Stories of Betrayal

The Vengeance Duet #2

by Natalia Lourose

They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but what happens when old flames reignite?Four years and a new identity later, I’ve been reborn.Stronger. Bolder. Unbreakable.Except, there's still just one thing missing...revenge.Determined to finish what I started, I return to the city where my heart was ripped from my chest, armed with a plan to take down the Colombo family.I see the two brothers so clearly, the visions of them fueling my quest.One with a sinister smirk, plotting my downfall.The other shrouded in darkness and whispering sweet nothings.If they think they can still manipulate me, control me, even love me, they're in for a rude awakening.I entered this dangerous game with the intention of making them pay, and I don’t plan on stopping until they feel my wrath.Only, fate has a twisted sense of humor, and as my carefully constructed walls melt like ice beneath the sun, I realize the cost of revenge might just be my own heart.

Genres: Dark, Dark Romance, Second Chance, Enemies To Lovers, Romance

400 pages, Paperback

Published October 31, 2023

About the author

Natalia Lourose writes angsty romance about broken people figuring out life and finding love along the way. Television and far too much smut as a teenager left her obsessed with dark-haired bad boys who are moody and wear leather jackets. Tucked away in her writing nook with a dog at her feet, two cats on her keyboard, and husband yelling at the computer – she is always writing something, or trying to.

She loves interacting with fans and fellow book lovers on social media!

Reviews

[ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, the sequel had more revenge, second chance romance, vengeance and a hea!

RTC

[Vee’s Bookish Adventure · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
My Review:
I absolutely love the first book in this duet so I had to read the second! This was definitely a great wrap up to the series that was fairly enthralling, full of great characters, and the completion to this interesting story. I liked Leo much more in this book compared to the first and the main female character really came into her own this time. If you haven’t read the first book yet do so and enjoy the final installment?

Mafia Romance
Duet
Enemies to Lovers
Groveling
Second Chance
Betrayal
Kinks
Found Family
Redemption
Bad Ass FMC
St@lking
Protective MMC

[rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

After I finished Lessons in Revenge I was dyingggg to read the second part of the duet!! This book, Stories of Betrayal - takes place 4 years after the ending of book 1. I loved getting to see where Val was now and how much she had grown and accomplished!

Book 1 did a really good job in the love triangle having push and pull from both men. Book 2 makes it clear who she is meant to be with. Even though I was hoping she’d just end up with both of them, I knew there could only be one since it’s not a why choose book 😂

I really hope we get other books for some of the other characters in this series!! So many hints of potential couples I’d loved to read about ❤️

[Maria Longley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

After everything Nic did to Val. The abusive piece of garbage gets a happy ending with her friend and partner? For what, another book about them? After all her tough talk and how she was this supposed changed, confident person? I hate it when writers do this to their heroines. They always end with the most conventional, conservative, BORING HEA. I was expecting so much more from her, for her and her friends to take a stand against these awful men. To end their reign of violence. To avenge herself. This was such a let down.

[Katie Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

finally have book 2 of this duet in my hands and let me say it definitely didn’t disappoint 👏🏼

After gracefully picking my jaw back up off the floor after the final chapter of the first half of the duet because of that plot twist, I finally dived right in to book 2 and this picked up 4 years after Val was betrayed.

Val may have been knocked down by the brothers Nic and her love Leo, but she got right back up and swung harder punches. Revenge is a dish best served cold💅

When Val does reunite with Leo later in the book the sparks fly between them once again. This couple may have lost 4 years of time between them but nothing has changed. In the first book we could see was attracted to both brothers for different reasons but book 2 highlights that Leo is definitely the brother to win her heart.

I absolutely adore that even though Nic and Val didn’t end up together, Nic’s story is still not over and he will be getting a book with Laura (Val’s bestfriend) the woman who caught his eye, and he can’t seem to let go.. now this tale will be interesting 👀

Without giving much away this book is a steamy rollercoaster from start to finish. I just could not put this book down! I am looking forward to read the next instalment which I hope is Nic and Laura’s story👏🏼

Thank you so much to the author who provided this e-arc for my honest thoughts✨

[Sabra Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️

“Cattiva ragazza”

I absolutely loved Lessons in Revenge. The angst, the love triangle, the mafia romance twists. It kept me hooked. This one was definitely a different vibe and pace. I was left blind sided by the turn of events. It did not wrap up how I expected. But all the loose ends were tied up beautifully and there was a solidly built HEA.

