Double the Review-Deviant Hacker & Relentless Hunter by Maggie Cole

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

About The Book

A Mafia Underboss Kidnapped Me.
The moment Declan O’Malley laid eyes on me the universe shifted. His inked muscles, seductive confidence, and bad boy vibes lured me to him. He’s twice my age. He’s experienced.
Now I’m in a dark cell. Bound. Cold. Helpless.
He’s determined to turn me into his obedient little captive until I convince him I’ve told him the truth.
The spark burns hotter, the hunger between us electric.
When he demands I call him daddy, more confusion reigns over me.
I should hate him, instead of wanting to submit.
Yet all I crave is his deviant touch.

Deviant Hacker is the ninth jaw-dropping installment of the Mafia Wars series and part of the O’Malley saga. It’s an extreme age gap, kidnapping Dark Mafia romance, interconnecting stand-alone, and guaranteed to have an HEA.

“You want me to fight for you? I will. I’m not going to back down about this.”

My Review

First Impressions

Deviant Hacker is the ninth installment of the Mafia Wars series and in this book we have Declan’s story and this is one that I didn’t know too much and to be honest I hadn’t heard too much about but with certain events leading up to it, I had a guess that this one would be a kidnapping set up. Ironically we haven’t had too many of those in this series which in some ways has kinda surprised me. I do like that Maggie Cole has a whole group of tropes and set ups that she has worked with on this series and I never know what she will use from one story to the next. I really liked this one, its not my favorite set up and most of that is due to the kidnapping scenario that is used in the book, it just isn’t my favorite but I did think that the way it was done was quite an interesting dynamic but Maggie Cole definitely made it work in the way that it needed to.

Summary

Declan O’Malley has been on the hunt for the hacker who has put their family at risk at them losing millions and the only reason that they have kept Jack Christan alive as long as they had and now they know that all of their plans could go down the drain if its not handled carefully. When Declan who is a machine on the computer, is able to track down the hacker, he finds the hacker and kidnaps the culprit and takes the hacker to his basement, only shocked to realize its a woman, and not just any woman, a beautiful angel, one that he saw at his family’s pub one night and they had a connection but nothing more happened but now he needs to know why his angel is trying to destroy his family. At first he binds her in a cold cell, and will keep her his captive until she tells him the truth, there is a powerful chemistry between them, and Declan is determined to get her submission but when he finds the truth and realizes his angel intentions, he will have to work back into her good graces and prove that he will always protect her and cherish her….

“I haven’t let you go. You’re here because you insisted you need this right now. Don’t confuse it with the truth. We will be together again, angel.”

What I Loved

I really found this one to be quite interesting and I didn’t know what to make of the kidnapping dynamic, it definitely has its darker elements obviously due to the set of circumstances and you can see how there is such a divide between our hero and heroine. My heart just broke for Simona, as you can see that she is an innocent and is an innocent caught in the middle of this war. I found it quite interesting to see this captor/captive situation would last and I wasn’t always a fan of Declan and how he handled the situation with Simona. You can see how torn he is at times, but he is also loyal to his family and you see how divided he is and not just by all the events leading up to this moment, but also that Simona doesn’t fit the profile of someone out to destroy them. She is completely honest in everything that she does. I really found her to be so fresh and spirited but I also understand her reactions and her ways of submitting to Declan and knowing when to fight her battles. I loved the balance of fire and submissive nature she has. Once we get past the captor/captive scenario and where they are working together and rebuilding levels of trust in their relationship , then that is where this book really begins to shine and where the hero becomes redeemable for me because you definitely see how he has to prove himself and allow compromise into the relationship. Even though the first half was a struggle, the later part of the story definitely made up for it.

What I Struggled With

I really struggled with the first half, and I didn’t care for some of the actions that Declan take again Simona at times, and while I understood it, I also saw Simona as being innocent so it was this inner battle in wanting this tension of the set up to be over and for them to work past it. I do think it got dragged out a little bit more than made sense at least for me.

Overall View

I found Deviant Hacker to be a stunning and riveting read that is a great addition to this power-packed series that has easily won my heart! It’s a story that will push your boundaries, have you stretching limits, and opening up to new possibilities.

“Every ounce of what I feel for you, you feel for me. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be here. You’re sugar and I’m hot water. We’ve been stirred and shaken. There’s no more you or me. It’s us.”

Title: Deviant Hacker

Author: Maggie Cole

Genre: Dark Mafia Romance

Format: eBook

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Length: 463 Pages

Book Links

Amazon| Goodreads| StoryGraph| Literal Club

Trigger Warning

Kidnapping, Torture, Violence

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

About The Book

One moment in time changed the course of our lives…
For over two decades, I vow to find her.
I’m locked up.
Full of rage.
Obsessed with remembering every detail about her.
When I get out, I scour the Earth.
Relentlessly.
Mercilessly.
I know she’s out there.
I can still feel her, my firefly glowing in the dark.
I’ll never stop until she’s back in my arms.

Relentless Hunter is the tenth and final jaw-dropping installment of the Mafia Wars series and part of the O’Malley saga. It’s a second chance Dark Mafia romance, interconnecting stand-alone, and guaranteed to have an HEA.

