The Professional (The Game Maker Series)

I LOVED this book!!
Great story, great characters! I can't fault the contents of the book at all, I liked Natalie and I liked the Siberian!
This would have been 5 stars if only it wasn't such a short book!! I can't stand reading something in a matter of hours then itching for more only to find the entire series are all very short novellas of only 170 ish pages!!! I'd rather buy all the books together as one book!
I didn't purchase the second book because of my annoyance but I know I will NEED to know what happens to Natalie!
So for those looking for a good long read - avoid this.
If you don't care how long a book is and like to be teased with what felt like a long intro to a good book then it ends - get it!

The first half of the book was great original Kresley Cole writing, but then the second half is where everything went wrong. Kresley Cole has always been wonderful at creating strong, smart, independent women but Natalie Porter turned out to be a spineless pushover who is controlled by a borderline lunatic who walks all over her. It felt like the last half of the book was written as if it were trying to be a 50 shades of messed up knock off. What the heck Kresley??? What happened to having a strong, INTELLIGENT female character? Who is this brainless bimbo?

I have enjoyed the Immortals After Dark series and wanted to give the new series a try. I read the warnings about this series being more sexual. I felt the book was about 85% sex that at times made me uncomfortable. The story is told from Natalie's point of view and explored her sexual awakening. I didn't feel like Aleksei “The Siberian” Sevastyan’s character had been developed very much and he was as cold as his namesake. It would have been nice if more time was spent on the developing relationship between Natalie and her long lost father. I probably won't purchase the other books in the series. This series just wasn't for me.

The chemistry between characters was well written but the plot was stereotypical, one dimensional and cliched.
Felt like the author spent all her time and effort on explicit sex scenes.

Was able to finish the book but found it not nearly as good as the IAD series.

This is my first Kresley Cole book and after the success of her other series, I was looking forward to trying this one out. I was really getting into it and though the story line was a little weak, I was still enjoying it. I loved the sexual tension between the two main character. However, here comes the warning. If you are planning on buying this book make sure that you buy the second book as well. I have never felt such frustration as I did when I got to the end of this first book. I felt like the author or editor took a full length novel, found the middle, split it and has sold it as two books. Well three books now. It was so annoying to flip to the next page and find that the book was at the end in the middle of the scene. I can only describe it similar to watching a soap opera and it ending on such a cliffhanger that you can only but watch the next episode but you are left sighing in exasperation.
I recommend reading this book for a tiny bit of Russian flavor but to save yourself frustration, buy the second at the same time or wait until the three book bundle comes out.

I cant believe I am writing a negative review for KC as she is on my auto buy list of authors
This is not a bad book let me say this out front its just not for me I purchased book one and had my reservations but I went with it and bought book two. After reading book two I just felt queasy like I had swallowed something not right And that is the problem for me with these books I just felt uncomfortable the whole time I was reading the books But if you are into the Dom/Sub thing you will like this
I hope KC will keep writing her Immortal After Dark series as I love that series and will auto buy them

Kresley Cole, the talented and popular paranormal writer of the Immortals After Dark series, makes a scorching hot, 5-Star transition to erotic suspense in THE PROFESSIONAL. What a debut! Be prepared for some of the most titillating, lascivious writing around, including some really steamy BDSM scenes, and an introduction to one of the most seductive, intriguing, alpha heroes ever! You will also get a thrilling, adventure-filled, behind the scenes look at the world of the Russian Mafiya and their vors (warlords) and enforcers. No doubt, THE PROFESSIONAL will leave you wanting more of this exciting Game Maker series ASAP!!!

Natalie Porter, a grad student living in Nebraska, has led a fairly uneventful life. She's never traveled beyond the Midwest or even had sex before (not for lack of wanting, she's just never found anyone worth it). That all changes when she begins a quest to find her birth parents. Shortly after her investigator disappears, Aleksei "The Siberian" Sevastyan shows up claiming that he works for her father who insists on her immediately coming to see him in Russia (lack of passport notwithstanding). Possessing a highly keen sense that allows her to quickly analyze men, which she refers to as her "manalyzer", Natalie quickly assesses that Sevastyan, and quite possibly her father, must be criminals who are involved in the Russian Mafiya. Not wanting to get involved in that world, she tries to run away, but quickly learns that Sevastyan is a man who always gets what he wants; and instead just manages to commence a wickedly alluring but possibly nefarious seduction game.

Sevastyan knows from the first minute that he sees Natalie that he wants her, causing him much angst, not only because she is the long-lost daughter of Pavel "Clockmaker" Kovalev, the head of the Bratva (a Russian criminal aristocracy brotherhood) with a ten-figure net worth, and his boss and mentor--in fact the only man who has been a father to him--but also because of his "particular interests" in bed. He warns her numerous times, and even tells her that she is "taboo" to him, but like a moth to a flame, Natalie's desires have also been unexplainably piqued by Sevastyan and she continues her quest to find out why.

Thus begins their journey, where Natalie discovers both the pleasures of unimaginable wealth and Sevastyan's darkest and most forbidden desires. But what will happen when her father finds out? Moreover, Sevastyan is used to total control and is a deeply private man. Will Natalie be content to play the game by all of his rules or will she demand the impossible, that this master game maker alter some of his rules?

Kresley Cole is a master of prose. In addition to the highly erotic passages, she also manages to weave in a whole other dynamic through Natalie's interactions with her best friend Jess. Adding an interesting humorous chick-lit vibe to the parts of the book where Natalie and Jess analyze men and coining some memorable terms in the process, like "manalyzer" and "ABC" (Always Be Crazier--a method that they use for "badly behaving males"), THE PROFESSIONAL will leave you both aroused and smiling.

A totally enjoyable, intoxicating read. I highly recommend THE PROFESSIONAL to lovers of erotica suspense novels. I, for one, am definitely hoping that Kresley Cole focuses her attention on writing more Game Maker series and similar style novels in the near future!

Source: Review copy provided by the Publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars!

This was super intense and hot. It starts out really fast paced and jumps right in. I like that Natalie’s bewildered by this crazy situation and rolls with it. She was stubborn and challenging and sometimes a bit too accepting but I liked her fire. Sevastyan is gruff, commanding, and all consuming, he's basically a complicated mess and I wanted to know why the entire time and loved learning anything about him. These two have a lot of push and pull together, crazy chemistry that's heat filled, and I thought they were intriguing. I was great watching them come together, it could be such a battle because of their personalities but also super passionate because they were drawn to each other.

The writing was really good with great character development overall. The pace was decent for me though on occasion some parts felt drawn out. This was about the same time I'd get frustrated with both Sevastyan and Natalie and want to yell at them because they could be a little over the top stubborn. There's mild drama with a very light suspense element, a lot of heat with some BDSM elements in play. I thought the sexy time scenes were well written and descriptive.

Overall I really liked the story. I was excited while reading and anxious for what was going to happen next. I loved the conflict waging inside Sevastyan and the personal battle he was facing. I'm a sucker for that "moment" when things click for the hero and this was a great one. The main theme throughout was intense and hot, definitely intriguing. It was a crazy good ride!

I love Kresley and consider her to be the best romance writer out there these days, but I'm saying no to this series. I've read everything else that she's printed so I just bought this on autopilot and it was a nasty surprise. The premise was okay and not that different from her other books - smart, sassy co-ed heroine and dark, alpha, rich, tortured hero, but somehow the heroine came off as cheap, ignorant, and low class. She got dressed up through her father's money, but all the silk, furs and jewels just didn't make her seem attractive to me. But the biggest problem was that the dialogue and plot weren't her usual witty and hot romance, they were crude and nasty. I'm all for a heroine who is comfortable with her sexuality, but the fact that this one continually talked about her "p***y" or talked about touching it, what it felt like, etc. etc. That got really REALLY old fast. Yes, yes, everyone is saying that this is Kresley's attempt at her version of 50 Shades of Grey but for me the difference is HUGE. In 50 Shades the hero is into SBDM and the heroine participates and enjoys in some things (a whip, a gag, and restraints) but draws the line at things that don't come off as romantic. Kresley has no stops or limits here and the whole thing comes off as an emotionless power struggle between two people who are sexual attracted to each other, but not in love. Potential spoilers: She lost me when the hero deliberately lets a lot of other people watch him inserting things into the heroine (in places you can imagine) and having sex with her. Hot? No, not when one of the people watching this happen to the heroine is some old nasty mangy man AND the hero's brother apparently frequents the same sex club. For me this scene crossed the line, but the final nail in the coffin was the "backdoor" adventure with her bound and gagged as punishment for running away. 50 Shades doesn't violate the exclusive relationship between hero and heroine after they get together and all the sex is hot and romantic at the same time. Here the romance is nowhere to be found and the sex is crude and emotionless. The explanation is supposed to be that the hero endured sexual abuse, but Kresley has had other tortured heroes (Malcolm in Demon from the Dark) that were still sweet, sexy and sympathetic. She's had heroines who were not at all shy about sexuality and were downright evil (Sabine in Kiss of a Demon King) that were still sympathetic and classy. These two self-centered a-holes and their nasty sexcapades? No, just no!

I've bought this series in paperback because it was cheaper that way. So know the only problem I had was when am I going to read it? Because between work breaks I like to read a bit on my phone, but it's only a little and for my work it's not nice to bring paperbacks to read for a few minutes. We got a long weekend and then I saw my chance at reading! I'm so glad I finally started it and that I could finish it in 4 days (my bf likes to sight see all of it so we don't need to visit it more and so there isn't much relaxing time) I had so much fun!! And I only once had a e-reader withdraw once! I started to tap a page to go forward for a few times and then it hit me that it was a paperback.. I still have 2 paperbacks of this one waiting for me to have vacation time! Enough about my chitchat let's talk book.

I've read a lot of wonderful reviews so I was extremely excited for this one! I was intrigued immediately, Natalie has a man reader (I've lost the real word so I'll call it that) so with a look she knows what kind of men they are. Until Sevastyan arrives in the bar and he is a total mystery for her. She did something I would never dare (I'm a pussy like that) she got up to him and introduced herself. Okay it's nothing big, but I would never dare to do that I'm to shy. And so the fun begins!

Let me say this in between things is there really a saying like "This is the tits?" Because it cracked me up it's just a little saying but it's so fun!

Sevastyan takes Natalie with him with and without her permission/ she doesn't really want to go with a stranger, but he has the upper hand because he is going to take her to her bio father which she is dying to finally meet. And so the push and pull start. I love stories like this one, it just takes your mind into a whole different world. But let's be honest I don't ever want to be kidnapped or something like that! Unless it's my bf, still it would be a bit weird.

In Paris Sevastyan takes Natalie to a special club for men, woman and couples to enjoy themselves and others. This scene was so damn hot I felt like I had a fever! All the other scenes where hot too, but this one blew the others away!

What made me mas at times was the push and pull Sevastyan did every time he got close to Natalie only to withdraw afterwards. It's all explained and that made my eyes open a bit and made me understand it all better.

Go and read this book!! I'm so curious to all your thoughts about it!

WOW!!! my first book of Kresley Cole.. it was AMAZING... ok this was a huge surprise and a very pleasant.. not only the heroes are totally my type .. very ALPHA and commanding and controlling ... i totally love the sex scenes (specially on 2nd book The Master) meet Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan's a Mafia enforce loyal to his boss... Aleksandr had a very rough childhood until he meet a mafia guy who help him get out of the streets and build a better life... until his boss finds out he has a daughter .. her name is Natalie and she is looking for him.. one day Natalie meets Aleksandr not only she doesn't know who he is but she doesn't know her father sent him too look for her and finally bring her to him to russia, where she meets and goes through a lot of things that put hers at risk... Aleksandr is a very quiet man and is not easy when he starts to fall for Natalie.. because she is not used to this new world of mafia.. you will see in this book a great story where Aleksandr fights an enemy who is trying to get rid of Natalie and Aleksandr .. he is determine to give what the opposite mafia team wants from Natalies dad.. the sex scenes are amazing!!!!! the dirty talking is the best and Aleksandr is just to crazy hot.... i love this series.. a great story, drama, suspenseful and of corse the sex part is the best ....

I originally reviewed theses in 3 Parts when it was released as a serial trilogy. Here's the reviews:

THE PROFESSIONAL (THE GAME MAKER SERIES) BY KRESLEY COLE
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 5 Stars

PART 1 REVIEW:
Wow! I loved it! This is an erotica collection that will be released over the next couple weeks in three parts. I kept tapping my screen hoping there was another page to read when I reached the end, but at least part 2 releases January 6th and we get to read the scene part 1 ended with. Kresley Cole is one of my favorite paranormal romance authors so when I saw that she was releasing an erotica romance series I was really excited to see what she would come up with for her readers. Her paranormals are hot and they are not labeled erotica so I anticipated she was really going to heat up the pages with this new series. The Professional is scorching hot! It has a great plot, great characters with explosive chemistry, mystery and intrigue. I loved it and can not wait for part 2 to release!

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

PART 2 REVIEW:
Wow! I didn’t think this trilogy could get any hotter, but I was wrong! Part 1 was hot, but part 2 was scorching hot! This is an erotica collection that will be released over the next couple weeks in three parts. My review for Part 1 can be found below. Part 2 picked up where Part 1 left off and immediately heated up. It was filled with even more danger and conflict. I read it without putting it down! The ending left me screaming, “What is it?” Eek! I can’t wait for Part 3, but at least we don’t have long to wait. The final installment will be released January 20th. I love this story and will be anxiously awaiting the ending.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

PART 3 REVIEW:
I loved it! Part 3 is the perfect ending to this awesome erotic trilogy. There was even more scorching scenes in this book. Sevastyan and Natalie struggle to figure out their relationship in part 3 and face some obstacles. Some new characters were introduced and I’m really hoping they get their own series. If you are a fan of Kresley Cole’s Paranormal IAD series you know Kresley Cole has a unique writing style and you will find that same great style in this series. It’s much hotter though! This is a great erotic trilogy and I will be be checking Kresley Cole’s site to see if she decides to write trilogies for the men she introduced us to in this book.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Strangely enough, if you asked me if I was a Kresley Cole fan, I'd adamantly tell you that I worship her. But if you'd asked me which of her books were my favorite, I'd probably blush and tell you that I've only ever read one of her book series and that would be my favorite... Even though it's Young Adult - and I'm so embarrassed to say that - because heaven knows I love dirty and flirty books... So why I've never read any of KC's more adult books - I really and truly just don't know the answer to that.

There's a redeeming point though... I do have a whole lot of her books on my Kindle (and The Professional is the first I've read other than The Arcana Chronicles) so I'm not entirely blonde - just blind and naive. Since moving along onto other books / genre's by Kresley Cole - I'm determined to work my way through every book she's ever released! Starting with The Professional (The Game Makers #1).

I had no idea what to expect going into this book. My only experience with Kresley Cole is YA and dystopian. What I have figured out about KC's writing ability is that she's can comfortably and effortlessly create characters and scenario's that are no at all every day types.

In The Professional - for instance - she's transported us to Russia. Building a world around the Russian mafia with characters that should scare you but are so well developed that you can't help but love them dearly. This book is full of romance, sexy moments, sorrow, action and mystery. I found myself enjoying situations I'd not normally be keen to read about.

Book Review Bay - The Professional by Kresley Cole

The Professional hooked me in deep. For hours I was engrossed in the life and loss of Natalie. I'm even sad that it ended. Not because it didn't end well or the book felt incomplete... but only because I was really, really into this book. I do wish that I had a few more moments between Natalie and Sevastyan that are more tender rather than angsty or erotic... but I'm not really going to lay down a complaint. I'm entirely happy with the experience, the outcome and the sexiness of this book.

I've seen a few readers make an association between this book and Fifty Shades... but I'm going to have to disagree to that. Although Fifty Shades and this book, The Professional, are both erotic romances, the female characters are both virgins, both alpha male's have a dark past - The Professional is a whole lot deeper and far more 3 dimensional than I found Fifty Shades to be. I'm a huge Fifty fan - one of the biggest out there... but now, years later and many, many more erotic reads under my belt... I can honestly say that the difference between this book and Fifty is maturity. This book carries a level of maturity between the characters that I didn't find in Fifty. This book ventures into the world of BDSM that is far, far darker and more daring than anything I read about in Fifty.

Natalie is easily one of the best female erotic fictional characters I've ever gotten to know. She's funny and open-minded. She's not so much of a submissive as we've come to expect in others and she's not afraid to ask for what she wants from Sevastyan. In fact, I loved that she tested him often, almost daily - but also submitted effortlessly when the moment called for it.

The Professional - The Game Maker Series by Kresley Cole - Book Review BaySevastyan is not the usual alpha male we normally get in erotic romances. Yes he's good looking, but what I particularly loved about this read was that it wasn't repeated over and over again. He's strong, calm and mysterious. He's need for Natalie is beautifully played out. I'm such a huge fan over this book that I'm completely drifting off thinking about it while I try and put together this review.

As a whole, I found this book engrossing. I found the plot - easy to follow, angsty and possessively sexy. I found the secondary plots made this book more 'human' and believable. I found myself inquisitive about learning more regarding the secrets surrounding Sevastyan. I loved that we know he has a past that he doesn't want to delve into, but there isn't this huge focus on it. The book moves along freely without going back and forth reminding us that Sevastyan has secrets. So when they did come out I felt relief rather than agitated with having to wait so long to find out what it was. There are a few moments where I didn't know what to expect. Even the sensuality between Sevastyan and Natalie developed as the book progressed. Never did I feel as if they were stagnant in their romance. I simply just adored everything about this book!

So if you've read Fifty, loved the concept and theme - then give The Professional a go. It's not exactly the same, but it's along the lines when it comes to Alpha leads & BDSM. However, like I said, this book is far darker, more grown-up that Fifty - so expect to blush a whole, whole lot more :)

The second book in this series, The Master is set to release February 24th, 2015. This book is all about Sevastyan's brother (who you get to meet in The Professional) and I'm so freaking excited to get my hands on that!

Rating: 5 Stars!

I freaking LOVE Russian mafia books (and the HOT Russian men in them), but I was a bit disappointed with Kresley Cole’s The Professional. This is actually the first book I’ve read by KC, and I’d been so, so, so excited to read it, but it fell a bit short of my expectations. I was expecting to be swept away by the mafia story and a sexy, alpha-male Russian hero, but I wasn’t. I can see why people loved this book, but for me, The Professional was an okay read – it just missed the mark for what I was expecting to get in this book.

Natalie Porter thinks she’s just a regular grad student when she meets the gorgeous and mysterious Aleksandr Sevastyan, until he takes her away from all that she’s known and thrusts her into the dark world of the Russian mafia. Turns out she’s the long-lost daughter of a powerful boss, who has assigned his enforcer the task of bringing her home by any means necessary.

Dangerous, deadly, and powerful, Sevastyan is the loyal and dedicated enforcer of the Russian mafia. But of all the things to knock him off his feet, Natalie is the only person to make him crazed with lust and out of control. The intense and instant attraction between them is unexpected, but this alpha knows what he wants and he’ll do anything to have her.

