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Always Meant To Be
Romeo
From the moment I saw her, I knew she was mine.
But she was innocent despite her upbringing.
Good-hearted, sweet, and kind; not someone who belonged in our world,
Despite being born into it.
That didn’t stop me from wanting her, and it didn’t stop me from getting her.
And being a Don means I always get what I want.
And she was it.
I’m a cold man; nothing matters to me except my family and now her.
I made a deal to ensure she became mine.
I ensured she was trapped with me always.
I tried to keep her close while ensuring I kept to the deal.
I wasn’t willing to allow anyone to hurt her.
But then I found out she was keeping things from me,
Ensuring that she would not tie herself to me for life.
And then I messed up.
She got hurt, and now she wants to leave me.
But what my little butterfly doesn’t realize,
Is that I’ll never let her go.
I’ll lock her up before that happens, even if it means she’ll hate me.
But I don’t care because she’s mine.
Elena
I always thought I’d live a normal life.
My mother never cared for me, disappointed that I wasn’t a boy,
While my father acted like I didn’t exist.
My sister was their world and got everything she wanted,
Which was perfect for me until she wanted him.
But she messed up, and I had to pay for her mistakes.
My quiet world was turned upside down.
I was forced into an arranged marriage with a man she wanted;
With a man who wanted her but couldn’t have her.
For years I tried to live up to the woman I was expected to be,
The woman he could learn to love,
Because I fell in love with him even though I tried not to.
But nothing I did was good enough.
He only had eyes for her, destroying me inside and out.
Then he chose her, and I got hurt.
I finally hit my limit and grew a backbone.
I finally decided to leave.
But he refuses to let go, refuses to let me leave.
But I don’t understand why when he’s always chosen her.
I won’t let him win; I won’t let him hurt me anymore than he already has.
If only I could get my heart on board with the plan.
This is a standalone with a HEA. Due to mature content and themes, this book is recommended for readers aged 18+; this novel may contain triggers.
From the moment I saw her, I knew she was mine.
But she was innocent despite her upbringing.
Good-hearted, sweet, and kind; not someone who belonged in our world,
Despite being born into it.
That didn’t stop me from wanting her, and it didn’t stop me from getting her.
And being a Don means I always get what I want.
And she was it.
I’m a cold man; nothing matters to me except my family and now her.
I made a deal to ensure she became mine.
I ensured she was trapped with me always.
I tried to keep her close while ensuring I kept to the deal.
I wasn’t willing to allow anyone to hurt her.
But then I found out she was keeping things from me,
Ensuring that she would not tie herself to me for life.
And then I messed up.
She got hurt, and now she wants to leave me.
But what my little butterfly doesn’t realize,
Is that I’ll never let her go.
I’ll lock her up before that happens, even if it means she’ll hate me.
But I don’t care because she’s mine.
Elena
I always thought I’d live a normal life.
My mother never cared for me, disappointed that I wasn’t a boy,
While my father acted like I didn’t exist.
My sister was their world and got everything she wanted,
Which was perfect for me until she wanted him.
But she messed up, and I had to pay for her mistakes.
My quiet world was turned upside down.
I was forced into an arranged marriage with a man she wanted;
With a man who wanted her but couldn’t have her.
For years I tried to live up to the woman I was expected to be,
The woman he could learn to love,
Because I fell in love with him even though I tried not to.
But nothing I did was good enough.
He only had eyes for her, destroying me inside and out.
Then he chose her, and I got hurt.
I finally hit my limit and grew a backbone.
I finally decided to leave.
But he refuses to let go, refuses to let me leave.
But I don’t understand why when he’s always chosen her.
I won’t let him win; I won’t let him hurt me anymore than he already has.
If only I could get my heart on board with the plan.
This is a standalone with a HEA. Due to mature content and themes, this book is recommended for readers aged 18+; this novel may contain triggers.
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2024
544 people are currently reading
573 people want to read
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May 2, 2025
It's pretty bad. I was generous with 2 stars. Quite disappointing for this author and the writing was pretty poor. The storyline was unbelievable. The plot didn't make sense. The characters were almost all bad and the personalities didn't match from beginning to end. And it seems like almost every chapter was a time jump and really annoying. I mean two years later, four years later, two weeks later, a month later, 4 weeks later.... seriously. Instead of fleshing out the story there's time skips. IMO the story also tries to have WAAY too many characters. I couldn't keep them all straight even by the end of the book. I kept having to be like who? wait who?
There's like 7 characters all starting with "M" names. Also a gratuitous amount of torture like every 4th chapter. When Romeo's angry or frustrated, he tortures people. But like... not in a dark book way. Just a he's "Mafia and that's what they do."
This book is also SO FULL OF BBS! - Body Betrayal Syndrome which I am NOT a fan of!
Elena- Second daughter to Russian Bratva Don "plain girl next door" type with ice blonde hair and violet eyes and curves for days (rolling eyes)- FMC ages 17 to 24 in book
*Elena is treated terribly by her mother, beaten and whipped with belts, abused and thrown under the bus by her sister and her father just turns a blind eye
Romeo- Soon to be head of Italian Mafia Don (then Head)- black hair, blue eyes, model hot starts at 24 to 31 in book - MMC
Liliya- First daughter of Russian Bratva Don- spoiled bitch, evil, sleeps around, model hot & tall with brown hair and brown eyes - OW
*Liliya is given everything, spoiled little bitch, fake tits, fucks anything that moves and is worshipped by her mother
Leonardo/Holly & Antonio/Maya- brothers to Romeo & their wives
Mikail & Anastasia - Russian Don and Wife - parents to Elena (Raised Liliya as own)
Mikail & Agy - Russian Don and sister of Anastasia - we learn birth parents of Liliya
Miguel & Renata - Mexican Cartel Jefe & Wife - cheats on wife with Liliya
Maxim & Valerie - Soon to be head of Italian Mafia- cousin of Liliya/Elena
Damien- Schoolteacher obsessed with Elena but sleeps with Liliya
Mario, Andrei, Boris, Marco, Aldo and probably more I'm missing= Mafia guys/bodyguards/Capos
So the premise is Romeo (24) and Liliya (21) are supposed to enter into a contract marriage. Mafia son x Bratva daughter to prevent future skirmish's/war and form alliance. Liliya is a whore though. There's no polite way of saying it, that's literally her *character*.
