ST SIMEON PREP DUET – HEAVEN OR HELL by TRILINA PUCCI

‘Our fathers are enemies. Our lives are predestined – doomed from the start.’
‘You don’t date the son of a crime boss for the Irish mob when you’re the daughter of a senator.’

Well, what can we say after reading Trilina Pucci’s St. Simeon Prep Duet in one hit? It’s a tale as old as time, a gritty, raw, and dark version of the star-crossed lovers, Romeo, and Juliet. Riddled with angst, suffering, and manipulation. Saturated in love, passion, and eroticism. Swathed in heartbreak, vengeance, and violence. This duet was quite the rollercoaster ride and Trilina Pucci had our emotions all over the place till the very last page. A dark anti-hero romance that was fabulously written, all-consuming, and skirted with boundaries, just how we like it!

“The devil already knows your name, Calder Wolfe. And one day, even he’ll be afraid of the king…Tragedy awaits you. Death is knocking. And it’s on her doorstep.”

We have a soft spot for love stories that are cursed by circumstance, in this case even more so as this duet was hard as bloody nails. It wasn’t pretty hearts and flowers or even stereotypically romantic. Rather, it was a mess. Ugly, tainted, and bloody. There was so much packed into this story, from families at war, Irish mob, corrupt politicians, and murder and torturous enemy mayhem. We were there for it all!

“I’m going to give you the stars, and the moon, and – “
“Love. You’re going to give me love.”

The way in which Just like Heaven began, we had a feeling this wasn’t going to be an easy ride. As soon as we read: “Your love will end tragically – he won’t save you…. But you will save him.” We just knew! And we were not wrong.  We had chills as did Sutton when she comes across her destiny, her soulmate, Calder Wolfe. Wheels are set in motion and their tale is as harrowing as it gets, yet the love is fierce and all-consuming.

“Death isn’t waiting for Calder. It’s listening for his instruction.”

We hung on to the knowledge that we were able to immediately pick up Sinning Like Hell to continue their journey, knowing full well it was going to get a hell of a lot worse before it got better. We had no idea! But there was beauty too hidden amongst the pages.

“You saved me. Gave me purpose. Led me to be the man I was supposed to become. Because for an angel to walk on this earth, it’ll need the protection of the Devil.”

Sutton is a beautiful, slightly naïve, and innocent Catholic girl who faces the ultimate test when she’s rendered speechless by the blue-eyed ‘devil’, the magnificent dirty-talking bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, who is everything she didn’t know was missing from her life. In return, Calder knows he’s found his soulmate and he will fight to the death to keep her safe and in his arms. The path to their ‘happy’ is like one long explosive fight scene. Twists and scheming manipulations are thrown like roadblocks to thwart their romance and happily ever after.

“I hope you find me and that I’m still whole. Because I never anticipated that when I told you I was willing to wade through hell to be with you – that tonight, the Devil would call my bluff.”

There are some scenes in this duet that are so bloody hot that turning the pages scorched our fingers. You all know those scenes, the ones that are so outrageous, they completely start a fire in your belly and get your pulse racing! We’ll say no more on that…. except Calder Wolfe is everything! This duet consumed us, and we can only liken the experience to an active volcano that simmers until it boils over into a frenzied eruption of hot molten fiery lava…pun intended.

Whilst it felt a tad too insta-love for us initially, by the time we turned the last page of the second book, we were in tears at the heartfelt beauty of Sutton and Calder’s love story!

“Write about a love that defies the stars. Write about yours.”