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Troika

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A "brilliant, astonishing modern love story"* and an acclaimed literary debut...

A young Cuban woman passes her nights dancing in a seedy Florida strip club; a Russian orphan loses everything, then builds a new and prosperous life for himself in New York; a woman struggles to maintain her dignity and hope after a life-changing accident—these are the three members of the troika whose story is told in this dazzling literary debut.

Their lives unexpectedly intertwined, Perla, Julian, and Sophie discover a world—a way of life—that forces them to challenge their definitions of commitment, love, and trust, a world that heals old wounds and inspires them to transform tragedy into beauty.

"What a great gallop through the landscape of the human heart, what a brilliant, astonishing modern love story, what a beautiful pair of heroines, what an amazing journey from the plantains of Little Havana and a Fort Lauderdale strip club to Fifth Avenue and East Hampton, what a ride to a complex and satisfying redemption, what a glorious testimony to the way damage can become a lovely destiny, what a book!" —*Susan Cheever

288 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2014

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1111 people want to read

About the author

Adam Pelzman

5 books106 followers
Adam Pelzman was born in Seattle, raised in northern New Jersey, and has spent most of his life in New York City. He studied Russian literature at the University of Pennsylvania and went to law school at UCLA. His first novel, Troika, was published by Penguin (Amy Einhorn Books) and later republished by Jackson Heights Press as A Cuban Russian American Love Story. He is also the author of The Papaya King (which Kirkus Reviews described as "entrancing" and "deeply memorable") and The Boy and the Lake (which is set in New Jersey during the late 1960s). His newest novel is A Plague of Mercies.

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5 stars
117 (24%)
4 stars
175 (37%)
3 stars
119 (25%)
2 stars
42 (8%)
1 star
18 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
Profile Image for Ayelet Waldman.
Author 30 books40.3k followers
April 2, 2014
I loved this fucking book. And that is the blurb I gave it.
Profile Image for Skip.
3,734 reviews557 followers
November 22, 2017
A quality debut novel, with three strong and well-developed characters: Julian, a Russian orphan, lucky enough to emigrate to the U.S. and become very successful, Perla, a down-on-her luck Cuban-American stripper, and Sophie, a woman trying to adjust to a life-changing accident. The three (troika) interact in an unusual, but mostly satisfying manner. I really enjoyed the poignancy of Julian's Russian childhood and Perla's struggles in the first half of the book; however, I did not like Sophie's complete absence from the first half of the book, and once introduced, she essentially pushed Julian out of the story, leaving us with Perla and Sophie's own struggles in the second half.
1,428 reviews48 followers
March 19, 2014
I typically do not enjoy romance novels and yet Troika by Adam Pelzman is not an ordinary cookie cutter love story, but rather a well thought out and brilliant work of literary fiction. Pelzman’s characters are quite different and interesting: Julian was a orphan in Russia until he was taken under the wing of a rich businessman and then made it big in Manhattan on his own, married to a woman who is paralyzed; and finally Perla, the young Cuban-American woman who lives with her mom and who has a quite a secret. How the lives of Pelzman’s characters intersect and interact is brilliant. Troika is exceedingly well written, keeps the reader fully engaged and does not let up from the first page. I truly enjoyed Troika, it is not a book one will want to put down and I highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Julie Timmer.
Author 5 books331 followers
August 26, 2016
I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this book and I *loved* it. It's one of those un-put-downable books that will interfere with everything you had planned for the weekend-->the mark of a fantastic novel, imho. The book is told from the alternating viewpoints of the two main characters, one a wealthy man living in Manhattan (limited third person) and the other a young female stripper living in Miami (first person). It's the perfect way to tell the story and Pelzman nails both voices. I expect to see this one on a Best of 2014 list and I already can't wait for Pelzman's next novel.
Profile Image for Sunyi Dean.
Author 13 books1,640 followers
May 9, 2019
Very well written

Been awhile since i read any straight up lit fic without any speculative elements at all. This is the kind of book which is best read without spoilers or advance warning--all you need to know is on the back cover. It was very well written, with three excellent (if slightly improbable) character studies and a lot of brilliant microtension.