“Not everyone is capable of a betrayal that cuts so deep. But those who know you? Who know what makes you tick, the secret fantasies that linger in the recesses of your brain, who know what you love and what you stand for? Those people can cut you easily. With one swipe of the knife, you’re bleeding out.”

Val brought it this book. She took all her lessons from the previous book and came back with a vengeance. I loved seeing her blossom and Leo take everything she gave. Also the girl power and female friendships were one of my favorite parts. We love to see it.

Tropes:
Revenge
Second-Chance
Mafia
Femme-Fatal
Obsessed-MMC

My only complaint. Nic was my favorite character in book 1, so……

Thank you Natalia Lourose and The Author Agency for the ARC.

[Sarah | Retro Girl Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Stories of Betrayal” is the conclusion to Natalia Lourose’s The Vengeance Duet, and I thought it was a brilliant ending to Val and Leo’s story! There’s a four year time jump, which is where the story continues. Val, her cousin Dominique, and their best friend Laura have a business where they blackmail men for money. However, she’s never forgotten the way Leo betrayed her, and she’s determined to get her revenge.

I thought this book was even better than the first one! Val has been through a lot, and I loved how she harnessed her pain and used it to become a confident, capable, and strong woman. I admired her loyalty to the people she cared about, as well. And Leo!!! I love that he never forgot about Val, and that he was willing to do anything to earn her trust and make her fall in love with him again. Their chemistry has always been volatile, and I was rooting for them the whole time. I would definitely recommend this fuet to fans of dark and/or mafia romance!

[Paulina Scorpiosun95 · Rating 5 out of 5]

* 4.5 ⭐️ *

Wow I read this ARC the MINUTE it got on my kindle and WOW I’m so pleased and impressed 😍👏🏼

The last chapter in the previous book had me wanting to crack my kindle so safe to say I’m still obsessed with these characters and this book was no exception.

I really didn’t know how this story was going to play out with both brothers and this potential love triangle but OMG I’m so so happy with how this story went. I don’t want to give anything away if you haven’t read the first one yet but AHHHHHHHHHH. Val is such a bad bitch, the girls are amazing, and SPICE ? God that Italian man and his “tesoro ”🥵🥵😭❤️❤️❤️

Oh and I want my own Leo, please and thank you 😬

[ceci]

dnf. this book just wasn´t for me

[chelle (serial downvoter) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF when I realized Nic wanted the best friend. Um- what happened to girl code?

[Dodibook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know where to start or how to say it all without giving away spoilers. And the playlist is so good and powerful! I listened to it while reading! And Karma, the fury cat!

𝓓𝓻𝓪𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓽 𝓮𝔂𝓮 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓹 𝓮𝓷𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓽𝓸 𝓴𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓪 𝓶𝓪𝓷
𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓲𝓭 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓫𝓪𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓘'𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓼𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶
𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓘 𝔀𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 𝓸𝓷𝓮'𝓵𝓵 𝓫𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓵𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓵𝓲𝓮
𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓼𝓪𝔂 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓼 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓴𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓶𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓽𝓻𝔂
𝓘 𝓭𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔀𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷
𝓘 𝓭𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓶𝓮𝓷 𝓛𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓵𝔂,
𝓘'𝓿𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓷' 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓮

I had the opportunity to read book 1 'Lessons in Revenge' in September. I was immediately hooked by the story: the intrigues between Val, Leo and Nic. I was very shocked when I realized that this was going to be a duet and that book 2 had not yet been released. I really wanted to know what was going to happen between the 3 characters. Leo and Val were so in love and Nic was hurt/betrayed because they decided to run away.

So when I saw this book appear in my Kindle I was ecstatic. And man, Natalia Lourose didn't dissapoint. I read this book in 2 sittings. Things went very smoothly and before I knew it I was left with some questions again... There has to be another book, right?

After the betrayal by Nic, but especially Leo in book 1, Val has gradually overcome everything. And now she is 'the woman in Red' and her motto is 'Revenge is a dish best served cold'. She waited for 4 years to avenge herself and Dom (her cousin).

But when she sees Leo again for the first time, the chemistry between them is undeniable. After much trial and error, they do get their happy ending. But what intrigues me most is the fact that Nic is angry with Val at the end of book 1. And as a capo from the mob, he lets her go anyway. Even after seeing her again, he doesn't kill her. He must have some ounce of emotion, right? But then he sees Laura (Val's best friend) at the club and you immediately notice that he becomes obsessed with her. And any feelings he may have had for Val disappear. I so hope we get to read this story.

