"Pas de Deux" by Lina Harper.

I was craving, fun with a hint of depth, dark romance. And deliciously written, that is. I've got it with "Pas de Deux" by Lina Harper. So, big thanks to NetGalley and the author for eARC🖤

I was going there knowing that it is a mafia romance, so all the plot and subplots were like a puzzle falling into places as I was reading forward.

About the plot.

In the story we are following Evangeline Vale and Aleksandr Drakov. They met very accidentally on a city street in December (sounds like the beginning of a romantic song). That was love from the first sight, started in all the best Romeo & Juliet rules. And as in the tragedy our couple's families were enemies.

I'll leave you at that.

Now, reasons why I loved this book.

First, the writing. The most important aspect I shall say. I was glued to my Kindle as I couldn't stop reading. That was a very emotional movie in my head. And the plot wouldn't be half as entertaining if not for the writing style.

Second, I really enjoyed the ballet aesthetic. I only wished we had a bit more glimpses of the insides of a ballet life. If you enjoy the modern interpretation of The Phantom of the Opera (aka "Phantom" by Greer Rivers), you'll love this setting.

Thirdly, I liked the characters. Aleksandr Drakov might be my new addition to my favourite MMCs. His character, his views, the love he gives. I liked that he was a classic morally grey character but looking at him you won't think "Am I crazy that I like him?" . The ones who read dark romance will get the feeling. Heh.

Also, the name Drakov fits so well in the vibes. It is villainous and sexy.

I liked Eva so much too. A lot of her feelings I got very well. I loved her passion for ballet, it was very infectious. The sunshiny humour and a hell battle inside is what a lot of people can relate to. And I especially liked her growth we see in the end of the story.

Here's a little sour part, which is not really a bad thing, just something I felt like was missing.

The rivalry and hate between the Drakovs and the Vallens. I feel like we didn't get enough of the reasons behind the war. Yes, there's a lot about the car accident but it is also mentioned that the hate started years before that. We see how intense the situation is. Like, they literally stand on each other's throats. And I am that person who believes that love can save the world, which in this case makes the war between families stop but it also felt a bit too rushed. The generations long dislike won't stop so easy. But maybe we will see more of that in the next book.

And I also needed more in depth backstory about Eva's parents.

And I believe the name Vale should be more different from the Vallen. Because it is hard to believe that a person as smart as Aleksandr didn't get it.

Plus, the climax in the end, I also needed more details why it happened. Because someone has to be blamed, otherwise it feels like much ado about nothing. But again, I want all these details because I was very invested in the story.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Some info:

The book is indie author's debut (which I consider a great start!) and is a first book in the upcoming four book series.

Let me know in the comments if you'd like to read this book✨

Happy reading, dear reader 🖤