I was not a fan of this book for most of its parts. I didn't like that Bree was sleeping with another man for over a little of the 1/3rd of the book and that Dario was married since I am not into cheating. This book's role is mostly to establish the couple and the main players in the game. I even managed to get a favorite character, Gwen, and I was very interested in her story until the end of this book came. No spoilers here, since the ending is a cliffhanger and it will ruin your reading experience. More on that in my review of the second book. Things are not looking good for anyone and I wonder what will happen in the second book. I have a couple of theories that unfortunately am not allowed to discuss here.

The story is mostly told from Bree and Dario's point of view and a little bit from a dangerous woman's point of view. I want to see what will happen to her when it's time to do face the consequences of what she had done. Also, is it weird that I expect most of the people in this book to not be good and have some evil plan? For someone who thinks that she wasn't so into this book I sure as heck came up with many different scenarios of what's to come.

I would recommend the book with a little hesitation.

What a book, what an ending!!

Guys, the ending is OMG – what a twist and WOW I can’t believe she did that!!!!

I thought I knew early on what was going on. Yeah, was I WRONG!!! Honestly I shouldn’t have doubted Alessandra Torre. After Black Lies, I better believe she can write one hell of a book, with an epic cliffhanger that had me gasping for breath.

From the very beginning, after reading the blurb I knew I would love this book. Hello!!!!!! Vegas, casinos, rich dudes, and a casino owner and a waitress – YES!!! That’s my kind of jam.

The couple fell definitely into the category of insta LUST – but it was very well done. On top of that the backstory was complex, emotional and gripping. Like I said, I was hanging on every word. Predicting the ending WRONGLY just delivered an even bigger WOW effect. Even Money had the best OMG ending I read in a long time.

Besides this AMAZING ENDING 😀 the couple had fantastic chemistry and their sexual attraction literally sizzled, and had me all hot and bothered. In typical AT fashion, the author spun a tale as fascinating as it was entertaining. She had me rooting for both sides, deeply sympathizing and hoping for a happy ending for everyone. The connection between the couple was STRONG, genuine, and even though it was fast and explosive, it fit the storyline.

The entire book was a fast read. I devoured this quick and deliciously sexy read and now I’m WAITING!!!!!!
W A I T I N G !!!!!!!!
Good thing – book two is being released this month. Otherwise I would be knocking on someone’s door!!!

Alessandra Torre has always managed to grab her readers in every story. Whether it’s a heart pounding cliff hanger, a corrupted plot twist, or just a heartbreaking love story, she gets your attention every time. Even though this story didn’t manage to wow me like her others, you can never take away the fact that her words and her style, has us coming back for more.

Belle Hartley practically seen it all in her time in Vegas. From gambling, to drugs, sex and money, there’s nothing or no one in this town that could shock her. At least that what she thinks until she meets the infamous Dario Capece. When your world has been nothing more than forbidden, what’s a little bit more danger?



Dario Capece is the king of Vegas and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Money, status, women, and one of the most biggest personal contracts that has catapulted him into legendary history. Life as he knows it right now is more than good but who would want that when you can have extraordinary? Its going to take one cocktail waitress to turn his life upside down for better or worse. How far is Dario willing to go to be with a woman like Belle?

I initially loved the premise of the story and if I’m being honest, I fell in love with Dario’s character. He had this allure about him that made you want to be in his presence at all times and there was this underlying danger about him. I really liked his character and I think that if we were shown a little bit more of his dark side, I would’ve in love even more.

Aside from the fact that I couldn’t really connect with Belle and I guessed the plot twist towards the end, I’m still anxious to see what’s going to happen in part 2. Will Dario and Belle survive these dramatic turn of events? Or will there be a new key player in the game?

Even Money
By: Alexandra Torre

📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

Absolutely captivating!!!

Well let me start by saying I have become a huge fan of this author. She writes with so much intensity and emotion pulled from each book it’s felt page after page. Some of quick witted story lines are so perfect and lets you believe you have a front row seat. So being able to read this love story didn’t disappoint. The authors ability to have two separate individuals struggling in their everyday life and try to navigate someone else’s thoughts, needs and desires was intense and gives all the fills.

