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The 21st Century Gentleman's Club #3
The Ultimate Revenge
I will annihilate your world. As you destroyed mine.
For over a decade Nicandro Santos, heir to a legendary diamond legacy, has lived with one unrelenting purpose: to infiltrate the ultraprestigious Q Virtus gentleman's club and bring it, and its leader, Zeus, down.
What he doesn't know is that Olympia Merisi, the daughter of his enemy, is now in charge. Olympia has her own reasons for wanting to keep Nicandro close, and she will stop at nothing to protect what's hers. But what happens when the battle lines between them blur and they enter more dangerous–sensual–territory?
For over a decade Nicandro Santos, heir to a legendary diamond legacy, has lived with one unrelenting purpose: to infiltrate the ultraprestigious Q Virtus gentleman's club and bring it, and its leader, Zeus, down.
What he doesn't know is that Olympia Merisi, the daughter of his enemy, is now in charge. Olympia has her own reasons for wanting to keep Nicandro close, and she will stop at nothing to protect what's hers. But what happens when the battle lines between them blur and they enter more dangerous–sensual–territory?
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2014
About the author
Victoria Parker
59 books59 followersVictoria Parker's first love was a dashing heroic fox named Robin Hood. Then came the powerful, suave Mr Darcy, then Lady Chatterley's rugged lover and the list goes on. Thinking she must be an unfaithful sort of girl, but ever the optimist, she relentlessly pursued her Mr. Literary Right and eventually found him lying between the cool, crisp sheets of an M&B Harlequin romance. Her obsession was born.
If only real life were just as easy...
Alas, against the advice of her English teacher to cultivate her writers muse, she chased the corporate dream and acquired various uninspiring job titles and a flesh-and-blood hero before she surrendered to that persistent voice and penned her first romance. Turns out creating havoc for sassy heroines and devilish heroes who are dynamite-at-first-sight truly is the best job in the world.
Victoria now lives out her own happy-ever-after in the north-east of England with her alpha exec and their two children - a masterly charmer in the making and, apparently, the next Disney Princess. Believing sleep is highly overrated, she writes until 3am, ignores the housework and still loves nothing more than getting cosy with a romance novel. When she isn't buried in a book she loves discovering far-flung destinations and getting into mischief with her rather wonderful extended family!
If only real life were just as easy...
Alas, against the advice of her English teacher to cultivate her writers muse, she chased the corporate dream and acquired various uninspiring job titles and a flesh-and-blood hero before she surrendered to that persistent voice and penned her first romance. Turns out creating havoc for sassy heroines and devilish heroes who are dynamite-at-first-sight truly is the best job in the world.
Victoria now lives out her own happy-ever-after in the north-east of England with her alpha exec and their two children - a masterly charmer in the making and, apparently, the next Disney Princess. Believing sleep is highly overrated, she writes until 3am, ignores the housework and still loves nothing more than getting cosy with a romance novel. When she isn't buried in a book she loves discovering far-flung destinations and getting into mischief with her rather wonderful extended family!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 28, 2017
I was reluctant to read this because:
(1)It's part of a series called the 21st Century Gentleman's Club, which sounds like a run down strip club.
(2)The opening takes place in an opulent Rococo building of said Gentleman's Club with a conversation with a billionaire from another story in the series. The hero is a "bad boy" from the wrong side of the tracks who has made good. He has been waging a war on the owner of the Gentleman's club and now he wants to meet the object of his revenge face to face.
(3)The hero breaks into the heroine's private quarters and is violently apprehended by her guards.
I'm not a fan of court intrigue, criminal heroes or violence. And yet I kept reading and I'm so glad I did. Another reviewer said that this author always brings her characters to such darkness that you wonder if they will ever find light. I can tell you that she does - but it is a journey with many twists and turns and you have pay attention.
In this review I'm not going to spoil any of the plot points. The author is very careful about what she reveals and when she reveals it. There are revelations up to the very last page.
Instead, I'll try to explain what this about so you can decide if this story is for you. And then I'll just gush about the writing and the characterization for a bit.
Trope: hero wants revenge on the heroine's father - a reclusive Greek Mafia type guy who is such a megalomaniac that he calls himself "Zeus." The hero has a very good reason for wanting revenge - you don't realize the full extent of the damage ol' Zeus did until the very end.
Hero has a two-part plan:
Part one: he'll ruin Zeus's club and his businesses and then throw it into his face. He's on his way to completing part one with the exception of the face-to-face meeting.
Part two: he'll marry the mousy daughter of the majority shareholder of the family jewelry company that his father lost to Zeus years ago. Then he'll give the company back to his elderly grandfather.
After the hero is captured, the heroine decides he must be the one messing with her business. She is now Zeus since her father died four years before. (The reader knows this in chapter one - so I'm not giving anything away). She accepts the hero's bet because she wants to understand what's going on.
The bet: She will spend two weeks with the hero and if he can get her into his bed, she must introduce him to Zeus. The heroine is wildly attracted to him, but she is emotionally frozen and doesn't think she'll fall for his charm.
The hero thinks she is a trust fund poopsie who is playing at being in charge at Daddy's business. She will enjoy two weeks of sex and then will forget all about him after she introduces him to her father. He tells himself she won't be affected by his revenge scenario.
And how wrong they both are.
The hero has hidden depths - he's not just a product of the mean streets. He had a life before Zeus happened and his memories are heart-tugging. There is a requisite makeover scene of the heroine shopping with the hero - but there's a twist with the waiting hero and a young boy and a soccer ball. That little throwaway scene looks backwards and forwards into the hero's life but you don't realize it until the end of the story.
The heroine is pure of heart. She is not a physical virgin - but she is pure in her motives - even while she is keeping secrets from the hero and the public. Her hidden strengths are evident from the beginning and the hero quickly readjusts him opinion of her. Her strengths are not of the feisty variety - she is honest with herself and faces facts no matter how hard to handle.
When the eventual betrayal of the hero comes to light (breaking her heart and his) - she takes it on the chin and then pulls herself together and rights the wrongs of the past without expecting a happy ending for herself. She is no doormat - but pure of heart and generous of heart. Yes.
Okay the writing:
This is a story that you have to be in the mood for. It's complicated. You have to pay attention. It is thoughtfully crafted. The tropes and conventions of the HP universe are all there (shopping trip I mentioned before) but they are used in new ways.
The settings directly reflect on the plot and the characterization.
The H/h meet in Zanzibar in the Rococo Gentleman's club. Here it's (literal) masks and complications and artificiality.
Then the heroine takes the hero to an ice hotel in "Northern Europe." This is her personality - cold pure air, nature at its most elemental. It is a place of life and death, fire and ice, the mysterious Northern Lights etc. . .
The story then shifts to Barcelona - the hero's choice - full of light, warmth, color, dancing, food, ease, and soccer.
The betrayal is in Paris. The Eiffel tower outside their window is the spike through both their hearts.
The resolution takes place in a boardroom - with the heroine in charge and still in power. The hero has not ruined her. She is the proverbial Phoenix.