This duet turned out completely differently than I thought. But that doesn't mean it's not worth it! I give this book 4.5 stars.

The spicy scenes were amazingly good again. And they left me wanting more... In book 1 we saw that Val craved the dominant, degrading side of Nic and the sweet, caring side of Leo. But in book 2 Leo takes on both roles and he does it so well!

🅡🅐🅣🅘🅝🅖
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🅢🅟🅘🅒🅔
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

🅣🅡🅞🅟🅔🅢
💋Mafia
🔪Revenge
💋Enemies-to-Lovers
🔪Second Chance
💋Femme Fatale/Strong Female Lead
🔪Good Boy
💋Good Girl

🅕🅐🅥🅞🅡🅘🅣🅔 🅠🅤🅞🅣🅔🅢
ℐ 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝒷ℯ𝓈𝓉 𝓇ℯ𝓋ℯ𝓃ℊℯ 𝒾𝓈 𝓉ℴ 𝓂𝒶𝓀ℯ 𝓎ℴ𝓊𝓇 ℯ𝓃ℯ𝓂𝒾ℯ𝓈' 𝓁𝒾𝓋ℯ𝓈 𝒶𝒷𝓈ℴ𝓁𝓊𝓉ℯ𝓁𝓎 𝒻𝓊𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃ℊ 𝓂𝒾𝓈ℯ𝓇𝒶𝒷𝓁ℯ. ℛℯ𝓋ℯ𝓃ℊℯ 𝓉𝒶𝓀ℯ𝓈 𝓉𝒾𝓂ℯ!

𝒮𝒽ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹 ℐ 𝓀𝒾𝒹𝓃𝒶𝓅 𝓎ℴ𝓊? ℒℴ𝒸𝓀 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓊𝓅 𝒾𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝓅ℯ𝓃𝓉𝒽ℴ𝓊𝓈ℯ 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝓇ℴ𝓌 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓀ℯ𝓎? ℐ𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽ℯ ℴ𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝓌𝒶𝓎 ℐ'𝓁𝓁 ℯ𝓋ℯ𝓇 𝒷ℯ 𝒶𝒷𝓁ℯ 𝓉ℴ 𝓂𝒶𝓀ℯ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒷ℯ𝓁𝒾ℯ𝓋ℯ 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 ℐ'𝓂 𝓃ℴ𝓉 𝓁𝓎𝒾𝓃ℊ? 𝒮𝒽ℴ𝓌 𝓎ℴ𝓊 ℐ'𝓂 𝓃ℴ𝓉 𝒻𝓊𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃ℊ 𝒶𝓇ℴ𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓎ℴ𝓊? 𝒯ℯ𝓁𝓁 𝓂ℯ 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓉ℴ 𝒹ℴ 𝓉ℴ 𝓅𝓇ℴ𝓋ℯ 𝒾𝓉 𝓉ℴ 𝓎ℴ𝓊, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 ℐ 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁. 𝒯ℯ𝓁𝓁 𝓂ℯ, 𝓉ℯ𝓈ℴ𝓇ℴ, 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒹ℴ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉?

𝒟ℴ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓀𝓃ℴ𝓌 𝓌𝒽𝓎? 𝒴ℴ𝓊 𝒷ℯ𝓁𝒾ℯ𝓋ℯ ℐ'𝒹 𝒽𝓊𝓇𝓉 𝓎ℴ𝓊. 𝒴ℴ𝓊 𝓇𝒶𝓃 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝒻ℴ𝓇𝓂 𝓂ℯ. ℐ 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉ℴ 𝓂𝒶𝓀ℯ 𝓈𝓊𝓇ℯ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓇ℯ𝓂ℯ𝓂𝒷ℯ𝓇 𝓌𝒽ℯ𝓇ℯ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒷ℯ𝓁ℴ𝓃ℊ. 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌ℯ 𝓌ℯ𝓇ℯ 𝓂𝒶𝒹ℯ 𝒻ℴ𝓇 ℯ𝒶𝒸𝒽 ℴ𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓇. ℐ'𝓂 𝓃ℯ𝓋ℯ𝓇 𝓁ℯ𝓉𝓉𝒾𝓃ℊ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓁ℯ𝒶𝓋ℯ 𝒶ℊ𝒶𝒾𝓃, 𝒱𝒶𝓁. 𝒟ℴ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓊𝓃𝒹ℯ𝓇𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹?

