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Cross My Heart
''Cross My Heart.''
Three little words that meant more than just a promise for us.
Three little words entwined with the promise to be together forever. But neither of us kept that promise.
He was my best friend, my lover, my forever. But after his betrayal, I lost all hope in love. I promised myself to forget about him and got married. But little did I know I was making a deal with a monster.
Until one day I was taken away from the monster to be with the devil. Lucifer. The man who shattered my heart.
Now I'm his pawn to gain victory. But as they say everything is fair in love and war. This time the love is over and now war has begun.
WARNING: This book contains violence, intense sex scenes, rape, physical and drug abuse.
Three little words that meant more than just a promise for us.
Three little words entwined with the promise to be together forever. But neither of us kept that promise.
He was my best friend, my lover, my forever. But after his betrayal, I lost all hope in love. I promised myself to forget about him and got married. But little did I know I was making a deal with a monster.
Until one day I was taken away from the monster to be with the devil. Lucifer. The man who shattered my heart.
Now I'm his pawn to gain victory. But as they say everything is fair in love and war. This time the love is over and now war has begun.
WARNING: This book contains violence, intense sex scenes, rape, physical and drug abuse.
483 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2020
About the author
Shanjida Nusrath Ali
20 books389 followersShanjida Nusrath Ali is an English Literature student by day and an aspiring independent, dark romance author by night. Known for her debut mafia romance book, Cross My Heart, she loves to write about characters going through a dark and rough path to love with consequences at every turn and come out stronger in time. Her characters and story mostly focus on psychological and physical abuse, showing a heartbreaking journey for her characters. She likes to dip her toes in various tropes to give a unique story to her readers with every new book. Whether its dark romance between a bad boy and a blind ballerina, or a patient falling for a priest in an abandoned mental asylum, Shanjida's stories has intense and jaw-dropping plots that keeps the readers hooked in every page.
Other than reading books and writing, Shanjida loves dancing and stage drama, along with listening to any music that gives a kick to her mood.
Even though she sucks in singing. She is a huge Schitt's Creek and Brooklyn 99 fan, that she has lost count of the times she re-watched them. She is now busy focusing on her university studies and working on her upcoming books to wreck her readers heart and soul.
Other than reading books and writing, Shanjida loves dancing and stage drama, along with listening to any music that gives a kick to her mood.
Even though she sucks in singing. She is a huge Schitt's Creek and Brooklyn 99 fan, that she has lost count of the times she re-watched them. She is now busy focusing on her university studies and working on her upcoming books to wreck her readers heart and soul.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
August 16, 2020
Cross your heart is a beast of a book. I am in total awe of Shanjida Nusrath Ali. She knocked it out of the park, there it goes over the wall to have a home run, and I am going wild. Five Stars. I stayed up most of the night to finish reading this book. I was engrossed from page one. We are sent on a dark emotional rollercoaster with many twists and turns, Have tissues nearby.
Let's keep in mind this is a dark romance and Cross my heart with is not for the faint of heart. There are many triggers. Please ahead of the author's warning. I personally love this book and fell in love with Lucifer.
Cross my heart is written from Theia and Lucifer Pov. Past and present. We see their love story unfold from the first time they met when they were kids. My heart went out to both of them; both Theia and Lucifer experienced tragedy and betrayal. Theia, however, she went through hell. She did what she had to do to protect the ones she loves. Everything is not what it seems. Their love story was very well written. You felt every emotion.
Let’s talk about the sex scenes between Lucifer and Theia. They are scorching hot. There is one scene, I won’t go into to much detail, we don’t want spoilers. But man, I think my kindle was on fire. So intense. One of my favorite scenes.
If you love dark romance, I highly recommend this book. You will not be disappointed. Cross my heart. Enjoy.
Let's keep in mind this is a dark romance and Cross my heart with is not for the faint of heart. There are many triggers. Please ahead of the author's warning. I personally love this book and fell in love with Lucifer.
Cross my heart is written from Theia and Lucifer Pov. Past and present. We see their love story unfold from the first time they met when they were kids. My heart went out to both of them; both Theia and Lucifer experienced tragedy and betrayal. Theia, however, she went through hell. She did what she had to do to protect the ones she loves. Everything is not what it seems. Their love story was very well written. You felt every emotion.
Let’s talk about the sex scenes between Lucifer and Theia. They are scorching hot. There is one scene, I won’t go into to much detail, we don’t want spoilers. But man, I think my kindle was on fire. So intense. One of my favorite scenes.
If you love dark romance, I highly recommend this book. You will not be disappointed. Cross my heart. Enjoy.
August 17, 2020
Atrocious writing style that was riddled with inadequate grammar.
The writing style of the author in this book was completely atrocious. Basic grammar and sentence structures were not present as a consequence, the overall flow of the story arc is portrayed to be rather inadequate and juvenile in all forms. Dark/psychological romance books are fabricated to entice and captivate the reader ; challenging their mindset on the ambiguity of morals and what is appropriate in society. Alas the only emotions that the author evokes from this story is that of utter disgust not of the content of the concept of the story as you would imagine but rather of the sentence structures, world building, characterisation also how emotions and actions are described within ‘Cross my heart.’
Do not waste your time or money on this vile tome of words. It masquerades as a book but the truth is that is all a deception it is not worthy to be even regarded as a book as it does not even have embedded within it a string of coherent sentences.
Honestly I wonder if ‘Cross my heart’ was even edited because any editor worth their salt would have scrapped it and make serious/drastic revisions.
The writing style of the author in this book was completely atrocious. Basic grammar and sentence structures were not present as a consequence, the overall flow of the story arc is portrayed to be rather inadequate and juvenile in all forms. Dark/psychological romance books are fabricated to entice and captivate the reader ; challenging their mindset on the ambiguity of morals and what is appropriate in society. Alas the only emotions that the author evokes from this story is that of utter disgust not of the content of the concept of the story as you would imagine but rather of the sentence structures, world building, characterisation also how emotions and actions are described within ‘Cross my heart.’
Do not waste your time or money on this vile tome of words. It masquerades as a book but the truth is that is all a deception it is not worthy to be even regarded as a book as it does not even have embedded within it a string of coherent sentences.
Honestly I wonder if ‘Cross my heart’ was even edited because any editor worth their salt would have scrapped it and make serious/drastic revisions.
