Love the Sinner (Brooklyn Sinners, #1)

Feb 13, 2013 Gwenith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, lovable-re-reads

This was a Fabulous Passion Driven Love Story of Angel & Gabe~

These men wore there heart on their sleeves and I love that!

What I Found & Loved in this Book~

Love
Jealously
Possession
Regret
Murder
Tears
Family
Despair
Redemption.
Hope...♥

What I did not find in this book was a fan and Gawd, let me just say a FAN is NEEDED this book is EXPLOSIVELY HAWT!

The Romance and all thoses elements noted above was simply Fab~

BUT...I AlMOST took a star from this book~ Why?

Shhh, The Infamous Pet Peeve Irrita...more

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Nov 03, 2012 SheReadsALot rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m-romance, crime-life, law-enforcement, interracial-romance, bad-boy, damaged-hero, dirty-talk, contemporary

THREE & A HALF STARS--M/M romance between a gang leader and a detective in the streets of BK (NYC stand up!!) At times the sex scenes felt repetitive (I do not need to see the word "ridge" or "underside" for awhile after this book). It did become mushy at times and...*sigh* there were some excessive crying at times. Also sometimes the words from the male characters had a feminine tone,like I couldn't imagine the characters that were originally presented speaking or reacting that way. But the...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Romancefantasy Ebookmaven rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: abandoned

Awful. I don't even know what to say about how bad this one is. I see it has a lot of 5 star ratings so I guess I am wrong on this one. I am a romance fan; I just like to read romance novels and don't care if they are gay or straight as long as there is genuine love to be found. I don't like 'gangsta' sex books. And this book is about a 'gangsta' who has gay sex period. And the 'gangsta' is weak and unrealistic, and the cop is weak and a loser and unrealistic.

But besides all that fake 'gangsta'...more

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Aug 20, 2012 ♥♥ Amaranth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, own

Damn this book is good. Love Gabe and Angelo together so much.

****Updated Review****
I have now finished this book and I loved it. It was so well written and Gabe and Angelo's love just leapt out of the pages for me. The dialogue seemed so natural and the sex scenes were HAWT! The only reason this did not get a 5 star rating was the lack of proper lube throughtout the entire book, it just got on my nerves. The author stated at one point that spit was the next best thing. Ummm...no. So I would say...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Feliz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, cops-detectives, crime, m-m, strange-stuff

This is a difficult book to rate for me. The writing in and of itself was good, compelling; lots of emotion jumping at me off the pages with not too much purple prose, hot sex scenes, interesting action.
The plot though....
Gabe and Angel lay eyes on each other for the first time in an interrogation room (view spoiler) and are immediately in lust. A cliche, though one I could've bought, but then their "relationship" p...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Sophia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

This was one of my rare 'ah, yes' books. You probably have your own description of the feeling- the one you get at the end of a satisfying read? Yeah, that one. I started out reading through this book at my usual gale-force wind speed and ended up deliberately slowing down so I could savor it (not to mention that it tugged at my emotions hard a few times so that I had to pause and re-read some parts). I will not pretend to think that this book is for everyone, but it definitely was a keeper for...more This was one of my rare 'ah, yes' books. You probably have your own description of the feeling- the one you get at the end of a satisfying read? Yeah, that one. I started out reading through this book at my usual gale-force wind speed and ended up deliberately slowing down so I could savor it (not to mention that it tugged at my emotions hard a few times so that I had to pause and re-read some parts). I will not pretend to think that this book is for everyone, but it definitely was a keeper for me.

The story is a very conflicted love story that has its moments that range from loving peace to loving torment. It is the ultimate 'this can't end well' kind of story because it is between a ruthless NY gang leader and a cop in a NYPD department assigned to bring him down.

Gabe is the officer assigned to question the infamous Angelo Pagan about the murder of Pagan's sister. Their meeting on the surface is quiet enough- he questions Pagan and Pagan gives him little in the way of answers- but below the surface, the meeting is epic. An exchange of a look is all it takes to imprint both of them. Gabe is straight and is on the verge of marriage with a long-time girlfriend. He is stunned by the feeling of attraction to Pagan, but tries to set it aside even as he knows that things are not what they should be in his relationship with Trish.

Their next meeting really is epic because a hot tip takes Gabe and other officers to one of Pagan's warehouses where something illegal is going down. Gabe stares straight into Pagan's face when Pagan shoots him. He is hospitalized after taking the bullet in the shoulder and has time to ponder the expression on Pagan's face when he pulls the trigger. After returning home and being placed on leave while he recuperates, Gabe begins drinking and drives away his girlfriend. He is in a dark confusing place in his mind, but the confusion only intensifies when Gabe finds his shooter awaiting him in his apartment. And it is at that point that the two men begin a relationship that is all wrong, but feels right to both of them.

