During your commute: If you take public transportation or have a long commute, you may find it helpful to use that time to read. I honestly do not know what "evil genius mastermind" class Nicci Harris took but I need to book a spot because this series is deceptively clever. The build-up of Cassidy and Max's relationship is a refined agony, honed throughout the previous book and unleashed with a ferocity only Nicci could create. Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Book Sirens and am leaving a review voluntarily. Chapter 10 ~ "I love you Max Butcher," I whisper. "I don't deserve you" –he presses his lips to mine– "Cassidy Slater. I'm keeping you anyway. " ♥︎ There’s a couple of twists, one I saw coming and one I didn’t. And that one ruined me. Like snot dribbling, ugly crying got me. And that friggin’ letter. I WAS A MESS!!!

Bottom Line? Overall, I really liked it. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Max was my flavor of j/p hot, Cassidy was my flavor of sweet. The story was solid. I plan to read the next book. But the unnecessary prison story line and the need for an editor to remove the excess put this at 3.5 stars for me. 😅 We have Cassidy, an 18 year old ballerina who lives, breath, and sleeps dance. But has had a crush on Max Butcher since he saved her brother when they were children. She only finally gets close to him on her 18th birthday due to her friend hanging out with him. So we go on an emotionally roller coaster of what they will lead to or if it will be anything at all. Max totally broke me though: in the best way: his all-consuming love for Cassidy: chapter 34 of Cosa Nostra absolutely destroyed me…and like Cassidy: I love Max Butcher: Menace. You know, a handsome huge gangster is considerate and patient more than you and same time dying from his longing for you and same time boiling for revenge for who did this to you.In true Nicci fashion, she doesn't give you the ending you've been dreaming about and wishing on a star for, oh no, that would be too humane, instead, she serves it up true District style with an intricately woven finale that is equal parts raw, messy complicated and oddly fulfilling.

All the while Nikki has continued with the over arching narrative from the previous books telling a tale of politics, lies, corruption and the Cosa Nostra. Cassidy is an astounding ballerina who is making a name for herself, all while she crushes on Max Butcher from afar. But now she finds she has his attention and she is loving it. But his world is dark and for someone like her it's unsafe. The deeper they fall together, the deeper she dives into his world. Nicci Harris has created something powerfully dark and mesmerizing within the district that is equal parts exciting and disturbing. She shines in crafting novels that toe the line between dark and dangerous, and sweet and sexy, which culminates into a deliciously sinful story of passion, truth, and acceptance.One trope I can’t stand and avoid at all costs is the pregnancy trope. The pregnancy usually takes over the storyline, and the lovers seems to lose themselves and their spark and what makes them “them”, but I pushed through and I’m glad I did. The author made sure the characters stayed true to themselves throughout the whole story, and ya know what? I didn’t mind the pregnancy one bit! In fact, it added to the story in such a good way, and I wouldn’t change a thing! Anyway, onto the story: Clay is 35, newly the head of the local mafia, and the mayor of the District (the fictional Australian city where these books are set). He’s married, but for arranged mafia reasons, he and his wife don’t have a sexual relationship. I actually love this part of the book - since his wife isn’t an evil OW who’s an obstacle to his relationship with the heroine. She wants good things for him and supports it! I want Aurora to live her best lesbian life, and be a mafia queen. The heroine, Fern is 18, grew up in the foster system, and she goes to Clay’s house for help with her pregnancy situation, since she thinks her long lost dad is there. He’s not, and little does Fern know that Clay is pretending to be generous and have her stay with him while he “looks for” her dad, but he’s REALLY planning to use her and her unborn son to lure out her dad to kill him. (The reason relates to events from earlier books…so this would be confusing if you read it as a standalone!) The story-building and writing is sharp with just the right amount of humor to balance out the dastardly setting that is the district. As with her previous book, Nicci Harris focuses strongly on the theme of family. Her depiction of the mafia and the commitments and struggles of those "in" the lifestyle are raw and honest. Max is notorious for just having lots of causal sex with women, he isn’t one to commit. Cassidy is aware of this and she seems more like the relationship type. She hasn’t yet lost her virginity.

But, there was also a lot that I disliked. I have nothing against a pregnancy plot line, but the way it was done here was unpleasant, AND unrealistic.His Pretty Little Burden is the 4th book in the Kids of the District Series by Nicci Harris. It end on a HFN cliffy and Clay and Fawn's story will conclude in the next book. The previous books do not need to be read first, but I would recommend it. The story is told in first person, from dual perspective. This book has a lot of butterfly references, and I think that is the perfect representation of this book. there are spoilers ahead but i feel like the trigger warning is more important than a spoiler warning This one had the slight edge for me on the previous book in the series and this one unlike the first is definitely set firmly in the criminal underbelly. This is Cassidy Slater and Max Butchers story Cassidy is the baby Sister of Konnor and Max is a key player in the district. Her sweet-talking mouth says those dangerous words. Words I didn't know that I craved. She waits for me at night. Accepts the darkness around me.

The story starts off with Cassidy finishing a dance tour and heading home to her 18th birthday party with her gay best friend Toni. There she meets the tall, sexy, intimidating Max. Growing up as a Butcher boy, he is no stranger to violence but he struggles to find his place in the Empire of Corruption. Exhibit B- "I may not be able to give her a fairy-tale. But she gives me a break from this nightmare." You know when you’re reading books and you have a few really good ones but then there’s the ones in between that are mediocre at best…THEN ALONG COMES THE ONE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR. Yea that’s this book.

Start out as a caterpillar, you then spend weeks inside a cocoon where you grow and go through so much heartache. But in the end you are a beautiful butterfly. the h is a sweet innocent 18 year old ballerina - I thought she was great. She’s loyal and practical and has big dreams it’s almost most definitely NOT a stand-alone and unless you have read the other books in the series you will not know what’s going on for most of the time As the youngest leading ballerina in my academy, my days are set. Routine. No time for boys. Unfortunately, my mind didn't get the memo, because there is always one name playing on my lips. . . Max Butcher.