The epilogue takes place a year later and is the most disappointing part of this story. We're subjected to the other couples from the series and I didn't care about them after the fever dream that was the H/h's story. I wish it had been a stand alone so they could have had their own epilogue.
I hope I've piqued your interest. This is a story that made me pay attention and intrigued me from start to finish. The H/h are wonderful characters and belong together. I'm sure I'll enjoy it even more when I read it again.
(1)It's part of a series called the 21st Century Gentleman's Club, which sounds like a run down strip club.
(2)The opening takes place in an opulent Rococo building of said Gentleman's Club with a conversation with a billionaire from another story in the series. The hero is a "bad boy" from the wrong side of the tracks who has made good. He has been waging a war on the owner of the Gentleman's club and now he wants to meet the object of his revenge face to face.
(3)The hero breaks into the heroine's private quarters and is violently apprehended by her guards.
I'm not a fan of court intrigue, criminal heroes or violence. And yet I kept reading and I'm so glad I did. Another reviewer said that this author always brings her characters to such darkness that you wonder if they will ever find light. I can tell you that she does - but it is a journey with many twists and turns and you have pay attention.
In this review I'm not going to spoil any of the plot points. The author is very careful about what she reveals and when she reveals it. There are revelations up to the very last page.
Instead, I'll try to explain what this about so you can decide if this story is for you. And then I'll just gush about the writing and the characterization for a bit.
Trope: hero wants revenge on the heroine's father - a reclusive Greek Mafia type guy who is such a megalomaniac that he calls himself "Zeus." The hero has a very good reason for wanting revenge - you don't realize the full extent of the damage ol' Zeus did until the very end.
Hero has a two-part plan:
Part one: he'll ruin Zeus's club and his businesses and then throw it into his face. He's on his way to completing part one with the exception of the face-to-face meeting.
Part two: he'll marry the mousy daughter of the majority shareholder of the family jewelry company that his father lost to Zeus years ago. Then he'll give the company back to his elderly grandfather.
After the hero is captured, the heroine decides he must be the one messing with her business. She is now Zeus since her father died four years before. (The reader knows this in chapter one - so I'm not giving anything away). She accepts the hero's bet because she wants to understand what's going on.
The bet: She will spend two weeks with the hero and if he can get her into his bed, she must introduce him to Zeus. The heroine is wildly attracted to him, but she is emotionally frozen and doesn't think she'll fall for his charm.
The hero thinks she is a trust fund poopsie who is playing at being in charge at Daddy's business. She will enjoy two weeks of sex and then will forget all about him after she introduces him to her father. He tells himself she won't be affected by his revenge scenario.
And how wrong they both are.
The hero has hidden depths - he's not just a product of the mean streets. He had a life before Zeus happened and his memories are heart-tugging. There is a requisite makeover scene of the heroine shopping with the hero - but there's a twist with the waiting hero and a young boy and a soccer ball. That little throwaway scene looks backwards and forwards into the hero's life but you don't realize it until the end of the story.
The heroine is pure of heart. She is not a physical virgin - but she is pure in her motives - even while she is keeping secrets from the hero and the public. Her hidden strengths are evident from the beginning and the hero quickly readjusts him opinion of her. Her strengths are not of the feisty variety - she is honest with herself and faces facts no matter how hard to handle.
When the eventual betrayal of the hero comes to light (breaking her heart and his) - she takes it on the chin and then pulls herself together and rights the wrongs of the past without expecting a happy ending for herself. She is no doormat - but pure of heart and generous of heart. Yes.
Okay the writing:
This is a story that you have to be in the mood for. It's complicated. You have to pay attention. It is thoughtfully crafted. The tropes and conventions of the HP universe are all there (shopping trip I mentioned before) but they are used in new ways.
The settings directly reflect on the plot and the characterization.
The H/h meet in Zanzibar in the Rococo Gentleman's club. Here it's (literal) masks and complications and artificiality.
Then the heroine takes the hero to an ice hotel in "Northern Europe." This is her personality - cold pure air, nature at its most elemental. It is a place of life and death, fire and ice, the mysterious Northern Lights etc. . .
The story then shifts to Barcelona - the hero's choice - full of light, warmth, color, dancing, food, ease, and soccer.
The betrayal is in Paris. The Eiffel tower outside their window is the spike through both their hearts.
The resolution takes place in a boardroom - with the heroine in charge and still in power. The hero has not ruined her. She is the proverbial Phoenix.
The epilogue takes place a year later and is the most disappointing part of this story. We're subjected to the other couples from the series and I didn't care about them after the fever dream that was the H/h's story. I wish it had been a stand alone so they could have had their own epilogue.
I hope I've piqued your interest. This is a story that made me pay attention and intrigued me from start to finish. The H/h are wonderful characters and belong together. I'm sure I'll enjoy it even more when I read it again.
September 28, 2022
It wasn't bad, it just wasn't my cuppa. I did find it ironic that the H was all set to marry this girl and is this hot shot business guy and then did not find out the particulars of who owned the majority shares of the company. That is a newbie mistake, so it kinda ruined the H's Business Guru persona. But hey, it is HPlandia and that is how they roll.
Plenty of angst, a little too much D/s in the bedroom for me, but I could see why they went there. The writing is really good, but mostly I was like, quit being all angsty and just get on with things already. I don't think I truly have an angsty angst soul, probably because I hang around with a bunch of cats and they are the ultimate pragmatists.
Spoilerizations below:
The H wants revenge on the h's father for supposedly killing his parents and illegally taking over their diamond empire. He invades the h's home and makes a bet that if he can get her into bed in two weeks she will introduce him to Zeus, the owner of the super seekrit Q Virtus club. The H wants to destroy Zeus and his empire and this seems to be a great way to go about it.
Unbeknownst to him, the h's father is dead and she is running everything. We have a lot of near passion misses coupled with inner monologue angsty angst, as both H and h have serious daddy issues, culminating in a snowmobile accident rescue of the h by the H.
Eventually there is a huge explosion of passion with a bit of dominance and then the fallout begins. The h finds out that despite avowing true devotion to her, the H is planning on marrying another woman. Mainly because he thinks the OW's father owns the H's family's former diamond company.
There is more angsty angst and the h decides to reveal that she is Zeus to the Q club members. She also returns the H's legendary family diamond necklace to the H's grandfather and warns the H in a note that the man whose daughter he is marrying isn't the majority shareholder of the H's former company.
The H shows up to declare true lurve forever at this point, he called off the wedding to the OW. The h believes he is sincere because he claims he never read the note the h wrote about the diamond co. shares.
It turns out the h is the majority shareholder of the diamond company, her father was a bully and a thug, so she signed them over to the H earlier in the day. It also turns out that the H's father killed his wife, the H's mother and then was killed in the resulting firefight when bodyguards got involved.
Now that everyone has sorted out who did what and when, the H and h ride off on their yacht for an HEA.
This one is really angsty, so if that is your cuppa, you're in for a treat. I was okay with this, but I lost confidence in the H's business skillz when he failed to check out the true ownership of his family's former diamond company and I wasn't too pleased with his determination to marry the OW or his tendency to order the h about in a very uncharming way.
