Scandalous Kingpin

Kingpins of the Syndicate #3

by Eva Winners

Christian “Priest” DiLustro.
A charming prince.
Only when it suited him.


I had a taste of him and got addicted. But he was a heartless bastard and an arrogant mafia prince whose only goal was to ignore me after we scratched the itch.
Just when I thought we both moved on, he swooped in, claiming he made a promise and he intended to keep it, even if it killed us both.


Ivy Murphy.
An Irish mafia princess.
Mine.


We might have started as a dream, but now I was her nightmare. I was damaged goods, scarred by my past. Still, I couldn’t allow anyone else to have her.
So I stole a marriage contract and her heart. It wasn’t mine to own, but I took it anyway.
For better or worse, in sickness and health, I intended to keep her.
Until death do us part.

Genres: Dark Romance, Mafia Romance, Dark, Romance, Forced Proximity, Enemies To Lovers, Audiobook

444 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 29, 2024

About the author

Eva released her first novel Second Chance At Love in 2020 and has been writing feverishly ever since. She writes about everlasting romance for every century focusing on characters emotional development and always guarantees an HEA.

She loves yoga, wine and her kiddos. In her spare time, she seeks adventures either hiking through trails or exploring the beaches.

Writing books has always been her passion and she brings real life to the forefront in everything she writes about.

Deeply passionate characters and stories will draw you in and you'll never want to leave.

Follow her on social media to stay up to date with all her new releases!

Reviews

[Jen ♥]

Why did I finish this was so beyond me. All I know is that Priest is the weakest MMC I've ever read from this author. I'm not gonna give a long rant anymore; I'd rather save my energy for something else.
 
Please check the TW before reading this. 

[Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

RTC

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: ONS
Angst: 😱😱😱1/2
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥1/2

Loved it! Scandalous Kingpin was well-written and fast-paced, with tons of action and twists and turns. These two had the best banter, and their chemistry was 🔥🔥🔥. All the books in this series have been fabulous so far and I can't wait for the conclusion to the series!

[Milica's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I had a little too much expectation from this story. Priest is a great character, what has he been through... he and Ivy deserve their happy ending.

[Sienasummerrreads]

Review coming 31st January 2025….

[Vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Tropes : mafia romance, tortured H, J/P H, touch her and 💀, arranged marriage, forced proximity, stalker H
Ending : HEA (2 epilogues with them having kids)
Triggers : mention of child abuse, SA (H), murder, violence, abuse, gore
Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Angst : 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
OM/OW drama : OM (some guys that were around the h vicinity)
Celibate while separated: yes
Intimacy details: virgin h, rough sex, oral, no condom
Standalone/Series : part of an interconnected series

Hero : Christian ‘Priest’ DiLustro (25/26)
Heroine: Ivy Murphy/DiLustro (23/24)

As per usual with Eva’s books, there was separation in this but thankfully only about a year or two so nothing crazy and both were celibate while separated.

Priest was a tortured human with a dark painful past. I hate child m@lesters and child abusers so it was about right for both the evil stepmom and the disgusting ‘fake’ priest to be tortured and killed brutally.

The angst was when Ivy found out who killed her dad and the fact that Priest knew and didn’t tell her devastated her so there was separation there too but in the end they tried to make things work.

We got 2 epilogues the 1st one was set 5 years after the last chapter and they had a 3 yo son and 1 on the way. The 2nd epilogue was set 13 years later with the kids attended the school that the gang (Ivy, Juliette, Davina, Wynter) built.

I like how balanced the romance and mafia side were, at least for me it was. I enjoyed this quite much.

[Mahibah Hossain · Rating 3 out of 5]

3🌶️
First of all. this was my first Eva Winners book and I am amazed. I will definitely be reading more books of hers!
The book follows Christan aka Priest and Ivy.
The liked the book, I wasn't 100% was obsessed within the mafia and marriage of con section but it wasn't the worst. I feel like Priest wasn't the strongest MMC and I feel like 20% of the book just became kind of flat but I still enjoyed it.