[Maddie (Bookaholic_Dreamer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Natalia Lourose is back bringing us the conclusion to The Vengeance duet series with the finale that is Stories of Betrayal.

The narrative delivered in showing the continuation of Val and Leo’s story, as well as showcasing progress being made along the way as their story developed onwards through the journey that the two found themselves trekking upon.
With more drama leading to conflict, the pursuit of revenge and vengeance with some action-packed thrills, alongside more secrets, lies and deceit building up the suspense level.
Emotions ran high, given the ups, downs and highs and lows Natalia had you going through and experiencing alongside Val and Leo.

As for the character development, Natalia came through in giving us a whole lot more, particularly in new and improved Val King's case.
Considering how things ended for Val in Lessons in Revenge, we got to see a big change come from her in the 4 years that had past from then to the beginning of Stories in Betrayal.
There was a lot of growth to her character that Natalia showcased in the story along the way.
No longer was Val weak, instead she had done a 180 finally coming into her own, growing stronger, tougher and becoming quite a bit of a badass! Proving revenge is a dish best served cold.

Despite how things may have ended for Val and Leo at the end of Lessons in Revenge. It didn’t negate their feelings, or the chemistry they shared, since the sparks were still very much alive and flying high upon them seeing each other again.

And the more they were in one another’s presence, the more the sexual tension rose until it exploded with them giving in and getting down and dirty with Red-Hot, Spicy, Sizzling steam that was also Lustful and Passionate.
The feelings and emotions coming out into play as well.

My only one critique would be the incident that happened involving Val’s best friend Laura didn’t seem to sit right with me.
From Val’s behaviour being full of worry, tension, stress and grief due to the incident which she made very clear was a priority to her since it involved Laura, who Val claimed to love and care for.
But when she seemed to do a 180 and put the rescue plan behind her as if an afterthought didn’t make sense to me, especially considering the priority she made it from the big deal she made out of it when it all happened.
So for her to walk away so easily, as if she wasn’t going crazy about it a minute ago left me unsure and confused about it.

In the end, Stories of Betrayal ended up being an enjoyable read, especially given what a good job Natalia Lourose did in writing the finale to Val and Leo’s story. Tying up all the loose ends once and for all with a HEA that was worthy of the two give their Second Chance Romance.
After reading The Vengeance duet series, safe to say Natalia has me excited for Nic’s story to come next.



*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[BRI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vengeance is a dish best served cold and oh did Val deliver! I’ve been waiting for this book the moment I finished “Lessons in Revenge”, and I was kicking my legs with how badass these women were. And even though I was hoping for a Why Choose with Val and the brothers I’m glad with who she chose and who the other brother’s love interest is.

What to Expect:
😈Revenge
🖤Mafia Romance
🩸Enemies to Lovers
🔪Femme Fatale/Strong Female Lead
🤭Heroine Blackmailing powerful men
❤️Second Chance Romance

My ARC Review (5/5 ⭐️, 2.8/5 🌶️)
Four years ago Val was forced to live a year learning lessons in revenge with the man she tried to unalive. In that year, she was tempted by both brothers but feel for the sweet and caring one. But what she didn’t expect was to be betrayed by the man she loved and trusted the most. Leaving that life behind and heading to Vegas, Val and her cousin Dom spent their time becoming woman who took “justice” into their own hands. A femme fatale without the unaliving and instead taking them for all their worth. Along the way the met a new friend Laura and the three of them were thick as thieves seeking revenge one mark at a time. But those memories of the men she once shared intimate moments with are still in her mind which lead her to make a decision. It’s time to leave Vegas and return to NY and finally seek revenge against the men who broke her once and for all. Chaos, revenge, recon, and making deals turn out to lead to more problems. What will Val do when she’s faced with making a deal with the devil? This book was so good! It honestly was the best way to end this duet and Val’s story. The insanity of how Val aimed at taking revenge was just so exciting and chaotic to see. The characters, spice, the love between the characters, the boss b**ch women, and all the scheming was perfect. Can’t wait to see more of the other characters (wink wink) and read more by Natalia!