November 10, 2020
First reaction, after just a few chapters: very good, promising and dark-ish! Dayam, this Theia does not has an easy life!! Definitely a 5 star feeling!
But.... unfortunately, that feeling quickly diminished. It even went so far that I started skimming (especially the chapters in the 'past', because they got really boring and repetitive); about 65% into the story, I kinda 'fast forwarded' to the end.
The story was creative and not even that bad, but way too slow for me.
One thing about this book I really liked (no matter how bad it was for the main characters, lol!):
What was really annoying were the errors in grammar and spelling; weird sentences, missing words and tons of typos. And when even I notice this... it's really bad, because English isn't my first language. This book could use (desperately needs!) a good editor!!
Bottom line: this could have been an amazing book..... but sadly it just wasn't! Ah well, better luck next time; forget about it and move to one of the 7531 books on my tbr shelf.
EE; BotM September 2020.
But.... unfortunately, that feeling quickly diminished. It even went so far that I started skimming (especially the chapters in the 'past', because they got really boring and repetitive); about 65% into the story, I kinda 'fast forwarded' to the end.
The story was creative and not even that bad, but way too slow for me.
One thing about this book I really liked (no matter how bad it was for the main characters, lol!):
What was really annoying were the errors in grammar and spelling; weird sentences, missing words and tons of typos. And when even I notice this... it's really bad, because English isn't my first language. This book could use (desperately needs!) a good editor!!
Bottom line: this could have been an amazing book..... but sadly it just wasn't! Ah well, better luck next time; forget about it and move to one of the 7531 books on my tbr shelf.
EE; BotM September 2020.
August 28, 2020
Theia and Lucifer will have my heart forever. Shanjida did a superb job on this heart wrenching mafia story.
It’s dark and trigger filled but the style of writing is so outstanding that you can’t help but devour each and every page.
The pov of both characters is flawless as well. I honestly have no clue what tf some of these “reviewers” are talking about. Shanjida is a phenomenal writer and CMH proves it.
I can not wait to read more from her.
It’s dark and trigger filled but the style of writing is so outstanding that you can’t help but devour each and every page.
The pov of both characters is flawless as well. I honestly have no clue what tf some of these “reviewers” are talking about. Shanjida is a phenomenal writer and CMH proves it.
I can not wait to read more from her.
August 17, 2020
’Cross my heart, my angel.’
Cross My Heart firstly, had a great plot. I really enjoyed reading the relationship between Theia and Lucifer and I love a good mafia romance! The dual POV really helped me get into each of their minds.
This book was dark, which I also love, and I really do enjoy the depths of darkness that were explored within this book.
Sadly, there were a couple of things that I could not overlook. The writing was difficult to read at times and I think mostly that was due to the amount of grammatical errors and typos there were throughout the book. Usually, I try to ignore these in my review, but sadly there were too many for me to ignore.
The formatting of the ebook too was hard for me to read. I loved the fact that the story was told from both the Past and the Present but the Past sections were in both bold and italic which I found really hard to read; especially as there was a lot of text this way.
Overall, this is a dark read with a great plot. Just a shame about the errors and the formatting really.
The ending is not a HEA, so don’t go in expecting anything of the sort! However, the ending was satisfactory to a degree.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Cross My Heart firstly, had a great plot. I really enjoyed reading the relationship between Theia and Lucifer and I love a good mafia romance! The dual POV really helped me get into each of their minds.
This book was dark, which I also love, and I really do enjoy the depths of darkness that were explored within this book.
Sadly, there were a couple of things that I could not overlook. The writing was difficult to read at times and I think mostly that was due to the amount of grammatical errors and typos there were throughout the book. Usually, I try to ignore these in my review, but sadly there were too many for me to ignore.
The formatting of the ebook too was hard for me to read. I loved the fact that the story was told from both the Past and the Present but the Past sections were in both bold and italic which I found really hard to read; especially as there was a lot of text this way.
Overall, this is a dark read with a great plot. Just a shame about the errors and the formatting really.
The ending is not a HEA, so don’t go in expecting anything of the sort! However, the ending was satisfactory to a degree.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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March 24, 2024This is one of those books where it’s obvious that the author has a lot of talent, yet she unfortunately teamed up with an extremely negligent editor. Normally while reading a book with this many typos, mistakes, punctuation errors, grammatical errors, extra words, missing words come out wrong words, etc., I would have quit reading very early on. However, the story itself was phenomenal! Unfortunately, this innovative, exciting story were buried beneath a mountain of distracting typos.
To list just a few examples, sometimes the story was told in the present tense, sometimes in past. Often both past and present were used in literally the same sentence! For example, “I parted them without hesitation, and he dives in.”
The words SYNONYM, LITERALLY, and the term SAFE HAVEN were used incorrectly ( SAFE HAVEN was referred to it as SAFE HEAVEN several times.
The typos were rampant, for example MAYBE for MAY BE, PEAK for PEEK, and FURTHUR was constantly used even when it should have been FARTHER. There were even some made up terms that spellchecker should’ve caught such as UNAMENDABLE and SPITTED.
The punctuation was completely random, often with extra spaces added between a letter and the final punctuation mark (for example ”rhythm , “ ) or the wrong punctuation mark was used (such as a slash when it should have been a period).
Initially, I thought perhaps this book just needed a good proofreading, however, the gaps in the storyline and issues with the chronological order of the story proved otherwise. For example, the ”attack” aspect of the storyline was incongruent. The character they awaited to attack them had already been chased down in a car chase???
In my opinion there were waaaay too many music quotes, plus there were some scenes that needed better segues. For example, in one scene, Lucifer was on the phone with Franco then all of a sudden he’s yelling at the doctor?
This author definitely has a great deal of talent, she just needs to hire a better editor to help take the amazing ideas out of her head and put them on paper more clearly. Paired up with an excellent editor who is also a good proofreader, I am sure her books would be 5-star favorites of mine!!!
To list just a few examples, sometimes the story was told in the present tense, sometimes in past. Often both past and present were used in literally the same sentence! For example, “I parted them without hesitation, and he dives in.”
The words SYNONYM, LITERALLY, and the term SAFE HAVEN were used incorrectly ( SAFE HAVEN was referred to it as SAFE HEAVEN several times.
