The best way to keep your word is never to give it.Not long ago, in a chapel in Vegas, I swore to love Karissa for the rest of my days. But nobody’s promised an infinite number of tomorrows. Nobody’s promised forever. Sometimes, all we have left is today.Carpe Diem.Seize the day.It should’ve been over, we should’ve been happy, but people are making it hard for me to live in peace. I’ve got so … making it hard for me to live in peace. I’ve got so much blood on my hands they’ll never be clean, and somebody out there seems to want me to pay for it. Happily Ever After always comes at a cost, one any real man would be willing to pay. But that doesn’t mean I’m just going to roll over and accept these consequences.
Because when it comes to the woman I love? The life I’ve fought for?
Nobody is safe.
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AN ABSOLUTELY PERFECT SEQUEL !
(REMINDER :
Karissa, 18, student, participates in an alcoholic evening.
The next day she wakes up amnesiac in the bed of a complete stranger.
The stranger, Ignazio Vitale, then leads her on very dangerous adventures).
VOLUME 3 : TARGET ON OUR BACKS :
Karissa and Ignazio, after many adventures, now live together and even got married.
While Karissa re-enrolled in college, wondering about her future, Ignazio decided that he should make efforts to improve their common future.
But the threats and dangers are always present and nothing is done to facilitate the future of the young couple…
—————-
A BIG favorite for the whole of this trilogy with a volume 3 in apotheosis !
I liked everything :
– the author’s addictive, so accurate, emotionally detailed and incisive writing style.
– the different characters : in particular the flagship couple Karissa and Ignazio but also the secondary characters of Melody, Ignazio’s father and Lorenzo…
– the story of the novel with many dangers and unexpected events.
– and especially the intense romance between Karissa and Ignazio !
In short, a PERFECT séries so pleasant to read !
I recommend !
Characters = 5/5
Plot = 5/5
Romance = 5/5
Mystery = 5/5
Action = 5/5
Darkness = 4/5
Humor = 0/5
Stars = 5
Would I recommend this book = Yes
Would I read future books by this author = Yes
*This is a reread for me. I didn’t leave reviews back in the day, but I do now. So here is my review.*
I’ll make this quick…I’m so happy a 3rd book was written. This one was full of drama and closure. Loved it!
Ignazio and Karissa are one of a kind.
FYI, this is one of my favorite series ever!
Target On Our Backs
This book is a perfect end to this series and a good introduction to Lorenzo Gambini……it’s really funny in some places and really NOT funny in some places…but it’s a good book in every place… Naz and Karissa get married between books 2 and 3…so they are married at the beginning of this book…
Naz is one of the hottest, coolest characters…..He is intense, and he doesn’t waste words….not even with Karissa…He doesn’t fly off the handle…Everything he does is measured, calculated…I love that he allowed Karissa to see his vulnerabilities…
Karissa was back to being her sweet, endearing self in this book…She knows why she and Naz met, what his plans were, and about the bad things he’s done…but, first, because of their chemistry and then because of their love, it is just too hard for them to be apart…Karissa and Naz are one of m favorite couples ever….Good series…
Karissa grew on me in book two, but in this book it went downhill! She behaves like a little kid, but expect Naz to change his whole life, but it’s okay that she keeps her boring-ass-chocolate-mint-tea life…Come on, He is the same man you fall in love with, but it’s only ok that he is Vitale In bed…Girl, grow up!!
Oh Naz, God I love him, It is him who makes this book worth reading.
He will do everything for her and yet It seems that is not enough..
He should not change anything about himself, He is fucking perfect as he is, In my opinion…!
If you ignore Karissa, then it’s a really good book, but what makes it even better is that we get to meet Lorenzo Sexy motherfucker, Naz and his relationship are too funny and I will definitely read his book next.
The best of the series for me. The plot, the characters and the unapologetic storytelling of J.M. Darhower combine to spark explosive fireworks in Target on Our Backs. I’m sad it’s over as I’m going to really miss Ignazio and Karissa.
This author delved deep in this one to really show her characters growth and strength. It had a different tone, although still so deliciously dark and twisty, the story grew almost reverent as the relationship between Naz and Karissa took on a whole new meaning.
With the last book I was completely entranced, unwilling to put the book down. Something happened here where Naz and Karissa became a real, solid unit and to read where they go knowing from where they came was perfect.
“He’s a force of nature.”
Naturally when you are as enamored of a character as I am with Ignazio Vitale, (Naz), you just cannot let this the final book written about Karissa and Naz Vitale’s love story go unread. True to form, Ms. Dahower writes a powerful and riveting final chapter in this breathtaking romance.
Naz remains an enigmatic character while he is attempting to change his ways as much as he is able. Even though he has never pledged an oath to any crime family boss, it is still somewhat of dicey venture to extricate himself completely and fully from his criminal past and those with whom he has done business.
Karissa notices that Naz is trying his best to change but she also knows he is doing this mostly for her. Whatever the reason or motivation for the change in Naz coupled with his willingness to leave his life of murder and mayhem, are proof enough for Karissa that Naz is indeed, redeemable. This willingness to start anew and the intense love he has for her are also evidence enough for Karissa that he is not entirely a bad man as he maintains. Karissa even defends the changes in Naz to his estranged father.
