Souls and Sorrows (Monsters & Muses)

Every time I read a Sav R Miller book I think “wow there is nothing that can top this book” until the next book comes out. I thought it was hard to top Boyd and Fiona and then I met Allistair and Cora, and then.. Cash and Ariana happened. I went into this book expecting to be blown away, but I was not prepared to actually cry from a book and honestly have my soul ripped out and put back in.What I love about Sav’s characters is that typically they are people we have ‘met before’, Ariana is Elena’s (P&P) sister and Cash is Lenny’s (O&O) brother. What I loved about this book, personally, was that I got a Juliet (think back to Sweet Solitude) vibe from her, and she was one of my favorite characters ever written."Like every woman before me, my soul was born fractured."The book opens up with a prologue, TRIGGER WARNING, that does not explicitly say what is happening, but you can read between the lines- Ariana’s mom is a horrible person. Her mother has done things to her that are unspeakable and that was the moment I cried.Then we fast forward to Cash at a bar and he sees a blonde girl and he’s intrigued, the girl just so happened to be Ariana- Ariana who is engaged to a monster of a man that I wanted to slap.Without any spoilers , there happens to be a ‘auction’ that our girl Arian goes to because F the police she does what she wants… and then Cash being Cash is like MM I WANT THAT LET ME DROP MILLIONS, seriously millions. They end up having to get married, Ariana didn’t read the fine print because hello why would she? And honestly entertainment ensues.I wasn’t prepared for Cash, he was very brutal sounding at first, he was kind of big headed and I wanted to slap him for being rude towards Ariana, but he grew on me big time. He has a secret that I was not prepared for and made me love him more, it’s a secret that he basically was rude and a brute towards Ariana because he wanted her but didn’t know how.There are a lot of plot twists, hatred towards family members, and moments that will break your heart. Ariana is a strong woman, she has been through so much and she deserves everything. Cash, being Cash, is struggling to show her that he likes her because he thinks that he shouldn’t and whatever he is doing is wrong (bby boy you are perfect). This book does doe snot have a ton of ‘sex’ scenes (compares to other books people might have read) but that made the scene 1000 times more amazing, because they weren’t on every single page.You get well loved characters (UH DADDY KAL IS THAT YOU!??!) who keeps it entertaining, there is a moment that made me tear up with Ariana and Kal.. I’ll leave it at that but.. Hold on tight."Then man looked like a f***ing vampire, sitting there in his trench coach, with his dead eyes starting at the table as he says something to himself."Go into this book blind, but also know that there are triggers:Mentions of Sexual AbuseGory violenceSchmexy momentsThis book is amazing, and honestly my favorite in the Monsters and Muses Series. So many things made this book perfect, the heartbreak that Ariana went through, the similarities towards Juliet (it might not be everyone's view but I honestly saw a lot of her in Ariana), and the old characters coming back.

| dark romance | childhood trauma | dual POV | claiming | arranged/forced marriage | one bed | touch her and die | ballerina | lawyer | mafia romance | politics | virgin | auction | SPICY |Another great dark romance with mafia ties. This particular book was interesting and unique because the FMC is a seductress, she knows her potential for attraction, but the MMC was not easily swayed.I really enjoyed this because in most of this series theres been an instant connection/attraction. This book however was full of resistance.I also really loved the unexpected savagery of the FMC. Like i’ve stated in a precious review of this series, Sav R. Miller does not really write damsels in distress. She honestly writes women with secrets, unknown strengths, and fighters who can be assassins if they need to be.This is an excellent dark romance series. Highly recommended for those who like quality smut/spice, strong character development, and ties to the mafia. Also really great for those who enjoy reading a series of standalones with cameos or reappearances of previous but also future characters.Happy Reading Friends xx

Arrived in perfect shape aside from a small ding on the bottom corner of the spine

