From Dust To Don

Lords of The Commission - New York #0.5

by Stephanie Amaral

Watch.
Register.
Report back.
That was the assignment.
But the distance I should have kept from the fiery mafia queen I spied on every day, crumbled to ash when she followed me into enemy territory. My territory.
And whatever crossed those red tracks was mine for the taking.

From Dust to Don is a novella with open door steamy scenes and a guaranteed HEA.

This book is a prequel in the Lords Of The Commission – New York series and it’s a lighter shade of Mafia romance, featuring forced marriage and enemies-to-lovers tropes amongst others. There are dark subjects throughout, but it can’t be considered an overly dark story. Content warnings do still apply.

Genres: Novella, Mafia Romance, Dark Romance, Romance, Audiobook, Dark, Enemies To Lovers

96 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 21, 2023

About the author

Hi. I'm Stephanie, big dreamer and self-confessed accidental writer. This corner of the internet is where my big dreams and my “accident” meet.
Welcome!
What started as a way to push my boundaries and keep myself busy, turned into something I never expected when I clicked on a button with the word “publish”.
Fast-forward a year and I have three books to my name: Beyond Temptation, Beyond Deception and Beyond Redemption.
The Beyond Series.

For news and exclusive content, sign-up for my newsletter:

https://www.stephanie-amaral.com/

I promise not to spam.

Love
S.

Reviews

[Mairi Swan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh that was good! Can't wait to read the rest of this series!

[Ayesha · Rating 1 out of 5]

typical grandma being a victim prequel. Nothing not already happened to our grandmother’s.

[Monica Tavares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spicy Mafia novella ♥️ 🥵🥵
Just a great quick read, I loved the instant chemistry between both of them. Finished the book in one quick read...couldn't put it down. I love books that pull you in right away and keep you hooked. This is that kind of novella.
Check trigger warning ⚠️

[Jenn Ciecko · Rating 5 out of 5]

OBSESSED! Could not put this book down. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a quick read.

[Readwithlit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik heb deze ARC mogen ontvangen van Stephanie Amaral en Wgriffin publishing, maar dit is mijn oprechte mening

Het verhaal draait om Elena, de dochter van een grote maffia baas, en Giancarlo, de zoon van een andere maffia familie. De chemie tussen hen voelde echt goed: Elena is nog onervaren en puur, terwijl Giancarlo waarschijnlijk al wat ervaring heeft, wat hun interactie ontzettend interessant en spannend maakt.

Het verhaal zit vol verraad, eerwraak en een eed die gehouden moet worden, wat de spanning constant hoog houdt. Er is een beetje instalove en instalust aanwezig, maar dat past op zich goed bij het snelle, intense verloop van het verhaal. De spice geef ik 🌶️🌶️🌶️.

Het verhaal gaat snel, zoals je verwacht bij een novella, maar het is echt een meeslepende leeservaring. De vertaling is erg goed, al zou ik op een paar kleine punten misschien iets anders hebben geformuleerd.

Ik ben erg nieuwsgierig naar hoe het verder gaat en kijk uit naar het volgende deel.

Een aantal tropes zijn;
- Enemies to lovers
- instalust/instalove
- maffiaromance
- no cheating
- HEA

Dit is het eerste deel van the Lords of commisions serie. De rest van de serie wordt ook nog vertaald naar het Nederlands!
From dust to don komt 24 oktober uit!

[Neelakshi · Rating 2 out of 5]

“I can’t help it. I want to feel it. There’s something happening to me, too,” she finally said, her voice small and husky. “There’s this feeling.”Fuck. Me.“Yes?” “This is embarrassing.”I thrust my hips forward, pushing my dick further against her, relishing in the breathy moan that escaped her lips.“Tell me. I want to know.” I urged her to carry on.“I need… I feel like… God, I don’t know.”“Tell me, Elena.”“I’m wet. You know… between my legs. And,” she swallowed hard, trying to push her shyness aside and talk. “It’s like I’m aching there.”

She was so inexperienced HE had to give her the bees and the bird talk.

