***DISCLAIMER: I received these books via Sparkle Book Tours in exchange for honest reviews. Any thoughts and opinions are my own.***
Title:
The Arrangement
Series: The Russian Guns # 1
Author: Bethany-Kris
Audience: Adult 18+, New Adult
Genre: Contemporary romance with some
suspense elements.
Format: E-book and Paperback
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Cover by: Crimson Romance
Editor:
Pages: aprox. 319 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4405-8064-2
ASIN: B00IPSCO6M
Date Published: March 17th, 2014
Blurb-
Nothing will stop the Bratva mob boss from
taking back what's his, and once he has her, he'll do anything to keep her...
Viviana "Vine" Carducci's and
Anton Avdonin's marriage was decided more than two decades ago. The deal
between leading mafia families has more on the line than anyone knew, even if
the Bratva and Cosa Nostra shouldn't mix. When Vine's family is murdered and
she's left with nothing more than her grief to survive the mob world alone, she
believes the arrangement won't see the light of day.
Anton can't allow the one woman he was
supposed to love get away. At the possibility of her death, he steps in to save
her with guns blazing, knowing exactly what it might cost him: everything. But
it's been nearly a decade since their last meeting, and he can't help but
wonder if the woman he took back is the same girl he fell for all those years
before.
Protected and loved, Vine is unable to
forget their shared moments a lifetime ago, or the future she knows they're
owed. When an old flame of Anton's shows up to rip the veil off the carefully
constructed secrets he'd been hiding, she learns that nothing about her life is
as it seems. But, that's nothing compared to the bomb about to blow. Can Vine
see beyond the pain and blood to take what she always wanted? And just how far
will the mob prince go to keep her safe?
In a world where violence, deceit, and
greed reign, your life is not your own, and sometimes, love has to be arranged.
Book Links-
Excerpt-
“A marriage is only going to cause more
issues. I’m worthless to the Bratva; you practically said so yourself.”
“No, you’re worth a great deal, especially
if you’re married to me.”
But, why?
“You’re hiding something from me,” she
realized, hurt that he was lying again, even if it was by omission. Viviana
couldn’t decide which stung worse—that he didn’t trust her, or that he thought
she didn’t deserve to know whatever it was. “What aren’t you saying?”
Anton looked stricken, fingers drumming a
quick beat on his thighs. “I gave them my word. It was supposed to be them
explaining this to you if they desired to—all the reasons and things that
happened years ago. It’s not my story to tell, and I promised. My word is all
I’m worth if you consider the way I live; without it, I have nothing.” Reaching
out, he cupped a hand over her knee and ran it along the inside of her jittery
leg. With his fingers moving so softly against her inner thigh, he pressed his
fingertips close enough to her center to make Viviana throb with need.
Murmuring, he said, “Can’t you try to trust me? Viviana, you know me … you do.”
She ignored his plea. “Who, Anton?” His
fingers pressed harder at her words, grip tightening when Viviana refused to
react to his motions. What she really wanted was more. So much more of his
hands on her body, but she didn’t dare speak that out loud. “Was it my father,
or Nicoli? Who?”
“I can’t answer that right now.” With that,
he stood and held out a hand for her to take. “Come, I’ll get you back in bed
for the evening. Let you rest and get the last of that sedative out of your
system. I promise you’ll feel better in the morning.”
Too exhausted to argue, her palm met his.
Anton’s lips touched down to Viviana’s fingers in a flutter of movement. She
wouldn’t have noticed the quick kiss had she not felt the heat of his mouth
brushing along her sensitive skin. She might as well have been sixteen and
falling for him all over again.
Viviana couldn’t figure out if she was
willing enough to let him do it. It didn’t help that she wasn’t all too sure if
she knew this man anymore. Was he the same one she wanted all those years ago?
Had his feelings remained the same nearly a decade later … was that even possible?
Could someone want another that much?
What was even more frightening was that
with his blue eyes watching, and his hand connected with hers, waiting, Anton
still felt like hers.