In between the fiery chemistry and hot sex in The Professional, we’re swept away to the mafia world in Russia. There’s action and suspense, and pretty much never a dull moment for Sevastyan and Natalie. So I’m pretty bummed out that I couldn’t love this book more. The premise of it had me in love, but as I kept reading, I just couldn’t really get into the story or the characters, mainly because of the ridiculous amount of kinky sex. This book pretty much made me realize that I’m not the biggest fan of BDSM, so sadly, the sex – while hot – just wasn’t my type of thing. Plus, it felt like Sevastyan used sex to manipulate Natalie, so that was a big no for me.

In all honesty though, I did enjoy the book for the most part. We have an obsessed alpha-male who’ll do anything for his woman, and the chemistry between them was well-written and off the charts. I liked the romance, minus all the crazy sex, and the mafia world was interesting. I just didn’t connect that well with the characters – but if you’re a fan of over-the-top heroes and BDSM, this book might be for you!

The Professional is a serialised novel currently available in 3 separate ebooks. The whole story will be released as a full length novel in May 2014 both as an ebook and in print. This is a combined review for the entire story written after I read all three instalments. As a fan of Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark paranormal series I was excited when I heard that she was going to be writing a more edgy, dark erotic romance and I couldn't wait to get my hands on The Professional. A friend who read the first instalment before me had warned me about the killer cliffhangers though so I decided to wait until all three parts were available before I started reading and I'm glad I did because I devoured them all one after the other!

Natalie is an American student who has her whole life turned upside down when she manages to track down her birth parents. She knew she was adopted and that she was born in Russia but the last thing she expected was to discover that her father is a powerful and incredibly wealthy Russian mobster. When her parentage becomes public knowledge Natalie will be a natural target for her father's enemies so he sends his most trusted enforcer, Sevastyan, to bring her home to Russia so they can keep her safe. As much as Natalie has been longing to meet her father she isn't sure what to make of the new world that she suddenly finds herself in, a world of wealth and privilege where she can have everything she's ever dreamed of but one where she has completely lost her freedom. As if adjusting to her new surroundings and getting to know her father wasn't enough to cope with she is also trying to fight her growing attraction to Sevastyan, someone she knows has dark secrets that he's keeping from her. She's desperate to explore her deepest darkest desires with Sevastyan but scared that it may cause trouble between him and her father.

It's always interesting to see an author try out a new genre, I knew Kresley Cole had a knack for writing great sex scenes but hot damn does she take that up a level in The Professional. The chemistry between Natalie and Sevastyan is off the charts and veers into "melt your kindle while you read" territory, I don't think a cold shower was enough after reading this book - I was more in need of an ice bath LOL. The scenes at the club were some of the hottest I've ever read! I never thought I'd find a domineering, arrogant, hit man quite so sexy but there is something irresistible about Sevastyan. I'm going to be honest and admit that there were a couple of times I wanted to slap the man but overall I just wanted to eat him up. This story includes some incredibly well written and super sexy BDSM scenes so if that's something you're not into then this might not be the book for you but if you like pushing your boundaries then I can't recommend it highly enough.

Natalie and Sevastyan's story isn't all happiness and rainbows, it's intense, dark and disturbing but that just makes it even more compelling to read. Both characters make mistakes, they react badly to certain events and push each other away when they get scared of how strong their feelings are. In fact they both have a lot of growing up to do if they're going to figure out a way to make their relationship work but in spite of the difficulties it is obvious they're meant to be together. In a lot of ways they are complete opposites but their personalities compliment each other and if they can just learn to actually talk things through and make compromises then they'll have something really special.

I loved The Professional so much that I've already pre-ordered a copy of the full length novel so I can have it sitting on my bookshelves. I'm really hoping that this will be the first book in a new series because I'm dying to learn more about Maksim and I have a feeling that he might have even more secrets than Sevastyan does. Kresley Cole has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that she knows how to write erotic romance and I really hope she's going to give us more of her deliciously dark, hot Russian mobsters!

Natalie Porter is a normal college student that goes out to bars with friends and has fun. One night at a bar she meets a hunky Russian guy and he wants nothing to do with her. When he shows up later that night with a crazy story saying that the father she has been searching for wants to be part of her life and she's in danger she doesn't know if she should believe him. She's been searching for her father's identity for awhile and thinks her investigator had a solid lead when he quit talking to her. Then this happens. She is rushed off half way around the world to meet her father and be part of his life. Danger lurking at every turn since her father is part of the mafiya.

Mafiya enforcer Aleksei Sevastyan, is the hunky Russian that Natalie met in the bar. His mission is to protect Natalie and get her back safely to her father's mansion. The thing he didn't expect is the attraction he would feel for her. He tries to avoid it at all costs due to her father raising him from a young age when he found him on the streets. You know it'll be that oh so good when Aleksei and Natalie finally admit their attraction and get together in the book. I always seem to love it when books have that aspect and they're written well.

I read book two before I read this one, which had a tiny bit of spoilers but not too much. I'd suggest reading these in order though if you're not okay with a hint of spoilers. The only sort of complaint I have are the male leads are quite similar in books one and two, this being because they're brothers. That's where I find the issue though, since the brothers were separated at a young age, so I'm not sure if they would turn out so similar. They did face a brutal childhood, so it's believable a bit but maybe not to that extent. All in all the story was lovely, and naughty and I suggest it if you're looking for a mafia erotica.

HOT! HOT! HOT!!

Did I mention that this book is super HOT?!! Another Kresley Cole keeper. I almost deducted 1/2 a star because Natalie seemed to adjust to all the changes in her life a little too well. After being kidnapped on day 1 and taken to RUSSIA she just seems to fall into her new life. She had other friends besides Jess. What happened to them? Does she miss her personal belongings? Ipod? Stuffed animal? Nights at the local bar? And the isolation? Although she watches people on the streets of Paris, she never forces the issue to be among other people.

But that is my ONLY complaint, and it is so minor compared to the rest of the story. I like Natalie's wit. She comes out fighting when backed into a corner but she does TRY to compromise first. She is one of the best heroines I have read about in a long time. I love that she spends a lot of time talking to her bff without ditching her at her first sign of hooking up with a new guy.

Sevastyan is my ultimate hero. Who wouldn't want a man who would kill for you? And has killed for you - more than once. He always puts his money where his mouth is. Yet he is also loyal and protective and loving. My favorite scene - the airport. Hot! But there are so many others. The bar, the club, the airplane, the cornfield, on and on and on. The sex scenes are amazing but so are the scenes in between where you get a good look at the characters. Jess is an excellent side character. I wonder if she will figure in future books. Something to think about KC.

In case you are wondering, yes, this book has many parallels to 50 shades of grey. But that is a good thing. Christian's story might slightly edge out Sevastyan's only because he was able to tell it over 3 books. But if I had to pick between either of these 2 guys for myself, the Siberian would easily win.

4.5 Stars

The Professional has been sitting on my shelf for a while, and I decided to take a chunk out of my Simon & Schuster pile, so why not start with this one. I can’t believe I’ve left it so long, because I have enjoyed Kresley Cole’s writing in the past, and wasn’t disappointed with this one either. The Professional was a scorching hot read, but I was kept in suspense as well, especially when the characters were on the run!

So a quick rundown of the story, Natalie is looking for her birth parents. She hired someone to look for them and she’s unable to contact him. She has a night out with the girls and approaches a dark and handsome Russian at the bar, who brushes her off before leaving. A little while later, he literally drags her away and puts her on a plane to Russia. This begins their passionate affair and Natalie is able to explore some of her secret fantasies.

Natalie is a character that doesn’t like to back down. Although she is a submissive in the bedroom, she challenges Sevastyan constantly. She’s determined to uncover his secrets, despite how much he shuts down. I liked how she called herself a ‘manalyst’ and would rely on her senses to analyse men. She has an open mind and a great sense of humour.

Sevastyan is definitely the dark and dangerous type! I could see that he had awful secrets that he has never spoken about before. He’s a killer, that’s for sure! He has a fierce attachment to Natalie and will not let anyone get her and will murder those that try to. He’s confused by Natalie though, because the only interactions that he’s had with women before have been of the one-night-only variety.

I loved seeing the relationship between Natalie and Sevastyan grow. They had a connection that was purely physical to begin with, but I could see the trust building between them and it became something deeper. They were explosive in the bedroom, and explored a lot of the darker sides to their sexual relationship. They ventured into the BDSM world, but it wasn’t over the top in my opinion, just enough to keep any girl flustered!

Complimentary copy provided by Simon & Schuster Australia in exchange for an honest review.

Beautiful writing, to die for characters, intriguing sexy story, without a single dull moment.
Loved, loved, loved this one, and couldn't put it down!

The book:
• 401 Pages • Contemporary • Multicultural • Standalone • Happily Ever After • In A Series • First-Person Narrative • Her POV

The romantic theme:
• Mafia Romance • Outlaw Romance

The read:
• Intense Read • Page Turner • Good Pace • Made Me Smile • Made Me Laugh • Touching • Twists & Turns • Sexy • Provocative

Heat level:
• 5 / 5 (Includes lots of hot, explicit and versatile sex scenes) • MF scenes • Dirty Talk • Vanilla Sex • Beyond Vanilla Sex • BDSM hints • BDSM scenes

Story ingredients:
• Instant Clash • Witty Banter • Romantic Pursuit • Unforgettable First Meeting • Heroic Rescue • Billionaire Lifestyle

He is...
• Alpha Male • Bossy • Possessive • Emotionally Unavailable • Hot • Fit • Wealthy • Bad Boy • Outlaw • Troubled Past

She is...
• Stunning • Sassy • Brainy • Strong • Unconventional • Curvy Figure • Student • Waitress

WARNING! MINOR SPOILERS!

After reading the first few chapters, I was fully expecting to hate this book. I'm currently listening my way to Ms. Cole's Immortals After Dark Series and have been enjoying them immensely, but this one was just way out of my comfort zone. I mean, I've read dark romances before so I'm not new to hard core BDSM but I guess it's different when I know coming in that the book will be dark with uncomfortable situations. I thought The Professional is just a mafia romance that leans toward the erotic side. I didn't expect it to be this hardcore with BDSM and the voyeurism definitely took me by surprise.

THE BAD:

☹ Natalie 60% of the time. I liked that her character is someone who knows what she wants and sets out to get it but I got irritated when she kept pushing herself to Sevastyan when he was quite adamant that he wants to stay away from her. For one thing, it's not like she has deeper feelings for him other than lust because they just met. I mean, do people actually do this? Throw themselves at a person because of extreme lust?

And I can't fully comprehend her extreme fascination with sex and pornography...but she somehow managed to stay a virgin. Totally unbelievable for me.

☹ The cliché of a best friend. Why is it that in these types of books the heroine's best friend is either a good looking gay man or an extremely sexually active female? In this case, we get a girl who is proud and vocal of passing time getting her "box eaten" and giving people head, a girl who looks down on Natalie's virgin status by calling it her skin tag:

"You've STILL got your skin tag? Come on, Nat, this is getting ridiculous. Are you thinking with your vaj?"
"No!"
"There's your problem right there."

I have no problem with a character who enjoys sex and is happy to just keep things casual with anyone and everyone but I am getting annoyed with these clichés. Why do virginal (granted, in this case, sex addicted) main characters always have to have only these types, gay or slu++y (and I mean that in a non-derogatory way), bestfriends? Is it to make her character stand out from the sea of highly experienced women? She's a virgin, they are almost non-existent...OH, HOW SPECIAL SHE IS. *eyes rolling*

☹ That voyeur scene was just too much for me. And I've read ménage books so it's not because I'm not used to reading erotica.

☹ Sevastyan's HOT and COLD. Like seriously dude, make up your mind already...either you want her or you don't. Don't expect her to just follow you around with a flick of your finger.

THE GOOD

☺ Kovalev. As mafia bosses go, he's the most likable and adorable. He had an "if you can't beat them, join them" situation but he made it for the better. It was also quite clear how much he really wanted to get to know Natalie and make up for lost time as her father.

☺ Natalie's good points. She may have frustrated me at the beginning but I still think that she's a character who's not afraid of seizing that moment to take what she wants. She's also not afraid to voice her opinions so I would not call her a doormat. I didn't connect with her fully but I can respect that she's a character who has a backbone and would not stand to be mistreated by anyone.

☺ The character development. My main reason for being okay with this book is because even though it took awhile, there was actual character and relationship development between the two characters. By the end of it I was able to kind of understand Sevastyan's side of things and Natalie's able to figure out what she wants out of their relationship because the communication lines between them are finally open.

☺ I am guessing that the next book in this series is going to be about Sevastyan's brothers. I am actually intrigued by this.

SOME POINTS TO CONSIDER FOR READERS

✢ Sevastyan's HOT and COLD. But when he goes HOT, he is over the top, caveman style. I think alpha male lovers will love Sevastyan, he is very jealous and possessive of Natalie and is not afraid to show it. Like seriously. Stalker-like jealous and possessive. I found this slightly disturbing but I know a lot of readers like these types of characters.

✢ The steam is off the charts. If you want your smex scenes descriptive and different, then this book is definitely for you.

✢ There's one word that I've been using constantly in this review and that's the word extreme. Mostly because this is what I feel about this book, everything is just so EXTREME. The characters, the situations, the storyline is just absolutely over the top that at times, it verges on the ridiculous.

Overall, I was really surprised that I ended up not hating this, despite the fact I was very uncomfortable with a few scenes...and not just the sexual ones. I did like how Natalie and Sevastyan's characters develop and by the end of the book, their feelings for one another was believable for me and I think that says something because I hated their relationship at the beginning. Hell, I think these two deserve each other, they are both so twisted and disturbed that they end up helping and complimenting one another.

I am actually thinking about reading the next book in the series which is really surprising because I thought I was done with this series after this book. One thing's for sure though, this one kept me enthralled. Even when the characters and situations were appalling and uncomfortable to me, I still couldn't stop reading it. So again, I think that says something. This is not an easy book to read, but it definitely kept me glued to it.

A copy was provided by Gallery Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All quotes were taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted from the final copy.

Let me preface my review. I read Book 2 of the series (The Master) before I read this one. The Master blew me away but The Professional on the other hand not so much. In fact, if I would have read this one first, I don't know that I would have read The Master -- which would have truly been my loss. Clearly this means that Ms. Cole is improving with each volume. The Professional starts off with such promise. An intelligent, attractive 24 year old virgin who is looking to find her biological parents and gets caught up in with the Russian mob -- which is run by her biological father. Her father is protected by a man (The Enforcer) with a dark past and she becomes very interested in him. Determined to explore her sexual appetite, she finds The Enforcer is willing to satisfy her wishes. The story is predictable and a bit far fetched. Maybe I'm an old fart but I simply don't recall that much sexual fascination (within 30 days) after having had my first experience. It was a bit over the top and simply not realistic. Don't get me wrong, some the early exotic scenes will no doubt leave the reader breathless but by the last 1/3 of the book, it gets a bit old. All the characters in the book are thought out, easy to relate to and the plot is very easy to follow. The first 2/3's of The Professional is a page turner then I found myself wanting it to end. Again, Book 2 (The Master) is a 5 Star Exotic Thriller.

I received this book free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really regret taking so long to read this book. This was approved on my Netgalley shelf months ago but I didn't get a chance to download it before it archived. I finally purchased the book myself and am going back now to review it and have learned my lesson about downloading the approved books on my Netgalley shelf right away.

I wish I had read it back then because - wow. I love perusing other reader reviews before I write my own to see what other Goodreads folks thought and I was very interested to see that basically this book either received 1 or 5 stars for the most part. It's a love it or hate it kind of book. I really liked it and was swept up from the beginning.

Natalie Porter is a college student who has been working 3 jobs to save money to pay an investigator to find her birth parents. I really liked the interaction between Natalie and her friends, especially Jess. Their dialogue together was really fun and entertaining throughout the book and added necessary levity in a potentially dark book. When Natalie, a virgin (really, a college virgin - no joke) sees a man enter a bar that she can't get a read on, he intrigues her enough that she goes up to offer to buy him a drink. After being rudely snubbed, she shakes it off lightheartedly and goes home.

Aleksei Sevastyan is a Russian Mafiya enforcer and has been tasked by his vor, and father of his heart, to retrieve Natalie and bring her to Russia. Apparently Natalie's hard work has finally paid off and she has found her birth father. Granted, at various points in this book you are forced to suspend belief. Would an intelligent, independent woman really allow this stranger to cart her off to parts unknown without putting up more of a fight? Probably not, but we are asked to believe that her curiosity over her father trumps her common sense. Personally, as soon as I heard I was being forced out of the country without my passport - um, hello, how the hell am I going to get back home? - I would have been kicking and screaming. But okay, let's say we believe curiosity kills the cat. Once I get past some of the plot devices and focus on Sevastyan and his uber hotness, the book really started looking up for me.

I did not realize that this book was a BDSM book when I took it off my shelf. It is. It's not super hard-core, but if you are not a fan of BDSM then Do. Not. Read. This. I see some reviews that are 1 star with the comments that BDSM is not for them. Okay - that's great. We do appreciate your opinion, but is that an entirely fair review? If you rate it 1 star because you hate the writing and the characters, more power to you. But rating a book 1 star because you don't like the genre isn't fair to the author. That's like going to a kick-ass steak house and giving it a 1 star review on Yelp because you're a vegetarian. You are definitely entitled to your opinion, but the question must be asked - why are you in a steak house in the first place? Just sayin'.

There were definitely points in the book where I felt Natalie's frustration with the closed-off, brooding, megalomaniac and cheered her in her attempts to escape his cold emotional prison. At times I felt that there was probably nothing Kresley Cole could do to get Sevastyan to win me over as an MC. I hated him in parts and wanted to throw the towel in in others, but eventually I softened to him and I rated this book based on how I felt at the end. Content. Happy. Well Sated.

I look forward to the next book in the series.

When Natalie sets things in motion, trying to find her biological parents, she finds herself in limbo as she tries to reach her private detective. Little does she know, she's been found by her biological father and he's sent Sevastyan to bring her "home" to Russia. Natalie finds herself entranced by Sevastyan and his sensually secretive attitude. Sevastyan is supposed to protect Natalie, but at the same time, he must keep his hands to himself. Sevastyan can only take so much when he's completely aware of her and wanting her with all of his dark sensuality.

The Professional is as hot as it gets, with so much going on you won't be able to stop reading until it's over…and you'll still be anxious for more! It will constantly keep you on the edge of arousal, wishing you could put yourself in the heroine's place. Or at least bring the hero home with you (lol)! This book is uber erotic and the sex scenes as explicit as they come. I wasn't prepared to enjoy this book so much and I can hardly wait for more. I am so happy though that I did wait to read the complete book all at once. I would have gone NUTS if I had to wait for each part of the book to release and be left hanging in limbo. I will keep this book, enjoy thinking about it, talking about it, and reading it again. I'm thrilled I got to read The Professional and I will be anxiously awaiting more from Ms. Cole!

