3.75 stars--DOUBLE DOWN is the second instalment in Alessandra Torre’s contemporary, adult ALL IN romantic suspense duet focusing on thirty-seven year old, Las Vegas billionaire and multiple casino owner Dario Capece, and twenty-two year old, college student /cocktail waitress Bell Hartley. DOUBLE DOWN should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately following the events and cliff hanger of book one EVEN MONEY.

Told from first person point of view (Bell Hartley), and several third person perspectives including Dario Capece DOUBLE DOWN follows in the aftermath of a tragedy that all but destroys Dario’s life. With Bell in hiding, Dario is forced to face his demons including the man he holds responsible for all that has happened, and possibly more. An ensuing investigation begins to point fingers in only one direction but a direction that could quickly bounce back to our story line hero. The relationship between Bell and Dario takes a backseat as a plan is put into motion to expose the truth, a truth that becomes more volatile with every reveal.

From murdered and missing girls, to a vendetta aimed at destroying them all, DOUBLE DOWN focuses on the take down of a man so corrupt that his remaining family vows vengeance against those perceived to be in the wrong. Just when their lives begin to settle down, the vendetta reaches another crisis point, and Bell becomes fodder for revenge against years of abuse and betrayal.

DOUBLE DOWN is a story of romance and love, and of one man who has found his happily ever after only to have it quickly pulled in the blink of an eye. The investigation and take down are quick; a number of details are behind the scenes and mostly implied; the conflict resolutions are questionable and without much fanfare or exposure. Overall, DOUBLE DOWN is an entertaining and engaging story but the rush to the finish, and open-ended conclusion left me a little unfulfilled. Alessandra Torre’s ALL IN duet is a dramatic and intense series that will captivate your attention until the very end.

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I don't have a clue what just happened!!!!!! Wtf like.

I swear those books took me to a different planet for a few hours.

So without giving anything away I shall dig and try to make sense of my thoughts.

The conclusion to Even Money is nothing short of brilliance. Its not how I thought it would be but it does not disappoint. It takes a special kind of talent to keep the suspense going and the tension raw even when the ball drops and truths are told. The climactic build up sets the pace of the story keeping you on your toes, emotions are high and secrets and lies come to life. As the story unfolds the plot thickens!. Twists and turns around every corner and deceit everywhere. It's exhilarating, frustrating, tantalisingly teasing and so suspenseful.


The characters for the most part are brilliant. I really enjoyed the real rawness and vulnerability they displayed despite being pretty badass it made them more relatable. I feel like they matched perfectly and whilst both having their own shit to deal with made eachother stronger despite the events that led to their HEA. Dario is the big badass vegas king with a sweetness that'll make your ovaries sing. There was a time or two I felt he needed to reassure Bell and he didn't but I mean they can't all be perfect right?. He is pretty damn close though a despite his broken past he wasn't that typical too over bearing alpha ass who goes to far. He had enough dominance for it to be hot yet didn't push his luck with the demands. Bell was a great heroine!. A fiesty little spit fire who didn't take shit lying down and stood her ground when it came to her choices. Again she has a traumatic past but it didn't define her, she was strong and sweet. I loved her for Dario, she had the backbone to stand up to him but also loved him despite his faults and maybe her own fears. She to had moments of insecuritie that irked me a little but over all and considering the circumstances I think she handled herself well and was a pleasure to read.

The chemistry holy hell the sexual tension is out of this world. The build up will have you panting for reprieve. They just fit and made sense. They flowed well together through the story. And despite all that happened came out on top. Definitely a favourite couple of 2018 so far for me.

I won't say it's a perfect story because I do think for me personally the ending was rushed. I feel like I didn't get enough of them together and some issues in the relationship were not clearly resolved which leads me to think there would be problems down the line. I also feel like the "bad persons" conclusion was brushed over a little without answering questions that I felt needed to be known and it also leaves you with more because of what was said by that person after they were caught.
I am not sure if there is another book coming for them but a duet generally means two so I'm guessing not that's why I'm staying that^.