[Ioana Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Angel stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨️
3.5🌶
Puțin dezamăgită pt ca povestea lui Priest o așteptam inca de când l-am "cunoscut" in primul volum..iar acum,când în sfârșit am ajuns la ea, mi s-a părut ca totul s-a petrecut pe sistemul țac-pac, deși povestea lui și a lui Ivy a "copt" inca din primele volume.
Nr paginilor a fost mult mai mic fata de restul volumelor din serie..încă un minus pt mine, pt că mi-as fi dorit f mult sa aflu mai multe despre cine e persoana de sub carapacea atat de dura si intunecata a lui Priest!
Insa per total, o poveste bună, caractere superbe..!
Happy-end garantat!🦋

[miserablycranky · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay in the beginning and then got worse and worse.. what bothered me the most:

- there are way too many characters. maybe they were characters from previous books by the author and she wanted to include everyone? idk but whatever the reason, eventually it made me just skip the most parts and read only the romance parts because I kept losing track of who is who, what is their degree of relationship, are the enemies or allies etc

- the apparent need to write a happy ending for every plot - this is not a romantic comedy or hallmark
movie that needs to leave you with an allover warm
feeling. there were very valid reasons why Christian didn’t get along with his parents and for Ivys fallout with Juliette. Personally I would’ve found it more interesting and understandable if not everyone made up..

- the fact that literally everyone in this book goes to therapy. i’m all for therapy in real life but this is supposed to be a dark mafia romance, right? they even do family therapy! can you really imagine a mafia clan attending family therapy? come
on now.. that felt totally out of character to the point I couldn’t even take it seriously as a mafia story.. it’s ridiculous

- the smut was meh..

- i think, especially with this plot/Christians background, there could’ve been a lot more focus on the romance part, on building a physical and emotional bond between them.. there could’ve been meaningful and cute moments and experiences that allow her to touch him more and more by time, or showing a scene where he actually has a nightmare next to her and how she comforts him and so much more.. unfortunately there was basically nothing in that regard - their connection is very rushed..

[Rina | booksofthemuggleborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating: 4 stars!

** ARC was generously provided in exchange for my honest review. **

Ooh-wee. Lots to unpack here because this book was hella jam-packed with characters and different narratives— all in a complex, expansive interconnected criminal underworld.

Although this can be read as a standalone, I’m going to be real honest and say, if you haven’t read the previous books in the series or the Thorns of Omertà series, then there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself a little lost when it comes to some of the character crossovers and the connections they have with the MCs. There are so many familial links and ever-growing allies that it can be pretty overwhelming if you’re not up-to-scratch with Winners’ dark mafia multiverse.

Christian (aka Priest) and Ivy are both likable characters. I had gravitated towards Priest as a character from the very beginning of this series just because of the mystery and darkness that surrounded him. Ivy was somewhat similar. She was never quite the centre of attention, always just lingering in the background… that is, until this book.

There are two sides to every coin, and same can be said for Priest. I knew there was constant darkness lurking around him, but after learning the full extent of his backstory, I have an even deeper love and admiration for him. He might just be my favourite Kingpin. (Sorry Basilio. Sorry Dante). Priest is an overly complex character and his brutal and disturbing upbringing is the result of his volatile mental stability. He knows it. The people closest to him know on some level too. But what I found myself marvelling at is his determination to change, when most of his life he has moulded himself in armour. Winner written a mafia romance and included raw, real-life issues that many could connect and relate with.

This story is not for the fainthearted. I, myself who normally doesn’t have triggers found this one to have an effect on me. Please err on the side of caution. It contains dark themes that some readers may find triggering such as child abandonment, child abuse, sexual assault, blackmail, kidnapping, exploitation, graphic violence and torture— which are all by-products of severe mental, physical, and emotional trauma. Priest’s backstory also broaches on his religious upbringing, and is one of the key reasons behind his actions and demeanour. This book is intended for readers 18+ only.

It’s character-driven. It’s emotionally-charged, and with the past coming back to haunt not only the MCs but the secondary cast of characters as well, it’s packed with action and suspense.

The complexity of this story stems from the totally twisted, totally dysfunctional familial relations present. The dynamics you see between Priest’s family, as well as Ivy’s equally intricate one, will have you questioning whether or not you’ve walked into a telenovela or soap opera. Everyone seems to be linked to someone one way or another, and anyone that was deemed done and dusted, may very well be alive and kicking. Like I said, it’s a damn soap opera! LOL. It’s equally entertaining, as it is overwhelming.

It’s well-paced storytelling, told from multiple POVs. The story has a very sombre, heartbreaking atmosphere, but there are bouts of lightness and banter throughout that keeps it from going overly dark. Ivy injects a lot of sweetness, calmness, and loyalty into Priest’s life, and seeing him trying to navigate through it all is probably one of my favourite things from this book, along with his overall character growth.

Priest and Ivy’s story is one that felt full-circle. It started out with loneliness, pain, and uncertainty, and ending with stability, love and family.

