Captive Rival: Armani

Captive Series, Book 2

By: Stella Gray

Narrated by: Aaron Shedlock, Stephanie Rose

Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

I thought I could walk away...but Armani Bellanti wants me for keeps.

My intentions were good.

I thought I was on the side of angels.

But all my plans led me straight to hell.

There’s nowhere for me to turn.

My whole world is his cage.

I have no one.

No one but him.

He silences me with cruel kisses.

I taunt him with his desire for me.

We don’t trust each other, but we can use each other.

Armani can take what he wants from me.

And I can keep pretending I’m not falling for the devil.

Book two of three in the angsty, sizzling Captive series.

For the best listening experience:

• Broken Bride: Dante (Broken, Book 1)
• Broken Vow: Dante (Broken, Book 2)
• Broken Trust: Dante (Broken, Book 3)
• Forbidden Bride: Marco (Forbidden, Book 1)
• Forbidden War: Marco (Forbidden, Book 2)
• Forbidden Love: Marco (Forbidden, Book 3)
• Captive Bride: Armani (Captive, Book 1)
• Captive Rival: Armani (Captive, Book 2)
• Captive Heart: Armani (Captive, Book 3)

©2023 Stella Gray (P)2023 Audible, Inc.

Captive Rival

Hearing this story brought to life made me tear up in places I didn’t expect! And the emotions the narrators put behind this story was amazing!

I thoroughly enjoyed the different accents the narrators did for both the Italians and Clayton but also the accent that long time family members had too.

I received a code from Paige Press LLC and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

🖤🖤🖤

I was gifted the Audio series. And once again I devoured book 2. I’m really enjoying the narrators. The book is intense, spicy, and keeps me on edge of my seat. Lots of twists and I’m Excited to read book 3. Definitely recommend.

agh so good

I remember reading this trilogy for the first time before it was released. For real, listening to it now makes me remember how much I enjoyed it the first time around.

...and so the plot thickens. I was not expecting that cliffhanger twist. I'm so excited to see it through and what the Bellanti Brothers think about this new information.

Candi and Armani are now further developing their relationship now that they're married. Armani does try to open up to her, and she does too. But the tension between them -- and his family -- is palpable as Candi was placed in their lives as a spy for the Bruno family, their rivals. When another spy is found, they begin to lift that restrictive approach to her.

But nothing is gonna stay happy.

Now, Candi's friend is arranged to marry another one of their rivals (they have connections to the Bruno family). This has set off Candi. She spends a lot of time in turmoil and Armani begins to be suspicious of her. Slowly, Candi begins to open up to him and his brother's wives as they begin to not be so apprehensive of her. Candi is determined to make them see that she is on their side, even if she doesn't know what's right or wrong anymore.

Armani does his best to make her feel safe -- but not always with the best intentions. As he grows to know more about her and she confides in him, he begins to change the way he treats her in and out of the comforts of their privacy.

I am loving this story!!!

Holy crazy hotness!!! These 2 are frustrating AF! The addition of Esme (a former lover of Armani) was intersting.... I wanted to slap her! And I was glad that Candi got territorial with her! The story takes a turn for the cliffy that just blew me away. I was also getting quite irritated with Juliana (Candi's friend) because she was the reason that Candi was in this whole situation to begin with and while she would sometimes show the slightest bit of concern for Candi's safety, it just didnt feel all that sincere to me! And Armani is so back and forth with his feelings that I just want to shake some sense into him...... I am ready for the next book!


Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Swoon 😍😍😍😍
Angst 💔💔💔
Narration 👏👏👏👏👏

A wild Ride

The second book in Armani’s trilogy is a bit of a wild ride. From the Bellanti Estate to an island off the Moroccan coast, Candi is never given a moment to catch her breath. This story continues to build as Armani seeks to turn the tables on the Brunos and Candi is turned into Armani’s mole. Aaron Shedlock and Stephanie Rose return with dramatic performances of Armani and Candi. We get more from Aaron in this second book as well, which adds some nice balance to the story. Armani has but one goal, protect his family and vineyard, and nothing will stand in his way. He is a man who always finds opportunities, and his attraction to Candi won’t stop him from using her as a tool. This story did surprise me a bit by revealing a secret that has never been hinted at before and the ending will leave you saying “Wow.” I didn’t see that coming at all and I love a story that plays things so close to the vest that it manages to surprise me.

Armani is still a frustrating piece of work. He is a man who loves his family deeply, but won’t let himself love someone for himself. He hides himself behind so many walls that I know I’m going to be shocked when Candi finally breaks them down and manages to open him up. I really felt for Candi in this book. She is stuck between a rock and a hard place with Armani on one side and the Brunos on the other. And I too would have whiplash with Armani’s hot and cold tendencies throughout the story. The passion that burns between them is HOT, but his feelings and demeanor are ice cold. He is calculating and precise. This entire series left me wanting Armani’s story and I can’t wait to see how it all ends.

Things are getting intense!

Holy cliffhanger, Batman! This book was intense! Candi and Armani are learning to cohabitate. The chemistry between them is strong but the communication between them is still lacking.
But their pasts contribute to this. Neither one of them were planning on being married so this is new territory for them. I enjoyed their growth in this book and watching them open up to one another. And I didn't see this ending coming! I loved how these narrators brought Candi and Armani to life! Now, on to Captive Heart!

Ahhh!

A continuation of Armani and Candi’s story performed by Aaron and Stephanie had me wanting to rip my earbuds out. The angst was definitely more prominent in this book. The couple was frustrating but kudos to the narrators for making me feel the emotions. The cliffy… binge this series because if you don’t you will be left feeling all sorts of ahhhh!

This Was My Favorite in the Trilogy

This is book 2 in a trilogy. I enjoyed this one the most. The same narrators read for all three books.

This middle book has a lot of the “meat” to Armani and Candi’s story. After listening to the 1st book, I couldn’t wait to start #2. This part was engaging from the beginning all the way to the end. Loved this installment!

The Suspense Builds!

3.5 ✨
Captive Rival picks up right where Captive Bride left off. The tension between Armani and Candi is building as the rival between the Bellantis and Brunos. There’s mystery and deceit all throughout this story. Candi did frustrate me a bit with the seesaw and her bit of naivety. I’m hoping to see more growth from her in the next book. That Armani though, is delectable and kept things steaming hot. He’s not a good guy and he doesn’t hide that fact at all but he will do anything for his family. The bond with Armani and Candi is developing deeper but it’s also fragile due to the secrets still swirling. I look forward to seeing how everything unfolds and comes together in the next book. Especially with that insane cliff hanger she left us with!

Aaron Shedlock and Stephanie Rose once again did a fabulous job with their performance perfectly complementing the story.

Seriously love

I love this series so much! Each book is very enjoyable and this final one was fantastic