With that being said I did love books and think they are fantastically written. It's a rollercoaster of emotions that suck you in from the first page. I felt everything, connected to the characters and rooted for their happiness. Despite my gripe about the ending I loved it and would recommend and read these stories again!.

I kindly received this ARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

******* Spoiler Warning – Don’t read this review if you have not read Even Money ***********

"Would Dario eventually associate loving me with tragedy?"

Double Down is the conclusion of the All In Duet series. You must read Even Money first. Even Money focused on Dario and Bell’s relationship. How they got to know one another. As they both tried to deal with intense, crazy feelings for each other, otherwise known as love. Even Money left me on the edge of my seat! I was blown away when Gwenn was killed. What will happen to Bell? And Dario’s reaction… I thought, where can all of this lead?

"It was too much to take. The guilt. The insecurity. The jealousy."

Alessandra Torres takes us on a wild and thrilling ride full of suspense and sex! Danger is everywhere. Not everyone can be trusted! Bell and Dario are navigating waters that are new to both of them. Dario never gives up on Bell, even though being in love is new to him.

"It was raw. It was primal. It was punishment and a salve, all at once."

Double Down was absolutely a page turner! The mystery, intrigue and suspense was insane! Add the alpha-male sexiness that is Dario and it is explosive and sexy! The twists and turns kept me guessing.

"I wanted him. I wanted his love. His time. His attention. Nothing else."

Robert Hawk was pure evil! And then, there was the wild card – Claudia. She is a whole other kind of crazy! So focused, almost impossible to stop. Her thinking and reasoning was both evil and genius.  Was it nature or nurture…?

There are still so many possibilities with this duet. There are great secondary characters that I am sure would have amazing stories as well.

DNF @ 45%

I'm really sad that I couldn't push through. The first book was sort of rocky for me also, but the ending was great and I loved the intensity. I didn't wait long to start Double Down, but it still felt like so much of the excitement was missing when picking this one up. It started off good, but then a lot of the issues raised in the first one seemed to resolve themselves so easily in the beginning of the second one. I got really bored. And remove all of the excitement and drama, and I still didn't understand the chemistry and attraction between the main characters. I didn't feel the love at all.

I do have to say, this is a completely odd reaction for me to have to Alessandra Torre. I love her books and I normally think the emotions in her books are very palpable. I think this duet just wasn't meant for me. If you're a Torre fan, go ahead and give it a try, it may just be me.

I LOVED this ending to the All In Duet. It was twisty, raw and gritty. Everything that book one had setup, and took it a million miles beyond my expectations. Dario and Bell had a lot of heartache and growing to do to get where this book ends, but they did it, and when they could have taken easy road and just called it quits, their utter obsession with each other and their love kept them strong and dedicated.

Double Down is one of those heart-racing books that left me breathless at times, had me fearful at others, and made my heart happy. It encompasses ALL of the feels. I will say, as much as I loved this book, the reason for the lack of the fifth star is only because after everything Dario and Bell go through, I wanted a more definitive ending for them. They, in and of themselves in their relationship, are solid in the end. But there is an unresolved issue, that I felt like really needed to be resolved to give them the ending they deserved.

HOWEVER, to combat my own opinion, it was also almost fitting that it wasn't resolved BECAUSE of their journey. I'm just one of those softy readers that desperately needed a happily ever after ending, not a happy for now ending. Even given that information, I LOVED this book, and the duet in its entirety and think it is MORE than well worth the read. It's gripping, and seductive and amazing. Truly this book rounds out a duet that I think most readers would love and devour!

