| Title | : | 'Til Death: Volume One ('Til Death, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 137 |
| Publication | : | First published November 25, 2014 |
There is.
I married a douchebag.
I didn't know it at the time.
He came in like a handsome stranger and blew me off my feet.
I fell madly in love, like the naive girl I am.
Then he left me high and dry.
Turns out, I was nothing more than a business plan for billionaire playboy, Marcus Tandem.
He needed to be married in order to obtain his grandfathers business, and I was the poor victim in his path.
I believed in what we had, until the truth reared its ugly head.
I never meant anything to Marcus. Not a damned thing.
With my world spinning on its axis, the girl I once was has long since died.
Instead he left me as this empty, emotionless shell.
I may have made a vow before God to love and cherish him ‘Til Death do we part, but it’s time for me to give back to Marcus, exactly what he gave me.
He has to pay.
And pay he will.
This is part of a two book series and it will contain a HEA – Readers over 18+
'Til Death: Volume One ('Til Death, #1) Reviews
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★★★ 3/4! ‘Til Death, book 1 of 2! Katia’s swept of her feet by Marcus Tandem only to become suspicious of his motives after their marriage!
“Such a beautiful, fucked-up man. Such a waste of perfection.”
The ‘Til Death duet must be read in order:
Part 1:
’Til Death, Volume I
Part 2:
’Til Death, Volume II
‘Til Death (book 1) is the story of a deceptive marriage set-up between business owner and potential heir Marcus Tandem and struggling personal assistant Katia Bennett-Tandem.
It’s prompted by the death of Marcus’ grandfather. The will clearly states that Marcus must be married to inherit the business that he has been running for the past 10 years.
Katia has no knowledge of the will and thinks this incredible sexy, hot, one-night-stand has gone from player to ready-to-settle down and is pursuing her relentlessly. But after their marriage she realizes he doesn’t love her….
The story is told in dual POV alternating between the past, the development of their marriage and present time when everything is put on the line. There are other stipulations and of course greedy villains, jealous exes and other seedy business associates to complicate matters…
“He makes me forgive him with his mouth between my legs.
Then with his cock deep inside me.
And I go right back to where I started.”
Seven words to describe Marcus Tandem: Conflicted, closed-off, determined, ruthless, deceptive, caring and self-destructive.
“Love is for the weak. Women are too difficult and I’m too much of an asshole.”
At times I felt Katia Bennett-Tandem showed me two very opposite personalities. I adored the care-free, vivacious, elusive and very charismatic side of her I couldn’t relate as well to the insecure, love-struck side.
Seven words to describe Katia: Captivating, easy-going, private, observant, good-natured, helpless and impressionable.
‘Til death is a fast paced sexy and tumultuous read. From the onset we know that Katia has been misled, but yet the story managed to capture and keep me guessing. That said I felt torn between conflicting personalities for both Marcus and Katia and the plot seemed disjointed at times and a bit overloaded with millionaires, bikers and criminals, but some of that will probably clarify itself with the unfolding of part 2,
’Til Death, Volume II and the conclusion of their story!
Awesome book cover! Steamy sex scenes! On-your-toes roller-coaster! Book 2 has much explaining to do! Just shy of 4 stars!
“I knew the moment I entered Marcus’s world that he was going to take my soul and likely crush it.”
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Hero rating: 4 stars
Heroine rating: 3 / 4.5 stars
Sexual tension rating: 4 stars
Sex scenes rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 3.5 stars
Plot rating: 3.5 stars
Dialogue rating: 4 stars
Storytelling rating: 4 stars
Story ending rating: N/A
Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): 4 stars
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Overall rating: 3.75 stars
Would I re-read this book: Probably not.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
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** 4 "you shattered me" STARS **"Marcus, you're destroying me. You're taking everything I am and twisting it. You're...ruining me."
"I know, precious."
Marcus Tandem has been managing his grandfather’s company for the last 1o years and waiting patiently for him to pass away so that the finances and management of the business can finally be handed down to him. When it finally happens, Marcus is pretty confident that he’s getting awarded for everything he’s been working for. But his grandfather has a surprise for him: Marcus has to get married within 12 months, to a woman who is willing and stay married with her for 2 years. Otherwise, the company will be taken over by his grandfather’s trusted friend, Walter Johnson, instead.
Which leaves Marcus with a brand new purpose: Find a loving wife.
Katia is a personal assistant to an overbearing boss, working long hours for very little pay. But she doesn’t complain, because she is doing all of it for her mom, who is in need for full time care after being wrongly operated for her brain tumor five years ago and ending up paralyzed, stuck in a wheelchair.
When Katia meets Marcus Tandem, the irresistibly sexy and impressive boss of her BFF, on the one night that she decides to do something for herself and goes out for her BFF's birthday party, she can almost feel that her life is about to change completely.I knew the moment I entered Marcus' world that he was going to take my soul and likely crush it.
Sensing the danger emanating from Marcus, Katie tries to run away from him. She tries to convince him to go and find someone else to obsess about. But Marcus Tandem always gets what he wants. All he has to do is paint an illusion of himself, with sweet gestures for Katie's mom and about her job, and in the end, when he asks the big question, the fact that he reeks of heartbreak holds small importance for Katie and all she can say is a "Yes."...
Marcus is the kind of man that orders drinks without asking what his wife wants. He doesn't hold his wife and he certainly doesn't call her sweet names. Nope, no heart-shaped chocolates and flowers for Katie. The only word Marcus utters while they are "making love" is "Fuck." and when they finish, he doesn't even sleep in the same bed with her. He orders her around all the time, he is bad tempered, he is bitter, he is cold, he is arrogant and he is completely selfish!I don't love her, but she's proving easier to live with than I'd first thought.
