Twisty, dysfunctional, insanely seductive. THOSE are the words that are left in my mind while I'm still reeling from the end of this book. Even Money is all kinds of dark and wonderful. Bell, the heroine, is ballsy, but she'd needed to be to get through her past. Even with her tough exterior, under Dario's gaze and hands, she can be this softer person who needs the affection he's dying to give her. On the other hand Dario is equally damaged, but meeting Bell wasn't supposed to be in the cards for him. He had his future mapped out. But the intense connection these two share cannot be denied from the minute their eyes meet.



Despite their relationship being amazingly seductive and entrancing to watch, they could have never anticipated the horrors that were waiting for them. They both thought those dark times of their lives were over, but little did they know their inherent passion angers the worst person possible.



At times I had extremely mixed feelings with this book. I wanted Bell and Dario together SO. FREAKING. BAD. But the behind the scenes moments chilled me down the the bones. And the ending... well it just about broke my heart. It was everything no one good in this book deserved, but a cliffhanger like this is why I have to remind myself I love Alessandra Torre's books and she hasn't let me down before, and I know she won't this time either. I need Dario and Bell's conclusion story like I need a good night's sleep (desperately). Luckily we don't have to wait that long, but how I'm feeling right now about the state of affairs in Bell and Dario's world, I'm sure it will feel like an eternity. If you're looking for a gritty, heart-aching book, with breathtaking seduction, and characters that you will be obsessed with, look no further. Just be prepared to be wholly consumed by this story.

O.M.G!!!

This book has it all. A stubborn, strong willed woman who wants her independence and a man who will not stop to have this woman... despite everything that is going on his personal life.

Holy crap on a cracker.... this book was hot, sexy, sweet, endearing, angsty, filled with secrets, pain and a shocking ending that I'm just floored about and can't wait for more...... like now!!!!!

This is another well written book by this Author. You never know what you're getting with her.... and damn this book was incredible and just one that I would highly recommend...... despite that holy crap of a cliffy ending!!!!

5 stars!!!!

Recv'd a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!!!

4.5 Gambling CROWNS

With Even Money, Alessandra Torre takes readers into the dark and dangerous world of Sin City, where Dario and Bell have more at stake than just money. Their story is seductive and dangerous, a love that they can’t resist and yet might destroy them both.

Dario and Belle have instant attraction, and while readers learn a lot about their respective pasts, readers don’t get much about who they really are in the present. Dario is the ruling king of Vegas, willing to control with an iron fist. Bell is a sexually free woman only afraid of emotion. What we learn about them is tied to each other I didn’t really feel an emotional attachment to them as individuals. I felt as thought there is so much about them I didn’t really know, and maybe that will change in Double Down. As a couple, though, these two ooze chemistry; they are electric together. Even when they are sharing stolen glances, readers can feel it. Their coupledom and sexual chemistry carries the story.

Now, I’ve been waiting for a good suspenseful romance, and Alessandra Torre delivers it with the third person point of view, allowing readers to get inside the heads of all the important players. We get to see the characters who pose a threat to Dario and Bell, and we get to see how their relationship threatens to blow up everything Dario has built. With each looking into these characters’ heads, the impending threat heightens the tension, and when it all comes to a head, the ending will have you gaping at your screen. I am left contemplating where the story is going and how the characters truly feel. I certainly can’t wait to see how it all plays out in the end.

Seduction. Danger. Murder. Lust. Love. Alessandra Torre weaves all of these topics together in a romance that will enthrall you from the very first page and leave readers dying for more.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review

When you pick up a book by Alessandra Torre, you know what you get. Characters who live their lives by their rules, not caring what others might think. Even Money is not different. Bell and Dario appear to be a certain way, but there’s so much more to them then meets the eye. I need to know what happens next… Like now!

“A kiss that seduced, then branded. A kiss where he gave as much as he took, and I lost as much as I gained.”

Bell is a Las Vegas cocktail waitress / student who likes her relationships with men casual. She likes sex, but a real relationship isn’t in the cards for her. Her past taught her one thing, in her present she’s the one in control, calling the shots. When she meets Las Vegas legend Dario, Bell feels an instant pull, but she refuses to give in; to give into her feelings and to give into the man himself. But not all is what it seems, and she and Dario hit it off.

“One look and she’d had some sort of a hold on him. One conversation, a few lines about drinks and business, and he was obsessed.”

