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Dark Hearts #1
Where Dark Hearts Devour
I know only one way to acknowledge the anniversary of my mama’s death – by drinking away the memories in a back street bar. But there’s nothing like waking up to the news I’m to marry the don of New York’s biggest mafia family to induce the hangover from hell.
My husband-to-be is unhinged and terrifying, but marrying him is the only way to save our family. I expect my fiancé to be disinterested in me, and he is. What I don’t expect is… his brother.
Cristiano Di Santo is intense, unfairly handsome, and has a tendency to shoot people’s hands off if they don’t do as he demands. He’s also charged with protecting me. If that means crippling any man who looks my way, and carrying me upside down out of parties, his performance is exemplary. If it means not watching me when I shower, and not holding me through my nightmares… not so much.
It takes me just six weeks to realize I’m falling for the wrong brother, and with my wedding day around the corner, my heart isn’t all I want to give him.
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Mafia ~ Forbidden romance ~ Arranged marriage ~ Virgin bride ~ Touch her and d^e ~ Forced proximity
My husband-to-be is unhinged and terrifying, but marrying him is the only way to save our family. I expect my fiancé to be disinterested in me, and he is. What I don’t expect is… his brother.
Cristiano Di Santo is intense, unfairly handsome, and has a tendency to shoot people’s hands off if they don’t do as he demands. He’s also charged with protecting me. If that means crippling any man who looks my way, and carrying me upside down out of parties, his performance is exemplary. If it means not watching me when I shower, and not holding me through my nightmares… not so much.
It takes me just six weeks to realize I’m falling for the wrong brother, and with my wedding day around the corner, my heart isn’t all I want to give him.
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Mafia ~ Forbidden romance ~ Arranged marriage ~ Virgin bride ~ Touch her and d^e ~ Forced proximity
390 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2024
374 people are currently reading
1064 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
August 6, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
🩵 Mafia Romance
🩵 Forbidden
🩵 Forced Proximity
🩵 Touch her and 💀
🩵 Slow Burn
🩵 Angst/Tension
🩵 First Person POV
🩵 Dual POV
✨ The Characters ✨
Cristiano – One of my absolute favourite cinnamon roll MMCs. He’s a Mafia Don in his own right! Ruthless, cunning, intelligent.. but beneath all that, he has a heart of gold. There’s a softness to him that’s so disarming, and when it comes to Trilby 😩 He’s absolute mush. I adored every second of his perspective.
Trilby – I LOVED her. Fierce, loyal, and unapologetically devoted to her family. The way she sacrifices her own happiness for her sister’s sake had me admiring her more and more as the story unfolded. Her resilience in the face of past trauma was beautifully written, and her POV was powerful and heartfelt.
✨ The Plot ✨
The story begins with the death of the Don and a resulting power shift. Savero, the new Don, is making some seriously questionable moves… enter Cristiano, his brother. After a tragedy drove him away from the Mafia, Cristiano built a (mostly) legitimate casino empire far removed from his criminal roots.
Trilby, meanwhile, has been promised to Savero. She meets Cristiano without knowing who he is, and the connection between them? Instant. Off-the-charts. The kind that leaps off the page and punches you in the chest.
When they meet again at the Don’s funeral, Cristiano learns his brother is betrothed to her… and long story short he is utterly furious 🤭 I absolutely love it 😂.
What follows is a slow burn, packed full of back-and-forth tension, forbidden longing, and relentless angst. It was a proper page-turner.
✨ The Spice ✨
This is a true slow burn, with so much tension and emotional heat I had to put the Kindle down just to breathe. And when the spice finally hits? It’s not the wild, jaw-dropping kind but the aching, soul-deep kind that fits these characters perfectly. It’s tender, emotional, and completely in line with the tone of their romance. Cristiano and Trilby are genuinely beautiful together.
✨ My Final Thoughts ✨
This book was an emotional, romantic, angsty delight. A forbidden love story wrapped in Mafia intrigue, but not a dark romance… so if that’s what you’re after, I would adjust expectations. Yes, it includes trauma and heartache, but it’s handled with care and doesn’t drag the book into the dark that you would expect from a true dark romance.