The slight improbabilty of one of the characters had me squinting a little and i actually think the book could have benefited from being longer. I'd have liked a trifle more of Pov3 in certain sections. Would still recommend happily, however.
Profile Image for Kasa Cotugno.
2,676 reviews564 followers
August 17, 2014
This amazing debut has it all -- three exceptional characters provide the Troika of the title, but it's their interaction that provides the tension and heart at its core. Justin, who having led a life overcoming unusual challenges starting with his Russian childhood meets Perla, a young dancer in a seedy Little Havana strip club. Told from three points of view what unfolds is a story of powerful originality and force. It just misses a 5 star rating because some of the segues are not as smooth or believable as they could be, but the strengths of the characters carry the action forward, and the unflinching description at the center is one of the most devastating things I have read. It would not be fair to tell who relates it and why would give away too much of a plot element that should be revealed to the reader as the author intended, so I won't do so here. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Joy.
148 reviews5 followers
June 25, 2014
I was really surprised! The story was not at all what I was expecting but I am happy! This story made me angry, hopeful, confused ad all in between. I really liked how the author introduced the three characters separately, then blending them together towards the end. I was really hoping for more at the end, maybe more of a closure of each character. But that is what imagination is for. Bravo!!
Profile Image for Brett Newmyer.
88 reviews
February 13, 2017
this story was so slow, with an awful, unbelievable payoff. The only thing this book had going for it was that Julian was an interesting character, but late in the book he was full of contradictions and they threw his integrity out the window!
Profile Image for Deb Lewis.
18 reviews1 follower
March 27, 2014
Not your normal love story, but as messy and unpredicatable as real life is. The characters will haunt you, and you will cheer their courage in the end. Recommended.
Profile Image for Karen.
704 reviews1,795 followers
May 21, 2014
Unconventional love story... kept me engrossed from the start
Profile Image for Wendy.
2,367 reviews45 followers
May 26, 2014
" Troika" by Adam Pelzman which I won from Goodreads Giveaways is a romantic journey into the human heart that begins with Perla, a Cuban-American stripper at a not too fancy or sleazy nightclub called Paris Nights. A beautiful, but aloof young woman who doesn't drink and brings "grace, dignity and professionalism" to a fruitless job Perla never expects to meet a man who could win her heart.

Julian Pravdin , a Russian orphan who was taken under the wing of a Jewish businessman before immigrating to America has made a fortune from a small inheritance and a philosophy that embodies "scarcity, need and knowledge." One evening on a business trip to Florida he stops at the club where Perla's dancing and begins a journey that will change the course of their lives.

Much of the story is narrated from Perla and Julian's perspectives, adding Sophie Pravdin's near the end. Although the addition of the paralyzed wife's view of her marriage in relationship to her crippling and degrading condition seems at first disconcerting it does add a further dimension to the story as the lives of Julian, Sophie and Perla become intertwined. With skilful adroitness the author explores the brokenness of the three; two tormented by abuse, violence and murder in their past, the other from the mistreatment of her mother's boyfriend and exploitation by her customers. The description and language is realistically graphic as the brutality and ugliness in these lives, past and present, are juxtaposed against the beauty intrinsic in each of their souls.

Like the plot, the characters with all their flaws,faults and strengths are well-developed and very realistic. Julian Pravdin, the stylish, self-assured businessman has always been a loner with an intense and competitive nature. Haunted by tragedy and violence in his youth his temperament is an enigma at times, ranging from cold indifference, anger and intolerance to compassion, sensitivity and caring. Perla, the nightclub stripper who yearns for honesty, respect and kindness is practical, tough and blunt. Julian's wife Sophie paralyzed from the waist-down in a tragic accident is heartbreakingly self-loathing, stubborn, and jealous even with her husband's undeniable consideration and love. In a shocking ending these three lives will become strangely intertwined as they seek protection, security and sincerity in a new, difficult and unconventional relationship.