On the day she goes to meet Romeo she's two hours late, barely dressed, fucks a barista in the bathroom and had just had a abortion a week prior.
Romeo sitting in the back watching all this sees the second daughter Elena (17) and falls instantly in love. He denies the contract with Liliya and wants a contract for Elena when she turns 19. Her father agrees but ONLY if he pays them 1 million dollars, lets Elena continue schooling and acts as a bodyguard for Liliya for two years because as it turns out Liliya has been fucking a married Mexican Cartel man and his wife has taken out a hit on Liliya. Romeo agrees.
Elena finds out she's essentially sold to give her sister protection, the only thing she can do is finish school and she has to give an heir within 5 years or she'll lose everything including protection, clothes, money and her job no matter where she is in 5 years. It's a fate almost worse than death.
Time skip- day of her wedding Elena reflects on the fact that she's marrying a man she hates, her parents sold her to save her sister, her "fiancee" has barely spoken to her in two years but cuddles her sister, holds her sisters hand, takes her sister out in public, puts his arm over her sister, sits her at his table while Elena sits by herself and she frequently finds them in dark corners or hallways and they always "jump apart" when she walks up to them so SHE believes she's marrying a man that loves her sister and who her sister loves. She's miserable.
Her OWN mother even wears black funeral dress to her wedding while her sister wears a wedding gown and sits in the front row. Her new husband watches her sister pretty much their entire wedding ceremony. Like during vows and everything he's glancing at her sister not her.
We get Romeo's point of view that supposedly excuses the fact that he's in love with Elena despite spending NO time with her and he was only watching Liliya because he heard she was a target for assassination at his wedding so he "had to watch her".
We also learn Elena/Liliya's mother changed the contract without anyone noticing (rolling my eyes!) forcing Romeo to continue protection over Liliya for life or the contract is void. If Liliya dies, it's void. And he "loves" Elena too much to let that happen. Again with this bullshit.
His excuse this WHOLE shit show of a book is that he has to remain cold to Elena in public, protect Liliya and act like Elena doesn't matter to him because the hitman might kill Elena to hurt Romeo and get to Liliya. WHAT?
So he acts like he loves Liliya in public to protect her? And acts like Elena is shit to also protect her? Make it make sense.
The worst part of this is that Elena MEETS Miguel and his wife Renata (who hired the hitmen) and they LOVE Elena and don't want to see her hurt. So the premise of this book... has no premise.
This excuse also runs SIX MOTHERFLUFFING YEARS. ROMEO TREATS ELENA LIKE SHIT AND ACTS LIKE HE'S HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH HER SISTER FOR SIX FLUFFING YEARS TO PROTECT LILIYA EVEN THOUGH HE'S MADLY IN LOVE WITH ELENA??? THE ONLY TIME HE'S EVEN REMOTELY NICE TO HER IS WHEN THEY'RE FUCKING.
Time Skip- Romeo literally treats Elena like shit. They've been married 4 years and he's only home to eat dinner (she makes for him by hand every night) and to fuck her.
He's never there when she awakes, he's never home during the day or most the night, he never treats her respectively in public, he never acknowledges her in public, he flirts with Liliya and is caught in compromising positions with her on multiple occasions.
He offers breakfast to Elena ONCE after 4 years and it happens to be Liliya's favorite and one Elena is allergic too. We also have an incident at Liliya's birthday where another assassination attempt on Liliya happens and Romeo COVERS LILIYA WITH HIS BODY AND KISSES HER. ELENA IS SHOT TWICE AND ROMEO DOESN'T EVEN FUCKING NOTICE FOR OVER AN HOUR.
Elena finally decides she's leaving Romeo (she's been secretly on birth control) but now can't because Romeo found out and switched her BC with water then knocked her up so she "can't leave him."
Elena's one tough moment is moving into a guest bedroom. She's head over heels for her moron husband though and sleeps with him at every chance. He basically snaps his fingers and her legs are spread. (The whole book!) She feels like because he took her V-card super gently and built her a library, that he's earned her heart even if he's in love with her sister. :::GAG:::
Elena tries to leave him but her cousin Maxim tells Romeo she's looking at apartments. They fight and have sex. Romeo gets hurt torturing people and she cries and feels bad for him. They have sex. He has naked photos of her sister on his phone and excuses them by saying she sent them to him, he'd delete them but they somehow auto saved. MMMMK. But it's okay, he has a locked folder of naked photos of Elena, and videos of him having sex with Elena without her permission too.
Liliya somehow knows about Romeo's dick piecing and thigh scar because she placed a hidden camera in their room. Riiiight.
Liliya tries to kill Elena and the baby by poisoning her. She's locked away and Elena and Romeo are happy again. More sex.
4 weeks later Liliya attacks Elena at school with a bat trying to kill her again this time with another teacher whose obsessed with Elena but slept with Liliya. (Story of this girl's life right?)