Sevastyan is an enforcer for the mafia. His job is to watch the boss's daughter not touch her. OOPS! Natalie is the boss's daughter but had not idea. When Sevastyan suddenly shows up in her house and whisks her away to Russia to meet her real father her life takes a turn for the ..... well the reader can decide.

I loved this book. VERY hot!! The author is a fabulous writer. I could not put this book down and didn't. The characters were so wonderfully written and the plot was like new. It had action and hot scenes. What more can a reader ask for?

Sevastyan was the ultimate character in this book. His strength to protect and his strength in the love making was awesome. Natalie was written perfect for him. Kudos to the author!!

Reviewed by Scarlett Roberts for the Inked in the Bayou Book Review Blog

This book is SEXY AS HELL. I mean...just ask my husband, who reaped the benefits while I was reading this book. Granted, he only enjoyed it for ONE day (more like ½) because I devoured this in a few hours. I could not stop reading once started.

Was the whole concept a little outlandish? Of course. A 24-year old virgin Grad student? Come on. She also just happens to be drop-dead gorgeous and on the search for her biological parents...and her father just happens to be a billionaire Russian Mafia Boss (with a heart-of-gold, of course!)? and said Father just happens to send a smoking-hot, stalkerish, alpha-male type after his long-lost daughter?

The chemistry between Natalie (or Natalya if it’s during sexy-time) and Sevastyan is off the charts, off the chain, off the hook -- off the everything! I even found his crazy, stalker “if you ever leave me, I WILL find you” side to be sooooo freaking hot. Of course Sevastyan has a dark and mysterious past they have to work through (what kind of FSOG-type Erotica would it be if he didn’t?), and of course they do.

With all of that being said -- I. Don’t. Care. I loved this book. When you close your eyes and think of the craziest, sexiest, fantasy, this is what I would think about, and for me, that’s what it’s all about. ESCAPE. My rating, 5 out of 5.

-Reviewer, Scarlett Roberts

HOLEY MOLEY!! What a fast paced, addictive book. This is my first Kresley Cole read and I am biting my nails waiting for number 2, The Master and it doesn’t come out until next year. GGGGRRRR! Natalie is an awesome character, with so much spice and attitude. When I first started reading, my first impression was, WOW, love the style and I’m hooked in the first chapter. That’s an amazing feat and I’m going to have to find some more of Ms Cole’s books.

Natalie Porter is a twenty-four year old that is struggling in life. She is working two restaurant jobs and a teaching job just to get by. She was adopted and has always been curious about her biological father. Beginning her search, Natalie finds the cost involved isn’t small. Things are at a standstill when her investigator has stopped responding to her messages. All she knows is that he was getting close to finding her father, then bam, nothing.

Natalie thinks of herself as a manalyst, when she’s out with her friends, she will see a man and is able to size him up on his negative qualities. Until she spots HIM; standing at the bar she sees this giant of a man, all muscle and attitude. Natalie isn’t able to get a read and is instantly attracted to him. With some encouragement from her friends, Natalie walks up to this man and tries to hit on him. The only things she can ascertain is that he has a Russian accent. Without another word he storms out of the bar….

Natalie is in a compromising position in the bathtub when she realises the Russian is standing in the doorway. He demands her to get dressed because they have a plane to catch, but Natalie isn’t following his rules and Sevastyan carries her to his car almost naked.

Arriving in Russia Natalie is determined to get some answers and has walked right into a mafia war. She is in grave danger with assassins hunting her down, being the missing daughter of a mafia boss, she is highly sought after. This also means that if anyone touches her, even intimately, they could be killed, Sevastyan is at risk even though he’s the right-hand man.

Natalie still doesn’t like following rules and tempts Sevastyan every chance she gets. This complicated and mysterious man is the only thing she can think about; other than learning the family business.

Will Sevastyan put his life in danger just to be with Natalie? Will Natalie survive the hunt? What will happen between the mafia families? What about her life back in America?

Absolutely fantastic, amazingly addictive, unique, and exciting and I need the next brother, Maksimilian Sevastyan NOW. Maksim was very interesting and he is somehow more dangerous than The Siberian. Everybody I have told about this book has also loved it. Kresley Cole you are a genius. Of course I highly recommend this book to all erotic readers, it’s a must!

While studying for her PhD, Natalie decides to track down her birth parents. Her search leads her to hire an investigator for help. When the investigator disappears, Natalie believes all of her progress was in vane.

When Natalie isn’t hitting the books, she enjoys hanging out with her friends. During their outings at the local bars, Natalie is always able to ‘read’ men. Their inner circle even jokes about Natalie remaining a virgin due to this crazy ability. When a stranger walks into the bar they are hanging out at, Natalie finds herself intrigued by a handsome stranger. For once, she cannot get a feel of what lies beneath the surface.

Dressed in an expensive suit with tattoos peeking from beneath, Sebastyan spurns Natalie’s advances. The ‘hot as sin’ Russian intrigues Natalie even further. Soon, Natalie discovers that Sebastyan wasn’t merely in the bar for a night out. The Russian reveals himself to Natalie as the enforcer hired by her father to protect her at all costs. Following orders - Sebastian ’kidnaps’ Natalie and takes her to Russia to meet her father. If the whole situation didn’t rattle Natalie enough, she soon discovers her father is a Russian mobster.

Despite his role to protect Natalie, Sebastyan finds himself captivated by the red haired beauty. Torn between the ramifications of giving into his desires and loyalty, Sebastyan tries to ignore the feelings he posses for Natalie. Feeling that his past can only make him ’unworthy’ of Natalie, Sebastyan tries to give her the space she needs to find another.

Natalie soon learns that life in Russia can be so different that the US. Giving into her desires would mean a lifetime with the rugged enforcer. As Natalie’s life is put in danger by a rival mob, the duo find themselves pushed together. Can they fight the inevitable? Will they give into their desires despite the consequences?

Dark, handsome, and deadly?? Yes please!!! The relationship between Sebastyan and Natalie is full of chemistry and indecision. The dark side of Sebastyan sets the tone for their relationship….his lust for Natalie and her desire to let this man command her in the bedroom and beyond. This romance is sprinkled with some really hot BDSM action….something you definitely want to check out!! The secondary characters that are interwoven in the story add layers that leave you intrigued about the upcoming book in the series….something that surely cannot be missed!!

The Professional is the first book I have read by Kresley Cole. I can definitely say - it will not be my last!!

Kresley Cole's first book came out in 2003 and is one of my favorite historical romances. Since then Kresley has written romance in many genres, but I've never read anything in the mafia vein by her. When news first broke about this book being released as a serial I was excited. However I heard very little about it or the other two parts until the final book was released and all it took to get my attention was a small excerpt posted on a blog. After that I had to read this book and see what happened.

The Professional is a book I very much enjoyed. I liked the idea of a "forbidden romance" between Sevastyan and Natalie and the fact that Natalie's parentage was out of the ordinary. I also loved how Natalie was not the simple, happy go lucky girl she seemed. I loved that she had hidden depths. Sevastyan's loyalty and dedication to his Boss and Natalie is something I admired as well.

I've got to admit this book is very hot. As in I needed to change my underwear when it was done. I was also surprised by at how good the plot was. Being no stranger to Kresley's books I really shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. I started reading as I often do well after I should be asleep and I wasn't able to put it down until the early hours of the morning. It's hard not to do that when the book starts off strong and just keeps on going that way.

This book had my emotions all over the place. I laughed, bawled, 'cause crying doesn't begin to say enough about what I felt, whimpered, and fanned myself as the heat from Natalie and Sevastyan's chemistry.

I'm hoping Kresley will write more books set in this setting, well I'd be happy reading whatever she wrote. If you're a fan of mafia/underworld romance, or a Kresley Cole fan who hasn't tried anything other than her paranormal novels, I'd strongly suggest you read this book and some of her earlier historical romances.

Natalie Porter is a Nebraska graduate student in history (I already like her as I too was grad student in women’s history). She studies hard, works hard, and is as “normal” as can be. One night she meets a mysterious stranger in a local bar, one whose vibe screams “yummy” and “danger” at the same time. Like a fine wine she “sens[es] top notes of European – along with strong undertones of dangerous!” She is soon being whisked away to Russia to meet her birthfather, a Russian mafia boss.

Yes, there is danger and yes, there is a bit of suspense, but this story is really about the relationship between Natalie and Sevastyan. Natalie is looking to find some balance after being knocked over and completely overwhelmed by Sevastyan. He is both irresistible and unattainable. He opens up new worlds to her and keeps her in the dark. He is a study in interpolarities.

The conflict and need Natalie experiences is provocative. There is so much tension throughout this book, I found my jaw clenching as if I were driving down the 405 Freeway on a Friday afternoon (traffic in Southern California). Sevastyan is an anti-hero, a professional henchman (and second in command) for Natalia’s father and her personal bodyguard. He is cynical, proud, moody and very, very, damaged, but has a capacity to love as deep as the ocean. But can he love her in the way she needs to be loved? It would be easy to wonder if this question can sustain an entire book. Yes! It can and Kresley Cole does it very well.

Kresley Cole writes with humor, focusing particularly between the relationship between Natalie and her best friend, Jessica. She writes with intensity, pages brimming with sexual tension: “As I gazed up at him and sucked his thumb, his eyes darkened with possession. Deep. Brutal. Never-ending. He regarded me like I was a trapped thing, already his to enjoy. Never-ending. Never-ending. Never-ending. Dear god, what had I done?” Whew, take a breath.

IN A NUTSHELL:

“I thought pleasure was only rated on a scale of one to ten, and then this guy had seductively whispered, “Didn’t you know? The upper scale is infinity.” It was a pleasure to read this book.

I’ve read a lot of not-so-good reviews for this book but I don’t care…. This book was SMOKIN’ HOT and very entertaining. It’s giving me hot flashes just remembering back to when I read it last month. Holy hell. Aleksei “The Siberian” Sevastyan puts Christian Grey and his Red Room to shame.

Grad Student, Natalie Porter, and her search to find out about her Birth Parents leads her in to the Russian Mafiya. All The While, catching the eye of the one sent to protect her, Aleksei Sevastyan. They’re drawn to one another and can’t seem to stay away from each other for too long.

I loved the characters in this book. Sevastyan made me swoon like I’ve never swooned before and Natalie just straight-up entertained me. I thought she was a hilarious and she had a serious fascination with kink that she was discovering about herself in this book. The smexy times between Sevastyan and Natalie will overheat your reading apparatus or cause your paperback to catch fire…that’s how smoking hot their chemistry is.
We also can’t forget about Natalie’s best friend, Jess, who I think made Natalie even more of an interesting character. The two of them together made for an entertaining friendship.

If you liked Fifty Shades of Grey, you’ll LOVE this book even more. It’ll make you want to run out and book a one-way ticket to Russia or look to see if there’s such thing as Russian mail order HUSBANDS. YUM.

Its an entertaining read, it covers all the bases; girl like boy, boy has [a ton] issues; criminals; a palace; and a lot of drama.

Natalie Porter is on a quest to find her biological parents and in the middle of her quest enters tall, dark and handsome Aleksei "The Siberian" Sevastyan. The attraction is mutual, but he's a Mafiya enforcer and his boss is her daddy.

Their first encounter is way crazy and things heat up with them real quickly. Sevastyan immediately whisk her of to Russia to meet the long lost father; and well, things get hectic fast and soon Sevastyan is protescting Natalie, dodging bullets and kicking ass.

When the enemy gets to close for comfort Sevastyan takes Natalie to Paris and their romance keeps getting weirder or hotter, depends on your point of view.

For its genre this book is okay, but I needed more resolution, I mean come on, most of the book Sevastyan is a jerk to Natalie and she just takes it.

Sevastyan has way too many issues to ever be a truly likable character and don't even get me started on Natalie's friend. If I told one of my friends I'm a foreign country with a hit-man they'd freak, not be like "is he hot?", normal people would not take to cool to all of a sudden being involved with the mob.

I also didn't like the end of the book, in like 4 pages Sevastyan finally redeems himself, no, I need a few more pages. I hope the next book in the series answers/fills-in the extra stuff I wanted to know/read. Again, still an entertaining read, I'm just neurotic and tend to over analyze books I get too into.

Overall Rating: 5 Rockin’ ★★★★★

Natalie is a workaholic working on her PhD in history. She has been searching for her birth parents for the past six years and had thought she might have a lead. The detective that she had hired had said he thought he had a lead and now she was unable to get in touch with him. Natalie is out with some of her girlfriends at a local bar when in walks a HOTTIE that hits all her virgin buttons.

“Are you looking for trouble?” With a confidence I didn’t feel, I teasingly said, “Maybe I am.” I sounded breathy-I still hadn’t caught my breath since he’d first touched me. “Have I found it?”

Little did Natalie know that her birthfather was Russian Mafia and he had sent his right-hand man to bring her back to Russia to meet him? Her father had not known about her until the detective she hired had contacted him with DNA evidence. Natalie was not sure that this was what she really wanted, to be part of the Russian Mafia, but she did want to meet her birth father. The decision was taken from her by her new body guard, the Neanderthal just threw her over his should and proceeded to a hidden airfield where a private jet waited.

“I told you my intentions. Gave you a countdown.” He started the engine and pulled away from the curb. “Understand me, Natalie, I do exactly what I say I’ll do. Always.”…”And right now I’m telling you that I will get you safely to you father in Russia.”

Natalia finds out that her father is more than just mafiya, he is the head the Bratva and his enemies know about her and want her to use against her father. Sevastyan was sent to protect her from them and to get her to safety.

“Your father is embattled. Adversaries would love to see him fall. And there is another vor who might hurt you in order to hurt Kovalev. Or use you to coerce him.”

Natalia finds herself drawn to Sevastyan. She cannot stop wanting more from him. Sevastyan explains the dangers and where they are headed too. He allows Natalia to call and warn her mom and best friend that someone may try to get to hurt them because of her.

“Of all the men in the bar, you picked me for a reason, little girl.” His voice had gotten huskier, his accent rougher; I responded to it as if he’d touched me. “And it wasn’t to talk about classes.”…”I picked you because you were a mystery. I can read men with ease, but not you. That made me curious.”

When Natalia meets her father it is as natural as breathing. They have so much in common that it seems like they have always been together. He tells her about her biological mother and how she would never have let her go if she had not died after her birth. He explains about the rules that they live by and what will be expected of her now that she is with him in Russia. He asks her to stay with him and go to school there. Sevastyan is always there in the background, observing and protecting them both. She wants him and he wants her but if she gives herself to him then she will be his forever.

I caught myself wondering what it would be like if he were mine. In some mad moments, I could envision us together. It’d never be dull. No it’d be dark. And deep.

Everything changes when her father is betrayed by her cousin. She must run with Sevastyan and stay hidden until things can be sorted out. Will she be able to deny the need she has for Sevastyan? Will he be able to open up and share himself with her?

He raised his brows, eyes devilish in the firelight and mist. “Can’t control yourself where I’m concerned?” His voice was a deep rasp. Resist him, Nat.

Hero –Aleksandr “The Siberian” Sevastyan”: 5 stars
Heroine –Natalie Marie Porter: 5 stars
Steam: 5 stars
Plot: 5 stars
Cliffhanger: Yes

Would I recommend this book: Yes! This book is unbelievable! It has it all; mafia, BDSM, family lost then found and lots of interaction between two people that really need each other to be complete.

Would I read other books by this author: Yes! This is one of my favorite authors and I have read most of her other books…a must read author.

***Received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review***

Woah! The foreplay and the sex in this one is freaking off the chart HOT! I love the BDSM element that was added in here and the approach they have on this topic itself. We have a heroine who is fascinated with the first taste she got in this lifestyle, and a hero who was in dilemma whether he should indulge in it or not. Although we have the Russian mob as the background story, this is very much a character driven romance, so there isn't much suspense or detail into the mobster work.

Natalie Porter, a student in Nebraska had been searching for her biological parent for years. Until one day, a sexy Russian broke into her home and kidnap her to Moscow to meet her biological father. She had this insta-attraction towards Sevastyan, but was having a hard time coping with her current situation. Her father is a Russian mobster, someone wish her harm and she was whisked away from her life in Nebraska!

Sevastyan is Natalie's father most trusted enforcer and he was to bring back his boss long lost daughter and keep her safe. What he didn't expect is to bewitch by her and wish to possess her for his own darkest desire.

Just so you know, Sevastyan was into BDSM and it was seriously some hot stuff going on there. Their foreplay was so freaking hot. However, he was holding back because of who Natalie is. So basically he was being hot and cold and giving off all these mixed signals.

"I am an enforcer, a contract killer, and I pity you for piquing the lusts of a man like me."

Considering things the things that's happening, uprooting her life and all, Natalie still manage to take everything in stride and trying to get to know her father. Meanwhile, her desire for Sevastyan grew, despite his intention in avoiding her. She was put down by some twisted kind of mafiya logic because he didn't want to ruin his boss daughter. Urg! But this woman is relentless and believes she can wear him out anytime soon. I just love her being so sexually confident and so accepting towards his brand of sex.

Things changed when they were forced to flee together and only had each other to depend on. Now they were under pressure to make a workable relationship to stay together, but with Sevastyan always closing up on himself, Natalie was getting frustrated and wondering can she really be with a man that she didn't really know. The worst thing is his reluctance to indulge into BDSM anymore with Natalie because of more of his twisted logic. Aww... sometimes he can be so stubborn and sweet at the same time. So despite having lots of sex, they were both sexually frustrated.

"I'm a flesh-and-blood woman, a hot-blooded woman - not some porcelain doll."

I just have to mention Natalie's bff, Jess. Although Jess was faraway in Nebraska, their constant phone conversations cracked me up. She was this ever supportive slutty friend, despite not giving any sound advice.

Told completely from Natalie's POV, her inner thought was pretty hilarious and I love the humour that was injected in it. I find it hard understand Sevastyan most of the time because the man was really uncommunicative especially about his past and his feelings. But his elusiveness and mysteriousness is part of the charm and when every little titbits were revealed along the way, I craved for more. But don't worry, in the end I found that everything was revealed and explained well. Despite being a character driven book that usually bore me, I was fully engaged from beginning to end because the hero was simply too fascinating and make me want to know all about him. I just wish the story were longer. I want to see how they live their life together back in Russia. I wonder is the next book is about Sevastyan's brothers or we still got more of Sevastyan. But I will definitely mark my calendar for it.

The Professional was absolutely intoxicating and strikes the perfect balance of intrigue, chemistry, raw sexuality and supreme storytelling! Natalie and Sevastyn ignite off of the pages in a way that only Kresley Cole can make possible. Each of them exuding strength, confidence, intellect, passion and a fiery attraction for the other. I was drawn to them as individuals, and consumed by them as a couple. Ms. Cole delivered an intense and sensationally hot couple that have enough spark and electricity to light up New York City for days.

