This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨

First Impressions
Rome is the third installment in the "Marked Men" series and this series has been a delight but Rome is a character that we have seen as a constant since book one despite him always traveling and fighting in the middle east. This one we see a very different type of man in Rome, he is darker and more tortured and angry at the world. Then we have our heroine, who is the heart of the group. She is fun and bubbly and always the peacekeeper. She has a sweet vibe while being strong and standing on her own when its needed. This is a true story of opposites attract and finding solace amidst the pain of life.

First Line
It's my favorite thing ever to have all the people I love in one place at the same time.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Rome Archer
Rome is a natural protector, military man for the latest decade, his family is his heart but tortured over all the loss from fighting in the middle east.

The Heroine: Cora Lewis
Cora is a natural nurturer, nicknamed pixie because she is tiny formed but has an attitude when it comes to protecting her own. She has a natural bubbly kind personality.

Summary
Rome Archer has recently come home from the war and retired from the military and now a veteran and is biting everyone's head off and become very cynical. He has changed to the people he loves and he has lost his way and doesn't know how to find his way back again. Then he meets Cora who is more than able to put him in his place. She ends up being his guardian angel and fighter of his lost heart. He finds home in the most unlikely place but there is a danger on the horizon and he will do everything he can to protect Cora from an enemy.

What I Loved
Rome was such a poignant romance that held my heart so completely. I absolutely adored this book and quite frankly each book in the series so far have been so wonderful to read. I really had a blast with Rome and his broody heart. He has always been a favorite character of mine, the way he is with his family from what we see in book one was so delightful. But in this book we see a different side to him. We see the person behind the mask, the man always running to protect his country and his family and doesn't know his place anymore. We see a hero who is at a lost and has zero direction now that he isn't in the military anymore. We see Rome go on a personal journey of discovery and what he is made of without his military uniform. We also see what PTSD and the horrors of war can do to a person. Jay Crownover really capitalized on his struggles just right. Then we have our heroine who is a delight. She balances out Rome's broody dark side and gives him the light that he needs. She is so supportive of him and I respected how that when she ends up pregnant, she doesn't hide it from him or delay telling him about it. She is upfront and open about the circumstances and seeing Rome and Cora learn what it means to be going on this new chapter in their lives....together and working as a team was so relatable and had such a raw real element to their relationship that I was instantly drawn into.

What I Struggled With
There wasn't much I struggled with to be honest, it didn't quite make it to five star status but that might have been I was reading this through the hoopla app and not on my kindle or physically. But I will complain that the kindle book is $10 ----that is ridiculous. haha

Overall View
Rome is a story of pain and growth, of healing and redemption, and learning to embrace new paths in the future...

Favorite Quote(s)
And right now, being with you is the one thing that feels solid and real...You're so full of color, so vibrant you never get lost in all the grey in my hear. I don't want to lose that.

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance
Character Types: Military, Tortured Hero, Brooding Hero
Themes: Heart/Touching, Lots of Laughs, Tattoos/Body Art Displayed
Tropes: Opposites Attract, Grumpy Sunshine

Book Perspective
Duo POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A Mix of Both

Song This Book Inspires
Witchcraft by Frank Sinatra

Recommendation For Reading Order
I recommend reading in order if possible, but they can be read as standalone if you are inclined.

Steam/Spice Explanations

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes. ( )

4.5 actually..... ( )

Full Review on my blog!

Jay Crownover’s third installment of the Marked Men series was about Rule’s older brother, Rome aka Captain no-fun and his friend Cora aka Tink or Half-pint. Rome Archer is back from his final tour in the Army. He’s finally home and he’s not been himself since he’s been back. He has issues with his family, and his time spent at war left it’s mark. And lets be honest, he’s been quite an ass since he’s been back. Everyone in the group is trying to just let it slide for now, except Cora. She gives him a piece of her mind when he says something out of line about his brother, Rule, who happens to be one of her best friends. Rome is a big guy. He is strong, stoic and tough. Cora is physically much smaller, has lots of ink and piercings, and is a spitfire. Cora is something else; she’s spunky, feisty and a wonderful leading lady! She seems more put together than Rome, but she has her issues too. She’s been marked by her past just like Rome. She’s had her heart broken in on of the the worst ways possible, and now she is very cautious about giving it away. She’s not sure if she ever will. At least not until she finds ‘Mr. Perfect.’

Although, Rome and Cora seem like opposites, they have a ton in common. Both are loyal and protective of their friends and family, caring and they have things they are dealing with. In the beginning of their relationship they face a lot of obstacles. Rome has to deal with his guilt, PTSD, depression and nightmares and Cora needs to get over her fear of falling deep in love and having that person leave. They struggle a lot. They come together. They fall apart. Healing isn’t always easy, but when the two were finally able to get it together, it was so incredible.

I love the Marked Men series. Jay Crownover writes compelling characters that immediately sneak into your heart, and romances full of chemistry and heat! I can’t wait for the next one! I absolutely love these characters and the whole world the author has crated. I highly recommend it!

Check out my reviews of the rest of the series:
Rule | Jet | Rome | Nash |Rowdy | Asa

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My fav of the series can't wait for the next one to come out ( )

Has its good bits and bad bit. Not a fan of the ending, it doesn't tie off the story very well, just leads you into the next book. I like the two main characters a lot. This entire book was just missing something to tip it over into something I'll remember fondly. Instead this will just get lost in the sea of other like stories with nothing to make it stand out. ( )