Whore Paperback – December 25, 2017

To say I am thrilled that Willow Aster is back and better than ever is an understatement. With each new book, she reminds me of just how much I crave her words and the stories that are so uniquely hers. With Whore, I loved that I was once again thrown for a loop a few times over as the journey of Lilith Fontenot became more than I could have ever imagined. This vibrant yet stifled young woman who was born into the life of prostitution was clearly destined for more than her mother and the evil that surrounded her wanted to allow. It was with each turn of the page that I watched with worry and caution as Lilith found the strength over and over to battle her demons and try her hardest to let some love into her desolate world. It became a path to the unknown that I didn't want to end.I have to admit that this book is nothing like I thought it would be. And shame on me for not realizing that even with a simple title such as Whore, that the author would offer so much more than a name implies. As Lilith tries desperately hard to rid herself of the world she had no choice in, she discovers that the true sense of kindness, of loyalty and of trust would come in the most unexpected form that is one Soti Christos. Just like Lilith, I never saw him coming. Oh this man. He is the sudden bright light that Lilith is drawn to when her evil mother and the man she so naively thought she loved are determined to keep her in the dark. Their burgeoning romance is filled with deep trepidation, particularly on Lilith's part and yet somehow hope trickles through. All because of this flawed and beautiful man who never saw the whore, only the woman. I truly adore that Soti wouldn't give up on his Lili no matter what and his heart, much like mine, was broken time and again as fate continued to wreak havoc on their lives. And damn if it wasn't worth every single tear shed.Trust me, this book is no walk in the park. I had a pit in my stomach every single time Lilith would take a step forward and then end up at least 10 back because of the power the dirty underworld of New Orleans had over her and her life. But holy hell, the strength this woman gradually gains blew me away despite all that is done to her. I know it's thoughts of Soti that provide her a respite when things get bleak over and over again. Her pain is his pain even when miles and time separate them. We only get a few times in Soti's POV but that is enough to know this man would walk through fire for her with a determination that is way beyond extraordinary. I couldn't help but fall for him right along with Lilith. He is truly her angel even though she is often at the mercy of those who seem to be the Devil himself. Including Soti's own struggles at more than one time in his life make him that much more exceptional and indeed the most perfect balm to Lili's beleaguered soul.I will just say this: worth every single dire moment felt, Whore will put you through the proverbial wringer right along with Soti and Lilith. But the absolute joy I felt at the conclusion was truly the reward for such an exquisite tale that only Willow Aster can tell. It is fraught with the very worst yet is filled with some of the very best. I promise it is an adventure like no other and one that will leave you breathless and frustrated one minute and filled with love the next.As heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, I give Whore a HUGE 5+ stars.

Where to begin? I had a lot of feelings after this book but the one emotion I can distinctly remember was heartbreak. I wasn't sure where the story was going to go in the beginning but it quickly became clear that something was going to happen to Lili. Whether it was good or bad, I wasn't sure. I was essentially waiting for that shoe to drop. And when it did? That's when Willow Aster's Whore had me invested. From its spectacular main characters to revealing some truly heartbreaking and even jaw-dropping moments, this book will have readers on the edge of their seats and waiting to see what will happen next. If you're a fan of Aleatha Romig's Consequences and Pepper Winters' Dollars series, I highly recommend this book!As for the story and its characters, Whore had a mix of mystery and romantic suspense to it. It doesn't read like a traditional romance novel. The way Aster tells Lilith Fontenot's story is very unique. While we do get two different perspectives, Lili and Soti's, this book is essentially about Lili's journey as well as her growth and transformation through her experiences and connections with two very different men: Nico Santelli and Soti Christos. All I can say is that readers will not be torn over who should be the one to end up with her.In the end, I thought this was a fantastic book and some of the characters, especially the evil ones, got what they deserved. I thoroughly enjoyed Whore and even though I was sad Lili only got to experience a little bit of happiness for a short amount of time, the end result was truly satisfying. You will cry tears of happiness and even sadness. I do have to say that Soti was definitely my favorite character. He might be one of the sweetest heroes I have ever read and his love for Lili since the very beginning made the book for me.

Lilith/Lili is a prostitute at her families brothel Maison D'amour in the french quarter of New Orleans. The brothel was started by her great-grandmother and passed down, her mother the queen bitch Madam now runs it.Nico is a former lover of Lili's, when she finds out he was marrying someone else she walked away from him. Now 2yrs later he's back and Lili knows he has something bad up his sleeve and insists she will not see him, unfortunately her mother has other plans.Shit hits the fan the next time Nico visits, with someone being murdered and a huge fire only to end with Lili being arrested.Soti a man Lili has seen only a few times around Bourbon Street, he sees the incident at the brothel on the local news and when he sees Lili who he is captivated by he knows he has to help her.I can't really go further into the plot but I will say I loved Soti he is a whole lot of Alpha sweetness. That huge surprise/twist Soti spits out did throw me a little as it was totally unbelievable (in my opinion) and left me like......................WTF??So for a book with a name like Whore it sure did skimp in the sex department or what sex there was was vague. Overall I enjoyed this but it had too many unbelievable/unrealistic parts also a few mistakes in the plot but nothing major. I think I was just a little disappointed I had high hopes for this one, maybe that was the problem. You read it and let me know what you think.