The Complete Irreparable Boxed Set (Irreparable #1-2) (2024)

Ethan is a 32 year old PI married for almost a decade, to his college gf.
They have 3 kids aged between 1 month and 8 years. He’s hardworking, sympathetic and charming. A good husband and a hands-on father. His family means everything to him.
Working undercover on a trafficking case, he’s forced to choose between raping an 18 year old girl or being killed.

Willow is the girl he rapes:
Beautiful, strong and FEISTY, stubborn and broken, confused and vulnerable. She’s dealing with the aftermath of the ordeal in her own way. She has loving moms who would go to the ends of the earth for her.

The Hxh bond over their shared trauma and their relationship grows into a sexual on-off one. Their connection is deep and dark and funny. Sexy and angsty, forbidden and wrong on so many levels. They are drawn to each other despite knowing they can’t be. No commitments are made. She even has a new bf and Ethan’s main aim is to get his family back together because:

It turns out that Willow is the daughter of a mafioso. A particularly vile man whose moral code is non existent. That revenge scene is like nothing I’ve read before, mostly because the Hxh are linked to the Morelli family in the author’s book world. Mostly because it’s a scenario I had never read before and it totally blindsided me. Mostly because, if their lives had gone off course before the kidnapping and rape, it veers completely out of control in ways only this author can plot and execute.

For me, very few writers capture the realness of the physical and emotional violence like Ms Mariano. I was literally there, watching it all unfold. The trafficking, the rape, the guilt, the shame. The breaking of hearts and lives. The wrecking of a marriage and family bonds. The long road to healing and mending and hope for the future. All this is portrayed in such a relatable way that made for a satisfyingly inclusive reading experience.

Amanda, Ethan’s wife, now hates him for not only the choice he made, but also because Willow is still very much a part of his life. She can’t reconcile the Ethan she knows with the man who rapes a teenager. DESPITE the reason that he agreed to the rape (at gunpoint) was because of not wanting his family to suffer without him. I understand her disgust and admire her as a mother but she’s no innocent as she’s now seeing a collage friend of theirs, while Ethan is waiting for her to decide whether to let him back into the family. Their married friend. So her holier than thou persona grated on my nerves.

Eventually Ethan and his wife decide to part ways. Willow follows her dream to New York. Ethan, no alpha, but gorgeous and endearingly bewildered by his obsession of Willow, waits for her to come home. She does and they live happily, apart from their minor connections with the mafia, ever after.

I love catching up with them in the Morelli world. Every glimpse of them is a treasure. I’ve re-read this duet too many times to count yet have never gotten around to reviewing it because I wasn't ready to share them with anyone yet.

NTS
Neaten review; esp tenses

Отново пълна психиатрия, но има логика в цялата лудница и кака Сам определено не е в списъка с мейнстрийм безидейните и лицемерни сухарки, пишещи романтични заглавия, които щатските издатели напоследък обожават. Избегнала е и капана на пълната вулгаризация (която се състои в безмозъчни кукли за герои, клишета и нелогичен сюжет, не нещо друго), който също масово се промотира, не знам защо - сигурно защото и в него се спазва своего рода санитарно благоприличие като - “ние сме честни американци, и за изневяра никога няма да пишем, защото ние в САЩ и в нашите любовни романи не правим така.”

П. П. Останалите книги на кака Сам, които попрелистих, уви, са пълен ужас и дълбока отврат! Там вече е загубила мярката и е сменила тотално жанра и чипа. Жалко. Пазар…

3,5⭐️

18 year old Willow is abducted from her kitchen by sex traffickers and is scheduled to be sold into prostitution. Before that happens, her captors decide that she must be raped.

They pick Ethan for the job. Ethan is undercover with the sex traffickers - he’s a detective hired by another girl’s family to rescue her. He’s 32, happily married, and father to 3 small children. He’s reluctant, but doesn’t feel he has any other choice.