It’s a story about love rising from impossible circumstances, and it was exceptionally written. I felt every moment. I loved every page. I whole heartedly recommend this as a Mafia Romance read 🖤
🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
🩵 Mafia Romance
🩵 Forbidden
🩵 Forced Proximity
🩵 Touch her and 💀
🩵 Slow Burn
🩵 Angst/Tension
🩵 First Person POV
🩵 Dual POV
✨ The Characters ✨
Cristiano – One of my absolute favourite cinnamon roll MMCs. He’s a Mafia Don in his own right! Ruthless, cunning, intelligent.. but beneath all that, he has a heart of gold. There’s a softness to him that’s so disarming, and when it comes to Trilby 😩 He’s absolute mush. I adored every second of his perspective.
Trilby – I LOVED her. Fierce, loyal, and unapologetically devoted to her family. The way she sacrifices her own happiness for her sister’s sake had me admiring her more and more as the story unfolded. Her resilience in the face of past trauma was beautifully written, and her POV was powerful and heartfelt.
✨ The Plot ✨
The story begins with the death of the Don and a resulting power shift. Savero, the new Don, is making some seriously questionable moves… enter Cristiano, his brother. After a tragedy drove him away from the Mafia, Cristiano built a (mostly) legitimate casino empire far removed from his criminal roots.
Trilby, meanwhile, has been promised to Savero. She meets Cristiano without knowing who he is, and the connection between them? Instant. Off-the-charts. The kind that leaps off the page and punches you in the chest.
When they meet again at the Don’s funeral, Cristiano learns his brother is betrothed to her… and long story short he is utterly furious 🤭 I absolutely love it 😂.
What follows is a slow burn, packed full of back-and-forth tension, forbidden longing, and relentless angst. It was a proper page-turner.
✨ The Spice ✨
This is a true slow burn, with so much tension and emotional heat I had to put the Kindle down just to breathe. And when the spice finally hits? It’s not the wild, jaw-dropping kind but the aching, soul-deep kind that fits these characters perfectly. It’s tender, emotional, and completely in line with the tone of their romance. Cristiano and Trilby are genuinely beautiful together.
✨ My Final Thoughts ✨
This book was an emotional, romantic, angsty delight. A forbidden love story wrapped in Mafia intrigue, but not a dark romance… so if that’s what you’re after, I would adjust expectations. Yes, it includes trauma and heartache, but it’s handled with care and doesn’t drag the book into the dark that you would expect from a true dark romance.
It’s a story about love rising from impossible circumstances, and it was exceptionally written. I felt every moment. I loved every page. I whole heartedly recommend this as a Mafia Romance read 🖤
September 13, 2025
This book ate me up in the best way. I wasn’t expecting to be so drawn into Trilby and Cristiano’s story, but wow, the push and pull between them was addictive. Trilby felt real—grieving, messy, trying to do the “right” thing while secretly wanting the completely “wrong” one. And Cristiano? Broody, dangerous, morally grey, and somehow still the only one who really saw her. Their chemistry was so sharp it almost hurt to read at times, especially with the whole fiancé situation hanging over everything.
I loved the tension and all the forbidden moments where you know they shouldn’t, but you’re begging them to anyway. The small-town, mafia-ish backdrop gave it just the right grit. That said, a couple plot points felt a little rushed near the end—I wanted more time to sit with the fallout—but it didn’t stop me from devouring it.
I loved the tension and all the forbidden moments where you know they shouldn’t, but you’re begging them to anyway. The small-town, mafia-ish backdrop gave it just the right grit. That said, a couple plot points felt a little rushed near the end—I wanted more time to sit with the fallout—but it didn’t stop me from devouring it.
September 16, 2025
4,5⭐️
Це було добре, тут гарна і цікава мафія, без тупих жорстких (без причини) гг, дуже сподобалось як описана лл🫶
Буду читати далі, інші сестри теж цікаві.
Це було добре, тут гарна і цікава мафія, без тупих жорстких (без причини) гг, дуже сподобалось як описана лл🫶
Буду читати далі, інші сестри теж цікаві.
June 10, 2025
It was an okay read. Very slow… I believe they kiss at about the 60% mark or so. It has some violence but the H is not your typical “mafia” guy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2024
Trilby and Cristiano. A slow-burn forbidden romance since he is her fiancé’s brother. The book was quite an enjoyable read, the pacing was nice. There is chemistry between them but I found some of their decisions illogical. I think I missed some angst given the fact that they were quite careless and I definitely would have liked more pages from Cristiano’s POV. Maybe some more scenes with Savero, the fiancé, too. Some parts towards the end felt a bit rushed but overall it was pretty decent.