“Firefly?” “Yeah. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with fireflies. I would catch them in jars and watch them glow all night. You remind me of them. You light up the room. So, I could sit and be happy watching you glow all night,” I confess.

My Review

First Impressions

Relentless Hunter is the last book in the Mafia Wars series and this is one of my most anticipated reads of the series, as I have heard the best things about this book but I knew that it would be a rough read, and yeah it’s not the easiest of these books to read, but it is one of the most satisfying of the series. I was really drawn into the book because this is Finn’s book and I knew his story would be so badass and it definitely was. But I would say pay attention to the triggers in this one because it does contain some difficult content that some will struggle with. I was impressed with how Maggie Cole handled this book and there was such an intensity to this book that really worked out so well for me. From the first page, you know that the author is going to put you through the emotional ringer and she definitely does in this one, but it’s a story that I feel must be told and it had me all in my feels and is definitely worth the journey,

But that’s the thing about love. You find it in your heart to overlook the things that aren’t perfect because no one is. Everyone has their demons, so you accept them and love them for who they

Summary

From the moment that Finn and Brenna, knew that there was something deep and special for them. Brenna and Finn embrace instantly the connection that they have together, and even though Brenna knows that Finn is part of a dangerous family, she always has complete faith in him. She knows he will always protect her no matter the cost. But when Brenna ends in a situation, Finn steps in and is the one caught red-handed and he ends up in prison for 21 years for it. But what hurts him the most, is knowing that Brenna has disappeared and no one can find her and he is stuck in Prison unable to search for her and protect her, he has no idea if she is alive or dead but he is determined to be the King and hone his skills so that when he is free, he can do whatever it takes to find his Firefly, Brenna on her side, was kidnapped and sold as a slave, but when she escaped, she thought she would find a way but now believes that Finn is dead, and then gets recaptured and is stuck in her own prison, not knowing if she will ever have a taste of freedom again. When Finn finds out that Brenna is very much alive, he will do whatever it takes to free her no matter the war that will have to happen.

She loves me. Every day she shows me. And she looks past all the bullshit of what my family and I bring to the table and still accepts me. She knows all my faults, yet she unconditionally loves me.

What I Loved

This book tore my heart in shreds and I am not saying that lightly, my heart just broke for Finn and Brenna and what they both suffer. We get to see them falling in love and how beautiful their connection is, I really loved how Brenna accepts Finn for who he is, and is so understanding of where he is in life and his status with his family. Then we have Finn, who is so protective over Brenna and makes his share of mistakes, but I loved his fierce determination to protect her. We see how their connection doesn’t waver despite their 21-year separation and that they are so together no matter the evils that try to keep them apart, and then we have that beautiful moment when they find each other again, and it was worth all the pain and struggle that they have to face to be together again,. This is definitely one of my top favorite books of the series, there is something so deep and profound about this book that resonates so well with this reader. Maggie Cole definitely shows her true talents in this one here. I wanted so much to have these two together and to find their much-deserved HEA. On the side, we also get to see the truth behind Bridget and seeing what happened to her to cause her to distance herself and the truth of what happened the night Sean was killed. I have a feeling that her story is not even close to being over and very curious to see about the connecting series that Maggie Cole is currently working on.

So I make a decision. No matter what, I won’t waver again. I’ll lead her through the maze until we get to the end, and anytime she doubts her worth or my love for her, I’ll show her.

What I Struggled With

This book is perfection!!!! I wouldn’t change a thing.

Overall View

Relentless Hunter is an intense filled romance that will capture your heart and will have you fighting for this pair as they work their way towards their much-deserved HEA. Its a story of struggle, determination, and conquering evil to embrace the one you love the most!!

“Whatever happens, I’m walking out that door with you. Always. Forever.”

Title: Relentless Hunter

Author: Maggie Cole

Genre: Dark Mafia Romance

Format: eBook

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Length: 526 Pages

Book Links

Amazon| Goodreads| StoryGraph| Literal Club

Trigger Warning

Violence, Sexual Assault, Abuse

Series Order

Mafia Wars

Ruthless Stranger-Pub 2021 # 1 in the Series

Broken Fighter-Pub 2021 #2 in the Series

Cruel Enforcer-Pub 2021 #3 in the Series

Vicious Protector-Pub 2021 #4 in the Series

Savage Tracker-Pub 2021 #5 in the Series

Unchosen Ruler-Pub 2021 #6 in the Series

Perfect Sinner-Pub 2021 #7 in the Series

Brutal Defender-Pub 2021 #8 in the Series

Deviant Hacker-Pub 2021 #9 in the Series

Relentless Hunter-Pub 2022 #10 in the Series

About The Author

Maggie Cole is committed to bringing her readers alphalicious book boyfriends. She’s been called the “literary master of steamy romance.”
Her books are full of raw emotion, suspense, and will always keep you wanting more. She is a masterful storyteller of contemporary romance and loves writing about broken people who rise above the ashes.
Maggie lives in Florida with her son. She loves sunshine, anything to do with water, and everything naughty.

Her current series were written in the order below:
All In (Stand alones with entwined characters)
It’s Complicated (Stand alones with entwined characters)
Together We Stand (Brooks Family Saga – read in order)
Behind Closed Doors (Read in order)
Mafia Wars
Coming in 2022 – Mafia Wars New York