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Professional, The: Part 2
Summary
From number-one New York Times best-selling author Kresley Cole comes The Professional: Part 2 — the second scorching installment in her Game Maker series, an erotica collection that has listeners asking: How hot is too hot?
He makes the rules...
Mafia enforcer Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan’s loyalty to his boss is unwavering, until he meets the boss’ long-lost daughter, a curvy, tantalizing redhead who haunts his mind and heats his blood like no other. Ordered to protect her, Sevastyan will do anything to possess her as well — on his own wicked terms.
Rules are made to be broken...
PhD student Natalie Porter had barely recovered from her first sight of the breathtakingly gorgeous Sevastyan before the professional hit man whisks her away to Russia, thrusting her into a world of extreme wealth and wanton pleasures. With every day she spends under his protection, she falls deeper under his masterful spell.
Are you ready to play?
Yet all is not as it seems. To remove Natalie from an enemy’s reach, Sevastyan spirits her into hiding. From an opulent palace in Russia to the decadent playgrounds of the mega-wealthy in Paris, the two lovers will discover that even their darkest — and most forbidden — fantasies can come true...
A Simon & Schuster audio production.
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Reviews
I liked this book, but I did not love it. The plot was OK. For me, the story and characters needed to be better developed. I wished that the story had started in Russia with Svastyan and then moved on to the US. Maybe some details about him stalking Natalie and how he comes to fall for her would have helped the story.In addition, I found numerous errors (more than a dozen). I am NOT an editor, but I am very good at finding missing words and word order problems, because I have to read every single word, and being the detail person I am…. It drives me crazy! If you can ignore the copy errors, and you like hot steamy sex, then you will like this book. Otherwise, I suggest you find something else.
I've spent years studying Russia, and the language. So, when I saw this book I decided it was worth a shot, even though it was not in a genre I normally read.That said, this was a story that draws the reader in from the first chapter. It was quite the interesting story, and kept me engrossed to the last word!
Wow! What intensity! I was wiped out when I finished reading THE PROFESSIONAL. I loved Natalie and Sevastyan. These are two strong characters who have to force the other into communicating, believing what is said, and accepting that what is said is true. Natalie is picked up from a small town and put into a Russian mafiya's stronghold to be protected when she finds her birth father. I was happy she found him and that they got to know one another. I also liked that she was able to break through Sevastyan's emotional distant wall. He needed to learn trust but I could understand why it was hard for him. I also liked that Natalie pushed Sevastyan to believe that she wanted what he wanted in the bedroom. I loved his reason for his proclivity's. HOT! I cannot wait for the next book.
Natalie search to find her biological parents suddenly turns her being pursued by them. She soon finds herself being whisked away to her biological father by Sevastyan, whose been sent to bring her home to Russia. Natalie finds herself drawn to Sevastyan but he to her but he denies himself. As much as he can... Soon she finds herself in a whole new world, trying to find true motives behind her new found family. Lots going on here. Does he want her? Is this guy a good guy or bad guy? Should she stay or go? Ahhhh! What a read! Mystery, romance, STEAM, it's got it all. Ready for book two...I received this book in exchange for an honest receivew for Netgalley.