-Dual 1st person POV (75% FMC)
-Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Overall: 3.5/5 ⭐️ for me.
-Dual 1st person POV (75% FMC)
-Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Overall: 3.5/5 ⭐️ for me.
October 17, 2024
Where Dark Hearts Devour
I was absolutely mesmerised with the story and the characters were absolutely captivating. When Dark Hearts Devour is about Trilby, the oldest daughter who is being forced into an arranged marriage to save her family's business. Savero is now the head of the family and who she is set to marry, however she has already had an encounter with Cristiano who is the brother of Savero who left town to escape the mafia life and has returned for a family funeral.
This book was everything, dark, delicious and dirty with some mystery and suspense. Loved Trilby learning to be strong with what she wants, and her and Cristiano's chemistry was everything.
Welcome to the dark side, Victoria, cannot wait to see what comes next.
I was absolutely mesmerised with the story and the characters were absolutely captivating. When Dark Hearts Devour is about Trilby, the oldest daughter who is being forced into an arranged marriage to save her family's business. Savero is now the head of the family and who she is set to marry, however she has already had an encounter with Cristiano who is the brother of Savero who left town to escape the mafia life and has returned for a family funeral.
This book was everything, dark, delicious and dirty with some mystery and suspense. Loved Trilby learning to be strong with what she wants, and her and Cristiano's chemistry was everything.
Welcome to the dark side, Victoria, cannot wait to see what comes next.
March 8, 2025
-Dual pov
-Small age gap h20 H28
-Slow burn
-Arranged marriage
-Mafia
-virgin fmc/ no details about mmc past
-Safe no owd 👏🏻🙌🏻
-No omd apart from-
(She’s engaged to the H’s brother, she doesn’t want to be, he doesn’t care about her it’s arranged so he can partner in her father’s business. He’s a cold psychopath who barely acknowledges her so you are actively routing for the fmc and mmc against the brother)
-push/pull a lot because of the circumstances
-HFN ending- they’re engaged and living together
He’s the new Don and the next book is the h’s sister and one of the H’s men so hopefully we will see more of Trilby and Cristiano in future books.
-Small age gap h20 H28
-Slow burn
-Arranged marriage
-Mafia
-virgin fmc/ no details about mmc past
-Safe no owd 👏🏻🙌🏻
-No omd apart from-
(She’s engaged to the H’s brother, she doesn’t want to be, he doesn’t care about her it’s arranged so he can partner in her father’s business. He’s a cold psychopath who barely acknowledges her so you are actively routing for the fmc and mmc against the brother)
-push/pull a lot because of the circumstances
-HFN ending- they’re engaged and living together
He’s the new Don and the next book is the h’s sister and one of the H’s men so hopefully we will see more of Trilby and Cristiano in future books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2025
Trilby is being forced into an arranged marriage with Savero, only she has a past connection to his brother Cristiano, he wanted out of the mafia life, but when he returns and croses paths with Trilby once more he cant let her go, esepically not to his brother! well written the story draws you in and holds your attention the characters develop well and the story flows, engaging, steamy drama and more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 15, 2024
What a fantastic story.
Trilby Castellano is set to marry Savero Di Santo in an arranged marriage to save her families business. The only problem is she has met his brother first, Cristiano.
Cristiano has the ability to see her. They spark feelings within each other. He is everywhere and cares for her when she needs it. But she is still to marry Savero.
This story was utterly captivating from the beginning, I LOVED Cristiano. He has such a sweet heart and cares for those around him, such a stark difference between him and his brother Savero. The heat and connection between between Christiano and Trilby was beautiful, and I feel for them both! To know there is more to this world makes me super excited. I can't wait.
Definitely recommend 👌
Trilby Castellano is set to marry Savero Di Santo in an arranged marriage to save her families business. The only problem is she has met his brother first, Cristiano.
Cristiano has the ability to see her. They spark feelings within each other. He is everywhere and cares for her when she needs it. But she is still to marry Savero.
This story was utterly captivating from the beginning, I LOVED Cristiano. He has such a sweet heart and cares for those around him, such a stark difference between him and his brother Savero. The heat and connection between between Christiano and Trilby was beautiful, and I feel for them both! To know there is more to this world makes me super excited. I can't wait.
Definitely recommend 👌
October 6, 2024
“She’s my winning hand, my lucky dice, the millions that no matter how hard you gamble you can never quite grasp” ✨🖤
I fell in love with this book within the first few chapters. It’s truly such an amazing read. This story is full of tension, desire, loss & trauma.
