Cover Image: Double Down

Double Down

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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*

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***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!

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DOUBLE DOWN pretty much picks up right where EVEN MONEY ends. If you haven't read book 1 of the ALL IN Duet yet, everything beyond this point could be considered a spoiler! You've been warned, proceed with caution:

I loved EVEN MONEY, romantic suspense is one of my favorite romance genres. The romance, suspense and mystery were everything I was looking for! And that ending OH EM GE! If you read my review of the first book, you know that ending caught me off guard and I can usually see these things coming. I knew that because this was a duet that everything would (ideally) be wrapped up in a nice little bow by the end of DOUBLE DOWN. For me it almost felt done at about the halfway point. Still a few loose ends, but for the most part I felt closure. So I wasn't as invested in the second half of the book. This isn't to say I didn't enjoy the book at all. There was a whole lot more STEAM to this one than they first book, now that Dario's wife was out of the picture.

If a good steamy romance and a picture perfect ending is what you're looking for, this conclusion will make you happy! I'm sad to say that the parts I loved about EVEN MONEY didn't transfer to this one. I was happy to not be left hanging but find that I enjoyed the first book a lot more than the second.

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Picking up right where Even Money ends, Double Down will take you on a crazy adventure through the underbelly of Vegas. Everything you wanted to know while reading Even Money is answered.

Dario and Bell have been through more than most couples and their story doesn't end with Even Money, their story continues in Double Down. You're gonna meet new characters, continue to love old characters, and despise the bad guys.

It's a wild ride. It's a crazy ride. It's not just a romance. It's a romantic suspense that'll leave you guessing and hoping everyone gets what they deserve.

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After reading Even Money a few weeks ago I couldn't wait to read Double Down. Alessandra Torre is one of those writers where you don't even have to read the book blurb. You just buy the book because you just know its going to be good. Double Down is filled with just the right amount of suspense, crazy plot twists and super hot romance. This rates 5 + starts for sure.

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Alessandra never ever disappoints. Each time she puts pen to paper I know it will be amazing!

The conclusion of Dario and Bell's story was everything I have learned to expect from Alessandra. Sexy, tense, passionate and addictive.

The plot twist, the cornucopia of characters, the on the edge of my seat suspense, the movie in my head. The voices of a great mind.

Always 5 stars from Alessandra, always!

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3.5 Playing Against the House Stars
* * * Spoiler Free
In Gambling, when you Double Down you are betting everything against all odds...Things look dire and instead of throwing in the towel or walking away and eating your losses... You make a Hail Mary move in betting it all or going All In. It is extremely risky and more often then not, can be disastrous...

But then there are those gamblers...the ones you see at the tables...all suited up. They have all the watches, sunglasses at night and shiny cuff links on their crisp white shirts. Those are the ones who never blink when the tables have not been kind. Those are the ones who calmly curl a finger at the banker, sign a huge note and take all of the chips and lay them at the feet of Lady Luck.

In this conclusion of Even Money, the All In Duet, this happens throughout the book. The story picks up from the where it left off- we are given a fast acting situation for these star crossed lovers to handle and then we are taken for a ride.

This entry has more of the thriller/suspense element to it but with doses of this couple's passion and love for each other. It is what keeps them sane during all of the manipulations and maneuvers. We have new characters from Dario's past who leap off the page with us warming to them immediately. The past support crew are there, not as much, but are there when the going gets good.

And oh the villains... twisted, ugly and nonredeemable. All coming together not in a tidy bow but with a gift box of sorts. More leaning towards a possible addition down the line.
Torre totally Double Downed with her second entry and the pay off covered her bets.


A gifted copy was provided by Select Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Double Down is full of suspense, twists, and a lot of passion. Even Money left us with quite a cliffhanger. I wasn't sure where the author was going after book 1 and am thrilled with what she created. She definitely came up with the suspense but did not skimp on the intense passion either. For awhile we are wondering if Dario and Bell will make it at all. And we also try to figure out if their powerful feelings which fueled Even Money can hold up to the trauma which then ensues.

Double Down really was a page turner. I enjoyed this duet immensely. Alessandra Torre proves what a versatile writer she really is. Can't wait to see what is next from her.

