Fractured: Black Onyx Book 2

Nate And Malia’s Story is Fascinating! Steeped With Danger And Chemistry, This Is Part Two Of Two That Keeps Your Interest Throughout. Comes After Petal And Before Puppetmaster

This is part two of Nate Brower and Malia’s two part story. Captured: Black Onyx Book 1 begins this duet. While the duet is collectively a stand-alone, chronologically it follows Petal, Jayson Bowlan and Liliane’s story, and comes before The Puppetmaster, which is the story of Alena Prey and Michael Raad Brower, Nate’s dark and secretive older brother. This book provides a brief HEA and glimpse at Raad’s story.

Those familiar with the author’s works might recognize the Covey and the Scivolas, around which this story revolves. The Covey is a mysterious crime syndicate that remains dependent on the local mafia’s benevolence. The Covey isn’t composed of good guys, but they aren’t totally bad when compared to the mafia. One of their main headquarters is in Boston.

In lart one the boss, Big George, had decided to work with the Scivolas, a local mafia headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. Everyone questioned the logic, but a deal was made years ago and there is no choice but to follow through. A problem arose when a key Covey player was diagnised with stage four cancer. Lailah was raised in the Covey and had trained for the mission for years. Not quite twenty-one, she was no longer able to fulfill her upcoming role, leaving the men on the Mission Onyx team scrambling to avoid certain death at the hands of the Scivolas.

Malia, roughly twenty-three (like Liliane), had certain regrets about her part in what happened to her best friend Liliane, but all was good as she accompanied Liliane and her beau Jayson to Atlantic City when they decided to elope. Malia comes from a humble background, but Jayson – a well-known psychotherapist and hypnotist, paid for her luxurious hotel room, happy to have Liliane’s kind-hearted, loyal, and devoted friend witness their vows.

Nate Brower, perhaps in his mid twenties, had always been a rule breaker. Raad, his half-brother five years his senior, had always been their father’s golden child, groomed to take over the family business. It was ironic then that it was Raad who messed up and got involved with the Scivolas years ago. But Raad’s record was clean, so even though it was a set up, Nate chose to spare Raad and the family from ruin, taking the blame himself. He left home as a teen and joined the Covey with the goal of getting back at the Scivolas. He was so close to that revenge years later when Lailah was diagnosed. It was then slipping away as he and his mission mates faced near certain death instead. Yet amidst them draining their sorrows in Atlantic City, a new hope emerged in the form of one petite, curly black-haired, olive-skinned young woman with onyx eyes.

When Malia awoke in a moldy dark room, bound to a bed, terror struck. Yet she couldn’t help but wonder if it was all payback, an elaborate practical joke orchestrated by Liliane and Jayson. Nate wasn’t used to being disobeyed. Malia may have been a dead ringer for Lailah, but they were nothing alike. Her sass and helplessness were new to him but he found himself dangerously attracted to his captive.

As Nate and Malia’s story unfolds in part two, Nate becomes much more than a dark and cruel kidnapper. He becomes Malia’s source of strength. She grows under his care, becoming more confident and courageous. Survival binds them, but trust is a two-way problem. Malia questions what is real, and Nate worries Malia may betray him when she learns his secrets. The couple earns a short but sweet HEA.

There is one issue that merits mention. It is unclear why Lailah’s illness and death would cause the Onyx team to be taken out.

Nate and Malia’s story is fascinating. Steeped with danger and chemistry, it keeps your interest throughout. It is well-written. The plot is complex. It slowly unravels, but in the end some answers are still vague. The characters are nicely developed. The story is written in first person. The POV alternates between Nate and Malia. I rate this book four stars.

This is the second book in the series but before you start to read this you must read Captured: Black Onyx. This book continues where the first book left off. Nate and Malia continue to train for her upcoming mission but tensions are running high with time running out and the pending death of Lialah. This book is more intense than the first one but for me it left some unanswered questions at the end. I also didn’t like how he played her emotions when it suited him. I found her emotions to be true for her situation. I felt her anguish,anger, desire to please even though she was in a terrible situation. Overall the book was good just not as riveting edge of your seat as Petal or The Puppetmaster! Those were phenomenal books that will keep you captivated until the very end.
4.5

I am in the minority as far as a review of this book goes. This is a satisfactory ending to Nate and Malia’s story but overall I can’t say I was a big fan of this duet. I did not particularly care for Nate and while I understood Malia’s attraction to his dominance in the bedroom, the rest of the time I just felt like he was mean for no reason. The plot for me was a bit far-fetched and I felt like the whole story was kind of sad and depressing. I usually enjoy this author’s works but this one just didn’t do it for me.

I am voluntarily reviewing an advance reader copy of this book.

