Falling in love wasn’t easy. But I did it and found my happiness. Then I was declared. Kidnapped. Ripped away from my family and man.
Sid says it’s my choice. Love him or choose not to. But the consequences of not picking him will kill my family and Javier.Sid is a monster. But not to me.He tells me he loves me and will die for me. I don’t doubt him.But all I want is Javier to come rescue me … him.
But all I want is Javier to come rescue me before I have to do the unforgivable.
I’m running out of time.
“Acts of Manipulation” is the third installment of the “Together We Stand” series. It’s an epic journey of one family’s struggle of forgiveness, hope, and new beginnings amidst dangerous situations. Each story intertwines and focuses on a new sibling trying to find their Happily Ever After. Trigger Warning: This books contains acts of sexual manipulation and may be triggering to survivors.
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I’d like to start off by saying I’m a huge fan of Maggie Cole. I’m hooked every time I open one of her books and start reading! My curiosity made me want to read this novel about what happens to Javier and Gabriel. Let me say I was not disappointed! The Brooks sister Gabbie is as strong as the brothers , Javier never gives up and it’s a crazy wild amazing love and heartache but they endure it and pull through! Sid twisted hearts leader will surprise you.
This is the 3rd book in the series of TWS and you will love it!
“I want a real man not a boy”
Gabriella has struggled with her mental health after the Twisted Heart gang reeked havoc on her family’s lives. She has set limits and expectations for her own health but she falls hard for Javier. Javier wants to prove to her that real men take care and protect their women, but when Tiker the new leader of the Twisted Hearts gang wants to show her the same how can she resist him when she truely needs that protection.
I didn’t think anyone could be more loyal, loving, caring and demanding then a Brooks brother. Javier proves that he can fit right in amongst these men. He is kind, patient, loving, and loyal and will stop at nothing to get Gabriella back. But will he still want Gabriella after the choices she was forced to make after being held captive.
Maggie Cole thank you for the opportunity to join this family on their crazy ride of love, lust and loyalty. I can’t wait to read Hudsons story.
Beautifully tragic and haunting but so well written you can’t put it down. Gabriella and Javier’s story is one that will stick with you for years to come. An emotional roller coaster that you won’t want to get off. Maggie Cole’s best yet in the Together We Stand Series!!!
Acts of Manipulation is the third installment to Maggie Cole’s Together We Stand series. All I have to say is be prepared to go on a ride of emotions. It is a roller coaster of twists, turns, ups, downs, happy, sad, screaming, and so much more! Javier and Gabriella’s story will definitely be one you won’t forget!
Gabriella Brooks was there that tragic night. Agent Javier Lopez is trying to take down the Twisted Hearts. They both weren’t looking for love but now the head of the Twisted Hearts, Sid Triker, has put a declaration on the beautiful Gabriella. Can Javier stop him before it’s too late? Maggie Cole has done it again. This book is steamy and will keep you on the edge of your seat. A must read!
Gabriella has been declared by the new head of the Twisted Hearts gang. She has been through the ringer since that horrible night ten years ago and now has a new threat to process. This story takes the reader through her journey of the past and the present. It takes the love of a special FBI agent to keep her from falling into a dark place. True love does prevail but not without conflict and danger.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Gabriella Brooks grew up with brothers that were overly protective. She hasn’t had many chances to date let alone fall in love. But things change when she meets Javier Lopez. She was instantly attracted to him. For Javier, Gabriella should have been off limits, she was the sister of the men involved in the case hes working on. But he realizes he can’t keep his hand off her. But when Gabriella is declared by the new leader of the Twisted Hearts, the gang Javier is trying to take down, Javier knows he will do anything to protect her. But Gabriella gets kidnapped and taken to Triker. And she has to do what it takes to survive. And Javier will stop at nothing to get her back.
This is book three in the Together We Stand series. And it is definitely a must read. This series has it all, action, betrayal, very steamy sex, and love. This was another incredible book in this series, and I loved reading about Gabriela and Javiers story. It was sweet, and heartbreaking and wonderful. One thing I love about what Maggie Cole does in this series is she writes strong, tough men, but she also writes a man that isn’t afraid to show emotion, and cry. I absoltely love that the men in this series aren’t afraid to cry. And all of the woman are strong woman capable of taking care of themselves. This book will have you laughing, and crying, and rooting for everything to work out. I could not put this book down, and definitely recommend this entire series.
I laughed, I cried, and I got mad. The love between Gabriella and Javier is what everyone is looking for. Through the ups and downs and tragedy, this book is a must read
Wow! This book is just fantastic! Maggie Cole has once again taken my emotions for a ride! Gabriellas story is just so much more intense then her brothers! I couldn’t put it down. Forget cooking dinner for the family or taking the kid to his sports I had to read this book to it’s finish I had to find out what happened next! Each book in this series gets better and better! My heart broke and then was repaired the broke again for Gabriella!!! What a great fantastic read! Now I have to have the next book in the series and not sure how I’m going to wait!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is not for the faint of heart, but most life worth living isn’t.
