asinsofthefathersnovel – booksofthemuggleborn

By Fate I Conquer by Cora Reilly

Adult Romance, ARC Review, Book Review, Book Reviews, Contemporary, Dark Reads, Dark Romance, New Adult Fiction, Romance, Suspense

⚠ This review contains a minor teaser!

booksofthemuggleborn_byfateiconquer — Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

•••

• BLURB •

Amo

Do you believe in love at first sight? In a love so strong and bright, it ignites you even in your darkest hours? Do you believe that somewhere in this world there’s someone who’s destined to be your other half? Your soulmate?

I didn’t.

Until I met her.

Greta Falcone.

The Camorra’s protected mafia princess. She’s forbidden to me.

Greta

My love for my family and my animals was all I needed. I never thought I’d fall in love. Until I met him.

Amo Vitiello. Future Capo of the Famiglia. Cruel and cold. The smiles that he has only for me quiet the chaos in my head.

What if you find your soulmate at the wrong time?

I knew the cruelest men, and yet nothing could ever be crueler than fate itself.

•••

• MY REVIEW •

“You’re meant to be Capo.”

“I’m also meant to love you.”

Would you take a leap of faith for the unknown? Would you sacrifice one love for another?

This story just about broke my heart. As much as I thought I was coming into it slightly prepared for some heartbreak, it was nowhere near enough what with the emotional onslaught that smacked me page after page. Reilly really pulled out the big guns with this one. I couldn’t stop reading even if I needed to. This may have been one of Reilly’s longer length novels, but it definitely didn’t read like one with the constant developments, nail-biting suspense, and jaw-dropping plot twists.

By Fate I Conquer is reminiscent of Bound by Honor and Twisted Pride combined. It brought about the gritty atmosphere, complexity, and well-developed narrative that initially had me falling in love with the Born In Blood Mafia Chronicles and The Camorra Chronicles alike, (and more specifically with my favourite Made Men of this world). It was the book I was so hoping and wishing Sins Of The Fathers had been from the get-go, but nevertheless Amo and Greta’s story was well worth the wait, and in my opinion breathe new life into the series.

Seeing the relationships, contrast and dynamics between certain characters was intriguing to say the least and in some cases devilishly amusing, leaving me with giddy excitement to see what Reilly has in store for future books.

I’ve seen how this world Reilly has created has divided readers in regards to the actions her characters have taken. I personally, had no issues with the events that transpired in both Remo (Twisted Pride) and Luca’s (Bound By Blood) books and the roads taken, and I didn’t have issues with Amo’s either. Reilly’s characters are flawed and complex. This story undoubtedly struggles with morality and you’re going to have to leave your moral compass at the door if there’s any chance of liking (and more importantly accepting) Amo and Greta’s story.

Having said that, in my opinion trigger warnings should be openly shared whether it contains spoilers or not. It would take a lot for me to be triggered by dark and/or sensitive content from a book I’m reading, but if I had any, I’d like to know ahead of time if a book I was considering reading had any that I might be opposed to. Out of respect for Reilly’s wishes I’m not sharing specific TW, but I will say this: By Fate I Conquer is graphic, probably more graphic, more detailed than any of Reilly’s past mafia books. The violence is disturbing, brutal, and can be traumatic for some readers. There’s a lot to unpack with this book, the violence is just one of many. Take caution if you’re squeamish.

This story is undoubtedly debatable and thought-provoking. It brings up real-life issues. I applaud Reilly for trying to add diversity to her characters and to their circumstances, however I’m on the fence about one particular turn of events. I initially liked the idea and thought it was a refreshing change of direction, but sadly it was short-lived, as Reilly reverted back to a predictable route that majority of her fanbase no doubt are favourably expecting.

In spite of everything, this book is hefty. I thoroughly enjoyed the backstories and the constant interactions amongst the cast of characters. There are bonds that I was all-in for and hope to see more of in upcoming books. The vast relationships presented and series crossovers alone made this an outstanding story to read through. Star-crossed lovers is a premise I’ll never tire of reading, and this was very much a modern-day Romeo & Juliet narrative. Amo and Greta have an interesting contrast of personalities that suited one another and I was immediately invested in seeing how things would progress. The saying “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” has never been truer than with the Falcones and the Vitiellos, and they certainly know how to evoke emotion out of you. The ratio of romance to dark mafia elements was well-balanced and honestly kept me on the edge of seat. The budding romance is swoon-worthy with tons of eroticism thrown in.