Liliya gets killed, Elena gets beaten with a bat and almost loses the baby. She's sent into a coma for weeks.
Randomly, her aunt Agy tries to kill her in the hospital because turns out Liliya was HER daughter (yep, product of cheating, their father slept with sisters) and dies too. What the freaking frack?!
Elena gives birth, wakes up and supposedly happily ever after while racked with enormous guilt she killed her sister and her aunt died after trying to kill her.
Now wasn't that the biggest mess you ever read? I didn't one star it because it was HIGHLY entertaining just so far out of the realm of believable you will roll your eyes so hard they might get stuck.
There's like 7 characters all starting with "M" names. Also a gratuitous amount of torture like every 4th chapter. When Romeo's angry or frustrated, he tortures people. But like... not in a dark book way. Just a he's "Mafia and that's what they do."
This book is also SO FULL OF BBS! - Body Betrayal Syndrome which I am NOT a fan of!
Elena- Second daughter to Russian Bratva Don "plain girl next door" type with ice blonde hair and violet eyes and curves for days (rolling eyes)- FMC ages 17 to 24 in book
*Elena is treated terribly by her mother, beaten and whipped with belts, abused and thrown under the bus by her sister and her father just turns a blind eye
Romeo- Soon to be head of Italian Mafia Don (then Head)- black hair, blue eyes, model hot starts at 24 to 31 in book - MMC
Liliya- First daughter of Russian Bratva Don- spoiled bitch, evil, sleeps around, model hot & tall with brown hair and brown eyes - OW
*Liliya is given everything, spoiled little bitch, fake tits, fucks anything that moves and is worshipped by her mother
Leonardo/Holly & Antonio/Maya- brothers to Romeo & their wives
Mikail & Anastasia - Russian Don and Wife - parents to Elena (Raised Liliya as own)
Mikail & Agy - Russian Don and sister of Anastasia - we learn birth parents of Liliya
Miguel & Renata - Mexican Cartel Jefe & Wife - cheats on wife with Liliya
Maxim & Valerie - Soon to be head of Italian Mafia- cousin of Liliya/Elena
Damien- Schoolteacher obsessed with Elena but sleeps with Liliya
Mario, Andrei, Boris, Marco, Aldo and probably more I'm missing= Mafia guys/bodyguards/Capos
So the premise is Romeo (24) and Liliya (21) are supposed to enter into a contract marriage. Mafia son x Bratva daughter to prevent future skirmish's/war and form alliance. Liliya is a whore though. There's no polite way of saying it, that's literally her *character*.
On the day she goes to meet Romeo she's two hours late, barely dressed, fucks a barista in the bathroom and had just had a abortion a week prior.
Romeo sitting in the back watching all this sees the second daughter Elena (17) and falls instantly in love. He denies the contract with Liliya and wants a contract for Elena when she turns 19. Her father agrees but ONLY if he pays them 1 million dollars, lets Elena continue schooling and acts as a bodyguard for Liliya for two years because as it turns out Liliya has been fucking a married Mexican Cartel man and his wife has taken out a hit on Liliya. Romeo agrees.
Elena finds out she's essentially sold to give her sister protection, the only thing she can do is finish school and she has to give an heir within 5 years or she'll lose everything including protection, clothes, money and her job no matter where she is in 5 years. It's a fate almost worse than death.
Time skip- day of her wedding Elena reflects on the fact that she's marrying a man she hates, her parents sold her to save her sister, her "fiancee" has barely spoken to her in two years but cuddles her sister, holds her sisters hand, takes her sister out in public, puts his arm over her sister, sits her at his table while Elena sits by herself and she frequently finds them in dark corners or hallways and they always "jump apart" when she walks up to them so SHE believes she's marrying a man that loves her sister and who her sister loves. She's miserable.
Her OWN mother even wears black funeral dress to her wedding while her sister wears a wedding gown and sits in the front row. Her new husband watches her sister pretty much their entire wedding ceremony. Like during vows and everything he's glancing at her sister not her.
We get Romeo's point of view that supposedly excuses the fact that he's in love with Elena despite spending NO time with her and he was only watching Liliya because he heard she was a target for assassination at his wedding so he "had to watch her".
We also learn Elena/Liliya's mother changed the contract without anyone noticing (rolling my eyes!) forcing Romeo to continue protection over Liliya for life or the contract is void. If Liliya dies, it's void. And he "loves" Elena too much to let that happen. Again with this bullshit.
His excuse this WHOLE shit show of a book is that he has to remain cold to Elena in public, protect Liliya and act like Elena doesn't matter to him because the hitman might kill Elena to hurt Romeo and get to Liliya. WHAT?
So he acts like he loves Liliya in public to protect her? And acts like Elena is shit to also protect her? Make it make sense.
The worst part of this is that Elena MEETS Miguel and his wife Renata (who hired the hitmen) and they LOVE Elena and don't want to see her hurt. So the premise of this book... has no premise.
This excuse also runs SIX MOTHERFLUFFING YEARS. ROMEO TREATS ELENA LIKE SHIT AND ACTS LIKE HE'S HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH HER SISTER FOR SIX FLUFFING YEARS TO PROTECT LILIYA EVEN THOUGH HE'S MADLY IN LOVE WITH ELENA??? THE ONLY TIME HE'S EVEN REMOTELY NICE TO HER IS WHEN THEY'RE FUCKING.
Time Skip- Romeo literally treats Elena like shit. They've been married 4 years and he's only home to eat dinner (she makes for him by hand every night) and to fuck her.