Natalie Porter has been looking for her birth parents for over 6 years and, after spending her life savings, is on the brink of giving up. Until Aleksandr Sevastyan walks into her life and changes everything in her world. The feelings that she has for him are extremely powerful and intense, overwhelming her with their strength. However, she continues to fight the attraction that she feels for Sevastyan, and refuses to give in until he reveals more of himself to her. Sevastyan’s want and need for Natalie is all-consuming. He needs her like he needs his next breath, but he continually doubts his worth and feels that he isn’t good enough for her. When tragedy strikes, they are no longer strong enough to resist the fiery attraction between them.

Natalie and Sevastyan’s chemistry, intensity and passion dominate the pages and I loved every interaction, every word, every kiss and every battle contained within their story. Natalie’s quick wit, humor and snark offered a perfect contrast to the dark, brooding and intense demeanor of Sevastyan. Ms. Cole has once again created an extremely decadent and vivid world with characters that will instantly become cemented in your mind, and heart, as favorites.

There just aren’t any words to accurately describe just how erotic, sensual and provocative this book really is. Quite simply, The Professional has the best erotic scenes that I’ve ever read. The only drawback for me was that the ending felt rushed once Sevastyan’s secrets were finally revealed. Sevastyan’s past was absolutely horrific and I wanted more page time for him, and Natalie, to get closure and peace.

Overall, The Professional was extraordinary! The compelling story, combined with an unforgettable and passionate couple, delivered one of Kresley Cole’s best works and certainly my favorite of hers so far! This book is a must read for any fan of the romance genre.

This has previously been available as a serialisation in three parts and now due to popular demand is being released as a full length novel. It seems to be a trend to serialise stories and allow readers to get their fix in small bites but I personally much prefer to be able to finish a story if I can without having to wait. Still enough about me and on to the review.
Natalie has been searching for information on the whereabouts of her biological father but what she hadn't expected was that he would find out and send someone to kidnap her ! Sevastyan is her fathers most trusted enforcer and Natalie is about to be entering a world of crime and danger where betrayal and death is just a heartbeat away . Being taken to Russia is just the start of Natalie's adventure though as the sinfully seductive Sevastyan awakens passions in Natalie that she never imagined she would possess. Ever curious Natalie is pulled into a lifestyle of opulence beyond her dreams but there's a price to pay and it's the price of blood!
I am a huge fan of this authors Immortals After Dark series and was very interested when I heard that she was writing a new series but in a different genre. Now I will be frank and mention that I'm not really a huge fan of BDSM type stories although I have read some but Ms Cole writes such hot and sexy scenes that I was more than happy to read this. I didn't really find the first half of the story erotic but it's a passionate chemistry that exists between the two central characters and it only hots up as their relationship progresses. Once the couple are on their own the author lets her imagination have full reign and takes this story in a surprising direction. Definitely not for those easily shocked but it's a book dripping with passion that just pulls the reader in.
Although the sex is a huge part of this book it's the characters themselves that have the most resonance. Natalie is the most confident and precocious virgin I have ever read about, yes I said virgin! She's twenty four and very picky but I didn't quite find that believable if honest. As for Sevastyan well if dominant men with a dark and twisted past appeal then you will love him. His backstory is what drives this book as Natalie struggles to unlock his innermost demons and Sevastyan is a man with very particular needs. Natalie is his obsession and more than that she is his reason to breathe! I couldn't put this book down once it caught my interest but it's a dark edgy read and not a sweet romance. What elevates it is Ms Coles signature humour as even when there's pain and anguish she cleverly puts snark and verve into her writing. We get to share Natalie's innermost thoughts and she's not always as innocent as Sevastyan believes she is! Whilst I do prefer the authors paranormal work I'd definitely read more in this vein. If this is the first in a series then as Sevastyan has two brothers maybe we will learn more about Russia and the shady underworld there. Well written and not exactly what I expected but imaginative and a welcome departure. Recommended

Summary

Natalie Porter, is a college grad student, and she has had to work hard for her schooling, working multiple jobs, making her own way. But even though she was adopted by a loving family, there is still one things that she needs…to find her birth father. After searching and searching, giving up thousands of dollars, to find him, she is at a lost when her investigator stops communication. But she hasn’t given up hope that one day she will find him. At a bar with her best friend, she is dared to flirt and take home a stranger, and have fun and dirty sex with him. The man she picks, is bad boy all the way. Danger seeping out of his pores, tattoos, and a dark brooding stare that she finds compelling. But he warns her off, and she didn’t think that she would ever see or hear from him again. Aleksi, was found on the streets as a teenage boy, starving and doing what he could to survive, and was picked up by the Mafia boss. That mafia boss raised him and taught him everything, and was the father he always wanted. But when he is asked to watched over his daughter, he is more than willing. But the longer he watches her, the harder it is. Then their enemies are after her, and he must protect her and bring her back to her father. He knows that he can’t touch her, but she is temptation itself…and will Aleksi be able to resist her body and her heart?
The Hero

Aleksi, has a past and that past has haunted him. At thirteen he was left on the streets, forced to abandon his brothers, and barely surviving the streets, by learning to fight and defend himself. He is then brought into a Mafiya group, and the head honcho, practically adopts him, and teaches him everything he knows. Aleksi, is a killer, and has had to do things he will always regret, but always to protect himself and those he is loyal to. He has always obeyed every order, without question until he meets the woman to bring him to his knees. Aleksi is one sexy bad ass of a hero. And yes he is a hero. But it took time before I believed that. :) He was quite intense and complicated at times, and you see from the beginning how mysterious he is. He is dangerous but only to his enemies. He does have certain singular tastes, and delights in them. He loves being in command, especially in the bedroom. But as the story progresses you see so much more depth to his character, than that which he portrays. I loved seeing each layer being peeled off and boy did he give me the shivers and tingles–in all the right places.
The Heroine

Natalie is a fun and sassy heroine. Natalie, is one of those heroines that you can’t help but love from the beginning. She is very bold and daring. She has the spirit of a tiger, and wow does she have passion all boiled down inside her. What I really loved about her character was how she gave back just as much as she got. Alekski is pretty intimidating, but she doesn’t let him frighten her. She does have a strong personality that seems to meld with her hero quite well. I felt like she matched him on any playing field, and she seemed to be able to still give off a sweet personality to. She was very likable and so easy to relate with. She is willing to try anything and has a sense of adventure, that I am not sure I would feel if I was her. But she won me over from the first chapter, as I am sure she will with you as well.
Plot and Story Line

The Professional is a story that will sear you completely. This story was super HOT and way hotter than I was expecting. This author has definitely picked up the heat since I first read her. Which was a few years ago when I tried her historical romances and the first of the Immortal series. I knew that this would be more erotic, but wow this blew my mind away. Despite all the heat it had quite a plot to the story. Much more than you would ever think with an erotic romance…but in my mind this story will still be considered a romance novel—just blazing hot. Because there is still so many positive elements that makes it so much more than a simple erotic novel. Now from the very beginning these two have had fireworks, and he kidnaps her and puts her on a plane, but not before one hell of a kiss and some fondling that just had be getting a fever. Whew…first chapter, and it was always HOT…I knew I was in for one hell of a ride. But it doesn’t stop when they arrive at her father’s home and sanctuary, the safest place on the world for her to be…except from Aleksi. Natalie already knows that she could easily fall in love with him, but Aleksi doesn’t believe he can return that, or dishonor her father that way. But soon Natalie will be like a dog with a bone, never giving up. She is tenacious and stubborn, and Aleksi is danger personified but he surely knows how to show a girl a good time. There are BDSM elements. Now those that know me, know that I am picky about this. There are times I like it and times I don’t. But I knew it had some elements so I was prepared. But Kresley Cole did a tremendous job of writing a story that is engaging and erotic, and has plenty of romance for romance lovers. It is way more intense and dramatic, but there are things that occur that totally shock me, and really pick up the pace of the story. There were some aspects that had me reaching for my tissues…but in a way it was a good thing. I felt all over the place with the story, but I found it one hell of a ride. Now I do want to say one thing. I have heard comparisons from this story to Fifty Shades of Grey (there is no comparison. they are totally two different themes and story lines. They may both have BDSM elements of a sort, but they are as alike as fire and ice. I found I loved this story and it had me from the beginning.
Cover

This cover is so yummy. I don’t even know what it is, but the whole man in a suit, and I don’t know what he is holding (maybe vodka or brandy)…but sure is sexy. The model did a great job in portraying a total russian bad ass.
Overall View

A story that is bound to set you to aflame….a story of passion, unique sexual drama, dramatic characters, and a thrilling plot leaving you breathless for more!!!

This Russian Enforcer is a Panty Soaking Machine!!! Alexandr Sevastyan is a Russian Mafia Enforcer. He's also a dirty talking Alpha. Sex on a stick!!

Alexander lives a life of extremes. Extreme violence, loyalty, and vigilance. Sevastyan is sent to Nebraska to locate and protect his boss' daughter but he is not prepared for what he feels upon seeing her. He becomes obsessed with possessing her and making her his. But he knows such a move would be disloyal to his boss and adoptive father.

The Russian mob has it's own secret code. Where every tattoo has a meaning. Sevastyan is covered in ink. Eight sided stars on each knees symbolizing that he kneels to no one. Stars on his chest, and tattoos on his fingers. His body is a delicious road map of ink and muscle. This man does not apologize for who he is and what he does.

Natalie Porter is a hard working grad student in Nebraska. She has been trying to locate her biological parents for some time by working like a fein in order to pay for investigators.

Natalie is also a sexy redhead with a body that turns heads. She's feisty and forward thinking, so when she spots the "hot as sin" Russian in her locale bar, she makes a move. Dressed in expensive threads, with tattoos peeking out from under his crisp shirt, Alexandr is an puzzle that Natalie must solve. The immediate chemistry between these two is off the charts.

Sevastyan has sworn to protect Natalie with his life. But who will protect her from his dark desire to own, possess, and collar her.

"This need I have for you…it should unsettle you."

Oh.My.Gah!!! I loved experiencing these two falling in love. They were inevitable! Cosmic! Epic!

The Professional is a fast paced, erotic adventure that travels the globe from the corn fields of Nebraska to Russia. Introducing the reader to the violent underworld of the Russian Mafia. The cars, jets, palaces, and wealth are obscene. Manipulation and deceit run rampant and no one can be trusted as a turf war ensues. I loved the characters and the world building. As soon as I finished reading this book, I found myself back on page one doing an immediate re-read. Crazy right?!!! Crazy Good is what this book is. The Epilogue was a sweet tease. Oh, and I am IN LOVE with Savastyan's brother, Maksimilain, and I only appeared once in this book, but he is the star of book two, which I am already jonesing to read!!!

Part 1
5 stars
Superb. Really, everything I want in a book.

Interesting characters, check. (anti-hero does overshadow heroine here)
Compelling storyline, check. (Mafia aspect was just hinted at enough to really intrigue me)
Pearl clutching hotness, check. (Twisted the strand so much, it snapped.)

A few caveats:
24yr old virgin
instalove/attraction

Two usually very bothersome things but only slightly twittered at me. Guess I'm just really feeling the bad bad Leroy Brown comrades right now.

Part 2
4 stars

Didn't quite live up to the first one but still managed to be better than average.

Still liking the characters and where they have taken me and where I think they are going to go.

BDSM aspects are more frequent in this one and in the beginning the story arc takes a hit because of it. The ending part revs up with some action however.

Part 3
3 stars
The Professional: Part 3 - Kresley Cole

Net! (the soft no)

Veered into erotica way too much for my liking. Where was my Russian mafia suspense story?
Felt rushed and only seemed to skim the surface of characters and story arc.

I want this story flushed out and redone with more in depth, well, everything! Wait scratch that, I think the sex club aspect was well taken care of here.

However, I stayed up until 4am to read all 3parts, so who am I to complain. Obviously, there was something here for me. Mafiya, guns, suspense, in depth story arc are more my kink than circus orgies and cum ropes.

Would recommend reading, who knows maybe it will inspire you to give your neighborhood mafia guy a try.

KC is one of my go to authors. I know that when I pick up one of her books I’ll get sucked completely into the world that she has created and even if I don’t love the story to the point of hugging my ereader, I always end up enjoying the time I spent with the characters and The Professional is no exception to that rule. The story was well paced and filled with the humorous moments KC is known for as well, moments that tug at your heart and ones that have you either reaching for your BOB or needing a freezing cold shower, as well as moment of frustration with the characters where you just want to reach through the pages and smack them.

Natalie is an grad student, working three jobs in order to achieve her goal of obtaining her masters and searching for any clue as to who her biological parents are but she isn’t all work and no play. She likes to throw down with her friends and has an uncanny talent at being a “manalyst” with one exception. What I liked about her is she spoke her mind, even when she probably shouldn’t have, and for the most part, didn’t back down when she wanted something. There are moments in the book where it seems like she is a pushover, but when you look at the big picture of what she was dealing with, something things were taken out of her hands and she had to make the best of it. The aspect I loved about Natalie’s character was that while she is a virgin, as in never having coitus, she isn’t virginal, thank God! I think if she’d be a little naive thing I would’ve stopped reading. She’s messed around. She has an extensive arsenal hidden under her bed and owns her sexuality. Her reasons for still having her “skin tag”, as her best friend Jess would say, were more than valid in my opinion and I had much respect for her waiting, not necessarily for Mr. Right, but for the man who would give her more than a subpar experience.

Alexsei “The Siberian” Sevastyan,trusted mafiya Enforcer for Natalia’s father with a past shrouded in mystery. He is the epitome of strong, silent, too sexy for his own good, broody, emotionally unavailable alpha male who is used to people following his every command, in almost all ways and oozes violence. But underneath all of that ice he is loyal to a fault and the rare glimpses of vulnerability simply draw you in even more and keep watch for another crack to form. Then there is his kink factor, which is off the charts hot, as is his self control. So when he lets loose it’s a sight to see.

The secondary cast of characters added great moments to the story. Jess, Natalie’s best friend, is a brash, snarky, tell it like it is with no edit button added the much needed comic relief as well as the necessary smack upside the head. I really want her to get her own book. Pavel Kovalev, Natalie’s father, was also a welcome breath of fresh air. He had more of a beloved Uncle feel, than a hardened Bratva boss and I love how KC dealt with Natalie meeting her father for the first time and how they went about getting to know each other. She could have taken it to the angsty extreme, but thankfully chose a much simpler route. Filip, Natalie’s distant cousin, I have neither good or bad to say of him, other than he served his role in the story.

As much as I enjoyed this book, the, oh, last 30% had me wanting to bang my head on my desk. It had nothing to do with the sex scenes, because this is erotica, much of the relationship building and finding of oneself happens through the act of sex, and I’m good with that on all levels, and in this book the sex scenes are HOT! It had more to do with how the ‘one step forward-three steps back’, way too angsty for me, situation Natalie and Sevastyan’s relationship was magnified. Admittedly, it was like that through most of the book, but it wasn’t as bad because it wasn’t just the two of them, Kovalev and Filip were around to break it up. So when you add that to what transpires when Maksim visits, it was just a total cluster. At that point I was 150% behind Jess and what she advised. Do things get worked out? Yes, we finally get a ‘come to Jesus’ session between the two, but even that, though still well done because we finally get to see more of Sevastyan, wasn’t enough for me. I’d have preferred less of the angst and more of the come to Jesus at that point.

Will I continue with the series? Yes. Not only because I do enjoy KC’s writing, but also because my curiosity about The Siberian’s brothers has been piqued and I want to see what happens with them.

The Professional is a scrumptious, scandalous and scorching New Adult Erotic romance. Packed with adventure, cheek and salacious encounters – it’s impossible to put down! I was completely enthralled and overheated.

Savory Sevastyan is an ultra alpha-male fantasy- dark, gruff, chiseled, commanding and barely restrained. As a protector and enforcer he is a battle scarred and imposing powerhouse of will and strength. As a lover, enslaved by desire and temptation, he is devastating. Sevastyan unleashed is a dirty talking storm of passion, kink and raw need whose wicked talents are unrivaled. His barely checked hunger colliding with Natalie’s eagerness, enthusiasm, brass and insatiable lust- is a euphoric erotic masterpiece. Their gloriously descriptive and deliciously detailed stolen and wildly illicit moments demanded an immediate re-read.

I highly recommend this sinfully delectable, entertaining- and did I mention SEXY! – experience.

The Professional: Parts 1 & 2 ARCs courtesy of Gallery/Threshold/Pocket Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Professional: Part 3 was purchased by the reviewer.

Let me start off by saying that Kresley Cole is one of my favorite PNR authors, so when I saw this and found that it was kind of a thriller romance with a little BDSM thrown in, I was ALL FOR IT! Not only was I captivated from beginning to end, I let out a deep breath when I found out that Part 2 was already out! I'm not sure what I would have done if I had to wait. She was killing me at the end of this. There were some of the hottest sex scenes that I have ever read packed in to this gem, and as soon as I finished I immediately craved more of the sexy Sevastyan!

'There is a need inside me -- it's like a beast that howls. I need to do things to you. I need to control you, command you, punish you. In order to madden you."

I'm officially addicted to The Game Maker series! I can't get enough! The characters are amazing. I can't look away from the pages or else I think I will miss something. This has me so engaged, and I love it! I'm invested in the storyline, in the characters, in this tough love situation they have themselves in. I want more! On to Part 3 my friends.

"I'm going to push you tonight, Natalie. To determine whether this is truly what you need. You'll be given three tests, and if you pass them, this life will be yours as you desire it."

The Game Maker Series by Kresley Cole is one of the HOTTEST series I have ever read! The Professional is a drop everything now, MUST READ! I can't say enough good things about this. I am so glad Kresley gave the story of The Professional to us. This is one of those series that you will want to read over and over again. I just hope that Ms. Cole does not stop there. Sevastyan has brothers, and I am DYING to know more about that entire sexy family!

Yikes....*fans self*!! This book was Hot, Hot, HOT! It's been awhile, dare I say since 50 shades, that I have devoured a book like this, all the while feeling very naughty while doing so! Honestly this book might just surpass 50 shades as it is written much better with many many many scandalizing sex scenes. I am an avid smut reader and this has me blushing.

Nat, is a Nebraska college student searching for her real parents via a PI, we follow her on this amazing journey from Nebraska to Russia to Paris and back to Russia. She meets The Siberian, Sevastyan, while in Nebraska right before she is uprooted from life as she knows it and thrust into the life of Russian mafiya princess. Along the way she discovers her personal tastes for BDSM and Sevastyan is there with her every step of the way. Sevastyan, is a body guard, enforcer, confidante to the vor,mand an amazingly hot stoic troubled man. After some unfortunate circumstances Sevastyan rushes Nat off to Paris and what was hot before absolutely ignites into something molten while under the Parisian skies. I don't want to give away all the details but lets just say the story is gripping, erotic, and surprisingly humorous. The humor mainly comes from Jess, Nats best friend, their conversations literally had me laughing out loud every time. I hope she plays a large part in the next book, with perhaps one of the male characters introduced towards the end.