This story also hints at various other storylines, which I’m excited for. There are a handful of characters that have intrigued me for a while now, and this book only reiterated my anticipation to read their stories next.

If you like big chunks of spice, this one has it. I’m all for spice if it heightens the story and the characters’ developing relationship. But in this case, there was a bit too much of it (I know, shocking) for my liking, to the point where the story occasionally dragged. There were also instances where I found the storytelling jumped from one subplot to the next, and back again, and with big portions of the book being sexual content, the writing felt choppy and didn’t flow as well as the other books. Whilst certain subplots were understandably introduced and left open for future books, there were others that I thought developed and concluded rather abruptly. There were particular developments that I also thought deserved a shit-ton of grovelling for and deserved major grudge-holding, but alas, it just felt short of my torturous liking. Oh well.

I still enjoyed it regardless. I think it’s a beautiful addition to the series, and Priest is a refreshing change of pace from the previous broken heroes of the Kingpins of the Syndicate. Ivy is the softness to Priest’s hard-heartedness, and the balance between them is just warming to witness. Theirs is a journey of highs and lows, and it’s evident their relationship is a work-in-progress as they work through insecurities and open up about their emotions. I love the relatability of their relationship, their willingness to repair damaged relationships with friends and family, and how realistic they went about with their overall healing process. The fleshed-out scenes that were added and the genuine developments amongst the characters in my opinion, were the absolute factors that made this book a weighty little gem.

🚨 Full review on my blog: https://booksofthemuggleborn.wordpres...

[Ana Laura Coronel Blanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

>Romance oscuro.
>Mafia.
>TW: abuso físico y mención de abuso sexual, tortura, asesinato, muerte, mención de pedofilia.

Christian "Priest" DiLustro, el jefe de la mafia italiana en Filadelfia, y Ivy Murphy, hija de uno de los jefe de la mafia irlandesa en Irlanda, compartieron un breve momento sexy y caliente en el pasillo del club de él la noche que las chicas llevaban a cabo su tercer atraco.

Es durante la boda de Wynter y Basilio que Ivy intenta acercarse a Priest, pero este le deja en claro que solo fue una breve aventura (si es que puede llamarse así) y que no significó nada. Aunque la verdad es otra, Priest realmente la quiere después de esa noche, pero considera que está lo suficientemente jodido con sus traumas y secretos que no quiere aferrarse a algo que puede llegar a perder después de que ella descubra todo. Por lo tanto la opción fácil es intentar alejarla de él.

Pero entonces muere el padre de Ivy y en la lectura del testamento descubre que este le había concertado un matrimonio con otro hombre. Priest se entera y roba ese acuerdo, llevándose a Ivy con él y ofreciéndole un acuerdo si se casan.

Todo parece ir bien para el matrimonio, hasta que Ivy descubre que Priest sabía quién era el verdadero culpable detrás de la muerte de su padre. Ivy no puede aceptar que dos personas cercanas a ella la hayan traicionado de ese modo y se regresa con sus hermanos a Irlanda.

Y Priest se encuentra cada vez más perdido: un acuerdo con la mafia corsa sale mal; su madre intenta desesperadamente conectar con él mientras que él no quiere saber nada de ella porque la culpa del maltrato que sufrió durante su infancia y adolescencia; pero lo peor es sentir que no se merecía nada de los buenos momentos que pasó con Ivy, y que después de todo sus traumas y secretos terminaron alejándola cómo él había anticipado.

Disfruté mucho este libro. Tiene su parte justa de angustia antes del final feliz. Quería entrar en el libro para hacer de mediadora hasta que se arreglaran, pero entendía perfectamente a ambos y entendí que necesitaban ese tiempo distanciados para poder asimilarlo todo antes de intentar solucionarlo. Y si, Priest terminó forzando ese tiempo separados volviéndola a secuestrar y llevándosela a su casa.

Un pequeño detalle que no me gustó de este libro es cómo se solucionó el tema del trauma de Priest sobre el abuso sexual sufrido en su infancia/adolescencia. No pudo besarla después de que los declararon marido y mujer pero se olvida de su aversión al tacto esa misma tarde cuando cogen en el altar de la iglesia en la que se casaron. Si, ella no lo toca realmente, pero él mismo explica que no suele coger con las mujeres con las que se ha enganchado. Y es una lástima.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.8⭐️

Pensé que sería el libro más obscuro por lo que pasó Christian, pero no, se enfoco más en el sexo.