The plot was above all a romance between Angel and Gabe, but it is laced with some truly intense moments of suspense as Angelo and Gabe navigate their secret affair and Angelo tries to balance his private life with his public figure as a gang leader. The pacing was well written with the slow tender moments, hot torrid confrontations and passion that were heart-racing speed, and those moments of intense, dangerous page turning moments. There is violence because of Angelo's gangster world and also hard heart-breaking confrontations between the two men as their fundamental differences threaten and do, separate them so yes, there's some angst.

The characters were so much more than 2-D and not just Gabe and Angelo though each was hot and memorable in his own way. I loved Kane, Gabe's brother, and Mami, Angelo's mother, while I loved to hate Carlos, Angelo's rival and bitterly jealous sadistic (yeah, I just keep piling on the descriptive adjectives) Uncle.

This was one of the best written M/M Contemporary Romances out there and I recommend it to those who enjoy slow moving, but steamy relationships with an element of danger and suspense to it all.(less)

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Aug 28, 2012 Grandmat rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story has two of my pet peeves, instant love and too heavy in sex scenes. However, it's so well written and darn interesting, I found myself unable to abandon it.

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Sep 22, 2012 Rose rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book caught my attention from the blurb. I then downloaded a free sample at Amazon, and loved it. I started reading this book in the wee hours of the morning and finished it before the night was over. I loved both characters in this book. Although, I usually prefer books where one of the main characters is the obvious Alpha, in this book the characters were on pretty equal footing, and I still loved their story. The sex scenes were great. But even without them, I would have still enjoyed th...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Jacqueline rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: just-omg-and-thank-you, favorites

A well written book of love. I love the chemistry!
Happily Ever After YEAH!

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Jan 27, 2013 Macky rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Enjoyed this story a lot. Found the concept of the story interesting, yes its been done before but generally the 'criminal' in other books tends to end up being redeemed by the author by making him an undercover cop or FBI agent, but not in this case. Angelo Pagan is the leader of Los Pescadores' one of Brooklyns gangs. He is notorious and high on the Brooklyn PD's wanted list and *mild spoiler* as we read into the story discover he has killed, will kill and does kill when he is double crossed b...more Enjoyed this story a lot. Found the concept of the story interesting, yes its been done before but generally the 'criminal' in other books tends to end up being redeemed by the author by making him an undercover cop or FBI agent, but not in this case. Angelo Pagan is the leader of Los Pescadores' one of Brooklyns gangs. He is notorious and high on the Brooklyn PD's wanted list and *mild spoiler* as we read into the story discover he has killed, will kill and does kill when he is double crossed by some of his gang members, the author doesn't sugar coat his criminal nature at all or the scenes when they happen. There is a back story that although it doesn't redeem Angelo's choices makes you understand why he makes them.

Gabriel Ashby is a cop new to the department who interviews Angelo when he is brought in after A's sister has been shot to death on the streets in what appears to be execution style killing. Gabe is a straight cop , in a relationship that is winding down, but his reaction to Angelo is an instant lustful attraction that knocks him for six and vice versa for Angelo. Soon after Gabe is on a stake out concerning Angelo who actually shoots and injures Gabe when the raid on his warehouse goes wrong. From then on we get into the story of how the attraction morphs into an all consuming, passionate love that impacts both their lives and careers.

Overall the book delivers on all counts and is a great read. Avril Ashton manages to make Angelo's bad boy a character that you can't help liking even, though you know you shouldn't, despite his criminal background and you can definitely see why Gabe would fall for him! I was really rooting for them both, hoping they could overcome the obvious stumbling blocks between a career cop and true criminal.

I did find it a little hard to believe that Gabe wouldn't realise some of the lengths that Angelo would go to in his role as gang leader and seemed to have 'selective acceptance' of Angelo's criminal doings to suit his own way of convincing himself that the affair could survive the glaring differences , but then has a major strop after a certain fact comes to light later in the book . This was the only thing I could find fault with but I suppose it's poetic license and didn't spoil the book for me.(less)

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Oct 01, 2012 Yeay Ornay rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: annoying-instant-attraction

The concept was right up my ally:
Two tough guys in dangerous macho professions falling in love and being torn between the loyalty to each other and their people. It held such promise of internal struggle, passion and a longing for the forbidden.