I sincerely hope we get more on this couple and their friends and family! Add this to your to read list ladies.....you won't be disappointed!

This was a complimentary copy given by the publisher/author in exchange for a honest review via Netgalley.

This book is all about bdsm without the emotional hook to make it a really good book. No doubt this author is a very talented bdsm writer; however, there was no emotional growth with either character. We're they sexual hot and compatible? Yes, without a doubt, however, after a while it was just sex. Around 85 percent
of the book there was "a" conversation about his life and some of the reasons why he behaved the way he did and then the book went into the HEA, which felt empty and very rushed. I felt like the author finally figured out that she need to work on that part of the story. So, it you like lots of bdsm, then this book is a 5 star read. If you want the love(emotional) aspects to be equally important as the bdsm, then this book does not delivery. There was the potential of a good story with the lifestyle of the characters, mafia , Russians etc ; however, it just got lost in the sex.

Natalie Porter is trying to figure out what to do with her life. She’s working three jobs to help find her parents, and she’s working on a Masters degree because she can’t figure out what else to do.

Then one night at the bar with her best friend while playing a game she sees him: Aleksei Sevastyan. He’s the first man Natalie has ever seen to not fit into one of her perfect boxes for men. When he shoots her down at the bar she thinks that’s the end of it. Until he breaks into her house and kidnaps her to take her to Russia, to meet her father.

Realizing her father is in the mob isn’t the only surprise she gets. Sevastyan is the man she wants to take her virginity but nothing is that simply. If they have sex they are bound forever. While everything Natalie learns about Sevastyan intrigues her more and more he’s holding things back, and continues to push her away.

When a brutal attack on her fathers home forces Sevastyan and Natalie to flee to Paris where their relationship both sexually and emotionally will come to a head.

First let me start off by saying this is one of the hottest, swooniest, hard-core books I have ever read. When reading about the BDSM lifestyle sometimes the themes can get a little old, especially when you’re reading a lot of them. Many of the guys want full control in everything in their lives including sex. Kresley Cole took that and went a completely different direction with both Sevastyan and Natalie. The BDSM aspects of this book with the Dom and Sub roles were written in different ways that were refreshing.

Natalie was a great character to read about. I enjoyed her humor and how she never backed down from what she wanted. She pushed and persisted to get to Sevastyan even while he was being a mega jerk. Natalie is smart, which helps her reach realizations about herself and what she wants. Natalie is definitely a great character that I fell in love with from the first pages.

Sevastyan was assigned to watch over Natalie and report back to her father. However, in that time he fell for her and throughout the book he struggles to be what he thinks she needs and who he is. While he was sometimes a major jerk to Natalie there is never doubt that he cares for her. He’s protective and possessive which is totally sexy.

So, I mentioned the sexy because of course there is sexy. It’s HOTT!! I mean seriously hot. I have never read hotter scenes than in this book. There are sex toys, clamps, bindings, voyeur-ish stuff, and a whole other slew of naughty things they I promise will leave you needing a power fan for how hot the scenes are.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK. Seriously, you want and need to read this. I love Kresley Cole’s other works and The Professional was just perfection. The writing, the humor, the characters, and the originality are truly what did it for me with this amazing story.

I received a copy of The Professional from the publisher through Netgalley for an honest review. The free copy in no way influenced my review.

NOTE: For the purpose of this review, I am reviewing all three parts as one since I received the three parts AND the complete novel for review. This review will be place under all four places once it is added on Goodreads.

I'm not a huge fan of Kresley Cole in the sense I've only read one thing by her before now. I started her Immortal After Dark series a few years ago, loved the first one, and promptly stopped reading the series. To be fair, I had a lot to read at the time and I struggle to find the time to read backlist titles when I have so many new books to read. In this case I saw the summary and thought it was right up my alley.

Natalie Porter is just like every other girl until the night she meets Sevastian. Looking for a good time, she approaches the Russian with the idea of a night of fun but finds herself whisked away to Russia to meet her birth father. Paxan (not his actual name) is a mafia boss but a good one. He is excited to meet the daughter he never knew he had and showers Natalie with all her desires. But Natalie wants Sevastian. She wants him on her terms though and freaks as he pushes for a huge commitment while refusing to tell her anything personal. When their enemies attack, Sevastian whisks Natalie away to Paris to protect her but can he protect her from the secrets and lies in his own past.

I went into this book with mixed feelings. I thought the summary sounded interesting but at the same time I wasn't sure how I felt about an assassin or mafia boss. I'm not a huge fan of the hero being from the criminal side of things. I find it hard to make it realistic for him to hold a morally questionable job yet provide a stable home life for the woman he ends up with (I use provide as in partnership, not 'big man provide for little woman' way). I tend to struggle with the idea of the woman being in a high adrenaline or at least stressful situation and making an authentic choice to remain with him at the end. If all you experience is danger and stress, how can you possibly know if a quiet life will work between two people?

In this case it was a little of both for me. Sevastian was morally grey. He was a killer, a fighter, and the right-hand man of a mafia boss. Naturally his life came with a lot of problems but when he was with Natalie, he typically was just a man. He tried to keep his dangerous life separate and I was under the impression he would continue to do so in the end. The problem I had was Natalie knowing he would always be part of the criminal underbelly of Russia and she was totally fine with it. She didn't want him to quit or him to take it easy. Nope, she was totally fine with him acting as he always did, killing people and sending messages. Weird.

This book got a lot of flack for Natalie being a virgin. I'm not quite sure why since there are plenty of 20-somethings running around with their virginity intact. I find it odd how many people focus on that detail in romance novels. In this case Natalie works two jobs (I think) and goes to grad school. She has no time for sex in her life and she's perfectly fine with waiting it out. Good for her. If she wanted to have sex, good for her. I just find the negative attitude to be strange.

I really enjoyed the travel to Russia and Paris as they navigated their relationship. It was a fun ride and I always enjoy travel. The thing about it though was both the mafia and the travel took a backseat to the relationship. That's fine typically but in this case there was a hero deeply entrenched in the mafia AND two very rich destinations. I wanted a little more time spent on each aspect. How did being mafia affect his relationship? Could we have a little more beauty and culture of these two locations? I was under the impression the author might have never visited Russia at all since there was virtually no detail about the location (I could be wrong).

The sex was tasteful but sometimes unnecessary. The scenes in Russia where Natalie continued to try and seduce Sevastian were my least favorite scenes in the book. They tended to read like a kid who had their favorite toy taken away. In the later scenes the sexual encounters seemed much more organic and worthy of my reading time. I dislike how many erotic romances rely on sex to carry the story. Sex cannot simply be thrown in every five pages. It has to seem like it belongs there. It has to further the story. If not, watch a porno and call it a day.

The story was enjoyable and definitely one I'll add to my library when the price comes down. I am excited to get into the later books which I assume feature Sevastian's family. There is no news yet. I do wish there were some things better explored and/or touched on at all. I'd recommend giving this one a read and please, buy the completed book.

4.5 Stars
Published by Simon and Schuster
May 6, 2014
400 Pages
Provided by--NetGalley

Natalie is a college student in Nebraska, studying Russian as she knows that is where she was born and is hoping to soon get word on her birth parents. Though very interested in her sexual self, she has never found the right guy. Her interests are piqued one night out at a bar with friends when she sees the older, sexy, male at the bar, and the best part...she detects a Russian accent.

Well fast forward a break-in, pseudo kidnappng, and one steamy plane ride to Russia and Natalie finds herself meeting her father, with Mafia ties of the good kind. The only problem, she is hot for her protector, Sevastyan, the guy from the bar.

This story was really different then what I expected. There is some mystery with Sevastyan and deep down he really is a broken alpha male. But he has particular tendencies, and despite her virgin status, Natalie is keep to explore those tendencies with Sevastyan. There is suspense as everything unfolds with her father and her safety which Sevastyan will die protecting. Throw in all the fairy tale like living Natalie is now experiencing and it all makes for a really good story. Her best friend Jess perfectly injects humor into the story with her own sexual exploits and counsel she provides Natalie. I have not read other books by Cole but I did find this one to be very enjoyable and I would highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I’ve loved Kresley Cole in just about every genre I’ve read by her. I was excited to try out her erotic romance. This story is interesting, it’s obvious that Sevastyan and Natalie are attracted to each other and at times it’s even obvious that Sevastyan loves her and we know Natalie loves him, even if he won’t open up.

It’s a story of both Natalie’s sexual journey, and Sevastyan’s journey back to a healthy emotional place, he needs to learn to open up and he to let Natalie support him during his journey, the way he supports and opens up the world of sexual pleasure for her.

Ms. Cole really nailed it with some emotions, I cried and even laughed during this book, I also found myself just as frustrated and annoyed as Natalie with Sevastyan. This story was told in first person which I think adds to our connection with Sevastyan but I also feel like it did him a bit of a disservice, because we don’t know what he’s doing or thinking. I knew he had to love her, even if he couldn’t express it, but we didn’t know because Natalie didn’t.

I do recommend this one! I look forward to the others in the series, I’m also really glad I picked it up as a complete novel and not as a serial, because I got to just enjoy the whole story in one sitting.

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.

Natalie was in search of her birth parents, some ties to her past. Not because she had a bad life in Nebraska, but because knowing where you came from was important. This discovery had led her to this place, she was close. But when the investigator failed to return her calls or emails she felt like all that was gained was soon lost.

Aleksei “The Siberian” Sevastyan, let's just call him S for the sake of simplicity; has been watching Natalie for a while, when her father learned of her existence, so did his enemies. Now S's job isn't just to watch her to learn & report back, but to bring her to Russia - to her father so that they can protect her.

There was something about Natalie that called to S from the start, but there were far too many dark secrets in his past - crimes he had committed, acts of shame that were his burden to carry, his alone. But there is only so much a man like S can deny himself, his selfishness and possessiveness won't let her stray too far before he claims her. The only problem, Natalie needs more. After waiting twenty-four years to give up her v-card, she has finally found the one man that she wants more than any before. Giving him her body will only take them so far, if S isn't willing to give himself to her - to open up the wounds of his past.

When tragedy strikes and he takes on the role of protector - that title swiftly turns to lover as they wait for the time when it is safe to return. As they fall deeper into their roles, his secrets threaten their relationship and Natalie can't stop pushing him to his limits, forcing him to bare all.

--------------

When this started, I wasn't too certain if I would fully fall into this story. Once they fled Nebraska for the cold winter of Russia and S began to give in to his desires the story opened up for me. The one thing that kept my attention was the need to know his past. This secret was held onto until the very last second and it kept the tension pulled taut throughout the story. Natalie was not disliked, but I did struggle with her a bit. There was not a lot of conviction on her part, there were a few times when she stood her ground and those were fantastic moments, but I honestly rarely like the heroine that much to begin with, so the fact that I did not hate her - is really a positive.

S was that great mix of bad-a**, completely emotionally broken and kinky as all heck. Adapting his sexual taste as a way to seek something he lacked his whole life. Alpha and possessive... complete cave-man complete with a throw-you-over-his-shoulder move that had me pumping my fist in the air. The story was solid, there were parts of the connection to her father and the business that were sort of secondary plots that I felt could have been elaborated on, but the focus really remained on these two - the rest of the story mattered, but not necessarily in the grand scheme of things.

When we get to the sexy-time there are a few scenes that were complete stand outs. The kind of scenes that force the need to set down the book for a few moments to catch your breath. Eff'n hot. S was fantastic when he wanted to cherish her and worship her body, but he was off the charts when he let the darkness in and he claimed her. This novella series appears to be moving towards a full series, I am not sure if we'll get more of these two or if the two other men that are brought into the story towards the end will get a chance to tell their story - but I feel like in order for this to truly have a HEA, the next books need to belong to these men - S's story needs to be brought full circle and the only true closure I can foresee is if these books are written.

Written by Tash M
Originally posted on confessionsfromromaholics dot com
Copy provided kindly by publisher for review

I loved Kresley Cole’s YA series and was excited to see this story finally make it to paperback as it was a chance to read something different from her. So when I finally got this book, I want to read this book ASAP. I know she has a talent for paranormal romances that captive you and wanted to see if the magic would be transferred to a new genre where she explores boundaries like she never has before. What I got was great read and who knew that Cole had this up her sleeves as it was something different and interesting.

Natalie has it always wondered who her birth parents are. She always had a great relationship with her parents and her life has been good so far but something is missing. There is a part of her that she feels that missing and has been searching for it . Trusting everything she knows about her past to a private instigator you have to wonder what would make her do such a thing. She seems to have it all, but appearances can be deceiving and she seems to want this answer desperately. So when her private instigator goes missing and she can’t get hold of him. She about to fall apart but the disappearance is a blessing in disguise.

Natalie is strong and she wants to make everyone think she is okay. She is a workaholic who got a man radar and know how to classify every man she see and tell whether he worth the time. She waiting for someone special and she set her goals high .Enter Aleksandr has give the job of watching over Natalie by her father who never knew that she existed. But there is one problem her father is a big deal in Russia and her father’s enemies want her for their own purposes.

So when Aleksandr barges in to her life and whisk her away to Russia for answers. There more than answers now that Natalie wants, there is this spark between them from the moment they meet. However this darkness that surrounds Aleksandr makes it hard for this spark to become something more as he is holding back from forming an attachment . But Aleksandr got a weakness for this redhead and soon claims her as a lover.

But Natalie been waiting for someone special and see Aleksandr as the one but Aleksander has issues about that. He can’t give his whole self to her as there part of him as his role of protector that won’t let go and doesn’t know if Natalie can handle it . It a part of him and something he won’t compromise on. So will this protector be able to let go and let Natalie into his heart and form relationship while trying to protect her.

Overall this book was enjoyable but I did hold back to writing this review as I had to think about the last bit of this novel as it throw me for a loop and left me with questions that I want answers to and hopefully we will get to see with the next novels as I’m curious about this family. A great start to a new series from Cole

4 couples.

Wow! What was this?!
Kresley Cole has taken her ability to write incredible, steamy paranormal books and turned her laser focus on contemporary romance. The result is a scorching blend of action, mystery and sex that kept me glued to this book until the end. I'm not a real fan of characters who are over the line as far as legalities are concerned. However, Cole manages to skillfully weave people into her book who walk just enough of a line that I was more than able to get over my nitpicking with ease.
I absolutely could not picture the Enforcer of a Russian mafia leader as a sympathetic character... but he was! That just puts the feather in the cap of what an amazing writer Cole is.
There's a sweetness to the love story in this book that calls out, all the while it's wrapped in some insanely hot sex, a little kink, and enough danger to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Highly recommend but be prepared to put your life on hold while you immerse yourself into this book!
Be prepared to want to learn some hot Russian phrases and be begging for further books in this series. There are two other brothers introduced. If Cole doesn't plan or already have their stories in the works I predict an uprising of crazed women demanding them!
*I was given a copy of this book for an honest review*

If you’re going to read a book, know what you’re getting into, okay? This book, The Professional, is erotica. E-R-O-T-I-C-A. It says so right on Ms. Cole’s webpage. I’m not even sure where some Goodreads users got their intel when they put the book on bookshelves called “paranormal romance” or “vampires”. This is a contemporary romance with hot, steaming, sometimes out of your mind, senseless sex written across its pages.

Kresley Cole’s (sort of) first book in her Immortals After Dark series, A Hunger Like No Other, completely spoiled me for sex in (paranormal) romances. The only other authors who can compete with Ms. Cole are Showalter (duh), Ward, and I’ll kick in LKH but she started in urban fantasy but let’s not go down that road today, okay? I’ve only started reading contemporary romances recently. I only bring this all up so you know where I stand on romances and my experience: I love young adult romances for their sweet, sugary, improbable love stories. I love new adult because it’s like young adult on steroids. And I sometimes enjoy an adult erotica/erotica-lite story because this girl likes to read about a world completely different than the world she’s living in – it’s called a fantasy!

It’s because I was fully prepared for Ms. Cole’s scorching storyline and the fact that I have a healthy appreciation for the type of sex used by the main characters (*whispers BDSM*) in relation to the plot and it’s progression that I truly enjoyed this story. Ms. Cole wrote a smart story that showcased a girl who thought she knew how to do everything, except for perhaps how to commit to someone. It’s also about a guy who knew nothing about love and how its supposed to work.

The adventure starts with Natalie in college as she’s working on her doctorate. She knows she’s adopted and she’s recently become curious about who her biological parents are. She knows she’s Russian but she has to hire a private investigator to track down any more information. Next thing Natalie knows, the P.I. isn’t returning her calls and out of the blue a stranger breaks into her home and whisks her off to Russian to a father she’s never met. All for her own safety. What a way to find out your father is a huge mob-boss.

Not so much a rags to riches story as it’s a story of how two people realize they can help each other discover what it is to love another person and what it takes to have a healthy, NORMAL, committed relationship. I ended up being a fan of Sevastyan more so than Natalie. I think it’s easier to “feel” for a character who has had a rough life and they are missing a key component from their life. It’s harder to relate to a character that’s had a good life and then feel sorry for them when they just have a problem committing to anything. Sevastyan really stole the show for me. I really wanted to smack Natalie in the head a few times during the story.

But if you’re on the fence about this book, don’t write it off because you think you might not like Natalie. You’d be doing yourself a HUGE disservice by missing out on Sevastyan.

I was scared to read this book. Not because of it's content but because I have loved the Immortals after Dark and Cole's YA series the Arcana series. There were so many mixed reviews I'm just unsure. To be honest it wasn't my favorite but I couldn't not finish it.

Sevastyan is an enforcer for Russian mafia and Natalie's father. Natalie is an adopted girl looking for her real parents. There are a few things that drive me absolutely nuts about the characters. Nat bugs the crap out of me because through out the whole book they claim she is so smart, and determined. She goes after what she wants. Okay thats fine but the thing she seems to lack is sense. Hello consequences. Multiple times she is warned her actions will have consequences and a lot of them will be permanent. Yet she still goes full blown and then whines when she has to face her actions. It got old.

Sevastyan....the brooding DOM who goes soft half way through and then comes back in the end. For him his issues I guess where more acceptable than hers. He's broken, his past isn't pretty, and his current job exposes him to hash things. Those things shape who you are.

All in all i think it was okay. Will i read the rest of the series? probably

Natalie Marie Porter has been searching for her birth parents for the past six years. Determined and not ready to give up describes her best. Natalie is studious, hardworking and studying her way to acquire her PhD in History. Fixated on her end goal, Natalie lets little get in her way, and she especially does not have time for the the usual run of the mill variety of men that either bores her to death or sparks no interest in her whatsoever.

All that changes the night Aleksandr Sevastyan walks into the bar Natalie and her friends are at, sparking a heat deep inside of her that surprises and shocks Natalie a bit, but not enough to prevent herself from giving into the goading of her friends to make a pass at the man who holds her enthralled. But then a bizarre set of events finds Natalie whisked away to Russia, Sevastyan being the man who had been assigned by her father to protect her at any cost.