Cristiano & Trilby had a fantastic chemistry from the start & I loved their journey.
October 14, 2024
What a story of twists and turns. A great start into this world
I absolutely adored Trilby and Cristiano. Their chemistry and tension was perfect.
I loved her sisters and the relationship that they had. I'm excited to read more in this series! 4.5/5
I absolutely adored Trilby and Cristiano. Their chemistry and tension was perfect.
I loved her sisters and the relationship that they had. I'm excited to read more in this series! 4.5/5
December 27, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
Everyone should know by now that I love a slow burn! I loved "Where Dark Hearts Devour." I liked both main characters, Cristiano and Trilby. There's a ton of tension and banter. I will definitely be looking out for the second book in this series.
Everyone should know by now that I love a slow burn! I loved "Where Dark Hearts Devour." I liked both main characters, Cristiano and Trilby. There's a ton of tension and banter. I will definitely be looking out for the second book in this series.
October 21, 2024
A phenomenal first book in a new mafia series that will not disappoint.
Who doesn't love a fun, a bit awkward, and ultra sexy meet cute? What about an arranged marriage to a mafia kingpin who couldn't care less about you, but his dark and intriguing brother can't keep his eyes (or hands) off you? Trilby and Cristiano bring the heat in this story...you will never look at hide and seek the same way again that's for sure.
I was hooked from the beginning and became even more invested in the amazing side characters (who will be getting a starring role in their own books soon). Cristiano stole the show for me. I love a brooding hero, but he took his obsessive and stalkerish behavior to a yummy level that hit just right. Trilby did not disappoint either. I am here for a strong heroine who knows how to hold her own and ultimately own her man and she did that and much more.
These 2 were dynamite together and I cannot wait for the next book and to dive back into this world.
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
Spice: 3.5/5🌶️
Dual POV
Who doesn't love a fun, a bit awkward, and ultra sexy meet cute? What about an arranged marriage to a mafia kingpin who couldn't care less about you, but his dark and intriguing brother can't keep his eyes (or hands) off you? Trilby and Cristiano bring the heat in this story...you will never look at hide and seek the same way again that's for sure.
I was hooked from the beginning and became even more invested in the amazing side characters (who will be getting a starring role in their own books soon). Cristiano stole the show for me. I love a brooding hero, but he took his obsessive and stalkerish behavior to a yummy level that hit just right. Trilby did not disappoint either. I am here for a strong heroine who knows how to hold her own and ultimately own her man and she did that and much more.
These 2 were dynamite together and I cannot wait for the next book and to dive back into this world.
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
Spice: 3.5/5🌶️
Dual POV
May 7, 2025
3,75*
October 10, 2024
This was my first book by Victoria, and I loved it!!! Cristiano and Trilby have a forbidden love because Trilby is being married off to his brother to save her family. Trust me when I say that this book was the longest foreplay until they couldn't hold back any longer. Loved it!!!!
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
October 10, 2024
Wow, this Author keeps getting better and better. Not gonna lie I was in a total book slump and couldn't finish my current reads, until this book landed in my inbox. Best surprise ever.
June 20, 2025
3.5 stars
I like a good slow burn, and this one was great. It really cranked up the tension, and I thought it paid off. Worth reading to get to the end.
I like a good slow burn, and this one was great. It really cranked up the tension, and I thought it paid off. Worth reading to get to the end.
May 30, 2025
I absolutely devoured this book in a couple of hours and loved every second of it. Cristiano and Trilby had an intense connection from the second they met and it didn't dim one bit even when Trilby was supposed to be marrying Cristiano's brother!
The slow burn is so worth the wait in this book. The tension was off the charts by the time they finally gave into what had been brewing between them from the very beginning.
This had all of the best bits that I love in mafia romance. Cristiano was willing to burn down the entire world if it ment Trilby was safe.
The world building was great with not too many people introduced to make it confusing. I am beyond excited to see some of the characters that we have already met in this book get their stories.
The slow burn is so worth the wait in this book. The tension was off the charts by the time they finally gave into what had been brewing between them from the very beginning.
This had all of the best bits that I love in mafia romance. Cristiano was willing to burn down the entire world if it ment Trilby was safe.
The world building was great with not too many people introduced to make it confusing. I am beyond excited to see some of the characters that we have already met in this book get their stories.
