SPOILER ALERT
Reviewed by Cassandra.
#BookReview ~The Carrero Contract: Finding Freedom by L T Marshall
Series: #TheCarreroSeries 9
My Rating: 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Pages: 658
Publisher: Pict Publishing
Available: 21 June 2019
Genre: Romance / Fiction / Contemporary Romance / Mafia
get the book – getbook.at/CarreroContract3
Blurb:CAMILLA WALTERS and ALEXI CARRERO embark on the final installment of their trilogy.
Love confessions hanging in the air and yet a fog of mistrust and confusion clouds the way. So much has passed and yet so much still to resolve. Danger still lurking in dark corners, threatening her life and all she is building.
A mafia based enemies to lovers tale that has gripped our hearts and pulled us on a turbulent journey to this moment.Love him or leave him, put the past to rest or let it destroy what could be.
Can she ever forgive him and allow her heart the happiness it deserves?.
Can Alexi truly be what she needs?
Contains some mature, adult content, and language.
My Thoughts:If you have been following my reviews or blog for a while then you will know I absolutely ADORE the Carrero Series by L T Marshall. Each couple has a trilogy, and this is the final book in Alexi and Camillas story.
In true Marshall fashion, the conclusion to the second instalment left everyone excited for the next book, and yet incredibly frustrated! I needed to know what would come next! But what made this ending even more clever, is the shock factor was wholly different to the previous, yet was perfect for the couple.
So starting the book, we start in a very different way to the previous “OMG” of book 8, yet no less intrigued to see where this is going. I have adored this couples story, two very troubled people with disturbing and often brutal pasts. You know that the two together are going to be incredible if they can work things out, and in this book we see more of each persons story. I have to admit here that the ending was damned clever. The sweetest ending she has given us, and yet… still such a BITCH Leanne!! Talk about giving us what we ask for while avoiding it entirely 🤣 I know we asked for a romantic end to a middle book but yeh… staying true to form and doing that with a bang!! (See what I did there 😏)
We find out about where Alexi was for the missing months between books 7 and 8 and WOW were they worth waiting for!! In true Alexi fashion, he acted just as you might expect from his Character, yet probably didn’t guess! And that right there is the beauty if this Author. You never know what is coming, but when it does you know it is going to suit the characters perfectly. Now for myself, I had guessed that he spent the time trying to find Camilla, and there my guessometer broke. I LOVED knowing what he has done in that gap!! So very Alexi, romantic yet so very unflowery, caring but full of realism and grit, soft hearted but DEVASTATINGLY hard when warranted. Alexi really is that image of the Knight. His armour isn’t shiny, because he is taking those demons down one at a time with his own hands.
Several scenes within this book teach us about Alexis past, about some of the why behind actions and reactions for both Cam and Lexi. We start to see just how these two can work, with the fire between the two in both attitude and sheer chemistry, it all comes together brilliantly!! I won’t say perfectly because that’s just not who these Characters are. Stubborn, hotheaded and full of attitude, you know they’re a perfectly imperfect match that will buttheads impressively! But for them, it is perfect. I have to say here. I HATE HIS MOTHER. Seriously. What a prize prick. Completely understandable for how Alexi got to where he is and why, and when Camilla faces her down I honestly wanted to CHEER! Then when Alexi jumps in and faces her down to defend Cam? Omg those two. Just. Yeh. BE STILL MY BEATING HEART!!
Scenes come up that will shock the reader immensely, make you want to throw the book at the Authors head. But hey, she likes it. She THRIVES on our torment, and so we have the traditional moments where we sit back and say “WOW, what?!” That’s why we love it. At least.. that is what I tell myself at 6am when I had to keep reading because I just needed to see how this scene would conclude, and then I just needed to see how the next would… and the next… and oh look, my daughters up for breakfast.
Whoops.
Seriously though, I absolutely adored every page, it was perfectly imperfect for Camlexi. I loved seeing how this would work, they may be stubborn but they’re learning to work together to get past that. Each tries to compromise and reason with themselves to see the other persons side in a situation, sometimes with hilariously understandable and believable results. When you get to the bath scene, you will totally understand. I laughed and sniggered so much there, I had to leave the room so I didn’t wake anyone else. I have since reread it THREE TIMES GUYS and I still laugh at this scene. Picturing how Cam expects this gorgeously Romantic scene, and then feeling her humour and chagrin equally when he ruins it by being so very UNalexi in his wussy response that’s still perfectly him. I was in stitches!! You can feel the variety of emotions from both, and picturing that look on his face as he gradually lowers himself in… and to be honest, picturing him gradually lowering in because it’s too hot. HOWLING!!
I equally still sit at the edge of my seat, tense in moments because my mind is going “NO what?!” Even whilst I know what is going to happen next. This is a book that covers incredible amounts of emotion. I have laughed, cried, called the Author every name under my breath, whooped in excitement and snickered at clever comebacks.
And yet. Leanne has a LOT to answer for. The dressing down if the staff, YESSSS go Camilla!! Fucking A man! That was soooo needed and I wanted to cheer her on! But that second she sneaks away, wandering because she’s worried about his reaction. My heart was in my throat, I’m like “NOOOO YOU PLONKER!!” But I knew she would keep going because, STUBBORN and worried and a wide range of emotions. I may have message with a “Leanne!!! How could you!!” Type of message, I may have also put the story down because I was terrified of the Leanneisms about to occur. And yet. PERFECT. The tension, the stress of not knowing what would happen, but that tiny voice URGING Alexi to shift his ass! And then the throat punch. GO ALEXI. in fact no scratch that, COME HERE Alexi 😏😏
From Vegas, Omg. Just OH MY GOD MAN. I couldn’t decide whose side i was on tbh haha both as bad as each other! The mix of emotions over the wedding is COMICAL!! Like ok, she hd the idea but you KNOW she is still seething at him and running scared, poor alexi is terrified she’s going to run because of it but equally like “woman it was YOUR idea!”. It’s amazing!! And that proposal, Cam realising all those little things he did throughout, constant things that showed how he felt. I was in floods of tears whilst grinning like a fool.
And those final scenes. SCARY MAN. Perfect conclusion to that scenario. Camilla may have been struggling, but she got through it and he helped her to in a strong, understanding and very Alexi way.
In short folks. Alexi and Camilla are the Carrero royalty. All hail the fucking King and Queen!!
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About The Author:’Leanne Marshall is a Scottish born and bred romance writer with more than the average persons life experience. She has been a torrent of wild things, including singer in a girl band, animal rights activist and charity owner – worked in radio and offered jobs in TV. A passionate, restless soul, who has always found peace in writing, the only way to calm that fiery spirit.She uses her wit and dark humour to her advantage in her works and has been an avid reader for most of her life. Her influences vary, but from early life and a teen stint in journalism, she applies logic to most of her plot lines, is a self confessed research fiend, and likes a lot of psychology behind her characters actions.
She currently resides in Central Scotland with her two children and Fiancee of 13 years, making waves in the book world with her signature ‘WTF moments’ she likes to apply in each story, hints of humour and devastating emotional rollercoaster rides.
Quote from L.T.Marshall – ‘Writing has always been an escape for me, loving that no matter what you are doing, where you are – you can create ideal fantasy and get lost in someone else’s life. I love nothing more than drawing a reader with me on a journey that tortures your every emotion before the grand exhale.”
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