| Title | : | Paradise Lagoon (The Harlequin Crew #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 632 |
| Publication | : | First published October 18, 2021 |
I was whole once, with my boys in this slice of paradise we’d carved out for ourselves, but in the time that we were parted we grew up. Grew apart. And as much as I might have yearned to reclaim that girl with the sand between her toes and the sun on her cheeks, it’s time I admit that I spent too long in the shadows to ever truly be her again.
My heart may be breaking for the men I left behind, but I know that I can make that pain count for something, because I’m no fool believing the pretty promises of a mad man.
No. I’m the assassin he just opened his fortress to. And now that I’m inside, I intend to repay him for every moment of suffering he has inflicted upon me and my boys.
Shawn Mackenzie thought he killed me once upon a time. Now this dead girl is back to return the favour.
Paradise Lagoon (The Harlequin Crew #4) Reviews
-
The past two books have been filled with an extreme amount of filler content. At least 50% of this book could have been cut. Again the flashbacks, why? I've seen comments about the amount of character growth this book had, considering the previous books lack of character growth, it wasn't too hard to have a small amount here. This series really has a great premise but is really falling flat.
-
4/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️
That ending was something else. I can't cope. That cliffhanger was INSANE. I FEEL LIKE MY HEART HAS BEEN RIPPED RIGHT OUTTA MY CHEST.
Man, oh man. Paradise Lagoon definitely gave me some whiplash. I AM NOT OKAY. This story picks up right where Carnival Hill ended. The character growth in this book is absolutely amazing. The plot twists keep getting twistier (is that a word) and I fall more in love with each character in every chapter. I'm glad that her relationship with the boys is getting better and better. The spice was perfection! Squid emoji!
Shawn is like a cockroach that just wont die and he so needs too. A very bloody one too.
This book could have been a 5 stars but it was about 200 pages too long. She has way too much filler that just isn’t necessary.
Quotes:
“I hope it tasted sweet when you pulled that trigger, beautiful. I hope you got what you came for.”
“You two are like the sun and the moon, when you work together there’s harmony, but if you go against one another it’s total chaos.”
“You two are like the sun and the moon, when you work together there’s harmony, but if you go against one another it’s total chaos.”
“Land whore!” Brooklyn cried from up top. “It’s land ho,” Mateo corrected her. “Right, I knew the land was a slut, I just couldn’t remember which type,” she said with a giggle.
"I think we just formed a reverse harem. I'm officially living a fantasy lifestyle." -
That cliffhanger was actually INSANE
-
I am constantly blown away by C&S. This series just continues to slay me. There is something to say about the level of plot and detail the sisters go into that amazes me.
This book picks up right where book 3 left off, with the betrayal the boys feel at the hands of Rogue sacrificing herself to Shawn. It takes them a bit, but when they realize things aren't as they seems, saving Rogue is the only mission in that moment.
We finally, without going into anything spoiler-y, get to see the crew getting closer and acting like a 'family'. Its taken 4 books, but I think a lot of people forget the gang has 10 years of history to unpack and that doesn't happen over night. So a good chunk of this book is the group re-connecting, which I personally love.
Oh and of course we see Tatum and some of her guys from KOQ again, but we also see the harem from Death Club, which was a blast. The cameos are always a really awesome touch.
This book has everything that I've come to know and love with a C&S book, incredible plot and action, the best banter and dialogue and at the core... Found family. The one thing that really disappointed me with this book was the lack of spice. This far into the series, it should have been way more packed with spicy scenes. But I have high hopes with the spice for the last book so we shall see.
This continues to be my favorite RH and I am so excited to see where the sisters take the last book! -
I FEEL LIKE MY HEART HAS BEEN RIPPED RIGHT OUTTA MY CHEST AND THEN YOU BOTH JUST STOMPED ON IT WHILE WEARING COWBOY BOOTS!!!!
I AM NOT OKAY
Rant over time to get into the review now 🤣
This story picks up right where Carnival Hill ended. The character growth in this book is absolutely amazing. The plot twists keep getting twistier and I fall more in love with each character in every chapter.