October 10, 2024
Omg
This story and the characters were absolutely captivating.
Trilby is the oldest daughter who’s forced into an arranged marriage to save the family’s business.
I loved how she learned how to be strong and her and Cristiano’s chemistry was everything!
This story and the characters were absolutely captivating.
Trilby is the oldest daughter who’s forced into an arranged marriage to save the family’s business.
I loved how she learned how to be strong and her and Cristiano’s chemistry was everything!
October 12, 2024
This book pulled me in and I didn’t want to put it down !!! Great first book for the series and I cannot wait for more. Cristiano and Trilby Where do I start they are forbidden literally risking there life’s and what will happen when her fiancé finds out!!!
October 17, 2024
Absolutely loved this story. Christiano and Trilby are a match made in heaven. He brings the best out of Trilby and gets her to open herself up to the person she once was before her mom passed away.
October 20, 2024
Fell in love with the brother instantly. Loved reading this book and cannot wait to read more by this author.
October 21, 2024
This book was so good, I couldn't put it down! I absolutely loved it!
April 17, 2025
Great first book!!!!! Loved it!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
October 18, 2024
"That happily ever after we all want? He's already there, Tril. He's just patiently waiting for you to catch up to him. "
Heart melt 💓 Absolutely Must Read!
A storyline that captivates; with characters that are guaranteed to steal your heart. Surprising plot twists.
All wrapped up with the most endearing couple.
This is a Mafia romance so there is crimson splatter.
"Sometimes the best memories are the ones we can't make"
Tril you rebel you.
Floved Tril. She always walked that line between respectable and "Excuse me, did you just tell me what to do?" rebellion
When it came to Cristiano though she didnt even have a net to catch herself. I don't think she wanted to be saved anyway.
He was every flavor of desire she never knew she wanted nor could she resist
"They fell for my smile. But you? You fell for my tears"
Cristiano had walked away from the family business years ago. He was only in town to bury his dad then he was out of there.
Well, that was his original plan.
But how could he foresee the tiny, slightly broken, yet vicious, slip of a woman who would call to his inner beast?
"I would burn down the whole of New York for you"
The chemistry
The back-and-forth banter
The tension
The smoking smexy moments between them
These two were meant to be together
One of my top couples for '24
"Your war is mine too."
Sav wanted the ports. And he got what he wanted.
To save her family she agreed to the terms
The families would join and that way Sav got what he wanted and her family got to keep breathing
Let me start with how much ick Sav gives off. The other brother everyone wants to smother who is now Don, and Tril's future betrothed. He wasn't even ruthless, that requires a conscience. He was an empty void oblivious to everything but what he wanted.
Tril's sisters and her aunt were a great addition to the story.
The overbearing aunt. The sweet sister. The goth sister. The dreamer.
And dad. He felt like he didnt have a choice. I was mad at first but I got it as the story progressed. I would have given Sav what he wanted as well.
Heart melt 💓 Absolutely Must Read!
A storyline that captivates; with characters that are guaranteed to steal your heart. Surprising plot twists.
All wrapped up with the most endearing couple.
This is a Mafia romance so there is crimson splatter.
"Sometimes the best memories are the ones we can't make"
Tril you rebel you.
Floved Tril. She always walked that line between respectable and "Excuse me, did you just tell me what to do?" rebellion
When it came to Cristiano though she didnt even have a net to catch herself. I don't think she wanted to be saved anyway.
He was every flavor of desire she never knew she wanted nor could she resist
"They fell for my smile. But you? You fell for my tears"
Cristiano had walked away from the family business years ago. He was only in town to bury his dad then he was out of there.
Well, that was his original plan.
But how could he foresee the tiny, slightly broken, yet vicious, slip of a woman who would call to his inner beast?
"I would burn down the whole of New York for you"
The chemistry
The back-and-forth banter
The tension
The smoking smexy moments between them
These two were meant to be together
One of my top couples for '24
"Your war is mine too."
Sav wanted the ports. And he got what he wanted.
To save her family she agreed to the terms
The families would join and that way Sav got what he wanted and her family got to keep breathing
Let me start with how much ick Sav gives off. The other brother everyone wants to smother who is now Don, and Tril's future betrothed. He wasn't even ruthless, that requires a conscience. He was an empty void oblivious to everything but what he wanted.
Tril's sisters and her aunt were a great addition to the story.
The overbearing aunt. The sweet sister. The goth sister. The dreamer.