This modern and complex romance is definitely unusual, but told with touching warmth. Against a background of pain, tragedy and loss, the pages are filled hope, joy and redemption as hearts heal and find new meaning to their lives.
Profile Image for Amy.
207 reviews
September 3, 2014
Perla is a stripper in a middle-of-the-road strip joint. Not too fancy, not too sleazy but just the right mix of both for Perla. Perla left Cuba with her parents as a child and was raised in Miami. After losing her father at 14, Perla and her mother had to work together to make ends meet. As the book opens, Perla is working at the club and sees a man come in. This man is Julian.
Julian was born in Siberia, the son of a successful hunter who is one day killed by the tiger he is hunting. Julian's heartbroken mother turns to drugs to numb the pain and then to prostitution to pay for the drugs and Julian is sent to live in an orphanage. When Julian is 10 years old, his mother comes to visit. He begs her to take him with her but she can't. As she leaves the orphanage, Julian sees what she has had to do to gain entry to the orphanage...the nasty old man that runs the place pushes her down to her knees. Julian sees it happen. He is filled with rage and some serious shizz goes down. I don't want to ruin it for you, though I have seen that other reviewers have already written about it. Julian at 10 years old is already a serious bada$$. By the time he walks into Perla's club, he's a successful, attractive, rich, and nearly perfect man. The author has made Julian into every woman's fantasy, except for the fact that he has a wife.
Sophie is Julian's wife. They met in high school and have been together ever since. Sophie is smart, sophisticated and beautiful but after a car accident, she is paralyzed from the waist down. Sex is difficult and awkward, especially when she loses control of her bowels in the middle of the action.
Troika is not your typical love story. It's the story of three broken people that are made whole through each other. It is a story of selflessness and a kind of generosity that has nothing to do with money. When I first started the book, reading about a strip club, I thought I had picked a book that I was not going to like. As I continued to read, I knew that I had been wrong and that this book had a deep and philosophical side that would stick with me.
This book does have some rather sexual scenes so if you prefer your books on the wholesome side, this one may not be for you.
Profile Image for Jess.
8 reviews
May 28, 2017
I received a free advance copy of this book from Penguin through a Goodreads first reads giveaway.

I will be upfront in saying that my thoughts on this book vacillated as I read it. On the one hand, I found it a bit "tropes ahoy" - the main characters are a stripper with a heart of gold and the aloof wealthy man with the complicated and troubled past who charms her. Also, the narrative switches from first person to third person. This, in itself, was fine; however, when a second first-person narrator is introduced midway through the book, I found this to be an awkward adjustment for the reader.

That said, cliches and clunky transitions between narrators aside, I enjoyed this book. In the early part of the book, I preferred the chapters focussing on Julian to those written from Perla's point of view. However, as the book progressed, and as Pelzman wove the characters' stories closer to and tighter with one another, I became quite fond of Perla and enjoyed the chapters that focused on her. For as much time as he spent fleshing out Julian's backstory, and the myriad factors that made him the "rich douche bag" that he is, I think Pelzman gave Julian the short end of the stick compared to Perla (and Sophie, whom we meet later in the book) when it comes to making his characters human.

I found Troika to be a good book, but not a great one. It's an unconventional love story with interesting enough characters. I enjoyed reading it, and appreciate having the opportunity to review an advanced copy.
Profile Image for Christen Lee.
194 reviews3 followers
April 19, 2014
I won an advanced copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

This was great!!!! I almost want to give this 4.5 stars. Basically you've got the rich Russian guy, his paralyzed wife, and a young stripper originally from Cuba. You get some background into each of their pasts, and you get to see how it all works out for them moving forward.

The first half was kinda drawn out and I almost gave up on it, but then later it introduced a third point of view, that of the wife. At first I resented her for butting into the story where we follow the lives of the Russian guy and the stripper. I was used to the established back and forth between those 2 characters. But the wife's point of view really got to me and now I have a new respect and new outlook on people confined to a wheelchair. In the end, though the solution felt rushed and too easy, I liked it. I would've liked a little more detail on the logistics, but in all I got the gist and am happy for all of them really.

If you are sensitive to the use of f-bombs in literature, maybe don't read this book. But you're missing out :)
Profile Image for Jessica.
481 reviews60 followers
July 11, 2014
This was an unexpected and complicated love story, and I found myself completely engrossed in it while reading. Troika takes the sort of cliche story of the stripper with a heart of gold and rich businessman who fall for each other (a la Pretty Woman) to a surprising and different level. A soon as I thought I knew how the story would go, a massive twist completely changed the story and made it a much deeper and more interesting rumination on love and the things we do for the people we love. It has its flaws, but I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed it and how much Perla and Julian's story stuck with me.