The typos were rampant, for example MAYBE for MAY BE, PEAK for PEEK, and FURTHUR was constantly used even when it should have been FARTHER. There were even some made up terms that spellchecker should’ve caught such as UNAMENDABLE and SPITTED.
The punctuation was completely random, often with extra spaces added between a letter and the final punctuation mark (for example ”rhythm , “ ) or the wrong punctuation mark was used (such as a slash when it should have been a period).
Initially, I thought perhaps this book just needed a good proofreading, however, the gaps in the storyline and issues with the chronological order of the story proved otherwise. For example, the ”attack” aspect of the storyline was incongruent. The character they awaited to attack them had already been chased down in a car chase???
In my opinion there were waaaay too many music quotes, plus there were some scenes that needed better segues. For example, in one scene, Lucifer was on the phone with Franco then all of a sudden he’s yelling at the doctor?
This author definitely has a great deal of talent, she just needs to hire a better editor to help take the amazing ideas out of her head and put them on paper more clearly. Paired up with an excellent editor who is also a good proofreader, I am sure her books would be 5-star favorites of mine!!!
August 18, 2020
“Wow! To be honest is the first word that pops in my mind. Cross My Heart had my f¡heart from the very beginning. Theia and Lucifer were fascinating characters that gave me all the emotions.
Theia, my heart broke for her. She was a really strong character because after everything she went through… so sad. Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer… loving him was so easy but heating him was harder. He has a special place in my heart and will stay there for a long time.
A beautifully written mafia romance that was dark, intense and steamy. The ending was unexpected. I was like ‘cant believe this is the end’ but I loved it. Such a great read!”
Theia, my heart broke for her. She was a really strong character because after everything she went through… so sad. Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer… loving him was so easy but heating him was harder. He has a special place in my heart and will stay there for a long time.
A beautifully written mafia romance that was dark, intense and steamy. The ending was unexpected. I was like ‘cant believe this is the end’ but I loved it. Such a great read!”
September 28, 2020
What a book!
Shanjida always manages to bring my deepest darkest fantasy’s to life in her novels. Especially with the mafia romance.
I’ve never cried, smiled and swooned more over a book in my life. She manages to write a book I’ve never read before in the mafia trope.
Fresh, exciting and damn sexy. Like the sex!! Oh my gosh Lucifer and Theia ahhh.
Lucifer is so broken after his past with theia but through every step of their journey he continuously tries to redeem himself and prove his lover for her.
I’ve never read a more beautiful and heartbreaking story in my life. 100% reccomend this book if you love dark romance, mafia and a gorgeous couple that’ll make you swoon.
Shanjida always manages to bring my deepest darkest fantasy’s to life in her novels. Especially with the mafia romance.
I’ve never cried, smiled and swooned more over a book in my life. She manages to write a book I’ve never read before in the mafia trope.
Fresh, exciting and damn sexy. Like the sex!! Oh my gosh Lucifer and Theia ahhh.
Lucifer is so broken after his past with theia but through every step of their journey he continuously tries to redeem himself and prove his lover for her.
I’ve never read a more beautiful and heartbreaking story in my life. 100% reccomend this book if you love dark romance, mafia and a gorgeous couple that’ll make you swoon.
August 24, 2020
Spanish:
“Cross My Heart” de Shanjida Nusrath Ali es un romance dark, independiente, con elementos que pueden herir la sensibilidad del lector. Es una historia muy desgarradora que con el paso de las paginas mostrara presente y pasado de los protagonistas.
Lucifer apareció en la vida de Theia siendo unos crios y se volvieron inseparables. Unos mejores amigos que no se separaban uno del otro desarrollando sentimientos, pero por causas duras se tuvieron que separar cuando se prometieron no hacerlo. Ahora la vida de Theia es de una mujer casada, pero no todo es lo que parece.
Conocida a la autora, no podía esperar menos de ella, y nuevamente me ha sorprendido infinitamente. Esta historia une momentos desgarradores y dolorosos, con otros románticos y especiales y muy calientes. Pero no es lo único, ya que une el pasado y el presente, dos contrastes que hacen que la historia muestre los vínculos que unen a los protagonistas y se divide en dos partes.
Estos protagonistas forman parte de la Mafia que tanto me gusta. Theia está metida en un mundo en relación con su marido, y Lucifer desde temprana edad, en ese pasado que compartido con Theia. Toda esa trama hace un contraste perfecto a la historia de amor. Y no solo el amor de los protagonistas, el sexo es caliente y explosivo.
"No importa lo que pase o lo que me hagas
Mi corazón todavía te quiere."
El final fue la mayor sorpresa, inesperada, dura y dolorosa, que hace que esperes un cambio en la trama, alguna sorpresa de último momento que te de alguna alegría. Aun así, la historia tiene un final que en parte también deseaba, y no hace de menos al libro.
⚜Rate: ★★★★★
English:
"Cross My Heart" by Shanjida Nusrath Ali is a dark, stand-alone romance with elements that may hurt the reader's sensibility. It's a very heartbreaking story, that as the pages go by, will show the present and past of the protagonists.
Lucifer appeared in Theia's life as a child, and they became inseparable. They were best friends who didn't separate from each other, developing feelings, but for hard reasons, they had to separate when they promised each other not to. Now Theia's life is a married woman's, but not everything is what it seems.
Knowing the author, I couldn't expect anything less from her, and once again, she has surprised me infinitely. This story unites heartbreaking and painful moments, with other romantic and special and hot ones. But it is not the only thing, because it unites the past and the present, two contrasts that make the story show the links that unite the protagonists in two parts.
These protagonists are part of the Mafia that I like so much. Theia is involved in a world in relation with her husband, and Lucifer from an early age, in that past that he shared with Theia. All that plot makes a perfect contrast to the love story. And not only the love of the protagonists, but the sex is also hot and explosive.
"No matter what happens or what you do to me
My heart still wants you."
The ending was the biggest surprise, unexpected, hard, and painful, which makes you expect a change in the plot, some last-minute surprise that gives you some joy. Even so, the story has an ending that I partly wanted too, and it doesn't make the book any less interesting.
⚜Rate: ★★★★★
August 13, 2020
Ruined.
That's what this book did to me. It ripped my heart out, tore it apart and then placed it's pieces back. But that's what they are - bittersweet pieces.