I don't think the book delivered.

Sure there were some passion and sex scenes, but I never understood why the two fell in love with each other. I also didn't understand the characters.

The book felt a little 'all over the place'. There were a lot of hint...more The concept was right up my ally:
Two tough guys in dangerous macho professions falling in love and being torn between the loyalty to each other and their people. It held such promise of internal struggle, passion and a longing for the forbidden.

I don't think the book delivered.

Sure there were some passion and sex scenes, but I never understood why the two fell in love with each other. I also didn't understand the characters.

The book felt a little 'all over the place'. There were a lot of hints of plot ideas that was never taken anywhere. It made the book feel a bit crowded.

In my opinion there are a lot of things that didn't work in this book. For me most of them fall in the category of being over the top. I think the biggest flaw in this book is that the characters fall in love too soon and for no good reason. For me it is unbelievable to the point of distraction that Gabe would fall in love with a known criminal (and killer), while interrogating him once. I could have handled him lusting for him in the scene, but not to the extent that is shown in the book. What is even more troubling is that Angelo who's sister has just been killed (!) is in a mindset where he is able to fall for Gabe, in a ten minute interrogation. I almost put the book down at this point.

I think the book would have been more believable if it had been toned down a little.
For instance Gabe being a cop and Angelo being in a gang would have been conflict enough. Angelo being the gang leader, and Gabe working his case made the romance unbelievable.
The villain would have been more believable if he simply wanted control of Angelo's gang or had killed his father. He did not need to have: killed Angelo's father, abused Angelo's mother, killed Angel's sister, kidnapped Angelo when he was a kid, kidnapped Angelo in his teens or forced him to have sex with prostitutes.

I'm giving it a 3 because when I managed to (and I had to struggle to do so) look away from all the implausibilities, I did enjoy it.(less)

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Sep 28, 2012 Kym rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure what to expect when the main characters are a cop and a gang banger. Gabe is a "by the book" straight detective and Angelo is the "in the closet" gay leader of the Los P's....but, Oh my God...these two men have chemistry galore!
From the beginning, the pull into this story was instantaneous! I cried (Gabe getting shot), laughed (Kane confronting Angel), and cried some more...a whole lot more!
This one was on my wish list for quite a few weeks before I finally gave in and ordered it...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Top 2 Bottom Reviews Interviews and More rated it 5 of 5 stars

http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.com/

Wow! Love the Sinner is a fast-paced, sexy, forbidden romance between a burned out cop and a gangster leader. From the first page to the last word, I was enthralled with the complex and interesting world the two heroes live in. I loved the emotional connection these two men had for one another as well as their determination to find a way to be together. This is the first book I’ve read by Avril Ashton and believe me, it won’t be my last!

Sparks of attraction...more http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.com/

Wow! Love the Sinner is a fast-paced, sexy, forbidden romance between a burned out cop and a gangster leader. From the first page to the last word, I was enthralled with the complex and interesting world the two heroes live in. I loved the emotional connection these two men had for one another as well as their determination to find a way to be together. This is the first book I’ve read by Avril Ashton and believe me, it won’t be my last!

Sparks of attraction fly the moment Detective Gabe Ashby meets gangster Angelo Pagan. Gabe is supposed to be interrogating the gangster on a crime, but instead, he finds himself drawn to the fascinating man. To make matters worse, Angelo too seems to be feeling intensity of attraction between them, and both men are finding it hard to concentrate on the matter at hand, instead of giving into the emotional and physical pull between them.

Even though Gabe tries to ignore his fascination for Angelo, Angelo himself seems determined to put himself into Gabe’s life. As Gabe gets to know the ‘real’ Angelo, he starts seeing a good man who is tormented by his past, and the more Gabe’s around the gangster, the more he finds himself liking and falling for him. But, as Gabe finds out that Angelo is involved into something dangerous and illegal, both men are forced to face the forbidden love the have for each other and make a choice of doing what’s right or following their heart.

I loved this book! After I read the blurb, I wasn’t sure how the author was going to convince me that a cop and a gangster would not only fall in love, but somehow find a way to be together. Lucky for us, Ms. Ashton’s intense and creative storytelling abilities was about to work through both of the heroes problems and found a way for them to have a life with one another. I thought the plot itself was very well thought out, and the story was a very smooth read. It has the perfect amount of angst, adventure, intrigue and romance.