I received an advance digital galley of this book through Penguin's First to Read program.
Profile Image for Cassie.
4 reviews
March 31, 2014
I read an advanced copy of this book and the more I sit here and think about it the more I dislike it. The story began with potential but progressively became more patriarchal. The novel has a non traditional relationship which some might applaud but the two women in the relationship are determined to please the male protagonist, Julian. Additionally I had a hard time stomaching the author's writing from Perla's perspective. It lacked the authenticity of novels such as The Color Purple.

Mostly it promoted a lot of negative messages.
I wish it has stayed between two people and had character growth. The only good thing I found about it was what might have been.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
4 reviews
August 18, 2014
For some of us, there comes a point in life when you realize that love doesn't come in a one-size-fits-all package. It is messy and complicated because we are messy and complicated.
If you are okay with stepping away from conventional love stories, then you will love this book. It starts with a simple and sweet affection/love between two improbable characters that spirals into a larger circle of love and friendship among several triangles (troikas).

The writing is superb. You will find certain passages asking you to read them over again so that you can fully savor their import. Most endearingly, the character of Perla is electric and will stay with you for a long time as you imagine her companionship continuing, whether it be as friend or lover.
1 review2 followers
July 31, 2014
Adam Pelzman's Troika sucked me in from the very start. It's a beautifully written unconventional love story written in large part from the point of view of a woman named Perla. I surprised myself by relating to and empathizing with this likable character, an attractive young Cuban American stripper. Equally unexpected was my willingness not only to accept, but even to applaud the novel's uniquely clever ending. I credit my pleasantly surprising reactions to the sensitive and beautifully developed storyline and the multifaceted and relatable characters Pelzman so expertly depicts. I loved this book and I can't wait to read his next one!
Profile Image for Lissa00.
1,342 reviews28 followers
September 3, 2016
4.5 stars
Beautifully written with complex and completely unique characters, reading this novel was a pleasant surprise. Perla, a stripper of Cuban descent, and Julian, a former Russian orphan and current millionaire, form an unlikely pair and their relationship has consequences that change the course of their lives. I found the ending to be a bit unbelievable but the beauty of the book lies in the rich characters and their backstories. I received this book through LibraryThing.
Profile Image for Dearwassily.
646 reviews7 followers
August 5, 2014
Should a male author write a female narrator? What if he writes two in the same book? Sure, if he can make himself transparent and the women's voices believable. Pelzman couldn't and didn't.
Profile Image for Janice.
248 reviews37 followers
April 18, 2014
This book did not go at all the way I expected it to, and I am very pleased with that. The book starts off with Perla's current situation where she is striving in a strip club. She meets one man at the club, Julian, who surprises her by stirring up strong feelings (physically and emotionally). Julian's story starts to unfold, his tough upbringing with his widowed mother who turned to drugs and prostitution to deal with her grief. Julian then went to an orphanage, but makes 2 friends that define loyalty, even decades later. He is put in a tough situation where he literally kills to defend his mother's honor. He gets adopted and transported to America. This book had me thinking that he is a superhero at several different points. He proves his loyalty to those whom he allows close to him. He is honorable (even though it doesn't always seem like it at the surface), strong, fiercely loyal, and dedicated.

Perla and Julian had several similarities: hard upbringing, early deaths of a father, and immigrating from another country. Their relationship grows, with Julian being somewhat of a sugar daddy and undetermined spans of time between each meeting. Eventually, Julian admits to being married and Sophie is introduced into the story.

Sophie's character really puts some (admittedly vital) energy into the storyline and all of the storylines start to converge. I really enjoyed her addition to the story. She is a combination of Julian and Perla: she is smart, strong, loyal. Yet she prides herself in pushing people towards the direction they need to take. She tests not only Julian, but Perla as well, which gets to be tricky, but I found to really admire her in the end.

The story concludes on a strangely beautiful note. The braiding of these three lives together, provides strength, protection, honesty and security. The strange situation binds them together in a way that would seem bizarre to an outsider. Things are not always what they seem, sometimes they are even more beautiful.