I’ve read every book by these authors and this is their darkest book to date.
If you haven’t started this series I strongly urge you to start The Harlequin Crew immediately!
✨🔥✨🔥✨🔥✨🔥✨🔥✨🔥✨🔥✨🔥✨🔥✨🔥 -
“I want him to see the powerful creature he couldn’t break.”
I really hoped this was the last book in this drawn out saga, but it was not and I am left disappointed. I enjoyed the evolution of Rick and… that’s about it. Im glad Rogue was put back in her place and she promised not to sacrifice herself again, because it’s dumb and never works, but I don’t have much hope for her actually keeping her word. I was so annoyed at how nonchalant they were when Shawn was at large. Seriously?! I can’t believe they let Shawn do all he did, because I firmly believe they allow Shawn to do his crap. The tired argument of Fox not being enough and being a martyr because he can’t share Rogue with his best friends was so drawn out and obnoxious. I don’t see a good way for him to come around… unless he has a near death experience (wink wink) and learns to value things in life. Sigh. Oh well. I just need to get the 5 of them together and then I can give up on this prolonged whine fest of a story. -
This one was a hard one to rate because about 250-300 pages of this book deserved five stars.
However, that remaining ~400 pages was just bloated filler that didn’t add anything to the story. The chapters in Shawn and Luther’s POV, especially when it was just their inner monologue, really didn’t help the story and completely could have been cut out.
And it felt like the first 1/3 of the novel was only there to work in characters from other books. We already had an extensive crossover with the Everlake Prep crowd; looping in the folks from Society of Psychos just felt self-indulgent since it didn’t add anything to the story.
These novels feel like a suitcase crammed with way too many clothes, where the zipper is straining against its stitches and the sides are bulging. And just like when you panic overpack before going on vacation, you find you only actually use about 1/3 of what you brought, and you could have made it easier on everyone if you had been a bit more organized and edited down your choices.
I loved seeing Rogue and the guys finally start to figure out how to move forward together, and I love that there is more to this than just the romance. But it’s hard to keep slogging through these just for the few great scenes and sections. -
This was seriously amazing I was transfixed and it was a rollercoaster of epic-ness that I didn’t want to end and my god the cliffhanger was bloody brutal that’s for sure I think it’s the worst yet my heart was threatening to burst from my chest I was that worked up. This begins where we left off previously with the boys destroyed and believing the worst of Rogue. The cracks have definitely set in and poor Fox seems to be the worst off. It’s only Chase that instantly realises that something is off knowing instinctively what Rogue has done.
This fourth instalment sees ties start to strengthen and reform and the group start to mend and grow closer and reconnect in all the correct ways. It’s just Fox now that needs to get with the program and Rogue wants nothing more than to have all of her boys back together as one family.
There is lots going on here, especially in regards to Shawn and the war that is occurring in Sunset cove. He’s determined to come out on top and he will stoop to any level to make sure he achieves his objective.
I definitely adored the inclusion of Tatum and her boys it was fabulous getting glimpses into their lives again, especially Saint who I have a major soft spot for he’s a definite one-off.
We also got to reconnect with Brooklyn with a B and Mateo which was also bloody hilarious I definitely appreciated their inclusion in this as well.
This was bloody and brutal and didn’t pull its punches and the heat was most definitely dialled up here to a scorching Intensity. I’m now so excited to discover how everything manages to resolve in the final book. This series has been such a journey and I’ll be sad when it finally comes to a close.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/63435390 -
Man, oh man. Paradise Lagoon definitely gave me some whiplash. I'm so sick and tired of Shawn winning or being ahead of them. Ugh. It's slowly killing me inside and I hope things change in the next book. If not, I will be super pissed off and will rip all my hair off.
Other than that, I'm glad that her relationship with the boys is getting better and better. Not a huge fan of Fox having that stick shoved up his asshole though. Somebody get this guy an ER room booked stat so they can surgically remove it. If he doesn't stop acting like a little twatwaffle soon, I will rip that stick out of him and slap him so hard with it. At least until he wishes he wasn't such a little twatwaffle.