The world-building expanded tenfold with this book through the epic cast of characters that appeared. If you’re not familiar with the pre-existing characters from Reilly’s extensive mafia world, then you’ll probably feel overwhelmed by all the relationships and connections involved. I recommend checking out Reilly’s backlist of books to ensure you’re up-to-date (preferably before starting this one).

Overall, it’s well-paced storytelling and I enjoyed seeing it told from multiple POVs. Whilst I found particular scenes predictable, there were still plenty of surprises throughout that made it unputdownable. I only wish certain events that took place weren’t mentioned in passing. I’m curious to know all the gory details. But I’m in happy contentment that this story gave a sense of new beginnings and in some instances a sense of closure too. Although I still can’t wrap my mind around my favourite OG characters having gotten older, I’m chuffed to see their fiery dispositions are still very much alive and kicking. 🤭😜

Amo and Greta have come a long way from their days as littlies. Despite their dark and gritty surroundings, I have second-hand pride at seeing how well they’ve both turned out. I will definitely be reading this one time and time again, and I highly recommend fans of dark mafia romance books add it to their TBR!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Thank you Cora Reilly and Emily Alice for the opportunity to read an advance copy! ❤

🔔 Interested in reading By Fate I Conquer? Grab your copy here: Kobo | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble

•••

✝ Sins Of The Fathers

Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

Book One: By Sin I Rise: Part One by Cora Reilly

Book Two: By Sin I Rise: Part Two by Cora Reilly

Book Three: By Virtue I Fall by Cora Reilly

•••

💀 More books by Cora Reilly!

The Camorra Chronicles

Book One: Twisted Loyalties by Cora Reilly

Book Two: Twisted Emotions by Cora Reilly

Book Three: Twisted Pride by Cora Reilly

Book Four: Twisted Bonds by Cora Reilly

Book Five: Twisted Hearts by Cora Reilly

•••

Luca Vitiello by Cora Reilly

Sweet Temptation by Cora Reilly

The Dirty Bargain by Lylah James & Cora Reilly

Bound By The Past by Cora Reilly

King Thrushbeard by Cora Reilly

Forbidden Delights by Cora Reilly

Bound By Blood Anthology by Cora Reilly

Not Meant To Be Broken by Cora Reilly

Only Work, No Play by Cora Reilly

•••

Happy reading, guys! Catch you in my next one! Xo

By Virtue I Fall by Cora Reilly

Adult Romance, ARC Review, Book Review, Book Reviews, Contemporary, Dark Romance, New Adult Fiction, Romance

⚠ This review contain minor teasers!

booksofthemuggleborn_byvirtueifall — Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

•••

• BLURB •

A standalone forbidden bodyguard romance!

Love is an inconvenience Anna Cavallaro doesn’t have time for.

She only has one goal: to become a fashion designer. Chicago’s elite already copies her style religiously, not least because she’s the daughter of the city’s notorious mafia boss.

When she’s accepted at a world-famous fashion institute in Paris, her father’s condition is to take her bodyguard along.

Anna definitely wouldn’t mind a few weeks of no-strings-attached fun with her brooding protector. Santino Bianchi became the Outfit’s enforcer because he liked the thrill of the hunt and kill.

Babysitting his capo’s daughter is an honorable assignment he can’t refuse. His thoughts about Anna?

Not so honorable.

Santino’s ignored Anna’s persistent flirting for years. Now, far away from home boundaries begin to blur. But Santino doesn’t have any intention to be the reason for a failed engagement and the ensuing scandal.

A summer fling in Paris.

Only two things stand in Anna’s way.

Santino’s iron will.

And…her fiancé.

•••

• MY REVIEW •

“Women usually left me cold. They never got my blood boiling from anger or any other reason, because I didn’t care about them. But Anna? Fuck. She was my goddamn gasoline.”

Admittedly, I haven’t had much luck with Cora’s newest series; Sins Of The Fathers as yet, so when Anna and Santino had been announced as the next couple, I hadn’t made the mistake of getting my hopes up. But when the premise had been revealed…? Anticipation barged right in! 😅

So now that I’ve read it, did it live up to the buzz? Yes… and no.

