overall View
Tempted by Deception is a fascinating story that captured my heart and only added more mystery to what is being built for the finale!

Favorite Quote(s)

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Romantic Suspense, Dark Romance
Character Types: Mafia, Dancer
Themes: Angst, Tear Jerker, Kids/Children Involved, Danger Elements
Tropes: Forced Relationship, Forced Proximity

Book Perspective
Duo POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A Mix of Both

Song This Book Inspires
Hurt Me Harder by Zolita

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes, you must read these in order

Steam/Spice Explanations

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.

EL LIT LA LLEVÓ A RECAER EN SU CUADRO DEPRESIVO, Y DESPUÉS SE QUEJA QUE NO ESTA BIEN, AMIGO DEBISTE BUSCARLE AYUDA SI NO LA IBAS A DEJAR SALIR

Estefany 

3.5

Es un viaje al pasado de los personajes, es entretenido leerlo y conocerlos a profundidad. Si que es verdad que hay puntos bastante el desarrollo de algunas escenas. No obstante, me lo leí bastante rápido dado que estoy ansiosa por saber cómo acabará todo.

Linzy Martin

This book barely offered new information that you didn’t already know from the first book. It was rather pointless minus a few details. I found myself skimming because through because I was basically rereading the first book of this trilogy in a different format.

loren

My husband. My villain.We started with death and blood.We started with games and carnal pleasure.Adrian and I shouldn't have been together.He's wrong. I'm wrong.What we have is the epitome disaster.Yet, it's impossible to stop.My husband will either destroy me or I'll destroy him.This book is part of a trilogy and is not standalone.

** spoiler alert **
           ¿Qué me quedó de esta historia? Pues, no mucho en realidad.

Adrian y Lia no podría ser más tontos. Sinceramente todo el asunto de la mala comunicación entre ellos, los tira y afloja, y sus family issues hacen que ellos (y uno como lector) la pasen más mal que otra cosa.

Adrian me da lástima, porque el man ama de verdad a Lia y literal besaría el piso por donde ella camina, pero es muy idiota porque nunca se lo dice, y de paso le oculta cosas. Sin embargo, Adrian casi se convierte en un Kyle 2.0 (quería cambiarle las pastillas para que se quedara embaraza y así atarla a él) y eso me bajoneó un poco.

Por otro lado, Lia me cae fatal. Me disculparan, pero en este caso me inclino a decir que ella no se merece a Adrian. Literal mandó todo a la mierda, perdió la confianza de Adrian, y llevó su vida al borde del caos, simplemente porque no era capaz de aceptar que Adrian en verdad la quería y se preocupaba por ella, y tampoco se fue capa de ponerse los pantalones y aceptar que fuera un mafioso. O sea ???? chama te están dando TODO, y tú vas y lo arriesgas todo por un par de suposiciones random que te dijo un tipo que no conoces bien y dejas que tus miedos e inseguridades te dominen 

el único que uso la cabeza acá fue el guardaespaldas que le dijo a Lia que hablara con Adrian porque era lamentable que ambos estuvieran sufriendo por nada

Anastasia 

I have to say jumping off a cliff to save yourself from a crazy person like Adrian takes courage 

I fear for winter ...truly

Inês Filipa

i don’t even know what is happening exactly but I’m invested and somehow I am loving it

4,5-Lenochka-stars ✨

Lydia White

Okay book 1 Winter > book 2 Lia, for sure. 

I genuinely think this would have worked better as flashback scenes in the first book, offering the Lia POV. This book kind of dragged and felt repetitive, both within its self but also compared to the first book. Especially since we really don't get any solid "answers" until the last ~15%. 

And I still have a lot of questions, which I guess is a good thing and why there is a third book. 

(view spoiler)[ Something about Lia's character in this irked me, and her escape plans were not very well thought out, especially given who her husband is. Please walk a lot further before trying to hail a cab.  (hide spoiler)]

nory

THIS WAS SURPRISINGLY SO GOOD WTF ??? i’m so obsessed with adrianlia it’s unhealthy

Jessie Stafford

This is absolutely a trilogy in which you want to go in blind and that continues into this second book. It’s so hard to talk about without revealing a single thing, that being said I’ll keep this one short.

From the very start of this next installment my heart was just torn to pieces for Adrian and it continued the whole way through. His character just shatters you with how misunderstood he is. He’s barbaric and you can’t outwit him, he’s hard as stone, yet you can’t help but feel for him. Rina truly knows how to make a broken to the bone antihero. Lia is equally as broken in different ways. She’s hard for me to warm up to and has a lot to prove but I understand her. 

You’ll get answers in this book but they’ll just lead to more questions. You’ll get swoon worthy moments but they’ll just twist into more heartbreak. Staggering revelations will blow any of your theories outta the water and that is exactly what I needed with Adrian and Lia. They’re complex, demanding and intriguing, just like this story is unfolding to be.

Molly Morgan

This book... lord have mercy. So spicy, so dark, so good. The mafia mystery plot has me hooked and Adrian... *spicy*. A warning, definitely a DARK romance. I wouldn't say the darkest I've ever read, but isn't for someone wanting a fluffy read. Steamy and twisty. A great read!

Shafia Ghassani

i love that this is the back story of what happened in the first book, cant wait for the finale

Faizah Sultan Begum

** spoiler alert **
           SPOILERS!!!

Ok I’m gonna be honest here, I didn’t know what was going on in book 1 which compelled me to read the second book which I have now finished. - And now I’m even more confused, which might I add is a great way to make me read the third and final book to understand where this story goes because let’s be honest, if I don’t, I will positively lose my mind at not knowing how this ends. 

First thing’s first, the timing of these books did confuse me although it did specify at the beginning of the chapter (4 years earlier… you get the point). The first book is with Winter, who is forced by Adrian to take the place of his dead wife Lia as she’s her candid lookalike. But Winter has dreams which right of the end of the book, we learn were not dreams, but moments of Lia’s life that actually did take place. So the question here is, who is Winter??? Is she actually Winter like we thought for the whole of the book? Or is she actually Lia? 

Then book 2 happens with the real Lia (not Winter) and ends with her taking her life because she couldn’t escape Adrian. Not sure if she does actually die but I’ll have to read book 3 to understand this (you see what I mean?!) Winter is introduced a couple chapters before the ending but here’s what has me confused. Winter makes a deal with Lia so they swaps places, allowed Lia to escape her life. This happens roughly 3 months before the start of book 2 content. (Sorry if I’m confusing you but this is how I feel right about now!) Anyway, so if Adrian has met Winter but then meets Winter again 3 months later forcing her to take dead Lia’s place, why does she meet him as if he’s a stranger. Ultimately, the question is what on Earth is going on??? I believe all shall be revealed in book 3. So keep reading. I definitely think it’s worth the read and will definitely stimulate your brain for possible outcomes.

The series is obviously a lot easier to follow if you actually read the books and not try to follow it through this review. Which is why I shall repeat; READ THIS SERIES PLEASE!!!

But yeah this was my first review, if it was terrible, do let me know so I know not to do one again. ;)

Tempted by Deception Deception Trilogy #2

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