Also, can I state that Luther the guy I HATED for most of this series is growing on me. Like I like the guy way more than his actual son. Who is, and I say this nicely, a huge twatwaffle. I can't wait for him to realize how horrible he is and grovels like he definitely should.
Oh, and can we get more Carmen too? I absolutely love the black widow and wouldn't mind her hooking up with Luther one bit. Also, if Shawn doesn't stop threatening Mutt we will have problems. I mean, we already had them but if he kills a dog then we definitely have bigger ones. Unforgivable and I will riot.
In the end, I'm just hoping for some happiness in the next book because I will scream if I don't get a certain someone's death. A very bloody one too. Looking at you Shawnyboy. -
Started off strong then became predictable towards the end. I have no interest in continuing with the series, at this point I feel whatever comes next would be unrealistic. It was a fun read while it lasted.
-
ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG:
ABSTRACT BOOKS
Star Rating : 5/5 Stars
POV : Multiple
Cliffhanger : Yes
Hero : Fox , Chase , JJ , Maverick
Heroine : Rogue
Pace of the story : Moderate
Angst Rating : 6/10
Heat Rating : 7/10
Triggers Involved : Past Trauma , Kidnapping (Assault)
Plot Summary :
For Maverick, JJ, Fox and Chase , nothing will ever be the same. The one girl they had given their soul too used them. She broke then in ways no one ever could. And now their whole tribe was destroyed.
Fox knows how it feels to be betrayed by the ones he considered friends. And now the one girl who was holding them all is gone. She is gone and all she left in her wake is utter chaos. Mess doesn't even begin to describe their situation.
Rogue gave up everything for the boys she loved. She surrendered herself in order to save them all from the terror of being destroyed. Her initial game was to destroy them like the way they broke her but now she can't let them get hurt because in her heart they will always be her boys and she will always protect them. But her plans are not that easy. Shawn won't rest until he has destroyed them all and she knows that he will take something from them all that none of them can get back again.
Overall Opinion :
OMG. Like if you ever thought that the cliffhanger of the last book was crazy, wait till you read this one. It's downright chaos!
Rogue and her boys have a take which will keep you at the edge of your seat until the very last page. Fox made me a bit crazy but I love him too and I hope that he gets his shit together. I have never hated a villain as much as I hate Fucking Shawn and I hope that man dies a brutal death. The things he has done are too much for me to comprehend and now I can't even begin to describe the ways I would like to torture him.
This whole book was so amazing that it was definitely my favorite one in this series so far. One look at the ending and I know that the next book will be much crazier than we can all expect! Definitely recommending this one to all the Dark RH romance loving people out there! Trust me, you'll love Rogue and her crazy men!
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Newsletter -
Things are getting even crazier in the Cove and while the sun may be shining, the bodies are piling up. I’ve been dying since the last book and have been going crazy waiting for this one. My friend had to force me to put it down while out apartment hunting. My emotions were at an all-time high reading this. So many feelings happening at once I wasn’t sure my poor heart could handle it.
The story picks up after that heart-wrenching cliffhanger in the last book. Right away there is so much happening. Rogue is gone and the guys all think she betrayed them. We get to see more of the guy’s emotions and how they were feeling after everything that has happened in the past and present. We get a good amount of rekindling this book. Old relationships get rebuilt and you can see the love shine through. I think I fall in love with Rogue more every book. She is such a strong person, but also so vulnerable due to her past. I’m happy about all the opening up that happened between her and the guys. Of course, this book wasn’t all happy times. There is a lot of doubts, insecurities, and pain. Throw in the drama with Shawn and the Cartel and you are booking yourself a manic therapy session. I’m not kidding when I say this book is extreme. The violence, the twists, and the steam are off the charts. There are some secrets we find out and new information that I’m sure will play an important part in the next book.
