Incognizant Desires

by Aaliyah Rose

An innocent woman. A corrupt and dangerous world. What price will she pay for love amidst the shadows?

Catalina is an intelligent, independent woman. She knows what she wants and usually attains it. Unfortunately, destiny has other plans for her future…

When she finds herself in a dark and dangerous underworld, she discovers that her life is far from her own control. Surrounded by men she doesn't know and cut-off from the world she knew, Catalina is drawn to the enigmatic trio. Luca, the ruthless boss, Nico, the charmer, and sweet, sensitive Atlas - all of whom claim to be there to protect her. But as her feelings become entwined with the men and the complexity of their lives, she senses there is more than meets the eye.

When the mafia's sinister web is revealed, love, loyalty, and survival collide as she confronts the mafia’s shocking secrets. But doing so will come at a cost.

Will the truth shatter her heart?

♥

Incognizant Desires is Book one in the Legitimate Reign series, a dark mafia, love story with unexpected plot twists and thriller themes. If you like steamy romances with a strong female heroine and protective males, then you will enjoy reading the love, lust, and drama in this novella by Aaliyah Rose.

Get this dark romantic suspense today!


This is a dark romance series containing mature themes and elements of violence that some readers may find triggering. For a comprehensive list of trigger warnings, visit my website at aaliyahroseromance. com

152 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 31, 2023

About the author

🔥 Steamy Romantic Suspense Author 🔥

Dark mafia RH, and small-town romantic suspense love stories, with passion, danger, and unexpected twists. If you love high-stakes romance with strong heroines and hot valiant protectors, you’re in the right place! 💋


Book lover and daydreamer Aaliyah Rose found her love of writing at a young age but didn’t start publishing until recently. She writes passionate, suspenseful romances that pull the heart strings and always ends with a happily ever after.


As a newer author to the scene, your support is her inspiration. Aaliyah is excited to have you read her books, with her aim to provide heart-warming romances that will make you smile and of course, create those sexy and charismatic book boyfriends to satisfy her fans.


Aaliyah Rose currently lives in sunny Australia and when she isn’t dreaming of romance, she enjoys getting out and about in nature with family and friends. If she’s lucky and her two toddlers are not jumping all over her, she enjoys staying in and watching movies over a steaming mug of coffee and some sweet and salty popcorn (although Nutella on bananas and strawberries is fast becoming a new favourite).


Email: Aaliyah@AaliyahRoseRomance.com
Follow or Like on fb @AaliyahRoseRomance

Reviews

[HeyItsTeeXo - OnTheShelfTee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst i did enjoy reading this i do feel it was too short and rather 'rushed' this could have easily been a lot longer with more grit and action and more a mafia feel to it.

Will i continue reading the rest of the series? probably as id like to see how things go for Catalina.

the spice is minimal in this one for me personally


Thank you Booksirens and the author for this ARC copy

[Michelle Frater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book feels like juggling a hundred balls at once. It’s chaotic, unpredictable, and utterly gripping. That’s exactly how I imagine Catalina, the FMC, felt when she woke up in a strange house with no memory, surrounded by three mysterious men. Luca, Nico, and Atlas claim she’s safe, that they’re there to protect her, but how can she trust them when her mind is a blank and their answers are frustratingly vague? Catalina may have lost her memory, but it’s clear from the start that she’s no pushover. Her determination to uncover the truth was gripping, even as the trio of men danced around her questions. I loved how her natural warmth and openness shone through as she made friends and was liked by everyone in the house—well, with one glaring exception, Luca Dela Cruz. With his volatile moods and simmering intensity, it was hard to tell whether Luca was captivated by Catalina or infuriated by her. The tension between them was palpable, and while some of his actions were unforgivable (more on that later), he undeniably stole the spotlight. Nico, on the other hand was all charm, the devil-may-care playboy of the trio, the one who could charm the pants off a nun. But it was Atlas, who seemed to have Catalina’s back from the start. Gentle giant Atlas, who hid a dark and brutal side that Catalina had yet to discover While the characters kept me invested, there were a few lingering questions, like why didn’t anyone chase after Catalina when she bolted from her father’s funeral, despite the crowd of mourners around her? Hopefully, this and other mysteries will be unraveled in future installments. Now, let’s talk about the spice and romance. I’ll admit, I was appalled by what Luca did to Catalina, and the fact she thanked him afterward crossed a line for me. However, it’s ironic that Luca ended up giving her the biggest clue to her true identity, forcing her to make a fateful decision that led straight into that frustrating cliffhanger ending. Well, I know what I’m heading off to read next!