Thank you to Natalia Lourose and The Author Agency for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this release and I can’t wait to read more by you, Natalia!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC REVIEW***
Name: Stories of Betrayal Author: Natalie Lourose
Rate: 5/5🌟 Spice: 3/5🌶️
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance

~ Before getting into details on this book let me just say that this is a duet. So if you have yet read Lessons in Revenge please go and read it now before reading Stories of Betrayal since you will be totally lost on what is going on!!! Natalie, you did a great job! I couldn't put the book down, I was hooked. The storyline was great and that plot twist… Like OMG!!! It will have you on an emotional rollercoaster. Trust me it's going to be worth it.

~Stories of Betrayal starts off four years after Valerie and Dom got away from the Colombo brothers. This was a major cliffhanger ending from Lessons in Revenge. Valerie sure had time now to plan her revenge against the betrayal of Nic and Leo. But why did they betray her in the end? Valarie still plans to get her revenge also towards their father Paulie. Do you think this time she will get it? She heads back to New York with Dom & Laura. Laura is one of the new girls Valerie took into her group after she suffered an incident in college. Now all three of the ladies work on a plan to bring the Colombo’s down. In one of their mission’s they didn’t notice that Nic was also in the same location, this is where Nic sees Laura for the first time and lets just say Nic becomes a bit obsessed with her!!! Leo sure tries hard to get his girl back once she comes back to NY. Dom is so over the Colombo brothers and all their crap! But at the end Dom will surprise you. Now the main question is does Valerie get her revenge on the Colombo family? Does Leo get Val to forgive him and take him back? Want to know?? Well I encourage you to get this book!!! Comes out soon!!! So go pre-order it now or add it to your list because you wont regret it.

[Maz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part 2 of the duet.
We are 4 years after that fateful night, where Val ran away with her cousin leaving the man she thought she loved and trusted.
This book is full of betrayal after betrayal. It's an awful life where no one could be trusted.
Vals experience and betrayal has made her the ice queen she is now. And she gets revenge in a different way which benefits her financially too. She is very street smart now too.
With Dom (her cousin) and a new best friend Laura, they achieve these missions.
But her end game is to destroy those two brothers Nic and Leo.
We get to see Leo's version what happened that night. I really felt for him, he has constantly been abused and manipulated by his father's and half brother.
Can Leo get Val to listen when she finally comes back to New York? Can she love him again or will she end up with Nic? *Shudder*.
Yes, I don't like Nic's character. Although around the end I understand why he is the way he is, a by product of his father's abuse. But still, every time his chapter came I begged Val to be strong and not fall for him.
Leo was so filthy mouthed in this one, it was so hot 🥵
I guess you can read and find out who she chooses and how she finally gets that revenge. That epilogue was perfect.
Oh and the spice was a lot and just right at the same time.
The story is so fast paced, you don't even realise how long you have be reading it.
A great dark mafia Duet and we'll worth the read.
As always please check trigger warnings before hand.
Favourite Quotes:

“The queen of darkness strikes again.”

“You’re looking for someone else, but that girl, whoever you think you know, she doesn’t exist anymore. You and Nic made damn sure of that.”

"The best revenge is to not be like your enemy."

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆☆☆☆
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Stories of Betrayal is the second book in The Vengeance Duet so you need to read Lessons in Revenge first otherwise you will be confused if you try to read this one! Lessons in Revenge ended in a cliffhanger and I have been desperately waiting for this book to find out what happens next!

The book follows Val after she was betrayed by the Colombo brothers and not only her own life but her cousins' was in danger. She found out secrets that revealed she really couldn't trust anyone. Determined to run away and never look back, Val and Dom make their way to Vegas. They find their new found best friend Laura and immediately come up with a plan. The three women create a business where they con bad men and seek revenge on those who have wronged others.

Except four years later she decides she wants the ultimate revenge against the Colombo brothers for what they did to her. She plans to lure them in just to strike when they least expect it. But Nic is always one step ahead and Leo steps in to warn Val she may be in over her head.

Val is stunned to see Leo again and feelings start to resurface but she can't let that happen. She is just using him for business and nothing else. But when an opportunity arises she has to put her differences aside with the Colombo brother's if she wants to get the vengeance she always wanted.

I loved the ending of the book and I felt it did a good job wrapping everything up. However, I feel like there is still more to the story with Nic! I can't wait to see what Natalia writes next! This is definitely a duet I will recommend to all my mafia loving gals!