Phew! There’s a lot to unpack. In my opinion, the coupling and overall outline within this one was a vast improvement in comparison to the first book(s) in the series. But other than a strong sexual desire, any in-depth developments between Anna and Santino lacked believability. Whilst I found Santino to be a flawed, yet likable hero in the long run, many may question his character. I, on the other hand questioned Anna. I’ve never had any issues with the age-gap trope in the Born In Blood Mafia Chronicles— (it’s become one of my favourite romance tropes), yet I’m finding the age differences within this new-gen series isn’t as intense or as deep-seated romantic, and I’m worried it’s because I’m finding this new batch of heroines too damn immature, and highly annoying to be taken seriously. I’ve got my fingers crossed it won’t be the case for the rest of the series because, uhh, Greta and Aurora are the two heroines I’ve been itching to read about. Also, after reading this one, there’s a (new-to-me) heroine that’s caught my attention with her adorable goodness… aaaaaand I’m going to wanna read her book too! *waggles eyebrows* 😜

Gone are the days of gripping, suspense-filled mafia romances, and in its place a more contemporary, fandom-influenced atmosphere. If you’re looking to read romance with heavy mafia elements, I would highly recommend you read Reilly’s Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles and The Camorra Chronicles before starting this new series (or even any of the other standalone mafia romances set in this world), not only does it elevate the world-building for this spin-off by having the existing, more developed one as its backdrop, but you’ll have better know-how of the dynamics and relationships already in place.

I have somewhat of a love-hate relationship with this book. There were parts that were highly entertaining, attention-grabbing, and kept the story progressing along, but there were also certain plot-points and narratives I could’ve lived without. The overall flow was a little choppy for my liking, and developments tend to be abrupt all throughout— which ultimately lead me to be of two minds.

Whilst the suspense and depth of romantic relationships has wavered in Reilly’s more recent mafia books, there is one particular constant that I’m happy to see remain heavily present— and that’s the solid friendships and familial elements. The interactions, unique bonds, and developments between family, particularly with siblings has always been a massive highlight to look forward to, and this book gave it in spades! It also provided plenty of the comic relief that helped elevate the overall reading experience.

Reilly has vividly created Anna’s and Santino’s secluded little world outside of the Outfit with a good portion of the setting taking place overseas. Not only did it feed such wanderlust, but by having very little outside interference we get to witness a gradual shift in their relationship as restrictions and restraint increasingly go unchecked. Considering they’re from a world of organized crime where image, reputation, and a lack of emotion or affection is of importance, there’s a slight role-reversal between Anna and Santino that I found intriguing and at times a refreshing change of pace.

Despite my conflicting feels, I’m glad this book ended on a strong conclusion with the second half definitely picking up pace and where Anna’s and Santino’s relationship really begins to evolve from teasing banter and flirtatiousness to something a little more substantial and genuine.

“There are promises you should honor, and other’s you should ditch.”

There is some character growth from both leading characters towards the end but I would’ve loved to have seen more and a lot earlier into the story too. However, seeing character crossovers from Reilly’s original mafia series has added dimension to Anna’s story and it gave a nice little update on an OG couple. This book also provided an interesting insight into the Outfit and what the future possibly holds for the Cavallaros. I found they have a distinct, fairly ideal and relatable family dynamic that sets them apart from the Vitiellos and even the Falcones.

The effortless and instantaneous way it pulls you in from its first chapter, to the fascinating world-building, to the characters that catch your eye, there is something uniquely addictive about Reilly’s writing that I can’t get enough of! This particular story may not have wholly captivated me but it has undoubtedly left me wanting to see more from the series. Like I mentioned earlier, there’s still certain characters’ personal stories I’m looking forward to reading, and now there’s more who’ve piqued my curiosity.

I’d recommend By Virtue I Fall to avid Reilly fans who have been following her mafia world all these years, as well as to readers who have recently discovered and binge-read her books and wanting to read more.

It’s for romance readers, who enjoy a slow-burn and seeing characters who constantly banter and play games of one-upmanship. Although it has an overall youthful, NA romance vibe, it does contain strong mature sexual content and intended for readers 18+ only. If you’re not a fan of cheating or characters with questionable morals and ethics, I’d give this one a miss though. Add this one to your TBR if you like smutty bodyguard romance reads!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐¾

Thank you Cora Reilly and Emily Alice for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! 💛

•••

💀 Start the Sins Of The Fathers series!