This begins where the first one ends and what a roller coaster of a ride we have. It is fast paced and full of action, drama, suspense, and romance that you would believe. It is darker but beautifully written. The characters are extremely well developed and add that oomph to the story. The ending took me by surprise but boy was it a great ending to Malia and Nate’s story. I wish it was longer and didn’t want to see it end. It is most definitely worth reading and doesn’t disappoint.

Malia and Nate are working on their project – to make Malia into Lailah.
Everything Malia does is to servive…almost. The nights are her own.
A perfect ending of Malia and Nates story.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book

Danger, Duplicity and Desire

Part two of the Onyx duet, “Fractured Onyx”, opens where part one, “Captured Onyx”, concluded. Reading part one, “Captured Onyx”, is crucial before reading part two, “Fractured Onyx”. This darker romance is professionally written, easy to read and extremely fast paced, “Fractured Onyx” is the conclusion to Malia and Nate’s story but not necessarily an end to the interwoven narrative of interconnected characters. The duet may be read as a standalone story-line however, reading the prior novels, “Lost Petal” and “Fallen Petal”, presents a detailed context for Malia’s story. “Fractured Onyx” is presented in dual POV with a second epilogue cultivating interest in Nate’s half-brother, Raad (aka Michael) story.

Detained at Covey headquarters, Malia is finally introduced to the enigmatic Covey member Lailah, the young woman Malia exhibits an uncanny resemblance to and the reason for Malia’s capture. To obtain her release, Malia must assume Lailah’s identity and carryout the Covey’s mission of murder, the covert poisoning of a local Mafia Familia. To affect Lailah’s identity, Nate embarks on an intensive training regimen with Malia including background on the mafia members, layout of the Familia residence and instruction in self-defense protection.

As the training intensifies, emotions are elevated, intimacy increases, and Nate begins to reveal elements of his personal identity, deepening the couples attraction and potentiated affection. The intense chemistry between Nate and Malia escalates due to Nate’s requirement to develop trust with Malia, beginning his transformation from an antihero to a potentially redeemable character. With Lailah’s passing, and ever-increasing pressure to execute a successful mission, doubts as well as questions continue to surface within both characters psyche, heightening tension along with the readers emotional engagement. The conclusion features a twist most readers may not anticipate and offers a rational resolution to climatic events.

The Onyx duet is an engaging narrative fraught with mystery, suspense and intrigue amid erotic nuances. Part two of the duet, “Fractured Onyx”, sufficiently provides readers with answers to the many questions originating with “Captured Onyx”, while maintaining an appropriate level of intrigue to captivate and entice readers with a continued interest in additional interconnected characters. Although both, “Captured Onyx” and “Fractured Onyx”, are considered dark romance, the level of darkness may be considered moderate, appealing to many mainstream readers.

Disclaimer: No Kindles were seriously harmed while reading this novel. Children 18 and over only due to explicit sexual content.

Disclaimer for the Disclaimer… The term “seriously harmed” is not intended to include: overheating, scorch marks, minor melting or inconsequential fire that can be put out with an extinguisher. Fire retardant gloves highly recommended while reading. Reviewer is not responsible for run-on sentences, questionable grammar or misplaced commas.

RATING DETAILS (Based on 1 to 5 Gold Stars):
STEAM FACTOR: 5 Intense Stars
WRITING STYLE: 5 Professional Stars
PLOT: 5 Suspenseful Stars
ENGAGING CHARACTERS: 5 Redeemable Stars
SATISFYING CONCLUSION: 5 Gratifying Stars

*** I voluntarily received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review ***

Malia and Nate’s story continues to unfold in this exciting and gripping read. You must read book one, Captured Onyx first to get the complete story. The complex plot will keep you on edge with steamy chemistry, intensity, drama. suspense and danger. I really enjoyed this excellent read.

Nate and Malia had quite the unconventional beginning to their relationship. I have to say that I would have loved to see how things went down for the mission. Looking forward to reading about Nate’s brother.

That was not at all how I expected this ending to come about. The story flew by in a flurry of action and emotions. I felt like if I blinked, I’d miss all the important bits. I loved getting this chance to see Nate and Malia pull together as a unit, to connect with one another to the point that they were looking for the opportunity to have something more after the mission. I also adored the series of plot twists and behind the scenes machinations that made that ending possible. The set-up for the next book has me highly intrigued now.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.

This is a very different book, there is some hot sex but the storyline is unusual; a girl kidnapped because she is a doppelgänger for someone who is dying in order to fulfill a mission involving a crime family and a mafia family. The story is really about the developing relationship between the two main characters Malia and Nate, both of whom are lost souls but who find each other amongst the chaos of the plot. It is a sweet love story in many ways but has an intriguing conclusion.