Gabriella knows all about dealing with loss and coping with unexpected events, thanks to the Twisted Hearts gang and her brother’s unjust incarceration. Never in a million years did she think she would have to use those carefully cultivated skills to save her own sanity and life.
Javier’s Marine career showed him more than enough unwarranted deaths, he was determined to prevent as many as he could working as a FBI agent to end the Twisted Hearts. Little did he know, he would have to dig into his Marine strength to fight for the love of his life.
Maggie Cole has succinctly and accurately depicted the way emotionally abusive and manipulative relationships progress. As well as describing the emotions, thoughts, and thought processes of survivors of this type of trauma.
When Javier meets Gabriella it was instant attraction. However Javier is determined to put the brakes on it because of there age difference. Gabriella has been through a lot over the past 10 years. She knows what she wants and will not settle for anything less. After try to fight it, Javier is unable to control his desire for Gabriella and is determined to make her his.
Gabriella has been claimed by the head of the Twisted Hearts. She is being protected by her family and Javier. Javier and the FBI are doing their best to put a stop to the Twisted Hearts. Unfortunately that is not enough! Gabriella is kidnapped and claimed by the head of the Twisted Hearts. Can Javier save her before it’s too late??? Is Gabriella and Javier’s love strong enough to survive the trama they have gone through???
Once you start reading, you will not put it down. Get ready for a wild, emotional ride of manipulation and vengeance!
It took me a minute to come up with a way to put this review into words. After reading Acts of Manipulation, I had to sit back and let the plot of the novel soak in. Normally I would write how steamy it was and how hot the main character was…and though this book has all of that and more, there is another layer that needs to be peeled back and examined in this story.
In Acts of Manipulation, Gabriella is left in the dark by her brothers to the hardships and tragedies of their family’s battles with a notorious gang known as The Twisted Hearts. Javier is a FBI agent assigned to take the same gang down working alongside the Brooks family and will stop at nothing until every member is known and dealt with. He knows he shouldn’t mix business with pleasure but Javier just can’t seem to stay away from Gabriella, but neither can Triker, the leader of the Twisted Hearts gang and puts out a declaration for her. With a price on her head, Gabriella is quickly captured and put into a hostage situation.
Gabriella has to fight through the mental manipulation that Trike puts her through–always remembering the strength of the words her brother and Javier had left for her. With a dash of luck, a lot of heart, and a steel resolve, Gabriella pushes through and survives everything thrown at her.
There is a beautiful lesson to be learned when you read this book. Even if you are a survivor of abuse, I encourage you to read this to the end. You’d be surprised to find the peace left in your heart after finishing the last word.
Acts of Manipulation is the third book in the Together We Stand Series by Maggie Cole. After reading this book I was gobsmacked. This book invoked so many emotions in me. The Brooks Family has become my all-time favorite book family. Their strength and love for one another shines through this series and especially in this book. Gabrielle and Javier’s love for one another superceded my expectations. Gabrielle goes through so much in this book, but she has a strength about her that she does not realize she has.
Acts of Manipulation is an intense read that deals with heavy topics such as mental health, kidnapping, and mind manipulation, and gang activity. The book had me on a rollercoaster ride, but it was well worth it. Maggie has a way of weaving a story that makes me invested in the world she has created. The primary and the secondary characters are well-developed. I highly recommend Acts of Manipulation. I am looking forward to reading the next installment of this series. Kudos to Maggie Cole.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Maggie Cole’s TWS Series has captured my heart for the Brooks Family . Acts of Manipulation weaves the saga of Gabriella Brooks , her true love, Javier Lopez FBI Agent) , and Twisted Hearts Gang Lord Sid Triker through a maze of human emotions when Triker declares Gabriella will be his woman . She is kidnapped by the Twisted Hearts and the turmoil that ensues for her, Javier, the Brooks Family and Sid Triker takes us on a journey through some hard hitting
and sensitive issues . The mind games and extreme manipulation by Triker to make Gabriella his own questions her loyalty to Javier and her family. To keep them safe from Triker’s threats , she finds herself responding to his manipulations . Is this going to be her life from here on out?
I couldn’t put this book down until the last page was read. What an ending ! Maggie Cole continues to amaze me with her books. The depth of this series and it’s subject matter really touched me !
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Imagine a man so virile, so alpha, that when he locks eyes with the woman of his dreams he is electrified with indecision. Could he cross that line? Could he claim what his very essence was screaming to possess? In the end, the only choice was Gabriella. Yet, she was not only the object of his desire, but that of a much sinister obsession. However, no matter the obstacle, never cross a Lopez! You will lose every time. Javier Lopez will get his woman, guaranteed, and you will melt reading their story! His love for her is epic and will make you swoon!
Book 3 in the Together We Stand series. Before you go any further, you NEED to know that there are potential triggers in this story.
This book gets very serious and hits you right in the feels. I’m not a crier. The older I get, the harder it is for a story to make me cry. By the time I was done reading this, I needed a healthy, cleansing cry. Gabriella’s story is intense and hard to handle at times. But the love between Javier and Gabriella is also intense, so the trade off is worth it. This book is a must read if you’re going to read the TWS series. I eagerly await the destruction of the entire Twisted Hearts Gang.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Who knew a Declaration could have 180 degrees difference in meaning? Not I.