Both heroes have their own issues they must work through. Both men have secrets that they slowly start to reveal to one another as their relationship starts to develop between them. I liked how they really cared and brought out the best in one another. It was obvious they wanted to be better men not only for themselves, but for each other. They seemed to be two halves of one whole, and I loved every minute I spent reading about them.

Gay-for-you romances can be a hard sell, but I thought Gabe’s sudden feelings of attraction and more for Angelo was very well-written and believable. Honestly, he never stood a chance of pushing Angelo aside once the gangster set his eyes on him. Angelo’s determination to fit Gabe into his life, as well as his drive to be a man who deserves Gabe’s love made him one of my favorite heroes I’ve read this year. I loved the intensity, love and trust between these two men and I truly hated to see the book come to an end.

Love the Sinner has definitely earned a spot on my keeper shelf. I know when I’m in the mood for a well-written romance with likeable, sexy characters I’ll reach for this book again and again. I’m looking forward to reading more books by Ms. Ashton and highly recommend this book if you are looking for a sexy and fast paced romance.

Reviewed By: Gabbi(less)

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Aug 15, 2012 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-twolipsrevies-com

This book is a recommended read our highest honor

Gabriel Ashby is a detective. He has never thought to look at men in a sexual sense until he interrogates NYPD’s most wanted man, Angelo Pagan, leader of one of the toughest street gangs. Gabe feels an attraction he can’t deny for the man, but Pagan is a criminal and Gabe is a cop, so why can’t he stop wanting him?

Angelo Pagan knows he shouldn’t have a relationship with a cop, but Gabe gets under his skin and will not go away. When Angelo has to i...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Paris rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, kindle

Love the Sinner is a hard candy. And how do you chew on that? Sometimes authors take an interesting plot but don't know how to make it work.
I think love between a cop and a criminal is a very tempting subject. And interesting to work with, but tricky. How do you wrap it up to have HEA and not look too unrealistic?
I always say that the ending in a romance novel is not so important (though, it's better be good), it's the middle that counts and make the book what it is. You can fill the book with...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Mello ❣ Illium ✮Harry✮ ☀Myrnin☀ Torin Ichimaru rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, contemporary, drama, erotic-romance, m-m, police, read-in-2013, favorites, hawt-heroes, hot-sex-scenes, whoa-thats-a-lot-of-sex, why-you-do-that-to-me-author, brooklyn-sinners, avril-ashton, did-that-just-happen, lendable

Synopsis:

Detective Gabriel Ashby has never looked twice at another man, yet the criminal across from him, the man he’s interrogating, isn’t like any other. Gabe can’t deal with the sudden, intense need he has for one of NYPD’s Most Wanted. Everyone close to Angelo Pagan ends up dead, with the smug gang leader standing amid the rubble. Gabe would love nothing more than to bust Angelo’s ass and lock him up. So why is he seeing the bastard in his dreams at night? Angelo Pagan knows attraction to Ga...more Synopsis:

Detective Gabriel Ashby has never looked twice at another man, yet the criminal across from him, the man he’s interrogating, isn’t like any other. Gabe can’t deal with the sudden, intense need he has for one of NYPD’s Most Wanted. Everyone close to Angelo Pagan ends up dead, with the smug gang leader standing amid the rubble. Gabe would love nothing more than to bust Angelo’s ass and lock him up. So why is he seeing the bastard in his dreams at night? Angelo Pagan knows attraction to Gabe is suicide. He’s resolute to ignore the chemistry…until a police raid goes wrong. He critically injures Gabe, changing the trajectory of both their lives. Now the two can’t get close enough. They settle into a forbidden affair threatened by lies and betrayal, living on different sides of the law with no way of breaching the gap between them. With the authorities looking to make an example of Angelo, Gabe has to decide if it’s really worth it to hate the sin but love the sinner.

My Thoughts:

I almost cannot believe how much I enjoyed this story, but I loved it. I was looking for M/M books a few days ago after getting sucked into some of my favorite yaoi manga and found a few that I wanted to read, but was waiting until a little later to buy them. I saw this one, though and bought it immediately. I couldn't wait. As soon as I saw the cover and read the blurb, I had to have it right then and I started it right away. I am so glad that I did.

This book was hot. There was a lot of sex as expected in an erotic romance. But there was lots of love there, too. It started off with a bit of insta-attraction, but they didn't immediately fall into bed with each other despite not being able to quit thinking of the other. I still love that first scene where Gabe meets Angelo for the first time in the interrogation room. And how when Angelo leaves, he lets Gabe see that he's just as attracted. These two men were connected from there on out.