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<i>"Love me through the cracks."</i>
What a perfect line. A beautiful idea. A need we all have.

This is not a stand alone, you have to read book one first. Dario and Bell are in the thick of chaos through the whole story. They have to dig their way through so much, all while there's still a crazy person out there. I was totally pulled into their world, more so with this book than the first.

One thing I like about their relationship is the passion- not the dirty kind as much as the way they aren't afraid to fight things out. They're both strong and stubborn, but wanting the same thing at the end of the day. And Bell doesn't want the things he can give her, other than himself.

I loved the conclusion of this duet and the way it all went down. There were surprises along the way, suspense, and a deep love overcoming all.

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4.5⭐️ The story continues immediately after the last page of the first book. I'm not sure how to talk about the story without giving anything away... like who went to jail, who died, who killed whom, and if the culprit was brought to justice.

It has a lot of unexpected twists and turns... and while going through page after page, I kept on thinking that this would be awesome on the big screen, if not, probably great to be made into a mini-series—like Twin Peaks.

I know this is a duet but...I cant help but wonder if there will be more in the future?? And honestly, I would've wanted to read more about Dario and Bell after that last page... Or probably explore something romantic with Meredith and that cop... Sorry! Cant help it. I'm such a romantic sap! Lol

Looove this! So riveting! Ya'll wouldnt wanna miss this one!

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I couldn't wait to read the conclusion to Even Money, read in one sitting on a sunny afternoon - couldn't put it down. Sorta ends in a cliffhanger.
We were left off in Even Money where everything was in a disarray, things don't always go as p!anned. Hearts heal in HOT, dramatic, pivoting scenes. Most loose ends are tied off, not all as never was explained how some important details were revealed.Great supporting cast of characters using psychosis and fear.
Though this a thrilling read, found it ended too fast, and not all was resolved.

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DOUBLE DOWN by Alessandra Torre is an emotional thrill-ride from beginning to end. This is the second half of the All In Duet and completes Bell and Dario’s love story. Double Down is a roller-coaster from the first page because it takes up where Even Money ended and keeps going from there.

Want to talk about heat level? Alessandra Torre takes the heat level and turns it all the way up and through the roof. I loved the character development for Dario and Bell, but also the peripheral characters within the story. The multiple points of view add to heighten emotions throughout the book and are just one more thing that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Alessandra Torre’s writing is superb and if you’re like me you’ll find that you can’t put the book down once you start reading! And I’m just going to throw this out there. I love, love, love Laurent. That is all. Oh, and go buy this book ASAP!

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A wonderful conclusion in this All in Duet. Double Down pick up right where Even Money leaves off. The love and bound between Dario and Bell gets stronger and stronger in this one. I love how they just fit. They are hot. Double Down will keep you on your toes as everything starts to unravel for Hawk and Claudia. Dario and Bell continue on no matter how much is thrown their way. I loved every minute of reading not only this book but this duet too. Alessandra Torre did a fantastic job of keeping you on your toes.

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* A copy of Double Down was provided by Netgalley for an honest review, no compensation was given*

Double Down is the continuation and conclusion to the All In series. One of the things that I liked about this book is, it starts exactly where Even Money ended. So if you have not read Even Money, the first book in this duet, please read that first. I have come to the conclusion, after reading this duet, that Ms. Torre is a master of romantic suspense. Just when you think that Ms. Torre couldn't surprise you, she does. I had more than few WTF moments. And of course the twisted darkness of her writing is just down right captivating.
The main characters, Bell and Dario, grew so much in this sequel. The intense need that these two people have for each other is palpable. Like the previous book this book is also hot as hell. This book gives us a good look into what Dario's life was like before he became successful, and makes him even move attractive and sexy. A new character, Laurent, who grew up with Dario, was introduced in this book. I would love to read a book dedicated to him.
Ms. Torre wrapped up this series in a very delightful sexy way . But, it did leave a tiny window open for another book. And I certainly wouldn't mind reading a spin off of this series. So if you are looking for a dark twisted love story that is chock full of deceit, suspense and nail biting pages look no further, it doesn't get ant better then the All In Series.

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Whoa. Incredible conclusion.