Los acontecimientos de este libro pasan antes que Reign of a billionaire, pero no es necesario leerlo para entender.




Spoilers ⚠️ ⚠️

Odie a los padres de Christian. Aisling se hace la arrepentida y agraviada porque su hijo no quiere tener nada que ver con ella, ¿acaso se le olvidó que lo abandonó cuando nació?, y no olvidemos que para Wynter tampoco fue una buena madre, aquí parece otra persona, no tiene la misma personalidad que en Villainous kingpin en donde era una odiosa insoportable, estricta y controladora a tal punto que no dejaba que su hija viviera su vida, aquí mágicamente es sensible y bondadosa -no me lo creí ni por un segundo-.
Luego tenemos al padre (que no recuerdo su nombre) que estaba tan atento a su amante y luego su enfoque pasó a los negocios que jamás se dio cuenta que su esposa maltrataba a sus hijos ya que nunca estaba para ellos y se sorprende que nunca le dijeran lo que les hicieron, ademas de que se preocupa mas por los sentimientos de su amante (ahora esposa) que por lo que pasaron sus hijos.🙄

No me gustó como se trató el tema del perdón. Christian podía perdonar a la abandonadora y aun así no tener ninguna relación con ella, pero no, le hicieron que la perdonara, que conviviera con la señora y que fueran una familia.


Luego tenemos lo de Athair a quien Ivy lo sigue recordando con amor, o sea el tipo estaba con Sofia V, ayudaba al trafico de personas y casi quema a unos niños.





Me dio risa la participación de Aiden, él bien relajado diciéndole a Ivy que no se preocupara, que su compromiso no duraría porque Priest no permitiría que se casara con otro.

[Sarah Poulton-Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Life was made out of chapters. Some were hard, some were sad, and some wreaked havoc on one’s soul. But this… it was the start of a new one. The best one yet."

I'll admit it, Ivy and Christian got me in the feels. I went on this rollercoaster with them and felt for them with every single page. We finally get an insight into Priest and what has fuelled his intense and crazed vibe. We learn of the abuse he survived to protect his brother and the ongoing mental trauma he endures. Ivy is his safe place. From the moment they meet in a darkened hallway, she becomes the key to unlocking his emotions.

Christian (Priest) has stalkerish tendencies. He wouldn't be a part of this world of crazily in love men if he didn't kidnap his lady at least once. But he does it with a plan and good intentions. Once he gets a taste of her, there is no one else for him. Ivy could easily fall for him, but he pushes her away to protect her. Afraid of his own emotions and his own desires. Ivy makes him work to get back in her good graces.

This couple are my favourite in the Kingpins series. There was something incredibly beautiful about the way Christian loves her. He needs her. She chases his demons away and makes him strive to be better. They are both stronger together, and both support the other without question.

This wide, interconnected world of crime families and underworld deals is filled with addictive and gripping romances. Ivy and Christian fit perfectly with heated chemistry and devotion to one another. Gorgeously passionate five-star.


Themes and triggers:

Childhood physical and sexual abuse (MC - not too graphically described)
Interconnected crime family world
Vengeance
Obsession
'My wife' vibes
Arranged marriage

[nat ⋆˙⟡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

another banger by Eva Winners. this woman can do no wrong. she is one of my favorite mafia romance authors and each book she releases just gets better and better.

I was waiting for Ivy and Priest's story since they were introduced briefly in Davina and Liam's book. the thing with Eva's world is that they are all connected so even if you are reading a different series those characters are still mentioned. this follows ivy and priest. ivy is an Irish mafia princess and priest is part of the Syndicate. they had one encounter two years ago where she was robbing him and they ended up in a hallway. two years later and he has not looked at another woman. the next time they see each other is at her father's funeral. priest knows what happened but will not tell her to protect her. at the reading of the will, it is announced that her father had set up a marriage for her with Aiden Callahan. once priest got news of this he kidnapped her and offered to marry her in exchange for information on Sofia Volkov, the mother of her twin sisters and his great grandmother. (the family tree here is a lot)

I absolutely loved the dynamic between these two. ivy is a virgin and priest has never kissed anyone until her. priest has a dark past and my heart goes out to him. the plot twists every time I read a book from Eva just shocks me. I am always on my toes and even when im not expecting it she throws a curveball and I am left flabbergasted. we also got a few easter eggs for her next release in another series and I cannot wait to see how that one goes. I am so excited for the next book which is about Priest's cousin Emory and Juliette's brother, Killian.

