A shattered woman. A changed man. Church Logan wanted to kill someone, and Emma Hartley wanted to die – they were a match made in hell. But one little cut, a pint or two of blood, and suddenly everything between them is different. Are they still destined for greatness? Or has the darkness finally eclipsed them and torn them apart? Looks like it’s time for Church to practice what he preaches. time for Church to practice what he preaches.
Ignition, meet explosion.
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I honestly had no clue what I was getting into when I started book two of the Church duet. Aside from knowing how the previous book ended and anticipating where I’d find both Church and Emma, I was at a loss as to how this author would further twist my mind with this couple. And twist my mind she did!
Emma was right where we left her, making trouble for herself and pretending to be someone she definitely wasn’t. She was just as lost as ever, leading me down the rabbit hole of her delusional mind. She was ready to reclaim her life, but she had no life. It was like an infinite loop of nonsense. Her internal thoughts drove me nuts, leading me to affirm my intense dislike of her, but she was entertaining nonetheless.
“You once told me to embrace myself, to be okay with my darkness. I think it’s time for you to practice what you preach.” – Church
Church, who was the life of the party in the previous book, was still his cold and charming self. This classic manipulator, this man who seemed more aware of everything around him than anyone else, he who played Emma like a puppeteer, was a little lost himself. But he believed that he had everything under control. That he alone could dictate and shape destiny. Maybe he wasn’t wrong?
She used me to feel loved. I used her to feel control.
Could anything ever be that perfect again?
I’m guessing no.
But I bet it could be better.
With just a wink here, and a nudge there, and we could be so much better. – Church
I’m still in love with the way that Church loved Emma. I didn’t like the girl, but he gave her everything he had to give. Shoot, he changed so much about himself just to suit what she would like. I don’t think she really deserved him, but that’s just me.
As for some of the predictions I made from the last book, I was so glad to find out I was right! I knew there was more to a certain character than met the eye! As unassuming and as bland as Jerry was, there was so much going on underneath. The man had layers and I only wish there was more time spent on his components. He was freaking awesome!
3.5 Stars
Review by Sue
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Preach by Stylo Fantome is an interesting story with a plot line that creeps up on you while leaving tingling and warning sensations along your skin as the story progresses.
Emma is trying to figure out who she truly is and what she actually wants while Church does everything in his power to help Emma get what she wants.
Will Emma finally find the peace she has been looking for? Will Church finally feel the power he has always dreamed of?
“No one loves you more than when they’re afraid of you. When they’re looking at you because you hold their life in your hands. You become their whole world. You become their god.” – Church in Church duet #1
This is the second book in the Church duet and I found it was a little anti-climatic when compared to the first book, Church
There is a lot of introspection by our heroine, Emma. I found that the amount of introspection slowed down the overall pace of the story.
Church’s character, for me, did not match the same demanding man that was in the first book. This could be because his character took a back seat to Emma’s.
Overall an entertaining and deliciously dark duet..
Please note that this book does have triggers.
The obsession continues. Even though Emma finds herself angry and alone, she uses her time to hone her skills. Never one to plan things out, she’s relieved to know she was never truly alone.
The author ends the book in a way that allows the reader to imagine all the wonderful, horrible, psychotic things these two can accomplish now that the whole world lies ahead of them.
What a great second book to the Church Duet, the suspense and darkness was great, learned more about Church, crazy turn of events on Jerry, kind of thought he was off a little, but jeepers. So glad I read this duet, it was fantastic!!
4.5 twisted as sin stars!! Take me to Church!!
This is book two in the “Church” series and can NOT be read as a stand alone.
This book was seriously crazy. Like all over the place crazy. I have been dying a slow death waiting on this damn book and then I had to move and I couldn’t read it as soon as I got it so it has been hell. So when we left off, crazy as shit Emma, was in the hospital. That ending really threw me for a loop. But the beginning of this book was like “hello twilight zone”! I had no clue what was about to go down. And boy did this book keep up with the mind fuckery!!
Jerry, well I knew I liked Jerry. Church is Church and I am still not for him. Except this book showed a different side and I like!! Emma still annoys the shit out of me but I get her. Margo still worthless. And then you meet a few more imperative characters… the real shit show begins!!
This book is one hell of read. This series is twisted, dark and wonderful!!
**I received this book as an ARC and in return gave my extremely late (I am soooo sorry) honest review**
I’m not even sure where to start with this.