Like a lot of other characters by this author, Bell and Dario act and think a lot different than I do. Once you get to know them better however, it all makes sense. Both are shaped by their past, both are doing what’s necessary to survive. Bell by keeping people at a distance, Dario by doing what he does. Under her cool persona Bell is really a sweet girl who wants to be loved, but she’s afraid to give in, afraid what it will do to her. Dario is a dark, charismatic man who knows exactly what he wants, even when it can destroy everything. I love the two of them together.

Even Money is the first part of the ‘All In Duet’ and sets up the story of Bell and Dario. It’s told from a double POV, with Bell’s one in first-person and Dario’s POV in third person. Because of this you get to know Bell, but Dario remains an enigma. Does the book end in a cliffhanger? Yes, it does, but luckily the wait for Double Down isn’t that long. I can’t wait for the second book. Not that I have any doubt about Dario and Bell, but there are things going on they can’t control.

“I couldn’t stay away from him. I tried. And you know me. I fought against feeling for him with every ounce in my being, but it still happened.”

4.5 stars

4.5 Stars!!!

“If you walk away, I’ll spend the next few decades fighting to forget you.”

Ahhh, I loved this. You can never go wrong with an Alessandra Torre book! Never! This was such classic Alessandra. Sexy, intriguing, hot, mysterious and dangerous. It will keep you in your toes and definitely guessing. And when you think you have it all figured out, nope, you're wrong.

I loved the entire Vegas set-up, Alessandra is just great at storytelling. I also loved the kick ass heroine and the super hot but bad boy hero Dario. This story will keep you on your toes and guessing the entire time, which I loved.

I don't want to spoil anything, or go into details, but there are various twists and turns in this story, which are the perfect set-up for the next book, which is the conclusion of the story. I completely recommend you go in blind, because that way you'll enjoy the story more. I do have to warn you that this ends in a big cliffy. Like, oh crap, I didn't see that one coming cliffy, ok. But no worries, the next book is right around the corner. I absolutely recommend this one!

I love this book. The writing (as always) is phenomenal. It's sexy and dark and daring, a story like no other I've read before. Dario's unrelenting pursuit of Bell is both romantic and borderline stalkerish, but their chemistry is undeniable. This exciting, sexy, fast-paced book will have you on the edge of your seat from page 1 to the "WTF just happened" end.

Intense, twisted and sensual, this is book 1 of this “must read” series!!
Sin City Las Vegas plays hostess to this captivating and seductive read. She never reveals her secrets and neither will I as I review this book!
Cocktail waitress and student Bell thinks she has it all in order after a horrible past. Just when she thinks she has everything under control she meets Dario Capece. Hot, dangerous and full of mystery. She’s warned to stay away! That only fuels her curiosity!!
Their chemistry was instant!
Is it lust?
Is it attraction?
Or...is it pursuing that which you cannot have??
The stakes are high and dangerous with this hot pursuit!
This fast paced suspenseful read, captures your full attention from beginning to end as their unconventional and unpredictable situation unfolds.
The author flawlessly writes a captivating, sensual and dangerous story slowly revealing what happens when you mix the pleasures of real Casino life.
Neither one of them was prepared for their past and present to collide!
I both loved and hated Belle and Dario’s characters, and I was frustrated with some of the things that happened that seemed contradictory.
However, the plots twists, the build up and the motherload of cliffhangers left me with my jaw hangin and I cannot wait for book 2!!
4.5 stars!

This is my second time to receive an ARC from the Alessandra Torre, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to review for her, specially this book!

I'm pretty sure ya'll heard that this book is all kinds of amazing aaaaand it really freaking is! Oh man! I was hooked from beginning to end! This book is definitely something else.

When I got to the last chapter, I was like, OMG, what the fudge?? Why? WHY??? Waaaah! The suspense was killing me!

It's not your conventional love triangle... and definitely not your conventional contemporary romance. It's a steamy, psychological-thriller, suspense lovestory!

You don't wanna pass this book up! It's swoony and exhilarating all rolled into one... It's like a lighter version of Twin Peaks, or something...

For those fans of JM Darhower, Pepper Winters and Belle Aurora, and if you love adventure and suspense, this book is the one to pick up next!

4.5 Sizzling Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

WOW what an ending! The ending of this book bumped it up a half star for me, wild! And now all I have to say is... is it June 18 yet? Alessandra Torre I don’t know if I should love you or hate you for this? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?