Quite frankly, Marcus is an asshole. And you can't help but hate his guts most of the book. He feels no remorse for deceiving Katie and irrevocably ruining her life. Even when he finally starts showing little crumbs of humanity and care for the poor girl, he is unloving and distant."Marcus, I love you."
"I know you do, Katia."
Katia is a naive young woman, struggling through a life that is becoming too much of a weight on her shoulders, so when this man who promises happiness and care comes along, how can she resist the pull? I can't blame her for falling this fast and hard, but I do blame her for taking that long to see that her love is one-sided and for always making excuses for Marcus' behavior. I blame her for trying to convince herself this is real and that she should stay with him.Marcus is hard, he's broody, he's not soft and he's not gentle but when he's inside me, deep inside, I feel him. I feel everything he refuses to let me see.
There are plenty of times Katie wonders if her husband loves her, or even cares for her. Something deep down her chest keeps tugging at her, telling THIS is terribly wrong. But she pushes her doubts down with only one word out of her husband's mouth: "precious". He starts touching her and every doubt is forgotten.He makes me forgive him with his mouth between my legs. Then with his c*ck deep inside me. And I go back to where I started. Absolutely head over heels for him, and losing another part of my soul.
Even though I disliked both Katia and Marcus for the first half of the book,
Bella Jewel managed to turn the tables at some point and make me fall in love with their story! Both of these characters are completely different people now and I can't help but feel kinda scared about what is coming our way in Book#2!
Lastly, I'd like a round of applause for me from my GR buddies, for starting yet another cliffy serial. I can be an incorrigible and masochistic idiot sometimes. I dunno why I keep doing this to myself. *sigh*
Book#2 is coming out in 4 weeks. FOUR WEEKS!?!
I'LL LOSE MY FREAKIN' MIND WAITING!
I love him in a way that's toxic. I know it because no matter how much my heart screams at me that something isn't right, I can't stay away.
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I didn't know how I would feel about this book because the author has the female protagonist straight up say she's in a bad relationship. The premise intrigued me and I decided that, before picking this up, I would read some of the reviews to get a feel for it. In one review I read, it said that the writing of the book was good.
Yeah, that's a lie. The writing is crap.
You read the story from both Katia and Marcus's perspectives and, really, if the author hadn't titled each section by the whose perspective it was, the only way you're able to differentiate who you're reading is to see if a) they sound pathetic (that's Katia) and b) if there's a hell of a lot of g-dropping (that's Marcus). That, right there, is one mark of terrible writing.
Now, onto the writing itself.
For one, there's just so much swearing. I like a good curse here and there (and in scenes where it's necessary: roll 'em out every other word for all I care), but this book just overdoes it. There's also the usage of words or phrases like "yum" or "oh my" outside of dialogue. Yeah, not doing it for me and too Fifty Shades-esque. Then again, I guess I shouldn't even be surprised by that since the author has Katia idolizing Christian Grey.
The g-dropping drove me insane. I don't like when it's excessively done in dialogue and I definitely hate when it's done outside of it. There really is not any reason for the author to include g-dropping outside of dialogue. Well, other than limited writing ability and characterization. The only way the author was able to give Marcus's voice any distinguishing character is by dropping Gs from his written perspective.
They both swear a lot so that was no different between them. What is so appealing about having your novel filled with curse words? Nothing, that's what. There's nothing remotely charming about reading the word fuck and it's variations over and over again. It doesn't make your novel unique or appealing or any other positive adjective. If that wasn't enough, though, we have other vulgarity like "pussy" and "cunt" riddling this novel. Sorry, but there's nothing provocative or alluring about a guy going on about your "sweet cunt." Am I supposed to find this attractive?
Actually, are we supposed to find it at all attractive when Marcus speaks? How about when he speaks to Katia like she's a dog?? "Roll over" ... "don't speak" -- wow, so hot. It really gets me going when a guy tells me "Don't speak" and that "I'll make you wish you didn't." Just..wow, so sexy. If a guy ever spoke to my like that he'd be getting a nice big shiner to-go when I kick him to the curb. He's also always holding her against her will and tossing her and throwing her places. Yes, because being tossed (and not in the sexual sense) is just so incredibly attractive.
Oh, and that. How many times do I need to hear about how hot Marcus is? Like, I get it that your husband "is hot. Fucking hot. Mega hot." I get it. Your husband is a total babe. I f'ing get it. That, right there, is another aspect of the writing that's crap. The author loves repeating and paraphrasing and rewording lines over and over and over again into every conceivable variation until it's clear, at least ten times over, what she's trying to get through to you. Surprise, surprise: One well-written line is far better than ten paraphrased ones in getting a point across. Just because you tell me something a hundred different ways, it won't make the bulb suddenly go off in my head and make me all ah...I get it now!
The author also overuses hyperbole and she usually does this in conjunction with the paragraphs of paraphrasing. I should've kept count of the number of times that Katia's heart (or she, in general) was breaking or aching or falling to pieces ("My heart slowly breaks to pieces, and it hurts. God, does it hurt." ... "my eyes brimming with tears, my heart aching." ... "curled in my bed with my aching heart." -- all that happens at the end of one scene). I've noticed a lot of authors make a character go through these over dramatic feelings tons of times. One thing that all of these authors forget, or miss, is that there's a limit to the number of times that you can tell me that your character is unraveling and falling apart. After a time, I become desensitized to it and stop caring. That happened early on with this book.