Tatum and Saint make an appearance which is always a highlight but I’m overjoyed that my favorite character Brooklyn made an appearance. I truly love her and Fox’s interaction. Had me laughing so loud I’m sure people thought I was crazy. Of course, it wouldn’t be an evil duo’s book without an ending that leaves you feeling like you’ve been smacked in the face with a heavy-weighted ball. I always prepare myself for the worst, but somehow these girls are able to come up with such evil that I can’t even imagine it. Now I’ll be sitting in pain until the next one, but it’s worth it because my boy Jake finally got his beloved jellybeans! Though he needs a new bag or two after what happened to them. *evil side eye* -
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This series never fails to disappoint me. This book was amazing for answering questions and all the characters coming together more. Even more obsessed with maverick which I didn’t think was possible, they all grew on me even more this book.
I cannot wait for the final book and hopefully 🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽 see everything come together with a HEA but I’m also so sad to see the end of this series 🥺🥺
That ending has me slightly terrified like what. Does an ending ever make you think ‘erm how do they actually get back from this?’ Yep that was this ending 🙃 -
Nope, I’m done! Ok maybe not done, done but definitely done for now… until the final book. Please give me the final boom 😩🥺
I am already on a book hangover and I just finished it.
This book starts up after the 3rd book where Rogue returns to Fucking Shawn to try and save her boys. Fox, Rick and Jj believe at first that she betrays them then change their tune when Chase comes back and is able to change their mind. They are able to get her back and from their they work on their relationship between the 5 of them. Learning to trust each other again and find their place in their new family dynamic. The plot like always is amazing and the cliff hanger is a MOTHERFUCKER! I will be “hanging” (get it? 😉) out just waiting for the next one with baited breath.
The Spice is chiefs kiss! Susanne and Caroline did not disappoint. Breathe play? Yes please! A little MMF? Hell yes! Rough and Dirty? Duh! BUT THEY REALLY BROUGHT OUT THE BIG GUNS WITH THE KNIFE PLAY! Lord give me all the strength! So FUCKING hot!
This series has one 4 out 5 books out so if you aren’t into cliffhangers I’d wait for the final one. If you can hang (I had to lol) with the cliffies then this RH is totally worth it.
PLEASE CHECK TRIGGERS. -
Star Rating 5/5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice Rating 5/5 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶
⚠️ Possible Spoilers Ahead ⚠️
I’ve been waiting for this one to drop on my lap.
I want to apologize to the car pick up line at school for my delay in pulling forward due to me being so engrossed in this book I though if I stopped reading I was legit going to expire.
This one had me hooked!
First off Rogue. Baby. Marry me. She is a badace girl with a backbone of steel! No matter the situation she’s placed in the girl is a SURVIVOR.
The guys are still fighting and finding their way too. You see a lot of good character arcs here that are leading up to an explosive finale that’s sure to rock my socks off.
Also, the smexual tension these authors have created between a certain two characters are just *chefs kiss* perfect and has me on edge.
Now that ending.
Here lies Cat,
She enjoyed reading and food. A simpleton really. But the authors had to end her life with the cliffhanger they dropped and Cats heart couldn’t hand it.
I will forever be a sobbing emotional tormented mess until I get my hands on the last book in this series. -
Even better than the last!
Somehow, someway, this sister author duo keeps pulling out all of the stops and topping themselves! Before I even get into the review I need a moment of silence for that epic cliffhanger, gah! Never fails to keep us on the hook!
So many things happen in this one and thankfully it doesn't take nearly as long as I thought it would for the guys to come to their senses regarding Rogue although there is still one slippery badger holding on on being in the harem. Even without Badger partaking in certain activities, let me tell you this is one hot & heavily loaded steamfest 🥵🥵 Hopefully Badger changes soon, but will it be soon enough with the most annoying "this guy needs to die" villian still playing his cards around Sunset Cove? Shawn plays his own role to the beat of his own drum while taking a sick sense of pleasure in trying to stay one step ahead of of little Harlequin Crew. Mutt and the crew are pretty smart, but are they smart enough to figure their way out of one last trap set by the douchnozzle Shawn? -
This one took me through ALL my feelings. It gives off major emotions of things having come full circle in a lot of ways. Rogue going solo in an effort to save her guys was the best and worst thing that could have happened. Now everyone is dealing with the fallout. It has to get worse before it gets better. We all know this duo likes to give us the bitter along with the sweet. While there are LOADS of sweet and steamy moments, there is buckets of drama too. I was there for it, and now I can’t wait for the final book in the series. Maybe this little found family can reclaim the people they once were and leave the drama behind once and for all.
