The Professional: Part 3: The Game Maker, Book 1

By: Kresley Cole

Narrated by: Kimberly Alexis

Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

He makes the rules…

Mafia enforcer Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan's loyalty to his boss is unwavering, until he meets the boss’s long-lost daughter, a curvy, tantalizing redhead who haunts his mind and heats his blood like no other. Ordered to protect her, Sevastyan will do anything to possess her as well - on his own wicked terms.

Rules are made to be broken…

PhD student Natalie Porter had barely recovered from her first sight of the breathtakingly gorgeous Sevastyan before the professional hit man whisks her away to Russia, thrusting her into a world of extreme wealth and wanton pleasures. With every day she spends under his protection, she falls deeper under his masterful spell.

Are you ready to play?

Yet all is not as it seems. To remove Natalie from an enemy’s reach, Sevastyan spirits her into hiding. From an opulent palace in Russia to the decadent playgrounds of the mega-wealthy in Paris, the two lovers will discover that even their darkest - and most forbidden - fantasies can come true…

©2014 Kresley Cole (P)2014 Simon & Schuster

Get the complete book, skip the serial format

Overall I really enjoyed the entire Professional “series” and thought Kresley Cole’s writing was excellent. However, I didn’t enjoy the way this book was released in a serial format. In my opinion it made the story too choppy and created unnecessary cliffhangers. If there is a spin-off of The Game Makers, I will wait until the entire book is released. Otherwise, I thought the overall story, narration and writing were excellent.

4 stars

16 people found this helpful

A delicious BDSM!!!!

I was initially very upset at Audible to have broken down a book into three parts and so after reading the first book, I did a search and found-out that was how the books were released. This is one story cut up over three books and each short enough that all would have made one book of about 12.5 hrs total but the readers will pay for three books. This May though the book will be released as one, so if you can wait it may be best to pay one credit rather than about $18 for all three. Great story but I really like how witty Kresley Cole is. Wonderful one liners are throughout the books. A definite 5 stars.

6 people found this helpful

Review for all three books of The Professional.

This book is not for everyone. First off I don't like BDSM, mild forms are acceptable such as tying up, spanking, even exhibitionism from both partners. The rest I don't want, being whipped has no appeal to me. I almost didn't read this series because of this. But I love Kresley Cole so much that when the semiannual sale happened I got all three books to this story. And with my fingers crossed I proceeded to enter into KS's new world. Admittedly this book has some hot parts, but some of the sex was too over the top for my style, mostly in the third book. Since I knew what this book was about before I bought it, I went with it anyway. I will not be getting the next book, there was just too much unpleasant sex for me that I will invest time in the second. I hate that one of my favorite authors was sucked into this new craze of writing about this junk, what is really annoying is that everybody is acting like it’s a new and exciting thing. Well it isn't on both fronts. As usual Kresley Cole style of writing flowed well and the story came alive, I did like the Russian part and the romance of the story. Overall hard to rate I didn't like the BDSM, but the writing does pull you in. Narrator was really good, she does a really good Russian accent.

On a side note I was not impressed with the fact that this book was split into 3 parts and as long as this story is the only book KS comes out with that is cut up I will forgive her. I think it is just another way for the publishers/ authors to rip off fans.

3 people found this helpful

What FSoG Should Have Been...

First of all, I loved this book! And make no mistake, even though there are 3 parts, parts 1, 2 and 3 add up to one book. It's not a trilogy. It's not 3 separate books. It's one book broken into 3 parts. The conclusion to the book comes in this instalment, which is why I'm writing my review here.

I don't know if Kresley Cole wrote this book before or after the BIG FSoG phenomenon happened, and I don't really care. Chances are though, it was published, and published in this 3 part serial version, because of the FSoG craze, perhaps trying to make it look like a trilogy. While I generally avoid all the BDSM books that have came out since, I will read anything KC writes, so here I am.

I wasn't a big FSoG fan. I found the heroine too immature and the hero a bit too stalker-ish for my taste. To each their own. This book, however, had a smart heroine who knew her own mind, a hero who was dangerous, handsome, loyal to a fault. He was just sex on a stick with a cherry on top, and loads of hotter than hot scenes that nearly melted my headphones.

In some fascinating way, even though Natalie is the submissive, it really reads as though she has all the control. When Sevastian buys clothes for her, it appears thoughtful, not controlling. Even though the story is being told from Natalie's point of view, it's Sevastian's pain you feel the most. At no point does KC let her hero venture into real "jerk" behaviour, but she keeps his razor sharp edge throughout. He's domineering and possessive and all that stuff, but in a perfectly perfect way. KC nailed this one.