Mileage varies on this one, but no one can deny that it is a pretty eventfull HPlandia outing.
Plenty of angst, a little too much D/s in the bedroom for me, but I could see why they went there. The writing is really good, but mostly I was like, quit being all angsty and just get on with things already. I don't think I truly have an angsty angst soul, probably because I hang around with a bunch of cats and they are the ultimate pragmatists.
Spoilerizations below:
The H wants revenge on the h's father for supposedly killing his parents and illegally taking over their diamond empire. He invades the h's home and makes a bet that if he can get her into bed in two weeks she will introduce him to Zeus, the owner of the super seekrit Q Virtus club. The H wants to destroy Zeus and his empire and this seems to be a great way to go about it.
Unbeknownst to him, the h's father is dead and she is running everything. We have a lot of near passion misses coupled with inner monologue angsty angst, as both H and h have serious daddy issues, culminating in a snowmobile accident rescue of the h by the H.
Eventually there is a huge explosion of passion with a bit of dominance and then the fallout begins. The h finds out that despite avowing true devotion to her, the H is planning on marrying another woman. Mainly because he thinks the OW's father owns the H's family's former diamond company.
There is more angsty angst and the h decides to reveal that she is Zeus to the Q club members. She also returns the H's legendary family diamond necklace to the H's grandfather and warns the H in a note that the man whose daughter he is marrying isn't the majority shareholder of the H's former company.
The H shows up to declare true lurve forever at this point, he called off the wedding to the OW. The h believes he is sincere because he claims he never read the note the h wrote about the diamond co. shares.
It turns out the h is the majority shareholder of the diamond company, her father was a bully and a thug, so she signed them over to the H earlier in the day. It also turns out that the H's father killed his wife, the H's mother and then was killed in the resulting firefight when bodyguards got involved.
Now that everyone has sorted out who did what and when, the H and h ride off on their yacht for an HEA.
This one is really angsty, so if that is your cuppa, you're in for a treat. I was okay with this, but I lost confidence in the H's business skillz when he failed to check out the true ownership of his family's former diamond company and I wasn't too pleased with his determination to marry the OW or his tendency to order the h about in a very uncharming way.
Mileage varies on this one, but no one can deny that it is a pretty eventfull HPlandia outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2014
Pure romantic fantasy!!!!!!!
The Ultimate Revenge by Victoria Parker, the 3rd and final book in The Gentleman’s Club Mini-Series, is totally
and the one I absolutely loved the most……….WOW….What a journey this story took me on.
It had everything I love in Mills & Boon story.
Captivating protagonists – a seductive and gorgeous alpha hero without the need to take over the heroine’s life. A beautiful, strong, smart and independent heroine, who is not afraid to stand up to the hero without being irritating,.
High sensuality and sky-rocketing sexual and emotional chemistry that just blew me away.
until the last page. You can’t stop turning the pages!!!!!
I loved the sexy and warm-hearted Nicandro….he’s a total “boneco” and I would love to have him as my “querido”!
The more I got to know him, the more I liked him.
Olympia
has become one of my favorite Mills & Boon heroines. She has not allowed the sad past to rule her life….she fought back and is determined to succeed without becoming a bitter and twisted person.
Emotion and Passion so perfectly balanced – it’s not only about their sexual connection but the emotional as well. They bring the best out of each other…..making it possible for them to actually follow their dreams…..he going back to doing what he has always loved….football…and her finally accepting that she is the person she has always wanted to be. To be accepted and loved for the person she is.
Beautifully written sex scenes……erotic, daring and ….mind-blowing!!!!!!!!!!!!
And let me not forget the glamorous and fabulous settings.
Zanzibar
and Iceland
…fabulous Gaudi Barcelona
Some of my favorite scenes – Nicandro playing football with the kids,
t
he opening chapter,
Nicandro & Olympia making love in the Ice Hotel,
Olympia visits Nicandro’s grandfather…..the epilogue and meeting up with Narciso, Ruby, Ryzard & Tiffany from the previous books….
and beyond loved when Olympia shows Nicandro Aurora Borealis
.I could go on and on…..let’s just say….I LOVED THE ENTIRE BOOK!!!!!!!!!
A great ending to this series – and yes, yes, yes…all is revealed!!!!
I am so looking forward to reading more books by this author. I really like her writing style.
The Ultimate Revenge by Victoria Parker, the 3rd and final book in The Gentleman’s Club Mini-Series, is totally
and the one I absolutely loved the most……….WOW….What a journey this story took me on.
It had everything I love in Mills & Boon story.
Captivating protagonists – a seductive and gorgeous alpha hero without the need to take over the heroine’s life. A beautiful, strong, smart and independent heroine, who is not afraid to stand up to the hero without being irritating,.
High sensuality and sky-rocketing sexual and emotional chemistry that just blew me away.
Entranced - from the 1st chapter where our hero, Nicandro Santos, who is determined to bring Zeus, the owner of the secretive Q Virtus club down, sees Olympia Merisi, the heroine, sleeping in the most opulent bed,
until the last page. You can’t stop turning the pages!!!!!I loved the sexy and warm-hearted Nicandro….he’s a total “boneco” and I would love to have him as my “querido”!
The more I got to know him, the more I liked him.Olympia
has become one of my favorite Mills & Boon heroines. She has not allowed the sad past to rule her life….she fought back and is determined to succeed without becoming a bitter and twisted person.Emotion and Passion so perfectly balanced – it’s not only about their sexual connection but the emotional as well. They bring the best out of each other…..making it possible for them to actually follow their dreams…..he going back to doing what he has always loved….football…and her finally accepting that she is the person she has always wanted to be. To be accepted and loved for the person she is.
Beautifully written sex scenes……erotic, daring and ….mind-blowing!!!!!!!!!!!!
And let me not forget the glamorous and fabulous settings.
Zanzibar
and Iceland
…fabulous Gaudi Barcelona
Some of my favorite scenes – Nicandro playing football with the kids,
the opening chapter,
Nicandro & Olympia making love in the Ice Hotel,
Olympia visits Nicandro’s grandfather…..the epilogue and meeting up with Narciso, Ruby, Ryzard & Tiffany from the previous books….
and beyond loved when Olympia shows Nicandro Aurora Borealis
.I could go on and on…..let’s just say….I LOVED THE ENTIRE BOOK!!!!!!!!!A great ending to this series – and yes, yes, yes…all is revealed!!!!
I am so looking forward to reading more books by this author. I really like her writing style.
January 17, 2018
1 stars for my suffering!
HAS to be at least ONE of the weakest pansies heroes EVER!
He almost got married to the OW.
Trust me, if his grandfather didn’t smack him upside down on the head he WOULD have.
He put the business before heroine. Heroine is the second best to everything else in his life. Then he accuses heroine of letting him almost marry OW!
Well, duh! You’re clearly no prize.
No. He wasn’t offended she let him go without a fight.
He was offended he didn’t have a satisfaction to shatter her farther. His ego would have felt much better if he had her admission of love, then he still went and married the OW anyway. That’s what he was pissed for. The missed opportunity.