Just like he always had.
Title:
The Life
Series: The Russian Guns # 3
Pages: aprox. 269
ISBN: 978-0-9937797-0-1
ASIN: B00MDWT0BI
Date Published: August 2nd, 2014
Publisher: Bethany-Kris
Editor: Elle Leigh
Blurb-
The mafia life is a dangerous one revolving
around honor, duty, and greed—a troublesome thing like love isn’t meant to play
a part, but no one follows the rules.
Surrounded by men waiting for the Russian
mob boss to show weakness, Anton Avdonin should have known showering affection
so openly on his new bride wasn’t a good idea. Of course, that didn’t stop him.
When Anton’s wife begins attracting unwanted attention from an unknown source,
he’s determined to find out just who is playing the risky game and put a stop
to it by whatever means necessary.
From a Cosa Nostra princess to a Bratva
queen, Viviana “Vine” Avdonin was made for the life. Pregnant, safe, and loved,
she’s more than happy to move on from the history that haunts her to start out
fresh. Then again, someone else has other plans. Old rivals from the past and
bad blood from the present have mixed in the worst way, threatening to take
away the things Viviana loves the very most. No matter what, she can’t let that
happen.
Both Viviana and Anton know there’s only
one way this can all end and it’s up to them to do it. But, who is behind the
veiled threats and personal attacks, and how far are they willing to go to get
what they want? When the truth finally surfaces, the consequences will be
devastating and no one could have seen it coming.
In a life where everybody plays for keeps
and no one fights fair, one mistake might cost them everything.
Book Links-
Excerpt-
“My God. You know there’s nothing there,
right? Her and me, I mean. That’s not … It’s just not there, baby. You don’t
have to be jealous.”
“I’m not jealous, Anton.” Strangely, he
believed her. Viviana shrugged under the weight of his arm resting around her
shoulders. “Why should I be … of Tatiana? I have exactly what she doesn’t.
Everything she thought should have been hers is mine. I have your life, your
son, and your love. Even if she was nothing more than your whore, which she
isn’t, she still wouldn’t have any of those things. So no, I’m not jealous of
that girl. On the other hand, I do wonder if she is envious of me.”
“I have no doubt of that.”
Viviana sighed. “Exactly. Tatiana has
defied her father, you, and God knows how many others just to hurt me once.
That was before we were married, before Demyan, and she only managed to sling
words. This time might be different. At this dinner, she’s going to see me
pregnant, happy, and protected, all because of you. Again, all that she doesn’t
have and everything she wanted. So it brings me back to safety, I guess. You
made it clear you don’t want her in any way so would she hurt me, or worse your
baby, because of her resentment? Is she that crazy over you?”
Anton stayed silent, letting his wife’s
words sink in as he considered them. It wasn’t that what she said didn’t make
sense, because it did, but he wondered why Viviana had asked for Tatiana’s
presence at all.
“You asked for her to be there, Vine. If
you were worried about all of this, why ask at all?”
“I also asked for no guns.”
“And I’ll make sure that’s adhered to as
best I can,” Anton said, still feeling confused. “You won’t take a step into
any establishment unless it is weapon free.”
Viviana felt tense in his arms. “You don’t
need a gun to kill someone.”
“She won’t have any chance to be alone with
you.”
“I know.”
“Then what?” Anton asked.
“I want this done,” she said so low he
strained to hear. “Put an end to it, however you have to. I don’t want to worry
about her or her goddamned family after it’s over. I don’t want to think if she
can’t hurt me, she’ll go to the next best thing.”
“You’re worried she’ll try to hurt Demyan.”
“Or you. To me, that’s just as bad.”
“You know that’d never—”
“No, I don’t,” Viviana interrupted coolly.
“But if I didn’t have them to worry about, it’d be one less thing for me to
consider.”