He's never there when she awakes, he's never home during the day or most the night, he never treats her respectively in public, he never acknowledges her in public, he flirts with Liliya and is caught in compromising positions with her on multiple occasions.
He offers breakfast to Elena ONCE after 4 years and it happens to be Liliya's favorite and one Elena is allergic too. We also have an incident at Liliya's birthday where another assassination attempt on Liliya happens and Romeo COVERS LILIYA WITH HIS BODY AND KISSES HER. ELENA IS SHOT TWICE AND ROMEO DOESN'T EVEN FUCKING NOTICE FOR OVER AN HOUR.
Elena finally decides she's leaving Romeo (she's been secretly on birth control) but now can't because Romeo found out and switched her BC with water then knocked her up so she "can't leave him."
Elena's one tough moment is moving into a guest bedroom. She's head over heels for her moron husband though and sleeps with him at every chance. He basically snaps his fingers and her legs are spread. (The whole book!) She feels like because he took her V-card super gently and built her a library, that he's earned her heart even if he's in love with her sister. :::GAG:::
Elena tries to leave him but her cousin Maxim tells Romeo she's looking at apartments. They fight and have sex. Romeo gets hurt torturing people and she cries and feels bad for him. They have sex. He has naked photos of her sister on his phone and excuses them by saying she sent them to him, he'd delete them but they somehow auto saved. MMMMK. But it's okay, he has a locked folder of naked photos of Elena, and videos of him having sex with Elena without her permission too.
Liliya somehow knows about Romeo's dick piecing and thigh scar because she placed a hidden camera in their room. Riiiight.
Liliya tries to kill Elena and the baby by poisoning her. She's locked away and Elena and Romeo are happy again. More sex.
4 weeks later Liliya attacks Elena at school with a bat trying to kill her again this time with another teacher whose obsessed with Elena but slept with Liliya. (Story of this girl's life right?)
Liliya gets killed, Elena gets beaten with a bat and almost loses the baby. She's sent into a coma for weeks.
Randomly, her aunt Agy tries to kill her in the hospital because turns out Liliya was HER daughter (yep, product of cheating, their father slept with sisters) and dies too. What the freaking frack?!
Elena gives birth, wakes up and supposedly happily ever after while racked with enormous guilt she killed her sister and her aunt died after trying to kill her.
Now wasn't that the biggest mess you ever read? I didn't one star it because it was HIGHLY entertaining just so far out of the realm of believable you will roll your eyes so hard they might get stuck.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2024
2🌪🤔⭐️s
There were a few parts that I enjoyed and others were farfetched.
The contract with those ridiculous stipulations was exaggerated, and all that drama bored me.
There were a few parts that I enjoyed and others were farfetched.
The contract with those ridiculous stipulations was exaggerated, and all that drama bored me.
October 29, 2024
2.5 Sister-Drama-llama ⭐'s
I like this author, but she’s not the best with the details, so you really have a “just go with it” attitude. I can get behind a soapy craptastic plot, but even I have some standards for rides on the HotMess Express and this really pushed it. So far that I almost 2⭐’ed it because the basis for the conflict that the ENTIRE plot rests upon is not only so so so illogical… it’s also conflicting.
The blurb is vague, and I like to know where I’m going, so I’m going to spoil the general outline. Please stop if you want ZERO deets. There will be spoilers.
I like this author, but she’s not the best with the details, so you really have a “just go with it” attitude. I can get behind a soapy craptastic plot, but even I have some standards for rides on the HotMess Express and this really pushed it. So far that I almost 2⭐’ed it because the basis for the conflict that the ENTIRE plot rests upon is not only so so so illogical… it’s also conflicting.
The blurb is vague, and I like to know where I’m going, so I’m going to spoil the general outline. Please stop if you want ZERO deets. There will be spoilers.
October 19, 2024
I'm debating between 3 and 4 stars and the debate is totally because of the miscommunication. All these would have been avoided if he had told her from the first moment what is going on but I suppose then we wouldn't have the story.
October 6, 2024
DNF
Romeo and Elena
Once again the ridiculousness of this author astounds me. The plot was so far fetched it had me rolling my eyes. The contract was unbelievable, as was the storyline that the H would allow the ow/sister to have her hands all over him for 6 years. Also the h has anaphylactic reaction to hollandaise sauce??? How about it’s the eggs dude. Hollandaise has butter and eggs and salt. So why not just say it was the eggs in the eggs Benedict that she was allergic to. I don’t know why but when I read that it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. So much of this authors work shows a lack of even the most mediocre research. A lot of ott drama and meant to be angst that wasn’t angst because it wasn’t what was really going on. If you’re gonna do a cheating trope then give me some actual cheating and a good grovel otherwise it just falls flat.
Romeo and Elena
Once again the ridiculousness of this author astounds me. The plot was so far fetched it had me rolling my eyes. The contract was unbelievable, as was the storyline that the H would allow the ow/sister to have her hands all over him for 6 years. Also the h has anaphylactic reaction to hollandaise sauce??? How about it’s the eggs dude. Hollandaise has butter and eggs and salt. So why not just say it was the eggs in the eggs Benedict that she was allergic to. I don’t know why but when I read that it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. So much of this authors work shows a lack of even the most mediocre research. A lot of ott drama and meant to be angst that wasn’t angst because it wasn’t what was really going on. If you’re gonna do a cheating trope then give me some actual cheating and a good grovel otherwise it just falls flat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2024
DNF. poorly written and bad story
Loved the idea of this but quickly fell flat. Didn’t make sense the whole contract and there was no need for the drama. Really disappointed
Loved the idea of this but quickly fell flat. Didn’t make sense the whole contract and there was no need for the drama. Really disappointed
Read
December 9, 2024DNF @ 6%. The writing is so unbearable.