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦:
🔥 Mafia
🔥 Revenge
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Second Chance
🔥 Femme Fatale/Strong Female Lead
🔥 Found Family
🔥 Obsessed Hero
🔥 Dark Secrets

[Cigi cini · Rating 4 out of 5]

🔥 Mafia
🔥 Revenge
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Second Chance
🔥 Femme Fatale/Strong Female Lead
🔥 Found Family
🔥 Obsessed Hero
🔥 Dark Secrets

Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

"Stories of Betrayal" by Natalia Lourose is a compelling and emotionally charged novel that revolves around themes of revenge, transformation, and the complex interplay of love and betrayal.

Val’s journey of transformation and rebirth after four years, marked by an intense desire for revenge, sets the stage for a captivating tale. Their determination to take down the Colombo family, despite the inherent risks, introduces an element of high-stakes drama. This quest for retribution is fueled by a deeply personal motive, and it promises to be a driving force behind the plot.

The book focuses on the complex relationships between Val and the two Colombo brothers Nick & Leo, each with distinct characteristics. The one with a sinister smirk, plotting Val’s downfall, and the other, shrouded in darkness and whispering sweet nothings, add layers of complexity to the story.

Readers can expect a story that delves into the darker aspects of human nature, exploring the price one must pay for seeking vengeance and the blurred lines between love and betrayal.

"Stories of Betrayal" promises to be a thrilling and emotionally charged read, suitable for those who enjoy tales of transformation, revenge, and the complexities of human relationships.

[Kyra Magro Camilleri · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read the first book, I felt like there wasn't much left for it to be perfect. But this book ... it was true perfection. Seeing Val's character develop into this strong, smart woman who was so decisive and on top of everything was amazing. It was the Val I had been waiting to see and the author did not disappoint in giving us the girl we had been waiting for.

The amount of Leo point of views were honestly just the cherry on the cake. I loved getting to see more of his perspective in this book. It made me feel like I connected to him so much more as a character.

The plot was great. Not slow and it kept me hooked and constantly wondering what's going to come up next. I really have nothing more than praise for this book, in all regards. I didn't want the book to end but I'm so happy with the ending we got to. I wish I could list some of my favourite quotes, but honestly, there are too many to choose from. It's a good thing I read this on Kindle or I would have run out of tabs for sure.


(Despite the bad guy rep Nic gets in this book, he still has a place in my heart. I do understand why him and Val couldn't get the same happy ending as her and Leo, the manipulation was real . But being the one who always falls for the villain in the story, I can't help but wish he got to be a part of Val and Leo's happy ending. Very wishful and delusional thinking, I admit.)

[Elizabeth Satala (ElizaJayneReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Vengeance Duet. Start with "Lessons in Revenge" first!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶🌶🌶

This book starts out four years after Val walked out on Nic and Leo to save herself and her cousin Dom. She is ready to get her revenge on the brothers, so she makes her way back to New York to start her plan. What she doesn’t anticipate, though, is all the feelings and chemistry that comes roaring back when she sees Leo. It took her years to get over him, but did she really? She can’t just forgive and forget to she plans to use Leo to get her revenge. When she finds out what went down that day years ago, she is instantly mad and will do whatever it takes to see Nic’s downfall. But what happens when both of the brothers have other plans to get revenge? Will they all work together toward a common goal? Or will their inability to trust each other be their downfall?

🖤 Mafia
💋 Revenge
🖤 Enemies-to-Lovers
💋 Second Chance
🖤 Strong Female Lead

I absolutely loved this duet! This second book didn’t end up as I anticipated it would, but it made it that much better. I loved the growth we saw in Val. She wasn’t some weak girl who couldn’t hold her own. She was fierce and took no crap from anyone. She had nothing when she fled from Nic and Leo and took matters into her own hands to have everything she needed. Leo was such a sweet man. Val was always in the back of his mind, and when he got another chance, he took it. Nic was just as he always was, ruthless and unkind. I am excited to see what happens next with our resident ruthless capo!

💋“She’s perfect just as she is. With every flaw and imperfection. I’d take her any day, any year, any way.”💋

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received the ARC of Stories in Betrayal. This is my full, honest review.

While I liked Val’s character a lot better in this book, it did not live up to what it could have been. I very much enjoyed Val coming out of her weaker, damaged shell into a strong woman that doesn’t take shit. That being said, I did feel she caved very early when Leo re-entered her life. She pushed back some, but not like I thought the new version of her would.

I am very happy that it was Leo and not Nic she ends up with. While I love a good enemies to lovers, I just never enjoyed Nic’s character enough for them to be together. Leo had to do a lot he never wanted to in order to survive, which including hurting Val.