[Gem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mafia, revenge and spice!

This was a fab little read! I love a Mafia trope and this was a great novella that I could not put down. Just so good!

It’s enemies to lovers, obsession, forced marriage, revenge, innocent FMC, a bad boy MMC, action, cherry popping, fiery situations and a ring in a rose bush!

Elena is sweet, Giancarlo is definitely not! He’s crazy for the daughter of a rival Mafia Don, whom he should be gathering intel on and not fantasising over. They cross paths and there things begin.

I’ll definitely be adding the future Lords of the Commission series from Stephanie Amaral to my tbr. So take a look and roll into the new year with some spicy Mafia men!

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

The possessiveness and the obsession Giancarlo’s got for Elena 🥵🥵🥵

Their chemistry is on fire 🔥 The way this book is written captures and keeps my attention with great writing and a good plot. There’s no jumping around or missing info, it’s all here wrapped up in a beautiful bow!

Stephanie fails to disappoint!! I’m a forever fan!! On to Matt’s story! 🥰

[BooksbyKim98 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I’ve read from Stephanie. It’s really well written. I love her writing style. The connection between the two main characters from the beginning is incredible. At first I hated him for leaving her behind but he made up for it quite well. I am curious about the rest of the story.

[coffee.and.smut (Ash) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved my first Stephanie Amaral experience. Quick and to the point plus lots of spice! My kind of book!

Andi and Ryan were perfect! I listened to this at work and forgot that I was actually supposed to be working. I got so into the story!

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great quick novella with Mafia men, revenge, forced marriage, betrayal and spice 🥵. I couldn’t put it down and finish it in one sitting. Amazing introduction to the Lords of The Commission Series which I cannot wait to read next month.

[Patrícia Brito · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the plot, a small book but a very well constructed story that grabs the reader!
I read the whole thing in a few hours. I loved it!!

[Adrianna Amaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALC Review

I Wanted to thank Blue Nose Audio for this alc!

It was absolute perfection! Love me a good mafia romance!! The narrators brought this book to life! And I loved every second of it.

Forced Marriage
He falls first
Mafia
Virgin FMC

5 star read and listen 🤌🏽

[Rachel Pearlstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this immediately after I finished my arc copy of savage temptation and it did not disappoint! I wish we could have gotten a bit more but I loved it none the less

[Kellysbookishbliss · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a mafia romance. A fast paced story, with a lot of dirty talk, forced marriage and the mafia ego all those men have. I do liked the writing and story about loyalty and honor! But also the obsession he has for his "wife" and after months of stalking he got the opportunity to take her and didn't waste his change. I did miss some more detailed description about the MMC and the FMC.

What didn't do it for me was that I have read it in Dutch. I always say I prefer to read in English and only read Dutch when the author is Dutch. This translated book confirms for me why. It just didn’t do it for me, this is my personal opinion. So I would love to read it in English to get a better opinion of the book.

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating ⭐⭐⭐
Smut scenes 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes mafia, he falls first, virgin FMC
Dual POV
0.5 in the series
FMC Elena
MMC Giancarlo

Giancarlo is staking out the mafia's house in the Juliette bushes watching Elena with his twin brother Tony, when Tony decides enough is enough and it's time to leave, Elena follows and is forced to marry Giancarlo.

I wasn't a huge fan of this story but I think a lot of that was due to me struggling to get into the story.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great wee novella
Mafia Romance, obsessed man, spicy, revenge.

[Eleanor Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Dust to Whew!
That was.. yeah, my first book by Stephenie Amaral and she didn’t disappoint, it’s one sizzling book especially when Ryan Stone and Andi Eloise brought the story to incredible heights!
Such an exciting audiobook experience!

Audiobook Review ALC 🎧🎤📚
From Dust to Don
Author: Stephanie Amaral
Narrator: Andi Eloise and Ryan Stone

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️//4🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️//10/10🎧🎤📚


Giancarlo and Elena story

Giancarlo
Had suffered a monumental loss but at least he had his twin brother and they vowed to making the enemy pay.
Giancarlo was given an assignment to spy on his supposed enemies, however he wasn’t prepared for said assignment to followed him back into his territory totally unaware of the danger she just stepped in.