Written in the first person from Natalie’s perspective, The Professional is wrought with sexual tension right from the very beginning. Natalie feels as if the very ground she had been standing on had tilted on its own axis taking her along for a wild ride that sets the tone for the whole experience. Though Natalie might be a mere babe in the woods when it comes to the actual reality of hot, wicked and wanton sex, she understands enough to grasp the fact that she and Sevastyan shares the kind of attraction that doesn’t happen often.

Meeting her beloved father and then once again being taken away by Sevastyan to protect her from the danger that surrounds her, Natalie finds herself dependent on Sevastyan for more than just her well being. Sevastyan has the ability to play her like a well strung guitar, the ability to turn her world upside down with just one searing glance from those golden eyes. Sevastyan tries keeping her at arm’s length, to protect her from the darkness that stalks the depths of his soul, that fights and rages to break free from the control her exerts on himself.

It was only after I finished reading this and looked the book up on Goodreads that I realized that The Professional had actually been published before as a set of three short novels. Bearing similarities to 5o Shades of Grey in certain aspects of the story, The Professional certainly dwells into darker aspects of BDSM than 50 Shades which I would say barely skimmed through the subject. Sevastyan is dark. He is the sort of dark that is brusque, uncommunicative and emotionally distant and has a past that he is ashamed of. He is the sort of man who would best be described as sex on a stick. The tattoos, that body and the fighter stance of his all sums up to just that. I can’t even pronounce his name properly but I am woman enough to realize the kind of havoc that a man like him could cause a woman.

I love dark heroes. Anyone who reads my reviews would know that I have a thing for them. The darker the better. And Sevastyan while he did have the essential ingredients that makes a dark hero unforgettable, I don’t think he touched the very heart of me without which my soul refuses to engage when it comes to characters and even people for that matter. Sevastyan is all about control in the bedroom and even out of it, but he does it all because he wants to see to the pleasure of his woman. I think what made it a bit difficult for me to get on board wholeheartedly when it came to Sevastyan was the fact that he plays a dangerous game with Natalie and her feelings; though he certainly rocks her world sexually and then some, he refuses to let her in, perhaps fearful of the fact that she might not find it in herself to be with him if it ever came to that. I find it tiresome when female characters do the constant advance and retreat dance and I felt Sevastyan was doing that more than one half of the story.

Perhaps one reason that I found it hard to get involved with Sevastyan’s character on a level that would have made me fall head over heels in love with him was the lack of his point of view in the story. I dislike reading stories written in first person for that very reason. I feel that the reader is put at a disadvantage when a story is written from just one single character’s point of view and multiple characters points of views can have the opposite effect. I wanted to get inside Sevastyan’s mind, perhaps that was what Kresley intended when she wrote the story this way; to drive her readers crazy with the need to know Sevastyan. But I felt shortchanged in a way in never knowing what he actually was thinking and feeling, especially during crucial moments to the story. All the reader has to guide her through are Natalie’s perception of Sevastyan’s feelings and that I felt played a role in making Sevastyan seem more detached than he should have been.

While Natalie had enough spunk to weather through the absolute storm that is Sevastyan, there were times I found her to be a bit of a handful too. But nevertheless it all worked out in the end for both of them, quite wonderfully so I must say. It has been a long while since I actually read a novel featuring hardcore BDSM aspects. And I have to say that I have never thought that BDSM actually requires a lot from both partners physically and mentally. Kresley actually managed to enlighten me on a subject that is fascinating and yet at the same time I know is not for me. A romance every now and then featuring BDSM to a certain extent is all I can manage of the lifestyle, and even then certain aspects somehow do not sit well with me. Perhaps it is the feminist in me that balks at the thought of being collared for pleasure. But that in no way diminished the impact that Kresley sought for and achieved with the countless scorching scenes of sex included in the story.

I am thinking that Sevastyan’s very interesting brothers might have stories of their own coming out soon. The Professional has definitely intrigued me enough to want to read about them, especially the younger unforgiving one whom I am thinking would make for a forbidding hero at best. Recommended for those who love scorching hot BDSM novels the likes of 50 Shades of Grey. But then again, this is darker and edgier, so consider yourself duly warned.

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Why I waited so long to read this book I will never know, but that ship has sailed and now here I am, the glasses are off, my eyes are wide open. Part of me can't believe how much I loved this book. Part of me realizes that Kresley Cole could make the paint section at Home Depot sound like Disney World. I was torn because I don't generally go for books that are BDSM. In fact, the only books I've read with bondage have been part of a series that I was knee-deep already in. True to my curious ways, I inevitably picked the book up and began the torture.

Natalie, the heroine of our tale, was a Russian orphan, adopted by corn-fed Nebraskans. She lived a safe life. Worked on a farm. Went to college. Never had sex. Literally. She lived vicariously through her friends and used her talents for reading men from afar as her bar room circus act. Until Sevatsyan walks into her bar, unreadable and far from your average farm boy.

Sent to her from Russia by her biological father, Sevatsyan has been watching Natalie. Stalking her. Protecting her. Unknown to her, she's being targeted by the Russian Mafiya and Sevatsyan will do anything to keep her safe. Including kidnapping her. His dark, possessive nature is both alluring and frustrating to Natalie. His secretive life leaves her teetering on the edge.

Words leave me here in my review. Please hold while I google local sex clubs and kinky toys. Spankings, floggings, sexy mask, French sex clubs, ball gags: the list goes on and on. Natalie is very submissive, and as a feminist woman, I thought I would be turned off by that, because Sevatsyan is extremely dominant. Natalie, though, is only submissive in the bedroom. She fights for what she wants and needs emotionally and physically. I think that made up for her dark, submissive ways.

This book is not, not, not for everyone. There is more sex with bondage than I've ever read and I understand why it has been reigned as the steamiest erotica, because it is! I'll never be the same. Excuse me while I go find my husband to flog me.

Check out my other reviews at http://paranormalraven.wordpress.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/paranormalRaven

She's such a good author, but this book was awful. The girl character was weak willed and had absolutely no depth and the hero was one note. The hero was supposed to be rough and tough, but he came across as manipulative and boring. The female, was supposed to be strong willed and determined, but it never materialized. She just did what she was told. It started off with a good premise, but there was no character development and little plot. It seemed to me to be trying to compete with books like "50 shades of gray". If you don't care about plot and all you want is a really bad sex novel, then go for it, otherwise it may end up donated like mine did.

Ive read Kresley Cole before. But you cant compare this book to her Immortals after dark series. But, if you liked that series? Youll like if not love this one as well. I only mean that they are not comparable in story setting, genre etc. Many authors stick to one theme with all their books even with more than one series. But as usual Ms Cole goes above and beyond expectations. I enjoyed reading this book from beginning to end. The story line kept me interested and moved well from one chapter to the next. I loved the sarcastic banter between characters and loved the connection between Natalie and Savastyan. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at many different points in the story. Natalies friend was the cause of many of them... magical vaginas and dick glamour as well as being heteroflexible :) Its filled with action and not only fiction but fiction with a very realistic approach. Its a story that makes you feel like youre right there in the story cheering Natalie on when she is determined or experiencing something new. And wish you had your own Savastyan as well (for my book club friends... I call dibs on Mafiya enforcer Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan!

***4.5 Stars***

I originally read and reviewed Part 1 of The Professional. Now that I have read the entire book, I still feel the same way - I really enjoyed this book! I am a HUGE fan of Kresley Cole's the Immortals After Dark Series (IAD), so as soon as I heard she was releasing an erotica series I was curious and had to read it. IAD is a sizzling adult romance series and in The Professional the heat meter is increased to a 3 alarm fire!! Warning there are BDSM scenes which were shocking (since I rarely read erotica) and sexy!

What I love about Kresley Cole is that she creates heroines that are intelligent and independent. I was so pleased that The Professional continues this pattern. Natalie Porter is a PHD student who has worked hard to put herself through school. But she meets the sexy and mysterious Aleksandr Sevastyan and her life is completely changed. Instead of finishing her PHD she is whisked away to Russia. Natalie is thrust into a new world of palaces and expensive gifts, and is also surrounded by men who believe that women are fragile and should be protected. But the intelligent Natalie refuses to be kept in the dark and tries to maintain her independence in this new life.

The Professional does earn it's "erotica" label, the scenes are steamy and graphic. But don’t expect just hot sex scenes, there is also a great story happening here. The story of a "farmgirl" landing in a new glamorous life is a modern day fairytale - but with a mafia twist! There were parts of the story that did seem to drag, but overall I was glued to this book.

I recommend this book to readers who love a combination of romance, action, mystery and hot, hot sex!

3.75 out of 5 stars

Natalie Porter has always been a play it safe person in love and life. She grew up in the midwest bored to tears and she can tell what type of man someone is in a matter of minutes. One night while in a bar with some friends she sees a mysterious stranger and is suddenly drawn to him. When she goes to speak to him he embarrases her and turns her down, only to show up to take her to Russia later that night. She really wants to hate the Siberian, but can't!

The Siberian, Aleksei Sevastyan is on a mission for Natalie's father. The biggest mob boss in Russia! When Natalie went looking for her biological parents, I pretty sure she didn't realize what she was getting into! The Siberian is cold, calculating and truthfully messed up. But you can't help but love him. He has an undeniable attraction to Natalie as well, but his loyalty to her father is also in the middle. Will he be able to fight it?

This was an enjoyable read. I have to be honest, for me, it was a little too much sex. I want more than multiple BDSM scenes. And some of them are a little disturbing. I understand that the Siberian is the way he is because of his childhood, but I still had a hard time with it. That being said, I still enjoyed the story and if you like some hot stuff, you will love it!

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
OH MY! Kresely Cole, you should have done this a long time ago! This novel was shocking and exciting in that way that makes you think “I shouldn’t be enjoying this.” Think Fifty Shades but better written and WAY less thesaurically- frustrating!
With scenes that would make the Marquis de Sade proud, this novel made me blush and wonder at my enjoyment at the same time. If one enjoys a BDSM novel, does that mean there is something wrong with said one? Hmm . . . At any rate, I’m a huge Kresley Cole fan, and I wasn’t disappointed with her foray into this genre. (Let’s call it naughty romance. That sounds much less harmless than bondage eroticism, don’t you think?)
Yes, the story was cliché at times—orphan learns of her ultra-rich father who happens to be a mafiya magnate with a heart of gold and a mansion to match only to fall for his privlekatel'nyy (Russian for attractive, I hope) enforcer with the damaged psyche and more baggage than Louis Vuitton. And yes, there’s not a lot of depth to the backstory, but who cares?! The novel pulled me in from page one, and I couldn’t devour it fast enough!
I loved this novel, and I can’t wait to learn about the other Sevastyan brothers, which is where I assume the series is headed. But readers beware. This is not a stroll-through-the-park romance. It’s dark and very twisted at times, but if you enjoy kink with a touch of romance, you’ll not be disappointed.
4.5 Stars

I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review, so here it is. Natalie Porter is going to college, working three jobs and still can't decide what she wants to do with her life. She does know that she wants to find her biological parents. She found an investigator that has turn up information that he parents are from Russia. So she wants more information. When out with the girls, she spots a man walking into the bar. She can't read him, she has manalyzer where she can tell things about a man. When some guys send shots the the girls table, they ask Natalie to analyze the guys, one is preppy, one is a drunk, and the other is no good. But when she tries to analyze the man at the bar, she comes up blank. So she goes to talk to him and he shoots her down. After that, she leaves the bar. Gets home and wants bath and begins thinking about the man that rejected her. And she sees him through the mist in the bathroom, then she realizes that he is standing there watching her. Turns out Sevastyan is and enforcer for the Russian mafiya and her father is his boss. And rival gangs are after her. Sevastyan basicly kidnaps her and takes her to Russia. There is electricity between natalie and Sevastyan that neither can deny. There is enough suspense and intrigue to keep you glued to this story. This is a first for me by Kresley Cole and I loved it. Can't wait to read more from her.

Are you looking for a book that sets your panties and body on fire? Look no further, Sevastyan and Natalya are a carnal aphrodisiac!

I thoroughly enjoyed this quick, erotic, and uncomplicated read! I was almost deterred by the ratings; however, after reading the reviews, I took the book at face value and jumped in with low expectations. I love it when a book I thought was going to be a huge disappointment pleasantly surprises me. I love it even more when I find myself devouring the book and indulging in the sensuality of the characters.

I will be very honest though, The Professional is one of those stories where the character and story development is not unique and the author tends to bend reality quite a bit. However, combine that with their intense chemistry and erotic, filthy scenes this book totally worked for me! The Professional was exactly the type of read I needed.

FYI—this book contains BDSM, please do not buy this book if this book is not for you. It would not be fair to the author if you leave her/him a bad review because it is not your type of thing.

Thank you, Gallery Books and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of The Professional in exchange for my honest opinion.

Can I just say I was definitely and honestly happily surprised when I read this book..... yep I have to confess I've bought this book when it came out and it's been sitting with all my other books just waiting to be read... I love Kresley Cole's IAD Series but was kind of hesitant about this book...now having read this and already pre-ordered the next book in this series I feel like a fool....like what the heck was I waiting on... this is one of the best erotic books I've read since FSOG...so if you like me enjoyed FSOG what the heck are you waiting on...get this book , it has it all, humor, sexy, love and the characters are fascinating.... loved the Russian enforcer "The Syberian" and it was fantastic seeing Natalie Porter the farm girl from Nebraska bring him to his knees!!! Good Stuff!

What an awesome surprise! This story had everything I love about dark and dirty romance plus some. We had the hero with a broken past and 5 mile wide wall around his heart and the sassy, strong willed heroine that falls fast. We get hot and dirty sex with kink that makes my pervy little mind rejoice. Plus we get humor and such smart writing that had me totally engrossed in the story from 2% on. I laughed out loud then swooned to the floor then felt my heart sink. Repeat this throughout the whole story and I was absolutely hooked. I started reading slower just so the story would last longer. Not only were the main characters pure romantic gold but the heroine's best friend was the perfect addition making the story even better.

I can't wait for more from this series. After reading just 2 pages of the intro to the next book, I've already laughed and I know it will be another top fav!

Warning do not punches this book if you already have book 1,2&3. I feel ripped off! I love the book but this is just part 1,2 & 3 combined into 1 book. So basically I bought this book twice! Only differences is the wedding invite at the end. Why?

An exciting storyline with a super steamy romance between a smart and confident woman and the intriguing and mysterious uber alpha male Sevastyan.

I really liked Natalie. A strong heroine who is self-aware, self-respecting, who fights for what she wants and refuses to accept anything other than the best. Sevastyan is an uber alpha male. Dark. Brooding. A fighter. A killer. A man who would go to the end of the world for you. Who would do anything to protect you. He's very hard to get to know - something that frustrates Natalie - he's got layers, secrets and deep, dark pain.

I enjoyed Cole's writing style, her complex, well fleshed out characters, smart dialog, and the intense and steamy romance between Natalie and Sevastyan. I did think that the beginning was much stronger - it was fun and exciting, fraught with sexual tension - but then things got sad and depressing, which was expected given what happens, but I wanted the feelings of the first part back. Altogether I really enjoyed The Professional and will certainly be reading more books by Kresley Cole.

Disclosure: ebook provided in exchange for an hoenst review

I've read The Master before The Professional, but was highly anticipating to read Aleks and Nat's story.

Brought together under difficult circumstances, the chemistry is pretty damn hot between them right from the beginning. Although they try to fight it, Aleks more than Nat for some very honorable reasons, they can't stay away from each other long. And when they get together? HOLY HECK! Aleks knows some very kinky tricks that leaves your panties drenched and twisted, and your body begging for more.

A tragic event has them on the run and stranded in Paris. They discover hidden desires, but there are still secrets that run deep and could destroy what they have build so far.
Nat is one strong woman that doesn't take s*** and tries to save her sanity and heart. Aleks is that big bad Russian that is hot as hell and vulnerable like a baby.

I didn't wanted that book to end as it had me hot and on the edge.

Characters: A-
Plot: B
Sex: A+

I really liked this book. This is one of the few books that I have reread in the past year. I liked both Natalie and Sevastyan's characters. Natalie was spunky and pretty funny. Though she had moments were I didn't like her actions. And I wish the author had given us a reason for her being a commitmentphobe, especially since she had a pretty good life growing up. Sevastyan is very mysterious, especially since we don't get his POV. And he has some reasons for his hot and cold behavior, which I understand.

There wasn't a lot of action, it was mostly sex and relationship development.

And the sex!!!! The sex, especially the closet and sauna scenes, was scorching hot.

Looking forward to the next in the series.

A copy was provided by the Netgalley for an honest review.

Sevastyan is sexy aloof man who barely shows any emotion. And yet still is the best part of this book. Despite the fact that he seems so emotionally detached, he ends up being deeper than Natalie. The Professional was entertaining and erotic, I liked it, I just as much as I hoped. 3.5 stars for the Professional.

Three things bothered me about The Professional:
1. Natalie continues throughout the book complaining she and Sevastyan only connect sexually when she attempted to start their relationship on a sex only basis. Ask for what you want , don’t get mad when you get what you ask for.
2. I find it hard to believe that any mafia member would divulge sensitive information to an outsider even if it is your long lost daughter/daughter of your mentor.
3. I really can’t stand her BFF, she is a spoiled rich skank who’s only redeeming quality are the mildly funny things that come out of her mouth.

When a man tells you he is never going to be the man you need, believe him. That’s one thing a man says that you can trust.

Not the story or characters I'm used to see in books whose main focus is a couple's relationship. I don't see a Russian mob guy as a "hero", even if it's a fictional world. I don't even think that I'd buy this book for myself - it was a gift, and as such, I had a duty to read it and discuss it later. No problems, writing is okay, characters are nice (despite the Russian mob detail), and the woman isn't a wuss. That's the best aspect of the book. I can't stand stories in which women are made as objects to the men's pleasure and will. For that I can say that it was worth my time.

I haven't read much by Kresley Cole, just a couple of the AFTER DARK books, but this is pretty good. From what I can ascertain, erotic romance is not her normal genre, but maybe it should be. She is a talented writer.

The characters are great. I really liked them from the start. The weakest one was the BFF, Jess, who was a bit of a cliche and caricature, but her role was small.

The sex is just nothing but hot. This is an area in which the author excels.

The story was well done, and there was plenty of drama. But it was very simple, no complexity to it at all. Story part one was pretty well wrapped up about halfway along. The evolving relationship between the H/h provided the drama in the second half of the book.

Editing is excellent.

This book is a keeper and one I would even re-read.

Uhm...I really can't think straight. This book was hotter than any Kresley Cole book that I have ever read. Better than FSOG. Even now, though it involves BDSM, it's in a league of it's own. The Siberian made sure of that. There is nothing hotter than a very hot, buff, domineering tattooed Russian. That is no joke. I read this book in only a few hours. Which is a testament to how good it truly is if you like adult books involving Doms/subs. When your able to start a book and lose yourself in that book so deeply that you lose track of time, and when you look at the page number you realize your more than halfway done, that's how you know it's a bomb ass book. Buy it, read it, enjoy it! If I could give more than 5 stars then I would just give it 10 Stars!!