It was only then that her hidden meanings
were starting to dawn on Anton. Viviana never asked him for anything in regards
to business. She didn’t like to have her hands in his pots, so to speak. This
was entirely different, especially if she was asking what he thought she was
asking.
“Come on, Vine …”
“I want it done,” she repeated thickly.
“Please.”
“On your head, though? You want that on
your mind, bloodying up your hands, too?”
“Please?”
“Stop it,” Anton said, practically spitting
the words. “Fuck, just don’t say that shit. I’ll handle it.”
“Before or after one of us is dead?”
Title:
The Score
Series: The Russian Guns # 3
Pages: aprox. 265 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9937797-1-8
ASIN: B00OVPD746
Date Published: October 27th, 2014
Publisher: Bethany-Kris
Editor: Elle Leigh
Blurb-
In the mess of love and life, nothing and
no one is left untouched.
After everything the Russian mob boss Anton
Avdonin has done to keep his family safe from the dangers of the world
surrounding them, he never thought it would come down to this. The officials
are knocking, the charges are piling, his wife is hurting, and they’re facing a
fate he never thought to consider. He didn’t just make one mistake … no, he
made many. It’s time to answer for them all.
Viviana “Vine” Avdonin is stuck watching
the life she adores crumble around her. Bad decisions have led to terrible
consequences in more ways than one. She doesn’t have time to recover from one
devastating tragedy that leaves her shattered before the next one is crushing
down, too. Saving her husband from a life sentence might be the easiest thing
she has to do when her own misdeeds are staring her in the face.
Together, Anton and Viviana have survived
more than once, but this path will be by far, the hardest they’ve ever walked.
Sometimes they have to walk it alone … because forgiveness isn’t always black
and white and love can be blurred by pain. With the blissful ignorance gone and
the blinders removed, how much of themselves will they have to sacrifice to
come out on top one last time?
When everyone has a score to settle, it’s
hard to notice the person causing the most heartache is the one staring back in
the mirror.
Book Links-
Excerpt-
Anton flinched, disgust filling him to the
brim. This whole situation was horrible, and he felt dirty with ten grimy fingers
pointing straight at his guilty chest.
“Well, aside from firing her, there’s not
much I can—”
Anton didn’t get to finish his sentence. A
loud bang and shouted orders rang out in the downstairs of the club. The
tinkling sounds of canisters popping along the empty floor echoed up to their
spot. There was no denying what was happening downstairs.
“Fuck,” Ivan muttered.
Instantly, Anton was off his office chair,
ignoring the gun he knew was in the desk, and the information of a shipment,
never mind the laptop he should have tried to somehow destroy. No, instead, the
only thing he could think of was the little boy on the floor with wide blue
eyes and terrified, reaching for his father.
“Papa?” Demyan cried.
“Shhh, little man,” Anton whispered.
In his arms, he held his son tighter and
turned his back to the door of the office. It seemed like only milliseconds,
but his mind was running a million miles a minute. Anton couldn’t begin to
understand why the officials would be raiding his club. His guys certainly hadn’t
been given any indication and they’d all been pretty quiet.
Demyan’s shaking increased as the shouts
down below became louder. “It’s okay, Demyan, it’s okay. Papa’s here.”
The sounds of a dozen or more pairs of
boots pounding up the metal staircase ratcheted up Anton’s nerves to a breaking
point.
“Anton …” Ivan started to say. “Anton, give
me your son!”
The hardest thing Anton ever had to do,
next to walking out of his house that morning knowing his wife’s heart was
breaking, was hand his trembling, scared, and crying son off to another man. It
was safer for Demyan, though.
No doubt, they weren’t there for Ivan.
Anton watched Ivan curl a fighting Demyan
into his chest as he got to his knees on the floor and automatically put his
hands behind his head. The less threatening he seemed at their entrance, the
less likely they were to cause him harm, never mind his son seeing it.
“Demyan, it’s okay,” Anton repeated when
the first kick to the door landed with a solid thump. The second and third only
followed louder, harder. “Hide his face, Ivan!”