HAS to be at least ONE of the weakest pansies heroes EVER!
He almost got married to the OW.
Trust me, if his grandfather didn’t smack him upside down on the head he WOULD have.
He put the business before heroine. Heroine is the second best to everything else in his life. Then he accuses heroine of letting him almost marry OW!
Well, duh! You’re clearly no prize.
No. He wasn’t offended she let him go without a fight.
He was offended he didn’t have a satisfaction to shatter her farther. His ego would have felt much better if he had her admission of love, then he still went and married the OW anyway. That’s what he was pissed for. The missed opportunity.
November 22, 2014
Gonna try to keep these reviews as short and sweet as can be and just be based on the notes I kept. I probably have others thoughts on this book, but have not included them all here being I have five reviews tonight to do. So let's get started.
Plot spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk
Finally finished The 21st Century Gentleman's Club series. I read the first two in this series and loved them and I wondered if this was going to be as good and if I was going to love it as much, and let me tell you I did. It was just a fantastic ending to a fantastic series and I am so glad that I read every single one of them and see all these dark, brood men get their happily ever after. It was such a great series.
Now speaking of this book specifically, I will say that this had a interesting setup for the story. The hero, Nicandro Santos, vowed revenge on Zeus, the person who ran the gentleman's club Q Vitus, because of what Zeus did to his family and held him responsible for their deaths. So he spent years bidding his time until he could finally strike and pounce on his target (he had done some stuff to knock Zeus off his pedestal like knock the worth of his stocks down and just run his businesses to the ground and was about to make the final blow). Now he was finally ready to make him move since he finally came to learn who Zeus was and have face to face meeting with Zeus. (see no one knew what Zeus looked like or who he was and was just the elusive owner of Q Vitus. Zeus was a very secretive man and vowed his privacy). Unbeknownst to Nic, Zeus that was responsible for his parent's death was in fact dead and had been dead for two years. Now Zeus was his daughter Olympia who secretly took over the club as well as his businesses with only a select few knowing the fact that know that she is in fact Zeus. The reason she had to pretend that Zeus was still alive and kicking was because she believed the members of the club wouldn't accept her because she was a woman and it was written in their statue that when the first Zeus died then his son would take over the business and run it, but the original Zeus never had a son only Olympia to carry on his businesses and his beloved club and Olympia vowed to do all that.
Sounds like an intriguing plot already, right? And it definitely hooked me and I knew that I was going on a great ride and I couldn't wait to see it all played out.
The first meeting between Olympia and Nic started off with a bang with Nic sneaking in her room in order to get audience with Zeus, not knowing that Olympia was in fact Zeus. The anticipation and the heat started from that point on and it was really a nice was to start off the meeting between the two, and I liked that uniqueness.
Of coarse Nic was caught and he was then later thrown down in the dungeon by Olympia's bodyguards who vowed to protect her and her secret. They wanted to do some damage to him, but Olympia refused and decided to meet with Nic herself and spark flew when they came face to face. He asked to meet with Zeus without giving his reason why while Olympia kept her cards close to the chest and didn't reveal a thing.
The attraction and heat between them was already scorching by this point but now it was blazing especially when the bet came into play. Nic bet Olympia that in two weeks time that she would sleep with him and when she did then she would give word to Zeus so that Nic and Zeus could have a face to face meeting with him, and if Nic lost then he would go on his merry way and never meet with Zeus ever and he would be forced out of the club with membership revoked and would never bother Zeus again. Olympia agreed, believing she would be able to resist Nic and never have to reveal her secret to him while Nic was confident that he could win her over to his side and kill two birds with one stone by sating his lust for Olympia and getting his meeting with Zeus. Let the battle of wills begin.
And battle of wills it was. I loved it and just loved seeing it all play out with the back and forth between them while the air thickened with sexual tension every time they were near one another and it was palatable. Oh, boy it was palatable. I had fan myself a couple times. Olympia did everything in her power to deny that she was attracted to him but in her hearts of hearts she knew but she knew she had to resist him not only because she didn't want to reveal her secret to him but also she didn't want to risk her own heart in the process and just remain the ice queen that she had always been.
Plus Olympia was dealing with issues from her own past of not being good enough and doing everything in her power to carry on her father's wishes for his business and be the good daughter and not the piece of trash that her mother was (plus a druggie and an abusive lover who was intent on using Olympia for his own sick needs and later on content on leaving her at her father's doorstep. A father she had never even met before or knew she had). So she had a tough life and learned to keep a wall up and refuse to let anyone in. And she definitely didn't want to let Nick in even though she was dealing with her attraction for him and it was not easy.
And Nic vowed to break her down and used every trick in the book to seduce her, but nothing worked and he decided to use a different approach and act like a caring guy who cared about her as a person. At first it may have been a ruse, but then very quickly it became clear that he did genuinely care for her.
Case and point, and one of my favorite parts of the book was when they were in Norway in the icy cold, in order to escape her attraction to him she went out with a guide to explore the icy depths and see what needed to be developed in the area, but a storm came upon her and trapped her and left her injured when she fell off the snowmobile. Nic knew something was wrong and was worried about her not just because if lost the bet he would never met Zeus like he wanted but he was concerned for her. So he went out in search for her and found her saving her life. She was on death's door and basically freezing to death. Doctors were trying to heal her but she refused needles being taken back to her childhood when her mother did drugs and also during that time she called for her mother. Noticing her distress, Nic stripped down to his underwear and slipped under the covers with Olympia and cuddled her close in order to get her warm so she wouldn't die. It was a sweet moment and it showed Nic's caring side and showed there was more than met the eye with him. And it was just so affectionate with her and it nothing to do with the bet and more at getting well.
Of coarse the next morning when she was well again, heat between the two ensued and a bit of making out did occur. And despite it being only kissing and touching it was a hot scene and I could feel Olympia's resolve wavering a bit being that she never experienced this pleasurable feeling before and she wanted more of it and more of Nic. But I could see her determination to keep her secret so she pushed Nic away and though she was grateful that he save her, though she felt it was just because of the bet and not about her, she still wanted to keep her distance from him.
So the anticipation was just ramping up and it kept on going and going. The fight that Olympia had with herself over her attraction to Nic and just letting go was interesting to see and enjoyable to watch. She changed before my eyes the more and more time she spent with Nic and became less of the ice queen and more of a more flesh and blood woman. I loved seeing that transformation in her and how Nic was responsible for it and was the reason that she was letting go and letting him more and more into her heart.
Finally she decided to go there with him, and what I loved most about the scene was before they did they did and they were hotly kissing Nic called a halt for a moment and told her to forget the bet and what was going on between them had nothing to do with the bet that he wanted her and it had nothing to do with the bet. It was her. I just thought that showed how much he came to care for Olympia and how much he wanted her just for herself and not just to win so he could meet Zeus. He didn't want the bet to stand between them when they did finally make love and just wanted it to be about them, and I really liked that Victoria Parker did that because it made me like Nic even more as a character and just showed his integrity and really what a guy he was and how his priorities changed since meeting Olympia. It was just a really profound moment in my view and I was so glad Victoria Parker included that moment in there and just made me love the story even more.