The consequences of his past actions are laid at the door of his father’s business, when this business is the target of a drive-by shooting. Former street soldiers of Ray Angelo’s organization are turning up executed and Ray’s former haunts are targets of arson. Naz is certain that the “cappo” making these aggressive moves for Ray’s territory, which was left in a vacuum by Naz killing Ray Angelo, will also target Naz and his beloved.
The storyline is imbued with intrigue as dark forces compete for power and consolidation of criminal rule over New York City. Despite Naz’s desire to remove himself from the criminal life, he first needs to tie up some loose ends
Karissa comes face-to-face with judgements that are being made about her by her peer group at NYU. It is noticed that people die and disappear around her and that she was shot by a gangster. She feels guilt. Guilt that Naz is trying to alleviate by being a better man.
Whatever the questions Karissa and Naz have inside their relationship and the forces at work around them, there is no doubt that they are wholly, completely and utterly in love. This love is beautifully portrayed in the electrifying and torrid erotic love scenes. Nothing makes the heart beat faster than a seriously smitten Alpha-male bad boy!!!
The story is told in first person alternating POVs. Once all the framework and plot points are laid, the story begins to pick up pace in a dramatic turn of events that culminate in an exciting climax…a most revealing one at that.
If you enjoy your heroes on the “dark side” …your heroines strong but made a little blind by love…the lovemaking tough, as well as, tender…and some criminal suspense from the viewpoint of the less evil criminal then…this series is one which will bring you hours of enjoyment. And for me it brought a new BBF I am crazy about…Naz!!!
“But it’s always a possibility, every time somebody leaves, that it might be the last time you ever see them. It might be the last time they grace your world.”
“He makes love to me then, like only Naz can, alternating between slow and deep and rough and hard, sending me into a tailspin. It’s a breath-catching, skin-slapping, soul-capturing kind of love. The man owns me. He consumes me. Every part of me was made for every part of him. It’s the kind of love I can’t imagine ever living without. It’s raw, and real, and it’s ours.”
4.5 stars
“Through every dark night, there’s a brighter day. – Tupac Shakur”
This is one of my favorite quotes and I just loved that JM Darhower mentioned it in this book. In many books there are a lot of quotes from classic books or plays (which I haven’t read any of). So having quotes that are familiar to me is refreshing. Just like the previous books every time Tupac is mentioned I get a big smile on my face. He is my all time favorite artist!
“I’ll always come for you, the fucking devil himself couldn’t stop me.”
Let’s move on to the book itself. This is my favorite book in the series because we finally see Naz and Karissa as one. They are in sync and have come such a long way if you think back to how they were in the previous two books. Especially Karissa has grown so much, she was so understanding and could stand on her own two feet. I finally saw Naz and Karissa as equals.
“She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. She’s beautiful because she’s stong. Beautiful because she’s fierce.”
We see another side to Karissa, I just loved her so much in this book! She was so strong and fierce and protective of Naz. She finally really understood and accepted him. This way they really had the chance to grow further as individuals and as a couple. I just couldn’t get enough of them in this book. I wish it was longer because I just didn’t want to say goodbye.
“I’m just so tired of never having the ground under me. I feel like we’re free falling, and everything around us just keeps moving in a blur, and I don’t know how to make it slow down so we can land on our feet.”
In this book there is a new enemy that doesn’t agree with Naz’s decision to get out of the business. There is also a new player in the game and he is complicating things. Naz doesn’t know if he is a friend or enemy. I was confused in the beginning as well, I didn’t know if he was playing a game with Naz. You will have to read this book to get to know this new and VERY interesting character. I hope there will be spinoff featuring him!! Because I am intrigued by him and want to know more.
I want to thank JM Darhower for writing this book to conclude Naz and Karissa’s story because it was perfect.
This was the present I never thought was possible. I thought I was only going to get more Naz when I re read MIHE or TTHS. There are two book boyfriends that I hold above all others and Naz is one of them.
I am thrilled that this one was told in dual POVs. I feel like that made the story so much more. I loved that Naz was trying to be better for Karissa but we got to see some of the Naz I fell in love with.
“He’s trying to be better, yeah, but I think, when it comes down to it, he’s doing it for me. He’s not doing it because he wants to repent for his actions. He’s not doing it to make up for his sins. He’s doing it not because he’s tired of being the man he has been. He’s doing it because he thinks it’s what I need.”
TOOB was more then I expected and everything I needed. I wanted more monster Naz and I needed sweet Naz. We got both of them at the perfect amount. The action was on point and never lacked. The sexy times scenes were there when needed but not over done to the point it ruined the book. This was just everything and I couldn’t be more thrilled at what we got.
“It has been a while since I’ve seen it, since he’s looked at me that way. Since he let his guard down and let the monster come out to play.”
Let me just say how much I LOVED that my favorite quote from book one was in a way brought back for this book.
“You fucking love this, don’t you? You don’t need me to treat you like royalty to know what you mean to me. I can fuck you like this, fuck you like you are nothing, and you still know you are everything to me.”
SEE!! If you are any kinda Naz fan you know what quote from MIHE that I am talking about.
Get this NOW. What the heck are you waiting for???