[Kara A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I felt like this book took me out of the story due to lack of detail quite a bit. Many of the scenes felt rushed or not thought out very well. I really like the concept of this book, but the characters could use further development. For example, the book claims to have a strong protagonist, but there were many times where she chose to do something that felt untrue to the kind of person that was trying to be portrayed. If each scene had more context and the characters were more fleshed out, this could be a great book. The funeral scene and concussion scene could have been explored to show more about the characters and what their thoughts/feelings or motivations were there. I really liked the thoughtful letter at the beginning of the book that showed the reader the relationship that the MC had with her father. It was very touching and well written. Overall, I think that this book has potential, but it was hard for me to "stay in the story" while reading.

[Steph Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great start to this 6 book series!
Our main female character finds herself in the care of 3 male alpha dogs, all as sexy as hell, after she gets attacked and wakes up with little memory. She has no idea who she is or where she belongs let alone who she's now staying with. They are protective, ruthless and dangerous however, as she builds up her strength, we find she is strong and intelligent and not in the mood to play games. Determined to leave/escape, the big boss, Luca will not have it. Burning with desire for her, he try's to control this fiesty female even though she is from the family of his emeny. This book ends on a cliffhanger so you will need to read the next book to continue the story. Check trigger warnings if you are sensitive to certain things. This is a steamy, dark, mafia romance where lust, drama, violence and strong characters come together beautifully in this novella.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first installment of this series. I loved the main character Catalina, She is one feisty lady. She won't take any crap from Luca or Nico. She may not know why she is in their home, how she got there, or who she is but she is determined to stand her ground, even though she doesn't know why the 3 friends Luca, Nico, and Atlas are protecting her.

Luca may fight it but is as interested in Catalina as Nico is. She draws him in. Nico is taken with her as well. She may be a firecracker but she is thoughtful to those around her, even the staff who work on the grounds and in the house.

She bides her time, to get more information about who she is, and when she does, she makes sure, that she leaves devastation in her wake.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Merilu Keenum · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are twists and turns from beginning to cliffhanger that gave me whiplash! There are many mysteries still to be solved: Catalina’s past, Luca’s volatile moods, and the attraction between them and Nico. Intriguing RH, forced proximity, morally grey men, and multiple potential triggers to be considered. I’m ready to read the next book and hopefully discover Luca’s motivations, experience more spicy scenes between Catalina and these men, and see how a relationship develops. The only thing that threw me off was the flow seemed a little disjointed at times: jumping between character POV s and glossing over pivotal moments. Overall, I’m incredibly invested in Catalina’s character and the further development of her harem!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Patricia Kieffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incognizant Desires by Aaliyah Rose

WOW is all I can say about this dark mafia romance, just kidding. This series has become my number one series, I love these three books I have read in this series and there are more to come. The first 2 books I read them both till I finally had to get some sleep. This is a page-turner series and I hate putting the books down. I found I love the way Ms. Rose writes these books and I am looking forward to reading more by her. I highly recommend this series and I am saying right now if you can read these books. They made me laugh and cry and they are very steamy. I would give the a 10-star rating if I could. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carol Demmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catalina is a strong woman who has run her own enterprises alone, when she receives a letter from her father just before he passes away. At the funeral she is acosted and ends up in coma. When she awakes she doesn't remember who she is and is being watched over by Luca, Nico and Atlas. They are mob bosses and she has no idea who and what they are. We watch as she struggles with the amount of restraints that is put on her and the attraction that sparks between her and the men. This book is full of emotions that will leave you wanting to read the next book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[booksshesloved · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short quick read with some really good tension and a good plot. Leaves you wanting more by the end so I can’t wait to read the next book!
Catalina has just found out her father has passed but she doesn’t know all of the type of business her father was into. At his funeral she followed by a man who she doesn’t recognize. She ends up in a coma, when she wakes up she is surrounded by men she doesn’t know. What else could go wrong? Oh she doesn’t remember who she is either.
Who are these men? Friend or Foe? Will she be able to piece her life together to find out who she is?

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catalina, Luca, Nicole and Atlas are wonderful characters I quickly became engrossed in learning more about them. It was a page turner. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I was also eager to find out what happened and why she was there. Catalina got on my nerves a few times. She'd do something stupid and then people would get hurt because of her actions. I kinda wanted to slap her while screaming "what is wrong with you?". Going to find the next book in the series. It's definitely one of my next reads. I received an ARC of this book which in no way influenced my thoughts or opinions of it.

[K.R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incognizant Desires by Aaliyah Rose is a dark mafia story that ended on a TBC, and I hope book 2 starts to answer some questions for me. I liked Luca, Nico, and Atlas. I also didn’t mind Catalina as our MFC, she’s feisty, discovering herself, and yet enticing. The most offputting thing was there were so many questions in this book, and I was left without many answers. With more books in the series, I will stay in this for the long haul, but I have to say three stars for now because it was hard to get into the book without having buy-in due to the lack of answers. Also, GoodReads doesn’t let you do partial ones, and I would say 3.3 stars.