It was interesting watching them try to have a relationship despite their very different roles. There were some bumps, some serious bumps, but they pulled through. I was worried that there would be more violence directed at one or both of them, but thankfully, there wasn't any of that. There definitely is some gang violence in the story, so if that would bother you, you may not want to read this.

Also, if you're new to the M/M genre, I would not suggest starting out with this book as the sex scenes are quite graphic (yay!)

Anyway, this was a nice story. Definitely an erotic romance with all of the sex, but I loved the way Gabe and Angelo loved each other. I loved that things worked out for them in the end. I am so reading the sequel, especially after those scenes Angelo had with Pablo. I'll also be reading more Avril Ashton's books.(less)

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Jun 08, 2012 Sassafrass rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, challenge-books-2012, src-sum12, the-romance-reviews

A review for The Romance Reviews.

LOVE THE SINNER is a hot M/M romance between good guy and bad guy, cop and robber and all that, but it's the amazing visuals and the intense emotions the author created that made this book for me.

From the moment police detective Gabriel Ashby met gangster Angelo Pagan, he knows that his life is going to be different. He is straight, has never looked at another man "in that way", but he is instantly attracted to this man—a man...and a criminal to boot.

Angelo Pagan...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Jody rated it 4 of 5 stars

The premise of this book drew me in with its bad boy falling for a sexy male cop amongst the world of gang violence. The sparks exploded between Gabe and Angelo across an interrogation room table and what followed was an extremely erotic gay-for-you story that kept you on the edge of your seat as retribution was slowly being doled out.

Angelo was left no choice but to become gang leader after the murder of his father. He doesn't enjoy committing violence but to avenge his father's murder and keep...more The premise of this book drew me in with its bad boy falling for a sexy male cop amongst the world of gang violence. The sparks exploded between Gabe and Angelo across an interrogation room table and what followed was an extremely erotic gay-for-you story that kept you on the edge of your seat as retribution was slowly being doled out.

Angelo was left no choice but to become gang leader after the murder of his father. He doesn't enjoy committing violence but to avenge his father's murder and keep his neighborhood clean and safe he'll do whatever must be done. As the death toll towards his family climbs he starts rethinking his future plans. An unexpected encounter with sensitive and sexy cop Gabe finalizes his decision and as they get closer together Angelo's life is put even more in danger.

Angelo is to die for, utterly delectable, and I can see why Gabe is drawn to him even though he's never been interested in men before. He oozes sex appeal and you could feel his animal magnetism whenever he came on the scene. Gabe was a sensitive soul and always wanted to see the good in Angelo. He purposely set aside what he knows of Angelo in order to have a relationship with him. It didn't seem realistic that he could live with himself knowing the crimes Angelo had committed and this does in fact finally pull them apart.

Their relationship is one big up and down emotional rollercoaster ride as both want nothing but the truth from the other. Their sexual interludes are extremely intense and erotic and almost overwhelm the story in their frequency. The eroticism once or twice edges close to violence as each man stakes his claim over the other.

The ending of the book puts a perfect bow on Gabe and Angelo's relationship even though it seems a bit too pat and a bit unbelievable. It was satisfying though and made all of their struggles worthwhile. With a memorable cast of secondary characters and an intensely emotional storyline this gay-for-you story easily draws the reader in and has me excited to read more from this talented author.

3.5 stars(less)

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Jun 11, 2012 ReadingDiva rated it 5 of 5 stars

~~** Originally posted @ ReadingDiva's Blog Rating 4.5 of 5 **~~

Visit my blog for a chance to WIN an eBook of Love The Sinner.

Review: Love The Sinner is a love story between two very different people. One is a well-known respected cop from NYC and the other is a well-known criminal and boss of one of the most notorious gangs in Brooklyn NY.

Gabriel Ashby has always been on the right side of the law, he has always fought to bring justice and to keep criminals off the streets. That’s until he finds...more ~~** Originally posted @ ReadingDiva's Blog Rating 4.5 of 5 **~~

Visit my blog for a chance to WIN an eBook of Love The Sinner.

Review: Love The Sinner is a love story between two very different people. One is a well-known respected cop from NYC and the other is a well-known criminal and boss of one of the most notorious gangs in Brooklyn NY.

Gabriel Ashby has always been on the right side of the law, he has always fought to bring justice and to keep criminals off the streets. That’s until he finds himself in an interrogation room with Angelo Pagan. Angelo Pagan is the boss of Los Pecadores – a gang known to deal with gun trafficking and very dangerous. Drugs are rooming the streets of Brooklyn and bodies are dropping like hot tamales.