And dad. He felt like he didnt have a choice. I was mad at first but I got it as the story progressed. I would have given Sav what he wanted as well.
October 19, 2024
Oh my goodness what a story!!! I couldn't put this down!!
I love a forced marriage/mafia book and this has to be one of the best I've read in a long time. I immediately got sucked in within the first couple of chapters and this really doesn't let you go at all. It's fast paced and there are twists and turns a plenty......but one thing I have to say is I absolutely fell in love with the two main leads oh my Cristiano Di Santo hmmm where do I start.....he's yummy 🤤 and so damn delicious I was ready to lick my kindle lol. Then we have Trilby she is just urgh she's lush and their chemistry is off the scale.
Trilby is forced into an arranged marriage with Savero.....but....she has a past connection and has met his brother ( yes you guessed it lol ) Cristiano before when they quite literally ran into each other on a night out. Cristiano wants to live a mafia free life but once he crosses paths with Trilby he can't seem to walk away....even though his brother is to marry her.
This just draws you in and honestly I couldn't put my kindle down it's so well written and the characters are 😚🤌🏻 the banter between Trilby and Cristiano is funny as hell and will have you laughing out loud especially Trilby gosh this is a girl after my own heart she's hilarious 😂 also a brat lolol. I love how different the brothers were Sav was harsh and difficult and was only out for himself whereas Cristiano yeah he was morally grey but had a hint of softness to him underneath the mafia persona especially when it came to Trilby I mean Cristiano shot a man's hands to pieces because he didn't do what he told him to do with regards to Trilby's safety and oh my.....sexy as hell when he did things to protect her. If you are a mafia fan you will eat this up and I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
I love a forced marriage/mafia book and this has to be one of the best I've read in a long time. I immediately got sucked in within the first couple of chapters and this really doesn't let you go at all. It's fast paced and there are twists and turns a plenty......but one thing I have to say is I absolutely fell in love with the two main leads oh my Cristiano Di Santo hmmm where do I start.....he's yummy 🤤 and so damn delicious I was ready to lick my kindle lol. Then we have Trilby she is just urgh she's lush and their chemistry is off the scale.
Trilby is forced into an arranged marriage with Savero.....but....she has a past connection and has met his brother ( yes you guessed it lol ) Cristiano before when they quite literally ran into each other on a night out. Cristiano wants to live a mafia free life but once he crosses paths with Trilby he can't seem to walk away....even though his brother is to marry her.
This just draws you in and honestly I couldn't put my kindle down it's so well written and the characters are 😚🤌🏻 the banter between Trilby and Cristiano is funny as hell and will have you laughing out loud especially Trilby gosh this is a girl after my own heart she's hilarious 😂 also a brat lolol. I love how different the brothers were Sav was harsh and difficult and was only out for himself whereas Cristiano yeah he was morally grey but had a hint of softness to him underneath the mafia persona especially when it came to Trilby I mean Cristiano shot a man's hands to pieces because he didn't do what he told him to do with regards to Trilby's safety and oh my.....sexy as hell when he did things to protect her. If you are a mafia fan you will eat this up and I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
October 11, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
Review: This book has by far been the best mafia romance I have read in a long time. I was on this authors ARC team when she was under a different pen name and loved her work and so of course I had to follow her journey under her new pen name and I'm so damn glad I did. I loved her work before and love it even more now.
I was immediately sucked into this story right from the beginning. I have to bow down and give flowers to this author for creating Cristiano Di Santo. That man had no right being as delicious and as perfect as he was. There was not a moment where I wasn't completely under his spell. The dynamic between him and Trilby was phenomenal. They had the best meet cute and the banter between them was off the charts. I found myself giggling with excitement and kicking my feet with giddiness. The tension between them was amazing and oh boy when it boiled over it had me shooting up in bed and then begging the gods for my own personal game of hide & seek. I can't wait for the next book for the story between Benito & Tess.
This book is definitely being added to my tops reads of 2024 and I want to shout about it from the rooftops until everyone I know reads it. Thank you so much Victoria for having me on your ARC team and for creating this amazing new world to get sucked into.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
Review: This book has by far been the best mafia romance I have read in a long time. I was on this authors ARC team when she was under a different pen name and loved her work and so of course I had to follow her journey under her new pen name and I'm so damn glad I did. I loved her work before and love it even more now.