In fact, when it came to Katia having revelations, I was more inclined to laugh than anything else. That part where they're outside the hospital post-car crash? Katia is all:"Then he does it.
He becomes the person I need.
He becomes all I have.
He becomes what I've wanted for so long with one, single word."
Wait for it..."'Baby.'"
So, I didn't even care when the author threw her overly hyperbolic paraphrasing at me near the end:"I step out of his world, and in doing so I leave this Katia behind. My soul is crushed. My heart is broken. I’m pathetic, and stupid, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same again. Heartache is something I know will become a part of my life that I’ll never be able to shake.
"He destroyed me.
"Right now, I can’t even breathe. Marcus took everything I was, and he crushed it. Everything I believed in was a lie. He ruined my life. He took from me. He broke my heart. He left me this pathetic, pitiful mess."
Really, by that point I was like...
And you know what pissed me off even more? The ending should've been all about Katia and her finding out about the will. However, the author ended it with Marcus and his "sacrifice" and feelings. The one moment it should've been all about Katia, it had to be turned into how we should feel for Marcus.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
''You're...ruining me''
Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- No OW/OM drama
- Toxic relationship
- Illness
- Cliffhanger
Didn’t think I would love this, but I was proven wrong!
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
I found this book randomly and started reading it right away. Like I mentioned before I was not sure I would like it to let alone love but I was proven wrong because it had all the elements I enjoyed.
Marcus needs a wife; his dead grandfather will only allow him to own the company if he is married within a year and stays married in a REAL marriage for 2 years or the entire company will go to Walter who was a friend of his grandfather and a greedy guy.
Marcus is desperate meets Katia who is stuck in a horrible job with a shitty boss. She is taking care of her sick mother who is in a wheelchair and paying for all the bills and debts. They meet at a club, and she instantly feels attracted to him and he takes her home and they have what she believes a ONS.
I should mention that this book was told in two different timelines one was the NOW and one is the THEN. We see how they met and how their ''relationship'' progressed and how they are now as a married couple.
During the THEN timeline we see Marcus take care of Katia’s mother and give her the medical attention she requires, he confronts Katia’s boss to treat her better, a pay raise and a better job. He does small things like these that causes her to fall for him and within six months they are engaged and married.
Katia is none the wiser about Marcus's real intentions for this marriage and is madly in love with him and even accepting of the many red flags he gives off. He never sleeps in the same room as her and has a separate bedroom, he never has told her he loves her or shown any affection. He never makes love to her and basically only interacts with her if it includes sex.
From Marcus's POV we get how he sees this as a contract BUT he is very much loyal to his wife, he actually finds her very attractive and does desire her every day. He does not look or want another woman and even pushes away a former hookup who cannot understand the word NO. So yeah, despite his asshole behavior towards Katia and how horrible he is to her at times and treats her like she isn't exactly his wife, he is not off getting laid by others because in that area Katia is more than enough and all he needs. Which with his dreadful behavior towards her makes it ease my hate for his attitude.
These two have incredible sexual chemistry and the spice is pretty amazing. They both cannot get enough of each other, and I think it's the only time they actually connect on a deeper level.
Eventually though even Katia begins to doubt their marriage and becomes angry about his lack of care or love and confronts him, but he doesn't relent. She is shattered by the fact her husband doesn't love her and she is stuck in a loveless marriage and doesn't understand why he married her if he feels nothing. He doesn't miss her when he goes away on business - which I should also mention his business isn't really a business but a front for laundering money which Katia is not aware of.
Also, Katia has never known her father but has seen a picture of him. Her mother never mentions him, and we find out why. A man one day shows up and he is demanding to see Marcus, but Katia realizes the man is the same as the picture and finds out he is her father. Pierre like Marcus has the same type of business but are not friends.
During this time period Marcus slowly begins to realize that he truly cares for his wife and is falling in love with her. He fears for her safety, and it freaks him out which makes him push away even more.
Walter is trying to spill the truth to Katia but is stopped by Marcus just in time, but Katia is done wondering what is going on and goes to her father Pierre for answers and he reveals the truth about Marcus's work.
Katia later gets an envelope that contains the grandfathers will and the truth is revealed to her. She is absolutely distraught and confronts Marcus where he blows up giving her the worst side of himself and belittles her to the point where he kicks her out and she leaves. It was hard to read this scene as the things he says were truly hurtful and it broke my heart.
Marcus is confronted right away by his friend who heard everything and wonders what the hell happened and tells Marcus he will lose everything since his wife needed to stay with him a little longer before he got the company in full, but Marcus says that Katia is his everything and he is setting her free from him and his lies.
I knew that would be how this book would end, with Katia leaving and Marcus letting her go. There was no other way out of it. He is in love with her so pushing her away from his deceit and lies is the only way to set her free and make her life easier.
I wonder how much groveling we will get in book 2 and what will the ultimate thing that brings them back together! -
Damn!!! That was really, really good!!!
This book was so interesting, all the time i was wondering how the things will turn out... I also like that it was written in double times (Past & present) from both sides (Marcus & Katia), so we were able to understand both sides and all the reasons that lead them to this end!!! Ι also enjoyed the fact that wasn't having too much pages because it wasn't bubbling without reason and it was so direct...
Our story began with a will and a necessary condition that Marcus had to keep up with, if he want to earn what he was always longing for... And from that moment, he was trying to find a victim who will help him going through that unwillingly condition...
That victim was Katia, a very beautiful girl, with a big, good heart...