Any way their chemistry was off the charts as you can imagine and their first time together was just explosive with lots of heat between them. It was hot scene, but it underlined more than hot passion but some deep emotions going on because the scene was very emotional and very eye opening especially to Olympia, who finally opened herself to a man and never expected this kind of passion. I just thought it was a great scene that finally came to fruition after all that nice build up between the pair throughout the book and they finally gave into their passions. It was just so good.
Of coarse it didn't end there with misunderstanding ensuing and truths being revealed shocking both of them out of their little passion bubble and knocking them back a bit with Olympia getting knocked back the most and her heart bleeding, making her revert back to the ice queen. It ripped my heart out to see Olympia in that much pain and closing herself off after she came so far. I felt so bad for her especially when she learned the truth about her father and what Nic planned to do to her father aka Zeus in the end.
But despite the pain, she did become stronger thanks to Nic, who told her to stand up for herself and claim what was rightly hers and not hide by the name of Zeus. And know that she was good enough just the way she was. I loved how he made her stronger and fight, and it was really clear that he loved and cared about her and wanted her in his life. Just the ending was definitely a sucker punch from the time he learned the truth about who Zeus really was and onwards. But of coarse they got their happy ending.
I really just loved every second of the book. I loved both characters. I loved the angst. I loved the sexual tension. I loved the whole bet angle, which made for even more interesting story as well as seeing that struggle in Olympia in denying her attraction to him. I loved her journey as a character and just her self discovery. I loved Nic and how he came to realize what was really important in life and that it wasn't revenge. I loved the emotion behind this book. It was so raw and deep made me feel ravaged right along with the characters. It was just so well written and a perfect series ender that complement the first two in this series. It was perfect, and I can't find a single fault with it. It was just so so so good. I wish all romance novels were like this. Bravo Victoria Parker. Bravo. Keep up the good work and keep ripping out my heart and putting it back together like you do with your characters. Loved the rawness of it.
Highly recommend this one.
Plot spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk
Finally finished The 21st Century Gentleman's Club series. I read the first two in this series and loved them and I wondered if this was going to be as good and if I was going to love it as much, and let me tell you I did. It was just a fantastic ending to a fantastic series and I am so glad that I read every single one of them and see all these dark, brood men get their happily ever after. It was such a great series.
Now speaking of this book specifically, I will say that this had a interesting setup for the story. The hero, Nicandro Santos, vowed revenge on Zeus, the person who ran the gentleman's club Q Vitus, because of what Zeus did to his family and held him responsible for their deaths. So he spent years bidding his time until he could finally strike and pounce on his target (he had done some stuff to knock Zeus off his pedestal like knock the worth of his stocks down and just run his businesses to the ground and was about to make the final blow). Now he was finally ready to make him move since he finally came to learn who Zeus was and have face to face meeting with Zeus. (see no one knew what Zeus looked like or who he was and was just the elusive owner of Q Vitus. Zeus was a very secretive man and vowed his privacy). Unbeknownst to Nic, Zeus that was responsible for his parent's death was in fact dead and had been dead for two years. Now Zeus was his daughter Olympia who secretly took over the club as well as his businesses with only a select few knowing the fact that know that she is in fact Zeus. The reason she had to pretend that Zeus was still alive and kicking was because she believed the members of the club wouldn't accept her because she was a woman and it was written in their statue that when the first Zeus died then his son would take over the business and run it, but the original Zeus never had a son only Olympia to carry on his businesses and his beloved club and Olympia vowed to do all that.
Sounds like an intriguing plot already, right? And it definitely hooked me and I knew that I was going on a great ride and I couldn't wait to see it all played out.
The first meeting between Olympia and Nic started off with a bang with Nic sneaking in her room in order to get audience with Zeus, not knowing that Olympia was in fact Zeus. The anticipation and the heat started from that point on and it was really a nice was to start off the meeting between the two, and I liked that uniqueness.
Of coarse Nic was caught and he was then later thrown down in the dungeon by Olympia's bodyguards who vowed to protect her and her secret. They wanted to do some damage to him, but Olympia refused and decided to meet with Nic herself and spark flew when they came face to face. He asked to meet with Zeus without giving his reason why while Olympia kept her cards close to the chest and didn't reveal a thing.
The attraction and heat between them was already scorching by this point but now it was blazing especially when the bet came into play. Nic bet Olympia that in two weeks time that she would sleep with him and when she did then she would give word to Zeus so that Nic and Zeus could have a face to face meeting with him, and if Nic lost then he would go on his merry way and never meet with Zeus ever and he would be forced out of the club with membership revoked and would never bother Zeus again. Olympia agreed, believing she would be able to resist Nic and never have to reveal her secret to him while Nic was confident that he could win her over to his side and kill two birds with one stone by sating his lust for Olympia and getting his meeting with Zeus. Let the battle of wills begin.
And battle of wills it was. I loved it and just loved seeing it all play out with the back and forth between them while the air thickened with sexual tension every time they were near one another and it was palatable. Oh, boy it was palatable. I had fan myself a couple times. Olympia did everything in her power to deny that she was attracted to him but in her hearts of hearts she knew but she knew she had to resist him not only because she didn't want to reveal her secret to him but also she didn't want to risk her own heart in the process and just remain the ice queen that she had always been.
Plus Olympia was dealing with issues from her own past of not being good enough and doing everything in her power to carry on her father's wishes for his business and be the good daughter and not the piece of trash that her mother was (plus a druggie and an abusive lover who was intent on using Olympia for his own sick needs and later on content on leaving her at her father's doorstep. A father she had never even met before or knew she had). So she had a tough life and learned to keep a wall up and refuse to let anyone in. And she definitely didn't want to let Nick in even though she was dealing with her attraction for him and it was not easy.
And Nic vowed to break her down and used every trick in the book to seduce her, but nothing worked and he decided to use a different approach and act like a caring guy who cared about her as a person. At first it may have been a ruse, but then very quickly it became clear that he did genuinely care for her.
Case and point, and one of my favorite parts of the book was when they were in Norway in the icy cold, in order to escape her attraction to him she went out with a guide to explore the icy depths and see what needed to be developed in the area, but a storm came upon her and trapped her and left her injured when she fell off the snowmobile. Nic knew something was wrong and was worried about her not just because if lost the bet he would never met Zeus like he wanted but he was concerned for her. So he went out in search for her and found her saving her life. She was on death's door and basically freezing to death. Doctors were trying to heal her but she refused needles being taken back to her childhood when her mother did drugs and also during that time she called for her mother. Noticing her distress, Nic stripped down to his underwear and slipped under the covers with Olympia and cuddled her close in order to get her warm so she wouldn't die. It was a sweet moment and it showed Nic's caring side and showed there was more than met the eye with him. And it was just so affectionate with her and it nothing to do with the bet and more at getting well.
