REVIEW: Last Kiss by Jessica Clare & Jen Frederick

In Last Kiss ( Hitman #3) by Jessica Clare & Jen Frederick, Naomi Hays has been taken from her current captors where she’s been used for her technical abilities, and is now being held by Vasily, a member of the Russian Bratva to find a valuable artifact for his family. Naomi may not understand emotions very well, but there is no denying her reaction to Vasily. It isn’t logical to feel deeply for such a harsh man, but Naomi has to go with what her head and her gut instincts tell her to do. And that is to stick with Vasily. For now.

I blink repeatedly, trying to calm myself. Trying not to cry. Vasily doesn’t like to see my crying. “I told you once that I didn’t love anything. But I do. I love you. I love you and I want you to come with me.” I don’t want to lose him. Not now, not ever.

Vasily has been part of the Petrovich Bratva since he was a young boy. He is known as the volk, or the wolf, and is a feared assassin. The years of pain and suffering have been worth it, now that Vasily has the chance to rule the family. But he has been tasked to find a lost item which will prove his worth to the Bratva. Naomi has the computer skills he needs. She also calms him and makes him feel emotion for the first time in decades. Unfortunately, Vasily fears his world is too dangerous to even hope they can have a future together.

‘I know I am not worthy of the gift she is to give me — the gift of her body, the gift of her pleasure — but I am a bad man and I will take it. But in return, I will bring her to the precipice of ecstasy again and again. There will be no delight she wants that will go unfulfilled.’

Last Kiss was an action packed romance that kept me enthralled with the suspense, the eroticism, and the unique characters. I can honestly say that this was unlike any book I’ve read before. And that’s a very good thing!

This is actually book three in the Hitman series, and what an introduction it was for me to the storyline. I enjoyed that even though the novels have some similar characters involved, they can be read as standalones easily enough. The whole premise behind Naomi and Vasily’s pairing was complicated but very intriguing. I mean, it’s not every day that you read a story about a Russian mafia member who falls for a technical genius with Asperger syndrome. But it totally worked.

Now I will caution that there are some very graphic and gritty scenes. Two words: Russian. Mafia. And the sexy-time scenes are explicit with a definite erotic edge to them, bordering on BDSM. I personally thought it fit the characters quite well, so I was fine with it. But some readers may find it too intense. However, I do think that the overall relationship between Naomi and Vasily will strike a chord with fans of offbeat romance. They seemed like opposites but actually had a lot of similarities in their likes and dislikes, which I adored. Who knew a member of the Russian Bratva would have a gentle, thoughtful side? 😉

Authors Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick make a terrific team, giving us this provocative and steamy novel about an unlikely couple who have an undeniable connection. If you’re looking for something a little different, or to spice up your reading habits, check out Last Kiss.

Book Info:

 May 5th 2015 by Berkley

Naomi: When I was kidnapped I thought only of survival. I don’t thrive well in chaos. That’s why I gave my captors exactly what they wanted: my skill with computers. Making millions for a crime lord who kept me imprisoned in his basement compound kept my family safe. When he was taken out, I thought my ticket to freedom had arrived. Wrong. I traded one keeper for another. This time I’m in the hands of a scarred, dark, demanding Russian who happens to be the head of the Bratva, a Russian crime organization. He wants my brain and my body. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued, but I can’t be a prisoner forever…no matter how good he makes me feel.

Vasily: At a young age, I was taught that a man without power is a puppet for all. I’ve clawed—and killed—my way to the top so that it is my heel on their necks. But to unify the fractured organization into an undefeatable machine, I need a technological genius to help me steal one particular artifact. That she is breathtaking, determined, and vulnerable is making her more dangerous than all of my enemies combined. But only I can keep her safe from the world that she now inhabits. Soon, I must choose between Naomi and Bratva law. But with every day that passes, this becomes a more impossible choice.