Gave and his captain are set to find out who is behind those dealings and they have their eyes set on Angelo Pagan. Angelo is a criminal by profession, after his father’s death he became the “boss” a man known for his dealings and risky business. Pagan has a shadowed past and one he can’t easily forget.

Gave have his eyes set on Angelo but he can’t help notice other things about this dangerous man. Things he never thought to think about or even acknowledge. Angelo Pagan notices Gave in more than one way. He is a man of the streets who keeps more than one secret. He finds himself looking at Gave and immediately feels attracted to him. Their attraction is instant and dangerous.

Love the Sinner is a very nice read; it has a good plot and fascinating characters. This book isn’t for the weak of heart. There is sex (tons of it), very graphic at that. There is love, understanding and resignation. I enjoy how well the author manages to bring these two very different people together; making their differences the very thing that brings them together.

This book has a very nice plot, drugs, firearms trafficking and a debt that must be met. Crime, love, sex & passion seem to be the main theme in this story but don’t let that woo you from reading it. It is short, but it is filled with a great scenes of crime and its dealings.

Reader Advisory: M/M relationship – graphic sexual content.(less)

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Mar 21, 2013 ARe Cafe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trs-picks

I just had to read this after reading the author’s blurb. I thoroughly enjoyed the read, I loved it. A well-defined story from beginning to end with very engaging characters I won’t forget. The relationship is very unusual but these two men click in a believable pairing that is seriously hot. Their love for each other is what drives the story despite the differences between them. The romance is so well written given the circumstances of their association. You forget this was Gabriel’s first time...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Crissy Morris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cop-law-enforcement-pi-military, contemporary, favorites, joyfully-jay, definite-re-read, on-the-paperwhite

4.25 stars

A Joyfully Jay Review

New York City Detective Gabriel Ashby’s life was turned upside down the first time he saw Angelo Pagan – leader of one of Brooklyn’s most notorious gangs, Los Pescadores. First, Gabe finds himself inexplicably attracted to a man, which has never happened before. The attraction to Angelo is undeniable. And second, during a raid on one of the gang’s warehouses, Gabe ends up shot by none other than Angelo. And even after being wounded by the gang leader, Gabe can’t se...more 4.25 stars

A Joyfully Jay Review

New York City Detective Gabriel Ashby’s life was turned upside down the first time he saw Angelo Pagan – leader of one of Brooklyn’s most notorious gangs, Los Pescadores. First, Gabe finds himself inexplicably attracted to a man, which has never happened before. The attraction to Angelo is undeniable. And second, during a raid on one of the gang’s warehouses, Gabe ends up shot by none other than Angelo. And even after being wounded by the gang leader, Gabe can’t seem to get the man out of his head. But nothing could ever happen between them because he is a cop and Angelo is a criminal of the worst sort.

Angelo Pagan knows that his attraction to the handsome cop can only end in disaster, but even after shooting the man, Angelo can’t seem to stay away from Gabe. Sneaking into Gabe’s house to catch him off guard is the first step in letting his attraction to the cop be known. Stealing that first kiss is almost unavoidable. Entering into a forbidden relationship with Gabe may seem like suicide from the outside looking in, but for Angelo it’s inevitable. Angelo’s responsibility lies with keeping his family and his streets safe, and the darker sides of his life start to bleed into the lighter side, his relationship with Gabe.

When the NYPD sets out to make an example of Angelo and Los Pescadores, stress weighs heavily on Angelo and Gabe’s fragile relationship – a relationship built upon secrets, lies, deception, and different codes of morality. And as secrets and deceptions are unraveled, Gabe has to decide if love is enough.

Ladies and gentlemen this book is H-O-T. There are times when a relationship sizzles on the pages, and this is one of those times. Seriously, I was fanning myself trying to cool down at the very first kiss. And what a kiss it was. While there is a lot, and I do mean a lot, of sex in this book, there is an actual story and plot to go along with it. It’s an all-around good deal.

A cop and a criminal, a forbidden romance. It’s a common theme amongst law enforcement stories, but this book is not your common “criminal is not really a criminal” scenario. Angelo is an all-out bad guy. He’s dirty, devious, hard, and scary. But with Gabe, he’s safe. He can be himself – tender and caring. And Gabe brings that out in him. Gabe is conflicted and afraid. He’s attracted to a bad boy, and as we’ve all heard, the bad boys will break you. Gabe’s morals tell him to arrest Angelo or to run from him, but his heart won’t let him. For Gabe, the relationship is a battle of what’s right and what feels right, a line that is blurred by love. They are both so well written and likable, even Angelo’s dark side is forgivable.