Of coarse the next morning when she was well again, heat between the two ensued and a bit of making out did occur. And despite it being only kissing and touching it was a hot scene and I could feel Olympia's resolve wavering a bit being that she never experienced this pleasurable feeling before and she wanted more of it and more of Nic. But I could see her determination to keep her secret so she pushed Nic away and though she was grateful that he save her, though she felt it was just because of the bet and not about her, she still wanted to keep her distance from him.
So the anticipation was just ramping up and it kept on going and going. The fight that Olympia had with herself over her attraction to Nic and just letting go was interesting to see and enjoyable to watch. She changed before my eyes the more and more time she spent with Nic and became less of the ice queen and more of a more flesh and blood woman. I loved seeing that transformation in her and how Nic was responsible for it and was the reason that she was letting go and letting him more and more into her heart.
Finally she decided to go there with him, and what I loved most about the scene was before they did they did and they were hotly kissing Nic called a halt for a moment and told her to forget the bet and what was going on between them had nothing to do with the bet that he wanted her and it had nothing to do with the bet. It was her. I just thought that showed how much he came to care for Olympia and how much he wanted her just for herself and not just to win so he could meet Zeus. He didn't want the bet to stand between them when they did finally make love and just wanted it to be about them, and I really liked that Victoria Parker did that because it made me like Nic even more as a character and just showed his integrity and really what a guy he was and how his priorities changed since meeting Olympia. It was just a really profound moment in my view and I was so glad Victoria Parker included that moment in there and just made me love the story even more.
Any way their chemistry was off the charts as you can imagine and their first time together was just explosive with lots of heat between them. It was hot scene, but it underlined more than hot passion but some deep emotions going on because the scene was very emotional and very eye opening especially to Olympia, who finally opened herself to a man and never expected this kind of passion. I just thought it was a great scene that finally came to fruition after all that nice build up between the pair throughout the book and they finally gave into their passions. It was just so good.
Of coarse it didn't end there with misunderstanding ensuing and truths being revealed shocking both of them out of their little passion bubble and knocking them back a bit with Olympia getting knocked back the most and her heart bleeding, making her revert back to the ice queen. It ripped my heart out to see Olympia in that much pain and closing herself off after she came so far. I felt so bad for her especially when she learned the truth about her father and what Nic planned to do to her father aka Zeus in the end.
But despite the pain, she did become stronger thanks to Nic, who told her to stand up for herself and claim what was rightly hers and not hide by the name of Zeus. And know that she was good enough just the way she was. I loved how he made her stronger and fight, and it was really clear that he loved and cared about her and wanted her in his life. Just the ending was definitely a sucker punch from the time he learned the truth about who Zeus really was and onwards. But of coarse they got their happy ending.
I really just loved every second of the book. I loved both characters. I loved the angst. I loved the sexual tension. I loved the whole bet angle, which made for even more interesting story as well as seeing that struggle in Olympia in denying her attraction to him. I loved her journey as a character and just her self discovery. I loved Nic and how he came to realize what was really important in life and that it wasn't revenge. I loved the emotion behind this book. It was so raw and deep made me feel ravaged right along with the characters. It was just so well written and a perfect series ender that complement the first two in this series. It was perfect, and I can't find a single fault with it. It was just so so so good. I wish all romance novels were like this. Bravo Victoria Parker. Bravo. Keep up the good work and keep ripping out my heart and putting it back together like you do with your characters. Loved the rawness of it.
Highly recommend this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2014
For over a decade Nicardro Santos, heir to the legendary diamond legacy has lived with one unrelenting purpose, to infiltrate the ultra prestigious Q Virtus gentlemen's club and bring it and it's leader, Zues down.
But what he doesn't know is that Olympia Merisi the daughter of his enemy, is now the one in charge! Olympia has her own reasons for wanting to keep Nicandro close and she will stop at nothing to protect what belongs to her.
The only question that remains at the end of the day is what will happen when the battle lines of hate and anger start to blur and more dangerous and sensual ones start to emerge?
I have been a fan of this author's books since the first time I picked up her debut, she has a way of luring you into a story that seems as dark as its characters and then slowly and so beautifully dragging you back to the light.
And each time I step into the darkness I cannot help but wonder if am going emerge on the other side as the same person I was before I read the book, because with this author you know there is a guaranteed happy ending in the works but her writing is so full of life and so unpredictable ( I love her for the unpredictable parts as a predictable book is never any fun) that I am never sure if I will at the end of the read still feel that surge of joy and excitement when reading the back cover. It's almost and yes I know this sounds completely off for a Harlequin read, but it always seems as if she is going to kill of the main characters when I least expect it and then what? Thankfully it is ever the case , but it is in this unique captivating, keep my attention all the way through till the end magical way of writing that the true genius of this author shines through time after time.
In this her latest read she has done it all again and ten times better! I was completely addicted to the book from the first page, I could not put it down for fear am going to miss something, and yes I realize it's a book and not a tv show and thus one is able to put down and come back later, yet I simply could not bring myself to do it.
And the darkness was once again there in full force, and my oh my was it simply delicious! I was not nuts about Nicandro having thoughts and such a drive to take revenge , because let's face it, seeking revenge never makes you a nice person it makes you cold, dark and totally not likable, but what I did love is how the author changed his outlook on life once he encounters Olympia. It was like reading about a lonely creature being dragged into the harsh reality of life in order to learn what truly matters in life.
Olympia was really awesome, awesome heroine. I adored this woman for being so strong and fighting for what is hers, of course hiding behind a mask of identity showed her more in the light of weak yet she is so determined in making it all work that her weakness takes a back seat and more than once the author completely let me forget about it all together , and then suddenly gently reminded me , really brilliant work Victoria !
From this read am taking away a message of revenge is a very bad thing to go after in life, but sometimes it is the very thing needed to bring you back to reality. The trick is how you react when the chance for the return comes to be able to see it for what it is, a second chance at a life of happiness. And most importantly hiding behind facade, pretending to be someone you are not is never the answer, yes some people will not understand or even want you around but it's simply because they cannot handle the real you. Stand strong and be you it's what will ultimately let you win any battle in life.
I highly recommend this read for all fans of brilliant, blow your mind, beautiful , stunning tear my heart to shreds and make it whole again with magical romance, reads. Victoria Parker has once again shown why she's a leading lady in each and every aspect of writing the perfect so close to reality read it will leave you in tears and begging to be dragged back for more!
5/5 star review
" Revenge is what he seeks, what he finds will bring his soul back to life"
January 2, 2020
Memorable very charming hero.
August 30, 2014
Rating ~ 4.5 stars.
I have really liked Victoria Parker's other harlequin books so when I saw that this month she had another release, I jumped to buy it.
This story is about Nicandro Santos (Nic) and Olympia Merisi (Pia). Nic wants to destroy Pia's father's life and business because of what he did to destroy his parents and the Santos empire. So for the last 10 years or so Nic changed his name, climbed the ladder and become a billionaire with the sole focus of destroying Zeus starting with the gentlemens club. Nic meets Pia there, we see an obvious attraction there and I really enjoyed some of thir banter. Pia unlike other harlequin heroines is not some virginal heroine and a princess who doesnt understand the real world. She is very much a business women, confident and successful though she chooses to hide her identity in the business world.
