Book Review: Six Deadly Steps

"You'd start a war to escape, but I'd end one to keep you safe."


'Dolls don't choose.'

One thing Isabella Santini doesn't have is the luxury of choice without sacrifice.

To the mafia she is 'nothing more than a bambola, a doll. Dress up, look pretty and shut the f*ck up.' And that's been her job since she got kicked out of boarding school at 18. For five years her father kept her 'tucked at home, reforming her into a woman fit to be at the side of a king.' While he molded her skin with beatings and threatened the rebellion out of her, he never bothered to learn anything about her. Pretty tamed girls don't speak unless spoken to. They are nothing but dolls.

But 'Dolls don't cry.'

After being a rebel, a doll, a whore and a victim, Isabella has had enough. She is now determined to be the winner. No matter what it takes, who she has to screw or screw over, she WILL be free from not only her father's clutches, but also from his organization. All she will need to accomplish will be six steps. Six deadly steps in six days. And her only ally is the one man she is not supposed to have - Luca.

Appointed his sister's handler, Luca's done nothing more than tread the fine line between dutiful son and loyal informant, but he's tired of being in a world where he doesn't belong, doing things he hates. Torture, blood lust, and power are the Cabralis' motto, but Luca wasn't made that way. The girl he loves, however, that's a different story.

Luca Crabrali and Isabella Santini defied their families by being together and didn't care about it.
What they had wasn't chemistry...
They had 'the kind of love that marks the soul - that fuses two strangers together and makes them a part of each other forever.

One shy kiss hello. Two for stay. Three for never leave.'

Even after years apart, their feelings remained the same. And now the only thing Luca wants is to get his woman out from under her father's clutches and keep her safe by his side. Regardless of the casualties the war she's trying to start will bring.

image from Bourbon, Bikes and Books

Dark, gritty and raw, the story of Luca and Isabella is one that you'll find difficult to set down. Not because of steamy scenes - they aren't really there. But because of a love that doesn't need words to leap from the page. Luca's heart is in his eyes and Isabella's on her sleeve - palpable, visible love. A love in the wake of which shame, past and guilt dissolve. Desperate and committed.

'Want me, she begs. Despite who I am. Despite who I have to be.'

Their love is both touching and heartbreaking. And yet, as beautiful as it was, it didn't represent the highlight of this novel for me. A love story alone doesn't make for a 5 star read, regardless of how good it is. And this book here is a great love story but much more.

Sonya Jesus gives us here a great insight into the life of a mafiosa 'doll' and an even more fabulous insight into the psychological impact of abuse. She'll take you on a wild ride following a desperate plan full of twists and turns you really don't see coming and offer you all the while heartbreaking little glimpses into the horrible past of an abused young woman who learned to live without feeling, just so she can keep herself together and not fall apart.

"Some days I exist, most days I survive, but I never live..."

On my word! The things that girl goes through are downright blood-chilling! And what's even more impressive is, that we get to see all that without having to deal with a Mary Sue. Isabella is not all-knowing and kick-ass perfect. She's perfectly relatable while heartbreakingly broken. Strength and weakness in just the right mix. Kudos to the author for pulling that off like a charm.

Gritty suspense and chilling intrigue, heartbreaking moments and edge of the seat scenes, fast paced action and intense feeling. This book has it all.

I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it to all dark romance lovers out there.
It's a damn fine read!



Check out this book and more of Sonya Jesus over at http://www.sonyajesus.com