Kresley Cole, the talented and popular paranormal writer of the Immortals After Dark Series, makes a scorching hot, 5-Star transition to erotica suspense in The Professional. What a debut! Be prepared for some of the most titillating, lascivious writing around, including some really steamy BDSM scenes, and an introduction to one of the most seductive, intriguing, alpha heroes ever! You will also get a thrilling, adventure-filled, behind the scenes look at the world of the Russian Mafiya and their vors (warlords) and enforcers. No doubt, the Professional will leave you wanting more of this exciting Game Maker Series ASAP!!!Natalie Porter, a grad student living in Nebraska, has led a fairly uneventful life. She's never traveled beyond the Midwest or even had sex before (not for lack of wanting, she's just never found anyone worth it). That all changes when she begins a quest to find her birth parents. Shortly after her investigator disappears, Aleksei "The Siberian" Sevastyan shows up claiming that he works for her father who insists on her immediately coming to see him in Russia (lack of passport notwithstanding). Possessing a highly keen sense that allows her to quickly analyze men, which she refers to as her "manalyzer", Natalie quickly assesses that Sevastyan, and quite possibly her father, must be criminals who are involved in the Russian Mafiya. Not wanting to get involved in that world, she tries to run away, but quickly learns that Sevastyan is a man who always gets what he wants; and instead just manages to commence a wickedly alluring but possibly nefarious seduction game.Sevastyan knows from the first minute that he sees Natalie that he wants her, causing him much angst, not only because she is the long-lost daughter of Pavel "Clockmaker" Kovalev, the head of the Bratva (a Rushian criminal aristocracy brotherhood) with a ten-figure net worth, and his boss and mentor--in fact the only man who has been a father to him--but also because of his "particular interests" in bed. He warns her numerous times, and even tells her that she is "taboo" to him, but like a moth to a flame, Natalie's desires have also been inexplainably piqued by Sevastyan and she continues her quest to find out why.Thus begins their journey, where Natalie discovers both the pleasures of unimaginable wealth and Sevastyan's darkest and most forbidden desires. But what will happen when her father finds out? Moreover, Sevastyan is used to total control, and is a deeply private man, will Natalie be content to play the game by all of his rules or will she demand the impossible, that this master game maker alter some of his rules?Kresley Cole is a master of prose. In addition, to the highly erotic passages, she also manages to weave in a whole other dynamic through Natalie's interactions with her best friend Jess. Adding an interesting humorous chick-lit vibe to the parts of the book where Natalie and Jess analyze men and coining some memorable terms in the process, like "manalyzer" and "ABC" (Always Be Crazier--a method that they use for "badly behaving males"). The Professional will leave you both aroused and smiling.A totally enjoyable, intoxicating read, I highly recommend The Professional to lovers of erotica suspense novels. I, for one, am definitely hoping that Kresley Cole focuses her attention on writing more Game Maker Series and similar style novels in the near future!ARC Copy provided by the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Contemporary Romance. Aleksandr mafia enforcer and Natalie, longlost mafia princess. Not even close to her IAD series. OK-
SummaryNatalie Porter, is a college grad student, and she has had to work hard for her schooling, working multiple jobs, making her own way. But even though she was adopted by a loving family, there is still one things that she needs…to find her birth father. After searching and searching, giving up thousands of dollars, to find him, she is at a lost when her investigator stops communication. But she hasn’t given up hope that one day she will find him. At a bar with her best friend, she is dared to flirt and take home a stranger, and have fun and dirty sex with him. The man she picks, is bad boy all the way. Danger seeping out of his pores, tattoos, and a dark brooding stare that she finds compelling. But he warns her off, and she didn’t think that she would ever see or hear from him again. Aleksi, was found on the streets as a teenage boy, starving and doing what he could to survive, and was picked up by the Mafia boss. That mafia boss raised him and taught him everything, and was the father he always wanted. But when he is asked to watched over his daughter, he is more than willing. But the longer he watches her, the harder it is. Then their enemies are after her, and he must protect her and bring her back to her father. He knows that he can’t touch her, but she is temptation itself…and will Aleksi be able to resist her body and her heart?The HeroAleksi, has a past and that past has haunted him. At thirteen he was left on the streets, forced to abandon his brothers, and barely surviving the streets, by learning to fight and defend himself. He is then brought into a Mafiya group, and the head honcho, practically adopts him, and teaches him everything he knows. Aleksi, is a killer, and has had to do things he will always regret, but always to protect himself and those he is loyal to. He has always obeyed every order, without question until he meets the woman to bring him to his knees. Aleksi is one sexy bad ass of a hero. And yes he is a hero. But it took time before I believed that. :) He was quite intense and complicated at times, and you see from the beginning how mysterious he is. He is dangerous but only to his enemies. He does have certain singular tastes, and delights in them. He loves being in command, especially in the bedroom. But as the story progresses you see so much more depth to his character, than that which he portrays. I loved seeing each layer being peeled