Bell is a student by day and a cocktail waitress by night...Dario is a casino owner, the king of Vegas, trapped in a very unconventional marriage... both these characters have a complicated past, but when they meet it is Insta lust that rapidly turns into insta love.... I know Insta love not everybody’s favorite, but it was done well in this book... also it’s funny how you forgive some things in a book... Dario did some pretty stalkerish things that I would find quitecreepy in real life, but for whatever reason they did not bother me in this book.... also whether or not he is cheating on his wife it’s kind of a gray area....

This book really did leave me reeling! What is next? There is just so many directions this book can go in... will justice be done? Will all their secrets be revealed? Will Bell and Dario find a happy ending? It’s Vegas baby! So anything can happen!

Absolutely recommend to fans of a darker spicier read, set in the city of sin...

*** many thanks to Alessandra Torre for my copy of this book ***

This is the first novel that I've read by Alessandra Torre and what a great one to start with! Even Money is book one in the All In Duet and it was a captivating page-turner.

Dario and Bell have an instant connection. The relationship between them is complicated, but the pull between them can't be ignored, and their chemistry is off the charts. I thought they were equally compelling together and as individuals. Intriguing characters with complex backstories.

The intensity of the final chapter had me gripping my kindle, nervous for what I knew was in store at the end... a big whopper of a cliffhanger! Believe me, it's one that shocks you and has you instantly craving more of the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed Even Money and I'm eager to read the conclusion to the duet! If you love steamy romance mixed with action and suspense, grab a copy of this one.

I'm always happy with Alessandra Torre's writing. I like her style and All In Duet was the perfect book to read this week!

In All In Duet, we meet the main protagonist, Bell. She works nights as a waitress for an underground casino run by Rick and Lance. She likes them as brothers and since the moment they became friends, they have been there for Bell. They care for her and they protect her. During the day, Bell is taking college classes. She shares an apartment with other girls and she has an ongoing thing with Ian, one of her teachers.

Dario is well known in Las Vegas. People fear him. When Dario catches someone stealing from him, there are dire consequences. His father-in-law is also someone to fear. He married Gwen to save her from him and he has promised her he will protect her from him, always.

Insert fate and one night Bell and Dario connect and both realize they are in trouble. All their best-laid plans go out the window. Bell can't resist Dario and Dario has never met anyone who makes him feel what Bell does to him.

But how can these two be together?

All In Duet is attention-grabbing. As soon as I read the first two pages, I couldn't put it down. It was fast-paced. I enjoyed the format and the execution of it all.

The book does end in a cliffhanger but Double Down is only a couple of weeks away.

Cliffhanger: Yes

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

This story just wasn’t for me. I’ve enjoyed this author’s books in the past, and this one was as well-written as the others - but the main characters were underdeveloped and unlikeable. I knew who I was supposed to root for, but in the end I found myself not caring one way or the other.

I received a free ARC via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

If there is one thing for sure, readers need to take a gamble on Alessandra Torre’s newest release, <b>Even Money.</b> This book was brimming with chemistry and intrigue that will keep all readers entertained. It had it all from heat to suspense that will leave you begging for the next book because Torre completely shocks readers with an ending that they do not see coming.

Received in exchange for a honest review.

Wow just wow. Alessandra’s writing continues to expand and grow. We still have that signature erotic romance that she does so deliciously but we have the element of a romantic suspense-one that has many twists and dark pasts it is hard not to get caught up in the story and be taken up into the surroundings that Bell and Dario are in but also get swept up in their situation and the danger stealing Dario’s heart represents.

When you meet Dario at first he seems so controlling and you get a glimpse as to why he is like this but you also see that he is drawn to Bell. For some reason that he cannot explain Bell is a magnet for him and no matter what he tries he cannot stay away. Bell is the same way, they are like moths to the flame and just are drawn to one another no matter how much they fight it it is inevitable.

Once you get to know Dario, you see a complex man who loves wholly. His marriage to Gwen is complicated and yet lovely. His love and friendship for her runs deep and is tied to their past and his protective nature especially of Gwen herself. They have a open relationship one that is a house of cards that at any moment can fall down if emotions for others come about. These two are so close to being free of some burdens even though the chains of the past are there in different ways. Her and Dario are constantly walking on eggshells as they continue to make their business successful and legit while fearing for their lives at different levels. When Dario finds Bell and falls in love that puts them in a precarious situation.