Please note: I was provided a digital copy of this book for free through Penguin Books' First To Read.
202 reviews
June 15, 2015
Adam Pelzman's novel Troika is an unquestionably relevant work for contemporary readers, as it could be for readers of many (if not all) ages. From the first sentence to the very last, Pelzman signals the radical primacy of humanity to this work. What in the world do I mean by that?

First of all, on a basic level, Troika is a story about a complicated relationship between a wife, a husband, and the woman with whom he is has an extramarital liaison at the beginning of the book that is told in first-person narration from multiple perspectives. There is no filter between the reader and character's psychology. And indeed, I found the characters to be not only multi-dimensional and believable, they were likable and so relatable that they provided an effective bridge for me to understand and appreciate values contrary to my own and actions I would never take.

The first narrator is the "other woman" in the triangle; a young stripper named Perla. When the story begins, she is at work. Despite the vulgar language and number of vulgar people populating this first setting, Perla's proud and irreverent -- but not unkind personality --is definitely compelling. The one word I would use to describe my impression of Perla and the opening of the novel itself is definitely "charming." The original partner of the male protagonist brings a witty, wise and generous perspective to the narrative.

In addition to the centrality of realistic, incredibly well-drawn characters -- and in particular two strong and unusual women -- and the privileging of their unique perspectives through the structure of the novel, I would also call this a truly humane book due to: the generosity shown by the characters (implicit in the plot's nature & structure) and the hope the story can engender in the reader concerning the expansive potential of human relationships. I recommend this novel without reservation. Please be advised I received a free ARC of this novel for an honest review through the LibraryThing.com Early Reviewers Program. Thanks for reading my thoughts.
Profile Image for Tatiana Maria.
128 reviews10 followers
August 15, 2014
I devoured this book. What a stunning read. The heroines are as different as can be from one another, and yet both equally sympathetic and beautiful, and the hero is so heart-wrenchingly human and broken that I felt for him instantly. Reading the POV of a disabled character -- she's paralyzed from the waist-down -- was an entirely new experience for me, and the way she sees things, as well as the way she's seen, never left me feeling anything as disrespectful as pity for her, but rather I felt a deep curiosity and keen interest.

This book is an off-beat kind of read. One PoV is first person, very casual and conversational in tone, as of someone recounting a story to you; another is a very distant limited third person; the third is a brisk, intelligent first person. This could be disorienting if done poorly, but the voices are each distinct and refreshing.

I enjoyed the plot, and even though towards the end something happened that had me turning the pages and whispering please no no no, the resolution to that particular issue felt satisfying and true to character; the author didn't take the easy way out, and he didn't write a plot twist simply for the sake of shocking his audience. Although I'm not entirely sure whether I'm content with the ending as written in the epilogues, I see why it worked for the characters involved, and it feels true to them - and that's what matters, isn't it?

I feel like this is a novel I'll return to in the future. I really, really enjoyed this.
Profile Image for Catherine (The Gilmore Guide to Books).
498 reviews381 followers
August 18, 2016
The beginning of Adam Pelzman’s debut novel Troika, can’t help but feel like a Carl Hiassen novel—seamy Miami strip club, bored but earnest stripper, wealthy mysterious customer walks in—you get it. Pelzman definitely understands the feel of what such an environment must be like and so it is no surprise that the undereducated but bright and inquisitive Perla, a Cuban immigrant, has a fresh faced look that allows her to catch the eye of Julian, an older gentleman who has wandered in to kill time and get a lap dance.

Pretty Woman territory? Not really. Troika has enough twists to power punch a plot and still achieve tenderness in the face of unforeseen and unusual circumstances. The novel is told in the first person perspective of two women, Perla and Julian’s wife Sophie, while Julian remains a man of mystery and action, told in the third person. This concept leaves the women acted upon while Julian acts. This is not to say that Pelzman fails to capture the female voice but it wobbles at times between pathos and feminine hysteria.