“You’re marrying the enemy, Princess, and you’re marrying him tonight.”



Elena
Beloved daughter of a mafia Don was arranged to be married follows her spy and stepped right into a situation that could get her father’s enemy the man spying on her, killed.
But being the strong persuasive mafia Princess, Elena is determined to make her father see what she sees in Giancarlo. A New leader!

They both fell into a forbidden attraction one that ignited and set the course of marriage and alliance, an attraction that will cost Giancarlo more than he was willing to sacrifice!

But Listennnnn!
Ryan Stone … whew! This man didn’t play around bringing the male protagonist to incredible heights!
He and Andi Eloise were straight fire in this prequel.. they made this story sizzle.

From Dust to Don is a hot novella, full of everything you look for in mafia reads - violence, possessive alphas, revenge and love! This is a quick, great read!
My first by the author and I’m in love.



“That’s it. Look at what a good girl you are, taking all of me on your very first try.”


Absolutely 💯% recommend you listening to this exciting novella!
This book CAN be read as a Standalone


*~ Lords of The Commission ~*
A new Mafia series you don’t want to miss out on


Vibes in this audiobook 🎧📚
💚Novella
🖤 Mafia romance
💚 forced marriage
🖤enemies-to-lovers
💚 Jealousy
🖤 Possessiveness
💚Open Door High Steam!
🖤Guaranteed HEA
💚Incredible Narrators
🖤Duet Narration
💚Prequel !

Please check content warning ‼️

A shout out to BNA and thank you my besties for reading my review and Ramblings!
Until next time
Only love 💕 One Book at a time!
Georgious~🦋

[Cole Branham · Rating 5 out of 5]

dark mafia romance is best dark romance

From Dust to Don, is the prequel novella to the Lords of the Commission series. And it’s a super quick read or listen whichever one you wanna do. It’s kind of a lighter dark romance take on mafia romance. I had a really fun time listening to this as I love the narrators in this, Andi Elosie has become one of my newest favorite female narrators. I just remember following her one day on Instagram and then everywhere I looked audiobook wise, She was popping up and I just love the way she narrates any book. When I saw Ryan Stone was going through the male narration, I thought he was going to try to do like a kind of different voice and then he did previously with the Sun child and the crow Lord but no, he still sounds like Michael Morbius from the Spider-Man cartoon back in the 90s and I’m all here for it because he did a phenomenal job bringing the character of Giancarlo to life and he did an amazing job bringing the emotion from the backstory that his character has to go through. Kind of a quick overview of how the book starts, I don’t wanna go too much into detail, but it starts out with our MMC Giancarlo and his brother spying on the daughter of a mafia don which is out FMC Elena. They’ve been out on the job for a month and they’re supposed to be out there getting intel on this rival mafia Don but the entire time Giancarlo is like I don’t care about doing that. I care about this girl and she is completely become his obsession. Thank you so much again to bluenose for allowing me to listen to this audio early, thank you so much again to our wonderful narrators, and to our wonderful author for creating a new dark mafia, romance world, dark mafia romance is one of my favorite dark romance books to read, so I’m glad that I have a new dark mafia romance series to read after just finishing the Bonetti brother series.

[Jammie Bebout · Rating 5 out of 5]

The From Dust to Dawn audiobook is a prequel novella in the Lords of the Commission series from Stephanie Amaral. The author describes it as a lighter shade of dark mafia romance, and I think that’s a pretty spot-on description of this story. The audiobook clocks in at approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes, and there is not a single wasted minute in this novella. This might be considered mafia light, but it has all the oh-so-delicious elements that you’d expect to find in a mafia romance. There’s a forced marriage, enemies to lovers, revenge, betrayal, possessive alpha-hole mafia men, and plenty of spicy-spice. Giancarlo, our MMC was supposed to surveil the enemy mafia Don he’s been told killed his parents, but develops an obsession for the Don’s daughter, Elena, in the process. So, when she runs to him in order to escape a marriage arranged by her father, he solves the problem by marrying her himself. And chaos ensues… the really bloody kind as well as the really filthy kind. For a novella, this is a surprisingly layered and complex plot with a lot of emotional depth, an unexpected twist, and a compelling love story.

