Welcome to the Dark Side (Fallen Men, #2)

by Giana Darling

• ISBN10: 0995065098
• ISBN13: 9780995065093
• Publish Date: 17 December 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Giana Darling
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[Caitiebelle]

'The Fallen'...what an epic name for an MC. 'Welcome to the Darkside' is the first book I have ever read by this author and it was recommended to me. I have to say as a lover of MC romances, this one blew me away. I could not for the life of me put it down!

It had everything I love: The dirty talk, the dialect, the darkness, 1% life, a love story that was heartbreakingly beautiful - and so much more.

This book had me laughing happily at some of the antics in there, but it was also unbearably sad in places that had me using up all the tissues.

It was a beautiful book, well written, and easy flowing. The characters were well thought out and the main characters' story arcs were beautiful.

This book expands years because it starts out when Loulou is only seven years old and Zeus is a grown man of 26. But before you think this is some disgusting book: No, he doesn't think about her that way. This is not a case of a grown man falling in love with a child, so put down your pitchforks! :)

"Violence was second-nature to me. Greed was an instinct I didn’t care to curb. Lawlessness was my code and brotherhood was my anthem. I didn’t believe in rules ’cept the ones I decided to make for others."

Loulou and Zeus' story has a violent beginning, and while in prison Loulou starts writing to him and they become pen pals for the years he is incarcerated. These letters are beautiful and show a bond. Zeus has taken little Lou under his wing and in a world where she's very neglected by her own parents he helps her in many ways by being someone she can talk to about everything.

Their letters are innocent (even if Zeus' biker language is maybe a little inappropriate for a young child haha) and never does Zeus want anything more. Quite the contrary he tries to break it off when he reads that Loulou in her young teen years is having feelings for him that are bordering on romantic. He stops writing and ends their contact and doesn't see her for a long time.

And the next time he sees her, she's quite grown up, even if she's only 17. And that is when their love story begins...

I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to read more of them. It was clear that Zeu's son had a book, and I just spotted that he was book 1, so I'll have to read that one next. :)
But they can all be read as stand-alone books in this series.

Zeus and Loulou's book hit me in the heart and I can honestly say it's one of the best MC books I've ever read.

Here's to her Guardian Monster and his Little Warrior.

[Eve1972]

 
 
~WRITING - PLOT - PACE~
WOWZA...so color me impressed by this book. It was very, very good. I knew just from reading the synopsis, and the fact that this had quite an age difference (19 years), that it was a pretty sure bet I would end up at the very least LIKING it. So I was pleasantly surprised by how much I DID end up enjoying it. It was close to being a 5-Star book. The writing was fantastic. I quite liked the back-and-forth letter writing style of the first part. It is told through dual POVs. I LOVED that it was set in Canada (my home country). The pace was OK --- this is where I had most of my issues and why I went with 4-Stars instead of 5. For ME it was just a tad too long (it took me close to six hours to finish this one). Which made parts of the story drag a little. I think the author could have tightened the story up a bit and that would have improved the overall pace. That said, the plot was still very engaging, and heartbreaking. Oh my god...SO heartbreaking at one point I actually yelled "NO" out loud to my tablet (lol). Why Miz Darling? Why you have to go and do me that way...why?? Last, it was all wrapped up in a very sweet three years later epilogue.


~HERO~
ZEUS...I loved Zeus. Then I thought he was a bit of an a$$hole. Then I loved him again. He was 36 years old. He was smokin' hot. He was alpha. He was sweet. He was bada$$. He was an excellent leader. He was a good Dad. His love for Lou made my heart burst. He was a perfect monster guardian angel.


~HEROINE~
LOUISE...Lou was a great heroine. She was 17 years old. A virgin --- I could have done without that...BUT, she did have some sexual experiences (just not intercourse), so the fact she was a virgin didn't bother as much as it usually would have. She was a fighter. She was feisty. She was sweet. She loved her monster guardian from the minute she ran to him at age 7. I liked her character a lot.


 

~SECONDARY CHARACTERS~
This book was packed with excellent secondary characters. King and Cress from book one. Zeus's daughter H.R (who my spidey scenes are telling me is going to be paired with a certain cop). Reese, Lou's boyfriend, who I actually thought was a really nice guy. Bea, Lou's sister. Lou's parents. A nice cast of baddies, and of course, a bunch of Zeus's MC brothers. Every single one of them added something extra to this story.


~HEAT LEVEL~
Medium. This was actually a pretty slow burn book (IMO). I am pretty sure it is after 50% before they even kiss. That said, when we do get to the sexy times they are suitably hot, and the frequency felt organic to the story. One thing I DID find a tiny bit disappointing, is I thought this was going to be a little more kinky in terms of DD/lg play, but other than Lou calling Zeus "Daddy" a couple times in fun, and Zeus calling Lou "little girl", there really wasn't any kink to be found.


~ANGST LEVEL - SEXUAL HISTORIES~
High. This was a pretty angsty read. Lou's sickness. The MC troubles. The circumstances surrounding the way these two meet at first are quite traumatic.  Then when they meet up again Zeus is a bit of an a$$hole and tries to push Lou away. Once he gets his head out of his a$$ it is pretty smooth sailing relationship wise. I think Zeus was a manwhore, but his past is only briefly touched upon. Like I mentioned above, Lou was a virgin, but she kissed and did oral with her boyfriend (Reece). There was a smidge of OW drama. Zeus lets a stripper rub up against him and he makes out with her briefly. He makes sure Lou sees this and winks her way. It was kind of an a$$hole move, but it didn't bother me too much. There really wasn't any OM drama other than Lou is still technically with Reece when she gets sexual with Zeus, but Reece and she were just casual. 


~IN THE END~
It was super super good. So much so, I ALMOST want to read book one and I HATE the whole older woman/younger man thing. I will for sure be keeping my eyes peeled for the next book (which I kind of hope is H.R and the cop). Like I said, the writing was great. The plot engaging. The characters likable. The sex hot. What more can you ask for? Therefore yours truly is going to give this one two solid thumbs up.