Fact: I like dark reads.
Fact: I like dark romance.
Fact: I love damaged characters.
Church/Preach gave me dark and damaged. I can’t say it gave me romance. Also, it failed to give me any sort of solid healing or redemption at the end. I guess I really need that because I found it super lacking here. By the time I finished Preach I was just left wondering what exactly I was supposed to take away from this series.
Emma Hartley thought she found everything in Paul “Church” Logan but when her heart broke she realized she couldn’t live without him.
Church Logan moved away after Emma was institutionalized by her mom, Margo, but now he is back and wants to figure out if Emma still belongs to him.
But as much as Emma and Church need each other, Margo is still trying to control everything that Emma does. Will Emma be able to break free of Margo and will she find an ally where she never expected to?
This conclusion is awesome and was everything I was hoping it would be!
I loved Emma and hated what she was going through while at the hospital. It was super interesting to see her relationship with Dr. Rosenstein and how in certain ways he was truly helping her but in other ways he was covering up certain other problems at the hospital. I hated that Margo kept making her go there.
I was interested to see how Church was going to deal with everything and the beginning was a little creepy! I know he hated Margo and has his reasons and I couldn’t wait for everything to happen!
The planning that went into certain things was huge and it really showed how determined Emma and Church were.
I was completely shocked with Jerry, Church’s dad and Margo’s husband in this book. I was not expecting anything that he revealed in this book!!
The end of the book was huge and left my jaw on the floor!!!
I can’t wait to see what this author has for us next!
I’m not in the habit of reading dark romances; however, I read Church with a book buddy (she held my hand), and both of us enjoyed it immensely. Wow, what a cliffy, too! Not only was the suspense killing me, but I couldn’t get the characters out of my head. Fortunately, the wait for Preach wasn’t that long and if I’d had the mistaken belief this duet couldn’t get any grittier, I was way off the mark! What I liked about the first book was how the character-driven plot focused on the protagonists’ many-sided traits and backgrounds. How they fed off each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Peeling back their layers, I understood why their attraction was more than physical. Quite honestly, these guys were two peas in a pod. But Fantôme generously gave me a ray of hope. In my mind, I imagined the heroine growing stronger after what she’d done. And my biggest wish was her learning that taking certain risks weren’t always the perfect choice. So, would she get her act together, become less dependant on the man who’d managed rattle her cage? Would there be a painless closure? Hmm…wait and see!
Did Paul Logan, aka Church have the upper hand? I always felt and I think I’m right in saying him being one step ahead of Emma, being able to read her thoughts and control wasn’t just negative as it was hurtfully true to her persona. Nonetheless, he had her back. She’s a hard nut to crack and at times her actions were highlighted in the worst possible scenarios. In an atmosphere which should have been healing, the reverse happens at the whim of a professional’s advantage. She observes, she starts planning. She knows how to measure the right from wrong of others, her wrongdoings have no limits. And this folks is why I loved how she dealt with a certain individual. Call it sick, he had it coming to him.
But how on earth could I even contemplate reasoning in my tiny head when they both have a screw loose? I admittedly confess that Church brought out the worst in me. I wanted to like him more, I liked Emma even less. I’m convinced that this reaction is exactly what the author wants her readers to feel. We’re not supposed to fall head over heels with either of them. What she’d set out to do from the very start was to try to make us comprehend the whys and wherefores of an obsessive love with tendencies which we, fortunately, will never have to experience. And believe you me, she cracked it, slapped it in our faces and the result; a duet that stands out and has more twists than turns and will make any hardened reader gasp for air!
So, I’m not going to delve into details since spoiling this duet would be a crying shame. Don’t expect flowers to bloom, do get ready for the unpredictable bud to show its head when you least expect it to! Now, I have to mention Fantôme’s narrative which actually made me go back and check out what I was reading. In third-person, was I reading first-person? I felt like I was though. The author’s prose, her vocabulary and the flow kept me stuck to every page, made me wonder if there was going to be a happy ending, something I have no inclination to tell you. This is pure and utter Fantôme style and my last words; be warned…it’s dark, it is not for those of you who have high blood pressure ‘cause this unique story won’t read as you want it to. It’s the romance of your mother’s generation or some such. Spine-chilling, sweat-building, it’s heart-racingly complex and imaginative. And it might or might not pan out as you want it to. Bravo, and thank you for giving me such a nail-biting-sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat read!
