When I received an invitation to review this book, I wasn't sure how I was going to like it. I don't read many mob-related stories, but I do like action with my romance, and the blurb was intriguing, so I thought I'd give it a try. 
 So glad I did. I finished this book late last night and it's still stuck in my head. The book worked very well for me as a standalone, and it just made me want to go read the first book in this series, RAZE. 
 221 was kidnapped as a child, imprisoned, and tortured, medically and otherwise. He's a human killing machine, obedient to his master and dangerous to anyone he comes in contact with. 
 Talia is the daughter of a crime boss and having grown up in this environment, she doesn't see the brutality of it. Much of the violence is matter-of-fact to the men and women in this story because it's so ingrained in their lives. When Talia decides she needs a break from it, she retreats to an isolated family home. 
 Talia's brother Luka still struggles with the after-effects of his incarceration and burning need to avenge those who cared for him. I really liked this character and I'm itching to go and read Raze now to learn more about his story. 
 These three lives collide and what follows is an intense and emotional romance between Talia and 221. Yes, there is some insta-love here, and there are some major reasons why Talia shouldn't fall for this guy, but I do believe in that spark that ignites when you meet "the one" so this worked for me. 
 The interactions between these two kept me turning the pages. 221 has quite a bit to learn after he detoxes from the drugs, and Talia slips into the role of helping him like she was meant for it. I loved these two together. The language between them was just lovely, and the line "You are..for me." had me choking up more than once. 
 Most of the action comes in the last part of this book, as everything crashes down on them, and 221 will have you crying and swooning when everything comes to a head. 
 And the ending... oh my, there's a great setup for more of this story that had me smiling, even though I sort of saw that coming. 
 Overall, great story, good writing, with a few slow spots for me. A little glossary at the end for the Russian words would have been much appreciated. REAP left me wanting more, and that's a great reading experience. I will absolutely be keeping an eye on this author and will be reading RAZE before the next book in this series.