My heart still aches as I write this review because Cross My Heart has had a great impact on my emotional state of being. It is literally all the feels.
Cross My Heart is not for the faint of heart and has many triggers.
This twisted book is a story of Theia and Lucifer and their love-hate-revenge relationship. It's raw, passionate and heartbreaking. The intensity and depth of the characters had me at the edge of my seat. It left me vulnerable to the point where I couldn't find the right words to describe what I was feeling.
Lucifer and Theia both went to great lengths to protect what and whom they loved. The deceit and revenge drove them to a point of no return. That was the most heart-wrenching thing. I felt so many emotions coursing through me. I cried, got mad, cursed, wanted to cry, but couldn't. The characters' madness and solace was mine.
This page turner is filled literally with friendhsip, love, hatred, revenge and sex. It's dark mafia romance so I expected no less and Shanjida Nusrath Ali has not disappointed. Cross My Heart is the first book I've read of hers and I am glad I did. She's made it to one of my favourite authors list.
August 18, 2020
"I know I have lost you in this life. But no one will ever replace you in my soul and heart. You will always be alive there."
This story deals with subject matter that isn’t for the faint of heart, no emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.
This is a dark and intense romance that is both beautiful and disturbing, the one you will never forget.
Theia is put through things no one should ever have to go through. Her life wasn't an easy one, only one part of the young adult age was perfect because of him. The boy she promised to love all her life and he promised the same: „ Love me?“ – „Forever and ever“ – „Promise?“ – „Cross my heart.“
But life is messy and surprises you on every step you take. Some things are easier said than done.
Tumultuous, shocking, and very dark relationship is what she has in her life to protect the one that means the world to her but all in vain.
The one that promised to never leave her and protect her failed her. No one came for her. No one helped her. With so much betrayal and lies they never got the chance to live happily ever after. But I can tell you Lucifer loved her…with all his heart forever and ever.
OMG, I'm crying again. Writing this and crying…Shanjida what have you done to me?!
"I love you much, angel. I always will."
August 11, 2020
After gathering my thoughts and getting ahold of my damn feelings, I can honestly say that I LOVED this book. The way it was plotted from start to end and everything made sense even if you thought that it hadn't at first.
Both Lucifer and Thea were giving me mixed signals and I had a true love/hate feelings when it came to them. I can honestly admit that I wanted to punch them quite a few times. But I guess that's the whole point. You may hate the characters but also love them because in the end you understand their motives. So be prepared to have some messed up thoughts while reading and keep an open mind.
Shanjida made me cry by the end of the book, which is not that damn easy to achieve. I rarely cry and usually not in the moments that should bring me to tears in the first place. But well, she has the ability to do that...
It was her first mafia book and I was afraid that there would be just a mafia background, and I'm very peculiar when it comes to that. No. She has perfectly waived romance into mafia and made it deliciously dark. So many emotions that I've had throughout the book...
Guys! Read the book. It's SO WORTH IT!
Both Lucifer and Thea were giving me mixed signals and I had a true love/hate feelings when it came to them. I can honestly admit that I wanted to punch them quite a few times. But I guess that's the whole point. You may hate the characters but also love them because in the end you understand their motives. So be prepared to have some messed up thoughts while reading and keep an open mind.
Shanjida made me cry by the end of the book, which is not that damn easy to achieve. I rarely cry and usually not in the moments that should bring me to tears in the first place. But well, she has the ability to do that...
It was her first mafia book and I was afraid that there would be just a mafia background, and I'm very peculiar when it comes to that. No. She has perfectly waived romance into mafia and made it deliciously dark. So many emotions that I've had throughout the book...
Guys! Read the book. It's SO WORTH IT!
August 28, 2020
This book is not for the faint of heart. Its extremely dark and it does not let up at all. This one hurt alot, I really don't know how I made it through that ending. The few moments when things with Theia and Lucifer were good, it was like I could breathe again but that was short lived. The steamy scenes between Lucifer and Theia were off the charts, just scorching. You may be a cringing, blubbering, sobbing mess during this read but its well worth reading it!
September 21, 2020
This was a fantastic read, very unconventional and one that in the end just broke my heart.
I think the ending, while it was an amazing twist, was not what Theia deserved.
This is a dark mafia romance that takes place in Rome and New York. It's a story of betrayal and revenge, as two brothers rival for power and the same woman.
Theia has had a hard life for most of it, she has been manipulated and thought was doing what was right for her.
Their were so many twists and turns, thickening the plot when yet more was revealed about all the misunderstandings in Lucifer and Theia's lives.
The only downside, and the reason why it took me so long to finish this book, is the many, many spelling and grammatical errors. It was so annoying that I was more engaged in looking for them instead of the story. This is such a fantastic plot that I would have easily rated 4* if it were not for all these distractions.
Shanjida Nusrath Ali is an author that I definitely want to read more of, but I do hope her other books have gone through a thorough editing!
October 2, 2020
A PHENOMENAL love story!! This book destroyed my heart than anything else. I couldn't stop crying the more I got into the story. Even the twist and turns...and the climax was something I didn't see coming at all.
Lucifer was an asshole but I still loved him and poor Theia...she has been through hell.
And the sex scenes were quite intense for sure! STEAMY. HOT. INTENSE.
The epilogue was so bittersweet and yet so beautiful.
A really REALLY amazing story and tbh the best so far by the author.
A must read for readers who are into mafia Romance and want the realistic stuff.
Lucifer was an asshole but I still loved him and poor Theia...she has been through hell.
And the sex scenes were quite intense for sure! STEAMY. HOT. INTENSE.
The epilogue was so bittersweet and yet so beautiful.
A really REALLY amazing story and tbh the best so far by the author.
A must read for readers who are into mafia Romance and want the realistic stuff.
August 19, 2020
Phenomenal heartbreaking story!
“Love turns the purest souls into dark demons.”
WOW! What a phenomenal story! It’s gritty, dark, twisted, intense and utterly heartbreaking. Lucifer and Theia’s story is not for the feint of heart. It is an emotional rollercoaster ride of pain, anger, hatred and revenge. Their story will rip your heart out and leave you absolutely gutted. I went through all the emotions, love, hate, anger, fear, loathing and then some. Lucifer and Theia’s story is a bittersweet love story but fraught with unbelievable pain.
