Release Day Launch: Femme Fatale by Kirsty-Anne Still

Title: Femme Fatale
Author: Kirsty-Anne Still
Release Date: Nov 7, 2014
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They call me the Femme Fatale.
But only because they don’t know me.
My job - seduce men to the climatic point of falling in love with me and then deliver their death sentence.
I work for my father’s business. I’m his secret weapon. I’m the one that gets away with murder.
For years, I’ve given in to my father’s demands, lived the life of a mob princess, fell into this merciless realm where he presents me with a man and one goal – to kill. 
When it’s to keep the Abbiati name from ruins, I’ll run with the wolves and protect it fiercely.
However, when he brings a new name to the table, I know my newest mission could well be the one that breaks me - Don’t feel, don’t deviate, kill Zane Maverick. 
It should be simple, but how am I supposed to choose between the man who raised me to be this heartlessly strong female and the man I could only ever love to death?

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Don't feel.  Don't deviate.  Kill Zane Maverick.  That's the mantra that runs through the head of the assassin for the Abbiati family.  The daughter of the head of the family.  Used by her father to eradicate any problems that may arise, Amelia has excelled at her job.  Leaving no trace, except her kiss of death with her glossed lips, she is her father's ultimate weapon.  What happens when she is tasked with killing her true love, the one who broke her heart? She repeats the mantra:  Don't feel. Don't deviate.  Kill Zane Maverick

Femme Fetale has an intriguing plot. In most mafia stories, the major players are almost ALWAYS men.  With the exception of the Eagle Elite Series by Rachel Van Dyken, there's not a lot of books where we have women in true power positions.  Not that Amelia has any power behind her position in the Abbiati family.  She is but a pawn and she knows it.  Her father pulls all the strings. You have to be a strong person mentally and emotionally to be able to kill at someone else's behest without totally losing your humanity.  

There's a lot going on in this book. It's not simply about Amelia and the task she has been charged with.  We have a brother who is a sociopath that no doubt, would kill any of his sibling if he thought it'd make him look better in their father's eyes. We have another brother whose big secret could get him killed.  Another brother has left the family. The patriarch??? Yea, he tries to sell Amelia to the highest bidder.  And all the while, two OTHER brothers, trying to ultimately save their baby sister by creating a new life for her away from misery mansion.  

Overall, I liked the book.  There is a strong cast of characters, the right balance of storyline and steam and a hot male lead.  The book ends in a good sized cliffy so if you're looking for a HEA, this is NOT the book for you.   I'm very intrigued to see what happens next, after the guns stop smoking.  I give Femme Fetale 4 stars.  

 

I shake my head and chortle a little at him. “People only lie when they’re afraid. Fact.”
“Did Daddy Dearest teach you that one, Princess?” he asks me, leaning over toward me.
“No,” my words are swiftly followed by a smirk, “You did.”
I watch as all amusement disperses from his face. My comment breaks his normal pretentious attitude; it takes his entire happy demeanor and squishes it into nothing more than harsh reality we live in.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I counter, challenging his newfound expression. “You lied when you said you loved me once and wanted forever with me, Zane. You did that because you were afraid of my family. You lied and gave me promises when you knew all along you were going to run sometime in the future.”
“Granted,” he agrees, “but why can’t you just lie to them about round two with me?”
I look at him with doleful eyes. “Zane, we aren’t the same people we were over a year ago. You might think you are, but I am not that girl.”
“I don’t think you are, Amelia, I know you are,” he fights me on the matter. “The other night, in my car, it was proof. We are unchangeable, Sweetheart. You know you felt it.”
“Just because sexually we’re the same, does not mean in every other department we are. I changed the moment my heart broke, and you need to understand that. I’m not that sweet girl. I was changing into something else back then, but now there is no going back.” I gulp back the lump forming in my throat and sit up straight. “You are better staying away from me.”
“You’ll have to try harder than that,” he admonishes, not listening to a word I’ve just said. “If I have my way, you will be the girl you’ve always wanted to be.” He leans closer, putting his hand on the back of my chair to form a closeness between us. “You’ve just got to give us a chance.”
“This is going to end badly,” I oppose and reach for my drink. I can feel the alcohol is loosening my tongue enough, and I know I should stop, but the burn of the liquor down my chest is inviting enough that I can’t stop myself. “So, I’ll ask again, are you my knight in shining armor or my kryptonite? Before we go further, I need to know.”
He smirks so casually at me. “I’m your knight in shining armor laced in kryptonite.” He looks so sure of himself, but all I can think is one dangerous thought – This cannot bode well. “Sweetheart, let loose,” he tells me, even throwing in my derogatory nickname for impact. He only uses that one to get a reaction from me. “I keep saying it. You just need to loosen up a little.”
I release the remainder of my drink and sit back only to look at him. “Then show me a good time,” I challenge him simply.
“Deal,” he grants me and puts a hand out. I take it and just follow – I’m already a lamb waiting for slaughter, I may as well enjoy the journey.

I used to be just another Fanfiction writer! That was until one person showed real interest in my work. And then another, and then another, until I had this whole group of people reviewing like crazy and wanting original work from me. I’d spent years writing for free online, I didn’t believe I had it in me to publish something!
But I’m glad I did!! I never imagined pushing my work and striving to reach my ultimate. I never imagined I’d be the girl who started The Viper Rooms! But who am I to deny the inspiration when it hits?
I love writing, it’s a lifeline. I love creating a world that others fall into. I love having the control to make a whole new world. It’s like a dependency, an addictive one. It’s one of the things I’m extremely proud of.
As much as I complain, I love the mini dialogues that go on in my head, the plotlines that attack me when I least expect them to. The ones that jump to life at the most inappropriate times and drive me totally crazy!!
For now I split my life between writing, dreaming, working, and volunteering with children.

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