An innocent coffee. A dazzling stranger. What can go wrong?Anna Raymond focuses only on her work at a little custom printing company in LA. She’s become a recluse after a traumatic experience that tore her life apart. Then Eric happens, barging into her life one morning at a Starbucks. By the time night falls, she has witnessed a murder, fought for her life, and revealed secrets she meant to keep … revealed secrets she meant to keep buried forever.
Eric Reed is a hired killer, well aware of his effect on women and how to use it to his advantage. He’s in LA for one thing only: Finish the contract he’s been assigned. Anna was nothing but a means to an end, but he finds himself reluctantly drawn to the enigmatic woman, a mistake that can cost him everything.
That long, cold night trapped together changes something fundamental between them. Anna must make a choice: will it be her path to happiness, or will the fervent Eric burn her to ashes?
This is book two in the Russo Saga but can be enjoyed as a standalone.
Publisher’s Note: This extremely dark romance is intended for adults only and may contain triggers. It contains elements of danger, suspense, action, adventure, sensual scenes, power exchange and a guaranteed HEA.
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This is the first book I have read by this author, and boy what a treat! It’s the second in a series, and I had not read the first one yet, but can certainly be read as a standalone.
From the get-go I was pulled in, curious about Anna, wanting to learn more about her story. An innocent jaunt to Starbucks, leads to an encounter with a mystery man Eric, who somehow grabs her attention, when none have before. You find out he is in her building, but not for innocent reasons.
The allure is there between the two characters, then things go from bad to worse. Eric is a bad guy, and Anna has unknowingly stumbled upon his world. So much happens, and I was completely sucked in, wanting to know what would happen next. Like Anna, even though Eric is a bad guy, once we got to know him a little more, I started to like him. Of course, that would be crazy right?! Now, that I have read their story, I want to check out the others in the series!
This is the first Russo Saga book I had read and I was nervous about not reading #1 first, but this was awesome even without reading the first one yet.
“Ruin” did ruin my vision of what a relationship should be. Eric and Anna meet in a coffee shop like a lot of people do, but neither of them are just normal people. Anna quit her career to work at a company where she didn’t have any responsibility and only had to put her time in and go home and not worry about anything. Eric is a hired killer for the mob and is not a nice guy, or is he??? When things go wrong and they end up getting trapped for a night together they both start opening up to each other and learning things no one has ever known about either of them.
Then neither of them want to be apart once the pull is so strong for the other. Now they have to figure out a way for them both to stay safe, alive, and together!!!
I enjoyed this book. I think the main reason I enjoyed it was because of the dynamic that built between the two main characters, Eric and Anna. This Mafia Romance is very different than any other I’ve read. It is dark, but there is also light; a nice balance. And the story flows with just enough tension and redemption to have the reader turning pages. I will definitely be reading more in this Series and I’m fairly certain I will enjoy those books, as well. Well done, Nicolina Martin! 4 Stars
I never took myself for a lover of Marfia romance, I always thought it would be way too dark for me but it turns out it’s not, well not when Nicolina Martin writes anyway…
The first lesson stay out of Starbucks then you may not bump into the sexy, dark mysterious guy trying to kill you…lol Poor Anna had no idea what hit her right from the start but when she finds out the truth it will set her reeling back into a past she was hoping to forget forever.
Eric is dark, dangerous and sexy but he is also a killer let’s hope there is hope for him…lol
The whole story was fantastic I can’t wait to read more from this author.
This is the second book in the Russo Saga and it doesn’t disappoint. In this epic novel, Eric is given a job to do but runs into a complication. Her name is Anna. This book is a page turning with suspense, murder and mayhem. The characters are well drawn and it’s clear as to the role they play. The dialogue is witty, funny, and in some instances down right scary. The plot was phenomenal and I can’t wait for what Ms. Martin has in store for us in her coming tales of the Mafia life.
I really like this story…it’s got some dark tendencies but that doesn’t throw off the romance. I found it sweet that Anna, a previously assaulted woman who is scared of her own shadow, is able to flirt with Eric at a coffee shop while he’s insulting her flavored coffee. I like that he was able to give her comfort in a stalled elevator after witnessing her boss’s murder, even though he committed it. He even got on her father’s good side which would seem unlikely due to how they met.
An amazing second book. I already feel totally captivated by the ‘Russo’ world. This book focuses on Eric and Anna. In the past poor sweet Anna has had a distressing experience which has left her traumatised, things go from bad to worse when she witnesses something. As a result of this, Eric (who’s totally hot and I’m crushing hard) has no choice but to go after her. What ensues from then on is nail biting, full of all sorts of violence, sadness, lust and excitement. I would definitely recommend you read this book and I can’t wait for the next one.
Okay, let me start by saying this is not my typical “go to” book. I like the more fantastical (hunky aliens, fae lords, witches, vampires, werewolves, oh my!), so you won’t often see me reaching for a contemporary, mafia style book. It just isn’t my jam. That is, until Ms. Martin came out with the Russo series. I AM HOOKED! Her characters are intense, multi-layered, complex and beautifully flawed – you know, like REAL people. Sometimes you like them and sometimes you don’t.
Anna is just trying to continue living after a horrific incident leaves her soul battered and bruised. Everyday is a struggle to continue moving through her life. Then, one day, she makes an unexpected connection with a dazzling stranger and her life will never be the same, again. Eric is not a hero. He is no knight in shining armor and that’s exactly how he likes his life. That is, until he meets Anna, who makes him reconsider his outlook on life. These two have instant chemistry and the story that unfolds is enthralling. This is an edge of your seat, emotional tale that will live with me for a long time. I loved the first book in this series, but I LOVE the second. I cannot wait to see where the next book takes us!
This story deals with some really rough, adult themes and the reader should be aware there are possible triggers. However, in my opinion, everything was balanced and made sense. There was nothing sensationalized about it and the harsh subjects were not used to titillate the reader. They were presented and handled in a respectful way. If this were a movie rating, I would give it an NC-17. Highly recommend!
This was the second installment of the Russo saga. Featuring Eric the hitman from book 1. When dealing with a job he happens upon a woman with a desolate past- Anna.
The become entangled on many different levels, causing a chain reaction which is more than Anna can handle. I love the dark and twisted nature in which Eric warred with himself for the reasons gir his actions. Anna was a lost soul, she just didn’t know she was seeking a man like him to save her before he killed her. Great story.
4.1 stars
This book is the second in the series but it is separate from the first book. The commonality here was the family itself. There were just a few appearances by Luciano and Nathan from the first book. I both liked and didn’t like this. In one aspect it made it feel like a standalone and the other made me miss the original characters.
I really enjoyed the premise of this book, however, I found myself frustrated with the book also. Eric kept alluding to being into this alternate lifestyle and how he approached sex but nothing was really followed through until the end and that was mild. Especially, after seeing the darker sides of Nathan in the first book. I also had some issues with the notion of the crime family allowing a “mistake” to not be fixed. Regardless of whether Eric “vouched” for Anna, I just didn’t see this happening.
I did really like the brief glimpses and foreshadowing the story gave with Christian. I hope his book is next since I was wanting to see his story after reading book one. All in all, still a great book by an author I am glad I found.