“A moment that will forever be cherished.
A love that will never be forgotten.
A promise that will be kept till our last breath.
I will always be in love with you, angel. Cross my heart.”
Theia and Lucifer have a very raw and real love/hate relationship. They both love passionately and feel so deeply for each other that when they hurt one another us readers feel their pain and anguish oozing off the pages. The chemistry and steam these two had every time they were together was explosive leaving me shocked and utterly breathless begging for more.
This story is action packed, with shocking surprises, twists and turns that you won’t see coming, and loaded with murder and mayhem to keep you completely captivated, enthralled and riveted to your seat from the very shocking beginning to the ultimate intense ending.
I absolutely loved this book. Shanjida Nusrath Ali has written something so phenomenal that I have no other words but to say BRAVO.
If you love dark romance, I highly recommend this book. You will definitely not be disappointed.
“Love turns the purest souls into dark demons.”
WOW! What a phenomenal story! It’s gritty, dark, twisted, intense and utterly heartbreaking. Lucifer and Theia’s story is not for the feint of heart. It is an emotional rollercoaster ride of pain, anger, hatred and revenge. Their story will rip your heart out and leave you absolutely gutted. I went through all the emotions, love, hate, anger, fear, loathing and then some. Lucifer and Theia’s story is a bittersweet love story but fraught with unbelievable pain.
“A moment that will forever be cherished.
A love that will never be forgotten.
A promise that will be kept till our last breath.
I will always be in love with you, angel. Cross my heart.”
Theia and Lucifer have a very raw and real love/hate relationship. They both love passionately and feel so deeply for each other that when they hurt one another us readers feel their pain and anguish oozing off the pages. The chemistry and steam these two had every time they were together was explosive leaving me shocked and utterly breathless begging for more.
This story is action packed, with shocking surprises, twists and turns that you won’t see coming, and loaded with murder and mayhem to keep you completely captivated, enthralled and riveted to your seat from the very shocking beginning to the ultimate intense ending.
I absolutely loved this book. Shanjida Nusrath Ali has written something so phenomenal that I have no other words but to say BRAVO.
If you love dark romance, I highly recommend this book. You will definitely not be disappointed.
August 11, 2020
First of all WOW!
WOW shanjida! You really went and above. This book not only ripped my heart but my soul. From the very beginning it had my attention. I got the ARC at night and stayed awake the whole night to finish this masterpiece. Not chapter 5 went by and I was already crying. The flashbacks were so emotional and sentimental. And the abusive scenes really got to me.
The character build up and relationship build up...to be honest from start till end everything was perfect. This book is so dark and intense, it's highly suggested for intense level dark romance readers. It's definitely not for the soft romance lovers.
I had a hate-love feeling for Lucifer, but when his reasons was revealed I couldn't help but fall in love with him. For Theia, she was the strong female character I always want in a book. She survived through every harsh incident for the ones she loved dearly. For Hades, he can go and fuck off. He was a piece of shit, like from the very start I wanted to kill him. He was the worst villain ever! URGH!! And Franco's role was something I didn't see coming. He was absolutely unexpected and an evil genius.
Now THE SEX!! My my...the sex was so hot! WOW! No spoilers for sure but one scene was so freaking hot and sexy and dominant and such a turn on.
Overall, Shanjida has improved A LOT!!! This is a must read for sure and not only like few people should read it! EVERY DARK ROMANCE LOVER NEEDS THIS!!! Absolutely impressed Shanjida. Can't wait for the next book.
WOW shanjida! You really went and above. This book not only ripped my heart but my soul. From the very beginning it had my attention. I got the ARC at night and stayed awake the whole night to finish this masterpiece. Not chapter 5 went by and I was already crying. The flashbacks were so emotional and sentimental. And the abusive scenes really got to me.
The character build up and relationship build up...to be honest from start till end everything was perfect. This book is so dark and intense, it's highly suggested for intense level dark romance readers. It's definitely not for the soft romance lovers.
I had a hate-love feeling for Lucifer, but when his reasons was revealed I couldn't help but fall in love with him. For Theia, she was the strong female character I always want in a book. She survived through every harsh incident for the ones she loved dearly. For Hades, he can go and fuck off. He was a piece of shit, like from the very start I wanted to kill him. He was the worst villain ever! URGH!! And Franco's role was something I didn't see coming. He was absolutely unexpected and an evil genius.
Now THE SEX!! My my...the sex was so hot! WOW! No spoilers for sure but one scene was so freaking hot and sexy and dominant and such a turn on.
Overall, Shanjida has improved A LOT!!! This is a must read for sure and not only like few people should read it! EVERY DARK ROMANCE LOVER NEEDS THIS!!! Absolutely impressed Shanjida. Can't wait for the next book.
August 17, 2020
10 out of 10 ⭐️
Mind blowing! Steamy! Hot! Those are just a few words that describe this story!
I received and ARC of this book and I’m so proud to say I read it first.
Let me start off by saying, by the time I finished this book I was crying ugly tears! It been awhile since a book has made me cry! I cried tears joy if by the time I finished it. So, don’t let these tears stop you from reading it! In my eyes, if a book made you cry, that’s one damn good book!
From the beginning, I new my heart was going to be shattered into a zillion pieces, but I had no idea how the ending would mend them back together. It was a beautiful ending but I’m still trying to take it all in.
Theia always had a hard life! From the beginning! That poor girl endured so much and had no idea how strong she was. Talking about her just makes me wanna cry thinking about everything that happened! I loved her spirit, her drive and the fight in her.
His name was unique! It didn’t fit who he was until he was forced to become the devil his name signified him to be. Life and circumstances change people, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. Lucifer was my hero! I loved how he often thought he was doing the right thing, even after time passed!
The book was filled with a lot of twists and turns and the plot only thicken when certain bits of information came to life!
I can’t tell you how much I loved this book and I wanna share it with every book loving person I know!
Mind blowing! Steamy! Hot! Those are just a few words that describe this story!
I received and ARC of this book and I’m so proud to say I read it first.
Let me start off by saying, by the time I finished this book I was crying ugly tears! It been awhile since a book has made me cry! I cried tears joy if by the time I finished it. So, don’t let these tears stop you from reading it! In my eyes, if a book made you cry, that’s one damn good book!