Nic and Pia make a bet after which we see new sides to both Pia and Nic who are trying hard not to let their guard down and show any weakness to the other while falling in love. Which leads to the past coming back to haunting them.
Minor quibbles: Whats up with that? and I also felt like Nic should have a done a bit more groveling.
I have really liked Victoria Parker's other harlequin books so when I saw that this month she had another release, I jumped to buy it.
This story is about Nicandro Santos (Nic) and Olympia Merisi (Pia). Nic wants to destroy Pia's father's life and business because of what he did to destroy his parents and the Santos empire. So for the last 10 years or so Nic changed his name, climbed the ladder and become a billionaire with the sole focus of destroying Zeus starting with the gentlemens club. Nic meets Pia there, we see an obvious attraction there and I really enjoyed some of thir banter. Pia unlike other harlequin heroines is not some virginal heroine and a princess who doesnt understand the real world. She is very much a business women, confident and successful though she chooses to hide her identity in the business world.
Nic and Pia make a bet after which we see new sides to both Pia and Nic who are trying hard not to let their guard down and show any weakness to the other while falling in love. Which leads to the past coming back to haunting them.
Minor quibbles: Whats up with that? and I also felt like Nic should have a done a bit more groveling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2014
I was given this book to read for an honest review. What I can tell you right off is not to read this book when you're tired. You'll miss too many yummy details of the story. I reread this during the day and I have to tell you I LOVED IT!
The story centers around Nicandro (Nic) Santos, heir to the Diamond Legacy. His parents were killed and he blamed a man called Zeus. Zeus had a daughter that he knew absolutely nothing about. Olympia (Pia) Mirisi was dumped on her fathers doorstep by her mother. She has been abused and her mother then OD on drugs.
Nic makes a bet with Pia that if he gets her into bed that she would have to introduce him to Zeus. Pia fights her attraction for Nic. A sudden snowstorm brings her to the brink of death and the Dr. recommends body heat to warm her up. When Pia wakes up she automatically assumes that Nic took advantage of her.
There is a constant battle between them for power. Will Pia forgive Nic when she finds out he is engaged? You'll need to find out what transpires between these two and if love can overcome heartache.
The story centers around Nicandro (Nic) Santos, heir to the Diamond Legacy. His parents were killed and he blamed a man called Zeus. Zeus had a daughter that he knew absolutely nothing about. Olympia (Pia) Mirisi was dumped on her fathers doorstep by her mother. She has been abused and her mother then OD on drugs.
Nic makes a bet with Pia that if he gets her into bed that she would have to introduce him to Zeus. Pia fights her attraction for Nic. A sudden snowstorm brings her to the brink of death and the Dr. recommends body heat to warm her up. When Pia wakes up she automatically assumes that Nic took advantage of her.
There is a constant battle between them for power. Will Pia forgive Nic when she finds out he is engaged? You'll need to find out what transpires between these two and if love can overcome heartache.
August 18, 2014
"The other side of fear is freedom, my boy. Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live."
Another well written HP by Victoria Parker. I really liked this book. Not only was Olympia (Pia) a really powerful woman who stood up to Nicandro (Nic) and was more than his match, there sexual chemistry was off the charts.
This story is really about how revenge hurts the person seeking it, letting go of the past and all of the hurt it's caused and letting go of fear in order to start being free and truly living (as the quote I posted above implies). Great story, would very much recommend as a read.
Another well written HP by Victoria Parker. I really liked this book. Not only was Olympia (Pia) a really powerful woman who stood up to Nicandro (Nic) and was more than his match, there sexual chemistry was off the charts.
This story is really about how revenge hurts the person seeking it, letting go of the past and all of the hurt it's caused and letting go of fear in order to start being free and truly living (as the quote I posted above implies). Great story, would very much recommend as a read.
July 19, 2019
Nombres: Nicandro & Olympia
Profesiones: Empresaria & Empresario Inmobiliario
Pais: Zanzibar
Profesiones: Empresaria & Empresario Inmobiliario
Pais: Zanzibar
August 24, 2014
I should have read this series in order but in the end I knew Parker would deliver the romance hit I was looking for and after reading the back cover story description it grabbed me enough to read them out of sync. I couldn't put it down so it hit the spot. Nailbiting, beautifully written with fabulous setting (The Ice Castle the most memorable) and with that sexy evocative feel Ive come to expect from this author The Ultimate Revenge was a great read. I fell madly for the charming devil Nic though I could have smashed my kindle off the wall when he walked out on Pia. Idiot. I'd like to say he redeemed himself completely but I too would've liked a bit more grovelling. Though I did absolutely love the ending. Was it my favourite of Parkers? Probably not. Reputation to uphold will take some beating for me but the story is still brilliantly done and very much worth the read.
September 8, 2014
This story is the finale of the Q Virtus gentleman’s club trilogy and can be easily read as a standalone.
I absolutely loved The Ultimate Revenge and its one of the best harlequin I have read in a while. Right from the start, Victoria Parker sets up an amazing pace and it continues till the very last page. It had everything I love and expect in a presents.
Nicandro is a sexy alpha hero who hides his true self behind charisma and sarcasm but slowly he learns to show his true feelings in front of Pia. He is used to getting what he wants and cannot expect no for an answer. I loved that he had an alpha personality but without the usual irritating characteristics. Read More
I absolutely loved The Ultimate Revenge and its one of the best harlequin I have read in a while. Right from the start, Victoria Parker sets up an amazing pace and it continues till the very last page. It had everything I love and expect in a presents.
Nicandro is a sexy alpha hero who hides his true self behind charisma and sarcasm but slowly he learns to show his true feelings in front of Pia. He is used to getting what he wants and cannot expect no for an answer. I loved that he had an alpha personality but without the usual irritating characteristics. Read More
August 27, 2014
This was nigh on perfect for me. There were so many twists and turns from the 'killer' opening to the heart breaking close I couldn't lift my head from the page for three hours in case I missed something.
As for Nic I understood him perfectly and the internal war he battled with towards the end; fear at the thought of keeping Pia close and drowning in her versus the agony of losing her altogether, broke my heart. The last love scene before he leaves was just WOW. Personally I think this book is Parker's best work to date. Superb writing. Brilliant storytelling. Bravo!
As for Nic I understood him perfectly and the internal war he battled with towards the end; fear at the thought of keeping Pia close and drowning in her versus the agony of losing her altogether, broke my heart. The last love scene before he leaves was just WOW. Personally I think this book is Parker's best work to date. Superb writing. Brilliant storytelling. Bravo!
October 31, 2014
I kept this book to read on my holidays and I'm so pleased I did, I chilled by the pool and totally got relaxed and taken to another world filled of emotions... I loved how this book written by Victoria Parker took me through love, hate, pain, trust, and betrayals of two very strong but messed up characters in their own ways. This book has to be one on the best books Iv ever read, and once again victoria did not disappoint as I new she wouldn't. I would recommend this book to anyone, and would rate it higher if I could.