Dark start, but I’m in a Sam Mariano zone, so it’s not unexpected or shocking or a deal breaker. Dark romance in general is a bit hit and miss for me. I don’t like a plot that destroys a woman, which admires her degradation or celebrates her capacity to compromise on too much crap because it’s convenient for the hero and a bunch of clingers. What I like about Mariano’s take is that her heroines each have an inner core of strength, and the dark romance elements are about bringing the heroine’s best. So far, each woman has gained in self-confidence, enriched her moral code and become the most excellent version of herself. Which is what I like to read … and while I’m only 2 books in to the Morelli saga (the end of Book 2 told me to go read these books before proceeding to Book 3 and sure, why not) and it’s possible that some of the unfinished heroines will stumble (really worried about the whole Mateo triangle), Mariano seems pretty consistent in her version of dark romance.

What took me a while to realise with these books is just how peripheral they are to the suspense plots of the Mafia family war that’s brewing in the other series. I was expecting more emphasis on what’s going on with the sex traffickers, Willow as a target, maybe getting in a few stabbings of bad guys, and a scene that directly reprises and reframes the trauma.

The books explore Willow and Ethan’s lives post trauma. I liked the build in their relationship, I liked the tension and the inevitable conflict of the revelations. I think the book is too long (but then I’ve thought that about the last 10 books I’ve read, and I fully understand and support that because I’m in Kindle Unlimited land) but I also like how Mariano builds tension. While this rating doesn’t reflect it as much as some of the others I’ve given, I like the way she writes.

I can’t say with any confidence yet that these books could be read as stand-alone. I think they probably can, but only if you’re prepared to still have a few questions about what was going on behind the scenes. Realistically, you could view it as not so relevant as to why the trauma happened. You could consider your own or someone you know or know of who has been through a kind of violent trauma, and that often their attacker is never caught, and there’s no way of knowing whether you, or they, were a part of something, or just a moment in time. But this is fiction, and if you consider an important job of fiction to be explaining in a way that reality can’t, then taking these books in isolation isn’t going to satisfy you.

I really liked Willow as a character. She works as a kind of wish fulfilment on how to survive a trauma. She has her moves and stumbles on the Kubler-Ross stages, and emerges as a different, but stronger person. The trick of having her family so impossible about her experiences worked really well to make her sympathetic - could totally empathise with the waves of rage radiating off her in the early stages of her trauma.

Ethan doesn’t work so well for me. I get that he was a generally decent person who was horrified by his actions and wanted to atone for what he’d done, that he’d also gone through the trauma of facing the worst in himself and it had changed him, and he could no longer go back to the man he’d been. He ticks so many boxes of wrong in a hero - a lot older, married, and willing to cheat. While he had his moments, I couldn’t help thinking throughout the entire book that the best thing he could have done for Willow was to leave her alone. Mariano ensures that he’s not framed as predatory, but he’s also not a good man.

The problem I had is that he’s bland. He’s given moments to be a decent adult, but after the rescue, no additional moments of heroism. He doesn’t stand out as a hero, and there’s no indication that he’s awesome at his job. Maybe he’d done great planning for his girl extraction work, but I don’t think so, and he’s never shown doing anything brilliant. I kept thinking Willow deserved better. Through most of the first book I was fully prepared for him to step aside for Willow to meet some star alpha badass, closer to her own age, and a better fit.

I’m willing to own that I’m missing a trick here. His very blandness is effective as the ordinary guy who can be decent. He’s got subtle charm, I guess, but I state that fully conscious of how completely maddening a cheating hero is, and he’s not offering a lot of top quality romance to balance it out.

The book works as an exploration of how characters are a combination of light and dark, and that everyone is capable of moments of villainy. I’m fine with that as an interesting way to frame a romance … but. I can get that in other genres? And mostly in romance I’d prefer to search for the sensible in the OTT drama and not find it?

And the consolation prize goes to...