And Ryan Stone and Andi Eloise totally knocked it out of the park with their amazing duet-style narration. Ryan Stone embodied the character of Giancarlo so well, showing us the heart hidden within this hardened mafia man, and voicing him in the gritty, sexy gravel of our dreams. Andi Eloise absolutely shines as Elena, effortlessly bringing through the character’s naivety and vulnerability as well as her innate strength. The chemistry between these two wonderful voice actors further elevates what is already a phenomenal story and an intriguing start to a series I now can’t wait to listen to. Please be aware this fantastic audiobook is only available on the Blue Nose Audio app. So, if you don’t already have the app, what are you waiting for? Go grab it now, and give this incredible audiobook a listen!

[Loz Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the realm of novellas, "From dust to Don" emerged as a brief but compelling journey into the clandestine world of mafia families. The author skillfully balanced brevity with character development, breathing life into protagonists who evolved intriguingly within the confines of the storyline.

The narrative unfolded in a manner that kept me on the edge of my seat, courtesy of a web of mafia intrigue woven with unexpected plot twists. This novella succeeded in creating a captivating universe of powerful families, each layer revealing more about the characters and their entangled relationships.

What truly added a tantalizing dimension was the well-crafted spice seamlessly integrated into the plot. The possessive male lead brought an electrifying element, enhanced by moments of dirty talk that heightened the tension and passion within the story.

"from Dust to Don" showcased the author's ability to deliver a punchy, engaging narrative. The promise of more from this new talent has me eagerly anticipating future releases. If this is any indication, this author is poised to carve out a niche in the realm of steamy, suspenseful romance. I, for one, will be eagerly awaiting their next literary endeavor.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dust to Don
Lords of the Commission New York .5
By Stephanie Amaral
Narrated by Ryan Stone, Andi Eloise

Mafia romance is one of my favorite tropes. Always having that thread of suspense throughout the romance, it gets my blood flowing. Giancarlo has a task. Watch Elena, the daughter of the rival don. But when she is caught on his turf, he takes the chance and marries her. Does it cause an uproar? Does information come out that is shocking? Of course! Is it hot? Scorching! at thread of suspense throughout the romance, it gets my blood flowing. This introduction to the Lords of Commission is just enough to wet my appetite and leave me wanting more. I cannot wait to sink my teeth into this series as it unfolds. If it is anything like this, I know Stephanie Amaral will have my attention!

Ryan Stone and Andi Eloise are the story tellers and better voices could not have been chosen. Stone has that bit of danger threaded throughout his story. He finds his niche as Giancarlo and is amazing. Eloise is Elena. A bit of an innocent, yet mature for who she is, she dials into her personality and creates the perfect mix. Loved these two.

[Antonia Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Good!

I absolutely loved this novella and it was the perfect introduction to the upcoming Lords of The Commission Series which I definitely can’t wait for now!

This story was great and I couldn’t guess what the outcome would be and was pleasantly surprised at the outcome but there were some heart wrenching revelations and scenes but the ending was worth it.

Giancarlo and Elena are a perfect match and I hope we get to see more of them throughout the series and would love to see a full story of them in the future because they had me hooked from the beginning! The title is also so fitting and it wasn't until I finished writing this review that it hit me!

My first read of a mafia romance and I’m hooked so if a Mafia romance is up your street then you need this on your kindle!

[Nicole A · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic novella!

From Dust to Don is a forced marriage mafia novella.
This is a great mafia story full of violence, betrayal, revenge and love! In the mafia, revenge and violence are at the forefront. But this story focusses on loyalty, honour and love. The plot was exciting and there were heartbreaking moments.
The characters are what make the story. Elena is more than a mafia princess. She is strong and persuasive. Giancarlo is such a hot man, strong and full of revenge. That is, until he sees Elena. His obsession with revenge and with Elena mix into this hot tangle of lust, which quickly strengthens to love.
From Dust to Don is a hot novella, full of everything you look for in mafia reads - violence, possessive alphas, revenge and love! This is a quick, great read!