Happy Reading!
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

Double Down had a big job; the first book in this duet, Even Money, was so good that not only did Double Down need to be just as good, it need to tie up all the loose ends. It did, y'all-- it totally lived up to all the hopes I had for it going in. The varying perspectives--Belle, Dario, Claudia, to name a few--put me inside every situation and thought process, and had me anticipating and yet anxiety filled all at the same time; it was perfect. I was so anxious, at points, that I had to put my kindle down but then I was so damn curious, I had to immediately pick it back up to read more. How would all of this be resolved? How would they get to their HEA? Gahhhh. It was intense and also, sweet, romantic and sexy.



Both novels in this duet are impossible to put down. You will devour them and find yourself simultaneously satisfied with how it all ends and still wanting more (to be honest, I can see how there could be one storyline that could be developed at some point in the future and a few characters I'd love to see again) which, to me, is the best thing that can happen when you're reading.

Perfect conclusion for this duet. I loved every second of it. I wanted to keep reading, but I didn't want it to end. This book has suspense, love, lust, action, and it was just hold you by the throat and don't let go amazing. This author really knows how to write a spell binding book.

What a great conclusion. I absolutely loved this duet. It was full of suspense and angst and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire read. I still want to read more about these characters. I could not put this book down. I was completely held in this world by the twists and the sexiness and wondering would happen next. I love Alessandra's work and I am always ready to read what she has in store next.

The best part of Alessandra Torre's new duet is that I didn't have to wait long to read the conclusion.

Double Down starts just after the terrible ending of Even Money. Bell and Dario are both devastated in their own way. For her own safety, Bell will need to leave Las Vegas while Dario figures out a way to protect the woman he has fallen for. Unfortunately, things are not easy when you don't know who can be trusted.

Double Down gives us more insight into Dario's life before marrying Gwen which was something I was craving. We're introduced to a new character, Laurent. Laurent is Dario's friend. Someone he can count on. They have known each other for a while and they have each other's backs.

Double Down is fast-paced, steamy and full of action and suspense. The pages pretty much turned themselves. I was fully involved in the story and I couldn't wait to see where Alessandra Torre was taking us.

I'm hoping we get more books in this world. After all, we have Rick, Lance, Laurent and Bell's roommates which can all get a book of their own.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

I was on pins and needles since I finished Even Money and the highly anticipated conclusion to the All In Duet was definitely worth the wait! It was quite a rollercoaster as a matter of fact!

This story that was well-written, suspenseful, unpredictable and emotionally compelling. It was intense, and it only got more and more intense as the story progressed. Alessandra Torre really delves into the dark romance genre perfectly. What makes Double Down a mesmerizing thrill-ride is the meticulous way in which its plot unravels. This is the type of plot which you don't want specifics before reading because they would be spoilers in a big way. The fear and heat levels rise pretty high and often, the twists and turns are unpredictable and nerve wracking at times!

The story basically kept me on the edge of my seat from page one, holding my breath with just so much anticipation of what was going to happen next. The story flowed really smoothly and I loved reading in dual POV and getting inside each of the main character's heads. In this installment, Dario and Bell’s romance took a backseat to the suspense. I was fully invested and their relationship was really enhanced by the danger and drama. This book keeps you guessing and I still question a few things. Overall, this story has been quite the emotional ride! The author did a great job of tying up all main loose ends and giving me the happily ever after I wanted for Bell and Dario.

3 1/2 stars. I had the same split opinion on this as I did on Even Money. Bell was still annoying to me and Dario was so overbearing. But once again, I HAD to find out what happens. Mostly Claudia drove me. She was my favorite part. I loved how the headings kept changing on her sections. So clever. Too bad Crazy Claudia's thread was left dangling.....

Reviewed on behalf of The Book Boyfriend Addict.

'I was in a horrible mess with a man I couldn’t seem to connect with, but I loved him. And he, somewhere among that cold indifference, loved me.
I had to believe that.'