I've been curious about Ethan's backstory since I read the Morelli Family series. Ethan was a minor secondary character in that series. I finally picked up this duet because I've had this craving for undercover agent/cop stories, ever since I listened to a podcast recently about Britain's "spy-cops" scandal: Bed of Lies by The Telegraph. I'm a little obsessed.

Unfortunately, there's quite a lot that didn't work for me here:

Firstly, I couldn't connect with the main characters. I hoped that would change as the story progressed.

Ethan (MMC, early thirties) quickly and easily began a sexual relationship with Willow (MFC, 18yo) while he was married, supposedly happily married and with kids. It didn't look to me as if he felt guilty at all about that, not until after everything blew up in his face. Not even the traumatic experience that bonded Ethan and Willow together, justified their behavior. They failed to make me empathize. Still, this wasn't a deal breaker for me. The rest is what got to me.

Ethan confused me. I mean, he wanted his family back, essentially waiting for his wife to throw him a bone while he continued on with Willow as if nothing. Before he got caught, he had already said he wouldn't leave his wife for Willow. He wanted his cake and eat it too. Jeez, what a douche. After the wife found out about him and Willow, I thought he would resign himself to his marriage ending and would fully commit to Willow, but nope! Really, he was just a selfish a-hole. And a total beta. I don't know which is worse. At least he wasn't having sex with both of them. 😅 Note: After Willow, he never had sex with his wife again.

Willow. Her clinginess irritated me. She was a major doormat. No pride, no self-respect. Repeatedly threw herself at him even when he made it clear he couldn't promise her anything. Of course, he pursued her, too, but it seemed like she was the only one making a fool of herself. And since he was a beta, he never fought for her.

“This would be a good time for you to slap me and make a dramatic exit,” he advised.
“You want me to go?” 🤦🏻‍♀️

But my biggest complaint?
At 88%, Ethan gives his wife an ultimatum and asks if she's going to give him another chance or not, and when she says no, he goes straight to Willow and declares his love for her. 😤 Holy sh*t, what if the wife had said yes??

He didn't say he loved his wife or that he wanted her back; he only said he wanted his family back. He didn't want to lose his kids. Maybe it was his guilty conscience, idk and I don't care, Willow was still second choice.

The epilogue was the saving grace. It was a little comforting but not enough for me to disregard the issues listed above.

So why 3 Stars?
✔️The angst 😱
✔️The great potential this plot had ✨
✔️And Sam Mariano's boldness 😎
I do appreciate that she goes there.

Note: There's a chapter-length bonus scene I previously read that features Ethan and Willow--told from her PoV. The title is 'The Great Pumpkin Massacre' and it has all the Morelli series kids, including Ethan and Willow's 7yo daughter. It's super cute. I reread it after this duet and it made me feel better about their HEA. I found it on Mateo's Sweethearts: Sam Mariano's Morelli spoiler room FB group. It's under the group's files and available as a word doc. Spoiler alert: Ethan's wife married Tucker.

3.5 Stars

I really like Sam Mariano, but if you are looking for a first book by Sam Mariano, I wouldn’t suggest this one. It’s an overall decent book, but it’s not my favorite.

I picked up the Irreparable series because I was reading the Morelli Family series and before I started Once Burned I was warned to read Irreparable because of spoilers of Irreparable. It’s true you will find out some stuff in the Irreparable series and so I didn’t mind reading it quickly.

I already did my book review for each books because that is how I like to do my book reviews, but my overall opinion…

Irreparable is a decent duet. It’s not my favorite by the author but it was a quick read for me. I do skim the more descriptive writing and the slower parts, again that is just how I read.

I wouldn’t say this is a dark book, there is maybe one dark moment and that is about it. It’s also hard to like the characters because they aren’t all that good, but they aren’t all that bad and that’s kind of theme of the book I guess.

So my final thoughts, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. It was overall decent.