November 13, 2025
3.5⭐️
December 19, 2024
I’m reading a lot of this authors backlist and I seen this one was released a few months ago so I picked it up and I’m honestly baffled by all the 2 and 3 star ratings I really enjoyed this book the angst hurt so good and the spice was spicing and I loved the groveling from Romeo he really loved Elena and was completely loyal to her these two had my heart soaring! I’m hoping and praying we get the brothers stories and Maxim’s too!
5/5 ⭐️
Charlotte McGinlay is a new favorite must read author I’ve discovered and I’m loving her brand of storytelling!
5/5 ⭐️
Charlotte McGinlay is a new favorite must read author I’ve discovered and I’m loving her brand of storytelling!
July 14, 2025
Loved the Drama overload
El has the biggest heart out of everyone. That heart takes hit after hit from her parents, sister, Rome and whoever else wanted to stomp on it.
Even though from the moment Rome's eyes land on El He's in love. To her his actions speak different. You have to read it. There is a HEA they just go through a lot to get there.
El has the biggest heart out of everyone. That heart takes hit after hit from her parents, sister, Rome and whoever else wanted to stomp on it.
Even though from the moment Rome's eyes land on El He's in love. To her his actions speak different. You have to read it. There is a HEA they just go through a lot to get there.
October 2, 2024
Cheating = perceived cheating which the H does very little to minimize or explain. H is charged with protecting OW and to do that he relegates the h to second best and an after thought. In public, the H showers the OW with time and attention. In private, H dotes upon the h. The H does not actually cheat in any way, always in love and focused on the h.
F-preg = H meddles with h’s BC and results in h becoming pregnant
Grovel = H must make up for so much: ignoring the h in public, showering OW with attention, messing with h’s BC, protecting the OW and not the h, etc. Honestly, the h had so much BBS and was so in love with the H that the H did not have to do a lot of grovel.
OW drama = OW was h’s sister who tormented and tortured the h most of the h’s life. OW tried to unalive the h several times. Comeuppance? H and OW’s dad slap her on the wrist…but eventually the responsibility falls to the h who handled the OW, permanently with a baseball bat.
I really like this author and this was a good story with potential to be very juicy, but the h having such BBS meant the H never really had to work hard for her.
F-preg = H meddles with h’s BC and results in h becoming pregnant
Grovel = H must make up for so much: ignoring the h in public, showering OW with attention, messing with h’s BC, protecting the OW and not the h, etc. Honestly, the h had so much BBS and was so in love with the H that the H did not have to do a lot of grovel.
OW drama = OW was h’s sister who tormented and tortured the h most of the h’s life. OW tried to unalive the h several times. Comeuppance? H and OW’s dad slap her on the wrist…but eventually the responsibility falls to the h who handled the OW, permanently with a baseball bat.
I really like this author and this was a good story with potential to be very juicy, but the h having such BBS meant the H never really had to work hard for her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2025
It's exactly what I thought it would be. OTT plot with h almost being killed while ow's are coming in left and right. Medically questionable etc 🙃. I still prefer this author's MC books. The plot here made absolutely no sense to be honest. The reasoning with protecting the sister while treating the h like shit to protect her was just complete idiocy. Timeline jumps around. There's never a dull moment though at least. Overall it was just ok.
January 21, 2025
New Author for Me
I enjoyed this book. I believe this is my first book to read by this author. It’s always nice to find a new author to read.
This book is a departure for me as I don’t normally read anything in the Mafia trope, however, the book description was intriguing and I picked it up.
While the Mafia part was not for me the rest of the story was very good. The two main characters were written so that you could relate to and cheer for them. The protagonists were well described so that for the most part we did not think much of them.
The book concludes with an HEA and even wraps up som of the secondary characters stories as well.
I enjoyed this book. I believe this is my first book to read by this author. It’s always nice to find a new author to read.
This book is a departure for me as I don’t normally read anything in the Mafia trope, however, the book description was intriguing and I picked it up.
While the Mafia part was not for me the rest of the story was very good. The two main characters were written so that you could relate to and cheer for them. The protagonists were well described so that for the most part we did not think much of them.
The book concludes with an HEA and even wraps up som of the secondary characters stories as well.
did-not-finish
March 11, 2025DNF @ 42%. I like a soapy mafia romance where the FMC is sweet but mistreated by her family, and the MMC wants only her (but is forced to not show it because of romance reasons), but this was a bit TOO chaotically soapy and I didn’t love the writing.
September 19, 2024
It is a little exaggerated.. ok , fine, there are a lot of exaggerated stuff in it and it got my eyes rolling. Flat after the 40% mark and skip read it after that.
No angst, just because we got his POV and also because after 6 years of the same old sh33it as a reader, you get bored.
No angst, just because we got his POV and also because after 6 years of the same old sh33it as a reader, you get bored.
September 29, 2024
I read KU crap all the time, but this one took the cake! BAD VERY BAD - the premise, the story, the characters, the typos, the grammatical errors -shelved as crap
September 23, 2024
The couple: Romeo and Elena
Romance trope: mafia; arranged marriage
Length: 264 pages
Plot: Romeo is supposed to marry Elena's sister, but the minute he sees her, he knows it's all wrong and that Elena is the one for him. He manipulates Elena's father to change the arrangement, but in return, he has to guard the sister from a hitman. In order to keep Elena safe, he acts like he doesn't like her in public. After four years, Elena is tired of it - she's leaving. Now Romeo has to find a way to keep his wife and fulfill his obligations.