Thank you so much to Eva, her team, and Literally Yours PR for letting me read this early <3

Highlights:

"Never say never, angel."
"Don't,"
"Why? Don't you like your name, angel?"
"I do, very much. But you seem to constantly forget it. It's Ivy. Get a tattoo or something."
"Maybe I will. I know someone who'd happily brand it on me. Maybe I'll even have them carve it into my skin with a rusty blade---make it so when I take you, you'll see exactly who you belong to."

"It feels wrong to call you Priest now,"
"I like hearing my first name on your lips."
"I wouldn't mind you calling me Christian."
"It's set then, I'm going to call you Christian from now on."
"I'm going to hold you to it."

"If I marry you, the Callahans will start a war with my brothers."
"And I'll finish it. For you."

"Today, I want you to have the wedding you dreamed about."
"How did you know?"
"Your Pinterest page."

"Are you going to kiss me?"
"Only if you're a good girl."

"You're put together differently due to the circumstances life threw at you, but you're no less perfect."

"I see you're still breaking and entering."
"Only when it comes to you, wife."
"Christian, I thought we decided to move on."
"We did not, I told you I'll kill any man who gets near you. You are my wife. My life."

Tropes:
- mafia romance
- Irish mafia x Italian mafia
- forced proximity
- marriage of convenience

4.75 ☆

[Katelynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a really strong 4.5⭐️ for me. I loved the stalker vibes from Priest as he falls under Ivy's spell. Despite Priest's darkness he shows romantic gestures and moments of deep love especially as he has to grovel his way back into Ivy's heart. Ivy gets her life turned upside down repeatedly in this book but still manages to have a fairly level head given the circumstances. She has the fiery Irish nature that pairs so well with Priest and his vicious thirst for vengeance. I definitely felt the chemistry in this one while still feeling genuine emotions behind it all. Their story was far more interesting that I expected and I enjoyed the amount of healing everyone needed and the steps taken to achieve that. We still get those breadcrumbs for future characters that keep me longing for the next installment. Another successful and entertaining story!

[Fathi MYHKSKPG (heylittlesiren) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book easily make it to the top three books that I’ve read from Eva so far. I’m so excited for Priest book and finally it’s here.

Reading about Priest’s childhood was breaking my heart. I felt so sorry for him. A man who was broken and had a bad past. He was doing well at stalking Ivy however decided that he couldn’t do that anymore when another man comes into the picture. Together they healed each other. Both characters were easy to like and their chemistry was top notch.

So many things happened in this book that there’s no time to rest. It was heartbreaking, emotional and twisted!

You can read this as a standalone but I would suggest to read the previous books in the series so you won’t get lost while reading.
🏷️

Thank you @evawinners for the arc copy🧡

[Marrissa Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This just became my favorite book in the series! If you like dark mafia romance, you need this in your life. Just be aware that there are definitely some sensitive topics.
I’ve loved Priest since the first book and couldn’t wait for his story, it definitely exceeded my expectations. He and Ivy are the perfect match. The way Eva connects her characters, their families, and the mafia ties is so interesting, and keeps me hooked and on the edge of my seat!

The audiobook is narrated in DUET by Troy Duran and Mackenzie Cartwright and their voices are perfect together. Troy’s deep, gruff cadence was just what I would imagine for Priest and this world, and Mackenzie is absolutely amazing as Ivy. I highly recommend listening!

Listen if you like ⇣
•Mafia romance
•Dark themes
•Second chance
•He falls first
•Forced marriage
•Family drama
•Dual POV
•Spice

Thank you @mustloveaudio @easthouseprods & @evawinners for another amazing ALC

[shanelle maree · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟 2🌶️

I’m really loving this series. I’ve been excited for Priest’s book since reading Corrupted Pleasure. I just had a feeling that I was gonna love his st@lker ass 😂😂

I wasn’t expecting to laugh during this? Totally threw me a bit when I started this, but by halfway in I was just shaking my head at his crazy ass antics. 😂 Pinterest grey sweatpants board? 😆

Also super cute that he’s never kissed anyone but Ivy ☺️ I love that microtrope!

The narration for Eva’s books is top tier. They’re always such a great listening experience. Troy and Mackenzie narrated this in duet and I absolutely loved them together!

I would suggest reading this series in order as the story and the characters are connected. Reading out of order could spoil the other books, which is never a good time imo 😌

Tropes:
Mafia, forced marriage, he falls first and harder, st@lker, second chance, girl group,

[Sundy Tr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christian aka Priest (27) & Ivy (24). We know both of them from the previous books of the series.