From the beginning, I new my heart was going to be shattered into a zillion pieces, but I had no idea how the ending would mend them back together. It was a beautiful ending but I’m still trying to take it all in.
Theia always had a hard life! From the beginning! That poor girl endured so much and had no idea how strong she was. Talking about her just makes me wanna cry thinking about everything that happened! I loved her spirit, her drive and the fight in her.
His name was unique! It didn’t fit who he was until he was forced to become the devil his name signified him to be. Life and circumstances change people, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. Lucifer was my hero! I loved how he often thought he was doing the right thing, even after time passed!
The book was filled with a lot of twists and turns and the plot only thicken when certain bits of information came to life!
I can’t tell you how much I loved this book and I wanna share it with every book loving person I know!
August 14, 2020
Overall review -> 3.75 - 4 stars
I received an ARC.
Wow. That's what I thought after I finished reading this book. Just wow. First things first, I am not a huge mafia romance fan. So, I don't actively seek them out but I have read enough of the trope to know when a book is really good. Trust me when I say this - I couldn't put this one down. I devoured it in one go and enjoyed every second of it.
I don't know how to review it without giving the entire ploy away but Theia and Lucifer's love story is a tragic beauty. Two star crossed lovers in a constant fight for their happily ever after. I didn't see the ending coming until it smacked me on my face. Well this book is certainly a tearjerker. The plot also contains a lot of trigger warnings. So a word of advice - keep some tissues handy and prepare yourself for the ride. The writing, the characters, the chemistry between Theia and Lucifer and the execution of the story - every single detail was perfect. It was not my first book by the author and it's definitely not my last. If you are a fan of dark romance or mafia romance and don't mind a bit of violence then I will definitely recommend you read this. I can promise that you won't regret it - cross my heart and hope to die.
Hope you all will love it as much as I did.
Happy reading! xoxo.
I received an ARC.
Wow. That's what I thought after I finished reading this book. Just wow. First things first, I am not a huge mafia romance fan. So, I don't actively seek them out but I have read enough of the trope to know when a book is really good. Trust me when I say this - I couldn't put this one down. I devoured it in one go and enjoyed every second of it.
I don't know how to review it without giving the entire ploy away but Theia and Lucifer's love story is a tragic beauty. Two star crossed lovers in a constant fight for their happily ever after. I didn't see the ending coming until it smacked me on my face. Well this book is certainly a tearjerker. The plot also contains a lot of trigger warnings. So a word of advice - keep some tissues handy and prepare yourself for the ride. The writing, the characters, the chemistry between Theia and Lucifer and the execution of the story - every single detail was perfect. It was not my first book by the author and it's definitely not my last. If you are a fan of dark romance or mafia romance and don't mind a bit of violence then I will definitely recommend you read this. I can promise that you won't regret it - cross my heart and hope to die.
Hope you all will love it as much as I did.
Happy reading! xoxo.
August 10, 2020
CROSS MY HEART- an original mafia book where the endings are not the same as others. Too much suspense, too much violence(of course, it’s a mafia book), sensual scenes(it’s a dark romance book). I don’t want to be a spoiler. If you really like dark intense romance I will recommend you to read that book.
I know Shanjida Nusrath Ali personally. She has worked for months on this book. And now I can say that her work got paid off. I have never seen someone with a passion for this level. I can say when I was reading the book, I was into THEIA. So first of all, thank you for introducing THEIA.
I have finished reading the ARC. Starting from Prologue, I feel something. Pain, piercing hearts, torture. In the end, I was crying like a little child.
Every sensual scene, every torture scene, every emotion I can visualize. All thanks to her writing.
The character of Lucifer will definitely gonna give you goosebumps.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU SHANJIDA NUSRATH ALI FOR GIVING ME THIS AMAZING STORY.
I know Shanjida Nusrath Ali personally. She has worked for months on this book. And now I can say that her work got paid off. I have never seen someone with a passion for this level. I can say when I was reading the book, I was into THEIA. So first of all, thank you for introducing THEIA.
I have finished reading the ARC. Starting from Prologue, I feel something. Pain, piercing hearts, torture. In the end, I was crying like a little child.
Every sensual scene, every torture scene, every emotion I can visualize. All thanks to her writing.
The character of Lucifer will definitely gonna give you goosebumps.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU SHANJIDA NUSRATH ALI FOR GIVING ME THIS AMAZING STORY.
August 23, 2020
IT IS AMAZING, CROSS MY HEART YOU WONT REGRET.
This was my first time reading a book by Shanjida and it most definitely won’t be my last. Cross my heart was filled with soo much. Lucifer was unlike any man I have ever met. He was both the superhero and the bad guy. I will forever love the way he loved Theia. And the way Theia protected him without him even being aware. They protected each other in secrecy because they didn’t want each other to worry.
With the words “cross my heart” never being forgotten.
I would 100% recommend this book!
This book was unlike anything I have ever read, I’ve read a couple of Mafia books but nothing compared to this. There was long term history between these two. And the the little twists had me screaming. There were times where I would full on cry (20% and the end) where I would be annoyed, and times where I just wanted to melt into a puddle by how loving they were,(The steamy scenes got me)😉.
Shanjida this is such an amazing book, I can’t wait to read more of your books. ❤️
This was my first time reading a book by Shanjida and it most definitely won’t be my last. Cross my heart was filled with soo much. Lucifer was unlike any man I have ever met. He was both the superhero and the bad guy. I will forever love the way he loved Theia. And the way Theia protected him without him even being aware. They protected each other in secrecy because they didn’t want each other to worry.
With the words “cross my heart” never being forgotten.
I would 100% recommend this book!
This book was unlike anything I have ever read, I’ve read a couple of Mafia books but nothing compared to this. There was long term history between these two. And the the little twists had me screaming. There were times where I would full on cry (20% and the end) where I would be annoyed, and times where I just wanted to melt into a puddle by how loving they were,(The steamy scenes got me)😉.
Shanjida this is such an amazing book, I can’t wait to read more of your books. ❤️
August 27, 2020
Broke my heart.
That's it. That's the review.
I don't have more tears, I can't scream anymore (also I'm pretty sure my neighbors hate me) I'm just shocked, in a loss of words.
Have you ever heard that sentence "There are just some loves who are to strong to this world so they're separated" Well that's this book.