This is a plot driven story that will entertain but when the wronged wife, Sophie, goes completely off the rails, credulity stretches to the breaking point. The results, while heartwarming, are not believable. Troika is interesting with a compelling storyline and backstory but trying to parse this debut novel too finely will lead to more questions than answers.
Profile Image for Samarth Bhaskar.
225 reviews27 followers
April 8, 2015
I found an early-release copy of this lying around a book review desk at work, read the blurb on the back and picked it up. There was nothing especially compelling about the premise, but a free book, hey, why not.

Pelzman's background as student of Russian literature is pretty clear in how he chooses to portray the main male protagonist in this novel. A man defined by hardship, heir to the throne of courage and valor, and someone who keeps his closest friends/loved ones at arms distance is about as Russian hero as you can get. But situating this man in an American context, relating to a Cuban stripper (a pretty wrought allegory about Russian/Cuban relations, but whatever), is a novel way of exploring this character.

I was happy to see that Pelzman tried out new things throughout the book. Switching from third-person to first-person, changing perspectives throughout his short chapters, giving each main character a chance to tell the story from his/her own eye. That kept me interested in the second half of the book.

But, ultimately, this was a book about one main idea. About the odd, but oddly not that unbelievable, relationship between Sophie, Julian and Perla. I was hoping Pelzman would come up with something deeper to say about this relationship but he seemed to just stop right there. Almost as if it to say "hey look, isn't this a weird relationship?" which isn't enough to really make for a memorable book.
46 reviews7 followers
October 4, 2014
Hard to Put Down Book About 3 People

Troika is a Russian word that means triumvirate or a set of three. That is what this book is about, a set of three people.

One is Julian, who starts in life as a Russian orphan and ends up a millionaire in New Jersey and then New York City. Second is Sophie: Julian’s high school sweetheart whom he marries and they have a car accident after which Sophie is paralyzed below her chest. And third is Perla, a Cuban dancer whom Julian meets in a strip club in Fort Lauderdale and she lives in Little Havana in Miami.

The author creates a rich narrative about the lives of these 3 people that takes place in Siberia, New Jersey, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and finally ending in New York City. Although most people can guess in the beginning where this book is headed, it is so well written that once you start, you do not want to put the book down.

Great first book by Adam Pelzman. Keep it up!
Profile Image for Rena.
588 reviews9 followers
April 30, 2014
Rated 4.5 stars.

Received this book from LibraryThing.com for review.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but it sounded interesting. The book starts with 2 alternating POVs and I was wondering why the title "Troika" since that means 3. Well, that question is answered a little later. This was really well-written, there was a kind of beauty and humanity to it, even though the subject matter is tough. I'm always unsure of male authors who write the female perspective, like they can't really know what they're talking about. But in this case, I feel the author did a good job of writing how women think. The descriptions regarding the daily care of a paralyzed person was so heart-breaking and I can tell the author did a lot of research in that regard. Ultimately, this is a really human book and I look forward to more from this author.
Profile Image for Alex.
16 reviews15 followers
April 27, 2014
This is by far the best book I've received from librarything's early reviewers. It was fast-paced, well written and totally engrossing. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was the graphic nature of a few scenes that seemed a little excessive and made me feel like I was suddenly reading another book. Aside from that, though, I loved it. The different narrators weren't distracting and they all made sense and the characters were well developed and I liked that there was an extensive buildup to Julian's character so we could fully understand his flaws and motives. So glad I received this book!
16 reviews1 follower
July 16, 2014
(ARC received as part of the First Reads program)

I've got to admit, this book went in directions that I certainly didn't expect, and that's what made it so enjoyable!

It has all the ingredients of a fascinating social commentary--Perla, the smart, take-no-shit stripper with a heart of gold and Julian, the tortured man with a shady past and a strange blend of tenderness and confidence that Perla can't resist.

Their casual relationship can't last forever, particularly when a new player is introduced to the game--Julian's wife.

Fascinating plot lines, unexpected twists, strong characters and believable dialogue make this novel a definite recommended read.


412 reviews19 followers
April 17, 2014
Julian and Perla are two characters that will be talked about after TROIKA is published. Pelzman has crafted a tale, a non-traditional love story, that will have people talking. His writing is brilliant. I wanted to know more about the characters. He could have added more backstory, but nothing he writes is wasted. I do not read romance or erotica - and TROIKA cannot be classified as either - yet it is a dark love story. What a gorgeous story it is.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews

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