I only read the first book and the beginning of the second..the rest was DNF...I LOATHED the “H” and “h”...I usually have a high tolerance for cheating books, but with this one, I just can’t...They both weakly expressed remorse for what they did (he was a married father of three), yet had no problem continuing cheating (on the same night his wife found out about his cheating and also was almost killed because of him) ...both the H and h were POS...I couldn’t finish the second book and read about their HEA, neither of them deserved it.
Janet if you’re reading this, this one will definitely get your heart rate going lol

Wow, this was so good!

I am in a book buzz. Now for the challenge in sharing why I enjoyed Ethan and Willow's story without using any spoilers. There is a dark element that consumes the first two chapters, but the story heads in another direction after that. I must say, although the drama was full on in the beginning, if you read dark books, you shouldn't have an issue with what happens unless you have triggers rape and infidelity you need to avoid. It's important to note that both situations are pivotal to the story. Once you get past how their lives become entwined, a unique journey of healing unfolds. They battle others who are unable to see beyond the facts because they think they know better than the victims.

I connected with all the characters in this story while not always siding with the opinions they shared. Willow's parents were unsurprisingly overly protective of her. Interestingly, though, her father, being connected with the Mafia, was a distant parent for the majority of the story. Just like stories that have a guy who rides a Motorcycle, it doesn't necessarily mean they fall into the MC/Biker genre. As such, neither would I put this series in the Mafia/Organised Crime genre because it was a secondary aspect to the plot. The drama is more on the dark side of contemporary/forbidden with a healthy dollop of suspense!

For a story that starts off with a frightening and dismal scenario, there is a remarkable level of steamy moments and great banter shared. The chemistry between Ethan and Willow was off the charts. Every scene that fogged up my Kindle did so because it moved the plot along. When the banter kicked up a notch, it was there to ease the tension and lighten the weight of a lot of the delicate situations brilliantly.

There is a slow build to the relationships evolving. The term bandied about was "it was complicated". Complicated was an understatement, yet whatever situation Ethan and Willow found themselves immersed in wasn't added to create angst. The struggle they were experiencing impacted to a degree on the people close to them as well. Sometimes situations are beyond repair. What the future held for anyone who was affected by the trauma was not clear up until the final chapter.

For a series that began so strong, I was ecstatic it remained a 5 star read from beginning to end. The Complete Irreparable Boxed Set has been added to my 2016 Favourites shelf, and it's a front runner to be included in my Top 10 Must Read Books for 2016!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

This review and others can be found at EDGyReviews

The heroes this author writes, I swear.

So the title for this series is spot-on: this story is an exercise in "what could I do to this ordinary, stand-up pair of people to completely demolish their lives?" And the result is awesome. Like, completely awesome. I was not prepared. I've never read anything like this before. This book will make you so uncomfortable, but I mean that in the best way. Horrible things happen to people who don't deserve to have horrible things happen to them. And the way it transpires is just... this author has a way of making me completely accept things that I never expected to accept. She approaches things in such a way that... I can't really explain it, I just know I fully trust her to tell a story. Any story, no matter how icky the circ*mstances sound.

But Ethan is just great. Which isn't what you'd expect, given the circ*mstances of his character. He's like the last guy in the world who would cheat on his wife. He would've never hurt Willow on purpose. He just tries to do too many things and ends up screwing it all up. But by the end, it's probably a good thing he did, since it seems like he might be dead meat otherwise.

I also really liked Willow. She's so resilient and forgiving and strong. And considerate, which I realize is an odd compliment to pay someone who spends a small portion of this story f*cking someone else's husband [doing something that isn't very considerate], but I get the feeling that she really was just trying to figure out how to reframe her whole situation and find a way out of the pain and the feeling of brokenness, and Ethan was game to help. It was just an awful situation. They did their best. Everyone did their best, and some messes are just too big to fix entirely.

Loved the whole story.

Now bring on Once Burned!

["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

The author understood the assignment

This book doesn’t include your average meet-cute. Did it even come with a TW because I don’t remember. I don’t have very many triggers though, so I’m not afraid to just jump right in. If you are, probably ask around first just in case.