I was immediately sucked into this story right from the beginning. I have to bow down and give flowers to this author for creating Cristiano Di Santo. That man had no right being as delicious and as perfect as he was. There was not a moment where I wasn't completely under his spell. The dynamic between him and Trilby was phenomenal. They had the best meet cute and the banter between them was off the charts. I found myself giggling with excitement and kicking my feet with giddiness. The tension between them was amazing and oh boy when it boiled over it had me shooting up in bed and then begging the gods for my own personal game of hide & seek. I can't wait for the next book for the story between Benito & Tess.
This book is definitely being added to my tops reads of 2024 and I want to shout about it from the rooftops until everyone I know reads it. Thank you so much Victoria for having me on your ARC team and for creating this amazing new world to get sucked into.
October 20, 2024
This book was a great introduction to the author for me, as I hadn't read anything by them before. It immediately grabbed my attention with its mix of dark romance, intrigue, and suspense.
The story centers on Trilby, the eldest daughter in her family, who is forced into an arranged marriage to save her family’s business. She is set to marry Savero, who has recently taken over his family’s affairs. But before that, she has an unexpected encounter with Cristiano, Savero’s brother, who had left town to escape the mafia life but returns for a family funeral.
This book had everything I love—dark and dangerous romance, sizzling chemistry, and a plot filled with tension and mystery. Trilby’s journey, from being a woman with little control over her life to someone who finds her own strength, was incredibly satisfying. And the chemistry between her and Cristiano was electric, keeping me hooked from start to finish.
However, what really intrigued me was Sera, Trilby’s younger sister. She stood out to me, and I found myself wanting to know more about her. Trilby and Sera’s relationship is heartwarming, and I’m excited to see if Sera gets her own story in the future.
All in all, this was a deliciously dark and captivating read, and I can’t wait to explore more from this author.
The story centers on Trilby, the eldest daughter in her family, who is forced into an arranged marriage to save her family’s business. She is set to marry Savero, who has recently taken over his family’s affairs. But before that, she has an unexpected encounter with Cristiano, Savero’s brother, who had left town to escape the mafia life but returns for a family funeral.
This book had everything I love—dark and dangerous romance, sizzling chemistry, and a plot filled with tension and mystery. Trilby’s journey, from being a woman with little control over her life to someone who finds her own strength, was incredibly satisfying. And the chemistry between her and Cristiano was electric, keeping me hooked from start to finish.
However, what really intrigued me was Sera, Trilby’s younger sister. She stood out to me, and I found myself wanting to know more about her. Trilby and Sera’s relationship is heartwarming, and I’m excited to see if Sera gets her own story in the future.
All in all, this was a deliciously dark and captivating read, and I can’t wait to explore more from this author.
October 17, 2024
OH MY WORD! This first mafia romance from Victoria Holliday was fantastic.
I loved the initial introduction between Trilby and Cristiano. Simple, yet perfect for what was to come upon their second introduction. Their chemistry was undeniable from the start. Instant attraction definitely happened, but as their relationship grew, that chemistry changed to straight up tension. Could not get enough of their relationship, their attraction, or their banter. So so good.
The situation with Sav was tense. That man was questionable, and truly only cared for himself. He was clearly the exact opposite of Cristiano. Sav was all darkness, where Cristiano was grey with a bit of softness to him. (well as soft as a son of the don would be allowed to be.)
You need to go read this book if you are a mafia fan. You will not regret it.
The suspense portion of the story held me captive and I didn't want it to end. Part of me was hoping that this book would have a cliffhanger, but it didn't and wrapped up nicely. Trust that I just wanted to stay in the world for a longer time.
I loved the initial introduction between Trilby and Cristiano. Simple, yet perfect for what was to come upon their second introduction. Their chemistry was undeniable from the start. Instant attraction definitely happened, but as their relationship grew, that chemistry changed to straight up tension. Could not get enough of their relationship, their attraction, or their banter. So so good.
You’re like mirrors, bouncing light off each other.
The situation with Sav was tense. That man was questionable, and truly only cared for himself. He was clearly the exact opposite of Cristiano. Sav was all darkness, where Cristiano was grey with a bit of softness to him. (well as soft as a son of the don would be allowed to be.)
You need to go read this book if you are a mafia fan. You will not regret it.
The suspense portion of the story held me captive and I didn't want it to end. Part of me was hoping that this book would have a cliffhanger, but it didn't and wrapped up nicely. Trust that I just wanted to stay in the world for a longer time.
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