off and boy did he give me the shivers and tingles–in all the right places.The HeroineNatalie is a fun and sassy heroine. Natalie, is one of those heroines that you can’t help but love from the beginning. She is very bold and daring. She has the spirit of a tiger, and wow does she have passion all boiled down inside her. What I really loved about her character was how she gave back just as much as she got. Alekski is pretty intimidating, but she doesn’t let him frighten her. She does have a strong personality that seems to meld with her hero quite well. I felt like she matched him on any playing field, and she seemed to be able to still give off a sweet personality to. She was very likable and so easy to relate with. She is willing to try anything and has a sense of adventure, that I am not sure I would feel if I was her. But she won me over from the first chapter, as I am sure she will with you as well.Plot and Story LineThe Professional is a story that will sear you completely. This story was super HOT and way hotter than I was expecting. This author has definitely picked up the heat since I first read her. Which was a few years ago when I tried her historical romances and the first of the Immortal series. I knew that this would be more erotic, but wow this blew my mind away. Despite all the heat it had quite a plot to the story. Much more than you would ever think with an erotic romance…but in my mind this story will still be considered a romance novel—just blazing hot. Because there is still so many positive elements that makes it so much more than a simple erotic novel. Now from the very beginning these two have had fireworks, and he kidnaps her and puts her on a plane, but not before one hell of a kiss and some fondling that just had be getting a fever. Whew…first chapter, and it was always HOT…I knew I was in for one hell of a ride. But it doesn’t stop when they arrive at her father’s home and sanctuary, the safest place on the world for her to be…except from Aleksi. Natalie already knows that she could easily fall in love with him, but Aleksi doesn’t believe he can return that, or dishonor her father that way. But soon Natalie will be like a dog with a bone, never giving up. She is tenacious and stubborn, and Aleksi is danger personified but he surely knows how to show a girl a good time. There are BDSM elements. Now those that know me, know that I am picky about this. There are times I like it and times I don’t. But I knew it had some elements so I was prepared. But Kresley Cole did a tremendous job of writing a story that is engaging and erotic, and has plenty of romance for romance lovers. It is way more intense and dramatic, but there are things that occur that totally shock me, and really pick up the pace of the story. There were some aspects that had me reaching for my tissues…but in a way it was a good thing. I felt all over the place with the story, but I found it one hell of a ride. Now I do want to say one thing. I have heard comparisons from this story to Fifty Shades of Grey (there is no comparison. they are totally two different themes and story lines. They may both have BDSM elements of a sort, but they are as alike as fire and ice. I found I loved this story and it had me from the beginning.CoverThis cover is so yummy. I don’t even know what it is, but the whole man in a suit, and I don’t know what he is holding (maybe vodka or brandy)…but sure is sexy. The model did a great job in portraying a total russian bad ass.Overall ViewA story that is bound to set you to aflame….a story of passion, unique sexual drama, dramatic characters, and a thrilling plot leaving you breathless for more!!
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A Nebraska girl finds herself swept away to Russia by her father’s enforcer. Along the way, he will teach her things about desires she never knew she had. It’s safe to say her life will never be the same.Opening Sentence: Sorry to e-mail you yet again, but I was so excited to learn of the potential DNA match you discovered last month.The Review:I had mixed feelings before starting this book. On one hand, I’m not a huge fan of erotica. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good steamy scene, but I tend to think of erotica as all sex and no plot, and I really need some plot to go along with my steamy scenes. On the other hand, I love Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series, so I had a feeling that, even if this is a genre I don’t normally read, I was still going to get a very well written story. In the end, I honestly still have mixed feelings. The first half of the book exceeded my expectations, but then the last half was more in line with my previously mentioned worries about the book.Natalie is a 24-year-old PhD student. She has a great life, but something is missing. She’s always wondered about her biological parents. The private investigator she hired has disappeared after sending her some information that he found. She’d given up hope of ever finding out any further information. Then one night, Natalie meets Aleksandr Sevastyan. He tells her that her father has sent him to bring her to Russia in order to keep her safe from enemies of her father’s who are on their way to find her. Regardless of the immediate attraction she feels for Sevastyan, Natalie is hesitant to drop everything and leave. Sevastyan takes matters into his own hands and forces her to come with him. Thus begins a journey that will change Natalie’s life forever.While I found Natalie an easy heroine to like, she did frustrate me at times. She never seemed to be able to make up her mind as to what she wanted from Sevastyan, and then all of a sudden, she was falling for him. Based on how little she knew of him, I found her feelings a little hard to believe. On the positive side, she often had me laughing out loud with some of her internal monologue, which made the book move incredibly quickly.As for Sevastyan, I never really warmed to him, mostly because we