Anyway, along with some non-con, you’ll also find some of the best banter I’ve had the pleasure to read in a long time. The author is very clever and I enjoyed 97% of all the witty dialogue between all the characters (which I would typically consider filler if not for all the cackling I did).

5 stars because I started the 2 part series after work yesterday and was finished before work today.

No book is perfect but if it keeps me hooked from page 1 to review, then the author obviously understood the assignment.

DNF

<3 Reviewed for Emerald Book Reviews <3

This was quite possibly the most difficult review I've written in my five years as a reviewer. Let me explain why in a roundabout way so I don't reveal any spoilers.

This story is so gut-wrenching and difficult to read. It's oh-so-dark, graphic, gritty, imbalanced, confounding, taboo and an utter twisted mess of anxiety. It also straddles a very thin line on what is deemed acceptable and I am not going to lie, I didn't think I would be able to get through the beginning after what transpired and how the main protagonist, or rather anti-hero and the heroine come to be together. I cannot go into too much detail because in all honesty it would take away the emotion and confusion that you NEED to experience as you go through this overwhelming story. It takes apart your whole belief system, makes you questions things, question the motives and thought process of others, makes you really feel everything, whether it's good, bad, controversial, or dubious, but because it is written so well and the characters are a messed up, fragile tangle of remorse, redemption, and struggling to survive, you're pulled head long into the plot.

I have a tendency to avoid dark reads, in fact I usually don't read or review them at all but something about the plotline of this boxset drew me to it and even initially after starting the Irreparable boxset, I was yearning for my insta-love, alpha based lit because it is a heavy subject matter and it is one that you will either love or loathe. After pushing through the hard stuff, and wrapping my head around the rest of it I found myself eager for book number two to see where the story was progressing.

The characters are the main focus for this story. Sam Mariano, I think, probably knew she was taking a huge risk with this kind of story but the writing is pretty much flawless and the characters so astoundingly complex and neurotic that your own emotions and reactions become attuned to theirs. My tummy was in pieces by the end of it all, through anxiety, sadness, confusion and understanding that not everything is as black and white as the world would have us believe, lines are blurred and people do get hurt and become broken.

If you want a deeply intense, thought-provoking and dark twisted love story, then certainly buy this boxset, you will not regret it. However a word of caution would be advisable for those that require a certain type of template to their adult ficiton. I honestly loathe dark reads but even I had to sit back for three days and let the sheer drama and complexity of this book weigh on my mind.

I started this series and thought- Holy Cow!- after reading the first few chapters. The first few chapters pulled right into this series so hard I forgot that life existed outside of this book until I cam up for air at the end.

I could never imagine the circ*mstances in which Willow suffered. I could also not imagine what Ethan endured during his undercover job. The mental pain alone that both characters went through is enough to send someone off of the deep end. Willow, during and after her kidnapping, showed such strength as a character. Willow's pain and suffering were palpable and there was no question why she was feeling and acting the way she was.

At first, I did not want to like Ethan. Despite what his character was required to do, I didn't want to get on board with his character. However, after a few chapters and beginning to feel his guilt and need to help Willow, Ethan grew on me. His character was complex and yet very simple at the same time. His love and devotion to his family, even through he issues he was going through with his wife, and his need to help Willow, showed a side to Ethan that overshadowed his flaws.

Watching the relationship develop between Willow and Ethan develop was bittersweet. Knowing the history in how they met, what they went through, and why they were together, made their story sad, yet hopeful. I loved watching their story develop and seeing Willow and Ethan overcome what fate and life threw at them. A good series to read that gives you hope and shows that there is light at the end of the very dark tunnel.

This book was very addicting. It was taboo relationship, it pushed the boundaries, and I could not put it down. I read this series in less than 48 hours.

The first few chapters will push your limits. If you have triggers you may want to take this book slow. This book has a forbidden romance. Two people Willow and Ethan that because of age and circ*mstances should not be together. But I can see how they bounded and had this somewhat unshakable relationship. My emotions were everywhere.