Commentary: This plot did not even make sense. First of all, who was going to enforce the illegally doctored version of an illegal contract? Elena's mother? With what power of her own? How would she have enforced it? All Romeo had to do was tell Elena what was going on and then tell her parents he wasn't going to pretend to like the sister. And those four years of ridiculosness would not have happened. Nothing in the plot made sense. Not the way the crime families operated, not the fact that Romeo's father stepped down as head of the family even though he couldn't have been more than 50, not the fact that the guards on the sister were incompetent, not the fact that nothing about any of the contracts were legal, not the fact that I don't think you can shoot someone up with water in place of medication, not the fact that there's no way you could work as a teacher with bodyguards and cameras, nothing. Nothing made sense. That's not even all - there's a Mexican cartel member who keeps sleeping with the sister and the wife keeps sending hitmen after the sister even though they're all friendly with the other families and keep running into each other at events; the mom is not the mom of the sister but she protects the sister and treats her real child like trash (and then acts like there's nothing wrong with the fact that she whipped her with a belt); that doesn't even take into account the time jumps (which felt like lazy writing at that point). It was a mess.
Grammar/formatting: needed another serious pass with a proofreader
Romance trope: mafia; arranged marriage
Length: 264 pages
Plot: Romeo is supposed to marry Elena's sister, but the minute he sees her, he knows it's all wrong and that Elena is the one for him. He manipulates Elena's father to change the arrangement, but in return, he has to guard the sister from a hitman. In order to keep Elena safe, he acts like he doesn't like her in public. After four years, Elena is tired of it - she's leaving. Now Romeo has to find a way to keep his wife and fulfill his obligations.
Commentary: This plot did not even make sense. First of all, who was going to enforce the illegally doctored version of an illegal contract? Elena's mother? With what power of her own? How would she have enforced it? All Romeo had to do was tell Elena what was going on and then tell her parents he wasn't going to pretend to like the sister. And those four years of ridiculosness would not have happened. Nothing in the plot made sense. Not the way the crime families operated, not the fact that Romeo's father stepped down as head of the family even though he couldn't have been more than 50, not the fact that the guards on the sister were incompetent, not the fact that nothing about any of the contracts were legal, not the fact that I don't think you can shoot someone up with water in place of medication, not the fact that there's no way you could work as a teacher with bodyguards and cameras, nothing. Nothing made sense. That's not even all - there's a Mexican cartel member who keeps sleeping with the sister and the wife keeps sending hitmen after the sister even though they're all friendly with the other families and keep running into each other at events; the mom is not the mom of the sister but she protects the sister and treats her real child like trash (and then acts like there's nothing wrong with the fact that she whipped her with a belt); that doesn't even take into account the time jumps (which felt like lazy writing at that point). It was a mess.
Grammar/formatting: needed another serious pass with a proofreader
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2024
As the head of the mafia, arranged marriages are part of the norm. Romeo is sent to meet his potential wife but what he sees when he gets there is not his intended but her sister. Elena quickly becomes his everything and he barters for the arranged marriage to keep the woman he covets more than life itself.
Elena was the second daughter, she had her life planned and it had nothing to do with marriage or any of the duties the first born holds. She is months away for leaving for college, that is until she is informed she must marry Romeo. For four years she is the dutiful wife, she has fallen for him but in those four years he is absent in the ways that matter and she suspects he is having an affair with her sister. In the contract she signed there was a way out and she is close to using the clause that can set her free. The problem is Romeo loves his wife fiercely and not everything is what it seems, can he earn her trust for their future?
I really enjoyed this one, I did not quite understand the older sister dynamic at times a bit over the top in some moments but none the less a highly entertaining mafia story. Elena is a strong heroine who has a backbone. One of my favorite female characters from this author.
Elena was the second daughter, she had her life planned and it had nothing to do with marriage or any of the duties the first born holds. She is months away for leaving for college, that is until she is informed she must marry Romeo. For four years she is the dutiful wife, she has fallen for him but in those four years he is absent in the ways that matter and she suspects he is having an affair with her sister. In the contract she signed there was a way out and she is close to using the clause that can set her free. The problem is Romeo loves his wife fiercely and not everything is what it seems, can he earn her trust for their future?
I really enjoyed this one, I did not quite understand the older sister dynamic at times a bit over the top in some moments but none the less a highly entertaining mafia story. Elena is a strong heroine who has a backbone. One of my favorite female characters from this author.
October 2, 2024
My rating: 3 stars
What I loved: I liked how the sister got what she deserved. I also liked that Romeo(H) really didn’t have any feelings for the sister but hatred. He was just stupid how he handled the whole situation. The way he wouldn’t let Elena’s(h) parents hold the baby was great.
What I didn’t like: First, I didn’t like how Elena continued to have sex with Romeo when she thought he was cheating with her sister and the bbs she had. Second, why would Romeo let the sister hang all over him or have breakfast with her daily when all he had to do was protect her. Third, why make Elena attend the parties if all Romeo was going to do was pay attention to the sister. Fourth, why not just tell his wife about everything instead of just giving her the contract to read. Lastly, ain’t no way would I still be in my parents life after they treated me like Elena’s parents treated her, let alone be near the grandchild, (no reason is a good enough reason to beat your child).