-
Destroyed! The sisters live off our pain, that’s the only reason I can think that these cliffhangers keep getting worse.
There was a lot of angst, lots of pain, and even lots of growth. I adore my rainbow haired princess, really hoping before the end of this series she’s queen of Sunset Cove. Rick is still my favorite, his darkness still speaks to my soul. And I still want to kidnap Chase to keep him safe, from the sisters.
My favorite thing about this series are the Easter eggs. Seeing Tatum and now Brooklyn in this series. I love LOVE that addition.
Anxiously waiting for the finale and trust C&S to bring them their HEA. Gallow Bridges is going to Slay! -
This book was ok.
I liked this book but I didn't love it. Maybe because I feel like this story needs to end. There is not a lot of changes between the two last books. The plot and the characters are mostly the same. The MCs battle between killing Shawn Mackenzie and rebuilding their family. The arguments between the characters are usually the same and I kind want to slap them at the end.
Let's be honest, Book 3 and 4 could have been mixed together. The story needs to move forward.
I really like Rogue's story but I hope book 5 will be different from the other 2. -
This was a good one from the sisters!
I saw what was going to happen from the moment they brought up the diamonds, so it was a little predictable. Of course it hung on a cliffhanger, but I don’t think they ever finish without one that’s monumental. For some bad ass gangsters they aren’t very bad ass or gangster anymore. I still give it 5 stars, since I love the writing style. -
The only word that could accurately describe my reading experience for this beast of a book would be a rollercoaster. After the ending of Carnival Hill and for a decent portion of the story, my heart remained broken but eventually began putting itself back together piece by piece but there were also times where I was laughing so hard that I was crying! The humor that was sprinkled in throughout helped to alleviate some of the heaviness that was an ever-present theme in this book. I can easily say that this is one of if not the sisters' darkest book to date but it was written so well. These characters are the definition of broken and traumatized, each of them battling their own demons and to me the focus of the book was on the rebuilding of their trust and love for each other. Again, it was written so well and I feel like while the character and relationship growth was on the slower side, it wouldn't have felt as realistic as it did had it been rushed. And while some could argue that this had a lot of filler, I think it was completely necessary in order for these characters to get the time they needed to really focus on themselves and fixing their family and I absolutely loved watching them all grow together! ❤️
There were so many individual scenes and overall themes that I loved about this book, obviously the character growth was a huge one! Others included the freaking HILARIOUS cameos from other United States of Anarchy characters, I had to put the book down for a minute when I was reading the scene where Saint came home because I was dying of laughter at his meltdown! 🤣 I'm also a huge fan of banter in my stories so seeing the banter in here go from sharp barbs to affectionate teasing similar to what we saw back in the prequel novella had my heart starting to stitch back together again with the hope that things would be able to work out. Then the terrible two had to go and ruin it! I knew the cliff would be bad, it was one of the reasons I decided to hold off on reading this until the final book was out so I was prepared but man did it still pack a punch. I have my suspicions of how things are gonna be resolved but I also don't have very high hopes because let's be honest, things are REALLY bad right now. 😅 There's only one way to find out how everything ends and I'm both excited to see these characters finally get their HEA and terrified to see what it's gonna take to get them there! -
At this point I should really be used to these cliffhangers but somehow everytime I’m thrown for a loop. This time around though I gotta admit I’m pissed and quite a bit tired. I’m tired of “fucking Shawn” always winning and being one step ahead. I couldn’t be happier there’s only one book left in the series. I’m sick of the same story basically being repeated through each book with only a little bit of character evolution or plot development. I’m such a glutton for punishment though because of fucking course I’m jumping into the next book asap.
