Dark Soul Vol. 4 (Dark Soul, #4) in Riptide Publishing

Jan 04, 2012 Emanuela ~plastic duck~ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: glbt, rainbow-gay, action-crime-suspense, rainbow-bisexual

I was very confused at the end of this installment, and that's probably the way it's got to be, since the next will be the last. I had the impression this was transitional, but at the same time I didn't feel completely satisfied with how things ended, because there's nothing not even remotely resolved in Stefano's life. I kept wondering: why did the author created - or even removed - conflicts, but I didn't really feel the story going somewhere?

While I was pondering this deep - I was going to sa I was very confused at the end of this installment, and that's probably the way it's got to be, since the next will be the last. I had the impression this was transitional, but at the same time I didn't feel completely satisfied with how things ended, because there's nothing not even remotely resolved in Stefano's life. I kept wondering: why did the author created - or even removed - conflicts, but I didn't really feel the story going somewhere?

While I was pondering this deep - I was going to say profound, but that's a bit extreme - feeling of dissatisfaction, I looked at it from a different angle. All the three parts of this installment are written in Stefano's point-of-view and it's Stefano who's not really confronting what's going on.

There are two important parts of Stefano's life which are slowly crumbling because of Silvio and because Stefano has no idea what to do with him: his clan is questioning his leadership; his wife his questioning his faithfulness. Stefano doesn't really take the situation into his hands, because up to that point he hasn't cleared his mind about his feelings for Silvio, his attraction for him, what it could cost, what it could mean.

Silvio doesn't really push Stefano because, really, Silvio doesn't need to push anything, things move around him just because he is there, because, as Franco says, "Silvio can't touch anything without changing it." Moreover I don't think Silvio changed Stefano, he just made the dissolution of Stefano's life faster. I am almost convinced now that it would have happened nonetheless, maybe in different way, but Stefano is clearly not mafia-boss material, even if there is a dominant streak in him that Silvio brings out.

There is a moment that I read and re-read because it kept me suspended.

Silvio blinked. Once, then lowered his gaze. "All I want from you is..."

This moment was so smartly played and showed much more in the omissions than in what was being said. Stefano knows Silvio needs something profound, but he suggests sex, and Silvio never gets to really complete his request, he just breathes a "Yeah." What's unsaid is so powerful and heartbreaking and it remains between the lines.

This is the reason why I love this series.

What will happen? Will they make it work? What price will they pay? All I know is that, whatever will happen, I won't be ready to part with them. ...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Amara rated it it was amazing

Review posted on my blog.

Amara's Place

...more

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Jan 08, 2012 LenaLena rated it really liked it

Shelves: mm

Looking forward to rereading all 5 of these in row next month. Star rating is a place holder until I do that.

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Nov 06, 2012 Ms. Nikki rated it liked it

Shelves: a-dark-read, go-to-reliable-authors, on-kindle-fire-nook-samsung, m-m, bdsm-light-or-extreme

D coming home from Italy and her feelings really let the whole cheating factor sink in and made me reevaluate my opinion of Stefano. The first story left me feeling empty. The more I get to know the mobster, the less I like him. Weird. Franco leaving was disappointing, but not a shocker. Hopefully he will get his own story one day. I didnt feel the sexual tension like in the previous reads and I really missed it. A good read.

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Jan 29, 2012 Adara rated it it was amazing

Oh, now it's getting good. Stefano is well and truly f*ed at this point. And wow, is it sexy. I can't wait to see how it'll turn out, but man, saying goodbye will suck big time. ...more

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