If you were like me after finishing Even Money, you couldn’t wait to get your hands on this book to see how things played out after the doozy of a cliffhanger we were left with. Thankfully we didn’t have to wait long to get our hands on the conclusion of this story. There won’t be much I can say about this book in order to avoid spoilers so this will be a quick review. Not surprisingly, it picks up right where the first book left off and there’s pretty much not a dull moment from there on out. It was very interesting to see where things went as the story unfolded. I was surprised by how quickly some of the threats were vanquished and equally surprised that a pretty big loose end was left dangling for us to ponder on (I’m thinking this was done intentionally, though). The action and suspense were nonstop and the romance was steamy as ever. There were a few things that I would have liked to of seen play out differently but all in all, I enjoyed the conclusion of this fast-paced, edgy, suspenseful, and sexy duet!

“You’re the only thing holding me together, Bell. Just tell me you won’t give up on me.”

Double Down starts immediately where Even Money ended. And now Bell is in Louisiana, while Dario is trying to clean up the mess left by his diabolical father in law.

I have to admit I didn't think anyone could beat Hawk's diabolical ways, but Claudia takes the cake. She is batshit cray cray.

I did like Dario and Bell together. However, I did quite like Gwen as well even though Dario and Gwen weren't a true marriage, but it was hard to see the consequences that happened after Bell and Dario. However, Alessandra as per usual did a great job conveying the conflict of them being together in the aftermath of everything that happened.

Even though this is a duet there was still a little hanger left with Claudia, which I hope means we will get more from this couple or maybe we can get more from Lance, Rick & Laurent. Maybe the story line can be continued with these characters? Fingers crossed.

My favorite stories are dark romance but if I had to pick a second it would be romantic suspense. It's one of the reasons I love Alessandra's books. She does an amazing job with these stories and read everything she puts out.

This duet was the first time I had to stop and think about what I would rate it, as far as Alessandra's books go. I usually know as soon as the book ends what I want to rate it. The reason I was still on the fence was because I was not 100% sold on their relationship. I never truly felt the connection they said they had. The story was a solid 4 stars. I think if a few things would have been played out more and not glossed over it would have been rated higher for me. If I could have felt more from Dario and Bell I think the glossed over story parts would not have felt as lacking as it did.

I enjoyed these books like I always do from her, but they will not be my favorite from her. If they sound like you would enjoy them I do recommend you read the books. I look forward to what she has coming out next.

When Even Money came to a conclusion, I knew Double Down was going to be something else and I was not disappointed!!

Dario and Bell’s story had me on the edge of my seat and I tell you, I went through every single emotion with this book! I was anxious almost through the entire book waiting to see if this couple would finally get their HEA.

What a great conclusion to the All in Duet. Double Down was full of twists, turns, sexiness and some WTF moments! I just wonder if their story is really over...but it really was a great conclusion!

Double Down - Alessandra Torre

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What an absolutely amazing story.

Bell and Dario are flung into a passionate affair and though Dario’s wife Gwen is ok with Dario’s side action, she can see a change in him. This new woman is different.....she’s changed Dario.

With so many twists and turns to this story, particularly when Claudia makes her presence felt, you can’t help reading on the edge of your seat.

Torture, kidnaping, captive women, a seriously brooding lead character in Dario and a women with strength in Bell, this has been one of the best dark romantic suspense stories I’ve ever read but thankfully no cliff hanger this time.
The combination of Even Money and Double Down have now peaked my interest and I’ll be scoping out more of Alessandra Torre’s work. I’m totally hooked.

Brilliant story, great characters, some seriously twisted and psychotic ones at that but plenty of heat and passion.

Wow! This book was superb, fabulously written and wonderfully addictive. The plot kept my head spinning and every single page had something different happening to boggle my brain.

The story continued straight on from Even Money and just blew my mind. The different points of view from all the main characters were absolutely perfect to keep me up with what was going on and why. What a complicated tangle of deception and evil!

Bell and Dario jumped from one life threatening moment to another. Deliciously devious goings on with Dario's evil father-in-law, Robert Hawk, and his protege, Claudia; they are just superbly evil and I wanted them to suffer a painful death from the first moment I met them.