Bell is feisty, strong and owns her sexual desires and makes no shame about it. She tries hard to stay away from Dario but the feelings and draw between them makes that impossible. The story is mostly in her POV with Dario’s POV in third person. When she learns the truth of Gwen’s and Dario’s situation she didn’t flinch but looked inside her heart for the answer. Bell does have some trigger topics in her past. Ones that changed and shaped who she is now. It also shaped her parents as well.

The story is full of suspense, danger, intrigue and sexual desires coming true for Dario and Gwen. We get some spicey scenes between Dario and Gwen and it shows us their passion for one another. The mystery game changing person really gives you a look into the mind of Mr. Hawke and it truly is scary. He is definitely one to fear and Dario and Gwen have a healthy fear of him.

The ending was jaw dropping. I am not sure I like Dario’s last sentence but based on what is gleamed throughout the book it was necessary. Question is going forward what happens. Will this hurt Dario and Bell’s love and relationship? the danger for them sky rockets now as well. So much danger is still in the air and being increased by the end. Can’t wait for the conclusion to see how their relationship holds out and if they stay alive but also what happens to the mystery lady who set the lies of Dario and Bell’s in motion at the end.

It pains me to write this, but this book was not a home run for me. Mrs. Torre has written amazing books and most of them are 5 Star reads. Even Moneys main characters (to me) weren’t developed enough and then instantly in love, lots of drama...This storyline reminded me a bit of Hidden Seams, by the same author and I went into it not knowing it would end in a cliffhanger. I don’t think I will read the second book, even though it comes out in a week.

I received this ebook from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

Oh wow, what a ride this book will take you on. Its a great, hot romance that takes on a dark twist keeping you in suspense throughout. Its definitely a page turner as you anticipate what will happen next.

Dario has a casino empire, he's sexy and ruthless and when he lays eyes on waitress Bell all bets are off where she's concerned he wants her but at what cost to both of them aswell as others around them.

A fantastic read that I just couldn't put down, I'm now waiting in great anticipation for for Double Down to see if Dario and Bell really stand a chance.

What can I say??
This ending... I DID NOT SEE THIS COMING!!!!

The twist, the writing, the characters and the suspense made this book a must read for me.
I need book two because this ending...

Even Money, with its sensual words and smooth characters, screams to be read. Once you turn the first page, you’re hooked and Alessandra Torre keeps you on edge until the final page. This is the first book in a duet series and the second book, Double Down, releases on June 18th, so you don’t have to wait very long for the continuation of Bell and Dario’s exciting love story.

You’ll realize fairly quickly that Alessandra is a master of wordplay and the way she writes has a lyrical quality. It brings to mind the scenes and the characters within the scenes, how they look, how they feel, what they want. It’s spellbinding and just one more reason to love this author’s novels.

Dario is the King of Vegas and should be off limits. He’s bold and brash under silk ties and expensive suits. It’s an interesting juxtaposition to read what he’s feeling versus his actions and just another thing that makes Dario a unique character. Bell is young, closed off, and used to being in control sexually, but what happens when she finally meets Dario? Sparks fly, emotions blossom, and a truly fantastic story unfolds before our eyes.

Alessandra Torre once again shares a story of two people that shouldn’t be together, but can’t be kept apart. I’ll tell you to expect the unexpected as there are a ton of twists in this story. I appreciated the peripheral characters, including Rick and Lance, as they are what give you a little more insight into Bell’s character and why they are so protective of her.

Even Money as a story seems like something that could actually happen in the Vegas world. It’s not far-fetched and has roots in reality. Truly an exciting read and I cannot wait to get my hands on Double Down next week.

Oh my goodness. Another fantastic story from this great author.

Bell and Dario, they are an interesting match. Both come from bad homes, both worked to get themselves out of them.
Gwen is the wife, with the father who is deadly. This makes for a messed up triangle. Add into the mix, Claudia and you have even more screwed up ideas.

But just wait for the last sentence and you will likely cry out for book two now. I know I did.

4.5⭐
This is the first book I've read by Alessandra Torre and honestly, I couldn't of picked a better book to start with. As Even Money not only grabbed me from the start, but it never let go.

As this story had intrigue, suspense, great characters, sizzling chemistry, and a cliffhanger that has left me wishing it was June the 18th already!! Not to mention I really liked how it was written in both the first and the third person.

And so I would happily recommend Even Money to others. Especially if you're a fan of the author, or have read and enjoyed stories such as the White Lies Duet by Lisa Renee Jones