I love it, I 'hate' it, I'm just... Agh
There isn't enough words to do justice to this book. It was a ride, oh, what a ride it was!
This book contain many triggers (rape, violence, etc etc etc). It's everything I like in a book, but that end, oh gawd, I can't even think about it. Lucifer and Theia shared a love that wasn't normal, it was that kind of love that burns so strongly that it destroys everything around it.
Have you ever read a book where the characters give goosebumps and in certain parts of it you just take off and start pacing around the house? This book did it to me, and I for f*cking sure won't forget about it anytime soon!
Shanjida did a hell of a job in this, it was my first book of her but it'll certainly not be the last.
xoxo
That's it. That's the review.
I don't have more tears, I can't scream anymore (also I'm pretty sure my neighbors hate me) I'm just shocked, in a loss of words.
Have you ever heard that sentence "There are just some loves who are to strong to this world so they're separated" Well that's this book.
I love it, I 'hate' it, I'm just... Agh
There isn't enough words to do justice to this book. It was a ride, oh, what a ride it was!
This book contain many triggers (rape, violence, etc etc etc). It's everything I like in a book, but that end, oh gawd, I can't even think about it. Lucifer and Theia shared a love that wasn't normal, it was that kind of love that burns so strongly that it destroys everything around it.
Have you ever read a book where the characters give goosebumps and in certain parts of it you just take off and start pacing around the house? This book did it to me, and I for f*cking sure won't forget about it anytime soon!
Shanjida did a hell of a job in this, it was my first book of her but it'll certainly not be the last.
xoxo
October 20, 2020
💔💔💔💔💔 5 star reads
This is my first book of Shanjida Nusrath Ali loved her style of writing. This book was raw and intense revolving around revenge, betrayal, lies, deceit and heartbreak. The transition between past and present was just great. The story starts from little Thea and Lucifer becoming friends. And as they grow up the darkness around them ends up destroying their life.Thea is strong at the same vulnerable character. I want to hate Lucifer but can’t bring myself to do it as both of them are the outcomes of their situation and forced choices. It was a heart wrenching read. By the time I ended the book I was a crying mess. But all the more loved it to the core. Be warned This is not usual romance.
This is my first book of Shanjida Nusrath Ali loved her style of writing. This book was raw and intense revolving around revenge, betrayal, lies, deceit and heartbreak. The transition between past and present was just great. The story starts from little Thea and Lucifer becoming friends. And as they grow up the darkness around them ends up destroying their life.Thea is strong at the same vulnerable character. I want to hate Lucifer but can’t bring myself to do it as both of them are the outcomes of their situation and forced choices. It was a heart wrenching read. By the time I ended the book I was a crying mess. But all the more loved it to the core. Be warned This is not usual romance.
August 11, 2020
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
Cross my heart is a mafia romance book.
In this book, we follow Theia and Lucifer. Theia is a strong woman who has been through hell. I am not going to say much but poor girl. I really wanted to hate Lucifer but I can’t. He touched my heart really.
“How do you become your own guide when you don’t know the path yourself?”
What I really love about this book is how it’s written. You have some past and present scenes. It allows you to understand the present and the reactions of the characters. The author really knows how to write and how to make you feel all the emotions of the characters.
Cross my Heart is my 3rd book of Shanjida Nusrath Ali. All I can say it’s not going to be the last one. Girl I am here for all of your next book.
The ending wasn’t what I was hoping but it makes sense after thinking about it. All I want to say is you have to prepare some tissues for the end. I am only going to say that (no spoilers 😉).
Cross my heart is a mafia romance book.
In this book, we follow Theia and Lucifer. Theia is a strong woman who has been through hell. I am not going to say much but poor girl. I really wanted to hate Lucifer but I can’t. He touched my heart really.
“How do you become your own guide when you don’t know the path yourself?”
What I really love about this book is how it’s written. You have some past and present scenes. It allows you to understand the present and the reactions of the characters. The author really knows how to write and how to make you feel all the emotions of the characters.
Cross my Heart is my 3rd book of Shanjida Nusrath Ali. All I can say it’s not going to be the last one. Girl I am here for all of your next book.
The ending wasn’t what I was hoping but it makes sense after thinking about it. All I want to say is you have to prepare some tissues for the end. I am only going to say that (no spoilers 😉).
August 16, 2020
She was his best friend and the love of his life. But he thought she betrayed him by marrying someone else. As the secrets unfold, he comes to know that he was betrayed by everyone he thought he trusted.
The story is riveting, dark, intense and erotic. With each chapter, story keeps on switching from past to present revealing series of events that will come as a shock and surprise to its readers. This book will stir a variety of emotions from its readers with its unexpected plot twists making the book unputdownable. It is highly recommended for readers who like this genre.
Personal Take:
This book made me so emotional. The ending was the one that I didn't expect. Some of the scenes are movie inspired which made me relate to the story. While reading this book, I felt like I am watching a Mafia movie
The story is riveting, dark, intense and erotic. With each chapter, story keeps on switching from past to present revealing series of events that will come as a shock and surprise to its readers. This book will stir a variety of emotions from its readers with its unexpected plot twists making the book unputdownable. It is highly recommended for readers who like this genre.
Personal Take:
This book made me so emotional. The ending was the one that I didn't expect. Some of the scenes are movie inspired which made me relate to the story. While reading this book, I felt like I am watching a Mafia movie
August 19, 2020
OK,, SO THIS WAS A DARK READ & YOU KNOW I LOVE MY DARKNESS. THIS BOOK WILL GIVE YOU SWEETNESS AND THROW YOU IN A DARK ROOM TO PLAY WITH MONSTERS.
THE STORY HAD A GREAT PLOT AND TOLD I DUAL POV GAVE INSIGHT TO BOTH THE MAIN CHARACTERS, THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN H &h COULD BE FELT FROM STARTING. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS MAFIA ROMANCE..
THE ANGST AND THE HEART ACHE REALLY UP THERE,
THIS BOOK CONTAINS SOME DARK TRIGGERS LIKE DOMESTIC ABUSE AND VIOLENCE.. SO BE MINDFUL;
NOW THE ONLY LITTLE DRAWBACK WAS (MEE PERSONAL OPINION) THE FORMATTING, ESP THEE PAST FLASHBACKS. IT WAS HARD TO READ ON KINDLE AANNDD THERE WERE SOME EDITING ERRORS WHICH CONTINUOUSLY INTERRUPTED MY READING FLOW.