When Kresley came out and said that she was making a PWP series, she wasn't kidding. Though I have to argue with her on that. Though it was just straight up erotica, it actually had a bit of a plot. Girls knowing and understanding themselves, and the deep dark secrets that the men hold inside. Though so far there are only two books, 'The Professional' and 'The Master' it actually has a very well set up plot and story. Then again, who wouldn't want to be wooed by hot Russian billionaires?
If you love 'Fifty Shades of Grey' I guarantee you will love the Game Maker series much better. In my honest opinion, this was Kresley's way at shouting out "THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE BDSM!" And that's what it is. Its hard core, BDSM books that will make anyone blush and yet read more. Its a fantastic hot series that will make you beg for more.

I loved The Professional!! Natalie is intelligent, curious, and determined; she only wants to find her birth father. Sevastyan is a dominating, forceful presence that Natalie is immediately drawn to. He has a past and his tattoos tell only some of his story. Sevastyan and Natalie are perfectly matched and have amazing chemistry!! Sevastyan is delightfully creative and could do some wonderfully romantic things. I loved how Natalie pushed and challenged Sevastyan!!

I found this to be an engaging story where Natalie learns more about herself and her past. There were some really interesting secondary characters in Natalie's best friend and Maksim. I would recommend The Professional!

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What intensity! I was wiped out when I finished reading THE PROFESSIONAL. I loved Natalie and Sevastyan. These are two strong characters who have to force the other into communicating, believing what is said, and accepting that what is said is true. Natalie is picked up from a small town and put into a Russian mafiya's stronghold to be protected when she finds her birth father. I was happy she found him and that they got to know one another. I also liked that she was able to break through Sevastyan's emotional distant wall. He needed to learn trust but I could understand why it was hard for him. I also liked that Natalie pushed Sevastyan to believe that she wanted what he wanted in the bedroom. I loved his reason for his proclivity's. HOT! I cannot wait for the next book.

Danger, adventure, and an adrenaline high to spur some of the best sex of your life. Russian hottie that wet the panties and have you looking for a new pair. One thing I am tired of in my romance reads is that the virgin is the one that always gets the very hot guy. Ok, now that I have gotten that out the way. The read is good, engrossing, and addicting.

Sevastyan was in a tiny predicament being sent to protect the daughter and then falling for her at the same time. His dominated side leans heavily to BDSM and once he got started he had to taper back some. Natalie loves the taste she received and wants more. You have to read to experience the full onslaught of heat and moisture.

Something different for me from Cole. I am more use to the other works in her repertoire (PRN).

Thanks, NetGalley for this different look at Cole's work.

I had actually saw this book on the store first because I love all things Kresley Cole I wanted to read it. Then when I was the grocery store it seemed like fate that I would have it. Oh what a surprise I received for going to the store. The Professional was exciting right out of the gate and the dynamic between Natalie and her bestie Jess had me rolling with laughter! Sevastyan intrigued me so much throughout the book and Natalie's fight for him was awesome too. If you are like me and like Kresley Cole then you won't be disappointed in this new direction she has taken. I thought it was off the chart sexy, funny, exciting and I would definitely reccomend this book to anyone already familiar with her writing style. Well just buy the book and read it for yourself and you will see what I mean! Enjoy this new direction she takes and I hope she stays the course with this as well as all her other books..

~*~My Thoughts~*~
A 5 Star Rating
Okay so pretty much any book that has a hint of BDSM theme I'm all for. So i was super excited to get this book. Ive heard of Kresley Cole and how The Immortals After Dark Series is amazeballs, even thought i still haven't got to read any. I wasn't disappointed at all i really enjoy Kresley's writing style. She knows how to weave a story and keep you wanting more. I really enjoyed Natalie to me she was a likeable character. Now Sevastyan uhh yes please!! Granted I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to book boyfriends but he was definitely at the top. All in all a great read and i can't wait to read more by Kresley.

Received a complimentary copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

First in the Game Maker erotic romantic suspense series. The couple focus is on Natalie Porter and Aleksandr Sevastyan.

This is the entire story for this installment.

My Take
Cole started with a metaphysical bang as she introduced Natalie Porter and her reputation for accurately sizing up men with a look. It’s Natalie’s desire to find her biological parents that sets this off. Only it leads to a lot more than Natalie could have ever expected.

While Natalie’s reluctance (!) was quite realistic in the “kidnap” scene, I would have liked to have seen more conflict, more protesting warring against her desire. And I’d like to know why Sevastyan doesn’t take a few minutes out to explain the danger? I mean, hullo, it would have to have been faster than battling with her! Then again, I suppose this is more dramatic for the story. I did enjoy how forceful Sevastyan is, lol. I also enjoyed that escape attempt…*more laughter*…

Mmm, I do like Nat’s analytical mind and her contemporary responses! She certainly makes some interesting discoveries about herself in this sexual battle between them. For a skeptical virgin, Natalie is well-informed and not shy...with a lot of sexual desire.

I did like Nat’s dad when we meet. For a mafiya boss, he seems…scrupulous, loyal, and absolutely charming. I’m in love with him myself. And I do love the description of this former tsar’s palace — gold chains and white tigers notwithstanding. The relationship Nat has with her dad will make you cry for joy. He’s so thrilled to have found his daughter, and she’s so happy to meet him, get to know him.

I love that line about Sevastyan being excited about gaining a “sister” but then he saw her…and he’s so honorable. Then you learn what his childhood was like…heartbreaking. And later we learn even more which will make you fall completely apart.

”Shame is more painful than blows” sums up Sevastyan’s approach to life.

A sad history of extortion for protection. I never thought of it as a type of insurance before, at least the way Cole presents it. Or as Koralev explains it.

Sevastyan is a primitive and secretive man with a horrible past. It’s impressive the man he’s turned out to be. That bruise thing though, he’s never seen a bruise as a result of his desires??

Naturally, there are problems with being part of a mafiya family as Nat learns when her father explains the “plighting” part of their culture. It certainly throws a nasty twist in, and any American woman would have issues with that. Nor do I get why it’s so important to force Natalie. What is with these guys who expect a woman to know all their customs within a few weeks?!? Argh! And Nat has excellent reasons for being careful! Jerks! Although, I must confess, I do enjoy the boot being on the other foot, lol, since Nat’s only in it for the sex…*grin*…

Events in this will arouse you and make you laugh and cry. You’ll cry so hard…that last line in Kovalev’s letter…just makes you cry even more. More cry-worthy scenes include the moment Nat realizes Sevastyan isn’t going to change, and she won’t accept his shutting her out in this classic miscommunication. It adds a nice bit of tension which I enjoyed. And it’s all this fierce determination of loyalty, love, and respect.

Oh wow, oh wow, I love this! Guys, READ this. Think about it. Take it to heart. This is what women want!

”Because you listened to me. … You’re trying, and it gives me hope about our future.”

Cole overwhelms me with these sweet insights…the bit when Natalie realizes how concerned this big tough guy is with getting it right. The first time Paxán calls him Son. The back history we learn about Sevastyan including his introduction to his kink…and his interpretation of what he sees makes it so very sad. Then there are the realistic insights as when Nat realizes he expects her to do all the adjusting, doesn’t let her in, her need to be an equal partner, I can (and can’t) believe that Sevastyan would do this. That he’d help Nat out of her father’s business but still pull her into it. Without even talking to her!

The despair she feels that they only connect via sex, which seems a little hypocritical since she was the one who set the initial boundaries.

Some of my niggles include Sevastyan’s reasoning about Mom’s or Jess’ safety. What would it matter where Nat was? Then there’s Sevastyan insisting that Maksim wants him to suffer. If he did, then why is he helping him with Kovalev’s business?

Yeah, they’re minor complaints, and I am looking forward to book 2. Should be very interesting, and I’m betting it will focus on not-enough-men-on-this-earth Jess…

The Story
An orphan, Natalie’s reputation for analyzing men comes to an abrupt halt when she casts her eye on the dangerous looking man who just came in the bar. Jess’ encouragement to take that first step seems to spark events when he kidnaps her out of her bathtub.

The Characters
Natalie Porter is a hardworking virgin with a hobby as a manalyst. She’s pursuing her history PhD while she looks for her biological parents. She started after her adoptive father, Bill Porter, died. Her widowed mom has recently remarried and, well, friction exists. Jessica is a self-professed slut from a wealthy family, and she’ll crack you up with her approach to life. She’s also Nat’s best friend, and they share the Bunghole together — a cottage Jess’ parents bought for her. Polly is one of their friends.

Aleksandr Sevastyan, a.k.a., the Siberian, is Nat’s father’s second-in-command, his enforcer, and Natalie’s assigned bodyguard.

Pavel Kovalev, a.k.a., the Clockmaker, is Nat’s biological father; seems clockmaking was the family business before he had to jump into the protection racket. He’s part of the Bratva and is a Russian vor v zakome. Elena Petrovna Andropova was Nat’s mother. Filip Liukin is Nat’s cousin. And Sevastyan hates him. Yuri, Boris, Kirill, Caleb, and Gleb are some of her father’s brigadiers. Olga and Inya are a couple of long-term girlfriends.

Ivan Travkin is Koralev’s rival, trying to move in on his territory. Maksim is Roman Sevastyan’s younger brother, a politician, while Dimitri, the youngest brother, is CEO of some company. Zirnoff is an unscrupulous investigator.

Paxán translates out as a blend of Godfather and old man. Jess’ ABC plan — Always Be Crazier---has some good points to it.

The Cover
The cover sums it up with a cocky looking Sevastyan kicking back in an easy chair, a drink in his hand.

The title is all Sevastyan, because he is The Professional in every way.

Okay. Wow. I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning to finish this book. Had I forced myself to put it down and go to bed, there was no way I was going to sleep! I've read Kresley's other series and I'm a huge IAD fan. That being said--this book was amazingly awesome. To put it short, I loved it! The Professional is dark, wicked, sexy, and definitely tugged on my heart strings as Natalie and Sevastyan, not only worked to figure each other out, but themselves. And the love scenes??? Seriously, pour some ice water on me and give me a fan. Better yet, stick me in Siberia. ;) Sevastyan is uber hot and I love when Natalie calls him Siberian.

The thing I really liked about Natalie and Sevastyan? They're not cookie cutter. They each have their own quirks and even if they don't fit the standard expectations that others have (or stereotypes), they are who they are by their own standards, not what society dictates. To me, that made them more real . . . and the intimate moments even more steamy.

The Professional left me wanting to read it over and over, something that I don't typically do (I'm pretty much a one date girl when it comes to books), the bad and good of that is it left me wanting more. Bad...I think that Ms. Cole could have really delved into the two characters more, could have gotten down to the nitty gritty with this story and would have likely left me wanting more. It just feels like there is so much left to uncover. Good...I'm going to get the chance to have more with this being a series and I truly can't want to find out more about the mafiya, about Sevastyan and his family, and get more of Ms. Cole's amazing story telling.

See Full Review Here:
[...]

This book sat in my TBR pile for a month because I knew it would be a little dark and there are times when you have to be in the mood for that kind of book. I agree with another reviewer who wrote that the first half of the book was great but something went terribly wrong in the second half of the book. Natalie and Sevastyan's sparring and tension was fantastic in the first part of the book but when they left Russia and she lost her virginity I almost stopped reading. What kept me reading was I had to find out how it ended. Natalie seemed to have lost all of her intelligence and could not stop whining all of the time. To give him some credit, Sevastyan tried to be a much calmer (less dominant) partner in the relationship and Natalie just kept pushing and pushing - I find it hard to believe that a virgin would be so willing to throw herself into that world without slowly easing into it. Unfortunately, I did not feel the love between them. Will I read the next book? Of course, I want to read about his brother.

Kresley should have skipped the absurd plot and just done an all-out BDSM book because the premise of a Russian mafia princess and broody hero, to say the least, was plain ridiculous. This book is trite and an insult to the reader's intelligence. DNF/DNR. Please save your time and money and if you are looking for a mafia book that makes sense, try J.J McAvoy's "Ruthless People" series.

Not what I expected from Kresley Cole, and I was absolutely blown out of the water with The Professional. I had my reservations finding a hero in the mob as a romantic character, but Ms. Cole did a freakin' fantastic job with this new-to-me theme of a Russian mafiya. And I loved everything about it; the angst, the funny banter and snarky humor, the kinky and steamy sex scenes, redemption of the tortured hero. The Professional delivered a most satisfying romantic ending, and left me thinking about this book way after I finished it. I want more of the series and I am looking forward to the next book, The Master, Maksim's story. (less)

I won this in a contest so I figured I'd give it a shot. I'm so NOT into alpha males and/or dominating/domineering men, so the male MC was a major turn off for me. However, the lead MC is a headstrong alpha female (and a redhead) so that kept me reading. What I like is that she gives him his run for the money.She fights back against being bullied, and she's a real friend to her college roomate-even from a distance. She's not some weak, easily intimidated, naive, submissive female. She is a virgin, but she loses it HER way, by HER rules.

Not a bad read, just not my type of story.

Another homerun by Cole. She so beautifully creates these characters that it's like watching a movie in my head. It's also fantastically balanced for my tastes because I don't ever get pulled from the "movie in my head" with long drawn out creations of the characters and scene setting. I can't tell you how much I love that. I can count on one hand the authors I feel can pull this off, with just utterly brilliant writing. Being disabled for seven years, reading a book a day to keep my sanity, that's saying a lot. My only regret while this is definitely a stand alone novel, is that I think I have to wait until January to read the next one.

After 50 Shades of Gray, I have been on the hunt for another story that not only had steamy sex scenes but a true connection with the characters and a layered plot. I have found that now in this book. Not only do the scenes sizzle but the writing is so good that I felt a real connection with the characters. The Siberian is another dynamic male who learns so much about love and relationships while his partner also blossoms into womanhood and comes into her sexuality. The plot runs smoothly and kept me reading for days. Cole is now on my watch list for a new favorite author.

Presley Cole is one of my favorite authors. This was a bit of a departure from her. Instead of vampires it is the Russian mafiya.Natalie starts it out with trying to find her birth father without telling her adoptive mom.Soon she connects with him and is taken to Russia to meet him. There are lots of spoilers here so I'll just say she falls for her father's assistant. Russia isn't too stable and neither are they. I can't put out any spoilers here except to say this is an over 18 read and there are twists to make it a good ending. This was a good read. I finished in a day and a half. You will like her plots and characters. Try it out. I'm glad I did!

I loved the chemistry between Aleksandr and Natalie. Aleksandr is obsessed with Natalie and treats her like she is the only woman in the world. These two are hot together! He's muscled, strong, scarred, sexy and Russian. She's a beautiful redhead who is also intelligent, young, curvy and Russian. Reminds me of a modern day Jessica Rabbit.

(No cheating, No O/W O/M)

I love Kresley Cole, one of my favorite writers, and I hastily snatch up all her books. Except now she's releasing in Hardcover which I refuse to pay for (another story)! I picked this up even though I had big doubts as I was desperate for something new to read. Mistake. She's clearly trying to cash in on the 50 Shades BDSM craze and having looked (in the store, wouldn't buy it) at 50 Shades, this is way better than that b/c KC is an awesome writer! However, this isn't for me. I can't even get through it! It's just a bunch of kinky sex tied together by a tiny story. It's laughable, she must've been cracking herself up writing this junk! I doubt even she likes it but it seems to be popular! If you want fab Kresley, pick up any of her other books and you will get hot sex with wonderful, imaginative storytelling. I don't read erotica for this exact reason, it's all sex sex sex. Lesson learned, I won't be reading any more of this series.

I received this ARC copy in exchange for a honest review. OMG! Hot sexy read that sucked me in with an intriguing storyline. One badass enforcer meets his match in one innocent hardworking college girl. Throw in a long lost father & the Russian mafia. I loved the chemistry & instant attraction between Sevastyan & Natalie. Sevastyan goes out of his way to protect Natalie He helps Natalie explore her sexuality thus binding himself to her. I'm not sure where some of the other reviews come from. I would definitely recommend

Do people watch porn for the plot? It was a question I asked myself while reading this book. On the store this book is categorized in the Romantic Suspense and Mystery Suspense but I'm putting this on the 'mommy porn' shelf.
THE PROFESSIONAL is dripping with erotic sex scenes and detailed BDSM scenes. If the genre was Erotica, then I think the story was spot on but I rated this according to what I expect in a suspense/mystery romance.

What worked for me:
The first 30% of this story had a great build up and the tension was spot on.
I LOVED the idea and mystery of the Russian mafia.
LOVED - The heroine, Natalie, a corn-fed Nebraska woman finishing up her doctorate in History, learns her biological father is the king of the Russian mobsters.
LOVED - The romance between the newly minted mofia princess and her father's enforcer.

What didn't work:
There was some really funny dialogue between Natalie and her best-friend but I just couldn't see highly educated, grown women talking to each other to what amounted to low-brow potty talk. They called their apartment the "bunghole."

The plot development and tension were awesome until that 30-40% mark and then it went from a plot driven book to a character driven book which amounted to - will they make it as a couple. This was very similar to 50 SHADES book with his dark past and her trying get him to open up, her running away, blah, blah boring.

I wanted to know about this mysterious underworld of the Russian mafia. We were told of an immanent death threat to Natalie but we never saw it. She is hidden away almost the entire book.

Bottom line:
Great idea but didn't have a firm plot driven story line. HOWEVER. If you want to read some super steaming sex scenes this book is for you.

Side note:
I ADORE Kresley Cole and she will continue to be on my must buy list. I commend her for stepping out and writing in a different genre and I'm sure the next GAME MAKER book the plot will thicken.

Received an ARC for review

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! This was awesome. I've been to Russia many times and met some of their mafia, but none as hot as The Siberian/Sevastyan. I've also been in a banya but nothing like that ever happened. There were times that Sevastyan annoyed me. I was with Natalie and wanted to shake him into talking. This book was just amazing. Her BFF Jess was a riot, and I hope she makes an appearance in future books. I loved it. I hope the next two books are Dmitri and Maksimilian.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A Nebraska girl finds herself swept away to Russia by her father’s enforcer. Along the way, he will teach her things about desires she never knew she had. It’s safe to say her life will never be the same.

Opening Sentence: Sorry to e-mail you yet again, but I was so excited to learn of the potential DNA match you discovered last month.

The Review:

I had mixed feelings before starting this book. On one hand, I’m not a huge fan of erotica. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good steamy scene, but I tend to think of erotica as all sex and no plot, and I really need some plot to go along with my steamy scenes. On the other hand, I love Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series, so I had a feeling that, even if this is a genre I don’t normally read, I was still going to get a very well written story. In the end, I honestly still have mixed feelings. The first half of the book exceeded my expectations, but then the last half was more in line with my previously mentioned worries about the book.