April 12, 2015
Hated the heroine. I like my heroines soft sweet and feminine.
January 15, 2016
Loved this book. I thought It was going to be all darkish and angst, but I was wrong. It was fun to read. Strong h and funny H. And lots of ice.
August 9, 2021
I liked the story. The characters were wealthy, powerful and intriguing. Olympia, Piano, was a strong woman who had a lot of self doubt thanks to her upbringing and her worthless father. Nice wanted revenge for his loss of his parents. Together they exploded. Good story and glad I read series.
October 2, 2020
I’ve enjoyed this one quite a lot. I liked both the h and the H and the plot was very good as well.
April 9, 2021
It was good, it could have been better.
December 13, 2021
Totally Wonderful 😍🥰
August 3, 2022
The best HP I've read yet. -1 for ending (mostly regarding the hero). But otherwise, great read. Really liked the heroine. We need more female CEO heroines.
Read
December 4, 2014This book was assigned to me by my English teacher as a fun activity to learn about romantic novels. My whole class was assigned a different Harlequin romance novel. This book did not keep my interest. There was no mystery to any of the story. It was too easy to predict what was going to happen next. I knew Olympia and Nic were going to fall in love just by reading the back of the book. It gave away the what seemed like most of the ending. It was about this man named Nicandro Santos, who wanted to take down his rival, Zeus, and his rivals gentleman's club, Q Virtus. What he didn't know was that Zeus's daughter had taken over the club. Olympia is a string female character that will hold her own and protect what's hers. Nicandro found her quite alluring. To the point that he was turned on even by the sight of her. Although at first they both act cold to each other, they begin to warm up and fall for each other.
I was not interested in the plot. The book was cheesy, it was hard to put it into real life perspective. The events that occurred in this book did not seem like something that would ever happen in real life. It was hard to try to become interested in such a lame story.The book started off very slow. The author introduced too many characters in the beginning. It was hard to keep track. The plot of the story was hard to follow. The concept was very uninteresting. The book was also poorly written. Although, the book did begin to pick up and caught my interest for a couple pages, I got lost shortly after that. I found myself dreading to read any more of the book.
I would not recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good read. It was boring, lame, and hard to understand. Keep in mind the book was so short, there wasn't much to it. The plot of the book was not of interest. It was hard to decipher the key elements of the plot. It possibly would have helped if i read the other two in the trilogy but I don't believe I would begin to waste my time to do that.
I was not interested in the plot. The book was cheesy, it was hard to put it into real life perspective. The events that occurred in this book did not seem like something that would ever happen in real life. It was hard to try to become interested in such a lame story.The book started off very slow. The author introduced too many characters in the beginning. It was hard to keep track. The plot of the story was hard to follow. The concept was very uninteresting. The book was also poorly written. Although, the book did begin to pick up and caught my interest for a couple pages, I got lost shortly after that. I found myself dreading to read any more of the book.
I would not recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good read. It was boring, lame, and hard to understand. Keep in mind the book was so short, there wasn't much to it. The plot of the book was not of interest. It was hard to decipher the key elements of the plot. It possibly would have helped if i read the other two in the trilogy but I don't believe I would begin to waste my time to do that.
September 1, 2014
I am a Victoria Parker fan and this book more than lives up to the standard Parker has set in her previous books.
Both Pia and Nic grabbed me from the start and refused to let go until the end – there is so very much for them to overcome to get to that last page. Their journey is beautifully portrayed by Parker - I was on the edge of my seat loving the emotional roller coaster, the heat level and the incredibly evocative description.
For Nic revenge is what has driven him for so very long …then he meets Pia and to get that revenge he will have to take her down. Pia is an amazing woman – so strong, so tough and yet so vulnerable she makes your heart ache.
Parker writes with amazing emotional depth yet with a lightness of touch at exactly the right moments resulting in a gripping impossible to put down read.
Both Pia and Nic grabbed me from the start and refused to let go until the end – there is so very much for them to overcome to get to that last page. Their journey is beautifully portrayed by Parker - I was on the edge of my seat loving the emotional roller coaster, the heat level and the incredibly evocative description.
For Nic revenge is what has driven him for so very long …then he meets Pia and to get that revenge he will have to take her down. Pia is an amazing woman – so strong, so tough and yet so vulnerable she makes your heart ache.
Parker writes with amazing emotional depth yet with a lightness of touch at exactly the right moments resulting in a gripping impossible to put down read.
June 3, 2020
A really passionate and stormy affair, this is made of equal parts spice and drama. Both leads are good, with complicated histories that (of course) drive them first together than apart. I'm not so sure I buy the proposition behind some of it, as I don't think that it's founded that well and not quite believable. I'll avoid spoilers but it just doesn't gel in my mind. Regardless, it's quite satisfying watching Nicandro Carvalho stalk his target, letting nothing stand between him and ultimate revenge. That is, unless he can find something more satisfying than the goal he's spent his entire life struggling to achieve.
More than anything else, this book makes me wonder how much of what we are is due to ourselves, and how much given to us my our families and childhood.
More than anything else, this book makes me wonder how much of what we are is due to ourselves, and how much given to us my our families and childhood.
December 22, 2014
Brazilian hero & Greek heroine gazillionaires in high stakes revenge. The jetsetting was fun - Zanzibar, Finnmark, Barcelona, South Pacific. There was espionage, mafia, ice hotels, gin rummy and piggybacks (which was kinda sweet but also odd). *spoiler kinda but not really as you discover this in Chapter 2 but just in case someone takes offence I will call this next bit a SPOILER*
2 things strtched the book's believability 1. That the heroine could hide her father's death from the board of his business for 4 years (seriously! How do you keep someone's death a secret?) and 2. A Greek woman that cannot dance and needs a Brazilian to teach her? This is not possible. Ohi!
2 things strtched the book's believability 1. That the heroine could hide her father's death from the board of his business for 4 years (seriously! How do you keep someone's death a secret?) and 2. A Greek woman that cannot dance and needs a Brazilian to teach her? This is not possible. Ohi!
September 30, 2022
Olympia is secretly running her (deceased) father's empire when she catches an intruder in her bedroom. From that point on, she and Nicandro butt heads as their interactions grow more & more serious. However, Pia doesn't know that Nic's plan is to seduce her and use her to totally destroy her father. If she gets hurt in the process, well, that is not important.
Very intense for most of the book, but kind of wimps out at the end.
Very intense for most of the book, but kind of wimps out at the end.
November 6, 2014
Crikey, this was seriously hot and snappy and rather addictive. I loved it. Gimme a sexy as hell Nic Carvalho any day. This was a recommend and I've since read most of this authors books but I still think this is my favourite. Fabulous!
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January 12, 2016"Parker’s biting narrative is convincing, the dance scene divine and the characters’ animated repartee blissful" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).
Miniseries: The 21st Century Gentleman's Club
Miniseries: The 21st Century Gentleman's Club
Read
January 12, 2016received 4 stars @ RT Book Reviews
Miniseries: The 21st Century Gentleman's Club
Miniseries: The 21st Century Gentleman's Club
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