Relentless Pursuit (Boneless Redemption Duet, #2) by Isabella Alexander Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Forbidden Obsession on my blog, now!

I told myself I needed to see how this duet ended despite my original feelings for the first installment. Penelope and Dominic's relationship was nothing short of interesting and complicated... and after the end of Forbidden Obsession, I could not even imagine their relationship ever working out in the long run. They have so many issues and even more secrets from one another, one can only see their relationship going downhill one month into anything serious. 

This final installment was filled with mediocre spicy scenes and juvenile writing that had me questioning the dialogue every other page. I had my qualms with the first book, and I truly thought that there would be some form of improvement to see this duet through -- unfortunately, that was not the case. Penelope is just as naive as she was in the first book, and Dominic is just as irrational and territorial as I remember. When they are not in bed together, they are keeping secrets from one another or trying to get the upper hand to satisfy their own agendas.

The "twists" in this book were incredibly predictable and the pacing is so rushed, it feels as though obstacles pop up on one page and then get immediately resolved within the next two pages. I wish the story improved as the book progressed, but the plot was essentially at a stalemate for me - I could see everything coming from a mile away, and since I was not particularly attached to Penelope and Dominic's relationship, I frankly did not care what happened to them. To echo my statement from my Forbidden Obsession review, I once again felt like I was being held hostage when I was reading this book.

With underdeveloped lead characters and a storyline that has taken more turns than necessary, Alexander's duet leaves the reader feeling jolted around as they attempt to make sense of every decision a character made. I wish I had more positive things to say about this book, but I was left incredibly underwhelmed and to be honest, grateful once it was finally over. It is a very quick read, so if you are looking for a duet that you can fly through, it may be up your alley.

You can add Relentless Pursuit on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Forbidden Obsession (Boneless Redemption Duet, #1) by Isabella Alexander Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

Guys... I have led myself astray once again after a download binge from a past Stuff Your Kindle Day. I do not even think I have the words to express how much this book was just simply... not a book. The idea of any type of plot was firmly thrown out of the window, and when you thought there was about to be at least a skeleton of structure in this book, it was abandoned in favor of some of the worst smut scenes I have laid my eyes on. The male and female leads were not likeable or enjoyable, and I spent the majority of the book begging for it to be over.

Penelope Cattaneo is a college student that has caught the eye of Dominic Lucas, an Italian professor with desire to dish out justice in place of continuing his family's torrid legacy and reign. The minute he laid his eyes on Penelope, she was the only thing he could focus on, and not for nothing, Penelope's life arguably became better and worse because of it. Penelope's traumatic past still has its claws in her, and with her current familial issues, the presence that Dominic brings into her life somehow becomes the only stable constant.

I literally felt like I was holding myself hostage while reading this book - I cannot bring myself to DNF a book, so I had to see it through, no matter how much interest I was losing in the story. The author attempts to make these intense plot devices seem shocking, but it is nothing to write home about, and I found myself more amused at the attempt than invested in these characters. I am not sure what else I could have expected from a book like this, but I was at least hoping for some more solid plot work, considering the mafia involvement.

The smut scenes were basically unbearable - the dialogue was ridiculous, and the descriptions felt as though they were pulled from Wattpad circa 2013, and not in the good way. Sure, some of the scenes have some actual meat to them, but for the most part, they fall flat or are utilized in an attempt to distract the reader from the lack of plot in the book. It is an incredibly short book, and yet it took me longer to finish it compared to a 400-page book. If you are looking for a quick, spicy read, Forbidden Obsession may be the filler you are looking for - I will probably read the final installment just to see how it ends.

You can add Forbidden Obsession on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date with releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!