The story itself is captivating. The romance is forbidden and sexy. The crime drama is heart pounding and enthralling. From the very beginning, I was engrossed within a world of gangs, violence, and crime – the underworld of gun-running and drugs. I would like to make a side note here. Los Pescadores, Angelo’s gang, actually means the fishermen, which makes me giggle a little. The Spanish translation sounds much more badass. Continuing on, like I said earlier, this isn’t your typical cop/criminal love story. It’s gritty and dirty. There is gang violence portrayed, so be warned if that’s something that is a no-no in your book. But I could hardly put the book down once I picked it up.

So on to the quibbles. My biggest lies with the relationship between Gabe and Angelo, it was so…mushy, for lack of a better word, at times. Some of the dialogue, especially when they discussed their feelings, was so saccharine sweet it was unrealistic to imagine a New York City detective and a hardened criminal saying those things to one another. And quibble two; there was a lot of sex. The story itself could have done without so much, but truly it was super sexy and very intense, so it’s hard to complain too much.

In the end, Love the Sinner is a highly entertaining read that is angsty and sexy and wonderful. Even occasional dialogue that is a little too mushy and a few too many sex scenes don’t detract too terribly much from this story. It is an entertaining read from start to finish, and I look forward to continuing the Brooklyn Sinners series.(less)

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Sep 17, 2012 Gabbi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: angst, enemies-to-lovers, favorites, gay-for-you, gay-romance, love-at-first-sight, opposites-attract, suspense, top2bottom-reviews, avril-ashton, elloras-cave

Wow! Love the Sinner is a fast-paced, sexy, forbidden romance between a burned out cop and a gangster leader. From the first page to the last word, I was enthralled with the complex and interesting world the two heroes live in. I loved the emotional connection these two men had for one another as well as their determination to find a way to be together. This is the first book I’ve read by Avril Ashton and believe me, it won’t be my last!

Sparks of attraction fly the moment Detective Gabe Ashby me...more Wow! Love the Sinner is a fast-paced, sexy, forbidden romance between a burned out cop and a gangster leader. From the first page to the last word, I was enthralled with the complex and interesting world the two heroes live in. I loved the emotional connection these two men had for one another as well as their determination to find a way to be together. This is the first book I’ve read by Avril Ashton and believe me, it won’t be my last!

Sparks of attraction fly the moment Detective Gabe Ashby meets gangster Angelo Pagan. Gabe is supposed to be interrogating the gangster on a crime, but instead, he finds himself drawn to the fascinating man. To make matters worse, Angelo too seems to be feeling intensity of attraction between them, and both men are finding it hard to concentrate on the matter at hand, instead of giving into the emotional and physical pull between them.

Even though Gabe tries to ignore his fascination for Angelo, Angelo himself seems determined to put himself into Gabe’s life. As Gabe gets to know the ‘real’ Angelo, he starts seeing a good man who is tormented by his past, and the more Gabe’s around the gangster, the more he finds himself liking and falling for him. But, as Gabe finds out that Angelo is involved into something dangerous and illegal, both men are forced to face the forbidden love the have for each other and make a choice of doing what’s right or following their heart.

I loved this book! After I read the blurb, I wasn’t sure how the author was going to convince me that a cop and a gangster would not only fall in love, but somehow find a way to be together. Lucky for us, Ms. Ashton’s intense and creative storytelling abilities was about to work through both of the heroes problems and found a way for them to have a life with one another. I thought the plot itself was very well thought out, and the story was a very smooth read. It has the perfect amount of angst, adventure, intrigue and romance.

Both heroes have their own issues they must work through. Both men have secrets that they slowly start to reveal to one another as their relationship starts to develop between them. I liked how they really cared and brought out the best in one another. It was obvious they wanted to be better men not only for themselves, but for each other. They seemed to be two halves of one whole, and I loved every minute I spent reading about them.

Gay-for-you romances can be a hard sell, but I thought Gabe’s sudden feelings of attraction and more for Angelo was very well-written and believable. Honestly, he never stood a chance of pushing Angelo aside once the gangster set his eyes on him. Angelo’s determination to fit Gabe into his life, as well as his drive to be a man who deserves Gabe’s love made him one of my favorite heroes I’ve read this year. I loved the intensity, love and trust between these two men and I truly hated to see the book come to an end.