I do wish this hadn't came in a serial form. After reading other reviews, I chose to wait until all 3 sections were available and purchased to start reading them (thanks reviewers!!), since I get frustrated with cliff hangers. So for me, it was less frustrating, and that's what I'd recommend to others as well. Or, as others have noted, wait until it's released on one volume, which I'm sure it will be eventually.

7 people found this helpful

So sad to see it end!

This entire series is really awesome... I loved the whole mafioso thing...

I think this book is my least favorite out of the three... I really didn't like Sebastian's background... and Natalie actually made me upset with her antics during this book. I like the ending and I really hope there are 3 more books about Sebastian's brother... that would be totally interesting...

All in all, I down graded this book a star, but it was still worth the buy, credit or sale.

Narration was great, just like the other two books....

Great series K.C.!

5 people found this helpful

'A' for effort

I'd read somewhere that The Professional was Kresley Cole's first attempt at adult erotic romance, and for that I give her an A for effort. She always has great characters, and wow, her imaginative sexcapades in the stories are ear melting! Let me not forget the great narration--I was totally digging the narrator's Russian accent. The biggest drawback is that it was broken down into these mini-stories. The first one was a great opener with action, lust, humor, etc. and then books two and three were a bit more mellow, even with the action.

This third installment was focused on where the relationship between Sevastyan and Natalie was heading and working through their kinky love play. It was a bit light on the storyline and somewhat anticlimactic, but in general, I liked it, and I hope KC graces us with more stories in this genre.

2 people found this helpful

SO Worth the Wait! Awesome Ending to Steamy Story

Kresely Cole does an awesome job again with writing the 3rd part of the Professional. Part 2 left me hanging and wanting more and this was worth the wait! From the beginning to end, the book capitvated me and this part 3 left me in a temporary haze and I had to stop working to catch my breath. Very Hot and Steamy! All of KC's books are an automatic download for me. I love to hear happy endings along with a little kink.

2 people found this helpful

Got to be honest....

I was expecting more. I thought part 3 would have more action in it, like Natalie being in danger with other mafia clans because she's a mob heiress, ect. The conclusion to the book is all about Natalie and Sevastyan working on their kinky relationship mishaps. Don't get me wrong its still a good story awesome steamy scenes and if you're a KC fan, you're listening to it anyways, but you might be a little bit disappointed. I only gave it 4 stars because it was only about Natalie trying to fix Sevastyan about being emotionally unavailable to her. I would have loved some action, to see " The Siberian" at work to protect what is his.

2 people found this helpful

Wow a Hot and Heavy Exciting conclusion !!

Any additional comments?

The final installment in the first book of The Gamemaker series is an excellent end. Part two concludes with Sevastyan and Natalie in a club. We don’t know what, but we know something major is about to happen, and WHEW grab a fan, you’re going to need it!

I feel for Natalie throughout this part. She is trying to connect with Sevastyan; trying to make an actual relationship out of what they have, but he isn't budging much. Closed off and unyielding, this is part of what makes Sevastyan so very sexy. However, it also makes him incredibly frustrating. I sympathized with Natalie and could really understand her frustrations and upsets. We know there is a reason behind Sevastyan’s silence, but that doesn't make it much easier when you don’t know WHY. Fortunately for us and Natalie, Sevastyan will open up. It just takes a pretty good bit to get him there.

We go from Sevastyan sharing his past, and he and Natalie working on it to the epilogue where they have returned to Russia. Sure all the major points are mostly wrapped up (although not all) there is plenty to go on to stretch this out into another book. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a fan of authors writing more books “just cause,” but this one really could have used it. There are so many points in the epilogue that really needed to be delved into more in my opinion.

Those minor points aside, this is an excellent series. It is gritty, blazing hot, and has a story and characters unlike any other. Cole is not afraid to step outside the box, and she does not pull any punches. I really hope she continues the series, and I believe there are many interesting characters to choose from.....

4 people found this helpful

Hot pull you in story

Would you consider the audio edition of The Professional: Part 3 to be better than the print version?

Didn't read book

What did you like best about this story?

Both Characters in the story needing and wanting something from each other but not knowing how to get it.

What does Kimberly Alexis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I've listen to her before and she always does a great job of keeping the characters separate and true to themselves. I always enjoy listening to her.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Very hot and amazing loved the ending hate to see them live happily ever.

Any additional comments?

Listen to all three books the 2nd picks up right where the first left off so if you don't listen to the first you wouldn't understand the 2nd or 3rd book.

1 person found this helpful