Book One | Part One: By Sin I Rise: Part One by Cora Reilly

Book One | Part Two: By Sin I Rise: Part Two by Cora Reilly

•••

Happy reading, guys! Catch you in my next one! Xo

By Sin I Rise: Part Two by Cora Reilly

ARC Review, Book Review, Book Reviews, Contemporary, New Adult Fiction, Romance, Suspense

booksofthemuggleborn_bysiniriseparttwo — Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

•••

• BLURB •

By Sin I Rise Part 2 (Marcella & Maddox)

A fatal bond that was never meant to be.

Marcella gave Maddox the impossible choice, and he chose her.

Still, she wonders if Maddox is ready to commit to a relationship, or if he’s scared of losing the uninhibited freedom his biker lifestyle offered him.

All his life Maddox knew who his enemies were, but suddenly he’s at a loss whom to trust. Will he ever find a place in Marcella’s life and family, or will old companions give him a new home and purpose?

Can enemies ever truly become lovers if the odds are against them?

•••

• MY REVIEW •

“Marcella is the queen I didn’t know I needed in my life. There’s no one I’d like to be led around by the balls by.”

*singsong voice* Everybody! Take a shot every time Marcella is remotely mentioned as being a “Queen.” LOL 🙄🥃

Hmm. I have a lot of strong thoughts and emotions swirling in my head right now that I’m trying to unjumble and put into words. I’ve been reading Cora’s books consistently for a few years now and I found fairly early on that her writing is white-hot and all-consuming. With detailed world-building that practically transports you to her characters’ world, and the characters themselves stand-out effortlessly from a crowd. It’s a big reason as to why she’s easily an auto-buy author of mine.

So, I really had trouble digesting that this book was written by the one and only Cora Reilly. When you have a much-loved OG series, it can be difficult to top or re-create the same likability in a spin-off or next generation series. The first book in this two-part story had potential, unfortunately I just think this conclusion missed the mark. It didn’t have the same vibe as the previous books set in this world. Other than the appearances from OG characters like Luca, Matteo, and Growl, it almost didn’t feel like a mafia-based backdrop, let alone one that had MC elements. 😐

The story is character-driven and focuses solely on Maddox and Marcella trying to navigate through their emotions about their relationship whilst figuring out how the Famiglia will accept Maddox into their fold—and for that reason, I found the book relatively repetitive.

I know I’m going to be in the minority here, and that’s fine. Not everyone is going to like the same books, or even the same characters— and I think that’s ultimately the reasoning behind this book being a miss for me. The characters. As I mentioned in my review for Part One, I am not a Marcella fan. As a child when her personality started to peek through, I knew when she would be of age, that either her “princess” personality would only grow tenfold, or Cora would revamp her character and show plenty of growth and maturity.

I found the preconceived notions the characters had of her in this book spot-on. She’s a spoilt, bratty princess who keeps insisting she can “rule” because she’s a Vitiello. Nope. Sorry. It’s one thing to say it, but it’s another to follow through and for people to believe it.

I couldn’t connect with either Marcella or Maddox, and I had trouble getting invested in their story. Their romance doesn’t seem genuine, and it was painful to easily see Maddox proclaim his “love” only for it to not be openly reciprocated by Marcella. The majority of the time it felt like Maddox was putting all the effort into their drama-filled “relationship”. It was not an equal partnership. Not even close. I almost pitied Maddox for being the one who constantly sacrificed a piece of himself whilst all Marcella did was take, take, take.

“Marcella makes the rules and I’ll follow her, if necessary, to the gates of Hades.”

*singsong voice* Everybody! Take a shot every time Maddox is willing to do anything and everything for Marcella! 🤦‍♀️🥃🥃

Is Marcella Vitiello really worth all this trouble? Ehhhhh. Not really.

They’re a pair of characters who I felt would’ve been fine and may have even done well all on their own. Their coupling lacked believability, visible connection, or even intensity that the past couples from this world had displayed time and time again.