[Mayra · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Dust to Don by Stephanie Amaral
Performed in Duet by Andi Eloise and Ryan Stone

From Dust to Don is the prequel novella in the Lords of the Commission series, and while it’s short, it packs a serious punch. Suspense, spice, and revenge run through every page, making it a gripping listen that kept me hooked until the very end. The plot was engaging, the writing sharp, and the voice acting top-notch—it left me craving more.

Andi Eloise and Ryan Stone had fantastic chemistry, breathing life into these characters. Andi captured Elena’s emotions perfectly, elevating her role as the fierce yet vulnerable mafia princess. Ryan’s portrayal of Giancarlo was spot-on—gritty and commanding when needed, yet tender in all the right moments.

I definitely recommend this one, and I’m already excited for what’s coming next in the series!

[Soumili D · Rating 2 out of 5]

From Dust to Don had a lot of potential, but it ultimately felt too rushed and short to properly execute its dark mafia romance premise. The relationship between Giancarlo and Elena jumped from intense hatred to deep obsession almost instantly, making the forced marriage and kidnapping tropes feel unearned rather than genuinely thrilling. Because it is a quick prequel novella, the plot and character development are deeply sacrificed; Giancarlo comes across more like a standard stalker than a complex mafia anti-hero, and the dialogue frequently felt repetitive and unnatural. The steamy scenes were well-written, but without a solid emotional foundation or real tension to back them up, they weren't enough to save a plot that felt like a collection of generic romance tropes mashed together.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but oh so sweet!! A stalkery, hunky but low-level mafioso falls in love with a pretty mafia heiress promised to a rich sleazeball mafia don. Said hunk mafia soldier forces the virgin lady to marry him and they get married (turns out she likes him too—no surprise there, Carlo is a greek god), but the complications ensue. Cue the guns and spicy scenes… I love it! ❤️

I don’t know how Stephanie did it, but this book delivered all the promised tropes in 100+ pages without making the reader feel rushed. This is a no-nonsense, straightforward mafia romance and I dig it! It’s one good read to end the year.

[Penny Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took the time to read this today! It was an aarly Christmas release from the author. The holidays kept me busy, so I got to it today and was not disappointed! I absolutely loved the different take on the love story between Elena and Giancarlo! It was similar but different to the usual Mafia romance. I definitely don't want to ruin it and give away too much! It had love, suspense, heartbreak, and spice. It didn't have a cliffhanger! But it does leave you wanting more! Take the time to read this prequel before the first release of the Lords of the Commission series later this month! I can't wait!

[Patrícia Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🌶🌶🌶/3

4 words: I FUCKING LOVED IT 🖤
It's an awesome, quick and wicked read and I loved every word of Elena and Giancarlo beginning story!
All the little plots, twists and turns, some that I personally wasn't expecting ( but aren't those the best? 😅 ) made the reading go smoothly and made me even more eager to get to the next page!

Thank you Stephanie for bringing these amazing characters to life in an amazing well written story, I couldn't ask for a better prequel into the Lords of the Commission world!

Please check the triggers warnings, dive into the book without any regrets and enjoy all it has to offer!

[Alex Parr · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧 Audio Review 🎧

This is a short, spicy, mafia novella and prequel to the Lords of the Commission series. It can be read as a standalone and is a perfect introduction to the series.

It is the first book I have read by this author and it definitely won't be the last. I loved it with the perfect amount of angst, chemistry, steam and intrigue! Now I can't wait to delve into the series and hopefully learn more about Giancarlo and Elena.

The #duetnarration by, new to me, Ryan Stone was absolutely perfect and I can't wait to hear more by him. Andie Loise was excellent too.

Thank you Blue Nose Audio for allowing me the pleasure of listening to this book.