Alessandra Torre brings her A game to this conclusion. It was full of twists and turns, lies, deceit and malice. Double Down was harrowing yet I was on the edge of my seat thinking — no, she didn’t do that — she went there.

Yet the underlying current was LOVE. It takes all shapes and sizes sometimes, it can be masked and then it’s not really love.

This book was a stunning, heartfelt conclusion to a couple we rooted for when didn’t think we could.

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Double down was the highly anticipated sequel that everyone wanted to get their hands on. Countdowns were in place, deals were made, and the drinking begun very early on because of the cliffhanger in part one. After reading this one, I have mixed feelings about this book. I didn’t entirely hate it, but I also didn’t love it and I felt somewhat disappointed.

If you’ve read the first book, then you’re fully aware of the cliffhanger that had us readers screaming wtf along with some other classy choice words. Double down picked up immediately and we were thrown back into the mix of web of lies and deceit along with murder. We were all left wondering what’s going to happen next and how can Bell and Dario come back from such a shocking tragedy. Some questions were answered, while some secrets remained just that…. A secret.

I’m going to be completely honest and say that I was expecting more from this story. I needed more answers and the plot itself was too predictable in a way that I was never excited for what was to come next. I did like certain parts and I feel that Dario was the epitome of any woman’s dream, but this was not a great connection for me with him being with Bell. Something was missing and when you add in the crazy AF villain, I felt disappointed.

If you’ve been waiting patiently to read this series, then what might have not worked for me, will probably work for you and you should give this one a try.

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Double Down is an absolutely thrilling conclusion to the All In duet, and quite the display of Torre’s talent at mixing suspense with romance. The first installment was the slow climb to the top of the roller coaster with a sensuality that beguiled and a little bit of mystery that built as it climbed to the top, but then this second half was the downward fall that snatched my breath away and gobbled up every thought from my mind as it brought me through every twist and turn.

For fear of revealing anything, I’ll be very brief—With moments of darkness and grime, what continually shines through is the attraction and love between Dario and Bell. What kept the pages turning was my devotion to them, to finding out whether or not they’d be okay at the end…everything else around it was a wonderfully breathtaking cherry on top of their love story. I enjoyed every single moment this duet had to offer and many will be captivated with it just as I was.

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Double Down by Alessandra Torre is book Two in the All in Duet series. This continues the story of Dario Capece and Bell Hartley. Even Money the previous book needs to really be read first to fully enjoy their story in this book.
This book picks up where Even Money left us wonder what going to happen next.
They are dealing with someone out to her Bell and the death of Dario's wife. This book and series has been a page turner for sure. Dario is a alpha man with Bell but some of his reason for doing things were questionable for me...but overall loved him.
Loved this exciting Duet!

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This was a really good romantic suspense. It was superbly written with believable, well rounded characters, sex scenes that were off the charts hot, an exciting suspenseful and interesting storyline that kept me engrossed with moments of drama, conspiracy, betrayal and passion.
I really liked Dario and Bell a lot! Their sexual encounters were hot! Besides the sweet, hot romance between these two, this story has a lot of suspense, action, danger, steamy sex, and intrigue.
Definately a great read...


In short:
Hero 4/5 | Heroine 4/5 | Plot (Point, Originality) 4/5 | Writing Style 4/5 | Steam 5/5 | Romance 4/5 | Angst-Suspense 4/5 | Darkness 2/5 | Humor 1/5 | Secondary Characters 4/5 | Drama-Conflict 4/5 | Mystery 2/5 | Twists 4/5 | Pacing Fast | Action 4/5

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Bell and Dario's story continues from Even Money. There was a real jaw dropper at the end of that book and I couldn't wait to read this book and it sure did not disappoint! Dario will do anything to protect Bell even if it means being separated from her. So he packs Bell up and sends her to Louisiana (where he grew up) while he deals with all the trouble that Gwen's father caused.

There are so many twists and turns that just keep coming right to the end. I couldn't help but fall for Dario because here he was in his late 30s and he has never truly loved anyone like he loves Bell ... she is his next breath. And Bell didn't believe in love, but Dario changes everything for her. This is a romance with lots of suspense and a side of steam and this series shouldn't be missed.

I received an ARC courtesy of Select Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

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