There was attraction between them during their limited encounters but not enough interactions to justify their feelings.

He was obsessed in his own way and there was some light off-page stalking; I could use some more.

The MMC has a disturbing and sad past that gave the story so much potential but it was left unexploited imo. The narration and the flow of events felt kinda rushed.

We knew early on what was going to be the reason for conflict and it took away part of the angst.

There was some groveling but like other things, it was mediocre at best.

-Dual 1st person POV
-Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Overall: 3.5/5 ⭐️ for me.

[Miya Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review


🩵 k!dnapping
🩵 he falls first and hard
🩵 my wife
🩵 he’s unhinged and obsessed.

I have been waiting for this book ever since I’ve discovered Eva’s books last year and she did NOT disappoint. She’s one of my all time favorite mafia authors and holds a special place in my bookish heart.

Priest has a traumatizing past that he still can’t escape from, but when he meets the gorgeous red head, Ivy, she slowly becomes his salvation.

He’s been infatuated with her ever since they met in the first book of this series and that ongoing tension rose even in this book.

Secrets were discovered, love was blown, and families were reunited. This book was incredibly well written and I can’t wait for Killians book. It’s going to be EPIC!

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

I was waiting for Priest and Ivy's story!
It was worth the wait.

After their encounter, he rejected her.

Not because he didn't want her but because he didn't think he deserved her. Not if she knew about his dark past.

But when he learns that Ivy is about to enter an arranged marriage he decides to take her for himself.

[ceci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eva winners never misses. I love each of her books and her couples.
I was so exited to read Priest and Ivy's story, and once I was done I can tell you that I was so in love with the book. AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF CHEMISTRY
This book has great characters and a great story, I love this world so much.

I received an arc copy in exchange of an honest review

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely everything I hoped for with Priests book. I’m OBSESSED with the Kingpins and this one absolutely didn’t disappoint! Of many things I think my absolute favorite part of this book was Priests character arc it has been the most stark of this series and dare I say the best!

[Jacklyn B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the audio for this book - it is dark and emotional and steamy and the two narrators really brought such a wide range to these characters. I really felt for them both as they tried to figure out how to move forward.

“Priest” and Ivy both had this amazing connection and chemistry…but this book dives into whether or not that’s enough. Both are dealing with some trauma, but Christian in particular has a lot to unpack - his dark tragic past is making it tough for him to move forward so he has big decisions to make.

We continue to unpack old family secrets and Ivy is still reeling from the death of her father and who was really behind his passing and why. She has to deal with some deep feelings of betrayal.

We also get some hints of what’s coming in the next book - I can’t wait to read it!

✨What to Expect
🥀Mafia Romance
🖤Dark Romance
✌️Second Chance
❤️‍🔥He Falls Harder
💍Forced Marriage
💋Irish Mafia Princess
🔥Spicy Scenes
❤️‍🩹Dark Family Secrets & Trauma
🐕Cobra
🩶Shelf of Gray Sweatpants

[María Ignacia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eva Winners es una autora con tantos libros que ya leer esto se me hizo complicado porque habían muchas cosas que ya no recordaba. Y aunque diga que se puede leer como un libro independiente, la verdad, no lo creo. Hay muchos personajes importantes qué tienen una historia y un rol relevante en toda la historia de los protagonistas.

Ya hablando del libro, siento que con los primeros libros de Eva era entretenido leer la trama, la mafia, la trata, los dramas, pero ya van tantos libros en que la trama es la misma que parece un copiar y pegar de la historia anterior y la anterior y la anterior.

Sin embargo, el personaje de Priest/Christian ha sido de lo más interesante de leer. Tenía cero vibe de mal hombre, era un pan de dios obsesionado con su chica y al cual le habían pasado un montón de cosas malas.

Ivy fue una chica con carácter y me gustó mucho su relación con su perra Cobra. Amo los perros protectores de sus dueños, eso ha sido lo mejor del libro.

La historia de amor me ha gustado, el drama lo he encontrado un poco innecesario pero lo demás ha estado bien. Como se han enamorado, su casamiento y su final feliz me puso muy contenta.

