{Book Review} Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower

Ignazio Vitale is not a good man.

I suspect it, the first time I see him, sense the air of danger that surrounds the man. He has a way of commanding attention, of taking control, of knowing what I'm thinking before I even do.

It's alarming and alluring. It's dark and deadly. It's everything I've ever wanted but the last thing I truly need. Obsession.

It doesn't take him long to draw me into his web, charming me into his bed and trapping me in his life, a life I know nothing about until it's too late. He has secrets, secrets I can't fathom, secrets that make it so I can't walk away, no matter how much I beg him to let me go. I see it sometimes in his eyes, a darkness that's both terrifying and thrilling. He's a monster, wrapped up in a pretty package, and what I find when I unmask him changes everything.

I want to hate him.

Sometimes, I do.

But it doesn't stop me from loving him, too.

4 "What a Ride!" Stars!

This book has been on my TBR for ages, and when I found it on Audible, I knew I had to dive right in. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this one!

The prologue gives you a snippet of about 70-80% into the story, not enough to spoil anything (at least, nothing more than the synopsis gives), but enough to pique curiosity. I'm not normally a big fan of that kind of intro, but it worked flawlessly with this story. It set me on edge and made it so I wouldn't be lulled into a false sense of security. I never once forgot that Ignazio was not a normal man, never forgot how much darkness was in him, and that added such a layer to the story.

Speaking of Ignazio, I...kinda love him. I'm always a fan of the anti-hero, and boy, was he ever something. Well crafted, dimensional, and intriguing. Smooth and cunning, ruthless when it came down to it, yet oddly tender and romantic. Needless to say, I can't wait to read the second book, which is in his POV.

The heroine, Karissa, is a young college student, a seemingly average girl, and the type of character I don't usually mesh with. I initially brushed her off as the typical naive girl, but as the story went on, I found myself liking her more and more. Is she naive, idealistic, and sheltered? Yes, quite a bit. However... that worked for her here. Despite her initial state, she was smart and enjoyable as the story went on. It was an interesting process to see her eyes open to the world around her, both the good and the bad. 

There were a few times where I found myself thinking "my god, why did you do that?!", but I was quickly reminded of just how young and inexperienced this girl was. With that in mind, my thoughts ended up being sympathetic towards her, and liking her more for making mistakes. I had to remember that Karissa didn't get the prologue I read, and she didn't have that foreshadowing influencing every interaction.

Ignazio and Karissa had fantastic chemistry, despite a big age gap. It was easy to see how their relationship became so all consuming, and that worked well for the story.

My one complaint was that the chapters often ended abruptly, creating jolts in the story and interrupting the flow.

However, the plot kept me riveted and constantly on the edge of my seat. Never a dull moment!

The narrator did a great job, too!

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. :)