Like I said I could not put this book down. It pushed the my comfort zone. But boy did this book take me on an incredible addicting ride. I could not read this fast enough. This book is definitely a must read!

Contains Spoilers

I’m actually super disappointed. 83% in and I was spitting mad. So Ethan goes back to his wife and asks her if she wants to work it out and Amanda says no (good for her) THEN he returns to heroine Willow and tells her he loves her and he and Amanda are getting divorced. He left out the little part that Willow is essentially second choice. Of course Willow accepts him back with open arms. I don’t believe in their hea. Getting engaged to the girl you cheated on your wife with…. Talk about a slap to Amanda. I found the whole thing distasteful. I didn’t dislike Willow. She’s young and naïve, but I strongly disliked Ethan. Sam Mariano books are hit and miss with me. Some I enjoy and some I hate. Unfortunately this was the latter.

I read the books individually but I see it has no reviews yet, so I'll write one.

Definitely a five star duet for me! A totally unique story with interesting characters and a fresh, fast-paced plot. Recommended!

I hadn’t planned on reading the Irreparable Duet right now, I was going to read all the Morelli Family books, but there was a note at the end of Accidental Witness saying that there were spoilers about the duet in the next couple of Morelli books, so I just decided to go ahead and read Ethan and Willow’s story. I went into it mostly blind, I pretty much only glanced at the synopsis before diving in and while I didn’t really have any expectations on what it was about, this duet was still unexpected for me. It was the good kind of unexpected though.

The Irreparable Duet aren’t usually the type of books I read and I’m not talking about the age difference, I’ve read older pairings, so that didn’t bother me. I don’t want to go into too much detail because I don’t want to spoil it, I’ll just say that this storyline normally would be out of my normal comfort zone, but it didn’t really feel like it. Ms. Mariano writes in such a way that even though you might feel conflicted about the hero and heroine whether on their own or as couple, you’re still routing for them to make it on their own and together no matter how unorthodox they and their relationship might be. They’re not completely easy to read, there were moments fraught with difficultly, uncertainty, and tension. Ethan and Willow’s story is heartbreaking and maddening at times, but it’s also heart melting, funny, and sweet too. I did enjoy this duet, I’m glad Ethan and Willow got their happy ending and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Morellis now — that is if I don’t go running right back into doing a re-read of Untouchable!

~ Sonja, 4 Stars

This is a forbidden and unconventional romance. There are triggers (of the sexual variety) that may not be suitable for sensitive readers. There is also cheating involved, if that is something you don't like to read about, you have been warned. It has that mob mentality to it, but that, for the most part, is in the background. There are threats, but aside from the initial start to the story, no real violence. There is a lot of heartache throughout the story, (and not just for the two main characters.) It's got a Stockholm Syndrome vibe, and that is one of the main causes for stress for all the characters involved. While there is some darkness, in a few scenes, the majority of the book isn't too dark. Not light-hearted, but not really dark... other than some of their thoughts. It's an interesting story, and I felt like both the 'Hero' and the 'Heroine' had realistic thoughts about all the things that happened. Even though she was a victim, she wasn't really weak. And while he was the 'villain,' he wasn't evil. Oh don't get me wrong, he had faults, but his heart was in the right place... most of the time. He was one of these people who you felt for even when he was doing horrible things, knowing he felt he had no other choice. Together, they helped one another work through everything that had happened and were able to move forward. It's a well crafted and thought out story. Well written. It alternates between POVs. There is, obviously, sexual content. Due to that and the subject matter of the book, this is intended for mature readers.

This book was good and kept me interested I did not want to put it down.