***Major Spoilers/ Details/Triggers: OW Drama(h’s sister), arranged marriage. H is part of the Italian mafia and h’s dad is part of the Russian mafia. H is told he is to marry the eldest daughter for an alliance but the youngest will also be there. H’s dad says he can pick the one that suits him best. When H goes to meet them, he sees the sister flirting with a guy and watches her go in the back to have sex with him while the h is being nice to her guards and studying. Right away the H wants the h and tells his and her father that he picks the h. h upsets but goes along with it when her father threatens to take away her college. The sister is upset and so is the mom. In order for the H to marry the h he had to protect the sister until him and h marry. Unfortunately the mom changes the contract making the H responsible for the sister until the h gets pregnant. H is stuck because he doesn’t want to loose the h. h seeing how the H is always with the sister decides to get the contraceptive shot to not get pregnant. For four years the h has had to watch the sister be all over the H and the H constantly with the sister. H only pays attention to the h when they are alone at home. When the sister sleeps with a married mafia man, the man’s wife threatens to kill the sister. This makes the H even more protective with the sister. h finally had enough of the disrespect, so H gives the h the contract to read. H also finds out that the h has been getting contraceptive shots and has the nurse change it to water. When the sister throws herself a birthday party the H makes the h attend. Again the H is with the sister, allowing her all over him. When a guy comes in shooting, the H protects the sister while the h gets shot. h goes to hospital and the H doesn’t even know that the h was shot because he was to busy helping the sister who kisses him in front of everyone. h’s mom finally having enough tells the H that he is no longer responsible for keeping the sister safe. When H finds out the h is hurt, he runs to the hospital. h finds out she is pregnant and tells the H that he is not welcome there and that she is done with the marriage. h gives him separation papers. H refusing to let the h go decides to become the husband he should have been. H works to earn the h’s trust. When the sister realizes she lost, she tries to poison the h. H, h and her family decide to have the sister marry a low mafia man away from the H and h. h goes to see the H at work and sees his secretary naked on his desk. H kills her in front of the h showing her that he won’t let anyone try to destroy their marriage. Again, the sister not happy with having to marry someone so low in the mafia goes to the h’s job. h kills the sister when she tries to hit the h with a bat but the h gets hit by a male teacher the sister recruited. h is in a coma for five weeks and during that time the H has been on a killing spree. h is forced to have a c section when the aunt tries killing her for killing the sister who was her daughter (we find out that the father had gotten drunk and had sex with his wife’s sister). A week later the h wakes up and all is forgiven. HEA with the h pregnant again.
Final thoughts: Love this author’s mc books but this one was rough for me.
What I loved: I liked how the sister got what she deserved. I also liked that Romeo(H) really didn’t have any feelings for the sister but hatred. He was just stupid how he handled the whole situation. The way he wouldn’t let Elena’s(h) parents hold the baby was great.
What I didn’t like: First, I didn’t like how Elena continued to have sex with Romeo when she thought he was cheating with her sister and the bbs she had. Second, why would Romeo let the sister hang all over him or have breakfast with her daily when all he had to do was protect her. Third, why make Elena attend the parties if all Romeo was going to do was pay attention to the sister. Fourth, why not just tell his wife about everything instead of just giving her the contract to read. Lastly, ain’t no way would I still be in my parents life after they treated me like Elena’s parents treated her, let alone be near the grandchild, (no reason is a good enough reason to beat your child).
***Major Spoilers/ Details/Triggers: OW Drama(h’s sister), arranged marriage. H is part of the Italian mafia and h’s dad is part of the Russian mafia. H is told he is to marry the eldest daughter for an alliance but the youngest will also be there. H’s dad says he can pick the one that suits him best. When H goes to meet them, he sees the sister flirting with a guy and watches her go in the back to have sex with him while the h is being nice to her guards and studying. Right away the H wants the h and tells his and her father that he picks the h. h upsets but goes along with it when her father threatens to take away her college. The sister is upset and so is the mom. In order for the H to marry the h he had to protect the sister until him and h marry. Unfortunately the mom changes the contract making the H responsible for the sister until the h gets pregnant. H is stuck because he doesn’t want to loose the h. h seeing how the H is always with the sister decides to get the contraceptive shot to not get pregnant. For four years the h has had to watch the sister be all over the H and the H constantly with the sister. H only pays attention to the h when they are alone at home. When the sister sleeps with a married mafia man, the man’s wife threatens to kill the sister. This makes the H even more protective with the sister. h finally had enough of the disrespect, so H gives the h the contract to read. H also finds out that the h has been getting contraceptive shots and has the nurse change it to water. When the sister throws herself a birthday party the H makes the h attend. Again the H is with the sister, allowing her all over him. When a guy comes in shooting, the H protects the sister while the h gets shot. h goes to hospital and the H doesn’t even know that the h was shot because he was to busy helping the sister who kisses him in front of everyone. h’s mom finally having enough tells the H that he is no longer responsible for keeping the sister safe. When H finds out the h is hurt, he runs to the hospital. h finds out she is pregnant and tells the H that he is not welcome there and that she is done with the marriage. h gives him separation papers. H refusing to let the h go decides to become the husband he should have been. H works to earn the h’s trust. When the sister realizes she lost, she tries to poison the h. H, h and her family decide to have the sister marry a low mafia man away from the H and h. h goes to see the H at work and sees his secretary naked on his desk. H kills her in front of the h showing her that he won’t let anyone try to destroy their marriage. Again, the sister not happy with having to marry someone so low in the mafia goes to the h’s job. h kills the sister when she tries to hit the h with a bat but the h gets hit by a male teacher the sister recruited. h is in a coma for five weeks and during that time the H has been on a killing spree. h is forced to have a c section when the aunt tries killing her for killing the sister who was her daughter (we find out that the father had gotten drunk and had sex with his wife’s sister). A week later the h wakes up and all is forgiven. HEA with the h pregnant again.
Final thoughts: Love this author’s mc books but this one was rough for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2024
...