She was perfect for his purpose...
Katia didn't have a good life... She was having many problems... When Marcus entered in her life it was the most wonderfull thing for her, but at the same time she was scared 'til death!!! Marcus was a high league man... He was painfully handsome and attractive, but also he was known as a notorious player...
My opinion???
Marcus was a big fuckin' asshole!!!
Okay!!! I admit it!!! Marcus was hot!!! So hot that he could burn you only with one look!!!
Poor Katia, from the first moment you were a lost cause!!!
This man was an iceberg, beyond the sex part, he was emotionless... He was a fuckin' asshole as i said before!!!
And she was like a rare flower... She fell so deep for him and even his coldness, she was trying for this marriage so hard!!! For him, this marriage was nothing more than a deal until he'll manage to fullfill that damn will!!!
Reading 'Til Death i was in a constant emotional rollercoaster...
First of all, I was so angry for the reasons that Marcus decided to join his life with Katia's life...
I felt pity and sad because she really didn't have a clue about that... She was happy in her ignorance!!!
The anger was keep coming all the time during this book... I couldn't help it!!!
But near to the end something change and everything turned out to be sweet... Marcus started to change!!! Oh, God, after all these shits, he was starting to develop emotions towards his wife...
and i was crossing my fingers for good luck!!!
But then Bang...
The truth came out and evetything burned to hell...
I'm still wondering why he didn't try to avoid this ending up... Why Marcous???
I need the second part immediately!!!!
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4,5 Stars!
WOW! I loved it! I devoured it! And now i need more!
'Til Death is my first book by Bella Jewel, though i have many of her works in my T.B.R. i never came around reading them. Clearly that's a mistake i intend to rectify, immediately.
So we have Marcus Tandem! He is brooding, he is fierce, cold and collected and still a sexy deviant. Oh, and also a huge asshole. Yeah, i forgot about that. Maybe i forgive him because towards the end we saw another side of him..
Katia is sweet and bubbly, but not annoyingly so. She is smart, and not a victimized, virginal, holier than thou, kind of heroine, we already have enough of those. At a point she demands to be heard or else.. and i din't expect that.
The story is great and very sexually charged but not filled with only that. It progresses with various ways and altough the past and present narration changes with no indication i got used to it, pretty easily and it didn't bother me.
I can't wait for the next part to be released.. I want to see the change between the couple's dynamic and the Katia's life after the revelation.. Of course i want to find out how Marcus is going to handle the problems that will arise now.
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK
- Maybe the way she met her father, was too easy.
- The book was short, but not too short.
- Double POV.
- The characters from Jokers' Wrath MC make a few appearances.
- Her mother is very sweet. Maybe she will find her happily ever after.
- Her friends were nice, but i found them to be a somewhat aloof. -
3 stars
Katia was supposed to be a means to an end, the solution to inherit his Uncle's business. Not only does he have to get married within twelve months, but he has to stay married for two years and his wife has to want to be married to him. He's doesn't hide that he's an asshole, arrogant and completely selfish, so when the opportunity of Katia presented herself, he knew she was the one!Katia is so far from my type. She's tiny, she's fiery and she's opinionated. In the sack, she's a fucking firecracker. She fucks as good as she gets fucked. She's the right choice.
The thing is, one look at Marcus and Katia knows he has heartbreak written all over him, and no matter how much she tries to run away or dissuade him from choosing her, she quickly realizes there is no stopping this man from getting what he wants. Caught up in all that is Marcus, she puts her trust in him, but soon she sees she really doesn't know this man she married, until it's too late.I became the girl they all talked about - you know the one. The girl you shake your head at, wondering why she stays, wondering why she's there. How come she's so stupid? What could she possibly see in a jerk like that? That's me. Though at first, I didn't realize it. I fell in love with the devil.
'Till Death is the first of the two part serial, about Marcus and Katia. As much as I was excited to read this and want to love it, I didn't... don't get me wrong I liked it and will continue on to the next one because I have to know what happens next but there were just a few things that bothered me. The transition between the chapters was confusing at first, but once you got the hang of it, I was able to follow; the "A little bit back", "THEN" and "NOW."
He is an asshole, and I wanted to see him care a bit more, or show a bit more of himself or the whys he is the way he is. As for Katia, I wasn't sure I was going to like her, after all she pretty much comes out and says it, she's the girl you shake your head at. BUT she actually showed more strength than Marcus, going toe to toe with him. She still had her moments of being "that girl" but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I didn't understand the need for all the secrets, I even too was questioning everything in the end and I hope in the next book I get my answers, because the ending just left it wide open and totally threw my train of thought off track. Still a really good solid read, one you can enjoy right before bed ;)
ARC kindly provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review .
***Quotes above are taken from the ARC version of the book and may differ upon publication.
Guest reviewing for:
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5 TIL DEATH DO US PART STARS
Marcus & Katia ♥
The one song that playing through my head through out the novel was ..
LINK ♫ (quotes are lyrics from it)♫..you got me scattered in pieces
I'm stunned. Well it is a
Bella Jewel book after all. I loved it. Icouldn'tput it down even if I WANTED to. My heart broke for Katia. I cried oh by did I CRY and I'm not talking sniffles .. NO I'M TALKING KIM KARDASHIAN CRYING.
