A Debt to Repay

Lured to the Mob #1

by Stacey Ortel

I owe them money, but he wants more.

I thought I knew hardship, scraping by every day to shield my family from my father's crushing gambling debts. But being snatched by the mafia? That's a whole new level of terror.

Suddenly, I'm surrounded by lavish splendor I've only dreamt of. Each glittering gem, each luxurious party, isn't a dream come true—it's a reminder of the deadly price on my head and my father's. Every whispered word holds a secret, every shadow a threat.

And then there's Antonio. Older, with a dangerous allure that's impossible to resist. Every time our eyes meet, I feel a pull—a mix of fear and undeniable attraction. He's a riddle, a temptation, and maybe, just maybe, a tiny beacon of hope.

Caught between two warring mafia factions, I'm the unwilling pawn in their deadly game. With both our lives hanging by a thread, I must navigate a world of treachery and passion, where every step, every decision, is a gamble with the highest stakes.

Brace yourself for a pulse-pounding journey of danger, desire, and dark romance. Dive deep into the shadows with 'A Debt to Repay'—where every turn is unexpected, and every page is irresistible. Claim your next obsession now.

Genres: Romance

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 27, 2023

Reviews

[EmpK · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book doesn’t make much sense and has so many plot holes and missed opportunities.

Spoilers ahead.

—

1. The female lead is kidnapped and stored at a mob’s boss’s mansion as collateral under her dad pays back his debt. Yet the mob boss suspects of her being a spy planted in his house. How, when he brought her to his house?
2. He decides to plant a trap for her but she never finds out about it. She’s just so glad that he’s with her. Ick.
3. We are told the mob boss is brilliant and cold but he seems more immature and impetuous. He throws glasses and ruins studies multiple times.

And none of that includes the shoddy editing, with repeated sentences in multiple places, and some weird dialogue.

Anyhoo. 2.5 stars, maybe 3? I’ve read worse, I’m sorry to say.

[Maddy Martinelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can read my review of A Debt to Repay on my blog, here: https://thepaperworlds.blogspot.com/2....

This is a spoiler-free review!

Y'all I was once again lured into a free mafia romance from Stuff Your Kindle Day and I will once again be questioning why I pick up some of these books. Whoever allowed to go to print should be jailed - was an editor involved?? The story is choppy and full of confusing character choices - the allure of the age gap romance was what definitely made me download this, but good grief it was only ever mentioned once or twice and did not even play a role in the main plot of this book. If I was Clara, I would have sold my dad out so fast, it would not have even been a question. He continues to put her in danger and is shocked when his actions have consequences that directly affect her - newsflash buddy, you mess with the mob, they mess with your family!

Sure, kidnapping someone may just be a regular Tuesday in a mob family, but how was no one questioning the kidnapping of a twenty-year-old student who clearly was there against her will? I love a good kidnapping trope, but make it believable and make the girl at least struggle a little bit before becoming besties with the entire family - it felt as though there was nothing at stake internally with the Ricci family. That being said, the other mob family was a lot "scarier" than the Riccis, and that plot point was the most intriguing to read. You could actually tell there was something on the line for Clara when Roberto would show up, unlike Antonio who was just not all that exciting to me.

This is a super quick read and honestly it went by so fast I felt as though I forgot the entire thing by the time it ended - there was not enough time to truly get to know the characters and form any type of attachment to them. I was also under the impression that this was a series following one couple, not a duology (possibly a series?) that is made up of interconnected stand alones. The super rushed ending definitely is explained by that set up, but it causes readers to lose out on seeing a more fleshed out relationship between Clara and Antonio. Antonio's character seems very one-dimensional and I did not feel drawn to him at all - he is quick to accuse and quick to judge - maybe if he joined Clara at college and took Communication 101 he would have avoided every bad thing that happened in this book.

I am glad that I finished this book so quickly, because if it took up any more of my time, I would have begged a genie to give the minutes spent reading this back to me. If you are looking for something low stakes and just a quick filler book in between reading larger books, this may be for you. If you are looking for a book that will make you attached to its characters, then this is definitely a pass.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads (maddymartinelli), Instagram (@thepaperworlds), Twitter (@thepaperworlds), and following this blog in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

[Kassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed more

This book was a great read but I left feeling like I needed more.. I had this a few times through out the book but when it ended I left not feeling like I had enough of the story to finish

[Toasted_frog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it, not usually my trope but it was still wonderful

[Dana · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

I was so bored reading this book. I stopped and tried twice, yet I couldn't make it past 20%.

Sorry to the fans of this author. She's just not one for me.

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. This author was new to me.
I loved the book. The characters kept me hooked.
Eagerly awaiting book 2

[D. D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first time reading this author and can honestly say I truly enjoyed the book. I just loaded the next one onto my Kindle. Enjoy.

[★ 𖦹 Makayla 🎀 ⊹ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. Some of the words are repetitive and I feel like I left the story wanting more....

[Danisha Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

First mafia romance

The story was okay. Mild spice. It was hard for me to get excited about the story. It seemed predictable.

[Jess Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been amazing, but didn’t quite hit the mark for me. unfortunately some of it just felt very over described and the same phrases were used over and over and it became tedious. I’m just thankful there was no pregnancy trope lol

I didn’t hate it but I also didn’t love it

[ck8 · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.25*

Started out great then went downhill and I was bored.

[Lori Laidlaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story, descriptive writing.