Love the Sinner has definitely earned a spot on my keeper shelf. I know when I’m in the mood for a well-written romance with likeable, sexy characters I’ll reach for this book again and again. I’m looking forward to reading more books by Ms. Ashton and highly recommend this book if you are looking for a sexy and fast paced romance.(less)

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Jun 17, 2012 Bitchie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, law-enforcement, m-m-romance

I know this one got some great reviews, but I just didn't feel it. I loved the premise of two total opposites, a cop and a gang leader falling for each other, but this one just felt to pat, too easy. They meet across an interrogation table, and BAM! that's it, twu wuv. Never mind that the cop was straight and never even thought about a man in that way, or that the gang leader was being questioned for murder.

I found these two supposedly tough guys to be too sweet, and they cried too much. The sex...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Barb rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, must-reads-recommrnd

Freaking awesome!! Not your typical m/m since Angelo was the leader of a gang and everything that goes along with that however he had another side to him outside of the gang leader that was loving, tender and loyal. You could say he was forced to take the wrong road at a young age due to his fathers murder.

Meeting Gabe, the cop, changed everything for Angelo and changed everything for Gabe too. Can you say soul mates? YES!!!!! These two were magic together and so freakin HOT!!!!! To say the wor...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Carolina rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: never-finished

Horrible, Ok I only read two chapters but give me a break these two characters are all over each other with absolutely no back story or anything. The only reason I even read the second chapter was because I thought ok maybe it'll go with love at first site or something like that, maybe they'll get to the sex much later after they get to know each other much later in the story, but boy was I wrong the next chapter they're having sex with almost no talking before hand, I guess if you like that typ...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Lasha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-out, cops, first-time, gfy, darkdivasreviews, undercover-cops

Love the Sinner is interesting in the fact that one of the main characters is not a very likeable guy. Angelo Pagan is a gangster, pure and simple. He’s killed people, participated in gun running and is just an all-around bad guy. Normally, I would not be very sympathetic to this type of character, but Ms. Ashton pulls it off. Just like Miss Kitty in Gunsmoke, who was the hooker with a heart of gold that Sheriff Matt Dillon loved none-the-less, Angelo and Gabriel are drawn together despite their...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Angelica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, own, mm

This was a very entertaining love story between a cop and a criminal. There is a fair amount of hot sex, and it doesn't feel gratuitous.
I had a problem with the instant love between the main characters, though. I felt it didn't go well with them because given their line of work they shouldn't have trusted as easily. They see each other, they fall in love, and they bare their souls and their secrets to one another in just a couple of days without any self-preservation? Didn't sit right with me....more

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Feb 27, 2013 NicStar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm, series, fire-police-emt-law-security, zz-amazon-yes

Ok, so the story wasn't that realistic - huge instant sexual attraction resulting in obsessing about each other, between a gang leader and a cop and the cop has never been attracted to a man before "God, he couldn't be attracted to this.....person. Pagan was the wrong sex and a freaking criminal." - but it still made good reading!

Gabe struggles with his choices - between his job upholding the law and his love for Angelo Pagan who is a gang leader. Angelo faces his own demons, acknowledging his e...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Nikyta rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Nikyta by: Valentina Heart

Shelves: ellora-s-cave, angst, artists, broken-to-bits, a-sweet-cute-read, contemporary, cops-fbi-etc, criminals-mobsters-ex-cons, deception-betrayal-lies-omissions, closet-cases, gfy-ofy, fucking-females, in-sickness-and-in-health, friends-or-enemies-to-lovers, injury-recovery, series-serial, separated-for-a-bit, unrequited-yearning, wayyyyy-too-much-sex, m-m, hooker-book-club, published-on-amazon

3.5 stars

I really liked this story but I had a few problems with it.

What I loved about it is how it deals with a cop and the leader of a gang. I love characters that are so engrained into a criminal life. Gabe, the cop, isn't actually on active duty but on medical leave for a majority of the story while Angelo, the gang leader, we get numerous brief scenes with him dealing with being a crook. Gabe and Angelo have amazing chemistry. This story deals with insta-love, however, so beware for all th...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Jaymie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

Loved it! I was a bit apprehensive at first but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with this story. I kept expecting one thing and then it would turn out to be different. It was nice not to have a book that was so predictable I had a conclusion worked out a few chapters in. I would definitely like to see a 2nd book. There are a few loose ends I would like to see tied up and a few characters who deserve a little more focus.

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Love the Sinner (Brooklyn Sinners #1)

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