Gabrielle declares Javier her man and Javier declares Gabrielle his woman as their hearts fill with love and happiness upon finding each other – mutual declarations.
Sid Triker, the leader of the crime “family” Twisted Hearts, sees Gabrielle and tells the gang she is Declared – as in he will pay large sums of money to have her kidnapped and brought to him so he can force her to become the First Lady of the gang. A 180 twist to Javier and Gabrielle’s declarations of love.
After being kidnapped and taken to Triker’s compound, he does give her the choice to be his or not to be his. However, the consequences of not being his are death to her family and the love of her life, Javier. She is manipulated mentally into accepting she has no other option and this is her new norm.
Following a breakdown due to the effect of her brother being imprisoned for the murder of his best friend & the friend’s sister who was Gabrielle’s best friend, Gabrielle’s therapist taught her to use mantras as a coping mechanism. Utilizing mantras in her situation with Triker – from which she saw no escape – allowed her to function while saving her family and her true love, Javier.
Javier, an FBI agent, never stops trying to rescue Gabrielle. It is a 24/7 mission for him. Their reconciliation brings an unexpected surprise while proving true love never dies.
This is the third book in the Together We Stand series by Maggie Cole. As you read each book you will become more and more invested in the Brooks family and their mission to stand together against the evil of the Twisted Hearts.
Acts of Manipulation contains passages which may trigger some readers with similar experiences. See reference under book blurb.. One of the wonderful things in this book is showing us how asking for help and using coping mechanisms during and after an event or situation can help us heal.
Together We Can All Stand Against Evil and For Healing and Love.
Do not miss this great series or the other two series by Maggie Cole. All In and Its Complicated are her first two series. Each book is a standalone HEA (Together We Stand is best read in order). The characters flow throughout each series in a cohesive manner as we get to know each one in depth.
One-click today to ensure you do not miss this great book. You will be So glad you did.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What can I say to give this book the love and respect and all the things it deserves…..this is the most amazing book ever….first, if you have not read Kiss of Redemption and Sins of Justice….go read them! This book is the 3rd book in the Together We Stand Series by Maggie Cole. This book is about Javier and Gabriella….and it is the BEST BOOK EVER…..it has all the feels to the third power. I know my review will not do it justice, but I will honestly try. A high ranking gang member of the Twisted Hearts Gang, Triker, has put a declaration out on Gabriella! This means a large sum of money to anyone who can deliver Gabriella to him. But Javier is an FBI agent and Gabriella is his woman…..and he is going to do everything he can to arrest and/or eliminate Triker and stop anyone from taking Gabriella from him…..but the unthinkable still happens……Triker has Gabriella. Gabriella longs for Javier but in order to keep her family and Javier alive, she must come to terms with her new life…..her new life with Triker…..will she fall in love with him? Will Javier get to her in time? If he does save her, will she still love Javier or will it be too late for them? There are some serious turns and twists in this book and it just adds to all the amazingness that is Maggie Cole. I did not want to get to the end of this book because I did not want the story to end……and thankfully, in a way it kind of doesn’t as I can see Web of Betrayal will be next in this series…..Do not hesitate on getting this book…..you will not be disappointed. Thank you Maggie Cole for all your amazing books…Just, thank you!
I’ve just finished reading Gabrielle and Javier’s story and I’m left speechless. Their story is heartbreakingly beautiful, emotional, and with highs and lows that no one can survive on their own. Gabrielle is so strong and brave, but she has struggled in the past, and now she is moving forward, and her sights are set on Javier. Javier knows that getting involved with Gabrielle shouldn’t happen, she’s sweet, sexy and fun, he can’t help himself, but these two are made for each other.
There’s danger lurking behind every corner in the form of Triker, the family needs to take precautions and they do the best they can to keep everyone safe. All it takes is one quick moment for your life to take a drastic change and for Gabrielle, it was one she didn’t see coming and had no idea what she was in for. The journey that Gabrielle and Javier are on has a long road ahead of them, finding their way back to each other, picking up the pieces, loving each other, dealing with guilt and accepting their fate.
Their story is outstanding and a must read by this author. It’s an emotional roller coaster ride, it has some dark moments, loving moments and I’m going to tell you right now you will need some tissues. Your heart will be ripped apart and slowly put back together with these two. I’ve never read a book where the love of a family is bonded so tightly together. Maggie Cole weaved her magic with this one and with a little twist at the end and I can’t wait for the next book. I absolutely loved it and if I could give it more than 5 stars I would. I found this book on BookSprout.
Acts of Manipulation by Maggie Cole is a moving novel chronicling the love and hardships of Javier and Gabriella’s relationship. I cried several times while reading this novel. I love the strength that Javier brings to Gabriella and the Brooks family’s undying devotion to each other.The book was a roller coaster of highs and lows including topics of good mental health, kidnapping, mind manipulation and gang loyalty. Acts of Manipulation has an interesting story line that remains strong from beginning to end. This is a steamy romance novel that shows that true love and devotion can overcome the darkest of days. Take your jet ski to the beach, climb into a hammock and immerse yourself in a great story.