The story picks up right on the cliffs edge with Rogue in Shawn’s grasp. Sadly for her she did a too good job of breaking her boys to the point they truly believe she wants him rather than them. Though I will say for Shawn, her time as a captive was rather tame given what he did to poor Chase. Then again he’s all about mind games and at this point he’s got them all pegged. I’m also just peeved that Rogue so casually used brown box dye on her glorious rainbow hair that not only took hours but cost so much money I don’t even want to know. The teenage rebellion needs to end lol. Given that I definitely think Rogue and even all the guys ticked me off at least once during this book. Most of them seemed so far off from the bad gangsters they’re supposed to be I entirely forgot that side of the story. They sure don’t really operate as a gang and only occasionally are other members even mentioned like when following Rogue or protecting the mansion. Makes them appear a little weak as Shawn’s always showing up en masse. Hopefully they can get their act together and once and for all kill Shawn. Besides thatI’m hoping the stick has fallen from Fox’s ass and he can accept them all being a harem rather than wanting Rogue all to himself. If he wasn’t so close to the guys I’d understand but he’s just being a baby and hurting them and himself by denying what he wants. I just need a HEA for everyone including Mutt once and for all.
Side note: Up till now I’ve listened to the audio versions of the books and I have to say they are done extremely well and I’m really going to miss the narration in the final book because there is no way I have the patience to wait any longer 😎 -
*** 3.5 STARS ***
Paradise Lagoon made me feel so many different emotions and some parts were quite intense. There are some great scenes, lots of character and relationship development and some great crossovers from other series.
Unfortunately, I have to admit that it dragged in some parts and for such a long book, there was very little action or plot development. As there are so many gangs involved, I was expecting more action. I can’t say exactly what it was, but I didn’t enjoy the pace and the way the book was structured as much as I enjoyed the previous books. Some parts I considered important were sorted quickly and others with less importance had more focus and it didn’t help the story.
I love the main characters but...is it wrong to say that I am more interested in Carmen and Luther? I want to know more about that woman and what she has done in her life.
Be ready for the brutal cliffhanger! I am looking forward to the final book and I really hope the characters improve in their decision making… Shawn has really outsmarted them so far! Also, I am crossing my fingers for more action! -
𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊: PARADISE LAGOON.
𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE.
𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄: REVERSE HAREM, SECOND CHANCE, GANG WARS.
𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄: BOOK #4 OF SINNERS'S PLAYGROUND.
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: CAROLINE PECKHAM AND SUSANNE VALENTI.
𝐏𝐎𝐕: FIRST-PERSON: MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVE.
𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒: KIDNAPPING, GANG WARS, VIOLENCE.
𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓:🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠
𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆:🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏
𝐄𝐘𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑:🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄:
Oh my God!! How?! How am I supposed to write a review for this book😭..my heart is shredded in pieces with the level of heartbreaking moments in this book. Rogue and her men, they had never had it easy but this time it broke all the records.
I finished this book like two days ago but I am still on the verge of a breakdown...that ending was so intense...let me tell you, crying is inevitable for this book.
I have been reading every book in this series as soon as it get released so I can say that THIS CLIFFHANGER was the hardest fall for me.
There were soo many new and crossover characters here, some I obsessed over (HINT: Saint and Brooklyn) and other made me fall for them in just few seconds.
Every series by the Celestial sisters are mind blowing good but this one has a very special place. The angst, heartbreak, the twists coming on and off...cliffys...it has such a unique storyline that has you gripped from the start.
The authors are evil yet I feel like bowing to them for their genius moves in this book. This had the perfect balance between laughing out moments and that gut wrenching, sobbing on your pillow.
I am not just affected from this book...I am freaking HUNGOVER...
YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK..if you enjoy Second chance RH Romance...this is not one that is missable. -
I don't have words at the moment. Processing this whole thing!
-
3.5 stars
🗝️🎡 The story🎡🗝️
The boys will have to deal with the aftershock of Rogue’s confession, trying to find their way in this new reality, while Rogue has to suffer her own consequences.