Yessssss!! This sequel was everything I wanted it to be. It’s probably really wrong to love such a twisted couple so much, but I do! Thoroughly enjoyed this dark ride, so glad Stylo didn’t hold back!
The darkness and craziness continues. I love how a book can grab you and keep you on high alert. Church and Emma are a match made in heaven or could it be hell? The demons that these two live with are perfect for each other. But in order to get to be together, there are several obstacles that need to be overcome. This author weaves diabolical and endearment together when writing about Church and Emma. This wild roller coast of a ride is wickedly fun and sinister.
Preach is really all about Emma. She has not had an easy life. And when Church entered her life, she reveled in him and almost lost herself. But in Preach, Emma shined and discovered that she was what she was suppose to be. Don’t for a second think that Church and Emma are a sweet couple. They both have a very dark side but they do love each other and have found peace with each other. And then there was Jerry…….I must say that I loved discovering his story. Not that I was surprised but still loved the validation!!
I would highly recommend reading CHURCH and PREACH. They are not your ordinary stories. They are dark and fiendish and wickedly addicting. While Church and Emma are feverishly flawed, you can’t help but love them and be happy that they found each other. The plot of the story is fast moving and traitorous to what is right and wrong. This author pushes boundaries like no other. If you enjoy a walk on the dark and evil side…….Pick up Church and Preach and Enjoy!!!
“You’re a Picasso that I ripped down the middle, and now they’re trying to turn you into a paint-by-number. Don’t let them do it, Emma. Come back to me.”
Church destroyed her by pushing her off the wall, watching her crack open and bleed. He left her alone to try and put herself back together, but there was a missing piece. She had so many voices talking to her that she had to try and shut them out and listen to the only voice she could trust. When two heavy, dark clouds come together you get thunder and lightening. Church and Emma are two dark people who were always meant to be together. It a push and pull, a rage and an awakening after the storm. There were many obstacles and people in their paths trying to keep them apart. One day as if a light was switched on Emma found her own voice and stood up for her principles. She shuffled the deck and restarted playing the game leaving everyone confused.
~Is love still love if it’s rooted in obsession?~
What can I say about my man Church? He is psychotically HOT and worthy of devout worship. I would follow his sociopathic ass across country just to hear his praise. Pair him with the broken and crazy Emma and we have a duo thirsting to spill blood.
We were introduced with Emma’s unhealthy obsession with Preach in the first book of this duet. Now we get up close and personal with Church’s infatuation with Emma. The two are perfect counterpart’s of the other. The harmonization they create generates an electrifying and frantic story that will bring the reader to their knees.
Jump into the pages of this duet and get lost in the chaos of Church and Emma!
5 Blown Mind Stars
This book is effed up! And I mean that in a lovingly truly blew my mind good way. There are so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I’m not sure I can do this book justice with a review other than if you are a lover of dark romance then you need this book in your life today.
Angela – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
“Is love still love if it’s rooted in obsession?”
All the twistery! I was guessing from beginning to end, waiting for that curveball. I love dark romances such as this, a psychological play with words, truths, the dark side of your mind. Age old question. Nature vs Nurture. Are we all capable of destruction? A trigger, a nudge into the abyss of depravity. Stylo Fantome delivers all the answers for Church & Emma. Two broken, jagged pieces forming a sadistic whole!
“I’m a monster. How do I know? Because Church told me so. How would he know? Because he’s a monster, too.”
I loved their imperfect, perfectly epic, dark love. As much as I wanted to see “monsters” the more I fell in love with their obsessive compulsive need for each other. This duet will we a favorite of 2018 for me. Deliciously dark and disturbing!
P.S.
I’m hoping for a sneak peek into their future sometime. I don’t think I can ever forget these two characters.
My mind is still reeling from Preach. Deliciously dark, twisted and thrilling Church and Emma’s story continues in this riveting pageturner. I loved all the twists and turns that kept me on my toes until the very last page. I was a bit surprised by how enthralled I became with these two and how much I eagerly anticipated the dance with darkness that was sure to come. Both Emma and Church are beautifully broken characters who together become a true force of nature. Jerry took me completely by surprise in this book and left me a bit intrigued. Intense, shocking and mind twisting Preach left me speechless one moment, unexpectedly cheering and then angry in the next and by the end loving every single moment of this wild, thrilling and unpredictable read.