When the door finally broke, it wasn’t a
second before Anton found himself face down on the floor, his son’s cries
overtaking all other sounds. Cuffs tightened around his wrists to an almost
painful point, but Anton refused to show it. A boot landed hard between his
shoulder blades, keeping him pinned to the floor even though he wasn’t
fighting.
“Papa!”
“Anton Daniil Avdonin, you’re under arrest
for the murder of Sonny Carducci, Tatiana Belov, Sergei Belov …”
Title:
Demyan & Ana: A Russian Guns Novella
Series: The Russian Guns # 4
Pages: aprox. 122 pages
ISBN: 9780993779732
ASIN: B00TXCSXEG
Date Published: March 2nd, 2015
Publisher: Bethany-Kris
Editor: Elle Leigh
Blurb-
Demyan and Ana have lived in privilege and
protection as the children of Anton and Viviana Avdonin. With a Russian mob
boss for a father and a mafia queen for a mother, they’ve got big shoes to
fill. Love and life are messy games to play, especially when you’re new at it.
An attack on one Avdonin will leave the
family stunned and hurting. Their retribution is brutal, but the repercussions
for their revenge will be even more devastating. Because when blood is spilled
in their world, more must fall, too.
No one is safe. They have always been
formidable—unstoppable. But they are not bulletproof.
Giving all of your heart to one person
means running the risk of losing it when life comes crashing down. A happily
ever after is just beyond their grasps.
One will get theirs.
And the other won’t.
A Russian Guns Novella, Prequel to
Shattered
Book Links-
Excerpt-
It’s one thing to have a mob boss for a father.
It’s an entirely different thing to have Anton Avdonin for a father.
“Are you ever going to marry that girl?”
Anton asked, nodding in Gia’s direction.
Gia laughed with Demyan’s mother. About
what, he didn’t know. She looked happy and carefree.
“You’re twenty-five. She’s twenty-six.
You’re almost done with school, she already is and working. Not to mention
you’re living together. Shit, you might as well be married, son. Just get it
done with already.”
Demyan cocked a brow over the top of his
beer bottle. “Get it done with?”
“Well, what the fuck else do you want me to
say? It’s not like you’re making any damn effort to do it on your own.”
Lifting a single shoulder in response,
Demyan tipped the bottle up and swallowed a mouthful of the amber colored,
bitter liquid.
“You’ve been in love with her forever. I
wish you would make it official.”
Demyan rolled his eyes. “It’s not any less
official just because we don’t have rings and a signed marriage license. We’re
happy like this. She’s really independent. I don’t know if she will ever want
to get married.”
“Have you even proposed?” Anton asked
pointedly. “How would you know if you don’t?”
“You assume I haven’t.”
“If you asked Ivan for his daughter’s hand
like a good man, I would be the first person he called after.”
Goddamn it. Sometimes it sucked to have his
father be such close friends with Gia’s father. Between the two of them,
nothing flew under their mutual radars. It had been like this since Gia and
Demyan were teenagers.
“You don’t understand. I’m not going to ask
Ivan for something Gia doesn’t want yet, Papa.”
Anton’s brow crinkled. “Oh.”
“Yeah. I’d marry her in a heartbeat. Like
first thing tomorrow morning at the courthouse if she would let me.”
“Why won’t she?”
Demyan didn’t know.
“Is it the Bratva thing again?” Anton
asked.
“No, I don’t think so. We don’t talk about
that at all.”
“Nothing?”
“Nope,” Demyan said simply. “It’s easier
this way.”
“So, fact is, that could be precisely why,
but you don’t know because you won’t ask.”
Demyan hated when his father made sense. “I
love her, Papa.”
“I know you do.”
“Exactly. And if being together like we are
is what makes her happy, I don’t need more. I won’t push her for more, either.
She doesn’t like that I’m Vor, so I don’t make a point of shoving it in her
face. It’s only a small piece of us, but not all. I’m going to keep my focus on
the better parts.”