never learn anything substantial about him until the last 10-15 percent of the book. Without that information, it makes it very hard to connect to him when he’s being so hot and cold with Natalie. When he does finally open up, it seems to happen almost too quickly when you take into consideration how much he’s resisted sharing his life up to that point. As much as I love an alpha male, his alpha-ness wasn’t enough to make up for the things that bothered me about his character.As I stated briefly before, I thought the first half of the book was great. The plot seemed interesting, and there was a good balance of steaminess and story. There were some predictable elements to the plot, but I was able to overlook it. Then at about the halfway mark, part of the plot got wrapped up, and the rest of the story was pretty much all sex. Whereas I was originally reading the book as often as I could, now I was having a hard time getting myself interested in reading. It made a definite 4-star book drop down to a 3 for me. Overall, while there were elements to the story I liked, in the end, I was rather underwhelmed by the book as a whole. I may look into the next book when it comes out, but I would definitely have to be in the right mood for it if I were to do so.Notable Scene:After a shower in a large marble enclosure stocked with high-end toiletries, I’d padded back to the suite’s bed and stared down at my abused robe. The back had looked like modern art, in a pallet of greens, yellows, and blacks. And it had reeked of corn, a treacly sweet smell. No way I could wear it again.I’d surveyed the suite, lighting on an expensive piece of luggage. Sevastyan’s. He’d helped himself to kidnapping me, so I’d felt justified borrowing a shirt. Slipping on the starched button-down, I’d shivered, enveloped by his crisp scent, covered from my neck to almost my knees.With nothing between my skin and the material, I hadn’t even been surprised when arousal swept over me again; in the shower my skin had been hypersensitive…Now Sevastyan raked his gaze over me, head to toe, giving me an are-you-fucking-kidding-me? look.I frowned in turn. Everything was covered. “I’m just borrowing it until I get my promised new clothes, okay?” When I sat at the opposite end of the sofa, he pinched the bridge of his nose.“Tension headache?”Without looking at me, he answered, “You could say that.”“I can’t imagine the pressure you must be feeling,” I said in all truthfulness. “Do you do this kidnapping stuff a lot?”Scowl from the Russian.“It’s a fair question, considering that you and my father are involved in organized crime.”Without missing a beat, he asked, “Why do you persist in thinking that?”“Your tattoos. The pilot’s. I’ve researched your country enough to know about the Russkeys Mafiya and their love of ink. Plus, that would be the absolute worst outcome in my years-long quest.”I tapped my chin, musing, “And yet totally in keeping with my fortunes over the last few weeks-”“A worse outcome than never knowing Kovalev?” Sevastyan asked, irritation scoring his tone. “You speak about things you don’t yet understand, little girl. But you will…”FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster provided me with a copy of The Professional. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
When Natalie sets things in motion, trying to find her biological parents, she finds herself in limbo as she tries to reach her private detective. Little does she know, she's been found by her biological father and he's sent Sevastyan to bring her "home" to Russia. Natalie finds herself entranced by Sevastyan and his sensually secretive attitude. Sevastyan is supposed to protect Natalie, but at the same time, he must keep his hands to himself. Sevastyan can only take so much when he's completely aware of her and wanting her with all of his dark sensuality. The Professional is as hot as it gets, with so much going on you won't be able to stop reading until it's over…and you'll still be anxious for more! It will constantly keep you on the edge of arousal, wishing you could put yourself in the heroine's place. Or at least bring the hero home with you (lol)! This book is uber erotic and the sex scenes as explicit as they come. I wasn't prepared to enjoy this book so much and I can hardly wait for more. I am so happy though that I did wait to read the complete book all at once. I would have gone NUTS if I had to wait for each part of the book to release and be left hanging in limbo. I will keep this book, enjoy thinking about it, talking about it, and reading it again. I'm thrilled I got to read The Professional and I will be anxiously awaiting more from Ms. Cole!
Paperback, 400 pagesExpected publication: May 6th 2014 by Gallery BooksISBN 1476762317 (ISBN13: 9781476762319)The Professional (Book #1 of the Game Maker Series) by Kresley Cole features much of the same style for which Cole is known. Add a few vampires, a werewolf or Valkyrie and you’d have the next installment of her Immortials After Dark series. The new twist is the Fifty Shades of Gray plot line it follows. Just take FSG and put it in Russia, exchange out a helicopter for a plane and a yacht. What you have left is the young inexperienced woman that finds herself thrust into the world of money, power and kink. While the older experienced man with a dark side becomes obsessed with young inexperienced woman and shows her all the joys of being in a relationship with someone who is emotionally damaged. My major issue with book didn’t occur until near the end when it became clear the relationship had some big issues. Every time she drew a line in the sand, she allowed him to run right over it. It went beyond the whole dominance realm to being bullied. What kills me is at it’s core the story was a good one. Take away the obvious FSG influence and the plot still works. I am torn on my rating. It fits with the genre and was well written, so I give it a C for originality and a B- overall.ARC was provided by the publisher.