BOOK REVIEW
I truly adored the Buttons and Lace Trilogy soo I couldn’t wait to read Cane’s story!! I had read a lot of negative reviews about the spin off series, soo I was a little tentative to read it and evidently put it off for ages before finally getting too it.
And I have to say…..I wish I hadn’t read all the negative reviews because they truly didn’t depict the books at all.
The Spin Off Series – which follows Cane (Crow’s Brother) as he navigates the Arm’s Dealers Business now that their main competitor Bones is out of the picture. A usual day of work for the Barsetti’s with cruel clients, money laundering and women. Turns into something else, when the mysterious woman he met at the airport turns out to be a slave for a man Cane works with. Soon money isn’t the only thing he’s exchanging for gun powder – in a once of trade to collect a debt, Adelina becomes Cane’s slave for a month, but will he want to give her back by the end of it?
I was surprised and elated to find the next three books are as much a Crow’s books as they are Canes!! This series was so vastly different from Crow & Pearl. But the beautiful thing…that I was not expecting, is that it’s basically the continuation of the original. Buttons & Shame starts off in Pearl’s perspective which was soo beautiful to step back into. Their story just manifests and I completely adored them, even more so I didn’t know was possible. A good 1/3 of the next three books is spent on Crow & Pearl soo if you want more of their dynamic then trust me when I say, the next three books are worth reading.
Cane was always the darker, colder, menacing younger brother. However funnily enough his entire tone was softer than Crow's. Cane is tender, caring and loving without half as many of the Kink’s Crow has…..pun intended. Which I found a little surprising, I was hoping for more of that angsty, brooding Barsetti …. But funnily enough Cane brings none of that to the table (Crow’s perspectives throughout the series though certainly delivers)
I should probably touch on our new leading lady…..it’s funny how I’ve started a review and it’s taken me this long to even get to our new heroine. I will say this is where the second series falls short, Adelina wasn’t my favourite character. She is strong willed and admirable, but I just found her character naïve and frustrating. Adelina and Cane’s banter I enjoyed and their story Arch was intriguing, albeit very vanilla. But there is little that has your undying love for them kicking in!
The next three books have a very different shift in mood – it’s no where near as cruel or foreboding as the first series. It is a bit more mature in the sense both Barsetti brothers are looking for love and seem to have thrown their former sinister natures to the wind (which I’ll be honest I had come to know and love).
The pacing of this series is a lot slower than the first and a lot happens in that time (unbelievably and unnaturally quickly at times) but enjoyable none the less. The end of the first book leaves you standing right on the top of your toes, reaching for more!! Penelope Sky has a way from bending the story in a way that every shock and twist has impact.
Buttons and Blame (Book 5) is spellbinding and agonising. It is Crow & Pearl’s dynamic in this one that had me reeling!! Crow is just as enchanting and bewitching as ever, his domineering nature is in full effect and Pearl just as ready to defy him, but this time, it catches up to them. A vast majority of the second book is between Crow & Pearl which I adored!! Crow is as callus and protective as ever and by the end he has every reason to be…
Cane and Adelina almost too quickly fall into a couple’s routine without a lot of set up, their relationship does feel extremely rushed. It is enjoyable but because it happens soo quickly it felt like you never really got the chance to root for them and delve into their characters. The funny thing about them is Cane is the typical girl and Adelina is guy, in terms of expression of feelings and desire. Adelina is more reserved and unsure whereas Cane is ready to throw caution to the wind.
The end of Buttons and Blame yet again delivers on shock value and when I say this one had be reeling!! I mean nearly jumping out of bed with shock, worry and apprehension! I couldn’t pick up Book 6 fast enough, I was dying to turn the next page.
Buttons and Grace….WOW…what an end to this entire series. The first ¼ of the book I was almost hyperventilating with worry, I thought the ending of Book 3 (Buttons and Pain) was my undoing. I was sorrily mistaken, my true undying love these characters was evident as I grappled for their lives as if they were real!!
The progression of there livelihoods was a little too fast, Crow & Cane went from arms dealers to family men in the blind of a second. Crow I was whole heartedly ready for having read his series, but Cane the menacing men we were initially introduced to, felt like a different character in this triology and I don’t know, it just felt wrong.
Cane and Adelina’s story was a little repetitive and Adelina as a heroine was hard to identify with and adore. It is hard to dictate or speak on Adelina’s behalf when clearly having gone through an extremely traumatic ordeal however, I don’t know how to pin-point it exactly but she just wasn’t engaging and her opinions were frustrating to read.
------SPOILERS AHEAD-----
It was fun having Cane say I Love You and Adelina not say it back. We generally see Woman in that position and the role reversal was exciting to see!! The longing and heartbreak between Cane and Adelina was in full force in the final book.
However, the final moment where they reunite. I found way too quick and unfulfilling!! All of a sudden, Adelina is expressing her feelings without any realisation she ever got there, it was more hatred for her current situation soo she accepted it and latched onto Cane. Then all of a sudden they are happily ever after, which I’m glad they got, but it just felt like they were copying Pearl and Crow!!
Now Back to My Leading Couple Crow and Pearl!! YES YES YES…….this second trilogy of books is the continuation and celebration of everything that is them!! Pearl gets an understanding of Crow’s protective nature and they reach this beautiful understanding of one another.
Then throw in a pregnancy and watching them evolve, it was the happily ever after I desperately wanted and soo elated to recieve!!
I finished the last three books in a matter of days! I literally don’t think I did anything else other than read, sleep, eat repeat……sleep was the one in that equation that I got little off because of it!!
Cane and Adelina’s story I will say didn’t pack as much of a punch as it could have, it was lacking but overall enjoyable to be read!!
It is Crow and Pearl’s ongoing dynamic that back the final installments, the beauty that they are plus the storyline is everchanging and so nail biting you can’t help but enjoy it.
The negative reviews for this series. I find a little unwarranted, the only founding feature they have is the fact YES Adelina’s storyline is not as epic as Pearl’s….Which is why I think it is soo strongly tied and supported by Pearl’s storyline. Adelina is not the only heroine Pearl yet again steals the spotlight.
The series as a whole I would rate 4 stars, the loss of star is for Adelina. Otherwise READ IT if you loved Pearl and Crow as much as I did!! This will be 100% a series I reread in the future!!
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