The pace of the storytelling lagged, and lacked any in-depth development. In all honesty, the only positive aspects I found in this book is the fact that we get to see OG characters; more specifically Growl. 😍😍 I always hoped for another book for him just because I wanted to see how his life had turned out after he moved to New York and started working for Luca. (I know Growl and Cara have a novella in the Bound by Blood Anthology, but it wasn’t enough for me lol). This book actually shows a good number of snippets into what he’s been up to after all these years. All the parts that included Growl were by far my favourite scenes! I actually loved the contrast he brings in. There’s a cool dynamic between Growl and the Vitiello brothers.

I’m not crossing this entire series off, because that seems premature. I knew going into the Sins of the Fathers series that Marcella’s story would’ve been the book I probably would have liked the least. So now that hers is officially done, I am eager to see the next next-gen character in line. After reading this book, I have my eyes set on Amo’s story. He’s the only Vitiello offspring who I saw real potential in bringing back some of the old Mafioso flare that Luca Vitiello first ignited in Bound by Honor. He already has the vibe going for him, so I have my fingers crossed that his story ends up being an epic one!

I strongly recommend reading Cora’s Born In Blood series first before diving into Maddox’s and Marcella’s story, especially if you’re new to her books. This is not her strongest work, and it doesn’t provide enough world-building on its own. Reading the original series that started it all will not only give you the backstory behind the Vitiello family, but it explains the history behind the war between the New York Famiglia and Maddox’s MC (motorcycle club).

This may not have been my cup of tea but I have no doubt other readers will like it. Especially if they’re already a fan of Marcella. It’s light on both the Mafia and MC elements. It has more of a NA contemporary atmosphere to it.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you Cora Reilly and Emily Alice for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! ❤

•••

🔥 Read my review for Part One!

booksofthemuggleborn_bysinirise — Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

📕 By Sin I Rise: Part One by Cora Reilly

•••

Happy reading, guys! Catch you in my next one! Xo

By Sin I Rise: Part One by Cora Reilly

Adult Romance, ARC Review, Book Review, Book Reviews, Contemporary, Dark Romance, New Adult Fiction, Romance, Suspense

•••

• BLURB •

Maddox – Mad Dog – White hates everything the name Vitiello stands for, after he witnessed his father and his men getting butchered by the Capo of the Italian mob in their territory.

Raised by his uncle, the president of the Tartarus MC, Maddox is destined to follow in his footsteps. Now their chapter is on the rise again, but for their ultimate triumph they need to destroy the Vitiello empire. And what better way to do it than to steal the spoilt Vitiello princess and break her piece by piece until her father begs for mercy.

Known as the spoilt princess of New York, Marcella Vitiello grew up in a golden cage. If your father is the most feared man in New York, people gift you with reverence.

Destined to marry the boyfriend approved by her father, Marcella is sick of being treated like an untouchable porcelain doll.

She resents the life forced upon her by her family until everything she took for granted is ripped from her. Where she’s now, her name doesn’t bring awe, only pain and humiliation.

If you’ve grown up in a high castle, the fall is all the deeper.

Sins of the fathers have a way of catching up…who’s going to bleed for them?

** This book is part one of Maddox’s and Marcella’s story.

•••

• MY REVIEW •

Five chapters in…

Me: “Growl? Where’s Growl? Someone get me Growl!”

(He would’ve ended it all, right there and then!)

😜 I’m just joshing. But I’ve never been one to mince words or sugarcoat my thoughts in my reviews no matter how much I adore an author or the fictional world they’ve brought to readers, and I’m not about to start now. Please remember this is my honest opinion and experience from reading this book. If you find mine are different from yours, please be respectful and don’t take offence. Not everyone’s opinions are going to be the same. ✌❤

∴

I’m in the minority here by saying Marcella Vitiello was one heroine a was never eager to read about. From her brief appearances in past books when she was a child, utterly spoiled and bratty constantly had me eye-rolling. So when it was announced that the first book in Cora’s next gen series would begin with Marcella’s story, well, you can just imagine my thrill.

But when it was known that it would be a mafia meets MC (Motorcycle Club) story, it did have me perking up with interest. Mafia romance and MC romance are like my bread and butter as far as romance genres go. Add in the anti-hero biker, who’s also an enemy to the mob? Finally, FINALLY I was intrigued as fuck! 😅

So now that I’ve finished reading part one, what did I think of it??