[MS F · Rating 1 out of 5]

pasa todo tan deprisa que no se entiende nada. Y tienes que leerte sus sagas anteriores o no entenderás todos los personajes que salen aquí (que fueron demasiados y por alguna razón siempre estaban en grupo).

además de lo infantil que se me hace que ella le diga “te odio”

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

SCANDALOUS KINGPIN is the third instalment in Eva Winners’ contemporary, adult KINGPINS OF THE SYNDICATE dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is Christian ‘Priest’ DiLustro, and Ivy Murphy’s story line. SCANDALOUS KINGPIN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from three first person perspectives (Christian, Ivy, Frank) SCANDALOUS KINGPIN follows the building relationship between our story line couple. Approximately one year earlier, Christian DeLustro made a move on Irish Mafia princess Ivy Murphy but walked away believing he was unworthy of happiness or love. Fast forward, Ivy Murphy is struggling with the murder of her father, and his final bequeath that she marry someone she doesn’t know. Enter Christian DiLustro, the man with whom Ivy will fall in love but the ghosts from Christian’s past refuse to let go, and her father’s killer hits too close to home for our story line heroine. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Ivy and Christian, and the fall-out as perceived betrayal, secrets and lies, threatens the growing love between our story line couple.

The world building follows several pathways including the heartbreaking abuse suffered by our story line hero; the abandonment by his birth mother, and the need to avenge those unable to protect themselves. Ivy’s own family history pushes our heroine to hunt down the woman she blames for destroying their lives.


The relationship between Ivy and Christian begins as a mutual attraction but Christian keeps his distance before making his move. ’Rescuing’ Ivy from a marriage to someone else, Christian finds himself falling for a woman whose heart he is about to destroy. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative .

The secondary and supporting characters include the previous story line couples, as well as Ivy’s over protective brothers, Christian’s siblings, his father Frank and his mother Aisling. The requisite evil has many faces.

SCANDALOUS KINGPIN is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, dysfunctional family dynamics, forgiveness and acceptance. The premise is dramatic, dark and intriguing; the romance is heart breaking and seductive; the characters are broken, determined and desperate.

copy supplied for review

www.thereadingcafe.com

[irenee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐

Tropes:
• Mafia
• "Touch her and die"
• Dual Pov
• Matrimonio forzado
• Possessive MMC

Ivy no puede sacarse a Christian "Priest" de la cabeza, no desde que él fue el primer hombre en tocarla. Cuando quiso hablar con Priest, este dejó ver que no significó nada, pero en el momento en el que se entera que Ivy se va a casar con otro hombre, cambia su nombre por el del otro y así la ata a su lado.

