Before we even begin talking about this book though, here's a snippet of the note from the author:
Fair warning, my stories run dark (violence, explicit content, etc.). Sterling Falls is no different. Reader discretion is advised.
Now, I've read Thrill. If you don't know, Thrill is the prequel, and it shares the story of Nyx and Saint. It also introduces us to Hades, Apollo, and Ares, as well as sets up what Olympus is. So having read that, I thought I knew what to expect from Thief. After having read Thief, I was wrong. My preconceived notions were completely wrong.
The main characters of Thief are:
- Kora Sinclair
- Wolfe James (aka Ares)
- Jace King (aka Hades)
- Apollo
- Kronos
Thief introduces us to Kora Sinclair. She is a college student who has just moved to Sterling Falls, and one night she finds herself at Olympus. It is there that she witnesses something, and she doesn't know what to do. Hades, Apollo, and Ares obviously spot her, and she is suddenly the invisible girl around town.
Memories pop across my eyes like camera flashes. Here is where I spotted them and stopped, and here is where I removed my heels. And there is where the man was stabbed.
Her life has changed, her plans have changed, and now she's desperate. So she turns to Kronos for assistance. This was a wrong move, but at the time, Kora thought it was for the best. She needed the help that Kronos gave her. Flash forward a bit, and Kronos doles out a punishment for lack of payment. A final chance is offered, but if Kora fails, that's it. Kronos will do what he needs to in order to recoup costs. That is what brings Kora to Olympus this evening. And this task is what ends up with her meeting Apollo, Ares, and Hades.
"You're a curious thing, aren't you? Too innocent for the likes of Hell.""Trust me, I've been to Hell. This is nothing.""I look forward to discovering your version of Hell."
Honestly in the beginning of the book, I was pretty meh about the whole thing. Especially with the scenes featuring Marley, and her crew. Marley's group of friends is quite frankly the worst, but I digress.
"You ditching your friends?""Only one is my friend. The rest...not so much."
That being said, when the action kicks in? Oh my word, I was so dang curious as to what was going to happen next. How was Kora going to get herself out of this ordeal? How does this situation end up with the the guys coming to her rescue?
"Get her out of here.""We're not done."
"You're done with her. Got it?"
"Until we meet again, invisible girl. Because we will..."
Now when the guys arrived? It was then that I knew things were about to pick up, and I was not disappointed. Their interruption of the meeting between Kora and Kronos, set the ball in motion. The action was about to pick up. Kora now has a target on her back, and the guys are going to do whatever they can to keep her safe.
"I tried to save you from Kronos, but he refused. For a myriad of reasons, and none of them are important right now. He wants you back in his possession to sell you and get his investment back. With interest, knowing him. His pockets often dictate the decisions he makes. But we'll figure it out."
When Kora returns to campus after her encounter with Kronos, I was nervous on her behalf. What was going to happen? Would it be possible for her to attend her classes with out the Titans noticing? Without them trying to get her? Would the guys be able to keep her safe? Also, Sheriff Bradshaw is sketchy as hell.
"Titans are hot on your heels. It's only a matter of time before someone close to you caves and turns you in."
As the story is building to the major scene, we get a glimpse of Wolfe, Kora, Nyx, and Saint at the falls. Nyx and Saint have both jumped, and Wolfe is now taking his turn. That allows Nyx the perfect opportunity to talk with Kora.
"Listen, I don't think I'll have long before Wolfe catches us."
"Oh?"
"They're good guys. On in the inside. Don't feel like you have to pick one."
"Pick one?"
"I read romance novels. And some of them get quite creative in their dynamic."
"Are you suggesting I create my own little harem? That's crazy."
"It's better than picking and breaking their hearts."
Loved that scene. Also the fact that Nyx saw what was happening between the group was impressive. The truth she spoke to Kora was just what she needed to hear. And it sets up this reverse harem (why choose) storyline wonderfully.
Kora continues to be protected by Ares, Hades, and Apollo. She cannot leave the house without one of them. Which is unfortunately impacting their business as well. So when they get a tip about a location where Kronos holds contracts, and it is also where he is hiding his family, Apollo and Hades take on the mission. Except this mission wasn't what they thought it was. It wasn't so cut and dry. It's about to get messy. This entire scene had me on the edge of my seat. I found myself wondering how Apollo and Hades were going to make it to safety? Would they be able to escape without being recognized by the Titans? Would Ares and Kora find them in time? Is Apollo going to survive? What happened to Hades? It is after this scene that Kronos gets what he wants, but it isn't how he wanted it to go down.
"Why do the Hell Hounds want you? What value do you bring to them?""I wonder. Do you think they care enough to arrive quickly? Do you think they'll hurry if they know you're in danger? They might even rush in here to save you --or maybe not. If you take one thing with you to the grave, let it be this: you can't trust a dog."
I cannot with how this book ended?! My jaw was firmly on the ground, and I found myself needing to know what happened next? How does Kora get out of THIS situation? Where are the guys? WHAT IS HAPPENING? UGH!!! I need to read Fighter now! Is it April yet?
Listen, if you like mc romances or mafia romances, or anything like that, you NEED to pick up Thief. You just need to. This series is going to take us on one hell of a ride, and I am a willing passenger. The guys have my attention. Kora has my attention. I am needing to know what happens next, and I can guarantee you, I will be saying the same thing when I finish reading Fighter.
Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts on the book. I know I was a bit all over the place at times, and I left out a lot of key scenes. That part was intentional. After all I cannot tell you EVERYTHING about the book. That would just be rude. Please go grab this book. I promise that it's worth it.
Laura
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| Cover Design: Qamber Designs Cover Photo: Wander Aguiar |
I wasn’t supposed to be at Olympus that night.
And I definitely wasn’t supposed to witness a murder – or be caught by the killers.
Hades, Apollo, and Ares run the mysterious, masked fight club, and they wield more power in this town than I could dream of holding. They destroy my life with one decree: Kora Sinclair doesn’t exist.
Sterling Falls was my chance to start over, but one night derails everything.
My scholarship, my job – gone.
I could run home, but giving up my dreams isn’t an option.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
When I can’t repay my debt to an unforgiving man, he gives me a choice. I can steal Hades’ mask, or he can take what I owe from my flesh.
But if I do, there’s no turning back. More than the fear of his threats, revenge drives my decision. I need to steal the mask.
After all, who better to become a thief than the girl they tried to erase?
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April 2022
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October 2022
Are you wanting to visit Sterling Falls early?
If you said yes, visit S. Massery's website, and download the prequel, THRILL, now!
About the Author
S. Massery, AKA Sara, is a dark romance author from Massachusetts. She enjoys twisting, suspenseful tales with dark anti-heroes and sassy heroines.
Her journey started when she was a little girl, dreaming of stories and frantically trying to capture her dreams on paper. She completed her first novel, Something Special, in 2018, and she has been unstoppable ever since.
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Thank you to S Massery, and Candi Kane PR, for providing me with a review copy of Theif.