Katia loves with all her heart and was oblivious to Marcus's agenda. Marcus .. damn I want tohatehim but it's sohardtoo.the bed's getting cold and you're not
here
the future that we hold is so unclear..♪
It was a fast read but it's all about quality over quantity with this novel. I loved the story line because it really gives the characters a chance to grow. As soon as I turned to that last page .. I already dived into the second part...♫..there's a million reasons why I should give you up but the heart wants what it wants
'Til Death, Volume One
Bella Jewel
- Sleepless, Readmore. -
3.5 **Fanning the vajajay** Stars!!!
OMG!!..this one took me by surprise..Even though the synopsis tell you whats happening..I still found myself unable to put this one down!!!..It was well written..and HOT as hell....lol...or as I like to say....
So do yourself a favor and one-click this bad boy...you wont regret it!!
ARC received from author in exchange for an honest review
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ARC provided by author in exchange of honest review
‘Til Death by Bella Jewel was wickedly and deadly ADDICTING!!! Right off the bat, I was hooked with the prologue alone. It sealed the deal for me and I knew this book was gonna be so good. And let me just tell you it was one satisfying heart-pounding and emotional ride. Your heart will slowly break for the heroine and yet you could not hate the hero because there is a reason for everything. We all know you can’t help who you fall in love with. No love is perfect. And definitely there is no perfect marriage. Marriage is a union of two people joining their lives together based on a bond of love that unites them. But what happens when one gets married for all the right reasons believing that she made the right decision and she married for love? And what happens when one planned to marry her for all the wrong reasons so he can obtained his grandfather’s business? We all the know the vow Til Death do us part, so will Marcus and Katia be able to keep that vow and promise or will they slowly destroy each other’s lives?
Marcus Tandem doesn’t believe in love. For him, love is for the weak. But that all changes, when Marcus has to get married in a year in order to keep his grandfather’s business. Marcus is known to be the man to get what he wants and what he wants and needs is a wife asap. So when he meets Katia, he knew right off the bat she was the perfect target. He played the game of making her fall for him and slowly she was able to be blinded into marrying him. Marcus knew Katia love him but he couldn’t say those three words of I LOVE YOU back to her. It was not something he was accustomed too since his heart is surrounded by a stone wall. Marcus takes and destroys. And slowly he destroys and crushes the soul and parts of his wife, Katia.
Katia was the trusting and lovable wife. She believed everything Marcus told her. There was no doubt that she loved her husband with every fiber of her soul and being. The love she had for him was felt throughout each page. She was the dutiful wife. No matter how much Marcus ignored or hurt her feelings, she was connected and drawn to this deadly man. He had the power to breathe life and happiness into her and at the same time had the power to shatter and destroy her world. Katia would do anything for Marcus but when the truth of his deceit, her world comes crumbling down. So what happens when the angel marries the devil, the angel falls and she becomes insidious. Will Katia be able to make Marcus pay for all his sins, lies and deceit? Or will Marcus be able to let go of his fears of love and admit his true feelings for her?
Nothing in life is clear cut so why shouldn’t Bella Jewel give us a little torture. And Til Death had the right amount of torture, angst, and steam between these two complex characters. I won’t say Marcus is a bad guy or Katia is right but what I can tell you is that no one is perfect. We are all flawed. We all make mistakes. We all fear something. We all fall in love. And we all have our reasonings. Though Marcus and Katia’s story is not how you would start a fairy tale romance and marriage, but who cares. What’s important is the matters of the heart. And I love that Bella Jewel does just that in ‘Til Death. The characters were so raw and vulnerable that you couldn’t help but be drawn to them and try to understand their motives and emotional reasoning. Though this book ends in a cliffy, ‘Til Death is definitely a book that must be read and experienced. It reminds us all love isn't complicated. People are. I seriously can’t wait for part 2 of Marcus and Katia’s story.
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Til Death is not your normal run of the mill, lovey dovey romance story. Oh no, it is full of lies, betrayal and darkness...but through the dark there becomes a very little spark of light at the end of the tunnel. Could that mean that there may be a happy ending for this couple? I'm not sure? The journey though is a very interesting and emotional ride; and I was hooked through the good, the bad, and the ugly! Bella Jewel is quickly becoming a must read author for me. The more books that I read of hers, the more that I am liking what she has to offer in a story. Not always are the stories a smooth ride; but they are so much like life, that is they are a roller coaster ride all of the way to the end!!! I love it!
In Til Death, we have Marcus Tandem who has just found out from his Grandfather's will that he has to be married in order to keep the business that he has ran for the past bunch of years. Of course, Marcus will do anything to keep the business that he already thinks of as his own, and this includes picking a woman, and wining and dining her until she agrees to marry him. Oh, and he doesn't give a crap about love..Love has nothing to do with his arrangement. Marcus always gets what he wants, and it really doesn't matter who he hurts in the process.
Along comes Katia, who is a hard working woman that has a very sick mother at home. Katia supports her mom, and works extremely long gruelling hours just to be able to keep her mother somewhat comfortable. Her life is about to change in such a big way when she meets handsome Marcus Tandem. In Katia's mind she just wants a one night stand, little does she know she has been targeted as someone who is perfect to marry Marcus.
You can only imagine what takes place as these two connect. Katia ends up falling in love very deeply with the manwhore Marcus. And Marcus...well...let's just be honest...he is quite an asshole. There is no other way to put it. He is cold, and only cares about himself. Is there room for change?? I'd like to think so!!! Oh, but the sex is off the charts HOT!!! I kid you not?? These two know how to get the party going on in bed...or did they even use a bed?? LOL I think there was a lot of wall sex!!! It was hard core and raw though, and I was on board for all of it!!! Eventually though, Katia starts to wonder if her husband even cares a little bit for her...Will she find out the hard truth about her hubby? Or will Marcus eventually fall for his wife?? Enquiring minds want to know!!!