Ethan is a PI sent in undercover to recover a girl missing. He is married with 3 kids. Very much family man. While undercover he comes across another girl Willow that he had just received an email on that went missing. The guys he is working with do not fully trust him and make him rape her. Her really does not want to do it, but he will blow his cover if he does not. Willow is a virgin. They take her to be sold and Ethan protects her and they get out of it and go home. Willow struggles what has happened to her and so has Ethan. They start spending time together. Willow's dad is part of the Mafia.Willow needs Ethan to have sex with her to make her first time better and they do. Ethan has guilt because of being married but also starts to have feelings for Willow. Once Amanda finds out about Willow she kicks Ethan out. No one can understand why Willow wants to spend time with Ethan since he essential raped even though he had not choice. The part I did not like was that Ethan kept waiting on Amanda to take him back. Amanda was not letting him see much of the kids. Eventually she made a decision that he could not forgive him even though Willow did. Then he realized how much love they had.

So many different emotions overflowed while reading these novels. Horror for the loss of innocence in such a brutal fashion. Compassion for a scared, traumatized young woman trying to feel an impossible normal again. Shame for the man who had choices, even if none of them were ideal. Confusion when I then became torn on whether or not I was starting to like this man. Unsure why it seemed okay that the man became the security, the safe place, for the scared young woman.
Throughout both of these stories, I warred with myself, liking and disliking this man who makes so many poor choices. The killer is....he really is a good guy and really does have good intentions. I fought with myself over whether or not I approved of the choices the scared, traumatized young woman was making. But that is what makes this a phenomenal read. The author's writing style captivates, makes sure you're unable to put it down, even if you are silently screaming at the characters!
Can love survive all the obstacles threatening to suffocate it? Is it even possible to achieve a happy ending when it starts in the worst way possible?

Not my cup of tea.

Sam Mariano is a great writer, so great, that I finished a book I hated from Chapter Two on. I could deal with dark romance. I just couldn’t deal with Ethan’s punk behind. If there is ever a bad decision to make, that fool is making it. It’s like an episode of “Let’s Make a Deal”, and he’s 100% picking the curtain with the donkey. Every. Single. Time. Honestly, he might be the dumbest H I have ever had the bad luck to read.

I forgive Willow for being a TSTL, because she was traumatized. I don’t know how one handles what Ethan did to her, no matter his justifications, so I am going to err on the side of celebrating whatever it took for her to keep her sanity, but I really hate Ethan. Legitimately hate him. Daddy Castellano should have put him out of his misery, and saved me from having to write this review.

I give Mariano 3 stars because she kept me invested, sure I was hoping someone would shank Ethan in the balls, but hey, I kept reading. I’m still going to read everything Mariano has written, because she’s just that talented, and I’m hoping she kills Ethan in a later book. Hell, a girl can dream, right?

>Book Review – The Complete Irreparable Boxed Set
>I am an independent reviewer. This boxed set contains the 2 books that make up the Irreparable series – Irreparable Damage and Irreparable Lives. Willow is the illegitimate daughter if a mob boss and is taken by a human trafficking ring. Ethan is undercover in that ring and has to rape Willow in order to save her from worse treatment. The rest of the books deal with the aftermath of that rape.
>Ethan faced an awful choice when he had to rape Willow, but his continued relationship with her, while he was a married father of 3, was what was reprehensible for me. There wasn’t any romance in this story. Neither Willow or Ethan were likable characters. I had a hard time getting through this story.
>This book is appropriate for an adult audience. I am giving this book 3 stars.

Intoxicatingly twisted, heartbreaking, and emotional.

After reading one of the author's other books, I was skeptical, but the premise of this book was intriguing enough to tempt me, and I'm so glad I braved it.
The writing (actual structure, grammar, spelling, etc.) is MUCH better in this book, which made it easier to love, but also... THE STORY!
It was a shock how engaging and emotional Willow and Ethan's story was. As a survivor myself, I found the main female character's reactions and responses to be authentic and relatable, and the fallen hero to be redeemable and understandable -- even when Ethan was making decisions I wanted to beat him for, I could also understand why he was making them and see plainly how torn and destroyed he was. I hated the whole situation for everyone involved, but loved the broken characters all the same.
LOVED THIS BOOK!