I still feel like the drama at the end of the last book was very unnecessary. Rogue realized this herself halfway through the book, and it just made me annoyed; because of course it was an insanely stupid plan that would never work? Argh, I HATE unnecessary drama. Furthermore, I don’t understand why they believed her in the first place. They know her, and they know she’d never truly do that, so it was a bit surprising that they couldn’t even see through her bullshit when they supposedly know her so well. Two last things; the What the fuck. I hated that entire scene and I’m still so damn mad. Furthermore, how is this chick not pregnant yet? She literally never uses any protection and I’m pretty sure she isn’t on any birth control? Don’t remember to be honest, but still.“All good things hurt a little. If you embrace the pain, you’ll find the magic sweet spot.”
I loved the little crossovers once again, although I was on Saint’s side this timefor the first time in my life I know: I’m not okay with how they treated his house, and how disrespectful the gang treated their kindness. I especially screamed when Brooklyn and Mateo made an appearance, fuck me did I miss that girl. It was so funny to see her from a sane person’s perspective. The development of the relationships between each of the characters was good, but I must admit that I am getting a bit impatient. Everything that has been building since book one was undone in this book, and we basically started from scratch again. I feel like nothing really happened in this book because of that, since it’s only them rebuilding their relationships and losing against Shawn. < spoiler>It was very obvious to me that either Maverick or Rogue would turn out to be family of Miss Mabel, so that didn’t surprise me in the slightest. I also wasn’t surprised when she was still alive, but I did like it. That being said, the cliff-hanger was again intense, and I’m glad I put off reading this until the next book was out.“Hold on to that fire in your heart," she hissed. "And use it to burn everyone who tries to put it out.”
Halfway through the book, I decided to start listening to the audiobook; the first audiobook in my life. I’m not sure if this was a smart idea, since I just laughed so much at scenes that weren’t even funny. I mean, Troy’s voice for Rogue made me snort every damn time. All the accents were so good too. I also realized that sex scenes being narrated are NOT for me, it made it all so freaking cringy and I just laughed through them all. Chapeau to the narrators for not cry laughing every time they had to do a scene like that.
🗝️🎡 The characters🎡🗝️
🌈Rogue/Little One/Beautiful/Pretty Girl/Hummingbird/Wildcat🌈Seriously how many nicknames does this girl need??
Like I said, I didn’t agree with some of her decisions, and they made me a bit annoyed. What however annoyed me most of all, was her relationship with Maverick. I absolutely detest that dude, and she never called him out on his bullshit. Seriously, she sometimes said “don’t be an asshole”, but she never actually did something about it or made him hurt for it. He does all the hurting and was such an asshole, and NO ONE made him pay. Argh. I hate how she promised She’s so selfish, and it’s darn annoying to me. I hate the sex-obsessed girl she’s turning into; she was such a badass, but she can now only think about fucking one of the guys. So yeah, I clearly liked her a bit less in this book.
🍳Fox/Badger🍳
I still liked Fox in this book, and I honestly think his attitude is refreshing. It’s realistic since every character in a reverse harem is always like “yeah of course I’ll share my girl with my friends!!” with isn’t often seen as normal, but it apparently is in these kinds of books. So it was refreshing to see an actual realistic attitude towards it all, and I enjoyed that. The slow-burn is killing me though, and I need him and Rogue to sleep together ASAP. I laughed so hard at his scene with Brooklyn, and I just loved him overall. The ending killed me though, damn. They all better be okay.
💵Johnny James/JJ💵
Although I felt sorry for JJ after the ending of the last book and his heartbreak in this book was intense, I also feel like he should’ve seen through that shit. I feel like he knew the new Rogue the best, and he should’ve seen that she was lying. I laughed REALLY hard at him hitting on him all along was so freaking funny to me. I feel like we haven’t seen him that much in this book, for some weird reason he just didn’t stand out that much or something? I can’t explain it.“You’re the master of your own fate. If you try and control the world long enough, it’ll eventually break free and bite you in the ass.”