This is a two volume story, and volume two is already out! There is no risk of being stuck with a cliffhanger that you need to wait for the conclusion for the next few months! I was very glad that I waited for both books to be out.
I feel the need though to warn readers that this is NOT a conventional love story. Marcus is a jerk, and a lot of the time I wanted to stab him with a fork!!LOL But I am guilty of falling for the bad boys..and I'm always hopeful they will redeem themselves in the end. In other words...I'm crossing my fingers that Marcus will come to the light eventually!!! -
1 star 🌟
Woe is me!
My Brain- What the hell did you just make me go through?!
Me: Something that forced me to give a rating I never give..
True story, Woe is fuckin' me!
I have never been so ashamed of myself and the female population in general than I am right now after reading this shit. ( Just kidding, girls rock!)
A gift and a romantic dinner...It took Katia a gift and a romantic dinner with a rich man to forget all about her self respect and marry a man who hasn't even said - I love you for the entire few months she'd known him.
Feminism has died a horrible death.
Let's get started on the actual book now. I don't enjoy flashbacks too much but bear with them when it's necessary. In this book, it was fucking not!
This book alternates between past and present in every successive chapters and it sucks! It made my head turn like Golum in The Hobbit!!!
Marcus, another asshole hero. What did I do to get another dickhead in a span of a week? First Jasper in He hates me not and then Hunter in The Hunter and now this...
I'm just plainly upset and in need of a good book to make me forget about this week's failure
Whoever is reading this review, make sure to leave a recommendation in your comment. God knows I need them!!!
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5 Holy Shit That Was Good Stars!!!
I loved it!
Marcus is an asshole who doesn't feel anything for anyone! He needs a wife in the next 12 months or he will lose his business. He also has to stay married to this woman for two years.
Katia bumps into Marcus at a night club. Marcus decides Katia will make a perfect wife. So the story begins. Well after one night of some smoking hot sex. lol Katia doesn't have time for a relationship. She tries really hard to shove Marcus out of her life. But...Marcus is sexy and he makes her panties melt. Lord!!! I think mine melted! Holy smoke that was steamy!!! I loved Katia and yes I also loved Marcus! I have a feeling in book 2 we are going to see a whole new side of Marcus. I for one can't wait:-)
That ending!! Grrrrrr!! Bella Jewel sure knows how to leave your ass hanging. -
Twisted, emotional, brutally honest and sensual.
"This is the only word he says during sex. Not baby, or honey, or sweetheart. Just fuck."
***Quick Review:***
Series: First book in the 'Til Death series, although Marcus Tandem appears in the third book Jokers' Wrath MC, Anguish.
Grade: Erotic Romance with crime and suits billionaires theme.
Main characters: Marcus Tandem is an asshole, cold and hard. He's running a large company, and will do everything regardless of the consequences to get what he wants. Katia is sweet and joyful girl, seeing the best in people. She works hard to provide her mother and herself a good life.
Secondary characters: We have got here some of the Jokers' Wrath MC team.
Steamy: Hot. Fierce sex scenes.
Sensitive topic:
Love triangle:
Cheating:
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
For who I would recommend? For those who want to read a short, medium dark and with fair amount of drama book.
“I love him in a way that's toxic. I know it because no matter how much my heart screams that something isn't right, I can't stay away.”
***
About the plot: Marcus Tandem to take over the company after his grandfather has to fulfill his will. Get married. For someone who never took this into account is a challenge. He decides to find the woman and do it. The contract, about she is not aware of. He meets Katia at the club. And it soon becomes clear that she is an ideal candidate for use.
“ Katia is so far from my type. She’s tiny, she’s fiery and she’s opinionated. In the sack, she’s a fucking firecracker. She fucks as good as she gets fucked. She’s the right choice .”
He believes the benefits will be mutual. However, do not think about the consequences of what for both of them bring feelings.
"It’s the fact that for the first time in my life, I felt fear for another human being. Fear. For her. Fuck."
Why 4 stars? I spent with the author recently a long time (this is my fourth book) and one thing that I have to complain about is that her stories are sometimes questionable. I don't like question the behavior of heroes, unfortunately, I have to.
Final thoughts: In my opinion, a lot depends on whether you are reading this as a separate series or together with Jokers' Wrath MC. I read one after the other and met Marcus in book - Anguish. So when I started this I already had some idea about what is happening, and about what a man is Marcus. I read about how he did good things. So when I started this, and despite the many evil faces, I knew that beneath all this lies a good man. Therefore, it was not painful for me, but this book definitely is emotional. No doubt Marcus doing well planned all, but is kinda a little twisted, so you can be ready for some good scenes. Predictably, but I mainly wanted to know something more about him and I get it, and get even more in part two!
Next in the series? Yes! Second part 'Til Death, Volume Two. -
I really liked this book. Katia is a refreshing heroine. She doesn't overcomplicate things. She doesn't run. She doesn't fight the H tooth and nail. No. She's happy and loving and sweet and open. I thought she was ignoring some major red flags but I was rooting for her to thaw Marcus's cold heart.
Marcus...Oh holy hotness. He's a cold, broody bastard but he sure knows how to fuck. The sex scenes were smokin' hawt.
What started as a sham of a marriage to Marcus but meant something to Katia slowly began to mean something to Marcus too. But is he too late?