I enjoyed getting the full picture of what happened, how Val moved on from the betrayal, her getting her revenge, and living happily ever after. I believe both Leo and Val deserve their HEA.

Now, I rated it 3/5 stars because to me there was a lot of repetitive internal dialogue and the story was slow. It felt as if every time we had a POV chapter from Val, it always mentioned her hurt from Leo betraying her, but still loving him. It took me far longer than I had thought to finish this book just because I simply could not get into it.

🌶️🌶️
Pepper Percentage:
• 8.6% of the pages contain spicy content
• 14.6% of the chapters contain spicy content

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:
Mafia romance
Revenge theme
Enemies to lovers
Second chance
Obsessed hero
Strong FMC
Strong girlfriend group

4.5⭐
3🌶️

This is book #2 of The Vengeance Duet. You absolutely need to read Lessons in Revenge to move forward with this read.

This follows Val, 4 years after book #1 after she fled being held Captive with Nicolai & Leo. She fled NYC with Dom and landed in Vegas. This is where she went to school, met her best friend Laura, and they have a business in conning men.

Val feels like she needs to tie off loose ends with the brothers and her revenge, so she heads back to NYC to complete it. Little does she know that 4 years after, she's not the one still obsessing over one of the Colombo brother's, After the one brother spots her in NYC he makes it his mission to clear his name, and get his girl back.

Without spoilers, this book gives us all the answers to the cliffhanger in book #1, Lessons in Revenge. She gets her revenge, obviously, she gets her man, but which one does she end up with, and forms some unlikely alliances in the process

I absolutely devoured this duet. Now we are left with some questions about some side characters, and what is going to happen with them.

Thank you Natalia & The author agency for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Hadjar Y · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so, I received this book as an ARC and I was so excited to read it. I had such a good time reading this book and honestly thought it was the perfect second book to match the first. However, when reading it, I found the time skip to be a bit off-putting as it was definitely larger than you’d see in most books.

Val King was definitely a very exciting character to read about! Her confidence and beauty were so developed during this story, seeing her become more confident in herself, her ability, and her sexuality was incredible. And honestly, the ending was like exactly what we needed from her.

Leo, I felt like was awful at some points. Like yes overall I loved him as a character but the fact that he waited YEARS to admit to what he did and that he only admitted when exposed screams a red flag to me. It’s not even as if he was bad most of the time, he just really messed up that one time which kinda just ruined him for me.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and the duet as well! It was such a great and unique story to read. Thank you for the ARC!

[Charlotte Baldry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gaaaahhhh I’m so happy I finally got to read this one!!!! Lessons in revenge was my Roman Empire, I cannot tell you how much I loveddd the bones of that book. The characters, the love triangle, the really dark theme, the SMUT. I was so excited to see where their stories went after the first book, and I was not disappointed. Val completely reinvented herself and I’m so proud of how strong she is. I loveee the addition of Laura, making Val and dom’s duo a trio. I was genuinely on the edge of my seat all the way thru this book, nervous for what was around the corner for Val, you never know with Nic involved after all😅. Leo is an absolute angel and I love him with my entire heart, they could not be more perfect for each other. I was so thrilled to see when I got to the acknowledgments that there will be a story about nic and Laura!! I was literally thinking to myself as I was reading that we needed her pov. The one thing I missed in this book was how filthy that man is in the bedroom so I’m very excited for this haha.
Thank you for blessing us with your writing once again Natalia❤️

[Ade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I would love to talk about the lovely dedication at the beginning. It essentially fits me so well as I hate cliffhangers.

The book continues with the complicated relationship between Val and the Colombo brothers.

I didn’t see the direction this book was going. The author completely flipped the narrative. There was so much drama- far more than anticipated and way more than any we saw in Lessons in Revenge.

I love how Val reinvented herself and her accomplices ( I can’t wait to read their stories).

There was so much suspense and intrigue that it was hard to predict the direction of the plot. I loved that there was nothing to give anything away. The mystery was spellbinding.

I can’t wait to read Nic’s story and the other spinoffs from this.

If you love dark romance with a side of family drama and some sprinkling of femme fatales then you will enjoy this.

I received an advanced copy and the review is mine and voluntary.

[Katie Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

If you thought Val was a badass before, wait until you see her after years of transforming into the take-no-shit, confident Val King.