“Fair enough,” Anton said, but his smile
didn’t ring true. “And when were you planning on telling me, anyway? Or at
least, your mother.”
“Tell you what?”
“That Gia’s pregnant.”
Title:
Shattered
Series: The Russian Guns # 5
Author: Bethany-Kris
Audience: Adult 18+, New Adult
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense, Organized
Crime
Format: E-book & Paperback
Publisher: Bethany-Kris
Cover by: Jay Aheer
Editor: Elle Leigh
Pages: Full length novel – 100k
ISBN: 978-0-9937797-6-3
Date Published: July 2nd, 2015
Blurb-
“Don’t fall in love with me. I ruin beautiful
things.”
Love made him this way, but life makes him
stay.
Life doesn’t give a redo. There’s no rewind
or pause button to take you back or stop time. Once something happens, it
happened. The most tragic of those times in his life, the ones he wouldn’t get
back and the moments he could never fix, reminded Demyan Avdonin of a bullet
meeting glass.
The impact of the bullet doesn't break the
glass into pieces, but instead, leaves behind a single hole surrounded by a
spider web of cracks. Fragile cracks that, when handled with the utmost care,
would splinter into shards of what used to be.
Demyan thought he had been broken beyond
repair once, four long years ago.
He was wrong.
She touched the glass, unknowing of the
cracks holding him together. These are the broken pieces of a shattered man and
the woman who made him live.
Life made him this way, but love makes him
stay.
Book Links-
Excerpt-
Something was happening to him, and it was
because of her. He was letting it happen because he liked the way she got under
his skin, made him think, and forced him to feel. Even if it wasn’t always
fucking pretty.
Demyan wasn’t sure how he felt about that
other than the fact he didn’t want to think about it at all. Hooking up was one
thing, but acting cozy was completely different and not what he should want.
“Demyan—”
“Don’t,” he forced out.
“But—”
Demyan turned on his heel, a hand flying up
in the air to stop her from saying another thing. He made a swift beeline for
the front door, grabbing his jacket off the back of the couch where he tossed
it the night before.
“Demyan!”
At the front door, he tugged on his coat
before yanking on his shoes.
“Demyan, please just wait a second,” Claire
pleaded. “Please!”
Her cry sliced him straight down to the
fucking bone. Like it ached in his heart because he was the one making her
hurt. She was just feet away from him. Christ, he could reach out and touch
her, soothe her if he wanted, but he couldn’t.
“Don’t do that,” Demyan said sharply,
standing straight and trying to force back the rising anxiety and anger.
Claire snapped away from him as if he’d stuck
out at her with his hand. “Do what?”
“That.”
“I don’t understand wh—”
Demyan waved at her. “That right there. This
can’t be something. We can’t be something. Don’t do that.”
“Demyan, you’re freaking out over nothing.”
No, he wasn’t.
There were tears in her eyes. They weren’t
falling, but they were there. She was hurt by his rejection, and he didn’t know
how to handle what was going on inside his head and heart. So, it was pretty
goddamn simple for Demyan. He needed to stop whatever this was before it went
any further. Straight for the kill, like any good monster would do.
“Don’t fall in love with me. I ruin beautiful
things.”
Claire flinched. “Why would you say that?”
“You can’t fall in love with someone like me
and you certainly can’t afford to believe there’s something here or that you
can make me better again. I am broken—unobtainable and unfixable. I don’t need
a fucking martyr in my life. I’ve got enough of those as it is.”
“Ouch.”
“Just … don’t.”
“Fall in love with you.”
“Exactly,” Demyan muttered.
“Why would you say that?” she repeated.
Wasn’t it obvious?
“Claire—”
“Why would you tell me not to fall in love
with you and then in the next sentence, call me beautiful?”
Because she was.
