Series: Billionaires of Black Castle (Book 6)
Can a pregnant bride heal this tycoon's tormented past?
Russian billionaire Ivan Konstantinov spent decades
struggling with the treachery that almost destroyed him. But when Anastasia
Shepherd, the only woman he's ever loved, suffers a near-fatal injury, he risks
everything -- even exposure to his betrayers -- to save her.
He intends only to heal her then walk away again, but
their explosive passion can't be denied. Then she gives him the ultimate
Christmas gift: she's expecting his child. Will the promise of a holiday
wedding and a perfect future erase the scars of Ivan's past…or will darker
secrets ruin all they hold dear?
This was an intensely emotional book. Ivan is one of
those who was taken as a child and raised by "The Organization" to do
their bidding. Ivan has spent many years struggling to overcome the feelings of
betrayal from his years there. Strangely enough, unlike his "brothers,"
he doesn't look for revenge against them, he just wants to be able to move on.
The book opens as Ivan watches over Anastasia, who is
recovering from an attack that left her brother dead. Ivan and Anastasia have a
history together. Seven years earlier, they were lovers until Ivan disappeared
from her life without a word. Devastated by the loss of the man she loved, she
has devoted herself to the work that she and her brother Alex did together. She
had no idea that Ivan watched over her carefully, and was distraught over
arriving too late to prevent the attack.
It was evident from the opening pages that Ivan still
cared deeply for Anastasia. She is wary around him, knowing that to get close
again risked having her heart destroyed. She has no idea of the terrible secret
that drove him away seven years earlier. I ached for Ivan, who wants nothing
more than to protect Anastasia from anything that could harm her, even himself.
I loved seeing the way he supported her through her recovery at the hospital,
and the actions he took that ensured those responsible paid for what they did. It
didn't take long for Anastasia to realize that her feelings for Ivan had never
died and that she would take the risk of being with him for as long as
possible.
I loved watching the development of their relationship.
Even though to the rest of the world Ivan was a ruthless businessman, around
Anastasia he was kind, caring, sweet, and anxious to do anything to make her
happy. The passion between them was intense, but Ivan kept rigid control over
himself, worried that he would hurt her. I loved watching Anastasia regain her
strength and independence under his care. I ached for her as she felt him
holding back and had to laugh when she finally had enough of his
overprotectiveness. I could also feel her frustration as he resisted every
attempt by her to get to know all of him - especially his past. I hurt for Ivan,
who was caught between his feelings for Anastasia and his unwillingness to hurt
her by telling her everything. He was also afraid that if she knew the full
truth about the things he'd done that she would be disgusted and grow to hate
him. The depth of her love for him made her persistent in her need to know it
all. I cried for them both as she finally succeeded, and he was blown away by
her reaction. Just the act of finally having someone to share those feelings
with enabled Ivan to let go of those feelings of betrayal and ultimately move
past them. But now it was Anastasia who couldn't move past what had been done
to him. I loved watching her confront his betrayers on his behalf, her love for
him craving justice for what he'd been through. I was stunned by the unexpected
twist in the story of his past. The effect on Anastasia was devastating. I
loved the support and understanding from Ivan and how it helped her deal with
what she learned.
I loved the ending, as five brothers and their wives arrived
for Ivan and Anastasia's wedding. I loved seeing all the previous couples
together, happy in their marriages and no longer as profoundly haunted by what
was done to them. I laughed out loud over the argument over who was the
happiest man in existence. The book ended in a cliffhanger about a seventh
brother. This is the last book written by Olivia Gates that I know of, and I am
dying to know if this brother will ever get his story told.
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