This riveting story instantly hooked me and kept me flipping pages long into the night. The emotionally intense plot and the intriguing characters kept me on my toes. Even Money is the story of a forbidden passion that transcends logic and self-preservation. It delves deep into the world of raw emotions, obsession and unrestricted love.

Dario Capece is a Vegas legend. Owner of several casinos, he is a powerful businessman surrounded by an aura of mystery and danger. On the surface, he is a man who has everything he could wish for. He is a complex yet endearing character.

Bell is a cocktail waitress in Vegas. Her job has got her out of her trailer park and she has enough money to study in college.

When Bell captures Dario’s attention, forbidden feelings begin to emerge. Dario is ruthless and addicted to power. His stalking behavior is disturbing Bell. But his intentions are genuine and heartfelt. His love for her erodes his self-control and his boundaries, he is willing to risk everything for her.

I really enjoyed this book and it kept me engrossed throughout. I really loved the characters and the way they interacted with each other. This is a fun, hot, romantic must read book and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV my personal favorite this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know your 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and intense.

Thanks Netgally for letting me read and review.📚💕

Okay, before you even start reading this book there are two things you should know. First, you may want to hold off until a weekend because you will not want to put this down. Secondly, it is part of a duet and does have a freaking heart pounding cliff hanger so if you are not a fan of those then you have been warned.

As soon as I began to read this book I had a feeling it was gonna be good, it was a given that it would be amazing just because Alessandra writes incredible stories but it was the characters that really pulled me in.

The story is set in Las Vegas, the city of sin. Bell works as a waitress at a small casino owned by her close friends. She is a student by day and has a pretty good life. She has been through some serious shit but come through the other side relatively unscathed. Apart from her need for no strings sex only and definitely no dating, relationships and never love.

Dario first lays eyes on Bell when he walks into the casino she works at. Their eyes meet and the connection is something he cannot stop thinking about. It was only several seconds and he meets many people on any given day but for some reason Bell is someone he cannot forget. He wants to know more about this beautiful woman.

When Dario starts showing an interest in Bell she is initially very skeptical but there is this ridiculous pull between them. She knows he is married so a no strings thing could be on the table there but she also knows how powerful he is in Vegas. Then there is his father in law who is an extremely dangerous man and that in itself is a reason to stay away from him.

‘I had to remember our differences. I was nobody and he was somebody. I was single and he was married. I was too young and naïve, and he was too old and…’

Bell finds herself giving into the pull that is Dario and in doing so unknowingly puts herself in potential danger. There is always someone watching and despite Dario & Gwen being able to hide some things from her father, not everything goes by unnoticed. Dario finds himself taking risks and doing things he never has before. His marriage to Gwen is solid but lately it feels like the ground is shaking and it all began will the moment he met Bell.

This was a thrilling, sexy, intense, fast paced, danger laced read. At the end I was left feeling shocked and incredibly sad. Now I just need to see what the heck is going to happen because the outfall is going to have serious consequences on everyone.

‘He was too everything – a black hole that could suck me in without even feeling the crush of my soul.’

Firstly, gah! This book made me want to go back to Vegas!!

Bright light city gonna set my soul, gonna set my soul - or at least Bell's soul - on fire!

I was hooked on Even Money from the minute I started reading. I adored Bell, liked that she didn't just throw herself at a rich guy just because she could. She makes Dario fight for every morsel of her time, and I love her for that.

Dario - oh my goodness I want that man's... goodness! He has upped the ante on what I want in my BBFs.

As this is a duet, I knew that there would be a cliffy of some kind, however Ms Torre has upped the stakes with this one, and my jaw hit the floor as I hit the last page.

It is only a few weeks until we get the conclusion to this story, and I for one cannot wait.

4.5 stars!

Bell works as a waitress at The House, a Vegas gambling establishment run by two of her best friends. She is in control of her life, enjoys working with her friends, and is happy with her casual relationships. Then, in walks Dario Capece, the owner of several casinos and well known around Vegas. There is an instant spark between Bell and Dario, something about him affecting her completely, and we can instantly tell that she has caught his eye as well. There is an all-consuming pull that won’t let go no matter how hard they fight it.

"I knew that our connection wasn’t normal. It was two planets colliding. Explosions. A black hole that pulled you in, regardless of the danger."