There is so much to say about this series but I'm going to let you read it. You MUST start with Even Money though. Go ahead! Buy it!

Double Down is the conclusion of the All In Duet by this author so it is definitely not a standalone--you must read Even Money, Book 1, and it's well worth the time. This was an excellent romantic suspense with lots of surprises, twists and turns and steamy sexy moments as well. I liked Dario and Bell in Book #1, but I grew to love them in this book and wanted them to get their HEA. I must say, though, that I'm thinking there will be a Book #3 sometime in the future---just my guess! Excellent romantic suspense duet by this author that I highly recommend.

4 “Love me through the cracks” stars!

Double Down picks up immediately after the ending of Even Money. Bell is in hiding and Dario is trying to bring down the bad guys. It’s exciting, fast-paced, and entertaining, and a good mix of sexy, sweet, swoony, and suspenseful moments.

I was so glad to get more of Bell and Dario in Double Down. Bell is brave and strong throughout the story. She has a backbone and stands up for herself and what she wants. She is independent but also accepts support when she needs it and I loved that she doesn’t push Dario away or hide her feelings.

Dario has means to keep his girl safe and a strong determination to handle the situation. I loved the fact that Bell remained the most important thing in his life and he would do anything for her.

“Anything? That’s a strong word, Dario.
It wasn’t. Anything was a weak word where she was concerned. Anything didn’t begin to cover the enormity of what he would do to protect her…
Everything was a far better word. He’d do everything to protect her and burn down this town if that’s what it took.

Even though they are apart early in the story because of everything that went down, you can feel that their connection is strong as ever. Dario is so sweet when it comes to Bell and I couldn’t help but swoon. And when they come together, they are tender and loving but also super steamy, lighting the pages on fire.

Bell and Dario experience many emotions, all of which were realistic. Feelings of guilt, regret, and pain are almost too overpowering but it’s Bell and Dario’s love that heals their hearts. I loved that there is no question about how they feel and they mean it when they go all in.

I loved that this story is written in multiple POVs, providing insight into what each character is thinking. All of the different players in the game, watch with a specific role, are intriguing and I loved seeing their sides of the story. Then there are the twists that took me by surprise and left me guessing what would come next.

Now that the duet is complete, I can’t help but wonder if there is going to be more. I loved seeing Bell and Dario fight for their HEA but there is definitely unfinished business with other characters. Overall, I really enjoyed the All In Duet and I’d be curious to see how the future plays out and whether or not Bell and Dario will face new surprises as the years go by.

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

***I received an ebook copy from the author at no cost***

Oh my word. Alessandra Torre wrapped this series up perfectly with Double Down.

I have to start by saying I was relieved as all get out when I opened the book. The first one ended with an insane cliffhanger, and I was seriously itching to get started on this book. Double Down is packed with all sorts of action, and romance and suspense, and I loved it. Alessandra kept me guessing throughout the story. I would foolishly believe I had everything all figured out, then things would head off in a completely different direction, and I loved that! I love it when authors keep me guessing about things.

I read this book so fast because I literally couldn't put it down. I craved more and more, I had to know what was coming next. This is a testament to Alessandra's writing abilities, because she had me glued to my kindle like it was a lifeline.

Dario is amazing, just as much so as he was in the first book. And the chemistry between him and Bell is insane. He's so protective of her, and his personal took on a whole new light in this book. He really showed up for Bell and it was amazing to read about. There's so much passion and intensity between these two. The heat is there and the connection is there and Alessandra did a great job of crafting the romance alongside the suspense.

This author is a total genius when it comes to romantic suspense. She knows what she's doing and she does it well. Double Down is fast-paced, filled with twists and turns, and all kinds of hot. You have to read the first book in the series, Even Money, to truly understand the book and be able to follow the story. But, if you're looking for some good suspense with a sexy and dark hero, and a fierce, independent female, then this is the series for you.

Five stars to this novel!