From darkness they grow stonger

Having finally started the much-rec’d Morelli series, I got to the author note at end of book 1, prompting to read this book before Morelli book 2 to avoid major spoilers. Having loved the start to that series I didn’t want to loose momentum but am loathe to read it books out of order. I’m so glad I paused to read this book!

From their dark introduction to each other, this fast paced story takes you from their trauma, rescue, through recovery and more. Deeply impacted by their shared trauma, Ethan and Willow journey on the difficult path discovering how to cope and defining who they are now. Driven by character growth, their relationship is not easy, nor straightforward, but heart rendering and will stay with you.

“I like that you know you’re not a good guy and you’re not a bad guy”

This duet contains:
*Irreparable Damage
* Irreparable Lives (6 months later)

This is a taboo story told in 3rd person narrative.
Non-Con scene right at the start. Willow(age 18) is kidnapped by human traffickers. Ethan (age 32) is undercover with the traffickers leading to traumatic situations.
I like that FMC is a virgin. There is cheating though the situation is unique. I liked Ethan and Willow and felt their connection. I wish there were more intimate scenes but the few we had were good.
I didn’t like how Ethan had 3 kids. One child could have been enough to keep the story going.

Loved the cameo of Salvatore Castellanos, which links us to Morelli series ❤️

My first book from this author. The story about Willow and Ethan was an intense, heartfelt and beautifully ugly journey.
Aside from some minor spelling mistakes, i was drawn into it from the start. It was a compelling read. And i couldn't put the book away, i read it in one go.
The characters were wonderfully flawed and authentic. Struggling life and the cards they were dealt with.

Some would or have just simply dismissed the book because of the infidelity occurring. But it would be a shame and a mistake to do so. Because not all is black and white. I think it was a wonderful dark love story i wouldn't want to have missed out on.

I was cautioned to not continue with the Morelli series until I read this duet. I seriously doubt reading this story was needed. I can sum this duet up in a few sentences. There was a lot of rinse. wash. repeat going on. I was not very proud of the Hero when it was all said and done, and I certainly wouldn't want to trade places with the Heroine by the end. Where is the romance in a hero exhausting all his options then choosing what's left? The tie into the Morelli series felt so generic and tacked on. I hope I can get back to loving the Morelli series when I return to book 3 in that series this duet has left a sour taste in my mouth.

It is rare that I write a review but I thought it should be said that I liked how the two stories were placed into this set. I think it made the stories a better read than when they are presented separately or on their own.

I was also very surprised that I liked this series as much as I did because while reading the Morelli series I was never interested in really knowing Ethan & Willow's back story. I decided to read this while waiting on Sam to publish another book & was very happy & entertained by this story.

What a complicated relationship. Ethan and Willow struggle through a lot in this 2 book set.

I didn't know when I started these books that there would be cheating. I can't stand cheating. I avoid books with cheating, and would have avoided this one if I had known. But by the time I got to the cheating aspect in the first book, I was already captivated by the 2 main characters. I liked them so much, I continued reading.

Overall, the books were good, other than the cheating and being a bit slow-paced. I like books with a little more action.

I love this book!
Then again I love all things Sam Mariano!
I stalk her and she knows it.

This is the story of Ethan and Willow. They don’t have the smoothest of stories and let’s just say it’s an angst filled road to their happy ever after!

The only reason for my deducted star is the 3rd person aspect. I seldom read books in 3rd person. But this is one of my favourite reads. When I’m in a book rut I go back to this.

There are some hard topics and possible triggers for many. But this is a story worth reading again and again and again!

Loved these books. I was nauseated, sad, conflicted and couldn't stop reading. I think Sam Mariano did an amazing job with such a difficult and taboo subject. I couldn't hate Ethan, at times I thought the "ick factor" was too high but he was also vulnerable and fighting his demons, trying to find a way out of the horrible situation he was also forced into.

The dialogues between the characters were so well written, so genuine.

I'm honestly surprised these 2 books are not more popular than they are. It's in my top books list for sure.