OTHER THAN THAT, THIS MAFIA DARK ROMANCE IS ONEE YOU NEED TO READ AND OUT FOR THIS AUTHOR'S FUTURE WORKS!!
4⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE STORY HAD A GREAT PLOT AND TOLD I DUAL POV GAVE INSIGHT TO BOTH THE MAIN CHARACTERS, THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN H &h COULD BE FELT FROM STARTING. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS MAFIA ROMANCE..
THE ANGST AND THE HEART ACHE REALLY UP THERE,
THIS BOOK CONTAINS SOME DARK TRIGGERS LIKE DOMESTIC ABUSE AND VIOLENCE.. SO BE MINDFUL;
NOW THE ONLY LITTLE DRAWBACK WAS (MEE PERSONAL OPINION) THE FORMATTING, ESP THEE PAST FLASHBACKS. IT WAS HARD TO READ ON KINDLE AANNDD THERE WERE SOME EDITING ERRORS WHICH CONTINUOUSLY INTERRUPTED MY READING FLOW.
OTHER THAN THAT, THIS MAFIA DARK ROMANCE IS ONEE YOU NEED TO READ AND OUT FOR THIS AUTHOR'S FUTURE WORKS!!
4⭐⭐⭐⭐
Read
August 30, 2020DNF @ 48%
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review:
I signed up for an ARC because I was honestly looking forward to reading this book based off the blurb and when I started reading it I found out what a disappointment this was.
I’ve read a lot of books, I read a lot of dark romances and I didn’t think I would have an issue with this book BUT MAN was I wrong.🥴
Now, I have no room to talk when it comes to grammar and punctuation but my god... there needed to be edits every sentence I read. Sentence structure was basically non-existent but I TRIED..I REALLY TRIED.
Another issue I had was I’m not a huge fan of flash backs and every other chapter was a flash back and I just want you to get to the point. I don’t need to go back every other chapter.
And in the other chapters home girl was just getting her ass beat.
I can’t recommend this book.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review:
I signed up for an ARC because I was honestly looking forward to reading this book based off the blurb and when I started reading it I found out what a disappointment this was.
I’ve read a lot of books, I read a lot of dark romances and I didn’t think I would have an issue with this book BUT MAN was I wrong.🥴
Now, I have no room to talk when it comes to grammar and punctuation but my god... there needed to be edits every sentence I read. Sentence structure was basically non-existent but I TRIED..I REALLY TRIED.
Another issue I had was I’m not a huge fan of flash backs and every other chapter was a flash back and I just want you to get to the point. I don’t need to go back every other chapter.
And in the other chapters home girl was just getting her ass beat.
I can’t recommend this book.
November 9, 2020
WOW!!! I'm not sure I have the words to express how much I loved this!! I love a dark book and this did it for me totally! LOVE IT!!
This is a truly dark and gripping, emotional book, it pulled so many different emotions from me towards the end I was reading with tears...
This is a new author to me and I loved her style of writing so much the way she wrote this using the past and present throughout just seamlessly flowed into a really enjoyable read. Definitely one of the best dark reads I have read and there is more to come!
I definitely want to read more from this author, and I have to say if you like dark reads you are going to LOVE THIS!!
I really wanted to write a review that does justice to this awesome book, but don't take my word for it, read it for yourself...
I can't recommend this book enough!! .
This is a truly dark and gripping, emotional book, it pulled so many different emotions from me towards the end I was reading with tears...
This is a new author to me and I loved her style of writing so much the way she wrote this using the past and present throughout just seamlessly flowed into a really enjoyable read. Definitely one of the best dark reads I have read and there is more to come!
I definitely want to read more from this author, and I have to say if you like dark reads you are going to LOVE THIS!!
I really wanted to write a review that does justice to this awesome book, but don't take my word for it, read it for yourself...
I can't recommend this book enough!! .
November 27, 2021
This is a mafia romance, but boy will it make you sob? absolutely. I am crying like a baby at the moment.
First of all the writing was absolutely amazing. I loved the fact that the author put a lot of details in the lives of the main characters instead of just being centered around each other of loving each other. We got to see what they do other than loving the other person. Dark and filled with triggers? yes, but that is what made me cry more and read in one sitting.
I loved the ache, the heartbreaks, and definitely loved getting my hopes shattered in the end ( nope not sarcasm :) ).
Trust me when I say I got a headache from sobbing. Just when I thought I was done crying..... The epilogueeeee. It trashed me, literally.
A great heartwrenching story. Loved the romance. Definitely read it but at your own risk.
First of all the writing was absolutely amazing. I loved the fact that the author put a lot of details in the lives of the main characters instead of just being centered around each other of loving each other. We got to see what they do other than loving the other person. Dark and filled with triggers? yes, but that is what made me cry more and read in one sitting.
I loved the ache, the heartbreaks, and definitely loved getting my hopes shattered in the end ( nope not sarcasm :) ).
Trust me when I say I got a headache from sobbing. Just when I thought I was done crying..... The epilogueeeee. It trashed me, literally.
A great heartwrenching story. Loved the romance. Definitely read it but at your own risk.
August 11, 2020
4.5 stars
“I will always be in love with you, angel. Cross my heart.”
This book will take your heart out and rip it to pieces. At first I thought there was too much past and present at the beginning of the story but It all enhanced the emotions you feel while reading this story.
It takes a lot for me to get truly emotional and cry but this book hit me on a level that amazed me. You can see the amount of love and work this author has put into this story and understanding how to connect on a deep level with readers.
This is a must read and I hope you all love it as much as I did!
*This story contains very dark themes that could trigger some readers.*
**Received and ARC for an honest review**
“I will always be in love with you, angel. Cross my heart.”
This book will take your heart out and rip it to pieces. At first I thought there was too much past and present at the beginning of the story but It all enhanced the emotions you feel while reading this story.
It takes a lot for me to get truly emotional and cry but this book hit me on a level that amazed me. You can see the amount of love and work this author has put into this story and understanding how to connect on a deep level with readers.
This is a must read and I hope you all love it as much as I did!
*This story contains very dark themes that could trigger some readers.*
**Received and ARC for an honest review**
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