🚬Chase/Ace🚬
Chase’s struggles in this book were heart-breaking, but I love how he’s slowly starting to accept his new reality and his new looks. I loved how the others were trying to help him, and I really started to like him. I don’t think he’ll ever be my favourite, but he’s a really good character. I do think it’s annoying how he kept describing that he could see the same pain in Rogue since her time with Shawn wasn’t bad at all. Seriously, it was freaking nothing compared to his time with Shawn, and I hate how they kept comparing as if Rogue had had it worse. It was quite literally a walk in the park, she had her own kitchen and shit; yeah so terrible!! Sure, Shawn is a psycho, but he barely touched her, so I feel like she’s being overdramatic once again. I adored Chase, especially his playlist. I need someone to do that for me :’)
🏍️Maverickalso known as massive asshole🏍️
Since I already whined about him when discussing Rogue, I’ll just quickly discuss him. He was such an asshole, and I hate him so much. None of his behaviour is alright; I hate the way he talks about Rogue to others, how he filmed/photographed her without permission, etc. etc. Have you ever heard of consent you prick? Fuck me I hate him. I just need Rogue to give him shit instead of just turning into a whimpering wh*** around him. Sorry, not sorry. I also realized I’ve been pronouncing his name wrong, apparently it’s not Maaverick, but I’m going to stick with it because it sounds way better.He wasn’t capable of loving her. He was vicious, heartless. And I may have been a lot of those things too, but I would have loved Rogue Easton until the world ended.
🐕👑Other characters🍸💎
I have to give Mutt a special shoutout. I adore that dog and man did I get scared a few times in this book. I probably said it before, but I LOVED Luther, especially him and Mutt. He just wants his family to be happy, and I was so glad to see him play a bigger role in this book. I am shipping him and Carmen so hard, I can’t. I was also wondering if Carmen has her own story; I’m dying to know what the deal between her and Pepito is, and I just freaking adore her, to be honest. Do I smell potential for a new series here? ;) I’m also interested to see what the deal with Travis is, I feel like he’ll probably take over the Dead Dogs. I at first thought he’d be a fed, but since Rogue is thinking along the same lines, I’m guessing he’s not. I have so many theories about that dude, I could write an entire book about it. I know Shawn is an absolute psycho, but he’s also darn funny. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator’s voice for Shawn cracked me up. I truly don’t understand why they kept making deals with Shawn and thinking that he’d keep his word, what exactly makes you think he’s trustworthy, what the fuck?“Enjoy it while you're young, child. Before you know it, you'll be an old woman like me and you can trust me when I say, the things you look back on and regret are always the things you didn't do. Not the ones you did. So be wild, be free, live fast and love hard.”
🗝️🎡 Overall conclusion🎡🗝️
I’m honestly just a little annoyed with how little progress we’ve made. Although I enjoyed the development of all their relationships, I feel like everything could’ve just been resolved in this book, and another book filled with Rogue’s stupidness and horniness is quite unnecessary. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but I’m just getting a bit tired of how little is really happening, and I’m very salty about the fact that no one’s giving Maverick shit and he’s just getting away with all his insanely asshole behaviour. I hate that dude so much. But yeah, I hope they’re all alrightbesides Maverick bye. I just feel like they were all stupid in this book. Although it might not seem like it from this review, I did actually like the book, but there were just some things that annoyed me.“Become who you were born to be. Life is too short to spend it accepting your place in the gutter when there are stars just waiting for you to rise up and claim them. And I swear, when you ascend, there will be no man on this earth powerful enough to pull you from the throne you build for yourself.”
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What a ride that was!
I trust the process I really do but this book shook me.
Picking up after the events of the last book Rouge is now back in Shawns clutches with Rick, Fox and JJ all believing Rouge has played them and with Chase nowhere to be found things don’t look good for our budding harem.
Paradise Lagoon is packed full of surprises, each character gets their own terrifying heart stopping incidents which will keep you on your toes until we are dumped off the most horrifying cliff yet. This book is guaranteed to get your heart pounding and blood racing.
