Killian: a Dark Mafia Romance: 4 (Benedetti Brothers)

WOW ~ What a PERFECT way to start 2018. Natasha Knight has just pulled the rug from under me, with this powerful, enthralling, utterly captivating read.I’m a huge fan of NK, she always delivers the perfect balance of dark & twisted, wrapped around a much deeper, emotional story & I'm delighted to say this baby was no different. From the off I couldn’t tear my eyes from the pages, as I became lost to Kill & Cilla’s journey. Gahhhhh this couple are addictive. Both strong yet vulnerable. Both trying to stay ahead of their demons & the ghosts that terrorise them from the past, yet truly unable to outrun them. Equally broken, haunted & have a darkness that taints their soul.Killian is an uber alpha anti hero & as much as I hated him, I bloody loved him just as much. He’s dominant, controlling & fierce, but oh how I adored this mans deep soul & protective heart that was hidden under his arrogant exterior. Let me tell you, when this mans owns something, it’s intense, all consuming & a good bit hot. Pulse racing, panty melting goodness ;)Cilla is no shrinking violet. Even when she is crumbling on the inside, this girls resilience to survive overrides all other emotions. Seeing her try to match Kill in the control department was fantastic, but what I loved more, was how she realised that the man she bargained her body too, would be the very man who would win her heart & mind. Slay her dragons & mend her soul. Sighhhh so so good.Natasha’s character development throughout was phenomenal. Getting to know both Kill & Cilla was like slowly peeling an onion. So many layers. So many secrets that kept me hanging. Only ever giving me enough to be satisfied in that given moment, but ensuring I knew there was so much more waiting to unfold. She has fast become a queen of manipulating plot twists & drip feeding angst ~ such a tease & a torment.5 Dark Stunning Stars

This is my first book by Natasha and I can tell you now that it will not be the last.While I was expecting a very straight forward story, I felt like I got so much more than I bargained for. The depth of emotion in this book rivalled even the most romantic stories I have read. And yes, while this is not a typical romance as it is dark and twisted, there were so many shards of light that pierced the story allowing it to not all be just untold grit. The layers and complexity to the story also allowed me to form bonds with the most unlikely of characters, making me feel invested in them and wanting to know more about them.Now Cilla and Killian, where do I even start with these two?! I don't believe in spoilers so I won't be giving away anything but I will say that the depth and dimension of these characters crawled off the page to take up a piece of my heart with how they are both so strong and determined. While Killian is truly an alpha male, Natasha has given us a woman who has untold strength even in her weakness and that is a sign of truly beautiful writing.While I didn't love every aspect of the book because that's just how it is, I did really enjoy most of it and obviously will be reading more in the future.This is my honest and unbiased review.

I wasn't expecting it to be quite so good. I'm a sucker for a 'get in the car, you're coming with me' kinda man. #AlphaMales Tall, dark and handsome. Tough and tender. Rough and ready. Oh yeah. That's Killian; nickname 'Kill'. BUT I hate that name, it's too much, however loved the character. The FMC was just as great. Priscilla or 'Cilla'; lush and lovely. Smart and sassy; I liked her a lot.The back story is one of horror pretty much for both protagonists; moreso for Cilla and her brother, Jones. I'll leave the reader to pick that apart. The author is very good at 'layering' their sad tales; giving it to us piecemeal but never too much at one time. In fact we're not explicitly told what actually happened to Jones and Cilla; the author leaves us to figure it out. Which personally, I was grateful for. To have seen it written on the page, would have been too much for me. The images evoked, were enough. I hate people sometimes; depravity does know no bounds. My imagination can only go so far before it closes down.Author’s note: Captive Beauty is a standalone romance. Think Beauty and the Beast, but twisted and dark in the best, dirtiest ways.IMO there should be more reference to 'triggers'; absolutely. Depending on personal experiences, and how we each deal with particular events, this story could prove too much for some readers.So good story; good writing; good characters. The two epilogues I felt were a bit confusing; unnecessary perhaps. The ending was very tender; in complete contrast to what's happened before it. I didn't really enjoy it; read it twice to see if it was 'me'. It's a bit too sweet for me, but not terrible. NO way.Would I recommend it? Yes and I have. It was actually recommended to me by 'Carol'. Thanks again for that. Love Rec's, and love them even more when they are a great read. :)

Dark and so heartbreaking at times. I really loved these characters. This is a dark story with a sexy Alpha male lead and a protective, self sacrificing feisty female. The underlying emotional stories are achingly sad. The brother and sisters story and kill's story, are all very dark. The author doesn't go into graphic detail, which I was glad of and even without the graphic details, as a reader I still felt so much for these characters.I did guess early on their history, why they are how they are, but the plot was still gripping and kept me turning the page. Both leads have their own demons, pasts filled with darkness that still haunts them both and they manage to help heal each other. Their scenes together are definitely rated Hot! I do think the two epilogues are unnecessary, they should be combined into one .A captivating dark romance read.