I hate to do this but this book was... not good. I'm giving this book a very generous 3 because I finished it. I'm utterly confused but the thought process of this book. I'll try to give as spoiler free as possible but know that if you want to go in blind just skip. First this book has a lot of time jumps.. and when I mean a lot I'm talking pretty much every chapter if not ever other. And they're in weird places too you get to a conflict at the end of the chapter and your expecting the next chapter to be in the others POV during said conflict. Nope we jumping a week. Second.. the amount of names had me confused and wondering which one was which. I'm also confused that this is supposed to me a mafia book right? Why in the loving heck is liliya not leashed?? I have never in my plethora of books read a book where the pakhan doesn't have control over their children... and the excuse as to why they let her do whatever makes less than zero sense AND don't even get me started on mom. Her excuse of abuse makes absolute NO sense.. ok back to the story. There's a huge time jump to 4 years and in those four years FMC has been set aside as she watches her sister hang all over MMC.. again I have never read a mafia book that would allow this let alone a Don to let another woman touch him... this book was approximately 150 pages too long. 92% of this was OW drama and I can't even say miscommunication because there was no communication. 2 of my biggest icks. MMC says he's obsessed yet lacks the substance to back it up. Overall bleh i was ready for the book to be done at 40%.
I hate to do this but this book was... not good. I'm giving this book a very generous 3 because I finished it. I'm utterly confused but the thought process of this book. I'll try to give as spoiler free as possible but know that if you want to go in blind just skip. First this book has a lot of time jumps.. and when I mean a lot I'm talking pretty much every chapter if not ever other. And they're in weird places too you get to a conflict at the end of the chapter and your expecting the next chapter to be in the others POV during said conflict. Nope we jumping a week. Second.. the amount of names had me confused and wondering which one was which. I'm also confused that this is supposed to me a mafia book right? Why in the loving heck is liliya not leashed?? I have never in my plethora of books read a book where the pakhan doesn't have control over their children... and the excuse as to why they let her do whatever makes less than zero sense AND don't even get me started on mom. Her excuse of abuse makes absolute NO sense.. ok back to the story. There's a huge time jump to 4 years and in those four years FMC has been set aside as she watches her sister hang all over MMC.. again I have never read a mafia book that would allow this let alone a Don to let another woman touch him... this book was approximately 150 pages too long. 92% of this was OW drama and I can't even say miscommunication because there was no communication. 2 of my biggest icks. MMC says he's obsessed yet lacks the substance to back it up. Overall bleh i was ready for the book to be done at 40%.
Read
December 27, 2024I love this author but the “not making sense” plot line or characters is a very real thing with her stories lol. I love the OTT aspect of her books but when some part of it doesn’t make sense it really does ruin the entertainment of the story. In this book the FMC’s parents are the real problem and come to find out her mother favored her father’s affair baby over her own child out of fear she would turn out like said affair baby did is absurd. I’m at the 66% mark and I can’t wrap my head around any of these characters rationale.
September 18, 2024
@dnf at Chapter 16
Charlotte,
I love your books but when every chapter starts with "One week later", "Two weeks later", "Four weeks later"... It's to much. I can't feel the story or characters... Everything seems to mild...
So, sorry for dnf this time...
Charlotte,
I love your books but when every chapter starts with "One week later", "Two weeks later", "Four weeks later"... It's to much. I can't feel the story or characters... Everything seems to mild...
So, sorry for dnf this time...
September 19, 2024
3.5 stars
This was a hot mess but an entertaining hot mess😂
I would have rounded up if the h didn't forgive her abusive mom or forgive her bat shit crazy sister and turn her into someone to be celebrated.
This was a hot mess but an entertaining hot mess😂
I would have rounded up if the h didn't forgive her abusive mom or forgive her bat shit crazy sister and turn her into someone to be celebrated.
May 28, 2025
I loved this one. He's a dumb ass but so in love. I loved the two of them together. They are just meant for each other. I hate her sister and her mother just makes me mad. I love his brothers and I just love the story.
October 21, 2025
FML this was so ridiculously OTT that never mind the kitchen sink being thrown in this one, the entire bloody kitchen was hoyed in 🤦♀️🙄
Read
December 8, 2025Totally OTT but strangely entertaining.
The Hero isn't with anyone after he meets the heroine, even though its several years before they will marry.
No past history
The Hero isn't with anyone after he meets the heroine, even though its several years before they will marry.
No past history
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
I was up all night last night in pain and for the life of me I couldn’t sleep, so I picked this read up knowing before hand really what I was getting from a Charlotte McGinlay book and I must say it did not disappoint. It was fast paced with plenty of angst and ow drama (which I love) that just gripped you from beginning to end.
I was up all night last night in pain and for the life of me I couldn’t sleep, so I picked this read up knowing before hand really what I was getting from a Charlotte McGinlay book and I must say it did not disappoint. It was fast paced with plenty of angst and ow drama (which I love) that just gripped you from beginning to end.
September 19, 2024
There was no logical reason why Romeo couldn’t just be honest with Elena from the start, and from that, the entire plot falls apart. It all keeps coming back to enforcing the contract, but who would enforce the stupid stipulations? If it was between Romeo’s dad and Elena’s dad, and all of them didn’t agree with what was “snuck in,” there was zero reason why they couldn’t just redraw it.
April 3, 2025
*other women drama
*arranged marriage
*sisters meant to be fiancé
*mafia
*who did this to you
*🌶️🌶️🌶️
*arranged marriage
*sisters meant to be fiancé
*mafia
*who did this to you
*🌶️🌶️🌶️
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