Bell is strong, driven, and knows what she wants. Her past broke my heart and I understood how it shaped the person she became. Her connection with Dario is so different than anything she has felt before because she has always kept things purely physical. However, as Dario starts to make his way into her heart, I felt her confusion as well as her intense desire and I understood her conflicted emotions.

"I could already tell that—with him—my emotions wouldn’t behave. A physical relationship between us might take my cold and lifeless heart and actually cause it to beat. To hum. To swell with blood and emotion. To hurt."

I was a bit unsure of Dario in the beginning but he proved himself as the story unfolded. I loved seeing how big his heart is and the reasons he acts the way he does. He’s a great guy who is willing to fight to keep the people he cares about safe. I loved that Bell took him by surprise and he’s not quite sure why she has invaded his mind and heart. Everything Dario has fought for is at risk and I felt his turmoil as he realized that Bell was more than just another woman.

"Ten thousand cocktail waitresses in this town and he had to meet the one that might break him."

I believed the attraction between Bell and Dario. They have amazing chemistry, the sexual tension is off the charts, and the sexy time is smoking hot. Even their first kiss kicked my heart beat up a notch as I got lost in the moment along with them.

"It was a soft kiss that asked permission. My hands weakened against his suit, and I gave up with the second kiss, one that brushed more firmly across my lips, opening my mouth. In the third kiss, he owned me, the contact deepening, a delicate play between two mouths born for each other, one where arousal flared, breaths quickened, and our hands tightened and traveled, first needy, then frantic. It was a kiss that seduced, then branded. A kiss where he gave as much as he took, and I lost as much as I gained."

I loved how this story was written in different point of views. We get to see what’s going on in Bell and Dario’s minds and their true feelings which made me like them even more. I also enjoyed that we don’t just get Bell and Dario’s POV. There are other key players who add danger and suspense to the mix and I loved it!

Overall, Even Money is a fast-paced, entertaining, romantic suspense that keeps you on your toes while sending your heart soaring. And with jaw dropping plot twists and an ending that leaves you desperate for more, Double Down, the second book in the All In Duet, cannot come soon enough.

“I can’t love you and not protect you. I can’t love you and not fight for you.”

*ARC generously provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

What I love the most about books from Alessandra is that the story is the focus and the relationship or romance is second. When you read her books it is so much more than a couple falling in love. For me, that is what sets her books apart from others. After reading Even Money I am wondering where this even balance she usually has went. This delivered on the story aspect but the romance was very lite for what I have come to expect from her.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes I did.

Will I read part 2? Yes I will.

Do I recommend this book? Yep I sure do.

I love Dario and I want to find out so much more about him. I really enjoyed Bell and I think we are only at the tip of what is to come from her. The thing that is still lacking for me is where I'm supposed to feel their connection. I didn't feel their spark. I was just getting into them being together and then he is already declaring he loves her. I am hoping that the second book helps fill in these gaps I am feeling.

The ending was on point though. Wow I was not expecting that. I have so many questions that I can not wait to get the answers for.

Even Money is the first book in this Duet. Double Down book 2 will be releasing the end of June. Not much time to save for the new kindle you will need after throwing your old one at the wall with the ending of Even Money!!! Wow…… Can I get a time travel capsule to take be ahead in time…I need Double Down…. Stat!!!

Bell Hartley is living the better life, now that she has moved from her parents’ home. Attending college…enjoying the after-class benefits with her professor 😉 and working as a waitress in a small casino in which she loves.

Dario Capece is the big man in town. Successful Casino owner, Married with an understanding wife. If there is something he wants in town, he gets it. If there are problems in town, he takes care of them. If one of the people he cares for gets hurt, he takes care of it. No problem he can’t handle.

That is until he walks into the casino he is thinking about purchasing. Going through security check entering the casino, his eyes land on her…
Her eyes land on him… There is instant chemistry… They both feel it.

But can this young student/waitress fall for the big guy in town? Can this big guy in town seriously fall for the young lady? Sounds simple, right???
If a wedding band doesn’t stop these two, there is someone else who will!!

Eeep! I need book 2…..