I thought this book ended in a good spot. Marcus has A LOT to make up for! I'm looking forward to the next book. -
4 Shivers... and Double oh God stars
This was such a great beginning for this series…this book has great main characters, very well developed. The plot as a lot of tension but is so yummy that I devoured this book in a matter of hours.
The important aspects:
Marcus – Well He is heaven dipped in hell he oozes raw sex, he is a selfish man but I love him, I cannot get enough of Marcus and his smoking sexy hot body!
Katia - Also great, strong but she felt in love… with a bastard!
I liked the switch in POVs and the THEN and NOW chapters!
I loved the sexy woo-hoo Mmm.... 
Overall great story I couldn’t put it down till the very end which left me salivating for more! But seriously, this ending turned my heart upside down… cannot wait to get my hands on part two in this story and see how all this will play out!
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Well Fuck ME !!!!!! Bella does it again..... I need more now damn it LOL ......
Full review to come on Release !!!!! -
Holy hot hell! This story was awesome! I've never read the MC club books by Ms. Jewel, but if they're half as good as the story of Marcus and Katia, I'm going to be all over it!
I was completely absorbed in this story from page 1. I could not put it down. Marcus and Katia's relationship was sexy, passionate...and built on lies. Even though you know the other shoe will drop, you'll be completely helpless to fight the draw of this couple.
Despite being an ass for a large part of the story, Marcus clearly loves Katia. By the time he realizes what readers have already figured out, his betrayal is brought to light and it may be too late. In a f**k-up of epic proportions, he manages to only twist the knife, causing further devastation! Seriously??? Keep digging, Marcus.
I cannot wait to get my hands on Part 2! I see some hardcore groveling in his future. Marcus' actions may have pushed Katia too far this time. Something seemed to snap within her and I'll be interested to see if the next book reveals a totally different woman from the sweet, devoted Katia that Marcus grew to love in book 1. I absolutely CANNOT wait! I need this next book like yesterday! -
That was sexy and intense. Can't wait for the next installment !!!
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Let the sexy times reign!! Lol. My interest is piqued to read the next one.
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Advance Readers Copy (ARC) provided for my blog for an honest review by the lovely author
Title: 'Til Death
Series: ('Til Death, #1)
Author: Bella Jewel
Pages: 137
Release Date: November 25th, 2014
Source: eARC
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Character Casting
Katia & Marcus
She'll never know what I just sacrificed. She'll never know what I just gave her. She'll never know that I set her free
This by far is one of the best books written by Bella Jewel. I finished this in about a couple hours after I received it and I was seriously on the edge of my seat ... technically my bed. This book captures you after the very first page it's truly addicting and I couldn't put it down.
'Til Death we get dual POV (point of view) and also we get past and present which is put together perfectly, in other books I've seen it in did a horrible job with it but Bella perfected it and we get to see where the story goes.
Keep lookin' at me like that, and I'll take you right here in this fuckin' car.
The angsty in this book cuts like a freaking knife. It's something I've been craving in a book for a while. Also the fact this book makes you want the second after you finish the first because it's that good. I even connected with both the hero and the heroine, even though I thought the heroine was a tad bit crazy with all her happiest.
I understand why Katia fell for Marcus but would I ever settle for marrying someone like him, who just ups and leaves and doesn't say nothing at all .. nope, not a chance. Even though Marcus is a hot piece of man candy.
Now I'm wondering when will book 2 be out because I need it. I want it
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4 💔💔💔💔 broken and ruined🌟💥🌟💥🌟💥🌟s❣️
This was nat a typical romance read, full of love, hearts and rainbows!
It was intense, it was brutal, it was heartbreaking, still it was full of emotions.
The characters’ roles were tough, strong and challenging.
Marcus was a complete arsehole throughout the first part, cold hearted, ruthless, selfish and manipulative. His only interest towards Katia was to get her to marry him so he could inherit his grandfather’s business.
Katia was the total opposite of Marcus. Sweet, kind, naive. She fell hard for Marcus but it was clearly one-sided.
Their relationship was so toxic, full of betrayal, deception and finally heartbreaking.
I was thrilled with the dual pov, yet not so much with the “now” and “then” alternations - although the writer carried it out efficiently.
Of course there is a great cliffhanger in the end and my only thought for Marcus is that revenge is a dish best served cold... -
The synopsis had many tropes I loved, but I felt it was executed badly. I didn't like the heroine. She was an airhead. The writing style was not great. It ended on a cliffhanger, and unfortunately I'm not interested to read the next book.
Reading 1.6 stars 🌟 -
That's a 5 star book!
I have to admit that it was difficult to decide if I should give 4 or 5 stars when I was reading the book I couldn't see where it was going...how it could end....!
The story is fantastic! It's well thought and full of emotions! I don't know how many times I had to hold my breath with everything that was going on! And the sex scenes are intense!
The writing is really good!!! The book is written by double POV (hers and his point of view) and it moves among now (what it actually happens) and then (how everything started). To my experience, to write among 2 time zones is difficult to follow and it's not a nice read...The author does it so good! It's really brilliant! There that you read how she feels that he is distant and you wonder why she is with him, you read about how they met and you get it why she stays with him!
Katia is really sweet and patient! I cannot imagine how someone who has passed so many difficulties in life can still smile and love! She is really an example!
Marcus is totally the guy that nobody should fall for! Really a player and cold! However I still liked him in a way...Like that maybe there is something under the appearance. But again, as I realise in my life, when a guy is distant and silent is not because he is deep in thoughts and feelings, it's simple because there is nothing under! So, Marcus had me troubled!