Eclipse Reviews – Character
Interview Questions
Thank you for taking the time for the interview. Please
answer the following questions; you also have the option of changing some
questions if you feel that you would be more at ease with other questions. This
can be serious or quirky it’s all up to your character.
Character Name: Anton Daniil Avdonin
Character Bio: Age 27 (in The Arrangement but progresses
through his life as the series goes on). Blue eyes, black hair. Full American
Russian. Bratva mob boss who was arranged to be married to Viviana Carducci at
a young age. Often stubborn, particular, and known to be possessive regarding
his wife. He likes his guns, fast cars, and of course, vodka.
Describe yourself what is your worst and best quality?
My best quality would have to be my loyalty. My worst … probably
my jealousy.
What is the one thing you wish other people knew about you?
There is more behind the masks I wear. There is always more.
What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?
I’m not religious but I still pray.
What are you most afraid of?
Losing Vine, or anything of that nature.
What do you want more than anything?
For my wife to be happy, always.
What is your relationship status?
Married. And happily so, I might add.
How would you describe your sense of fashion?
Classic. Black suits, black shoes, black shirts.
How much of a rebel are you?
I’m a Russian Mob Boss. Is that bad enough for you?
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
Staying alive through everything I’ve done and managed to
do. In my profession, bosses don’t last long.
What is your idea of happiness?
Quiet, soft sheets morning light, and my wife.
What is your current state of mind?
High. My mind is always going, running, and in some kind of
motion. It never stops. I seem cool and composed on the outside, but inside, my
mind is crazy.
What is your most marked characteristic?
My eyes or my tattoos. My wife would probably say my
tattoos.
What is it that you, most dislike?
Lies, anything deceitful. Betrayal. It doesn’t make for a
good man or woman.
Which living person do you, most despise?
I’ve killed most of the people I dislike.
What is your greatest regret?
Not taking my wife sooner than what I did when her uncle had
her across country.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Honor—loyalty.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Dignity—respect.
Which living person do you most admire?
My wife. She’s strong in ways most people don’t understand.
That’s very admirable to a man like me.
If you could change one thing about yourself what would it
be?
You know, I’m pretty pleased with myself just the way I
am—bad parts included.
What is your motto?
Family first.
Once again thank you for the interview.
Jeanine
Eclipse Reviews
Eclipse Reviews
Playlist for The Russian Guns Series
Music is
often the biggest inspiration to me as a writer. The following songs were the
most influential for background and emotion in The Russian Guns series. I hope
you enjoy the playlist for the series as much as I enjoyed listening to them as
I wrote.
List:
1) The Weekend – High For This (The
Score)
2) Nick Jonas – Chains (The
Arrangement)
3) Lana Del Rey – Body Electric (Entire
Series)
4) Theory of a Deadman – Angel (Entire
Series)
5) Metallica – St. Anger (The Score,
Shattered, Demyan & Ana)
6) Ed Sheeran – Give Me Love (The
Arrangement, Shattered)
7) K.D. Lang – Leonard Cohan’s
Hallelujah (Shattered, The Score, Demyan & Ana)
8) Lindsey Sterling – Shatter Me
(Shattered, The Life)
9) The Civil Wars – Poison & Wine
(The Score, Demyan & Ana)
10) Lana Del Rey – Million Dollar Man
(The Life)
11) Rihanna – Russian Roulette (The
Life)
12) Lea Michelle – Battlefield (The
Score, Demyan & Ana)
13) Christina Perri – Human (Shattered,
The Score)
14) Lana Del Rey – Young and Beautiful
(The Life)
15) Three Days Grace – Animal I Have
Become (The Score)
16) Seether – Words as Weapons (Entire
Series)
About The Author-
Bethany-Kris is a Canadian author, lover of much,
and mother to three very young sons, one cat, and two dogs. A small town in
Eastern Canada where she was born and raised is where she has always called
home. With her boys under her feet, a snuggling cat, barking dogs, and a spouse
calling over his shoulder, she is nearly always writing something ... when she
can find the time.
Media Links-