Gah... y’all Even Money is a MUST read! I’ll admit that I got on the Alessandra Torre train late in the game but since The Ghostwriter I have been obsessed with her stories. Torre is one of the most versatile authors I have ever read and I read a ton of books every week! It doesn’t matter what the genre is... is Ms. Torre is writing it, it will suck every reader into the world she creates. It’s an incredible gift. Even Money was some of my genres is in! We get this sexy romance (like it’s hot in here sexy!!), there’s some major suspense, which for me, madness has e this book even more captivating.

Bell is perfection! I loved her sass and her spunk. She’s fiercely independent but she’s got these bruises buried just skin deep. She tries hard to hide them. Dario is just what she needs... this strong alpha male with attitude and broody and it was just right! They were a great couple fit and that chemistry and heat level was through the roof!

I’m gonna be honest, Alessandra Torre is one of the authors I turn to. She writes like it just flows out smoothly from a pen. She’s so descriptive and entertaining. This book, while it had that suspense and heat that I love in a romance book it also had a bit of fun with it being in Las Vegas. Hold onto your chips though because you’ll be going for a ride and who know what’ll happen in Vegas?!

I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that... my opinions.

Bell is working as a waitress at the most exclusive private/underground casino in Las Vegas. The House. She makes good money and she's happy with her two bosses. She also goes to school by day and has a purely physical affair with her prof. She doesn't do commitment! Ever since things happened to her when she was only 15, she needs to be in control of those kind of situations.

Enter Dario.

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Ten years ago he married into the city's biggest Vegas casino family. And after working hard and investing very well, he's now the biggest guy in town!

And he's looking into buying or partnering with The House. But Lance and Rick are not interested.

And while Dario is at The House, he sees Bell. It wasn't more than 60 seconds and a few words, but he can't forget her. It's almost an obsession.

But he's married and she doesn't do serious.
What will happen with those two?
And if all their problems weren't already enough ... there's also Dario's mega-psycho father-in-law ...

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description

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Well, that was really amazing!

The first couple of pages I wasn't really sure about things. Not sure if I liked Bell, the situation, the writing. BUT - I really started to love it after a few pages. It's a really amazing story. Lots of sexiness and Las Vegasness and heat and sparks and crime and lies and danger and mystery. And lots of pain and sorrow in both our darling's past.

The only thing I wasn't 100% in love with... Dario is a bit too old for me. Or rather for Bell. He's in his mid to late thirties. BUT you don't really notice it. He has the body of a 25-year-old! ☺

What more can I say?
Amazing Sexy Suspense Las Vegas Love Story- I can't wait to get my hands on book #2 !!

Thank you Alessandra for the opportunity to read Even Money. This book was not for me so I will not be posting an extensive review.

"She was a liability, and he was the king of this town."

Dario Capece was caught between two lands–two women–the one he promised to protect and the one his heart desired. Bell Hartley was just a cocktail waitress that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A connection of eyes across a room changed everything, but was their love worth fighting for?

With its addicting Vegas atmosphere, suspenseful plot, characters that I rooted for no matter how forbidden they were together, steamy moments that had my uterus fanning itself, and an enticing writing style, Even Money lured me into its grip and kept me there. I couldn't breathe until the very end, just for the author to make me stop breathing all over again.

Not even the most powerful man in Vegas can afford to get distracted by a cocktail waitress without paying the consequences.

Can't wait for Double Down!!!

“Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.” ~ Phaedrus

Even Money is book #1 of the All In Duet!!

Another captivating story from Author Alessandra Torre! Even money is intriguing, captivating, emotional, steamy and suspenseful. A real page turner at its best!

This sexy story is superbly written, scorching hot, and very intense. Just perfect. Well plotted, with many twist and turns, great and believable characters that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

The addictive storyline made of this an excellent read, which lead to a delicious escapade that end it in a cliffhanger.

Can't wait for Double Down and more of Bell & Dario’s story and their HEA!

I love it when Court reads ahead of me because she gets me all sorts of excited about whatever we're reading and that's exactly what happened with Even Money by Alessandra Torre.