The book ends with a cliff hanger and a very intense one! I was voiceless!!!!!!! Well, I thought that something like that would happen but I didn't expect how strong it will be! The feelings were so strong that I put my hand on my heart because it was aching for them! I cannot wait to start reading the next book to be honest! And I definetely recommend this book to everyong who likes this kind of books! -
Marcus è un uomo ricco, cupo e scorbutico, che non crede nelle relazioni stabili. Approfitta dello stato di bisogno di Katia, che deve provvedere alla madre, e la abbindola. La rabbonisce riempiendola di doni materiali, come la borsa che tanto le piace, ma non ha mai finto di amarla. La usa per raggiungere i suoi scopi, e di questo non fa mistero, tranne che con lei. Contrariamente alle sue intenzioni però, rimane affascinato e rapito da lei. Ma è bloccato in una spirale emotiva da cui non riesce più a uscire.
La vuole, la desidera, ma rinnega i suoi sentimenti. Non è così che doveva andare, doveva rimanere una faccenda tranquilla e priva di emozioni, e poi, alla fine dei due anni del contratto, doveva finire. Non dovevano esserci le emozioni che lo hanno destabilizzato. Katia scopre il piano subdolo che suo marito aveva orchestrato. Marcus ha preso tutto quello che era e l’ha distrutto perché ciò che lei credeva era solo una bugia. Le ha spezzato il cuore.
Marcus ha affrontato tanti casini senza pensarci, ha lottato per l’attività rimettendola a posto. L’ha migliorata ma rischia di perdere tutto mandando via sua moglie: «Le ho restituito la sua vita, la sua libertà, lei era tutto, per me»
Lettura altalenante ma con un risvolto positivo. -
4.5 Stars
REVIEW TO COME! -
2.5 stelline
Ehhh....no comment...è meglio 😓anzi,una parola la spendo...meno male che è stato breve!
È inutile dire che il secondo...anche no,grazie! -
I'm a little conflicted here because I liked the book but I feel somehow mislead by the blurb.
When reading a blurb, you are expecting it to be an introduction from the book you are about to read, right?
When you read:
I may have made a vow before God to love and cherish him ‘Til Death do we part, but it’s time for me to give back to Marcus, exactly what he gave me.
You expect a book with some kind of revenge?
What annoys me the most is that I was waiting throughout the book for the twist to happen and I was a little disappointed when I realize that the blurb in fact was meant to tell us the end of the book.
Marcus's grandfather is dead and in his will he has a specific criteria for his business to go to his grandson. Marcus needs to be married within a year and he must stay married at least 2 years.
Whith that in mind, he goes in search for a wife
Cassidy is a simple normal girl with no particular expectation. She takes cake of her mother and thus she's an easy target for Marcus.
The story goes from THEN (before marriage) and NOW (after marriage) but I was a little unsettled because the NOW wasn't clear enough for me. After reading the blurb I thought the NOW would be once again after she discovers the truth about the reason why Marcus married her.
That being said the book was quite good. It was my first with this author and I will most probably read the second book because obviously now I want to know what will happen with both of them.
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Warning! Spoilers below! no tags, just spoilers on the loose. You have been warned
I guess there's a reason this one has been on my ereader for ages. Good god, what the hell did I just waste my evening on? How can this have so many 4 star reviews? I feel like I read a completely different book. In short:
An extremely naief whiny dumb mc who let's 'her man' treat her like garbage, but it's ok, because she just loves him so much (insert eye roll). Find out he's a criminal? No biggie.. because she just loves him sooo much (more eye rolls). Doesn't listen, doesn't look, doesn't talk, won't sleep in the same bed etc etc. Who cares? She's just in love with him. Getting the theme there? It's pretty much all there is.
But wait then he says the most amazing thing ever that proves he is her dream guy. You see.. he called her baby! Omg! So special (massive sarcasm here).
And I can go on and on. The writing is terrible. They both 'sound' the same, there is no depth, no feeling. I don't care about anything.
There are some shocks (not really) that are just swept under the rock. Meeting your - criminal - father for the first time ever is obviously just business as usual.
Not to mention the fact that the lovely 'hero' basically tells her to roll over, shut up and take it. Quite the charmer isn't he?
Than all of a sudden he loves her out of nowhere and sacrifices his happiness (are we supposed to feel sorry for the ass?) for her freedom. And she's heartbroken and ruined? Seriously? She should be throwing the party of the century while walking out that door.
This book wasn't for me and I won't bother with part 2. -
Since I buy all of Bella Jewel's books, I one clicked this one back in November but didn't read it preferring to wait until the release of book 2, which concludes the story. The author was very clear when book 1 was released that it was a cliff hanger and book two would be released in two months, which she followed up on. I'm not usually one who uses the "WOW" and "OMG", but those words really popped into my head when I finished book 1. In the preface, the author reminds the reader that events in the book are fiction and no they probably would never occur in real life. But isn't that the case in the majority of contemporary romances? I loved this story and read both books over two days. It's the story of Marcus and Katia and once again Bella Jewel writes a heart wrenching story of two star crossed lovers.
Marcus was first introduced in
Anguish as a secondary character. Marcus is your true anti-hero, hard, callused, selfish, whore and interested in fulfilling his own needs. He meets Katia and captures her heart, knowing the whole time that he doesn't love her and that he is using her to fulfill a need to inherit the family business. He is in one word, a monster. But the monster falls and falls hard.
I highly recommend this book and book 2. It's a story that will stay on your mind after you read it. You'll have trouble determining who is the real monster.
![Wingman [Woman]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1402003612i/22430842.jpg)