Natalie is a 24-year-old PhD student. She has a great life, but something is missing. She’s always wondered about her biological parents. The private investigator she hired has disappeared after sending her some information that he found. She’d given up hope of ever finding out any further information. Then one night, Natalie meets Aleksandr Sevastyan. He tells her that her father has sent him to bring her to Russia in order to keep her safe from enemies of her father’s who are on their way to find her. Regardless of the immediate attraction she feels for Sevastyan, Natalie is hesitant to drop everything and leave. Sevastyan takes matters into his own hands and forces her to come with him. Thus begins a journey that will change Natalie’s life forever.

While I found Natalie an easy heroine to like, she did frustrate me at times. She never seemed to be able to make up her mind as to what she wanted from Sevastyan, and then all of a sudden, she was falling for him. Based on how little she knew of him, I found her feelings a little hard to believe. On the positive side, she often had me laughing out loud with some of her internal monologue, which made the book move incredibly quickly.

As for Sevastyan, I never really warmed to him, mostly because we never learn anything substantial about him until the last 10-15 percent of the book. Without that information, it makes it very hard to connect to him when he’s being so hot and cold with Natalie. When he does finally open up, it seems to happen almost too quickly when you take into consideration how much he’s resisted sharing his life up to that point. As much as I love an alpha male, his alpha-ness wasn’t enough to make up for the things that bothered me about his character.

As I stated briefly before, I thought the first half of the book was great. The plot seemed interesting, and there was a good balance of steaminess and story. There were some predictable elements to the plot, but I was able to overlook it. Then at about the halfway mark, part of the plot got wrapped up, and the rest of the story was pretty much all sex. Whereas I was originally reading the book as often as I could, now I was having a hard time getting myself interested in reading. It made a definite 4-star book drop down to a 3 for me. Overall, while there were elements to the story I liked, in the end, I was rather underwhelmed by the book as a whole. I may look into the next book when it comes out, but I would definitely have to be in the right mood for it if I were to do so.

Notable Scene:

After a shower in a large marble enclosure stocked with high-end toiletries, I’d padded back to the suite’s bed and stared down at my abused robe. The back had looked like modern art, in a pallet of greens, yellows, and blacks. And it had reeked of corn, a treacly sweet smell. No way I could wear it again.

I’d surveyed the suite, lighting on an expensive piece of luggage. Sevastyan’s. He’d helped himself to kidnapping me, so I’d felt justified borrowing a shirt. Slipping on the starched button-down, I’d shivered, enveloped by his crisp scent, covered from my neck to almost my knees.

With nothing between my skin and the material, I hadn’t even been surprised when arousal swept over me again; in the shower my skin had been hypersensitive…

Now Sevastyan raked his gaze over me, head to toe, giving me an are-you-fucking-kidding-me? look.

I frowned in turn. Everything was covered. “I’m just borrowing it until I get my promised new clothes, okay?” When I sat at the opposite end of the sofa, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Tension headache?”

Without looking at me, he answered, “You could say that.”

“I can’t imagine the pressure you must be feeling,” I said in all truthfulness. “Do you do this kidnapping stuff a lot?”

Scowl from the Russian.

“It’s a fair question, considering that you and my father are involved in organized crime.”

Without missing a beat, he asked, “Why do you persist in thinking that?”

“Your tattoos. The pilot’s. I’ve researched your country enough to know about the Russkeys Mafiya and their love of ink. Plus, that would be the absolute worst outcome in my years-long quest.”

I tapped my chin, musing, “And yet totally in keeping with my fortunes over the last few weeks-”

“A worse outcome than never knowing Kovalev?” Sevastyan asked, irritation scoring his tone. “You speak about things you don’t yet understand, little girl. But you will…”

FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster provided me with a copy of The Professional. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

And some new panties too, 'cuz this is one HOT read!!! With the Russian mob story line, it is quite the exciting and suspenseful page turner too. As I read, my heart thudded loudly through my ears as the drama unfolded. My heart broke for the pain that the characters had to endure; the agony palpable. If you like drama and suspense with your erotic love stories and can stand a little kink, read this book. You may be a little hot and bothered, but oh so satisfied with the end. I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!

This book was HOT!

It follows Natalie a college student looking for her biological parents what she didn't expect to find was that her father is the head of a very important Russian mafia family. Her father sends Sevastyan to bring Natalie to Russia to protect her from his enemies and to meet a daughter he was never aware of. Sevastyan is the enforcer and will do anything to protect Natalie's father and by extension her as well.

Sparks fly between Natalie and Sevastyan and it becomes of journey of survival, growth & love...as well HOT sex.

At times Natalie annoyed me and that's why I couldn't give it 5 stars.

Aww the Professional book that you will end up devouring.
This is was a fun, exciting and sinful book.
Yes it has some steamy BDMS scenes that will leave you blushing.
Plus there is something magical about books that include the Russian Mafia!!
Im hooked on this series now.

Adopted Natalie finally gets a lead on her family in Russia, when suddenly a man claiming to know her father appears, to take her there. Not knowing what to expect, she's hesitant, but Sevastyan's got a solution for that..
Russian Alpha male and family threats, add in smutty fluff and dominance, and you've got this gem <3
Can't wait for the next book *grabby hands*

I know, short review, but the blurb was so great, I can't top that =)

As a mom of 4 small children my free time is hard to come by and usually involves staying up past the kids. I bought this book yesterday because I love Kresley Cole and the blurb sounded interesting. Wow - just wow. I was sucked in from page one and I stayed up till after 5am reading it. It was worth the lost sleep. I could not put it down. I was glad I waited until the entire book was together in one installment to read. It would have been agonizing reading it in installments. Buy it now - you won't regret it.

Be forewarned there is a cliffhanger! The Professional is so well written and captivating that it's worth the suspense. I'd recommend that you purchase books one and two as I guarantee you won't want to wait. These books are sex on a stick - written passionately and with a bit of humor. the characters are vibrant and engaging. The story premise is intriguing and the plot carries out the promise. The sex scenes actually move the story along and the dialogue is sharp and crisp.

This book is so HOT, I had steam coming off every part of my body!
Very well written.
A clash of 2 very different worlds & BOOM!
Kresley Cole has been entered into my #1 Favorites of authors.
This book MOVES, SHAKES & MAKES THE EARTH MOVE!
I just got book 2 in this series & am SQUIRMING to get it opened.
WARNING: You will need cold showers to get through this book!

The characters are weaker versions of characters from other books. The plot is forgettable. The sex is good, but no better than any of her IAD books. I'll be sticking with IAD going forward unless my public library picks up the series. Maybe I'll read book 2 if its free.

What an amazing read! Who doesn't wish they had a rich daddy with a hot, sexy bodyguard? But this book was so much more. I thought that's what the book would be about, Natalie meeting her biological father and their growing relationship with a love affair. But this book was really about Natalie and her relationship with Sevastyan. This book proves that Kesley can write more than just paranormal romance!

Like all the rest of the reviewers who have the same rating as me- I am a hard core kresley cole fan. I have every single one of her IAD series. I love every single one of them. When I heard she released another series, I had to have it because I thought, 'Nobody does it better than Kresley'. However, after reading it I was disappointed. It felt as if Kresley was trying to write a different version of 'Fifty Shades of Grey' with a hint of IAD style writing for flavor. I'm not a fan of these dark weird fetish sex scenes. But that's just me. Personally, this book should have erotica as it's genre. The romance and sex in IAD is perfect and just enough satisfying. I'm a 22 year old girl- who isn't a prude. But 80% of the book was sex, 20% plot. I hate to say it, but I wouldn't read it again. I adore Kresley!! But this book just didn't do it for me.

I've spent years studying Russia, and the language. So, when I saw this book I decided it was worth a shot, even though it was not in a genre I normally read.

That said, this was a story that draws the reader in from the first chapter. It was quite the interesting story, and kept me engrossed to the last word!

HELLO EVERYONE. AS USUAL KRESLEY HAS BLOWN IT OUT OF THE OCEAN. THIS IS A FRESH NEW SERIES THAT KEPT ME ON MY SEAT THE ENTIRE TIME. THE CHARACTERS ARE INTRIGUING. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD TRY ANYTHING BEYOND REGULARE SEX UNTIL I READ THIS. CAN'T GIVE AWAY DETAILS BUT THIS A MUST READ.

BLOWN AWAY

I do like this author that I just recently stumbled upon. This is an exciting book with very good writing and characters. I read book two first and although they are separate stories, I recommend reading them in order. Some of the happenings are described in book two and it takes away from the suspense and action if read out of order.

It took me a while to get into this book; I'd pick it up and put it down. I finally read through to the end starting at when Natalie met her father and they began getting to know each other. I should have read the first couple of chapters before buying; I generally don't like the "chick lit voice", and the crudeness and crassness of the characters, in particular Natalie's best friend, really turned me off. Did we really need the "I'm getting my box eaten" comment?

I'm not an expert on kink, but in other books I've read, aftercare is extremely important. It's a dom's responsibility to not leave his/her sub until the sub is truly okay. That wasn't the case here, repeatedly, and it made Sevastyn look like an uncaring jerk. Also, it's my understanding that since the dom is the one controlling a particular "scene", he needs to be in control emotionally and read the sub's nonverbal cues, as the sub may not be able to communicate effectively. The last scene, after he caught her at the airport, reflected a loss of control on his part, which is like a child playing with a set of sharp knives.

Natalie's love for Sevastyn made her weak; she took a lot of abuse before she decided to leave. That also bothered me. How could she trust him sexually when she obviously couldn't trust him emotionally? That didn't ring true.

When Sevastyn did start talking to Natalie, telling her his childhood secrets, I wanted her to pause and say, "That's pretty awful; I need to process this. Let me get back to you." instead of giving him her immediate acceptance. It was almost a setup where she had to give that acceptance or he would have pulled away, shut down, etc. True adults work through that. I'm not sure this couple has the staying power.

I doubt I'll read the other books in this series. I love the Immortals After Dark series, and characters like Ellie and Lothaire run rings around Natalie and Sevastyn! As for good kinky erotica, Roni Loren is an excellent author.

BUY THIS BOOK NOW! Kresley Cole delivered just the right amount of action, suspense, and panty melting hotness. I absolutely loved the banter and wittiness of Natalie! EXCELLENT QUICK READ. If you like this, you will LOVE LOTHAIRE by Kresley Cole. It is still one of my favorites by this author. WELL DONE Kresley!!

WOW! There is nothing like a dark hero with lots of secrets. A young woman is literally kidnapped in her bathrobe when she finds out she's the long lost daughter of a Russian mafiya boss. Intense and explicit sex. This is a "STAY UP ALL NIGHT TO FINISH" book. February can't get here fast enough for the next one!

OOOHHH!!! REALLY liked this book. SOOO sexy! Really liking the way that Kresley Cole writes a story, her character development is sooo cool. Anyway, really looking forward to the next book in the series on Maksim, Alexs brother. He seems so hunky.

As a reader, I often look for books that will let me enter into the world on the pages and get lost. The Professional is just that.
This book has it all. Lost family ties, lost and vulnerable hero's, a father discovered, intrigue, angst, love, hot hot hot romance.
A girl who discovers she's stronger that she thinks.
I was sad to read the last page, but happy to look forward to more.

ok if you are into that bad boy turned to mush from a sweet little girl than this is your story ... has extremely hot love... ans I said love not cheap porn.. but its totally hot... this is a modern romance with all the bad boy vibes ...great story cant wait for the next one..

Received ARC from NetGalley:

Loved this book! It was HOT!! the Russian knows how to spice things up and is quite creative during sexy time. Love that he is crazy jealous and possessive too. The story itself was original and good. My only complaint? I wish there would have been more development of the best friend.

As a big fan of Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series, I was really looking forward to this. Unfortunately, I was so disappointed! I really did not like the heroine and the story writing is not up to today's contemporary romance standards. It felt like a paranormal romance author trying to write a harlequin romance. I am willing to overlook slight character and story flaws with PRs because they are only meant to be make-believe, but I expect contemporary romances to have some basis in reality (other than the perfect billionaire single alpha male). Perhaps if I had approached this with different expectations I would have enjoyed it more. As it was, I had to force myself to finish. Sevastyan is hot, but even he was not strong enough to save this one.

*I received this ARC on Goodreads from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for an honest review. Thank you!*

I LOVED THIS BOOK!...Once again Kresley Cole delivers a stunning story! Being familiar with her work I was instantly grabbed and fascinated throughout the entire story. She delivered her usual flow-y prose touched with humor, intrigue and sexiness. I must say that Sevastyan is one of her sexiest heroes!!...I would definitely recommend this book! You will not be disappointed!!

5 STAR BOOK Ready for number 3!!!! I problem is it was first sold as a 3 piece; I purchased the 3 parts. Then accidentally read the next book in the series first, 'The Master'. Thinking I didn't have book 1, I purchased 'The Professional' (again!) in its complete version.

First, Kresley Cole is an auto buy for me. But this book created mixed feelings. Great action in the beginning but I started to get turned off in the middle as the action shifted to BDSM that slowed the story to a crawl and created a whimpy heroine that I had no respect for. I was ready to trash the book but all of a sudden Cole got the story back on track. Yes, I will buy the next book in this series.

I loved the first half. The H was so so hot. His desire for Natalie singed the pages. The story was also gripping. Then it just slowed down and I found myself skimming. What happened....do I feel cheated....no....the beginning was worth every minute of my time. I just feel disappointed that it fizzled.

Kresley Cole writes the way that I think!!! This book deserves all 5 stars; another winner by K.C. (Yes it was that good.)
This woman can write no wrong. It is a must read for any fans of hers and also for any fans who like it a little rough. I am recommending this to everyone:)

I am most looking forward to Dimitri's story in this new series, but I am anticipating whichever one comes next. Can't wait.

K. Cole has written another best seller. If you are into erotica and characters with depth then this book is for you. The only reason this book received four (4) out of five (5) stars is because the epilogue could have been better. The reader was left with some questions. I am hopeful that the other two books will clear this up. Nevertheless, happy reading!

Cole hits all emotions and I LOVED this book! The characters are well developed and the funny comments that Nat is endearing. Hands down this book is better than 50 Shades.

The only negative is the ending. Cole rushed the ending in just a few pages. I hope she means to continue Natalie & Sevastyan's story at some point. Maybe after Dmitri's story? Otherwise a proper Epilogue would have been great.

This book was amazing! I couldn't put it down. To be honest, I picked it up on a whim on my way to my boyfriends, sons party. I love, love, LOVE this book. I cannot wait til the next book comes out next year. This book made me feel like I was there (and hell, I wish I was..!!) Don't even get me started on Sevastyan!! Wooo

DNF at 60%.

I've gone back to this book half a dozen times at least in the last week (or two?), and I just can't make it any farther.

The Professional by Kresley Cole is utterly ridiculous.

The characters are unbelievable . . . and that's about it for me--completely unbelievable characters:

Natalie/Natalya: A graduate student, VIRGIN *rolls eyes* who comes equipped with a "manalyzer"--her powers of observation and psycho-analyzation are such that a mere glance at a man can tell her everything she needs to know about him, unless of course the "ability" would actually help her (rather than just being used as a party trick). If it could actually help her, it goes on the fritz, leaving her as in the dark as a normal person . . . so what . . . is the bloody point . . . of this talent?

Sevastyan: A mafia enforcer with a heart of gold and a dark past<-----this character is becoming so common that he's practically stock.

Paxan: A Mafya Vor who just wants to tinker with clocks. No really. He didn't want to become a crime lord, but it was either that, or keep watching his neighbors get ripped-off by the less considerate crime lords. So . . . he's only doing what he has to do to survive, but he's got a heart of gold too.

Cousin whose name I can't remember: well I can't tell you what's ridiculous and unbelievable about this guy without spoilers, so you're just going to have to take my word for it.

So yeah. Our brilliant and observant heroine is anything but, and allows herself to get into hideous situation after hideous situation, but DANG Sevastyan's sexy, so who the heck cares? Not Natalie, that's for damn sure. Paxan is just the bestest Papa a little girl could ever want, and Sevastyan is HOT with his prison tattoos and stuff.

And this is hugely disappointing for me b/c I LOVE Cole's Immortals After Dark series. IAD is, in fact, my favorite PNR series, and even as OTT as it can get sometimes, The Professional blows IAD out of the frickin' water.

Think about that for a minute--a paranormal romance series about werewolves, vampires, demons, valkyrie, etc. is MORE realistic than a contemporary romance with mafia types (insofar as accepted behaviors go).

I just can't . . .

I've come to discover that Kresley Cole can not write a bad book! With this one all I can say is wow-ee wow wow! (in Christopher Walken's voice) :) By far the hottest book of hers I've read, considering the material. ;) Absolutely can not wait for the next in the series.

I tried two times to finish the book but this book just sucks. The plot is unbelievable! I mean Natalie is this Russian mafia bosses' long lost daughter and the person he sends to bring back his daughter safely to Russia feels her up and plays with her sexually as if she was a common whore. Now maybe I have been reading too many Italian mafia books but messing with the bosses daughter sexually is asking to get whacked and I am quite certain Russian fathers feel the same about their daughters. I found Natalie pathetic and for someone working on their Ph.D she is awfully naive. The book sits on my desk waiting for me to pick it up again or not.

I love the IAD series. Not at all what I expected from her. Not the type of relationship I would expect any woman to settle for. It's not romance, it's a power struggle. No middle ground is met. All one sided, but hey, she believes she got what she wants.

Let me tell you, Kresley Cole is one of my top five favorite authors and I love the IAD series, live for it. I was a bit dubious about this series and only read half of this first book and have already confirmed its just another one thats so readily available these days. I love the sex scenes in the IAD series but this is about all there is in these books, how boring! if I wanted to read the Fifty shades of Gray (which I am so happy that I have not) I would have. Please no more of these type of books and go back to your interesting, exciting and thoroughly enjoyable books !

Boring. Shades of Grey was a cynical grab at the financial apple. The Professional fell into the same category. Kresley Cole usually writes a good story with raunch thrown in. This was raunch with a boring story thrown in. I kept hoping it would get better. It never did.

I bought this book thinking it was 400 pages well it wasn't . I felt ripped off it was much shorter and the quality was not up to Kesley Cole's usual standard. I do read this genre Tiffany Reisz does this much better. I also am not fond of the installment series when each release is 100 pages or so long. I really feel as if I'm being played.

WHEN DO WE STOP RELYING ON SHADES OF GREY TO ENJOY SEX.PLAY
TOO TOO MUCH BONDAGE, AND THE FEMALE CHARACTER --a virgin-GOING FOR IT . WHAT HAPPENED TO PLAYFUL LOVING SEX, MADE IT HOTTER NOT UNCOMFORTABLE. I COULD NOT READ THIS. It DID nothing. FOR ME.
SAD, BECAUSE COLE IS A TRULY GIFTED AUTHOR.

I would rate this novel somewhere between I really didn't like it & personally distasteful & misogynistic. If you like the BDS part of BDSM, then this may be a storyline you like. I am now going to go read a piece of non-fiction that describes women's intelligence and achievements.