Review - Russian Pride

Russian Pride by Holly Bargo
by AzGaye | Oct 13, 2017 | Book Reviews, Contemporary 
http://coffeetimeromance.com/bookreviews/russian-pride-by-holly-bargo/

Russian Pride
Russian Love, Book 4
HOLLY BARGO
ASIN: B0756ZR13R
ISBN unavailable
September 2017
Hen House Publishing
http://www.henhousepublishing.com
E Book/Paperback
$0.99 thru first two weeks/$8.99
168 pages
Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4 Cups

Inessa, daughter of a Russian crime boss, barely escapes from a near fatal beating by her brutal husband – only to wind up in the protection of another crime boss, this one Italian. When the Chinese Triad seeks to bleed from her the debt of her late husband, she must accept the help which soon leads to an arranged marriage with the handsome and powerful Giovanni. 
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Giovanni has stayed determinedly single, but frail and beautiful Inessa captures his normally hard heart. He makes her his own and what is his, he will die to protect. When the Chinese Triad discover his new wife is the widow of the Russian they feel dealt them dirty, it nearly comes to that. By then he knows Inessa is worth any risk he must take. 

Terribly traumatized by her first husband’s brutality, Inessa is terrified of intimacy with her new spouse. His patience to gradually woo and win her approaches saintly and he finally succeeds in showing her that sex need not be brutal and degrading. Before they can settle into normal wedded bliss; though, much blood must be spilled. Giovanni spends time in jail and three ethnic crime families join forces to put down the Chinese threat. 

In an unflinching look at the real harshness of ethnic organized crime, the author introduces an amazing variety of memorable secondary characters while keeping the protagonist pair in the spotlight. Russian Pride, though fourth in a series. is a stand alone book. It is a thrilling way to pass a couple of hours with pathos, violence, hot sex, and a totally non-stereotyped cast. One caveat, although previous books in the series are listed as teen and new adult, this one has graphic sex scenes, graphic violence, and realistic language probably not suitable for younger YA readers. 

AZGaye
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance and More
Russian Love

• Book 1: Russian Lullaby
• Book 2: Russian Gold
• Book 3: Russian Dawn
• Book 4: Russian Pride