With its well-paced storytelling, and multiple points of view, it was gradually winning me over… until it all came to a staggering halt. 🙈 Whilst there were plenty of things I did enjoy about this book, I’m not going to lie, there were also plenty of things that rubbed me the wrong way too.

It can be considered new adult, but make no mistake it’s dark themed romance. Before I get to the nitty gritty of my review, I must mention that this story does contain sensitive subject matter that may be triggering for some readers, such as graphic/ gruesome violence, kidnapping, attempted rape, and animal cruelty. Definitely for mature readers 18+ only. Please keep in mind before you start it.

Before this book, there was very little detail about Maddox, his family, and the Tartarus MC other than what we’ve seen mentioned by Luca Vitiello. There’s a gripping little backstory included that, in my opinion set the atmosphere for the rest of the book and a full understanding of Maddox’s mindset.

It’s character driven and a lot of the situations that transpired were emotion-based. There’s no doubt that there’s a strong attraction between Maddox and Marcella but as the story progressed I felt there wasn’t enough genuine development between them. They’re both put in difficult positions and it constantly tested their relationship. Some big events go down and the actions of these protagonists was ultimately what resulted in my overall conflicted feelings of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first half. I was completely absorbed and lusting after the little moments between the two. But looking at the bigger picture, their relationship’s choppy. They go through the motions but I didn’t see any real substance out of it. And if I had to make comparisons with other couples from this world, their relationship is lacklustre. The romance was alright but it was hard to believe the depth of their love with the timeframe they had together. It wasn’t insta-love but it wasn’t exactly a gradual romantic development either.

I wish I could say after reading this story that Marcella eventually grew on me. There was a moment or two I sympathized for her, but it was tough to like her as I didn’t agree with a lot of her actions. She’s a difficult character to get to know or connect with because she’s constantly projecting an image and created a standard for herself that I didn’t even think was wholly necessary. Aria and Luca have always been one of my favourite couples but I question how they ended up with a daughter like Marcella? 🤔😌

Maddox is one of the main highlights of this book. I love the complexity of his story and his character, and I was easily invested in seeing how his story would progress. I often wondered what some of the negative effects the Mafia may have had on people outside of their world and Maddox is a perfect example of the blowback. Sigh. I’m just going to say it— he deserves better.

There’s quite a few secondary characters included that helped elevate the world-building. The different dynamics added dimension and was interesting to see the contrast between Maddox’s and Marcella’s respective worlds. The initial premise was mafia meets MC, and whilst there was strong mafia presence, I had hoped to see more elements from the MC side. There’s not a lot of light-heartedness as it’s a pretty gritty storyline, but appearances from certain characters provided calming moments to break up some of the tension and seriousness of the situation.

All in all, it’s not what I had expected or how I envisioned the story would play out but nevertheless I was still gripped from start to finish. Although this is only part one, and Maddox’s and Marcella’s story is unfinished, this book doesn’t completely end on a cliffhanger (if that makes sense). Let’s just say if the story happened to have ended here, I would’ve been content with the open-ended conclusion.

Buuuuut in saying that… since I have mixed feelings about this first part of the story, I am curious to see how it will all conclude in the second part. I’m hoping to see build-up, some in-depth development, and more maturity out of the characters.

Cora’s writing as always is easy to follow. The intrigue around her characters and their story is instantaneous that it’s hard to put down and By Sin I Rise was no different. It was refreshing to see some new faces introduced and expand from what is already an existing and vivid world-building.

It may not have ended up being one of my favourites from Cora’s mafia books, but I still think it has positive aspects and a lot of potential. It’s an intriguing introduction to the Sins of the Fathers, and it’s cool (and some getting used to) seeing the original characters I fell hard for in the Born In Blood Mafia Chronicles somewhat pass the torch to their children. I am officially ancient. 💀

Fans of Cora’s and of her mafia world will want to read this one. Romance readers who are still relatively new to this world, I recommend you read Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles first before starting this one. I don’t have any triggers but I must admit there were certain scenes from this book that I wasn’t prepared for and totally bawled my eyes over.

You can expect some plot twists, suspense, and if like me, a good hearty cry. If you like dark mafia romances with a forced proximity, captor/captive romance trope, give this one a try.