Review: The Joker

The Joker by Ashley Munoz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Note 2: This is an interconnected series - I wish the reviews and the book's summary had made that point actually clear. So please read in order. Wildcard is the first book. King of Hearts is the second book. The Joker is the third and final book in the series.

Trigger warnings: death, murder, violence, assault, betrayal, sexual assault.

Firstly let me tell you I hated one of this author's previous books. So naturally I was nervous about going into this one. How low can you keep your standards after all?

But luckily I had nothing to be nervous about it. It was a dark mafia romance dream that I thoroughly enjoyed - but with a hitch of not knowing exactly what happened - probably should have read the other books in the series for that.

Kyle and Rylie come from different worlds - one's a trained up mafia scout boy, the other is a holy saint of a sharp mind. But they succumb to one night of you know..also because they are teenagers apparently so can't control themselves?...which leads to a life-long simmering ache for one another.

On the plus side they were both inexperienced on the s****l front- on the downside they behaved as they weren't. - seriously I doubt every teenager is able to pull that off so damn wonderfully at first touch and go, but whatever. Not boiling at this or whatever.

But then Kyle disappears and Rylie is crushed. 4/5 years later, they meet again, both on the opposite sides of the law - you know you're intrigued when that happens. Stuff occured, and Kyle just had to come closer to his first love to protect her and other uses (you'll know if you've read it), but obviously a lot of hurt simmered too - because he waited for her and she didn't - thank god for the first time I actually got to see a guy wait and pine - otherwise it's always the frickin opposite in novels - but again me not completely being all jazzed up by this.

But they solve their inner conflicts, feelings grow, betrayals happen (still couldn't believe he would do that to his own child) and they go into action mode when anyone tries to cross em. It's like an entire the godfather-like scenario I am telling you.

In the end though, things solve themselves.

And the joker gets his harlequin - because I couldn't stop the reference coming from my mouth, sorry.

I loved it as well - though nervous as hell. But with Munoz's much improved writing, more action moments (it was a mafia so of course), steamy moments, and well-developed characters - though I sometimes questioned them, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with all of them - it's too bad this series has ended.

But I do look forward to what Munoz has planned in the future for her books.

Until the next read,

-TMR

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