Priest quiere tenerla para siempre e Ivy, que él la posea. Pero entre ellos hay un secreto, uno que puede significar el fin de su relación o el principio de algo nuevo.

~~~~~~

A 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 lo describen como una persona sin emociones, que disfruta haciendo sufrir a las personas. Y es cierto, pero también siente anhelo por tener a alguien que lo quiera como es y miedo porque se siente insuficiente para ser amado y poco merecedor de tener a Ivy.

Él piensa que ocultándole la verdad ella no se irá nunca, pero no aprenden nunca que siempre salen los secretos a la luz. Por culpa de eso, Priest debe arrastrarse para recuperarla, y yo no he visto mucho arrastre, pero tampoco él como tal ha hecho algo malo, 𝘴𝘰... 🤷🏻‍♀️

Me gusta como protege a Ivy y cómo demuestra su amor y devoción por ella. Le regala un perro para protegerla y que solo la obedezca a ella. También se hace un tatuaje en honor a ella. Consiste en un hiedra que rodea su parte masculina, ya que Ivy significa hiedra 😮‍💨

𝗜𝘃𝘆 siente mucho dolor por la pérdida de su padre. Cuando se casa con Priest, se la ve contenta y feliz, sintiendo que por fin a encontrado un hogar. Pero tras descubrir el secreto que han estado ocultando su esposo y su mejor amiga, le duele estar cerca de ellos y evita a todo el mundo.

No me acuerdo mucho de cómo es su personalidad porque tengo la manía de hacer las reseñas semanas más tarde de haberme leído el libro 🤡

𝗟𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗼 𝘆𝗮 𝘂𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘆𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗱𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, y es cierto que aunque al principio sus libros me parecían originales, cada vez me parecen más parecidos unos con otros. Siguen casi la misma trama, la misma personalidad de los personajes y los mismos traumas 😃 Además, casi todos sus libros se venden como independientes, pero no siento que lo sean. Mencionan muchos personajes de otros libros, demasiadas relaciones en las que ya te pierdes si es enemigo o aliado, e incluso ya no sabes realmente quienes son familia porque siempre hay un hermanastro perdido, una madre o padre que ha tenido relación con los padres de otros protas, padres que realmente no son los biológicos, hermanos que despues realmente no son hermanos, etc. En resumen, te salen hermanos por todas partes y ya cansa. Demasiada revuelta para nada.

Aún así, voy a seguir leyéndola porque siempre que busco un libro donde el protagonista esté obsesionado por su chica, sé que Eva no me a a defraudar 🌝

[&#x1d4d0;&#x1d4ea;&#x1d4fc;&#x1d4f1; · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗽𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗘𝘃𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀

⭐ 4.5/5 | 🔥 𝗦𝗺𝘂𝘁: 4.5/5

Y’ALL. This book? A whole journey. Eva Winners came for my soul with “Scandalous Kingpin.” If you’ve been vibing with her mafia multiverse, you already know the vibes: dark, messy, and spicy AF. But heads up, if you haven’t read the other books in this series (or Thorns of Omertà), you might be side-eyeing some of the character crossovers. The connections and family drama? Soap-opera levels of complicated.

Let’s talk MCs. Christian (aka Priest) has always been that mysterious, broody kingpin chilling in the shadows, and now? He’s front and center with a backstory that’ll rip your heart out. This man is a literal walking storm of trauma, but seeing him try to piece himself back together? Chef’s kiss. Priest is officially my fave Kingpin (sorry, Basilio and Dante, y’all had a good run). Ivy, on the other hand, is his calm in the chaos. She’s sweet, loyal, and exactly what Priest needs to find some light in all that darkness.

This book hits on heavy themes: childhood trauma, religious guilt, abuse—you name it. Seriously, check those trigger warnings because Priest’s past isn’t for the fainthearted. The story doesn’t sugarcoat, but that’s what makes it so raw and real. Seeing Priest claw his way out of his pain while leaning on Ivy is pure growth.

Now, let’s talk spice. 🔥 There’s a LOT. Like, borderline too much? (I know, who am I?) The smut is hot, no doubt, but it sometimes slowed the story down. Still, the balance between the dark, emotional moments and the lighter, banter-filled ones kept things from feeling too heavy. Ivy brings the softness, Priest brings the intensity, and together? Fire.

The family drama is peak telenovela energy—alliances, betrayals, and “wait, they’re related?!” moments had me cackling and confused at the same time. Plus, some subplots were left dangling for future books, which has me hyped for what’s next.

My only gripes? The pacing felt a little choppy at times, and a few plotlines wrapped up faster than I wanted. I’m also here for maximum groveling energy, so when certain characters didn’t get the grudge-holding they deserved, I was side-eyeing.

Overall, though, Priest and Ivy’s story? Heartbreaking, healing, and everything in between. It’s got trauma, love, family, and hope. If you’re into dark mafia romance with complex characters and big emotions, read this now.

[Trine ||| danereadingromance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Dark-ish mafia romance.
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, forced marriage, rival families, revenge/vengeance, forced proximity, obsessed MMC, 'my wife'.
Trigger warnings: Yes.

~ ARC review ~
As with most of this authors books, this can be read as a standalone, but I do think it is better to have read the prior books in the series, to fully grasp everything at play. Which, btw, is no hard ship, as they are very good too.

I love the girl squad in this series; they are all badass, feisty and very funny together. They really challenge any man trying to contain them, and this one was no different.
The FMC, Ivy Murphy, really impressed me. Previously she might have come off as a bit timid and more of a follower in her squad, but she really stood her ground and is pretty badass herself. Also seeing the great character development throughout the story was beautiful, and the small moments with the famous Irish temper, yes please!

Christian 'Priest' DiLustro is definitely obsessive, possessive and very intense, but he also had his share of insecurites, and the horrible trauma of his childhood really pulled at my heartstrings.
I totally understood his path for revenge, however he also frustrated me a bit with keeping his secret from Ivy for so long. I mean he was completely obsessed with her, and did everything to make her his, and she became his salvation, bringing the light back into his darkness. Still, he kept her at arm's length at times, which seemed a bit out of character.

This was an entertaining story, and the journey the characters went on was filled with angst, secrets, betrayal and quite a few twists that kept me guessing. I'm really impressed with Ivy and her strength, and all the betrayals she suffered, I really felt for her.

Together, they really became a force to be reckoned with, and I loved how protective Ivy became of Priest as well. They had instant chemistry, which resulted in some excellent spice. But above all else, they really complemented each other. They each had their own demons to conquer and secrets to reveal, and although they seemed like opposites, they really had a powerful dynamic and was so much stronger together.