[Caitlyn Strubinger-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first mafia read and I am definitely hooked on the genre now! I liked the world that the author built and the characters. However, I felt that for the first book there wasn’t as much continuity of the character’s personalities and goals as one would expect. I would have liked things to have been more detailed and taken time to build rather than changing so abruptly and leaving me confused. Overall, it was a very quick and fun read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Emily Knaus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m excited and intrigued to see where this story goes…

I love Catalina’s character. She is sassy, stubborn, and incredibly perceptive. The guys, so far you can’t help but love them and their interactions with Cat. They hold a lot of knowledge which I hope gets explained. Atlas is my favorite after this first book; he is totally on Cat’s side and very kind to her. Luca is the broody, tortured one and then Nico is the charmer with a dark side, just like Atlas.

There are many twists and turns. I can’t wait to unveil some secrets that will hopefully help fill holes in the plot. With Cat’s amnesia we are learning things as she does, and I am really enjoying the multi POV.

[Christy Tesmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed a punch and left me wanting more. I enjoyed this story and feel there is so much more to tell. Fortunately there is more to come. This is a relatively slow burn with complex personalities and plot lines that are just getting started. I wished there was more spice and understand that the story is not developed fully yet.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book very much and am looking forward to reading book 2. You need to read these books in order as the story continues from one book to the next. The RH was nicely done and the build up so very well written. The characters were well written and likeable. Plot exciting and intriguing. World building was excellent and well thought out. Recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Melody Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incognizant Desires Legitimate Reign: Book 1 is a dark, emotionally charged romance filled with forbidden longing, flawed characters, and simmering tension. Aaliyah Rose pulls you in with raw emotion and a gripping ending that leaves you eager for the next book. Perfect for readers who love slow-burn intensity and high-stakes desires.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Frances Packingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. This is a book that has a cliffhanger. There is a sequel book and I can't wait to get my hands on it. Catalina was attacked at her father's funeral and was then in a coma for 2 months. In the time of her coma, there were 3 guys watching over her. Once she woke, everything went crazy. I'm hoping in the sequel we will find out who the attacker was and if the 3 guys had anything to do with her situation.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a slow build read. There is a spicy scene, again it builds to that. I appreciate that the characters don’t go back and forth the whole movie with their feelings. To me it helps build the characters and you feel that you can connect with them more instead of getting frustrated with the cold and hot back and forth. Look forward to seeing how this story plays out..

[Rachel Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story moves pretty quickly, so it easily keeps your attention.
We get action, suspense, steam and more!
I feel like there were a lot of unknown, but the author gives us just enough to reel us in and keep us hooked.
Lastly, that ending was a total surprise for me and I loved it!!!
I can't wait to find out what happens!!

[Kellie McCann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe the bones of the story were good and it was setting up for the next portion of the story. It just felt kind of rushed. I also felt like the spicy scene came out of nowhere and was a little unnecessary to the plot. I believe the FMC was a bad*ss character and started to show her true colors throughout the story and I can’t wait to see how her storyline progresses.

[Katie Gilroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m hooked! I really want to know what happens next! The FMC Catalina is awesome! Even though she lost her memory of who she is, she’s still so intelligent! She knows when to play the game and when to step it up to get what she wants.

Luca is a jerk, Nico is growing on me, and Atlas is awesome!

I can’t wait to read the next one!

[Lili · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story and the plot move quickly and keep your attention. I love it. I can't wait to read the next one !

This book is the forsti one I read by this author, it's well writing with descriptives scenes and details, i really enjoy it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and fast paced. My suspicions are on the uncle. I think Luca is going to have to do some major backup with Catalina. Can’t wait to find out who the man in the hood is and who brought Catalina to the mansion for her safety.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[GKP2460 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incognizant Desires is my first read by this author. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced, quick read. It does end on a cliffhanger which left me biting my nails but the story is so worth it. I can't wait to see what's next for Catalina, Luca and Nico.

[Tracy Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new to me author and I’m am so glad I found them. This story has everything you could want . So much action, drama and more importantly steam. I adore these characters and want to read more. Perfect

[Genoveva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please check CW and TW before diving into this one. This one definitely has me in its grasp. I liked the twists in this story. The way the guys were drawn to Catalina was so delicious even when they felt they shouldn’t.

[Samm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received this ARC and it was a short quick read that has a spicy scene that was a slow burn to it. I am curious to see how this story continues on. I did wish that it would be more detailed but still a fun read

[Amanda White Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was soooooo yummy. The banter between Catalina and Luca is to die for. The twist and turns start from the beginning and stay twisted till the end. Can’t wait to start the 2nd book. Definitely a great read.

[Becci Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like a good Mafia romance. This had everything you could ask for. Enemies to lovers, rivalry between families, reverse harem. Amnesia.

Although I wish there was more spice in this book, the spice that was in it came and went so fast. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking amazing read. Intense story with likeable characters. Grabbed my attention from the first chapter and never lost it. Smoking hot steamy scenes. Storyline had crazy good twists that took my emotions on a roller coaster journey. Addictive well written book.