I'm proud of the woman she became after running from the warehouse that night. She took what she learned from Nic's lessons and found her own way of using those skills to punish the men who deserve it. She turned her heartbreak into power.

Leo comes back into the picture and Val is forced to face the fact that maybe she didn't bury her feelings for him deep enough.

He is determined to prove his love for her, but knows that it will take time for Val to break down the walls she's built up after he betrayed her.

And of course, Nic is still his asshole self. Until, he joins his step-brother for revenge of their own.

But there's one secret that Leo decides to keep from Val. One that could destroy everything he worked so hard to repair.

Tropes:
💀 Mafia
❤️ Second Chance
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🔪 Revenge

[kreadsoften · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories of Betrayal is the second book in the duet and cannot be read as a standalone.

This story takes place a few years (four years) after the ending of the first book, Lessons in Revenge. Now, Val is more determined than ever to get her revenge. But when Val sees Leo again, the chemistry between them is still there. Leo just wants another chance, and he will do anything to get it,

After the way the first book ended, I was excited to return to Nic, Val, and Leo’s story. Val changed a lot during the four years they were apart. She’s stronger, more fierce, and unafraid. Leo is just as sweet and charming as he was before, but now he’s more confident – so he knows what he wants, and he stands up for himself.

I thought there would be more from Nic, but he’s still as cruel as he was in the first book. He did manage to surprise me though, when he made certain decisions.

This was a great ending to the duet. It was full of action, and there was a lot of growth and healing for the main characters.

[Pat Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revenge, Spice and HEA….my type of book

Story - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice - 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

Why you will love this book…
🔥Mafia
🔥Revenge
🔥Enemies to Lovers
🔥Second Chance
🔥Femme Fatale/Strong Female Lead
🔥Found Family
🔥Obsessed Hero
🔥Dark Secrets

This is the final book of The Vengeance Duet. The Stories of Betrayal opens up four years later after Lessons of Revenge. I just love Val. Her character has just grown since the first book and she wants revenge. She is going after what she wants and will not let anyone get in her way. Leo and Val still have strong feelings for each other and Leo knows how to get to her. Nic is still mad. However, Val’s friend Laura has caught Nic’s eye. have to learn how There so many twists and turns in this story. The spice in this book is so good. The book gets to the HEA however I was surprised by the ending.

[Lissereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this duet. Leo is the best, and you can’t help to love his enemy, his brother Nic. I found myself unable to put this books down, I felt like it was a movie going through my mind and desperate to see what happen . Val and her cousin went through so much, I loved how Laura enter the picture and they became such a strong group of friends. Can’t wait to see their stories in the future. Leo was broken, but had such a great heart, he loved so hard that it pulled the strings of my heart for sure. I recommend reading this duet in order. This is true second book of the duet. Great story and love the twists and turns.

Thank you Natalia and the Author agency for this ARC and for allowing me to write an honest review. Can’t wait for more books with these characters ‼️🔥🌶️💙🤦🏽‍♀️

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to say I am so glad we got more POV from Leo (and/or Nic). I needed to know what was going on inside their heads. Second, I am so glad Valerie grew up and became tougher. I had a feeling she would, I understand she was young and extremely naïve in book 1, but it was too much. She was A LOT better in book 2. Story ended well, it is a HEA, she only ends up with one of the two love interest, revenge and betrayal occur, dark and triggering content, very spicy.

I do have a lot of questions though like: what the heck was going on with Laura and Nic.. am I going to get a book about them...?
Also, I am kind of shipping Dom with Lea's right hand man, Alessio, are we going to get a book about them as well? I want good things to happen to Dom, she deserves it.

*Reminder: You HAVE to read book 1 - Lessons In Revenge - before you read book 2 - Stories of Betrayal.*

[Gwendalyngw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Review: Holy freaking hell. I love this duet! The characters were phenomenally written. I basically love them all. 😅

Val is obviously a total badass. Her paat is so dark yet she has such a heart for those in need. Leo is 🥵🥵🥵 the perfect "angel" of a man while Nic is just as 🌶🌶🌶 but a total "devil". Their balance of each other is absolutely perfect! Dom and Laura are just bonuses 💜

I love that this duet is written with view from all three MC, it was so balanced and just perfect. I was literally at the edge of my seat this whole book rooting for a happy ending while having no idea if/how it would happen and what would happen along the way.

My ONLY complaint is it ended too soon. I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters yet! This was my first books from Natalia and I will definitely been reading more!