Within minutes of reading I felt like this was old school Alessandra Torre, didn't you, Court?! The setting (out west in Las Vegas), the characters (a powerful older man, a younger woman not yet established, and the push and pull of their attraction), the sense of danger and of something being forbidden? it threw me back to the Innocence Series and I loved every second of it. Even with all the things that brought me back to the debut series of Alessandra Torre, there was so much to this novel that also made it feel different too. The secondary characters--Ian, Gwen, Robert, and Claudia + Lance and Rick--all added interesting plot points and conflicts and that ending?! That ending has me ready for the middle of June! We have many predictions, speculations, and questions that have us very eager to see how in the heck Alessandra Torre will wrap up all the loose ends.


This is one of those novels that you find yourself inhaling within hours (while also trying to slow down your reading pace so that you can draw it out as long as you can); it's one of those novels that you wish had many more books in the series because there just seems like there could be so many plotlines and characters' stories that would be fun to read (we're greedy bitches when it comes to wanting more, more, MORE) but we're just excited to know that Double Down is out soon and will undoubtedly have us entertained and book drunk and hungover by the end of the day.

Be ready to have your mind blown!
As soon as I started reading this book, I wasn't able to put it down.
Dario and Bell's story is one that will captivate you.
Intense, mysterious, suspenseful, your emotions will be high and once you reach the end you will be left in such an amazing book hangover.
I can't wait to find out what will happen next in Book 2.
I have my predictions and can't wait to see if I am right or totally off.
Author Alessandra Torre does it again with leaving readers breathless and having their minds racing into theories of how will it all wrap up.
Go One Click & be ready to take your Highest Bet on love.

So dang good!!! YOU NEED THIS BOOK!

This book sucked me in, dug its claws in, and wouldn’t let me go until I read the last word. This may end up being my favorite duet of the year!

Bell Hartley is a cocktail waitress and college student who is having fun and just going with the flow until one night, Dario Capece walks into her job. I love these two main characters! Bell is head strong, fierce, and independent. She refuses to fall to Dario’s feet and lets him chase her. Dario is true book boyfriend material! He’s sweet, caring, protective, and a total Vegas boss! Their chemistry sparked off the pages right away and their slow burn romance was perfect.

How does it end like that?!?! Such an amazing twist that I never saw coming! I need the second part of this duet right now! The ending was so perfect to set up the second half, Double Down. I’m going to be waiting very impatiently for the rest of Bell and Dario’s story!

If you love a story that has the perfect amounts of suspense, heat, danger, and romance, you have to read this one!

Even money is book one in the All In Duet. It was sexy and suspenseful. The action began on the first page, quickly drawing the reader in and connecting you to the characters. The shroud of mystery covers everything from the beginning but urges the reader to turn the pages quickly to get to the bottom of the secrets lurking around every corner.



This was a steamy thrill ride that had me biting my nails until the very last page. It was a quick read and now I'm waiting on pins and needles for book 2, Double Down, coming later this month.

***4 Stars***

The blurb was the hook, especially the whole “And someone died.” part, and while the blurb is most definitely accurate, this book threw a few things that surprised me, or I guess I should say, the characters surprised me and I thoroughly enjoyed it...even with that ending aka cliffy from hell.

I really liked Bell and Dario. Their pasts are both troubled and dark and yet they’ve both persevered and have become something more than either thought they’d ever be. I loved Bell’s sass, snark and confidence. She does have a few walls up, for good reason, but she’s honest and upfront about it. Dario is all kinds of alpha AF male. Determined, overbearing while being charming and sweet and smexy as all get out. As for their relationship...it’s definitely convoluted and there will be those that just won’t feel it, regardless of that inexplicable pull they have towards each other. For me though, I really enjoyed their dance because they were actually honest about what they wanted and where they stood.

The writing was engaging and so easy to get lost in. The various POV’s were done in an interesting manner, but I didn’t find it difficult to follow. The secondary characters are all quite interesting and there are a few I’d love to know more about, so we’ll have to see what happens in the second book. And as this is a duet, there is a cliffy and dear lord what a cliffy it is. Things are about to get really complicated and I NEED to know how it all plays out.

~ Copy provided by the author via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

This story was full of danger and suspense and twists you won't see coming. I am already dying for the next book. I was also heating up over the steam and chemistry between these characters. There was also emotion an angst enough to satisfy me and I love my angsty romance. This story had a little bit of everything and it was very well balanced. I loved the characters as well and I would love to learn more about them even after reading this book. I can't wait to see where Alessandra is going to take us with this story.