I felt like this book was all over the place. It was meant to be a mob story, but also not. The FMC didn't have choices, but she did. She was abused and yet didn't act like it. She had some symptoms, but not really. The MMC was a good guy, but not. He's trying to take over the mob with no security or gun power, but then again, he isn't trying to take over. It's all about money unless it isn't.They don't talk about their lives, heal each other, take over, run away, nothing. He is fascinated by her. She likes sex and he treats her well. They piss off a bunch of people, kill several, and still get to walk around like they own the place with no protection or power.My main complaint is, if you're going to go dark, then take the time to build the connections and trust and healing, or make it obvious they are wallowing in their dark and owning it. This book felt like they brought in certain words and scenarios to make it "dark" without bringing any of the emotion or depth that kind of darkness needs.*This book is rated R. The F word is used more than once. The spice scenes are explicitly detailed. There is bloody violence. Check trigger warnings.

This is part of the Monsters and Muses series and it did not disappoint. Ariana and Cash’s wild ride begins with him buying her for millions during a bid. Ariana has gone through very traumatic events caused by her own mother, lack of love from her father and emotional/mental trauma at the hands of her own mother. Cash begins their fake marriage wanting power but his obsession with Ariana turns into him falling for her. Because of what Ariana has gone through being raised in the Ricci household, she can’t handle certain things and doesn’t understand feelings without it being said clear as day. Ariana’s mother is an evil witch and I’m happy to say she got what was coming to her by the hands she hurt the most. The wild ride had some twists and drops that had you slack jawed and on the edge of your seat. But as the ride takes them to their HEA, Cash and Ariana’s growth was amazing and their fall for each other although not easy, I was totally invested from the beginning. Hands down an amazing addition to the series that I completely devoured.

Book 5 in the seriesPremise is that Cash Primrose buys Arianna Ricci at an auction and they are married…”fake marriage “.He is protecting her but realizes she has a lot of secrets. She doesn’t know who to trust because nobody has been there for her.Read triggers… this book is good.

Oh little nightmare and cash. This one hit me good to the point where I want to know where my man is that calls me little nightmare.. while I’ve read each of Sav r millers book, this one had a different vibe while still staying aligned with the series. Very much enjoyed and love seeing the prev book characters continue to be involved.

Jesus Christ, what an intense bookWhen I read Arrows and apologies, I confess that I was expecting this book to be about Violet, not Cash, and certanly not with Ariana.Then again, there's not a single one of this book series that get me unhappyAriana's past is hard to tackle on, she suffered so so much it hurted me, all of the trauma, the reflects on her personality, the way she is always expecting the other shoe to fall is so devastating.Then we get Cash, he is so perfectly made for her, the way he understand and accept all her nuances, her shades and darkness, like it is a twin of his own, and he is so caring, I've loved him, and his impetousness.This is not an easy book to read, but it's completly worth it, it's a journey of hurting and healing, there's the ugly and the beautiful sides of the evolution, learning to trust, and to love, and to give in.Thank you for another perfect book, Sav!

Soooo, don't get me wrong. I absolutely loved this, it just felt like there were some missing pieces in this intriguing puzzle.I've been dying to read about Cash and Ariana. Definitely two underrated characters with a whole load of baggage.That turned out to be so extremely true.Ariana suffered her whole life. None of her sisters had a great childhood, but she definitely grabbed the short straw in regards to parental love.Her mom was a complete nightmare. We all know what she did with and to Kal, so imagine what she did the her own daughter...Cash was definitely interesting. He was all about the money. Making it, keeping it, doubling it. You know the drill. No room for fun, no space for love.Until he stumbles upon the one person who ever piqued his interest.While I absolutely loved their story, I do feel like we didn't get their whole background story. I feel like I'm missing some pieces in regards to Cash's childhood and the same applies to Ariana.Probably would've been better if I'd read this series back to back, but hey... There's always room for a reread.

Savs' writing skills are honestly phenomenal. The characters and scenarios come to life, and you feel as if you actually *know* who you are reading about. I feel so intrinsically connected to Ariana, more than I was expecting to. Something about her just makes me adore her. And Cash is just deliciousness in a suit😋 The way he is described (the mannerisms with his glasses also) make him so real it's amazing. 100% recommend.