Speechless. Truly, my mind has been blank since I finished Preach a few hours ago. What was that? What exactly happened here?
Emma has been hospitalized after her suicide attempt. Church disappeared to New-York two days later, leaving her to deal with her awful mom, Margo, the mysterious Jerry, her stepdad, Ryan whom she met in therapy and her two therapists Dr. Rosenstein and Drew Casperian.
With this second installment and conclusion to Church and Emma’s story, Stylo Fantome thoroughly explored the craziness of her characters. She delved into their psyche, dissected their minds. It was absolutely wrong and gritty, and at the same time utterly fascinating: I basked in the darkeness and the depravity of Church and Emma’s actions.
The way Emma grew up and matured in Preach was surprising, her reasoning very interesting. Therapy helped her to have a better understanding of her issues. But that’s where the true mindfuck also started. Manipulations and addictions were used over and over, bboth by Emma and Church, running in circle until I almost lost track of who was the mastermind and who was the puppet. Jaw-dropping twists and psychological games kept me alert, always on the edge of my seat, ready to fall or to bolt, I wasn’t sure which. With some dark humour to top the ominous and cold atmosphere, the bloody cocktail was ready to be served and savoured.
Enjoy, if you dare, because that series is serioulsy messed-up. It deals with difficult matters and it’s a disturbing ride down the darkest urges and pulsions of the mind. It’s brilliantly executed, enhanced by convincing side-characters. The doubts and struggles felt almost smothering, and the danger and suspense had me biting my nails until the end.
You have to read Church (book one) before you begin to delve further into the life of Church and Emma.
Twisted love comes together when two not so normal people find one another.
There are so many unexpected twists when it comes to these two. Not to mention Jerry.
A dark read that you may not even realize is a dark read because of such commitment and love throughout their story.
Another great job Stylo Fantome
OH. MY. GAWD! This book… Where do I even start? It was intense and raw and so gripping. I simply could not turn the pages fast enough. This dangerously delicious story kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what could possibly happen next.
In this epic conclusion of Church & Emma’s story, readers are taken for one last heart-pounding ride. It is dark, captivating and thrilling with plenty of twists, turns and mind-blowing moments. Hands down, this is one of the best books that I have read this year. The page-turning suspense and unexpected twists make this a must-read dark romance. So pick it up and give it a try. I promise that you will not be disappointed.
After picking this up and putting it back down several times, reading other books in-between just in case it was ‘me’, I’ve come to the conclusion that this book just didn’t quite hit the mark. And I am genuinely saddened to have to leave a less than glowing review for this book but the truth is, if it had been Book #1 I would have DNF’d it and not continued with the duet. Reading a book, to me, should never feel like an effort and this did. I loved Church with it’s dark and sinister overtones but this just did not work for me.
It felt forced, it just didn’t flow for me in the way that Church did. I do know the original release was delayed and I’m wondering if the author just wasn’t feeling the story but a looming deadline put pressure on them to finish this. Quite frankly it didn’t feel as though it was written by the same author as Church.
I kept getting thrown by the change from 1st to 3rd person for BOTH main characters. I was OK in Church with him being 1st and her 3rd but it made this too choppy.
The writing is still good, the editing and pace were fine but somehow Church and Emma just didn’t call to me in the way that they did in book #1. I felt like an outside observer watching a slightly lacklustre performance rather than being caught up in the action and feeling on the edge of my seat. I raved about book 1, there was no bigger fan of that book than me. It breaks my heart that I can’t do the same for Preach.
It IS worth reading, not only to complete the story but also because it is still a decent book. Church just set the bar so impossibly high that anything less, whilst still good, just leaves a slight taste of disappointment.
I loved this book! The first book I ever read by Stylo Fantome was The Bad Ones, and this duet made me think of it. Completely different story, mind you, but at its heart is a completely psycho crazy couple! LOL
I loved Church and Emma. Emma was her own brand of crazy. Church had his own issues, but they were fairly obvious and well explained. Emma was just a little, well…crazy. She had good reason to be though, they both had their own history, which helped shape them. One of the surprising characters in this book to stand out though was Jerry. OMG, he turned into a big surprise! I loved Jerry!
This is one of those books, that once you start, you won’t want to stop till you finish. I loved it! And now, I think I want to go read The Bad Ones again!! If you like dark books, with crazy characters, you have to read this!!